Russia vs a tough Finland

[robot]

Just finished Russia vs Finns 10/39. Got a draw out of it even after capturing all the hexes and decimating the Finns. 14017 to 6098

Lost 221 men to there 1898
1 Artillery to there 4 lost
6 AFVs to there 4

Here is what they had left:
2x40mm AA with 12 men
2x7.62 with 8men
3 ski with a combined total of men left 18

Honestly does this look like a draw to you. Most of the AFVs lost were armored cars only 2 med tanks were lost.

[Robert J. Smead]

I disregard the draw/victory/loss rating; exactly because of what you indicated regarding the points. Probably best it interpet the points in an absolute sense and who is holding the victory hexes at the end. I think maybe the point rating works in games versus the AI, in which you can limit losses against the dumb computer. Unless playing a newbie, most PBEM games are to the death and the losses reflect it.

[robot]

OK new battle same participents circa Jan 1940 assault. After a fiasco of an assault i had before, where i lost most of my tanks to the minefield. I decided to put a lot of my points into engineers. I am in turn #10 against a very tough minefield again. I dont know how many points the Finns get in a defend. But i believe they have spent most of it on mines. I am trying to open a lane thru at least 6 different places. The mines laid in each hex has to be about 30 to 50 deep. I have for each hex i am trying to bust thru at, A complete platoon of engineers. Still have not made a single lane thru. Will not get to the rear hexes this time i am sure. Still have enough time to get the front 3 objectives or cluster of VH. After i bust the mine field will be at the most 8 to 10 hexes away from them.


I know you can move troops thru if engineers are on the mine hex. But just playing this battle to see how long it takes to clear a path thru. Have brought some tanks up to support my engineers with. Thank heaven for that piece of stratagy. They help keep my engineers working like little ants. Every one is poiced to move as soon as the engineers give the go sign.

[Robert J. Smead]

Your experience is similar to mine. In Holt's guide this exact issue is discussed. Mine clearing is a time consuming process. Assault games should probably be set up with more turns, if possible, to account for this. The dumb computer pulls a fast one.

One could bombard mine hexes with heavy artillery for a bit after recon finds the field and before the engineers arrive.

I wonder if CS tanks could attack the mined hex as well.

I have discovered that the computer leaves gaps, the trick is to find them and exploit. This invovles use of cheap recon and realizing that while the first vehicle might get thru a mined hex; subsequent vehicles won't be as likely to.

Stacking engineers is essential and you do have to protect that mass against supression.

Good Luck!!

[Goblin]

Use flamethrower tanks to 'Z' fire on the hex. It clears mines in no time at all.


Goblin

[Robert J. Smead]

Splendid; Thanks. I would imagine that flamethrower eqipped enginers could do their part as well?

[Gvaihir]

I don't think so... Maybe in two shots...

Gvaihir

[robot]

Update turn 16 now finished. Have broken thru on 5 fronts. Engineers which i bought with buy points are moving ahead. As they are not in my core force have no compunction against them leading the way. Infantry is flowing thru the gaps. Have advanced about 300 yds so far. Northern VH about 350 away from lead force. The center VH are in sight too. The southern VH are about 10 hexes away still. Meeting heavy resistence every 50 Yds. Slow going but know i will get the front hexes. The rear VH are out of my reach i think unless ican break thru with my tanks.

Love this fight so far. when i meet resistence i must figure a way to flank them. They do not give up at all. Have found that even if only one man remains in a squad, they will fight to the death every time.[:@][:@]

Am running out of ammo for my 203 and 152. All 82 mortors are down now. The 120 are almost out of ammo too. The end is in doubt. But we are continuing to fight for the Motherland. Long live Russia!!!!!!

[Capt. Pixel]

ORIGINAL: Robert J. Smead

Splendid; Thanks. I would imagine that flamethrower eqipped enginers could do their part as well?

Infantry-borne Flamethrowers will NOT affect a minefield. A warhead value of 200 is required to affect structures in the hex, IIRC. This means most vehicular flamethrowers will work (excepting some early war units) If the vehicle has a range of 2 with the flamethrower, then it will probably be mine-clearing capable.

Anyway, that's the case for 7.1 and H2H. Now in 8.x, it may be that a moltov cocktail, correctly placed, can clear an entire 50 point minefield in one go. Someone else will have to address flame preformance in 8.x, I'm not interested [:'(]

Some Flamers are particluarly good in this capacity. The German Flammenwagen/16 and the Japanese Engr Tank are two of MY favorites. Two or three 'double shots' from these beauties and you've cleared a dozen mines away. Simultaneously, you've covered yourself from prying eyes with 'permanent' smoke. (Napalm sticks to skin. yuk)

This method has a downside. If the minefield is several hexes deep, you may end up standing in your own fired hex trying to clear the next line of mines. This only makes the job more difficult for the Engineers.

[8D]

[Goblin]

Another trick. Concentration. Put out smoke. ALOT of smoke. Only go for one lane thru the mines. HE the hell out of it, keep smoke up, and punch a single hole thru the mines. Send everything thru that. Its cheap, but it counters the computers time trick.


Goblin

[VikingNo2]

Will StrumTigers do the job.

[o4r]

ORIGINAL: VikingNo2

Will StrumTigers do the job.

Does the heading ring a bell? It say Russia vs Finland. That equipment belongs to the Krunt.

[VikingNo2]

Ok, OK how about one of those coastl forts with the 254mm gun in it. I thought the posted had strayed haven't seen to many Jap Flame tanks in Findland after all[:'(]

[o4r]

ORIGINAL: VikingNo2

Ok, OK how about one of those coastl forts with the 254mm gun in it. I thought the posted had strayed haven't seen to many Jap Flame tanks in Findland after all[:'(]

Bro, not I am picking fault on u but a fort is a static platform, how does it assualt. If it cant move how can it be moved to the front.

You must be bored. [:'(]

[VikingNo2]

He is playing against the AI so just put it on you starting point were it can have a clear field of view then block the computers longrange guns with smoke and have the big gun clear the mine field as well as any infantry. This ofcourse has to be a game where you have good vis. How is that Mr Aka

[Belisarius]

ORIGINAL: o4r

ORIGINAL: VikingNo2

Ok, OK how about one of those coastl forts with the 254mm gun in it. I thought the posted had strayed haven't seen to many Jap Flame tanks in Findland after all[:'(]

Bro, not I am picking fault on u but a fort is a static platform, how does it assualt. If it cant move how can it be moved to the front.

You must be bored. [:'(]

Dude, we're talking Finland here. With a 254mm gun you don't need to be at the front to reach it. [:D]