DAR - Ratzki vs DasTiger

[Ratzki]

Time to do another DAR. It will be on my 960m x 1440m / ME / CMBB map found in the Maps section. I have not played a game on this map, so no real advantage here.
Here are some ground rules that we both agreed to:
1- No Battalion purchases for either side, we can have as many Companies or Platoons as we want.
2- We used the Redwolf Armour Rules for the time the battle takes place.
3- No air support
4- Combined arms setting with troop quality set to medium.

DasTiger chose the Axis side, leaving me with the Allies. With the sides now set I ran the setup to see what the AI would choose for troops for me. I jotted down what the AI picked for my forces and then modified them a bit to fit our game. The AI does not follow any Armour Rules so I had to substitute a little but kept it as close as possible to what the AI picked for me. I have grown quite fond of this method of troop selection, makes me think a little more when it comes to making plans for the battle with what unit can I use for what task, instead of the cherry picked forces.

Here is what my force looks like:
3x Rifle '41 Companies
1x Pioneer Platoon
1x SMG Company
3x DP MGs
3x Maxim MGs
1x 12.7mm DShK MG
1x Flamethrower
1x Sharpshooter
1x ATR
2x 82mm Mortar
2x 76.2mm m27/39 Guns
2x 76.2mm m39 Guns
1x 82mm FO
1x 120mm FO
1x Truck
2x Jeep
1x T-34 m41 Platoon
1x T-34 m42 Platoon
1x BA-10 Platoon

Now just some of my own quirks:
-I do not select enemy units for information.
-I only will target manually for units in Command, otherwise I let the AI do it.
-Detailed armour hits is set to off
I am just mentioning these quirks as sometimes I will do things that others would not, as I will have less information about the enemy, and will have less flexability with my own troops as keeping a HQ in command of my troops is needed to control fire, I have to get rather creative with covered arcs to make units fire kinda where I want them if they are out of command. I just find that the games plays a little more realistic when I does these things, my enemy can play how he chooses.

I have not played against DasTiger before so I have no idea what his style of play is.

[Maakt Droog]

Looking forward to your DAR Ratzki, definitely enjoyed the last one!

[Ratzki]

I have identified the flags that I feel that I can control in order to win the game. There are 5 large flags, if I only take 3 flags, then I will have to better DasTiger in kills by a good margin in order to win, therefore, I am going to make a stab at taking 4 of the five flags. Flags A, B, C, and D will be my targets, and flag E will be left, unless things play out way differently then I imagine.
I have split my forces into groups, each with their own objectives. They are:

Group 1-SMG Company, 3rd Rifle Platoon from Company C, 1xDP MG, 1x82mm Mortar, 1x12.7mm DShK MG, 1xM39 gun (towed), 4xBA-10, 2xT-34 Platoons. The T-34's will transport the SMG platoons to flag A and setup to see if they can cover the other flags B and C.

Group 2-1x Rifle Company A, 1xMaxim MG, 2xm27/39 guns. This group will take flag B and hold.

Group 3-1x Rifle Company B, 2x Rifle Platoons from Company C, 2x Maxim MGs, 1xATR, 1x82mm Mortar, 1x82mm FO, 1x120mm FO. This group has the job of crossing a fair bit of open ground to take and hold flag C. I suspect that they will be in the thick of things early. I want to get across the road and see where DasTiger is comming from before I commit them to an approach on the flag. I may delay them attacking the flag at let my enemy grab it first, commit some troops and hammer away with what HE I have. There are no real long LOS lanes that I can find at the moment, I will have to stumble apon them then quickly take advantage of them.

Group 4-1x Pioneer Platoon, 1xDP MG. I am hoping to get to the flg early and defend with these guys. Maybe get the enemy to commit his armour here and wander into the trees with them.

With the amount of cover on the map and the hills, I will not be able to use the guns to their best effect as I think they will get zoned in on quickly as they will be at closer ranges then I would like to have. We will have to see how things go.

