John Kettler vs. CMBN--The Learning Curve!

[altipueri]

I went all the way down the right and blew the **** out of the krauts I recall. Killed Schrodinger's cat too.

[altipueri]

Oh no I've been **** by the nanny state.

[John Kettler]

Lanzfeld,

That's three Gold on Speed, not three Yellow. The Sherman That Would Not Die is now dead, following, I believe, two more hits. The last was smack through the weapon mount and utterly destroyed the tank. Between the preceding hit and the fatal blow, while backing away, the thing somehow managed to fire the cannon! Since it seems that every Sherman popped smoke, the entire left side of the board is thus blanketed.

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Lanzfeld,

Happy Groundhog Day! Guess what? I royally blew it, having played a bunch of turns in a row and left the game up on my computer. So far, so good. I dutifully reported events here, but I neglected to Save Game from once I got to Minute 21. Not a problem, unless the machine sticks, wont's escape from the window, won't Force Quit, either, forcing either the Power button or the more drastic step of switching the rig off at the UPS control panel. Have had to do both. Fortunately, a Mac can handle this. Usually.

Consequently, I dreamt five (5) turns of combat. The field to my left isn't full of burning Shermans. Indeed, my first squad "chickens" haven't crossed the road, because they're still alive on my side. Arrrggghhh!!!

Shall regroup me and essay this later. Save Game. Not just for rewatching martial glory or lack thereof!

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Lanzfeld,

Minute 20 down to 19. Spoke too soon. The ill-advised move by 1st squad (and concomitant losses) was recorded, a Sherman cooked off on the road, and armor was observed flanking my left near and behind the houses to my left front. Have put a bunch of my people under short cover arcs.

Minute 19 to 18. Flanking move materializes. Barkmann hits lead Sherman in Weapon, followed by Turret Front penetration. K-Kill! Next Sherman fires on Barkmann and misses. Barkmann fires back and kills that Sherman smack through the Turret Front, but also takes MG hits on turret. Stays unbuttoned. Both sides have popped smoke.

Minute 18 to 17. Barkmann has Buttoned! He reverses quite some distance to the RH verge. Along comes another Sherman, guns blazing. Barkmann takes a ricocheting glacis hit and puts two into the offender, one through the Front Hull, the other through the Turret Front. This tank's is practically in my forward positions. Crews from clobbered Shermans have been ignored by both Barkmann and my Landser.

Minute 17 to 16. Things come unstuck, and I pay the price for inattention. AI forks me, sending one tank up the road and to the front (ref me) of the house. My PL HQ opens fire before it arrives on an unhorsed tank crew, only to be rudely interrupted by an annoyed Sherman. It proceeds to light up that piece of hedgerow with cannon and MG fire. Command group takes a casualty. Never thought it'd need a Cover Arc. Gah! Barkmann can't see squat for the smoke, which is how a Sherman on my left trundles up right next to the forward dead Sherman. Things are getting ugly and quickly!

Minute 16 to 15. Bad turn! My platoon HQ is savaged by that tank, which pounds the survivors with cannon fire and MG fire. Estimated casualties: 1 LW, 1 W, ! HW/KIA. Sole survivor is Dietz, the not so good (-2). Rather than hanging about for a Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck blasting, the bloody thing reverses, firing continuously. Barkmann can't do a thing right now. May the next turn be better!

Minute 15 to 14. The abusive Sherman evidently backed behind a stout outbuilding and now elects to come forth. Unfortunately for those concerned, the smoke's clearing. With twelve seconds left in the turn, Barkmann exacts revenge--one round K-Kill through the Turret Front. There's still a Sherman on my porch, so to speak, but things are looking up.

Minute 14 to 13. Pretty quiet. Then, out of nowhere, comes a pistol toting American tank crewman, charging up the road and poised to potentially gun down my guys near the crossing by rolling up the flank from my right. MG fire from Barkmann's tank disposes of the threat. Maybe the guy flat out flipped?

