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CMFB Bonus Beta AAR (Allied: Attacking, Advancing, Allied)


c3k

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Folks,

This is a bit of a bonus AAR. It's kind of embarrassing how it started. That's a tale worth telling, so here I go...

BFC had all the Betas at the company spa. I was talking with Bil Hardenberger. (Okay, that's a lie: he was pontificating on something called "tactics". I was merely nodding my head and waiting for my intern to return with my drink.) So, anyway, there's Bil, in his smoking jacket, brandy in hand, cigar filling the air, his battle staff arrayed in key locations throughout the room, telling me what I need to study so I can reduce my losses (like THAT matters!), when, providentially, Baneman walked by. Now, this had all happened the day after Baneman and Bil had finished their battle, so they were both pretty full of themselves, as you can well imagine. Anyhow, Baneman averted his gaze and strode past us. As he did so, I noticed that he dropped his glove. (One of those open-backed, brown leather driving gloves. He wears them when he games, if you didn't know. Gives him a "better feel" for the battle.) Seeing the glove fall gave me the obvious chance to escape Bil's cigar smoke. I leapt at the opportunity. I picked up the glove, called out to Baneman, "Here's your glove!" and pressed it into his hand. He looked at me and said, "I'll email the parameters", and continued out to the terrace.

I turned to Bil, confused. He was grinning. I asked, "What was HE on about?"

Bil said, "My good chap. He's just thrown down the gauntlet, and YOU picked it up. Good luck with your battle." With that, he turned to his entourage, and they exited through the East Wing.

I was left pondering two things: how had I gotten myself into this, and where was my intern?

More...

Ken

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Baneman's email arrived the next day, which was sooner than my drink.

He wanted a recon quickbattle with some sort of limits and ratios. Sigh. I had NO idea what he was talking about. Something about 50% infantry, no guns bigger than 50mm, nothing fully tracked, etc. He also said he usually plays Germans. He then clarified and said, "plays AS the Germans". Glad that was sorted. He, of course, let me pick the map and the sides. I demurred, knowing that his choice of map would give me an insight into his battle plans. He picked map 150. Ah, yes: map 150! It was obvious what he was going to do. By allowing him to pick that map, I'd already won! First blood, to me! The remaining question was which side to pick.

Since Baneman had stated he "usually played as Germans", I knew it was a gambit. (In the World Championship for Rock-Paper-Scissors, (yes, it exists), the famous Eldridge opening has one saying "I dare you to start with paper." Ingenious...) Similarly, I knew Baneman was up to something. "Hmmm...", I thought to myself. "This is just like the poisoned chalice challenge. One glass is poisoned, but which one?" I knew he'd know that I'd recognize it as a gambit, and I'd take the Germans, but then maybe he thought that's what I'd do so he really wanted the US, and by giving him the Germans I'd put him at a disadvantage, unless he'd thought of that, and really wanted the Germans. This sub-game took us a week to resolve. I won. He got the Germans.

The game would be 45 minutes long. Nothing bigger than 50mm. That limits the US to 37mm. The Germans get 20mm, 37mm, and 50mm. Since this was recon, I thought a Lynx or II would be good to see, so I told Baneman that the "no fullytracks" thing should be relaxed so the Germans can have some of those. He took it. I mean, I didn't MEAN it, I was just TESTING him! This was obviously going to be a blood match. So be it!

I had to choose my force. I may not have picked the best, but given "no full tracks" and nothing bigger than 50mm, the only punch I had was M8 armored cars. So, I bought some. For the infantry, I chose Armored Infantry, for a bit more than 1/2 the full points. I stripped out the mortars. Why? Well, there wouldn't be time to call for help, and it's so unmanly to have to have someone else, like artillery, come in and help out in a fight. So, no arty, no mortars.  Plus, Baneman had set fog out there, so visibility is limited to a few hundred meters.

Pix of my force coming up...

 

Ken

 

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Baneman's email arrived the next day, which was sooner than my drink.

I always attend such functions with a small hip flask concealed somewhere about my person for just such emergencies. Interns are soooooo unreliable these days. You just can't find good help anymore. And don't even get me started on acolytes.

:rolleyes:

As for the rest of your message, it sounds like you are already preparing a rationalization for total defeat involving the complete annihilation of your force through mass surrenders.

Cheerio and I hope everything goes according to plan.

Michael

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Here's an overview of my forces:

 

 

Force%20Overview.jpg

 

I've got 3 platoons, an HQ in a halftrack, and a Cav troop.

