Meijel Mayhem

[db_zero]

Another good battle. Playing as the Germans. Finding some difficulties due to the terrain. You have Panthers which in most circumstances be able to deal relatively easily with the American tanks, but the soft terrain makes off road movement difficult. The fact that the recon and cannon had a few vehicles picked off on the road makes things worse as the Panther now have to move around them and 1 has already been immobilized so its totally out of the fight.

The Germans get a rare airstrike. I may have to try and use in on the TDs that are holding up the advance. The American infantry defensive line is also holding up my infantry. If I try to move the support HTs to support the infantry they can be picked off by the TDs which are in a very good blocking position. Already lost 2 recon tanks and a few HTs to them and my Panthers are having trouble spotting the American tanks. The M-10's have a cannon that needs to be respected.

I don;t know what else I may be facing, but I need to figure out a way to break the defenses..

[A Canadian Cat]

Indeed. Lots of fun and good challenges for the German player.

[db_zero]

I restarted this battle. I may bad decisions about how I would conduct the battle and paid for it. 

The terrain severely restricts off road movement and I didn't pay enough attention to minor objectives. They may not be worth much points but ignoring them you do so at your own peril. 

Some of the Panther crews are green so while they mount a deadly beast their spotting and shooting isn't all that great and they panic pretty easy. 

The defending 7th Armor appear to be good troops and they occupy well placed positions.

Had 2 Panthers team up to knock out a well placed Sherman. At 800-900 meters it took a lot of shots as most just bounced off the gun mantlet.

[PanzerMike]

If one fails, try again. And again. Let us know how you fare in the mud of the Peel marshes. Thanks!

[db_zero]

Always nice to get a do over-unlike real life! A lot of time playing battles is like solving a puzzle...

The panzers backed up by infantry, recon  and the cannon support team is advancing up the single road.

They are using recon by fire to expose enemy positions and some of the defending infantry have broken and run only to be shot down in the fields.

One of my green Panther crew managed to get a kill on a TD at 1465 meters.

Because this is a do over can't really call it a victory if I manage to win one. Still have a ways to go though so who knows maybe a surprise is in store.

For now things are going well for Der Fuhrers troops. I'm sure Hitler would have loved to have had a few do overs back in the day...

[A Canadian Cat]

I managed a Tactical Victory but it felt worse that that. That was against a human. The plan I used was to attack along two points. I took a hit with some vehicles not making it to the right hand road (mud) but I made up for that when the main road force was stuck and pinned down getting flank shots from the other force along the right hand road. I managed to break a couple of deadlocks doing that. It was still a tough slog and I really felt like a draw rather than a win. But hey in the end we go by what the end screen says right

[db_zero]

This is turning into a nice challenge. The combo of poor off road mobility for vechicles and unpredictable green crews in Panthers makes for a management challenge for the Germans. 

Do you send a green crew in the lead? Or do you risk your more experienced crews in the hope they will get off the first killing shot?

[CanuckGamer]

Currently playing this PBEM with a friend.  I have the Yanks.  One of my tank destroyers knocked out a Panther at range with a shot to it's side as it moved across my front trying to move to my left flank.  However I have lost two other tank destroyers to Panthers.  One of my bazooka teams ambushed a Panther and hit it 3 times from the side without knocking it out and then got taken out by the Panther.  I have two more bazooka teams that each will be trying to take out a Panther this coming turn.  However this time I waited until the Panthers rolled by their positions so as to get a rear shot.  I have set short range target arcs for my infantry and machine guns hiding in foxholes as I can see German infantry advancing with the Panthers.  My friend said he has some tanks bogged down but don't know how many.  I suspect that at least one of them ran in to a mine field on the Yank right flank so maybe it immobilized it.

I hope the reinforcing Shermans have some Fireflys but time will tell. 

[db_zero]

I wasn't aware of the British or Canadians joining this fight so I would not count on Fireflies joining in but I could be wrong.

The M-10s do have a 3 inch naval cannon that needs to be respected. Some of the Shermans I knocked out were armed with long 76mm that may have some silver bullet ammo that could be dangerous.

Those bazzoka teams can be deadly. Lost recon tanks to them. Panthers are tougher but in previous PBEM games I've lost Panthers to them. 

Losing tanks and other vechicles to becoming bogged and then becoming immobilized is a real risk for the Germans. 

