The Crossroads -- 6/5/67 - DAR (no Crossroads)

[berto]

TURN #9

The remainder of the 12th Independent Tank Regiment arrives from the southwest!



With a company of motorized infantry, and a troop of RCLR jeeps, just behind! [8D]

[berto]

Some more unit comparisons:



Those are

[*]Jordanian Rifle Platoon 61 B & C, first two rows in every quadruple.
[*]Israeli Rifle Platoon A & B, last two rows in every quadruple.

The Israeli infantry outclasses the Jordanian infantry in almost every way. Israeli infantry have

[*]higher Assault value
[*]higher Defense value
[*]greater firepower
[*]longer range
[*]lower Fire Cost (also Load Cost)

The Jordanians will lose almost every head-to-head matchup. Defending, holding on to, Jenin will be nearly impossible.

My only consolation is that, in terms of VPs, every Israeli SP lost is worth two SP losses of my own.

What about the HMGs?



Those are

[*]Jordanian Heavy Machine Gun 61 (HMG 61), first in every pairing.
[*]Israeli Heavy Machine Gun 61 (HMG 61), second in every pairing.

For HMGs also, Israel outclasses Jordan in almost every category. Against soft (blue) targets, the Israeli HMGs are much more effective at medium and long range. Interestingly, The Jordanian HMGs' Fire Cost is less (33, as opposed to the Israeli 35), so the Jordanian HMGs can get in more shots per turn.

Grognardy detail. All good stuff to know!

Campaign Series: Middle East -- the thinking man's war game. [8D]

Thanks again to Arkady for his wonderful Unit Viewer! [&o]

[berto]

We have reached a pivotal point in the battle, the point where Crossroads begins his assault in earnest. The choices I make here and now will decide whether we, Jordan, will win or lose The Crossroads (the scenario, the Battle of Jenin and beyond).

Crossroads (my opponent! ) is an experienced PBEM player. As an aficionado of solo play vs. the A/I, I am not experienced at human-to-human PBEM play. If I am to erase the humiliation of my previous defeat at the hands of Crossroads, I need to step up my game. I need to think good and hard about my moves, my fires, my tactics, my strategy. Here is some of my current thinking ...

In general, and as mentioned before, I am looking to conserve my forces. If that means giving up territory, and even Objectives, so be it. As much as possible, I am trying to achieve: an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth. If I can stay even, or better than even, in terms of SP and VP losses, I will draw and even win this fight.

Making close study of the terrain, and by carefully studying my unit capabilities, and his, I need to get in as many unanswered shots as possible. Offer him no easy targets. A "shoot-and-scoot", defense-in-depth, fighting withdrawal. Make no mistakes! As few as I can, at any rate.

Fortunately, the new-and-improved Campaign Series (Middle East) gives me some tools to hone and "perfect" my tactics and techniques. (And/or makes accessing those tools easier than ever.) Toggle ON (hot key '.') the Elevations display. Make frequent use of the Display hot keys. Reference the Unit Viewer. Pay special attention to the Units settings. And so on.

ORIGINAL: berto

Campaign Series: Middle East -- the thinking man's war game. [8D]

In the screenshots following, I carefully (!) consider what to do with my Armoured (Infantry) 61 B unit at hex 43,31 (hot spot hex, turquoise square).



In the screenshot, I have toggled ON (hot key 'v') Visible Hexes (turquoise hex highlights). (Note: By means of the Options > Hex Highlights > Hex Shading option, you can select the traditional dotted mesh map shader "highlight" as you prefer. I much prefer the new colored hex highlights. [:'(]) Potentially, that one selected Armoured 61 B platoon is visible from every one of the turquoise highlighted hexes displayed. Wow! That's a lot of exposure. Not good. I'd like to move that unit to a safer, less exposed hex, the bunker (BK) hex 42,31 (green circle) just to the SW, for instance. By studying the elevations, I can see that the Israeli tanks at the magenta-circled hexes, at most, can hit me at the bunker hex, without their moving. By studying the elevations, and from my experience playing earlier turns, I believe that the other uncircled tanks will not be able to fire at the Armoured 61 B at the bunker hex (unless they move to a better position first).

