Devil's Descent Campaign

[Erwin]

Enjoyed playing thru this highly recommended campaign. But, in battles 4 (ambush) and 5 (delay action) my US took a lot of casualties such that my para co. was down to 25 or so guys. However, I had won a Major or Total Victory in every battle.

Then came another of those "interlude battles" where you have a choice of action (I love this innovation of CMBN) or do nothing, and I thought a 6th final battle would follow (otherwise what was the point of the "interlude battle". But, the campaign abruptly ended after the "interlude battle" with me getting a Total Victory. (That seemed a bit weird considering my high losses, but on the other hand the paras did take massive casualties, so...)

Was I kicked out of the campaign early due to the high casualties in battles 4 and 5 or...?

*****************

As a follow-up question re inf tactics (since am not that good with all inf forces):

1) I found the AT guns to be useless (compared to the bazookas). The ATG's didn't fire at what seemed like easy targets, and seemed VERY easy to spot by the Germans and killed stat. I thought I had the ATG's in good positions using the bocage for camo and/or key-holing them. But, they were not effective. Where is best placement/how best to use em in the Devil's Descent campaign?

2) As an offensive-minded chap, I find defense and delay actions quite hard when faced with a clever attack by overwhelming odds. I tried to keep my squads intact assuming that they would inflict large casualties on the first german unit to appear. When the German trucks appeared on the bridge, they and the troop cargo didn't last long. However, soon after, the Germans appeared in force all at the same time in the hedgerows and were able to decimate the ambushing squads instead.

So... is it better to split into teams and keep them around on the front line, or use em to construct at least two lines of defense, or... should I have simply ordered everyone to run away to the EXIT zones after the first successful ambush?

[Field Marshal Blücher]

Enjoyed playing thru this highly recommended campaign. But, in battles 4 (ambush) and 5 (delay action) my US took a lot of casualties such that my para co. was down to 25 or so guys. However, I had won a Major or Total Victory in every battle.

Then came another of those "interlude battles" where you have a choice of action (I love this innovation of CMBN) or do nothing, and I thought a 6th final battle would follow (otherwise what was the point of the "interlude battle". But, the campaign abruptly ended after the "interlude battle" with me getting a Total Victory. (That seemed a bit weird considering my high losses, but on the other hand the paras did take massive casualties, so...)

Was I kicked out of the campaign early due to the high casualties in battles 4 and 5 or...?

Your guess is correct. If you read the designer's notes in the campaign briefing, you'll see that because the paras are expected to take such heavy casualties, casualties are not a factor in determining victory levels. The final interlude battle existed purely for the storyline to provide a conclusion; there was nothing after that.

1) I found the AT guns to be useless (compared to the bazookas). The ATG's didn't fire at what seemed like easy targets, and seemed VERY easy to spot by the Germans and killed stat. I thought I had the ATG's in good positions using the bocage for camo and/or key-holing them. But, they were not effective. Where is best placement/how best to use em in the Devil's Descent campaign?

SPOILERS:

I assume you're talking about in the ambush mission? (If you're talking about the town defense mission, let me know, as I found a crazy good spot to put them that's almost so good as to break the mission on my fifth or sixth playtest! ) In the ambush mission, I find that they're best placed along the bocage such that they have side shots at any German vehicles that approach. I also found it worthwhile to more fully discipline my ambush and give them more restricted cover arcs so that they only opened fire at a good angle.

2) As an offensive-minded chap, I find defense and delay actions quite hard when faced with a clever attack by overwhelming odds. I tried to keep my squads intact assuming that they would inflict large casualties on the first german unit to appear. When the German trucks appeared on the bridge, they and the troop cargo didn't last long. However, soon after, the Germans appeared in force all at the same time in the hedgerows and were able to decimate the ambushing squads instead.

So... is it better to split into teams and keep them around on the front line, or use em to construct at least two lines of defense, or... should I have simply ordered everyone to run away to the EXIT zones after the first successful ambush?

Where did you deploy your ambush teams? In my playtests I've found that keeping the squads together works perfectly fine, but perhaps I deployed them further back than you did.

[bodkin]

Linear mortar missions on the hedgerow that the germans hide behind will blunt the attack. I think I put one ATG on the rise on the cross road with a perfect line of sight to the bridge and another on the right side of the hedgerow back furthest from the bridge.

[gumby7]

You've got to be more patient if you're down to 25 men. When you've got an hour to take the town, USE THE HOUR. Its the difference between ~5 and ~25 casualties. I just finished my 2nd play through with 18 dead/18 wounded to the Germans' ~200 dead/~150 wounded.

[Erwin]

"If you're talking about the town defense mission, let me know, as I found a crazy good spot to put them that's almost so good as to break the mission on my fifth or sixth playtest!"

Yes, all three ATG's were KO'd (surprisingly easily imo) in the Town Defense mission. The ATG's seemed useless. It appeared that bazookas got one or two of the Marders. But, something else was also shooting and penetrating the Marders, but I couldn't figure out who or with what. I think I KO'd all the Marders and forced the Germans to an early surrender. But, the ATG's weren't much help even when they seemed to have clear LOS.

Clearly I didn't handle the ambush and delay missions well.

In the bridge ambush (battle #4) I had a good time killing the first 2 trucks and the inf passengers. But, then the Germans lined up behind their hedgerow (on their side of the river) and were able to concentrate murderous fire on my squads (who were behind their own hedgerow on their side of the river). My linear mortar strike along the German hedgerow came a bit too late. I should have predicted better. It makes sense that the Germans would do that (I would have) but I still underestimate the smarts of the AI.

I had very little left for battle #5 and didn't really think I accomplished anything except get more US killed in that scenario - still got a Major Victory(!)

