Sicily to Brenner Pass Revised

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: frankieITA
I'm still playing this too, I'm currently cautiously approaching Gothic Line in turn 108(July '44).
Logistics seems to be the real bottleneck, dividing the campaign in long and tedious "reach your front with the rail" followed by dense action turns where you have plenty to attack and conquer.
Still feeling that strategic taste, I'm starting to think that half week turns are best suited for this scenario. I wouldn't change anything to the rail repair, at the moment Allies struggles with the logistics and it's historical correct.
Don't forget that the Allied broke Gothic Line in April '45, I've played this scenario thrice and I've always outdone them, one time even going all up to Brenner Pass for February '45.

So you've given me a benchmark to try to match. Thanks. I didn't really have a "goal date" thinking I was roughly in the historical
schedule. Pictures, I want to see pictures. Brenner Pass by Feb. '45 that's really good. I'll see if I can't do that too.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Petey
Larry I've been meaning to ask you about your graphics.

I have installed something called a JMASS as I recall. I don't remember where I got it but I googled "TOAW mods" and found this
web site where there's lots of graphics mods for TOAW. Here's where it is:
http://thetoawbeachhead.wordpress.com/c ... phic-mods/

Let me know how it works out for you. Pick one of the best ones and try it out.

[sPzAbt653]

You hit the nail on the head with your comment about the missing "slog up the boot" campaign. Elmer's refusal (or inability) to establish fixed defensive lines is the real nut of the problem. The allies' ability to constantly trap and surround Axis units piecemeal and eliminate them is the crux of the problem.

But I swear I can do better, and this scenario seems perfect for it. There are no open flanks or map edges that can be played. The Germans could use more units (which would help Elmer), and I can always reduce unit size to provide that. As everybody has seen, the partisans really messed Elmer up, so now that they are out we should get some better results.

And because there are different style players, we need guys like you that are willing to play these things and put forth opinions. Everything counts, and the players that don't post but pay attention sometimes get the help they need also. Plus, if nobody posted, I would probably go back to my 2002-2008 days when I modded stuff for myself and didn't offer anything to the public.

So, thanks everybody ! [&o]

[Petey]

A (minor) trick I've discovered tonight on rail repair is that when you make the attempt at repair (i.e. order the unit to "repair rail") it is resolved immediately. You can hover the cursor over the hex to see if it has a "rail" or a "broken rail". If it broken you can move in an another engineer; if its repaired you can move on to repair another hex. Prior to this I was stacking eng units and ordering them all to repair the hex.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Petey
A (minor) trick I've discovered tonight on rail repair is that when you make the attempt at repair (i.e. order the unit to "repair rail") it is resolved immediately. You can hover the cursor over the hex to see if it has a "rail" or a "broken rail". If it broken you can move in an another engineer; if its repaired you can move on to repair another hex. Prior to this I was stacking eng units and ordering them all to repair the hex.

Maybe that's why you weren't getting the performance you needed from them earlier? Anyway, good catch. Way to go.

Here's the T46 front lines. I'm thinking of moving some of the American units from the West side to Taranto via boat and then
moving them to the north to the front lines as they are by the time they arrive there and then move west with them clearing out the
middle of the map. The West side has fallen behind schedule and are lagging behind. But I did want to keep the East side moving
to the Gustav Line where ever it is. Not far.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a close up on the West side now. I've surrounded a lot of German stuff and I'm going to take it down as soon as I can to get the
advance moving again. The supply point is pumping out supplies and I've got lots of units present to move north. It's just that I have to
get rid of this roadblock first.

[Petey]

Interesting Larry. I'll try to get some pictures posted tommorow. I'll work on the tutorials you gave me.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Petey
Interesting Larry. I'll try to get some pictures posted tomorrow. I'll work on the tutorials you gave me.

Sounds good. Good hunting.

Um......This is the West side in T48. I've gone a long way to reduce the roadblock and the units moving west from the East side
have reached Napoli already. So I'm thinking I don't need to invade Napoli, I'll own it anyway before too much longer. And I've seen
lots of German units moving via rail toward Rome and I'm guessing they, the Germans, have already staffed and fully-manned the
Gustov line. we're due for a giant leap forward on the West side.

[FrankieITA]

You asked and you've got it.
Here is my situation in the western sector: US II and US IV Corps are sharing a bridgehead north to the Arno river using rivers Sieve (eastern one) and Serchio (western) and protecting Pistoia. From there US 5th Army should try to force the Gothic line in two attacks, one straight north to Bologna, the other Northwest along the coast to Genova. In this AO we don't have got plenty of reserves, since I'm not that confortable using Canadian troops in the american sector (house rule here) I'm cautiosly advancing when I see holes in enemy defences but not pushing too hard. Supplies are starting to flourish but I'll be more happy when we'll reach Firenze with the railroad.
Corps commander are not cleared to go on offensive but they've got the liberty to grab something if they can.
PS: sorry for overlaying grid, I always forget to hide it when I shoot screenshots.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: frankieITA
You asked and you've got it.
Here is my situation in the western sector: US II and US IV Corps are sharing a bridgehead north to the Arno river using rivers Sieve (eastern one) and Serchio (western) and protecting Pistoia. From there US 5th Army should try to force the Gothic line in two attacks, one straight north to Bologna, the other Northwest along the coast to Genova. In this AO we don't have got plenty of reserves, since I'm not that confortable using Canadian troops in the american sector (house rule here) I'm cautiosly advancing when I see holes in enemy defences but not pushing too hard. Supplies are starting to flourish but I'll be more happy when we'll reach Firenze with the railroad.
Corps commander are not cleared to go on offensive but they've got the liberty to grab something if they can.
PS: sorry for overlaying grid, I always forget to hide it when I shoot screenshots.

