Claymore
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Posts posted by Claymore
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Scott,
Sorry to say but Smoker has withdrawn from the CM scene for an unknown reason. He notified Cyberfox to give all of his opponents wins in their unresolved RD ladder games. Smoker was one fine CM player and I hope to see him back soon.
If you feel the need for a good humiliating defeat and great blubbering tears of embarassement, then I will be more than happy to take up Smoker's mantle.
(that's your defeat, my victory in case it isn't clear)
Cheers
Claymore
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Alack and alas, the dreaded fickle finger of Fionn (F^3 or F-cubed) has fallen decidedly upon this poor wretched and pitiable creature. A full acounting of the dastardly events is currently being scribed for public display.
There is good news however, so do not dispair my good and worthy people. Ye forces of evil and darkness have triumphed but momentarily. I have agreed to decend once more into the lion's den and do battle with this most foul opponent. It is a monsterously vast and dizzying array of forces which are pawing the earth as they await the appointed hour. Verily I say unto all who now look at these words...I shall kick the foul creature's but. I mean...who wants to get spanked twice in a row? Well...some do but remember this is CM not S&M.
Cheers all...
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I need to kick someone's ass. Do you need to have your ass kicked? Why wait? Contact me and I'll bitch slap you into newbie-hood.
Seriously...need a couple of PBEMs cuz I AM ON VACATION! Sure it will no longer be a guilty pleasure sneeking in a little PBEM at work but who cares?
Prefer: 1. larger scenarios (3000pts)
2. any side
3. prefer the daylight
4. open to the kinkier side of CM
(attacks/probes/assaults)
As for those I am currently playing BRING IT ON, I'm waiting for your emails!
MMMUUUUAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAA!!
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Turns 11-15
I will drop all pretense in these AARs of having any M4s in reserve. Previously I had kept up the charade to slow Fionn from bringing up his Panthers too quickly. That worked for at most 2-3 turns and gave me some breathing space.
Now read on and tremble at the awesome battle which is taking place!
Ok listen here bub! We got them SS bums on the run but there's still lots of fight left in those slobs... Our tanks have graduallly been whittled down to a bare platoon but they are fanned out against and facing two PzVs on our right flank. They are all under cover about 350m distant and we should bag another this round. We have two platoons (-) with 3 zook teams guarding their flank. Maybe we can use combined arms and get both PzVs!
In detail my right flank looks like this. I'm facing 2 enemy PzVs over frontline 700m broad. Trees and a small rise form the right of this front and infantry occupy the woods. I see some enemy infantry icons moving towards the woods and my men are occupying a former enemy postion and the foxholes/trees make good cover. The centre of the front has a scattered platoon of squads intermixed with zook teams. The enemy armour has good LOS to them, but they will be too occupied with my infantry to do more than harass them. I plan for them to move forward and assist my armour in taking down those pesky kitties. To the left of this are the ROUTED and decimated remains of Fionn's first platoon to contact my right flank infantry shoulder. They are out of the fight no matter how much they attempt to pull together and I will not pursue them further.
We have our left flank secure with 2 companies (-) / zooks and 2 arty spotters ready to call down 105VT and 81mm on any interlopers. Our scout car was lost last turn but he gained us valuable intel before his destruction. The PzV left on this flank has moved down off his high perch and is possibly making towards the kessel. We will need to keep our eyes on further developments.
In the kessel formed by these two shoulders of infantry, HTs and armour lie the remnants of another platoon of Fionns. The HT MGs have been steadily attriting these remainders and I think its time to apply some DIRECT HE to make them rethink their postion.
Time to press GO!. Two turns worth of Kraut moaning and dying proceed. But other important factors have come to light as well!
1. Just as I anticipated the PzV on my left is clanking and clacking its way towards the central highlands. The turn previous to this I withdrew a single M4 just to counter this possibility. He his in FAST move and has a complete plot of waypoints around the central highlands. With the timing he will appear behind this PzV and take him in the rear. One of the right flank PzVs has clear LOS to him as he makes 1/2 of his run but the shots are at least 800m and with fairly good deflection.
If this PzV does make the highlands he will be able to shoot down into the depression where two HTs and a single M4 now reside. I will move the HTs forward and behind some woods for cover. The M4 I will swing around the trees to take the charging PzV from the opposite rear aspect. I don't want him distracted on his mission by other targets so I place an ambush marker on the PzVs probable point to crest the hill.