So, there are only 5 battles in Devil's Descent? For some reason I thought there were 6. (I was going to go back to #4 and retreat a bit faster after the trucks are killed and hopefully have enuff men left for battle 6. So, plz confirm there is no battle 6 so I can move on to other scenarios.

[Field Marshal Blücher]

"If you're talking about the town defense mission, let me know, as I found a crazy good spot to put them that's almost so good as to break the mission on my fifth or sixth playtest!"

Yes, all three ATG's were KO'd (surprisingly easily imo) in the Town Defense mission. The ATG's seemed useless. It appeared that bazookas got one or two of the Marders. But, something else was also shooting and penetrating the Marders, but I couldn't figure out who or with what. I think I KO'd all the Marders and forced the Germans to an early surrender. But, the ATG's weren't much help even when they seemed to have clear LOS.

Are you sure your ATGs were deployed? In all of my playtests they were extremely effective.

So, there are only 5 battles in Devil's Descent? For some reason I thought there were 6. (I was going to go back to #4 and retreat a bit faster after the trucks are killed and hopefully have enuff men left for battle 6. So, plz confirm there is no battle 6 so I can move on to other scenarios.

There should be six:

1. Securing LZ

2. Town Assault

3. River Assault

4. Town Defense (given the choice you made)

5. Ambush

6. Link up with other paras near SME

[theFightingSeabee]

On the ambush mission, you've got to be a little more sly than making a defensive wall. Hide guys throughout the town where they won't see the enemy until they are in good kill zones. The guns are extremely useful when played this way. Mine even took out quite a few infantry as well. Use those cover arcs aiming at kill zones with multiple units from different angles if possible.

What a great mission that was!

[Erwin]

Ah, apologies... I may have got my battles numbered wrong. (During the "choose options phases" I chose ATTACK IMMEDIATELY plus LEAVE PLATOON BEHIND TO DEFEND TOWN options.)

What you call "Ambush" I called "Defend the Town" - it went ok altho my guns were not that active and I lost 2.

The next battle was what I called "Ambush", which was a German column with Stugs trying to cross a bridge and drive down the road to an exit point. That's where I lost a lot after killing the two trucks and passengers.

The last battle was my 25 remaining guys already close to the map edge defending/delaying an overwhelming German advance. I think I just ran em off the map. Was there supposed to be an actual link up with reinforcing troops?

Is it worth replaying the Campaign trying the alternative options - do they make a big enuff difference?

[Field Marshal Blücher]

Erwin, that should still be six battles. Either you're confused or there's something wrong with your campaign D/L. I am also calling the battle with the bridge and the StuGs "Ambush."

The 25 guys or so in the last mission ARE the guys you're linking up with--your core force actually arrives several minutes into the mission from the opposite map end to help them defend from the overwhelming enemy attack by hitting them in the rear. I thought that was explained in the briefing; was that not clear? Please let me know, as that sounds like a serious problem.

[Erwin]

Ahhh... You know what... I may simply not have seen the reinforcing core guys, and ran the 25 defenders (who I assumed were the remnants of my core guys.) off the map and cease-fired. Don't think I saved that one either.

The briefing was confusing in that I got the impression that I would be linking up with the majority of the US forces, not a measly 25 guys. Seems counter-intuitive.

No worries, I enjoyed the other battles. It was a good training campaign. Altho' as I mentioned for some reason I didn't find the ATG's useful or they didn't fire for some reason. I know they were deployed. I may retry the town defense battle.

So, is it worth replaying the campaign and making different choices at the two "decision battle" interludes?? What changes?

[Field Marshal Blücher]

The briefing was confusing in that I got the impression that I would be linking up with the majority of the US forces, not a measly 25 guys. Seems counter-intuitive.

The majority of US forces are in SME, just beyond that position held by the measly 25 men. They're defending in greater strength from different directions.

So, is it worth replaying the campaign and making different choices at the two "decision battle" interludes?? What changes?

Up to you. IMO you took the most interesting, although arguably the hardest, path. I probably wouldn't redo the first choice, but I might change the answer for the second choice. I won't post what changes, but the changes ARE significant for the second choice. If you really want me to spoil the holy heck out of it, I would be glad to tell you what changes, but you might want to just try and see. Let me know!

-FMB

[sburke]

Where did you deploy your ambush teams? In my playtests I've found that keeping the squads together works perfectly fine, but perhaps I deployed them further back than you did.

****Spoiler******

I found that being super aggressive also works. Took a page out of Band of Brothers when Winters leads a charge up to a dyke and hits a German force from the flank. Try that right after the inital ambush. Get to the hdgerow before the German reinforcements arrive and it turns the tactical situation on it's head. It was a fairly shocking display of firepower from US paras at close range. It is worth trying it once just to see. Even the StuGs were completely freaked out.

[Erwin]

Heh... I may try both suggestions... Thanks for the comments...

[jbmtintin]

Ahhh... You know what... I may simply not have seen the reinforcing core guys, and ran the 25 defenders (who I assumed were the remnants of my core guys.) off the map and cease-fired. Don't think I saved that one either.

The briefing was confusing in that I got the impression that I would be linking up with the majority of the US forces, not a measly 25 guys. Seems counter-intuitive.

No worries, I enjoyed the other battles. It was a good training campaign. Altho' as I mentioned for some reason I didn't find the ATG's useful or they didn't fire for some reason. I know they were deployed. I may retry the town defense battle.

So, is it worth replaying the campaign and making different choices at the two "decision battle" interludes?? What changes?

I am so proud. I just put one team on the other bank of the river, up to the hill just behind hedgerow. They killed almost everybody from there, as Germans have nothing to hide and protect...

[jbmtintin]

Thanks for this campaign also, Blücher, this is simply the one I prefered (immersion, choices, not too many people...).