ALLIED - CMBN-Market Garden - BETA AAR (the better beta beater reader)

[c3k]

Yeah, that's right children. I'm going into a slugfest with Bil. He asked me to fight him, quite timorously I might add, in a public AAR. I asked GaJ what his thoughts were on the matter. He almost seemed eager to let me do it in his stead. He mentioned something about "a friggin' borg-like woodchipper". Shrug.

I have never battled Bil. I have read his AAR's. His approach is best characterized as one filled with beautiful pictures, trenchant observations, swanky acronyms and and inhuman amount of intel work. My approach will be the opposite. In fact, rather than counting bullets and examining shoulder patches to gather intelligence, I will fight with no intelligence at all!

We have agreed upon a Meeting Engagement on a subpart of an outstanding map called "The Eerde Dunes". I believe Jaws created this masterpiece. If you're not familiar with the battle which occurred there, well, frankly, that means you need to go hit the books. Really. I'll wait.

The terrain is pretty complex. I'll post a screenie, below, but there are a lot of elevation variation. That'll work in my favor. Why? Because I want it to.

My forces:

- I've got the majority of a British Parachute Battalion. Yeah. These guys are great. They've got Stens, Brens, and more Stens. Their morale is awesome. They'll need it.

- Their drawback is their long-range firepower. They're like a stiletto, great for up-close, deadly, ambush and killing work. Yeah, I'm bringing a knife to a gunfight. To assist, I've purchased some machineguns. I'll pass 'em out as needed. Also, there are a few mortars, on map. I don't have time to wait for the FDC to figure things out.

- Attached is a tank platoon. It's a Cromwell troop. Fast tanks. They won't do well against German ubercats, but who does? I have one which is a CS (Close Support) variant. 95mm of HE goodness. I also have a little sweet thang...

Okay, that's about all...except for a brace of these:

A few more notes.

A "balanced" force rests upon the three legs of infantry, armor, and artillery. Well, I will paint a different picture. I've got great infantry and decent armor, but a total paucity of artillery. My easel rests upon two legs. (I'll explain why my nickname is "Tripod" another time. After the kids are in bed.)

My plan is based an ATTACK. My para's, my poor, soon to be bloody, para's, will have to CLOSE with and ENGAGE Bil's forces. Artillery delays won't help. I've got some tubes of 3" mortars, but, c'mon, I've got STENS!

So, fast footwork, the ability to absorb punishment, and the weapons to dish it out in buckets. Nice.

Oh, what's that in back? Tripod? Sheesh. If I have to explain it...

Anyone else? Yes? Oh, objectives. That's a laugh! I DON'T CARE about them. My objective is to KILL BIL. When all his forces are dead, and he is crushed, then the map will belong to me.

(I hope Bil never reads this bit...)

More, anon.

Ken out.

[mjkerner]

OK, bring it on!

[The Steppenwulf]

What are the battlefield dimensions Ken?

[ZPB II]

Blood for the Blood God!!!!!! Crush, kill, maim!!!!!

Build a throne out of skulls and wear a crown made of entrails. Grind those weak girly men into pixie dust!

[MikeyD]

Cool. 'Smack talk'.

[Buzz]

"They're like a stiletto, great for up-close, deadly, ambush and killing work..." depends on the height, thinness, taper, material and color... sorry I was thinking

"My objective is to KILL BIL..." so a good-natured engagement with Stens and stilettos and "pixie dust"!

Ken and Bil are Ready to Rumble Round One of the better beta beater reader

[mjkerner]

It's gonna be a hot one! How hot, Buzz?

[c3k]

Okay, I'm sure those of you looking at both threads are comparing the different styles. Just remember, wars have never been won by powerpoint skills!

I was thinking that Bil will expect me to come at him aggressively. Well, using his own jiujitsu, in a wax-off manuever, I thought I careful move to contact would catch him off guard. But then, I thought he may expect that I would try that. So, in a double-bluff move of great guile, I am attacking.

Note: do NOT purchase a lot of submachineguns for open warfare.

Here's how my forces break out:

A Company is the support company. They've got 4 mortars and some brens and snipers.

B Company has 3 platoons, some piat teams and not much else.

C Company only has 2 platoons. (I sold one off for the pilots. More on them in a bit.)

I bought 4 Vickers attached to the Battalion HQ. So, this Battalion is a BIPOD. Kind of tough to use the classic 2 up and 1 back when you only have 2. So, 2 up it is.

Then I've got my attached tanks. Yeah, Bil being Bil, I am trying one little twist. I purchased a Troop (4) Cromwells. I subbed one Challenger in. C'mon, that's okay. PLUS, I kept the Squadron HQ tank, a Cromwell VIII with a 95mm stubby gun. That may catch him by surprise. (Cromwell was possibly the fastest tank the Brits had. They used them in recce, hence the cavalry terminology.)

Okay, Glider pilots. Here they are:

The US doctrine orphaned their glider pilots. "Hey, Joe, just get in the fight after you land. Do something useful." The Brits expected, and organized, their pilots to fight as a unit after landing. We'll see how these guys do. I expect to find them in a bar, whiskey in hand, cigars burning, with women on their laps by the end of the battle. We'll see...

[c3k]

What are the battlefield dimensions Ken?

Measured in multiples of Sten range?

I just measured it: 1600m x 1600m. (Bil cut it down from Jaws' original big map.)

