AI crushed me in Singling Shootout

[jeremy]

I just finished a game as the americans against the german AI in the Scenario "Singling Shootout." Yikes! I was massacred!

I sent one platoon way around to the right;

one platoon supporting my infantry to try to

advance along the road using the buildings for cover, and one platoon off to the left to keep an eye on things out that way but

not try to advance.

Several tanks got bogged down and immobilized right at the beginning.

Then Somehow no matter what I did I couldn't manuever my tanks under any sort of cover and the german panthers hiding behind bits of building and forest blasted them to pieces.

By the time my reinforcements arrived I had alrady been decimated and they hardly got on the map before they were flaming wrecks.

In the end I lost every single sherman and destroyed a StugIII and another tank, probably a PzIV. Despite multiple hits on Panthers, I never managed a flanking shot and they all bounced off. My infantry got slaughtered.

ARGHHH!!!

I'd love a hint about this scenario.

The funny thing is that I took a sort of sick satisfaction in getting slaughtered by the computer -- I felt I deserved it -- every time my tanks slipped between buildings there was a german tank with a waiting gun....

[Panzer Man]

Historically it was a draw..I played as the Germans and the Americans surrendered..It is a very difficult sceanrio as the Americans..Probably because there is not enough cover for the Shermans..I believe there were more woods in the real battle.

[Airborne]

I feel your pain. Played it once as the US. Lost all tanks, most of my grunts. Lost 3 TCs to sniper fire (I think). The only satisfaction came late in the game (last couple of turns) when I sent a depleted squad (4 men) running after a Panther that had advanced up to the woodline. It was engaging crews (what a surprise, that was about all I had left). The 'team' moved up right behind it and took it out by close assault..

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Land Soft--Kill Quiet

[Panzer Man]

It should be made more Allied friendly..I remember when I was making scenarios for Steel Panthers I for Novastar and they said, "make sure the Computer plays to a draw"..Is there a way to make the computer play both sides here,,that would be very valuable for making fair scenarios..

[Armdchair]

I too was crushed like a bug in Singling Shootout, so imagine my surprise when I opened my newly bought copy of Closing with the Enemy: How the GIs Fought the War in Europe, 1944-1945 by Michael D. Doubler and read on page 1 how German General Fritz Bayerlein watched in admiration and awe as the US 4th Armored attacks and declared later:"an outstanding tank attack, such as I have rarely seen, over ideal tank terrain." Just another reminder of how good the real guys were and how high the bar they set.

[jeremy]

Thanks for the sympathy. I've now played this three times. Here's a strategy that has some chance, IF you are lucky.

IMMEDIATELY upon scenario start race all your tanks at full speed up the right side of the map, carrying the infantry.

Cover your advance with smoke.

Some tanks will bog down; if they carry infantry have the dismounted troops go as fast as they can into the woods on the right and then hide them.

If you can get six or eight Shermans off to the right, and across the road, you can destroy lots of German infantry. Make sure your tanks don't appear in the open on the hills or lurking german tanks will take them out at long range.

Once you get your infantry organized, you can advance from the right.

I got a draw this way; I managed to secure the right and center of the map, but couldn't advance across the center line because of German armor.

In the course of the battle I managed to destroy a few of the less-important German armor units but basically hid from the Panthers.

The main luck comes like this: in the dash across the open field, it's quite possible that half of your shermans will be immobilized in the wet terrain. If that happens, forget it.

[Highlander]

I played this as the Americans in a PBEM. Result was a draw, but I was on the short end percentage wise.

I had 4 or 5 tanks bog down, which likely cost me the battle. Advancing with the SHermans on Fast Move will likely bog the majority of them. You will lose alot of tanks to German fire, that's hard to avoid, but you must protect you infantry, if you lose all your infantry, you have no chance of winning.

Scott

[jeremy]

As an experiment, I tried to advance at regular speed instead of fast. It seemed to me that the number of Shermans that bogged down was the same in either case -- maybe the odds were less of bogging down in any given turn, but since they were going slower it took more turns.

Maybe this was a misconception. Is it really safer to cross wet terrain using "Move" instead of "Fast Move"? What about "Hunt?"

Tonight I think I'll experiment with the scenario editor...

[Highlander]

The "bogging problem" is one of the reasons this scenario is so tough. You either line up and go down the road (and get picked off one by one), or try for off road and count on the fact that you will likely bog down several Shermans (at least). THere were a few threads earlier which discussed bogging and the concensus was that speed does matter - going fast increases your chances.

Scott

[IntelWeenie]

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

I just finished a game as the americans against the german AI in the Scenario "Singling Shootout." Yikes! I was massacred!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Welcome to the club.

From what I've seen, speed DOES matter when it comes to bogging. Going to the right flank and covering the move with smoke seems to work best for this battle. I've played it about 8-9 times and the best I've done was a minor Allied victory (and part of that was just plain dumb luck).

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"Belly to belly and everything's better" - Russian proverb