BFCElvis

Back on Hill 155 I decide to move in tight through the woods and see if I can catch the AT gun off guard and unable to turn on me before I can knock it out. I plot my screening infantry to move along the tree line to protect my flank from any infantry in the woods. But their morale is so bad right now that the only thing that moves along the woods is the Sherman. As I watch the turn unfold I am helpless to stop the Shermans advance. And what happens next is my worst fear. A Panzerscherk connects!! I am fortunate that it hit my tracks and does not disable the tank. Full size While the schreck team scrambles to reload I am able to get a round off at point blank range. I won’t need to worry about him anymore. But still I have to get out of these damned woods before one of his buddies comes along. Full size On Hill 144 I am able to move a 30cal MG team into position to see into the Villa. Full size In the Villa there is a lot of movement. This may have been going on for a while but now I can see it. And I can see where they are going. Full size

On Hill 144 I move my Sherman forward to try to get a look at the Villa from the hillside. As I arrive what I have been trying to get the entire battle is now laid out in front of me. Not only do I have a good look at the Villa but I also have targets!!!!! 3 machine gun teams and Panzerschreck team and a firing position to reach almost the entire Villa. Full size The machine gun teams fire on my Sherman. Full size The Sherman returns fire with all guns. Full size In the center a ragtag squad see the same thing as the Sherman and fire a bazooka round into the first building of the complex. (TUBE GUY!) Full size

1502 hrs With the second JPz IV knocked out and only the last AT as a long range threat for my movements I’m feeling pretty good about the progress I’m making. It’s always a bad idea to feel good I am finding. Moments after the lovely screen shot of my convoy racing to the foot of Hill 144 I am met with tragedy. Of all the vehicles that could be destroyed the one that would hurt the most is the one that get destroyed. My 2 ½ ton truck is hit by a deadly round instantly killing nearly half of the Pioneers it is carrying. Full size The rest of the convoy somehow makes it to the base of the hill intact. I still can’t believe that the only vehicle hit is that truck. The field grass and flowers of the field are very high and the truck is the tallest vehicle that I had passing though. That lack of concealment is what must have saved the others and doomed my Pioneers. Full size The celebrating on Hill 154 also did last long. Throughout the regrouping the German have been conducting little hit and run missions against my infantry in the very thick woods. The combination of the trees and thick underbrush has made the Germans nearly invisible until it is too late. Here a soldier joins the choir invisible and is sent there by a nearly invisible enemy. This screen shot is taken from the location of the shooter. Do you see it? Neither do I but I did see the flash come from this spot. And he certainly saw my guy. Full size My surviving Sherman on 154 moves slightly forward to try to get a clear LOS to the Villa. What is left of my MG team that received fire from the foxhole moves across the bare field to try to get an LOS to the Villa as well. It is a risky move but there is no good LOS where it is so I have to try it. While the Sherman moves into position it spots a German forward observer behind a wall among some trees. With a clear line of fire I am able to pound it with the tanks 75mm HE. Full size

I know what I forgot...a couple of the things I mention above were already written up in my next post so your timing is good. Just sorting out the screen shots now. Also, I have gotten a different appreciation for infantry in CMSF from playing CMBN. There are aspects of C2 that were not as apparent to me in CMSF now after playing CMBN for a while a lot has been cleared up.

The sides are much more even and taking fire is not nearly as lethal as CMSF (unless you catch yourself point blank, tired and facing German SMGs in the woods). C2 comes more into play. Because every squad does not have a radio/walkie talkie like CMSF, maintaining C2 can be difficult under harsh conditions. When C2 breaks down and your unit is a little roughed up it will not perform its orders as well (or at all). The terrain (buildings obviously excluded) is very different and provides cover and concealment not seen on most CMSF maps. Because of this movement out of LOS happens much more frequently (as you would expect). And the last part of the equation (until I can think of some aspect I've forgotten) is that spotting of infantry is more difficult. Several things such as terrain, night vision, troop morale, etc contribute to that. That being said I don't believe any of things are not possible in CMSF. Steve, please correct me if I am wrong, but the basics of the infantry are the same in both games. What changes the behavior and feel is how the infantry reacts under the different conditions seen in CMBN, not a fundamental change in how infantry is modeled in the game (did that sentence make sense?). I would be a good choice for one of your first games because I'm easy pickins.