Minute 13 to 12. Nothing to report. Quiet.

Minute 12 to 11. HT enters from left side of houses and proves anew why these things are called Purple Heart boxes. 3rd squad ASL fires once, and down goes the gunner! Ammo cook-off near the outbuilding destroys it just as HT rolls behind it.

Minute 11 to 10. 3rd squad's apparently still shooting at the HT. I think. Securing ops for tonight.

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Lanzfeld,

Minute 10 to 9. What's the cardinal rule of warfare? Never underestimate the enemy! What can compound that rule violation? Interfering with the commander on the scene. I did both. And oh, how I paid for it. Mistake 1 was not anticipating an attack to the far left of the map. Should've known this since I have had men there all along, but didn't realize it. then there was overriding Barkmann's AI and having him hunt forward, about the time he reacted to a swarm of armor (Shermans and HTs) coming around the already discussed houses, this after being distracted by movement on the road, he got into a fight with a Sherman which is practically atop my Company HQ and got hit somehow. Hard. Barkmann's tank is now buttoned, and I'm up to my eyeballs in Allied armor and infantry. At spitting range.

I've hurt a few HTs and caused some minor infantry losses in a few, but no Sherman is dead that made the attack, two of my squads are chewed up (poundings depression modeling would've prevented), my only tank is essentially crippled, and I think my front is in danger of falling apart. All in one minute!

Minute 9 to 8

What the communiques delight in describing as ferocious combat broke out practically everywhere. On my far left, some combination of desperate improvisation, luck and raw courage not only stopped, but repelled the armor attack. Three Shermans died (exact causes unknown) and one somehow survived a Panzerschreck hit to the turret. The gunner's now running Barkmann's tank, and he retreated by simply reversing. In the center, there was a howling maelstrom of fire, explosions and bullets everywhere. As best I can tell, a Sherman took a Panzerfaust shot in the face, a grenade landed in a halftrack (screams and lots of crosses); said HT then bypassed that hedgerow and pushed, no idea how, toward Favre Community. Another HT remains opposite my center, alive I think. And when things were looking up, my brave Landser were taken from their left flank and partial rear. Hammered from two directions and with at least one tank involved, squads fled in panic. Hmm.

Minute 8 to 7

Where to start? I thought I'd stabilized my left flank and had successfully killed or driven off the armor when in comes charging an unbuttoned Sherman, TC blazing away with the pintle MG (conveniently not where it was in BoB). He proceeds to permanently ruin the day of my Panzerschreck team which had just blasted the HT and all aboard before it could get to the VL. Not good to be looking opposite direction of arriving enemy tank. That thing really hurt me. The injured Sherman died, though, marked down by Engel, now gunner and TC in the Panther. Company HQ pulled back to the other side of the lateral road. Concentrated fire destroyed the other halftrack to my left center, and crossfires cut up American armored infantry which had savaged my guys. The Americans took casualties and retreated. There's a Sherman blasting away from the hedge in front of the house nearest the road. And somebody KOed two American HTs I had no idea were there. Am guessing AI did that for me?

Minute 7 to 6

Am beginning to understand how it felt to be the Germans against unending Allied forces. Wait a minute. I am the Germans! Another confounded tank charge, but someone popped the TC. Even so, the tank reversed and fired accurately with its 75mm and coax. Ouch. The holdover from the last turn still remains, but has popped smoke and is paralleling a wall now breached to my far right. Not good. Engel killed a HT on the main road, but the armor on my left is of vastly greater concern. Nor am I happy there's a live Sherman just to the left of that road. Awfully exciting, and I'm praying this one doesn't go into OT.

Minute 6 to 5,

Argghh!!! The Americans not only sent a short 75 Sherman through the wall breach and onto the VL, but with super American ESP, having just arrived, it swiveled its buttoned turret and clobbered a Panzerschreck team which had a cover arc up to interdict the road about 100m out, with one HE round from ~200 meters away. Other than that, fairly quiet.

