curih

YeeHaw!!! I'm a member now!!

The last time I played that one it ended with one Panther and one gun damaged Sherman left at the end. And one of the two Stuarts killed a PIV frontally at >500m. I'd say that it's pretty well balanced.

Well, I finished it. I had to surrender again because of a misjudgement on my part. The AI took Garrison Hill and the platoon between there and the bulk of my troops was destroyed. I made the decision to abandon my line smash through the remnats on the Garrison Hill assault and reoccupy the hill. The plan almost worked, but unfortunately I made the decision the same turn that the AI launched it's assault on my main line. I outran them at first and did indeed destroy most of the leftovers from Garrison Hill, but I got hung up on a group of MG42s and the assault caught up to me. I surrendered at this point because I was unable to maneauver away from the assault and was stuck in a position that was indefensible from that side. At the end i still had a full company, the AI had been chasing me with a battalion. The battalion that started by Garrison Hill was completely destroyed, and inexplicably, the AI left over 2 companies on the ridge beyond Jail Hill, only slightly displaced from their starting positions. The AAR listed an Axis tactical victory, but had i played it out I would have been destroyed as the MG42s were preventing me from maneauvering. I still think that the arty needs a little tweaking. Perhaps, instead of the TRP idea, maybe just bump the spotter's experience level up a notch or two? As it is, not only is the delay very long, but the dispersion is very wide, over 200m. I accidentally knocked out the one AT gun I manged to tow across the map like that. Alex

I'm taking down the screen shots to free up some space on my server. [This message has been edited by curih (edited 12-24-2000).]

Back from class and practice, so a little more analysis. I've played a few turns since my last post. I'm still in control of Garrison Hill, with at least 2 companies of Gerpanese layed out in front of me. My forces there are dwindling a little, and suffering under arty, but still holding well. In the middle, a little over a platoon continued on after smashing through the tennis courts. They're going to get one of my AT guns that I set up on the road soon, but should then walk right into a flamethrower ambush. On the Jail Hill side, I've just pulled back and have momentarily lost contact with the enemy. Arty is dropping on them, and I expect a new attack soon. The tanks are starting down the scattered trees path, at least 3 of them, but i managed to get one of the AT guns in there in the beginning, so I'm optomistic about that. I'll report in again after a few more turns. I think with my superior intelligence this time I may not be forced to surrender. [This message has been edited by curih (edited 12-18-2000).]

I'm up to about turn 13. This time I set up a bit differently a) knowing where the enemy was and keeping in mind the true scenerio objectives that BulletHead laid out before. I only left a small force (1 platoon with a spotter) on jail hill with the intention of bringing arty down on whatever showed itself first over there, and then retreating. On that half of the map I'm set up in the woods in a series of ambushes that have made for an effective covered withdrawel when combined with smoke from onboard mortars. Because of what happened in my last game, I may have shifted too much of my forces to the Jail Hill side, but we'll see. The tennis courts were hit by a full battalion. I made a short stand there before pulling back up the hill, inflicting 2-1 casualties or better in most situations. I took heavy losses on the ridge at the top of Garrison hill, but have committed most of my reserves there to bolster the defense, and have pulled back just over the ridge so now the Japs are getting mowed down as they top it one and 2 squads at a time. The rest of that enemy battalion is under arty fire from 2 25pdr spotters and the 3 inch mortars. I have made better use of the guns this time. The howitzer helped my defense at the tennis courts quite a bit (they're very powerful at close range) and I made a gamble and tried towing two of the AT guns across the map. I lost one while setting it up, but the second made it safely into the woods. ( On a side not, are the paths of scattered trees meant to represent paths? They always end up being used as very slow roads.) I'll finish this in a bit, I have to go to class now. Alex

I like the TRP idea. It could help a lot. I found the arty delay to be a big problem. With TRPs the faster response would make it more effective and help balance it for the Brits better. BTW I am playing it through again from the Brit side, just finishing my setup. As to that, I would suggest setting up the troops in some sort of formation instead of squares. Alex

I'll help lower the average too. I'm 18. And to those of you who mentioned seeing StarWars in the theater, that was my parents first date. Take that! And I remember playing AH's Afrika Corp too, my second wargame, right after Battle of the Bulge. Alex

Take a crack at BulletHead's Imphal-Kohima scenerio. Play as the Brits against the AI and try to survive.