(Ideally, I'd like to show the Visible Hexes highlights at the bunker hex. But I can't, because I don't have any units there! This is a new "feature" of the enhanced Extreme FOW in CSME: You can only see visibility from friendly occupied hexes. Unlike before, where you could just click anywhere you please on the map and see visibility to/from any hex, friendly occupied or not. With the new rule, it is much more realistic. And much more challenging!)

Can the Armoured 61 B move to the bunker hex 42,31 (green circle)?



Toggling ON the Reac(H)able hexes (hot key 'h'), the turquoise hex highlights change as shown. (Note: You can select your preferred hex highlight color via Options > Highlight Colors.) Yes, I can move the Armoured 61 B to the Bunker hex 42,31, and even an additional hex (two hex movement total) farther away, if I so desire.

But I desire to shoot at that troop of Israeli Sherman tanks just to the northeast, at hex 44,30 (magenta circle) before scooting away in the opposite direction to the bunker hex. Can I?



Yes, I can. With the Armoured 61 B selected, at the ToolBar, I toggle ON Save AP's for Firing (or I could just as well use hot key Ctrl-F, else the menu option Units > Save AP's for Firing). With the toggle selected, note the newly displayed Save AP's for Firing icon (yellow circle) in the right sidebar Unit List. More importantly, note that, even though the Reac(H)able extent has diminished, because the bunker hex 42,31 (green circle) is still highlighted (in turquoise), I can still reach it after firing.

With that one unit, I will do exactly that: shoot at the tank unit at hex 44,30 (magenta circle), then scoot back to the greater safety of the bunker hex 42,31 (green circle) -- safer, because less exposed, also because a bunker is better protection than a trench (the Armoured 61 B is currently in a TRench hex, if you look closely).

Of course, both by shooting and by scooting, I raise the probability of return Opportunity Fire from the mass of Shermans to my front. But if I'm not just going to retreat, if I want to get in my own shots before I retreat, if I want to destroy Israeli SPs in my fighting withdrawal, it's a risk I will have to take. A close-range, adjacent-hex shot at Israeli Shermans is as good as it will ever get for Jordanian armoured infantry (against enemy armour, anyway). I will take the shot! But by both shooting (especially) and scooting, the Armoured 61 B might not make it safely to the bunker hex at all!

Whew! All that careful consideration just for one unit! Planning my moves to the max!

Not everybody will like to play the Campaign Series in this fashion, of course. Many fast-action players will just want to "get on with it," to move quickly and fire quickly and the Devil may care.

But I am not that type of player. [;)]

[berto]

ORIGINAL: berto

TURN #9

At Kafr Dan (red circles), the remaining Jordanian defenders are either destroyed or forced to retreat:



Roughly half of the total Jordanian losses thus far were at Kafr Dan. At little cost to the Israelis. The Israeli attack in that sector was slowed at least.

The unit compares here and here speak volumes why Jordan lost the Battle of Kafr Dan. Jordanian infantry/HMGs vs. Israeli infantry/HMGs, backed up by RCLRs: the Jordanians didn't stand much of a chance. It tells me what to expect at Jenin.

[mllange]

Very nice AAR - great narrative and informative, particularly with regard to the system improvements in the newest version. I look forward to utilizing them!

In the meantime, how do I access Parameter Data in version 2.x of the Campaign Series? F3 brings up the unit viewer and F4 doesn't do anything.

Good luck in the battle!

[Jason Petho]

Which data in particular are you looking for?

I believe most of the important data can be found with the Unit Viewer.

Jason Petho

[berto]

TURN #9

In the "fighting withdrawal" on my right flank, it was more withdrawing than fighting this phase.

After my Side B (Jordanian) move (Side B is this scenario's second side), the situation at the end of Turn 9:



The Armoured 61 B unit that I obsessed about in Post 23 -- as it happened, I did not fire and retreat; rather, fired twice at the nearby Shermans and scored a disruption only, no SP hits.