Minutes 5 to 3

Attempts to get Company HQ out of DF path for one Sherman got it shot by another. Engel appears to be trying to kill a tank hiding in dead relatives. My infantry near the main drag is pulling pack under HE punishment both hostile and friendly. The confounded tank near the main drag refuses to enter Engel's LOS, so still lives.

Minutes 3 to -1

Not a whole lot to report, the Sherman on the VL evidently didn't like having my infantry nearby, so reversed into the back corner, and I do mean corner, guns blazing. My effort to recapture that place may or may not work (75mm HE burst yet to be resolved), but the main line was in shreds, so I pulled back what little was left in an effort to block the dirt road which would otherwise be open for an American advance. Engel securely holds Barkmann's corner and has hunted pretty much back to the start position. American infantry is once again advancing, but not much infantry. That infantry just lost that Sherman tank big brother. He was slain by a rattled Panzerschreck team I fast moved into place last turn. Drilled one through the turret front, missed the next and finished the tank with a third!

Minutes -1 to -6

Will this NEVER end?! Engel and another died when having successfully beaten apart another infantry attack, he became target fixated and failed to notice yet another Sherman moving up on him. with his turret cranked left and the hull also slewed, the turret side was exposed and got drilled. Twice. Flaming tank, up comes the victorios Sherman, only to get hit by a probable Panzerfaust 60, which hurts it, but it still is mobile enough to back off, spitting fire as it does so.

Minute -7 to -8

Desultory firing, followed by yet another confounded turn to play. I can't stand it and call for a Cease Fire. A good thing, for corner tank was almost back in town, what was left of American infantry (three men) tried to come down the road, only to run into the prone survivors of the unfortunate Panther. Prone trumps standing and moving unwarily. Two got shot, and the other went to ground. Mercifully, the other Sherman backed up even further and contented itself with blasting my right flank forward. Shall report the butcher's bill tomorrow.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Lanzfeld]

Wow....this one tests the nerves as it winds down and you just want to rest. Another wave? Another?

What a great game and a well told AAR. Thanks John.

[John Kettler]

Lanzfeld,

You're welcome! I won a German Minor Tactical Victory--by killing and wounding most of his men and armor. I have one intact squad and one intact HMG-42, together with a rattled platoon HQ and a few other oddments. Most of my men are broken, panicked or lying strewn about the battlefield. Having won a truly Pyrrhic victory, my combat record stands, I believe, at 1,1 and 4, since Cats Chasing Dogs was a draw. I have no idea how anyone could handle an enhanced computer force.

Barkmann cum Engel destroyed 9 Shermans (2 76mm variety) and 4 halftracks. Generally speaking, American combat productivity was awful. Most tanks and halftracks died having killed no one, but my squads and such sold themselves dearly. On the left, most destroyed the tank that tore them apart. One squad also killed the neighbor's problem. I got good value from my Panzerschrecks, except the one magically detected and obliterated. I think the early savaging would've forced the attack to be called off. What I couldn't deal with was wave after wave of attackers against antitank weapon low or depleted squads as the game wore on. And, oh, did it wear on me!

I have the end of game file if you'd care to tour the charnel house--which was made worse because I turned icons off in the mistaken notion I'd be taking screenshots. Too busy for that, so I pretty much killed my own situational awareness.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Jack Ration]

New to CM (BN Cwlth first purchase). Just finished the "Barkmann" battle, so understand what you have just played. An interesting part of the learning curve is assessing your initial setup. I know after playing I would change some aspects (hopefully for the better!) of my original plan. Almost never recover from a poor initial defensive setup.

If you were to play Barkmann again how would you setup?

[John Kettler]

Jack Ration,

Since I wanted to get going on playing again, I simply went with the default deployment. In looking at the huge potential setup zone, though, the mind boggles. The problem with the Germans on the left is that there's nowhere to go once the tanks show up, with their depression unlimited cannon and unholy situational awareness.

