Redleg's "The Tigers Are Burning"

AC · Post by AC » Wed Feb 20, 2002 5:11 pm

While waiting for the LV patch I beagan to play this scenario. After five turns, I've lost a couple of halftracks to AT-fire and mines, an infantry and a scout squad, and a PzIV to mines, while killing 5 Soviet infantry squads, and two AT positions (2 others are spotted). I'm now distant 15 hexes from the great hill with lots of VHs, which I planned to attack with the bulk of my forces. The rest of them (a platoon of infantry and PzIV(g?)'s has to attack the little village from left to right, pinning down the enemy there and maybe gaining some VHs. Now this is what happened there to me:
One of my infantry squads was fired on by a Soviet infantry squad hidden in a house just one hex away. They took 6 casualties and redraw. So, I plotted 2 mortars to fire on the house; they reduced it to a burning inferno. Next turn I moved on a fresh infantry squad; nothing happened, no OP-fire. Well, I said to myself, everything is going as planned, and began to fire on the Reds. One time, no result, two times, no result, three times: the f****** b******* fire back and wipe my entire squad out! Ten casualties!
It took me three more casualties and an engineer squad to kill them off.
If this is only the beginning, by turn 10 I will have run out of infantry! <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
Well done, Redleg!

BTW, my tactics is to use lots of smoke to blind the Soviets, have cover for my engineers to clear mines in my way and to bypass the fortifications. Haven't seen any yet, though.

AC

Gary Tatro · Post by **Gary Tatro** » Wed Feb 20, 2002 6:23 pm

I have found that infantry and all other units in general will spontaniously go from route or retreat condition to Pinned if you fire upon them. I do not think this is historic or correct just a part of the game.

Griffin

AC · Post by AC » Wed Feb 20, 2002 6:48 pm

Well, Griffin, I'm OK with this, I only wanted to share it with the rest of you.
Also, I would not say that it is not historical or not like real-life. Lately I was reading again "A bridge too far" where there is an episode where some 40 germans regroup under a house with British paras. The house is burning, and the Germans obviously think there isn't anybody left to worry about. But then, the British "rally", fire their weapons and throw grenades, killing all the "Krauts". So,
given crack troops with high base morale and experience (as Soviet infantry in '43 may have), I think that rallying when you're attacked at close range, and you're still in good defensive terrain (=burning house), is quite realistic.
Would be interesting to get deeper in the mechanics of the game engine here. Anybody out there to help with this one?

AC

wulfir · Post by **wulfir** » Wed Feb 20, 2002 8:06 pm

Originally posted by AC:
[QB]But then, the British "rally", fire their weapons and throw grenades...QB]

Whoa Mohammed!

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 2:06 am

Good to hear someone tried this scenario. Of course, the entire idea was to try to simulate the Soviet tactic of drawing off German resources until the Big Cats were unsupported.

There were some very nasty fights in the villages in the Kursk vicinity.

The sequal to this was to be after dark, the Soviet engineers and infantry came out of the brush and slit trenches to deal with the damaged Tigers in the dark. Still trying to see if I can figure a way to make it work right.

Urrraaaahhhh!

AC · Post by AC » Thu Feb 21, 2002 3:42 am

Hi Redleg!

Indeed the fight in the village is very nasty! I'm now into turn 12, and managed to get only 1 VH there so far, by loosing three Panzers, several tracks, and most of my infantry there is down to less than 6 men per squad.
In the center instead, progress is very good. Under cover of smoke I broke through the line of bunkers and gun emplacements, killing them methodically with my Tigers/Ferdinands; the third hit gets them, usually. I've sighted two pillboxes to, but I'm already behind them, so they're virtually useless. The hill seems quiet so far, but I'm sure there will be some nasty surprises: an armored counterattack maybe?
Will see.
Fighting off Soviet attacks in the dark is a frightening task. For my health's sake, don't do that scenario! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

AC

Mojo · Post by **Mojo** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 6:39 am

Hey Redleg. I'm FNG (obviously) but I am really enjoying your scenarios. I've played the Menado Airport one a couple of times (first time my mortars got beat up really bad, sneaky flankers!)

Thanks.

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 10:35 am

Very good to hear that Menado is still being played. It has been updated for V7 (because it was one of my favorites). It is now named "Langoan Airfield".

If you or anyone else wants to try the updated version, email me at:
artifice@fireserve.net
and I will send it to you.

Hang in there at Kursk!

K G von Martinez · Post by **K G von Martinez** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 1:36 pm

Ah, well, Menado, one of the first scenarios I played. It was fun, even if I managed only a draw, making mistake after mistake - but at the end of the game I had a lot of smokerounds to sell! I got especially well in firing at enemies in hexes into which my own squads just went <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> A good way to up the number of people you've killed, but not necessarily your score.

tracer · Post by **tracer** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 8:16 am

Another good one is Redleg's 'Hill 312 at Vilosi'; some *real* tough Soviet infantry in that one.

Mojo · Post by **Mojo** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 9:30 am

Originally posted by kgvm:
Ah, well, Menado, one of the first scenarios I played. It was fun, even if I managed only a draw, making mistake after mistake - but at the end of the game I had a lot of smokerounds to sell! I got especially well in firing at enemies in hexes into which my own squads just went <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> A good way to up the number of people you've killed, but not necessarily your score.

I still do that! Now if I could stop moving units when I want them to shoot! LOL