I don't remember too much about how accurate it was, but I do remember liking it when i saw it a few years ago. My recollection of it's a little hazy cuz I was about 12 at the time. Alex

I had another thought. You said the AI usually attacked you from both ends. I wonder if it was trying to join up as it did with me, but hit your line and was forced to stop?

Well knowing what really happened and what is a "victory" I would definately play differently. I also think that because of the AI strategy I had a much harder battle than it needed to be. By concentrating all it's troops at one end the initial assaults were usually something like 2+ companies charging 2 platoons under covering fire from the tanks. Meanwhile my men were still spread over the map because I was unaware that the AI had concentrated all it's troops together and still had to contend with the possibility of attacks elsewhere. As the battle that became my final stand progressed it became apparent that all the enemy's strength was there and I began moving all my resources there, but it was too late. I had taken too many casualties and used up too much ammo. The AI successfully turned a 3-1 advatage into a 6-1 advantage at the local level. I think I could have done better if it was a little more spread out. Also, did you get the saved end of game map that I sent you? Alex

Well BulletHead, I've finished playing it out. I surrendered around turn 45. I was down to 2 platoons and a bunch of non combat effective units (spent mortars, panicked troops, 1 man squads, etc.). As I retreated from Jail Hill I walked the artilery barrage behind me where I guessed the Gerpanese to be. I also left piat ambushes behind to take out some tanks (by the time I surrendered I killed 7 tanks and immobilized 1 out of the 12). I set up a new MLR at the middle minor flag, with a little over a company in an arc anchored in the large jungle area by the road, and on the wooded slop facing the swamp. Once the AI started it's assault I managed to hold out for about 15 turns. The AI just kept throwing troops at that slope in what amounted to a bonzai charge. I was gradually forced to shift more and more troops there, but eventually weight of numbers broke my line. In looking at the map at the end of the battle I see that the AI hand over 2 companies of troops that hadn't been committed. There were 2 folliwing behind the 2-3 companies that broke through my line, plus a few scettered platoons to retain control of objectives. The troops that weren't part of the final assault were almost all in close to perfect condition (0-2 casualties from arty and 35+ ammo). The AI did indeed concentrate on Jail Hill first. In fact, it sent all it's troops there and then just pushed down the line of victory flags. Some thoughts on the scenerio. Though I realize that you are trying to recreate a real battle, I think it is weighted too heavily in favor of the Gerpanese. There's at least a 3 to 1 advantage and the defender is forced to spread out over a large area. The tanks seem about right, but there's just too much infantry. Perhaps this is partially a problem with using Germans for Japanese. I suspest that the Germans, even the 44 squads, have more automatic weapons and a much higher firepower than the corresonding Japanese. I would suggest either removing troops from the Gerpanese side, or perhaps using a weaker unit. Perhaps 3 or 4 to 1 odds with the Gerpanese using Volkstrum with a high level of fanaticism. I would also suggest removing at least some of the MG42s. As far as i know the Japanese didn't have anything close to them, and there are literally dozens (it looks like you bought the units as battalions, maybe just buy then as seperate platoons). And maybe replace the rest of them with the lighter versions. Offering the defender some fortifications might also help, but again i don't know how that fits the OOB. One final note, I don't know how it fits with the OOB, but I would have gladly traded all my arty for light mortars with fast response times. They're very effective against infantry, and I had a lot of trouble getting arty in the right place because the large guns, when unobserved take 6-8 turns to arrive. I was only really able to use them in the retreat from Jail Hill and once the Gerpanese were stationary for a while as they assaulted my line. All in all a very tense and exciting battle, it's just that it's one that I don't think I could have won even if i knew where the attack was coming from. I'm a decent player, but as it stands now, the Brits are, at least for me, a lost cause in this one.

