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Murph

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  1. This is fantastic, guys, thank yo uso much for taking the time! Great aar, lots of detail, and good pictures to help us keep track. Just great. Honestly, this is the best thing after actually being able to play, and sometimes it's even BETTER than the game. Cheers to the two of you. Murph
  2. Agree 100%!! So...where do we find these scenarios? In the scenario depot, I have a hard time finding many good ones, most tend to be 1200+. Any suggestions would be welcome, as I've already played most of the ones I found. The QB is not as trustworthy as a scenario in providing a balanced, interesting battle with a reasonable sized map (for small points they tend to be too thin and too long). Thanks! Murph
  3. Fionn and Cortes: You have been accused of hijacking this thread. I don't necessarily agree, but regardless I must inform you of your punishment: You are henceforth obligated to keep us informed of your matchup. Cortes, a descriptive post will do (at worst), a real AAR with pictures and Fionn's comments would be the dream. Thanks in advance, Murph
  4. Welcome to our little "Combat Mission world" KV-2! Look forward to hearing your views from the Russian perspective. Cheers Murph
  5. Wow, this is amazing! Congrats to all involved! What makes me sad though, is that since I don't speak any of the languages in the game, this incredibly immersive element is completely lost on me. I rarely even notice the voices. Thinking back to CMBBO classics like "My leg!!" or even the simple "yes sir!", it makes me wish that back then we had had such a wealth of sounds. It would force you to spend every turn at level 1 just to hear what they had to say! Murph
  6. I bow my head in shame. I should have known better. I don't know what the issue was, but it was solved by a simple reboot. I know. I'm a moron. OK, I've been playing on this exact same laptop for a while. Nothing has changed at all that I'm aware of. I upgraded to 1.02 and it worked fine as well. Today, I tried to fire up the game, and I get the black screen asking me to select the screen size. If I click next, it sends me back to desktop. If I click accept, it gives me a black screen. After a while, nothing happens so I press any key and go back to desktop. I'm baffled. Any clue? Thanks in advance, Murph [ February 21, 2003, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Murph ]
  7. I Love AAR's. First of all, because one can learn tremedously from following the though process of another person in an actual battle (not in a generic hints and tips write up). But mostly, it's because it brings you into the game almost as much as the real thing (especially when there are some pics to aid in visualizing). When you're at work, nothing beats a good AAR read during lunchtime to get you your CMM fix! Murph
  8. sorry double post [ February 21, 2003, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: Murph ]
  9. Hey Flesh, thanks for sharing, that was a really cool AAR. I NEVER play battles that large (I shudder when I see the word battalion!). How do you deal with all the micromanagent? Your turns must take a long time to plan/plot. Seems like a good battle. If anything I would say you were too slow/tentative on your left mechanized attack, had you timed it better you would have won more points (but at a steep cost, because he had tons of infantry left over). From your account it would seem like he never dropped arty on you, which would seem off for a battle this size. By the way, the link to his version is not working for me, is it still posted. Thanks again, Murph
  10. Hey guys: If you're into AAR's with lots of pics (as the one above), I posted one a while back, the link is below. Mind you, it's a CMBB AAR. AAR: The Storming of Brailev island Cheers, Murph
  11. Well done Jeremy! Loved the AAR, it seems like an eopic battle, very evenly matched and extremely bloody! I really enjoy AAR's with pictures, it brings you into the game almost as much as the game itself! My only beef was that it was split up into 10 turn increments, so a lot of the specific drama of each turn gets left out, but if that means that you have time to make more AAR's, then bring it on! One last suggestion: Like tons of people around here, I've moved on to CMBB, and don't ever go into the CMBO board, I just happened to see your post by chance. Yet everyone loves AAR's so maybe next time you can do a quick post on the general forum to let us know you posted? You would get a much larger and appreciative audience that way. Thanks again! Murp
  12. Yes, thank you. It was a delightful read, and a great learning tool. Gotta love AARs! Murph
  13. What's the song/composer that plays during the opening of CMBB? I was watching The Osbournes over the weekend, it was an episode where that nasty skateboarder friend of Jack's comes back to stay at their place for a couple of days. During a scene halfway through where the group is sitting around drinking beers, I hear the song start to play in the background! My first though was that someone in the actual show was firing up the game on a laptop our something Anyway, the song continues playing in a crescendo, and then (I kid you not) we get treated to some homoerotic, barechested sweaty wrestling between Jack and his friend for like 3 min. I fear I will never be able to think of esteppes, UberFinns or PZII's again as I boot up the game... Cheers, Murph
