Holien

Hmm after seeing Doug's turn and losing two men from the two Zhreck teams that is going to hurt, maybe his Panther will have a turkey shoot, but if noot having your AT teams reduced by 50% is not going to help.... I am wondering if Bil will try to move the Shermans more to his right (Doug's left flank) or if he will engage from that area... For me it would seem to make sense to try to get further on his flank, and maybe with hindsight it might have been better to have the M10 with them?

Brave move with the Zhreck team running across the field...

Just looked at latest Screen shots.... Always a PITA and makes me smile when the Pixel Truppen act like humans!! Lets hope the crew calm down and their CO encourages them forward again... I think this 60mm mortars will be singing soon, they are realy useful if you have direct LOS (as you well know) For me it looks like that forward Panther could put a dent on your moves if he nudges forward and does not offer his flank, mind you in constircted terrain he could do some silly sideway moves that will offer his flank to you, bit like M10 dance on top of ridge earlier...

Hi, sorry I was just wondering if you used such timings to make plans with? I guess you now know how long the other Panther would take to move up a similar distance... Hope I did not cause offence? I have never seen an AAR of your cluttered so was just intrigued I bet the Panther has picked up some track damage...

Bud, I don't think he was estimating, just showing the path? Mind you not sure why to show the time, so why show that?

Looks like key action coming up soon.

Just read Bils comments and he does not seem worried by that forward Panther, so I guess he has done a decent LOS check and he thinks it will have to move forward to engage his Sherman's.

The battle is shaping nicely, is that forward Panther in position? Good move with HMG team better to fight another day... BTW do / are you making use of arcs for your forces?

Just seen Doug latest video, I think his Panther has got into a decent position to counter the Sherman's without exposing his flank too much. The trees might block LOS from the M10 and it looks like he should get LOS onto the valley, I think Bil will need some smoke to be able to break cover. Of course all depends on exact LOS and without loading up the map that is hard to see. The advantage for Doug is he can mount a reverse slope defence of that ridge line if he needs to. Also I see he has a shreck in the area which he will have to look after as he might need it..

Thanks for adding your voice as I hope it will keep this on the Pty list to solve.

I would be tempted with rushing all three if you could lay a decent smoke screen. I guess Bil might be using one at a time as the lure in the hope that the remaining Sherman's can get some sneaky side shots?

Just read Bils approach and it is as we thought, the one aspect that jumped out at me is sending the Sherman's one at a time. I guess it makes sense, but if you have a limited window maybe more at same time would be better? (I can see why testing the waters with one might be safer)

Thanks Doug, just wanted a insight to your threat assessment and plans. The beauty of these AARs is that it allows others to learn how to play by watching.

Just out of interest how do you see the battle progressing? What will your key aims be? What threats do you expect?

Yes that's my reading of it, but still depends on spotting and shooting, the Panthers could have a better day? Mind you with one losing his T/C the odds are against him...

Yes to both suggestions. He certainly needs to stop those Sherman's getting into the fields in front of that HMG team. From there he can fire across the map and support his infantry attacking the right hand objective (Doug's right). As noted by Slim this is a key moment in the deployment of the forces.

Womble noted your comments re the Tank Sound icons and I would have read it that if I saw three different sound contacts at same time that it was three tanks. Am I missing something in my undeerstanding of the game engine? I agree if you do not see all at same time that it might be just one tank, but I think seeing three moving seperately as shown on the last two turns would make me think 3 tanks... Doug has to work out a plan for those tanks as he is about to be flanked with the shermans hidden from view of the Panthers. If that happens he will ceed the valley floor on his left flank as to go for them he will have to turn side on to the M10, (and maybe even the AT guns if Bil is as cunning as I think he is) depending on sight lines... He has had two turns now with out mentioning what he plans to do and I do not want to prompt him. If Bil can get those Shermans hidden by the ridge and in the valley he will then have sight lines to Doug's right flank and will be able to support is troops with HE and smoke in the attack. This is a real critical moment for Doug and he needs to work out a plan. Having one of his Shreck teams so far back is not going to help.... With this map moving into position you are too exposed and need to be already there when things appear. That and Bil's dominance with Arty I am changing my view on the situation. I guess it all changed when I learnt Bil could get those Shermans down without using the road and you can see that the apporach is masked by the ridge line. In some ways that valley floor location would have been best place for the Panthers, but too late for Doug to get them there now....

Yes I was surprised to seea HQ group leading, but I guess he has given up on the AT guns and has no need to keep their morale up? Or down as it will now be...

Thanks for the updated Video's I know they are a pian to create, but very useful for those of us watching and betting on the game... Now to post some predictions in another thread....

Yes, looking at it and as noted by Womble the Panther is looking a poor choice, especially if the price is not too different? Could be a key mistake? Also I bet the 88mm gun would not have bounced off the Sherman... I would also guess the 88mm HE round is more powerful.

Yep those Panthers will need very careful handling, will be interesting to see when Doug makes some comments about the sound contacts of those Sherman's.

I wonder if the tiger would have been a better choice? The tigers armour is not as angled as the Panther so does not rely on the deflected angle. So in this situation the M10 would be worse off against a tiger? If you get my gist? Those 60mm are lethal and I don't see the Germans winning the infantry battle in this terrain. Bil has quantity on his side....

Ohhh how he will hate those 60mm I had forgotten you get one per platoon.

Yes the loss of the mortar is critical when he is short on infantry, that team could have balanced up his fight against the more numerous Americans. It would not have been so bad if he had knocked out Bils mortars. I can see the Panthers getting distracted by Bils infantry and then getting whacked by the M10 or Sherman's.

OK so that should mean you still have some rounds to hand and if you can get the team over the other mortar all is not lost? Mind you long way to walk.... And who knows what bears might be found on the journey...