"The Farm" Tournament - Round 1 AAR Thread

[Bimmer]

This thread is for AARs and discussion of the Round 1 scenario. Players, please post your AARs here (the more detail the better!) and discuss freely.

[sfhand]

My first CMx2 tournamenta and my first ever AAR. Sorry no pictures, maybe next time.

Written from my Bunker deep in Axis territory.

First off, many thanks to Bimmer for the time and effort in setting up this tournament. I entered after the original bracket was filled and he was kind enough to start a second bracket. Keeping my gratitude in mind, the following is my DAR/AAR for the opening round.

When I first looked at the setup my initial take was that I was not in a favorable position. All of the objectives required that I move across open space to approach them whereas The allied player had a nice bocage screen to allow them closer access and effective support. With that in mind, coupled with my briefing's directive to not engage unless I had tactical superiority, I decided to keep my platoon together with the exception of my over-watch and rear security force.

I set up my mg team (over-watch) behind the bocage at a turn in the road just outside my setup zone where it had LOF down the length of the road to the crossroad objective. I sent a scout team through the haystack field toward that objective as well. After giving the scout team a one turn lead I sent the rest of its squad after it. A turn later I send the other 2 platoons that way. I purposefully didn't send the HQ unit with them for 2 reasons. The first is that it had a -2 leadership value so I questioned its value in a morale sense, and the second is that I was using those 3 guys plus a shreck team , with eyes on the farm complex and a small target arc, to provide rear security for the over-watch team.

After establishing a foothold in the x roads buildings contact was made in the form of GI’s coming up the sunken portion of the road with support from, you guessed it, behind the bocage. Unfortunately it happened right as I was sending a split squad further past the x roads and the guys were caught in no-man's land with 2 guys dying and the other 2 hugging the earth. I decided the earth huggers were toast no matter what and sent them on toward the road hoping that they would be able to at least take out one or two GI’s from their elevated rear position before they wrote the big check. They did not and their check bounced...

My guys in the x roads Inn fared no better. Between the GI’s in the road, those behind the closest bocage, and those behind the bocage down the road by the farm complex (his over-watch?), my guys were soon either dead, surrendered, or routed. My starting belief that I'd rather be behind bocage shooting at guys in a building rather than the other way around seems correct, at least for the way I play the game.

But, as I told Ken (ck3), in Rumsfeldian terms, one doesn't play a scenario with the situation one wishes for; one plays a scenario with the situation one is given. I didn't sign up to win, I signed up to play and have a good time and that has happened. As I write this I see the end coming soon. In real life my guys would have abandoned the mission long ago when their losses started to mount and I have little stomach for sending them to their doom in a lost cause. (At the time of this writing – during the game - things looked grim and I assumed defeat)

After the shock of the initial slaughter at the inn/crossroads I took a couple of actions to further my interests. Firstly, I decided to go to any length to free the captured soldiers. My intel was very sketchy so my actions had mixed results.

I had one squad that was about 2/3 strength (behind the bocage screen between the axis spawn point and the inn), the others were eliminated except for the hostages. My HQ, schreck, and LMG were intact. Since Ken adeptly used smoke to defeat the effectiveness of the LMG I decided to move it into the rear security over-watch position (the bocage alley just off the axis spawn point) replacing the schreck team which I was pulling up to apply a little HE to the Amis holding my guys hostage in the inn.

The 2/3 squad held its position while the schreck team sprinted to join them. Some of the GI’s in the Inn were killed by the subsequent schreck rounds and a group of them gathered outside in the area between the two inn buildings and the outbuilding. Unfortunately for the GI's, I used to play a lot of Quake and am very familiar with using the Quake rocket launcher effectively, i.e., taking advantage of the splash damage by targeting the schreck team on the small outbuilding the GI's were next to.

I felt the time was right to try and liberate my guys so I had the schreck team target the outbuilding while giving my 2/3 squad orders to advance to the front door of the inn. The splash damage worked well, too well, because rather than going in the front door I decided to enter the secondary building and try to mop up the dazed guys outside; a bad decision as it turns out. You see, Ken had more GI’s upstairs in the secondary building. They mowed down all but one of my 2/3 squad. I was pretty sure this was the end.

I left my 2/3 survivor alone in a dazed state, he may have even started buddy aide on his wounded comrades when suddenly a couple of GI’s come running out of the secondary inn building. The survivor exacts quick revenge for his lost squad-mates I send the schreck team into the inn to free the hostages from the 2nd floor of the inn and notice a GI running away. The next turn I send my heroic survivor in pursuit of the running GI. Bang, dead, from more GI’s in the secondary inn building. My schreck team and/or my recovered hostages had some grenades so I ordered area attacks on the secondary inn building which either killed or drove off the GI’s there.