  14. PART 4 - CONCLUSION Turn 15: Orders: All troops are ordered to converge fire on the MG nest, while advancing towards the pinnacle where the pioneers will take care of the pillbox. The men in the Hamlet are to defend and harass the cowering enemy. Baumeister’s men are to consolidate around the church and scout for any stragglers. Action: The brave and noble are rewarded! Unt Speicher, having charged the MG nest at a loss of 4 of his men, gets to within 10m, having taken 3 of their men. 2 more of the MG crew now falls to the withering fire coming from all sides, and the lone survivor cowers in the trench, not surrendering but not firing any more. Speicher and his 5 remaining squad mates will live to fight another day. From all sides the pioneers converge. A minor tiff ensues when the flamethrower team, having hauled ass all the way around the island and up the hill gets to within meters of the pillbox, but an officer orders him to stand down and let the pioneers blow the back door! This they do with a satchel charge, and through the smoke 7 frightened crewmen rush out. According to my men, some of the Russians were foolishly brandishing SMGs, and the lot of them was mowed down indiscriminately within 2 seconds. It’s not something my men are proud of, but one must be in the pitch of bloody battle to be able to pass judgment. (see Screenshot) Down in the hamlet, the enemy squads cowering in the trees are slowly picked apart by the 2 squads and the HMG. One panics and tries to make it across the open field, and get blown away within 10 meters. This battle is over. My men are victorious. "Mission is complete" Turn 16: Orders: Consolidate and start deploying back towards the church and hamlet. Be on the lookout for any stragglers and for the tankette. Since this is a variable turn game I will offer up a ceasefire, if I can find any enemy officer, that is. The routed pioneer squad finally reported back for duty, and I sent them to scout the lighthouse on the western end of the island. Action: The platoon opposing the hotel has been eliminated. Part of the platoon, which has run west, ran into forward elements of Baumeister’s platoon redeploying back south, and were slaughtered. The routed pioneer squad is making its way west, where I doubt there will be much to find. One disappointment. The tankette has neared the entrance to the dock and put that flag in question. Not an issue strategically, but still a minor nuisance. Is it worth the lives of some of Baumeister’s men to assault it? Since the tankette appears not to have any ammo, I may try it. One more turn and I will offer a ceasefire. Turn 17: Order: Men, hold steady and keep your eyes open. This battle is done, and there’s no sence losing even one life to carelessness. One more turn and I will offer a ceasefire. Action: The enemy surrenders and comes out of hiding. This battle has reached its end. Final score: TOTAL VICTORY, 89 to 11. FINAL ANALYSIS: Intelligence always tends to underestimate the adversary’s numbers. If they think there’s a platoon, there’s usually a company, and so forth. The same applied here. Estimates were of about a platoon of defending forces, the truth was a little closer to company size. However, let’s be frank: the Russians never had a chance. There were too many objectives to defend, and they were woefully undermanned, forced to spread themselves too thin. In addition, they did not have the luxury of enough heavy firepower. There must have been no more than 2-3 Maxims on the whole island, plus a worthless tankette. So in essence, there were isolated pockets of resistance which could not support each other, and they were simply overwhelmed one at a time. This was the case in the Chapel, were I massed TFW and TFE to make quick work of it. The Hamlet was undefended, which almost cost me later, but at first I took it unopposed. Climbing and assaulting the hill took time because I was being careful, but again the defenses I found were less in number than I expected, and I massed overwhelming force against them. I kept expecting mines, more barbed wire, and a couple of HMGs or bunkers, which I would have had to overcome at great expense. The reality was much weaker, and it was not even close. My one mistake was leaving the Hamlet unattended, without radio contact to my sentry. It almost cost me when an enemy reinforcement of platoon strength almost snuck in under my nose. This platoon was probably at the eastern lighthouse originally, and having to leave their dug in positions was to their extreme disadvantage. It is a testament to good planning that I bypassed a heavily defended position (the lighthouse) without great strategic value, forcing them out of their comfort zone and into mine. Was there a way the enemy could have withstood my attack? Not likely with the forces they had. They would have needed at least 1-2 more platoons and some HMG to make life more difficult for me. I had good numbers, a good weapons platoon for support, and I massed my forces while executing flanking maneuvers to split the opponent’s defenses, even at platoon level. I was cautious and took up all the allotted time while still accomplishing the objectives fully, and I believe I reduced casualties as much as possible because of it. I could have moved faster, but at greater cost to my men. I would recommend Russians be given +50% force for a more tense game. Playing the defense with the default troops, I think I would have a hard time vs. the AI even. (actually, I tried this last night and I kicked the AI's ass, but we all know how bad they are on the attack) One final, but very important note: There