I did it! I figured out Chance Encounter finally for the 9 monthes I have had it..

[Fieldmarshall]

I ordered my game in late October and did not recieve it until a week into November, and in that time I was stuck to the demo. Playing valley of Trouble, as the Germans, then decided I would play Chance Encounter as the Americans, PEICE OF CAKE wiped out the Germans in five turns, just blitzed 'em simple as that, then played as the Germans got slaughtered doing the same thing, kept trying holding back, got slaghtered, rush to take the crossroads and prevent counter attack, got slaughterd, then the game comes, sick of this scenario I dont play it again until yesterday. Then overlooking the map (now with much improved battle field experience) I figure defense is key, establish a solid line, the terrain is in fact in favor of the Germans(if the AI holds back like it usually does ) Put the StuGs around the church and the infantry spread into two treelines the big one on the ridge and anonther behind and to the right of the church. Bingo, I had almost NO casualties, and slaughtered the Allies knocking out all four Shermans....whew, it felt good to finally do that.

-Field

[ 08-12-2001: Message edited by: Fieldmarshall ]

[Nick Panzer]

Outstanding! This game is educational.

[Maximus]

Always knew Republicans were slow, but not that slow.

[Fieldmarshall]

Well Maximus, considering I have only played Chance Encounter exactly FOUR times three in November, ONCE this year, it seems I have a right to finally beat it, it isnt slowness, its laziness.... Now go get yourself a phone sanitizor before you and the rest of the democrats are wiped out...

-Field

[ 08-12-2001: Message edited by: Fieldmarshall ]

[JasonC]

I beat the AI-played Americans in CE on my second attempt. I can explain the strategy I used in case anyone wants to try it. I repeated the same approach with equally good results, and that was enough for me; I considered it "solved".

The key to CE for the Germans is understanding the principle strength of the German force. That comes from the SMGs. To make the most of them, you want as much fighting as possible to take place between the rival infantries at the closest possible range. That means fighting in the woods on the flanks, not dueling between the building positions in the more open center of the map. The building-center duel favors HE loads and ranged fire, which are the American's long suits.

The next question is which flank woods position to use as the decisive theater. The large ridge on the right is superficially attractive, because it is easily reached by covered approach, and seems to allow wide fields of fire into the rest of the map. But you don't want wide fields of fire into the rest of the map. Going into those woods in strength will result in pushing any Americans out of them, certainly. But once that is accomplished, all that is left is a ranged duel with Americans in buildings or behind walls, and all those Shermans, or falling back into the woods indecisively. Thus, the right-side ridge is a trap as a focus of the main effort. It seems easy, but winning there is not decisive.

The left side woods are farther away at the start, but much more promising. They are more attractive to the Americans as a covered approach, so more enemy can be found there - and in this case, you want to hit them where they are, not where they ain't. The woods as a whole enfilade the center wall, and reach back almost to the American edge. The ground there slopes downward toward the American positions in the center. Schrecks can reach out across the center road once it is taken.

There is also a key feature of the terrain in that area that I first discovered playing as the Americans, but is most useful to the Germans. The farthest forward patch of scattered trees is higher than the rest of the area, and the slope of the ground there allows observation fairly deep into the "open woods" from several positions far away. The top of the church can see into them; so can the light buildings along the road the Germans first come in along; and so can the heavy woods to the left of the church (from the German viewpoint), and the near side of the right ridge. That one area can be seen by most of the useful locations on the German side of the map. And it offers only moderate cover, while having tree branches overhead.

You might think that field of view makes it a useful location for the Americans. But acutally, it makes it a perfect kill zone for the Germans. The mortars will get tree bursts there, and can shoot observed from many locations safely far away. HMGs can reach into the position for locations far enough to shrug off infantry replies - and just as important, from spots deep enough in the German position that Shermans can't get easy "overwatch" to respond. Infantry can approach from two locations - the full woods on the left, slightly seperated from the main body of woods there, and through that main body itself, in a left hook through the scattered trees.

That is the spot to kill the American infantry. So, send most of the SMGs on a right flanking move, running for the woods left of the church, then wheeling rightward and forward to hit the Americans from your left, out of the woods. But do not press too fast once you get to the cover. Run for the woods, then go to ground, wheeling slowing through the dense woods on the left edge. Let the Americans come into the scattered tree position unopposed, then drop the mortars on them and open up with HMGs. Only rush them with the SMGs once the mortars have plastered them, and then do so right behind the barrage.

As for the rifle armed infantry and the StuGs, their role is to support. Send the infantry to the right side ridge and the church area, with one platoon of SMGs to support them on the right side ridge, back in the woodline. At least one schreck with each group, hanging back at first to avoid losing them quickly. Leave one StuG behind the right side ridge, staying in low-ground cover and letting the Americans come into its LOS, not the other way around. It should cover the center, crossroads area ahead of the church, but not move forward enough to be visible from the wheatfield area.

The other two StuGs should rush forward on the left with the initial main infantry effort there, and can carry forward schrecks and/or HMGs to that side. HMGs can go in the seperated woods, but aren't at their best on that side - but schrecks are essential, and will tire too much if trying to run all the way to the left-flank woods from the start line. Once in the trees, wait for the infantry and keep the schrecks well behind it.

The two StuGs on that side should position themselves to angle across the open center ground from left to right, hugging the trees for LOS cover from their left front. Their main job is to prevent Shermans actually reaching the church area - they will certainly be able to shoot it up from the center, though. Keep rifle infantry to the bottom and back, or in the woods outside, to avoid dying in the church.

After the mortars, the SMGs rush through those woods, KOing any infantry there. Then the schrecks come forward to the left-side woodline, while the two left StuGs hunt forward, either around the scattered trees, or even through them if you are willing to risk bogging. If the Shermans push ahead the StuGs get them. If they hang back behind the left woods, the schrecks get them from the treeline. Their only remaining option is to back up, toward your right. That is OK; you will have the VLs, and your StuGs can hunt over the crest after them, if you like. Often the AI won't be that smart anyway, and will lose them in the center or to the schrecks.

At the end you want an "L" shaped position, with most of your infantry in the left-forward woods as one side of the "L", and the VG rifle infantry and HMGs in the church area and right side ridge as the other side. Two StuGs will be at the "angle" between them, having come from behind the left; one StuG (if still alive - its life expectancy is the lowest of the three) supporting the rifle-HMG arm.

The more infantry the Americans send along your left side, the better. You will clobber with the mortars then SMGs-in-woods combination. And the SMG approach will come through woods, from an angle the Shermans will not be able to help. Once the "L" is achieved, the Americans will have nowhere to stand. A few may hang on in the light buildings right of the wheatfield, but that is about it. And if you manage to get the two StuGs to the crest behind the previous scattered tree "kill zone", they can KO that building in short order.

You can expect moderate losses in the infantry, and you will probably lose at least one StuG and perhaps more. But the American infantry should be slaughtered, and any living Shermans unable to advance beyond the center road.