Forum-Generated Battle AAR

[Erik Rutins]

Turn 11 ended up pretty quiet. Lots of fire exchanged for very little result. The Soviets seem to be hunkering down. Next turn the 150mm artillery should come in and shake things up a bit more.

I'm not making any changes to my deployment or targeting for now.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, the T-60As are still trying to advance, probably hoping to get past my Panzer IVG's zone of fire to the objective area. My Panzer IVG is doing yeoman work though as it destroys another two T-60As. I feel for the AI as frankly this is a really poor matchup for it tank-wise and I'm not sure it will be able to overcome the current situation given my deployment. It still has an entire group of T-60As in reserve up north though and who knows if there are more IL-2 Sturmoviks, so anything is possible.

Nevertheless, I'm hanging on to one of those two central objectives and my victory points are now a bit higher than the AIs. I've made up for the loss of those Panzer IIIJs.

The Guards infantry are now largely suppressed in the field. They're firing back at my troops in the woods, but their fire is largely ineffective and my own fire from the treeline as well as the woods is keeping their heads down and occasionally causing casualties.

One trick the Soviets unveiled though is a 76mm Infantry Gun, which showed up to the east of the objective area and took my troops in the woods under fire. In one phase it already caused casualties to one squad and suppressed it, thanks to 76mm HE firing into woods. Not sure what I'll do about that yet, but I'm hoping the 150mm Artillery Strike in its vicinity will have the luck to catch its crew - I have more pressing concerns still at the moment for my other units to deal with

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, time for me to take a break. Enjoy the evening folks, I'll either pick this up later tonight or tomorrow as time allows.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, another turn and I think I'm breaking the back of the Soviet attack. The field that was once full of Guards Rifle and Rifle squads advancing along with BA-64s towards the central objective is now filled with the wounded and dying. Each turn, fewer effective squads remain. I've been focusing most of my effort, including the Panzer IVG's HE fire when it has no vehicle targets, on hammering those Soviet troops caught in the crossfire.

After that and 150mm Artillery and 81mm Mortar fire, I think the threat from that area is just about dealt with.

Meanwhile, a combination of T-60, Sniper, Rifle squad and Infantry Gun fire has been causing some casualties to my platoon in the treeline by the road. This turn one of my squads was effectvely destroyed. I feel confident enough about the field to swtch as much fire as I can away from it and towards these other targets.

I decide to move my Panzer IVG as I feel that victory is coming within reach and I'd rather grab it than attrit my way there. Let's hope that doesn't go down as my boneheaded move of the game.

I also decide to Advance the SS Infantry out of the woods towards the central objectives.

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, the Panzer IV moved out and I sent the Halftracks ahead of it to bring their MGs into play. The SS Infantry is starting to exit the woods to cross the open ground on the way to the objective. The rest of the infantry in the woods are trying to keep the surviving Soviet infantry suppressed.

As my forces moved out, some of the remaining T-60s appeared behind the central objectives, moving towards the road junction. The Panzer IV spotted them near the end of the Reaction phase, so it's still turning its turret to bear.

Note that this screenshot is taken while the Panzer IVG is selected, so you can only see the enemy units that it can see. There are more out there, but it can't see them so while we've got it selected they are hidden from view. This makes it very easy to see the effects of relative spotting and to know what you can and can't target.

I have no artillery available at present, so I'm going to hope my fire and maneuver plan to get the SS Infantry across that ground works. I order the Panzer IVG to remain stationary and target those T-60s. I order the halftracks to Withdraw a ways again as they are easy targets for the T-60s.

[Erik Rutins]

Another turn and things are getting interesting. A single T-60 absorbs quite a lot of my Panzer IV's attention. Both tracks are blown off as well as other damage I can't identify until it's abandoned at the end of the turn. Meanwhile the T-60s engage my infantry in the treeline and the woods with their 20mm cannons.

I take more casualties in the treeline, including the loss of my command squad. My platoon fails its morale and starts to withdraw away from the enemies they can see, apparently hoping that the treeline will block their line of fire if the move back away from it. I'm disappointed to lose that position, but I think it's a temporary problem. Those troops will rally and the T-60s should be history soon if my Panzer IVG has anything to say about it.

