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Section Leaders:
The Sunken Lane Click Here for Print Friendly .DOC Version! German Commander - Fionn
Kelly
Graphics Note: While the events in this AAR were played on a very recent Beta Build of Combat Mission. The graphics, at that time, were not finalized. For Final Graphics please view the POTD Feature which runs daily here and various features on the CMHQ-Annex site.
Turn 10 Well, this was the turn where
Bil got his reinforcements and where my counter-attacking stopped
entirely. I think that at this pivotal
point of the game it would serve us all well to provide a full recap of
my forces and their current losses. Overall I have suffered a total of
71 casualties but have inflicted at LEAST three times that many. I
estimate Bil’s losses at roughly 250 men. In a real battle or
campaign Bil would probably call off the attack now in order to
preserve the uncommitted 50% of his battalion. Since this is a one off
game he will come at me again until he is convinced that he can’t
breach my line. Forces:
CO:
Baumeister:
4 men. Giesey’s platoon: HQ unit:
2 men Squads:
8, 5, 5 men Total:
20/34 men. Teichert’s platoon: HQ unit:
0 men. Squads:
6, 0, 0. Total:
6/34 men Wittenberg’s platoon: HQ unit:
4 men. Squads:
10, 10, 9 men. Total:
33/34 men. As you can readily see the 1st
Kompanie is in good shape with 63 men out of a starting total of 108
men. The 1st Kompanie is guarding the area to the left of
the crossroads and comprises one full strength platoon, one
half-strength platoon and one virtually wiped out platoon. It is at
half strength in operational terms. Kompanie 2: CO:
Wurdig:
3 men. Bertram’s platoon: HQ unit:
4 men. Squads:
10, 10, 9 men. Total:
33/34 men. Duve’s platoon: HQ unit:
4 men. Squads:
8, 7, 5 men Total:
24/34 men. Sehmel’s platoon: HQ unit:
4 men. Squads:
10, 10, 0 Total:
24/34 men. As you can readily see the 2nd
Kompanie is in good shape with 84 men out of a starting total of 108
men. The 2nd Kompanie is guarding the area to the right of
the crossroads and comprises one full strength platoon, two platoons at
75% strength. In addition to this I have
: 8 x HMG42 teams at full
strength (48 men in total) , 4 x 81mm mortar teams at full
strength ( 24 men in total), 1 x 120mm FO ( 2 men in
total) 1 x schreck team ( 2 men in
total) 1 x Platoon HQ ( 4 men in
total) and 1 Bn HQ ( 8 men in total)… in my Main Line of Resistance
behind my infantry platoons. My infantry platoons are to weaken Bil’s
reinforcements a little and then my MG teams and mortars are to
surprise him as he advances thinking that he has finally broken through
my lines. My MLR totals 88 men and hasn’t suffered a single casualty
yet. Arrayed against this force we
have the survivors from Bil’s initial assault force ( probably
equivilating to 1 platoon of combat-ready infantry), 3 tanks AND
Bil’s reinforcements. Let’s take a look at these reinforcements…
My initial victories were
achieved when my infantry were only slightly outnumbered by Bil’s
infantry and had almost a one to one parity. Now Bil’s numerical
superiority is even more marked than at the game’s beginning and even
without his support weapons he has the numerical superiority to breach
my line. Add in the support weapons and tanks and I’m pretty much up
the creek without a paddly and heading right for a waterfall. I’m pretty disillusioned
right now. After doing the
math I’ve figured out that even though I only lost 73 men to Bil’s
forces these losses were sufficient to “stretch” my front and that,
now, I can oppose each of his new companies with, at most one and a
half weakened platoons of Panzergrenadiers. Order
Phase: When giving orders I can spy
some of Bil’s new reinforcements in the field opposite the road from
Giesey’s platoon. I simply hold the platoon in place and wait. One
half-platoon vs a reinforced company of Brits. They’re outnumbered by
at least 7 to 1 locally so I’m glad that I’ve got the two HMG42s in
place behind Giesey in order to delay the Brits once they blow right
through his position. For the rest I just want to
sit tight and wait. SIX entire new platoons.. I’m in so much trouble.
He can hit me with two concentrated attacks of three platoons each and
can simply stretch my line like a rubber band until it snaps and
disintegrates from the strain. Action
Phase: Well, Bill is definitely very
spooked. When his forces enter the map his mortars, infantry and MG
teams begin laying down fire on all the wooded areas around him in
which my men could possibly be hiding. It’s nice to see him
totally wasting ammunition like this but I’m also getting a very hard
set to my mouth as I see an entire platoon bearing down on Giesey’s
half-platoon. Once Giesey is engaged I expect Bil to bring his whole
company on-line and simply swamp Giesey with weight of numbers. Giesey
is totally screwed if Bil hits me hard and fast. That’ll leave me
with only 2 platoons on this entire map-side and they’ll have to
handle 2 entire companies. I’m a severely unhappy camper right now. |