Fionn has moved a squad forward to probe this shoulder as well, back it looks like the remainder of a full platoon. I will let the squad gain a copse of woods that they are headed towards (that is only occupied by a single zook team) and then when the rest of the platoon joins up drop the hammer on him. Moving the two M4s to counter the left flank PzV should yield engagement distances of ~100m and with fast turrets and movement should bag me a kitty.
2. Fionn has joined the two right flank PzVs in postions which loosely support each other. There are no infantry (that I see) which are screening these tanks and my zooks may be of some use here. I have two E8s here in good cover and angle to the PzVs. I will play peek-a-boo with the M4 behind the building and charge the other to take the PzVs in the flank. As with the other flank, a single PzV has a long distance high deflection shot at this M4 and I put the odds of the M4 dying at about 1 in 5. I have husbanded the remaining M20 scouts and they are providing good intelligence. There is one PzV on this flank which has his vision screened by a small hill. My infantry may be able to advance up the hill and make a zook attack from close range. They need two turns of movement to get there so I start them off on a run...
I am confident that while I may lose one M4 I will certainly bag one PzV this round and possibly another next.
The birds are singing sweetly and the children playing quietly while my wife smiles and brings me a cool beer on my porch. I pat her on the backside and she gives me a sly smile and wink. Aaahhhh the world is a wonderful place. I press GO and watch the "blue bar of death" fill itself in. "Go ahead little bar" I say to myself..."every pixel represents just a little more death for the Vaterland".
Then....I download the movie. The birds flutter down to the porch and are revealed to be vultures. My children appear before me with sharpened lawn tools and evil grins. My wife shrewly calls from the kitchen "aren't you done with that game yet! This is not good. A disquieting feeling of impending doom fills me. My eyes fall to the laptop screen as the movie starts...the M4 on a swing around the highlands is taken out by a quick 800m killshot. The flanking M4 charging down a hill slows for some inexplicable reason (NOT A WAYPOINT) and the far PzV lasers a round through his turret. WWWWAAAANNNNGGGG! BBBOOOOOMMMM! It's OK I say, now the PzV coming up the central highlands has to get its present from the other flanking E8....But....Aaaaahhhh! He's not engaging the PzV! Shoot dammit! Ok..now! Now! NOW! SHOOOOOOOOTTTT! I scream at the monitor but no joy. It appears that the Panther stopped just outside the ambush marker trigger level. However, he is only 150m and at 90 degrees to the Panther's facing when the turn ends. That's ok I say to myself he's a kill the next round for sure!
The end of the turn now puts me down another two M4s! My kill ratio has fallen to 3:6. I still have two M4s against 3 panthers but with a sure kill the next turn. However, the thin edge of doubt has crept into my belief system. You know...the one which says that careful planning yields predictable results. I need to hedge my bets but I haven't much in the endgame to pull out. I still have my zook teams and one M4 against two Panthers on my right flank and a single M4 ready to kill a broadside PzV on my left flank. After all if you were looking at the broadside of a PzV from 150m and your gun is aimed and ready, wouldn't you think it was in the bag? I don't fully. A pull a platoon out of reserve and give them a mission I don't usually try in PBEM. Rush and assault that Panther boys. If by some miracle he survives the side shot then he will have his arse in your face and I hope you have the ability to give it a swift kick.
I press GO once again...my children still look at me with feral eyes. Not a good omen.
Well my friends, like I said nothing is in the bag in this game. The previous rounds which buoyed my self confidence are now but bitter ashes in my mouth. The M4 rounds goes winging off the Panther turret face and into space. The Panther does not return the favour and puts 75mm AP round straight through and through the Sherman. The catastrophic explosion ensures that whatever gene pool the E8 gunner came from is completely and totally truncated and terminated. No more little gunners with his "prowess" will be issuing forth from his loins. The assaulting infantry arrive to attempt the bum's rush on the PzV only to have him move lazily out of engagement distance.....AAAAAAHHHHH the unfairness of it all! My other M4 for some inexplicable reason (even though he had lots of waypoints left) pauses out-of-cover and is dispatched by one of the right flank Panthers. Aaaaahhhh! the unfairness of it all! Something MUST be wrong with CM I email Fionn and I WILL be posting to the forum to address this game bug.
A small amount of salve which I can apply to my burned ego is the zook/infantry assault which was partially masked by the hill. The Panther which has just killed my last M4 rotates and slowly starts moving towards the awaiting infantry....the zook aims....shoots....BOOOOOOMMM! a dead kitty....a roasted kitty....catastrophic hit! The wheatfield blossoms into flame and thick smoke roils upwards towards whatever gods of war are gazing down at this field of battle.
