Reluctant Warrior AAR (for what it's worth)

[mattman2000]

I always have fun reading other folks' AARs, so I thought I would offer this one up.

The scenario is "Reluctant Warriors," which pits the green troops of the 26th Waffen SS division against a combined arms unit of Polish Rifle Infantry and T-34s. The setting is in January of 1945, and the 26th is largely made up of Hungarian conscripts training in Poland. Short on food, ammo and overall support, they find themselves attracting the unwelcome attention of the Soviet Army.

I played as the Polish troops (as advised by the scenario briefing), leaving the Hungarians to the AI. The idea was to either destroy the enemy, or pen him in the north. My starting forces included a rifle company (pattern 44A), a recon platoon, a 132mm Rocket FO and a 82mm Mortar FO -- all of them regular. I was told to expect reinforcements in the form of two T-34 platoons.

The map is covered in light snow, and is dotted with patches of forested terrain and scattered trees. A dirt road runs from the northern map edge to the southwest corner of the board. There's a minor victory flag at the SW corner. A major flag is also stuck on a naked ridgeline to the NW, while two flags are positioned next to light buildings in an open field, oriented along the road I mentioned before. My troops started the game in the SE corner. Here's a description of my original plan.

1. The recon platoon -- using as much dead ground and tree cover as possible -- was to probe towards the Victory Location at the SW corner. In a perfect world, they could assist in taking that patch of ground. Otherwise, I wanted them to sniff around and determine just what was positioned on the high ground in that area (I live in perpetual fear of blindly dragging my tanks in front of AT guns).

2. 3rd platoon (rifle company) would lead the way for the company's Maxim MGs and the 82mm FO, and once they were in position to provide covering fire, move to cut the road north of the buildings. I figured anything I could put next to a road - especially in snowy conditions -- could limit enemy mobility.

3. 1st and 2nd platoons would move under cover to a wooded spot SE of the two structures, and wait for the tanks to arrive and provide fire support before launching their assault. I expected these guys to get bloodied, as they would be out in the open. But cover ended shy of the buildings -- so oh well.

Anyway…

Round 1 saw the Rocket FO drop a pre-planned barrage near the NW Victory Location and the nearby wooded terrain (most of it gently sloping high ground). Rockets are so scattered, I haven't found a use for them other than prepping the battleground FAR from where my troops will be beginning their advance. Losing your men to friendly fire is embarrassing, so unless someone can offer a few pointers, I'm stuck with this approach.

Rounds 2-4 saw my riflemen reach their jumping off points. Nothing of any real interest, except me straining to hear the Polish coming from my imac's speakers.

Round 5 saw my first platoon of 3 T-34s arrive, and I plotted them (using overwatch) across some open ground to join my two assault platoons. These fellas had started to take some ineffective small arms fire at the end of Turn 5 (couldn't see from where). Their immediate response was to dive into nearby snow drifts and try to crawl to random spots across the board (the Platoon CO and my mouse quickly put a stop to that). Meanwhile, my recon platoon needed to cover some open ground to reach the woods near the SW Victory Flag, so the forward squad was split into rifle teams and "advanced" to the nearest piece of cover without incident.

During Rounds 6-10 saw my 82mm FO drop mortar rounds in front of the closer of the two buildings (my assault platoons were still seeing bullets smack into the ground around their feet), while the tanks scooted even forward and 3rd platoon made for the road. I understand enough about "Shock" that I wanted my riflemen and armor to be right onhand for when the barrage lifted. Some MISERABLE F'ing luck, however, caused a single mortar round to drop at least 150m from where the barrage was targeted to strike one of 3rd platoon's squads, causing 3 casualties. NOOOOOOO. The Macintosh just ignores me. My 3-year-old ambles over to see what's going on and comments that my men were "booped." At the same time, the recon platoon drew some fire from the high ground near the western edge of the map, resulting in two casualties. That wasn't so bad, however, since it was soon out of danger and heading into the woods nearest its objective.

