dangerousdave

I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I always throw the box out. Although I do like the emerging practice of putting games in DVD cases.

Its hard to fathom that people get up in arms about options included in the game, rather than things excluded. Am I missing something or is it not A GAME?

I actually don't care about the Maus, but I wouldn't mind some busty chicks in lederhosen. Maybe that's what they meant by the escort company in that other thread?

I was finally able to at least get a draw as the Germans against the AI US using default defense set up. I got 54% so I consider that a victory...lol. And had I not squeezed 38 turns out of this 32 turn game it wouldn't have happened. The AT guns and surgical heavy arty are brutal. I setup all my heavy armor on the extreme right flank, and sent all armor reinforcements there as well. I sent only one platoon of mounted (HT) infantry over the first set of fords at the beginning of the game. My plan was to have them sneak up through the scattered trees in the river gully. I sent two platoons of foot infantry up through the brush. The tanks were going to all crest the first ridge at once, when the time was right. I sent my FO to the stand of trees just past the ridge on the right, and used my extra HQs (Co and 4th platoon) as spotters for the SPW mortars. I brought the HTs back to use as bait for the guns, then was going to hit them with arty and send a company of tanks out at once with guns blazing. The plan worked, though my infantry paid the price. I spent about 12 turns before the I ordered the armor over the top. By that time, my platoon on the other side had gotten bushwacked and was all broken except the HQ. My platoons in the long stretch of brush were pinned down and encountering the enemy line. However, when the HT's charged and armor went over the crest, all hell broke loose. I was able to take out the guns that could see my armor on the right rather quickly. The one up on the hill got hit by arty fire, and the battle was on. The tanks saved the infantry and began the charge across the open. Then the naval gunfire hit. I lost a few tanks and a platoon of mounted infantry to that (they remained broken for many turns). I ultimately sent one platoon of tanks and my last two HTs full of infantry up to the rear flag and took it fairly easily. The other tanks and infantry took to crossing the middle fords. Getting up those slopes on the other side took forever. But I was able to get over them and halfway through the trees when turn 32 hit. Then I just kept advancing. Found more AT guns and they caused more armor attrition. What was left of my infantry was a few squads with 3 guys and a couple HQs. Ultimately, I took the other flag with four tanks and felt like I just won the battle of the bulge...

I really enjoyed this one. Good for working on basic infantry tactics. I played as Germans vs. AI. I generally followed the default set up, with some modifications. I kept two platoons each on the left and right flanks and one up the middle. I tweaked their starting positions a little bit, but not much. I moved the Company HQ to a hill in near the middle and kept two 50 mm mortars just over the back crest for him to call fire. I kept one mortar with each of the two outside platoons. The plan: those two outside platoons were to go up the flanks toward the rear. The rear flag was the objective for the far right flank, the flag on the left for the far left flank. The two "inner" platoons on the outside were to attack the enemy line as it appeared. The platoon up the middle was to draw fire and take the middle flag, along with the additional platoon on the right flank. That flag is out in the middle of the vineyards, and I expected it would might be the hardest to take. The left and right flanks moved up with bounding overwatch and quickly drew fire, mostly from the enemy forward line in the middle. The platoon in the middle advanced rather quickly to a pretty much hidden spot behind a crest. I decided to have it wait until I could roll the line with the right flank. I had them sneak up into grenade range slowly. The battle on the right flank went well. One platoon engaging the enemy, the outside one moving up to roll the flank. The left flank started very slowly and I got pinned down there for several turns by machine gun fire coming from the hill and the middle forward positions. The briefing indicated I might get reinforcements, depending on how things went, so I made my plans assuming I wouldn't get any. However, I did. Just as I was rolling up the forward enemy line on my right flank, I got another platoon over there. I sent it up the vineyard hill to take firing positions to challenge the fire that was coming from that bit hill in the middle. The slopes are steep and it took some time to advance. Also, grapes don't really provide much cover... I was able to root out the forward line from mid to right flank using concentrated suppresive fire and assaults. The left was still struggling, however. Then, I got more reinforcements - this time on the left. I was able to sneak them up to a large pit, just on the flank of some well dug in positions. This turned the tide on the left and I was able to take the trenches and treeline that were crucial on that side. The middle took the most casualties, ultimately, but I was able to take that flag first. Having cornered the enemy on three sides, I was able to lay fire, bound, and eventually assault. I snuck a couple units way around the back right flank and came up behind the final flag. I charged in and took it on virtually the last turn. It was about a 70% victory. (though I didn't write down the precise outcome). Many of my squads, especially those that went up the middle and provided the supporting fire on the right, were on low ammo for the last few turns. One note: I had expected to encounter at least a tank or bren carrier, some armor. So I carefully guarded my two tank hunter teams and kept them on the flanks, ready to go in when it happened. Never happened. There was no armor in the game. It was a fun one.

The graphic showed the unit tossing a grenade at the tank, then it lit up. It appeared to be buttoned, but maybe there was a hatch open...? I gotta say I was pretty surprised. I didn't even have an assault order issued. Those only ended in dead soldiers and routed squads when I tried them. Thanks for the print screen instruction. I didn't know it was so complicated! lol

Ah, that's what it was. I just recall it from building the models many years ago. And that was the yanks in the demo, so it would make sense they were Lees.

Now I'm curious, and don't have the game with me at work...do they have the Grant in the game? I just played them in the demo, and they looked like Lees.

Hey, don't feel bad, I didn't see that one in the manual either...

I'm certainly not a grog, but isn't the Lee the US M3 and the Grant the UK version of that, with a different (larger) turret?

