From the Front - Bunker Assault!

[Strela]

Though I agree with most of the tactics (I don't agree with placing Marders in visible positions near the front, they're extremely fragile), in my opinion the situation shown is misleading.

There will be very few scenarios where you have such lavish means as this one, and such a short distance to cross to the initial Soviet line with good troop concentrations already in place. It's sort of the most favourable scenario for the Germans and the worst for the Soviets, with a very shallow bunker line and most of their forces being Fixed.

I stand by my earlier points that in the majority of situations, taking bunkers depends too much on getting a disruption roll, which can't always be influenced to the necessary extent by the player.

If this was for the recent teamgame for this scenario, it might also be fair to point out that the scenario didn't end with the historical result, nor did any of the other full day (with the day in the scenario title) corps-sized campaign scenario battles logged thus far (all ended with minor or major Soviet victories), which does not support the idea that the Germans can normally achieve what they could historically.

Well I have to disagree with you ComradeP.

This is the July 6 scenario for the SS and this is essentially the final defensive line for the Soviets. You can do exactly what has been done here with the July 5 scenarios. Any scenario from July 7 onward will not run into any form of bunker line so I don't really see where you get your 'lavish' comment from. The July 5 scenarios are definitely 'lavish' also.

As far as comparing the recent team game, well this is the reverse play of it with the more experienced players on the German side. A number of things have been changed in the reverse play through to actually assist the Soviets - they have less fixed units and the VP's have been increased by 300 points for each victory level making it harder for the Germans.

Yet despite these 'impediments' the German side is well on top at the one third mark. They have used the historical tactics in the historical breakthrough zone and guess what(!) they are about where the Germans were historically at this point.

In the previous game the German's used much more of a broad front approach and took much longer to breach the line. That approach resulted in them being bogged in the defences and taking heavy casualties to both Soviet artillery as well as the ability for the defenders to reinforce key points.

You make a point out of getting a 'disruption roll'; of course that's the point, and using these tactics allows you to maximise that chance. I don't really get your point; should a player not put maximum firepower in a few select locations to pretty much guarantee breaking up the defenders? If your basing your argument on the 'Gertsovka time limit' which makes that scenario swing on a 'lucky' disrupt, well that's been fixed for the patch, by extending the number of turns. That experience should not be used as the yardstick for every other scenario.

As far as your Marder comment, yes they are vulnerable, but did you notice the smoke shielding the hill? That was to specifically ensure that the Marders were not hit by the ATG up there. The Marders tended to stand off a little more and move regularly to ensure artillery didn't pick them off.

[ I have removed the last two paragraphs I wrote in the original post as I believe they were both too harsh and could have been considered a personal attack. That was not my intention and by removing the paragraphs prevents any mis-interpretation]

David