Leto's View - To assault a Soviet. QB DAR vs Colonel Talvela ***

[Copper]

The clash of the Titans series of DAR's continues with myself vs. Dave (CT) who I challenged almost a year ago. I'm currently waiting for him to return my setup of over 3 months ago.

Whenever he gets his butt in gear, you will witness one of the most entertaining and enlightening DAR's on how to attack (me) and defend (CT) that you could ever possibly witness. I stress the defense end of this, as Dave is a maestro of CM, and in 3 battles, I have not been able to beat him yet (although he states that they have all been rather close...), so if you want to see him take me apart, cheer him on and motivate him to get his DAR started, and send me back that turn.

: )

Considering that we now have 3 of the top 5 ELO ladder players and argueably the best players at the blitz, if not the world (I'm only there as a technicality, and should not be considered a top player, but only as a poor but resolute whipping boy who enjoys rolling in the crap of the big dogs) at the blitz squaring off in various games, you will have the pleasure of watching the best slug it out, and showing you all there little tricks in a detailed DAR.

Don't let the educational piece get you down, there is no math involved, we only wish to impart our tactics and strategies at CM (whatever that's worth).

Enjoy!

Cheers!

Leto

[Colonel Talvela]

First of all, I was able to get in here without reading a word of Leto's post.

But I just wanted to state for the record that I have only been working on this setup for two months. I dont see what the hurry is!

[Copper]

[Copper]

Leto]
Considering that we now have 3 of the top 5 ELO ladder players and argueably the best players at the blitz, if not the world (I'm only there as a technicality, and should not be considered a top player, but only as a poor but resolute whipping boy
Leto

That's a sure winner for the understatement of the year awards...

As a technicality.. my ass...
Leto is one of the top CM players around, no matter how much he claims not to be.

[Copper]

[Copper]

Check those defensive positions.

Here is my interpretation of Dave's setup zone:



Dave will most likely be moving his ATR platoon forward along these following lines:



Thus, I have to interpet that first contact and his LOS to my advance will be along those positions. I will tailor my advance accordingly.

I suspect the wafting smell of cabbage will assault our good german olfactory senses on turn 2 or 3... depending on how far he advances his vanguard.

Cheers!

Leto

[Copper]

[Copper]

As to the threat of minefields, wire, bunkers and the like: We all know this bug, but before the carnage begins, you can usually estimate how much has been purchased of the defenders goodies by your % clock. Mine reads the Germans have 1% while the Russians have 0%, indicating to me that Dave has opted for units over minefields and bunkers, and that his defense is not based on booby traps.

Therefore, I have little to worry about with minefields (I assume) and have already spotted some wire.

The bad news, is that there may be 600 more points in play. Guaranteed there will be either two 122 spotters or a platoon of very nasty russian tanks, or a very large mortar, gun and specialty section.

Cheers!

Leto

[Copper]

An update on the defense bug... it shows you only what you see in terms of gauging the amount of pillbox, minefield wire goodies a defender has.

My % has moved up to 4% with the additional wire I spot.

Thus far my advance has encountered little resistance and it is now turn 13.

Since it is a 40 turn game, I am planning to kick off my attack somewhere around turn 20. Hopefully, my two flanking bodies will be in position, deep in CT's backfield when the arty starts to fall.

Here is the play by play in each sector:

Far WEST

The long flank will hopefully pay off here. No defenses are seen thus far, and perhaps this means that Dave has opted to not defend these flags heavily, conceding them and doing his best to hold the 3 flags in the east.



His defensive line is assuredly the road, so I will hopefully end around the worst of it going behind him.

West Center

I have MG's in overwatch on his 2nd large flag... hopefully they will detect any shifts and movements.



The attack on this flag will come from the rear flank, so I do not expect to move these MG's into harms way.

Center

Once again, moving into position, and trying to run halfsquads short distances to lure out enemy fire. Shots rang out this turn so I am getting close.



Notice how dave has wired his defense to funnel me into one zone. Guaranteed there is a TRP there, or I am already sitting on one. Dont' plan on advancing until my arty drops.

Center East

Once again, the wire appears to note a tight defense. I won't be tripping that defense though... I will remain tight and let my flankers do the work.



A 150 IG is 3 turns from firing position.

Far East

The long flank. Due to the curvature of the hill, CT probably cannot get at my long flank, and I am sending two platoons of infantry to take on and suppress his flank guard behind the wire.



I finally learned the secret of slipping through the open knot in the woods and have a 150 SP gun through... don't move the movement points through the knot, just move it into the center, otherwise, the computer AI will try to plot another way around. Once in the knot, you can slip through on the next turn. Count on another 3 turns to get these tanks through before they can get firing positions on CT's wired positions.

Cheers!

Leto

[Copper]

A sniper's duty. The little games we play.

My Crack sniper Rot Lehrer has been battling "el Berenger-esque" with a Soviet sniper at the head of my advance.

Six turns ago, a soviet sniper (infantry sounds) icon appeared in the middle of my advance, my men walking right over the icon as if he weren't even there. Well, if CT's Soviet sniper is crack as well, there is a good chance that the sound icon is 20 meters away from the actual sniper!

The next turn, I sent back a few troops to see if I could round up the sniper, but the sniper turned and fled back through my men like a ghost to his own lines. What this tells me is that the sniper is still ahead somewhere and that CT has a good bead on my forces in the middle.

Lehrer, a crack shot as well was dispatched forward to drill a bullet through the Soviet's scope and into his eye, in order to make his head explode like a huge cabbage (you are what you eat!)... unfortunately, Lehrer has not been able to spot the enemy sniper and has moved dangerously deep into the Soviet lines.



I've used Lehrer to draw out enemy troops, by this simple method.

Run a half squad into the open (less than 10m) and then have him crash and hide when he gets to cover. Enemy units that turn to engage (but are still hidden) even if they do not fire, may get picked up by your sniper. In this case, a half squad dash revealed two enemy units ahead of Lehrer, and then returned to icons as they returned to hiding.

Lehrer has a bead on them.

While I am waiting for my arty to fall, I am playing this game with about 2-3 half squads... running 10 meters and then hiding in cover, to begin luring out enemy troops.

Unfortunately, we have not been able to register the Soviet sniper, and now a bounty has been put out on him, as we have just learned that some of Colonel [hirr]Leto's strudel has been purloined by a shaggy smelling Soviet sniper... talk about having a sniper in your kitchen!

Dagnabbit. I want my strudel back!!!

Cheers!

Leto