Austin Bowie

Approaching the end game? Yankeedog speaks kindly. I think I should have cleaned this game up and put it back in the cupboard after, ohh, say, my first move.

AAR – Nothing Fancy Austin Bowie v. Lord Vader NOTE: Info is revealed. INITIAL PLANS Ordered to secure and hold the Konstigplatz area against expected enemy attack. We were unable to relieve Gruppe RosaBlumen prior to their withdrawal with intelligence indicating enemy activity in the area. Two 105mm howitzers were in place guarding center and right access roads under the command of Unterkasefuhrer Erdbeere.. Unsure of amount of armor support to arrive Two platoons and the bulk of heavy weapons support were assigned to move to advantageous cover in the center where they could gain good Line of sight while remaining unseen. Similarly third platoon with AT and MG elements where sent to advantageous cover on the right (Southeast). Platoon commander Kuhlshrank was left on top of the ridge in order to keep most likely enemy approach under observation. Initial plan was for armor to link with elements on right (Southeast) and secure the Southeast most clearing then advance Northwest on either side of the trees line. Deployment As rifle platoons were deploying in haste to secure advantageous position, reserve armor elements arrived sooner and in greater numbers than expected. Contact was made with enemy armor elements that crested the opposite ridge at similar time; exchange of fire was ineffectual for both sides. Following plan the bulk of initial armor elements were directed to the Northwest (3xStuG) with one StuG held behind Bocage in the center. Additional armor elements arrived over the next several minutes. Again encountering enemy armor elements as they crested the ridge. 7 Panzers were sent Southeast the remaining 1 Panzer were sent to join the StuG in reserve at center, All rifle platoons achieved their initial objectives w/o incident. 1st platoon on the Northwest side of the center road, 2nd platoon on the Southeast side of the center road, and 3rd platoon on the Southeast side w/ 1st and 2nd Squad to the Northwest of the road and 3rd Squad and Platoon HQ to the Southeast of the road. Support elements were a few minutes behind. Out the Window As always, the best laid plans… go out the window. 3rd Platoon, 3rd Squad on the Southeast side of the Southeast road observe a large force, estimated at 2 platoons with heavy weapons, and at least 2 Armored Vehicles heading towards the scattered trees on the Southeast edge. The squad is ordered to open fire to see what kind of response they will draw. Heavy fire is returned to no effect. Friendly Armor around the Southeast clearing is deployed to the Northwest and South behind some tree cover. They have LOS up to about the edge of the scattered trees on the North side of the clearing. 105mm Howitzer rotates to cover the North side of the clearing Infantry elements observe a column of six Sherman deploy along the Northwest-Southeast axis on the Northwest side of the center road. The two AT elements assigned to the center are ordered to the Northwest edge but insist on a short nap first. Armor elements (2 Panzers) that had been ordered to the Southeast or turned around and sent to the Northwest and deploy along the Southeast and South edge of the clearing to the Northwest of the center road, in a position to observe the North tree line of the clearing. The StuG and Panzer in reserve deploy similarly. The 105mm Howitzer is ordered to rotate to cover the clearing to the Northwest of the center road. CONTACT Initial strategy had been rendered useless, there was serious concern about the center as infantry was exposed to enemy armor, and armor support was outnumbered. On the Southeast I felt we had an advantage in armor, however there was concern that the enemy would attack the cover on the South side of the clearing, nullifying that advantage in the short term. Fortunately the enemy moved to seize the clearings on both fronts. On the Southeast Enemy infantry supported by armor moved Northwest through the scattered trees. Enemy armor was first heard than spotted by friendly armor and the 105mm howitzer. On two occasions a Sherman appeared exiting the tree line and they were quickly destroyed. The howitzer then continued to fire area fire along the tree line. Enemy infantry elements engaged 3d squad of the 3rd platoon along with the 3rd platoon HQ. In the center, the column of Shermans moved through the scattered trees and quickly came underfire from my armor elements and the 105mm Howitzer. Two Shermans were knocked out in the initial rush. The rest laid smoke and began to retreat. At this point infantry AT elements were in the woods behind and the Sherman column. Confidence was high at this point, as the location of the bulk of the enemy force had been idenitified, and significant armor assets destroyed. In the center, a substantial armored force was effectively surrounded. On the Southeast the enemy had the advantage in Infantry, however, this was mitigated by our overwhelming armor advantage. TO THE OFFENSE On the Southeast 3rd Squad 3rd Platoon and HQ element of 3rd Platoon came under heavy fire and were eliminated before they could withdraw, and join 1st and 2nd Squads 3rd platoon who were moving to a position covered by the howitzer and armor. 4 tanks (1xStuG and 3xPanzers) were moved down the Southeast road, two breaking to the Northwest to guard against potential enemy counter attack, two to the Southeast to surround the enemy positions in the trees around the Southeast clearing. On the South side, armor elements attempted to engage enemy infantry moving through the woods towards the road, and rescue the stricken infantry elements. Poor sight lines lead to ineffectual fire. Additional armor elements positioned themselves to move through the scattered trees from the South and Northwest. In the center, infantry AT elements knocked out a pair of retreating Shermans as armor and the howitzer fired smoke along the tree line in preparation for and assault. 