During this action, Ken tried flanking my 2/3 squad when they were still behind their bocage. My HQ over-watch unit saw them and killed most of them pretty quickly. At some point, not really sure of the exact details, he tried to move on my over-watch position (unintentionally?) and quite a few GI’s were mowed down with a couple surrendering. I went from certain defeat to having some hope. I needed to seal the deal on those hostages!

I sent schreck team to the field and orchard objectives furthest from the Axis spawn point, then brought them back to crawl out to the orchard objective between the farm and inn. Meanwhile I sent my recently liberated pair back to the over-watch position, but they got there too late. I tried to move my HQ team to the other end of the sunken lane/over-watch position because there was a breach in the bocage there and I didn't want to be flanked. Unfortunately they got there too late and 2 out of the 3 of them were victims to grenades. The survivor routed out of the lane. My LMG team fell next. And finally the HQ survivor. The surrendering GI’s changed their minds.

So there I was... yes, I love “there I was” stories. So, there I was... about 3 or 4 minutes to go with 4 surviving soldiers and my opponent in the area of the bulk of the objectives. I sent my guys through a gap in the bocage and circled away from the enemies last known positions and proceeded to touch as many farm objectives as I could.

After watching the final turn I expected to lose by points in a draw, which I would have considered a victory at the 15 minute mark of the game. Instead I advance because of one casualty. I feel funny advancing at this point; in many ways Ken played a much better game than I did. I guess my motto applied itself to the game in this instance: I'd rather be lucky than good.

[ridethe415]

Nice AAR.

For those of us who didn't play, it'd be nice to get the briefing and general details; map, size of forces, etc that were in the scenario.

[futon river crossing]

Yes -I felt the map heavily favoured the Allied player - well done for beating the odds!

[~Viajero]

Do we have a final tally about how many wins for each side?

[Wreck]

This was promising-looking scenario. The briefing was clear enough as to what I was supposed to do, but very vague in terms of what the enemy was. However, from the scenario graphic (the smallest size), and out-of-game info (that it was supposed to be fun to play, and thus balanced), I rapidly guessed several things:

• the American would have a similar size force to mine (a platoon)
  
• the American would start on the north side of the map, probably the corner, just as I started in the south
  

A quick map walk revealed that I would probably get to the objectives in the southern half of the map, but not those in the north. But it also showed the key terrain feature to be the north/south road, with its hedgerows on both sides.

Accordingly, I moved out rapidly across the south towards the Cafe, with scout teams out front in case I was wrong and would be ambushed. However I was right, at least about the Americans starting in the north. (Not sure about the corner.) My teams rapidly moved across the map and took up positions at the hedgerows to see the key gaps from the farm area south. I sent a scout team out and quickly touched the South Orchard objective (getting the touch and also verifying that they were touch objectives, which seemed probable from the "patrol", but not certain). This team then turned around and got back behind our hedgerow.

My guess was that the American would send out similar teams to get touches, and that I could gun them down. I also felt it likely that I could sneak a few kills by shooting at open areas which I could see that the American would cross while getting to and touching the Farm objectives. Both of these guesses were correct. The American sent a scout team across the East Field which was killed by one squad there. He then attempted to move forces into the Farm, as I shot at them in the road just east of the farmhouse. (Didn't get anyone, but in retrospect had profound psychological effect on my opponent.)

About this time I started cautiously pushing up the road, on both sides of its western hedgerow up towards the dogleg, since I could see that there was nowhere that could see these areas that I could not see. Controlling the dogleg would enable me to control the road via fire. My forces got a contact that the Americans had similarly sent to the dogleg, and achieved fire superiority via area fire.

In the final turn's action, the American tried pushing a squad south just west from the road. (This may have been an attempt to relieve the pressure on the besieged team next to the road.) This was disastrous as I had two squads' MG teams there, who shot up the squad, apparently breaking it after 4 casualties. Meanwhile, my other guys took down the team at the dogleg. I did take a casualty from Americans in the North Orchard as a scout team ran across the East Field to touch the objective and then to look down the dogleg.

Anyway, these losses, combined with the TacAI not acting exactly the way he thought it should, broke the will of the enemy commander. He then went all sour grapes, complaining publicly with spoilers for all to read, and surrendered, even though his force still had fight. The game thus ended without much having happened. Even with the surrender, it was "only" a Major victory for me, not total, because the Americans still had touched half of the objectives.

[Wreck]

Here is a snapshot of the map from above, showing the touch objectives. The terrain is a bit hard to see, but it is fairly flat with bocage-lined roads.

[Bimmer]

Do we have a final tally about how many wins for each side?

