Bil Hardenberger

The boot? It's in the trunk with the tennis shoes.. right?

Michael nobody is forcing it on you. Well.. except me in this thread!

Bisu, I for one agree with you, thought you needed some support. I have posted about it in my latest AAR thread. Keep up the fight, you of course are correct in my opinion and just because "someone" says it's so does not actually make it so. Have fun! Bil

You misspelled behavior by the way heh, I just read that thread in the CMBN forum. First of all I do not believe it. If these halftracks were only a battle taxi they would have: 1) Used half-tracked trucks instead and saved on the armor usage 2) Not armed them I am sure there were times that the infantry component was indeed used independently of the half track element especially in urban and close terrain. However, to think that these units would have these armed and small arms protected vehicles on hand and not used them in a support by fire role and as a base of fire for the maneuver element is tactically inane. I do not doubt that they became very shy when tanks were prowling nearby, but when assaulting a strongpoint that is primarily armed with infantry weapons I have no doubts that the platoon leader would place them in hull down positions (if possible) and support his assault elements with fire. It would be criminal for him not to in my opinion.

The Second Minute My left side Sturmpanzer fires a couple rounds at the Left Tit objective... nice recoil and very satisfying to watch it fire: Closer to the objective 3rd platoon's 2d Squad disembarks, note the squad leader hanging back and supervising his squad's deployment... the bottom image illustrates nicely the two models of 251... ausf C on the right and ausf D on the left (1st Squad): The Panzer platoon moves forward... ...as does 2d Platoon.. they must be feeling very secure knowing they have a very large friend overwatching their movement (can you spot the Elefant? Hint.. he's hiding behind a tree ):

Sorry guys, I meant to pass on the conditions for this scenario, here they are: Weather: Clear Temp: Hot Ground Condition: Dry Wind: Heavy from North - this means that I need to fire smoke as far into his rear as possible to get the best and longest obscuration as it will blow towards me.

The First Minute The battle is open! It starts with a few 120mm rounds falling on the left tit and the right tit. That should wake him up. Meanwhile the Brummbar and Jpz IV move up and into their support by fire position. The 3rd Platoon HQ halftrack takes up it's support by fire position and starts to lay some MG fire onto the left tit front slope while the squad halftracks pass it by on their way to their drop off positions. I am moving the Elefant up behind 3rd Platoon in order to overwatch the slope near hill 109. I'm starting to get worried about my unit's in the rear.. GaJ has great visibility from hills 109 and 126.. while checking LOS with my 2d Platoon and Panzer Platoon it seems like he can see into my setup zone (at least I can see onto those ridges).. so they will both be moving into the blind spot next to the ridge road as indicated on the overview map. The one thing I am really worried about is GaJ being able to place some indirect fire onto my setup zone and take out a platoons worth of troops or so. There are precious few safe areas for me to muster... it appears that until at least the tit objectives fall I will be forced into the center. I have no doubt that next turn (or even this turn) he will have a great many contacts to think about.

Thanks, and hey, you know that sounds like fun. My favorite (and most frequent) competitors are ex or serving military officers. I always get a good clean competitve game from them.

Fall back and run away?

You know.. the more I think of this battle from GaJ's perspective I think it would have been best for him to go with a tank force, almost exclusively, with a few mounted support units to do some recon and back them up. A tank company (+) (with as many Sherman 76's as possible) would be a tough SOB of a force to break through, even with my Elefant. I hope that isn't what he did... he could be the aggressor from the beginning if he did... yikes. The only thing I know he had to buy was an AA gun of some sort... the rest is yet a mystery.

Well, my turn was just uploaded by GaJ.. but I have to go to work now Sorry fellas. In the meantime don't miss my KG's Field Order which I posted right before this post... it is on the bottom of the previous page.

