You want CMBB AAR's? Well here you go!

[Nippy]

October 1944

Quick Battle

Dawn/Clear Skies

Soviet Guard’s Assault with High Quality Infantry and Armor

Map: Large Size with Modest Hills and Moderate tree cover.

Points: 2000

Enemy Force Disposition – High Quality German Heer troops of random makeup.

Soviet Forces (All Veteran)

1X Guards Pioneer Battalion

2X Platoon’s of T-34/85 (3 tanks per Platoon)

2X SU-152 Assault Guns

2X BA-64B Armored Cars

5X 122mm Howitzer Spotters

Setup Phase – My main disadvantage right now it that I don’t know the makeup of the German Forces. They could be all infantry with few AT weapons, or I could run right into a platoon of Tiger Tanks backed up by 75mm AT guns. I’ve tried to balance things out. T-34/85’s for enemy Tanks and the SU-152’s for entrenched infantry.

And now for my Daring plan:

Dayan and Patton, eat your heart out!

Strike Group A is made up of two Recon Companies and both Platoon’s of T-34/85s. They will advance (alone the blue line in the picture) under the Cover of smoke to Hill 248 and then swing south to attack the enemy positions.

Strike Group B is made up of both SU-152’s and the Third Recon Company. Once the infantry clear Hill 124 the SU-152’s will move up and take up firing positions towards the VL’s. Hill 124 gives the LOS on 75% of the VL’s I hope to coordinate this with Strike Groups A’s assault on the VL’s once they reach Hill 248.

HQ Group – Battalion HQ, 2 BA-64 Armored cars and all the 122mm spotters are situated here.

Well, here goes nothing…

Turn 1 Order Phase – Smoke strikes on Hill 248, The VL’s, plus a regular HE strike against the small Village at the west end of the map. Both Strike groups have been ordered to advance.

Turn 1 Action Phase – Artillery is rolling away and all troops are on the move. No contact…yet.

Turn 2 Order Phase – Nothing to Change so I’m continuing as planned.

Turn 2 Action Phase – Nothing to Report. Smoke is laid down and troops are advancing without trouble.

Turn 3 Order Phase – No change in orders.

Turn 3 Action Phase – Group A is halfway to Hill 248. The recon infantry in Group B is about to take the summit of Hill 124.

Turn 4 Order Phase – I’ve ordered Group A to move on to its objective. Group B will begin setting up the fire base on Hill 124. The SU-152’s should be in position by turn 7 or 8.

Turn 4 Action phase – Still no contact with the enemy. Ammunition for the 122mm Howitzers just ran out. Now I have to get into position before the smoke clears.

Turn 5 Order Phase – Got to keep the infantry moving. I’ve noticed that most of them are “Tired”. No time to rest.

Turn 5 Action Phase – Smoke is starting to dissipate and is just about gone. I really need to get moving.

Turn 6 Order Phase – Run Forestski Run!

Turn 6 Action Phase – Move it you Vodka swilling commies! I’ve got a timetable to keep!

Turn 7 Order Phase - Still no contact, where is fritz? They all go down to the beer hall and get drunk or something? Anyway, the lead elements of Group A are at the foot of Hill 248. Once the tanks and a sufficient amount of infantry arrive I shall storm the Hill. Hill 128 is under my control and I am moving the SU-152’s into position now.

Turn 7 Action phase – No enemies yet even though my smoke cover has been long gone. Also the SU-152’s are moving slower that I hoped.

Turn 8 Order Phase – Moving tanks and troops of Strike Group A into position. I shall storm hill 248 on turn 9 or 10 at the latest.

Turn 8 Action Phase – Su-152’s in position. Still no contact.

Turn 9 Order Phase – Urrrhhhaaa! The storming of hill 248 has begun!

Turn 10 Order Phase – Fire base at hill 124 is ready. I’ve ordered the rest of Strike group A to assault Hill 248.

