Big Battle

[mine_field]

It is I, the unknown German leader, versus the reputable VikingNo2. My orderly reports that the date is 8/1944 (amazing how drinking helps you forget the date--orderlies are invaluable for reminding you of these little facts), visibility is roughly 1100 meters (vis 22), and the battle is expected to be a large one, with each side bringing nearly 9300 points to the battle. I'll ask my orderly later what the hell these 'points' are. We are bringing in the typical 10% of total force in artillery.

The battle field is open, scattered with small knolls, with 5 dirt roads forming an "H" with two extra "-"'s across the middle. The map is large enough that it scrolls down quite a ways. The deployment limits are close together, so I expect things to get hot quickly.

Place your bets now. Choose your side to root for. I won't be posting anything that might jeopardize my chances, but perhaps I'll post something more in depth after the battle over. I can post a kill list as we go along, if I have any.

[VikingNo2]

You should have lots of kills the British tanks are a tad light, I lose a recon car to a 88mm AT gun on my first turn. Recon screen fans out[;)]

[minefield]

I should be sleeping. I'm not sleeping. Damn the sleep.
I placed that 88mm ATG there as a welcome mat. Welcome!

I've asked my underlings what "fan out" means, and they informed me it was to run away with your tail between your legs.

Well, I do admit you lack a bit of meat around those guns, but don't despair, I'll end up doing something stupid like not setting priority strike hex's. Good thing I didn't do that this game.

[minefield]

Most of Vikings troubles currently deal with immobilized units. Had a golden opportunity at taking out a cromwell VII (maybe that's the wrong numeral) with a broadside shot (or 8), but they all missed. My units had to travel too far to get into shooting position. Viking is doing a good job of keeping his units out of sight and out of mind. Well not out of mind. My troops mind them very much.

[minefield]

It's now turn 4 and things are starting to get interesting. The map is 100 by 120 with 9000 some points. Daimler Dingos and ACs are all over the place. The shells of kuebelwagens give them company. Armor is popping its head out now. StuG's and Pz IV's are hunting down those Daimlers while Cromwell's (VII's and IV's), Staghound's (I's and II cs's), Sherman V's, M3 GMC's, and the like are hunting the kuebelwagens.

We go now to Sgt. Hummel who is reporting from the field.
Things are getting nasty out here sir. British commandos have snuck into the northern VH's and within paces of other VH's. The VH ratio right now is 5 British to 8 German, not counting the back field clusters. This ratio keeps swinging back and forth with every half round as light British and German units scoot up to the northern VH's. Ahh, we're just getting some good news in. Sgt. Kaptain reports that two Dingo's have been removed from this world at the northern contest. The 120mm mortars killed two of the commando's, so it looks like the Brits will have to show some steel if they want to hold on to the top. It is open territory up there, and we are having a bit of trouble spotting one or two scouts that are hiding in the grass. The line of 17 pdr guns supported by Bren's continues up and down the map. Looks like we have a runner from 2Lt Musser.
Reporting in. Central VH's taken early--held with an iron fist. Some commandos are harrassing our vehicles, but there is little threat in this sector. Having trouble spotting a MG sitting on a small ridge to the south, despite countless units around.
Very interesting. Let's see what is happening in the south. These VH's are on the British side of a ridge. Their forces took this early and it has been difficult to contest. However we are putting heat on the Dingo's, AC's and the Cromwell nearby. Our scouts continue to look for the armor group that is at the ridgeline southwest of the main hill. The local commander in that region, Sgt. Dittrich, reports that success is inevitable, it just will take time to maneuver around / over / through that hill.
Remember boys, those three clumps of VH's are per turn. Holding them is the same as getting kills.

Casualty reports are coming in.
German Forces
-----------------
Mercedes-Benz----1
Kuebelwagen------13
In addition, a couple of half tracks and a recon team aren't reporting in currently.

British Forces
-----------------
Daimler Dingo-----3

This is indeed a dispointing ratio. The reports I have been receiving seemed more positive than this tally.

