Alby Vs. Steve

After action reports/During Action Reports on your SP:WaW battels!

Moderator: MOD_SPWaW

User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

I am a very new SPWaW player and Alby and I are currently playing a pick-up pbem. I responded to his "Anybody wanna kick my butt?" challenge by saying "I doubt I can kick your butt but I'm ready to have some fun trying." He agreed to play and I basically said to him if you don't mind playing a newbie, set something up you think we'll both have fun playing and we'll go from there. He very graciously helped me through a rocky game start, and I'm having an absolute blast.
Both of us are running enhanced DV or DVRN with the OOB patch. We wound up playing my Soviet Advance against Alby's Romanians in July of 1944. No quibbling over preferences or force composition limits, Alby only asking me not to get crazy with the arty. I'm pretty sure he's giving me a whopping handicap advantage, but I'm honestly so green, I don't even know how much. Doesn't really matter anyway since the whole point is to have some fun, and that is certainly taking place on my end anyhow.
I'll switch this post over to the DAR/AAR forum and proceed from there.
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

So, First the preferences.


Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Steve0001.jpg
Alby_v_Steve0001.jpg (123.88 KiB) Viewed 219 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

To: Academician Aleksey Morozov
The Union of Socialist Historians, Moscow
From: Podpolkovnik Fillyp Lisichkin, RKKA

July 18, 1944: On a train somewhere west of Kharkov.

Papa Aleksey,
You can no longer deny your influence in getting me this command. Between you and Uncle Kiril (ed. note- General Kiril Ivanov, STAVKA), you have found me this wonderful opportunity. I understand that I am to speak frankly to the benefit of both of you, and that your driver Evgeny can be trusted to carry this letter to you directly. Not that I am going to say anything against the State or our Steely Leader, far from it! But frank words can be misinterpreted by those who do not understand soldiers, neh? So I am the new Kombat of the 1176th Motorized Rifle Battalion (provisional).
My Staff consists of the following. Deputy Komander Major Lev Lebedev. I just met him but he seems a good officer. He is still in Kharkov seeing about our Mortars (more on this later). My Aide, Junior Lieutenant Stanislav Vasiliev you have met. My Artillery Officer is Junior Lieutenant Vorobiev.
The Skaut Platoon is lead by 2Lt Lyutiv, the Motorcycle Detachment by 2Lt Kuznetsov, the NKVD Detachment by 2Lt Gogol, and the Engineer Platoon by 2Lt Mogilny. The engineers are in American-made Armored Halftracks, all the rest in trucks. Everyone in the Battalion is on wheels, Aleksey, and this is very good. The Americans have been quite helpful in this regard, though I do not think much of their tanks.
I was just hit by a boot thrown by another rogue you know, Comrade-Cpt. Maksim Novikov, my Political Officer who is sitting across the compartment smoking my cigarettes and drinking my vodka. He says I wasn't going to mention him, the damn chekist. So, together with the other piti-pani, that is Headquarters Company.
Next is Weapons Company, led by Cpt. Schemelev. He has 2 AA guns, 2 AT guns, and 2 INF guns, all in 76.2mm. Also 3 81mm Mortars and 4 Machinegun Sections. You see how scientific this structure is!
Tank Company is my fist. It is lead by Cpt.Shevchuck. He has 10 T-34/85s, excellent machines.
Two Motorized Rifle Company. Each has 3 Rifle Platoons, a MMG section, and a Skaut Platoon. They are commanded by Cpt. Petrov and Cpt. Kazimirovich. Again, all are on wheels.
Last is an Assault Gun Detachment led by 1Lt Kuropatkin with three powerful SU-152s. This is instead of the Heavy Mortar Battery I expected and is ours on paper. Not that The AGs won't be useful, but I wanted those Mortars!