Another ray of sunlight which breaks through this smoke is what has occurred to the infantry which long ago I was hoping to pull into a trap. Sure enough his scouts arrived unmolested at the stand of trees and signaled to their komrades that every thing was clear....MUUUAAAHHAAAAHAAAA! I have pulled a full platoon with an excellent leader out of the left infantry shoulder and start them towards the woods slowly, and then the artillery starts to fall....first arriving is the light stuff but now I've got 105VT raining down on the poor buggers. Oh sure I may not have any armour left and Fionn has two kitties left to maul me but I am going to go down swinging!
Final armour exchange is 2:1 in Fionn's favour. There are about 5-7 turns of death and dying left in this game and I may get another PzV yet. I will post the next installment of the AAR after these turns have finished. I've been invited by a website to upload the AAR so maybe I can get some screenshot/movies/statistic from Fionn as well.
Fionn will most definitely have my scalp on his wall but the scars he bears will pain him long.
Onwards to Berlin!
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Fionn has requested that I post the following:
1. Could you please post this to the "Germans vs Allied in PBEM" thread. I think those guys there are just like the poor workman. They always blame their tools but never their own tactical failings and it might do them some
good to see how someone can pull off a good American attack (plus it'll stop them harping on about the infallibility of Panthers etc.. Two of mine died to first shot kills.)
Now, as for the game....
Well, I won't say all that much except to say that I was challenged by Claymore and given a VERY wide map to defend. As such I really couldn't create any strongpoints of note but instead simply had to deploy my forces
so as to delay and size up the enemy whilst allowing forces nearby to maneuvre into position to deliver killing blows.
When Claymore attacked initially I managed to pin down his attack style quite quickly. It is obvious but effective. Claymore will walk half-squads forward in a line ( separated by some 50 metres lateral displacement) into
suspected enemy positions. Once the recon units are killed ( as they have been every time he's reconned a position (since I let him get to within 15 or 10 metres before simply mowing them down in instants) ) he holds in place and targets 105mm VT on my positions. After 1.5 turns of arty he sends his infantry in to mop up the panicked and routed remnants of my platoon.
Of course, once he runs out of artillery this tactic will have to change and I'll get to engage him in some very nasty and lose-ranged infantry fighting. I'm looking forward to that time. Until now though Claymore has
been good at conserving his 105mm VT as it is his principal anti-infantry weapon. I think Claymore knows as well as I that if his infantry get into a close quarters fight with mine on ground I've chosen that they will come off the worse for wear.
As for armour... Well, the prime characteristics of his handling of armour can be summed up as follows:
1. Mass effect. He maneuvres each of his platoons in tich line formation ensuring that whenever they meet a lone Panther they are throwing at least 4 times as many shells at him as he can throw back at them. This ratio ensures victory in such situations.
2. Decoy M20s, M3 HTs and M8s abound. The M20s and M3s are interspersed with the tanks in an attempt to have my tanks engage the M20s and M3s instead of the accompanying Shermans. Obviously Claymore feels that the extra shots his Shermans get while my Panthers take out the M20s is worth the loss of the M20s and M3 HTs.
3. Flanking fires. At all times Claymore seeks to create opportunities for massed flanking fires to rake my Panthers.
As his numbers decrease he is being forced to deploy his tanks in smaller packets so, at the moment he is trying to grab my attention frontally with two Sherman 76s while he maneuvres for flank shots with two other Sherman 76s, one on each flank.
He is facing an isolated Panther since the Panther on my other flank is blocked from intervening by a large hill and the Panther on the same flank as the isolated Panther is a LONG, LONG way away.
Claymore is attempting, quite skillfully, to play mind games. He attempts to ward off threatened moves by intimating that he is calling arty down on them and also seeks to intimidate me by dropping artillery on suspected positions or positions of some movement. He also is basically attempting to mislead me as to his future plans by, rather cleverly, slipping small untruths into
largely true assesments of the situation.
Since he knows I have his forces well sized up he tells me quite honestly how they are progressing etc ( all information I have readily at hand) but every so often he slips in an untruth intended to make his force seem more powerful than it is or to mislead me as to his next actions. His faith in his artillery is also touching. He seems utterly baffled that I am utterly unconcerned with his artillery but, as I said to Pillar a couple of days ago I view artillery as I view rain. One cannot avoid the rain so your only
choice is whether to look like a fool running from cover to cover or whether to square your shoulders, stand up straight and march directly through it accepting it as inevitable and saying "to hell with it.".