were many commendations given out, including medals for the valiant officers, Hsf Rauben, Osf Altmann, Osf Baumeister, and Osf Weil (posthumous). But the two highest recognition for bravery were given to simple foot soldiers: to Ost Speicher for his valorous and successful assault of the MG nest on Northern Hill, and Ost Meyer, for his lone stand against a full enemy platoon, holding his position against all odds until reinforcements arrived (not a second too soon!). He is credited for 19 infantry kills. I hope you all enjoyed this AAR, it was really interesting to play it and write it. Sometimes in normal playing we take the game for granted and plot moves and hit go quickly, waiting to get to the action. Doing it like this really makes you be more careful, think about things, and most importantly, it brings you close to the men (sounds cheesy, but it’s true!). I don’t normally look at the names of the soldiers, but I had a real feeling of following along as these men played out their fates. Those that long for a campaign for this very reason should give it a try, it’s possible to feel this attachment in just one 15 turn battle! And finally, as I look back it’s true that this was a very one-sided battle, not even close really. But even within these romps you can find moments of tension and true bravery, which actually kept me on the edge of my seat (e.g. the surprise attack on Rot Meyer’s position). So all in all, a pretty cool, worthwhile experience! Cheers, Murph
  15. PART 3 Turn 10 (cont.): Action: Rauben’s HQ unit takes one casualty, but the men under his command continue to turn the corner, albeit slowly, too slowly for my taste. He will need to speed it up shortly. We’re taking casualties, but not at an alarming rate. Baumeister’s platoon has made it to the trees south of the hill, and have helped tremendously in suppressing the two squads of enemy infantry currently visible (this was their original purpose, but alas they couldn’t see from the damn chapel!). No contact on Altmann’s side, where the terrain is extremely jagged, which is extracting a heavy toil on the men. "Turning the corner" Turn 11: Orders: At this point, we are committed to turn the corner around the wooden fence and press the attack. It will be bloody, because the enemy in their trenches is bound to have some Maxim support. Baumeister’s group will be crucial, two squads are still not in position and I will need all their firepower. Move it, men! Altmann is to proceed as quickly as possible until contact is reached. Barbed wire stands in their way, but we’ll have to deal with that when we get to it. Let’s continue to press the attack! (newsflash! I was just about to press “go”, when I panned the map just so…) Horror!! Surprise counterattack! I had been so busy surveying the assault on the hill, that I simply forgot to look at the action surrounding the hamlet for the last 2 turns! The HMG I left behind as a sentry failed to radio, and I mustn’t have heard the fire over all the commotion on the hill assault…this sickens me to my stomach…All of a sudden the picture is this: Rot Meyer’s HMG is on the top floor of the hotel, and directly to the south in a clump of trees (around a little house where there had been noise earlier) there is a whole platoon of infantry scurrying about!! The flag on the hotel has switched to “?”. To make matters worse, at the end of this turn Unt Meyer’s HMG is jammed! The barbarians are at the gate! Immediate action is warranted. I’m ordering the HMG and 2 full squads from Altmann’s group to make their way back down the hill immediately to assist Meyer, who has orders to hold until the bloody end! Down on the dock, I had left Rot Dressler all alone with his LMG, thinking there was no further danger. Now I fear his position could be overrun as well! I curse my lack of attention! Action: Osf Heidman’s platoon advances towards the trench under heavy fire, but makes it to the clump of trees a mere 35m from the trenches. Baumeister’s platoon is offering devastating support fire, and the enemy platoon in the trench area is beginning to weaken in its resolve! Over in the hotel, Rot Meyer’s situation is beginning to grow desperate as he struggles to unjam his HMG and feed the belt properly. He can hear windows crashing downstairs as a Russian squad bursts in, and another squad is peppering him with lead from the outside. Where are the damn reinforcements! Altmann’s cavalry is reaching the light building on the outskirts, across the dirt road from the hotel. The men are exhausted, having run halfway up the hill and then back. It seems like it might be too little to late! The 50mm mortar has a faint LOS to the trees outside the hotel window, and is ordered to fire on the squad that is suppressing Meyer. Rot Dressler, nestled in the woods by the dock, tries harassing fire with his LMG, but ammo is low, and he is feeling very alone. "Rot Meyer's plight" Turn 12: Order: As Heidman’s platoon advances upon the trench, Weil’s platoon of pioneers is ordered to join them at the line and use all means necessary to dislodge the enemy in the trenches. Rauben will join in the attack, making sure no one lags behind. Baumeister is to hold position south of the trench, pinning the enemy and preparing for an assault over the wooden fence in the next turn or two. Altmann and his reduced platoon is ordered to proceed and round the barbed wire the northeastern tip of the hill, where no enemy has been spotted so far. Action: In the village, Meyer cannot repair the jam among the bursting plaster and commotion of battle. He