Another example of CM kicking butt...

[Guest Big Time Software]

While playing head to head on the same map as mentioned in the "UNLEARN" thread, my little US outpost unit (the one that got wiped out) did only part of its job of spotting the enemy. It heard a bunch of stuff, and saw glimpses of other things, but was a Green unit and didn't get much solid info in the minute or two before it was wiped out. Before it was routed it thought it saw one light armored vehicle (in reality the Puma), and one heavy armored vehicle (which was the Jagdpanther). It also spotted some infantry (type unknown, but were in fact SS) and heard some more units in the woods (type unknown, but obviously infantry of some sort). Then the unit was snuffed out and further information gathering ended.

The cool thing is that at this point the US player had little hard information to go on. All that was known was that at least 2 armored vehicles (of different unknown types) and about a dozen infantry units were on the move through the area. Had the outpost been better trained/experienced it might have made more discoveries, including the unit types and the fact that a third armored vehicle (the second Jagdpanther) was also in the area.

I can tell you, if I hadn't designed the scenario I would have been "scared" as the US player. Think about it. Your little outpost hears something, then sees something, and then all Hell breaks loose. Before you can figure out what is going on, the spotting unit is snuffed and all is quiet again. And yet you really still don't know what hit you! If this had been real life the platoon guarding the little farmhouse further down the road would have heard all the noise, including the bark of both the 50mm gun on the Puma and the 88 on the Jagdpanther. They would know that in a few minutes the same thing was going to happen to them. I'm sure they would have been none to pleased. This tension is captured VERY well in the game. I feared for those poor bastards around the farmhouse. I could only hope that they would put up a good fight and then retreat.

Steve

[Guest John Maragoudakis]

If I were the commander I would only have hoped they lasted a little longer to feed me back some info for a counter attack. But since they lasted for a couple of minutes, I would guess that it was one mother of a group that is headed this way.

1) Set out some scouts to verify axis of advance and the enemy's flank.

2) Setup an ambush between the threat and any valuable objectives.

3) Place a counterstrike to the flanks and revenge the outpost.

CM does rock.

PS If I was the US player, I would try to place the platoon in the farmhouse to a spot that was in view of the outpost. This way the platoon can see how the outpost died and pass on that info.

Same goes for scouts. they're out there to get info. I would keep them far apart but within sight so that if any of them died, at least the others saw what happenned.

[This message has been edited by John Maragoudakis (edited 06-07-99).]

[Guest John Maragoudakis]

Now if I was the enemy, I would change direction. The outpost is dead but the other side might have gotten enough info to figure out that we were the main meal.

Man I'm playing the game and it isn't even out...yet.

[Guest Big Time Software]

John, you will quickly learn while playing CM that it ain't that easy The woods were thick, this was the only road, so the Germans HAD to advance down it at this point. They could have avoided it, but didn't because it would have left the flank open.

The US side, on the other hand, was in no position to reinforce the second farm house, and also could not have positioned themselves to see the first. While this firefight was going on, what was the MAIN German force was advancing next to the woods from behind a large hill. They had 4 PzIVs and 4 Panthers as well as a company of infantry with lots of support units. The force in the woods was merely a flank attack. A REALLY strong one, but not the main force. The US units were, as is often the case, too few to do anything but defend and shift fire. Therefore the covering force in the woods had two options; stand and fight or run away. Since they really didn't know what was coming down the road, and the defensive positions were very good (though thinly manned for the force hitting them), staying put was the best option. Withdrawing under close proximity to the enemy is really risky.

Of course, the way it turned out it probably would have been better to get out of there. They managed to knock out one Jagdpanther after it was disabled by a mine (bazookas love a stationary target at 25m!) and take out a few of the SS troopers, but in the end nearly the entire force was wiped out in under 3 minutes. If they had been withdrawn to rear positions they might have held out longer. OTOH, they might have been caught in the open by the main German force and cut to pieces without having done SQUAT.

Nope, it ain't an easy time in CM

Steve

[Brian Rock]

Please keep these playtest/after-action reports coming. They make great reading, and also provide insights into how the game will play.

[Pixman]

I'm with you Brian, enough tech talk. This is where the discussion needs to be -- at least for me. I'm not saying people should not keep submitting ideas -- ever. But ballistics, smoke density, modeling buildings, and weather discussions all pale in comparison to what is revealed through these combat vignettes. Also, like John, I agree that this type of thread allows us to play the game vicariously through Steve and Charles. Since we cannot have the real thing yet, this at least satisfies some of my tactical Jones -- which is just getting stronger by the day.