Nine American wins, seven German. Scores varied widely, with some games very lopsided and others very close. One was decided by a single casualty (scores were identical).

[Bimmer]

Here's a view of the map looking north. The Americans started in the northeast corner, and the Germans in the southwest.

I will be uploading the scenario to the repository in the coming days for anyone who wants to play it.

[ridethe415]

Beautiful map. Thanks for posting.

[A Canadian Cat]

Prologue

During the game I kept a turn by turn record of the game and turned it into a 38 page AAR with lots of screen shots. I don't think it is fair to hog this thread with that volume of content so I am going to do a one page version here and if people want I'll post more in a separate thread.

Since the cat is already out of the bag I will start by saying I lost. Big time. I made my plan based on incorrect assumptions then changed my mind part way though executing the plan. After a poorly executed building assault and some bad luck my small number of victories could not make up for my mistakes.

The teams

Platoon: Fitzemeyer

1st squad: Meissner

2nd squad: Frobe

scout team: Jork

3rd squad: Lammert

scout team: Heuer

MG team: Steiner

Shreck team: Harmel

Minute 35: Setup and initial orders.

The briefing says this is a platoon patrol and I am to seek out any enemy in the area and destroy them only if tactically possible. It further states that I need to keep my casualties low. So, sounds like I am either out gunned and I will need to be very careful to keep my casualties under control and spot as many enemies as possible. Or, I am the stronger force and I will need to find and destroy the enemy. The map has several objective areas with point values. There are a lot of objectives on the map and many of them have low point values. I am not sure how important these are compared to the briefing objectives of spotting and destroying enemy units.

Clearly holding all these objectives will be difficult with such a small force so I think I will start by trying to get to the cafe at the intersection the the south east and use that as a base of operations as I head north. That will give me the most points for a single objective and the ability to get eyes on the central road the orchard in the west and the field in the east. I proceed with caution just in case my assumption that I am outgunned is correct.

My initial orders look like this:

I have split off a scout squad from 2nd and 3rd squad. I will be sending Heuer's team east along the road stopping to check the safety of the field and eventually the South Orchard. Jork and his team are tasked with verifying the lane to the west of the orchard is safe. Once I know the road is safe I'll move the rest of the platoon at least part way along it towards the Cafe. My plan is to keep the scouts close enough that if they get into trouble they will have support.

Over the next few minutes I slowly moved the scouts and platoon forward. A few minutes in after seeing how close the farm buildings are from the small lane I decided to switch plans. 3nd squad under Lambert will continue to move towards the Cafe while the rest of the platoon will switch and move towards the farm. I think I can get the bulk of the platoon into the farm fairly easily and since the farm buildings seem to have a variety of cover and walls if they meet trouble the will have a place to fight from. We will see how this plays out.

This was my first mistake. Not the changing plans part (although in hind sight I think starting from the cafe and heading north to the farm would be the superior plan). No, the mistake was splitting the platoon up. As my guys moved into position they spotted movement in the barn and across the road to the cafe at the same time. I decided to move fast at this point against both the cafe and the farm. This is where I make my really big mistake. The squad heading for the cafe is totally unsupported and I have no business ordering them to take the cafe. The rest of the platoon are in a good position to assault the farm. That was a good move. So, in Minute 29 saw a great victory and a disastrous defeat. The disaster at the Cafe was my undoing. Here is the entry from that fateful turn.

Minute 29 Orders:

Lammert's 3rd squad will rush the back door of the Cafe with the scout team trying to cover the road. Hopefully no other GIs will try to cross it.

Meissner and Steiner's MG team will lay down suppressive fire into the farm and the bocage while Frobe's assault team will try to follow those GIs into the barn and eliminate them. This is a bit of a bold move since the GIs are already in the farm but if I don't move now the field between the farm and my guys will be covered by the bocage line and the farm will be firmly in the GIs hands. This way I hope to get a squad into the farm and keep the GIs down with the MG team. I hope it works out but we will see.

Minute 29-28 Action:

The action was heavy this turn and it can be summed up in one word “grenades”. This is also a case study in how to assault a building the right way and how to do it the wrong way. Lets start with the wrong way.

Lammert's 3rd squad rushed the back door of the Cafe with no direct support at all. The scout team simply was cover the road but no one was firing into the building they were assaulting or the near by buildings. Things start off well enough with the squad crossing the open space only taking a little fire from across the road.

But once they are about the enter the building boom – two grenades hit and all hell breaks loose.

They they are finished off by some small arms fire.

The result is a total loss of Lammert's squad (save the two scouts)

What at total disaster. I wasted the whole squad and should never have made that bold (aka stupid) move. This is the wrong way to assault a building and my men paid the price for my mistake. The best I can do is promise them I will not do that again and do my best to keep their platoon mates safe and successful.