[Ratzki]

Thanks for the encouraging words Maakt D.:happy:
Half way through turn three before I even get a hint of the enemy location(s). A Light Pz I or II forages out from the trees and stops by the flag. It swings it's gun toward some of my Rifle squads that are making their way through the scattered trees, but can't seem to get a good target. My Pioneer platoon is still heading for the other flag and are behind a small rise and should not be able to be spotted now. None of my guns can get a line on the Pz at this position, there are just too many trees and small hills in the way. I will need some luck to have the Pz come into any LOS of one of my guns. Seeing as this looks like a light tank, I am going to start the ATR team to try to engage the Pz from the side.

At flag B, my infantry with protection from the BA-10s moves into position to hold this flag. I think that I will swing 1 or 2 BA's toward the Pz? and either take it on or worry it some so it does not interfere with any of my plans. If a unit does nothing, it is as good as dead, as you have time to get into position to deal with it or you can avoid it. I like th fact that it is out there with no enemy infantry in sight, let's hope this is a trend that will continue.

My SMG platoons are assembling near their flag. This location might prove to be vital, as it has good elevation and maybe good LOS to alot of the map. My concern here is enemy armour slipping through the scattered trees and being a pain in my side. My armour will be tied up here till I get the second HQ into the trees so that I can move the platoons around and see what may be hiding in the trees. I will send two T-34s over the crest line and see if they can get a lucky spot on that Pz, I am not holding my breath though.

[Colonel Talvela]

another good start to a DAR Mouseski. You do a good job with your pictures - labeling the flags and highlighting & grouping units. Makes it easy to follow.

[Ratzki]

Thanks for the comment Col T.:)
About 30 seconds in to this turn and DasTiger shows me an Armoured Car next to the Pz that he rolled out a few turns ago. It only has time to sqeeze off one burst of MG fire at some of my infantry before it looses LOS to my men. I don't think it had enough time to target with it's main gun so I am still in the dark as to the type of AC that it is. DasT. seems content at the moment to let me advance on all the flags that I wanted to claim at the start of this battle. That's fine with me. I think that I am going to hold up somewhat with moving to many of my squads around, as I seem to have the flags that I want and he will have to switch over to the offensive now. I do not want to be right on top of the flags anyhow, I am going to try to make him come and get me. I will be in ok overwatch positions soon, and will be able to start to move my armour around somewhat.



More of the same here as well. I am in good position and should have control of the flag soon. My pioneers are on the reverse slope of the hill and with his PZ and AC having LOS to this hill, I am not in a hurry to move to the other side. My one 76mm gun has an ok LOS to protect this hill as well.



Here is what his AC targetted there for a brief second. Tis is the lead platoon moving towards flag C. again I am flirting with trying to stay on the reverse slope of the hill. He is too far away with the units that he has shown me to do any real damage, and as long as I stay on this side of the hill, any units that are closer will not be able to see me. Both my 120mm and 82mm FO teams can target most areas that he might come out of to threaten this flag, I hope.



Below is the overview map of what I have been up to so far. My armour is going to hold pat 'till I can confirm where his armour is, not just the light stuff that he is showing me but his big stuff. Th red lines show my LOS lanes that I have. My armour has almost isolated the forest around flag A.
Flag B is totally under control and I am just setting up some defences with the few units that are there. I am going to start to move the BA's that I have to support the infantry moving towards flag C. This might get me a side shot at his armour as a bonus.
Flag C will be shored up some in the next few turns and I might move a platoon around to flag E and see what is in those woods. I don't know yet.
Flag D will be mine soon enough. The pioneers will nold pat as well. I am confused as to what DasTiger's plan is, I have not seen hide nor hair of any infantry at all. I know the map has some good cover, but I did not think that it was that good. I can only figure that he is moving up through the woods somewhere near where I have placed the red ?'s on the map. I guess I will soon find out what is going on, hopefully I have prepared well to deal with his plans.

[SS_expandeux]

Nice DAR (I like the painting on your troops ;) )but I'm wondering because you didn't said (or i didn't seen it)which is the date of this QB ! and what is Redwolf Armour Rules do you have a link ?

[Extraordinarius]

http://www.cons.org/redwolf/armorrules/

[The Coil]

The date, if the screenshots are any guide, is April '42... ;)

[RedDevil]

http://www.cons.org/redwolf/armorrules/

Just a heads up, ALL CM armor rules are hosted right here on theBlitz :)

Combat Mission Armor rules Link