tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68110664931449616982024-03-14T12:44:13.593+01:0015mm WarfareA Flames of War(tm) BlogFredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-23440107990634776252011-02-08T10:50:00.000+01:002011-02-08T10:50:11.517+01:00US Weapons platoonOne of the first platoons I painted up for my US Riflemen was the Weapons platoon, because I figured every US force needed this kind of thing. Turns out I was fooling myself. I used it for two games and it didn't do anything at all, really. <br />
<br />
The platoon is divided up into two sections: light machine guns and light mortars. You always get three 60mm mortars, which could be useful in a direct fire mode or to pin the enemy, but if you have other artillery, you're better off using that as the 60mm has a lousy fire power rating. When it comes to the LMGs, you get 1 section (two teams) for the standard 85 point platoon, and can expand this to 2 sections (four teams) for an additional 35 points, making the full platoon (minus Jeep) come in at 130 points. This is way too much, in my opinion. The mortars aren't good enough to warrant the price, and the LMGs are all but useless, unless you're playing against an infantry horde who's about to assault you. You get ROF 5 FP 6, which is fairly ok, but the range of 40cm makes the LMGs rank in among the worst in the game for infantry MGs. <br />
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I have been meaning to put the platoon in again, attaching the LMGs to my rifle platoons and keeping the mortars in a platoon of their own, but I always find I have a better use for 130 points. For larger games I tend to go with a machine gun platoon, giving you ROF 6 range 60cm weapons that you can attach out, and a mortar platoon giving you the much more useful 81mm mortars (which are capable of firing smoke). <br />
<br />
I don't know if I'm "doing it wrong", but I just find the weapons platoon to be next to useless. I would appreciate being called dumb and shown how to use them by any veteran US players out there.Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-34640919517391732002011-02-08T10:49:00.000+01:002011-02-08T10:49:36.123+01:00To air or not to air<div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.frpgames.com/products/product_31185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="289" src="http://images.frpgames.com/products/product_31185.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Air support can be such a boon, both on the attack and on the defense. The best us poor Allied saps can get in mid-war is 5 dice, ranging in at about 130-140 points, but I find that having aircraft at your disposal has such a great effect on what your opponent does that it's worth having a few dice of it wether they decide to appear or not.<br />
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I use the P-40 Warhawk, which in my opinion is the best US plane of this era (the P-38 Lightning isn't far off, but I'd rather have that extra chance to hit with MGs than that extra point of AT), and the US planes rank fairly low when it comes to effective air power. The British Hurricane IIC and D are pure monsters in comparison, with their AT 11 cannons, capable of murdering tanks and anything else that stand in their way. The German flying tanks are a pain as well, requiring rerolls of successful ack-ack firepower tests. The two latter planes make air power virtually essential for those armies, but for the US, it's more touch and go in my opinion. <br />
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I take air power only if I have spare points after getting everything else that I want. I don't make it a priority for me, and I'd rather take AAA than aircraft, although this will no doubt change when I get into late game matches with my US infantry.Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-11481126397027433272011-02-07T02:13:00.005+01:002011-02-09T12:16:13.989+01:00Battlereport: US Rifle Company vs British Armored Squadron 1400 pts<div>Yesterday, the monthly campaign meeting was taking place at our local hobby center, so me and Jesper figured we'd get a game in at the same time. I had challenged him earlier to an oil-match - a campaign connected game that only gives oil points (a form of credits); see full campaign rules <a href="http://www.wizard-games.com/download/FoW_Tale_v1.3.pdf">here</a> (.pdf) - and now we finally had a chance to face off. <br />
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</div><div></div><div>Jesper's list is a monster. In a hobby center tournament a couple of weeks ago, he finished second with this list (I finished sixth), and only lost the top place because the time ran out. The list relies on speed and massed assaults rather than long range fire-power, and is ably backed up by loads of artillery and air power. In short, my prospects for winning didn't look good. My own list is very defensive and slow, so I was a tad worried that Jesper would concentrate on a part of my line and simply blast through it. I needed something to counter this, and I figured I'd try to trick him. Turns out I totally underestimated the speed his list was capable of.</div><div></div><div>We rolled up the scenario Fighting Withdrawal, with Jesper attacking me.<br />