The advance of the SS Infantry is going well in the meantime.

Another bit of good news is that my last round of 81mm mortar strikes landed one right on the Soviet 76mm Infantry gun and destroyed it entirely.

I also notice that the new T-60s appear to be the reserve group the AI had been holding back in the north. My infantry in the north now sees no defense for the northern objective, so I decide to abandon cover and stealth and send them forward with the mortars and HMGs overwatching from the woods in case some Soviet infantry remained behind.

[Erik Rutins]

Here's the view in the north, which ended up being the quiet sector - we'll see if that continues.

[Erik Rutins]

The Soviet infantry in the field is starting to put out a bit more fire again. My 150mm Artillery is available again and one of the HQs in the woods has contact with it, so I call it in to keep the field suppressed while the SS Infantry cross. I could have called in more Smoke, but I opt for HE in the hopes of finishing off more of the remaining squads.

[Erik Rutins]

Soviet infantry seem to be popping back up from the field like mushrooms. I'd lost sight of them, but when they apparently unsuppressed and opened fire again at my SS Infantry, I was surprised to see how many were still alive.

Nothing like moving in the open to draw attention!

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, well I'm learning another lesson - again. I should have waited to use smoke or HE on that field before crossing. The sudden reappearance of Soviet infantry in the field dealth the SS Infantry a sharp blow. One SS Infantry Squad was destroyed this turn, another took Light Casualties and a third was Suppressed. The one squad closest to the enemy also routed away from them (you can lose morale at an individual squad as well as platoon level, the previous rout was a platoon morale loss, this one is just a single squad while the rest of the platoon is still in good morale).

I've decided to tell the SS Infantry to stop, drop and fire. Advancing further at this instant seems crazy, perhaps once the artillery is dropping the Soviets will go back to ground. I tell the closest squad to the Soviets that isn't routing to throw some smoke grenades to block the Soviet line of sight.

The Panzer IVG disposes of another T-60 and I start reorganizing my Regular infantry platoon. They rallied over the course of two phases, two squads rallying per phase. Now to get them back to a useful position as soon as possible and as safely as possible...

In the North, my advancing Panzer Grenadiers have met no opposition and seen no enemies. That objective looks to be under my control soon.

[Erik Rutins]

Another turn and the victory meters for both sides are heading closer to the top. I feel confident that if I can take the northern objective and control one of these central ones, I can get a victory. Ideally, I want both central objectives to improve the qualty of my victory. Easier said than done, of course.

The SS Infantry squad that routed and started running away from the Soviets over open ground ended up taking Heavy Casualties and being suppressed. It has now rallied and the rest of the SS Infantry are unsuppressed. The smoke from the smoke grenades is starting to spread a bit, though it will never be all that big. The 150mm artillery in the field has been diong a great job on the Soviets again, which has been helping keep the pressure off the SS Infantry. They are still in a bad position though and I ask the 81mm mortar to fire some smoke to help cover them as I've decided to withdraw them as soon as I can.

The Panzer IVG destroys another T-60 it sees heading to the objective and damages a second one. One of the T-60s takes my infantry and halftracks under fire at varying times and penetrates but does not damage a halftrack. The regular infantry are almost back in position.

I plan to keep the Panzer IVG where it is for one more turn, then advance along with the regular infantry along the road and treeline to try to sieze control of an objective.

Stll no sign of the enemy in the north.

[Erik Rutins]

Turn 19

I take the Northern objective, bringing my victory bar quite close to the top. But there are definitely some complications

The SS Infantry is paying the price for my tactical choices. After the last turn, their three remaining squads are as follows:

1. Heavy Casualties, Suppressed
2. Light Casualties, Suppressed
3. Light Casualties

I'm ordering them to withdraw as soon as the 81mm Smoke arrives.

Meanwhile the Panzer IVG has cleared all T-60s from the objective area, but the rest of the T-60s (yes, the AI may not have had quality tanks, but it certainly had a lot of quantity!) are advancing down the other side of the tree line. They stun one of my halftracks and cause casualties to one of my infantry squads. I withdraw the halftracks further. I tell the Panzer IVG to withdraw past the edge of the treeline, where it should the able to see and engage the remaining T-60s.

