Please Shed Some Light

Riley D. Smith · (This post was last modified: 07-06-2009, 01:41 AM by Riley D. Smith.)

I just finished (surrendered is more accurate) "Crossing the Berezina" from Advance of the Reich. I was the Axis.

At one point, fairly late in the scenario, I was ahead with around 90 vp's (only 30 required for a major victory). The Russians have a small armored force of 7 BT-7's that release as reinforcements late in the game. I have 10 PZ III e's, 4 PZ IV d's and a full compliment of mechanized infantry. The Russian armor has to attack with mostly no infantry support. By games end, I have attacked the Soviet light tanks (with my armor of course) from frontal hexes, flank hexes, and rear hexes. From higher elevations and the same elevations. From 3-4 hexes away and from adjacent hexes.

End result: Zero Soviet losses, and not even one immobilized Russian tank. The Germans? Over 80% armor destroyed.

Please don't take this post wrong...my opponent played very well and absoutely deserves his hard fought major victory. My question is this: Is it even realistic that those Soviet tanks could have decimated my opposing force? That just seems really lopsided as I was under the impression that the BT-7 was at best a mediocre light tank and the German amor was not only better fitted with guns but had better armor.

I never get "emotional" when playing these games because I just enjoying playing, but, this one left me very frustrated and just scratching my head saying "wtf"??

Any designers care to shed some light on this for me?

jmlima · 07-06-2009, 02:22 AM,

It seems a very simple thing, but many people forget about it, where you firing AP or HE against the Russian tanks?

TheBigRedOne · (This post was last modified: 07-06-2009, 03:24 AM by TheBigRedOne.)

jmlima Wrote:It seems a very simple thing, but many people forget about it, where you firing AP or HE against the Russian tanks?

Been there! I'd be embarrassed to say just how many times.

You just might kick yourself, Riley. I just opened up that scenario and the first German tank's weapon load I looked at was HE. If you didn't change that, you probably attacked the Russians using only that load.

Riley D. Smith · 07-06-2009, 03:41 AM,

Wow. That really, really, really hurts my feelings. I just never gave a second thought to my tanks loads being anything but AP.

Holy crap what a knucklehead.:hissy::hissy::hissy::hissy::hissy:

Riley D. Smith · 07-06-2009, 04:45 AM,

Ha...I just did a quickie replay against the AI....after changing loads not one of the BT's even made it across the bridge.

Man...I feel stupid. Oh well...best way to learn is by experience.

Nikb · 07-06-2009, 06:49 AM,

Phew I feel lucky :) And here I was thinking I had a superman mouse finger.

The one I cringe about is where I had a stuck unit. It just wouldn't move. I kept making it rise then trying to move. Very annoying. Late in the game I realised I hadn't put in the contour lines and I was trying to get up a level. Duh.

RedDevil · 07-06-2009, 07:52 AM,

all "Navy" knows how to shoot is HE LOL

Big Grin

Riley D. Smith · (This post was last modified: 07-06-2009, 08:20 AM by Riley D. Smith.)

er....yeah....yeah....that's the ticket....

I was...er...thinking I was on an Iowa class battleship....yeah...that's it.

Ha.

Riley D. Smith · 07-06-2009, 08:26 AM,

Nikb Wrote:Phew I feel lucky :) And here I was thinking I had a superman mouse finger.

The one I cringe about is where I had a stuck unit. It just wouldn't move. I kept making it rise then trying to move. Very annoying. Late in the game I realised I hadn't put in the contour lines and I was trying to get up a level. Duh.

Funny. Just goes to show the even us "vets" need to do a little "users manual" refresher course every now and again.

However, in my case, I credit this loss to very poor leadership. The absolute first thing a commander (me) should do is ensure his troops have the proper weapons to do the job tasked. If something starts to go "wrong" you must start checking from the bottom up (sort of like trouble shooting computers...first thing I always check is whether or not it is plugged in).

And my friend...you put yourself into a position to capitalize on my mistake and capitalize you did. Well done.:bow:

Ha..I was within two points of taking your #7 ranking on the ladder with win. This loss slides me back a tad. :hissy:

TheBigRedOne · 07-06-2009, 10:54 AM,

This is a good AAR for all newbies and veterans alike. Two experienced players, one forgets to change the load on his armor, the other didn't have the contour lines toggled. Goes to show that no matter where you are in the ladder, attention to detail is crucial and can mean the difference between a 'win' and a 'loss'. Luckily both of these men are gentlemen and can look on this as a learning experience. This is why I enjoy this ladder so much.