Insert your PBEM horror stories here

[PeterNZer]

Ok, I thought i'd start this thread after some atrocious bad luck playing SS_Panzer. He's great, and could have won, but this kinda bad luck sealed it.

Playing Germs assault on a good sized map. I'm Germs. Get to the 'assault line' as I like to call it, where all my troops are ready to go and we don't see any of his. There's a town about 150m infront of the line, so I order the artillery to open up on it! FIRE !

2 batteries of 150mm arty and a salvo of 300mm rockets and it levels maybe.. three small buildings! all of the middle of hte town was just fine and none of the potential spots where his men are are touched at all! Arg! Infact, one rocket lands about 30m away from my assault force and takes a platoon down about 25% in numbers arg! Another rocket out-right destroyed a mortar.

Made me a touch grumpy and pretty much sealed the doom of my men on the assault.

PeterNZ

[KiwiJoe]

Well I think I may hold the record for most penetrations with no damage in a row. Stuck a german heavy ac round in beg\hind a sherman and got 3... YES 3 penetrations with no damage on it before it swung its turrent around and knocked me out on the 1st shot.

[Ski]

How about getting one Tiger knocked out by a Sherman from a frontal shot at 300m, I thought that couldn’t happen.

And your other Tiger getting its gun damaged in the same round by another Sherman. These super-one-shot-one-kill Shermans against Tigers are killing me. They weren’t Uber Shermans either, just your standard run-of-the-mill Shermans.

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To conquer others is to have power,

To conquer yourself is to have strength.

-Lao Tzu

[mensch]

watch those Arty rounds.. mostly those Rickets.. with Rickets from 150-300mm you need at least a 300m but to be safer a 500m distance buffer zone where your calling it in from your troops. I'm famous for droping arty on my troops (right germanboy).

But on the other side I learned a great tatic that I read, it seems the Germans pre desginated thier own positions alot (russian front, normandy) and if the position was overrun they called an arty strike on it (this means buying arty markers), I read they called in strikes on thier own positions even if it was know friendly forces were still fighting in there.

The Canadians learned that by Caen. heh.. most of the time the Germans had hundreds of predesignated areas for arty strikes (well they had time to mark them)

for all you Gronads I can find the refernce to what I'm talking about when I get home...

thats my 1,000 Lira

[WendellM]

My horror story is my recent PBEM match against Fionn Kelly. We'd gotten off on the wrong foot in this forum (my fault), and he suggested a game. My experience has been that such games usually provide a way for players to get to know one another in addition to playing the game itself, so I agreed (once I'd finished up my other PBEMs).

I took a nice attacking American force (4 rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, 3 Sherman 76's, and 4 81mm mortar spotters) against his defending German force in early '45. As I advanced, I saw his three defending wooden bunkers, which naturally curtailed my advance. While my men went forward as best they could in the woods, I moved a couple of my tanks up against the bunkers. Heavy German artil began falling on my rearward guys in the woods, suppressing them and causing casualties. My two tanks managed to take out two of his bunkers, but were KO-ed by previously unseen Puppchens. During all this, several of his SMG squads advanced on my rifle squads in the woods with disastrous results. And if this were not enough, a flamethrower SPW 251/16 moved into the center to roast two of my squads.

After 10 turns of a 40 turn game, I was forced to sue for a ceasefire, which was graciously granted. Incidentally, I did get to know Fionn much better as a person, and found that he isn't as gruff as he initially seems. In fact, he's a pretty interesting guy, and I'm richer for meeting him.

I'd played a few other PBEM games before this one, and it was a real wake-up shock. I'd generally won before, but I was completely bested in this encounter from start to finish: humbling, but quite instructive - I learned a lot.

Wendell

[PeterNZer]

One idea i just had would have been to buy a couple of target markets are put them on the town. Could I do that? then my rockets and Arty would have been much more concentrated and extremely lethal ?

O, and what do people use the various mobile and non-mobile AA guns for? shooting at stuff obviously, but any particular ideas?

PeterNZ

[mensch]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PeterNZer:

One idea i just had would have been to buy a couple of target markets are put them on the town. Could I do that? then my rockets and Arty would have been much more concentrated and extremely lethal ?

O, and what do people use the various mobile and non-mobile AA guns for? shooting at stuff obviously, but any particular ideas?