Rounds 7-15 saw the mortar barrage end while the FO still had half of his rounds available. I know arty isn't all that effective when used piecemeal, but I couldn't see that I was hitting anything. The first T-34 platoon then shot forward while the first of my assault platoons began its advance. Some small arms fire drove it to ground, but the tanks opened up on a pair of Hungarian "infantry squads?" Soon the first assault platoon was back on its feet and moving forward, the T-34 platoon was blasting away at enemy infantry and 3rd platoon had reached a reverse slope position near the first structural Victory Flag that allowed it to cover the N-SW road. Control of the location switched to me. I began to pull my Maxims up. At the same time, the recon platoon was working its way through the woods towards its objective. I also received my second tank platoon.

At the beginnng of Round 16, a pair of StuG IIIs popped up along the NW ridgeline. By then the initial T-34s had taken hull down positions near the first VL. The Platoon Lt. Bit it as a 75mm shell achieved a "front turret penetration." But my surviving crews killed the assault gun and crippled the second (causing it to reverse out of sight). My two assault platoons at this point were slogging their way towards the second wooden structure (taking a good bit of fire from the high ground to the west). About 6 or 7 of my riflemen had crumpled to the ground, but none missed them that I could tell and none of my squads had broken or gone to ground. The recon platoon, meanwhile, was slowly but surely nearing the SW flag.

By Turn 20, my grunts pretty much controlled the board. The second T-34 platoon had joined my assault platoons -- took some shots from AT guns positioned on the western high ground -- and laughingly slaughtered the Hungarian crews after realizing that the enemy's guns were absurdly underpowered (I was guessing 45mm). Any tactical errors I made were rendered moot by the German high command's refusal to properly equip its allies. The recon platoon had pushed across the road in the SW corner, killing a Platoon CO element, a rifle squad and the surviving crewmen of one of the AT guns. 3rd Platoon had advanced on to the road after seeing Hungarian squads start to move along that route to the west and began mowing down wave after wave of conscripts. Finally, the first T-34 platoon was merrily plugging away at any hostiles it could spot on the western high ground as my repositioned 82mm FO began to drop shells right in their laps.

By Turn 21, I was feeling pleased with myself, was skillfully ignoring my wife's calls to fold the laundry, and had advanced my two assault platoons forward to gain control of the second house, while the second T-34 platoon blasted away with cannister and HE. Hungarian troops trying to retreat from the second Victory Flag were plugged by the recon platoon, which had plopped itself into the foxholes near the SW corner.

By Turn 25 it was all over. The two assault platoons would struggle to reach the base of the wooded hill beyond the second structure (they only lost two more guys, but the crackling of Hungarian rifles seemed to have some them freaked). 3 T-34s were continuing to kill anything they could see, and 3rd platoon -- now reinforced with two Maxims -- was finishing off the lone Hungarian riflemen who had managed to elude them up until point.

The game ended on Turn 36. I never took the NW flag (I didn't know what was waiting for me, and my people were stretched all over the board). But the final tally made me smile. I suffered 23 casualties (8 killed), and lost 1 T-34. The Hungarians suffered 204 casualties (out of 315 men, total). They also lost a 37mm AT gun (I'm especially proud of that one), a 45mm AT gun and a StuG III. I never got that second AFV, and looking at the map saw a 3rd had been immobilized in the snow. The heroes of the day were 3rd platoon, which lost only 1 man to enemy fire (3 more to my own damn mortars) and inflicted 50 casualties on the 26th SS. The recon platoon did a pretty good job as well, taking out 29 infantry while only losing 3 men (two of those before it even got a chance to fire back).

Anyway, that's it. Anyone else play this one? What did ya think?

[mattman2000]

Oops, I'm sorry. 3 out of 4 VLs under Polish control. 75% to 25% -- Major Victory.

[Keith]

Entertaining story I particularly liked the parts about avoiding folding the laundry and your 3 year old's tactical insights.

[mattman2000]

3-year-old's observations over the past few weeks.

"No, daddy, shoot them."

"Look, look. See? It's a bad guy."

"Yeah!!!" (as my arty decimates the opposition).

"Yeah!!!" (as my men are slaughtered by MGs and infantry guns).

"Ooh, that hurt" (as a russian flamethrower roasts 4 ss panzergrenadiers in "Morning at the Zoo.")

[rune]

Great AAR. However, gamey use of the Wife by the Hungarians to try to distract you from battle

Rune

[First Mate Detrius]

Yes..its a bit low infiltrating you like that. I mean the bit were they tried using your wife for distraction.