Field Order maps: refer to maps and overlays previously disseminated KG Hardenberger Attack on the S. Maria Infante Ridge Road 1. INFORMATION ----a. Enemy - the enemy positions and organization are unknown. Expect to see an armored reaction force along with numerous AT guns, HMGs, pillboxes, artillery, entrenchments, and obstacles including mines, wire, and road blocks. Enemy infantry in zone is expected to be light. No enemy air support is expected. ----b. Friendly Forces - KG Hardenberger is an ad hoc group of units including elements of Maj. Hardenberger's Battalion including: 1 Ko. (PzG), 4 Ko. (Heavy) (-); other support elements assigned are: -------------x1 TD Elefant -------------x2 Sturmpanzer (Brummbar) -------------x1 Jpz IV -------------x8 Medium Mortar (81mm) -------------Panzer Platoon (Pz-IVH) -------------Pioneer Platoon (mounted on trucks) 2. MISSION - Clear the enemy held zone and especially the ridge road leading up the town of S. Maria Infante. This will entail at a minimum capturing or clearing of enemy presence the two forward objectives (left tit and right tit), the S Ridge, and the Spur. We must make this sector safe for our logistics train and to enable a good jump off point for the next phase of the Division attack towards XXXXXX (redacted) 3. TACTICAL MISSIONS FOR SUBORDINATE TROOPS -------------1 Ko. (PzG) - the main reconnaissance and assault force of the KG. This company will reconnoiter forward, identify enemy forces and in concert with the fire support elements of the KG assault and carry each objective in turn. Immediately the company will reorganize on the cleared objective and continue the fight as quickly as possible -------------4 Ko. (Heavy) (-) - this company will provide indirect fire support for both suppression of enemy defenses and obscuration as ordered -------------x1 TD Elefant - this unit will provide long range AT and fire support as required -------------x2 Sturmpanzer (Brummbar) -this unit will provide long range fire support and obscuration as required -------------x1 Jpz IV - this unit will provide long range AT and fire support as required, particulary protecting the Sturmpanzer in its zone -------------x8 Medium Mortar (81mm) - these assets will provide direct and indirect fire support for both suppression of enemy defenses and obscuration as ordered -------------Panzer Platoon (Pz-IVH) - this unit will comprise our quick reaction force for countering any enemy armor in zone, once all enemy armor has been destroyed or forced to withdraw this unit will take up an offensive role and join 1 Ko. (PzG) in attacking and assaulting the objectives -------------Pioneer Platoon (mounted on trucks) - this platoon has an important role to follow up any assaults and assist keeping the KG moving forward by clearing obstacles and providing combat duties as required 4. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS - this KG will be under the sole command of Maj. Hardenberger and his staff until relieved by higher headquarters 5. SIGNAL COMMUNICATION - the signal plan for the KG mainly involves keeping one or two radio equipped units in constant contact with the 81mm mortar section so all tubes are available for fire support. Forward teams will be radio equipped as well in order to be able to call down timely indirect fire as the situation warrants. ------------------------- Signed - Commander

It'll probably be another 5 days before GaJ has his setup and first orders complete.

Set it up. It can be like Woodstock ... Umm Warstock perhaps.

Here is an overview map showing my initial movements (I will update this as events unfold):

First Minute Orders Okay I have just completed my initial orders. My initial goal is to capture the left and Right Tit objectives. I have tasked the 3rd PzG platoon to carry out this mission. In support on my far left I have one Brumbar: On my right moving to get in the saddle between Hills 300 and 302 are one Brumbar along with a Jgd Pz IV for protection: This image shows a comparison between the two rendering modes: Following up 3rd Platoon will be the Elefant. Once the tits are in my hands (hee hee) I plan to emplace the Elefant in that strong position. Also supporting this mission are two harassing attacks by my 120mm mortars (one strike on each objective) and one 81mm mortar in direct support.

Actually Ken I have a correction to make about that.. I had always meant to place a marsh tile for that stream but evidently never got around to it (this map was still a WIP when it was chosen for this AAR). So it is no obstacle to vehicle traffic at all. Bil

Presenting my KampfGruppe for this action: I wanted to go with something balanced and yet provide enough firepower to overcome any strongpoints GaJ might be forming. So I went light on infantry (one company) but I hope, overwhelming on the support firepower. The eight medium mortars are all on map. The heavy mortars are off map.

