Bulge 16.01s alt

Plain Ian · (This post was last modified: 09-26-2015, 03:44 AM by Plain Ian.)

(09-25-2015, 03:04 PM)ComradeP Wrote: You seem to be worried about infantry losses, and have been for a while, but is a loss of 95 men in a single turn really that bad? From what I can tell, it's between 1/5 and 1/6 of the strength of the unit, and if that's all he did in that sector, swapping units at some point should counter the tactic.

A single unit/stack being hit like that each turn shouldn't be nearly enough to force you to withdraw, considering what you have in the area.

It is common that players are concerned about losses that seem high, but at one point you have to think "I lost 95 men, so what?" as it doesn't endanger the integrity of your defences by the looks of it. When defending, some units have to take it on the chin for the greater good. He has no chance of winning a war of attrition on the long term provided you keep hitting back.

Well yes I'm worried because I really don't have a lot of infantry here. The 4th Armoured has 4 if you count the Engineers. This has just lost 95 men and jumped to 79 fatigue. The 51st lost 180 men and jumped to 165 fatigue last turn. So yes I can rotate the other two but after 2-3 more turns I don't have any infantry in the front line unless I start pulling down units from the 80th.

Not sure if I can win a war of attrition. I have -

Corps 30 guns (2 Bn's)
4th Arm Div 35 guns (2 Bn's)
10th Arm div 53 guns (3 Bn's)
4th Inf Div 48 guns (4 Bn's)

Only 2 Bn's are heavy 155mm.

To win I guess I have to mix up my front line so I have spotters for all 3 Division. (1 hex visibility) I also need to get him to spread his fire by giving him more than one target, which means I have to move up aginst him then rather than sit and wait for him?

Plain Ian · 09-26-2015, 03:49 AM,

Turn 54 German - Grandmenil

[Image: 2015-09-24_19h05_50.png]

He only moved one unit and that was the one south of Grandmenil.

The recce unit at Samree fired taking out 2 men. The 3-333rd disrupted after the second loss. Artillery killed a further 3. The 3-333rd hasn't recovered.

He probably realises these units are a lost cause now.

Plain Ian · (This post was last modified: 09-26-2015, 03:57 AM by Plain Ian.)

Turn 54 German - Werbomont

[Image: 2015-09-25_17h07_48.png]

It was a costly mistake not pulling the 17th/48th group back. 38th was heavily mortared. The 17th lost only 3 tanks, one per round? Could be only one A/T unit fired? Could be Ammo Low? Both my units are disrupted.

48th Engineers received moderate artillery.

He's left a token defence of 2 Co sized unit from 116th and is probably digging in on the road to Basse-Bodeux.

ComradeP · (This post was last modified: 09-26-2015, 10:05 PM by ComradeP.)

Well, by the looks of your numerous armour units, you have far more units capable of decent soft attacks than he has. The Mixed M4 units have an SA of 19, over twice as much as your infantry. They're not too numerous either, but they're there.

I'd say your main challenge now is to switch from a defensive setup to an offensive one, preferably in an area with plenty of clear terrain. The habit of maintaining a line is good, but there comes a point where it might not be needed. If he wants to advance 10 hexes into some woods in the middle of nowhere after you pull back some units to concentrate them elsewhere, it might be unclear how that would endanger your position.

It seems doubtful that he can stop a strong concentrated attack in the far south, for example.

Near Bastogne, he might stop you for the moment, that is where many of his quality units are, but the south seems more vulnerable. He has a mixture of good and mediocre to poor units in each area, a good strategy by itself, but the Germans are always vulnerable to being hit hard in a single sector due to not having numerous divisions.

Plain Ian · 09-27-2015, 05:32 AM,

(09-26-2015, 10:05 PM)ComradeP Wrote: Well, by the looks of your numerous armour units, you have far more units capable of decent soft attacks than he has. The Mixed M4 units have an SA of 19, over twice as much as your infantry. They're not too numerous either, but they're there.

I'd say your main challenge now is to switch from a defensive setup to an offensive one, preferably in an area with plenty of clear terrain. The habit of maintaining a line is good, but there comes a point where it might not be needed. If he wants to advance 10 hexes into some woods in the middle of nowhere after you pull back some units to concentrate them elsewhere, it might be unclear how that would endanger your position.

It seems doubtful that he can stop a strong concentrated attack in the far south, for example.

Near Bastogne, he might stop you for the moment, that is where many of his quality units are, but the south seems more vulnerable. He has a mixture of good and mediocre to poor units in each area, a good strategy by itself, but the Germans are always vulnerable to being hit hard in a single sector due to not having numerous divisions.

