Wrecks on a bridge

[Mad_Dog]

I got three of then across, without suppressing any German AT weapons, since my opponent was very good at holding fire and and once firing, using smoke to make sure the survivors couldn't see where the guns were. I like to play hlaf blind myself. I have a general idea when each sides reinforcements are showing up, so I'll be ready for that, but I don't memorize where the other sides big weapons are.

[Ozgur Budak]

I got three of then across, without suppressing any German AT weapons, since my opponent was very good at holding fire and and once firing, using smoke to make sure the survivors couldn't see where the guns were. I like to play hlaf blind myself. I have a general idea when each sides reinforcements are showing up, so I'll be ready for that, but I don't memorize where the other sides big weapons are.

For me the key of that scenario is careful coordination between two russian forces. So one has to wait till the southern reinforcements arrive. An early rush to the bridge with armor isnt a good tactical choice.

[TheBigRedOne]

Not sure what so funny about it though

Because I'm the moderator here, you all have to laugh at my jokes. It's in the rules, look them up...

:cool2:

I try to play blind most of the time as well, and since I'm getting up there in years, I can't remember half the games I used to play anyway. Playing blind is pretty much how I get through life with two toddlers right now.

I get what you're saying, Laz. Having not played the scenario, I can't speak to the over-all strategy that needs to be employed to be successful, but if you lose a tank or two trying to run the kill zone, you've got to figure that it's a bad option going forward and re-adjust. Maybe that's what everyone did and it didn't matter. First tank that gets smoked by that AT gun, you know exactly what its LOS is and you need to stop sending tanks into it until you can figure out a way to suppress it.

Now, if you lose that first tank on the bridge, that's just bad luck. It's also combat.

I'm in the process of transferring computers. I'll give it a run when this is complete and all my HPS/JTS stuff is working well. My Korean War version came out a bit goofy, so there may be more to loading SB onto Windows 7 than I originally thought...

[gabeeg]

I assume that my opponent is going to have that bridge covered sufficiently to stuff any armor coming across....I do not assume his units will be placed where they were initially when the scenario started. I know I moved some of my assets around...and it looks like my opponent did also.

I don't want to affect games in progress but I will simply say I agree with Ozgur :)

This was an excellent choice of scenario by the way...IMO

[Laza]

Now, if you lose that first tank on the bridge, that's just bad luck. It's also combat.

You get no argument from me on that Alan , I rolled the
Paul Grabner let just get across bridge dice and lost, cest la guerre.

Just to clarify my reason for entering this thread was to get answer
on why my infantry are also blocked from crossing

[Archijerej]

I think that scenario description in this one determines your tactics as Russians. They didn't send a flanking force for no reason after initially probing the German defences. Forces across the river should be used for supression and fixing the Germans, and cross only if the situation permits. This is an excellent scenario IMO, illustrating the evolution of Soviet tactics, and providing a description which helps the players to develop their battle plan.

[Ozgur Budak]

I think that scenario description in this one determines your tactics as Russians. They didn't send a flanking force for no reason after initially probing the German defences. Forces across the river should be used for supression and fixing the Germans, and cross only if the situation permits. This is an excellent scenario IMO, illustrating the evolution of Soviet tactics, and providing a decription wich helps the players to develop their battle plan.

Thanks for summing up the idea behind the scenario. While making RV I had the chance of reading dozens of after action reports written by middle ranked Russian officers. It was amazing to see their ability of adaptation and improvisation to tactical needs of the reality they are facing. It surely didnt look like the established streotype of the unimaginative russian officer stupified by the communist bureaucracy.

[Archijerej]

I think that scenario description in this one determines your tactics as Russians. They didn't send a flanking force for no reason after initially probing the German defences. Forces across the river should be used for supression and fixing the Germans, and cross only if the situation permits. This is an excellent scenario IMO, illustrating the evolution of Soviet tactics, and providing a decription wich helps the players to develop their battle plan.

Thanks for summing up the idea behind the scenario. While making RV I had the chance of reading dozens of after action reports written by middle ranked Russian officers. It was amazing to see their ability of adaptation and improvisation to tactical needs of the reality they are facing. It surely didnt look like the established streotype of the unimaginative russian officer stupified by the communist bureaucracy.

That's certainly true. When given a free hand Russian lower commanders were capable of showing a good deal of initiative. Also, one would think that at this stage of war higher leaders already realised that to make a grand stategy work, it needs a competent, flexible tactical execution. In this particular scenario Russians don't even have to take a single victory point to win, as long as they eliminate the relieving force. And it makes perfect sense, because the Gemans in the village, once isolated, would have to surrender or die.
May I ask, are your sources available anywhere on the internet?

[Ozgur Budak]

I think that scenario description in this one determines your tactics as Russians. They didn't send a flanking force for no reason after initially probing the German defences. Forces across the river should be used for supression and fixing the Germans, and cross only if the situation permits. This is an excellent scenario IMO, illustrating the evolution of Soviet tactics, and providing a decription wich helps the players to develop their battle plan.

Thanks for summing up the idea behind the scenario. While making RV I had the chance of reading dozens of after action reports written by middle ranked Russian officers. It was amazing to see their ability of adaptation and improvisation to tactical needs of the reality they are facing. It surely didnt look like the established streotype of the unimaginative russian officer stupified by the communist bureaucracy.

That's certainly true. When given a free hand Russian lower commanders were capable of showing a good deal of initiative. Also, one would think that at this stage of war higher leaders already realised that to make a grand stategy work, it needs a competent, flexible tactical execution. In this particular scenario Russians don't even have to take a single victory point to win, as long as they eliminate the relieving force. And it makes perfect sense, because the Gemans in the village, once isolated, would have to surrender or die.
May I ask, are your sources available anywhere on the internet?

I am afraid many of them are on books. Mostly Osprey and Fedorowitz publications. If I remember correctly this particular scenario is from "Red Storm On The Reich: The Soviet March On Germany, 1945" by Christopher Duffy.

[Archijerej]

Thanks