Once those T-60s are dealt with, taking the central objective should be much more achievable.

[Erik Rutins]

The last T-60 (that I'm aware of) has been destroyed. Now it's only infantry on his side, but he has some SMG and Rifle squads near the central objectives so I'll need some real firepower there. I order my regular infantry to Bound along the treeline, alternating between covering fire and movement.

I order the Panzer IVG to Advance towards the Central objectives now. With its Point Value, provided I keep it safe from Close Assault, it should swing those objectives in my favor.

The 81mm Smoke is coming down. I order the SS Infantry to Rush back to the woods.

I fine-tune my placements in the North to defend that objective.

[Erik Rutins]

The SS Infantry make it back to the cover of the woods without further casualties.

The Panzer IVG and Infantry continue their advance. Soviet troops are advancing towards the objective area too, obviously intent on making it as tough as possible for me to take control away.

The Panzer fires as it moves, but doesn't hit much. No significant casualties on either side this turn.

[Erik Rutins]

The next turn, we traded casualties on several squads until my infantry platoon and Panzer IVG got in range to exert control over the central objectives. The additional points pushed me over the top. Decisive Victory awarded!

The Panzer IVG went from Veteran to Elite after this battle - it did a great job and would have been great to continue with it in a campaign, though the loss of those Panzer IIIJs would have hurt even more in that case.

My losses in the end were as follows (note that this is only full losses, doesn't count light or heavy casualties to squads):

3 x Regular Squads Destroyed
1 x SS Infantry Squads Destroyed
2 x Panzer IIIJs Destroyed

Soviet losses were as follows:

5 x Guards Rifle Squads Destroyed
6 x Rifle Squads Destroyed
1 x 76mm Infantry Gun Destroyed
4 x BA-64 Destroyed
9 x T-60A Destroyed

Thanks for helping me generate this battle, everyone. I hope you enjoyed the replay!

Regards,

- Erik

[Mraah]

Erik,

Thank you very much sir!! Well done.

You sure it was a Decisive Victory or just a Marginal [:'(] ... just joking [;)].

I've wondered if you took the Northern Victory faster, if that would have made the A/I turn it's T-60's toward that objective. Hmm.

Again, looking forward to it's release!!
Time to shoot the engineer and get on with production!!

Rob

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Mraah
I've wondered if you took the Northern Victory faster, if that would have made the A/I turn it's T-60's toward that objective. Hmm.

Well, it was keeping that one group of T-60s up there for quite a while. It only decided to commit them to the center when I really started hitting it hard and I have to admit those additional T-60s did cause some trouble for a while. I was concerned they might knock the tracks off my Panzer IVG during a few of those exchanges of fire and make me take the objective with just infantry.

Although T-60s are overmatched by Medium tanks, one thing T-60s are pretty good at is causing trouble for infantry and I didn't really want to try to charge my northern group over there while they were still around.

Glad you enjoyed it. [8D]

[Erik Rutins]

Oh and I think there will be some VERY good news for you all tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[Mraah]

Also, a comment and question.

If the Russians had reinforcements it could have changed the battle. I see your initial point when designing the battle that it would have been slightly more dynamic.

And, the question ...

Do reinforcements ONLY arrive at the sides starting map edge? Or can they be randomly rolled to arrive 90 degrees from the edge?
A good flank reinforcement modifier might prove interesting.

Thanks again!

Rob

[Mraah]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins
The Panzer IVG went from Veteran to Elite after this battle - it did a great job and would have been great to continue with it in a campaign, though the loss of those Panzer IIIJs would have hurt even more in that case.
- Erik

Oh, another comment/idea [;)].

You know, you mentioned a few times how the A/I chose the T-60's ... Do you remember if it had an opportunity to get T-34's?

Now, since it chose T-60's, it makes me think it chose quantity over quality. Well, that's not a bad thing, however ...
Considering you had the Panzer IV, I can now throw in my idea for the campaign game ... Fuzzy Logic for the A/I.
Since the A/I knows that you have Panzer IVG's you could have the A/I try to balance it's force more (next battle) to take on this threat, ie select quality over quantity.

I dunno ... [&:].

Rob