With that said it should be noted that he has only met two of my infantry platoons in combat and has misjudged the extent and disposition of my reserves quite markedly. This won't be of import immediately but will factor in greatly once the armoured forces are reduced to one or two tanks. I don't
know who will win the armoured battle but I DO know that whoever wins won't win it by much. Claymore handles his armour well. Not in the style I would handle it but he definitely sees the main chance and takes it. Match that with the gaggle of distracting M20s, M3s etc running around and it becomes
quite tough to reduce his forces. It is highly enjoyable though and I've likened it to a good chess match at the moment.
He has two tanks uncommitted and I, as the defender, also have some uncommitted forces. I won't commit mine until I see those two tanks though. He who commits his reserve last has a great advantage and I'm not about to throw that away."
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Please see/read my thread regarding my ongoing game against Fionn.
There the map is 1400 x 2200m of farmland with small hills and light forest.
I'm doing fairly well as American 76mm Shermans against Fionns Uber-Panthers. So far I have a kill ratio of M4:PzV = 4:3
It doesn't do you stomach lining any great favours everytime you hit the GO button, but it is fun (of a sort)
Cheers
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Turns 6-10!
Gentlemen as it now stands we have breached the enemy's lines and lie astride his positions! Good work for phase 1 but we have alot of killing (and dieing) left.
Now that I'm through his MLR with a full platoon of M4s I need to find cover ASAP from PzVs which lie athwart my postion. My plan is to: 1) put up strong infantry/zook/arty spotters on either side of the breach 2) Recon the Kessel I have formed for hidden enemy platoons 3) reduce any bottled up enemy forces 4) Re-orient and attack either one side while holding the other flank secure.
The remaining M4 from 1st platoon will go into cover behind a nearby building. Then if he cannot assist with DIRECT FIRE he will be withdrawn to the reserve M4 squad far behind my lines.
Success!...I think I've found nice depressions for both my remaining HTs and M4s. The HTs have alot of ammo for their MGs and are great at pinning enemy infantry. The M4s will go at the rear of the kessel and face back towards my lines and his bottled troops. I see at least 2 enemy icons in the bottle so I know there's some killing to do. There's even a 2 story building right next to the icons and I betcha there's somebody inside. From the depression the M4s should reek havoc on the enemy who are now surrounded. There is some nasty woods just 300m distant from my intended hidey hole so I'm gonna drop some VT on it. This should flush/kill/disrupt any infantry that Fionn might bring from there to assault my tanks.
By now I have also established that Fionn has probably purchased 6 PzVs. That will put me at 10:6 armour matchup, fairly good. He has also started moving his infantry towards the shoulders of rupture (even though he said that he would never move them). Maybe he will feed them into the meatgrinder and I can get my kill ratio up.
Aaahhh! Gak!...not such great cover for my Shermans after all! My M4s and an 800m distant PzV start trading shots. No...TWO PzVs! Gawd!...stop it guys! Back out of there! Lethal 75mm is lasering in all around them...WANG! a Kraut 75mm RICOCHETS(!!???!!!) off one M4 turret face! Finally they wake up to the fact they are overmatched, pop smoke and I pull them back into cover.
<begin applause mode>
<cue string section>
<close up on narrators face>
This is a great factor in CM battle. You really don't know what a site's LOS is until you get there. That's an important feature in CM and it mimics reality properly. Unless you have a pair of Mk 1 eyeballs on site you shouldn't know what it could see it or you.
<end applause mode>
<shoot string section>
<give narrator pink slip>
Ok...now just like Fionn said in our emails...I've got four 76mm assets that are safe in cover BUT CAN'T SEE A DAMN THING!
Time for a rethink...I've got two PzVs 800m distant on my right flank. I can stream M4 2nd Platoon down into the gully where my HTs are. That position does have proper LOS. During this phase some enemy infantry on right flank collided with my kessel shoulder and was smartly repulsed. My VT arty quickly disrupts his probe and a platoon of my infantry laid into his running troops with rifle fire.
I think that there are enemy troops moving in from the left as well. Hoping to spook them I tell Fionn to expect a bunch of arty on their positions. Fionn replies what he always replies "I never deviate from my plan and especially not because of artillery". What actually happens? Well I'm going to scout over there with one of my fast movers and see what I can see. I will target a spare VT spotter on a likely position and await firmer intel.
My left flank is firming up after the assault. It took some casualties from a distant PzV but now I've got 2 platoons (+) with zooks just under cover of a small rise. I have a reserve M4 hidden about 300m distant and together they should be enough to hold off what is likely just two platoons and a single PzV on this flank.