I'd think the elevation difference between the field above and the ground below would make a great tank barrier, but experience shows that not to be the case. Maybe the thing to do is to move into the wheat as soon as the game starts, lie in wait there with the antitank guys, hit hard, then beat feet behind the wall. Still, once at the wall, it's very hard to get out of that position. Theoretically, you could fight from there for a bit, then pop smoke and break contact. Theoretically.

I think, too, it might be good to have at least some sort of protection for the area near the Favre Community VL. My desperate late game efforts to do this were pretty much shot to pieces. Better to be in place and lie doggo. Someone there must have a Panzerfaust or Panzerschreck.

The absence of foxholes and such really smarts given American firepower (even vs bocage) and the lack of defensible terrain in the German center left of the road, once the gully becomes untenable, only compounds this. My company HQ learned this lesson the hard way. The ground is practically a golf green there behind the lateral road gulch.

Am guessing this is a hasty defense. If so, why is the German player labeled the Attacker? Odd. Usually, the Attacker is the one moving, which I seldom did at all.

The fundamental problem is that the Americans have vast amounts of armor, whereas the Germans have one (very nasty) tank and relatively meager antitank weapons. The Germans essentially have a thin linear defense, lack reserves, have no mines or wire, no mortars or artillery. What depth the Germans have is principally to the left of the main road, and that road must be kept closed. Barkmann did a good job of impeding effective use via the flaming, exploding roadblock technique, but it didn't quite stopper that bottle.

It was much harder to engage armor coming around from behind the house, but the German far left, which I didn't realize was in play (happens when you skip placement and use the default setup without really looking at the map), really shocked me. The field of wheat was tailor made for using the mobility of the Sherman, and that's a German nightmare. Barkmann has only limited firing options into there, compounding the problem. The German defense in Barkmann's Corner is quite brittle, and keeping Barkmann's tank in fighting form is critical. The only reason I won is that Barkmann/Engel had exacted such a fearsome toll on the total enemy force earlier that I barely survived the loss late in the game of that vital tank. I think the default Barkmann starting position is great, and as noted, I think my interventions were generally counterproductive when it came to fighting that tank.

In a classic German bocage defense, the HMGs would be in the corners of the fields, not the centers. This was done to provide enfilade fires, so I'd probably resite some of those weapons.

Another horribly evident German weakness is that the great crossfire to deal with threats on the other side of the hedge falls apart if taken on the flank by forces coming in on their side of the hedge from the road. There's no bocage on that end to make such a move difficult. There's no way to refuse the flank, nor are there foxholes to provide some measure of protection from such a move. The combination of combat direct front and that flank attack demolished whole squads in a minute or a couple. That, combined with the awful pounding my company HQ and HMG-42 took, pretty much killed my defense in those sectors. Am not sure what to do about these issues.

My right saw relatively little action, which is why I had functioning units there at game end, but an American infantry attack through the woods would've been disastrous. An option would be to take the guys to the extreme right and use them elsewhere. That, though, exposes the houses which were refuges for my men cut up to the right of the main drag. Now, if I moved the HMG-42 there (where the squad was) and placed that squad down a bit to be more perpendicular to the road of axis of fire... Say, keep the SMG element on the upper end to protect the HMG-42, but place the AT guys and MG on the other side. That might help. A more perpendicular Panzerfaust hit could've thus been an outright kill on the Sherman that offed Engel, rather than a serious wound and a Rattled crew.

I think the combination of terrain and lack of proper defensive positions makes for a very tough job for the defending German player. Am absolutely clueless, at least presently, as to how to cope with any sort of enhanced AI threat. I was playing at Veteran, and I'm sure that having the icons off didn't help.

Hope this is useful to you. Now, if my game play were only as good as my analysis!

Regards,

John Kettler

[Jack Ration]

Hi John,

Thanks for your fulsome reply. A few notes from my perspective.