Turn 10 Action phase – Contact! A Half-Track mounted AA gun has targeted on of the SU-152’s. Troops still moving up hill 248.

Turn 11 Order phase - Attack! Attack! Attack! I’ve got to crest the hill and engage enemy units in the village below so I can split their fire between the two hills.

Turn 11 Action Phase – No contact on hill 248 yet. However, there are now multiple Armor contacts in the village which include the AA-HT, a STUGIII and several armored cars.

Turn 12 Order Phase – I have ordered the 2nd SU-152 to engage the STUGIII. Also one platoon T-34/85’s of Group A will move up Hill 248 and bring the town under fire. I can’t believe the enemy left this piece of high group undefended. He’s about to learn a very costly lesson.

Turn 12 Action Phase – Both Su-152’s lost a battle with two STUGIII’s. 3 T-34/85’s have crested hill 248 and have already begun targeting enemy units. All enemy armor units below Hill 248 are too busy looking at the knocked out SU-152’s to see the T-34/85’s behind them.

Turn 13 Order Phase – I’m ordering the rest of the T-34/85’s to crest the hill and attack the armored units below. After a few turns of rest, the infantry in Group A will attack over the hill towards the town.

Turn 13 Action Phase – Revenge is so very sweet. Both offending STUGIII’s and two HT’s were completely destroyed. All Six T-34/85’s now have a perfect view of the battle field.

Turn 14 Order Phase – Regrouping Group A’s infantry at the northern base of Hill 248 for an Assault on the VL’s. I’m also going to move Group B’s infantry towards the south most VL’s and have them sweep north while Group A comes in from the north and sweeps south. Classic pincer attack.

Turn 14 Action Phase – One platoon of Group B is on the move. Another STUGIII and HT just bought it. The T-34/85’s are now hammering the town for all they are worth.

Turn 15 Order Phase - I’ve begun advance the few rested units towards the north most VL.

Turn 15 Action Phase – Some Germans defending the North most VL tried to fire on my advancing squads. He got a face full of 85mm HE for his troubles.

Turn 16 Order Phase – The rest of Group B is moving west of hill 124 and is encountering barbed wire in a few places. Group A has begun its push towards the village.

Turn 16 Action Phase – Another HT bites the dust. Group B has run into an entrenched MG34/MG42 and is having a hard time advancing. No matter, the distraction they provide will allow me to get into town all the easier.

Turn 17 Order Phase – Trying to get that MG with Group B. Group A is moving slowly forward.

Turn 17 Action Phase – Stick you head up, get it blown off. Germans just leaned this the hard way. The entire combined Firepower of Group A’s T-34/85’s are unleashing hell on any German that dares to fire his weapons.

Turn 18 Order Phase – The push is on for the North most VL. Group B has been ordered to halt for now, as they have run into a well entrenched enemy.

Turn 18 Action Phase – Brew you? Don’t mind if I do! Yet another STUGIII brews up. I’m almost to the North most VL now.

Turn 19 Order Phase – Both Infantry Companies of Group A have been thrown into the fight. The T-34/85’s continue to wreak havoc among German infantry who fire at my men.

Turn 19 Action Phase – Enemy called down smoke on the North most VL in an attempt to blind my T-34/85’s. Thankfully one of the still has LOS on a pesky MG34.

Turn 20 Order Phase – I’m ordering the assault of the North VL. Group B is trading shots with a dug in MG34.

Turn 20 Action Phase – The Infantry of Group A are about to take the North VL.

Turn 21 Order Phase – Still pressing south towards the town.

Turn 22 Action Phase – The North VL location is mine! The Germans are on the run and retreating into the village. Group B is now pinned in a group of trees at the south end of the battlefield. A single MG34 is holding up an entire Rifle Company.

Turn 23 Order Phase – I’m moving One Platoon of T-34/85’s up to provide close support for the infantry. Also the smoke the enemy launched has cleared.

