"Mcensk Recon" AAR [Mcensk'41, 1st battle] (SPOILER ALERT)

[spellir74]

"Mcensk Recon" AAR [Mcensk'41, 1st battle]

Difficult battle by historical necessity.

Somebody at the forum here wanted clues about this battle, so I started typing them. But it turned into a lose AAR and spoiler so I posted it here (and linked to it from the thread where the question was asked).

Instructions for not being decimated in "Mcensk Recon" (Mcensk German #1)

(SPOILER ALERT)

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From
Btn HQ, Spellir
To
Cpn CP

((From memory months ago...))

[spellir74]

First clear center farm and front woods. I believe you can get p38s along 'center path' over the danger zone(tm) then right, to Depression cover along near-side of forward field. This is to support your PGn as they clear front woods and establish firing positions on right orchard house and center farm.

MkIVs to left side of center farm can navigate to get shots on it. (HMGs are there abouts too.)

PIII pltn and 1 pltn PGn go to right orchard (and house), along back dip.

Once there --over and over-- def move-up over crest: shoot mobility of KV located at 'distant area' right then withdraw back over crest. Beware Sov ATG first. Semi-constant barrage on both ATG and KV's (house spotters).

Left flank...
MkIVes and all PGn --but the PIII spotters and mtr tms-- to gully woods (left). This is "mkIV grp". (P38s are to be rear and flanks of mkIV grp.) (Mortar tms stay at front woods to area fire forward-field once needed; Mtr trans to 'mkIV grp' w/PGn.)

MkIV grp's assault on left forward-woods and left farm will take a while. Art helps to get to left forward-woods (is there ATG, PzGn?). Then stage there for assault on left farm.

Meanwhile PIIIs play chicken game with KVs of 'distant area'-right. Mobility hits are crucial.

There is ATG at far-field and forward field-center (spotters at right orchard house should be clearing all forward field); mkIV grp's PGn and the p38's move to spot/attack locations, while MkIVs slam left farm from behind left forward-woods.

Ultimately mkIV grp wants to take far-field ((flag)) and then get to 'distant area'-center and advance on KV flanks, before "reinforcements arrive" ((enemy time bonus)).

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As you know there is a surprise attack to your left rear.

.....
[dissolve to flashback]

...So just as mkIV grp was about to lunge at left farm remains (then storm far-field, from left farm and left forward-woods) it had to swing everything around to combat an unknown threat level --while still being fired on from left farm and far-field (and any possible ATG!).

All have to hold their breath and wait to see what is going to come.

It is just an Inf probe. [[BUT I didn't know that then. That was _the_ rush of the game.]]

Fortunately I had HMGs at center farm (wounded)[Field Aid]. And p38s were bringing up mkIV right rear.

So after the delay... mkIVs finish left farm off. Then, spread out, def mov towards far-field, having to take out stubborn Sov ATG there.

Art called on 'distant area'-center. (It is ultimately unspotted but still accurate, taking out unseen --till later-- ATG and Inf there. Horrido!)

Then mkIV grp advances --stop and go-- on tenacious dug in Inf to take far-field ((flag)).

P38s are on mkIV grp's right flank shooting at Airborne dug in at forward field-center. They see T-34s appear at 'distant area' left, heading towards far-field to flank mkIV ((at flag)). At this time also, Sov Inf from Sov charge on forward field-center.

Because of that sighting, mkIV grp had time to set a point blank ambush just under bluff (which edges 'distant area'-center) that the T34s must come over to get to far-field ((flag)).

((_BUT!_ the game won't let me belly shoot! I did not know this; grr. So I had to shoot it out with them after getting many "deflected by ground" messages.))

Lost some units but prevailed. 'Distant area'-center had been cleared by art. Then mkIV grp moved on towards immobile KVs right. P38s cleared forward field still fighting (with help from mtr tms).

......
[end flash back with a warp]

I lost some PIIIs during the haul against the KVs -- including the command tank I was in ((symbolically)). The one from which I deployed and watched mkIV grp. ((And I hate losing any units no less mine!.))

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Through arty and PIIIs damaging some of the KVs at safe range, and then close range (<150meter) Heat from mkIV grp their rears --and Inf cls aslt swarm rushing them under smoke-- they will die

((The couple mobile KVs will reinforce distant area flag, showing rears to mkIVs and PGn if PIIIs pound them.))

But be aware that eventually "overwhelming enemy reinforcements will arrive". ((Ie at turn >30 ish, the Russians will rack up serious bonus points.))

Btn HQ out

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[spellir74]

Okay I did it again 8/28/08 with the same attack plan I originally used above.

And while I didn't get the lucky nebelwefer KV kill this time, I actually did better.

I remember now more exactly what happened...

Originally I scored one KV kill from nebelwefer art (of all things) and one KV mobile damaged. This left two KV's for the end.

As my mkIV grp moved on distant area flag (from rear woods cover and houses), those two surviving KV's reinforced distant area's flag, facing PIIIs (who are accurate). I got a rear kill from a mkIV <150m and the other I infantry rushed under smoke (from a MKIV).

This was actually when I learned that 'cl aslt' is simply by and large a cloaking setting and one must actually engage the target when under 25meters. (In this case you rush under smoke; then engage target when there. ((The boot camp missions and tactical part of manual could be better.))

I lost no PIIIs this time. I'm better at the edge/fire/withdraw --from wide line of alternating [covering/moving] units game now.

Didn't do so well against the T-34s though! Three MkIV killed and one slowed to crawl. I was sloppy with the T-34s, just looking to get to the KV rear. (You won't be as sloppy.)

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I made a scenario of this from the halfway point so people can practice their anti KV tactics.\

tm.asp?m=1901777

[Mobius]

Moving cautiously at first to overwhelm the AT guns from long range things progressed slowly. When these were cleared from the field I drove the left hand forces to capture the left flag. Unloaded infantry off tanks when within 100m of some of the enemy infantry.

I pulled the platoon of PZ IIIG from facing the KVs and ran them to the left. When they got to the woods on the left center they followed up behind the other 2 plts of tanks. The 3 platoons converged on the left/center ridge where there appeared 3 T34s.

A bloody fight ensued when three more T34s were discovered heading down the slope parallel to the German force moving up. These though all presented sides. Facing 3 T34s from the front on top of the ridge proved to be the most difficult action. I even had to throw in the halftracks with close assaulting infantry to beat them. Losses were light for the Germans as 2 tanks and 2 halftracks and 2 squads were lost for 6 T34s.

Meanwhile the right flank was held by only 3 inf squads and 3 50mm teams. The Russian infantry had been cleared nearby and it was decided to advance toward the hill held by the KVs as they might head to the left to take on my tanks. Instead the KVs decided this infantry was easy pickings as they moved down the slope to take them on. The KVs must have expected to just steam roll over them. As they got within about 200m my infantry threw smoke grenades and stopped to await the KVs. One KV eventually blundered into the smoke and an inf squad close assaulted it and destroyed it. The rest of the KVs panicked and retreated.

The infantry followed up and rushed after them as the smoke cleared. The KVs rallied and turned around after a few turns and again came at the infantry. Using Rick’s method of firing area fire near the KVs they were forced to button up. The infantry made another heroic attack and destroyed a second KV. The others busy firing at the infantry didn’t notice the German tanks forming to their rear on top of the slope. Another KV was lost to tank fire.

Decisive Victory