Can't Find My Way Out of the Woods?

[Don Czirr]

Hello Chaps,

Was giving the NGP 85 scenario - "If you go down to the woods today" a whirl as Warsaw Pact and was about as successful as the kids in Blair Witch in my attempts to get out of the woods.

Anyone beaten this mission as the Pact?


I went under, I went over and then went through the road and there just does not seem to be enough time to get the objectives before time runs out.

Any insights on this are welcome !

Don

[JDR Dragoon]

In order to win you need the two 50 point hexes and one of the 100 point hexes. The last 100 point hex is nice, but not essential. In addition you need a positive casualty exchange over the Belgians (=kill more of theirs than they kill yours).

It´s been some time since I played this vs. the AI, but as I recall it, the key is always to have a reserve standing ready in Travel-mode. The Belgians consist of a number of company-sized roadblocks, which you should be able to clear in 1-2 turns each using a single regiment of Motor-rifle or Tanks. Be careful about "rubbling" Marsberg (the first 50 point town). As soon as a roadblock has been cleared, the reserve (usually a regiment or parts of one) blazes down the cleared road, until they encounter the next roadblock, shifting out of travel mode as they encounter resistance. Once this is cleared, the regiment that cleared the first roadblock blazes past in travel mode until they hit the next roadblock, which they clear. There is really not much finésse, recon or tactics involved, since you are going down forest roads in hill country. There is thus no way to outflank the enemy positions within the given time-limit. You can use your Recon units to garrison V-hexes or watch the roads leading towards Brilon for possible enemy counterattacks. They are not of much use otherwise.

In this way it should be possible to reach Brilon before turn 5 and clear the road (and 100 point hex) leading NW towards Warstein before turn 8.

[Don Czirr]

In order to win you need the two 50 point hexes and one of the 100 point hexes. The last 100 point hex is nice, but not essential. In addition you need a positive casualty exchange over the Belgians (=kill more of theirs than they kill yours).

It´s been some time since I played this vs. the AI, but as I recall it, the key is always to have a reserve standing ready in Travel-mode. The Belgians consist of a number of company-sized roadblocks, which you should be able to clear in 1-2 turns each using a single regiment of Motor-rifle or Tanks. Be careful about "rubbling" Marsberg (the first 50 point town). As soon as a roadblock has been cleared, the reserve (usually a regiment or parts of one) blazes down the cleared road, until they encounter the next roadblock, shifting out of travel mode as they encounter resistance. Once this is cleared, the regiment that cleared the first roadblock blazes past in travel mode until they hit the next roadblock, which they clear. There is really not much finésse, recon or tactics involved, since you are going down forest roads in hill country. There is thus no way to outflank the enemy positions within the given time-limit. You can use your Recon units to garrison V-hexes or watch the roads leading towards Brilon for possible enemy counterattacks. They are not of much use otherwise.

In this way it should be possible to reach Brilon before turn 5 and clear the road (and 100 point hex) leading NW towards Warstein before turn 8.

Wow - thanks for the detailed advice Dragoon.

I will try to integrate it into my next attack plan.

Last round was better and I got a Draw by going under Marsberg at first, heading to the more sparsely wooded region to the West. I then did a bit of a Spartan push on the Nato Scorpion and Engineer on the North ridge.

After the push on those 2 units, I was able to take Brilon and repulse their counter-attack that came from the South.

When the AI saw what I was doing, it pulled the Tank Destroyers back from Marsberg and rushed them towards the ridge where the Engineer and Scorpion were getting beat up. Once his previous hex was vacated, I sent one of my Recon units quickly East to gobble up the abandoned 50 VPs.

Luckily, I had my normal artillery deployed and was able to then trap the Tank Destroyers with mines.

In the end, I was about 40 points shy of a Minor Victory.

Now - with your tips - back to the drawing board!