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<a name='more'></a></div><div></div><div><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The armies</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div>I was using my standard defensive infantry-AT list, complete with artillery, some air and a few Shermans for heavy support:<br />
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</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Company HQ, 60 pts</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 2 Carbine team</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 2 Bazooka team</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><strong>3 <span style="color: black;">Rifle Platoon</span>, 110 pts</strong><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 HQ Section</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 Rifle team</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 Bazooka team</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 2 Rifle Squad</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 3 Rifle team</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 <span style="color: black;">Anti-tank Platoon</span>, 90 pts</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 HQ Section</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 Carbine team</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 4 Gun Section</div> 1 M3 37mm gun (Gun shield)<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 <span style="color: black;">Anti-tank Platoon</span>, 100 pts</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 HQ Section</div> 1 Carbine team<br />
3 Gun Section<br />
1 M1 57mm gun (Gun shield; No HE)<br />
<br />
<strong>1 <span style="color: black;">Anti-aircraft Artillery Platoon</span>, 105 pts</strong><br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Carbine team<br />
2 Automatic Weapons Section<br />
2 M1 Bofors gun (Anti-aircraft; Turntable)<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 <span style="color: black;">Field Artillery Battery</span>, 165 pts</strong></div> 1 HQ Section<br />
1 Carbine team<br />
1 Staff team<br />
1 Observer Carbine team<br />
1 Jeep<br />
2 Gun Section<br />
2 M2A1 105mm howitzer (Gun shield; Smoke)<br />
<br />
<strong>1 <span style="color: black;">Tank Platoon</span>, 460 pts</strong><br />
4 M4, M4A1, or M4A3 Sherman<br />
1 M3 75mm gun (Smoke)<br />
1 .50 cal AA MG<br />
1 Coax MG<br />
1 Hull MG<br />
<br />
<strong>1 Sporadic Air Support, 95 pts (P-40 Warhawk)</strong><br />
1 P-40 Warhawk<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 MG</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 Bombs<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Total List Cost: 1405<br />
<br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesper's speedy list:</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Company HQ, 185 pts</strong><br />
4 'Honey' Stuart I or III (Light Tank)<br />
1 M5 37mm gun (No HE)<br />
1 Co-ax MG<br />
1 Hull MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Light Armoured Platoon, 140 pts</strong><br />
3 'Honey' Stuart I or III (Light Tank)<br />
1 M5 37mm gun (No HE)<br />
1 Co-ax MG<br />
1 Hull MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Light Armoured Platoon, 140 pts</strong><br />
3 'Honey' Stuart I or III (Light Tank)<br />
1 M5 37mm gun (No HE)<br />
1 Co-ax MG<br />
1 Hull MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Royal Horse Artillery Battery, 480 pts</strong><br />
1 HQ Troop<br />
1 'Honey' Stuart I or III (Light Tank)<br />
1 M5 37mm gun (No HE)<br />
1 Co-ax MG<br />
1 Hull MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
1 Staff team<br />
2 HQ Section<br />
1 Rifle team<br />
1 Observer Rifle team<br />
1 15 cwt truck<br />
4 Gun Section<br />
2 OQF 25 pdr gun (Gun shield; Smoke; Turntable)<br />
1 Firing Bombardment (Smoke Bombardment)<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Scout Platoon, 135 pts</strong><br />
1 Scout Patrol (Reconnaissance Platoon)<br />
3 Universal Carrier<br />
1 Hull .50 cal MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
1 Hull MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Heavy Armored Car Platoon, 210 pts (Reconnaissance Platoon)</strong><br />
3 Boarhound I </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 Co-ax MG</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> 1 Hull MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
1 OQF 6 pdr gun (No HE)<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1 Limited Air Support, 135 pts</strong><br />
1 Hurricane IID<br />
1 Cannon<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Total List Cost: 1425<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>My plan and deployment</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Looking at the battlefield and the way the objectives were positioned, I decided to attempt a version of the "Refused Flank" tactic, where I appear strong on one flank prompting my opponent to attack the other. Given the rules of the scenario, I knew I had to start withdrawing platoons at turn 3, and I didn't want to have to withdraw a platoon in the face of the enemy. Drawing from experience, I knew that my Rifle Platoons would be severely beat up when faced with the many MGs of the light tanks, and I also knew that Jesper didn't want to attack head long into a wall of infantry backed up by heavy guns. Therfore, I opted to deploy two strong infantry