heads loud voices both outside and from below. But just in time, one of Altmann’s rescue squads along with the HMG set up in the house across the road and tears into a Russian squad outside, forcing them to the ground! At the same time, the first 50mm shells land in the scattered trees hiding the second Russian squad! The tide has been stopped, if only I can get the second squad in position, and maybe Meyer gets it going we can turn this thing back! (see screenshot below). The advance on the western flank is proceeding, with both platoons slowly inching to within 25 m of the trench, and the visible enemy squads suppressed by my massed fire. It doesn’t appear that the enemy is routed yet, but surely their fight must be leaving them in the face of these odds! Altmann has reached his jump off point high up on the hill, still with no contacts. "The arrival of the cavalry?" Turn 13: Order: Heidman and Weil’s platoons are to assault/advance the last 10 meters, almost up to the trench, suppressing and slaughtering anything that moves. A flamethrower has been brought in from the rear and if possible he will be used to clear and stubborn stragglers. Baumeister has ordered half of his platoon to assault the trench 30 meters away, which will involve crossing open space-let’s hope for the best, but time is of the essence and risks must be taken. Altmann is likewise ordered to leave cover, cross the wooden fence, and advance (almost at the top of the hill) as far as possible. Perhaps he will send one squad as recon, in case there is unseen barbed wire or mines. In the hamlet, the HMG is in place and will area fire into the trees in the south, while the two squads try their best to make it to the hotel to rescue Meyer and reclaim the flag. Action: With tremendous bravery, the trenches are overrun by my men. Tragically, this was done at the expense of Osf Weil, a brave officer who met an untimely but heroic death while charging through the pine forest. Two enemy squads crumbled and fled uphill, were I will follow them shortly to avenge my officer. A MG crew surrendered, and thus they will be spared. The HQ did not, and he met his fate. The enemy on the hill is routed as far as I can see. Altmann’s group crests the hill, still with no opposition, and spots the battery/pillbox, our ultimate objective. In the hamlet, the “cavalry” races to the hotel, supported by area fire from the HMG and those blessed 50mm shells! At around the 40th second of the turn, Meyer finally clears the jam! “Say hello to my friend”, he yells, as he unleashes hell at the squad on the lower floor! The cowards quickly rout and flee westward, just as the cavalry arrives, tired but unbloodied! Over by the dock Dressler is feeling more alone than ever, especially now that the tankette meanders over in his direction. This fate of this battle is sealed, I think, but I must now be sure to tie up al the lose ends and not lose any men needlessly. Turn 14: Orders: First off, I consider the battle for the battery on the hill to be nearly over, now that the trenches have been breached. I will send Baumeister’s platoon dashing back to the chapel, to stabilize the flag against any silly tankette charges or other gamey tactics by the Russian commander. Heidman’s men and Weil’s squads, (the latter now under Hsf Rauben’s direct command), are to sweep the hill and use their demo charges to disable the battery emplacement. In the hamlet, my current assets should be enough to hold and possible destroy to tattered enemy squads. It is time to consolidate and solidify our control over this island! "The Taking of North Hill" Action: It is amazing what dramatic feats of bravery these young men are capable of! As our forces sweep up the hill, Altmann’s men, who heretofore had not seen a single enemy, spot the elusive pillbox, the ultimate objective for the taking of this island. The lonely march all the way from the norther beach to the tip of the hill has paid off with the ultimate prize! But defending it is a MG nest within a trench. There is no time to delay, this is where legends are made. “Unt Speicher! You will take your men and charge the MG nest. We will provide covering fire. Do the best you can. I have faith in you, my boy!”. Without hesitation, Speicher and his men break into a valiant assault, jumping over rocks, dodging, screaming wildly, but never stopping! The MG was caught by surprise the first few seconds, but soon turned his sights on the assaulters. Supporting fire was given, including some from troops on the left side that had LOS. 35M to the trench, and the first man hit the ground, torn nearly in half by a burst. 29M a second man falls, but the men push on without hesitation! 14m to the MG nest, and the men take the 3rd casualty, and only then do they seek cover. A fourth man falls as they close within 10meters. 3 of the crew manning the MG have fallen to the barrage of grenades curses and supressing fire, yet 3 desperate Russians continue to resist the advance, knowing full well that their end is near. If they surrender immediately I will spare them, if not there will be no mercy. I am certain now that we will overtake this obstacle, and once we do my pioneers will make quick work of the pillbox and its crew. But I say a prayer for Speicher and his men. May they live to tell their grandkids of this feat of selfless bravery. For the moment, a screenshot will have to suffice. Down in the hamlet, the position is secure, and my men pound at the opposition from the safety of the hotel. END OF PART 3. CONCLUSION TO FOLLOW SHORTLY [ January 15, 2003, 12:33 PM: Message edited by: Murph ]
