Just another AAR

[Kaldadarnes]

Afternoon all - here is my epic tale of war and victory (we'll see) for you to enjoy.

why the AAR? Not sure – maybe because I enjoy reading them, partly because I think it may be a useful mental process to go through – forcing me to analyse my own moves. FYI – I don’t get much time for playing ATG, so this AAR could be spasmodic at times.

Started playing a game Vs. 2 Allied AI, medium map (all land), full range of terrain, w/Lancers ERM and Enhanced Officers mods (realistic officers option) (first time using these mods).

On balance I expect to lose, but not quickly. Here is the opening situation:

Brighton is already isolated and Aurora exposed at the end of a long salient, with around 25% of my ore and oil resources. Saudi Empire “SE” and Domain of Macua “DoM” are the opposition. On the bright side there are 2 rail lines running down the salient which gives my supply a bit more resilience. To the North West looks like good tank country, jungle and rivers in the South should be defensible, and a nice mountain range in the middle of my map to provide a defence line should Brighton and Aurora prove beyond saving.

The map shows the overall situation and the expected attacks.

I put in place my mobilisation plan (worked out on a spreadsheet – because I am just so cool like that) which should give me 8 understrength but flexible infantry corps within 4 turns. A further 2 trains are put into the pool so I can get all the resources in (as I am currently do not have full transport capacity for my raw and oil in the Enhanced Resource mod)

2 new officers are recruited under Clarence McNeill, Donald Brown commands the Aurora district, Samuel Collins around Gladstone and Andrew Arlington near Santa Fe. Samuel Eckhart is already based in Brighton (free officer - woohoo!). He’s an artillery officer, hmmm, not sure what that means. Andrew Arlington command south west of Sante Fe.. I also recruit non officered HQs to my other towns to lead the local corps.

[Josh]

"...I put in place my mobilisation plan (worked out on a spreadsheet – because I am just so cool like that) ..."
 
Wow. [X(]
 
Sounds interesting and I hope you will continue the AAR [:D] 

[Magpius]

1st Post.
Welcome.
I'm a big fan of AAR's another is always appreciated, as they keep the game alive, and it's always fascinating to see the different approaches taken.
Looking forward to seeing how this one plays out.

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 2

Disaster –I have completely failed to understand how Lancers officer mod works, Dear old Clarence has had a massive meltdown with overworked penalties and relationships falling apart. I put all my HQs but 3 as subsidiary to a “supply” HQ. Hopefully that’ll fix things.

SE declare war – Aurora looks like it has one turn before being cut off – supply lines from the East are already being menaced. It looks like it could get very hot very quickly round Brighton and Aurora. I continue to mobilise and there is now a thin screen in place round both those cities. Andrew Arlington has been promoted as SE troops try to cross the river south west of Santa Fe taking heavy casualties against 1 corps' machine guns.

I realise I made a mistake moving the 3 corps from Gladstone to the North West – they should have marched South West. They change course to move towards the centre of my front.

Turn 3

Clarence is still in meltdown – it’s the number of HQ’s on the map that counts towards overwork penalties, not the direct commands. I disband all non-officered HQs (there goes 35PPs up in smoke) and reassign the units direct to SHQ. On the bright side Andrew Arlington has been promoted again (now a Lt Colonel) following further attacks around Santa Fe. He gets a rapid recall to SHQ to take over as CiC whilst the artist formerly known as Commander in Chief McNeill goes off to get some frontline experience. Andrew Arlington also gets a “supply action” card to play. 1000 supplies are dumped in Brighton allowing me to switch a production line to troops rather beans and bullets. Given the massing forces around Brighton, this couldn’t have come at a better time.

2 corps is now cut off in Aurora.

DoM has joined in the fun and starts moving on Brighton.

A raw facility is upgraded.

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 4

Command ratio now sorted for the first time in the game. Lt Col Arlington has got a grip (thank god). Let's check this rising star's bio...



Seems like the kind of guy to use a spreadsheet - I like him already...

I realise I failed to reassign all my production last turn after disbanding several HQs last turn - DOH!

KoS troops emerge from the jungles in the South to menace Cheltenham. I use my limited strategic transfer capacity to move 3 divisions down to counter as further troops start out from London on foot to join them.

The first stage of my mobilisation is almost complete. I have strength equivalent to 8 infantry corps each comprising 6 inf. Divs (9-12 rifle/6-9 SMG/6-9MGs/3-6 Bazooka)

Light Armour is sighted on the outskirts of Brighton. Production is reassigned to AT guns and bazookas.

A further raw facility is upgraded.

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 5

The outskirts of Brighton are attacked and breaches made to the NE and SW perimeter but at a heavy cost to ES. Counterattacks retake the lost territory without significant loss. AT assets are deployed to guard against another armoured thrust (from a fresh armoured unit sighted to the NW). ES are getting armour in the game early.

Local situation below...