Damn! As I stream my M4s down I lose one. Although I had a 90 degree crossing deflection and 800m between me and those two PzVs he bags my lead M4 with a catastrophic hit. I think it was a first shot kill as well. BOOOOOOOMMMMM!
Time to bring up the remaining tank from 1st platoon and attempt to flank those bad boys. I don't like splitting up my reserve. I need something to counter the left side single PzV. Bringing up 1st platoon's remaining M4 leaves me with two widely separated M4s in my reserve. I can't move them together since moving tanks are visible tanks and I need all the surprises I can get.
OK...here's the plan...the remaining 3 tanks from 2nd platoon will spread out and take the two PzVs under fire. They are still 800m distant and really have no chance for a kill but the chances are poor that the PzVs can kill them...Alas they are the same odds that caused the lead M4 to die the last turn. Ok...chalk that one up to a fluke...onward!
1st Platoon's M4 will charge through a gap in the woods and engage the PzVs from the flank. Fionn graciously vacated these woods two turns ago when he moved into the occupying troops into the meatgrinder of my right kessel shoulder. Had the infantry stayed in place they would have secured his flank against this tactic. Now I've got a clear run for two scout cars and the tailing M4.
Ok...time to press GO.....and......
Success! Right ON! Just as planned. 1st platoon's M4 avenges his brothers by planting a big old 76mm kiss on the flank of a PzV from 200m....Yeeeee Haaaaa! At the end of the turn I now have 4 Shermans arrayed against only one PzV (somewhere there's another PzV prowling around on that flank too). They encompass 90 degrees of arc and should be able to play peek-a-boo and kill off the PzV.
On my left flank the scout car is killed by a 1st shot kill (~400m) since he is moving fast but with zero deflection. He has performed his task of validating the VT spotter's target however before dieing. His 20pt cost will be avenged by the death of at least 80pts of enemy infantry during the next couple of rounds.
Kill ratio to date: 3 PzVs against 4 E-8s
Remaining forces: 3 PzVs against 6 E-8s
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That's all so far...we are just starting T12.
Please post to this thread if you like it so far...
Fionn if you're listening...I'll be happy to post your "side" of things if you email it to me. It's been a great matchup so far. Thanks for playing me.
Cheers
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The Battle Starts!
(Some of these facts I know for the truth and others are seen throught the FOW. In no case though have I distorted what happened from what I planned.)
Turns 1-5
Well my RECON spits into half-squads and starts off at a run towards the possible Axis locations. "Nobody draws a pension in RECON" in my troop. When my forces go into lager after battle the RECON survivors expect to get first pick of softest beds (and women
) in town.The assault squads follow behind at a MOVE pace. The tanks and HTs don't move at all.
First Blood! - To the right of the highland there is a large copse of woods and a full squad of infantry are decimated in a single turn. The remaining RECON hit the dirt taking whatever poor cover they can find in the wheatfield in front of the trees. A call goes into the 105VT spotters! Two half salvos will soon arrive on target but not before another 6 men are killed. Now we see the real value in VT...especially when even half-salvos from 2 spotters arrive at the same time. Since there are double the amount of rounds/sec arriving on target troop morale quickly degrades to ROUTED status. Against Fionn's infantry tactics I will need all the help I can get.
To the left of the highlands in the most likely position for enemy strongpoints I find nothing...has Fionn chosen the "peanut butter" approach?
Now...I begin to see PzVs too...it appears as though there are at least two within 500m of the central highlands. My men in the wheatfield to the right are taking considerable casualties from 75mm DIRECT fire. From the pattern of craters it appears as though there are at least two PzVs on my far right flank.
I've decided....Fionn likes peanut butter!
Time to start planning the M4 assault...All eight from my primary assault groups will start towards the left of the highland and the enemy contact point. Then they will divide and sweep around both sides of the highland. 1st platoon to the right and 2nd platoon to the left. I lay smoke to both sides of these advances which will My HTs and M8s will flood the right flank. Assault infantry gets up and moves towards the enemy. Zooks follow behind...I don't think that they will ever get within engagement distances in the first phase of battle.
Ahhh....definitely just two PzVs! One right and one left of the central highlands. Plus there appears to be no more than 1 platoon of infantry. My forces should rupture his MLR easily. How the M4s will do remains to be seen. 105VT lands on the woods and predictably the enemy soon lies bleeding. The remnants haul ass out the back of the woods their ears ringing.
Surprise...especially from Fionn! One of the PzV is close to the front lines! I would have thought that he would keep them well back use the long arm of the 75mm against me.
Ok zook teams!....Time to haul ass...you've got fresh meat within range...
