Forum-Generated Battle AAR

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, Orders for Turn 1 you can see here. I'm trying to make sure I have a good force in position to hold the southern objective. The SS Infantry is moving towards the woods for now until the Smoke from the 150mms comes down and allows me to rush it across that field to the other objectives. The rest of the infantry is rushing into the woods.

The Panzer IIIs are advancing towards the northern objective, figuring to encounter some T-60s eventually. The Panzer IVG is staying on overwatch where it is, in case other armor pops up elsewhere.

All my units in the north are staying quiet on Hold Fire orders in the hopes that they can spot without being seen until I know more about the AI's northern force.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, I went through the Orders and Reaction Phases for Turn 1. Here's a screenshot from the Start of Turn 2. Frustratingly, I have yet to spot any more Soviet forces and I'm not seeing any of the T-60As rushing in my direction yet. So my knowledge of their forces remains about the same.

However, they clearly have someone that could see the SS Infantry and Halftracks along the road in the south. 76mm Artillery and 82mm Katyushas started dropping on them. Fortunately, the accuracy was off and most fell behind. Still, one squad took light causalties and was suppressed, so they're currently hugging dirt instead of advancing with the rest of the platoon towards the woods. I've decided to change their orders to Rush to get them out of LOS ASAP and to Withdraw the Halftracks for now as well.

The Soviets also dropped some smoke on my halftracks, which you can see building up there.

The north was completely quiet, at least I can be pretty sure that they can't see me.

[Erik Rutins]

Well, during the execution of Turn 2 Orders, I definitely got a bit lucky.

More 76mm Arty and 82mm Katyusha fire, this time more on target but I only had one squad suppressed, no casualties.

Then a IL/2 Sturmovik flew overhead and took a shot at one of my moving Panzer IIIJs with its rockets! Only one hit and it was a glancing blow that did not penetrate the armor. Usually that would have meant kiss one tank goodbye and I definitely can't afford to lose any, so I count myself quite lucky indeed.

Meanwhile I finally caught sight of some of the AI's forces in the south. Some Guards Infantry and BA-64s are advancing on the woods from the other side. Looks like that's going to be a pretty important piece of territory indeed.

My artillery smoke started to come down in the gap this phase.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, during Turn 2 Reaction I got another little bonus in the form of one of my Stukas showing up. It bombed something in the field where the Guards Infantry were advancing towards me, but I did not have LOS and could not see what it was. Meanwhile, my infantry in the woods are starting to get close to the objective. Another turn or so and I should be in position.

Unfortunately, the SS Infantry platoon had two of its four squads suppressed by the artillery fire. Those two just unsuppressed, so they're well behind the rest of the platoon in terms of getting to the woods.

[Erik Rutins]

My infantry near the center (6 squads) have regrouped and I decide now that some smoke is in place to send them rushing towards the treeline by the road, so that I will hopefully have someone in place to contest the central objectives. I wanted to do this before the T-60As move forward to where they could interdict this movement.

I also call in my one 81mm mortar to do some harassing fire on the field where I see the Guards and BA-64s advancing. I doubt it will do much more than suppress a squad or two, but every bit counts as I want to make sure I get those woods fortified before they get forces into them.

I adjust the facing on the Panzer IVG by about 45 degrees, so that he could see the BA-64s if they emerge from the smoke to the south.

The rest remains unchanged.

[Erik Rutins]

Well, what was I saying? No sooner do my infantry Rush forth from the central woods than a SECOND group of T-60As crests one of small ridges and comes into view. This new group is heading right for the central objectives. They are only spotted by my northern infantry, who are still sitting quietly and watching. The Panzer IIIs and Panzer IV can't see them yet.

My reaction options are limited by the orders I gave in the Orders Phase. I would love to tell my infantry to Withdraw back into the woods, but my only real option with Rush orders is to tell them to Halt. I decide to let them keep going for now.

I halt the Panzer IIIJs in and unbutton the one that was the target of the rocket attack to improve his spotting ability. I re-face the Panzer IVG directly towards the T-60As, hoping that he'll be able to see them soon enough. The terrain is a bit deceptive as it's open but also rolling and has many hiding places that can limit line of sight as well as some areas where you can see clear across the map.