platoons covering the right and center objectives, backed up by artillery to the right and AAA guns in the center. I deployed the third infantry platoon slightly left of the center objective, stretched towards the left, placing only 37mm AT guns on the left-most objective. I wanted Jesper to sneak around the woods on my left flank, across the hill and go for the left-most objective. I had a 57mm AT gun platoon in reserve, and my Shermans weren't far away, so I felt confident I could hold him there and decimate his platoons. I was worried about the capabilities of his artillery, as he had a full 8-gun battery which gives him some nasty special rules when firing both at the same target. Because of this, I spread out my teams as much as possible, trying to ensure that any single artillery-template wouldn't hit more than one, or a maximum of two teams.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As I had expected, Jesper deployed his entire Stuart force on my left, aimed at the small gap between the woods and the edge of the table. The Boar deployed in the center, looking like they were about to enter the small piece of wood there. The artillery was spread out in the rear, looking terribly intimidating. The HQ Stuart of the artillery platoon was deployed with the other tanks, and the recce element of 3 Universal Carriers armed with .50-cal machine guns deployed in front of the tanks. I was facing 11 Stuarts and 3 Universal Carriers on an extremely overloaded flank. This looked like it would get ugly.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1246288214"><img alt="image name" height="200" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/Setup.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/Setup.jpg">Deployment</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/Setup.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/Setup.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Turn 1</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The British recce and Stuarts advanced up the left flank, wildly exceeding the speed I had estimated. There were within centimeters from being able to launch a turn 1 assault. The Boarhounds trudged into the forest in front of them, one of the cars bogging down in the rough terrain. The two spotters advanced to more advantageous spots from which to have a nice view of the entirety of the American lines. Three Royal Airforce Hurricane II D showed up, targeting the righ-most Sherman, looking to fire their cannons at everything that moved. Smoke canisters were fired from half the British artillery battery, raining down in my center and obstructing the view for two of the Bofors ack-ack guns. Simultaneously on the left flank, the second half of the battery opened fire on the 37mm AT guns, spotting them on their own, but failing to hit the target. The front Stuarts opened up on the same target with their machine guns, but the gun-pits deflected the shots. The Boarhounds tried to shoot the two unobscured Bofors guns, hit twice but had their shots deflected as well. So far it was looking pretty good for me. Then the .50-cals of the recce element opened up on the 37mm guns. Two hits were scored, two gun saves were failed, and two 5+ firepower rolls were made. Two guns bit the dust. Finally, the two unobscured Bofors guns opened up on the Hurricanes, blowing all three of them out of the sky.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In response to the extremely rapid British advance on my left, the Shermans cranked up their engines and started snaking around the woods on my center-left, headed towards the sea of Stuarts. An ambushing line of 57mm AT guns were revealed covering the open ground between the building and the hill in my deployment zone. Everything else remained in their gun-pits. The 105mm artillery battery opened up my shooting, ranging in on the Boarhounds with a Time On Target bombardment, but failed to score any hits. The two surviving 37mm AT guns poured shots into the British Universal Carriers, scoring three penetrating hits which bailed 2 and killed the last outright. The 57mm guns opened up on the same target, bailing the two remaining carriers once again, prompting them to fail their moral check and going home. I sat back and braced myself for the coming assault.<br />
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</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1246288225"><img alt="image name" height="200" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn1.jpg">Turn 1</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn1.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn1.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
