Episode III- The Goblin Menace

[Goblin]

Ok, in Episode I, I smacked Belisarius around like a small child (Soviets defeat the Germans). In Episode II, he fought back a little, but was beaten like a medium sized child (German/Rumanian defeat the Soviets). Now, in Episode III, he's after one thing.... Cold blooded revenge!!!:mad:

He has chosen the USA as his instrument of destruction. I am the Germans. 8220 points each (15% arty max). 9/43. Rocky Italian countryside. Alot of hills, the north half of the board is pretty well wooded, the south open.

His opening barrage was impressive! Some 81mm rounds got lucky and killed a halftrack right off. His 155's produced some casualties also. Lots of smoke pouring into the center, right below a big hill at my line. I hope he tries it!!:p

I killed a coupla scout jeeps at his start line with MC's, and them MG'ed the scouts too, cause I'm like that.

Goblin- A Goblin plays the friendly SS:D

[hellcat]

excellent more carnage!

[Goblin]

I knew this thread would draw out the crazies and oddballs!;)

Goblin- A Goblin has a straightjacket:p

[Belisarius]

Alright, so our Task Force has been assigned to stop the Krauts and if possible, drive them back. If this means I get home to the wife and kids sooner, we'll drive them all the way to Berlin!

The peaceful Italian countryside is soon ripped apart by artillery. Several platoons are caught in the barrage. Looks like 150's! As a consequence, they won't move and get caught in the SECOND barrage as well! Many many dead.

Our scouts are probing all over the line, without no sign of the enemy.

Except in the north. We've intercepted the usual Goblinite MC-Kubelwagen rush. No Überkubelwagens this time! One is reduced to a twisted flaming wreck from regular small-arms fire. A Wolverine is accompanying the vanguard, it moves and - lo and behold! Behind the advancing motorcycles, we see a Panther D and a 251/9! *boom* *boom* 2 dead Kraut vehicles! We finish off by directing some 81mm mortar on them, just to keep them busy.

[Goblin]

Again my disappointment with the Panther. And my utter amazement with the Wolverine.

Lost an entire MC squad to a flame-tank.

Could barely move anything up north.

Saw several FT engineer units.

Goblin- A Goblin summarizes

[Belisarius]

The lost Panther was vindicated by its' brother. The Wolverine tried to slug it out, but was hit and mushroomed. We now see a full platoon of Panther A's in the north. They will prove a tough nut to crack. Wolverines are excellent value for money, though.

We're chasing MC's all over that same area. They're retreating, but will probably return as soon as they get some distance to their pursuers. A Kubelwagen went suicidal and parked itself on the slope beneath a scout troop. Thou shalt not mess with G.I.'s wielding Tommy-guns!

The Krauts are concentrating their heavy fire on our battery parks, both onboard and offboard! CB'd again! How does that work? I have now had FIVE batteries fired at!

oh- did I mention that I forgot to set priority targets for the artillery? Assigning new targets is a pain.

[Goblin]

The Panthers continue to extract revenge from the Amerikaner forces. Two Sherman Flame tanks now do exactly that. Flame. Two more Wolverines mimic thier Sherman comrades. American Engineers flee in a growing wave of dieing men. Surrender and spare these cowards.

Goblin- A Goblin gives one chance:mad:

[Belisarius]

The Green Vermin has unleashed a COMPANY of Panthers! I counted at least 12 of them accompanied by mechs, all pushing through in the north! This will be too much for me, I guess. Positive thing is that we're looking on a fair share of his total force - more than 3000p of it, perhaps.

We claim a few VH's down south, where the situation is totally different from the carnage up north. So far...

Oh, and our artillery continue to pound our own positions - they scattered to the FAR LEFT end of the screen! Fcking cross-eyed no-good SOB's.

[Capt. Pixel]

Originally posted by Belisarius
oh- did I mention that I forgot to set priority targets for the artillery? Assigning new targets is a pain.

I don't understand, B. Did you not buy FOs either. new plots for American FOs isn't usually much of a problem. Even without the "Gold Spots".

[Belisarius]

Originally posted by Capt. Pixel


I don't understand, B. Did you not buy FOs either. new plots for American FOs isn't usually much of a problem. Even without the "Gold Spots".

My FO's got hit in the head by our own artillery! Task Force Belisarius - we put the "forward" in "forward observer"!

OK, the 81mm tubes shift fire quick (thankyou!), but the +100's are slooow...

[Capt. Pixel]

Originally posted by Belisarius


My FO's got hit in the head by our own artillery! Task Force Belisarius - we put the "forward" in "forward observer"!