The troops are neither czarist Guards, nor raw conscripts, just good veteran Red Army Men. And I see why you and Gen. Ivanov think this or some similar organization is the future for Motorized Rifle Battalions. Perhaps another Rifle Company or a section of mine-clearing tanks? All arms are represented at the Battalion level and complement one another. All are on wheels, or tracks. Fast and motile. While of course I and my officers will follow our orders and the scientifically calculated doctrines that The Marxist/Leninist Dialectic teaches us, a tiny flexibility will allow us to reinforce success rather than error. Is this not also following the dialectic?

We shall be assigned to the Third Ukrainian Front and will be facing The Fourth Romanian Army. I do not underestimate the Romanians despite what happened outside Stalingrad. They are tough soldiers and have received much good equipment from the Fascists. Nevertheless, I do not think they shall last much into October, although we shall have to teach them a harsh lesson before we let them roll over. Wishful thinking?
So, I shall add more when we get to the front and have completed our first mission.
My love to your daughter - my bride Svetlana - and the girls.
Fillyp
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
Alby
Posts: 4659
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2000 8:00 am
Location: Greenwood, Indiana
Contact:

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by Alby »

ORIGINAL: StephanFH

I am a very new SPWaW player and Alby and I are currently playing a pick-up pbem. I responded to his "Anybody wanna kick my butt?" challenge by saying "I doubt I can kick your butt but I'm ready to have some fun trying." He agreed to play and I basically said to him if you don't mind playing a newbie, set something up you think we'll both have fun playing and we'll go from there. He very graciously helped me through a rocky game start, and I'm having an absolute blast.
Both of us are running enhanced DV or DVRN with the OOB patch. We wound up playing my Soviet Advance against Alby's Romanians in July of 1944. No quibbling over preferences or force composition limits, Alby only asking me not to get crazy with the arty. I'm pretty sure he's giving me a whopping handicap advantage, but I'm honestly so green, I don't even know how much. Doesn't really matter anyway since the whole point is to have some fun, and that is certainly taking place on my end anyhow.
I'll switch this post over to the DAR/AAR forum and proceed from there.
I gave you no handicapp advantage, you can kick my butt on equal terms...LOL
[:D]

User avatar
KG Erwin
Posts: 8366
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2000 8:00 am
Location: Cross Lanes WV USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by KG Erwin »

Now THIS has piqued my interest. Alby, what do you have to face Comrade Stephan, or do you choose to keep your force size classified?
Image
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

Alby,
I am going to start posting screen shots, details of my force, plans and intentions and current turn activities, so please post your DAR/AAR comments in another thread. [:)]
Cordially,
Steve
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

What I was did in building my force was to use the Enhanced Mod's built-in Unit packages rather than buy individual units or sections. That way I would pick up a reasonably (I think) balanced force, while including some HQ's and others not essential to fighting the battle in game terms. I just prefer to play this way, unless playing in a strictly competitive sense rather than for ONLY for fun. Fun is my chief object, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy winning of course.
Now as mentioned above I am a newbie. So what I tried to do was build a force similar to a Reinforced Warsaw Pact Motorized Rifle Battalion of early 1980's vintage. This way I would be trying to use someone else's playbook to build my core force, rather than just winging it. I am working solely from very rusty memory here, so I am sure it isn't TOE perfect in any sense, but it's good enough for me at the moment. More about this later, so here is my roster. [ed. for spelling 4.17.08 sfh]
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

Page 1

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P1.jpg
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P1.jpg (100.12 KiB) Viewed 217 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

Page 2

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P2.jpg
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P2.jpg (100.48 KiB) Viewed 217 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

Page 3

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P3.jpg
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P3.jpg (101.12 KiB) Viewed 217 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

Page 4

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P4.jpg
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P4.jpg (101.2 KiB) Viewed 223 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

Page 5

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P5.jpg
Alby_v_Ste..oster_P5.jpg (86.45 KiB) Viewed 223 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

