Semi-Interactive AAR: Return Road to Kharkov

[Tophat1815]

 You got the T-70's so BRAVO! Now the P-IIIL's are out on a wing and some can stay in over-watch to cover that(as you look from German perspective)right side of the map. You need to get the tanks in to support the infantry drive into the town.Lets try

 As I see it:
                1) Have the tanks do an end around from the right to the village. Drawing fire and responding with HE while the infantry moves in with half-track support from the woods road area.How many HE rounds do the P-IIIL"s have? Do they have smoke shells to help them close the range under cover?

                2) Move armor down the treeline toward the road looking to get LOS on the road Soviet reinforcements seemed to be taking. At the same time moving cautiously to range on that other T-34. See how well you can cover the infantry drive from the forest into town.

                3) Send two tanks back to the road to more directly support  the infantry drive through the forest and into town. Also use that forest to cover P-IIIL's getting closer to the other spotted T-34 for APCR ammo to be most effective.

                Personally I like a combination of options #2 and #3......have 3 tanks move down the treeline while to other hightail it back to the road and get up to the infantry. But make any major moves after the 2 tank unit mates up with the infantry.This will allow you to rest the fatigued InF and then have both groups working together.Hopefully the T-34 will react to the tank move in the treeline and offer up an opportunity for the tanks on the road.Just pray the Bolshevik's don't drop a mortar barrage into the trees.(Just like I'd love to do to the SS)[:D]

               

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812
How many HE rounds do the P-IIIL"s have? Do they have smoke shells to help them close the range under cover?

The infantry has some smoke grenades, but according to our research the Panzer IIILs did not have a main gun smoke round, so they don't have smoke (the larger Panzers with 75mm+ guns did have smoke ammo). The HE ammo status for the Panzers is good. They are running low on APHE/APCR, but they each have 30-40 rounds of HE.

2) Move armor down the treeline toward the road looking to get LOS on the road Soviet reinforcements seemed to be taking. At the same time moving cautiously to range on that other T-34. See how well you can cover the infantry drive from the forest into town.

Just FYI, eyeballing it there does seem to be good visibility from the edge of the woods on the right side of the map to the closest road that goes into the village.

Just pray the Bolshevik's don't drop a mortar barrage into the trees.(Just like I'd love to do to the SS)[:D]

Yeah, now that we know they have artillery we do have to consider that. The good news is that Soviet artillery does not tend to be particularly responsive. Keeping mobile is a pretty good defense.

Regards,

- Erik

[heinrich55]

Great work on the T-70's. Quick question on that. Are the tank crews handled abstractly once they bail? I don't see any of them running around for cover or fleeing the map. I know some crews survived, as they abandoned some of the damaged T-70's. I'm used to seeing numerous crews hiding or fleeing.

Keep moving infantry on the left side of the road, trying to get a glimpse of the left flank T-34. From the earlier map, it looks like deep snow right there, so the troops there might end up as a fire base and observation position.

The advance in the small gully to the right of the woods seems to be a good plan.

Once the damaged panzer is back in the fold, then break with armor support for the suspected Russian infantry.

Heinrich55

[Tophat1815]

 Is the AAR going forward or are you changing over to the new build of the game? I'd really like to see this town assault come off as this situation has bcome addictive to view.

[Erik Rutins]

It's definitely going forward - I'm keeping the AAR system on the same beta build I started it with to make sure it can be completed. I'm just making sure that all the feedback is in before running the next turn.

[jazman]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

I'm just making sure that all the feedback is in before running the next turn.

My feedback: JUST PUSH THE BUTTON ALREADY.

[:)]

[Erik Rutins]

[:D] Will do, next turn should be around 5pm today.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: heinrich55
Great work on the T-70's. Quick question on that. Are the tank crews handled abstractly once they bail? I don't see any of them running around for cover or fleeing the map. I know some crews survived, as they abandoned some of the damaged T-70's. I'm used to seeing numerous crews hiding or fleeing.

Crews are not represented once they abandon a tank or gun. In the campaign, there's a better chance of recovering that unit if the crew survived.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

Some great advice here - I have enough to last me at least a few turns I think. The amalgam of your comments is the plot below. I'm moving three of the Panzer IIILs along the treeline to flank the village. The damaged Panzer IIIL is just moving to the crest where it will be able to provide Area/HE fire on the road. The Panzer IIIL that was lowest on AP is heading back to support the infantry with the goal of focusing on soft targets.