  16. PART 2 Turn 5: Order: continue pressing the attack. With almost 2 full platoons we should be able to overwhelm the southern approach to the church. I will order one of the pioneer squads to run across the road. Hopefully they will be close enough to assault the MG bunker with an explosive charge. If I move to jump off points and suppress well, I will consider storming the church on the following turn. Note: Aha! Reinforcements arrived at last. However all that was sent was one measly recon squad, with a LMG. Oft Schreiner is a veteran leader and I will give him the benefit of the doubt, but in command of one measly green squad my expectations for his contribution are not high. I have ordered him to the woods south of the chapel to act as a reserve for the action that will take place. Action: I am pleased! Things are going as planned so far. On the south approach to the chapel, Unt Hauser, in a commendable feat of bravery, ran under a curtain of bullets to destroy the MG bunker with an explosive charge! (see screenshot). Baumeister’s men are struggling to compose themselves after their mad dash and are still not an effective fighting unit, but the “right hook” detachment from Rauben’s TFW, along with the 2 “lost squads” in Weil’s platoon were enough. Rauben’s element held steady and will now be rewarded. Schreiner has just reported for duty, but his squad of green soldiers is cowering in the open, not having made it fully across. I said my hopes weren’t high and I meant it. Back in the hamlet, Altmann is advancing in eerie quiet, with the only resistance coming from a group a small building to the south, towards the beach. The Tankette stirred to life and sped off on SE direction across the fields! Maybe they woke up to and decided that motherland or no motherland, they were about to get nailed, and got the hell out without firing a single shot. Contemptible cowards…I have ordered Altmann to henceforth stop being quite so cautious, time will soon become of the essence and I fear overestimating my opponents valour and skill (almost as much as underestimating him). (Unt Hauser's bravery) Turn 6: Order: We must keep the momentum rolling! Rauben’s task force is to begin storming the chapel this very turn, storming in from the south with the support of Baumeister’s platoon. Altmann and his TFN have to speed up the pace in the hamlet, he will order 1 or 2 squads to storm the hotel while the HMG keeps the mortar suppressed to the south. If all goes well, soon I will be able to turn my attention to the final assault on the battery up the northernmost hill! Action: So far so good!. Two squads from Heidman’s platoon stormed the chapel and dispatched the panicked crew of the bunker. There is at least one squad on the bottom floor and one on the top, but it is now just a matter of time. 2 casualties were taken as they burst through the main door, but the numbers are overwhelmingly in our favor. The hamlet is now under our control, following an uneventful occupation of the hotel building. Where the hell is everyone? Have we delayed too long, been over cautious? Turn 7: Order: Rauben’s TFW is to consolidate control over the chapel, employing Heidman’s platoon to sweep the remaining opposition. Baumeister from TFS is to complete the consolidation of forces and rendezvous at the chapel. If all goes well, I’d like to be able to focus on moving north after this turn. Same applies to Altmann TFN. This will be the last turn to seek out opposition and confirm our control over the hamlet, and which point the focus will switch to planning the attach on the battery. Action: Unforgiving, lopsided carnage. If I can be faulted as a commander for being overcautious, it is only because I value the life of my men. However her is the result: At minimal cost, we have taken the chapel against a determined but doomed opposition. The CO HQ went down in a hail of bullets, as did a squad on each floor. The hamlet is empty. This is strange, but I guess good news. I now anticipate the brunt of the defense to be on the northern hill. Halfway through the turn a squad of infantry is spotted running through the woods on the northern hill. That’s good, because we now have a target, and we now know that someone is up there. I expect the exposed squad to be routed easily under concentrated fire. "Sir, we have taken the chapel" Turn 8: Order: I really hesitate to say or even think this, but it would seem that until now the battle has been anticlimactic, with the Russians offering no opposition whatsoever against my overwhelming superiority. I hope it’s not a portent of worse things to come. It is turn 8 and I am roughly where I expected to be, although in hindsight it’s easy to think I should have covered this same ground in a quicker fashion. To date this has been little more than a live fire training exercise, but I anticipate that breaking through on “north hill” will be difficult and bloody. My plan is simple (see screenshot). Hsf Rauben sets up a command center in the chapel, utilizing Heidman and his able platoon, plus some elements of the weapons platoon (HMG, 50mm), to provide fire support straight ahead (north) the second any Russian pops their head up. On the left, I will deploy Osf Weil’s pioneer platoon (3 squad strong), along with Baumeister’s platoon and a flamethrower in support. If there are going to be some nasty trenches or bunkers, I want Weil’s men to be leading the assault. They will curl around and try to hit the entrenchments/defenses from the side. On