At the hot spot hex 46,33 (turquoise square), you will see another Armoured 61 B, together with an Engineer Platoon 61. LOS Visibility to that hex extends outward in every direction by one hex only. In the Opportunity Fire dialog, I have set the opportunity fire for each unit to Short range (one hex) only. Unfortunately, hex 46,33 is an Orchard hex, no entrenchments of any kind, so those two units are vulnerable there. Still, they are in a reasonably good position to ambush approaching enemy tanks, and both armoured infantry and engineer platoons are more effective than normal infantry in anti-tank defense. I might lose those two units, but there is good reason to hope they can kill a few Shermans before they perish.

There being no advantageous sites in the vicinity, I withdrew the remainder of my force, taking care to position each unit at a spot invisible to, out of the LOS of, the enemy. I must stay out of line of sight of those long-range Israeli guns!

At Jenin, I fired at the Israeli attackers, scoring 2 SP hits, a retreat (and a kill, red circle), and some disruptions besides. Every one of the units at the magenta circles (including on the Israeli far left) are disrupted.

Just to the northwest of Jenin, I wait in nervous anticipation. Will Crossroads launch an attack directed at Hill 294? Or directed southward, towards the Station?

Around Kafr Dan, I withdrew all units out of range from those fearsome RCLRs.

All of those juicy targets on the Israeli left, especially the mechanized infantry loaded on trucks. Oh, if only I had sufficient artillery in range! But I don't, so most of my artillery fire targets the enemy attackers north and northwest of Jenin.

The Big Picture:



In the center, red circle, Jenin and environs. Fleeing to the west or to the south is folly. The Israelis are too mobile, they would catch the Jordanians out in the open for sure. No, no retreat, in Jenin I will fight to the finish. My finish. I fully expect all Jordanian defenders there to be wiped out. But they should serve to delay the overall Israeli advance.

On my right, magenta circle, the defense-in-depth, fighting withdrawal. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Keep him guessing, make him hesitate. If I'm lucky, an equal eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth tradeoff in losses. In the end, he will prevail, but by then it will be nighttime, and reinforcements will be well on their way.

In my right rear, blue circle, I will let the rugged terrain and higher elevations around Hill 361 slow him down. Keeping an eye on him with my recon jeeps. Until night falls, anyway! (Night begins at Turn 15, and extends through Turn 25.)

On my left, yellow circle, where the rest of my force will assemble, awaiting the arrival of ...

... the 40th Armoured Brigade right column, showing up from the south, green circle, on (night) turns 18-21, and somewhat later ...

... the 40th Armoured Brigade left column, showing up from the southwest, turquoise circle, on (night) turns 21-24 ...

... culminating (as night gives way to following day) in the climactic battle for Qabitiya (south edge screenshot) and the Qabitiya Crossroads (white circle).

Epic!

A look at the current Victory Dialog:



I scored 2 SP hits this phase, with no losses of my own. The two sides are now equal in SP Losses, and Israel is decidedly in the hole for Point Losses. Crossroads is 362 Points short of escaping Major Defeat, is 662 Points short of a Draw, is 962 Points in deficit for a Minor Victory. An Israeli Major Victory is now impossible. Even a Minor Victory now seems improbable.

I still will not be at all surprised if Crossroads makes up the Loss deficits, and pulls ahead on Loss points. Jenin will surely fall, and likely the Qabitiya Crossroads objective hex also. But I might hope to win it back. So far, Jordan is giving a good account of itself in this battle. If not optimism, at least the Jordanian high command no longer feels pessimistic. But night approaches. Then, who knows what might happen?

[berto]

[Sorry for the delay, readers. Crossroads and I have been busy working on the new Vietnam game, also fixing bugs -- activities that take priority over our ongoing PBEM, and these DAR posts!]


TURN #10

Ah! So the Israelis have airstrikes. The Jordanians don't.



