Updates on Utah-Rhine?

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 1:02 am

It's gotten very quiet in Western Europe. A lot of you were headed to Germany, but I've heard nothing of late?

How goes the campaign? Did you make it?

WB

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Windo von Paene · Post by **Windo von Paene** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 2:22 am

Well I was into the fourth battle, (third for some I guess), the "bocage battle" with the big river, and I must say was just getting toasted, (so much for my earlier claims of "too easy"), when I started crashing to the desktop...

There are a lot of nasty surprises in that one. I was taking the objectives, but with my infantry going across the fields, they were well behind the greyhounds, and we all know what can happen when the tanks outrun the infantry support...Though in this case all I'd seen were snipers, on Schrek team, one 88, two panthers and more log pits, AT pillboxes, mines and MG bunkers than you can shake a stick at. Not sure what would have happened had I actually gotten into town with the infantry.

I think I could have probably gotten a win, but the losses were getting pretty extreme. Of course that's easy to say not knowing what other forces were hiding...

Cona · Post by **Cona** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 3:19 am

I'm in the second battle, Carentan.
First one was a decisive victory for me, but at high cost. Urban fight is a pain in my a..
Now, at Caretan, more Urban fight, so i'm thinking twice before move or fire. Second turn by now.
Have to say that panthers from first battle were easy cake. They run on my hidden infantry and got assaulted and destroyed at once. I forgot to buy transport for my infantry so them were far behind the front line and in the right place at the right moment.
There're few defences to prevent st. mere eglise to be taken by a both flank attack (pincer manouver ?). My scouts had AT pillboxes for dinner. And mortars.
Anyway, it's harder than "Preparing the Way" and more much fun than "Heroes ..."
Looking forward for the bocage.

Saludos a todos,
Cona.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 3:54 am

Glad to see you are making progress, fellas. Thanks for the updates and the kind words.

I guess you can call that progress (G). Hey Cona, don't wait too long. Those objectives are points per turn

Good hunting, fellas...WB

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

DownUnder · Post by **DownUnder** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 4:58 am

I like it!

I've only played the first scenario so far. I've looked at the map of the second but haven't played it yet. I might try it tonight after my usual thursday night round of good-old traditional card-board counter and hex map wargaming.

I found the first scenario to be pretty good. Luckily I had troops in the southern village that the Panthers and Tigers came through and they were assaulted and destroyed.

I also had engineers in the forest to the north (rode in on the Shermans and were moving formward) and got into a nasty close combat with the Stug-III's. One of the northern Tigers was actually imobilized by .50 cal fire from a recon jeep!

The final assault on the town only came after I had rubbled most of it with a battery of 8 inch fire for about 4 turns straight. It was fairly straight forward with all those stunned Germans wandering around.

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regards from down under!

Toey · Post by **Toey** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 5:04 am

I’m just starting the fight for the three hills.

That battle of the Bocage was one tough fight! Log pits, MG Nests and AT Bunkers everywhere! Used lotsa Arty on that one.

My boys are doing well, and I’m working on a couple of heroes for Tankhead!

rexmonday · Post by **rexmonday** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 5:09 am

I really enjoyed the campaign. It certainly had me swearing and cussing at the enemy forces as another Jagdpanther nosed out of the undergrowth.
The one thing I felt a bit disappointed by was the last scenario - I was expecting the tattered remnants of the reich, lots of werewolf and militia units, but instead there was lots of XXXXXs and XXXXXs (no spoilers here). This is however a purely subjective thing.
Thanks for the road trip across Europe.
I started it off inspired by the report of someone playing the first campaign as an airborne assault, and then started the campaign again with a more normal force. At the moment I have dug out the save file from my airborne attempt and have been seeing how it stands up using lots of airdrops.
I have learnt to treasure my elite bazooka teams. They can get as many kills as a good solid tank for about one tenth the price.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 7:16 am

Great reports. Thanks!

The bocage is ugly, real ugly, Toey. Glad you made it.

I remember those cardboard days and counters flying from running children, scampering pets and excessive dusting

Yes, tank-killers are a hidden treasure,

especially on the defensive. Snipers do surprisingly well, they just don't live very long

WB

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Leibstandarte · Post by **Leibstandarte** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 7:28 am

I'm on battle 7 I think. Do to my limited access to the internet and limeted play time I will wait until completion of the campaign to post a detailed report for you. Needless to say this is an outstanding campaign to say the least. I showed my CO one of the battles and now he wants a copy as well as all the Lt's. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

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Cavalry Trooper (8th US) and Grandson of a Leibstandarte Tanker.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 7:33 am

Hey Jason! Good to hear from you. You have not been forgotten here. I hope it is going well.

A salute to all the brass. Please give them my regards.

I look forward to the report from you.

Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Per-Anders Westin · Post by **Per-Anders Westin** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 10:51 am

Still fighting in France. I have some days rest from the front to design my own campaign. But when I come back, I will capture some hills (don't know more details about the scenario).

Thank you WB for this campaign. The best campaign I ever played. I made some mistakes when I bought my core units, but now I glad I did, because it makes the fighting more challenging.

I'm looking forward to play more campaigns with hard resistance, like in this campaign.

/Per-Anders Westin

JNL · Post by **JNL** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 10:54 am

Excellent Campaign! I just finished about 3 to 4 days ago. Losses and upgrades pretty much ruined any chances for an elite AFV - however I had more than enough Vet crews and squads to make up the difference. I had to run thru the campaign twice. I upgraded to 4.4 at about battle 6 or 7. So I started over (Got to redo my OOB - whoo hoo!).
Near the end where you have to rescue the "Lost Inf Co" - and you run into 4 ********* (I won't give it away for those who haven't played this scenario yet). Those SOBs! Carved a pretty big chunk out of my core.