the opposite side the same effort will be carried out by Altmann’s men, leaving only a HMG on the second floor of the hotel to overlook and hold up any reinforcements from the east lighthouse. On the way up the hill, they will rendezvous and be joined by some elements from the weapons platoon that had been providing cover (HMG, 50mm, flamethrower). It is my hope that I can get these guys to add to the firepower as Altmann makes his way up the craggy, uneven and very open terrain. One squad originally separated from Weil’s platoon is still cowering in the wheat field, broken since taking fire 4 turns ago. It is beyond me why they can’t rally, maybe Altmann can do something and get them moving. The screenshot below illustrates the plan. (Note: Change of plans! Rauben changed his mind at the last moment, deciding he wanted to "lead from the front". Contrary to the markings on the screenshot below, Rauben will take the lead on the left hook, with Heidman and Weil's men. Baumeister is ordered to stay back to set up a fire base on the top floor of the chapel.) Action: Everyone knew their orders, and everyone hustled, with minimal enemy interference. The lone enemy squad spotted on the hill was overwhelmed by fire and the ran of in panic towards the beach. Surely they are broken and no longer a credible threat. Another squad was spotted on the hill guarding the western approach. Upon a closer look, I am now spotting considerable barbed wire and what seems to be a u-shaped trench system. Although I dislike assaulting fortifications, I must say that the disposition of my forces leaves me very confident of impending victory. Altmann’s men similarly are in position and ready to begin marching up the slope. Turn 9: Orders: On the east I will advance in bounding overwatch using my two platoons. One the west I will advance to contact, attempting to pinpoint the enemy defenses. By splitting the attach I’m hoping to stretch him beyond his capabilities. Where are these cowards? Show yourselves! Action: Show themselves they did. Rauben’s men attempt to “turn to corner” and are met with a hail of bullets from at least 2 squads. Some men go down, but at least now we have someone to shoot back at! I fear that my men have grown complacent, and now that the adrenaline rush has worn off it might cost me a few casualties. On the east, Altmann’s men continue forward unopposed. On the center, an inexcusable mistake. Baumeister’s platoon, set up on the top floor of the chapel, does not have LOS to the woods on the hill and the adjoining trench complex. It is being blocked by a small patch of scattered trees! Turn 10: Orders: Rauben is ordered to keep the forward momentum. Now is no time to cower in the mud! Both platoons are to be given advance at all cost orders, at least until they round the corner and reach a suitable jump off point for the final attack. I’m concerned for enemy artillery, as my men are pretty bunched up into a small covered area. Baumeister’s men in the chapel are ordered to immediately deploy to a patch of trees where they should by 50m or less from the trenches, looking straight on. Altmann is to continue his ascent until contact is made. There's a time in every battle where one just has to get bloody and go for broke, and we are nearing this time... END OF PART 2 (PART 3 will be posted tomorrow Wed.)
  17. Note: Finally was able to make the jpegs work. A special thanks to Sigurd for kindly hosting the images on his server! Hey folks! I enjoy AARs so much that I decided to take some time and try to write one myself. I like AAR’s with lots of pictures to aid in visualizing the action, and I like short manageable battles, so let’s see how this turns out. I apologize in advance for the length. I guess I’m long winded and/or I got carried away. So I’ll post in a few installments for you all to follow along. Hope you enjoy it. The scenario is called “An Island to Close”, by Wayne Rutledge (available at the depot). A really beautiful map, with a unique mission: an amphibious attack upon a small island in the Gulf of Riga. I’m the Axis commander, attacking a Russian defensive position manned by the AI. Set up: This map is very pretty and interesting, the island seems like a lovely little resort kind of place. Pity it’s inhabited by Russians who have overstayed their welcome. I have been tasked with the recapture of the island by any means necessary. For this, I have been given command of: 1 x infantry company 1 x pioneer platoon 1 x weapons platoon made up of volunteers from battalion At some point I’m promised a reinforcement of 1 recon platoon, but with the horrible weather it’s not a sure thing when or if it will happen. The objectives are multiple, all tied to controlling specific geographic locations in the small island. I have listed them in an order of importance: 1. Capture the coastal defense battery 2. Secure the dock to allow for reinforcement and re-supply 3. Secure the tiny Hamlet of Voikossiv, in the middle of the island 4. Take control of the steeple in the 13th century church, reportedly being used to spot artillery 5. Take control of the lighthouse on the eastern end, for future use. Upon first review, I’d say Objective 1 is the raison d’etre of the mission, as the battery is pestering our shipping lines. Objective 2 is key in that once we control the dock, sooner or later the island will fall to our superior forces. The tiny hamlet should give us de facto control of the interior island defenses. Objectives 4 and 5 are nice to have, but will not be the focus, as their strategic importance