The orders in the south are unchanged for now.

[Erik Rutins]

The AI's T-60A group stops _just_ out of my view on the reverse of the slope that I can see to the crest. I decide to move my Panzer IVg forward a bit as a line of trees is also obstructing his view of their approach. The Panzer IIIJs will redirect slightly to their right and watch for flank shots should the T-60As continue advancing.

If I didn't have my infantry sitting in the north, I wouldn't see these guys at all and they might have gotten flank shots at my Panzer IIIJs had I kept going up to the crest. I'm starting to wonder how may T-60As are back there?

I fine-tune some of my orders in the south, making sure my infantry will end up where I want it in the woods. I use the Insert key to bring up the terrain map so that I can make sure I've got the placements exactly as I want them. One of my SS Infantry squads has come under fire from some of the Guards infantry in the field beyond, but we're almost in position.

[Erik Rutins]

The south view...

[Erik Rutins]

Well, now I think the AI's plan is clear. The force of infantry I had seen heading to the woods objective has reoriented to the central objective. What looks like a full company of Guards Infantry are heading right for it, with the T-60As as the other prong of that attack. The T-60As are still waiting beyond that hill, while the infantry is now advancing.

I'm glad I kept my Infantry rushing ahead. It looks like they'll make the treeline in time to setup some kind of reception for the Guards.

Meanwhile, my infantry now at the edge of the south woods are the ones giving me this information I'm going to move a few of them and the MG42 up further so they have clear lines of fire into the flank of this Guards force. I can already see one Guards squad has taken casualties, though I don't know if that was from the pot shots my 81mm Mortar has been taking or from the previous Stuka strike.

The 150mm Arty is unfortunately unavailable for another turn. As soon as it's available again, that will be called down on the heads of the Guards force as well.

Just as a reminder to everyone, I usually give the AI about +50% or more in points when I fight it just because I've fought it so many times and know it quite well. I also got very, very lucky it seems (so far) on the tank selection for the AI as I've seen two groups of T-60As so far and I really can't imagine a much nicer sight in August, 1943 tank-wise.

[Erik Rutins]

Wow, how the tide turns! During the Turn 5 Orders execution, another IL-2 Sturmovik showed up and missed one of my Panzer IIIJs entirely. Just as I was congratulating myself on that, a third IL-2 Sturmovik showed up in the Reaction phase and hit BOTH of my Panzer IIIJs (which I had unfortunately placed close together in a line) and its rockets penetrated and destroyed BOTH! Ouch!

This will teach me to get complacent. I should have kept my Panzers under tree cover and not moved them out into the open, or at least kept them more widely spaced. The AI has to periodically remind me of this lesson and each time it's a painful one. This does make things more interesting though! (those of you who wanted airpower, there you go)

The T-60As have started moving out again. Meanwhile my infantry is almost at the treeline and I'm starting to exchange some long range fire with the Guards from the edge of the south woods.

A third prong has appeared, a group of Soviet Regular Infantry along the road behind the central objectives. This is going to take a bit of work, but I've got the 150mm Artillery back online now.

I fine-tune my infantry rush orders to get them to that treeline before the T-60As take them under fire and before the smoke I laid down in the gap clears. I move a few more infantry up to the edge of the south woods, where the BA-64s are trying to suppress my SS Infantry while the Guards move across the field.

I can't move my forces in the north down to help as the T-60A group up there is still being kept in place by the AI.

[Erik Rutins]

Here's the South View for the same turn.

[Erik Rutins]

One turn later and the Soviets have already managed to capture the second central objective. Combined with my loss of two Panzer IIIs, this is bad news for my victory level and good news for them.

My infantry has just about finished taking up positions in the treeline and I'm sure they'll be busy soon. Meanwhile a Rifle squad (I don't know yet if there are more coming) came into view not far from the south woods right after the rest of my infantry and MG42 had moved to the edge. They took the squad under fire and pinned it with heavy casualties in one phase.

The T-60As crossed to the road just behind the crest and my Panzer IVG was not able to take them under fire. I'm biding my time with him at this point as if I lose him, I'm pretty much done.

