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CM:BN Beta AAR/DAR Bois de Baugin US side


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1450 hrs

Incoming rounds from the JPz IV continue to bounce off of my M3A3(75)W. I can’t stay where I am. Sooner or later it will catch up with me. It’s time to make a boy or a girl, as they say, out of these Shermans. Now that the Pak40 is knocked out that leaves only the JPz IV. I’m going to try to break free of the terrible position I’ve put myself. If I move forward perhaps I’ll get a good shot in before all 3 remaining Shermans are lost.

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On Hill 144 despite the presence of my Sherman the men continue to surrender. I believe I have put enough of a hurting to keep the Germans away for the moment. I decide to take a bold and risky move. I bail out of the Sherman and have its crew attempt to rescue the surrendering soldiers. Time is not on my side as they have had their hands up for a couple of minutes already.

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The advance toward the JPz IV has gotten the results I should have expected. 2 burning M4A3(75)Ws. Weeks from now I’ll still be cursing that decision.

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Otherwise on Hill 154 the regrouping- and-spreading-out-across-the-ridge-to-provide-security-for-the-now-greatly-reduced-armor-infantry is going fairly well (that’s some sentence isn’t it?). I have even gotten a MG and 1st Plt HQ into the German foxholes. However, it was very disappointing to see that the foxholes gave no LOS to anything I need them to have LOS to.

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But…as so many things have gone for me it seems our friends in the JPz IV are in perfect position to have the LOS they would like. And just as fast as you can say uh-oh the MG and HQ are hammered.

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I have decided that because the side path to Hill 144 was such an easy path and I have established a foothold at the base, it is time to commit some a large chuck of the forces I have held in reserve to move up there as quickly as possible. The location on the hill will provide a decent jumping off point to move into the Villa. Among the units I am bringing into this move is a platoon of Pioneers. They may come in handy for getting through stone walls and entering buildings where there are no doors.

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Speaking of Hill 144. The forward observer I brought up to it drove to a batch of trees just off the road on the eastern side of the hill. After dropping off the observer and his radio man the jeep retreated back to the area with the surrendering squad and Sherman. From the position they were dropped off at they had no clear LOS and crept forward to get a better look. That’s when the FO was killed……..

Back on the hill itself I ordered the jeep driver to abandon the jeep and help in the rescue of the surrendering troops. As they arrive 2 men had already been rescued and the tank crew safely returned to their Sherman while the driver was about to save the last 2 surrendering men.

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The foot of the hill continues to feel secure and the reinforcements are on their way.

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As this is happening my next big break takes place. From Hill 154 my M4 Sherman finally connects with the JPz IV!! I have now eliminated 3 of the 4 main obstacles that are in the way of moving more freely across the map!! At this time I have a Sherman on each hill with LOS to the Villa and 3 Shermans in the rear ready to oversee the rest of my infantry in advancing to the Villa. When that final gun is taken out seizing control of the Villa should be a cakewalk. The hills are still full of enemy infantry and they will be much harder to dislodge but the primary objective is in sight.

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As the clock passes 1500 hrs the Pioneers speed toward Hill 144 feeling that victory is within their grasp……

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That explosion (?) on the JPIV looks like a more realistic flame/smoke burning hulk fx. I would prefer this single fireball than the funny candles from those burning shermans above..

I think - as with an earlier screenshot- you really don't know what these things look like as it depends on when the screenie is snapped.

Good shot taking out that JgPz Elvis.

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Agreed, but I also think that the smoke billowing out from the bottom of the vehicle and enshrouding it before pluming up would look better than the CMSF model where it pillars up from the top. That enshrouding effect would also make the flames look less artificial.

Also, the crews seem -- visually -- to be bailing out of the burning Shermans in pretty good shape (maybe down a man). Is there a thought to having most or all of them at least Lightly wounded (yellow weapon icon) and at rock bottom morale-wise (Rattled) when their vehicle was set afire as opposed to "simply" KOed? Escaping from a burning tank is a pretty awful experience I gather and the stuff of lifelong PTSD nightmares (e.g. "I pulled on his arms and the flesh came off. I pulled again and half of him came out the hatch"). I wouldn't imagine these poor guys would be good for much after.

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That explosion (?) on the JPIV looks like a more realistic flame/smoke burning hulk fx. I would prefer this single fireball than the funny candles from those burning shermans above..

The JPz IV is not burning. The fire you see is the round that knocked it out.

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The lost FO....

Were there 2 of them? Can you still call arty or is that option gone?

Not sure if you mean from that FO unit or the game in general so I'll answer for both.

If you have a FO or HQ leader without a radio that unit can't call in arty. If you have a radio but no FO or HQ leader then the unit can't call in arty either.

I have other units with both leaders and radios so I am still able to call in artillery..just not from that unit.

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Congrats Elvis. Looks like things are finally turning your way after your hard fight.

Quick question: does the surrendering balance seem right? Or in other words, do you feel like your troops have reason to be giving up or do you think that this needs to be fine tuned?

Obviously as a beta, especially with surrendering being new to CMx2, this is a work in progress. Just curious what your thoughts are on it with this build.

Keep up the fight! Nothing better than being able to move around your armor freely :)

Chad

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Congrats Elvis. Looks like things are finally turning your way after your hard fight.

Quick question: does the surrendering balance seem right? Or in other words, do you feel like your troops have reason to be giving up or do you think that this needs to be fine tuned?

Obviously as a beta, especially with surrendering being new to CMx2, this is a work in progress. Just curious what your thoughts are on it with this build.

Keep up the fight! Nothing better than being able to move around your armor freely :)

Chad

I have seen more surrendering in this battle than any other but the causes seem to be in line with what I had been seeing before. So I don't think it needs adjusting. I maybe have a question about the squad that ran to Hill 144 but when everything is factored in it shouldn't have come as a surprise.

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Hi Elvis, thanks for doing this, it's great. Just a quickie about surrendering. Why did you have to dismount your tank crew in order to "un-surrender" your guys? I would have thought a tank being close would be enough...

Cheers

So did I. I even intentionally brought the tank to the center of their formation. When that didn't do the trick I had the guys jump out because I didn't want to try the Sherman thing any longer and risk losing the men. I'll be asking around to see if it is something that could use some adjusting. In addition to the rescue element I posted it to show that bail out and re-manning of tanks.

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Thats not a bad suggestion Elvis and I think it would feel right - having a tank being able to 'rescue' troops. Especially considering the relative feeling of safety that they would get from hiding behind the tank.

Come to think of it, and I had not before just now, but in CMx2, tanks stop bullets dont they? So couldnt we finally advance troops behind a tank?

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Just for interest, Elvis, how long does it take you to plot a turn on average? Just wondering about the typical work load compared to CMx1 and CMSF. I'd guess with the generally more complex terrain in CM:BN than in CMSF it's a bit longer perhaps?

It doesn't take me any more or less time than CMx1 or CMSF. I think I am a relatively fast player though. It is very rare I will spend 10 minutes processing a turn. This game is the exception because I spend a ton of time looking for screenshots to take and replaying many many times.

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