Penry Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Turn 31 Awesome little tanks these Shermans! My Davids have brought down one Goliath! :woohoo: It wasn't long before the rounds started flying. My first round partially penetrating BDs northern STuG's lower front hull as it confidently advanced from the forest, causing the commander and another team member to abandon ship! I then peppered the StuG with a load of MG fire, hitting various parts of the tank. A few more main rounds pinged off the front armour, before I scored another partial penetration, this time on the front hull superstructure. Sensing the kill, my boys swamped the STuG with a quick succession of six penetrative hits on its front hull superstructure. Scratch one STuG, and all without a single shot fired in return! Job well done guys, and the perfect way to cheer up your commander after a hard day at work! I think I got another little helping of beginner's luck! Either that or the game must sense that I was under the cosh and on the edge of waving the white flag. Not any more! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Elsewhere BDs northern R35 popped up again, had an attempted chew at some of my infantry, but failed, then sent a main round at my self propelled gun, which was concentrating on trying to bring down BDs southern R35. He got a penetration, but my SPG suffered no serious damage and the turn ended before he could get a second round off...... The only other action was at the bridge. Most of the turn was pretty quiet, as my men were hugging the bridge in fear, but as soon as one popped up there was a hail of bullets from at least three seperate locations around the farmyard. I lost three men in all at the bridge, and my men are still out of command, but hopefully relief will be coming for them soon! Once I've dealt with BDs various armour that is..... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Orders: Two of my Shermans have line of fire on BDs northern R35, so I'm confident that I'll be able to take it out this turn. Two more Shermans I have ordered to hunt forward and try to help take out BDs southern R35, if they can get a line of sight. My last Sherman is ordered up onto my left flank, then to turn and look out across the valley, hopefully at BDs southern R35, if I haven't already taken it out! SPG hunt forward some to try to evade BDs northern R35 and get a line of sight on BDs southern R35. I'm also moving a MG team and a half track up towards my buildings. Soon I need to get some eyes on BDs armour behind the farmyard. My scout in the southern forest will try to cross the road...... I'm feeling way different compared to last turn. Half way through the scenario and it's still up for grabs I think! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baneman Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Before you get too carried away, remember that the short 75 doesn't have a great success rate against the StuG's frontal armour. The StuG's gun isn't an auto kill on a Sherman, either, but if you can't get a flank shot, you might find that two dead Ronsons is getting off lightly. I was going to say "Don't listen to him, Shermans are uber", but I see you've found that out already. Nice going, looks like you're going to turn the tide 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Well, looks like that StuG wasn't as tough as I've found them to be (from both sides). Nice going. What range were those hits at (roughly)? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Thanks Baneman! It's good to be back on the front foot! womble, the STuG was between 380m and 415m, depending on which Sherman I selected. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Ah, that's pretty close range, and I just realised the StuG was facing downslope on what looks like a fairly steep grade, which will have reduced the effective slope of the armour which I think is what generally makes it a chancy proposition for a 75/L40 at medium ranges (500-1000m, say), IME. You picked the right conditions for the engagement! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Not so much picking the right conditions, more like a wounded fighter coming out of his corner with both fists flying, as soon as the bell goes! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baneman Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 ... more like a wounded fighter coming out of his corner with both fists flying, as soon as the bell goes! ...having had brass knuckles slipped onto his hands 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Penry, And just like that, the tide of battle turned. BigDork must be most unhappy with the lousy exchange ratio for his StuG. Dodged a ? on the M3 GMC hit! Am puzzled re Ma Deuce positioning on your Shermans. Was under the impression that the .50 was mounted behind, not in front of, the TC? Certainly, the latter is what the armored rescue in BoB depicted, with the TCs standing on their engine decks behind the turrets. That's an awful lot of additional firepower I'm not sure was available. By comparison, the M10 TD had the .50 mounted on the rear of the turret--and the complaints to prove it. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 The tide has definitely turned good sir. I'm hoping it turns into a tidal wave before long! I have another platoon of tanks due in 14 minutes...... I've no idea about MG placement in these Shermans, if it's an error then I'm glad someone slipped up! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 Turn 32 Du, du, dum, dum, dum, another one bites the dust! I couldn't bloody wait to get home from work to load up this turn, a far cry from how I have been feeling for the previous, I don't know how many, turns! As soon as the turn started BDs northern R35 was slammed into reverse. BD obviously knows that the ball is firmly in my court and wanted to get the hell out of there. As it was reversing it had one last pop at my self propelled gun, but thankfully it's shot fell just short and my heroes lived to fight another turn! I thought for one minute that BDs R35 might just get away before my boys could open fire, but just as it was reversing back over the edge of the forest track my two Shermans unleashed their first shots. The first penetrated its upper front hull, the second penetrated the lower front hull immediately afterwards. The R35 stopped reversing and started to slowly roll forward, back down the forest track. Looks like I got the driver at least! My Shermans then proceeded to subject the R35 to a shower of MG fire, hitting numerous different locations before another main round penetrated the front of its turret. More MG fire rained down on it, before another front turret penetration was immediately followed by another upper front hull penetration and it errupted in flames! Yes, this is more like it! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 On the southern flank my SPG fired three shots at BDs hastily retreating R35, but all three hit the intervening trees and the R35 made good its escape, back into the forest. I'll have to keep an eye out for its return in the near future..... I lost a gunner from one of my half tracks by the bridge, from small arms fire from the farmyard, but other than that there was very little aggression shown by BD. My cowering infantry on the bridge showed signs of recovery, a few running back over the bridge to my side and relative safety, but some small arms fire from the southern forest near the end of the turn put a halt to that, at least temporarily. My halftrack in the ploughed field continued to area fire into the southern forest, which kept at least some of BDs men in there eating dirt. My lone scout in the southern forest safely crossed the road. I'm so wishing that he meets BDs retreating R35 and knocks out the commander with a sneaky head shot! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 Orders: Sherman on the left flank - open fore on the remaining farmhouse. Men and half tracks on the left flank - hunt up the hill. Other two Shermans at the rear - move to left flank. Assorted units around buildings - move up hill, behind the cover of the low stone wall. Half track in ploughed field - continue to suppress southern forest infantry Scout in southern forest - anticipate R35 movement and go for that headshot! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Turn 33 I can see why they were called Ronsons now...... Back to the not so good turns already? Maybe it's just the game keeping our over confidence in check. BD must have been feeling good about himself when his StuGs dominated the battlefield, then I got lucky and took out a STuG and a R35, now I lose a Sherman in return. There's never a dull day at the CM office! The turn started badly when some MG fire came from the farmyard and took out the commander of my left flank Sherman. I guess I should have buttoned my TCs up, but I figured that they would be pretty safe from that distance (265m). Once again I'm amazed at just how accurate BDs fire from the farmyard is! My 0 commander was replaced by a -2 commander and I think that is what lead to my losing the tank! My two advancing half tracks started to take incoming MG fire too and I lost a man in the one closest to the farmyard, forcing the driver to bail out, while the other half track reversed back to the safety of the nearby trees. My Sherman advanced up the hill and took position behind the abandoned half track (against my orders, but a good move I thought) but then, after a few seconds in this good position, carried on and out into the open. He was obviously looking for the armour targets behind the farmyard, but they found him instead! The image below doesn't do the explosion justice and of course you'll have no idea what a noise it made as it echoed around the valley. If I wasn't on the receiving end I'd say it was awesome! The other action took place around the first bridge. I managed to get another team back off the bridge to the safety of the trees, but the last team is still receiving occasional incoming fire from the southern forest, which is preventing them from getting back to safety. What I'm classing as 'safety' might also get a bit hot soon too, as BD started two mortar strikes on the general location (red and yellow stars). One mortar team seems to be located back at the second bridge, the other at the rivers edge by the farmyard. I almost got my 'woop woop' moment this turn, as my lone scout came very close to intercepting BDs withdrawing southern R35. Such a shame that the turn ended before the R35 emerged from the trees, although I'm seriously doubting the eyesight of said scout! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Orders: Evacuate men around the bridge, back to the safety of my buildings..... Reposition one left flank Sherman to near my buildings. Advance two teams on the left flank, leaving the other two in position. Lone scout on left flank to move to behind the low stone wall. I need better eyes on BDs armour behind the farmyard. And of course, lone scout in the southern forest - be a hero! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Penry, Lady Luck's remarkably fickle, I've found. Still, with luck defined as the intersection of preparation and opportunity, I'd say you're making your own luck on the one hand and have been repeatedly lucky on the other, notably with R35 37mm ammo selection by the AI and counterintuitive results of several hits obtained. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Turn 34 A pretty quiet turn - good that I didn't suffer much damage, not so good that I didn't inflict any either! About the only event of note were the impacts of BDs light mortars. Looks like he may be targetting two locations - my entrance to the first bridge, and the small copse where my mortar team were holed up fo a while. Thats's also where my HQ is stationed that is calling in the big strike against the farmyard. Let's hope that they don't get knocked out! I had hoped for some heroics from my lone scout in the south woods, but BDs R35 didn't retreat into his path as expected. Instead he headed back towards the action. Now I've got to play chase! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Orders: Two Shermans and my SPG near river - concentrate on the possible reappearance of BDs southern R35 Lone scout and rifle team in southern forest - converge of southern R35s position too. Men on bridge - get out of there and back to safety Rifle teams on left flank - leapfrog each other up the hill. Sherman on left flank - reposition to near bridge, awaiting the mortar strike in a couple of minutes Other Sherman on left flank - position yourself to the left of my builidings. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexUK Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Hi Penry I was wondering whether your infantry grabbed the bazookas off the half tracks? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Some, but not all. I had wanted to get in range of some of his armour - no such luck yet.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Penry, Did you see the material from the link to the Armored Infantry manual I put up? The bazooka's integral to the Armored Infantry squad and has squad members specifically assigned to operate and load it. When your squad debarks, the bazooka should come with it automatically. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Hmmmm, I don't think they did though. Definitely not the first lot of half tracks. The second lot I ordered to take them as a precaution, so I've no idea if they would have or not. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Hmmmm, I don't think they did though. Definitely not the first lot of half tracks. The second lot I ordered to take them as a precaution, so I've no idea if they would have or not. John's saying you should have the squad Acquire the 'zook as a matter of SOP, not that the game will auto-grab it for you. He might also be implying that the game could in an ideal world be changed so that a disembarking Armoured Infantry squad does auto-grab the Tube. Either road up, if you didn't tell them to snag it, the bazooka will remain in the track. For future reference, it's possibly worth grabbing bazookas in setup; easier to give them to the squads you want to have them, that way. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penry Posted July 12, 2013 Author Share Posted July 12, 2013 :b: Cheers for clarifying. I'll certainly be conscious that it should be SOP in future. Shame it doesn't happen automatically, but them the breaks! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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