Mook Right Hook:- EricGuitarJames vs. Yakstock - an AAR

[EricGuitarJames]

Mook Right Hook

An AAR of an ongoing engagement between EricGuitarJames (as the Allies) and Yakstock (as the Axis).

Allied Battle Plan

Knowing my opponent to be a ‘wily old fox’ and an experienced commander to boot I know I have my work cut out to achieve all my objectives. Starting the battle with troops tired and understrength is never a good thing. Nevertheless I take some comfort in knowing that the enemy is in much the same condition.

My basic plan is simple. The 82nd Airborne must hold the Mook bridge at all costs or, effectively it’s ‘game over’ (literally in some respects!). To do so I intend to fight a delaying action against any attack from the North or North-East, withdrawing slowly towards Mook. In the woods and the hills to the East and South I will try to hold a continuous line extracting as high a cost as possible for any ground gained by my opponent. Once 30 Corps starts to arrive I plan a two-pronged counter-offensive. One Force across the Mook Bridge attacking North and the other across the Maas at Overasselt or Nederasselt. To the latter end I propose to use my bridging units and engineers. At the very least my opponent will be forced to commit his forces to defend against this strategy hopefully weakening his own position.

As with all plans, I doubt this one will survive contact with the enemy.

Allied Dispositions

1/508th to fight a delaying action from Hel back to Molenhoek via Malden
2/508th to fight a delaying action from approx. 2k NE of Malden to approx. 2k E of Malden
The rest of 508th to defend Malden itself
1/505th to hold hill 776
2/505th to defend approx. 500m NE of Bisselt
3/505th to defend approx. 500m NE of Popenburg
1/504th plus 504th HQ units to defend approx. 2k NE of Molenhoek
2/504th to hold Molenhoek
3/504th to defend slightly E of 1/504th position
1/325th to hold Oostburg
2/325th to defend 500m SE of Mook
3/325th to hold the Mook Bridge
Both B80 units (AA and AT) to defend approx. 500m E of Popenburg
82nd Airborne HQ and remaining other units to defend the Nursery
Both artillery batteries and the engineer units have been ordered over the canal.

[EricGuitarJames]

Bear with me as this is the first full AAR that I've attempted. I'll attempt to post screenshots as the battle goes on but I'll make no promises[:)] If not you'll have to rely on my descriptions and that little map in your head (or Yakstock's posts). Either way I hope you'll experience my pain[8D]

[Arjuna]

Eric,

Good to see you doing an AAR. This is a great scenario. Probably my favorite.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Just use the Print Screen key to capture the map. Then Alt Tab to switch to your favourite paint program ( PX Paint will do ) and then Paste and Save as a jpeg file at around 50% lossy. Even better if you can draw a few deployment areas and add a few force names to indicated where the forces are and a few arrows to indicated your Moves. When your done just attach it to your post.

All the best and good luck. [:)]

[Arjuna]

Oh I was too quick. Take your time with the screenshots. I don't want to add any pressure here. You'll be under enough as it is. [;)]

[EricGuitarJames]

Cheers Dave. I'm working on it[;)]

[MarkShot]

Eric,

I've played this one as the Allies successfully against the AI. But, of course, Gary is just a slight bit quicker on his feet than your average CPU.

Good luck!

[EricGuitarJames]

Cheers Mark. I've 'won' both sides against the AI but Gary? ....... I know how 'quick on his feet' he is. For the 'spectators', once his AAR is up and running too it should make for interesting reading.

[EricGuitarJames]

Right, 'Game On'! Hopefully we'll be producing a report roughly every 8 hours of game time. The first is 9 hours so as to fit better with the game calender (which runs 23.00 on Day 1 to 23.00 on Day 6).

2300 hrs Day 1 to 0800 Day 2

As one would expect with both sides troops very fatigued the opening hours of the engagement were very quiet. My units moved gradually into their positions breaking for ‘r and r’ rather frequently. Contact with my enemy was noticeable by its absence apart from a couple of brief sightings around DZ N just after midnight and again just after 0200. Obviously this couldn’t last and at just after 0300 hrs the German guns opened up on the 3rd Bn 505th Regt supporting an infantry assault (backed by what appears to be an AA bty). My Paratroopers were taken a serious pounding and by 03.15 G Company was routing. Some 30 minutes later H Company was in full retreat and I knew that they could not hold much longer. Come 4.30 my fears were realised and I ordered a delaying action back to some 500m west of Popenburg. Nevertheless, when dawn came it was clear that they had inflicted considerable casualties on the German forces (which apparently came from KG Goebel).

