Amyntaion......A desperate defence

[devoncop]

This is my first non tutorial game with COA so bear with me[:)]

OVERVIEW:

This scenario has me (as the Allies) taking command of the cobbled together Ist British Armoured Brigade , with few serviceable tanks,and understrength Australian 2nd/4th Infantry Battalion, whose missing company has already ceased to exist in earlier fighting.The opening position sees German spearheads from a Panzer Division heading South and East towards a minor river running NE to SW .They are on the North West side of a steep valley with the river at the bottom.
1st Armoured meanwhile is positioned,licking its wounds on the South East of the valley hillline.The rear left of the British position is protected by marshes but the problem is the river which has no less than 4 crossing points[&:]
The main Road bridge to the South west is still 4-5 kms from the Geman advance ,with A coy of British Rangers less than a km away supported by 3rd Royal Tank Regiment.
The next two bridges lie to the NW and NE of the small village of Soter and are a rail bridge to the NW and a minor Road bridge to the NE.
Finally NE of the village of Amyntaion from which the scenario gets its name is a ford on a minor road which the German forces are less than 1km from already. The ridge line above Amyntaion is held by the weakened Australians in orchards.
Two units of the Royal Horse Artillery are on the reverse slope of the valley near the cenral substantial village od Lakkia , though being 2kms to the rear can only cover the ridgeline and the Australians rather than the bridge crossings!
Finally, and a full 20kms to the rear are 1st battalion of the Kings Royal Rifles and the 4th Hussars tanks along with Brigade HQ.

OBJECTIVES...... Destroy the enemy (?!) for 80pts
...... Delay the enemy for 2 days and 17 hours before exiting as many forces as possible to the South for 80pts


THE PLAN:

As the Ford and minor Road bridge cannot be held, the plan will be to make a virtue from necessity and attempt to funnel the German attack to the North East across these bridges.Consequently the Major Road Bridge will be crossed by elements of the Rangers and Royal Tank regiment and an anti tank company which will screen th bridge and also cover the approaches to the second (Rail) bridge.The royal engineers will prime and blow the Road bridge when necessary with as many forces as possible saved prior to this.

Two companies of Australian Infantry will occupy Amyntaion while a third will garrison Soter supported by an anti tank company .A final comany of Australians will act as a Battalion Reserve on the ridge.

The Royal Horse Artillery batteries will advance to the reverse slope of the British Ridge allowing them to cover the all bridges.

Meanwhile urgent orders are sent to bring up the 4th Hussars and the Kings Royal Rifles to eventually take the place of the units on the British Left wing which will then all edge to their right, or alternatively (and hopefully) to launch a counter attack.

The expected supply situation is that while ok in day 1 is likely to deteriorate markedly due to stuka attacks on supply convoys on days 2 and 3..............Deep joy [;)]

Ok..........here we go.Sorry no pics but I am sure most readers have this superb game now and know the area I mean!
I will start the game now and anticipate updating a couple of times a day.Feel free to rip up my plan either now or as it starts to go hideously wrong !!
Cheers
Ian

[devoncop]

0615 hours.
despatches received from Royal Engineers who have arrived at the Main Road bridge on my left and state they will ensure that the bridge is denied to the enemy at all costs.The bridge is crossed by The Ranger Company and the Recce Co. of the 4th Hussars who take up forward positionsin the village to the North East.
A plan never survives the first minute and I have decided the RHA batteries will be better among the Orchards on the Ridge where the Australians have just vacated, making their way to Amyntaion.This will give the guns the ability to cover the Australians or the main Road approach to the bridge being defended by the Engineers with the Royal Tank Regiment screen that is getting into place.
 
0700 hours
Interestingly , seeing the arrival of the Royal Tank regiment across the main Road North of the main Road bridge, the Germans have moved away to the West and appear to be concentrating around the village of Xynon Neron , with newer and heavier units that continue to arrive. The village of Soter in the British centre is now garrisoned with an MG companyof New Zealanders and and Anti tank company along with the Brigade HQ.
The Australians in the shape of 2 companies plus the Battalion HQ have occupied Amyntaion with orders to delay attacks coming across the Ford or Minor Road bridge before pulling back .
 
