[CMBN-CW] Scenario of the month: August - The bridge at Varaville

[raz_atoth]

Gentlemen,

Here are the pickings for the 'Scenario of the month' for CMBN-CW. The allied player is the one starting the game. The games are to be played using 'Warrior' as skill level.
The game is to be reported as a ladder game unless you otherwise agree with your opponent.

When the game is finished,please take a minute to vote in the above poll. If there are any other thoughts you'd like to share,please feel free to do it..

Also,please don't forget to post a short message in this thread,when your game has begun,so i can keep track of which games have started.

For any other info please see this thread:
https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards/s...?tid=62455

CMBN-CW: The bridge at Varaville [Allies-Axis]
Expecting_on_crossroad - PanzerFest [Started]
Barre - Mad Mike [Finished] Axis Victory
strangewhispers - A Canadian Cat
Cargol - Monsieure Pinke [Started]

Good luck.

[cargol]

Set up was sent to Monsieure Pinke.

[Barre]

First file to Mad Mike has been sent

[Mad Mike]

Game Barre vs. Mad Mike has ended, with a Total Victory due to surrender for the German side.

** POSSIBLE SPOILER **

I've voted "Moderately Pro-Axis", with a strong tendency to "Totally Pro-Axis", since after the German reinforcements arrive, it gets very difficult to attack for the Canadians with only like 12 men against roughly 40 Germans.

[Barre]

i think the Allies really need to rush things in the first turns before Axis reinforcements show up, but that is risky as the Allies can't afford any mistakes with there limited troops, decisions decisions..

thanks for the game Mike

[Mad Mike]

thanks for the game Mike

Thank you too, Barre.
Hope the next game we play will be a little bit longer .

[PanzerFest]

Myself and expecting_on_crossroad ended up playing this as a mirror battle. This was my first CMBN pbem, I have played many CMx1 and a few CMSF pbems in the past.

As the Canadians I decided on a risky aggressive strategy, because hey, they're paratroops, they need to seize the initiative right!? I really wasn't sure on where the enemy would be because of the ambiguous briefing so I ended up spreading my forces out too much. I got cocky and pushed too hard, but I was doing damage and had occupied the guard house but I was taking casualties I could not afford. When I lost my last flanking squad to my poor leadership I was left with 5 troopers, 3 from the HQ in the guard house with zero ammo and 2 screening a quiet flank with nice fat bandoleers, with no other options I regrouped in the guard house. At this point I was close to surrendering, i knew there was a large group of Germans surrounding me on both sides of the River, but I had ammo now and I'd short cover arc/hide and wait. Amazingly they weathered the withering suppresive fire and at short range proceeded to spray down any poor assaulting German that got close. At the end there where 3 paratroops holding the guard house I was happy to earn a minor defeat!

As the Germans I lost most of my starting force, but once reinforcements showed up used their superior numbers wear down the Canadians with ample use of supressive fire. I recaptured the guard house, and had the paratroops on the run when they started running low on ammo. I got a minor victory, because I lost too many men.

I think this scenario is slightly pro-axis but if the briefing were a little clearer you would have a better chance as Allies on your first play through.

I had tons of fun getting back into CM PBEM see you on the battlefield!

[cargol]

My game against MP finished with a total Axis victory.I ve voted for the totally pro Axis option as IMO this scenario is the worst in terms of balancing that i ve played in a PBEM fashion(and i ve played quite a few).The Allied player dont have a chance even if his opponent plays it blind and the Allied player knows everything about it(the scenario).The force mix, the time limit ,the briefing are totally wrong.
My approach,as i was playing it blind, was move carefully use smoke to cross the bridge and use supressive fire to pin the enemy before assaulting the house objective.
I ve done all this and i ve found my self sitting in the objective area without a shot fired by my opponent.
My opponent simply was waiting for me out of the objective area and when he got his reinforcements
overpowered me with a 4:1 ratio in men and way more in terms of actual firepower(HMG,LMG,SMGs,shrecks) he just wiped me out.
If you want a good PBEM Game just stay away from this scenario.

[A Canadian Cat]

My game with strangewhispers is done as well. I agree with cargol that was the worst balanced scenario I have played head to head. I managed to loose the manor pretty quickly but managed to get the initial reinforcements in place in the guard house quick enough that I was able to cut his assault down as they crossed the bridge. Then I got even more troops and was shocked to hear that strangewhispers was ready to call a cease fire. I figured if I had an additional platoon of men he must have two more coming.

For head to head play skip this scenario.

[raz_atoth]

I played this scenario myself and i 100% agree with what was said before.
If you're looking for a H2H scenario,you'd better skip this one. Even against the AI might be a real challenge for the allied player.From what i could tell,the allies need to attack across a bridge against an enemy which outnumbered them 3-4 to 1. All in one,it's definitely not suited for play against a human opponent,unless,of course you're playing with a masochist