Mean while at the farm the rest of the platoon is doing it right.

With supporting fire from the MG team and the Platoon commander into the court yard plus Harmel's Shrek rounds hitting the farm building, Frobe's squad advances. They take no return fire and arrive in good order.

When they storm the building they find the two GIs already dead (a bit of luck that happens when you have covering fire) and no one else inside. The wall outside has a team of GIs firing at them but some small arms fire and two grenades later they are all gone too. Below you can see two Americans have already been hit and the first of two grenades is just sailing over the wall.

That is how a building assault is done right – covering fire on the approach and after. I had no casualties at the farm and managed to inflict some significant casualties on the Americans.

Frobe's squad triggered a touch objective for the SW barns. Now that I see these are touch objectives I think I am in trouble. The Americans have made it all the way to the Cafe and into the whole of the farm (remember there was a team inside the SW barns). That means they have probably touched all of the objectives and I have only touched one. Right now we have taken about equal casualties. So as it stands now my opponent has the win in hand and only has to defend it. Not a good situation to be in but no sense crying over spilt milk. Time to clean it up – if I can.

But I could not.

The Americas took out my scouts and flanked me in the south. After hitting me hard in the side my last casualty free squad was decimated and broken. I managed to secured the farm but that broken squad surrendered and never fired another shot.

And that is how it ended - a tactical victory for the US.

Congratulations to eniced73. I will be rooting for you in the next round.

I have a more detailed version of this AAR that I can post if there is interest. It documents the first 18 turns (last few turns are covered by one entry before we called a cease fire) with 47 pictures.

[StoneAge]

The Farm AAR

StoneAge (Axis) vs. ~Viajero Allies (Allies)

Pre Planning:

No movement of troops in set up zone. (Not much room to move anyway)

The troops I have to use 3 Sqd's, 1 AT , light MG and HQ (The inclusion of the AT makes me think he may have at least 1 light vehicle, HT or MG jeep)

Victory zones, look's like there are three touch zones (North Orchard, East field and South Orchard). One main occupy zone at the T intersection (Intersection / Cafe) and a few occupy zones in the farm complex (SW Barns, SE Barns, NW Barns and Farmhouse and NE Barn).

Buildings in the farm complex have very few windows facing my direction. The building do have low walls added most likely making for extra cover for the men inside.

From reading the brief I get the feeling that I should destroy any isolated units that I find but a direct assault on the farm may be a bad idea.

The Plan:

Part 1). The start of the plan is to move and move fast. I want to capture the buildings at the T intersection in the first few minutes and get a quick 30 points as I suspect that the allies will have this as one of their VZ's. Everybody will move quickly to take up their start off positions for part two of the attack.

Group 1. is made up of the LMG, 1 Sqd and HQ. Their first move will be across the open field and take up positions in and around the Intersection / Cafe. Positioning the Sqd to cover the T intersection from the left of the building behind the low bocage. HQ and LMG will then take up positions in the (Intersection / Cafe) objective. Their job is to try and prevent Allied units from moving left to right across the road.

Group 2. The AT team will move quickly to the centre of the map behind the low bocage. From here they can reposition left or right depending on enemy troop/vehicle’s spotted.

Group 3. 2 Sqd’s, 1st Sqd moves directly forward and then sneaks up to the high bocage to put the farm in overwatch as 2nd Sqd move to the left and sneaks into position in the small lane also putting the farm under overwatch.

Part 2). Group 3 1st Sqd is to keep the allies pinned down in the farm area. While Group 3 2nd Sqd moves right and touches the VZ in the Trees. Then moves over further right to the intersection. To help defend and set up a base of fire to either side of the road.

Group 1's Sqd will travel around the back of the buildings at the T intersection and try and take the VZ's on the far right. Depending on resistance they may cross the field to try and hook in behind the allies in the farm.

The most dangerous time for me should be in the first 5 minutes. If there are any allied troops already at or near the T intersection, this could be a very short recon.

The Action:

Troops moved out smartly and are taking up positions

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A single shot rings out from the far side of the T intersection as the LMG runs for the Cafe. Looks like only a single man covering this area, the race is on. As the LMG runs into the café to set up their LMG they are blasted by an American standing just out the front. The HQ hunting into the building right next door do no better, as they get to the front of the building the soldier holding the MP is shot dead.

2nd Sqd turns and starts firing at the two Americans lying in road in front of the café hitting 1. 3rd Sqd who can’t see the men on the road start moving to the back of the Café to hook around behind the guys in the road. As they get to the gate a single shot kills a soldier

4 to 1

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2nd Sqd losses 2 men (1 with the MG). I am losing the fire fight against 2 Americans in the roadway. Needless to say the plan has gone to hell. 3rd Sqd has split up ½ join the HQ in the first building the second group move around behind the small building at the back and start hunting towards the Café. Where they all die as 2 Sqds of Americans open up on them.

