womble Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 The infantry advance in the town is pretty much stopped cold because of that tank. It has a commanding light of sight down one back alley that cuts my guys off from getting deeper into the town. Would popping some smoke into the alley help? It might allow you to get a different angle on the tank once you're past the alley. Or persuade DT that he's about to get flanked and force a withdrawal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 May not matter. I have had a few AT teams on the move fire when I thought they wouldn't even have a shot at an enemy. Twice in my battle with Broadsword in La Luzerne. Good luck Best thing to do in a city fight is run across the street. hopefully they'll fire (usually do if the tanks close) and keep running. If your within faust range this works nearly every time. Less so if the tank is 60-100 meters away and its a zook or faust. Of course if the move order is a little longer it'll work because they'll spot the tank (which is why they wont in a street usually if the tank is farther) and go. In a street its a bad idea - theyre too exposed except for a quick dash. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Would popping some smoke into the alley help? It might allow you to get a different angle on the tank once you're past the alley. Or persuade DT that he's about to get flanked and force a withdrawal. That is an excellent idea. I often forget that infantry can pop smoke. I actually have one squad on the other side of the alley. By luck one squad made it when the tank was shooting their platoon HQ. I could mess with DTs head tool. I have been known to pull off before. Frankly I would rather kill the tank. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 May not matter. I have had a few AT teams on the move fire when I thought they wouldn't even have a shot at an enemy. Twice in my battle with Broadsword in La Luzerne. Good luck As you can see I have had trouble getting them to shoot. The action squares here are all on an angle and there are trees and elevation changes. I have another turn to write up but I &ave tried many variations. I hope this time it works. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 That AT team failed to fire again! I have never had such trouble with a set of orders before! Here they are turning around and heading back to cover. You can see the orders in the last screen shot above. The spotted the tank just before the turned around and headed back. The time in LOS of the tank was just not long enough. But with a little luck they spot an Achilles turn and fire. And then something I have never seen before happens. While the round is in flight they lose site of the TD. But score a hit any way. No hit text telling me what was hit. I checked, the round did not hit a tree. It hit something invisible but solid between and behind the trees. Amazing. Hopefully it is destroyed or there will be HE heading their way next turn. Here is the squad the squeaked by that pesky Churchill tank. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 Meanwhile over at the orchard a Stug crew is getting close to remounting their AFV. And the mortar teams are deep in the woods now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 This is officially frustrating. I give that AT team similar orders from last time but with a face command and a 5s pause. This has to work – right? That squad that slipped past the tank also has a Shrek team. I split them and send the fire teams to positions with good LOS to protect the Shrek team from any pesky scouts there might be. The AT team has a long pause to let the fire teams get into position and then they will have a go at attacking that tank from the other side. I also have a platoon HQ reposition themselves so they can see the approaching enemy and call in some mortar fire if needed. The Brigade HQ unit has recovered enough to get back into their AFV as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 The AT guns get orders to setup in the woods with over watch of the bridge and one side of the woods where 5 Company is positioned. Tweaks to the Stug crew and HQ unit. Hopefully I will get to withdraw another Stug next turn. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 But score a hit any way. No hit text telling me what was hit. I checked, the round did not hit a tree. It hit something invisible but solid between and behind the trees. Amazing. Hopefully it is destroyed or there will be HE heading their way next turn. Awesome news - maybe. I spoke with Dungeon Tiger yesterday - in real life - and he said that I destroyed an Achilles and he had no idea where the fatal shot came from. I spent sometime weaving a story about how it was a Panther that caught site of the Achilles between some buildings and then lost sight of it again when it moved past the opening. Usually I am pretty good at getting small bits of information and planting useful miss information in his head but lately he has become better at resisting. So, either I did destroy his Achilles and he thinks there is an operational Panther in the town. Or he is messing with me and the Achilles is OK and he knows the Panther in the town is messed up. The thing is, he has no real way of knowing that the Panther's main gun is broken so he has to at least accept that it is a possibility it was a Panther. I will not spend time assuming the Achilles is destroyed but I can hope:D 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 There is almost an exciting moment early in the turn. My Shrek team finally gets a bead on that Churchill tank. I expect a beautiful explosion only my heart sinks when they decide – “nah this is too good we need more of a challenge” as the run off back to cover. That tank has been a sitting duck for, how many turns now, and I cannot finish it off. Grrrrrr! I think what happed is that the tube guy was bringing up the rear. Any time I have seen this move work with no pause the tube guy arrives at the way point first. While he is waiting for his partner it is enough time to commit to firing and he will take the shot. This time, for whatever reason, the loader was leading the way and therefore when the tube guy got there it was time to go. Now this was too close. Spotting rounds for my 150 land right near the lead infantry in town. Way to close for comfort. No one is injured by several teams are suppressed. More bad news, another Churchill tank is sneaking out of town and threatening my infantry entering town. Clearly this tank is going to be a problem. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 At the farm things are quiet. In the orchard the dismounted Stug crew gets back no board. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Now that the Stug crew is back where they belong that last Stug can withdraw to the woods. I have decided that the Panthers need infantry along too so trucks arrive to pick up the rest of the platoon that never quite made it to the farm complex. I tried to call motar fire with 5 Company’s mortars but the cannot fire in the woods. The will redeploy behind the woods. I have had enough of this pesky Churchill tank so I now have two Shrek teams going after it. And they have pauses at their targeting way point this time too. I really hope they can get the job done this time. The attack from the other side. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 That Churchill threatening my infantry entering the town will get a nice surprise from the side – if all goes according to plan. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Finally that Churchill in the town has been dealt with. But not without cost. As the turn begins the Tank shifts to its left and the AT team that was attacking it from my right is caught by the tank as they move into position. On the plus side that means the team attacking to the left get a better chance. This time they do not disappoint. One shot, one hit. The tank is not destroyed but the crew bails out. And my squads in the nearby buildings waste little time gunning them down as they flee. Only one crew man is left standing as the turn ends. Over in the woods disaster strikes. Geiger’s squad that was attacked by a Churchill tank leaving the town are nearly hit by a 150mm spotting round. Yikes that round is way off. Totally by luck, probably because they were taking cover from the tank attack earlier no one was hurt. But their morale was shaken and one the dust settles they run away shaken. Unfortunately they are out of the fire and run right into the pan. That Churchill tank has moved to flank them and they run right into it as they flee the artillery. Given what they have been through they have every right to want to give up. But they do not. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Two solid hits from their grenades while under MG fire. They actually end the turn in good order. Not sure what the next turn will bring because that thank is still on one piece. Nothing much changed at the Orchard or the Farm – there was a small pistol duel at 20 paces with a tank crew at the far. Nothing a full platoon of infantry cannot handle easily. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Having that Churchill tank running around back there is not good. Since Geiger and his men are in good order and right there they decide to try to finish the job. Their platoon mates come to help. Given the fact that twice now tanks have left the town and attacked the infantry’s flank there, it is time to do something about it. I am sending 1 Platoon back into the woods. They have a Shrek team and several Fausts so hopefully with some careful scouting and positioning they can protect the flank. The artillery barrage that has not arrived yet was supposed to prevent that from happening. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I think Geiger's team "break and recover" being so quick is to do with the fact that the element that shook them was "friendly fire". I'm sure troops recover faster and more completely from friendly fire suppression (at least if it doesn't cause casualties) than they do from enemy activity that causes suppression. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 I had not been watching for that so I will take your word for it for sure. They already had their heads down and in craters from a previous bombardment when that round came down. So they did have pretty good cover considering. They were shaken and started running away. Sadly for them they ran right into that tank. But they were brave and stared down the barrel of the tank's gun and kept on fighting. An excellent moment for sure. I have watched the next turn and their heroism continues. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I had not been watching for that so I will take your word for it for sure. I won't claim any testing for surety, but it's certainly something I think I've noticed. Though how the clever little pTruppen know that 150mm whizz-bang was (putatively) friendly, I'm not sure Perhaps they deduced that since they weren't all condensing vapour and bloody chunks at that point that it must've been as friendly as that sort of shell ever gets... An excellent moment for sure. I have watched the next turn and their heroism continues. Looking forward to seeing how they fare against that armour! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Geiger’s squad continues to perform heroically. Literally staring down the gun barrel of the Churchill they continue their assault. Destroying the tank and forcing the crew to bail out and try to cut them down in a hail of bullets. That last part does not go smoothly. They take two casulaties. But they do manage to take out the crew men with the Sten Gun before they run off. I cannot complain about their performance. They have had a rough couple of minutes. Their platoon mates are coming to back them up. That crew will not last much longer. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 There is a bit of excitement this turn at the other entrance to the town. My infantry screen there spot and engage a scout car. That would be a bit of a scary fire fight but there is a good chance with their automatic weapons they can come out on top, except… … that immobilized Churchill is too close and can provide fire support for the scouts. Rats I did not back the infantry spotter of far enough. The team that was sent to finish off the dismounted Churchill tank were caught in the open by a Stuart. It finished them off quickly. Fortunately a third Shrek team did the job. That tank is not going to be remounted. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 A totally unexpected surprise wonders into the view of my Stug on the ridge above town. An Achilles breaks cover facing away from the Stug. Direct hit. And a second round to finish the job. Over at the farm the 95mm Churchill breaks over and picks off some of my men. The Stug that I thought would protect them did not spot the enemy tank. Not a big surprise with all that foliage. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Two Shrek teams move to get a view on that Churchill tank at the farm. On the left a team takes a position so that if the tank moves forward they will be ready. On the right a team moves to the edge of the barn yard to get a view on the enemy tank from the side. Meanwhile the Stug moves back. Infantry catch up to the Panthers. The newly remounted Stug makes a break for the town. Several squads will open up on the Stuart. Another Achilles has wondered close to town. Since it is an opened topped TD my guys might get lucky. At the very least I expect it will scare off the TD. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 All in all it is a fairly quiet turn. I now have armour in the town. One platoon of infantry is taking up positions to protect the right flank of the town. More HE and MG fire from the immobilized Churchill and that scout car cause problems for my scouts at the other entrance to the town. And their luck finally runs out. The infantry escort for the Panthers are ready go to. The plan will be to disembark one truck and move ahead of the tanks and then swap so the infantry can move fairly quickly and not get tired. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Canadian Cat - was IanL Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 The Shrek team withdraw to cover without firing a around. Again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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