Corsaire31 vs Wardog AAR

[Corsaire31]

This is my third game from the "return to CM' phase.

CMAK - Italy - Sept 43 - rural landscape - medium cover - gentle slopes - midday - nice weather and dry. Large map - 1500 pts. 30+ turns
Got allied again, looks like all my opponents like germans...

Here is the map with my planned moves, spottings, and path followed by Wardog's forces.
You miss a little from the right side, where nothing significant, just plain ground.

 

[Corsaire31]

The main flag is offset to the right side with good cover, the small one in the middle of nowhere. Forgot to say the question mark is where I thought he was heading when I first spotted troops.

I stay classic with an average OB because of the date.

1 Inf Co
3 Sherman 75
1 Stuart
2 Jeep MGs for deep reco
Support : 2 x Arty 81mm obs. 210 shots each + 1 M4 HT 81mm 87 shots / 2 x .50 MGs / 1 sniper

I forget the small flag too difficult to approach and defend and concentrate on the big one.
Inf Co is tasked with approaching big flag with smoke cover when necessary and advise once there. Either I get there first and set for defense or if late will pound with arty and assault in the last turns. (on the map the third plt is on the missing right part)
Main support on high ground in the middle. ( Co HQ spotting for the 81mm HT / HQ 4th Plt commanding 3 x 60mm mortars, 2 x 0.50 MGs, sniper and 1 arty obs. covering the right part of the map )
Second arty obs is in the scattered trees left of the map to cover all from left to middle and has some view on the big one.
Jeeps MG are on both sides of the map to scout the edges.

 

[Corsaire31]

As shown on the map, my left jeep moves forward and soon picks up sound contacts of tanks in the left corner, around turn 2 or 3. I keep it around to monitor how they are moving. I make a guess it is a secondary force going for the small flag.
It turns out that they are not going this way, but straight down the map edge, and by turn 12 I positively identify 4 PZIIIJ with riding infantry accompanied by infantry on foot. (In fact I will find out a little later that there are 5 of them PZIIIJs...)

I brought my jeep a little too close. For a moment I think I can get it out of there, but no... first loss.

 

[Corsaire31]

By now, my troops have approached the big flag without spotting anything, and the second Jeep MG has made a dash on the right side and found nothing. Conclusion : a mass attack is coming in from my left down the side where I have almost nothing except one Sherman and the Stuart. After a little moment of "Don't panic !!" I make a rough estimate that if I can slow down the infantry with the lot of arty I have and may be shoot one or two tanks, there is no way he can grab the main flag in the 30+ turns, if I can set up a good defense. I will have plenty of time... I start moving one of the right Shermans towards the middle..

 

[Corsaire31]

The brown stuff starts hitting the fan on turn 16.

At 400m I decide to open fire with Sherman, thinking the 50mm from the PZIII will have a max 50% chance of piercing my armour at that distance. Good shot I knock down one of the PZIIIs...

These damn 50s have a fast rate of fire, so to try and help my Sherman, I have the bad idea to take the Stuart out of cover for a fast shoot and scoot in the side of the second PZIII. 1. The Sherman falls to the 50% chance... 2. The Stuart only scratches the PZIII and during the "scoot" phase takes a hit that damages the gun.
Later I try to pull it out of danger but it is knocked out...

 

[Corsaire31]

So I'm left with nothing on the left part of the map and 2 tanks out of the fight. Not a good start. Another of these "Don't panic !!" moments. By turn 18 the situation is as follows..

 

[Corsaire31]

I thought that my opponent would make a straight go at the big flag, but to my surprise (and relief) he goes for the small one first, which will cost him time.
One of the PZIIIs continues straight ahead towards my mortar HT and the Sherman 1 I had repositioned. I try a lucky shoot and scoot, but it misses and I order my mortar HT to get out of the way, which means I can't use it. Another not so good news...

 

[Corsaire31]

His main force now is closing on the small flag.

I start a barrage fire to stop his infantry from crossing the road.

During these turns, I had time to organize a solid defense on the main flag.

 

[Corsaire31]

My Jeep MG coming back from all around the map starts opening fire on the approaching infantry. Another bad luck, there is a HMG with them and the Jeep lasts one turn. The crew will spend the rest of the time eating grapes...

A few shells start landing around the small flag to slow down the infantry.

 

[Corsaire31]

By now my sniper starts having LOS on the tanks again and make them close the hatch.

I spot the Co HQ riding on one of the tanks. First shot closes the hatch...

Second shot dismounts the Co HQ which will have to walk from now on...

 

[Corsaire31]

The lone PZIII gets the same treatment, but due to the short distance, I am quite confident the tank commander has had it...

This will prove true a little later when the crew calls it quit and bails out.

 

[Corsaire31]

My Sherman 3 by the main flag gets a LOS at around 700m and I decide to let it fire as I don't fear the 50mms at that distance. Scores a hit on one of the PZIIIs and as I expected the return fire just scratches the paint.

I don't want to risk a gun damage so I pull the Sherman out of view with 50 mm shells bouncing off.

 

[Corsaire31]

By now I am quite confident he won't make it to the main flag in time. His infantry progresses under fire from HMGs and the shells of the M4 HT which is now operating again after I moved the spotting Co HQ.

With own smoke fire to plug the hole, I reposition the Sherman 3 by the flag, while the Sherman 2 is moving to have a flank shot at the PZIIIs if they move across the map.

 

[Corsaire31]

The plotting of the last 56 81 mm rounds is done.

The "defensive kill box" is set between the woods edge and the road.

 

[Corsaire31]

In fact it never had to be used because game ends, giving me a tactical victory 68/32.

Conclusion : After some real worries when I saw his whole force coming down the side where I had almost nothing, and specially after loosing the Sherman and the Stuart, I was for the rest of the game confident he could not make it on time to the main flag, specially after he chose a longer way by going to the small one first. It was a strange "no contest" game with very few losses. My whole Inf Co never fired one single shot...

I proposed a rematch on place and date of his choice.

 

[Lighthorse]

Enjoy your AAF.
And I know the

After a little moment of "Don't panic !!"

so well. Hahaha

LH
:whoo:

 

[Corsaire31]

Thks for reading it. I always enjoy reading other players AARs as well, always something to learn... The "Don't panic!!" moments of silence and grabbing the desk are hopefully balanced by "Yeah!!" moments generally accompanied by an indian dance around the playing room, and wife/girlfriend opening the door to ask if you're OK !!