RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN - 1st MISSION - SPOILERS

[Erwin]

Finished this mission yesterday (in over-time). Minor Victory (RT - Warrior). Really enjoyed it. It's great to see a larger scenario than one usually has seen in CM2. The default terrain and units look good out of the box. Wonderful challenges and multiple strategies possible, so fairly replayable.

Only two disappointments: 1) Steve says the other missions are smaller(!!) 2) I never got to use my flamers at all! Getting any of the 6(?) flamers close enuff to use vs any enemy was not required to get my Minor Victory. And I went 5 or so minutes overtime so, I was pressed for time.

** SPOILERS**

One has to cross a river, which doesn't seem well defended so was quite easy. Then get into woods asap, and the it's a question of rolling up through lines of woods separated from each other by a lot of open space (covered by Axis fire - guns, MG's and arty). So, once committed to a set of trees, it's hard/time-consuming to switch units to another axis of attack.

What I concluded re tactics, is that keeping the Russians in full squads was not advisable. They made a bigger target, if the first guy walked into a minefield, the others followed. (The rest should just stop, surely?) Same thing with ambushes. It could quickly lead to 30% casualties within seconds. And I accidentally set this to RT play(!) so I could PAUSE any time I wanted. (I don't recommend this in RT btw. Too large to command more than a fraction effectively imo.)

Casualties really don't seem to matter. However, I would split all the Russian "front line" squads and conduct recon with the smallest teams to locate minefields and enemy ambush sites, killing fields etc.

I found the LHS tree "line" to be the best approach. I was able to get behind the German lines this way, and after overcoming the initial defenses, reached the undefended 3rd objective fairly easily. Then I turned around and hit the 2nd line from the rear. All that was accomplished with one company.

All the other companies in the center and right flanks were stymied by arty and a more integrated Axis defense, making it much harder going. IIRC, the center company did get to the 1st objective, but couldn't make it to the 2nd. And it didn't matter much.

The SU's were somewhat useful, but it was hard to get long range LOS to most Axis defenses. The Soviet arty had plenty of ammo left at the end. I really should have used more HE. I used very little smoke, since the woods blinded both sides effectively anyway.

Perhaps I should have used all the smoke to create a large screen and simply rushed my Russian hordes into close combat with the Axis, since there were not that many enemy in any one defense position. If I could get enuff Russians close enough to fire, the Axis broke easily. If I ever replay WEGO, I may try that.

[ridethe415]

I got a minor victory but with 41% dead, and 30% wounded. Brutal.

I used the LHS as well.

Did not get to use flamers.

The ground was horrible and fatigued my men constantly.

Never even got past Area 2.

Germany artillery was way too accurate for a wooded area. I know they could have used TRPs, but they always seemed to find my guys as they dashed across open terrain.

German defenders were definitely tenacious buggers.

[Pelican Pal]

I sent all three companies up the LHS. I pushed hard and as a company got used up cycled it out with the follow on company.

I captured the first line and third line. I managed to capture half of the second line but ran out of time before I could get a decent push going. The terrain left my men utterly exhausted and in no real state to press an attack against a determined enemy.

[ridethe415]

I sent all three companies up the LHS. I pushed hard and as a company got used up cycled it out with the follow on company.

I realized too late that this would have been the best method to break through. What kind of casualties did you sustain?

[Pelican Pal]

The first company was all but put out of action with something like 70% casualties. Although they were able to get me parallel to the second line.

The second company was able to push to the undefended third line and capture a portion of the second line while sustaining 50% casualties.

The third company suffered almost no losses, however I brought them up late and they were stopped several times by mortar bombardments interdicting their advance. Which means they arrived at the second line utterly exhausted and with only minutes left in the game.

Most of my losses were taken while trying to take the position parallel to the second line. The left most fortified position of the second line was able to enfilade my advance with LMG fire and a particularly deadly Pak.