Kanonfutter vs Major Mess - Somewhere in Russia 1942

[Major_Mess]

This is my first PBEM game – I thought that a DAR/AAR report seen through the eyes of a FNG could be fun. There’s a lot to learn – all help welcomed. I’ve also invited Kanonfutter to add his side to the story.



Major Mess reporting:

Well, as I warned you in my previous dispatch…….I’ve now got myself in to a PBEM game with Kanonfutter. I’m the Germans vs Mr. K’s Russians – March 1942 – 4000 pts.

I gotta admit, this is a whole new thing for me. I’m used to having everything done for me with the scenarios (My C.O. has pronounced me to be “a lazy shit”), and the AI will sorta match in it’s own way whatever crazy ideas I have when I start a campaign.
But this……………………….!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, I got to get everything I need with 4000 pts.
Focusing……..Focusing…….trying to remember all the tips and tricks from these forums (hard to do at my age, I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast).
I try to pick a nice balanced force. 10% or so of this, at least 10% of that, a couple of these, a few of those. Lots of armor, but not too much. Get my infantry – quality or quantity? (Listen to the Kat people and you would think all they have is quality – hey Ammo Sgt.?) & recon, recon, recon.
I set up a dummy game – to try out my various plans for my force composition. I worked on this for hours. Try this, try that, too many points, not using my points wisely, aaahhhhhh.
What tactics will I use? what will my strategy be?, where the hell is Holt’s Tactic Guide? I really have must have fussed over this for far too long.

And all this time I have no idea how Kanonfutter fights – No intel at all.
I could be looking at a skadillion cavalry or a huge amount of arty to pound the snot out of me.
Or maybe he’ll treat me like the real Russkies did in those days, waves of tanks with their poor troopers hanging on.
Or scads of partisans roaming through my back yard.

Ah………………..to hell with it, I ended up picking what I wanted.

Now I have to set up my gang for the upcoming battle. It is a large map, which is good….lots of room to manoeuvre. My VP’s are out in the open, his are on the lee side of a small hill. There are two other sets of VP’s ready for the taking, one set is in a wide open field to the South, the other one is in the North, just East of another small hill that is presently in the possession of those Russians. There are forests and hills to the North with a rail line running East – West through them. Perfect ambush country. This is not going to be easy.

I set up my priority “Gold Spots” for what arty I have, I’ve studied with great interest Capt. Pixel’s findings on artillery. (By the way, considering the work that Pixel has done for this game, don’t you think he is due to move up the old Chain of Command? What do you think? I don’t know what army he’s in, but if he were in my army, I’d be putting him in for a battlefield promotion. I am a Major you know! – Maybe I should submit a poll. I’ll have to think about that.)
Kill zones are marked out; fields of fire are checked, then double-checked. I think all my T’s are dotted, and my I’s are crossed. I’m ready.

My plan is completed; my troops are dispersed with their orders.

Tighten your chin straps mein comrades………………..It’s dawn, look at the sky – it’s a good day to die.

Troops set……………first strike with arty set………………turn sent to Kanonfutter.


Mess Out.

[Major_Mess]

I forgot to add this in my previous post. When I was going through my squads to adjust their ranges, turn off certain weapons etc, I noticed that all my squads were already set at 1, and my crewed weapons were set at distance much lower than what I see in a canned game. I have never seen reference to this before. Was it something I did, or is this just a function of a PBEM game?

Mess

[Major_Mess]

It looks like we lost some messages.

German Army - Turn 1

Dubno got flattened, I sent out my recon.

They nailed one of my Kubelwagons.

Hope the original posts get back, don't have the energy to do it again................too old...............must sleep.........aaahhhhhhhhh.

Mess

[Major_Mess]

The Germans second turn:

Well, I found out the cause of those big smoking holes in Dubno, BM13 katyusha's..........I caught the second half of the bombardment (thanks K for turning off the fast arty).
Whew.
Man those things caused a lot of damage.
Missed damn near everything under my command, but pretty impressive non the least.

Pushed my recon hard in a couple of places, found some nice hiding spots for others. For the price of a couple of K-wagons I now know that there is 76.2 AT covering both North & South sides of the Map. Down South a nasty little ZIS-30 got in a lucky shot and smoked another of my recon buggies.
Elements of the Soviet Guard appearing North of Dubno, to the East a T34E with those tank rider guys onboard.
If you're thinking what I'm thinking...........................I'm thinking - where there's one, there's a bunch.

I had mentioned in a previous post (got disappeared during last server meltdown) that I had noticed Kanonenfutter was popping smoke in his backfield to confuse this battlefield rookie. The VCR also indicated that he was using his mortars for the same purpose. I also had spotted some motorcycles near the suspect smoke. Well I think I can tell the difference between the fake and the real McCoy smoke. Now I just have to get in touch with my mortars - between the enemy's onboard arty and the ground troops to the East - I got targets for them.