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<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Turn 2</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Two more Hurricanes showed up, aiming at the Shermans once again, the brave British pilots apparently unfazed by the fate of the pilots in the last turn. The front Stuart platoon move up together with the Fearless Veteran artillery battery commander and the 2IC, to get into assault range of my 37mm AT guns. The rear-most Stuart platoon, with the company commander to the rear, move around the woods, closing in on the 57mm AT guns. The bogged down Boarhound must have blown a tire, as he's stuck for another turn, and the last spotter gets in place to start raining down artillery fire in case the battery can't spot for themselves. The Boarhounds open up the shooting phase, training their 75mm guns on the Shermans. They score two hits, one of which is saved. The other shot penetrates the armor of the lead Sherman and a terrible explosion kill everyone inside. The rear-most Stuart platoon open up with MGs on the Bofors guns but can't score a direct hit. The gunners duck and cover, safe from the bullets whistling above, but unable to operate their guns with any efficiency. Half of the artillery battery tries to range in on the Bofors guns, but can't find the proper elevation, while the other half does the same and manages to hit and pin the 57mm guns, the AT crew cowering in their gun pits. Finally, the front Stuart platoon together with the two independent tanks open fire on the last two 37mm AT guns and their commander, scoring lots of hits and pinning the platoon. Two pinned Bofors ack-ack open up on the Hurricanes aiming for the Shermans. One of the two planes is shot down, but the last one presses home the attack, hitting the rear-most two tanks, causing one to explode and the other to bail out. The Stuarts launches an assault on the 37mm. the AT guns managing to get a couple of shots of, bailing the Stuart 2IC. The rest of the tanks hit home, killing a gun team and the platoon commander, but the final gun refuses to budge. <br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Being down two Shermans, the remaining to duck into the woods to be out of sight for the Boarhounds and artillery, and within striking distance from objective 1. The movement phase thus concluded, shooting commences. The pinned AT platoons both open up on the encroaching tanks, managing to bail the artillery commander, but not much else. The now un-pinned Bofors guns that didn't shoot ack-ack attempt to fire at the same targets, only being able to hit the bailed out tank. The Stuart is again bailed and fails its moral check, fleeing the table. Finally, the 105's range in with a TOT bombardment on the cluster of Stuarts behind the leftmost hill, hitting several tanks and destroying one of them and bailing another. The Stuarts now contest objective 1, which is still held by the last surviving 37mm AT gun and a single rifle team. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1246288235"><img alt="image name" height="200" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn2.jpg">Turn 2</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn2.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn2.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Turn 3</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Royal Airforce seems to have had enough of the heavy anti-aifcraft fire and decides not to show up. They have been much more effective than the US Air Force thus far, so nobody blames them. The Boarhounds move out of the woods, over the bridge towards the American lines. Both Stuart platoons shuffle forward, getting in position to assault the infantry team and AT gun holding the objective, as well as the 57mm AT guns. The Boarhounds attempt to dig out the Bofors with heavy fire, failing to score any hits. Both artillery platoons then conduct separate bombardments on the same target, managing to pin both the AAA guns and the 57mm AT guns. It looks like the 57mm's are going to have a rough time in the coming assault. The Stuarts blast away with their MGs, killing the objective claiming infantry team, and then conducts assaults first on the 37mm AT - destroying the last gun after having a tank knocked out by defensive fire - and then on the 57mm AT - suffering another dead Stuart and two destroyed AT guns. The American AT fire is going to be considerably cut in the next turn. Thank the maker for the Bofors guns!<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's time to withdraw a platoon, so the rightmost infantry retreats off the table in an ordered fashion. To make matters worse for the US forces, one of the two remaining Shermans decide it's had enough driving around in the forest and promptly hits a large rock, bogging the tank down (Jesper referred to this as an 'epic bog'). The Sherman platoon commander safely exits the forest and drives up so that he's barrel to barrel with a Stuart. The infantry platoon to the left rushes towards the objective in hopes of surviving the inevitable assault in the next turn. Fire is concentrated on the Stuarts, the bazooka team attached to the rifle platoon managing to bail the Stuart 2IC. The Sherman with his gun barrel more or less adjascent to a Stuart misses the barn-door-shot, and the 57mm AT doesn't fare any better. Once again, it comes down to the Bofors guns, pouring fire into the two closest Stuarts, bailing them both which causes the crews to gun it off the table.The valiant AAA guns also manage to bail one of the approaching Boarhounds. Artillery rounds rain down in the same spot as last turn, bailing yet another Stuart. Lots of hits, but poor firepower rolls.<br />