To: Academician Aleksey Morozov
The Union of Socialist Historians, Moscow
From: Podpolkovnik Fillyp Lisichkin, RKKA

1130Hrs, July 23, 1944. Somewhere West of Pervomaisk, Southern Russia (Ukraine)

We Attack tomorrow at 0600. I am supposed to sleep for three hours but cannot and so am listening to Shostokovich's new symphony. I am a veteran (after three years what man in uniform is not!), but this is my first time as 'The Man' and sleep will not come. So I am adding to this note.
As expected we are facing the Romanians. They are no further than two kilometers west of this house. We are near the junction of a rail line and a primary road. I wonder that there is no village here. The area is lightly wooded. There are two hills to my immediate front, then a wide N-S open area with two small watercourses. Then there is a low wooded ridge N of the road, a wood and a hill to the S. S of that there is another low wooded ridge. I have been briefed that the Romanians are in those woods and on those ridges N and S of the road.

We passed through a Rifle Regiment earlier this evening and moved up into our assembly areas at 2100 unmolested. Battalion scouts grabbed the first road bridge and the small rail bridge an hour ago. They faced no resistance and the little bridges weren't mined. My briefing said that the Romanians may not be that well dug-in and this seems to be the case. I expect some nuisance mines, nevertheless. My briefers gave me a little bit of the large picture for once, but not in any great detail. We need to clear up this stretch of the line to prepare marshalling areas for the major offensive that is coming soon (late August Uncle Kiril?). Makes sense but I could wish for one more day to prepare.

My mission is to punch through the Romanians and clear wide shoulders to the N and S of the road. After that the Rifle Regiment will exploit and a Tank Brigade is behind them. This is a Mission we can accomplish. My Commander has given us a good deal of time to complete our mission once we jump off at 0600, and I will use some of that time to probe further forward with the battalion scouts and those from the rifle companies. The scouts in front have heard very little. Good noise discipline by the Romanians. They must know we are here (couldn't miss the engines), The Scout will probe thoroughly and carefully from 0100-0300 but we cannot probe and patrol in a lesiurely fashion because we do not have time, and the jump off time is tied to the artillery. I do not like this, because I can only guess their positions and MLR. We have very generous artillery with a battery of BM-31 Katyushas and a 122mm howitzer battalion firing in support. This indicates we are at the point of maximum effort. I do miss my mortars, though!

As I said, I have a great deal of time to move, but I don't expect to dally. I'm not going to leave my scouts out there flailing away around all night for the entertainment of the Farmer and his Wife. I'm not going to try to be subtle either, they know we are coming, prisoners have told us this. I am going to probe out to my far left to see if that line of advance looks promising, but I do not expect to be able to pull any kind of flanking maneuver.

My artillery prep goes in and BANG I move fast and hard depending on Maneuver, Firepower, and Shock Effect. Some of this we learned from the Germans, but we do it better than they ever did and my motorized troops are perfect for this task.

I'm firing smoke to the N and S to isolate, and smoke and The Katyushas to my front on the axis of my attack. I will drop a few shells to my far left as a ploy since the scouts are out there anyway, maybe the enemy will shift his reserves.
Then Tank Kompany goes in straight up the road followed by a Rifle company. The tanks halt after the second bridge and demonstrate to their front, then swings S.
Cpt. Kazimirov's Rifle company swings S then W to drive through the open area between the the two wooded ridges and seize the hill in the center of the Romanians' line. I can shift my axis of effort a little N or S to reinforce success.
I will use the 122mm's to suppress concentrations or disrupt any fascist reserves. I reinforce with Cpt. Petrov's Rifle Company, the assault guns, and most of weapons company then drive N and S to roll the Romanians up.
Everything else depends upon our soldiers and junior officers rigidly applying the scientific operating procedures they have been trained in.

That's it. We shall see how it works.