1st Sqd have 3 Americans in view near the SW Barn and decide to take them out.

New plan retreat and move the attack back to the left and go straight at the farm. I have spotted 2 Sqd’s near the Café and only 1 near the farm. I expect to find a HQ and LMG somewhere.

9 to 1

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1st Sqd open fire killing all 3 Americans in the opening volley. 2nd Sqd is down to 4 men and start to rout out into the field near the South Orchard, right into the guns of the Americans in the front building of the SW Barns and the rear building of the SE Barns (looks like I found the HQ). Lucky for 2nd Sqd, 1st Sqd lay down some covering fire and save them.

9 to 4

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2nd Sqd moves 1 square to touch the South Orchard VZ (woohoo 10 more points in the bag). At the same time ½ of 1st Sqd run for the SW Barn where the Americans died just a few minutes ago.

Still 9 to 4

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With the small amount of fire coming from the front build 2nd Sqd decide to wait 30 seconds then rush the front of the building as the 1st Sqd MG gives them covering fire from the bocage. The other part of 1st Sqd hunt into the back of the building to kill the cowering American’s. Just as they get to the back of the building a LMG from the Farmhouse/ NE Barn starts to shot at them. One of 1st Sqd returns fire taking out both Americans firing at them.

9 to 6

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2nd Sqd does not make their attack as they rout again. The 4 men out the back of the building instead of charging in and killing the American’s, they hit the dirt when a stay bullet comes their way from the building the LMG was in. At this same moment 2 Americans stick their heads out of the back of the building and proceed to kill all 4.

13 to 6

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2nd Sqd is totally gone now as 1 is killed and the other 3 surrender. A few minute later they put their hands down and the Americans kill 2 more before they can put them back up.

16 to 6

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In deep $#&% now. The AT team move over near the gate to put their rounds into the bocage at the T intersection. The remainder of 1st Sqd run to where the Americans lay. From here they go around the back of the NW Barn and collect another 10 points. Then move to the back of the Farmhouse for another 10 points. Only to be blown away by a group of hidden Americans. The sole surviving German starts retreating to the back left corner of the map.

19 to 6

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1 man from HQ and 4 men from 3rd Sqd are in position behind the right building at the (Intersection / Cafe) they are hoping that some Americans try to move into the building. (2 MP + 3 rifles should give them plenty of close range fire power)

AT team (out of ammo) has run back to the bocage where 2nd Sqd’s dead are trying to pick up at least 1MG.

The lone 2nd Sqd soldier (broken) is trying to move back to the SW Barn to try and cover the South Orchard.

Still 19 to 6 – 8 men left

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1 American moved right into my trap and was killed by the 5 men hiding out the back of the building.

19 to 7

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12 minutes left

Collected rifle for AT team and moved 2nd Sqd soldier to Pick up LMG now with a little extra fire power I may be able to try for the east field.

Still 19 to 7

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2nd Sqd soldier moves to gate to lay down fire on the bocage near the Cafe, While the 2 AT guys run down the bocage and onto the road to get into a flanking position. Meanwhile 3rd Sqd and the HQ hunt into the Cafe to take the Americans from the front.

Still 19 to 7

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The men hunting into the Cafe may as well been standing in the road all 4 go down and the HQ breaks to the rear. The man from 2nd Sqd is pinned and 1 of the AT guys goes down without even see an enemy marker.

24 to 7 – 3 men left

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Time to go all gamey run down the road into the field grab some more points. AT guy runs out into the field gets to the magic green land and drops dead. 2nd Sqd is finally totally wiped out as our fearless leader hides behind the bodies of his dead fiends.

26 to 7 – only me left now

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8 minutes to go may as well get this over and done with HQ hunts up to the second story of the building next to the Cafe and is given his final wish.

All gone now

Wash up:

U.S. Army Minor Victory 150 to 85

Somewhere I must have miss counted my dead as in the end it was 32 to 8.

U.S. Army did not secure South Field(10) or Friendly Casualties(50)

German Army failed to secure SE Barns(15), North Orchard(10), Friendly Casualties(50) and Friendly Condition(50).

Bad plan + a little bad luck, getting half your force killed in the first 5 minute, never a good idea. Went for a fast land grab and ran straight into an American kill zone. I should have been happy with the touch and retreated back to the left. Then used all the remaining troops to over power the farm and made him come to me.

Things I noticed:

* Spelling mistake “farmnhouse” objective name

* I had 1st Sqd rout out into the South Orchard and then the last man from 2nd Sqd rout to the back left corner. There may be something wrong with the edge ownership.

