The 2nd Armored Campaign

[Compass Rose]

[Ricky B]

As the sun continues to rise, the 101st Airborne units find themselves the target of a massive attack. Some units are already cutoff and in danger of complete destruction.

The German forces, including a large SS contingent with large numbers of StuGs in support, are moving forward extremely aggressively. Unfortunately for the elite airborne forces, they are both outnumbered and out of position to fight effectively. However, as can be seen in the image, once the Germans advance just a short distance on my right flank, they will hold the dominating ground there and it will make it nearly impossibly to hold the rest of the hill overlooking Carentan itself.

The isolated units pull back, but the other units are ordered to do their best to delay the German advance.

This battle shows how the selections by each player in the campaign engine can result in a scenario being selected that will play very differently from what was expected, or what other choices may result in.

Rick

[ComradeP]

One balance issue that could be tweaked is that there's not much incentive for the Germans to be the attacker/first player.

Placing the VP burden on the Americans means that if the Germans capture and hold the first 25 VP objective they encounter just 4 hexes from their initial position and get a positive loss point ratio, both of which are not difficult to obtain, they've already won.

[Ricky B]

There are tweaks that could be made, but need to know more about how they play first. I tested these pretty thoroughly but it was years ago and since then there were changes made to unit ratings and the terrain that effect them.

But for this one specifically, if the Germans take the close objective and then basically dig in, they will have a tough time holding. So I think it will make for an exciting battle as is, or it will be a German loss. Overall, I built these first 4 variations to offer one side of the other, outside of the historical, a potential advantage so that the choices could make a difference in the result. The later choices should be more balanced while still offering trade offs.

Rick

[Gregor]

Seems like the last picture was lost on turn 2. Try again:-)

[Gregor]

Turn 3:



The pressure is working and the Americans are falling back. I would have preferred them staying and die, but the progress towards the objectives are good. The mission of this turn are to clear the northern part of the hill and close in on the rest of the line with as low losses as possible and inflicting damage by fire at the opponent as much as possible. I try to shoot at least once at any visible enemy to ensure they will get no rest to recover any fatigue. High fatigue is often what stops offensives as the troops lose firepower (-10% at medium, -20% at high and -40% at max) and disrupt, and eventually break, more easily.

[Gregor]

One balance issue that could be tweaked is that there's not much incentive for the Germans to be the attacker/first player.

Placing the VP burden on the Americans means that if the Germans capture and hold the first 25 VP objective they encounter just 4 hexes from their initial position and get a positive loss point ratio, both of which are not difficult to obtain, they've already won.

As you see I did plan to press on in this scenario and we will see in this AAR what the effect of that is. In the game we are playing you can try to stop after taking the first objective and we will see what will be the effect of that. Would be interesting To compare

[Ricky B]

At the beginning of turn 4, I know that I must try and hold where I am at for a few turns. Space is at a premium. So far, the German losses are running higher than mine, and I have to hope I can continue to wear them down. However, they are massed against the lightly armed paratroopers, and I am afraid any exchange at this point will destroy the fighting force that I have.

The 101st has a fairly strong line at this point but the Germans are pushed up close and will be able to respond to any shots I take with some strong defensive fire.
Rick

[Gregor]

Turn 4:

Its only Turn 4 and the losses on both sides are steep. The Germans have only 2900 men in total and have lost close to 500 at the start of my 4th turn. That is 1/6 of the troops, and the scenario is 23 turns long. I might have been too aggressive, but hope for the best. The American losses are less, and they have more than 4400 troops in total, even though about 1500 are reinforcements about half way trough. Much of the troops are also fixed at the start of the scenario so local superiority should be possible to achieve. I decide that the only option now is to continue the high pressure.

There are a number of units that could be surrounded and destroyed.  The first picture shows disrupted units highlighted. The 25pt VP location has the potential to be surrounded. If the last undisrupted unit in the field north of it is disrupted and assaulted out of its supporting position the VP location could be totally surrounded. The improved position just south of the hill is also ready for a surrounding maneuver. I will concentrate fire on those 3 positions.



As this second picture shows I have managed to disrupt and push him out of the fields and isolate the VP location too. Due to artillery and StuG and other support fire I am also able to disrupt all units at the VP location. That opens up for assaults, and below you see the result of the first one. 71 men is either taken out or surrenders. I did assault many times in a row and each time half of the reminding soldiers surrendered.
 





This is the end shot of the turn.  Did not disrupt the southern position and left it un-surrounded as my frontal troops was not suitable to hold their own there and I did fear being surrounded in return if I tried. As you can see the Americans suffered 300 men while the Germans less than 100 shifting the balance of the forces towards the Germans and also punching a hole in the line. Also notice the StuGs behind the line for supportive fire. They should be held behind a screen of infantry as infantry in close combat with armor eat fast trough them due to the modern AT weapons used by them by this time in the war.
 
Another useful thing to note is Ricks use of smoke. It was to enable the evacuation of some guns that were too close to the line and they couldn’t get to cover and ended within sight in travel mode. If not employed smoke the guns would die from artillery. The good news for me is that he only have 2 smoke for the whole scenario and that he have used one already.

PS: Seems like the shaded areas shows badly on the screenshots, I will try to remember to turn that off for later pictures. At least from where we are currently in the game.

[Ricky B]

Turn 5:

The prior turn was terrible, with a large swing in points from the start of Gregor's turn:


A disaster I brewing, with my airborne forces being swamped by massive German forces before the 2nd Armored is even close to arriving. The remaining men must fall back to what protected positions are available, delaying the German masses as long as possible. At this point, it appears there is no way to hold the eastern edge of the hill until the armored cavalry arrives.

Rick