Now comes one of the best movies I have seen in quite some time. I really wish you could see how this PzV crew did the Vaterland proud. Basically the rightside M4 platoon, HTs, M8s and zooks arrive at engagement range at the same time. The left side M4 platoon sweep around the left of the hill and surprise a PzV and kill it with a SIDE PENETRATION.
At the same time...
Rightside PzV kills two 1st platoon M4s with two consecutive shots at ~350m. Actually it goes M4 shot - ricochet! PzV shot - kill, M4 shot - ricochet! PzV shot - kill. Two-for-two against fast movers! Then...
PzV kills another M4 (expected, but this makes 3 shots - 3 kills on fast moving M4s for this crew - BRAVO!) then...
M8 gets a couple of hits on the PzV - not expecting much here but he did get a GUN HIT that didn't stop the PzV at all - unfair!
then...
A Zook gets a SIDE UPPER PENETRATION - PzV crew doesn't care - unfair! (but c'est la guerre) then...
PzV kills the M8 then...
The other M8 gets a TRACK HIT - IMMOBILIZED on the PzV then...
Zook gets another SIDE LOWER PENETRATION - PzV crew doesn't care - double unfair! then...
4 Easy-8s from 2nd Platoon sweeping around from the other side of the highlands take shots from the rear quarter at PzV from 200m - they all miss - (I here by downgrade these crews from Crack to Veteran) then...
PzV kills another M8
PzV kills a HT
Lead Easy-8 from 2nd Platoon kills the PzV with a REAR PENETRATION
Except for the M8s moving through smoke the PzV crew got first shot kills on all targets - GREAT even for a CRACK crew
The loss of the M8s hurts the most - I expected to lose 2 +/- 2 M4s and lost 3. The M8s were killed as they motored through thick smoke as well. If the zook penetrations had killed the PzV then my losses would have been much more palatable...oh well...now...let's see what I can see....
Next Turns 6-10!
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The Setup: (Again...I have posted all of this to Fionn so can validate that this is not a post-production rationalized AAR)
From the map I could see that Fionn had two choice how to use his peanuts. Either keep them in the shell and fortify some terrain feature or use the "crunchy peanut butter" approach and spread them along the width of the map. I really didn't think that Fionn had enough to split into two separate forces and fight against a 4500 American force. Besides he had very long +800m LOS over most of the map and could pick off the "red shirt" M4s as they advanced.
"Crunchy Peanut Butter" Option: The best way to attack this would be for me to use the map edges. Concentrate at one or two locations near the top/bottom of the map, overwhelm the defenders and then roll up his flank. This would allow me to defeat probably half of his forces in detail, before he maneuvered the remainder.
Fortification Option: If Fionn did this he would most likely occupy the central highlands on the map. The best way to attack this is to concentrate in the center and put 4500 against 3000. By definition my M4s would operate close to the PzVs and long distance kills would not be a problem.
Now...if I arrayed my forces against option 1 and he was in option 2 I would be SOL. He would have all PzVs at +800m from my M4s and his infantry shielding them from any infantry assaults. Deflection angle would be minimal and since I would have to come TOWARDS him and even fast moving M4s would die by the bushelful.
If I arrayed my forces against option 2 and he was in option 1, then things are not so bad. I could overwhelm the center of his MLR and spit his forces in two. Then I could put up a strong shoulder against one AXIS side and turn against the other, rolling it up and defeating it in detail.
So...I setup my forces in two lines of infantry (Recon and Assault) against the central highlands. Two platoons of M4s would lie out of LOS (hopefully) with a reserve M4 squad ready to respond to surprises. The HTs and M8s would follow the infantry and use their firepower to pin the axis infantry. Once the enemy PzVs were located the M4s would rush to optimal engagement range. Arty spotters targeted likely initial enemy strongpoints with 105VT.
Next: The Battle is joined!
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Hello my brothers (and sisters) in arms!
In response to a previous thread "Are Shermans Overpriced" on the Forum I managed to get THE Fionn Kelly to initiate battle with me. I wish that I had a website to include pictures (or movies) in this AAR. This means you'all are going to have to make do with my poor verbal skills.
During this game Fionn and I have exchanged quite a bit of "talk" about what our plans were. Fionn is a master of giving you the fuzzy end of the truth, hoping to get your forces to react. Since most of my units are loud and proud in his LOS most of my talk has been closer to the "truth". I also wanted to see if I could spook Fionn into a misstep, so my "fuzzy truth" has been in the area of where my artillery is going to fall next. Fionn assures me that he doesn't change his plans based on player verbage or artillery and I would say that is probably 90% correct. Fionn (if he every posts here again) will validate that what I say here is not "Monday Morning Quaterbacking" and that no post-production rationalizations are taking place.
