hcrof Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 No one needs to be told twice and everyone immediately begins to sprint to safety. The platoon on the north hill ducks as a huge quantity of small arms fire cracks over their heads but amazingly, no one is hit. HE explodes amongst the trees as they spot a pair of carriers waiting for them – nearly safe! The BMPs are moving even before the last man is in and they swing their turrets around, firing long bursts of machine gun fire to discourage pursuit. As they descend into the road they join a small convoy of Jeeps full of men and missiles and they race down the hill to safety. Back at Btn HQ, the reports have come back and orders are issued. Company commander to the command post - a counter attack is to be prepared immediately! Well I had my heart in my mouth in this one but Mike has slowed down a lot, using plenty of HE and small arms fire on suspected positions! I think he doesn't want to get burned again by a fighting retreat . Whatever his reasons, his new found hesitency has bought me enough time to disengage and race out of sight! Already I am preparing my counter attack, moving an FO into position, ready to call down mortar fire onto the tree line. I might even be able to do this without tanks and make it look like I called in a single reserve platoon to reinforce the retreating one! All I lost in the retreat was a command squad that made my line look occupied so I think that overall I was fairly successful in this rather ignominious phase of the battle. Total Known Losses on North Hill: Mike --------------------------------------------------- Me 1 Platoon Combat ineffective (Destroyed CO squad) ------ 1 squad Most of a recon platoon -------------------------------- Most of a recon platoon 3 BMPs ------------------------------------------------ 3 BMPs Command Squad --------------------------------------- Command Squad 2 Tanks Damaged (One commander dead, possible damage to sights/gun) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 This is the battle as it stands now. As you can see, I have also updated the terrain map to make it more accurate. I made the first from memory. Funnily enough, my counter attack will be taking place exactly on the QB map I used as a base! Its kind of appropriate that a battle within a battle could be someones random QB! Does anyone recognise this map? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lethaface Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Still following this! Interesting battle 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Excellent read and beautifully prepared in detail! Great stuff! It's most interesting to see "Fog of War" in action from this perspective. Great map, too! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkEzra Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 What a fire fight...I could almost hear the crack of rifle fire as your men ran to their vehicles...great! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks for the support guys! Right now there is a bit of a lull in the battle, at this stage we have both paused. Mike appears to be bringing down spotting rounds on HILLFARM and seems to be trying to mop up imaginary resistance on north hill. I can't see what he is doing but I can hear a lot of explosions! Interestingly he has brought his armoured company HQ onto the hill with the third tank of the original platoon, making 2 pairs of tanks. In my case, I have send forward a spotter who is calling a fire mission onto the treeline on north hill, and my recon ATGM who should discourage Mikes tanks from moving too close to my reserve. In addition to that, I have sent 2 RPG teams into the wheat field to hit any approaching vehicles in the flanks. The area behind the field is also ideal for vehicles to set up ambush positions in enfilade should I need to. In the south, I have sent my reserve infantry platoon forward dismounted. They will infiltrate forward through the woods in the centre and hopefully look like I am probing for a company sized attack in the south. Finally, a pair of my reserve BMPs have moved into hull down firing positions, watching the north hill. One spotted an enemy carrier and took a shot but he missed and it reversed into cover. I don't think he noticed the missile though as it fell well short. My guess is that Mike will conduct a deliberate attack on HILLFARM, it is too tempting. Since it is empty he will of course capture it but my counter attack should destoy his forces easily should he try to hold it. It is simply undefendable! Worst case scenario is if he keeps his troops in the woods on north hill. By being there they will slow or stop my attack on the bridge and it would be a bloody fight trying to dislodge them that would only dilute my main effort. No pictures unfortunately as nothing interesting is happening, just a lot of small adjustments to positions and speculation as to what Mike is doing 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake_eye Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hi HCROF, I think, that it is time to launch a counter attack bypassing the North hill, on the right and toward the bridge.You should, also make a left hook near it and bear fire on the slope of the North hill. Use smoke to confuse Mike. Probe on the right front to let him guess and prevent him switching some of his forces from there to the bridge and or Hill Farm EA. Look at the map I posted. You should that way, take Mike out of balance. He should not have that much left to take the hill and outfight you on the rear at the same time. The more time you don't move forward the more time you give him to consolidate on North hill or near it. Cheers 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 snake eye - Thanks for taking the time to post your suggestions I think your plan definately has merit and next turn I