* I think if I had of been more gamey at the start I could have maybe won this one. Lots of spots where I could have run out and then back into cover with just the AT team and lots of cover fire.

[Felix_45]

To Ian......you should definitely post your full AAR. I'd like to read it and I'm sure a lot of players would benefit from it.

[Bimmer]

Good stuff, guys. It's already becoming apparent that people have taken significantly different approaches to what is ultimately a very simple scenario, which I find very interesting. Keep 'em coming!

Ian, as far as I'm concerned, post the whole thing in here. It's completely appropriate IMHO, and I'm sure others would like to read it.

[StoneAge]

How many other players started out by "I moved out rapidly across the south towards the Cafe" (wreck), "move and move fast. I want to capture the buildings at the T intersection" (Me). and did this effect the end result of the battle.

[Felix_45]

The Farm - Early Dawn Patrol

AAR by Felix_45

Felix_45 (Allies)

Ted (Axis)

Thank you Bimmer for taking the time and effort to host this tournament. I entered because I wanted to have some CMBN fun and to get a chance to meet and play other opponents. So far I have completed both objectives, I had a good time playing out this little scenario and met a new playing partner (Ted). We are currently playing out a diabolical scenario H2H Valley of the Shadows. Okay enough of these pleasantries.....let's get down to the business of the battle.

Mission

The Allies primary mission was to conduct a platoon patrol of the farm complex and to determine if the enemy was in the area. The secondary mission was to engage and destroy the enemy if encountered but only if the tactical situation was favourable.

Men

2nd Platoon HQ

1st Squad

2nd Squad

3rd Squad

Light machine gun team

Here is an overhead view of the map and my initial placement:

Initial Plan

There are 8 objectives:

Cafe (30)

South field (10)

South Orchard (10)

East field (10)

Entire Farm Complex (50)

It's not certain if these objectives are "touch" or "hold" objectives. I make my initial plans as if they are the "touch" kind. What I want to do is quickly take the Farm Complex and then protect it thereby preventing Ted from getting those points. My secondary goals are to touch the East Field and to touch the South Orchard. I don't intend to stay there, just touch and run, if I can. My third objective is to try and touch the South Field objective.

Primary Objective: Take over the Farm Complex and defend it all costs!

Secondary Objective: Send teams out to touch the East Field and South Orchard.

Third Objective Send over a squad (if possible) and touch the South Field objective.

Notice that I am not at all interested in the Cafe. It's worth 30 points but I do not have a big enough force to assault it. I'm giving it up to the enemy.

Set Up and First Movement Orders

Red Line:

The light machine gun team is ordered to move quickly south and touch the East Field objective. They are then to retreat post haste and hide behind the bocage to ambush any German soldier fool enough to probe our left flank.

Yellow Line:

3rd Squad is ordered to set up position in the middle of the North-South dirt road. they are to keep the position and over-watch the East Field and South Orchard for enemy activity.

Pink/Purple Line:

Platoon HQ and 1st Squad to set up residence in the Farm Complex. 1st squad's secondary objective will be to go out and touch the South Orchard while 3rd squad provides overwatch from their road position.

Blue Line:

2nd squad is set up west of the Farm Complex thereby protecting our right flank. They are to assess the situation and if they feel comfortable, are to move south and probe the enemy's left flank. If they survive, they are ordered to wreak havoc behind enemy lines!

Beginning Battle

The first few minutes were taken up by both sides getting into their position. No contact with the enemy was made. I didn't just give our orders to rush to the objectives because I was not really sure where the enemy was. So I split my squads and carefully moved into position. After a few minutes this was my position:

Things to note.....a contact marker on the south end of the orchard. Also, I found that my platoon HQ was not able to have C2 with all squads so I decide that he could move east or west in the Farm Complex to give C2 wherever the enemy would show up. And show up they did.....all of a sudden we had contact on two fronts, the central road and on our left flank (light machine gun ambush)

Over the next few turns we fought for control of the center road position. Eventually 3rd squad was almost entirely wiped out and were ordered to retreat north to safer ground.

My light machine gun (protecting my left flank) gave the enemy a bloody nose with a successful ambush:

Middle Game

The middle game consisted of us licking our wounds and regrouping our men. I ordered my light machine gun to retreat. I also had partial squad hiding in the South Orchard that was able to shoot at retreating German soldiers!

During the middle game I gave orders to the 2nd squad to move and probe the Axis left flank. They moved cautiously up my right flank and got into a very nice position behind enemy lines. They set up behind bocage and set up a firing lane down an East-West road. There they waited, patiently for Germans to cross the road....eventually they did.