[Bad Santa]

I apologize for picking nits, but there's a typo in the second part of the briefing in the orders category. "Annihilate" is spelled with two "n"s. My day job is as a copy editor, so these things jump out at me. [:)]

[Erik Rutins]

Things start to go my way a bit more. The smoke clears and I also see a lot more infantry, a second company of regular Soviet rifles behind the Guards (you can't actually see them all in the shot below). Some were heading for the south woods, others following the Guards. As the smoke drops, my infantry in the Treeline adds their firepower to the fire I have coming from the woods into the flanks of the Guards force.

At the same time the 150mm Artillery starts dropping in the field. It's a beautiful thing. I count two squads destroyed this turn, a couple more with light casualties and several suppressed. One BA-64 is immobilized by a hit from my Panzer IVG, who spots it once the smoke drops. The other loses the wheels on one side due to the 150mm Artillery.

The Infantry in the treeline also take some of the Soviet infantry advancing into the objective area from behind it under fire, to no effect as yet.

If the T-60As stay out of this for a few turns, I may be able to seriously damage the Soviet infantry attack.

I decide to call in my 81mm mortar again, asking it to target the infantry on the other side of the objective area.

[Erik Rutins]

The Panzer IVG finally enters the action in a big way, taking out all three BA-64s accompanying the Guards infantry in the field and then taking out a T-60A that had finally come into view.

Meanwhile the artillery and fire from two sides is suppressing much of the Soviet infantry and causing some casualties.

My infantry in the treeline also manage to swing one of the central objectives back to my control.

A good turn for me.

[thewood1]

Erik, how do you know how many casualties the Soviet infantry squads have taken?

[Erik Rutins]

When I click on an enemy squad, I can see if they've taken light or heavy casualties. In future releases, you'll be able to see this visually in terms of number of models, but right now you have to click on them.

You also get a message in the event list when a spotted squad (enemy or friendly) takes damage, so you can also click on the message in the event list to jump to that squad and see where it is and what happened. While I watch the replay, I often double-click on squads of mine when they are highlighted in my HUD (which means they're taking fire) so that I can move to them and see what's going on. I also often click on damage events to see where they happened, unless I can already see it happen from my point of view.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, I'm back.. during Turn 9, the Panzer IVG took out a BA-64 that was leading some of the T-60As, then swung its gun around to aim at the Soviet infantry charging my troops in the woodline. The Soviets only send three squads at me - between the HE fire from the Panzer on their flank and the machine gun and rifle fire from the woods, two were quickly destroyed and a third suppressed.

A T-60A showed up on the road north of the central objective though and well within effective range of my platoon in the treeline. They're firing like crazy at the Guards in the field, so I assume the T-60A will spot them shortly if it hasn't already. It's presence alone has swung the central objective I had taken back to the Soviet side, so I'll have to eliminate it one way or another to regain control of that. For now, my infantry are eager to stay in cover and keep firing until the Soviet infantry are whittled down a bit more.

The T-60As in the north remain in position, as does my infantry.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, Turn 11...

My Panzer IVG managed to spot that T-60A moving along the road - with the first shot he took off the right track and the second shot through the treeline was a kill, that solves that problem for now and I'm feeling like the Panzer IVG is going to be a very tough nut for the Soviets to crack, thanks to their very poor luck on the tank selection.

The 81mm mortar finishes its harassing fire east of the objective.

A Soviet Sniper team turns out to be in amongst the wreckage of the T-60A and BA-64. They open fire on my platoon command squad in the treeline. Apparently this is one good sniper as they cause light casualties and suppress my squad.

Right now I'm content to hold my position and try to hang on to that central objective. With only one tank left, I'm not keen on risking it by going hunting for T-60As in the open only to have another Sturmovik arrive on station.

[Erik Rutins]

On Turn 11, I decide to move the Halftracks in to the light woods ahead of them where they can target the infantry in the field and hopefully still be out of sight to the T-60As if they keep moving forward.

The 150mm Artillery is up again so I set it to pick up where the 81mm Mortar left off on the Soviet Regular Infantry east of the objective.