[Kaldadarnes]

3 corps will be in position to support McNeils 1 corps to the North From next turn extending the line to the North. The thrust in the south near Cheltenham seems weak. Forces in the vicinity of Cheltenham encircle the lone KoS unit – panic potentially over, but I need to ensure I maintain a garrison in each town.

I destroy a bridge south of Aurora as I can’t see myself counterattacking to the South any time soon.

Overview map showing link up of 1 & 3 corps in the centre and the probing attacks in the south.

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 6

More attacks on Brighton are beaten off – with both SE and DoS taking heavy casualties amongst their infantry (see pic). Inflicting casualties at these kind of ratios I suspect will be necessary if Brighton is going to hold. I don’t seem to have done much damage to the Armoured units though which is disappointing (although the AT units seems to have held back the armour which was the intention).



Attacks around Aurora and Santa Fe seem to have fallen away for a moment – must get some recce and artillery active in those sectors ASAP.

[Kaldadarnes]

I realise i need to change my CiC - in Lancer's officers mod, people from different services don't rub along terribly well with consequences for their effectiveness. Andrew Arlington being a logistics guy is getting some serious hate from his subordinates McNeill, Collins and Eckhart.

Donald Brown might be next through the revolving door that is the CiC job



See what I mean? Brutal...

[Kaldadarnes]

We’ve been at war for a month. My priorities for the next month (4-5 game turns) are as follows:

1) Get units in place to guard supply lines away from Brighton, Aurora and Santa Fe, i.e. to the East of the map – there seem to be a lot of roaming SE units slipping into my territory. I reckon a thin screen of units, plus some mobile mixed battle groups to encircle and destroy should do the job.
2) Move 3rd corps forward to secure jumping off positions for an attempt to relieve Aurora and Brighton. I don’t want to start my counter offensive by attacking across a river/into mountains if I can avoid it.
3) Continue raw/oil upgrade program – especially because I have lost facilities in the early turns
4) Deploy an Armoured Corps – 3/4 x Tank Brigades (3 Arm’d Cars + 6 Lt Tanks each) for an early attempt to relieve Aurora, (and maybe take Gazvin).

I notice my long salient position has advantages as well as disadvantages. If I can secure Gazvin (4 hexes north of Aurora), my Northern flank is essentially secure - potentially shortening my line massively. Beyond that the North is basically a desolate wasteland. Turns out Lord Howell was right all along.

I’m off on holiday for a week. So I’ll pick this up on my return.

[Josh]

ORIGINAL: Kaldadarnes

I realise i need to change my CiC - in Lancer's officers mod, people from different services don't rub along terribly well with consequences for their effectiveness. Andrew Arlington being a logistics guy is getting some serious hate from his subordinates McNeill, Collins and Eckhart.

Donald Brown might be next through the revolving door that is the CiC job



See what I mean? Brutal...

[X(]

[&o] [&o] [&o]

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 7

Brighton perimeter is breached to the NW by 20+ armoured units with significant infantry support. Although we inflict heavy losses on the DoM armour in the process, and lose no AT guns – it is a blow. The forces occupying that hex are too strong for me to counterattack, so I reinforce the Brighton city centre and set losses to 100% (no step back, hold to the last cartridge, drop of blood etc.)

The defence of Brighton is fixing in place huge numbers of enemy formations, buying me precious time to build up reserves. Andrew Arlington plays another supply card – another 1,470 supplies materialise in Brighton which will keep them running for another month.

I continue to focus on building AT capability in Aurora and Brighton, but also started building light tanks last turn to conduct local counterattacks, and eventually to form an armoured corps. I cannot be purely defensive.

3 corps move forward and secure jumping off position. I note enemy armour is spotted in their sector - and they only have a few bazookas as AT defence – hmmm.

Another Raw facility is upgraded – sounds good – but I only have 3 Lvl 2 Raw facilities producing – it’s not really enough to win a war yet.



The lists - I'm inflicting casualties at a good rate, a few tanks knocked out as well

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 7 overview of active fronts - troops to the NW of Brighton highlighted. Front definitely looking more stable.

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 8

Command structure is still not sorted – the furious battles around Brighton, Aurora and Santa Fe mean that the fighting commanders are getting promoted very rapidly, much faster than the CiC. This is generally annoying the aforementioned subordinates who dislike being ordered about by someone they view as being roughly on the level of the tea boy. Time to look at the CiC position…again…

Aurora is out of supply – a massive oversight by me and one that could be costly if the enemy break-in to the perimeter (my somewhat OTT term for the 6 hexes around a city). However the surrounding forces are weak after multiple failed attacks over the last few turns so hopefully I’ll get away with it.

More attacks are beaten off around Brighton – not quite so effectively as in the last turn.

The armour sighted in 3 corps’ sector last turn counterattacks and drives us back across the river with light losses. I also move 3 corps tanks back towards Cheltenham where Armour has suddenly appeared.

In 1 corps sector we launch our first proper attacks! Light tanks & infantry from 1 corps attack SW from Santa Fe catching motorised infantry in the open and un-entrenched. They inflict c.50 infantry casualties for 1xMG and 1xSMG loss – an excellent return. There’s nothing else in my path leaving in that sector before Gerza.