is minimal if the other objectives are seized. As you can see from the overhead map view, the island is not too large, and has many approaches, giving me lots of flexibility. The beaches are small, however, and the set up areas force me to fragment my forces. This hurts my pioneer platoon in particular, as the squads are separated from their commander. I have decided to hit the western and southern side of the island, landing west of the chapel and around the dock area. My first thrust will be to secure the dock and attack the chapel, in order to use it as a geographical base of operations. This is because the chapel is centrally located, and I’m assuming that it will be more lightly defended than the hamlet. Ooops, right off the bat I’m having to change my plan. The southern beach is too small and has too little cover to expose 2+ of my platoons, so I have decided to send one reinforced platoon to a third beach, on the north side of the island. They can infiltrate the hamlet through decent cover and hopefully overtake it or at least cause a major diversion. This splits up my forces more than I had liked, but I’m hopeful that each platoon has enough firepower and cover to converge upon its initial objectives. So after the queasy ride in through the freezing dawn, my men are on the beach, the element of surprise is still in place, and the forces are laid our as follows: Hsf Rauben’s (co HQ) Task Force West Objective: take the Chapel, establish base of operations for the storming of the battery 1x full platoon (4 squads) led by Osf Heidman , with 50mm mortar 1x pioneer squad with HQ Osf Weil elements of the weapons platoon and their HQ (Flamethrower, HMG, LMG) Osf Baumeister’s Task Force South Objective: secure the dock area, attempt rendezvous with TF West at the Chapel if possible 1x full platoon (4 squads) 2x pioneer squads separated at sea from Weil’s platoon. Osf Altmann’s Task Force North (named so because they are landing on the North beach Objective: infiltrate and secure Hamlet of Voikossiv. If unsuccessful, at very least engage attention of island defenses while Western effort consolidates around chapel. 1x full platoon (4 squads, with 50mm mortar and HMG 2x pioneer squads separated at sea from Weil’s platoon elements of weapons platoon to provide fire support during assault (HMG, 50mm, flamethrower) (note: in the image below, "Task Force East" should read "Task Force South". Don't know what I was thinking) Let’s get to it! Turn 1 Orders: Basic moving forward to contact, leaving behind some support for suppression just in case. Hope to catch the defenders sleeping. In TSN we need to be a little more aggressive and 2 full squads are ordered to storm the nearest heavy building. Don’t want to get everyone caught out in the open when it hits the fan. In TSS we will seek to consolidate the position and scout out the situation for now. Action: Almost immediately the lead start ripping through the air! The leading squads of Rauben’s TFW practically walks onto a machine gun nest. I lose three men but immediately take out the Maxim MG. More bad news, I spot a wooden MG bunker directly beside the chapel. This is not going to be a cakewalk boys! I also spot a trench on the hill leading up to the battery which I will storm later. Argh! I hate trenches! Baumeister’s men in TFS stay put and observe in silence for now, although the MG fire ripping through the morning air has really let them all know that this is for real. One squad runs over to a light building in the open to use as an observation post. Over in TFN, Altmann’s 2 squads have made it safely to the heavy building on the edge of the hamlet as well as to some patches of trees adjoining. Things are still sleepy, but the commotion coming over from the west is soon to change things, and I expect the alarm to ring out any second now…The men report what would appear to be a tankette parked near the main 2 story building, and I hope it’s not much more than that. Turn 2 Orders: Keep moving forward. For Rauben’s men this will be painful in the face of a machine gun bunker, but it must be done, using the scattered tree cover available. I need to move forward and flank its firing angle somehow, can’t allow it to grind me to a halt. As soon as my HMG reaches some sort of cover they will help with suppressing fire. Altmann’s TFN is to keep moving inland, crossing the road and searching out for contact. At this stage I’m still moving carefully, and the pioneer squads in TFS and TFN have been ordered by their temporary commanders to remain under cover. Their cargo is too valuable and will be needed later. Action: Rauben orders the continued advance, and the men respond with steely determination in the face of sporadic oncoming fire from the MG bunker which is actually inside the Church (would Jesus approve? I don’t think so). My men spot up to 2 full squads inside the chapel, on both floors, yet they still advance slowly through the patchy trees. On the south side things are quite and unchanged, if Baumeister was English he would quite actively be considering brewing up some morning tea. Let’s hope that holds and it’s not some kind of trap. Altmann’s group advances well, with 2 squads crossing the road safely the attack is set to proceed forward. Suddenly, the all too expected burst from a Maxim rings out from the main building (hotel?). Rot Deych, barely out of basic training, was struggling to catch up with his 50mm mortar tube when his life was extinguished in a flash. First loss of life. War is cruel (see screenshot). Turn 3: Orders: Rauben