But as we all can see you har superior tactical backup ("Yeah!"), so everything worked out fine

Good report. Really got me in the mood for CMBB. A pity I just arrived at work, especially since my employer has little or no understanding when I want to spend my day playing wargames..

[mattman2000]

If you think using the wife and laundry was dirty pool, you should have seen me about a month ago, when the wife's constant teasing about my 30th birthday hamstrung my efforts in "Mobile Defense." My love for life evaporated in the face of black candles and Grim Reaper cake decorations and tombstone birthday cards. My grenadiers paid the price.

[DBaron]

I just played this scenario as well, and I will post a brief AAR just for comparison. My writing is not as eloquent as mattmans so bear with me. I was playing as the Polish.

I sent all my platoons immeadiatly west of the setup to the top of a tree covered hill at the bottom of the map. The hill commanded a view of the three of the four victory flags, so I left my HMG squads and spotters there while I advanced my troops farther west/northwest to a patch of trees under the cover of a smoke screen. The idea was to work my troops west, then north through tree cover to the SW victory flag, then across into another large patch of trees and assault the 2 story house with the large victory flag. I was just after the large victory flag, and I also wanted to push the enemy troops north as the scenario said.

When my 85's arrive, I sent them to the hill beside the spotters and HMG squads, but an AT gun positioned in the SW corner got one of them, and I had to pull the others back to safety. The 76's were sent NW to a patch of trees overlooking the open field and the houses to cover the infantry.

The infantry worked its way to the SW victory flag, where I found 3 enemy AT guns and a few infantry which were quickly dislodged. While my infantry was taking the SW flag, the remaining two 85's took out the AT gun in the SW corner then headed north. The 76's were chased off by Stug III that was lurking around the NW victory flag. That stug got two of the three 76's and chased the third pretty much all the way back to SE corner of the map. Around this time I decided to use my 132 spotter to plot a fire mission on the NW flag. Much to my suprise there was a 15! minute delay (this was at turn 20, of a 35+ battle), so I didn't know if it would come in on time, or if it would even be useful at that point. On the other hand I have never seen a rocket barrage though so I figured what the heck. (I usually play QB and never have enough points to spend on the really big artillery)

My infantry got into a firefight with the infantry across the woods from it, and after a few turns (and a failed smoke screen) I got a few platoons across, then a few more, until eventually everyone was across. The 85's had moved up and taken out the StugIII, then two more which showed up right after it, so I brought the 76 back in. Between the 76 and the 2 85's I leveled the 2 story house and took it with some infantry.

From there one platoon went west to deal with Hungarian stragglers which were routed to the western end of the woods, one went to the north end of the woods to finish flushing out any enemy infantry there and to cover the NW flag. The other two headed out into the open area north of house, where there were a bunch of craters which they used for cover. The other 76 worked its way up beside them. By now there was hardly any resistance, and the only Hungarians that posed any threat was a group which showed up in the NE corner and were moving west to the NW corner (were they retreating? or was the AI just repositioning his troops?). That 132mm strike came in all over the NW corner of the map, doing more damage to me than to the remaining Hungarians. One of 85's was immobilized by it. At least I know not to do that again.

The game ended around turn 40 or 41. I think my score was 81% to 19% for a Major Victory. I lost 3 tanks with one immobilzed and a small number of men, but I held all the Victory Flags, and there was hardly any enemy oppostion to speak of by the end.

Was this a historical scenario? And if so what was the actual outcome.

EDIT: I played this on full fog of war settings.

[ December 16, 2002, 03:06 AM: Message edited by: DBaron ]

[rune]

Yep, it happened. The division itself was a mix of civilians, Arrow Cross, and anybody they could find. Using a ragtsg collection of guns, and a few given to them by the Germans, who then took them back. The unit took casualties from partisans when people were sent out to find food.

Attacked by the Polish tanks, the unit suffers over 2500 casualties and is forced to withdraw. A few times it tried to rest and refit, but each time it is attacked. Withdrawing West, it surrenders to US troops who then sent most of the people back to the Russians, where they were either sent to Gulags or shot.

Rune