c3k Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Plus, sitting around makes the AAR stagnate. Spice it up for us! Send forward a platoon size FAST recce to seize the windmill. C'mon, he may've forgotten to defend it! Maybe it's loaded with mp40/mg42 troops. It doesn't matter to us: just get some more screenshots in! ("Men, higher HQ is asking for volunteers to grab the windmill. I'd go with you, but the burden of command forces me to stay here and fill out the paperwork. Anyone?") The screenies are fun... Keep 'em coming! Ken 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted August 24, 2012 Author Share Posted August 24, 2012 Hey... you're getting a blind rush into the orchard. For all I know Tiresias just pulled back enough to be out of LOS and is waiting in ambush for my guys to run forward to their death. I've got turn 12 in my inbox. Just need to wait another 9 hours to get off shift and we'll all find out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Plus, sitting around makes the AAR stagnate. Spice it up for us! Send forward a platoon size FAST recce to seize the windmill. C'mon, he may've forgotten to defend it! Maybe it's loaded with mp40/mg42 troops. It doesn't matter to us: just get some more screenshots in! ("Men, higher HQ is asking for volunteers to grab the windmill. I'd go with you, but the burden of command forces me to stay here and fill out the paperwork. Anyone?") The screenies are fun... Keep 'em coming! Ken Yes, and Old Blood and Guts needs some sexy Signal Corps footage for his PR campaign. Let's move it! (But no filming any rear-area hospital visits by the good General, people!) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share Posted August 25, 2012 TURN 12 My men quickly find out that the battle for the orchard isn't over yet. I misjudged Tiresias' actions and the Germans are not pulling back the way I thought. Some GIs find themselves in some very up close and personal fights. Here is how my right flank is positioned at the end of the twelfth minute. The team at the top center, 1st squad A team, is in the most danger. They are being fired at from both sides and have just taken a casualty. I intend to push up on the extreme right and drive off the Germans there. From off screen to the left I will bring in a squad from 1st platoon to help engage and rout the German platoon. A few minutes ago I ordered Lt. Gable and his HQ unit from the machine gun platoon to scout out to the left of the battle field. After the Germans in the center broke off I got concerned they may try to loop around and come at me from that direction. While they didn't spot any approaching German infantry they ID'ed a Pak 40 on the hill. Much to my annoyance the Lt orders his men to open fire from an extreme distance. Their shots are ineffective in causing damage but do let the gun crew know where they are. Soon 75mm HE rounds are being fired at my men. I'm hoping I can have them break off contact without loss of life and remain in LOS. I will have the Lt call in 81mm mortars to take care of the gun. Well I'd been worried about not spotting German anti-tank capabilities. I guess I can start putting that worry to rest. I've spotted the ATG and now I've got reports of armor noise coming from the road junction. I think things are about to get a lot bloodier on the right flank. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 TURN 13 Seconds into the turn the Germans that were still engaged with my men on the right flank start standing up and fleeing back towards the village. My men don't let them just slip away and several Germans are cut down. Seconds after the screenshot this German was taken out. The sound contact turns out to be a Marder II tank destroyer. I'm glad to see that it's not a Panzer IV or worse, a Tiger, I still need to treat the Marder with respect. Its gun could easily take out my Sherman and my Priest doesn't stand a chance. The 75mm HE shells it fires could also do bad things to my infantry. The one positive in this is that it is weakly protected and shouldn't be hard to knock out. My MMG team started firing on the Marder as soon as it came into the LOS but all they managed to do was draw attention to their position. The Marder fires on my machine gun team but thankfully the shell sails just high. Their ears are ringing but otherwise they're just fine. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 TURN 14 The Germans pulled back almost 10 minutes ago on the center hill and I am unsure where they have set up their second line of defense. Slowly my men start to climb the hill. As they start to move into the positions the Germans were originally in I'm able to start getting a feel for how much damage I've done to Tiresias. As I survey the entire battlefield at the end of the turn I'm able to count around 45 dead Germans. The Pak40 crew are unfortunately not some of those casualties. I'm unsure if they spotted my HQ unit attempting to hide in the brush or if Tiresias was just area firing but that doesn't really matter in the end. A single HE shell impacts right on top of two of my men killing them instantly. The lieutenant and the other remaining man panic and flee trying to find cover and safety. I still have 6 minutes on my mortar barrage but I don't think the HQ unit can survive that long. After firing off a couple HE shells the Marder reverses behind a hill into the village and out of LOS of all my men. On the right flank Tiresias continues to slowly slip his men away. He's doing a very good job of falling back in sections and I'm unable to just rush forward and fire on their backs as they flee. Instead of pushing the Germans in their withdrawl I've decided to regroup myself and prepare to go on the offensive. My men are tired and need a break and I need to start giving first aid to fallen men to gather up ammo. I'm starting to get worried that I won't have enough bullets to take my objectives. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 TURN 15 I cancel the mortar strike the lieutenant called in because I feared for their safety if they tried to regain LOS and also I didn't have 5 minutes to wait. I discovered that while two of my 81mm mortar units don't have direct LOS on the Pak40 they can see close to it so I gave orders for them to area fire around. While the mortars haven't yet taken out the ATG the crew is suppressed. My infantry is climbing the hill and getting close and if the ATG crew is busy hugging the ground I am going to try and rush my men forward and take them out before they can regain their composure. Here is how my men are deployed at the end of the 15th minute. 3rd platoon on my right is going to slowly move forward to keep driving the Germans off and deter them from pushing forward again. Now that the battle in the orchard is over I am going to redeploy some of my support units left to assist in my push to the windmill. 1st and 2nd platoon are climbing the hill and regaining their strength. Once the units are rested and my support units are ready I'll start my push. Because of the Marder in the village I've ensured that my men are on the left side of the hill to keep them out of sight of the AFV and any other nasty surprises Tiresias has in the village. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 TURN 16 The battle to take the hill continues. A single HQ unit is proving rather difficult to dislodge. Last turn a single German with a SMG managed to kill one of my infantrymen and pin down the rest of the squad. This turn the SMG-wielding German's three companions are spotted and together they take out another GI and generally slow down my advance. But as the turn continues on and a couple more of my units move forward the Tiresias' men are pinned down and dealt with. The radioman is shot and a few seconds later a grenade takes out another. I maneuvered one of my MMGs into position to take care of a stubborn MG42 on the other side of the hill from 1st and 2nd platoon. There's only one man left alive manning the MG42 but he's proven stubborn and lucky. Despite being fired on by my machine gun for almost the entire minute the MG42 remains. I'm unsure of the fate of the Pak40. The ATG is obscured by a large cloud of dust that has been kicked up after two minutes of 81mm mortars impacting around the gun. I've ordered my mortars to stop firing and a squad has been ordered forward to occupy the gun's position. It's a bit of a gamble but I need that gun taken out and after the barrage they've just been through any Germans there should be hugging the ground. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 TURN 17 The battle shifts back over to my right flank this turn. Tiresias pulled his men back from the orchard a few minutes ago but didn't pull them all the way back to the village. Now I'm slowly pushing my men forward trying to drive the Germans out. While I've managed to take out several Germans it hasn't been cost free for the Americans. After Tiresias backed his Marder out of sight I decided to bring my Sherman forward. I am a hoping that I can get in a good position to take out the Marder when he re-emerges from the back of the village. Also I figured that as long as the Marder was gone I could use my tank to get rid of stubborn German defenders. As the seconds tick by the Marder is spotted by one of my 60mm teams moving forward, back towards the action. Unfortunate for me the mortar team is out of HE rounds and I'm using them in an infantry role. I wish I could drop a few 60mm shells inside the AFV. If the Marder keeps heading the way I think it will, it's going to have a decent hull down position on my Sherman. Not wanting to get into a duel with the Marder where my Sherm is at a disadvantage I've ordered it to reverse behind a house and out of sight. I'm going to play this safe. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Status of Forces As of Turn 16 Below is a list of my forces at the end of turn 16. It shows the unit name, how many men the unit started with, and how many men it now has. To this point I've lost 54 men, the majority of them in the rifle platoons. My rifle company's ammo level is at about 60%. I only have 11 60mm mortars left. The 1st Section of 81mm mortars has 75 rounds, 3rd Section has 104 rounds. I also have a battery of off-board 81mm mortars available. -B Company HQ - 4 - 1(CO dead) --XO Team - 4 - 1(XO dead) --1st Platoon HQ - 4 - 4 ---1st Squad - 12 - 12 ---2nd Squad - 12 - 7 ---3rd Squad - 12 - 8(SGT dead) --2nd Platoon HQ - 4 - 4 ---1st Squad - 12 - 6 ---2nd Squad - 12 - 9 ---3rd Squad - 12 - 8 --3rd Platoon HQ - 4 - 3 ---1st Squad - 12 - 10 ---2nd Squad - 12 - 7 ---3rd Squad - 12 - 11 --4th Platoon (Weapons) HQ - 3 - 1 ---1st MMG Team - 6 - 6 ---2nd MMG Team - 5 - 4 ---1st Section HQ - 3 - 3 ----1st 60mm Mortar Team - 5 - 5 ----2nd 60mm Mortar Team - 5 - 5 ----3rd 60mm Mortar Team - 5 - 5 -D Company HQ - 3 - 2 --2nd Platoon HQ - 5 - 2 ---1st Section HQ - 1 ----1st Squad/A HMG Team - 4 - 2 ----1st Squad/B Ammo Team - 3 - 3 ----2nd Squad/A HMG Team - 4 - 0 ----2nd Squad/B Ammo Team - 3 - 1 --3rd Platoon HQ - 3 - 3 ---1st Section HQ - 2 - 2 ----1st Squad/A 81mm Mortar Team - 4 - 4 ----1st Squad/B Ammo Team - 3 - 3 ----2nd Squad/A 81mm Mortar Team - 4 - 4 ----2nd Squad/B Ammo Team - 3 - 3 ---3rd Section HQ - 2 - 2 ----1st Squad/A 81mm Mortar Team - 4 - 4 ----1st Squad/B Ammo Team - 3 - 3 ----2nd Squad/A 81mm Mortar Team - 4 - 4 ----2nd Squad/B Ammo Team - 3 - 3 --Forward Observer - 3 - 2 --Anti-Tank HQ - 2 - 2 ---1st Section HQ ----1st Squad/A 37mm ATG Team - 4 - 2 ----1st Squad/B Ammo Team - 2 - 2 ----2nd Squad/A 37mm ATG Team - 4 - 4 ----2nd Squad/B Ammo Team - 2 - 2 ---2nd Section HQ ----1st Squad/A 37mm ATG Team - 4 - 4 ----1st Squad/B Ammo Team - 2 - 1 ----2nd Squad/A 37mm ATG Team - 4 - 4 ----2nd Squad/B Ammo Team - 2 - 2 -M4A1 Sherman -M7 Priest 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 TURN 18 The 18th minute had its ups and downs. The ups will help me to continue pushing forward and controlling the battle but the downs, they hurt. As my men push forward towards the Pak40 a single German is seen running away from the ATG. I'm making a bit of an assumption that with the loss of the Pak40 my left flank is now free of threats to my Priest. If I can bring that 105mm gun into the battle things will keep getting better for me. I completely miscalculated how long it would take the Marder to find a hull down position that threatened my Sherman. My tank was maneuvering itself behind the house and turned its side to the danger of the German tank hunter. One shot was all it took to take my Sherman out of the battle. I'm not sweating the loss of my tank too much though. I still feel like I am in control of the battle and this won't matter too much in the end. The battle on the hill takes another turn for me. One of my squads of my infantry flanks the MG42 that has been giving me trouble for at least 5 minutes. The German machine gunner was focused on firing at my men in the orchard and didn't see he was in trouble. To his credit he kept firing into the orchard even as bullets from my squad started impacting all around him. It only took a few volleys to finally silence that damned MG42. The victory over the MG42 was short lived. As my men continued to climb the hill the sudden ripping of a MG42 letting out a burst caused them to hit the ground. It took over 5 minutes to get rid of the last machine gun. This one is going to be difficult. I had moved my final 60mm mortar forward to deal with the MG42 that was just taken out. I discovered that the mortar team had line of sight on the Marder. It's going to take a bit of luck but if one of my remaining 11 HE shells finds the mark in the open top of the AFV, it should ruin Tiresias' day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 To give a bit of insight into the death of my Sherman I'll post something from another forum where I'm also posting the AAR... Alas! Not the Sherman!!! Yeah, that sucked. If I had reversed directly backwards instead of trying to maneuver behind the house I would have been out of LOS before the Marder appeared. However I was trying to hide the Sherman from the Marder and also put it in a position to fire on the German infantry that was still stubbornly fighting in the orchard. I really thought I had more time to get away but the loss was purely my bad judgement. It hurts but I'm not too worried. The Marder is a thin-skinned AFV and shouldn't be too hard to take out. One shell from my Priest would do the trick. The 37mm ATGs I have should be enough to take it out as well. It would just take a while to move them into position. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrdeaL Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Enjoying reading these AARs from both sides! Well done 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 BigDork, The Marder is, indeed, as JasonC has said, "an eggshell with a hammer." It is a weapon of ambush, of hit and run. Unless you have a substantial range advantage over the foe, you have to be a fool to stand and fight in one. Many moons ago, AFV G-2 magazine published some wonderful accounts by a guy named Kurt Fischer, who'd served in a bunch of antitank units on the Eastern Front. He gave an example of the Marder in combat there, where the Russians sent a tank formation, buttoned as per doctrine, rolling through the low ground, while he and his other platoon elements, operating under his command by radio, which the Russians lacked, hit the Russians hard from low ridges on both sides, then slipped away unscathed. That's how you're supposed to use the Marder. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 Enjoying reading these AARs from both sides! Well done Glad you're enjoying it OrdeaL! I always love reading AARs which is part of why I make them myself. Share with the community and all that. That's how you're supposed to use the Marder. Tiresias is did a pretty good job of that this battle. And that Marder sure does have a painful hammer. ... you have to be a fool to stand and fight in one. I didn't like my chances of a stand up fight which is why I thought to hide my Sherman as the Marder started to come forward. I just screwed up my withdrawal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 BigDork, My comment was regarding the Marder. I said, unless you have a substantial range advantage over your opponent, you have to be a fool to stand pat in your eggshell with a hammer and fight it out with a tank. Can it be done? Yes. Is it likely to turn out well, generally speaking? Not very. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 TURN 19 & 20 The next two minutes are mostly quiet on the right flank. Every now and again a German or two would be spotted but they would quickly go back to ground as soon as a few shots were fired their way. My 60mm mortar starts firing on the Marder but I don't get the lucky shot I was hoping for. Several land close but not close enough. As turn 20 comes to an end Tiresias is driving his AFV out of sight towards the windmill. I'm having some difficulties on the hill. As my men moved forward they discovered several German units holding tight. I had figured they would have fallen back more. While there are only a few of the Germans on the hill they are being stubborn and I'm having issues. I've had two different squads panic after coming under fire. 1st platoon's lieutenant is down and because of that the men of 1st platoon are in a pretty fragile state. I've ordered my men to pull back to safety. I've called in an off-board 81mm mortar barrage around the MG42s and the Priest has moved into position to start providing direct fire on the hill. After a few minutes of blowing things up I'll try pushing forward again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 TURN 21 I need to figure out a way to deal with that damned Marder. I am moving up two of the 37mm ATGs but it is extremely slow going. In the mean time it's taking advantage of there being no anti-armor threats by firing on my men. I cannot imagine the Marder is carrying too many HE shells. I'm hoping and praying the Marder isn't carrying too many HE shells. These are the luckiest 5 men on the battlefield. The HE shell impacts the stone wall right in front of my mortar team. Despite the explosion of a 75mm shell right in front of them they escape completely unharmed. The men of 1st squad, 3rd platoon aren't as lucky. A high explosive shell fired by the Marder lands right next to them killing one and critically injuring another. In a completely unlucky turn, an infantry man over 20 meters away catches some fragments from the HE shell, killing him instantly. For the most part it was a rough minute for the Americans. I lost 4 men and now have three different squads panicking. I've also been forced to pull back from the center hill and will have to wait for a mortar strike and the Priest to soften things up before I can push forward. The Marder has free reign on my right flank to fire on my men. It's a small victory but this German pays the price. After dodging gunfire and avoiding rifle grenades the last member of 3rd Platoon HQ, Panzergrenadiers is eliminated. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 BigDork, Pretty ugly, especially all those Panicked units. That's something I've found hard to deal with in CMx2--the brittleness of the soldiers' morale. Altogether too easy to get into a morale state from which they can't recover! Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 TURN 22 Things on the hill are rough. What's left of a platoon is panicking due to a stubborn MG42. Thankfully help is coming. A mortar spotting round landed about 25 meters from the machine gun. Pretty soon things are going to get very bad for the Germans. Another of my infantry units get a lucky encounter with one of the Marder's HE shells. One man is slightly injured by flying bits of stone or shell fragments but continues to fight on. Not only am I happy that my men survived intact but also it means there is one less HE shell to worry about. Here is an overview of the battlefield at the end of the 22nd minute. As you can see 3rd platoon on my right flank is moving forward towards the road junction. With the exception of the Marder firing a high explosive round every now and then their approach has been uncontested. Just in case I've repositioned one of my MMGs to provide some supporting fire as they get closer just in case. Until the mortar strike dislodges the Germans on the hill there's little I can do in the center of the battlefield. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 TURN 23 Hello Priest! There was the remnants of a German infantry squad on the center hill making life difficult. An area fire command to my M7 fixed that. It's too bad that the MG42 is hidden from my Priest and if I tried to maneuver to engage the machine gun I'd be putting my AFV at risk. Just not worth it at the moment. Another spotting round impacts near the MG42. I hope he is in for a world of hurt real soon. I cannot push forward in the center of the map without this machine gun being eliminated. Considering the brittle morale of my infantry right now, there's only so much pushing I can do. On the plus side, the wait for the mortar barrage is giving my men some time to pull things together. Tiresias is proving to be aggravating when it comes to the Marder. He's doing a masterful job of moving it from one position to another and generally making it hard for me to blow it up. I now have one of my 81mm mortar teams set up and ready to send some direct HE pain towards the German tank hunter if I get the chance. Also one of the 37mm ATGs is still slowly coming into position. Within 5 minutes I think I will have gotten the Marder unless Tiresias permanently stashes it behind the hill. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 BigDork, Pretty ugly, especially all those Panicked units. That's something I've found hard to deal with in CMx2--the brittleness of the soldiers' morale. Altogether too easy to get into a morale state from which they can't recover! Regards, John Kettler I'm having one hell of a time with it right now. It doesn't help that I lost my platoon CO and the company CO too. The individual squads are shot up as well. I still think I've got this but it's been a lot more of a meat grinder than I had expected coming into the battle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 TURN 24 My men get a deserving break over the next minute. Not a single shot is fired their way. The Germans aren't so lucky. On the hill my mortar strike arrives. for 40 seconds or so 81mm mortars impact all around where the MG42 was. I'm pretty sure that there were some casualties. I'll find out next turn, I've ordered several of my squads to rush forward. On my right flank, an advance team of men has approached the outskirts of the village. I'm going to hold off on pushing forward too much more right now. I don't have support weapons in a good over watch and that damn Marder is still moving around. In a couple minutes I'll have the ATG in place, there is a mortar team with LOS on many parts of the village and I'm rushing a bazooka forward too. One misstep and the Marder is done. I also have a small mortar strike incoming on the village as well. As my scout team arrived so did a spotting round. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDork Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 TURN 25 The pace of the battle continues to slow down as men grow tired and ammo becomes more scarce. German contacts are becoming more scarce too. That has me starting to worry some. Where did all the Germans disappear to? As the smoke and dust from the mortar barrage clears on the hill my infantry move forward hoping to find the MG42 that has been slowing down my forward push knocked out. Incredibly the damned thing survived though there is only one German spotted manning the weapon. The gun is pointed away from my men and I hope to take advantage of this bit of luck. I order my men to keep pushing forward and engage the sole German before he can bring the weapon around. Tiresias continues to tease and taunt me with his Marder. The thing continues to fade in and out of LOS in the back of the village. I now have two 81mm mortars set up in different locations waiting for a clear shot on the Marder. The 37mm ATG is moving slower than I thought but will eventually be in a position to fire into the village as well. Its only a matter of time until I knock out the AFV. TURN 26 Finally the MG42 is silenced for good. Though it took far too much ammunition to kill a single Nazi. What was curious about the whole thing was that once the German swung the MG42 around he pulled out his Mauser and started firing with that instead. Maybe the machine gun was damaged in the barrage. No matter, the way is open to push forward towards the windmills. I intend to spend a couple minutes regrouping and letting my men rest before I start slowly pushing forward looking for Tiresias next line of defense. I've ordered the Priest to start relocating to a position where it can provide support fire into the village. Once the Marder has been neutralized I intend to take the village. Already my infantry is closing in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 TURN 26 Finally the MG42 is silenced for good. Though it took far too much ammunition to kill a single Nazi. What was curious about the whole thing was that once the German swung the MG42 around he pulled out his Mauser and started firing with that instead. Maybe the machine gun was damaged in the barrage. May have had to reload as well, I have seen them on occassion pull a pistol and I expect that is why. Guess they have a moment there where the choice is to reload under fire with the enemy too close or to try and fire back with whatever is available. Your lucky with all the talk of pistols and accuracy he didn't gun down your entire force. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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