Last night while playing the Knifefight scenario, after the Tigers knocked out all but one of my Shermans, I felt the situation was hopeless. Until one of my brave platoon HQ's managed to lob a grenade into the hatch of one of those big cats. I assume that is what it did, because it flamed up and that's all they had. Talk about excitement. Now, if I only knew how to take a screenshot.... I just had to share that.

I played as US v AI also and agree that it was a lop sided game. I did encounter a few tough spots however. I employed pretty much the same strategy described above. The two guns sneaking up to positions along the road. The one didn't get to take out the AC, however, because the damn plane got the gun first. I lost that whole little group, except the mmg to the airplane. Unlike in Kitty's game, the Germans in my game were well dug in. Some extremely stubborn. Most were relatively easy to root out with massive supressive fire and FT getting in range. The one group on that highest point (forget directions in the game N,S,E,W...), but the one on the same side as the Halftracks but other side of the road... that was the toughest nut to crack because it was impossible to sneak up on the position. I lost most of my casualties trying to take it out. The AG was not much trouble, it took out my decoy HT, then got toasted by the gun. The biggest threat overall was the airplane. It was fun to play, but perhaps too easy. The Germans should have more squads.

I played as US v AI also and agree that it was a lop sided game. I did encounter a few tough spots however. I employed pretty much the same strategy described above. The two guns sneaking up to positions along the road. The one didn't get to take out the AC, however, because the damn plane got the gun first. I lost that whole little group, except the mmg to the airplane. Unlike in Kitty's game, the Germans in my game were well dug in. Some extremely stubborn. Most were relatively easy to root out with massive supressive fire and FT getting in range. The one group on that highest point (forget directions in the game N,S,E,W...), but the one on the same side as the Halftracks but other side of the road... that was the toughest nut to crack because it was impossible to sneak up on the position. I lost most of my casualties trying to take it out. The AG was not much trouble, it took out my decoy HT, then got toasted by the gun. The biggest threat overall was the airplane. It was fun to play, but perhaps too easy. The Germans should have more squads.

I'm glad its not just me. I've tried getting arty spotters to take out the guns, but they get hammered by the 155s - anything nearby causes them to panic. I've tried using all the armor at once cresting the ridge on the right - armor wave. That just results in a bunch of burning hulks and retreating survivors. I've tried sneaking infantry up the patch of brush, they get the arty. Maybe need to adjust the play balance setting - never tried that before. Will that give the US fewer guns?

I'm glad its not just me. I've tried getting arty spotters to take out the guns, but they get hammered by the 155s - anything nearby causes them to panic. I've tried using all the armor at once cresting the ridge on the right - armor wave. That just results in a bunch of burning hulks and retreating survivors. I've tried sneaking infantry up the patch of brush, they get the arty. Maybe need to adjust the play balance setting - never tried that before. Will that give the US fewer guns?

I have been playing it with the default setup for the US. The AT guns are are in very good spots. And they are behaving like 88s, as far as I can tell. Knocking out my tanks easily. The 57mm guns in Panzer Leader were never this good....

I have been playing it with the default setup for the US. The AT guns are are in very good spots. And they are behaving like 88s, as far as I can tell. Knocking out my tanks easily. The 57mm guns in Panzer Leader were never this good....

I'm trying as the Germans and am getting slaughtered. I'm on my third start to this one. Those 57mm guns are proving most lethal against my armor. I've tried taking them out with mortars, but that isn't working. My tanks can't seem to hit them before they get knocked out. My infantry can't get close enough. Would love to hear a more detailed AAR from the German perspective on this one. I'm not going to resort to looking at the AI defense setup just yet ...

I'm trying as the Germans and am getting slaughtered. I'm on my third start to this one. Those 57mm guns are proving most lethal against my armor. I've tried taking them out with mortars, but that isn't working. My tanks can't seem to hit them before they get knocked out. My infantry can't get close enough. Would love to hear a more detailed AAR from the German perspective on this one. I'm not going to resort to looking at the AI defense setup just yet ...

Thanks for the replies to my question. I am always wondering if I can ever get back into modelling (time), and maybe this is a way to do that. But no glue to sniff ... heh heh. Nice site there, gautrek.

I just finished playing the Airborne Assault on Hill A (Crete) scenario, and even the mighty Fallschirmjäger start making mad scrambles for cover when they come under fire in vineyards. I had thought they might provide a little cover, but I guess vines are not very thick. BTW, this is a good scenario for anyone wanting to work on pure infantry tactics.

Yeah, a green crew should jam a lot more often than an experienced one. There is a lot that goes into weapons maintenance, as Micheal points out. Especially in harsh environments. Try rubbing sand into the belt before it gets fed. In my relatively limited gaming time with this system, I have found the frequency of jams to be realistic. Still very annoying, nonetheless.

I don't know about historical frequency, but I did a little time in the infantry as an M-60 gunner (national guard) and those things do jam from time to time. More so, perhaps, you get overly hot barrels and have to change out the barrel or let it cool down so it doesn't warp. Those are probably reflected in CM jams too. I would guess that the program has the chance of a jam ocurring increasing the more you fire the weapon....

Is there a site out there that tells us neophytes how to do mods? I don't have photoshop ... will MS Paint do it? It wouldn't mind messing around with it sometime. Though I don't feel like I have even enough time to play the game as it is. Ah, addictions...

My armored cars definitely found them too. How did those things ever last in the real war so that the crews could become veterans? As for the Tigers not being scratched ... keep in mind that tiger tracks are just as vulnerable as any other.... but it was fun moving them up close and watching the mad scramble. Fun scenario.