What an outstanding screenshot. I like the way you play......you're a lot more organized than I am. What turn is this shot? Cool post.

[FrankieITA]

On the Eastern front situation is more boring than the western one.
British X Corps (Almost an Army on it's own) has interlocked with the gothic line and is cautiously advancing units to order a general assault the next turn. Polish II Corps is just stopping the enemy in mountaineous terrain and nothing more useful. I plan to conduct X and XIII British Corps in a concentric attack towards Rimini, using the polish as support for both advances. Supply situation is optimal with all rail lines repaired up to the first trenches. Reserves are numerous and offensive is imminent.

[FrankieITA]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

What an outstanding screenshot. I like the way you play......you're a lot more organized than I am. What turn is this shot? Cool post.

Thank you, always kind. I actually waited a turn more to make the screen because it wasn't ordered enough, it's easy to keep everything ordered and near when you are on the defensive, I sometimes tend to disperd too much my units when I get to the offensive.
By the way this is turn 108.
Now I've played a little more turns and I'm getting slaughtered in front of the Gothic line on the Eastern front, but the Americans are advancing in the western front and let's see how Elmer handles it. Elmer chose a strong defence of all the Gothic line with Infantry and Paratrooper regiments, it ordered an armored counterattack the turn next my first attack on the line and finally withdrew all armored and support units after 2 turns of clash, leaving few half-chewed infantry to make a last defence. It actually impressed me and I wondered if it was in some kind-of-way scripted.

[sPzAbt653]

... and I wondered if it was in some kind-of-way scripted.

Yes, and thank you for reporting it. I've been waiting for that to happen for a long time. [:D]

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the West side in T48. I've been playing War in the Pacific v2.9 and I've now gotten it out of my system and I'm back to
this scenario. I was testing the new naval rules in the more advanced versions of TOAW and I have to say I like it. Anyway, back to
this......Everybody is streaming north and Napoli is my more immediate goal.

[Petey]

Larry you seem to be doing a lot of one-dot attacks. Is that true? If so, I assume it is in attempt to reduce casualties. How does that work out for you in taking hexes? I've been traveling and will get back to the game in the next day or two.

[larryfulkerson]

Hey there Petey dude: Um.......Whenever the enemy is entrenched I like to use one-dot attacks just to get the unit(s) to disentrench and then once they are disentrenched THEN I unleash the full combat power. This tactic only works if you get more than one combat round
per turn. I also don't like to get my units into stacks where they are yellow dense or worse. I can do green dense but I tend to avoid the yellow dense stacks when I'm attacking something.

Thanks for that question my friend. I needed to hear from somebody and you've made my day.

EDIT: Oh. It just dawned on me that you might have been talking about the one-dot attack(s) depicted in the picture. In that specific
case I was using one-dot attacks because supply was low and I was taking care to attack but not burn all the supply my units had.

[Petey]

Wow that's some good advice. I usually pile up the units at yellow and some times more dense. I'll give both a try.

I'm happy if I get two combat rounds per turn. You've inspired me to focus on upping my combat resolution technique when I get back to the game. [:)]

Yes my question was specific to that picture.

A couple of more questions:

What the difference between local and tactical reserve?

How do you play artillery 1, 2 or 3 dot setting?

[larryfulkerson]

What the difference between local and tactical reserve?

Um......my understanding is that "tactical" setting is used to give the arty unit the signal that they are to fire
in defense of units in range. Some of the arty units in Sicily to Brenner Pass have a range of 5 hexes.
And the "Local" reserve setting is to get the unit to move ( during the opponents turn ) one hex in the direction
of the attack. You can get short range units into the attack this way for those occasions when the atttack
goes on and on.

How do you play artillery 1, 2 or 3 dot setting?

Um...I usually regulate the arty based on it's supply and readiness levels. If the supply or readiness is less than
about 50% then I usually rest it. If it's at 60% but less than 90% then I like to set it on two-dot attacks. If the
supply and readiness is 90% or above then I sometimes put the arty unit on three-dot attacks. I usually use the
one-dot setting to conserve ammo when the supply level is at least 50% but less than 60%. Or you could use
the health-dots in the upper right corner of the unit displayed on the map. If they are red they don't fire. Yellow
is for one-dot attacks. Everything else they are three-dot attacks. It depends on the scenario and the equipment
that is firing and the supply level of the arty piece. You'll get a feel for it as you do it more. If the arty piece is
really really needed for the attack to succeed then I usually dedicate it to that mission rather than just set it 'T'
and let that be good enough. Experiment w/ it and see what kinds of attacks give the best result for the style of
play you use.

[larryfulkerson]

I'm going to take this theater option just to see what it does. And to see does it work?

EDIT: This is T50

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the East side in T50. I've got two divisions in floating reserve off the coast near Tomoli. They are going to simulate coming
ashore by having to use the single pier that Tomoli has plus whatever additional lighters the port may use for unloading transports.
I'm getting closer to the Gustav Line and I expect it to be fully manned already. I've seen dozens of German units railroading south
toward this spot. I've got 3/4 of the planes on INT missions and I'm plinking a lot of German traffic. I like especially to go tank
plinking. The P-40 is supposed to be good for that. I don't have any P-39's but they are good for tank work too.