Tips from the Frontline

[Ratzki]

I agree as well. I am half way through a 30 turn attack and am finding that I have to really rush to have any chance at a victory.I think it can be done but it is not very fun. Those extra couple turns would be nice.

[PoorOldSpike]

RNL FORCES A DRAW

This is the endgame shot of the QB Att/Defend 1250 pts/ 20+ turns RNL mentioned a few posts ago.
As defender,I tried to be smart and spent heavily on 2x Tigers and no ATG's or fortifs, leaving just enough points to scrape up a thin infantry line to hold the flags, sprinkled with a few schrecks.
But my Tigs couldn't withstand his T-34/85 onslaught, they fought for their lives taking 3x T-34's with them but it was a poor exchange rate and the remaining T-34's swept into the heart of my positions sweeping all before them in just 20+ turns...
Beats me why some people need longer games to do the job..;)

Longer games are a tad unrealistic in my opinion for several reasons - Firstly in real war the attacker doesn't have the luxury of doing a slow snails-pace advance because of the possibility of strong enemy reserves and/or air attack showing up anytime, so he MUST get a move on and can't afford to dawdle around.
Secondly, CM has no ammo resupply, so in longer games there's the possibility that both sides will grind to a halt early on through lack of ammo and sit stalemated and bored for the rest of the game.
Thirdly, shorter games add an exciting zing because of the time pressure, giving a faster-moving thrilling game.
In our mirror Att/Def battle, RNL and me both got from one end of the map to the other as attackers well inside 20 turns, so if we can do it so can anybody else..:)

Red arrows= RNL's Russian thrusts
Dark blue arrow=My 2x Tigers counterthrust thrust (both dead)
Final front line=light blue

[RNL Tiger]

It is probably worth adding this addendum based on a "Byte Hassanya" scenario that POS and I have started for fun.

In short, if you are NOT playing the scenario blind then you need to use the Scenario Editor to have a look at the forces and map. In addition there is one more wrinkle if the scenario includes reinforcements... something that POS helped me with: "In the editor, click 'Unit Editor', then 'On Map', and a list of reinf batches will come up, click each one in turn to see what reinfs are associated with 1/ 2/ 3/ 4 etc. Then click the button at top left to switch to the other side to scrutinise his reinfs too..:)

Note - its important to remember (when making your written notes) that 'Reinf 1/2/3/4' etc batches don't necessarily correspond to the Turn of arrival. For example this pic shows my batch 1 reinfs, yet if you look at the bottom of the page you'll see the designer has scheduled them to arrive on Turn 2. (a bit of a clumsy system but you get used to it) And on the map they'll arrive at the 'reinf point 1' signpost. Also note at the bottom the designer can assign a '% chance of entry' per turn.

See why I said its essential to keep a written aide-memoir note in front of you when playing scens, or your oppo will have you for breakfast. I mean, you wouldn't take a theatre stage without a script.." :)