So far I have enjoyed the user created campaigns much more than the WWII AI generated Campaign. Bring on the next one!

Anzac Rambo · Post by **Anzac Rambo** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 12:05 pm

I have just finished number 4, the bocage scenario. It was very difficult with the bunkers mines and various ambushes causing most of my tanks to become disabled and some major losses with my recon forces. Also at about turn 12 the Germans showing historical tactics mounted several counter attacks on the northern and western victory hexes I had secured. Fortunately the 2 batteries of 8in along with the levy artillery would drive them of and by plastering the town hex I managed to put a couple of tanks through the town from the east with minimal interference for a DV. In retrospect 2 sections of dozer or mine Shermans and one less battery of artillery would have been better buying for my levies.

I only got a draw in St Marie Eglise. I didn't buy any OB art relying on mortars which all ran out of ammo so I couldn't force the village. Also some imbecilic staff work meant my Sherman platoon stayed put for awhile. They did do an Arnhem on the Jerry Spec Ops that appeared though and had to deal with the German panzers and Stugs which pincered in from the north and south.

Utah beach was easier and I was lucky enough to get a DV just before the Panthers and the main northwest German armour arrived. Alot of ART helped there.

Carentan was a blast and I leap frogged my infantry through the town from NW to SE with tank support from my core moving in from the west of the town. There is a building in the NW of the main body of Carentan that is over 100 feet tall. Great for a FO or HQ post.The NE victory hex I have renamed Stalingrad square as the Germans poured armour in to it apart from having 2 gun pits there in the first place. I took it with my airborne platoon and its supporting engineer section and had to pour my reserve engineer platoon and other units nearby. This in particular and the campaign as a whole has been some of the most absorbing gaming I have had since my first Panzer General campaign 5 years ago.

I am using 4.4 and have only noticed some minor glitches. In Utah the French tanks sometimes appeared during auto deployment. There was the sky scraper in NW Carentan and during some bombing runs in Carentan my planes seemed to see more than I would have expected.

I have just remembered one of the highlights of the Utah beach was I had a couple of 75mm ATGs on the Northern spur which turned about and dealt with the Vichy levies. So I moved them to a tasty spur further south and was very pleased with mvself when these bloody Spec Ops stormed them from behind. Buggers! I had to move my infantry covering the N and NW approaches to deal with them and was feeling rather exposed to the German attack at about turn 7 or 8 when my DV came through.

Great game thanks Bill. Carentan was a masterpiece.

Guy.

molset · Post by **molset** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 2:28 pm

Hi Wild Bill.
Very good Campaign.
Ive given you a previous report. I had then gone through the two first battles. This is the progress so far.
St. Mere Eglise (draw)
Utah beach defence (decisive!)
Carentan (decisive (I think?))
Bocage (draw)
Retreat (decisive!)
Three hills (draw!)
I play better when doing things methodically (read slow movement) so the number of turns in the bocage scenario and the fight for the three hills (the river crossing?) were to few. Perhaps I was to cautious in the bocage fighting because my men didnt se to much fighting at all (besides getting blow to pieces in mine fields (Very unnerving!)). My recon boys were really the only ones actually getting to fight in the bocage. Whatever has happened so far (many, many unneccesary casialties) the last three weeks playing the UtR campaign have been the best W@w moments so far. A large part is thanks to the campaign itself (Thanks again) and all the different tactical situations it imposes. It just forces me to be a better commander! That is if the casualty list dosent get to long thus ending my commission.

Regards
Molset
"Jakki er ekki frakki nema sidur se"

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 2:42 pm

This is what gaming is about! Playing such carefully crafted scenarios is a joy. In St Mere Eglise I easily destroyed the german light vehicle attack in the centre and the northern Pz IV platoon and was thinking yeah looking good. Then the pincer of the Stugs in the north and the Panthers in the south kicked my butt!! I restarted with a better designed core force and upped my game.

I'm on Carentan now, and look to win but I'm expecting the unexpected. So there's a bocage scenario next eh?

Brilliant! Thanks!

Bill

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 2:45 pm

Looking back at rexmonday's reply just now I realise I've been a 'spoiler' saying about the pincer. Sorry - lesson learned.

Bill

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 5:37 pm

Amazing to read these reports and see the tactics used to win battles. Very military and sound.

As some of you have said, you learn by your mistakes. I did too

I'm delighted to hear of your enjoyment of the campaign. I appreciate the pointing out of game anomalies and how they affected the campaigns.

Don't worry about it Bill, I'm sure some folks will appreciate the update. Folks should know when they come here there inevitably will be spoilers

Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

David F. Wall · Post by **David F. Wall** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 8:40 pm

I started it, and soon discovered a paucity of anti-vehicle capability. Never even got close to Ste-Mere-Eglise. Gonna have to rethink my force composition.

Of course, work on campaign design is a time eater, too.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Nov 02, 2000 11:12 pm

I agree. I do know a little about that!

Good luck with yours. It does take a lot out of you, but it's worth it David. Hang in there!

Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

victorhauser · Post by **victorhauser** » Fri Nov 03, 2000 12:18 am

Hi Wild Bill.

Did you read about the BUG I reported in a previous thread regarding Utah to the Rhine?