[VikingNo2]

You can hear the old theme from space invaders in the back ground as the forces close[:D]

Kingtigers are spotted in several places across the front[X(]

A few more cars a poped and a halftrack, almost forgot got my first tank kill a Pz-IVj I think

[minefield]

Yes that was a Pz IVJ. First shot with an ATG. I'm so mad. The reports of the middle being held with an iron fist neglected to say the approaching hand had a anti-iron fist gun.
At least I'm spotting a few units now. I was getting tired of playing on an empty map.
VH Ratio: Germany 7 British 6
Losses:
Germany
PzIVJ
some more of those 3 point wagens

UK
err not much. occasional man here and there. The Daimler AC up north is still abandonend.

The Brits have an annoying supply of SP Mortars. Pinning one of those down on the map is about like trying to pin down a president at a congressional hearing. And those damned 2in mortar teams could walk into my mess hall and have breakfast without ever being seen.

[VikingNo2]

Not much this turn, a few more cars, and I spotted tanks in the double digits but I can't tell you where[;)]

[minefield]

I need to get a real kill in order to feel like I'm doing something. Maybe you can leave one of those Cromwell's sitting out again. I thought I was going to have a GMC but it pulled back. Just remember, wherever you see 12 tanks, there are at least another 12 nearby [:D]
I did kill one of those pesky 2 in mortar teams. Wondering how I'm supposed to get into the southern VH. Maybe I'm not supposed to.

Here is the situation:

[font="Courier New"]..............................
..B..................---......
..R................./...\.....
..I................/.....\....
..T...............|..\....|...
..I...............|...\...|...
..S..........VH...|....\..|G..
..H..........VHVH..\...../.E..
...............VH...\.../..R..
.....................---...M..
....../....................A..
...../.....................N..
...../.....................Y..
..../.........................
..../............./----\......
...X.............|......|.....
...\.............|......|.....
....\............|......|.....
....\.............\----/......
.....\........................[/font]

If I go in between the hills he can get me from the left ridge. Going over the VH hill is just as bad. He has nothing but a bit of infantry out in the open, so I know the armor is waiting for targets.

[minefield]

The fighting is fierce up north. The open terrain has made the battle to be concentrated with infantry. The few armored pieces I send up there are getting picked off. We gained 50 meters in the area, but the 4th VH remains in British control in that area.

Center VH's remain in my control despite heavy shelling.

Southern VH's remain in Viking's control.

His words were, "I finally killed some of those snipers, but it's going to cost me."
Unfortunately I wasn't able to take advantage of the exposed units as he would've in my place.

He continues to take out my wagens and recon. Nothing significant of his has been taken out yet. I consider it a victory when I can see the darn things.

VH Ratio Germany: 8 UK: 5
Anyone know when or how per turn victory points are dealt out? Is it at the end of a specific turn, or at the end of each of our turns?

I need some work on my artillery. His is doing well though.

[mine_field]

Sgt Strauch reports the northern VH's have been secured. For how long is anybody's guess. Heavy losses up there due to long range tank and ATG fire. We are trying to push back the scouting units.

Southern VH's report the smoke screen opened up some room for movement. No push for VH's yet.

Center VH's report status quo. Trying to dislodge a commado group from the houses that are nearby. One halftrack reports that during retreat they ran head first into a building. Furniture is being dislodged from the undercarriage.

Stug reports destroying a truck up north. Still no tank kills yet.

VH Ratio: 9 for Germany and 4 for UK
Losses: Germany is losing a staggering amount of soft and lightly armored vehicles. Infantry is taking moderate losses. Recon has suffered heavily. Couple of tanks down.
The Brits have most of their force, although they are having trouble getting into attacking positions.

[VikingNo2]

No much to report, seems my opponent has figured out he has smoke. I would say learning has accured[:D]

That was a very nice drawing in the earlier post[:D]

[Belisarius]

I applause your l337 ASCII mapmaking ski11z, mine_field. [&o]

[minefield]

Thanks for the compliments about the map making. I'll admit though that I cheat and use a program called Email Effects by Sig Software. To make a map without having to put a non-space character, just use the 'code' button around the text. Oh, and change the font to mono-spaced courier.

