Jump to content

CM Final Blitzkrieg - ALLIED (Defense) BETA Battle Report


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 524
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Bill:

Question??? Can I start a thread for forum discussion of your battle knowing both sides?

With spoilers- can you guys be gentlemen, agree and trust not to peak??? :) I understand if you prefer not, and I have asked the Axis.

 

Also, I really like your OCOKA TERRAIN ANALYSIS 

And so looking forward to the action.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After seeing both OOBs, the only thing I can say without giving anything away, is that this is going to be one hell of a weird battle. I'm really looking forward to it.

Now hurry up and finish the AAR so they can release the damn game :D

I hope weird in a good way  ;)

Bill:

Question??? Can I start a thread for forum discussion of your battle knowing both sides?

With spoilers- can you guys be gentlemen, agree and trust not to peak??? :) I understand if you prefer not, and I have asked the Axis.

 

Also, I really like your OCOKA TERRAIN ANALYSIS 

And so looking forward to the action.

Absolutely, that has been standard operating procedure for most BETA AARs and those threads are always a lot of fun to read after fact.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope weird in a good way  ;)

Absolutely, that has been standard operating procedure for most BETA AARs and those threads are always a lot of fun to read after fact.

Yah, thanks Bill. All is guud.  :D  I reckon your approaches already have spoiler talking points.

 

Hey cheers, I also learnt something new today. I like the OCOKA analysis tool   http://www.wpi.edu/academics/military/ocoka.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

UNIT PURCHASES

Okay, I went with Option B, some tweaking of the values allowed me to get five Hellcats for a total of 13 tanks.

My Order of Battle for this AAR follows:

TEAM HIT & FADE - Recon Platoon

  • HQ element with
    • bazooka
    • HQ Support Team
    • x2 jeeps
  • x2 Recon Sections
    • x3 Recon Teams
    • x3 jeeps
    • x2 HMG jeeps
  • x5 M18 Hellcats

 

TEAM HUNT & KILL

  • TEAM PAIN 
    • Sherman 76 Jumbo - HQ
    • Sherman 76 Easy 8
    • x2 M36
  • TEAM PUNISHMENT
    • Sherman 76 Jumbo - HQ
    • Sherman 76 Easy 8
    • x2 M36

NOTE: All of the following images were taken in the war movie mode, they simply looked better.

This force looks awful small on this map.  It's going to be interesting to see how this one develops.. still 13 tanks are not to be taken lightly.

Force%2BPurchase-01.PNG

 Team Hunt & Kill is made up of two platoons, called Team Pain and Team Punishment, both look like this:

Team%2BPain.PNG

Team Hit & Fade:

Team%2BHit%2B%2526%2BFade-HQ.PNG

There are two teams with this organization:

Team%2BHit%2B%2526%2BFade-Recon%2BSectio

Team%2BHit%2B%2526%2BFade-Hellcats.PNG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

METT-T Analysis - Part 2

TROOPS: I picked this force to do one main thing, to kill enemy armor and to limit my enemy's mobility.  My main worry with this battle was how to successfully engage the heavy enemy armor I expect to face.  I wanted to make sure I was very capable in that aspect of the battle and with any luck I could hopefully outnumber the enemy armor and be able to project more anti-armor combat power at least in a few restricted zones at a time than my opponent.

I knew I wanted an infantry force to scout for me, so I chose the Recon Platoon with its 12 jeeps, as it is a good size, can be spread across the entire width of the map, is fast and hopefully can be survivable. But this force needed some teeth, so I decided to beef it up with some TDs in support.  These TDs will not only be there to protect the scouts, but will be used in an offensive manner as the situation allows.

The Tank force, made up of two mixed tank platoons will be my main quick action force, and I hope that it will be able to take on anything Baneman brings to the show.

OUTPOST SECTOR - TEAM HIT & FADE

  • Recon platoon on jeeps with 5 Hellcats in support.
  • Mission Overview: identify, disrupt, harass, and channelize enemy formations into kill sacks, concentrating on killing armor and personnel carriers, preferably by concentration of fire from more than one vehicle/team at a time.
  • Main task is identification of enemy formations and avenues of approach.  
  • Secondary task is attrition of enemy combat power. Unit survivability trumps killing enemy units,  If enemy cannot be engaged in an advantageous and confident manner then do not engage. 

