Help with Nijmegen: Dutch Delay at Deest

[mashkis]

I am trying to play this from the Allied side but I have a difficult time defending and delaying the Germans. I have tried different strategies but can't seem to hold the Germans back. Any suggestions?

[MarkShot]

From my beta testing notes, I last played this about three years ago. Here is what I had posted in my scenario review. I am sorry that it is not too specific, but it might give you some idea. (on or around of 04/16/03)

Okay, I just finished playing Dutch Delay at Deest (Allies; Painful).

I thought I would throw out a few comments, since we previously had this whole discussion about play balance and good scenario design.

I enjoyed this scenario. It was a very subtle situation to manage. On the surface the initial dug-in positions looked pretty good, but for the artillery being way too far forward. However, small shifting of forces, occasional fallbacks to more defensible positions (cover and good fields of fire), moving to a secondary blocking position in behind the first which was beginning to yield, and focusing heavy weapons on the highway, yielded a major victory. As I said, most orders given seemed relatively minor compared to other to the usual broad and crass strokes painted in other scenarios. This was it's charm.

[MarkShot]

You have tickled my fancy. So, I'll be giving this scenario a go. Time permitting I will do a quicky AAR; if not I will sketch out briefly what I did.

I recently have discovered the pleasure in going back to play old CMBB and HTTR scenarios. It has been so long since I have seen these scenarios that they seem brand new to me. I have come to realize that getting older and having a fading memory can have its advantage after all.

Got to run - I have to prepare to stop this German push.

[MarkShot]

Mashkis,

For you, a blow by blow of how to achieve a decisive victory. Enjoy!

tm.asp?m=1188241

[mashkis]

Thank you very much for the AAR. I certainly learned a lot. I tried the scenario last night and defended in the same manner but did not pull back during the night. I will give it a try later today. It looks like I need to get COTA. Thanks again for going to so much trouble to illustrate the strategy.
BTW, do you know where I can get additional user made scenarios for HTTR?

[MarkShot]

Glad that helped. At Panther Games, we believe in personalized customer support. Do you need your windshield cleaned or the oil checked?

Seriously, I had a lot of fun going back and playing this scenario. HTTR is a great game and I have recently gone back to playing a scenario or two. Unlike CMBO which I could never return to after CMBB ... I do not find HTTR diminished by the release of COTA (much to my personal surprise). So, I think I will continue to play HTTR from time to time. Afterall, I have had COTA a long time already unlike most who are just experiencing its full magic and wonder.

Scenarios: I think all but one is here:

http://elsavior.albaani.org/airbornedepot/

[MarkShot]

It's a pity I don't have a good record of how I played this one the first time around in 2003. I can see from reading my notes, I probably followed a very different approach and probably didn't yield as much ground. Probably after so many delay type scenarios in COTA, I am much more inclined to yield ground than I was a few years ago. Also, in COTA, you are often on foot and they are often motorized. So, there is a very real fear of them getting behind you ... and once that happens, it's all over.

[Queeg]

I played this scenario as the Allies last night and actually had an easy time of it. The key is to try to bottle up the Germans on the central road before they reach the intersections where they can branch out. I moved all my line units forward from their original positions:

(1) There is a wooded area on the main east-west road just east of lead German unit - I put the recon unit there.

(2) A bit further to the east is the first intersection of the main road and a north-south road. There are wooded and village areas all along the north-south road as it runs north of the intersection and along the road further north that runs parallel to the main road. I put one of my infantry units and the AA unit (for anti-armor support) in a wooded area at the first intersection. I put the other two infantry units in protected positions along the north-south road and on the north road. From those positions, especially the north road, these units could enfilade the German units as they tried to force their way through the intersection.

(3) I put the artillery unit back at the bridge objective and the HQ and mortar units in reserve positions to the east of the main line.


As the German units started to advance, they were forced to stick to the main road because of the surrounding polder, and all my advance units were able to hit them from multiple angles. Throw in occasional well-placed artillery barrages, and the Germans never made it past the first intersection. My recon unit got chewed up pretty good, but inflicted probably three times the casualties it took before I pulled it back to a secondary position where it could still fire from a distance.