End Game

With my right flank secured and having a squad in good position to fire down east-west dirt road I started to move my men south up the middle road to mop up any broken or rattled German squads. After a few light fire fights my opponent asked for a cease fire. The battle ended before time was out. A tactical victory for the Allies.

Hats off to my opponent Ted who gave a good tough fight! This was the kind of scenario where all things worked out (for me) and that doesn't happen very often. I think I got lucky on our first few encounters and that let me continue with my original battle plan.

Once again, thank you Bimmer for this tourney. I'm looking forward to the next installment of The Farm

[A Canadian Cat]

To Ian......you should definitely post your full AAR. I'd like to read it and I'm sure a lot of players would benefit from it.

I started to work on putting the full thing up but ran into the 5 images per posting limit. I defiantly will put the whole thing up but it might take me a while to assemble it all into chunks the system will take and then I'll post them.

[Berto]

AAR Berto (Axis) part 1

[Berto]

AAR Berto (Axis) part 2

[A Canadian Cat]

Prologue

As requested here is the long version of my AAR. This is the file I kept turn by turn as the game played out. I have only proof read for spelling and grammar which I am sure are still not 100% correct.

Since the cat is already out of the bag I will start by saying I lost. Big time. I made my plan based on incorrect assumptions then changed my mind part way though executing the plan. After a poorly executed building assault and some bad luck my small number of victories could not make up for my mistakes.

The teams

Platoon: Fitzemeyer

1st squad: Meissner

2nd squad: Frobe

scout team: Jork

3rd squad: Lammert

scout team: Heuer

MG team: Steiner

Shreck team: Harmel

Minute 35: Setup and initial orders.

The briefing says this is a platoon patrol and I am to seek out any enemy in the area and destroy them only if tactically possible. It further states that I need to keep my casualties low. So, sounds like I am either out gunned and I will need to be very careful to keep my casualties under control and spot as many enemies as possible. Or, I am the stronger force and I will need to find and destroy the enemy. The map has several objective areas with point values. There are a lot of objectives on the map and many of them have low point values. I am not sure how important these are compared to the briefing objectives of spotting and destroying enemy units.

Clearly holding all these objectives will be difficult with such a small force so I think I will start by trying to get to the cafe at the intersection the the south east and use that as a base of operations as I head north. That will give me the most points for a single objective and the ability to get eyes on the central road the orchard in the west and the field in the east.

My initial orders look like this:

I have split off a scout squad from 2nd and 3rd squad. I will be sending Heuer's team east along the road stopping to check the safety of the field and eventually the South Orchard. Jork and his team are tasked with verifying the lane to the west of the orchard is safe. Once I know the road is safe I'll move the rest of the platoon at least part way along it towards the Cafe. My plan is to keep the scouts close enough that if they get into trouble they will have support.

Minute 35-34 Action:

None – the scouts moved forward and around the corner without incident.

Minute 34 Orders:

I decided to move the platoon up behind the scouts.

Minute 34-33 Action:

Again not much – the scouts now have some view into their assigned fields. The platoon did start moving up behind the scouts:

Minute 33 Orders:

After seeing how close the farm buildings are from the small lane I decided to switch plans. 3nd squad under Lambert will continue to move towards the Cafe while the rest of the platoon will switch and move towards the farm. I think I can get the bulk of the platoon into the farm fairly easily and since the farm buildings seem to have a variety of cover and walls if they meet trouble the will have a place to fight from. We will see how this plays out.

Minute 33-32 Action:

None – just a careful walk in the rain so far.

... post 2

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 32 Orders:

No change in the orders 3rd squad moving to wards the Cafe everyone else moving towards the farm.

Minute 32-31 Action:

First contact made! Steiner's MG team spots a lone GI behind the farm walls.

They score their first victory

Minute 31 Orders:

The question is was that GI part of a scout team or a larger force. Given his position behind the farm buildings I believe he is a scout team.

It turns out that Meissner's squad and Steiner's MG team are in a perfect position to cover Forbe's squad as they move across the field. I decide to take advantage and rush the natural depression next to the farm. Forbe will lead his assault squad across the field to the sunken road and take up a position on the reverse slope facing the place the GI was spotted. If all goes well I will be in a position to move the rest of my main force towards the SW bars in a minute or two.

Minute 31-30 Action:

Frobe's assault squad makes it across the field but not without taking some fire from the farm wall.

The MG team does a good job of suppressing the GIs and none of Frobe's men are hurt. Lammert's men are getting close to the Cafe and will soon know if it is safe or not.

... post 3

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 30 Orders:

My orders remain the same: The rest of Frobe's squad (Jork's scout team) will join the squad in the sunken road. Steiner's MG team will cover them. Fitzemeyer will move closer to ensure everyone remains in command and Meissner has split his squad so they can leap frog into the lane while the other team covers the field in case any GIs try to come through or around the other side of the farm.