  • Withdraw when threatened by enemy movement or fire.  Need to identify and setup positions along several lines through the battle space with covered routes from one line to the next.  

MAIN DEFENSE SECTOR - TEAM HUNT & KILL

  • Two mixed tank platoons – One Jumbo (76mm), one Easy 8 (76mm), and two M-36 Jacksons (90mm)    
  • Mission Overview: work with Team Hit & Fade to kill as many enemy combat assets as possible. 
  • Main goal is to kill the enemy armored vehicles
  • Slowly withdraw if the pressure gets too great or the enemy starts to concentrate on one of the Hunter-Killer platoons. Keep the tanks and TDs alive as long as possible, trade space for time and DO NOT allow a breakthrough!
  • Priority of fires:
    1. armor
    2. personnel carriers
    3. mortars or guns
    4. support weapons (HMGs, AT teams, engineers)
    5. infantry.
  • The intent is to eliminate his mobility first then concentrate on the dismounts. 

 

TIME: Scenario lasts 1.5 hours.

Edited by Bil Hardenberger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

METT-T Analysis - Part 2

TROOPS: I picked this force to do one main thing, to kill enemy armor and to limit my enemy's mobility.  My main worry with this battle was how to successfully engage the heavy enemy armor I expect to face.  I wanted to make sure I was very capable in that aspect of the battle and with any luck I could hopefully outnumber the enemy armor and be able to project more anti-armor combat power at least in a few restricted zones at a time than my opponent.

I knew I wanted an infantry force to scout for me, so I chose the Recon Platoon with its 12 jeeps, as it is a good size, can be spread across the entire width of the map, is fast and hopefully can be survivable. But this force needed some teeth, so I decided to beef it up with some TDs in support.  These TDs will not only be there to protect the scouts, but will be used in an offensive manner as the situation allows.

The Tank force, made up of two mixed tank platoons will be my main quick action force, and I hope that it will be able to take on anything Baneman brings to the show.

OUTPOST SECTOR - TEAM HIT & FADE

  • Recon platoon on jeeps with 5 Hellcats in support.
  • Mission Overview: identify, disrupt, harass, and channelize enemy formations into kill sacks, concentrating on killing armor and personnel carriers, preferably by concentration of fire from more than one vehicle/team at a time.
  • Main task is identification of enemy formations and avenues of approach.  
  • Secondary task is attrition of enemy combat power. Unit survivability trumps killing enemy units,  If enemy cannot be engaged in an advantageous and confident manner then do not engage. 

  • Withdraw when threatened by enemy movement or fire.  Need to identify and setup positions along several lines through the battle space with covered routes from one line to the next.  

MAIN DEFENSE SECTOR - TEAM HUNT & KILL

  • Two mixed tank platoons – One Jumbo (76mm), one Easy 8 (76mm), and two M-36 Jacksons (90mm)    
  • Mission Overview: work with Team Hit & Fade to kill as many enemy combat assets as possible. 
  • Main goal is to kill the enemy armored vehicles
  • Slowly withdraw if the pressure gets too great or the enemy starts to concentrate on one of the Hunter-Killer platoons. Keep the tanks and TDs alive as long as possible, trade space for time and DO NOT allow a breakthrough!
  • Priority of fires:
    1. armor
    2. personnel carriers
    3. mortars or guns
    4. support weapons (HMGs, AT teams, engineers)
    5. infantry.
  • The intent is to eliminate his mobility first then concentrate on the dismounts. 

 

TIME: Scenario lasts 1.5 hours.

Hi Bill, I've followed much of what you've published, and enjoyed following your AARs.  I have a few questions.

Assuming the two recon teams will be initially assigned to separate sectors, and will operate somewhat independently of each other, will you attach elements of the Hellcat unit to each team, or will you initially keep the Hellcats together as a single unit.

And, regarding teams Hunt & Kill, will they be deployed to separate sectors, or kept as a central reserve to be used together or independently when the opportunity presents itself.

Thanks!

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bill, I've followed much of what you've published, and enjoyed following your AARs.  I have a few questions.

Assuming the two recon teams will be initially assigned to separate sectors, and will operate somewhat independently of each other, will you attach elements of the Hellcat unit to each team, or will you initially keep the Hellcats together as a single unit.