Turn 23 action phase – Fritz is on the run! Group A continues to advance.

Turn 24 Order Phase – Group B is going to Assault that $#$& MG34. I have him pinned and now is the time. Meanwhile Group A’s T-34/85’s are advance into the village with the infantry close behind.

Turn 24 Action Phase – The Assault on the MG34 was a failure. However my forces are now running wild in the village and Germans are routing all over the place.

Turn 25 Order Phase – Group A continues to Advance south.

Turn 25 Action Phase – Fritz just tried to counter-attack with a single HT. Several 85mm rounds later it was no longer a threat.

Turn 26 Order Phase – I think I’ve broken the German’s back, so to speak. I’m going to try and advance faster so I can grab more VL’s.

Turn 26 Action Phase – Where do all these HT’s keep coming from? Another one jumped a T-34/85 in the Village and got an 85mm round rammed down its snout.

Turn 27 Order Phase – Group B is really attracting the attention of the enemy now. Good, Because Group A is going hell bent for leather now.

Turns 27 to 30 – Group B finally overran the MG34 in a human wave assault, but by the time they did the battle was almost over. Group A moved through the village like a steam roller. With all 6 T-34/85’s in the lead and with the infantry close behind, nothing the Germans had could stop them. Given more time I could have managed a Major victory or better. Here is the final tally:

I made several mistakes before and during the battle and learned a bit from them:

1. Purchasing the SU-152’s was a very poor move. They are slow, cumbersome, and poor tank killers. In retrospect I should have went with SU-76 Assault guns. I could have got 6 of those VS the 2 SU-152. This brings me to #2.

2. Leaving Group B without Tank support was not very bright at all. Not that I could help it, but the above purchase of SU-76’s would have at least left Group B with some support and would have enable them to take out the single MG34 that held them up the entire battle.

3. I shouldn’t have used all the 122mm smoke round up at the start of the battle. Smoke would have been seen a manna from heaven during the push down Hill 248’s southern side, which was rather lacking in cover.

The Two biggest Mistakes by the AI were not purchasing turreted tanks or some AT guns and not having a single soldier on top of hill 248. No human player would have left that high ground undefended; because once I got my Armor there I could bombard every VL on the map. Anyway, hope you enjoyed my little debriefing. Here are some snapshots from the battle.

The Advance by Group A on Hill 248

Outflanked and outgunned. This is the point where Fritz lost the battle.

Massive firing line of T-34/85's on Hill 248.

And you wonder why I wanted those tanks up there so bad. The 6 yellow lines that go offscreen all lead back to the T-34/85's...ouch!

The view from the village at the end of the battle. Lots of burning Stug's and HT's

[MrNoobie]

i have a question whats VL and did you have the infantry run all the way to the objective? ive always wondered how far the infantry can run without getting fatigued

[Guest Sgt. Emren]

Thank you very much for taking time to do this! I'm very appreciative of you effort! Can't wait to lay my hands on this puppy........

Next, please!

[lewallen]

Originally posted by MrNoobie:

i have a question whats VL and did you have the infantry run all the way to the objective? ive always wondered how far the infantry can run without getting fatigued

VL = Victory Location. The flags, in other words.

Great AAR!

~Sam

[Murph]

That was fantastic, thank you very much for taking the time! Loved the pictures, loved the format. It really gave you a very clear mental map of the battle, that "as if you were really there" feeling.

Please feel free to do more!

Murph

[Chad Harrison]

Great post. Its always fun to read how other people do things.

[Foxbat]

Great stuff

[LGMB]

Great job!

Very well written, nice format. Keep up the good work (atleast until CMBB shows up in Vancouver)

[AaronNorris]

Can I ask a question?

Why did you use 'advance' in the early part of the battle?

I thought that was for movement under enemy observation and fire, and seems to tire troops out quickly.

Why not 'move' or 'contact'?

