CMBO Small Gain should REALLY be SO small?

[Gen Von Television]

Hi All,

I'm a conscript in the CM world, but I had been a veteran in ASL, and other computer's tactical games: so I'm asking some useful advices on this thorny small battle.

I very much appreciate another battle from Bryan Marauder Melvin, St Anne's Chapelle, where I was able to resist the nazi-krauts, got a total victory after knocking out with the bazooka 3 of their 4 HTs, but hey! they were comin' in one after the other as sheeps on the hedge... AI sometime I call AS for Srtificial Stupidity... Anyway that was a nice map and atmosphere, fighting in the fog, with veteran troops. Now, in the Small Gain battle, that should be a training mission, I have no clue how to actually LEARN to survive, playing as the US against the Germans... Should I try to blow those bridges? I only tested this battle once, and got beated out, and they had also the ford to cover, poor bastards.

I would appreciate very much any hint on how is it possible to use this scenario as a training battle.

TIA

Diego

[Cold Steel]

Instead of trying to defend all the bridges and fords, defend the building cluster which surrounds the objective flag. It offers the best cover and concealment on the map, and you know it is where the Germans will ultimately move towards.

Delay the armor with sharpshooters while you withdraw your forces to the buildings, but expect some casualties. Discover the anti-armor capabilities of the 50 cal. mg. Find a nice hulldown position position for the M8. Keep your other vehicles out of sight until the German armor has been destroyed.

[Gen Von Television]

Tahnks Cold Steel,

I'll try to apply your suggestions as to create a MRL around the building, and let them come across, and see the results... I can't remember if you have orders NOT to destroy the bridges: do you think it's a feasable (and useful) tactic anyway, or just a useless waste of demolition charges and men?

I will let you know the results...

Diego

[HarryInk]

Forget the bridges. They've got fords anyway, etc. etc.

The key to the game is using the .50cals, the ambush function of the zook, and learning to use defilades and 'top hatting' with the Greyhound. You've got to be careful to survive because your armor won't protect you, only the building cover will.

Not meaning to teach you about sucking eggs, but defilades - as I understand it - is finding tight corridors to fire down. Means you get to pick single targets and get covered from other dangerous enemies. So use the building cover to pick off his armor one by one.

'Top hatting' is hunting up/over a rise in the ground and then reversing back into cover. Takes a little fiddling to learn to do well, but it pays dividends more often than not. Even if you don't get to kill your target cos the driver reversed back down the incline, at least he didn't get to kill you. Using the Greyhound and M5A1 conservatively like this, you should be able to take out all his armor bit by bit.

[Gen Von Television]

Hei Guys (I should write wise-guys!),

I follewed the advices of Cold Stell, on the first brilliant idea to withraw as fast as possible to he heavy buildings with the squads, letting the snipers slow down the advance of armored vehicles: Valentino Rossi was getting 2nd time in the MotoGP in Catalugna, while my HT crew got wild and proceeded (disobeying orders!) up to the road, and even farther, and had been immobilised and blown out to pieces... All in all a succesful mission, but the bridges may go in to the wrong hands if a more armed columns comes this way and our fly boys won't stop them cold, or the Spearheads come fast up the road (those sonnabitches;) )...

Only after a Total Victory, I've read your message HarryInk, and I discover I've actually played the trade you're writing about. To prove you what I'm saying, if you don't mind, and to thank you both for the right advices I' sending in your mail the last Autosave... Have a look.

Diego