Bulge 44

[philturco]

Granted I'm a newbie but not able to make any significent inroads against USA defending forces. USA artillary grinding down all forward units(even though I go through the time consuming task of changing mydefenders to dig in at end of turn), so by the end of the 7th or 8th turn German strength seriously depleted. USA units seem to have little trouble disengaging at will and rarely suffer fire. I am aware of the ability of HQ, etc. to facilitate disengagement but would like to hear from others who have played this battle. Typical casualties are USA 2 or 3% to German 10 to 12% or worse.

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Bibbo

Granted I'm a newbie but not able to make any significent inroads against USA defending forces. USA artillary grinding down all forward units(even though I go through the time consuming task of changing mydefenders to dig in at end of turn), so by the end of the 7th or 8th turn German strength seriously depleted. USA units seem to have little trouble disengaging at will and rarely suffer fire. I am aware of the ability of HQ, etc. to facilitate disengagement but would like to hear from others who have played this battle. Typical casualties are USA 2 or 3% to German 10 to 12% or worse.

Germany has massive amounts of artillery available. Use it to bombard along the entire front without moving or attacking with any other units at the start of each of your turns. This should usually only use up about 10% - 20% of your move (make sure no artillery units are set to ignore losses or you’ll use up too much of your turn) and should disrupt the US and reduce if not remove any fortification levels in the defending hexes.

Then carefully plan your attacks to try and maximize as many impulses as you can in a turn. If you can squeeze out 2 or 3 attack rounds, you should be able to shatter the US front lines. Also make as few moves as possible in the first few shock turns. Moving units use up a lot of your turn, so maximize attacks and forgo all moves except those necessary to continue your attacks.

If you read some history on the battle of the Bulge, you’ll see that the German army was far from a superior force. After being completely shattered at Falaise in Sept. 1944, it retreated and rebuilt over a 3 month period before launching the Bulge attack. So don’t expect to do well against the veteran US forces unless you spend a lot of time maximizing the pulses you can achieve in a turn.

It’s a real tightrope the Germans have to work on trying to squeeze as many pulses out per turn as they can while US replacements are not available (17 turns), but if you do well, the front should break open for you as you wear down and start to eliminate the US units. Once the US replacements start to arrive the real attrition battle begins and you should think about switching over to defense.

The new PO is very aggressive on the attack. Play a few turns as the US to watch how it decimates the US front and then try and emulate it yourself.

Jim

[Industrial]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns
Then carefully plan your attacks to try and maximize as many impulses as you can in a turn. If you can squeeze out 2 or 3 attack rounds, you should be able to shatter the US front lines. Also make as few moves as possible in the first few shock turns. Moving units use up a lot of your turn, so maximize attacks and forgo all moves except those necessary to continue your attacks.

Thats a common misunderstanding, moving your units does NOT reduce your remaining game turn, only combat does!

If you have 100 units, and move 99 of them for their full movement allowance and than use the last one for a min. losses attack, you'll have 90% of your turn left and can conduct another attack.

If you have 100 units and move just one unit, than plan an attack with just this one unit your turn will be over becasue this single combat eats up your entire turn.

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Industrial

Thats a common misunderstanding, moving your units does NOT reduce your remaining game turn, only combat does!

Yeah. I think most of Jim's experience with TOAW came back in the early days of Volume I when his remarks were correct.

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: golden delicious
Yeah. I think most of Jim's experience with TOAW came back in the early days of Volume I when his remarks were correct.

LOL well since most of my designs were done for TOAW-ACOW I have to disagree with you. But I have been away from TOAW for 5-6 years and have forgotten a lot about the game. Perhaps I simply reverted to older knowledge while sifting through the cobwebs in my brain cells.

I used to know the game inside and out, but I am far from an expert these days and defer to the folks who have been playing it over the past 5 years. I’ve forgotten way more than I remember about the game these days.

These days I’m into WitP, TOAW III simply hasn’t grabbed me like the game did in the past. Guess I just got burned out on the game after spending so many years with it.

Jim

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns
These days I’m into WitP, TOAW III simply hasn’t grabbed me like the game did in the past. Guess I just got burned out on the game after spending so many years with it.

Jim

Hopefully we can get you addicted again Jim.
[8D]