Newbie DAR/AAR: ncc1701e vs JoMc67D

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 9

Disaster in the center... My LMG team is firing at the sound contact to protect my men.

But my scout team is pinned few seconds after the start of the turn.

As a consequence, it did not launch any smoke grenade. One more casualty taken... Snifff 

But, I had a little revenge. The rate of fire of the MG42 is astonishing.

[ncc1701e]

9 minutes ago, Erwin said:

Correct.  Units on QUICK may stop and fire their weapons if the have a suitable target.  AT teams will do this is they see armor at effective AT range.  (It is fun to watch an AT team on QUICK, suddenly spot a tank, stop and kill it, then carry on to their waypoint.)  

But, in my case, the squad did not stop to fire back despite I remember they had more than a sound contact at a given time during this turn.

[domfluff]

Recently I've been using Fast movement more and more, and not really using Quick (except when fatigue takes effect).

In a general sense, you don't want to ever be moving whilst under fire. When advancing towards suspected contact, I'll generally use Move, Hunt and Slow, depending on the terrain (Move across open terrain, Hunt in close terrain or likely contact, Slow to crest ridges, etc.

If I'm moving to a covered positon, I'll often move Fast - getting out of the potential kill zone and into cover is the priority, and that's the best way to do that - it's great that an AT team on Quick will stop, kill a tank, and continue, but I suspect that shows an underlying issue - being surprised by the tank in the first place, and especially whilst moving, is a huge problem, and one that's worth trying as hard as possible to avoid. Obviously, these things happen.

[Bulletpoint]

1 hour ago, Erwin said:

Correct.  Units on QUICK may stop and fire their weapons if the have a suitable target. 

So basically, the difference is only about their propensity to fire at targets of opportunity, not how much incoming fire it takes for them to stop and go prone? I always thought that troops moving FAST would disregard a bit more fire before hitting the deck. As when sprinting across a road for example.

[domfluff]

Aside from Hunt (which is explicitly move-to-contact), I think the main thing (and maybe the only thing, but that gets hard to test) keeping them from hitting the dirt are their soft factors.

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 10

Once again my impatient has killed me. That is not the first time... My green troops are in panic.

I will try to reorganize with the armored car reinforcement.

[ncc1701e]

2 hours ago, domfluff said:

In a general sense, you don't want to ever be moving whilst under fire. When advancing towards suspected contact, I'll generally use Move, Hunt and Slow, depending on the terrain (Move across open terrain, Hunt in close terrain or likely contact, Slow to crest ridges, etc.

Will the guys hit the ground if they are shot at using the MOVE command?

[Oliver_88]

I believe that a unit using the MOVE command when shot changes their waypoint into the QUICK command instead. So again no they are not going to go to ground when shot at. Unless that incoming fire is enough to pin them.

Edited October 27, 2018 by Oliver_88

[Erwin]

3 hours ago, ncc1701e said:

But, in my case, the squad did not stop to fire back despite I remember they had more than a sound contact at a given time during this turn.

I did say MAY fire back.  

[ncc1701e]

3 hours ago, Erwin said:

I did say MAY fire back.  

Yes may... Lesson learned. 

3 hours ago, Oliver_88 said:

I believe that a unit using the MOVE command when shot changes their waypoint into the QUICK command instead. So again no they are not going to go to ground when shot at. Unless that incoming fire is enough to pin them.

Even if shots are coming? Imagine that you are moving in the direction of the shots. In real life, I guess I'll go onto the ground instead of running to the enemy.

 

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 11

While retreating, I am detecting some British troops that are moving on the left in the woods. May be this is an attempt to go on my left flank. I will have to monitor this.

Fortunately for me, my faithful LMG team is covering my retreat.

[domfluff]

4 hours ago, ncc1701e said:

Yes may... Lesson learned. 

Even if shots are coming? Imagine that you are moving in the direction of the shots. In real life, I guess I'll go onto the ground instead of running to the enemy.

 

Going to ground under mg fire in the middle of an open street, when there's a perfectly servicable building right in front of you (that you've been ordered to reach) seems inadvised.

Combat Mission in general is a lot about understanding and anticipating  the consequences of your orders - in general, the low-level ai is really pretty great, but that won't stop you ordering them to do suicidal things.

[ncc1701e]

8 hours ago, domfluff said:

Going to ground under mg fire in the middle of an open street, when there's a perfectly servicable building right in front of you (that you've been ordered to reach) seems inadvised.