The Panzergrenadier platoon with nearly full stamina is continuing to advance towards the town. The other two are resting. One platoon of halftracks is moving up a bit to support the Panzergrenadiers on the far side of the road. We will likely want to rest the other Panzergrenadiers for a while, so we can wait while the Panzers get into position.

I set the Panzers to have Advance orders for now - they will move more slowly than on other move orders, but spot better and have a chance for opportunity fire.

[Erik Rutins]

Well, I'd say we found some enemy infantry! The turn is uneventful with one exception - one of our Panzergrenadier squads in the lead platoon is suppressed after taking some fire. We suspect we know the building it came from, but we don't have confirmation and no targeting line. I decide to halt the lead Panzergrenadiers for now to wait for the other two platoons to rest up and the supporting Panzer IIIL.

[Erik Rutins]

Stopping our Panzergrenadiers in the woods also puts a stop to the enemy fire. So we know they are there, but we can't see each other without moving closer.

Meanwhile, our Panzer IIILs round the corner of the treeline and the lead Panzer takes a track hit, courtesy of a second T-34 in the woods below the village! We knocked out one T-34 there, it seems they have another. That makes two T-34s that we now know are still operational.

The range to this one is only about 400m, which means we can get some effective APCR shots on it from here.

[Erik Rutins]

Our last reinforcement, a halftrack with an Elite MG-42 team, also chooses this turn to arrive.

[Erik Rutins]

It's pretty clear that we need to destroy that T-34 ASAP, so I decide to move ahead with another turn and see if I can manage it. I switch the platoon to Engage orders so that I can make sure the lead Panzer that can see the T-34 uses its APCR ammunition. I give Engage->Move orders to the other Panzers. The two nearby are trying to get into firing positions in time for the Reaction phase. The others are moving to their previously planned positions.

Out of view here, I issue Rush orders to the new reinforcements, moving them up the road so that the MG-42 team will be available should we need it in the assault on the village.

[Erik Rutins]

Success! It takes four APCR shots at 358 meters (and a little stress as I watch a 76mm shell hit just next to my Panzer - at this range the T-34 also had a decent chance to hit me and penetrate my armor) but the T-34 is destroyed.

[Erik Rutins]

Oh my. I just noticed the Soviet Victory Points have been creeping up these last few turns. I double-check the victory conditions and realize that the scenario briefing does not mention (it will for release!) that the Soviets gain a victory point bonus starting on Turn 15. It's my fault for not noticing this earlier.

The good news is that we have a solution that will allow us to continue without the Soviets getting further Bonus VPs (thought it will allow them to keep the ones they already got). I'll post the next turn soon.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, turns out it's all fixed. All the bonus VPs are removed - which is fine for this test AAR as otherwise we would have done our strategy differently. However, it's probably still a good idea to move a bit faster if we can.

Here are the plots for Turn 19 per our original plan. The Panzers continue their deployment with Engage->Move orders and the infantry rests until the Panzers are in position.

[Erik Rutins]

I run a couple of turns to get everyone into position and we do have some good luck. We spot some more Soviet infantry on the road and take them under fire with the stationary Panzers while the others are moving into position. One of our forward infantry squads also joins in. The end result is that we take out a Soviet MMG team and suppress an AT rifle team. I think the next turn we'll have a better look at what's on the road when the three flanking Panzers get fully into position.

The infantry is well rested now, so I also start moving them up again along with the Panzer that's supporting them.

[Erik Rutins]

As we start moving, another 82mm mortar barrage comes in and our lead Panzergrenadiers also come under fire, this time from two of the closest buildings. One squad takes light casualtes and is suppressed, a second is just suppressed as we hear the distinctive chatter of a Maxim MMG.

[Erik Rutins]

Meanwhile, two of our three flanking Panzers (those without track damage) spot more Soviet infantry moving on the road and engage them with HE and MG fire. They hit the dirt - doesn't look like we've caused casualties, but we're keeping them pinned down.

Our Panzer that's moving up next to the Panzergrenadiers is taking some Anti-Tank Rifle fire, which so far is deflecting off the armor.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, here's the situation at the start of Turn 23. This battle has lasted almost 30 minutes in "real" time for our virtual soldiers, at 80 seconds per turn.

You can see our positions and the best knowledge we have of the enemy positions so far.