Kanonier Reichmann Posted November 14, 2001 Share Posted November 14, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Holien: P.s. Just seen KR is in Adelaide which explains his British interest as it is the most British of all Aussie Cities. I will be there over the weekend of 21st Dec sampling the wines and catching up with an old work colleague and his family and then upto Sydney for the 24th. [ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: Holien ]<hr></blockquote> "the most British of all Aussie cities" GAAAAK!!... CHOKE!!... COUGH!!... SPLUTTER!! Mind you, I guess it's hard to argue when a satellite township close to Adelaide was named Elizabeth after HRH. If you would like me to show you any of the local watering holes I'd be happy to oblige while you're here in Adelaide. Drop me a line via my email address if you're interested & we can work something out. Regards Jim R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted November 15, 2001 Share Posted November 15, 2001 As Holien notes, there are indeed two sides to this battle. Do I claim I've fought a perfect battle? Hardly! But I do assert that much of what may appear to be bad decisions on my part is a direct result of what I got, when I got it and where it arrived. Frankly, the coordination of force problem has been so daunting it's a wonder I'm not bald from tearing my hair out. This has allowed Holien to really put the hurts on my guys in succession, while at the same time I'm trying to beat the clock because of certain dire scenario considerations. And things went badly awry on my rate of advance. The result is the present do or die attack, which seems to be working and was possible only because I finally was able to work enough men into position to be able to launch it while relatively protected. The outcome is up in the air, but Holien seems to be sweating. Perhaps I caught him on the hop? We'll see. I sent him a turn. CDIC is going out of town until Sunday, but a turn awaits him. Am awaiting a turn from von Lucke, and Tom hasn't been heard from for quite some time. Regards, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted November 15, 2001 Share Posted November 15, 2001 Warning Warning do not be fooled by the protestations of JK. He has the boot... Occhhhh!!!! I will be lucky to sneak a draw on this one. While he has lost a fair few men he has made up for it on vehicles which I have used poorly and now he has ammo and I have none. My fists are not strong enough and soon the flags will fall. Anyway the turn has been sent back and we have 3 to do and I am truly sweating. Who knows how this will end. WB has balanced this well, or we have both played well and badly at times. So I am sure JK will take back all his complaints if he wins this!! Anyway work calls... H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wreck Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 Hey all! Just finished my last game. An attack against Tacpub where I [censored] . In my other games, I [censored] against [censored], [censored], and [censored]. And I [censored] against [censored] and [censored]. All in all, [censored]. What's delaying you guys? [ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: Wreck ]</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 Take heart, JK! Ah, the frustrations of the battlefield commander. I have been rather diabolical this time around and put you all under a lot of pressure. Your reports have been most helpful to me. I appreciate them all. The scales of war are so delicately balanced... Thanks, Holien. I appreciate it...WB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 I just read your paraphrase, JK! Loved it! I really loved it! Hey, send it to me Warrior. I'd love to keep a copy of it and print it out, paste on my computer as a guide for future scenarios. You are tha man, John! A true battle-scarred vet after the ordeal of these seven tests of skill and courage. Wild Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 Hey WB I really do hope we can give you a small smidgen of pleasure from our antics on this BB. After all you have given so much pleasure (painful at times) to us. JK has sent the last turn and it sits in my mailbox waiting for me to get home. He has given me no idea on how it went and all I can do is sweat at the thought of what awaits me. He has however continued his moaning and made me giggle. I have sent the latest turn to Tom and my little "Souris" are yanking the tail of his large "Chats". Several tails have been detached and some of my "Souris" munched. My "Aigles" have swooped several times and managed to snatch a few things in their talons, I just hope my "Souris" can stay out of their sight. I think we have about 6 turns to go before we rest and assess the situation. It has been a bit of a stalemate and these next few turns could see me lose it or win it as I am working the angles. George has not responded in awhile and I know he has some big issues to deal with so I wait quietly for him to continue our game. This has 15 or so turns to go and he has been given several boots and I am desperately stuffing books down my trousers to protect my backside. Those trees are a moving to the thunder of his reinforcements. Ahh well back to work more tonight when I get home.. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 Wild Bill, I'm glad you liked the psalm adaptation, but I'm not sure whether your other remarks refer to me. Holien is putting on a brave face now, but you all should've seen the hangdog look and intense dismay which came through loud and clear in his E-mails. He was forecasting an outright loss by himself only a few turns back, but now seems to have rallied a bit, confining his fretting to whether I'll be able to contest a certain VL. Yet he goes on and on about my complaining, even to claiming I'm sitting on the outcome when he actually gets to see it first. The thing's in his in basket, where it'll be for some nine hours yet. He did congratulate me on a fine game, as I did him. This is by far the most grueling battle I've ever fought in CM, even nastier and more draining than my last clash with Kingfish. The Zeta Reticulans brought Tom back briefly, during which we got in a few turns. Blood and more blood! Meanwhile, von Lucke and I have been rolling turns smartly. My men have excelled themselves in lethality from the first. Regards, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CombinedArms Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Wild Bill Wilder: I have been rather diabolical this time around and put you all under a lot of pressure. WB<hr></blockquote> No, kidding! I'm from section 3, which has been rather silent in this forum, but believe me, we're all sweating it out, as well. I have one game that's now in it's final three turns that still could go either way. Could be a big win for either side. Wild Bill, it looks like you really did go out of your way to make things hard for us. Did you in fact design these scenarios to be harder and / or stranger than usual? I don't think I'm revealing any secrets to say--at this stage of the tourney-- that one characteristic of several scenarios is an ambiguity as to who's on the offensive and who's on the defensive. Just being the designated attacker doesn't tell you much. Often who is on the attack seems to shift more than once in the course of a scenario, and in several cases the defender seems to have stronger forces than the attacker, though the timing of when these arrive makes things complicated. Ack! Some scenarios lead to immediate violent combat between forces placed just a few meters apart. Others involve quite lengthy probing with neither side having much of a clue as to what the other side's got, or where it might be. Was all of this part of your diabolical plan? Do you have trouble sleeping at night? I, at least, have tossed and turned for hours on a couple of occasions when my "clever" strategems went badly awry. One of these scenarios at a time would be a challenge to deal with, but seven at once! I wouldn't have missed it, but it HAS been really challenging. [ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: CombinedArms ]</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanish Bombs Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 As another Section III representative, I can confirm what my opponents posted above. Cruelty, chaos, casualties (including lost sleep) all ensued from the beginning of this tourney. I am half way through a game w/CombinedArms and just started my final game with TabPub, so I look forward to returning to a normal life in the near future, reintroducing myself to my wife, my daughter and my business partners, all of whom have noticed a "glazed look" on my face that is directly attributable to Wild Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 Nice to hear some comments from the other victims. I feel we may have enough to launch a class suit against WB. 1.5 hours and counting before I see what awaits me.. H P.s. I hope JK is finally getting some sleep!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olduvai Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 Glad I checked this. Holien, I erroneously sent our latest turn to El Schahin on 11/14. Resent to you this morning, sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Olduvai: Glad I checked this. Holien, I erroneously sent our latest turn to El Schahin on 11/14. Resent to you this morning, sorry!<hr></blockquote> Great News!!! I hope all is OK. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gredeker Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by CombinedArms: Just being the designated attacker doesn't tell you much. Often who is on the attack seems to shift more than once in the course of a scenario, and in several cases the defender seems to have stronger forces than the attacker, though the timing of when these arrive makes things complicated. Ack! [ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: CombinedArms ]<hr></blockquote> I'll strongly second that sentiment, and would add that "Fog of War" is probably more descriptive of the tourney than "Rumblings of War". Hats off to you, Mr. Wilder, for creating such challenging, tension-filled scenarios that keep as guessing as to who is really ahead. P.S. I fully expect a complaint to be filed by the residents of a certain town, although I'm not quite sure why - I'm sure that at least half of their town is still habitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted November 16, 2001 Share Posted November 16, 2001 George the turn is on the way to you... The second battle of XX has started and no winner has been found just yet. JK I have sent the turn to you and will say nothing. Down the wire all the way. I await your awakenings in Sunny California. Here in dim England the log fires are burning as we snuggle up to watch the next installment of BoB and sit down and eat our dinners. PC is fired up and waiting any responses. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted November 17, 2001 Share Posted November 17, 2001 What an eventful day. It is midnight here and I can go to bed with a wry smile. Great game JK. We both could have done better and we both did well in certain areas. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But honestly mate we have both won in this game as we had a good laugh and enjoyed the sport of moaning about our misfortunes to one another and whoever bothered to read this. If you remember the film Zulu I leave you with the image at the end when the Zulus beaten but still proud salute the defenders by singing a tribal song and leave the field to the victors. I am sure your men will be singing as they leave the field in search of the nearest medical post. Cheers I salute you. (I have finished my bottle of JD so it will have to be grouse, quite appropriate really). H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted November 17, 2001 Share Posted November 17, 2001 Memo to self: Whine and complain more in Tourney games, especially to your opponent. Reason? I have repeatedly observed that those who complain vehemently about the havoc I'm wreaking on them and their troops seem to consistently win. Recent examples include Holien and ? (He knows who he is.) In both cases I was bled past white by them, yet to hear them tell it, I was pounding the daylights out of them and was winning. Curiously, when the flags were counted and the losses tallied, they came out on top. And in terms of functioning combat power remaining, the difference was ludicrous, with my forces so gutted not a full squad survived, while they had functioning platoons, albeit a bit scuffed sometimes. Both battles were attacks against dug-in defenders, so maybe the problem is not the apparent one of not enough complaining, but of the "forlorn hope" nature of the forces given me and their arrival, timing, and positioning, not to mention grotesquely bad prebattle intel and an acute lack of fire support given terrain and defenses. The nature of the scenarios dictated that time was of the essence, forcing me to push as hard and as fast as I could throughout, in turn driving my losses through the roof. Maybe I'm actually doing well and don't know it, since the median has yet to be computed, but I do know that I'm pouring myself into these incredibly demanding, stress inducing battles and in spite of giving my all, immolating my men trying to seize the objectives, and inflicting all kinds of pain on my opponents, I keep coming up short when the winner's announced. My angst over this is compounded by the fact that in the Invitational I have yet to win a game either. AAARRRGGGGHHH!!!! There! I feel better. Bill, watch out for process servers. I intend to sue for intentional infliction of pain and emotional cruelty! It's California, and I can do that. The next great area of torts: suing scenario designers, followed by malpractice insurance and pay-for-play scenarios. (starts gaming mantra) I am a good tactician. I deserve to win! (repeats vehemently many times, sings "Men of Harlech" straight through, then fades out) In military frustration and exhaustion, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Having just watched the battle through Holien's eyes I now understand why I took the casualties I did and why the X were so resilient--superb enemy leaders who were able, in conjunction with Q and R, to hold even B together, plus minor things like walking into ambushes, tridirectional crossfires on the approaches, unsuppressable F and hordes of Z, whose losses nearly cost him the game. He beat the stuffing out of me in the other arena, though, making full use of interior lines to respond to my painfully difficult to assemble and harried at almost every step attacks. He was very good at negating cover in a variety of ways and ravaged me with J and L. Watching the growth of his force over time was also quite a shock, and I'm quite glad I didn't know the full extent of it then, for I was having all I could handle with what I thought I knew. The intel was so bad I'm seriously thinking of asking