makes a quick decision: his group will remain in place and attempt to fix the troops in the church, while on his right, on the other side of the road, Heidman and Weil’s squads will move up and turn the corner, flanking the chapel from the right. On the south side, Baumeister can’t bear it any longer and decides to make a move across the open field in order to get in on the assault on the chapel. He orders one squad to make a dash for it first though, just to see how that goes. If all goes well, on the next turn the whole platoon and the two pioneer squads will deploy to the woods directly south of the chapel, and this should ensure the overrunning of the enemy position. If there are enemy waiting in the woods for the crossing of the clearance, well then it’s going to be messy for Unt Werner’s squad…Altmann orders 2 squads to continue the advance and overtake a light building directly across the road from the one already held by the other 2 squads in his brave platoon. The machine gun in the hotel is a nuisance but hopefully the covering fire is enough to make them duck for a bit. The tankette, so far, appears to be asleep, which is good. "Moving in on the chapel" Action: So far, so good. On the west side the flanking motion is in place, although some squads are not advancing quickly enough. We have identified approximately a platoon of enemy troops inside the church, and I’m beginning to think that this, and not the Hamlet, will be the biggest challenge before the assault on the battery. I’m starting to become aware of tempo, I need to keep the pressure up, specially taking into account the 15+ time limit. In Baumeister’s area the very good news is that Werner’s squad made it across the clearing with no casualties, and only intermittent fire from the church (not the woods, as I feared). The bad news is that Baumeister’s HQ unit stepped on a landmine and suffered 1 casualty. Hello, Mr. Mine. Good bye, Mr. Foot. Altmann’s men advanced into the light building while spotting a mortar and infantry unit in near a small house to the South. Should be nothing more than a nuisance. The machine gun in the hotel was routed and the crew was seen running for their lives. Time to keep the momentum rolling, there are doubtless nasty surprises ahead. Turn 4: Order: Altmann will continue the advance by leapfrogging from house to house. The pioneer units will move and take part in the attack, specially should the tankette decide to come looking for trouble. The weapons group will remain in place to provide covering fire. Baumeister is to order the rest of his platoon across the clearing, including the two pioneer squads. I expect this to be done in an orderly fashion with minimal casualties. Reuben must press the attach, with one element fixing the enemy while the other goes around the front door in a turn or two(hopefully in conjunction with Baumeister’s freshly arrived troops). Let’s get this moving boys, we’re in good shape but we still haven’t even gotten to storming the battery and it’s trenched defense system! Action: Assorted minor casualties are starting to mount, but still not anywhere near a cause for concern. Baumeister and all but one of his squads have made it across the clearing, hauling ass while being shot at from the detachment in the SE of the island. One Squad will soon follow and we can now really harass the machine gunner overlooking the southern approach to the church. The 2 pioneer squads made it across smoothly and are finally reunited with their commander. Over on Altmann’s side, the lead is starting to fly, but the inside of the Hamlet is still eerily quite. One of the pioneer squads got shot up while jumping a fence, lost their nerve, and retreated in a panic. It’s a shame because Weil is not around to rally them anytime soon. The fire came from the eastern side of the island in the direction of the lighthouse that I’m ignoring. I hope there’s not much more coming from my back, but I’ll have to keep my eyes open. The tankette suffered a penetration from some brave unidentified soldier, but it’s still there, not shooting or doing much of anything. The following screenshot shows the state of affairs at the end of this turn around the church, as my platoons creep in. The southern approach is where the action will take place in the next minutes. END OF PART 1 [ January 15, 2003, 12:09 PM: Message edited by: Murph ]
  18. Check out this web site. Not sure who did the compiling (only his email is listed on the page), but it's great is you enjoy AAR's as I do. Murph CMBB AARs
  19. Same as above. Murph [ January 14, 2003, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Murph ]
  20. Can't get the damn pics to stay up. Would anyone offer to host 10 jpegs (1MB total) so I can link to them and put them on the AAR? Thanks, Martin [ January 14, 2003, 11:21 AM: Message edited by: Murph ]
  21. Great job guys! This was a hell of a read. You have inspired me to contribute an AAR, but I need to know: how do yo uget your pics to post? I mean, where do you host the jpeg? Is it on one of those free sites? Please help with this, I'm all ready to post, but I'm not sure where I can host the jpegs in order to include them on the post. Thanks! Murph
  22. Having technical issues getting the pics to post. Will repost asap. Murph [ January 13, 2003, 11:26 PM: Message edited by: Murph ]
  23. Having technical issues getting the pics to post. Will repost asap. Murph [ January 13, 2003, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: Murph ]
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