0730
 
First contact ! The Australians have taken fire from  a mortar unit among the German units that have begun to move from Xynon Neron in force, back towards the tanks of the RT Reg. further along the main road.
 
 
0800
C/O of Royal Tank Regiment reports heavy fighting between his unit and several German forces which are at this stage mainly lighter troops.He asks for support from the RHA batteries which I agree and they start to drop a devastating barrage on the congested German columns. Within minues one Infantry company is forced to retreat and a an engineering company routs.[:)] The mortar however is still causing problems for the australians , and it has now been joined by an artillery company.Just like the cavalry, the RAF then show up and are directed to hit the mortars which they do with some effect.
 
 
0830
 
Several german units are now either in retreat or else moving deliberately away to the West and threatening the Australian position.As Amyntaion is in the river valley they have a good field of fire from above it .Also, Panzer companies,Anti Tank co and Mot Inf co have all now been spotted opposite the Australian position.The RHA contines to cause problems with its barrages though I am trying to allow each unit to rest alternately if possible.
 
 
0900
 
The 4th Hussars Regiment has finally arrived from the rear and is immediately put in the orchard treeline on the ridge behind Amyntaion as a support for the Australians (and a nice surprise for Jerry[:)]) when they pull back.
 
 
1000
The Australians are now down to 75% strength and while still holding the village, the weight of troops facing them leads me to think they need to be pulled back to the ridge to join the tanks.As the Kings Royal Rifles have now also arrived from the rear on the left I am considering a plan to retreat the Australians, lure the Germans forward, down into the valley and counter attack on my now unopposed left towards Xynon Neron and threatening the exposed German right.....Brave but foolish?
 

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

The 4th Hussars Regiment has finally arrived from the rear and is immediately put in the orchard treeline on the ridge behind Amyntaion as a support for the Australians (and a nice surprise for Jerry[:)]) when they pull back.

<-- "Jerry" would love to see some screenshots.

[devoncop]

GG......Sorry I am a technophobe so screenshots are like Klingonspeak!
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The period from 1000 hours to midnight on Day one was something that has made me a total convert to this engine and its immersive qualities...............
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I can only briefly summarise the dramatic , not to say heroic events of the day, as having decided against a relieving counter attack on the British left, using the Royal tank regiment, still protecting the engineers priming the main road bridge, and the newly arrived Kings Royal rifles battalion, this left the 2nd/4th australians , along with a detached MG com[pany holding the Churchyard and surrounding streets of Amyntaion against increasingly powerful German attack.
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The 4th Hussars played a vital role beating back light armoured attempts to encircle the village and the 25 pounders of the RHA on the ridge successfully broke up and helped to route successive companies of German combat engineers .
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3 separate assaults were beaten back with C company twice forced back out of the village in disarray before returning at vital moments.
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As they were forced out of the Western side for a 4th time it seemed the village was about to fall when darkness finally fell and the Germans withdrew to reorganise and seemingly call a halt for the night
.............................or were they?
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[devoncop]

2200-0600 and the Crisis of day Two......................
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As British supply convoys succesfully resupplied my Brigade and only sporadic shooting continued between Amyntaion's defenders I was quite pleased with events and in awae of the courage of the Australians.
The Main Road bridge was almost primed according to reports from the Royal engineers, and though German forces outside the village were now clearly being bolstered by heavier infantry and armour, my Brigade HQ,an MG company and two Ranger companies holding Soter village in my centre and covering the central rail bridge had not even been touched .
I therefore made a decision that was to have dramatic consequences the next day and in the light of a now infamouts "intelligence dossier" stating that Xynan Neron to the rear right of the German position was now lonly lightly held by 2 companies of combat engineers and one recce company I ordered that once the bridge was primed by the RE then Royal Tank Regiment and the Kings Rifles would attack the germans via Xynan Neron to relieve the pressure on the Australians................................
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The attack was planned for 0600 but events meant the timing and its outcome were taken out of my control.....
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[Crimguy]

Get a copy of MWSnap.&nbsp; Its free and does a nice job.&nbsp; Just set a hotkey for taking screenshots.