<br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1246288245"><img alt="image name" height="200" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn3.jpg">Turn 3</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn3.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn3.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Turn 4</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">With one of the Stuart platoons gone, the independent Stuarts join up with the surviving platoon to form a five-tank assault force. They move around the South of the hill, maneuvering into position to be able to assault the infantry without drawing defensive fire from the Sherman beyond. The Boarhounds roll forwards, lining up a shot on that same Sherman's side armor with their powerful AT 10 guns. Firing, they hit the American tank once. As the shot was from long range, the Sherman armor counts as 5, and a 6 is rolled as a save, making the shell bounce harmlessly off the side of the tank. Half the artillery bombards the Bofors but miss with all shots, and the other half ranges in on the US company commander, hitting three teams and pinning the infantry platoon that is about to be assaulted. As it turns out, pinning that platoon was redundant, as the Stuarts trounces them with machine gun fire, killing four teams outright. The riflemen find their courage and stay on the field of battle, and the Stuarts occupies the vacated positions.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The center infantry platoon withdraws in good order. The bogged-down Sherman manages to circle the rock and reach the edge of the forest, mere meters away from the rampaging Stuarts. The Sherman platoon commander circles around the hill to get away from the Boarhound fire, keeping the Stuarts in his sights at all times. The three surviving teams from the left-most infantry platoon withdraws into the forest, using the company commander to give directions as their own platoon commander got killed. The artillery opens up on the Boarhounds who are getting perilously close to the center objective (which I can't remove in turn 6, as I placed it), but misses the gigantic armored cars. The Bofors guns once again shows how it's done and kills one Boarhound, making their tally thus far 1 Stuart and 1 Boarhound killed, 3 bailed and 4 planes shot down. The Shermans and the 57mm AT pours heavy shells into the Stuarts, killing four outright and bailing the last one. The sole survivor - the company 2IC - manages to pass his moral check, but the British assault on the left flank is irreparably broken up.<br />
<br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1246288255"><img alt="image name" height="200" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn4.jpg">Turn 4</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn4.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn4.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Turn 5</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The last surviving Stuart gets back into his vehicle and drives to position his gun barrel in the exhaust pipe of the Sherman platoon commander. The Boarhounds creep up on the Bofors guns, firing as they go. The artillery joins in, firing smoke and shells on the AAA, destroying one of the guns and masking the rest in a thick blanket of smoke. The plucky Stuart fires and the shell thuds into the rear armor of the Sherman platoon commander, making the crew take cover in the bottom of the tank. The Boarhounds are now the one's who must clutch this for the Brits, and they assault the pinned down Bofors guns, who, true to form, hits and bails one of the armored cars. The other one destroys the AAA gun, and ends up close enough to scare the crew off of a third immobile gun, winning the assault and contesting the center objective, still held by the last Bofors gun.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The decimated infantry in the woods make a tactical withdrawal in good order. The Sherman platoon commander decides that the Stuart shot was probably just the wind and gets his crew back in position, gunning the engine towards the Boarhounds, the second Sherman joining in. The 105 battery fails to locate the sneaky armored cars and fails to fire. Both the sole surviving 57mm AT gun and the Shermans fire all their shots into the bailed Boarhound, but doesn't manage to hit it. The coming assault on the last Bofors gun - who managed to survive the moral check and un-pin - will decide the game. <br />
<br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1246288265"><img alt="image name" height="200" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn5.jpg">Turn 5</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn5.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn5.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Turn 6</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Nothing much to do for the Brits. The last Stuart once again finds the exhaust pipe of the Sherman platoon commander, and the un-bailed Boarhound gets in position for the final assault, his companion refusing to resume control of his vehicle. Smoke from the artillery conceals the Bofors gun and the Boarhound. This will be a duel to the death! The rest of the british shooting - an artillery troop and the Stuart - concentrate on the Shermans, the Stuart once more managing to bail the tank. The Boarhound fires on the AAA but scores only two hits, failing to pin the gun. The assault proceeds nevertheless, but withering defensive fire makes the crew of the armored car take cover in the rear of the vehicle. The American gunners senses victory and passes their counter attack check, claiming the Boarhound as a trophy. With that, the Brits senses that all is lost and the commander - Jesper - conceeds defeat with a stretched out hand.<br />
