Caen Strategy

[AlvinS]

Greetings

I am playing the overlord scenario (second start) and have lost my British Paratroopers both times. [:(] Once I click the end turn button for turn one, the Axis AI pounces and destroys these units in one or two turns. I was expecting the AI to be slow to react in this area on the first turn, but it is very aggressive.

What are some of the strategies that are being used in this region by my fellow gamers?

I have read the ARR on the Run 5 forum on the SSG website and the author was able to make it to Caen before the Axis got too busy. Maybe he was lucky. I have noticed that the start location is different each time I start the campaign.

[Platoonist]

I haven't been able to rush Caen either. I've noticed that the Axis AI puts a major priority on holding on to this particular piece of French real estate. It also seems to me that the 12th SS Panzer Division puts in a rather early debut compared to what it did historically. (It comes in a day later in the 72-turn version) Between the 12th SS and the 21st Panzer your paratroopers tend to take quite a beating in that stretch of mostly clear terrain between Troarn and the Orne.

My strategy so far has been to forgo a early assault on Caen and rush one of the British infantry divisions over the river to reinforce the paratroopers. Holding on to that British airborne bridgehead east of the Orne river has the advantage of stretching the German line and keeping their armour busy while the Americans make mischief of the left flank. Makes for a more historical game and I don't mind the long slog because still have a lot to learn anyway. [:D]

[AlvinS]

I'll give that a try next time. I am holding on pretty good so far. I am on turn 5 of my second game. The early landing went well with few losses, so I can make up for losing the paratroopers hopefully.

I have had the game about a week now, and am just starting to really understand what is going on. I played the tutorials first, then played a couple of small scenarios, then I went through the tutorial again and was amazed at how much I missed the first time. The more I play this game, the more I like it, especially the interface.

Thanks for the advice.

[ydejin]

I've tried both your strategies.

Playing the Monty's landings scenario, I used the paratroopers to hold the Orne bridges and managed to get the British infantry divisions across the Orne in the first few turns.

In a different game, playing the big Overlord scenario, I noticed Caen was open on turn one, and piled the British paratroopers into a Caen city hex. Several turns later, the paratroopers had been completely annihilated and my infantry was still stuck on the wrong side of the Orne.

My tentative conclusion is that the British paratroopers simply don't have enough staying power to hold Caen, and that while it seems like reinforcements are nearby, it takes too long for the infantry divisions to get across the Orne and to Caen to reinforce the paratroopers.

[JSS]

ORIGINAL: AlvinS

Greetings

I am playing the overlord scenario (second start) and have lost my British Paratroopers both times. [:(] Once I click the end turn button for turn one, the Axis AI pounces and destroys these units in one or two turns. I was expecting the AI to be slow to react in this area on the first turn, but it is very aggressive.

What are some of the strategies that are being used in this region by my fellow gamers?

I have read the ARR on the Run 5 forum on the SSG website and the author was able to make it to Caen before the Axis got too busy. Maybe he was lucky. I have noticed that the start location is different each time I start the campaign.

I've found a couple of things to be important with regard to 6 Abn Div survival:

1. Don't leave them sit in clear terrain. Surround and overrun is almost certain to happen.

2. Don't stack them... (unless you have a real bad landing and one of the units is down to one step). Put them one to a city hex (preferrably blocking German movement by doing so)... Spread them out so that the German player has to chose one to attack (that's about all the striking power the Germans have at Caen on turns 1 & 2).

Also note that you probably will need to lay down a heavy blanket of air & naval interdiction to assist their survival.

[AnimalAl]

I read somewhere on the internet (and now I can't find it) that one of the ABN div missions was to bust the bridges between Caen and the supply depots (not the Orne, the river with the D___ name). I tried this and my brigades did bust 4-5 bridges before being surrounded and killed. Ah well. I have to move the west flank attack quicker. I don't think this particular game parameters allow single small units to survive long.

[TomH]

I have been playing the game for ages and I have no strategy for Caen. The game clearly does not model warfare as well as it should because I have found that I cannot sustain forces on the far side of the Orne even if I pile all available Brit/Can divisions across. I end up withdrawing to the next river to the left. blow the bridges, and use the combined US/Anglo Can forces to stretch the German line.

It's annoying because it reveals the game's not perfect - but it is great anyway!!!!!

[JSS]

ORIGINAL: TomH

I have been playing the game for ages and I have no strategy for Caen. The game clearly does not model warfare as well as it should because I have found that I cannot sustain forces on the far side of the Orne even if I pile all available Brit/Can divisions across. I end up withdrawing to the next river to the left...

Tom,

There's the opportunity to set up shop and stay on the East Bank of the Orne.

Had a very nasty go of things as the German player in the Monty's Landing scenario when I lost a PzGd regiment of 21 Pz Div on turn 1 or 2 and the Brits came across in force. Could never gain the upper hand after that.

Used a similar strategy (playing the Allies this time) in my Overlaord tournament game. Stayed on the East Bank for about 15 or 16 turns and wound up bleeding the German Panzer force white. This put me in a position to take the money hex of Caen (attacking from three sides) and led to my opponent's surrender.

JSS

[AlvinS]

Well, I am on turn 6 and the 5th Para plus the 1(c) para have survived. Currently I have the 5th Para near the town of Dozule on hex 72,28 and the German supply marker next to it has a circle with a slash through it. I am assuming I have shut down German supply from that area. Is this correct? I also have the 1(c) para near the town of Crevecoeur on hex 72,35 with the same results on its supply icon.

The town of Caen is pretty much locked down by the Germans, so I plan on harrasing them in this area to keep them there and just go around them. I'll let you know how it turns out.

So far the most dufficult part of this game is shutting ot off so I can get some sleep. [:D] The more I play it, the more I fall in love with the interface. I am finally starting to understand what is going on. [8D]