MCLV Initial AARs
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 11:02 am
I finally got my MCLV. I don't want to take anything away from the other MCs but this one seems more interesting. You only have a small force, no 88s, etc. you have to work hard and think harder to win here. I've got to the third scenario without any branches so this should be applicable to all. I don't want to give away any surprises but I wanted to share some mission analysis. Ah this is reality. Motorized infantry, no tanks, no 88s, just like it really was.
San River initial crossing: You have to make the initial assault crossing of the San river into the USSR. There are no bridges so your forced to attack only with infantry. You do have an option to select some augmentation. You can choose engineers, artillery or Stukas. Although they would have been the only potent anti-armor weapon available on the far bank, given the smoke and close ranges I discounted them. Engineers are useful for bunker busting as the briefing states but they can be smoked and bypassed. I did not want to spend my augmentation force on something only useful for mopping up. I chose the artillery. It sometimes is not available but because it can instantaneously range over the map, its very useful. The battle started after preparatory fires. I saw that the bunkers that were spotted were all routed so I figured that the first order of business was to cross the river and smoke or assault the USSR positions before they recovered. I started with a few scouts already on the far bank and they were invaluable for moving laterally and finding bunkers while my main force was crossing. You must expect that infantry battles to be bloody and slow moving but this was not too bad due to the general suppression of USSR forces caused by the artillery. Even without choosing the engineer option you do have some. It is hard busting bunkers with regular infantry and even the engineers seem to have little more success. I *think* that if you leave your infantry in place a few turns before you assault, the % goes up. None of the bunker crews abandoned despite numerous assaults. This surprised me, tough guys those NKVD.
Expansion of the San river bridgehead: Historically the clearing of the castle and NCO school took several hours, a decisive victory for the USSR in game terms. You start off with the option to attack immediately before a bridge is built or to wait. If you attack immediately, you must do so without your vehicles but if you wait for them the Soviets will have had time to organize a defense. I chose to wait figuring that a proper combined arms attack would prevail even if the defense was more organized. The most difficult thing was that the battle started with the two sides in contact. I had to cycle though all my units several times to see who could see and shoot who. Once I finally got the feel for my forces it was a straight forward attack. Fire artillery, move up armor to further suppress then close in and clean up with infantry. It was close though I took my last VHs on turn 14 of 15.
Exploitation: A bridge is to be taken by Brandenbergers and you must relieve them. This is the first scenario where you do not start in contact. This gives you the freedom to maneuver but adds the uncertainty of not knowing where or in what strength the enemy is. You are out front, the point of the spear, exciting but no arty support this far forward. The briefing says that this will not be just a drive up to the bridge. You are augmented with a section of PZ IIs. I saw that the only road to the bridge had one VH at a junction. The only other VHs were per-turn on the bridge. Hmmm, I thought. I have to seize the bridge with the Brandenbergers on turn one to get max points but this will trigger some kind of a counter-attack force and I just bet that the road is going to be defended making it hard to relieve them. I took the indirect approach with my recon and some infantry and armor. They headed cross country to the bridge while the remainder of my units headed for that road junction. I think that this was the correct plan but I was surprised by the strength & timing of the counterattack force. I can say no more except that it is a challenging battle. I got a draw due to the losses that I took. My force was essentially a light one with three PZ IIs and my Stugs while the USSR had considerably more fire power and protection. Not only do you have to beat a heaver force but you have to do it without losing much. As I said, a tough battle.
The fourth battle promises to be fun. I actually have tanks! A whole company of PZ IIIEs & Hs with some IIs and IVDs However is 1AM and I'm too tired to think clearly so this will have to wait till tomorrow.
San River initial crossing: You have to make the initial assault crossing of the San river into the USSR. There are no bridges so your forced to attack only with infantry. You do have an option to select some augmentation. You can choose engineers, artillery or Stukas. Although they would have been the only potent anti-armor weapon available on the far bank, given the smoke and close ranges I discounted them. Engineers are useful for bunker busting as the briefing states but they can be smoked and bypassed. I did not want to spend my augmentation force on something only useful for mopping up. I chose the artillery. It sometimes is not available but because it can instantaneously range over the map, its very useful. The battle started after preparatory fires. I saw that the bunkers that were spotted were all routed so I figured that the first order of business was to cross the river and smoke or assault the USSR positions before they recovered. I started with a few scouts already on the far bank and they were invaluable for moving laterally and finding bunkers while my main force was crossing. You must expect that infantry battles to be bloody and slow moving but this was not too bad due to the general suppression of USSR forces caused by the artillery. Even without choosing the engineer option you do have some. It is hard busting bunkers with regular infantry and even the engineers seem to have little more success. I *think* that if you leave your infantry in place a few turns before you assault, the % goes up. None of the bunker crews abandoned despite numerous assaults. This surprised me, tough guys those NKVD.
Expansion of the San river bridgehead: Historically the clearing of the castle and NCO school took several hours, a decisive victory for the USSR in game terms. You start off with the option to attack immediately before a bridge is built or to wait. If you attack immediately, you must do so without your vehicles but if you wait for them the Soviets will have had time to organize a defense. I chose to wait figuring that a proper combined arms attack would prevail even if the defense was more organized. The most difficult thing was that the battle started with the two sides in contact. I had to cycle though all my units several times to see who could see and shoot who. Once I finally got the feel for my forces it was a straight forward attack. Fire artillery, move up armor to further suppress then close in and clean up with infantry. It was close though I took my last VHs on turn 14 of 15.
Exploitation: A bridge is to be taken by Brandenbergers and you must relieve them. This is the first scenario where you do not start in contact. This gives you the freedom to maneuver but adds the uncertainty of not knowing where or in what strength the enemy is. You are out front, the point of the spear, exciting but no arty support this far forward. The briefing says that this will not be just a drive up to the bridge. You are augmented with a section of PZ IIs. I saw that the only road to the bridge had one VH at a junction. The only other VHs were per-turn on the bridge. Hmmm, I thought. I have to seize the bridge with the Brandenbergers on turn one to get max points but this will trigger some kind of a counter-attack force and I just bet that the road is going to be defended making it hard to relieve them. I took the indirect approach with my recon and some infantry and armor. They headed cross country to the bridge while the remainder of my units headed for that road junction. I think that this was the correct plan but I was surprised by the strength & timing of the counterattack force. I can say no more except that it is a challenging battle. I got a draw due to the losses that I took. My force was essentially a light one with three PZ IIs and my Stugs while the USSR had considerably more fire power and protection. Not only do you have to beat a heaver force but you have to do it without losing much. As I said, a tough battle.
The fourth battle promises to be fun. I actually have tanks! A whole company of PZ IIIEs & Hs with some IIs and IVDs However is 1AM and I'm too tired to think clearly so this will have to wait till tomorrow.