First, the HQ: it's got a flamethrower attached. Because it brings me joy to think of what that could do in the village. (I'll show pix of the map in a bit.)

Each platoon is identical. Three squads, plus some reinforcement. I've stripped out the mortars, AND the machinegun teams. More on that in a bit. The reinforcements are that each platoon has two sniper teams and two EXTRA bazooka teams. (Every halftrack comes equipped with an M1A1 bazooka. That's 13 of 'em, total. (4 per platoon)).  Every platoon will have 6 bazookas. Baneman wants halftracks, armored cars, and light tanks? I want burning hulks, fires, spreading smoke, and the smell of cooking hamburger. Yeah. The snipers are all crack or elite and are there to have some fun with any exposed machinegunners. Nothing makes my day better than seeing a red cross appear above an MG42. I don't want the MG squads because, well, I needed the points and I've got enough machineguns. Each platoon has 4 halftracks. (I subbed an M3A1 for one of the M3's. "A1" has the .50. No, that didn't count as "infantry" for out points. Only organic transport does. Since I subbed, I gotta pay...)

Back to the halftracks...  Each platoon has 4. 3 of them have dual .30 machineguns, one has a .50 and a .30. That's 7 .30 machineguns and a .50 for each of 3 platoons. Add in the the bazookas, and I think I can take on some German halftracks and troops.

 

My Cavalry Troop is modified. I tossed out all but one of the .50 cal jeeps. Don't need 'em. I used M8(mid)s because they have the .50. M8 vanilla don't have the extra oomph. I like oomph. I stripped down the troop and added an M8 into each of two sections. That gives me 7 M8(mid)s. Then, I added some halftracks. What? Oh, not any halftracks. I added two M15A1s and two M16s. M15A1s have dual .50's and a 37mm autocannon. The M16s have quad .50. I like .50s. I like more .50s even more.

 

My total force has..

37mm: 9 tubes (2 are clip fed)

.50 cal mg: 24 barrels (2 dual, 2 quad, 7 on M8's, 4 on halftracks, 1 on a jeep. He will be gloooooorious!)

bazookas: 19

That should put some sort of dent into his armored cars, halftracks, and light tanks.

Next, the map...

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I always attend such functions with a small hip flask concealed somewhere about my person for just such emergencies. Interns are soooooo unreliable these days. You just can't find good help anymore. And don't even get me started on acolytes.

:rolleyes:

As for the rest of your message, it sounds like you are already preparing a rationalization for total defeat involving the complete annihilation of your force through mass surrenders.

Cheerio and I hope everything goes according to plan.

Michael

Those who surrender usually find themselves near some Area Target fire. To encourage the others...  As for mass annihilation, there is NOTHING but victory! If all are lost in the pursuit, it will be my gain! Of course, you've reminded me I need a plan. Pretty similar to what Bil was telling me before the whole glove thing...

:)

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Hmm... I think I see Baneman's nefarious plan old man... fog, Germans, nothing larger than 50mm.. of course only the the Germans get 50mm gun armed vehicles... and his infantry is going to be 100% SMG armed, mark my words!  You lost the rock, paper, scissors game I'm afraid.

In short, you have been setup to fail, prepare to join me in the loser's circle after the match.  I am ashamed to be associated with you for getting caught in his net. <shakes head>

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I suspect Baneman's late arrival had something to do with your imissing ntern. Was her hair kind of in disarray when she returned?  Was she kind of out of breath?    Yeah thought so.  Baneman is a former drill sergeant. He makes em take laps around the building. Then Bud draws anime of them when they get back. They are making a fortune in Japan. 

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Here's an overview of my forces:

37mm: 9 tubes (2 are clip fed)

.50 cal mg: 24 barrels (2 dual, 2 quad, 7 on M8's, 4 on halftracks, 1 on a jeep. He will be gloooooorious!)

bazookas: 19

That should put some sort of dent into his armored cars, halftracks, and light tanks.

Next, the map...

This has all the makings of a bloodbath!! Can't wait to see what you are up against.

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My total force has..

37mm: 9 tubes (2 are clip fed)

.50 cal mg: 24 barrels (2 dual, 2 quad, 7 on M8's, 4 on halftracks, 1 on a jeep. He will be gloooooorious!)

bazookas: 19

Excellent - I like the way you present your inventory.  This should be fun to watch

 

Hmm, that's EXACTLY what my intern said when I was asking about my drink. What's that smudge on your collar?

