ARR Pershing on the front first play very hard FoW

[marcdhanna]

Playing the Americans.

First turns approach difficult as the tanks don't want to stay in command. Infantry finds enemy strong points. They have a lot of stuff! Two Tigers and Pz IVs. They also seem to have a lot of 548s. Try to engage them outside their normal range because they do have a morale edge against the 667s.

Pershing comes up the middle and with fire support from the 9-2 leader, devastates squads in the central woods in the middle of the objectives. The two Shermans remain pretty useless through the mid-game, one gets killed quickly by a PZIV. These BAZ 45s are nice, with their long range and eventually take out the middle PzIV 5 hexes away, can't complain about that.

Artillery completely useless. Either I can't get contact or when I do there is no access. Eventually get two red chits and permanent break down.

The two tigers on his left flank prove very effective, destroying BAZ squads trying to deploy for shots. Eventually I manage to sneak in a couple of squads into the central woods, keeping his guys I had just broken B+, but these squads are not able to take out the Tiger position on the edge of the central woods, as the 548 stacked with the Tiger proves impossible to break after repeated blasting.

The Pershing moves over to pound the main building on the German east flank. Nice tank with that 90mm starts breaking down the defense and I can run units up and into the building for some difficult but ultimately successful CC action because my units have an edge in CC. Enemy tries to move a Tiger to take out the Pershing, but is nailed on the move with an excellent APCR shot from my Jumbo.

Late game turns 7-9 -- the main building is compromised by flanking fire and even though the German 10-2 BH to a 10 -3 (!!) the defending squad breaks and is eliminated for failure to rout. In CC the 10-3 goes down, but takes out a squad. Can't tell if this is because of his use of his modifier on his own CC attack! Main objective hexes are seized and secured.

On the left flank, the rear tiger has been pounding and my central units (who eventually evacuate the area. But due to the tanks CA facing the wrong way, I am able to run a squad right next to it over OG (that pesky 548 had finally been broken). It doesn't change CA to fire at me (???) so I am able to kill it in CC! wow. The Pershing takes out the other MK IV guarding the right flank backfield.

Then, moving forward around the buildings (without infantry scouting), FoW shows I have discovered a squad with a PF in range. He doesn't use it tho, as I break that unit in advancing fire, but on his turn does move a Schreck squad up at 3 hexes! Even worse. So it's Bye-bye tank and crew, and he does seize back that objective the jumbo was sitting on. Otherwise, my lucky runners on the other side, manage to take the VP hex on the left by CCing a Tiger. So eventually 11 VPs and major victory but it was bloody.

Comments

1) Still seeing enemy AFV failing to shoot; it's as if they are OOC. However on very hard, they should never be OOC, is my understanding.

2) Leaders seem a bit frail. Nearly all my leaders got wounded.

3) MA of tanks breaking a lot as in some other games. A lot more than SW do. Not sure if this is to represent loss of Ammo?

4) Totally a blast to play. It's like playing ASL without having to refer to the rules constantly. Tanks vulnerable running around alone, as should be the case. AI didn't play badly, but I still wonder about these tanks failing to fire as if too lazy to turn their turrets.

5) The routing still works a bit randomly. When I want to rout through the woods, sometimes it lets me, sometimes it doesn't.

cheers!

[fuselex]

Enjoyed reading your AAR .

[Big Ivan]

Marc,

Enjoyed reading this AAR too! Felt like I was there playing also.

Good comments at end, definitely some observations to ponder.

Cheers![;)]

John

[Paullus]

Great AAR. Your comments are much appreciated [:)]

[marcdhanna]

Thanks everyone,

great then if you got the feel of game-flow with that AAR, I'm happy[:)]...as an improvement in the future...add some game-play images...a lot more work and planning tho

Also played the next scenario: Counterattack at Bardenberg as the Americans. Limited visibility night scenario added some spice as the Germans throw piecemeal attacks at the village. This time, my leaders were fine the whole game, the Germans were cut up badly in the end, as two of their best HTs succumb to CC street-fighting (2x 666 squads passed the PAATC easily).

One thing that can happen in CC vs AFV, better make sure the squad can make it in; don't sent the leader in as a stack with the squad, because if the squad fails the PAATC you wind up with one soon-to-be-dead leader in there with that enemy tank[;)]

Another point: noticed that I couldn't voluntarily break a pinned leader? When the squad routed away that left my 9-2 leader exposed to a nasty CC (which inexplicably the enemy did not take on board; I think the AI wanted to maintain some fire power along the street and not get tied up in Melee). Were it me I would have CCd the leader. I think it is possible leaders are getting to use their DRM to the CC attacks, which would make wanting to CC a powerful leader a harder decision?

cheers

[Peter Fisla]

Correct, there is voluntary break of Leaders and they do help in Close Combat.

[marcdhanna]

Okay, I need to look at how to do that voluntary break. I don't see a keyboard shortcut on the list, nor did I see any kind of control for a pinned leader to voluntarily break during the rout phase.

As for leader 'DRM' in a CC stacked with a squad, this I understand. What I am not sure of is a leader ALONE in a hex self-applying his 'DRM' to the CC attacks.

[Peter Fisla]

ORIGINAL: marcdhanna

Okay, I need to look at how to do that voluntary break. I don't see a keyboard shortcut on the list, nor did I see any kind of control for a pinned leader to voluntarily break during the rout phase.

There is NO voluntary break functionality in the game.

ORIGINAL: marcdhanna
As for leader 'DRM' in a CC stacked with a squad, this I understand. What I am not sure of is a leader ALONE in a hex self-applying his 'DRM' to the CC attacks.

I will need to check my code (when I get home from work) to be sure but I would say - no.

[marcdhanna]

okay thanks for clarifying!