End of turn - then Dubno gets pounded again by:
BM13's - two batteries
152MM - one battery
82 MM's - two batteries?????

How many does this guy have?

All aimed at the same spot, that piece of ground got pulverized.
A couple of my guys got clipped by some of the stray rounds.

[Kanonenfutter]

Your first PBEM.... !? [:D] 5 German Kuebelwagen are destroyed and their recon teams are under fire. The battlefield is very open. The Germans Mortars are located 60 hexes west of me. To far away for accurate shots !

[VikingNo2]

Gooooooooooooooooooooooo Maj Mess[:D]


Sorry K had to pull for someone

[Major_Mess]

German turn #3.

Major Mess reporting.

GGGRRRRRRRRRR. Kanonenfutter is right..................my f****** mortars are too far away. Transport! I need transport RIGHT NOW!!!!.
No more arty this round, a nice respite from all that noise and thunder.
Only a couple of my recon teams had their rides knocked out. They would then step out of the wreckage, pop some some and go to ground. It's time for them to go to work.
Very quite up North, spotted some kind of AFV.......a couple of them actually, but wasn't able to I.D. them before they went and hid on me. Spotted a couple of T34's at the center of the map, and caught wind of some movement of a few more T34's down South at the bottom of the map.
It's funny, all that I have spotted making any move towards my lines are T34's with those tank riders.
No scouts encountered by anyone on my side. Medium tanks as recon?

A quite round, spent consolidating my assets. Must admit that a few of my assets had been knocked silly by that barrage to begin the game.....................but they've dusted themselves off, and will be with the rest of their platoon momentarily.

My Intel officer received a message indicating that Kanonenfutter is looking for re-inforcements, once that's confirmed I'll be calling HQ.

Turn sent to Kanonenfutter.

Major Mess

[Kanonenfutter]

I agree. Medium tanks are a very good idea for recon [;)]

I think something big is coming.... its near .... I hear it

[Major_Mess]

German turn #4

Major Mess reporting:

A couple of my scouts down South got themselves killed by a tank/motorcycle combo, another scout team was caught in a crossfire by 2 mg's and at least 1 sniper. They aren't responding any more.
At my first glance at the battlefield, it appeared that Kanonenfutter has left the map, no signs of those T34's or those leeches that cling to those tanks anywhere. I convince my boys to lift their heads and really take a good look out there......see anything?

Sightings of foot recon have now been confirmed - snipers at the forward edge with ATR and gun teams following close behind. But no sign of the tanks, either they've given up, or they're staying out of harm's way.
Sent one of my Kubelwagons out of the trees to see if they could make contact with the enemy. Enemy responded with a 76.2mm shell right through the nose of the car. It has been determined that the K-wagon is a write-off.
How come he can see me, and then hit my little buggie with one shot (I thought the Russkies had below average sighting & accuracy skills in 1942). But my so-called elite scouts can't even spot that G** D***** sniper I know is only 4 hexes away?????? HE CAME RIGHT UP TO MY SCOUT - THEN POPPED SMOKE RIGHT IN HIS FACE!!!!!!!!!!!
What's up with that? (Scout was sitting still in woodlands being very quite, all weapons off, range 0, great field of vision)
If the rest of my command is as able as that knucklehead scout team, I better look under my desk for that F9 key I tore off the keyboard.

Anyways, it was a quite turn for us, giving my boys time to recover from the shelling. Everone is now in place, waiting for the Russkies next move.

In Kanonenfutter's last dispatch - he mentioned something about "something big is coming".

Swarms of tanks maybe?????????

Nahhhhhhhhh....................Something big is the noise of bombardment #2. Fire has now shifted just North of Dubno. This time I only tasted 1 battery of 152mm, plus 3 batteries of those BM13's. Got a couple of the boys, but they were mostly hunkered down, so I think they'll rally OK.

We are anticipating the hammerblow of the Soviets soon,

Major Mess.

PS: - Kanonenfutter, I'll order my re-inforcements next turn. Sorta forgot about it during my turn. Doh! (One thing or sure, I won't be requisitioning any Elite Scout Teams!!!!)

[Kanonenfutter]

Seven Kübelwagen are now dead. I hope Major Mess has bought some tanks not only Kübelwagen [:D]

Another German recon team was destroyed in the middle of the battlefield and the Soviets have made some smoke in the north and in the middle ... because smoking is dangerous...you know [:D]

No causalties untill this turn.