Minute 30-29 Action:

The Steiner's MG team and Fitzemeyer spot a whole bunch of movement in the farm's central courtyard. They open up.

Two GIs make it into the barn.

They also spot some movement in the bocage behind the farm. This is trouble the GIs are here in strength and have made it to the farm first.

Meanwhile at the Cafe some GIs show up there too. Heuer's scout team opens up but they make it across the road and into the Cafe buildings. Lammert's team also takes some fire but no one is hurt.

... post 4

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 29 Orders:

Lammert's 3rd squad will rush the back door of the Cafe with the scout team trying to cover the road. Hopefully no other GIs will try to cross it.

Meissner and Steiner's MG team will lay down suppressive fire into the farm and the bocage while Frobe's assault team will try to follow those GIs into the barn and eliminate them. This is a bit of a bold move since the GIs are already in the farm but if I don't move now the field between the farm and my guys will be covered by the bocage line and the farm will be firmly in the GIs hands. This way I hope to get a squad into the farm and keep the GIs down with the MG team. I hope it works out but we will see.

Minute 29-28 Action:

The action was heavy this turn and it can be summed up in one word “grenades”. This is also a case study in how to assault a building the right way and how to do it the wrong way. Lets start with the wrong way.

Lammert's 3rd squad rushed the back door of the Cafe with no direct support at all. The scout team simply was cover the road but no one was firing into the building they were assaulting or the near by buildings. Things start off well enough with the squad crossing the open space only taking a little fire from across the road.

But once they are about the enter the building boom – two grenades hit and all hell breaks loose.

They they are finished off by some small arms fire.

The result is a total loss of Lammert's squad (save the two scouts)

What at total disaster. I wasted the whole squad and should never have made that bold (aka stupid) move. This is the wrong way to assault a building and my men paid the price for my mistake. The best I can do is promise them I will not do that again and do my best to keep their platoon mates safe and successful.

... post 5

[A Canadian Cat]

Mean while at the farm the rest of the platoon is doing it right.

With supporting fire from the MG team and the Platoon commander into the court yard plus Harmel's Shrek rounds hitting the farm building, Frobe's squad advances. They take no return fire and arrive in good order.

When they storm the building they find the two GIs already dead (a bit of luck that happens when you have covering fire) and no one else inside. The wall outside has a team of GIs firing at them but some small arms fire and two grenades later they are all gone too. Below you can see two Americans have already been hit and the first of two grenades is just sailing over the wall.

That is how a building assault is done right – covering fire on the approach and after. I had no casualties at the farm and managed to inflict some significant casualties on the Americans.

... post 6

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 28 Orders:

Frobe's squad triggered a touch objective for the SW barns. Now that I see these are touch objectives I think I am in trouble. The Americans have made it all the way to the Cafe and into the whole of the farm (remember there was a team inside the SW barns). That means they have probably touched all of the objectives and I have only touched one. Right now we have taken about equal casualties. So as it stands now my opponent has the win in hand and only has to defend it. Not a good situation to be in but no sense crying over spilt milk. Time to clean it up – if I can.

My plan will be to continue assaulting the farm and if that goes well then I should be able to swing back for the rest of the objectives. This will be touch and go. Inside the farm there are several contacts towards the farm house. I have to assume there are men in each of the barns and I can see soldiers behind the wall at the opposite side of the court yard. The biggest threat is to get flanked from the bocage line to the left of the North West barn. If the enemy can secure that field then I will not be able to get the rest of the platoon into the farm area. First squad under Meissner have started advancing towards the sunken road I will get them to leap frog the teams and assault the bocage line. At the same time I will continue to fire suppressive fire into the farm court yard – Steiner's MG team plus Fitzemeyer's team will target areas inside the farm. At the same time the Harmel's Shreck team will target the visible infantry on the other side of the court yard. I will leave Frobe's squad to them selves in case the enemy start moving around. Meanwhile Heuer will head into the orchard to touch the object there and then double back to the bocage line near the cafe to protect against the GIs flanking me from there.

Minute 28-27 Action:

Things pretty much go as planned. Frobe's scout team lead, Jork, gets hit but that is the only casualty this turn.

Meissner squad leap frogging towards the bocage.

Fire fight in the farm. Harmel's Shrek team did not get into a good position so no HE was sent towards the spotted GIs on the other side of the court yard. I don't think my guys hit anything this turn.

Minute 27 Orders:

Orders pretty much stay the same. Keep up the fire in the farm, assault the bocage line and cover the rear with the last of 3rd squad.

... post 7