LongLeftFlank Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 And the Anzio bridgehead was held / At the cost of a few hundred ordinary lives 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobo Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I have enjoyed this AAR so much I bit the bullet and purchased (I think) the entire CMBN family of products. If anybody wants an easy-fun H2H game send me a PM. We may be able to get a game in before Ken finishes downloading this turn:} 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Turn 25:00 to 24:00 Whirling winds, piats, sawdust, and a dictionary. I'm going to throw a slew of pix up... 6 pages, with 5 screenies per page. 30 screenshots of goodness! I will withhold any commentary. Ask if you have a question on what you see. A lot of little actions. Again. More furious action as my paras continue to stop Bil's armored (armoured) Hunnish hordes!... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Turn 25:00 to 24:00, cont... Piat HQ against the world... Oh, you want MORE piat vs. wirbelwind action? Okay... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Turn 25:00 to 24:00, cont. As the Piat shell rotates... Piat's seem ineffective. That sounds like carping, I know. But it's getting a bit ridiculous. Supposedly the Piat can penetrate 3"-4" of armor. (Angle matters. Sure, the initial 100mm rating dropped to 91mm, but that's splitting hairs. 9mm thick hairs, but still, it's not critical here.) It seems my piats are a bit nerfed. Once or twice is one thing. All these? Bah. I'll test...later. Meantime, there's MORE! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Turn 25:00 to 24:00, cont... Another Piat turn! Back to the windmill... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Turn 25:00 to 24:00, still... Is there anything left to post? Ah, yes, a few... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Turn 25:00 to 24:00 Some planning pix for next turn (and some leftovers from this replay) Bread for the masses... In sum, it could've been better. I'll crack open a piat round and see if the factory is shorting the explosive fill. Of course, it could've been worse. My enemy is Bil. I think he gets the sense that Piats will fly! The only question is whether or not he thinks they're a deterrent. I'll be rationalizing my town defense a bit more thoroughly. (More lateral LOF's, backup positions, etc. The usual.) Tick tock. Another turn down. Still no assaulting infantry. Once the attack begins, I'm counting on 5 minutes of resistance, and hoping for 10. Then it'll be hunt and skulk. Ken out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexUK Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 It would be really good to know your thought process to plotting those artillery strikes - why now, why there, how flexible will you be in cancelling/adjusting fire. What's the group noun for failed PIAT hits? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 AlexUK, Arty strikes: they've been there for about 4-5 turns. Maybe more. Once I saw that Bil was looking like he'd use that zone for his attack, I called for the hits. Criteria: I needed an in-LOS location for the area fire! I wanted to use an HQ which wouldn't be displaced during the on-call process. That limited me a little. Next, I want to shape Bil's actions. A wall is a wall. A wall with an opening is a kill sack! The front one denies Bil's edge hugging proclivities. (Tongue in cheek, that.) The rear arty denies a sheltered forming up zone. Edge arty makes that route possibly costly. The gap between them is sooo inviting. If Bil moves that way, his men will face more of my defense and be in a worse location for further attack on the town. That will let me "leverage" me left-wing platoon firepower. He'll either have to plunge into a non-objective part of the town, or move laterally across the face of my defense in terrain with poor cover. The timing of the two arty concentrations will be problematic. (I've beefed up my right flank a little, just to deny that edge. Battalion HQ in the Church, etc.) Either that, or I just wanted to see things go "boom!!" Failed piat hits? Hmm...Maybe that's where the Brits came up with "squash head" as a type of anti-tank round. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfhand Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 As the unofficial 2nd for Mr. Emrys, who doesn't play h2h, I have answered Ken's challenge. I give Ken credit for bravery under fire... but that's about it. His cares not one whit for the safety of his charges as the following clip will demonstrate. He is also careless about the safekeeping of his pbem password, which he foolishly tried to hide from me in an email, but I, like the legend I am seconding for, am too clever (by half?) for him. Unbeknownst to Ken I used that password to see how frightfully he has mismanaged the battalion of infantry he was charged with. When I first saw his setup i was reminded of the planes at Pearl Harbor... the man is utterly reckless. I give you: Fortress Emrys (a short film