I don't like rolling my troops into the Mounted Assault in trucks, but your and Gen. Ivanov's purpose with this provisional Battalion is how best to use the speed of our Motorized Rifle Companies. Maybe one day we will be able to put all our infantry on wheels or tracks wrapped in armor with perhaps a small cannon for support or even a rocket to scare the tanks off! Even the Americans have not done this and I think we should get there first. I am confident the State can accomplish this with the labor of our Comrade Workers. An expensive dream, I know.
I shall try again to rest.
Fillyp
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

I have been reading in the forums here and at the depot and have played the tutorials and one campaign. So I can't depend on a whole lot of experience with SPWaW. So, again I am going to use the Warsaw Pact playbook. I am trying to apply what I remember from courses and reading in the '80s. I am using circa 1980 Soviet Tactical Doctrine for the Mechanized Rifle Battalion in the Assault.
Now we come to my first big mistake. I misread the mission screen to believe that the game started at dawn. In fact I am jumping off at 0100 for a night attack. Whoops. Good thing I didn't buy any air support.
You will hear LtCol. Lisichkin's opinion of my mistake below.[:@]
I wasn't sure that I was going to do a DAR/AAR so the maps show my position on turn one with the smoke prep already fired.
Of course my infantry aren't in BMP's so I'm going to have to be a lot more cautious.
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

The Northern 4/5 of the battlefield.

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste..es_North.jpg
Alby_v_Ste..es_North.jpg (146.08 KiB) Viewed 223 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

The Southern 4/5ths.

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste..es_South.jpg
Alby_v_Ste..es_South.jpg (147.47 KiB) Viewed 223 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

The 1176th Moterized Rifle Battalion (Provisional) in it's assembly areas.

Image
Attachments
Alby_v_Ste.._Annot_1.jpg
Alby_v_Ste.._Annot_1.jpg (148.43 KiB) Viewed 223 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

** 0030Hrs, July 24, 1944. Somewhere West of Pervomaisk, Southern Russia (Ukraine)

"I'm awake now .....WHAT! WHAT did you say Lt. Vorobiev! My artillery becomes available NOW! At 0100! Lousy, red-striped, yellow-streaked bastards!
Vorobiev, get back on the line and tell them to fire the smoke prep at 0100 the rest to follow as planned counting from then. The on-calls better damn well be ready when I call for them!
Lt. Lyutiv, get your scouts moving now. They are going to have to pick up the pace, too. I am sorry Pavel, I know this will cost in blood.
Maksim, send messengers to all the companies telling them to stand to immediately, that we jump off as soon as they can move!
Miserable, stinking, cannon-cocking, nekulturny fools!
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

Now we have to jump ahead to turn seven. The game got off to a rocky start because of my unfamiliarity with the PBEM system. I also did not take any screen shots until now.
Turns 1-5 had little action as I scouted forward, using travelling overwatch, but going too fast. The Scouts have taken 70% casualties and I have not learned nearly as much as I could have hoped. Turns five and six had the Battalion advancing according to plan.

It is now Turn 7.
I think I have lost the Reconnaisance battle because the Romanians seem to know right where am.
The main body vanguard has just been pummelled by a full battery of medium mortars.
There are a rifle platoon and an immobilized T-34/85 holding the second bridge.
Worst of all, I have been unable to use my Katyushas until this turn. They may have been counterbatteried, but I missed the message. Two are in contact and the mounted assault goes in now.

Lt.Col Lisichkin has been too busy to report to anyone until 0135hrs. Brigade staff wants a situation report. His appreciation follows.
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
User avatar
StephanFH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 5:30 am
Location: West Chester, PA USA

RE: Alby Vs. Steve

Post by StephanFH »

The situation on turn seven top section.

Image
Attachments
First_Situ..Northern.jpg
First_Situ..Northern.jpg (159.57 KiB) Viewed 223 times
"the onset of Bayonets in the hands of the Valiant is irresistible..."
Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne
Post Reply

Return to “SPWaW AAR/DAR”