An Israeli airstrike (green hot spot hex) on the Jordanian armoured infantry platoon reduces it by 1 SP, and forces it to retreat:



A second Israeli airstrike eliminates the unit:



Two Israeli airstrikes expended, one 3 SP Jordanian armoured infantry unit destroyed. I am unhappy to lose the unit. But maybe not so unhappy that Crossroads expended two of his precious airstrikes on such a relatively unimportant (?) target. Meaning to say, I believe he could have destroyed that unit, and taken that position, without resorting to airstrikes.

[berto]

TURN #10

Crossroads pounds my positions at Jenin with artillery fire, then long-range fire from his tanks and RCLRs. Resulting in Jordanian SP loss, disruptions, and two retreats (red circles):



How can I hope to withstand such an overwhelming onslaught?

[berto]

TURN #10

On the Israeli left, Shermans on the move!

At the map's east edge, Crossroads survives my ambush there. He is poised to slip around the Jordanian armoured infantry and engineers at hex 46,33 and break into my rear. On the other hand, I can direct fire at the passing Shermans this next phase. Maybe I can score some kills. We shall soon see.

A bit further to the northwest, at the crest of the ridge, I eliminate one Sherman (left red circle):



A while later, I kill another two (?) Shermans (right red circle).

At Israeli phase's end, I can see from the Strength Dialog that during this first Turn 10 phase, I kill three of his Shermans to the loss of only one of my Pattons. Not a bad tradeoff. [8D]

[berto]

TURN #10

At Kafr Dan, Crossroads continues to overpower. A single Israeli infantry platoon (turquoise circle) fires at a single Jordanian infantry platoon (then at the green hot spot hex), scoring 2 SP losses, and forcing the Jordanians to retreat (to the red circle):



Crossroads has also used his RCLRs and other high fire power units around Kafr Dan to devastating effect.

See the unit compares in earlier posts. It's an unequal contest. I still haven't figured out effective countermeasures or tactics. At least kill his RCLRs somehow?

[berto]

TURN #10

Some good fortune. The Jordanian unit at hex 36,30 (turquoise circle) kills a RCLR jeep (red circle), and reduces by 1 SP an MG jeep (unit just above the red circle):



My hope is to destroy as many Shermans and RCLRs as possible!

Those two kills, plus the three Shermans eliminated earlier to the east -- that's the sum total of Israeli losses this phase. All from opportunity fire.

At the beginning of the next -- the Jordanian -- phase, my artillery fire forced a few disruptions and retreats, no SP losses (that I am aware of).

[berto]

TURN #10

On my right, things look grim. The situation at the end of Turn 10, first Side A (Israeli) phase:



All of my turquoise highlighted units are disrupted. Bypassing the minefields, Israeli infantry are moving into the outskirts of Jenin. The entire position there is about to crumble.

I am surprised at the high Jordanian casualties around Jenin. The Jenin nut won't be so hard to crack after all. If I expected any softness, it was to my right, where Israeli Shermans outnumber Jordanian Pattons by ~ 3-to-1. Not to mention all of the Israeli infantry, engineers, etc. now concealed, out of my LOS, in the large turquoise circle, with very few Jordanian infantry to counter them.

I actually now think that the Israeli breakthrough is more likely in the center, not on my right. All of those IPs, TRs & BKs to the south of Jenin -- a pity I lack Jordanians to man them.

Making matters worse: See all of those Israeli mortar units (green circles)? Close up and deadly. By contrast, I have few mortars in the vicinity, and less artillery overall. Most of my artillery is somewhat farther back. And I now have to think about maybe moving them out of harm's way. If they move, they can't fire. A quandary.

The Big Picture:



My divisional and brigade HQs (yellow circles) -- I need to start thinking about withdrawing them to safety.

The 12th Independent Tank Regiment (green circles) -- Too far away to assist defending my far right, maybe I can push the 12th eastward fast enough to slow the expected Israeli advance around Hill 273 and Jenin southward.

Nightfall is five turns away. Reinforcements are due to arrive in great number 3-5 turns after that. Neither can arrive fast enough.

The current Victory Dialog:



In terms of SP Losses, a bad first phase for Jordan: 13 SPs lost, to Israel's 5 (compare with the Victory Dialog in Post #27). But most of Jordan's losses were infantry. Israel's losses were three Shermans and a RCLR jeep -- high value units. So the erosion of Point Loss differential -- from -62 to -42 -- is not so bad. Not so bad now, but it could soon get worse.