My opponents artillery kept up a heavy pounding throughout the dawn hours focussing mainly on my forces defending the Mook Bridge and Molenhoek. Pressure also started to mount on 2nd Bn 325th Regt who appeared to be in danger of being isolated and badly mauled. I therefore ordered them to fight a delaying action back to Bisselt.

Looking to the future, I face a difficult decision. At this stage German forces have an almost overwhelming superiority in both men and equipment. The main direction of their assault remains unclear. Is the attack over the Eastern hills and woods their schwerpunkt or is it a diversionary move to get me to weaken my Northern defences? Could it even be part of a two pronged offensive designed to push the Paras away from the crucial Mook Bridge. I shall wait and see how the battle develops up to mid-day before making a decisive commitment.

[EricGuitarJames]

So for the next installment. Has to be said that this session was pretty quiet, I'm not sure what my opponent had to do but I had very little! Anyway, here it is:-

0800 to 1600 Day 2

The Germans continue to pressure 3rd Bn 505th Regt with I Coy breaking and routing at 0820. The regiment itself being now down to around 50% of its original strength yet still holding its position west of Popenberg. The supporting AA and AT sections are also slowly being forced back west across the heights towards Mook but nevertheless inflicting casualties on their attackers.

One problem I face is the dearth of artillery support. The two light artillery battalions lack both the weight and quantity of shot to effectively suppress the enemy yet they are all I’ve got until 30 Corps arrives. Therefore at 1015 with few enemy units in sight I order them to rest to avoid wasting precious ammo bombarding units that appear to present little threat.

With little happening, at around 1300 hrs I order B Coy 1st Bn 508th Regt to recce around Hoender Park (using a ‘delay’ order set to minimum aggro and casualties). Despite seeing nothing they are heavily mortared and forced to retreat. I do not regard this as a failure though since it shows there are still forces in the vicinity suggesting that my opponent may well be on a ‘two-pronged’ assault strategy. Time will tell.

At 15.30 the German infantry pushing across the heights near Popenberg is driven back and routed. Approaching 1600 I am really no clearer as to the enemy strategy. Are the probing attacks and artillery bombardments in the Popenberg area a sign of a concerted assault to be launched in this area? Or are they a series of feints designed to draw my attention (and my precious artillery ammunition) away from the main thrust coming from the north? I must even consider the possibility that my opponent is playing a ‘waiting game’, aiming to inflict heavy casualties with his artillery whilst setting up strong defensive positions, wearing my forces down until he is ready to launch a decisive ‘counter punch’. With night and the first elements of 30 Corps rapidly approaching I can only wait and see.

[JeF]

Eric,

Good work. I do like the way you describe your uncertainties. It shows who is on the other side. Don't forget to take a screenshot or two, when you have time.

ORIGINAL: EricGuitarJames
With little happening, at around 1300 hrs I order B Coy 1st Bn 508th Regt to recce around Hoender Park (using a ‘delay’ order set to minimum aggro and casualties). Despite seeing nothing they are heavily mortared and forced to retreat.

With delay orders, I always found out that the units were a bit too prone to retreat, IMHO. I always set the casualty a bit higher : medium at least.

Damn, we see both sides of the story and cannot comment. [:(]

Keep up Eric, we are with you !

JeF.

[EricGuitarJames]

Cheers JeF. I do have screenshots but need to 'play around' with them a bit[;)]. If it works out I'll add them later. Given the way these games with Yakstock go it'll be a few weeks yet before it's done so I should be able to sort them out before the battle ends.

[Arjuna]

It's great seeing this from both perspectives. Well done Gary and Eric. [:)]

Now onto battle.

[EricGuitarJames]

Dave, that little swordfighting gif is an absolute treat[:D]

[Arjuna]

It's part of the smileys that are provided with this forum. You find it by selecting the "more smileys.." link that appears on the left when you hit fast reply.