Ahhhh, hummm it's from my lunch.  I'mmmm a messy eater, yeah that's it, that's the ticket.

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I suspect Baneman's late arrival had something to do with your imissing ntern. Was her hair kind of in disarray when she returned?  Was she kind of out of breath?    Yeah thought so.  Baneman is a former drill sergeant. He makes em take laps around the building. Then Bud draws anime of them when they get back. They are making a fortune in Japan. 

Yesssss...life-size anime interns....:wub:

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I analyzed the battle the way Bil would. Then, I realized there's a problem with that. See, he likes to figure out possible enemy actions. Bah! My enemy will DIE!!! That is the only course of action open to him. Therefore, I thought I would offer a direct path to that option. My plan reflects that.

:)

I had to crossload a bit, acquire all those bazookas, Open Up all my vehicles (no cowering down for my men), and plot the movements. Here is what it is:

Plan%2001.jpg

 

Some details...

 

Plan%2002.jpg

 

My overall concept:

Plan%2003.jpg

 

Yes, I'm using the old "hammer and anvil" technique. In fact, I'm throwing hammers all over the place! Okay, hammers in eggshells. It will be a bloody first turn. Really bloody. The survivors will be more motivated to fight.

There is a reason to my madness. This plan will disrupt my enemy. Chaos is a friend. Having created chaos, my men will prevail...because I will it. This is a gamey flag-rush coupled with a gamey edge-creep. How can it fail? If Baneman does NOT go for the village, I win. If he DOES go for the village, then there will be mayhem. That's just good fun for everyone, so I win again! If I can hold Lori's Mound, then that position and the Pinegrove will dominate my end of the village.

I've got some forces screening the Black Forest, but that's just insurance. Also, I want him to Spot those moves to create some doubt in his mind.

The 3rd Platoon, rushing the church/village, is just to gain a toehold. They all may die. Or not. Good commanders are willing to risk their men's lives. By that measure, I must be a great commander! Theirs is a high risk/high payoff mission. If they get it, they've opened the door for...

2nd Platoon, advancing up The Uncanny Valley is somewhat protected. If the village is not in enemy hands, they will be a good force in there to take it, and hold it. Protecting them is...

Some of 3rd, some Cav, and some snipers will deploy in The Pinegrove. They've the support base for the two maneuvering village elements. The key, however, will be...

4th and Cav Troop are going all out for Lori's Mound. That's key terrain. If I can take it, then I can win. I'll have a decent position on both sides of the village.

Reserves? Hah! I have one M8 hiding near the Farmhouse (by the Turnip Field). It's to keep the backdoor closed and provide one smidgeon of reserve. (Bil said I should always have a reserve.) I'm reversing an M15 into/near the Turnip Field. It should see something in the first turn.

Bloody? Yes.

Reckless? Yes.

Bloody reckless? Hell yes!

 

There will be no shortage of work for the medics after this first minute. If Baneman is cautious, I will root him out. If he is bold, then the clash will be violent and swift. This one may not go the full time.

 

 

 

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Turn 45:00 to 44:00

Baneman is trying to get inside my ooda loop! His turn came back ridiculously soon! I shall investigate...

 

Anyway, some pictures:

 

Turn%2001A.jpg

 

Some bad news for me:

Turn%2001B.jpg

 

Turn%2001C.jpg

 

Turn%2001D.jpg

 

Turn%2001E.jpg

 

Turn%2001F.jpg

 

Analysis:

Baneman is smoking the end of the Big Field. That may mean he's moving to his right, as am I. That would result in a Hurricane of Death, a Vortex of Destruction, a Swirling Melee, or any other dizzying metaphor! Or, he's faking it. :) I'm just happy that I've grabbed Lori's Mound. There are no contacts yet. My jeep will peek behind the curtain. They'll be spotted, reverse, then die. But they'll die happy, knowing they've given me information. Plus, it'll make Baneman think I'm haunting the Black Forest. It will give him pause. Any attack which pauses is soon rebuffed.

His smoke helps my gamey flag rush. I'm shoving harder into the village. Instead of unloading in the Pinegrove and moving on foot, I'm going to rush into the churchyard and unload there. Seconds count.

On my right, Lori's Mound, I'll consolidate. After I've got sufficient forces there, I'll push to the edge of The Dale and overwatch the village.

The immobilized M8 in the turnip field isn't great, but it does protect my left, somewhat. Gotta look on the bright side and not think about trying to squeeze blood from a stone. Of course, you CAN squeeze juice from a turnip...

 

 

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