(Playtest) - Valley Lake - AK

[Jonny]

Points Used - About 16k Per Side
Battle Type - Meeting Engagement
Turns - 50 Fixed
Sides - German Mech Vs American Mech
Forces -
Time of Day - Mid Day
Map Size - 2Km*2Km
Link - http://www.thefewgoodmen.com/FGMForum/downloads.php?do=file&id=1073
vs AI or H2H - Designed for H2H but may work as Axis Vs AI


My latest scenario "Valley Lake" is ready for playtesting.

16k points so it's a biggy!

Based around mechanised forces in a meeting engagement racing from either side of a valley to capture the river crossings and bridgheads beyond!

I can either play it H2H with someone or 2 others can play it!

Doesn't need to be played blind as forces should be balanced if not perfectly mirrored.

 

[Jonny]

Ok my opponent, titi went away for 2 weeks so there's been a little bit of a lull, i feel its time for a general overview with some juicy action shots. All comments/criticism/advice welcome


Armor:

Spoiler

The armor battle got off to a quick start

My first kill coming in 13 seconds, the blast causes the inf dismount in the adjacent 2 trucks, serves him right for grouping his forces together in the open lol.

Air support reigns supreme

Spoiler

The trucks that survived the above explosion didn't survive this one

This rocket strike fails to KO this Panzer IV but it makes a nice explosion

This shot proves the worth of strafes against soft skins and light armored vehicles

This is one of the most effective strafes i've seen, 3 vehicles taken out

The infantry proves its worth

Spoiler

A vet Bazooka team takes out a moving halftrack at 103m

And the crew is quickly dispatched.

And then it takes another moving one out at 169m i'm very impressed with his performance.

Cpl Coward proves he's no coward and Cpl Steel displays he is infact made of steel

This elite zook team takes out a scout car at 89m first shot, to be honest tho i'd be suprised if he missed.

My armor, artillery and air support forced titi to dismount his troops and in his haste to rush for all the flags he tries to force a river crossing without smoke, bad idea a hail of MG fire rains down on them and he is turned back.

I managed to drop this flamethrower duo into the woods by the western crossing, they have already routed 1 or 2 shreck teams and then this panzergrenadier/recon squad.

Their brave halftrack crew that delivered them were heroicly killed by a shreck team.

The rifle grenades are proving pretty deadly too, this one takes out a scout car

It's quite hard to see but there is the grenade being fired by the top squad and is just beyond the wall but before the road.

And even the arty gets in on the act.

Spoiler

105mm Arty takes out a few HTs

General Tactical Situation

Spoiler

Overall i think i'm in good shape, titi rushed his HTs forward and i took most of them out. I still have mechanised platoons in their HT and they are now movinging in for the flank crossings.

I intend to not force the centre bridge, just hold my side and take the flank crossings and crush him from both sides.

I already have one inf plt on my right flank across, plus the 2 FTs but i havn't seen many troops here. The first HTs of another mech plt are crossing the ford.

On my left flank i'm just about to send 2 FTs in half tracks across the ford, there are lots of troops there and i must have broken a considerable amount of troops as i have pounded them with 105mm and 81mm arty, 60mm mortars, and 75mm tank fire aswell as several MGs covering the scene. Hopefully the FTs will get into the scattered trees and cause havoc followed up by an mech plt in HTs.

I think titi's haste has caused him his problems, things look good And just look how many KO's there are on his side of the river!

 

[Jonny]

Just Finished this one TCP/IP. We Ceasefired on turn 45.

I managed to cross the river at 3 places, my opponent said he set up defencive positions up the hill expecting me to attack up there, i held at the crossings but now my supply routes were cut by his many tanks, i just couldn't get my troops in HTs up to the front.

He counter attacked and pretty much swept me aside. Some very brutal artillary action on both sides, the 120mm proving very effective.

The 75mm Guns performed dissapointingly, they got a kill ratio of 1:1 on average. The gun HTs were also dissapointing.

Allied air power was crushing, 2 planes took out 3 tanks in one turn A stuka did turn up but was shot down before it could take anything out.

So what I think I'm gonna change is:

1. Give the Americans some .50 cal machine guns, the MG-42s have a significant range advantage over the BrowningM1919s

2. Double the arty at the half way point

3. Give the Germans a plt of StuGs

My opponent dissagrees with me on the last point but i think it's needed

My question to you: Was i just rubbish with the Gun HTs or are they any good?

 

[Jonny]

Update on AAR

Spoiler

On the left things are moving well, 2 FTs are across and are causing havoc. One of the gun HTs that was threatening the crossing got took out and the remaining ones cannot see the ford, going to rush this crossing soon. There is a jeep with another FT and a HT with a FT and a MG crossing now.

Titi has called in an arty strike which is causing me some problems but not slowing the crossing.

FTs in Action

Regular Zook takes out a HT at 131m

On my right things are going ok

Spoiler

The original FTs I got across have been eliminated, after expending all their ammo however. I have another 2 FTs across and in the woods, havn't caused any casualties but it has forced my opponent to pull back, should be able to get some inf in HTs up there.

The HT crossing on my far right has been wiped out, one of the HTs running off the map, i'll move this plt across this ford as a flanking/distraction maneuver.

I'm moving the bulk of my forces up to the main ford.

 

[Jonny]

Update to DAR


Well not everythings going to plan

Typical, in my game as the axis the only plane to show its face was a Stuka that got shot down before it fired a shot, this time of Titis MEs gets a 500lb bomb right in the middle of my bridghead.

Spoiler

Despite that, i manage to get a in HTs across, just one more flag to secure at this river crossing.

On the Left I've got my bridgehead starting to break out.

 

[Jonny]

Spoiler

 

[Jonny]

Update to DAR

Spoiler

Well it seems that Titi's running away trick was a trap to get me to try and quickly break out of the bridghead. I run into a plt or more of inf, they must be rattled/pinned as they actually havn't done much damage but i'm going to throw in some demo charges and rush some HTs up just in case.

On my right the march on the final flag is progressing well, i'm bringing my armor up in support.

 

[Jonny]

Update to DAR

Spoiler

On the left, the enemy forces i thought were going to thwart my plans are swept away.

Demo charges go in

And soon they are all dead

On the right I have got a good foothold on the final flag

We've agreed to a ceasefire, just waiting on the return file to find out the result, i would guess i'd get a tac or major victory.

 

[Jonny]

We are done!

Tactical victory to me

More detailed analysis to follow.

 

[Jonny]

Ok i'm starting a new playtest against Cargol. Cargol if you come across this just don't read anything in spoiler tags

Spoiler

Cargol has gone for the americans (i'm suprised i would have thought he'd have gone for the germans)

You can see the paths i intend to take. I have set up a Pak Front with 4 JdPZ IVs on top of my ridge. Cargol has 2 Plt of sherman so I expect him to do what i did and put one on top of his ridge and the other in reserve. He may hide all of his tanks, either way this will suit me. I plan to shoot my scout cars and a few gun HTs out straight away to get his tanks to fire then my JgPz will rip them to shreds, while the shermans are being kept busy I will rush a CO of inf in HTs out to as many flags as I can get.

My mechinised forces prepare to move out.

My Mobile Pak Front with AA and arty support.