Knock out a German vechicle on the road and any vechicle that follows in its path will have to go around it. That is a slow process, potentially exposes the weaker sides to high velocity fire that has a better to good chance of penetrating and also runs the risk of bogging and/or becoming immobilized completely 

[Warts 'n' all]

No, definitely no Fireflies in this one. 

[A Canadian Cat]

15 hours ago, db_zero said:

Do you send a green crew in the lead? Or do you risk your more experienced crews in the hope they will get off the first killing shot?

Honestly I rarely pay attention to that. Whomever is in the lead gets to stay there. Perhaps I should

[Erwin]

What would have been done in RL?  I hear that war weary vets would put green troops on point as they were "less valuable".  But maybe that was Vietnam. 

Is an experienced point guy useful, or is it basically a suicide position to draw fire?

[Heinrich505]

PanzerMike,

  Is this one yours?  What a blast. 

Heinrich505

[PanzerMike]

Yup. Meijel is mine. I actually visited the area while making it. Not far from where I live. It was fun making it, glad you enjoy it!

[Heinrich505]

PanzerMike,

  This was no easy run, that's for sure.  I knew the road and mud were going to be problems.  I played it on Elite and managed a German Army Total Victory, but only because the US forces capitulated.  There were about 2 minutes left on the clock and I was flooding into the Janssen Farm to take on the defenders there when the AI threw in the towel.

Spoilers

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  I was trying to push hard with the Lynx detachment at first, but then encountered some determined resistance, lost one to what I found to be many Stuarts hiding on the right flank, and then pretty much waited for the Panthers.  I did push a bit to the left flank and again found 37mm guns trying to dust my Lynx.  Better to wait.

  When the Panthers arrived, I decided to split them up, two going straight up the road and most pushing to the right.  I cut one away to run to the left and help the two Lynx there.  That was a very good decision.

  Panthers to the right flank started to carve through the Stuarts hiding there.  I used infantry riders to get close and then took all the touch objectives on the right flank.

  Panthers in the center carefully advanced up the road, with the infantry pretty much moving Quick in the road ditches.  I was very worried about mines on the road so I had the infantry trying to locate them, running across the road from time to time.  I still ended up with some good traffic jams and lost quite a few of the halftracks to immobilization. 

  The Panther on the left helped get the objectives there, knocked out US resistance blocking the two roads on the left, and then I scouted up the road to the west of the Eeuwelse Loop, finding all sorts of mines and losing both.  But, I took a chance and tried to ease the Panther through as well, and it made it.  I guess this was kind of risky but it paid on in dividends later.  The Panther hunted up the road towards Peelweg.

  Still moving slowly on the right, the Panthers then engaged in a long range duel with that freaking Jumbo.  Damn that thing took hit after hit.  I also pushed up the center and soon had the center Panthers engaging the Jumbo as well.  This allowed me to move the right flank tanks further up and they eventually got just the right hit on the Jumbo, knocking it out.  It did cost me a Panther, but that was the only one.

  I lost the one Panther, a Jagdpanzer, and three Lynx.  But, I did lose many other vehicles to immobilization.  That mud was vicious.

  There was a lot of steel being lobbed back and forth across long distances of the map, but the Panthers really shone in this one.  They took a lot of hits and had optics and other things damaged, but they kept on getting the killing hits.

  On the left, the Panther with a green crew pushed up to Peelweg, finding flank shots on many of the US tanks and tank destroyers off to the left. 

  On the right, the Panthers kept pushing, and in some instances I had them drive off the road to shorten distances and try to swing in on the left side of the crossroads at Jeucken Farm.  Yes, they bogged a bit, but I kept them on short moves and stopped their movement if they bogged, then backing them up a little to unbog.  Don't know if this was a tried and true technique, but it seemed to work most times, and I found it worked very well in CMx1.  Or...I was just getting very lucky dice rolls.  Knowing the Panthers had wide tracks and should be good in even somewhat muddy terrain, I took chances with this and it worked.  I wouldn't have tried it with the JgPzIVs.

  This move also unnerved the defenders at Meijelseweg, as they were taking fire from their flank and front.  Once they realized they were being flanked, they started to run and a great many of them were caught in the open and cut down. 

  I'd say I had about 20 minutes left by this time.  I'd pushed deep on the right flank, destroyed many of the tank destroyers on the left with the lone Panther, and the push through Meijelseweg was gaining momentum.  I was hopeful that I would at least capture the crossroads, but taking anything further seemed a bit much, unless I was close enough that I get extra time.  The troops were still running the road ditches quickly.