that those boyos be given field tribunals and shot for treason, and on their heads lies the blood of many highly trained brave men. To give some idea of the fierceness of the defense, many of my lead squads sustained 40-60% losses before even getting to K proper. I lost a platoon HQ outright, gunned down on the approaches, together with an AT team tasked to deal with the I. All in all, I conclude that the H were lucky and/or facing a far less talented foe than Holien. They were able to seize and hold the objective against repeated counterattacks. Because my force was so shot up, pinned and disrupted, I wound up on the bad end of a rapid defensive buildup, had my force almost destroyed, and wound up with a toehold. I did quite a bit of damage to his forces, but probably couldn't even defend the toehold against his surviving forces. Regards, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 It took some doing, but the AAR is on its way to Treeburst155. Writing it was like reliving the battle. Traumatic! von Lucke and I are sending turns, slowed a bit by an oops on my end. He may or may not scare the cat when watching the new movie. Tom has also been heard from and responded to. Am waiting for the next movie. Regards, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 Hey JK it will be good to read your AAR. I have just started yours and should be done I hope by end of play Monday as I have the day off. I will CC you in on a copy. I had to do CDIC's and have sent him a copy as well as WB and TB. I have had a good weekend and had the good fortune of playing quite a few turns with George. Not sure he would say that it was a good weekend as he has taken a few hits and while he still has the boot I am wresting it off his feet. Well trying anyway. As for Tom not so many turns, but then we only have a few to play. The stalemate has been resolved (partly) and I guess he is reeling slightly from some lucky moves I pulled off. Anyway I hope he sends me one while I am asleep so we can soon finish that and I can do some more AAR's. His cats still have claws just not soo many. As for JK's comments I will leave it upto others to decide if he is right with his views. I think he is slighly skwed but then who am I to say what I would have done in his situation. Til the next battle JK... Catch you guys later and good hunting. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juha Ahoniemi Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Wreck: Hey all!Just finished my last game <hr></blockquote> Leonard?!? Little premature here? Our game is still unfinished and I haven´t heard of You since 12.11. when I resceived a turn file. I thought You were abducted or sumfink! Please let me know what the hell is going on?!? (You ARE Leonard Dickens, right?) Juha [ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: Juha Ahoniemi ]</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 Those AARs are a superb piece of work and a big help to me, guys. Treeburst passes them all to me and I read every one. Quite a talented group here! As for taking my scalp, you are too late Besides, what would you do with a scalp with only three hairs on it? :eek: This has been a great experience for me, and it has been an honor to get to know all of you fellow gamers and share your travail as you agonize over each battle. Win or lose, you are to be congratulated for putting up with my evil machinations. Good job, guys! I hope we can do it again someday. Perhaps the East Front one day? Wild Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 Hey Coop! Soon as the guys leave the battlefield, all bloodied and battered, these will be out for all of you. These AAR reports will help me to fine tune these scenarios even more. I don't think you will ever again have scenarios so well tested by so many skilled wargamers as these. Should not be much longer. Thanks for asking...WB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted November 21, 2001 Share Posted November 21, 2001 Peter Svensson and I are at war! Deployments are complete. The attack's begun! It's almost over vs. CDIC. The fight has been murderous, but I've pulled a last minute nasty surprise which has already borne bitter fruit for him to eat. Whether or not that diet continues remains to be seen. If it works, I'll probably get a draw. If not, he wins. Period. Von Lucke is confused. He's imitating Yahweh with the Hebrews in the desert by hiding in a pillar of smoke from which issues fire and lightning. Needs to work on his geography, terrain and season, though. When it comes to smiting, I'm ahead. His version of Yahweh arrived too late to save his people. Great was the destruction. Nothing from Tom since Saturday. Regards, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted November 21, 2001 Share Posted November 21, 2001 Smite those Philistines, JK! Or should I say Gideon, or Samson, or perhaps David? Thanks Redecker. Glad you had fun...WB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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