OK, the 81mm tubes shift fire quick (thankyou!), but the +100's are slooow...

Well, I guess there's no accounting for 'Style' :rolleyes:

[Goblin]

BANZAI!! BANZAI!! BANZAI!!:mad:

We have taken a cue from the other foe of the Amerikaner, the Japanese! We will attack, sparing no one!

I just witnessed wholesale destruction that made me queasy. My 150mm were right on target, only 100-200m in front of my advance, and the Amerikaner must be packed in there like sardines. The casualty reports scrolled and scrolled and scrolled.... Goodness! I must have killed 50 or so men, without dispersing units ! Just casualties alone!

Belisarius, for the love of all thats good, surrender now! Otherwise I am going to stop the recon probe and attack in force!!;)

Goblin- A Goblin vaporizes them:mad:

[Belisarius]

I couldn't even watch the playback - it's a slaughter!

To my amazement, it's "only" a platoon of Engineers that has totally perished. The last squad, surronded by three Panthers and a 251, did the only thing they could - attack! Banzaaai! The satchel charge didn't stick, though, and exploded harmlessly.

ALL rifle squads are still in play! So far..
The men are still hugging ground and won't do anything else, so we're not able to put up much of a defense vs. the armored tidal wave. It must be half his force that's attacking in a 10-hex sector!

Distress calls are heard from the rear area. The mortar crews are being assaulted by Einsatztruppen! M3 AA's posted on overwatch in the vicinity rush to aid, and kills off 4 squads - that's 40 men! A small revenge for the artillery...

Artillery causes more damage to both sides, an 81mm immobilizes a Panther!

All other sectors quiet. No sight of the Krauts.

[Goblin]

The rout continues.... This time, enemy infantry ARE dispersing! I feel that Bel should toss the towel in, maybe to soak up all this mess....

A 155 turned a Panther into a huge doughnut!:eek:

A Wolverine killed a Panther also, but we got his wingman!:D

Goblin- A Goblin wades into the fray:mad:

[Belisarius]

Where's my file? :p

I know you're neck deep in PBEM, but you can't beat me if you won't send me the file...

[Belisarius]

The nothern flank has ceased to exist as a fighting force. It's every man for himself, all are trying to make it back to safety before being crushed under the Panther tracks. A few surviving Wolverines try to hold off the tidal wave, but without much success.

We can see no enemy elsewhere. Has he concentrated all his front line forces to the northern sector, hoping to defeat us in one devastating blow? In that case, he might need to reconsider. We're bleeding and the count's on 7, but we're not out just yet!

[Goblin]

The rout has become a bigger rout! Lordy, but my artillery is having a field(gun) day! I gotta give credit to the USA 155's for a big assist! Man do they hit US troops hard!

They also blasted several of my MC squads out of existance!:(

Reconsider? Reconsider what? The horrible slaughter? The reek of burning napalm from destroyed flame tanks? Nope, not gonna reconsider.

Goblin- A Goblin shows Joe:mad:

[Belisarius]

You guys should see the white dots marking my troops on the tactical map! They're all but gone! :rolleyes:

[Goblin]

We continue to slam forward, but have found only a couple of scattered squads. They joined their comrades!:D The SS is helpful like that.

Belisarius's men have now discovered that my whole strength was not in the north. Some of my Tigers, escorted by Brummbaer, have ambushed and destroyed a large Sherman force heading down the bottom of the map. Five kills, including one with a 150mm can opener!:eek:

Goblin- A Goblin yells 'Now!':mad:

[Belisarius]

"-Sir! We have 200 rangers reporting in for duty, and 4 Wolverines with them!"
"-That's nice. Show them over to that gentleman in the grey uniform over there."
"-Sir??"
"-That's right. We have surrendered."

Alas, a little bit too late! I really didn't feel like carrying on with this. My entire northern flank is GONE, and with the south vanguard tangled up in a fight with Tigers, it's bad. And oh yes - Shermans do suck! I have used them for three recent scenarios - can anyone assert me that they're not made of cardboard? Mobility you say? Mobility schmobility, what good is that if they brew the instant they see something grey?

Despite crushing me, Goblin chose the most difficult path to take. I, too, had my main force in the north. Gob, you will notice that there's a 15 hex gap in the middle - I had an AT gun, a jeep and an M4 flame guard that entire sector!

Initative, iniative. I don't think I could have played otherwise. Goblin hit me with about as much as you can short of a strategic carpet bombing. :rolleyes: A company of Panthers, SS mech. troops, and HEAVY artillery. It was a nice timing of all, though. He pinned my entire sector in one turn, and then they were doomed. (since the cowardly bastards wont rally! )