A Long Long Road

[Alby]

Rest of Support units...now off to meet Rommell!!

[Riun T]

when I post up my next battle screen I try and catch the misson button within the screencapture so as to show the conditions as I get to see them,and u see them with me,,, sort of drags u into my planning the way I figure it!!

[Alby]

Mission 2,
Conditions Hazy , visibility 18
We have been ordered to take and hold the high ground in center of the map.
the terrain is open and the Germans have definite advantage in start lines, so I have laid some smoke to try to conceal my advance. I also have a thin force as quite a few were lost in previous battle and could not be repaired in time for this mission.
I have Sent some 2 platoons of Rangers ahead to try to get a foothold on the high ground in the center and the north
they must "hold until relieved"
(longest Day...LOL)
Below is some screens of the area.

Southern sector

[Alby]

Northern Sector

[Alby]

deployed
Some light tanks, M10s and whats left of my M4a3s in the North
The M4a1s are in the center, AT and AA guns overlook from high positions in all sectors.
My infantry lost their Half tracks in previous battle so they are on foot in the center
One deploy flag was pretty far to the east so I set up a sniper there.

[Alby]

TURNS 1-3
My sniper is the north has already spotted German forces on the Northern hill. Stuart Light tanks are rushed up to meet them, the sniper reported only seeing Halftracks and Pz IIIs so far.
The Shermans follow close behind with my 2 M10s set up on some high ground behind them for support.
Artillery has also been called in on the far side of the hill.
In the center A Squad of rangers has infiltrated and spots some armored cars heading west, in the south/center My infantry heading for a vineyard has spotted more PzIIIs coming up form the south.

[Alby]

In the North My Stuarts got to the Hill in time and picked off 3 or 4 Halftracks as they came up.
But a Stug also came up and took out the gun one one of my Stuarts.
My Shermans arrived in time to take out some Pz IIIs with the help of the 3 inch gun of the supporting M10s

[Alby]

Turns 4-5
Shermans in the center are moved forward to attack the flank of the Pz IIIs coming up from the south, success is immediate

[Alby]

German Armored cars going for one the northern v hexes are caught in a crossfire between the Northern hill and the M10 southwest of it.
On the Northern hill some rangers appeared and are helping to mop up the Germans there.

[Alby]

The Rangers in the Center are doing their best to "hold until Relieved"
They also spotted some StuIG33s heading their way but then they vanished.

[Alby]

Here is one thing that these user made campaigns have over the standard "long campaign' is the surprizes.
German special forces 'Brandenburgers" have appeared behind my lines, right where I deployed my pack howitzers [X(], arrrgg they must die!! [:@]

[Alby]

In the Center, more Rangers have arrived and made a PzIII pay the ultimate price.
Germand SdKfz 233s are also on the middle hill as well as some StuIG33bs.
HOLD UNTIL RELIEVED!!

[Alby]

More Germans have fallen into my flank attack trap in the center, Half tracks loaded with troops are hit and destroyed by the might of the M4 Sherman. [:D]

[Alby]

Turn 8
Unfortunately my flanking trap has now turned against me as A stug on top of a hill to the southwest has decimated 3 of my Shermans who were caught out in the open.[:@]

[Alby]

More German forces coming up the road from the east.
This battle is the first time we have met the Stug, Pz IV G and the StuIG33 in combat, I hope our tanks can hold up as a Blast from the 33s 150mm gun destroys the Stuart whose gun had been previously damaged and our Shermans in the middle fell easily to the Stug
[:(]

[FlashfyreSP]

I'll have to dig out my saves for this battle an post some shots of how I "suckered" the AI into driving into my "kill sack". 

[FlashfyreSP]

Main defense area: M10 Wolverines and 57mm ATGs overlooking expected 'line of advance' of the Germans. Shermans and armoured infantry waiting behind the hill for the killing to end, then they will advance through the destruction and retake the northern hill. Artillery park located close by, with ammo truck.

[FlashfyreSP]

Southern defense area. Shermans and armoured infantry await expected German advance; once destroyed, the tanks and halftracks will retake the southern VH and then move on the central hill.

[Alby]

$%#@$@# dial up!  I cant even get the page to load up all the way now
[:@][:@][:@][:@][:@]
I need my Cable back!!

[FlashfyreSP]

Unfortunately, that's all I have. Didn't save any other turns. Basically, I allowed the AI to drive west into the open ground where I shredded them. After destroying most of the force (by about Turn 10), I started advancing with two armoured combat teams (one to the north hill, the other towards the central hill) to retake the VHs. Game ended Turn 15, with all German vehicles destroyed and only some crewmen left fleeing for the rear.