Elephant Hunt: Semi-Interactive AAR

[Mad Russian]

I agree.

At this point of the war there were still few radios in Soviet tanks. So, they would be moved in no less than Platoon units, as well.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

1st Platoon is given orders to rush forward about 100 meters. This will give us some eyes farther up Hill 254.

In the background further along the face of the hill you can see a second German HT.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

We now have 2 German HT's nosing around to our front.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

1 Tank Company has LOS to the 2nd German Ht but does not fire.

All Russian tank platoons have a hold fire order. The infantry platoons have a close assault fire order.

The last thing we want to do is to engage the Germans at long range.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

While the 1st Infantry Platoon is rushing forward, the 2nd Tank Company is also on the move. The company has orders to consolidate on the recon element.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

While the recon element awaits the arrival of the rest of the 2nd Company they change facing to better allow for flank shots and the possibility of withdrawing downhill if the situation demands a retreat.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Here we look at the Recon element in close.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

3rd Tank Company has finished it's formation realignment and awaits further developments.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

At the start of turn 5 there is no LOS to a German unit. Both the German HT's have moved out of LOS.

All Soviet units are on Standard SOP.

We have seen light German forces on the front of Hill 248 and the southeast side of Hill 254.

The Recon element, 1st Tank Company and 1st Infantry Platoon have all three had LOS at times.

All Soviet tank units are on Hold Fire orders.

The infantry units have close assault only orders.

Our 2nd Tank Company is continuing the consolidation orders it was given. While the 1st Infantry Platoon is moving in bounds slowly up the south face of Hill 254.

The big question is where is the German armor? These light forces are obviously just recon elements for something heavier. But where are they?

What are your orders?

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Because the 1st Platoon Infantry is still tired the squad that is moving back to rejoin the platoon is moving and not rushing. The rest of the platoon is resting waiting on them to move back.

This move could be combined with a short move to the north if we want.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Yoozername]

It seems the enemy got eyes on us. The HT have backed off. The attack may be as simple as 'hey-diddle-diddle-strait-up-the-middle'. They are heading for flags.

I think this is illustrating one of the finer points of the game. Intel is key to making tactical decisions. The enemy, obviously, is not just 'over-there'.

I would want 1TC to get away from that forward slope in that formation. I was surprised at the LOS of that HT. It appears to be 900 meters or closer??? I still would want a platoon from 1TC to roll back and come up the back hill to dominate LOS, even for just a turn. Give them a cautious SOP so they fall back from heavy AT fire. The rest of 1TC can move up and hug the woods and deploy for a defensive stand.

2TC might re-arrange so that they can give flanking fire to the enemy attack that might be coming strait down the middle. 3TC would be the flanking attack once the enmy main force is discovered and 'fixed'. If they swing around the hill at the right moment, they could get the flank shots that spell doom for the heavy German armor.

I would not hold fire at this point. If the enemy has AFV like marders or stugs or turreted afv, they need to be taken out quickly before the Ferdinands are dealt with.

[Mad Russian]

I'm concerned with putting a tank platoon back on Hill 253. That would put those tanks in a flank/rear orientation for a good part of the move if there are German AT assets on Hill 254. If we get LOS to them they will more than likely get an LOS to us. If they do, it will give them the best shots of this whole engagement. Not to mention the German guns are excellent at long range while ours are not.

I will do as ordered but I don't like those orders at all.

I would rather push the infantry forward instead. Leap them forward again to gain more LOS to the rest of Hill 254.

I have no problems with reorganizing 1st Tank Company further forward in the shadow of the trees.

Another issue I have, is to push the 3rd Tank Company forward with no reports of any kind what may be on the west side of Hill 254. We have no eyes on that side of the hill. There could be anything on that hill and I'd rather not deploy a single tank company forward, with little to no chance to support it, without some kind of recon effort first. Pushing 3rd Tank Company to the north at this time will isolate it in the extreme.

This would be very much an all or nothing kind of maneuver. If the Germans are coming down the east side of Hill 254 then 3rd Tank Company would hit them in the flank with devastating effect. However, if there are German AFV's on the west side of the hill the company would be left to fight alone.

Comments?

Good Hunting.

MR

[Yoozername]

I don't think anyone has suggested sending 3TC over/around the hill at this point.  I said to have this as an option: "3TC would be the flanking attack once the enemy main force is discovered and 'fixed'. If they swing around the hill at the right moment, they could get the flank shots that spell doom for the heavy German armor. Again, that depends on the Germans committing themselves forward.  I suspect the Germans will continue to probe forward but with heavier armor.