[EricGuitarJames]

So on to the next installment. Again this was a quiet session although I suspect that it will be the last[8D]

1600 to Midnight Day 2

Enemy units continue to probe my defences to the east and south-east. At 1650 I spot a force SE of Bisselt but despite my initial feelings this turns out to be another ‘probe’ and at 1715 1st Coy 1st Bn KG Greschick is in full rout. This sets the pattern as 1st Coy KG Lewin appears some 2km SE of Mook! Although driven off the enemy artillery pound away at 1st Bn 325th Regt forcing A Coy to retreat at 1835. The bombardment continues together with more probing from KG Lewin until 2105 when I finally order my force to mount a delaying action back about 1km north-west.

Best news of the day is the arrival of the Grenadier Guards at 2045. Without much knowledge of enemy positions it is very difficult to deploy them offensively so I order them to take up a defensive position slightly east of Molenhoek. However, I opted to detach several units for specific tasks. A battery, with its 25 pounder field guns, I ordered to deploy some 1500m east of Gassel with the engineers positioned slightly to the north (I may need the engineers later so I see no point in deploying them for ‘front-line’ combat at this stage). I also ordered D Sqn 2nd Household Cavalry to probe up to just south of Driehuizen.

So what can I conclude from this first full day of battle? Well, for starters, instances of actual combat have been few and far between. My opponent has made a few probing assaults but nothing in any strength and has mainly confined himself to pounding my units with his strong artillery. For myself, lacking in artillery and mechanised units there seemed little option but to dig in and take the fire. Even the arrival of the Grenadier Guards late in the evening made little difference to the overall balance of forces. I now know that my enemy has been resting his tired troops ready for a ‘big push’ sometime on Day 3. Quite where this materialise is still open to question but I am inclined to believe it will be in the east or the south where his artillery has been most active. With the arrival of the Guards I will probably re-deploy one of my paratroop battalions to somewhere in the region of Bisselt to cover an attack there. I feel there will be very heavy fighting in the next 24 hours and I will need all my command skills and a modicum of good fortune to come out on top!

[EricGuitarJames]

This session turned out to be a bit short and a bit lacking in activity[;)]. Nevertheless, as the tension builds:-

Day 3 Midnight to 0447

With the Grenadier Guards digging in I decide to order 504th Regt HQ (including support units) plus the 1st Bn to defend the heights overlooking Bisselt to the north. This is where my defensive line is weakest and guards against a push in that direction. I’ve set the aggro to ‘high’ so as to disrupt any enemy forces moving through Bisselt in a westerly direction.

Again the night is quiet but at 0110 enemy troops are spotted moving through Popenberg. An hour later the 3rd Bn 505th Regt are under attack with supporting Nebelwerfers causing G and H companies to rout. Indeed the rockets continue to land around my troops defending the south-eastern sector most of the night. Since they are not backed by anything more than the odd unit probing my lines I can only presume that my opponent is aiming to deny my troops any rest ready for an assault which will surely come shortly after dawn.

With little happening in the north and the probing attack of the D Sqn 2nd Household Cavalry revealing nothing I order A trp 80th AT Bn to probe east towards Luneberg at 0240. If no units are found then they will be in a strong position to disrupt units moving south-east, if they do run into opposition then at least I’ll be aware of more enemy dispositions (nothing ventured, nothing gained!). By 0417 they have run into a small enemy force at the junction and are forced to withdraw losing a couple of guns and about half their men.

[Arjuna]

Hey Eric, probing with AT is not a good idea as they can't fire their guns unless they are deployed. Better to use a line unit ( inf, mech, arm or recon ).

[EricGuitarJames]

I know, but if they'd made the position it would have been very strong. It was a difficult choice which unit to send, them or some engineers. I figure I'll need the engineers later more than the AT.

[Golf33]

It takes more time to organise, but you could run the probe with a line unit and then, when the position is cleared, move the AT up to garrison it. You could then withdraw the line unit or use it to protect the AT guns against infantry attack (remember the 6pdr gun used by most of the Airborne forces has no HE ammo so is unable to engage infantry).

Regards
33

[EricGuitarJames]

Well, we all make mistakes (as the Dalek said climbing off the dustbin[:D]). Given the lack of German armour I don't regard it as too great a loss.