PeterNZ<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ya the target markers make calling in arty from the usual 1-4 minutes to 35secs!! nice and the fall in tighter then if called without LOS. as placing them I'm not sure unless the town is in your zone of controll.. anyone tried this in QB? I know when one is making the map you can place it outside depolyment zones but on a QB I would think one is limited to your deployment zone..hm

as for the AA, yup nice to use as a super heavy MG =) but they can be taken out faster then a H.MG in a foxhole or building. I was suprized how well they are when there are enemy aircraft in the air.. keep those flyboys a dodging

since the updates mobil AA are nice the have no turning problem with aiming at troops,

you also can shoot larger tanks if you have your tanks keeping them busy, most of the time you cant take them out but may be able to damage the main gun or if the comander was in the open paint that tank red with his helmet as decoration.

also newbies tend to pannic seeing so many hits and deflections they scuttlebutt out of the area.

well thats my 1 Estonian Kroon

[Hiram Sedai]

I'm playing a QB that my friend made with light armor and some infantry. I have absolutely no artillery. I don't have a clue how to attack him with half tracks and two squads of soldiers. I'll probably talk him into just creating a new QB so we can play with the 1.05 patch.

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-Work Hard

-Type Fast

-Save Often

[Bigdog]

How about geting toasted by a Typhoon . I had a great pincer working, a pair of STUIII, Puma & a platoon of mounted PNZ Grnd on 1 flank, and pair PNZR IV, Puma & a platoon of mounted PNZ Grnd on the second flank. About turn 5 the Typhoon drops his eggs missed the STUIII & Puma by 50 yrds but immoboilizes both at points that do no freakin good to me. Then the Bastard comes back every other turn & knocks out the rest of my armor short 1 STUIII. Boy that sucked . I hadn't even engaged his ground units yet.

Big Dog

[This message has been edited by Bigdog (edited 08-25-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Bigdog (edited 08-25-2000).]

[Guest Mr. Johnson-<THC>-]

ouch Bigdog, that hurts. Guess you will be buying some AAA assets next time when the weather is clear, eh? hehehe

[The Commissar]

Not really a horror story, but a terrible start none the less..

We're playing a PBEM, and I am attacking as Germans on this small town which is positioned on a hill. I don't even see the town from my starting positions.

So I have one of my Panther G's (a veteran too!) deploy on the left flank, where I though it was in good cover. First turn, out of nowhere I hear a :BOOM: and bye-bye goes my Vet Panther! ARG!

Well, the gun is dead now, and I learned a valuable lesson: Deploy your tanks as far into cover as is possible!

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"...Every position, every meter of Soviet soil must be defended to the last drop of blood..."

- Segment from Order 227 "Not a step back"

[This message has been edited by The Commissar (edited 08-25-2000).]

[Fox]

In my PBEM, my squad of 9 Fallschirmjagers (sp?) firepower 259 was in a building vs 12 reg infantry str 196...my supposidely somewhat stronger veteran grade guys lost...score?...Infantry 11 ok, 1 dead...Germans? all dead.... the horror...the horror....

[This message has been edited by Fox (edited 08-25-2000).]

[Hamstersss]

I was playing against Freyland on a 1250pt night-time probe into a town. He brought 8 or 9 HTs and every turn followed this sequence:

My guys open up. Bang, pow, bang.

Everyone in the 3rd freakin Army opens up in response.

My guys run, panicked! and routed!.

I was fortunate to land some 300mm in some lucky spots and pulled out a draw (Ha!) cease-fire.

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You wouldn't know the dust of Thermopylae if it came up to you, handed you a business card reading "Dust of Thermopylae, 480 B.C.E.", then kicked you in the shins.

-Hakko Ichiu

[This message has been edited by Elijah Meeks (edited 08-25-2000).]

[Gen. Sosaboski]

I bought infantry and Fionn bought artillery and tanks-had to run off map.

Ouch.

I hate big battles (unless it's tank vs. tank)...

[OberGrupenStompinFeuhrer!]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bigdog:

How about geting toasted by a Typoon

Big Dog<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oooh yeah! I am currently in a QB PBEM set around Feb '45 I think. I am Germans and setting out on an extremely cunning flanking move, guaranteed to swing behind Jeff's forces and whup 'em good. Move two - wheeeeee BOOM! BOOM! - Jabo gets my Panther and routes a couple of squads. Move three - wheeeee BOOM! BOOM! - Jabo comes back and kills my Jagdpanther (and you *know* that hurt!), routes a couple of squads. Move three, five, etc, Tatatatatata! - Jabo strafes my stout Wermacht laddies and Jeff's Priest dies as it kills my AC. End of armor, end of flanking move. Not to worry, I'm certain what's left of my lads can kill his Pershing! I did kill some HTs' with my 250mm arty though!