Well, I don't know about the "hey mom look at me" behavior (I'm not feeling that) but you would not be the first to use the View Counter Whore phrase. Although in truth it was Jon who first referred to himself as a View Counter Slut in an email to me a few days after the DARs started..

It took last years Visual Bone thread 6 months to have over 57,000 views. This thread did that in 10 days. I'm hoping for 100,000 before this is over. That might also mean that Jon's thread gets 75,000 Thank you for your viewership.

It doesn't take me any more or less time than CMx1 or CMSF. I think I am a relatively fast player though. It is very rare I will spend 10 minutes processing a turn. This game is the exception because I spend a ton of time looking for screenshots to take and replaying many many times.

stoex is right, that's what the red sign is in this shot.

I have read almost nothing beyond the first page of this thread but popping in just now I noticed this. I wish there was an engaging way I could show this in my current AAR because it has been what I have spent a good deal of the battle struggling with. There have been times when Jons infantry has come out of the woods right on top of my men, undetected until they were in point blank range and because of the condition of some of my units they disobey any order I have issued and crawl, run, hide, do what ever they can for self preservation. And the men do it independently of each other. 2 guys may crawl for cover while 2 others try to get some shots off. They have at times been issued movement orders but because of their condition immediately go to ground if they hear any type of fire, even mortars falling halfway across the map. The TacAI has performed fantastically.

So did I. I even intentionally brought the tank to the center of their formation. When that didn't do the trick I had the guys jump out because I didn't want to try the Sherman thing any longer and risk losing the men. I'll be asking around to see if it is something that could use some adjusting. In addition to the rescue element I posted it to show that bail out and re-manning of tanks.

I have seen more surrendering in this battle than any other but the causes seem to be in line with what I had been seeing before. So I don't think it needs adjusting. I maybe have a question about the squad that ran to Hill 144 but when everything is factored in it shouldn't have come as a surprise.

Not sure if you mean from that FO unit or the game in general so I'll answer for both. If you have a FO or HQ leader without a radio that unit can't call in arty. If you have a radio but no FO or HQ leader then the unit can't call in arty either. I have other units with both leaders and radios so I am still able to call in artillery..just not from that unit.

The JPz IV is not burning. The fire you see is the round that knocked it out.

I have decided that because the side path to Hill 144 was such an easy path and I have established a foothold at the base, it is time to commit some a large chuck of the forces I have held in reserve to move up there as quickly as possible. The location on the hill will provide a decent jumping off point to move into the Villa. Among the units I am bringing into this move is a platoon of Pioneers. They may come in handy for getting through stone walls and entering buildings where there are no doors. Full size Speaking of Hill 144. The forward observer I brought up to it drove to a batch of trees just off the road on the eastern side of the hill. After dropping off the observer and his radio man the jeep retreated back to the area with the surrendering squad and Sherman. From the position they were dropped off at they had no clear LOS and crept forward to get a better look. That’s when the FO was killed…….. Back on the hill itself I ordered the jeep driver to abandon the jeep and help in the rescue of the surrendering troops. As they arrive 2 men had already been rescued and the tank crew safely returned to their Sherman while the driver was about to save the last 2 surrendering men. Full size The foot of the hill continues to feel secure and the reinforcements are on their way. Full size As this is happening my next big break takes place. From Hill 154 my M4 Sherman finally connects with the JPz IV!! I have now eliminated 3 of the 4 main obstacles that are in the way of moving more freely across the map!! At this time I have a Sherman on each hill with LOS to the Villa and 3 Shermans in the rear ready to oversee the rest of my infantry in advancing to the Villa. When that final gun is taken out seizing control of the Villa should be a cakewalk. The hills are still full of enemy infantry and they will be much harder to dislodge but the primary objective is in sight. Full size As the clock passes 1500 hrs the Pioneers speed toward Hill 144 feeling that victory is within their grasp…… Full size