Worrisomely worse! [X(]

[berto]

TURN #10

No collapse. Valiantly holding the line.

After my Side B (Jordanian) move (Side B is this scenario's second side), the situation at the end of Turn 10:



Jordanian Pattons and armoured infantry (magenta circles) direct fired at nearby Israeli Shermans (red circles), scoring 3 more SP hits. Overall, I have managed to destroy 12 of Crossroads' Shermans to a loss of just 7 of my Pattons. I am quite pleased with this tradeoff. Unless Israel is also expecting tank reinforcements, after the Jordanian 40th Armoured Brigade arrives later in the night, I should be in fairly good shape for the massive tank faceoff expected tomorrow.

On my right, Pattons and RCLR jeeps lie in wait, in carefully chosen ambush positions. Patience. Let him come to me.

The full infantry company east of Jenin (green circle): I'd like to shift it leftward, to assist in the defense of Jenin. But in so doing, I would expose it to long-range Israeli tank fire. (Remember: there are still more Israeli Shermans out there just beyond my LOS.) I've learned not to present Crossroads any easy targets. No, badly sited or not, there the infantry company stays.

Easy targets: Any Jordanian units at Jenin's north edge, where Israeli Shermans and RCLRs can blast them at a distance. I have pulled back a bit, withdrawn into the Jenin city center, where my units will be less visible. With great reluctance, I abandoned the bunker (BK) and pillbox (PB) at hexes 31,31 & 35,31 (yellow circles). But what else can I do? Sure they are strongholds, but they are elevated, hence overly exposed.

In the ensuing close-in urban warfare, Israeli infantry will have the advantage. But at least the Israeli tanks and RCLRs will be taken out of the fight.

I managed to extricate out of Jenin a RCLR jeep squad (turquoise circle) without it getting shot up. Better to save it for the tank battles on my right (or if not, then the tank battles expected tomorrow).

The Big Picture:

ORIGINAL: berto

I actually now think that the Israeli breakthrough is more likely in the center, not on my right. All of those IPs, TRs & BKs to the south of Jenin -- a pity I lack Jordanians to man them.

Not quite. I had forgotten about my infantry reserve (green circle), trucked in from the Qabitiya Crossroads. The Jenin nut hardens.

I continue to worry about my center, the sector from Hill 294 to Hill 273. Crossroads could just as easily flank the Jenin position from the west as continue to attack Jenin frontally. Accordingly, I am sending the Jordanian motorized infantry company (turquoise circles, units not apparent underneath the top-of-stack artillery) to bolster the center.

At Kafr Dan, the Jordanian infantry keep a respectful distance from those fearsome Israeli RCLRs & mobile AA guns.

A look at the current Victory Dialog:



In terms of SP losses, advantage Crossroads (i.e., my SP losses are now exceeding his). But because I'm killing so many of his high-value Shermans, compared to last turn my Point Loss advantage has actually widened.

I remain cautiously optimistic.

[berto]

East of Jenin, 3D Zoom-In view:

[berto]

TURN #11

Israeli Shermans at hex 43,31 (magenta circle) fire at Jordanian Pattons at the hot spot hex 43,33 (turquoise box), score 2 SP hits and force a retreat to hex 44,33 (red circle):



Shermans at hex 47,35 (magenta circle) take aim, fire, and finish off the Pattons (red circle):



Ouch, ouch & ouch!

It's only to be expected, however, that I lose some tanks. I am quite outnumbered here.

[berto]

TURN #11

So I lost three Pattons. But this phase, I got lucky. My artillery scored several SP hits. And as Israelis poured into Jenin, I got in a few more SP hits also.

The situation at the end of Turn 11, first Side A (Israeli) phase:



The battle rages around Jenin!

The plucky 3rd Platoon east of Jenin (magenta circle). Down to just a half dozen or so fighters, it somehow manages to survive repeated pounding. They are doomed, however. Israeli infantry (blue circle) has detrucked to the east, and is moving in for the attack.