I upgrade my AT guns to level 2, which I on reflection I realise is unlikely to significantly affect their combat performance given the relative stats – essentially a 2pdr shell goes through a light tank as easy as a 3pdr shell. I should have focused on MGs and Bazookas which are still bearing the brunt of my defensive efforts.

The rains have come turning the top half of the map to a quagmire – handy as the SE were probing with light armour around the North, and also it should buy me more time in the Brighton and Aurora district, but also not great in terms of launching an attack towards Aurora/Brighton/Gazvin. Also the opportunity in 1 corps sector to push forward to Gerza, cutting SEs only East West rail link could actually have a bigger impact on SE in the long run. Hmmm, may need to change my plans…

Apologies if this AAR seems a bit long winded (if I go on at this level of detail it’ll be the size of a Russian novel by the time I’ve finished) but there is so much to think about with ATG, especially in the early turns.





This week's butcher's bill...

[Josh]

Long winded? Far from it [;)] You should take a look at some of the AAR's in the War in the Pacific subforum [:D]

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 9

Further attacks on Brighton - they push us back from the North East Hex but take heavy casualties in the process. – I successfully retake the hex but although the hex is only held by 50 rifles I suffer heavy losses in the counterattack. It’s a big mistake – ultimately I won’t be able to hold the recaptured Hex and have thrown away a lot of my diminishing strength. I am losing troops in Brighton faster than I can replace them – it feels like a matter of a few turns before it falls. Supplies are also running low in Brighton. On the plus side Sam Eckhart is promoted again to Brigadier, and should now be able to manage 8 HQs if appointed CiC – which could solve that long running issue.

Around Aurora further attacks are beaten off easily, we also launch an attack to the north with 6 tanks that have been built over the last few turns – complete success – further attacks will follow in this vein. I also start building Artillery to support these attacks. Unfortunately Lt Col. Arlington is injured trying to do another supply drop to Brighton. A double blow - I now have to switch a Brighton prod’n line to supplies and I have lost my C/O in Aurora. Let’s hope that paper cut heals quickly.



The damage from the AI’s turn. As you can see, they are still taking heavy casualties.

Around Cheltenham Armoured cars break through but the light tanks from 3 corps transferred the previous turn destroy the incursion and the line is re-established. AT strength in the South is weak – I need to ship some Bazookas down ASAP.

I launch a another attack towards Gerza in 1 corps sector, not quite such a sensational victory as last turn – I lose a few riflemen but another 50 or so infantry are destroyed.

I research bazookas II – and upgrade most of the my front line bazookas, a few more are outstanding in the pockets of Brighton and Aurora.

[Kaldadarnes]

Overall situation below – As you can see my rough intent to hold the long flanks of my salient position, whilst seizing Gazvin and exploiting to seize the extensive resources in the North of the map, and push forward to Gerza, splitting SEs southern front in half. My feeling is if I can achieve those 2 objectives that then SE will struggle to stay in the war.

[Kaldadarnes]

Detailed view of Brighton – as you can see, time is running out for the city, but we should be able to extract a bloody price for its capture.

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 10

Further attacks around Brighton push back the perimeter further – I now hold only 3 hexes. I think the time has come to withdraw my troops to the city centre for the last stand. I’m not sure what happens to an officer when their HQ is overrun in Lancer’s mod, but I suspect it’s not good. As my most senior ranking officer Brig. Eckhart is going to fly out of Brighton and take over the CiC role, Lt Col. Brown will fly in to oversee the final days in Brighton. Not a great assignment it has to be said – but at least he gets a nice building for his HQ.



The COs beach hut at Brighton

Around Aurora we again inflict damage but no real chance of breaking out yet – the ring is still fairly tight.

On 1 corps fronts there seems to be nothing standing between my tanks
and Gerza – I chance it and rush the city with a column of tanks – 30 entrenched riflemen just hold on – 5 remain – so close!

[Kaldadarnes]

Turn 11

The tanks of 1 corps try to rush Gerza again and once more are held off…just…

Hull in the far South East is attacked – where did that lot come from? However they are held off comfortably.

Stephen Emmett takes over as the new commander in this sector (Cheltenham/Hull) with 9 Corps being comprised of the units in that sector being reassigned. He’s an Airforce officer so I may transfer him to another role (I have started building an embryonic dive-bomber force)



Hull/Cheltenham sector now under 9 corps - note SE's vulnerable supply lines

Around Brighton, the situation improves. The troops who took part in the counterattack in turn 9 are recovering their composure and being refitted with the limited resources available. I start building a few tanks in Brighton as there are a few large infantry formations in the encircling ring which could be easy pickings. Artillery makes an appearance in the Brighton area for the first time however shelling the SW corner of Brighton.

Aurora sector – another neat counterattack with artillery and tanks that inflicts significant losses on the surrounding troops, I need to start building fresh troops to exploit these victories and occupy the ground.