Combat Mission in general is a lot about understanding and anticipating  the consequences of your orders - in general, the low-level ai is really pretty great, but that won't stop you ordering them to do suicidal things.

Agree, I have just forgotten too many basic rules here.

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 12

Mortar fires are incoming at the edge of the village. I did not even get there...

I rally my troops and let them rest.

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 13

I am not sure but, on the right, I may have a good location for watching the village. I am sending my Scout team there.

I have lot of difficulties to find a good way to enter this village. Moving here (below screenshot), I might be protected from the fires from the leftmost woods. But, there are still these houses in front of us. I suppose the LMG team could go at the same spot than the Scout team to suppress those houses if, with our ROE, the LMG team still hear the enemy.

What is important guys, even if the situation is not really good for me, I am having fun. For a game, this is essential.

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 14

Mortar fires continue in the woods but there is nobody left.

By anticipation, I have fallback the remaining troops just in time to prepare the other progression axis.

My Scout team is back. Next turn, I will use HUNT command to search for the enemy. Something I have not done well until now...

[Warts 'n' all]

7 hours ago, ncc1701e said:

 even if the situation is not really good for me, I am having fun. For a game, this is essential.

So very true.

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 15

My Scout team is on the move. Will I finally find a way to reach this village?

The cavalry arrives in the form of an armored car.

[Bil Hardenberger]

14 hours ago, ncc1701e said:

MINUTE 15

The cavalry arrives in the form of an armored car.

The clock is ticking, are you feeling rushed?  Don't be in a hurry to run into contact, you have plenty of time.

If you received that AC you can probably expect that your opponent received an M8... be careful, these are not equivalent vehicles.. the M8 will eat your little AC for lunch.

[Oliver_88]

4 hours ago, Bil Hardenberger said:

If you received that AC you can probably expect that your opponent received an M8... be careful, these are not equivalent vehicles.. the M8 will eat your little AC for lunch.

More likely the Humbers, Daimlers or Staghound armoured cars than the Greyhound considering that his enemy is British in this scenario.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Oliver_88

[Bil Hardenberger]

Ha!  You are right, I had forgotten his opponent was Brits. 

[ncc1701e]

5 hours ago, Bil Hardenberger said:

The clock is ticking, are you feeling rushed?  Don't be in a hurry to run into contact, you have plenty of time.

Plenty of time? Do you still think I could win with the condition of my men?

38 minutes ago, Oliver_88 said:

More likely the Humbers, Daimlers or Staghound armoured cars than the Greyhound considering that his enemy is British in this scenario.

And this is supposed to be good news? LOL 

[Bil Hardenberger]

3 minutes ago, ncc1701e said:

Plenty of time? Do you still think I could win with the condition of my men?

Never give up hope.    I thought you had more time left.. but that last screenshot, once I zoom in tells the tale.  Again, not enough time was given to complete your task.

You probably do not have enough time to let your units recover for another push... but maybe.  Sometimes in a game you are not necessarily outfought, but fall victim to either a terrain or firepower disadvantage... and there is no shame to losing in that way, nobody can win in every situation. 

You have both disadvantages as your opponent had a much shorter run to the objectives and thus there was probably no way you could have gotten to them before him... and now that he is in those built up positions you are at a firepower disadvantage, as you have to cross open terrain to close with him... additionally you are moving and he is stationary and that brings spotting advantages for him that will just compound the already lopsided combat-effectiveness disparity.

Bil

[Bulletpoint]

On 10/28/2018 at 3:45 AM, ncc1701e said:

On 10/28/2018 at 1:06 AM, Oliver_88 said:

I believe that a unit using the MOVE command when shot changes their waypoint into the QUICK command instead. So again no they are not going to go to ground when shot at. Unless that incoming fire is enough to pin them.

Even if shots are coming? Imagine that you are moving in the direction of the shots. In real life, I guess I'll go onto the ground instead of running to the enemy.

It's been discussed a lot. Many players have wished for a move order that mixed quick and hunt behaviour - run cautiously forward but drop down when taking incoming fire.

[ncc1701e]

MINUTE 16

Not much to report. The mortar fire has stopped. My armored car is progressing as well as my men. But, they are again tired... Won't reach anything in this battle, I am afraid.

Hope you are not tired to read some poor tactical planning.