How do i crack this nut? (Bulge '44 Getting Started Scenerio)

[tonyhernandez]

Here's what i'm looking at. Historically, the Golden Lions lose but as the Axis player i get DESTROYED. And this is just the Getting Started scenario!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3xqvh286rle9r...er183&dl=0

I put the four VPs in stars (the top left gives you VPs if you leave the board). The blue line is where the image at the end of this message ends, the historical way.

I also have the Fixed Units on as you can see by the yellow squares.

My inclination is to go around the Schnee Eifel even though history says to go straight at it.

How do you beat this scenario? One of the trickiest things is moving then setting up artillery in a timely manner. 14 turns is QUICK. I can't even imagine having one unit reach Amel (Ambleve)!

WHAT DO I DO?!


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jg1bsnobn...ee79y&dl=0

[Liebchen]

Here's what i'm looking at. Historically, the Golden Lions lose but as the Axis player i get DESTROYED. And this is just the Getting Started scenario!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3xqvh286rle9r...er183&dl=0

I put the four VPs in stars (the top left gives you VPs if you leave the board). The blue line is where the image at the end of this message ends, the historical way.

I also have the Fixed Units on as you can see by the yellow squares.

My inclination is to go around the Schnee Eifel even though history says to go straight at it.

How do you beat this scenario? One of the trickiest things is moving then setting up artillery in a timely manner. 14 turns is QUICK. I can't even imagine having one unit reach Amel (Ambleve)!

WHAT DO I DO?!


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jg1bsnobn...ee79y&dl=0

The historic advance took four days to get to the positions shown in your reference, and three days to get to the edge of the game map.

The historic map also suggests that they went around the ridge, following the roads, and not right through the ridge.

This would be a better game approach, as well. I played a quick and sloppy game against the A/I just now, and focused on causing casualties more than on taking objectives, and I got a major win before end game.

[Mr Grumpy]

It is sometimes overlooked that points for your opponents casualties are as important as the points awarded for vp locations/exit hex’s, I have had opponents fight to the death to hold vp hex’s and up losing in losses more points than the vp hex was worth, it would seem that in this scenario can be like that.

[Lethal]

It is sometimes overlooked that points for your opponents casualties are as important as the points awarded for vp locations/exit hex’s, I have had opponents fight to the death to hold vp hex’s and up losing in losses more points than the vp hex was worth, it would seem that in this scenario can be like that.

excellent point!

[Mr Grumpy]

In the past I have been guilty of this myself, but over time you learn when on defence there is a balance to be struck between giving ground and losing men/guns/vehicles.

Unfortunately the older titles designers didn't have the option of expiring VP hex's feature which is a excellent way for a designer to reward a fighting withdrawal and encourage players not to opt for the "no retreat" strategy as once the vp location has expired you can give up the hex freely.

[Steel God]

I’ve lost count of games lost because an opponent fixated on an objective which I was only too happy to let him keep while farming his defenders for casualties.  Just because someone put number in a circle doesn’t mean it’s really important, the real target is always the opposite force.

[Mr Grumpy]

Indeed I have had some opponents be quite indignant when they have lost a game having held most of the vp locations, but to do so they threw everything into the front line including HQ units and artillery batteries, some loaded hex’s with so many units they could not retreat after losing an assault incurring even more losses and allowed units to be surrounded as it bought time having them eliminated, just about anything other than give ground. 

[Al]

That's why these games are so great. They encourage and reward the player to use sound military principles. In this case one of Clausewitz's 9 Principles of War - Economy of Force.

[Mr Grumpy]

Agreed .......

[tonyhernandez]

Here's what i'm looking at. Historically, the Golden Lions lose but as the Axis player i get DESTROYED. And this is just the Getting Started scenario!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3xqvh286rle9r...er183&dl=0

I put the four VPs in stars (the top left gives you VPs if you leave the board). The blue line is where the image at the end of this message ends, the historical way.

I also have the Fixed Units on as you can see by the yellow squares.

My inclination is to go around the Schnee Eifel even though history says to go straight at it.

How do you beat this scenario? One of the trickiest things is moving then setting up artillery in a timely manner. 14 turns is QUICK. I can't even imagine having one unit reach Amel (Ambleve)!

WHAT DO I DO?!


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jg1bsnobn...ee79y&dl=0

The historic advance took four days to get to the positions shown in your reference, and three days to get to the edge of the game map.

The historic map also suggests that they went around the ridge, following the roads, and not right through the ridge.

This would be a better game approach, as well. I played a quick and sloppy game against the A/I just now, and focused on causing casualties more than on taking objectives, and I got a major win before end game.

Wow! I played my fifth game and went classic pincer move. i have had tanks and as of yesterday, troops exit space 0,1. Nada. All right. Gonna fire it up now and stop feeding myself to the wood chipper for VPs.

I’ll let you know how it goes!