[c3k]

I have a secondary setup zone up near map central. It looks like a death trap. Therefore, I put a platoon (+) in there. They get a sniper team and an extra Piat team. They'll rush a small farm and maybe get there. That places them in a position in the center of the map which provides some interdiction (with Stens???) or at least some observation.

But even better, they'll be close to this:

I will capture it, or my men will die trying.

[c3k]

This map is tough. I have, however, come up with a PLAN. Keep in mind that perfection is the enemy of good enough. I just hope my plan meets that level.

Here it is:

My right is horrible. The bocage is linear with few gaps. Yeah, I may end up blowing some if needed, but each field can easily absorb a platoon if there's a defender on the far side. I only have 6 manuever platoons. That's not a lot of fields. Plus, plowed fields are HARD to move through. So, my right is good defensive terrain. Not much good could come from attacking there.

I like the mini-Ardennes on my left. So, like the Germans, I will attack out of there. (Don't remind me about all their outcomes.)

I have 2 jeeps and one Bedford lorry. The Battalion Commander (me) will ride into battle as befits his status. That leaves 2 transport vehicles. I'll use them to rush down a road. They may survive.

I gave 'em a decent amount of long range firepower. I want them to seal off the top end of the woods and keep that side of the dunes secure until the rest of the platoon can slog up there.

The tanks move up on each side.

My goal is to hold on my right, using the pilots as a distraction. Hey, they may get lucky. (I told them their mission was vital, absolutely vital, to the outcome of the war. Silly sods.) A few snipers and some men from C Coy and that's my orange line.

My green circle is the platoon in the forward zone. They'll grab the farmstead and play it by ear after that. I don't have a clue where Bil's objectives are. I think these guys will be the first to grapple with him. I've split them into teams and staggered their movement times. Good luck, chaps.

The flankers in the jeep (battalion 2nd in command: he has a wireless set) and truck will go to the yellow circle.

Everyone else, blue circle, moves about that way.

It ain't much, but it's better than nothing...

Ken

[Baneman]

They don't rotate ???!!

Gutted, you can kiss my pre-order goodbye !

( I don't give a monkeys of course, but someone was bound to say that, thought I'd be first )

Looking forward to this, hope it goes well.

[Buzz]

"I was thinking that Bil will expect me to come at him aggressively. Well, using his own jiujitsu, in a wax-off manuever, I thought I careful move to contact would catch him off guard. But then, I thought he may expect that I would try that. So, in a double-bluff move of great guile, I am attacking."

"I expect to find them in a bar, whiskey in hand, cigars burning, with women on their laps by the end of the battle. "

My kinda fighting! And we get .... jiujitsu, wax-offs and double-bluff moves of great guile.... but wait till we get stiletto, up-close, deadly, ambush and killing work...

"It's gonna be a hot one! How hot, Buzz?"

Depends on the height, thinness, taper, material and color... but RED.... really HOT RED.... just like FIRE! Ken begs you to BURN!

[A Canadian Cat]

- Their drawback is their long-range firepower. They're like a stiletto, great for up-close, deadly, ambush and killing work.

This is going to be great.

I am confused about one thing. Can you clarify: what good high heels are going to be against Bill?

[sburke]

Okay Quentin, why is this thread not called Kill Bil 3? And where will Uma Thurman attack? Damn would that ever surprise Bil and be properly bloody.

[Buzz]

"I am confused about one thing. Can you clarify: what good high heels are going to be against Bill?"

Stilettos distract ... close in with stens = kill Bil?

[Jaws]

We have agreed upon a Meeting Engagement on a subpart of an outstanding map called "The Eerde Dunes". I believe Jaws created this masterpiece. If you're not familiar with the battle which occurred there, well, frankly, that means you need to go hit the books. Really. I'll wait.

Lol I was checking the AAR and thought.. hmm I know that map

Thx And Good Luck!

[c3k]

The post count is too low. I feel pressured to do something rash in order to take the lead from Bil. Victory in all things at all times!

[Buzz]

The post count is too low. I feel pressured to do something rash in order to take the lead from Bil. Victory in all things at all times!

Post an image of the stiletto up-close, deadly, ambush killing work

Count will salute. Get in their and get some Ken!

[umlaut]

They don't rotate ???!!

This module is fundamentally flawed!!

(someone had to say that too)

[Sequoia]

They don't rotate ???!!

Gutted, you can kiss my pre-order goodbye !

( I don't give a monkeys of course, but someone was bound to say that, thought I'd be first )

Looking forward to this, hope it goes well.

Now I don't know squat about windmills but is it possible they normally didn't rotate even in a good wind unless they were actually at work grinding grain to save on wear?

[Tempestzzzz]

Will the maps have polder? If so how will they effect movement. I didn't see it listed so I imagine not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polder

[Baneman]

Now I don't know squat about windmills but is it possible they normally didn't rotate even in a good wind unless they were actually at work grinding grain to save on wear?

Haven't got the foggiest notion, you may be right, but the opposite could also be true ie. they clutch them to rotate, but without operating the grindstones, to save possible damage to the sails from wind.

Windmill grogs ! Where are you ??

[Buzz]

There probably are Windmill grogs on this forum. I don't know. Wouldn't the clutch just engage the grindstone inside not the external wind vanes?

[PvtW]

The sails on de wind vanes can be rolled up, to lower the speed of the mill rotating. And If I translate correctly. They use a stick to remove the brakes on the upperwheel and the mill can start rotating. The manually aim the mill in the right direction by spinning a huge wheel.