I think Mad Russian can't be as objective as the people giving the orders.  He DOES know what the Germans have.   But I want others to weigh in on what orders seem reasonable given the situation.  It seems that MR wants to get intel before doing anything but has issues with going to places on the map that might provide it.  If he wants to keep sending those infantry forward, I have no problem with that.  It's not like we came here with a battalion of tanks to save them.
 
To be honest, the Germans have not taken anything that most people have not conceded.  We have seen two half tracks.  They have backed off.  Again, I see no real need besides waiting for the Germans to commit. 
 
The Soviets more than likely have greater numbers and definitely have greater mobility.  The main goal, to me, is to use a concentration of force, hitting the Germans on 3 sides and drawing more blood than they do.

[Mad Russian]

I do know what they have. But I'm not sure how they will use it. This is the first playtest of this scenario. So, for me there's nothing other than the OOB that I know more than you do.

I will do what the rest of you want. I didn't say I wouldn't send tanks to the west. I just said I didn't think it was a good idea. If you send the 3rd Tank Company over there and they find German tanks there is a very high likelyhood that we could lose them. But again, if they advance unengaged then they will be in a tremendous position for a flank attack.

I think an infantry recon gone bad is cheaper than if a tank recon goes bad.

The same holds true about reversing a 1st Tank Company platoon and sending up the side of Hill 253. I don't think that's a good idea but if that's what you want to do, the orders will be given.

Your choice.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

ORIGINAL: Yoozername

I don't think anyone has suggested sending 3TC over/around the hill at this point.  I said to have this as an option: "3TC would be the flanking attack once the enemy main force is discovered and 'fixed'. If they swing around the hill at the right moment, they could get the flank shots that spell doom for the heavy German armor. Again, that depends on the Germans committing themselves forward.  I suspect the Germans will continue to probe forward but with heavier armor.

You're not the only putting forth suggestions.

How about slowly moving 3TC westward around the near hill and prepare for the possibility of flanking enemy armor.

Again, I don't think that moving the 3rd Tank Company forward at the moment with no recon of that side of the hill is a good idea.

As the Battalion Commander I do have a say in whether I like my orders or not. But, like all good Soviet commanders if the order stands we will execute it.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Yoozername]

I will let other people weigh-in at this point.  I will just state the following:
 
If you don't want to move a tank platoon over that far,,,then just leave one tank platoon from 1TC where it is (one that CAN see something) and just get the rest of 1TC off the parade ground formation and closer to the woods.  Put the 1TC platoon in cautious SOP but give it a Fire order. 
 
All units should have a Fire order or at least a good-shot status.  I see no point in using hold-fire at this point.
 
Leave 3TC where it is (as I have said all along).  Give it an agressive SOP and a Fire order.
 
Arrange 2TC in an ambush stance facing NW so that it can fire at any Germans that come into the 'attack-arrow'.  I would be OK with using one platoon from 2Tc as rear security and even using one tank as a woods-recon.
 
The infantry platoon can be used as recon but I would want the other platoon to stay where it is.

[heinrich55]

I'm good with continuing to push the infantry further forward to see what is there.
Consolidation of the flanking force on the right flank is also good.

I'd like to ease 1TC forward gently into the woods behind the infantry there. The woods will give them a little cover and if the Germans see them first, they may not get eyes on the flank force. Perhaps they would be pinned forward, allowing the flank force to get in their licks first. Also, they could reverse back through the woods if the enemy force seemed too overwhelming.

Ready 3TC for a dash around the left side of 254. If the enemy force is pinned by 1TC and hit by the flank force, they will be in a quandry as to which way to turn. This would be the time that 3TC could shine by flanking from the other side. If there was a way to just push one tank forward around the edge of the hill, that might give us eyes if the Germans are also pushing down our left flank.

Heinrich55

[Mad Russian]

We can send a single tank from 3rd Tank Company to the west side of the hill if you like. We have that capacity. It would be the Company Commander.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

I have my orders as:

Consolidate 2nd Tank Company to the east of Hill 254. Standard SOP with Good Shot Rules of Engagement(ROE).

Consolidate 1st Tank Company into the woods to north of their current position. Move 1 Platoon to the northeast and forward to get a better LOS of the hill. Main Body Standard SOP with Good Shot ROE. Recon element Cautious SOP with Good Shot ROE.

3rd Tank Company sends a single tank to the northwest of Hill 254. The rest of the company holds position. Aggressive SOP with Good Shot ROE.

1st Platoon moves forward 100 meters. Standard SOP with Close Assault ROE.

2nd Platoon hold position. Standard SOP with Close Assault ROE.

If there is anything that needs changed to the orders as I see them please clarify.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Yoozername]

Good enough for me, roll dem bones.