[Major_Mess]

North end of Dubno got more of a pounding, BM13's and some 152mm I think (K - please kill the Fast Arty - Thanks). Lots of smoke up North and in the middle. T34's with their cargo are right behind the screen. Am effectively blinded by the smoke and lack of recon. Soviet Guards coming down off of the hills, making their way towards the craters left from the last bombardment in Dubno.
Up to now I've been offering up for Kanonenfutter my scouts for his killing pleasure. But I think enough is enough..................time to throw some punches, instead of taking them.

Punch number one - Nebelwerfers - right on top of those Sov. Guards that were creeping along. They're in the open, moving. I figure that should stop movement there for a while.
Dropped some mortar shells among those T34's up North, caught a couple of his men, hopefully laid some suppression on them. Give 'em something to think about.
Dropped some smoke myself at the end of the turn.
My men in Dubno are kinda rattled right now, too much artillery has been dropped on them................but they're holding.
Hammer away Kanonenfutter - these Germans are tough! they rally like the USMC.

Turn sent

Major Mess

[Major_Mess]

German turn #6


Major Mess reporting.

Mr. K hasn’t reported on his last turn……………that hasn’t stopped him from heckling me by PM. That’s OK…….I’ve got broad shoulders, and a couple more tricks up my sleeve.

They’re coming………………………………from the North, I think.

Maybe from the center also, don’t know for sure cus I don’t have any scouts left.
The K-Man sent at least 3 tanks plus hangers-on to dispatch one 2-man team. Another scout team had a BM13 barrage land on it’s head!
Lots of smoke on the battlefield, all over the Northern half. Kanonenfutter used all of his resources this turn to make a huge fog bank just outside of town.
Down South, a large ATG let loose on a Stug of mine, couple of rounds…………all missed. Then I get two truck loads of BM13 rockets bracketed for that same area.
I was hoping to hide my armor a little bit longer……..oh well. I’ve just got to learn to hide my stuff better.
It looks like my precious Nebelwerfers did Sweet F*** All on their first deployment. I didn’t see one casualty register. GRRRRRRRRR.
I have to be better with my Artillery too.

Suppressed a motorcycle down South……………….best I could do this turn.

I don’t know if I’m getting Tutored or Neutered here.

I’m not getting’ down though!
He might be thumping me……………….I don’t care………………..I am learning so much every turn………………(I’d be learning even more if I was sober and or alert for each and every turn……late nights..whew.)

This is great.

Bring it on!

Major Mess

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet turn 7 of 22 Battle at Dubno (custom map by WBW)

Report : two German recon teams are destroyed in the wood north of Dubno. This wood is now under Soviet controll. No own casaulties.
We'll see if the Germans have protected their nothern flank.

Another G recon team was a victim of MG fire near the nothern victory hexes.

In the south we have noticed a platoon of StuG F and a few paratroopers.
1 enemy destroyed by MG fire. Their target : probably the southern victory hexes. The Germans have made a lot of smoke there by mortars.
Can the evil Major be stopped [&:]

[Major_Mess]

Major Mess reporting;

Well I don't know about Evil, maybe inept is more fitting. I'll accept the nickname though.

I have got a lot of work to do before I become proficient at artillery.......at this point in time...........I SUCK.

Can't hit a thing...........wrong arty placement............poor choice for "Gold Spot" hexes........ I can go on and on.

But I won't.

The K Man dispatched both sets of my eyes up North, tank riders got one..........and it took 2 jeeps, 1 motorcycle and a tank to silence the other crew. It looks like all sorts of traffic zooming around up there.
Other than that it was pretty quite, just a bit of mortar fire. My guess is that he is now organizing his attack from behind his huge wall of smoke...........and reloading all his rockets and such.
I've been spending some time plotting where the on-board is coming from, and the co-ordinates are being passed along to my batteries. I may suck at artillery right now, but I'm working on it.

Oh ya, while he's hiding behind the smoke, I took the Center and the South VH's.

Come on Russkie.

Artillery plotted, turn sent to Kanonenfutter.

The Evil Major Mess....................................out.

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet turn 8 of 26

1 StuG F destroyed by a KV in the south. Recon reported : German troops in Rovno. Rovno is now under fire. Soon I'll be in Berlin [;)]

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet turn 9 of 26

Found a SS platoon in Rovno : 1 squad destroyed by a flame tank, 3 other squads have many victims and now they are retreating. No own casaulties.

The Germans did not defend their left flank and now Soviet forces are marching on.

[Major_Mess]

I couldn’t access the Matrix web site last night, so I wasn’t able to post this message until now.


German turn #8

The EVIL Major Mess reporting.