You're in the digital age, one of 15 second soundbytes.&nbsp; We can't focus without pictures (see, e.g. the graphical novel edition of War and Peace).

[devoncop]

OK guys . I get the message[:D]

I have one update to put on leading to midnight on day 2 and will then try and enter the 21st century (Bear in mind I live in Cornwall UK which celebrated the invention of the wheel last week!)

Cheers
Ian

[Arjuna]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

OK guys . I get the message[:D]

I have one update to put on leading to midnight on day 2 and will then try and enter the 21st century (Bear in mind I live in Cornwall UK which celebrated the invention of the wheel last week!)

Cheers
Ian

I only pray that they were celebrating the anniversary of the invention of the wheel rather than the invention itself.[;)]

[devoncop]

Arjuna.
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My village at the moment has about 40 (yes 40) dressed up scarecrows outside/on top of different houses for the annual "Most impressive scarecrow competition".
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So sadly , it is the invention of the wheel that we are celebrating down here [:D]
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(A little tongue in cheek, but you get the picture!)
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[Arjuna]

[:)]

[devoncop]

OK all,
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Last update before I attempt screenshots as the game at present has reached midnight on day two so I need to show how things began to unravel!!!
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The first night of the battle started with me feeling quite content but contrary to my expectations, attacks on Amyntaion stepped up again in the early hours , and the RHA who had been given orders for much needed rest did not offer fire support.By 0330, half of the village was under German control and both the Australian coys and supporting tanks of the Hussars were taking heavy losses.The Church in the village was held determendly by&nbsp; the Brigade MG company surrounded by advancing German engineers and Infantry.
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As the RE confirmed that the main road bridge was finally primed for blo wing the Royal Tank Regiment were finally released from their screening role and along with Kings Rifles began to move towards Xynon&nbsp; Neron, when the major concentration of heavy German troops struck hard in the centre of my position at the previously untouched village of Soter, flooding across the railway band minor road bridges...................
The British defenders of Soter were quickly swept aside with Brigade HQ having to make a hurried departure under heavy tank fire while orderlys screamed down the phone to the commanders of The Kings rifles and Royal tank Regiment to retire urgently as the Germans were in danger of cutting off large numbers of British troops the wrong side of the river............
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By 1200 the situation was critical.All troops on the right had been told to pull back from their long held positions at Amyntaion and race backwards to Lakkia whilst The RTR and Kings Rifles had raced back across the main road bridge heading for the left of this area.Only a heroic delaying action by an attached NZ MG company and Brigade HQ held up the advancing German columns long enough to extricate British forces along the minor road which was their route back south and which German Panzers were trying to cut.
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Meanwhile , and crucially Forward recce units had moved forward from Cerman positions to their rear right at Xynan Neron and discoved the main road bridge intact and now held only by the Royal engineers.The Germans now made a decision that may yet come back to haunt them , taking almost half of their advancing forces in the centre , by 1.30pm and returning them back onto the Northern Bank to take the main Road bridge to gain access to the main road South .
As I held my breath the German columns closed on the bridge and its Engineers, and at 2pm....the bridge blew.
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This bought the British vital time the rest of the day was spent frantically re-establishing a line far South of Lakkia which also had to be abandoned but the steam had gone from the German advance for now.
(Screenshot hopefully to follow with position on evening of second day.)
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[okonumiyaki]

This is a very good scenario (to play as CW)&nbsp; First time, I got humiliated by the AI!&nbsp; I was so intent on flank protection, they just blew down the main road, and I was almost completely cut off.
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Second time round - yes, tried to blow the bridge but had put the armour flanking the road on the S side of the river.&nbsp; This saved casualties, but didn't shield the RE long enough to prime the bridge.&nbsp; However, I had dug in at the next chokepoint down (where the road goes thru woods) and at the first main town.&nbsp; Managed two clean "leap frogs" out of trouble, but my last blocking position, (the bigger town in the South) the Rangers couldn't disengage cleaning, and were cut off.&nbsp; The rest made it off the map for a marginal win.
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Playing as Germans vs AI, easy.&nbsp; A hell for leather charge across the minor bridges, flank, and cut off the main road.&nbsp;