[demoss]

I disagree with your assessment of the SU-152s. If you look at your initial plan, you chose them for dealing with entrenched infantry; I think knocking them as poor tank killers isn't relevant, even if it was accurate (remember, the Russians loved them in the anti-tank role - perhaps they used them differently? shoot-and-scoot comes to mind...). The SU-76s would be even poorer tank killers due to the weaker gun and virtually nonexistent armor. Sure, as it turns out, the SU-152s weren't that effective, but how much of that was really the equipment?

That said, great AAR. I just wish your pictures were available.

[Sergei]

Originally posted by AaronNorris:

Why did you use 'advance' in the early part of the battle?

I thought that was for movement under enemy observation and fire, and seems to tire troops out quickly.

I don't think he meant the "advance" order, but rather just advancing with his battle groups. In the game terminology, to advance means what you described, but in normal use it just means moving forward, gaining ground. As in "the Romanian tank platoon advanced into a village, meeting no resistance".

[Nippy]

"I think knocking them as poor tank killers isn't relevant, even if it was accurate (remember, the Russians loved them in the anti-tank role - perhaps they used them differently? shoot-and-scoot comes to mind...)."

Shoot-and-scoot with A SU-152? Fine in therory, but you could find the cure for cancer and bring peace to the Middle East before the SU-152's would be able to move up, fire, and reverse back over the slope. In fact that is what got them killed. Each SU-152 got off one shot and was slowly backing up when each got taken out in a single shot by the STUG's.

Which highlights another mistake I made. Never have an important part of you plan rest on the shoulder's of a few "Uber-Tanks". If I had a nickle for every time someone in CM/BO did this:

"Mahaah! My 2 Elite super expenive JadTiger's/Pershings will get the job done! They just look so cool, I'm sure nothing can stop them!"

*Three Fighter Bomber passes and a arty strike later*

"Crap...crap crap crap!"

I expect to take losses. I just thought the T-34/85's would have bore the brunt of that. Had I gone with the 6 SU-76's, sure they still would have lost the battle with the STUG's, but 4 of them would have been left over to move into postion after the T-34/85's started going to work.

Live and learn...

[KG_Jag]

I could not read your final tally (attachment). Could you repost it or provide it in text? Thanks..

[Nippy]

Originally posted by jagcommander:

I could not read your final tally (attachment). Could you repost it or provide it in text? Thanks..

Odd, the picture shows up for me. But for those of you who can't see it:

Axis Men ok: 83

Allied Men ok: 307

Axis Vehicles lost: 10

Allied Vehicles lost: 2

Axis Total Casualties: 93 (30 KIA)

Allied Total Casualties: 46 (14 KIA)

Axis Final Score: 32%

Allied Final Scor: 63%

[Shosties]

Linked to this through your post in the CMBO forum regarding the Rugged Defense tourny; nice AAR Nippy! :cool:

Regarding the SU-152s, my impression is that the Russians utilized them in the AT role as an ambusher on the defensive. I hear you regarding shoot and scoot: slow speed + slow ROF is a major drag. On the offensive, the Russians preferred to let their tanks and SP AT (SU-85 and SU-100) engage panzers and leave the assualt guns to smash infantry and fortifications (which is why they liked the ISU-152 better than the ISU-122 even though the 122 had better armor penetation and more ammo).

Here's my armchair suggestion: Make Group A and Group B an even split for your armor, each one having one platoon of the 34/85s in the lead and a SU-152 hanging back to provide heavier HE support when the coast is clear. As much as six SU-76s sound attractive, I like having big tubes handy... size does matter!

[Pascal DI FOLCO]

Interesting AAR.

The Fritz didn't have an impressive defense, too much HTs..

As for the SU-152, I think it's your fault to try to make them primary tank hunters, they can't be very good at that.

I'd rather let them anti-inf work, couple them with T-34s in case of need, and back the advance with SU-85s for anti-armor.

The SU-76 is just not good : inferior gun and armor...