As for the battle, I'm back in town and will have the action rolling again soon. Viking, in his own way, is right about me learning. Hopefully I can make something of that smoke. I didn't put it there just for the guys to enjoy.

[minefield]

Seems all hell has broken loose. I now have two smoke screens. One in a U formation in the north surrounding the northern VH's. The open end of the U is towards the east, where I am. The other is between the two hills in the east that is shown in the earlier ascii picture.

Viking's forces moved forward on several fronts this round. He lost a Halftrack to Stug fire. He has exposed his units in an attempt to take the northern and meddle VH's. Artillery is very heavy. He continues to persecute my recon units.

-- After Replay-- --German Moves--

We took out the Daimler AC that took 3 VH's from us. We have the northern VH's secured again. We have spotted an ATG, infantry, and a halftrack nearby. We need to move fast to setup a defense for the coming assualt.

I know where he saw my tanks now. A friggin commado group moved behind one hill and managed to see over a ridge up north. Very sneaky... We pushed back both infantry squads advancing on the center VH's. YES! I got a M3 75mm GMC. I'm sure he'll get revenge though.

The smoke in the south has allowed movement, but any forward advance results in combined arms op-fire. Did I mention I'm smoke happy now?

His artillery took out one of my prime movers between rounds. The 5.5 inch is really hurting. I can learn a lot about artillery by watching Viking.

Per Turn VH Ratio: Germany 9 British 4

[minefield]

It's an ugly replay for the Germans. Attacks on infantry inflicted great losses. Artillery lands everywhere.

--Germany opens a can of whoop ass--
Ok men, our current objectives stand as follows: secure the northern VH's, clear out the approaching men near the central VH's, and find a way into the southern VH's. Report your progress.

Sgt. Albrecht reporting on northern progress. Infantry and lmg's all around, but no sign of armor. Repositioned units, couldn't push forward this turn. VH's still taken but not secure.

Sgt. Krogel reporting on middle. They have spotters to the south that are looking up and behind our main ridge. We are persecuting them with great vengence. Nothing but a Daimler AC and infantry spotted. They are positioning ATG's and LMG's beyond our ridge. They might be moving tanks in.

Sgt. Schoen reporting for the south. We just took out a M3 75mm GMC. Working on some more targets. Spotters have moved into the south and are looking behind our smoke screen. They are a priority target. Request artillery.

Shit. Lost vehicles to his artillery. Damn those M5 HT's.

[minefield]

Not in a writing mood so forgive the DAR.

North VH continues to sway back and forth between flag colors.

Center remains mine. I pushed back some commandos.

South remains squarely Viking's. It is going to be tough to go over that hill and live.

[minefield]

Viking's offensive continues to ensure that I don't make even 50 meters of progress in the south. There is a large infantry push from him in the north. Artillery continues to pound my positions.

--German Turn--
If we can't get any ground piecemeal, let's see what we can do with a rush...

Southern VH's: With the loss of a StuG (he had a good los position), We managed to defeat a Sherman V and take the VH's. We are exposed but in numbers. Maybe he will just see this as a lot of targets...

Middle VH's: A 6 pdr gun is taking potshots at my men. A kingtiger managed to remove a cromwell iv from the threat list. Hurah! We still hold the VH's but we are taking losses from artillery, ATG's, and vehicles that sneak up.


Northern VH's:
Still standing. Infantry nearby.

--End of turn--
I hate those 5.5in offboard artillery rounds. The halftracks aren't nice either.
lots of retreating going on. I hope I'm doing ok. Been a while since last round and I'm not so clear that I've taken care of everything.

[VikingNo2]

The German push on all fronts, return fire claim 4 or 5 tanks one of them being a Kingtiger, hte Germnas drop lots of smoke, the orders have been give to start up all Britsh armor now that smoke has negated the long range german guns

[minefield]

Now he shows up to tell about the battle. Yes; I'm getting my ass handed to me during this counter attack. I still don't know how to attack without taking a lot of losses.