This game was really a test of 76mm Shermans against the Uber-Panthers where we have long distance LOS. There is precious little cover and the tinfoil M4s would have to manueuver successfully to get within 300-400m of the PzVs for a kill. Infantry is always important though and I relished the idea of going against Fionn's prowess with small arms. Many predicted that Fionn would kick my ass....
Battle Map: Large 1400m x 2200m
Farmland / Day / Clear
Turn Length: 40
Timeframe: Nov/44
Points: Axis 3000 Allies 4500
Game Constraints:
The German forces excluded are:
Tiger
King Tiger
PzIV/70
Nashorn
JagdTiger
The Amis forces excluded are:
Jumbos
Pershings
Jacksons
17pdr Tanks
Additional Restrictions:
1. Regular/Veteran and maybe a few Crack forces only (there really were not many elite units)
2. Fortifications must be placed at least 200m from map edge (the back must be accessible)
Force Purchases: My thoughts about Axis
The map was basically a long strip of land with slight high ground at either end and the middle. Copses of trees lay along the setup line for the Axis troops over the width of the map. Typically low ground could be found on the Allied side of these trees, providing some masking from Axis LOS. A frontline that is 2200m long is quite a task for a 3000pt force to cover. Since there were no QB constraints on purchases I reasoned that Fionn would purchase between 5-7 PzVs. With Crack+ crews that would amount to almost half of his total points and that seemed reasonable. I felt that I could counter with 10 76mm M4 Easy-8s. I need the gyro for the maneuvering I would be doing. Besides, the CM forum thread was about M4s vs PzVs and not the value of a flood of Hellcats. (right Smoker?) My friend on the battlefield against the PzVs would have to be the TacAI itself. If I could present the PzVs with many possible low-value targets and then follow with my M4s it might be possible to do well. I stated right off to Fionn that in any engagement at these ranges with M4s against PzVs I expected a 1 +/- 1 loss rate.
As for infantry Fionn "told" me to expect SS troops. That and his stated preference to engage at <40m distances meant that I would have to keep him at arms length. American rifle platoons were my only option since mixing in the Airborne seem a little gamey to me. My real terror was to find my squads pounded by artillery. There was precious little cover on my side of the map and even 81mm mortars would reek havoc on my troops. That works both was of course and he had little cover for his troops as well. In order for me to take the battle to Fionn I decided on about ~2(+) companies of riflemen with ~4 105mm VT spotters and ~2 81mm spotters. I chose the 81mm for its SMOKE only, there were times when I would obviously need to mask my movements. To round out the force I included some HTs for their mobile MG firepower, some scout cars and a couple of M8s. I've never managed to do more than distract my opponents with Greyhounds but they are a potent force if ignored.
Next Post: The setup
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Setup: Attempting to create scenario using DYNAMIC flags. These VLs (as defined in PARAMETERS) are supposed to be ATTACKER SELECTED at the beginning of the game.
Problem: When the game is started the VLs are AUTOMATICALLY chosen by the computer. The other are labeled BOGUS.
Question: Has anyone else had difficulties or success using ATTACKER SELECTED VLs?
Thanks
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I would like to post a AAR for a battle Fionn and I are having and would like to use pictures.
Question: How is this accomplished? Does it involve pasting a link to the picture in the text, where the picture resides at another server/IP address?
Thanks and Cheers
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As a physicist my vote is to address the problem by fixing only the operational characteristics of the vehicles.
(it's in the physics guys not the prices!)
E.g. MG jeeps cannot do 40mph across the grass
E.g. T8 or any other fast mover has its spotting radius reduced drastically
BTS has done a fine job with the physics already in the game and I trust them to tweak it that small amount more to more accurately model reality.
Cheers
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Is nobody willing to take my side? Ahhh...I love a challange, makes it all the easier. If I lose then it's to Fionn who was using the evil uberPanthers and my stock is not diminished. If I win against all odds then my tactical prowess is unquestioned.
For the curious:
The map was quick generated in the scenario editor using the same dimensions as a QB 3000 attack. We agreed to the force sizes and sent the particulars to a third party to generate the game. Since Fionn is the NAMED CM player, I would have accepted far worse odds to play him. I have posted that I needed a good spanking (re:Require Crack Opponent thread) in any regard. My only regret is that I purchased any zooks at all.
