Bil Hardenberger Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Hmmm, not looking good for my guess Never give up hope! If anybody is wondering what Baneman is referring to... early in the game I lost two Tigers, I then asked how many of the remaining five Tigers people thought I would lose... here are the active guesses: Panther missing every shot ?! Remarkable - are they Green or somesuch ? Weapon mount penetration is usually a maingunKO - do you know or will you just stealthily re-man it later ? Nope, gun not KOed.. as for remanning.. time will tell. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Bill, As always very nice screenshots with efficient markings and to the point explanations. Me like. Three questions: 1. Would you please be so kind as to inform me which grid-mod you are using? Why mine of course http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1148 2. Can you provide us with an overall-picture? Next turn report I'll do that. 3. What's your opinion on the uncanny PzkwIV loss-ratio? Bad luck, maybe? Or bad positioning (sorry, no offence intended ), or are the IV's already obsolete at this stage in the war? As George says yeah, the Pz-IVs are at a real disadvantage at this time frame... I was not as careful with them as I could have been and am using them to identify the enemy locations so I can react with my heavies. So the severe Pz-IV losses are mainly my fault I'm afraid. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noob Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 2. Can you provide us with an overall-picture? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noob Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 2. Can you provide us with an overall-picture? [ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 The Forty Fifth Minute Well after three turns of hits and penetrations the Panther finally was destroyed by the Firefly across the map. I did manage to reman the tank in an attempt to save it, but they bailed several seconds later after a couple more penetrations and the loss of two crew. It wasn't until this turn that I discovered the Firefly that was hit by Iriohn several turns ago was actually knocked out. In front of the Jpz sit the last Firefly and a Sherman III... going to get hectic very soon. Here is the situation on the left. Note the Pz-IV platoon moving in on the flank of the Sherman III and Wittmann moving up on the Firefly's flank. The situation on the right. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George MC Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Yours :- P Never! My brave panzerwaffe truppen are fighting to the bitter end! Vorwarts! :mad: He! It's a ding dong fight though 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 The Forty Sixth Minute This scenario is full of these little vignettes, and is the main reason I wanted to share this battle with you. High Noon This gunfight starts with three Pz-IVs facing off against two in place Sherman IIIs... Pz-IVs a and b are advancing to the bocage line while Pz-IV c will be coming in on a wide flank. Warren has his Shermans well placed and makes me pay with the loss of Pz-IV a at the beginning of the fight. Pz-IV c fires on the move and impressively knocks out Sherman III b. At this point we were even... Pz-IV b and Sherman III a trade several shots while this was going on, at the end of the turn the Sherman wins the face off as it dials in the range first, destroying the Pz-IV. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noob Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Never! My brave panzerwaffe truppen are fighting to the bitter end! Vorwarts! :mad: I think "bitter" and "end" are apt :- ) He! It's a ding dong fight though True, now we just need to determine who is going to go "ding", and who is going to go "dong" :- ) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George MC Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Well with the new sound effects I installed (Waclaws' worth checking out) it sounds like your are doing most of the dinging I'm at work just now so no turns from me till i get back in this evening. Least ways you seem to have competent artillery spotters... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seedorf81 Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Noob, :D (And this text is just because I need at least ten digits in my reply..) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noob Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Well with the new sound effects I installed (Waclaws' worth checking out) it sounds like your are doing most of the dinging I too regard "dong" as a pejorative :- ) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 The Forty Seventh Minute High Noon - The Finish Continuing on from last turn, Pz-IV c, again firing on the move, hits and knocks out Sherman III a that killed two of my Pz-IVs last turn. In an illustration of what makes this scenario so frustrating... Warren's remaining Firefly, perhaps the last tank on the left side of the map, reverses and takes out Pz-IV c. So all five of the tanks, three Pz-IVs and the two Sherman IIIs were lost in that shootout. Damned Firefly. In a bastardization of a famous quote: "they sacrificed themselves like samurai these Panzer IVs." However, the Firefly has to be getting really worried... it sits seemingly alone with Tigers, Panthers, and a Jpz quickly closing in. Eventually I'm going to have a turn where I get more kills than he does.. right? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 The Forty Ninth Minute I wanted to finish the saga on the left side before the battle moves into its next phase, so here goes... After three penetrations from the Jpz the Firefly is finally knocked out. Warren just sat him in that spot and tried to defend against all comers.. however it caused no further damage to my forces. The Right Side On the right side I have started to really push my infantry and their accompanying panzers forward, the main reason is that I do not want Warren to be able to throw all of his tanks against my left side force... I am making a lot of noise in the hopes that the armor directly across from me will stay in place. With the death of the last Firefly on the left (as far as I know), I feel very confident that I have control of the left side of the map. Here is the current blood Board: Counter-attack!! I have been afraid of this happening since very early in the game... Warren is starting to push armor across the map to counter-attack in an attempt to hit my force in the flank. Right now it looks like a single platoon is on the move, but I doubt for one second that it will only be one.. I expect perhaps a full Company of armor to come barreling across the map. I doubt one platoon of Shermans would do much damage, an entire Company however... I intend to react as indicated in the following image.. my Tigers and Panthers will pivot to engage the counter-attacking force from the North, the Pz-IVs I have in the first objective will take up blocking positions outside the walls, and finally my reserve Pz-IV unit (6 tanks) will advance at top speed and attack the enemy force in the flank. Should be exciting, no? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George MC Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Ah looking forward to this next bit I managed to fox my oppo, who thought all my Panthers were on my left flank. Unknown to him I managed to pull em out of the line and move them back around to the centre. When his attack came rolling in it first met my PzIVs then bumped the fast moving Panthers and Tigers. Gave for a wee Kursk like tank battle all set in a small field. You read Ken Touts book 'Tank' Bil? It's set during this very action. Worth checking out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noob Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 I managed to fox my oppo, who thought all my Panthers were on my left flank. Unknown to him I managed to pull em out of the line and move them back around to the centre. When his attack came rolling in it first met my PzIVs then bumped the fast moving Panthers and Tigers. Gave for a wee Kursk like tank battle all set in a small field. The irony was that you ended up foxing yourself :- ) I was actually relieved when your Panthers took on my Sherman attack on your right. They were going to be a big problem where they were originally. Also, it cost you time to move them, and it left the PzIV's on your left exposed. In fact, I only wish I had deliberately instigated the Sherman attack specifically to attract your Panthers ;- ) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Remain resolute in this grapple. Zero Tigers will fall. Never give up Bill! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George MC Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 The irony was that you ended up foxing yourself :- ) Hhmm.... Not sure about that. I'm no that bright 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 The Fifty First Minute - Part 1 A few turns later and this is the situation... there are now two platoons moving across the map with the hopes of hitting me in the flank. I am in the midst of repositioning with the Tigers and Panthers across the left side of the enemy force, and the Pz-IV platoon from Gaumesnil blocking the right. The Pz-IV Reserve (6 tanks) is moving up fast but it could be a few turns before they enter the fray.. I do not think Warren knows this formation exists. My forward most Panther starts the killing when it puts a shell through a Sherman III which becomes a smoking wreck. Next a Pz-IV from the Gaumesnil area spots the lead Sherman III from the trio (in the top image) it fires and leaves another smoking tank on the field. So far so good! However, all did not go my way this turn as one of Warren's Fireflies spots a Pz-IV by Gaumesnil and takes it out. These Fireflies are simply murder. Wittmann gets in on the action as well taking out a third Sherman III. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 The Fifty First Minute - Part 2 Another Firefly, right at the end of the turn destroys one of my precious Panthers. So at the end of this turn here is the current situation... note the two platoons Warren has in firing positions behind his flanking force. Also note the Sideshow on the back of the map.. this is my infantry company and their accompanying armor. Some armor reinforcements had come in back there in the last few turns and they are on the move. More on that as things develop. Blood Board I am starting to pull even... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Holy armoured warfare, Batman! How many tanks? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George MC Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Holy armoured warfare, Batman! How many tanks? Not enough! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 The Fifty Second Minute - Part 1 At the very end of last turn, Iriohn's Tiger had fired on and penetrated this Sherman III.. I didn't know it's fate until I fired up this turn... These images show my movement during this turn.. the Pz-IV reserve moves forward while the blocking force of Tigers and Panthers moves back slightly to get out from under the guns Warren has along the hedgeline and in the edge of the woods backing up his counter-attack. My Panther starts off the show with a neat kill on another Sherman III. One of the Tigers gets in on the action seconds later with another Sherman III kill. On the enemy formation's flank, a Sherman III holds its ground while my Pz-IV reserve advances... he quickly fires and immobilizes one tank. This Pz-IV is not out of the fight, it has spots a few of Warren's tanks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 The Fifty Second Minute - Part 2 Kister's Tiger if you will remember was penetrated by one of Warren's Fireflies on the left losing two crew several turns ago during the left side attack... well they get even this turn by knocking out this Firefly: Towards the end of the turn this little drama played out... Warren's flank Sherman III and one of my Pz-IV reserve tanks open fire almost simultaneously... in the bottom image you can actually see the rounds passing each other... ...as time ran out my Pz-IV was knocked out, while Warren''s Sherman III was penetrated but I could not tell whether it was knocked out or not yet. This image shows the state of Warren's counter-attack force of two platoons at this point.. note that only two tanks remain, the Sherman III that was was penetrated at turn end, and a Firefly. This Firefly was reversing at turn end as it had been hit a couple times and penetrated once... two of my Pz-IV reserve force have it in their sights. The current Blood Board shows that the pendulum is swinging back my way. Not a bad turn at all. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bil Hardenberger Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 The Fifty Third Minute The last Firefly from Warren's counter-attack force was frantically backing up and popping smoke at the beginning of this turn. It was targeted by two of my Pz-IVs, penetrated at least three times until my immobilized Pz-IV got off the killing shot. The Sheman III that had killed one of my reserve Pz-IVs and immobilized another finally falls to a third Pz-IV this turn... this tank was fired on and penetrated another three times, from three other Pz-IVs in quick succession after it had already started smoking. This was the last survivor of the two platoons that attempted the cross field counter-attack. Iriohn's Tiger gets a spot on one of the Sherman IIIs in Warren's support by fire line killing it after three shots, but with the first hit. On the top right of this image can be seen the smoking remnants of Warren's counter-attack force. In the South, I have one Jpz section maneuvering on the Firefly and Sherman III in the treeline in front of the infantry Company, a Pz-IV section is in overwatch, with another section moving forward along with a Marder. The second Jpz section is moving towards the area where the counter attack happened to help with that effort. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevJack Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Bill....mostly long time lurker really enjoying your 'aar'....your descriptions along with the Pics are well done and add a lot. Look forward to see how things turn out! Thanks again! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.