1450 hrs Incoming rounds from the JPz IV continue to bounce off of my M3A3(75)W. I can’t stay where I am. Sooner or later it will catch up with me. It’s time to make a boy or a girl, as they say, out of these Shermans. Now that the Pak40 is knocked out that leaves only the JPz IV. I’m going to try to break free of the terrible position I’ve put myself. If I move forward perhaps I’ll get a good shot in before all 3 remaining Shermans are lost. Full size On Hill 144 despite the presence of my Sherman the men continue to surrender. I believe I have put enough of a hurting to keep the Germans away for the moment. I decide to take a bold and risky move. I bail out of the Sherman and have its crew attempt to rescue the surrendering soldiers. Time is not on my side as they have had their hands up for a couple of minutes already. Full size The advance toward the JPz IV has gotten the results I should have expected. 2 burning M4A3(75)Ws. Weeks from now I’ll still be cursing that decision. Full size Otherwise on Hill 154 the regrouping- and-spreading-out-across-the-ridge-to-provide-security-for-the-now-greatly-reduced-armor-infantry is going fairly well (that’s some sentence isn’t it?). I have even gotten a MG and 1st Plt HQ into the German foxholes. However, it was very disappointing to see that the foxholes gave no LOS to anything I need them to have LOS to. Full size But…as so many things have gone for me it seems our friends in the JPz IV are in perfect position to have the LOS they would like. And just as fast as you can say uh-oh the MG and HQ are hammered. Full size

By game time full I really mean I have a wife, a 9 year old and a 6 year old. Each post here probably takes me about 2 hours. Plus processing my turns. Times up.

I'm glad Steve stepped in for you. Where I get on shaky ground is talking about something that has both not been announced and is not in the build that I am using for the AAR. There have been several new builds since we started and I have barely had a chance to touch any of them as my game playing time is a little full right now.

Hee hee..While playing that is what I thought was actually going on. Not all casualties are KIA and I thought this was just representing the WIA men.

It did fire, more than once. But guns set up like he has can be very hard to spot. The woods are doing a fantastic job of providing comcealment for them.

It is considered in it.

You are correct. I just went back in the game but this time with my glasses and saw that it is marked as Pak38 not Pak30. My bad. Sorry folks. I corrected where I could.

Thanks it...For once I decided not to end on a cliffhanger type note

During all this the JPz IV on Hill 144 has taken no less than 6 (and if I went back and counted it would probably be 9) shots. Through all the smoke it is hard to tell how many hit it but all rounds hit at least near it. Finally I get a hit that I can tell at least has some effect. I suspect I have killed the vehicle commander….Yes, that one that has been sitting unbuttoned while my rounds explode all around him…that one. Full size Full size While this is going on 2 other events have gone my way. The Pak38 on Hill 144 has been knocked out!!!!! What a relief to see that go. Full size And as importantly as that, the JPz IV on Hill 154 moved forward again. This time it came into view of one of my reserve Shermans. (in these shots you can also see how the Pak38 on side is set up) Full size Full size So far I consider theses exchanges to be not only huge successes but a balancing point in the game. I think things are swinging back in my direction. Of the 4 major AT assets Jon has left I eliminated 2 and damaged one. If my armor is allowed to roam relatively freely on the battlefield I should be able to make up for any infantry discrepancies. All at the cost (so far) of one Sherman.

1446 hrs The battle at this point hinges on my ability to eliminate Jons major AT resources. By my count he has 2 Pak 38s. One on each side of the valley and both overlooking the path I need to take to the Villa. He also has 2 JPz IVs that are positioned near each gun. The one to my left on Hill 154 has been advancing forward, looking for a good target and then reversing to safety. The one on Hill 144 to my right is backed into the woods providing it with both cover and concealment. Here is a view of the gun and AFV on Hill 144 to my right. They are “behind” the hill with clear views to Hill 154 and the Villa. The on the other side of the hill ridge in this picture is where my Sherman from my last post is located. Full size The rest of my Shermans are in 2 locations. 3 Shermans are still being held in the rear and out of sight in the center of the map. The 4 others are still stuck at the top of Hill 154. I am afraid to move them anywhere because of the over watch position that Jon has on Hill 144. I believe running them back down the hill would be suicide. So I make the decision to advance them head on toward Hill 144. I will try to keep them in the wooded areas that they are able to travel though hoping for both cover and some concealment. With a bit of luck maybe I can get some shots in before being knocked out. As they move forward my Shermans, a M4A3(75)W (early), takes the first shot. You can see the gun and JPz IV on the opposite hill. This shot causes some damage to my optics, radio and tracks. The TacAI has the vehicle reverse toward safety. Full size I was lucky to escape that but the next couple of minutes did not go well for me. Losing a Shermans in a matter of moments. (Look at this near criminal grouping of tanks. I should have the game taken away from me just for getting myself in a bind like this) Full size Remarkably the M4A#(75)Ws (one early and one mid) have both taken more hits and survived. Things are looking so bad now. Full size Full size