Main Event IV: M1A1 vs. Schwerpunkt

[Kelen]

Kelen I disagree. Other than the initial flag rush, and finally bringing his tanks out where they had some fields of fire, I have seen nothing that Mr. X has really done to get a victory. He has inflicted some losses on the Russians, but basically allowed at least a company of his men to be cut to ribbons while keeping his tanks hiding out of LOS. I could understand letting his men die if he had no other options, but he was just playing it very safe because he didn't want to lose his armor. I am actually not sure why he bought the armor in the first place. From what I can tell from the DAR, he did not use them except in a purely defensive role. IMO, tanks are for attacking. I actually think that he is playing not to lose rather than to win. I bet that he will end the game with many of his units full of ammunition and hiding. I was kind of hoping to see a knock out blow delivered. I wanted to see a brawl and have been watching a sparing match with full head gear!

I think it is time for a ceasefire to put the audience out of our misery! LOL...just kidding. But it has gotten pretty stale.
Lord Bane

Well I still don't know who Mr X is and therefore what the relevant skill levels are between the 2 opponents. M1A1 Does like his armour though, and knowing that must have affected Mr X's unit pick. He quite rightly summised from the start that his armour would be outnumbered and that he would have to be careful with it whilst trying to whittle away M1A1's. That he has done.

Whether Mr X has played too cautious with both his armour and infantry, or whether M1A1 should have brought more infantry for a forest fight rather than all that armour, (although the impact of those flame tanks cannot be denied); well that's for each of us spectators to decide, (and it'll be intersting to see both players views on that after the battle is over).

Would we have bought differing unit picks and played differently, probably, (but that's because we have all different playing styles). But also remember that we have the benefit of seeing the battle from both sides.

OK this fight has been a tad different from others we've seen, but I still think it's brave of 2 players, (whoever they may be), to fight it out in full view of everyone else. My earlier comment was merely to show that not everyone neccesarily has to be a genius to win a battle, or totally inept to lose one, (just look at Wellington at Waterloo, Grant at Gettysburg, and the D-Day landings may well have gone totally differenty if Hitler hadn't tried to run the whole show from Berlin).

I agree though that I would have like a seen faster play; it has bogged down some.