The K-man spent this turn policing the Northern woods, crashing around, rooting out all my poor scouts. The little village of Rovno. Just North of Dubno got rocked with 2 batteries of those BM13’s.
Snipers and those wheeled MG’s the Russians have are now probing along the center and South portions of the line.
That KV-1E took 9 rounds to nail my Stug, his partner returned fire, and was promptly killed by the same KV.
Rats.
I’ve got T34’s with riders roaming through out the Northern half, in the center I’ve spotted more T34’s, plus those KV’s!!!
Down South is quite, just some harassing fire from those snipers I can’t see.

The end of the round had Kanonenfutter’s arty target all those smoke plumes in my backfield. Those 152MM tubes plus some 82MM mortars dropped ordnance all through a couple of (up until then) peaceful little meadows. Now its crater land. For the amount of good my artillery has done so far, why is he wasting his time aiming for them?
Everyone that got shot at rallies with ease, except for those two Stug crews, they will take a little more convincing.

Still own the Center and South VH’s…………….for now.

Turn sent to Kanonenfutter.

Major Mess

[Major_Mess]

Had a bit of a hiatus……but I’m right back in the saddle once more. This report should put us back on track again.

German turn #9

The EVIL Major Mess reporting:

My forward line of resistance to the North has collapsed, the village of Rovno is close to being lost. My SS were tasked with this duty, but were pounded by Kanonenfutter’s artillery, then overwhelmed by a squad of T34’s with riders, plus that flame tank. They really didn’t put up much of a fight. They are in full rout now, as a fighting unit they are finished it seems. Kanonenfutter was then able to drop more mortar rounds on them to close the turn, they won’t last long.
To the far North there is more Russian movement, but they haven’t shown themselves yet.

Everywhere else it is quite.

Those KV’s are still out there, but hiding behind the smoke. The armor facing me in the center of the map seem hesitant to attack.

It was looking to me that I was getting jabbed and poked at in the center, with a big right hook coming down to hammer me. When I ended the turn, I think I confirmed that thought.
Both Rovno and North of Dubno got pasted with round after round of 152MM, then those awful BM13’s, with the rest of his mortars targeted to boot.
These Germans are tough, but can they rally enough to fight next turn.

My reinforcements are on the way. This is good.

I think I got him right where I want him……………………..patented German counter-attack coming right up.

Major Mess …………………………….. signing off for now.

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet turn 10 of 26

Rovno has been libarated by the glorius Red Army.
5 G. squads and 3 StuG F destroyed.
Own casaulties : 2 Jeeps, 2 Sniper.

Dubno is a mousetrap. But I don't know who is the mouse [&:]

I asked Major Mess if he wants to play online.
He is interested. Very good !!
I enjoy this 4 player online madness with Klank, Steeliii Bart and all the other guys.

[Major_Mess]

I believe it is Turn #10



Major Mess reporting:

My resistance up North in Rovno has crumbled to nothing. The SS platoon ………….. gone. Most of my FJ’s …………………gone. I had reports of four, no five ………………six ……………….seven T34’s attacking with infantry. Then no more reports.

I had one Stug that put up a good fight, it took on four T34’s, there were shells flying around everywhere. What my guy lacked in aim, he made it up with volume.

Couldn’t hit a thing.

And I thought the Germans were better than that ……………………….silly Major.
Anyways, after they had hit him for the third time, I thought that he might just pull this one off. I thought wrong, contact number four was the killer.
While this was going on, the Stug’s partner just sat there, then let another T34 wind up and throw a beanball on the first pitch.
T34 moves up and sees Stug, but Stug that is still doesn’t see T34 moving up.
Stupid dead Stug.

It turns out that that I must have fired at least 15 rounds at Russian armor that turn from my Panzers, only got a couple of hits, but no damage that you would want to talk about.
But we can sure hit jeeps though! A little jeep that’s way far away, I’ll get it ……………….. a tank 100 meters away. Good luck.

My artillery skills haven’t got much better since I last commented on them.

One of my re-enforcements was rumbling along, heading for the front, when it was stopped dead by some 76.2mm shell. One shot.
I took a look, a buttoned up T34 that was some 750 meters away looked over its right shoulder – in smoke – to acquire and then prosecute my Stug.

Needless to say, I’m having a pretty tough time of it right now.

I’m only seeing aggression from the North, the K man appears happy to hold me at bay in the center and down South for now.

Couple of KV’s to the North, more in the center (only see one, but I bet you there’s two) with T34 escorts, and at least three T34’s are showing themselves down South now.

The end of the turn has Kanonenfutter’s big tubes looking for my arty, while BM13’s slammed into Rovno again, and West Dubno for good measure.
My mortars then landed mostly on top of Mr. K’s advance from the North. I know for a fact that one round most definitely landed right on top of some sort of Armored Car.

Re-grouping to our secondary line of defense, hope this one turns out better than the first one.

When are those re-enforcement’s going to get here to help?



Turn sent to Kanonenfutter

Major Mess …………………..at the battle front ………………….signing out.