<br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1246288274"><img alt="image name" height="200" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn6.jpg">Turn 6</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div></div><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn6.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/turn6.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The result and my thoughts</strong></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The match ended as a 5-2 victory to the Americans, but that doesn't really reflect how close this game was, or how I managed to make several crucial platoon moral checks in the closing turns. Jesper's dice rolling wasn't bad, but my luck was were it counted today, and that's what gave me the victory.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My plan worked perfectly. Jesper did exactly what I wanted him to do. The problem was that I severely underestimated the sheer velocity his wee tanks could acheive. I had anticipated being assaulted on turn 3, but it came already in turn 2, almost catching me napping. I also hadn't anticipated the accurate and deadly fire from the Boarhounds, nor that a single British aircraft could be so deadly. Despite all this I prevailed, and together with luck, I'd say sticking to my original plan was what clutched it for me. <br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I find it not a little ironic that the day after I decide to give up on Bofors guns and adopt a mobile anti-aircraft philosophy, the Swedish made guns showed true brilliance, even managing to ultimately deliver the killing blow to the British. If I were to select a man of the match, that honor would with no hesitation go to them. My Shermans also had a good game, after being almost broken in turn 2. They saved my bacon on the left flank, together with the 57mm AT gun. My AT guns proved extremely difficult to get rid of, making their platoon moral checks with gusto, and the delaying infantry to the left did their part as well. Even the artillery, which I normally haven't had much luck with, had their moments of glory, killing and bailing tanks. The two infantry platoons on the right did their job as well, which was to keep still and out of trouble, and then to withdraw orderly. Job well done, men!<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When it comes to Jesper's command of his forces, I can't fault him. He plays his list very well, and if I had bee in his shoes, I wouldn't have changed anything he did, with the possible exception of once in a while taking advantage of the fact that he had an eight-gun battery, if for no other reason than that it's extremely cool. We both agreed that it was a good and close game, and I think we even managed to keep the interest of our weathered game judge, who stayed way longer than anyone expected him to, seeing the game to a finish. Thanks for that, Staffan.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Jesper, if you want to do your own summary, just send me a text file and I'll update.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Have a good one, everybody. <br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Until next time,<br />
<br />
Fredrik</div><br />
*UPDATE* Some pictures from the game:<br />
<br />
<table><tr> <td> <a href="http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/?action=view&current=Foto0464.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/th_Foto0464.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a></TD> <td> <a href="http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/?action=view&current=Foto0463.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/th_Foto0463.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a></TD> <td> <a href="http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/?action=view&current=Foto0461.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/th_Foto0461.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a></TD> <td> <a href="http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/?action=view&current=Foto0462.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR2/th_Foto0462.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a></TD> </TR>
</TABLE>Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-45181441345443254652011-02-05T08:08:00.000+01:002011-02-05T08:08:24.288+01:00US AAA Battery updateReflecting a bit on my last post on my Bofors 40mm, I went ahead and ordered a couple of half-track quad-.50cals. The reason for this is primarily two-fold:<br />
<br />
I've had mixed success with my Bofors. It basically all comes down to deployment, and given our usual gaming table of 6 by 4 foot, 4 large bases tend to take up a lot of space in your deployment area - space that is already needed for artillery pieces and your advancing troops. I don't like bunching my guns up, as that attracts counter-battery fire, so I have had to cram the AAA into sometimes unfavorable terrain. <br />
<br />
The other reason is basic mobility. This is especially important on the attack, and as a part of my ongoing struggle to get better at attacking with my infantry, I'm going to give them some close fire support with heavy machine guns in armored cars. <br />
<br />