Next time I'm gonna bring some flak with me.

OGSF

[jdmorse]

Watch the arty is RIGHT!! Last night at end of close fought game, My adversary was advancing on my crumbling defenses, we both had ALOT of artillery. He had as part of his load out 8", those bad babies sound like freighttrains coming home to roost!! Anyway, he is advancing w/ 1 Priest and 3 TD's. 8" comes in a bit short, BOOM all 4 are knocked out. Great theatre! Didn't change the outcome, but raised the troops morale before the ultimate surrender.

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"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"

-- King Henry VI, Part II, Act 4, sc.2, l.86

[Wako]

It's interesting the number of Fionn games that turn into horror stories Why is that?

In my case, we set up an infantry battle, him defending and me attacking. And stupid me, I set it up in snow with gentle slopes.

Ever tried to sprint a battalion of infantry across a snow covered plain and attack infantry and howitzers entrenched in buildings? Well, don't do it. I lost 80 guys in the first 2 minutes and he would have hardly lost any if the 300mm rockets hadn't come in on the town on turn 3 Mmmm..... love those rockets Not that it mattered in the end though... I got annihilated. A definate example of what not to do.

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wako

"All models are wrong - some are useful.'' - George E.P. Box

Check out my CM webpage at http://ccpirate.webjump.com

[Major Tom]

Germanboy Vs. Major Tom, round 4 or 5 (?)

November 1944, A Company of the Regina Rifles advances supported by a light screen from the 7th Hussars. The terrain is not in our favor, however, the German outpost line of LMG's is easily penetrated and destroyed. The sole casualty is a soldier who broke his ankle and is sent back to the rear. The troops form up for the main attack through the woods to the South. 2 Platoons will enter the woods directly with the third screening the tanks from enemy Panzershreck teams rhumoured to be in the area.

Disaster strikes fast as two of the Platoons stumble through two well placed minefields! Casualties are minimal but the troops are now under fire from machine guns in the centre woods. The tanks move up to take out this menace to the infantry.

As the Shermans engage an enemy assault gun is spotted nearby and the tanks move to engage. Suddenly the Assault Guns is identified as a Hetzer, and the Sherman II lets off a shot at the same time as the Hetzer, the Sherman's shot bounces off the thick armour but the batch of shells in the Hetzer were of the same quality that sank the HMS Hood a mere three years ago. With the tank in flames and the crew retreating off the field the Sherman V and the Humber scout car withdraw to better positions and are going to make a flanking attack on this new threat.

The flanking move works very well, however, the turning speed of the Hetzer is as fast as the flank speed of the Sherman V which is quickly dispatched, soon followed by the Humber. Lucky for the crews the Hetzer was not accompanied by any infantry formations, and PIAT's move up to attack this vulnerable unit. Unfortunately the Hetzer retreats the the German centre position before the brave AT gunners are in place.

With the loss of the armour the attack must take place through the forest, away from the devestation of the Hetzer's 75mm.

The first objective, being the south forest, is easily secured. Two platoons advance northward in concert with a barage of 3" Mortors and covering fire from the 2" Mortors and Vickers HMG's. However, the enemy was prepared for this assault, and as the 1st Platoon reached the centre forest they were ravaged by close fire from half of a FJ Platoon. Casualties were high as the 2nd Platoon joined in. However, as the attention was drawn away from 3rd Platoon the opportunity was taken for a quick dash through the forest to potisions overlooking the Germans. With these secured, along with a few empty German foxholes occupied the 3rd platoon awaited the attack by the savagers of the 1st and 2nd Platoons.

The Germans attempted to roll up the line but were stopped after the combined fire of all two remaining squads of the 3rd Platoon in better positions, along with the heavy close bombardment of the 3" Mortors held off the enemy attack. The remaining 5 Squads (total of about 3 full squads) of 1 and 2 Platoon were forming up for a counter attack when the Hetzer reeled its ugly head in an attempt to push the 3rd Platoon from their holdings. 2 PIATs were rushed in from 2 different flanks. The first group was cut to ribbons by the Hetzer while the other was placed in a prime position 35m from the Hetzer facing its puny rear armour.