by sfhand - who is obviously not a professional cameraman) http://youtu.be/UlN8SyRQFv4 Note the wasteful use of his AT assets and gamey area firing without contact icons. No, Ken, there are no tanks there, but what are you going to do later if some should appear? Huh? Challenge accepted and answered (plus a little bit of payback for the hurt he's been putting on me in our real game) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Man I almost pissed myself on that video. rotflmao 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Edited to make the following, parenthetical: (Yeah, I knew it would be ugly. I did say that he could make the map and pick my forces. "Form squares!" I was desperately trying to blast a hole in the bocage, to no avail.) There, that edit is done. The main game. During that entire turn, I lost one man...I think. From one of the bren teams in the town center. I've lost a few here and there. Really, it's not for me to count. Other than my drib-drab recce cum failed assault on the windmill, and the men in Gutter Corner field, and a few other men here and there, I haven't had many losses. Other than tanks. Bil's firing on the town has caused amazingly few casualties. I lost 2 men (the Glider Flight HQ) in the steeple; and then a few singles here and there, maybe a total of 10 or so. Importantly, my UNITS are still whole and in the fight. (Counting the ones I know about and remember, I come up with 5. This refers to the Town Center only.) I'm eager to see if I can hunt down Jaggie 241 and Lucky Panther next turn (or two). Meanwhile, the clock keeps marching on! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Bil's firing on the town has caused amazingly few casualties. I lost 2 men (the Glider Flight HQ) in the steeple; and then a few singles here and there, maybe a total of 10 or so. Importantly, my UNITS are still whole and in the fight. (Counting the ones I know about and remember, I come up with 5. This refers to the Town Center only.) That is because you don't have any halftracks to assign them to be gunners for. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Random thoughts... Flak vs. CS tank: Flak will win. Better optics, a shower of shells. My tank took the flak by surprise, but the spray of mg fire didn't affect the flak. I probably should pull the tank back, but the very thought of retreat makes me feel ill. Too late, anyway: the die is cast! Halftrack gunners: they seem very vulnerable, no? However, my guys are unsuppressed, high experience level, scoped marksmen. (At least, the guys who've been getting most of the gunner kills.) I'm okay with the results, thus far. My 3" mortars: I should probably stop tossing ammo at the windmill. It is fun, though! I'll keep it up... I've got to decide what to do with No. 4 Platoon. They've not much use in their farmhouse, but they do stake out some ground which is important. I can't leave a vacuum there. I'd abhor it. Far left flank: it's a bit of a stalemate. If my CS tank can kill the flak, then it can turn on the 251/10 by the pond. That would isolate jerry over by Gutter Corner. If I can do that, I may send in my unhorsed tank crews to take him. Have you seen the wound a webley makes? Jeep and a Jaggie: It'd be kind of fun to drive donuts around Jaggie 241. I can imagine a dust screen, created by a man-made tornado as the jeep whirls about. (Cyclonic direction, of course.) That may allow my exposed Nessiefield Piat to kill the Jaggie. Obviously their piat would be worthless: they'd have to enter the jaggie and engage in hand to hand combat. Speaking of Nessiefield Piat, they -seem- exposed in that corner I'm sending them towards. Their escape plan, if they come under fire, revolves around a tripartite combination: getting into the soy field (whatever those greens are); having Town Piat distract, damage, or destroy Jaggie 241; using the Bait Jeep to conduct a fast extraction, similar to SEAL's and zodiacs with the lasso technique, but on land. If Bil has a long-range LOS, then they'll just take their lumps. All their orders hinge on Jaggie 241 being their only threat. Have I missed anything? Ken 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfhand Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Random thoughts... Jeep and a Jaggie: It'd be kind of fun to drive donuts around Jaggie 241. ... I did just that in CMx1 with a greyhound once... it was great fun (It's better with an M8 because it can shoot back, what's that? You don't have an M8? Oh snap!) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 c3k, Based on your appalling PIAT terminal effectiveness, have you considered recalling the Spanish Inquisition to investigate, rigorously, the telltale smell of brimstone coming from Bil's HQ?! Judging by your results, it's a wonder "Smokey" Smith managed to even damage a Panther, let alone kill two and two SPGs. Would imagine you got really awful damage "die rolls" for every single PIAT hit. That Wirbelwind should be dead, dead, dead! Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 No one ever expects the inquisition! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 As the unofficial 2nd for Mr. Emrys, who doesn't play h2h, I have answered Ken's challenge. I give Ken credit for bravery under fire... but that's about it. His cares not one whit for the safety of his charges as the following clip will demonstrate. He is also careless about the safekeeping of his pbem password, which he foolishly tried to hide from me in an email, but I, like the legend I am seconding for, am too clever (by half?) for him. Unbeknownst to Ken I used that password to see how frightfully he has mismanaged the battalion of infantry he was charged with. When I first saw his setup i was reminded of the planes at Pearl Harbor... the man is utterly reckless. I give you: Fortress Emrys (a short film by sfhand - who is obviously not a professional cameraman) http://youtu.be/UlN8SyRQFv4 Note the wasteful use of his AT assets and gamey area firing without contact icons. No, Ken, there are no tanks there, but what are you going to do later if some should appear? Huh? Challenge accepted and answered (plus a little bit of payback for the hurt he's been putting on me in our real game) Heh, heh. A man after my own heart (or lack of it). Well done, sir! The Nazi scum receive their just desserts! Such an efflorescence of red crosses I cannot recall ever seeing before! Tell me, were those airbursts 155 mm? They certainly did the job. I think you may be looking at an early promotion. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ithikial_AU Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 That vid... Imagine after the first round hits. Survivors - We live! Oh crap. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfhand Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Well, since Ken doesn't seem to be posting today (yet), here's what was used in the video: one each: 14" Battleship 8" Heavy Cruiser 240mm Howitzer (personnel setting) 203mm Gun (personnel setting) plus one trp Overkill, to say the least. When I playtested it (hotseat) I got down to ground level with the troops, needless to say this game is awesome... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostRider3/3 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Oh that does suck. Been there before - we all have. What did the hit text say for that one? Was it a penetrating hit? Since Zimmerit adds about 8mm of Paste..LOL I would say that round hit the Schürzen which has a good chance to defeat HEAT rounds. Either way it takes balls for infantry to stand up to Armor. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 I was forced to wean myself from all things elecromagnetic due to exigencies beyond my control. I am back. My men fight. I'll post this summary a bit differently. No "in picture" comments or notes. (A minor technical issue.) Instead, I'll comment on the pictures, as appropriate, beneath them. Turn 24:00 to 23:00 Jaggie 241 The Town Piat team gained the position I'd hoped. They fired....and missed, short. Behind Jaggie 241, Piat Nessiefield moves towards their position. A view behind Jaggie 241 Town Piat takes another shot! And it's even shorter. Sigh. They are now out of ammo. The other two piat teams in their unit each have 9 or so rounds. That's 18 to share amongst 3 shooting units. I'll have to get this team near to the guys with ammo. This shows the range that Nessiefield Piat is looking to reduce. They've got to get closer. Much closer. They have been ordered to do just that. More... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 Turn 24:00 to 23:00 My left flank Piat team. They're tired, but they've got a good target selection. They adjust their aim after their miss last turn... Piat round fired! Where will it land? A stummel stumped! Hit right on it! Sweet shot. Hmmm, still up? The stummel isn't burning or evacuating. Green base? Let's see if it is damaged, later. Perhaps FOW keeps me from seeing the results of that impact. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 Turn 24:00 to 23:00 More Town Views This shows the end turn state. I lost one man pulling out of Endhouse. A burst of 20mm quad fire from the sdkfz7 flak in Bil's deep center backfield landed there. Bad luck, that. The team is now 3 stens. They'll be useful more in the center-right of my town defense, so that's where they go. I think Bil's route to gain entry to the town will be along the edge (of course! ) using the copses of trees to give some cover to his infantry. I've pulled the one arty concentration closer. (Actually, it was like that last turn, the entire time I was writing about making a wall with a door! D'oh!) Bil's men are not staying where I thought they may, so this will at least make the arty more useful. It's only 3" mortars, but it's better than nothing... Nessiefield Piat is visible, highlighted icon, in the bottom right position amid the fields. A close view reveals their movement order. It's putting them WAY out on a limb. More... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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