On the far right, Shermans on the prowl (turquoise circles). I remain outnumbered there, but more Pattons are on the way (green circles).

Last turn, another five or so Israeli tank troops were congregated north of Jenin (yellow circle). They have moved away, I know not where. To join the fight east of Jenin? To the center, around Kafr Dan perhaps? Or even to the Israeli far right?

Speaking of which, an Israeli RCLR jeep squad shows up on the Israeli far right, northeast of Yamun. Looking for trouble in all the wrong places?



Crossroads continues to slap me silly around Kafr Dan. The Jordanian infantry are no match for the Israelis.

The current Victory Dialog:



Not bad. I have evened the SP Losses a bit, and my VP advantage widened (compare with last phase here).

Most encouraging, because typically Crossroads outscores me in the first Israeli phase. Not this time!

[berto]

TURN #11

Amazing good fortune this turn.

On my far right, at map's east edge, three Jordanian Pattons at hex 47,37 (green circle) direct fire at three Israeli Shermans at hex 47,36 (red circle), destroying them all. In one shot!



The isolated 3rd Platoon, in the village hex 39,30 east of Jenin (green circle), direct fires at the Israeli RCLR jeep squad at hex 38,27 (red circle), scoring 1 (?) SP hit, and forces a retreat. They then direct fire at the mortar unit at hex 37,28 (magenta circle), disrupting the mortars. Just a half dozen or so Jordanians, firing at targets three hexes distant, inducing disruption, SP loss, and retreat. After the pounding they've been receiving in recent turns. Give those guys medals! (Posthumously, because they are sure to die there.)



It gets better. At Yamun, the Jordanian HMG platoon (green circle) direct fires at the Israeli RCLRs at hex 11,15 (red circle), disrupts, then on the second shot, destroys both jeeps.

[berto]

TURN #11

Quite the disastrous turn for Crossroads!

After my Side B (Jordanian) move (Side B is this scenario's second side), the situation at the end of Turn 11:



At Jenin, I hold my positions, lying low, staying out of LOS of those pesky Israeli RCLRs. Jordanian direct fire around Jenin is generally ineffective. A wrestling match!

I have toggled ON highlighting (turquoise counter outline) my disruptions. Not very many. By contrast, look at Crossroads' disruptions (magenta circles). I hold the advantage here. Although with their higher morale and Adaptive A/I advantages, Israel undisrupts faster than Jordan I believe.

On my right, I have sited every one of the green circled units in painstakingly selected ambush positions. All of the green circled units are currently not visible to the Israeli armour in the area. I know, because by toggling ON the Visible highlight (hot key 'v'), I was careful to check. Moreover, every one of those units has APs saved for opportunity fire. Keep him guessing. Make him hesitate.

Southeast of Jenin, reinforcing elements of the 12th Independent Tank Regiment begin arriving on the scene.

The Big Picture:



In reserve, I have a company of Jordanian infantry loaded on trucks just north of Burdin (green circle). To the south, more reserves: two tank squadrons at the Qabitiya Crossroads. From there, I can send those tanks to my right or to my center as need be.

At Kafr Dan, thoroughly beaten, I slowly withdraw my units there. Again paying careful attention to the terrain contours. Must stay out of Israeli LOS.

A look at the current Victory Dialog:



Astonishing: 8 Israeli SP losses this phase vs. zero Jordanian losses. The VP gap is widening. Crossroads is in a very deep hole indeed. Fully 420 points short of escaping Major Defeat. Although I expect Jenin to fall come night time, giving him 300 Objective Points there, which will help even the score somewhat.

A look at the current Strength Dialog helps to explain the wide, and growing, VP disparity:



15 of Crossroads' Shermans lost to 10 of my Pattons. And look at the RCLRs! 13 Israeli RCLR jeeps lost to just 2 of my own.

My confidence grows.

[berto]

TURN #12

As Turn 12 opens, an Israeli airstrike targets the Jordanian infantry platoon at hot spot hex 41,33, scoring 2 SP hits and forcing a retreat (to red circle):