2nd platoon began to move to the Southeast with the intention of linking up with 3rd platoon. In addition 81mm FO was sent to the Southeast. At this point the action had been about 18 minutes long. TAKING CONTROL On the Southeast side of the Southeast road, armor elements were engaged by infantry AT and a Sherman. The Bazooka forced a StuG to shoot smoke and retreat, while a panzer identified and dispatched the Sherman with one shot (thank you Apollo). Both were then able to force the Bazooka to retreat with MG fire. Armor elements on the South side moved through the trees from the South and Northwest, securing the clearing. No enemy was sighted. Enemy infantry continued to move through woods on the Northwest side of the Southeast road, routing the remaining squads of the 3rd platoon. Weapons support of 3rd platoon got the hell out of the way, moving to the North where they could be covered by the tanks. 2nd platoon moved to the clearing directly to the Southeast of the center road, securing it, and preparing for the advancing enemy infantry. Additional armor was moved from the Southeast to provide support, while the 81mm FO ran to a position where he could drop area fire into the center of the woods. In the center, behind the smoke screen armor and infantry moved into the clearing to the Northwest of the center road, hoping to engage and destroy the two remaining Shermans. One panzerschreck team was spotted and eliminated before it could get a shot off, the same Sherman identified and fired on the second panzerschreck team. Fortunately friendly armor arrived in time to destroy that Sherman while it was occupied with the AT teams. The second Sherman was moving South along the Northwest edge of the clearing, and was quickly destroyed. The clearing was secure. At this point, around 23 minutes into the action, 9 enemy vehicles had been knocked out without a single loss. The Center and Southeast roads were firmly in my control. I then directed my attention to the remaining clearing and road. Moving my armor in the clearing to the Northwest of the center road through the tress to the North side of the clearing and moving to the Northwest. They encountered two enemy gun placements, which knocked out one Panzer before both guns were abandoned as a result of fire from the remaining tanks and infantry. On the South side a pair of tanks engaged a pair of Shermans that had secured the perimeter of the Northwest clearing. Neither side recorded hits. On the Southeast side enemy infantry attempted to move into the clearing on the Southeast side of the center road but were blocked by infantry and armor elements on the South and North side. In the exchange of fire a Panzer was knocked out by enemy AT fire. The Action ended with control of three clearings starting from the Southeast. The enemy held the Northwest clearing. We had suffered the loss of two armored vehicles to the enemy’s nine. In addition two enemy guns were knocked out. LESSONS LEARNED. A great deal of the success of the operation can be attributed to early control of strategic cover (wooded areas). This allowed me to identify where the enemy was, and perhaps more importantly, where he was not. Thus I was able to identify his points of attack and adjust my resources. Infantry was used in support of armor by being in position to see what the armor could not. Critically they were able to do so w/o being seen. I try to set up my attacks/ambushes so that fire would come from multiple angles. Twice the enemy walked right into these traps. On attack, using infantry or smoke, my armor always moved into exposed positions with some idea of what was there and/or behind smoke so they could secure better position. The only time this was not the case was at the end of the game when an Allied 105mm took out one of my Panzers. It is ok to retreat. 3rd platoon was decimated needlessly. I tried to use them to hem in allied infantry, and instead they were flattened bit by bit. It would have been better to withdraw them to the North side and then have them lead the assault on the Southeast clearing to clear any reaming infantry AT.

Vader I have to say the big lesson I have been learning in human to human contests is patience. Patience leaves one with plenty of time twiddling your thumbs Or grabbing the cold ones out of the fridge. Enough cold ones and empathy disappears. That is when I find myself in the perfect attitude to play. Thanks for the games! They were fun.

LV - My beer is my secret weapon. pain dissipates, courage stumbles forth and bad ideas seem good. I have long been of the opinion that command elements ought have this coded into them as well. They can have a heart, lightningbolt and beer mug.

I guess I had better get into this blood and steel thing. I hate having nothing to talk about at cocktail parties - everybody gets mad at me 'cause I drink all the beer (but then I got somthing to talk about) and anyways... Ted I would like to take a crack at it. Anybody out there wanna PBEM? you can drop me a note.

I have not had time to study the Nabla system closely, but first glance suggests that it may be fair. However I am greedy boy and enjoy the excitment of the tourney game. Playing a new one would be fine with me. Regardless, I do think play would have been influenced if we all knew how the games were to be scored.

Ted here is the post for member number