  The Luftwaffe made an appearance and helpfully ripped apart an already blown up M10, several times.  I am sure the pilot claimed at least three different kills before he headed back to safety.  At least he didn't blow up any of my tanks, which counted as a huge blessing, as that is usually what happens, haha.

  The push into the crossroads was heavy from the right and center.  The Panther on the left started spotting outposts and began reducing them as well, so the crossroads defenders were being hit from the left, center, and right.  A bazooka gunner took out one of the Lynx recon tanks, but he then got ripped by the accompanying Panther.  His partner managed to run through a hail of gunfire and survived way up in the Rijt Farm area.

  I pounded everything at the crossroads, with the effect that the US boys broke and ran for safety.  This was kind of sad, because they were ripped apart as they fled back towards the Janssen Farm through the flat muddy fields and there was little or no cover for them to disengage.  That contributed greatly to the AI surrendering.

  Captain Baker was holed up at the Janssen Farm with a bazooka team, the spotter from his sniper team, and the tank crew of a blown M10 running out the back, facing 3 Panthers, one JagdPanther, a Lynx, and halftracks with infantry coming up the road fast.  He had a mortar team way back in the Manders Farm and one rattled tank with its main armament knocked out.  Under a white flag, he offered his 45 pistol to veteran UnterFeldwebel Schussel in a Jagdpanzer IV (A), while looking down the menacing barrel of a PaK 42 L/70 cannon and thus saved the lives of many of his men.

  This was a really good battle.  You were actually fighting the map as well as the enemy.  I know some of the posters wondered if the Green tank crews should lead.  I didn't look at the crew composition when I directed them left, center, and right.  Maybe I will next battle, but generally I don't, kind of like IanL.

  Thanks for all the hard work and effort you put into this scenario.  It is greatly appreciated.  The map felt very realistic, and the troop mix felt right.  There are many challenges in this scenario, and you are offered the chance to do recon, take chances on terrain, and try to flank enemy strongpoints if you take some risks.  Very nicely done.

Heinrich505

[db_zero]

10 hours ago, PanzerMike said:

Yup. Meijel is mine. I actually visited the area while making it. Not far from where I live. It was fun making it, glad you enjoy it!

A very nice scenario. I know it takes a lot of work and research to make a scenario. Back in the old CM1 days I made a scenario and called it "The Hornets Nest"? It was a long time ago and had M-18's in it and a defensive position. Took a lot of work for just that. I can't recall if I ever posted it as it was 17 or so years ago. I did see one of my old Soldiers at War on some website a while ago. Gave me a chuckle.

Must be interesting to visit an area where a battle took place and you're making a scenario out of it.

I'm a big history buff and know a bit about most of the Campaigns and battles, but this one was unknown to me until now.

[PanzerMike]

You learn everyday ? the fighting in the south of Holland in the fall of 1944 after the failure of market garden is little known. It was a muddy mess.

[Warts 'n' all]

As a pedant I would say that it wasn't in the "south of Holland", it's in Limburg. But, as Panzer Mike says the fighting in that area was a "muddy mess". And his brilliant work captures that perfectly.

[PanzerMike]

Most of the divisions in Brabant and Limburg where Commonwealth. Very few US outfits. Without CW many battles can not yet be recreated. Overloon Comes to mind. The Brits took over from the Yanks there, just like at Meijel. Churchills in the mud, can't wait.

 

Edited April 16, 2017 by PanzerMike

[Mies]

Call me stupid, but where would I be able to get my hands on this scenario? Thanks!

[Warts 'n' all]

I'll resist the temptation to call you anything rude. It comes with Final Blitzkrieg. So you get your hands on it by buying the game. Enjoy!

[Mies]

Ha, well there I go making an idiot out of myself....CMFB has been on my HDD since release. And I was googling around to find it. Will have a look, thanks!

Edited April 17, 2017 by Mies

[PanzerMike]

Veel plezier Mies  . 

The map by the way is based on period military maps and pretty accurate. So is the composition of the US forces. German OOB was harder to determine and is more good guesswork.

As I said, I visited Meijel and Neerkant. It has changed dramatically though. 

[Ts4EVER]

Hi. Inspired by this thread I made a video aar of this scenario. Pretty fun one, pretty tough. Ending is very funny due to my own stupidity

 

 

[Erwin]

Nice video.  Love your accent - it matches the German attack nicely.