Why not make a gap in the river and use a roadblock or a wall. There's no way to get an actual dam, but it'll give the idea.

If you're feeling sadistic, Churchill AVRE's versus Volkstrum in a town can be fun.

Dalem, I don't know about WWII, but they used to do that in WWI a lot. There would be long continuous bombardments (days at a time) before an attack. Evey once in a while they'd hold fire for a few minutes and have their troops make a lot of noise, as if they were "going over the top". The bombardment was timed to resume just after the enemy came out into the open to meet the offensive. Undestandably this only worked really well a couple of times before eveyone involved caught on. Alex [This message has been edited by curih (edited 12-09-2000).]

SPOILER **** Well, I'm up to turn 20 as the Brits. I've been massacred on Jail Hill. 2 of my 3 platoons on that hill were largely annihilated by a surprisingly well executed AI assault. The tanks came out into the open where I buttoned them with mortars. As they began advancing, about a company of infantry showed their faces in the woods across the field. 2 turns later, as the frontal attack drove one of my platoons back another Gerpanese company materialized out of the jungle and boxed them in. I managed to get about 8 men, plus one of the FO's out. I'm in full scale retreat, from Jail Hill, which should be completely annihilated by my artillery in about 2 minutes. There have also been a few skirmishes near the tennis courts where I traded a little over half a platoon and 2 of my 3 nearly useless guns for a platoon and a couple heavy machine guns. I have a few questions. First, why are the AT guns stuck on the side with the tennis courts? Is this where they were historically? Mine have all been taken out by infantry and artillery while all the tanks are still on the far side of the map. Second, are all the flags weighted equally? The AI seems to consider Jail Hill as it's main objective. As I said, It was hit by 2 companies and all the tanks, but I also saw at least another company in the woods headed that way and all the skirmishes near the tennis courts were the results of the AI trying to join those 2 platoons up with the Jail Hill attackers. Those 2 platoons actually came through behind my front line there and just waltzed through untill they tripped ouver one of my platoons. It was weird though because they went right past 2 objective flags and headed for Jail Hill. Alex [This message has been edited by curih (edited 12-09-2000).]

I've seen that foxhole in the building thing. Seems to happen when units are placed right on the wall of a building. The best one i ever saw was a machine gun on the second floor with a foxhole half in and half outside of the first floor. That particular mg reported itself as being in a foxhole.

First I have to say that you guys are all very old. I've never even seen a Commadore 64. Though I did meet an Atari once. Now for the list. Warlords II Warcraft II X-Wing Imperialism Caesar III Red Baron Myth and my all time favorite Hellcats Over the Pacific God I wish I still had that. The disks are dead at this point and I'm not sure if it would work anyway, but I still miss it.

Steve, I think you missed the other Steve's point. He didn't mean that the .50 cal was dismounted for combat, but rather that it was removed before the HT went into service. However, from his post I'm not entirely sure whether or not it was replaced with another weapon. Anyone have more info on this?

Yellow is used to show units that are targeting the selected unit, while the red one shows the selected unit's target. I think the area fire target line is a little more on the orange side.

bump

I'm using a mac. Does anyone know how to test to see if my university's firewall is blocking port 7023 (I believe it's the one that CM uses.)?

Hey guys, been doing a little reading and it seems that not all Armoured cars had solid rubber tires. This is from before WWII but in the pre-war development of armoured cars, pneumatic tires were considered an advancement, though they were bulletproof. See Achtung-Panzer by Guderian, page 138.

Ok, thanks. I didn't know that. BTW, can I have my head back now?