Here is the map showing all of the OAKOC overlays showing how they interrelate. By the way, the red grid on the topo map are spaced at 200m. I think you can get an idea of the scale of this 1.6 x 2 km map.

OAKOC Cover and Concealment The difference between cover and concealment is that cover provides protection while concealment can aid in not getting spotted. For this overlay I have isolated those areas that i think could provide the best cover or concealment. The depressions behind the S Ridge and behind the Spur have already been discussed. Notable are the possible ATG locations and potential kill zone these could have on the right side. I will have to be careful to scout these areas before I allow my force to come under what could be sighted here. this concludes my OAKOC terrain analysis. I hope it was helpful. GaJ has finally returned the next file so I am off to make my purchases.

OAKOC Obstacles Either man made or natural obstacles need to be accounted for. All I have to work with right now are the natural obstacles. As I uncover GaJ's obstacle plan I will add to this overlay. ---O 1 - The small stream that runs through the approach on the right side of the map blocks vehicular traffic. I will have to keep that in mind as I develop my approach to this battle. ---O 2 - I included the Ridge Road as an obstacle because it effectively cuts the map in two and will be a hindrance to lateral movement. I cannot expect to easily move laterally if I need to. This means my force will effectively be in two parts, right and left, if I decide to advance down both avenues.

I will complete this analysis tomorrow.

OAKOC Key Terrain Key Terrain are those pieces of ground that have high value to either or both sides. For me the key pieces of terrain are: --- KT 1 - obviously the two hills called Left and Right Tits are important enemy OP or potential spots for HMG or AT support. They will need to be captured very early in the game in order to be able to mass and advance with some security. --- KT 2 - I will want Hill 130 early in order to use it to either keep an eye on this half of the map or as a base of fire position. --- KT 3 - The S Ridge dominates the left side of the map... another important position that it will be important to either obscure with smoke, dominate with fire, or capture. Early capture of this ridge could potentially force GaJ to commit any counter-attack force he could have here. --- KT 4 - The Spur dominates the right side of the map and I will have to deal with this position sooner or later. --- KT 5 - This ridge which contains the highest point on the map (Hill 173) could be trouble if I can capture the Spur and if I start to move into S. Maria Infante. Obviously this is low priority for me at this stage.

OAKOC Avenues of Approach Keeping in mind the lay of the land I now try to forecast friendly and enemy avenues of approach (AA). It is very important that you keep in mind the enemy capabilities and use that to factor in any threat AAs. In this example I have laid out my three most obvious AAs: --- AA 1 - Provides good terrain for armored vehicles, yet is under direct observation from the Left Tit and anything on the S Ridge. --- AA2 - Under direct observation from the Right Tit and the Spur objectives. Nothing fancy with a move down this AA... also this approach is not armor friendly as there is a stream that cannot be crossed by vehicles that cuts through the middle of it. So if there is an advance down this AA it will be primarily borne by infantry backed up by direct and indirect fire weapons from around the Hill 130 - 132 mass. --- AA 3 - Straight up the gut.. this approach might be fraught with danger as the ridge road will be under the observation from just about every point on the map... however this approach allows some covered approaches to the Left and Right Tit objectives if used cautiously. The Enemy Avenues of Approach (EAA) are how I expect GaJ to use any mobile counter-attacking force if he fields one. As a worse case I have to suspect he will have some sort of armored quick reaction force with which to hit back with. --- EAA 1 - Hiding behind the S Ridge GaJ could strike into the flank of any attack down AA 1. I suspect this will be a high priority for him. --- EAA 2 - Hiding a force behind the Spur GaJ could counter-attack any force down AA 2 or even on the Ridge Road. I suspect he will have at least a Platoon of armor in each of these areas.

Well I post on every turn. My thoughts are that this will not be necessary for every turn. When the situation changes I will try, as I always do in my AARs, provide an overview.