Villers Bocage 44: Viking ( Brits ) vs. Frank ( Ger )

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 5:47 pm

Okay, the map is huge the points are much ( 8200 ! ).

The map is nice, the weather good, the vis. 20 hexes.

So this should be interesting.

Perhaps Viking can describe the map a little more ?? My english isn´t so good to do it proper.

Both sides start w/ dropping smoke before hills hoping to obscure the sight of enemy AT - guns and MG positions. The tommies as well do some 3inch and 4.2 inch mortar shelling on suspected german positions.

We start as usual w/ recon elements like kubelwagens, mc squads and even cavalry - a tribute to old times warfare.

The first casuality was a german cavalry man ( and his poor horse

) due to a 6pdr. at gun shot.

i think in the future it will be impossible to report minor losses because this is a epic battle.....

we capture the 4 vic hexes north ( they count 30 points per turn btw. so quite worthwhile to take them fast ) and 4 more in the center w/ a fast kubelwagen, the crew of the wagen bails out to take a look over the ridge but is greeted by a 50cal. mg from a armored scout car.....

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 10:31 pm

The problem is my english isn't to good either LOL

Anyway the map is large dominated by hills through the center and more hills dispersed throughout the rest of the map, lots of places for a hidden AT gun or TD to say " gottcha "

More smoke this round from both sides a German halftrack with a 75mm mounted on it gets killed by a long range shot from a staghound. Multiple MCs are spotted and some calvery as well. Back to you General FrankW

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 11:36 am

mhhh-. the british are dropping a hell of smoke and are sitting in woods in the southern hills overlooking all the lower area w/ the vic hexes there.

in the center they have at guns on the ridge ( 2 6pdr´s only spotted till now ) and wait w/ tanks behind the slope....we try to kill a scout car w/ a armored recon section but no shot hits.

north: i make some more deep recon runs but severall men i believe and kubelwagens are killed by AT guns. so my orig. plan to flank from the north isn´t possible anymore.

we kill the first 2 enemy soldiers w/ 75mm fire from a HT. WHOW !

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 1:11 pm

More recon spots some German AT gus and recon teams plus multiple scout cars. Some Panzars are spotted as well, Germans add to the smoke

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 4:27 pm

last turn our cavalry squad was complety annihalated by a "meatgrinder" HT...

and this turn we lose some more men in the south, as well as a foolish move from me costs me a flametank III. it seems the enemy can observe our moves even in the light woods from his hill positions. we drive back a scout squad there and lose some motorcyclists which tried to assault a bren carrier to at gun fire. our smoke dropping is not enough to prevent sight from hills there. same situation in the north.

so we turn to the center and attack there. results: 1 sniper + 1 scout car killed, 2 6pdr at + a commando squad surpressed or routed. no losses for us there - looking forward to the counter attack now

: 2 vehicles immobilzed and 1 81mm HT breaks down, heavy arty out of contact

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 11:16 pm

Fighting picks up as our forces close on each other, 2 Pz-IIIs get taken out ( one by arty ) and some recon cars, take the center Hexes temporarly

The hills are very tricky lot and lots of weird dangerous angles

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 4:34 am

okay sissy !

cowardly hiding,smoke dropping etc. has come to an end.

germans fight, not hide.

perhaps you noticed the little pic under my name ? it´s a sign of german fallschirmjagers

remark: i have no high hopes here. if a sissy light armor flame tank still lives after severall infantry close assault and close-in shooting by 75mm + 50mm. and one of your M4 "coffins" survives a side shot from a panther g in 2 hexes distance

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 1:20 pm

Savage fighting

Lot of casualties. For some reason it seems Frank W is decrewing his recon jeeps on purpose

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 11:55 pm

hard fighting.

brits and germans make no presents to each other.

we have taken all middle vic hexes. we lost severall MKIII´s , SDKFZ´s and sadly 1 panther g + 1 tiger e during the enemies and my turn...

we this time even manage to destroy a firefly and a achilles 17pdr. SP gun among severall HT´s and men.....

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 8:55 am

More heavy fighting, the British mount a counter attack hoping that the German can be everywhere, three Pz-IIIs die and two bumbars die as well as armored car and a armored halftrack. Lots of infantry casualties as well.

Finally my heavy arty is in contact

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 8:01 pm

desperate fighting.

north quiet.

in the middle the enemy is getting slow but shure over hand, despite the fact we kill a AVRE monster there. we lost severall men + light vehicles and must endure 5.5 inch battery fire.

in the south we have secured the area around the vic hexes pretty much, some more british commandos die and a wasp flame vehicle. we lose severall men there, too.

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 4:23 am

More difficult fighting kill a Flame tank and shoot up some infantry in a vain attempt in a country attack in the south

In the center, the push continues, killing more vehical, and acoule of tanks

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 5:06 pm

mhh.. i did know that this flamer is dead. why i did move it there ?

okay, it´s a mistake to expose yourself to much as my casualities are somewhat too high.

crews seem to have good succes on both sides killing some infantry + commando men

the middle section is critical. british forces are dtermined to get the vic hexes back. and they succed in this

we kill one more firefly, 2 of those **** flamers, 1 HT not much more....

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:34 am

The Brits are still reeling from the German attack in the south. They can't seem to organize any country. This is due to the German well planned attack.

In the center not much.

In the north Frank W has several AT guns and infantry dug in. He has to be weak somewhere.

One question when can we call reinforcements.

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 11:46 pm

north: quiet, except some arty bombardement and long range shots an recon squad.

center: critical ! brits take all vic hexes + rout my forces. we only kill 1 bren carrier + rout 1 commando squad.

south: made some probing attack deeper into the woods. encountered in the far north hidden 17pdr. gun not spotted so far. killed one wasp flamer and some more men....

a quite calm phase compared to the fierce fighting before.

reeinforcements: i read somewhere on turn 7 is a accepted time. so you can CALL NOW !

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 12:01 am

i have a question: why i can´t cancel arty bombardement ? noticed this some time before. the target shift still works but canceling the mission not

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 12:24 am

It hasn't happened to me in this game but it has happend in other games I'm not sure why it happens, maybe someone else can weight in with an answer.

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:51 am

Not to much this turn, thank god.

More 105mm, 150mm and 75mm offboard arty falls this turn; along with 81mm and 120mm onboard arty. Real soon General Frank is going to be out of off board Arty. Let just hope I can live long enough.

Back to you

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 1:57 am

again not much. some men from me killed.

i recaptured the middle vic hexes btw. !

but perhaps this is some kind of trap the enemy has setup ?

but some good news for the enemy, too:

we are not able to call reinforcements. seems i have to much formations.
would it help if you kill some crewmen ?

still not able to cancel arty missions !!
a bug or what ???

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 2:14 am

The last turn you sent me prompted me for the German Password