However, the German forces unexpectidly surrendered, due to the auto-surrender feature and the Canadians were saved from a grueling fate.

Actually, this was a very close game which I considered lost after my 2 Platoons were virtually annihilated by Germanboy's spectacular Airborne Troops. I really overestimated the ability of British/Canadian Squads to take care of themselves in close quarters vs. good German units. They did behave valiantly and inflicted a number of casualties. I used my Shermans very badly against his Hetzer, allowing him to pick them off one by one (they were close to eachother, but, I was never able to have 2 guns vs. his 1) plus, I am always better in using my infantry than aromour. All and all I would have to give the victory to Andreas, he certainly outplayed me in this game!

[Hawkeye]

Well... I don't have any really bad horror stories from PERSONAL experience... but I can volunteer one for a friend.

It's his first PBEM game (actually it's my first one too) and he hasn't really played too much CMBO. So he sets up all his troops in a nice thin little line across the entire map Close Combat style ya know (he's defending)? He says he didn't even see my troops until an entire company and a half basically stepped on top of one of his platoons that was hidden in some woods. I, of course, came pouring through the hole. His troops were sprinting across open fields trying to get to the fight. He ended up surrendering over 200 troops. I felt bad for him. Oh well.

Hawkeye

[Lorak]

Lorak vs. Neutral Party.

Place my one stug in a decent position, and managed a quick armored car kill...

That was about the whole game. From there I went on to be beaten Like a stepchild from one end of the map to the other...

By far the worst beating I have ever taken.

Second would have to be against OGSF...

Made the mistake of bringing rifles to a tank fight...

Lorak

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Proud commander of the CCT's Chinchilla Commando Teams

[von Lucke]

Me (German Volksgren Rifle Platoon + Pz MkIVJ) vs. Germanboy (Canadian Mechanized Eng Platoon + Sherman II). QB - 600 pts. Computer Chooses Forces.

In an amazing stroke of luck, the AI deals me an Arty FO for some 150mm rockets. on turn 2, in an even more amzing stroke of luck, the Sharpshooter the AI gave Andreas pots both my FO troops with one shot! (Give that man an VC!)

Somewhere around turn 15, (after our infantry have stumbled into each other in some woods, and virtually anihilated each other), my MkIV gets the drop on his Sherman --- 100m away, turret pointed to the rear! First shot: Miss! Second shot: Miss! Third shot: Front Turret Penetration -- No Casualties! Shermans' first shot takes out my panzer!

Oi! I think I may need therapy...

[Schugger]

In an ongoing PBEM game with Crocky some very strange things happened.

One of my VG SMG platoons conducted of what I thought being a wittyful flanking maneuver, stumbled over an ambush by some british glider troops and was anihilated in 10 seconds. They disappered so fast, that I thought dark sorcery was involved.

One of my Stug IIIs had the misfortune to confront a Churchill VIII, pops smoke and backs off ( I swear, I never saw a german tank doing that before). Churchill VIII persues, comes into visibility of my Wespe which frantically cranks of an HE shot - bang! - Gun hit on the ugly british vehicle. In the same turn my Mark IV engages a buttoned Cruisader tank who was busy cresting a hill. First shot - Miss; Second shot - Miss; Cruisader swings turret, nicks and no more Mark IV. My halftrack mortar thingie gets immobilized in open terrain without being bogged before.

A few turns later, on the flank where the Churchill VIII was backing off, my Wespe and the Stug were going to crest a hill to pump some HE stuff into british infantry. As soon as both vehicles had crested the hill, they came into view of my favourite Churchill with his disabled gun. But what happened now to my curioity? StugIII pops smoke and both vehicles backed off immediatly. Obviously they feared the Churchill's anti magnetic zone or the Stug TC was so happy with his newly found toy ( i.e. the smoke discharger) that he can't resist using it again .

Later on, the battle concentrates around a large VF. My smoke Stug and his wizard Churchill enjoyed a parallel ride to that hotspot for two consecutive turns without noticing each other ( it is foggy). Then my Stug finally had enough of it, brings his gun to bear and finished the dark sorcery reign of the Churchill with a side turret shot.

We have still eight turns to go in this battle and I wonder what will happen in them.

I think that this awesome game won't stop me to be cought by surprises.