Bulge 16.01s alt

[Plain Ian]

Bulge



Well things are starting to look more Bulge like. Its not a very big bulge but its big enough to get a Draw. 

Nice to see red on the map now, as for a while it looked like I was fighting no one? There is an awful lot of blue on the map so it seems I should be having an easy time.

The 75th arrived last turn and I've drawn a rough area that I'm trying to put them into. The road network is not that kind for this but I'll just have to get them there. 

60th Rgt have just arrived and again I'll have to get them to the fighting area. It should be the with the reat of their Division north of Elsenborn but I think they may be needed at Spa.

[ComradeP]

The other news, well old news really, was that he used counterbattery fireto  decimate the 177th FA Bn. A XII Corps unit it lost 5 155mm pieces. I know that terrain aids defense but I really can’t see what difference it makes with artillery and counterbattery fire. I lost artillery in the north in Forest/TRENCH just as easily as the artillery here in Clear? Of course I don’t know what artillery types he was using but the results were not much different? Hey ho I’ll probably move the 177th anyway.

The results against guns, vehicles and aircraft are determined by a die roll, and terrain and trenches just lower the fire value of incoming fire, they don't actually "protect" units from damage up to a certain intensity. If the result is that 1 man was lost, there's a 10% chance of losing a gun. Your guns are still fairly close to the frontline, which is good for supporting an offensive and counterbattery fire, but bad when defending.

It's a trade-off: either safety for you and for the enemy guns, or a risk for both.

[Plain Ian]

The other news, well old news really, was that he used counterbattery fireto  decimate the 177th FA Bn. A XII Corps unit it lost 5 155mm pieces. I know that terrain aids defense but I really can’t see what difference it makes with artillery and counterbattery fire. I lost artillery in the north in Forest/TRENCH just as easily as the artillery here in Clear? Of course I don’t know what artillery types he was using but the results were not much different? Hey ho I’ll probably move the 177th anyway.

The results against guns, vehicles and aircraft are determined by a die roll, and terrain and trenches just lower the fire value of incoming fire, they don't actually "protect" units from damage up to a certain intensity. If the result is that 1 man was lost, there's a 10% chance of losing a gun. Your guns are still fairly close to the frontline, which is good for supporting an offensive and counterbattery fire, but bad when defending.

It's a trade-off: either safety for you and for the enemy guns, or a risk for both.

Well pulling them back is a time consuming option especially since the pdt treats 155mm as heavy and means they spend a turn just limbering or unlimbering. Finding a good spot for them is also tricky as best spots are rail lines in Forests so they can move in quickly or out of the way towns not on the road network.

I'll just have to see how things go.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 57 end position

Turn Losses



Losses by phases



Victory Point table


My artillery as usual did most of the killing. You can see I switched to counterbattery. I did also take out a few tanks but mainly light ones.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 57 Allied - the north



Minor losses inflicted on his units with artillery. 1st Infantry Division is falling back to woods  in the south. The rest fall back north west. 
Basically I will wait and see if he follows me. If I'm taking on a King Tiger I want to be in Forest/TRENCH versus Clear.....

I've also held my positions in the north and started digging. The 2-394th is watching the map edge and road.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 57 Allied - Spa



I haven't bothered showing German artillery losses apart from the Panther from the 150th Pz Bde. I've switched to digging. A bit late but better than nothing. This picture is probably the calm before the storm.
Amazingly all of 30th Division is in this screenshot. All of the Battalions from the 3 Regiments are finally together plus even the Divisional Engineers. (305th)



An overview map of the reinforcements. 

9th Div HQ plus two main combat units (746th Tnk and 15th Combat Engineers) have arrived and are just on the outskirts of Huy. There are probably 4 turns away. I thought they would be able to come by Seraing (via Engis) but there is no bridge on the north of the Major river to allow them into the city. If they travelled on the south bank then there are no primary roads through the city and no link to the Verviers road? I can see why designers added to the northern edge map to make the scenario a bit more realistic. 

The 60th Rgts of 9th Division (3 Battalions) should arrive next turn at 12am.

I've 3 units of the 3rd Armoured in the immediate area. Howevr if they are used then that leaves the road from Stoumont unguarded apart from the red fatigued French unit. (V Fusileers)

[Plain Ian]

Turn 57 Allied - Werbomont



A few small German units vaporised this turn. 18th VGD Assault Gun (the mighty Hetzers) and a 116th mobile AA half track unit. 

8th Rifles shifted over to threaten his Werfers plus also 23rd Hussars brought up to support 3RTR.

38th Arm Inf left to dig in alone as 334th Infantry sent south along with both TD units. 

I've moved all my units into cover/Forest at Bra and also further south where he has two Bns. (18th/560th VGD) Shifting these groups will be a slow war of attrition. I see no point in going around as he will have the forest hexes and I'll be stuck in the clear.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 57 Allied - Grandmenil - Samree



Not much I could do to escape isolation. Recce sat tight and came out of T mode. The 2-333rd moved forward into contact with the Flak unit so I could bombard but only 1 hit achieved. The 1-333rd pulled back. 
I've brought down plenty of armour....well Tank Destroyers and quite a bit of infantry for next turn as I guess I need to do shift at least one of his units next turn.

I really think Isolation is too harsh. 2 hours and the unit drops a Morale PLUS goes Ammo Low and drops another one....instantly? So if you are not an A morale unit then your toast? Really?

[Plain Ian]

Turn 57 Allied - La Roche



Tried to post this map in above thread but the picture icon keeps disappearing......sigh. 

Anyway here is the relief force from the south. His Pioneers are probably on patrol so will have to see how he reacts.

[ComradeP]

I really think Isolation is too harsh. 2 hours and the unit drops a Morale PLUS goes Ammo Low and drops another one....instantly? So if you are not an A morale unit then your toast? Really?

Low Ammo will only appear if the unit fires, but yes generally speaking you drop 2 morale levels and lose most of your combat effectiveness.

Most wargames have fairly harsh isolation mechanics, and I'd say it's necessary to allow units to be destroyed as destroying units through regular combat is generally difficult to impossible. Depending on how big the unit is, it might also not immediately be toast. How vulnerable your unit is depends on what the enemy brings to the fight. Isolating, say, a regiment with some armoured cars might be possible, but those recon units won't be able to kill the regiment by themselves.

If you get isolated during an enemy push, particularly a mobile one, your units are likely to be toast, but in this case you should be able to extract them unless there are a few battalions in those woods that will assault your units.