will look at it more closely, especially the part of the route going past the forest. I feel however that it is too early to counter attack right now. Mike has brought in more tanks onto north hill, bringing to total up to 4 and if these hit me in the flank as I advance to the bridge they can do serious damage! By letting him attack HILLFARM, I will hopefully draw his tanks out into the open where I can pick them off. Mortars and infantry can then clear out the rest of the forest and then I can retake HILLFARM and bypass the hill with no problems. Like you say, on the right I am sending forward infantry to probe his positions. If I use the whole southern company as a diversion I think that Mike must be decieved. I don't think he will attack there right now (that opinion is subject to change later!) so that is still an option. We are still less than 10 minutes into this battle so there is no need to rush 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake_eye Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hi Hcrof, Yeah, I know it is a bold and risky manoeuver. If the ground can support the tracks rushing through the shortest way without taking time to stop and ripost, until, they get to their Obj, it has quite a chance to work. However, only if you can pour, on your flanks, heavy smoke with a barrage and or using the smoke canisters on the tanks and BMP's. As you said, as an alternative, If he gets on the down slope, while attacking Hillfarm, your tanks can also engage him at long distance and then you can launch the CA. but my guess is that he will consolidate there and wait for you to come in the open. That is what I will do Waiting for the outcome. keep on doing it, that's thrilling. Cheers 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 The BMPs where now in position, a pair of them, hidden behind the hill with just their turrets showing. They could see activity on north hill, explosions and carriers moving between the trees. They just couldn't get a clean shot off! On the south hill, all is quiet. The FO radioed in sightings of an enemy BMP hidden in the woods and the men in the hedge lines were getting themselves comfortable when a distinctive whistling sound broke the silence. A huge bang rocked the top of the hill, followed by screams. A mortar round had fallen just under 100m away from the FO and one man was peppered with shrapnel, injuring his eye and partially blinding him. He needed urgent medical attention but as he lay there, another mortar round slammed into the middle of 3rd platoon, injuring another 3! These might be spotting rounds but they were frighteningly accurate and the main barrage would be devastating... Well it looks like my southern infantry are in trouble! I will try to sprint them back into some form of cover. In the north, my defence is nearly ready. The RPG teams are in place and the AT-4 is beginning to set up. It looks like Mike will bombard HILLFARM with mortars before attacking it. I'm happy to let him do that. He is wasting mortars and time 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 It is too late, just as they get up to run, mortars crash down on airburst. Within a minute, most of the platoon is left screaming on the ground. Only one squad was left unharmed. The other two were almost wiped out. In the north the defence continues to be set up. The ATGM team is now setting up and watching airburst hit HILLFARM, which they had vacated only a few minutes ago. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake_eye Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 On the south hill I would pull back the units lefts and have them take a defence posture a bit farther back with a support of the BMP and squad from the farm. The AT asset will rip to the left in the valley in order to cover the left hill, the center and the right one (I assume the field of fire is good, having no way to check it on a landscape 30° map). That's too bad. Remember what I had wrote you at the time. A defence set after falling back at a place with a full view of the down slope was better than on the crest and or the down slope, where Mike could unleash a barrage either with mortars and or Artillery. your troops could fire at him if he went past the crest. More that position would be overwatch and supported by the guys in the south houses Cheers 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 Yeah, snake eye - you are right. I forgot my own rules and ignored your suggestion and then payed for it Hopefully I can salvage something out of this mess. I will reposition the survivors as soon as the barrage stops. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 hcrof, I hereby nominate the first pic in The Retreat for inclusion in the Your Best Screenshot thread. Looks fantastic! Regards, John 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 In the south, Mikes mortar bombardment has done exactly what he wanted it to do. 3rd platoon are now down to 1 squad and 1 RPG team only – their HQ has been wiped out. I now consider them combat ineffective as they will be far too brittle to stand up long in a firefight. The reserve platoon I sent forward has also received its share of trouble. My BMPs watching the north hill have been firing away at a tank but they are truly awful shots. They have missed six times and 2 Saggers have hit the reserve platoon, causing 4 serious casualties. Because of this, they have stopped moving into position to deal with the wounded. In the north, 2 infantry platoons are now moving into holding positions, getting ready to advance – overwatch provided by BMPs. They might get seen by Mike but this is no problem, it will draw his armour into the sights of my AT-4. Mike has moved a carrier to HILLFARM, it looks like he is trying to provoke a response. He would get one if my BMPs could hit anything! Those tanks on the north hill scare me. 4 tanks is a lot for my infantry to deal with and I am beginning to have second thoughts about my counter attack! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lethaface Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Four sakes of the story, I hope your counter attack works! Your not using any tanks in that? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 Well the tanks are ready to go, I just don't want to let Mike know for sure where they are until I attack BRIDGE. For the first stage of the attack on the hill, the tanks are unessesary, I have mortar fire bringing HE down on the treeline and my BMPs can deal with infantry in the farm (hopefully mike will get a move on and put some there!). Should Mike bring armour up, my AT-4 will deal with it. It is later on that worrys me. When I enter the treeline, the last thing I want to see is 3 or 4 T-62s waiting in ambush for my infantry! The only problem is that i am not sure that my own tanks are the right solution for it, tank duels at <50m tend to be bloody. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lethaface Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Well 3 T-62's in ambush are sure not nice for a head on tank attack! However the infantry would probably even fair worse. Perhaps you can rush your tanks into his flank when the infantry comes close? Anyway, you probably have the best overview so do as you see most fit ! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 I like that idea, I think if I have to commit tanks I will do just that - try to get him to button up and attack on his flanks. Hopefully the curve of the hill will help here by isolating one tank at a time. My mortars arrive in two minutes (I wish there was a 'delay' function!). I hope I have a clearer picture of what i should do by then! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Sightings of movement are now reported all over the north hill. Movement in the tree line, infantry and machine guns running to occupy HILLFARM and tanks and BMPs moving into positions on the south and west flanks of the hill. My left hand platoon fires as it leapfrogs its way up the hill while their BMPs provide overwatch. The right hand platoon pause and regroup, ready to advance through the wheat field. Spotting rounds crash down onto the tree line near the enemy, one of them treebursting. This barrage will be devastating... Mike has finally done what I wanted him to do and moved infantry into HILLFARM and I think the tree line as well. This will make them vulnerable to my BMPs parked out of RPG range. Should he bring armour forward, my AT-4 will hopefully deal with it. I am just worried about those tanks! If they stay in the forest they are safe and will threaten the flanks of any advance My infantry will continue with the advance with the BMPs in overwatch. As soon as the mortars start falling they will get more aggressive! Note that this is a convex hill so My BMPs are all hull down with regard to the treeline and the enemy BMP in HILLFARM cannot see anything. I suspect that it is the one with no gunner anyway. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkEzra Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 This turn looks like a serious nail biter... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlefront.com Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Pixel chewer, I think Good DRA there hcrof! Steve 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taki Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Waiting for the next turn... when to come? eta? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 Thanks alot for the support guys, I have played one turn but I think it is best to wait another minute before releasing the results. The attack is on a knife edge and it could go either way! It is all to do with Mikes tanks... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hcrof Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 As my infantry surge up the hill, a BMP opens up on HILLFARM, blowing holes into the walls and roof of the tall farmhouse. At the same time, mortar rounds begin to rain down on the treeline and explosion after explosion shake the top of the hill. Out of nowhere one of their carriers suddenly explodes and the left hand platoon spot a tank in the trees... They immediately take cover and their advance stops. Now the right hand platoon is left to advance on its own. Soon it becomes apparent that mortar fire fire is falling on HILLFARM! How are they supposed to take the place if is under artillery bombardment? There is no time to think however as a few enemy infantry begin to fire at them from the cover of the wheat... Ok, nothing is going right for me in this attack! One of my mortar modules missed and is now wasting shells on HILLFARM while it looks like Mike has a tank in ambush in the trees – exactly where those shells should be falling! In fact, the suspected positions of Mikes good infantry platoon is more or less unscathed and I have already lost a carrier in this attack Finally, my left hand troops have been seen by a scout squad before they reached their objective! Well, as they say, the best laid plans can go wrong so I am going to have to improvise. I will stall my attack, readjust the last of my mortar shells so they land on target and move a third platoon wide in a flanking manoeuvre to the south of the north hill. This will hopefully pin his infantry in place while threatening to surround his tanks in the forest. My tanks will stay in reserve. Hopefully, Mike will withdraw without a fight once it looks like he will be surrounded but I am not counting on it. It looks like it will be a bloody battle. Either way, it is another 10 minutes wasted, which brings me to another point. Where is my artillery!? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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