The Results of Turn 1....Lot's of un-gamey slow recon which has revealed two of my least favourite OPFORs (Little and friend NotEnough).
Cheers
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In Summary...
Slapdragon: I finally figured that the Americans, on an open map, are nearly unwinnable -- I have only fought one
real player, Abbott...
BTS: But a full platoon of Sherman Easy 8s is about as expensive as 5 Panthers. And it should be that way too, as the Easy 8s were a match for them...
SClinton: I am not fully convinced that Shermans are really overpriced...
Tank Man: Another thing, it sounds to me like people use Allied tanks in the way that Axis tanks should be used....
Dalem: Given no options but to use the wrong tool for the wrong job, then best be lucky...
etc..
Well I have just started a large battle with Fionn where it looks like it will be my Shermans against his Panthers (Fionn's rule of 75's No.
. The map is aprox 1800 x 2400 of small hills and farmland in the daylight and dry. He had 3000pts to spend and I had 4500. I'm not afraid, in fact I expect to do very well. Anybody willing to lay odds?Cheers
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How about in my RD tourney game against Bauhaus?
My Churchill VIII has 2 shots at the side of a Tiger from 150m and misses, then after he rotates to face me it takes 3 more for him get a gun hit. Ya! Then from out of nowhere comes William Tell with a PShrek and from 200m get a FIRST shot FRONT armour kill on the Churchhill VIII. Then the same PShrek wheels in place and pastes another target from 200m with his first shot...
Some days you just can't piss a drop my daddy y'ust to say
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Looking back at BTS reporting on GLOBAL MORALE in the forum I see that they probably had these very concerns in mind. Unfortunately they ran out of time for implementation into CM. A patch for this type of behaviour is unlikely, but inclusion in CM2 would be desirable.
Good points everyone...
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I can't seem to dig it up from the SEARCH engine.
What was Fionn's rule of 75s (?) for the fair choice of units.
Please respond ASAP so I can make my setups.
Thanks and cheers
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Not to denegrate my previous PBEM opponents but I have yet to get my fanny spanked in a PBEM game. Kurt popped my PBEM cherry, Bauhaus has me down a tank, and Martin was close to embarassing me. None of these however will give me that "skunked and hide-in-the-closet" feeling that I need.
My CM dance card has a couple of slots empty. Any tactical geniuses out there?
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The historical record is clear on the morale effects of the presence of tanks on infantry. It was COMMON on both sides of the war for an assault/attack to fizzle based upon the mere presence of armour. e.g. Amis Hedgerow tactics. When defending, the mere appearance of enemy armour stressed the troops (if there were no comparable friendly units).
The GLOBAL MORALE in CM tracks this in some ways, if for example your tanks start getting knocked off your GLOBAL MORALE will drop. I am not sure if the MORALE is affect just by the presence or absence of armour.
Question: Is it worth applying a bonus/penalty to morale based solely on the presence/absence of armour? IMO the penalty might look either like infantry status moving from OK to ALERTED or dropping the global morale.
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Henri,
I don't know if you have changed ISPs or not but all of my email to you is getting bounced back. I keep getting an "unknown user" error.
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Bump...(hey BTS!) with three cherries and a scoop of sprinkles?
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Minor targeting gripe.
Embarked units (a la back of tank) can't be targeted even though they are plainly visible.
E.g. I can see two tanks with PShreks and MG embarked on them. I have mortar and MG assets that would love to paste them. Unfortunately I can only target the tank. Mortars will default many times to firing smoke at tanks and MGs will switch to another target. Targeting the ground nearby is a poor option since the tanks are moving and the AREA fire becomes quickly unaffective.
Note: Assets embarked under cover (back of HT) obviously should enjoy some increased level of cover over back-of-tank units.
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Bump...with two cherries on top?
. The map is aprox 1800 x 2400 of small hills and farmland in the daylight and dry. He had 3000pts to spend and I had 4500. I'm not afraid, in fact I expect to do very well. Anybody willing to lay odds?
Madmatt.... any planned updates?
in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)
Posted
Mods nothing...if'n you really want a taste of the good stuff you're going to have to check out the AAR of me vs Fionn. It should be coming online any time now...right Matt?
(Trust me on this one, Fionn's going to get a public skunking)
Hopefully we can post the turns in semi realtime, depending of course on Matt's good nature and workload. If it comes off then you will see it "as it happens" instead of the getting the whole "shebang". The AAR will also have our email taunts and other childishness.
My apologies to F.K who cannot post a rebutal to my predictions nor defend himself in any manner. Quite like his present condition in our game.
Cheers
Claymore