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Cats chasing dogs


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Possible spoilers here, look away now if you care 😉.

I've always liked the look of the Puma, so playing as Axis of course.  Against AI.

First attempt some time ago on Warrior, when I didn't know what I was doing, I used the starting positions as set in the scenario.  A quick and sad failure, brought about by fast firing 37mm guns.

This time on Elite, I realised I could set up at the end of the transverse road.  Thought I'd cracked it, with a bit longer range my 50mm guns would surely give me the advantage right?  For a short while it seemed to work, got reinforcements and was feeling okay, took out some approaching threats.  Then the 37mm guns started to knock out one, then another Puma and so on.  My better optics didn't seem to help spotting, range probably wasn't an issue and my weapons control systems seemed to be destroyed in very short order.  Got some artillery which I tried to set up but never got to fire them, perhaps in the wrong place or HQ etc. too far way.  They seemed to want direct LOS?  Anyway, end result (at least I got there this time) was better than the first time, but still a defeat.

Searching the forum I got @John 1966 from 2011 saying he had won easily without any Axis losses.  Wow!  And also @altipueri recently saying he still can't win the battle.

As I'm in the latter camp, John can you offer a few words on your approach to this one?  Or of course anyone else please.

Edited by Vacilllator
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43 minutes ago, altipueri said:

Thank you for reminding me of my incompetence.  :)

Perhaps mine in equal measure as well 👍.  Good luck in your new attempt, let us know how it goes.

 

44 minutes ago, altipueri said:

I've got an excuse now to try again instead of doing some boring work. This not Working From home lark is great.

I couldn't possibly comment 😄

 

46 minutes ago, altipueri said:

PS - I've never been able to do anything useful with those towed infantry guns.

I've since watched a Youtube playthrough where the player positioned them behind woods on the right flank.  He couldn't fire them from there, either direct or indirect - perhaps both because they were obstructed by the trees.  He then got his burly chaps to push them into LOS of the enemy and they did manage some direct fire (and luckily avoided any 37mm canister in return).  I didn't see any indirect at any point but wasn't watching that closely, but if so it could have been due to lack of comms, position of spotters, obstruction, etc..

I noticed a comment from our friend @Warts 'n' all under the video related to the guns and their lack of elevation / obstruction.

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So, I played this as US when first released. IIRC, I lost. So thanks to Vacillator, I gave it a go as the Germans a couple of days ago. And, I kid you not, my first run through was to do exactly like altipeuri. Rush one to behind the farm and the other two around the edges of the hill. And have a drink or two while watching as  I did manage to nail 3 jeeps and 2 M8’s before all three original Pumas exploded in flames over the course of two turns.  I believe it was around 9 minutes in—the turn when the first reinforcements come, and the one immediately after that. I think more alcohol is needed, frankly.

38 minutes ago, altipueri said:

3 more defeats. At least on one I lasted 9 minutes before my guys died. (I sprinted vehicles up past the house and round the hill)

 

I even tried playing without a drink in my hand.

 

 

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200930075153409197.jpg

frankly I don't see where the problem is
you should maybe question yourself 🙄

good ok this is the first time !!!!:P
and it was you who gave me the solution

On 9/28/2020 at 11:14 PM, Vacilllator said:

This time on Elite, I realised I could set up at the end of the transverse road.  Thought I'd cracked it, with a bit longer range my 50mm guns would surely give me the advantage right? .....

 

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11 minutes ago, Falaise said:

and it was you who gave me the solution

Bien joué mon ami @Falaise, perhaps my thinking was correct then but my luck was not as good as yours.

For the rest of us, alcohol is required to ease the pain 🤪.

@mjkerner I was thinking to play as Allies and see how the Pumas do against me.  Not totally fair as I have previous knowledge, but might be interesting.

A tough scenario but it's giving us some fun, so I thought I'd look up the designer - Jari Mikkonen.  Not sure Jari is on the forum?

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POSSIBLE SPOILERS

This thread inspired me to revisit Cats Chasing Dogs last night (I played it once before as the Americans, can't remember the outcome).

I thought I was doing well to start with by positioning my first 3 Pumas in an ambush position in low ground in front of the farm.

As the amis began rolling up the road I realised that my positioning was poor as one of the Pumas wasn't able to receive mutual support from the other two.

I managed to knock out 2 M8s and a jeep before my first 3 Pumas were whipped out. Those pesky jeeps kept making my Pumas button up.

In the end I managed a draw (having lost all of my Pumas). The Stummels turned out be more effective than I'd expected them to be - the added lethality of the 75mm HEAT rounds probably helped vs the 5cm which sometimes needed two shots to KO enemy armour.

I kept changing my mind about where to put my infantry guns so their contribution was nil. In hindsight I think it would have been better to use them in an indirect fire role as some of the M8s took up static positions at various points.

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6 hours ago, black_prince said:

In the end I managed a draw (having lost all of my Pumas).

Well that's better than I've managed in two attempts as the Germans.  I'm half way through playing it as the Americans, think I'm doing better but that might change in an instant...

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18 hours ago, Vacilllator said:

Just noticed (must read more carefully) 'first run through'.  Does that mean you tried again?

I'm about to have a look as the Americans.

Nope, first and only run through. Thought of trying it again, but will wait a year or two to ensure that I will forget how it plays out. Although with my rapidly advancing CRS (judging by my not remembering what I watched on TV yesterday, or had for breakfast this morning, etc.), I may only need to wait a week!

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2 hours ago, mjkerner said:

not remembering what I watched on TV yesterday, or had for breakfast this morning, etc.)

Indeed, tell me about it.  There is of course an answer, watch the same programme on TV every day (or don't watch TV) and have the same breakfast every day.  Could get boring but at least you will know what you did yesterday 😉.

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On 9/28/2020 at 10:14 PM, Vacilllator said:

Searching the forum I got @John 1966

Quoting myself, oh dear I'm on a slippery slope.  Looking back it seems my attempt to introduce John's wisdom came up with perhaps an old link.  So here I go again @John1966.  Oddly I had to type that in, didn't come up on the usual list 🙃.

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On 9/28/2020 at 10:14 PM, Vacilllator said:

As I'm in the latter camp, John can you offer a few words on your approach to this one?  Or of course anyone else please.

It was 2011 so not really.

I vaguely remember playing it though. Did I really win it that heavily? Well done me. ;)

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27 minutes ago, user1000 said:

Don't commit every vehicle..

Get high gound

Stop moving

Exactly what I did. No matter, two of my Pumas were victims of Allied spotting first regardless of the fact the M8s were moving into contact as they spotted and fired (playing WEGO) and the Pumas were stationary, hell, one was even in a sweet—or so I thought—pigeonhole. War is hell, lol!

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