Top = north

South half of map - ami advance from right (East)

Central blue arrow - most obvious line of ami advance

Upper arrow - advance to building complex D through the field

Lower arrow - advance through fields to south of the road

Barkmann has the most obvious line of advance covered, so not much to think of there!

South of the Road.

A - If the Ami tanks adv through the field to the south of the forest, without infantry support, an obvious ambush site. I pushed a scout team forward, with a short target arc, to give advance warning of a push down this side. Behind the scouts the remainder of the squad for the panzerfaust attack, set target arcs appropriately.

B - Building Complex. The most important area to hold is the terrain behind (west) of the complex. The mission is to defend Barkmann's right. In the location of B (behind the house) I placed a Panzerschrek team facing west. They had some success shooting Sherman's in the rear. You also need to stop the Ami's breaching the bocage as it open's up your infantry forces along the hedge to the north of the road.

C- I placed a scout team here in case the Ami's sent forces down this area.

D- Building Complex North of Road. Sent scout's into the buildings to report on proceedings to the east. (short target arc). Although nice to hold not an important priority.

E - In area E I had a Panzershrek team in a reverse slope position. They performed well, although move them after firing a couple of times, the AI will target them!

F - Initially I had a shrek team here but had to move them north later.

The remaining infantry I moved behind hedges. As long as you succeed in defending (anti-tank) the area west of the south bldg complex Barkmann can happily ping away with a little support from the teams to his left.

North of Map

A - At A is the top of a ridge. I placed a scout team here to provide info on what is happening to the east. Behind the scouts (reverse slope position) was a schrek team. Maybe not the best spot for the schrek. Should pull them back to B and for the scouts to run fast once the Amis come!

B - I placed a scout team on the top of the hill. Once again info gatherers.

C - Panzerfaust teams

D - Shrek team to defend victory loc and rear of bldg complex.

Ends up being a vicious battle in this area. Much more dicey than Barkmann's corner.

Against the AI the plan works okay. AI did not use the mortar or infantry very effectively. I'm sure a human opponent would be more of a challenge.

Hope this is of some interest.

Vet or Warrior? forget which

[General Jack Ripper]

JK - You did much better than I did the first time out. I managed to get Barkmann killed, and was only able to stop about 2/3s of the allied attack, while losing 4/5s of my own force.

The battle ended with about 6 Shermans sitting on the crossroads, and me without any weapons capable of hurting them.

Greetings!

[John Kettler]

Jack Ration,

A cogent and succinct analysis! When you talk about a scout team, what do you mean? Have you broken down a squad to get one, or have you made some sort of force buy that I'm not following?

SLIM,

Thanks for this! When I read the reports of others who seem to not only trounce the AI out of the gate generally, but do it with the AI's force enhanced in quality and quantity, I do start to wonder whether I have any tactical skills at all. I used to be reasonably good in CMx1, but seem to be stuck on the wrong end of the learning curve here. Of course, I didn't have months of playing two scenarios to death, either, before I got the third, as in CMBO Beta Demo, then Gold Demo.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Jack Ration]

The standard Admin - Scout Team split.

Also like Admin - anti-tank in this scenario.

[John Kettler]

Yes! It's true! I have finally gotten a few synapses to connect (made the happy discovery last night while walking a friend through the basics of CMx1 in CMBN so he could then apply it to the CMFI Demo, which he digs, along with CMBO), so thought I'd give it a whirl tonight. Happily, I chose "The Road to Varaville," which is tiny, therefore a reasonable match for my unknown level of brain function and rather rusty CMBN skills. Woo hoo!

SPOILER ALERT!

SPOILER ALERT!

SPOILER ALERT!

