Battle in Progress; Really Interesting

[apoll]

So..in a quick battle as the Germans...practising all the things I've injected over the past weeks. I've got a Panzergrenadier Bn, and I am pushing three Coys through heavy tree lines. Based on previous experience, I have LOTS of off map artillery support..so I can shave my pixeltruppen with storms of artillery fire, and, also based on experience and advice here, I am being very careful to husband my FOs, making sure they are protected and NOT in the van all the time. Anyway, there is a village in the centre, surrounded on three sides by high ground. I push one coy to the left, and one to the right, with one coy in reserve. My recon spots the fact that the centre village is populated with enemy. Even more amazingly, when my right coy pushes through the forest on the right, the enemy quits the tree line and high tail it into the village! Amazing. I bring up the FO, and four MG teams, and start laying down a suppressing fire on two sides. Bear in mind that the village is in low ground in the centre, and I dominate the high ground. It I'd key terrain, because whomever holds it smiles the village untenable. I now bring a full artillery strike and crump the village, and the troops in it. The Russians are seen running across open ground, and it I'd like potting rabbits! Pretty dumb move by the AI. Anyway, this phase is just about over, and the next phase is about to begin. I have only sustained light cas so far, but one voyage is just about out of ammo. This will hold whats left of the village while the reserve coy pushes through along the high ground for the next phase.

Lessons I've learnt:

1) make sure one has lot of artillery support and at least two FO teams, mounted to make moving around the battlefield quicker, BUT, dismount them to crawl forward to call in fire.

2) ensure the FOs are not in the van, rather just behind, ready to be called up to bring in fire on targets already spotted.

3) when playing real time, hit the stop button frequently and issue orders frequently.

4) use the basics; use one coy to lay down suppressing fire and the other to close in.

5) this time, I actually did lots of terrain analysis, and it was pretty obvious what my routes would be. But what was really important, and surprisingly critical, was to have a clear idea of what I wanted to do. Changed everything. In this case, it was a meeting engagement, and I interpreted my mission as finding the enemy and destroying himself. Which meant I actually did not have to seize any terrain, which in turn meant I could stay on the ridges and plaster the enemy, and I did not have to go to the trouble of expensive house to house combat, and in will run a country mile before I engage in such difficult combat.

Anyway, some thoughts...and many thanks to those who are offering advice, and continue to do so. One question: how does one know WHICH unit has spotted an enemy contact? Doesn't seem to be an immediately apparent sign of who actually has eyes on. Thanks in advance.

Apoll

[apoll]

PS: I HATE auto speller!! First sentence should read..." All the things I've injested over the past weeks.." I'm no junkie!!

Apoll

[Vanir Ausf B]

Freudian slip, I suspect

Anyway, some thoughts...and many thanks to those who are offering advice, and continue to do so. One question: how does one know WHICH unit has spotted an enemy contact? Doesn't seem to be an immediately apparent sign of who actually has eyes on. Thanks in advance.

Click on the enemy unit. The icon(s) for any friendly unit(s) that currently have it spotted will turn a lighter shade of color.

[apoll]

Ok. Thanks Vanir Ausf B! Got it.

apoll

[MikeyD]

Click on the enemy unit.

Yes that REALLY comes in handy. Whenever I have my men spread across the front and an enemy pop up is so difficult to figure out which unit spotted it. Click on the enemy unit and the one unit that's spotting him lights up like a lightbulb.

[poesel]

Would be nice if we could do that with contacts as well. Quite interesting to know who heard or suspected the enemy.

[Vanir Ausf B]

Agreed.

There is sort-of a way to do it, although it's a pain in the butt. During the replay (WEGO, obviously) stop the playback at the moment the contact first appears. Then cycle through your units using the + or - keys until you find the one that detected it.

[A Canadian Cat]

Nice post. It is a good feeling when you start to get it and make progress - I remember it well. Don't forget that feeling because even when you do the right thing you can still find your self holding your ass in your hands