And, regarding teams Hunt & Kill, will they be deployed to separate sectors, or kept as a central reserve to be used together or independently when the opportunity presents itself.

Thanks!

Joe

 

For now I am keeping all five together, centrally located so they can react where needed.  Team Hunt and Kill's platoons will be in reserve, located on each wing but ready to converge as the situation dictates.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill - it goes without saying I am enjoying this. Can we dial back a bit - first of all the mission which you stated in an earlier post was ...

MISSION:  Word from higher HQ is to delay and attrit, the enemy if he chooses to attack through my AO, applying stiffer and stiffer resistance as he penetrates the zone.  There can be no withdrawal out of this zone, we will hold to the last man or tank.

Secondly (related to the mission) the ground. From my understanding terrain objectives are spots along Phase Lines however I don't know their values.

Third - time and distance.

I would find it really useful if you could expand on your understanding of casualty and terrain objective values plus your understanding of how long you think it will take Baneman's troops and vehicles to reach each objective so that I can visualise potential COAs better. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good idea. Will do. Basing a map on real elevation changes and terrain features is very hard to replicate. Too bad Google Earth doesn't include topographical contours (yet at least). It would make map making even more of a delight. I know there are work arounds, but still.

You would like to see terrain contours? Here they are:

http://opentopomap.org/#map=15/50.05810/5.74651

By the way, I am absolutely excited to see this new game and the DAR - thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill - it goes without saying I am enjoying this. Can we dial back a bit - first of all the mission which you stated in an earlier post was ...

MISSION:  Word from higher HQ is to delay and attrit, the enemy if he chooses to attack through my AO, applying stiffer and stiffer resistance as he penetrates the zone.  There can be no withdrawal out of this zone, we will hold to the last man or tank.

Secondly (related to the mission) the ground. From my understanding terrain objectives are spots along Phase Lines however I don't know their values.

Third - time and distance.

I would find it really useful if you could expand on your understanding of casualty and terrain objective values plus your understanding of how long you think it will take Baneman's troops and vehicles to reach each objective so that I can visualise potential COAs better. 

Thanks Combat-man.

The objectives are composite, so the first line of four separate objectives are in fact one "game" objective, Phase Line Cobru (objective 1) (four locations) = 153 points, Phase Line 2 Objective (3 locations) = 153 points, Phase Line Objective 3 (2 locations) = 115 points), Phase Line Objective 4 (2 locations) = 76 points

Distances: 1 km from the German map edge to the Phase Line 1 objectives.. he could close on that fairly quickly, my goal is to make him tentative to move forward.. I have not done an analysis of travelling in these conditions, but the terrain is very open so there will be few obstacles other than my troops to hinder him...

From Phase Line 1 to Phase Line 2 it is 1.2 km..  I am hoping that this area between these two phase lines will be a killing ground for me.. 

From Phase Line 2 to Phase Line 3 is around 725m

From Phase Line 3 to Phase Line 4 is around 300m.  

To be honest if he gets past Phase Line 2 the terrain gets closer, and the fighting should be brutal, but to be honest I do not have the force for a fight like that, so I hope to keep him in front of Phase Line 2.

Sorry I don't have the travel times on hand between these objective lines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You would like to see terrain contours? Here they are:

http://opentopomap.org/#map=15/50.05810/5.74651

By the way, I am absolutely excited to see this new game and the DAR - thanks.

Very cool, and very helpful.

Incidentally, Foy is much closer to Recogne than I'd realized... which makes me wonder if Foy might show up in CMFB's campaigns or default battles.

It's such a ubiquitous setting and situation -- Easy Company, Maj. Dick Winters, Band of Brothers, the original Call of Duty game (the only good CoD game along with World at War, IMO), and all that stuff....

BFC did put a Brecourt Manor scenario in the original CMBN, so they're obviously not opposed to the concept of tackling such a thing. But even if not included, I'm sure someone would hammer out the Foy scenario as an add-on pretty quickly, and having accurate terrain elevations would of course be essential. So thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill, thanks for that - so unless I'm mistaken, while Baneman has more points to spend it seems you have the advantage because you only need to deny him parts of Phase Line 2 and all of Phase Lines 3 and 4 to win. Added to that, to reach Phase Line 2 he has to cover 2.2km in 90 minutes ... I'm glad I declined your challenge!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...