In the best Canadian traditions, the Paras were mustered at the Drop Zone and the objective stormed. In a short, sharp firefight, both the PL and the radioman ate it while rushing into the building overlooking the Bridge Objective. One was Buddy Aided. Once the unexpected occupants were cleaned out (cost me another Para), there ensued multiple exchanges with Germans in the building on the far side of the bridge. I soon established fire superiority, forced one defender out of the house and moved swiftly to seize that building. In doing so, I encountered one or more Germans behind the house, who fired in through the window (another man down), but Stens soon corrected the problem. At 35:00, with no new orders issued, 4 Platoon securely holds the objective and is in the now cleared house. Can guarantee a very hot reception for anyone trying to retake the Bridge. I deemed it best to consolidate my small force and defend by fire from the far side. Otherwise, I risked defeat in detail and the specter of retreat, if strongly pressed, from the DZ side over a very exposed exit path, were I to cover both ends of the Bridge. Things are going quite well. Naturally, this makes me nervous.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Michael Emrys]

Things are going quite well. Naturally, this makes me nervous.

"When everything is going according to plan, it's a trap."

—Murphy's Laws of War #32

Michael

[agusto]

"When everything is going according to plan, it's a trap."

—Murphy's Laws of War #32

Michael

TRPs are great for traps. To bad we dont have them in Shock Force wich is the game i am currently mostly playing.

[John Kettler]

I see I let my exuberance override my proofreading! The line should read "...the basics of CMx2.." Doubtless, this occurred because I confused the CMBO coaching I laso gave him with what I was trying to portray above.

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

The Germans must be overawed by the endless thundering procession of transport aircraft overhead, for it's now 22:00, yet there's no sign whatsoever of a counterattack. My men much appreciate the rest, but I wonder, as their leader, whether I'm defending from the right location? Certainly, it's going to be hard to encircle me!

And, yes, I realize it's practically heretical to be playing straight CMBN with MG (which I have) out, but I'm grateful to be able to play CMBN at all. Hard to do so when your tactical engine has been offline.

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Tea time's over. Back on your heads! I knew it was too easy, this being where the Germans weren't, hunkered down in a nice stone guardhouse. Am under attack by an estimated infantry squad, and the Germans have dished out more pain than received. No doubt this is because they've nailed my building with what I think are Panzerfaust rounds. Attack is from the southeast (my right rear), and I've inflicted one casualty, while losing two of my (very scarce) own. Unfortunately, the German loss wasn't the man running that MG!

Wonder whether my my started depleted unit is getting any brother paras? If so, need them soon!

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Er, soonest! My sharpshooter nailed one of two Germans visible to my right rear, and prone didn't save the Landser, but a Panzerschreck fired from ~65 meters to my southwest put paid to two more brave lads. They went down fighting, hitting one of the Panzerschreck crew (believed to be the shooter), but my position is now well past desperate. May have only two effectives left!

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Minute 17 was fast and furious. The Bren team first broke the Panzerschreck team forcing a retreat--which ended badly for the one retreating. Barely was this done than more German infantry, a singleton, came in pretty much from my direct rear and got shot by my Bren. Meanwhile, sharpshooting continued on the other side. Have three shooters left and bodies everywhere. Very happy to have removed that Panzerschreck!

Regards.

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

The singleton had an unseen buddy, who popped up and skedaddled the way he presumably came. Fire from my SW remains so intense I thought I was also taking fire from the haystacks to my right front. Turned out it was fire going trough one set of windows and out the other, turning that corner of the building into a bullet walled triangle. Buddy aid's being done on one man, and I somehow still have three men functioning--all high morale and in fighting fettle!

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

After hails of German MG fire from the SW, another Landser can't stand the heat and has even less tolerance for .303 from my sharpshooter. Down he goes. After that, an almost eerie calm descends. Dare I hope the German LMG is out of ammo? Certainly, my pinned man could use a break. I still hold the objective. 13 minutes to go--if things go according to plan.

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Went into OT.

O, Canada! Canadian Tactical Victory: 2 fully functioning men left; 3 KIA, 7 WIA. Germans have 23 effectives, 9 KIA, 9 WIA. I hold the Bridge at Varaville!!!

Regards,

John Kettler