Yes you are right in that I am 'tank rich'. The word I use a lot is 'embarrassingly' rich. Hoever apart from 4th Armoured's 3 tank units the morale of most tank units is C/D. Even a lowly VGD can take out an M4 and possibly disrupt the unit. Then there is Panzer Lehr still lurking there.

But yes I take your point that Clear terrain and lots of tanks is the best option. Michael probably had this in mind when we saw Pz Lehr advancing between Pratz and Boevange a few turns ago.

Indragnir has probably other ideas about what to do with Pz Lehr. He is not a fan of it being used in the south with 7th Army. I thought it was a good one.

Plain Ian · 09-27-2015, 05:48 AM,

turn 54 German - Spa

[Image: 2015-09-26_18h50_00.png]

Last map showing Indragnirs turn. A lot of units but not much action really. As usual I've listed all his units. I've also decided to start using the Disrupt highlight function in PzC so disrupted units are red.......a bit of a duh moment when I realised I should have ben doing this to start with.

His Spa force (I) lashed out against the 1-36th causing heavy casualties....well I thought they were. This efffectively finishes the 1-36th's contribution to the Battle of the Bulge for a few days I would think. Look for them sometime after Christmas folks. I was heartened to see some artillery and return fire in the action so they di not get away Scot Free. (which as a Scottish person I don't understand where this phrase comes from?)

The 1-117th stacked with the 1-36th has a fatigue of 70-80 I think but is disrupted.

He moved another Pioneer into the stack (D) and it or the unit already there lost 3 men to opp fire.

Stack (B) starteda fight with the 1-517th and came out winners but not by much. US artillery did its bit again and the paras shot back at last.

Lastlt some artillery fell on the 2-517th as they are standing out in Clar terrain.

And that was that. Indragnir has mentioned that he is reinfocing this area but I do not detect this? I see SS PzIV's in stack (G) which is to support his Falschirmjaegers and I think they are new?

The KG Hansen stack [C] looks to have been reinforced but I think this is Cesar pulling the old breakdown trick on me again? (anyone know how to get C to print in brackets without getting the trade mark sign?)

So everything looking rosey at Spa????

Plain Ian · 09-27-2015, 05:53 AM,

Turn 54 Allied results

Final losses for the Turn

[Image: 2015-09-26_20h16_45.png]

Losses broken down by phase

[Image: 2015-09-26_20h17_05.png]

Victory Points (with Turn 53)

[Image: 2015-09-26_20h16_34.png]

Pretty good results. Not spectacular but I'm aiming for steady. Instead of using my artillery to take out Volks Grenadiers I used them for counter battery. A bit gamey but there is nothing worse than hearing the whoosh of Werfers.

I'll post my maps asap. I've already got Cesars turn back....the man never sleeps.

Plain Ian · 09-27-2015, 05:57 AM,

Graphic Anomaly?

At start of turn KG Hansen was shown as -

[Image: 2015-09-26_18h46_40.png]

I used some artillery and then noticed they looked like this -

[Image: 2015-09-26_18h46_10.png]

mmh I went and check the Fuhrere Bde units in the south and I see exactly the same thing? Anyone else noticed this graphic phenomenon?

Plain Ian · (This post was last modified: 09-27-2015, 06:12 AM by Plain Ian.)

Turn 54 Allied - Elsenborn

[Image: 2015-09-26_20h58_44.png]

And thats about as exciting as it got here. I went Werfer hunting. I didn't think the SS unit was a werfer but after the third hit on the unit next to it I stopped getting any more losses? So I switched to the SS unit which is probably an SPA?

I then targeted the furthest away unit but only hit 1 vehicle?

The 12th VGD was not forgotten and received artillery and fire from the 745th. Oh I should add that the 745th was hit by return fire from 4 Werfers but each for NE.

Comrade P is right. M4 tank units do have impressive soft attack values. The 735th is a B Morale unit with 26 tanks. The target was in woods. (-30%) An average of 9 men per shot.

Plain Ian · (This post was last modified: 09-27-2015, 08:41 PM by Plain Ian.)

Turn 54 Allied - Webormont

[Image: 2015-09-26_21h15_28.png]

Will skip Spa just now. No real action again just.....counter battery. Hopefully 6 werfers are smoking ruins.

I rested everything and left his two disrupted companies untouched.

The only thing that spoils this picture is that I forgot to move the 33rd Engineers. Doh. I moved the 48th and 17th but forgot the 48th.

Given up on picture just now. I've had lots of problems hosting pictures . You think its uploaded but find it hasn't? You upload delete then add a new one but find you can't link it? Gone round in circles so will give up just now. Night.