There's also the added benefit of bringing the cost down. With mobile AAA I can take a single section of two vehicles, instead of a full battery of four, cutting points costs by 25 points. That doesn't seem like much, but it represents an extra bazooka team and transports. <br />
<br />
I'm going to try painting these vehicles up for the next round of our campaign. This will allow me to flesh an infantry squad out by another section and to take limited air support instead of sporadic. Hopefully this'll help me win that damned round.Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-34408085698819182332011-02-04T12:13:00.000+01:002011-02-04T12:47:40.561+01:00Battlereport: 1300pts US Rifle vs Italian Berzaglieri<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></div><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As part of an ongoing campaign at our local hobby center, me and Jonas were going to face off at the 1300 point level. First, a quick rundown on how the campaign works:</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Each player gets to challenge another player. A win gives 4-6 points, depending on how solid the victory was. A loss gives 2 points, and a draw 3 points. The points are spent during a campaign meeting each month, allowing you to claim territory, build ships, factories and other things to help your side claim the overall victory. You also get to chose a strategy each month that applies to your campaign battles. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Jonas had challenged me, so battle had to follow. My army was already finished, but Jonas had to cram in some late painting sessions to be able to field his Berzaglieri, and even so, one of his platoons weren't even based yet. Moral victory to me! I went for my standard list with a slight alteration; the 57mm AT guns were replaced with a heavy machine gun platoon, and the 40mm Bofors ack-ack were traded for a two-section 81mm mortar platoon, as I knew I'd be facing a bunch of infantry. Jonas' Bersaglieri list was basically him cramming in all his infantery; two full Berzaglieri platoons with all the bells and whistles, a mortar platoon as artillery and some Carri and AT. Both lists were at 1420 points, so we were equally heavy. As per the campagin rules, we were able to add on an extra 10% to the points level, so we were close to the limit.</div><a name='more'></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
A few notes: This battle report isn't a complete and accurate representation of the game, nor does it aspire to be. It is as close as I can remember the game, but there are bound to be things omitted due to insignificance, or things I simply forgot about. The battle maps do not include the Italian mortar platoon as they had absolutely no impact on the game.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Starting Step and Deployment</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Jonas' army list:</strong><br />
<br />
Italian Battaglione Bersaglieri List<br />
1 Battalion HQ, 35 pts (Immobile Division; Passaglia Bombs)<br />
2 Rifle team<br />
1 Bersaglieri Company, 280 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Rifle/MG team (Passaglia Bombs)<br />
2 Bersaglieri Group<br />
2 Rifle/MG team (Passaglia Bombs)<br />
1 Mod 37 HMG<br />
1 47/32 gun<br />
1 20/65 gun (Anti-aircraft; Turntable)<br />
1 Bersaglieri Company, 365 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Rifle/MG team (Passaglia Bombs)<br />
1 Bersaglieri Group<br />
2 Rifle/MG team (Passaglia Bombs)<br />
1 Mod 37 HMG<br />
1 47/32 gun<br />
2 Bersaglieri Group<br />
2 Rifle/MG team (Passaglia Bombs)<br />
1 Mod 37 HMG<br />
1 47/32 gun<br />
1 Solothurn anti-tank rifle<br />
1 Heavy Anti-aircraft Platoon, 220 pts<br />
2 Gun Section<br />
1 Lancia da 90/53 (Awkward Layout; Overloaded; Slow Tank; Stabiliser Jacks)<br />
1 90/53 gun (Heavy Anti-aircraft)<br />
1 Bersaglieri Mortar Platoon, 100 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Rifle team<br />
1 Observer Rifle team<br />
3 Mortar Section<br />
1 81/14 mortar (Smoke Bombardment)<br />
1 Carri Platoon, 325 pts<br />
5 M14/41 (Improvised Armour)<br />
1 47/32 gun<br />
1 Co-ax MG<br />
1 Twin hull MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
1 Armoured Car Platoon, 95 pts (Reconnaissance Platoon)<br />
3 AB41<br />
1 20/65 gun<br />
1 Co-ax MG<br />
1 Hull-rear MG (Hull Mounted)<br />
Total List Cost: 1420<br />
<br />
<strong>My army list:</strong><br />
<br />
US Rifle Company List<br />
1 Company HQ, 60 pts<br />
2 Carbine team<br />
2 Bazooka team<br />
1 Rifle Platoon, 110 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Rifle team<br />
1 Bazooka team<br />
2 Rifle Squad<br />
3 Rifle team<br />
1 Rifle Platoon, 110 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Rifle team<br />
1 Bazooka team<br />
2 Rifle Squad<br />
3 Rifle team<br />
1 Rifle Platoon, 110 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Rifle team<br />
1 Bazooka team<br />
2 Rifle Squad<br />
3 Rifle team<br />
1 Anti-tank Platoon, 90 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Carbine team<br />
4 Gun Section<br />
1 M3 37mm gun (Gun shield)<br />
1 Field Artillery Battery, 165 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Carbine team<br />
1 Staff team<br />
1 Observer Carbine team<br />
1 Jeep<br />
2 Gun Section<br />
2 M2A1 105mm howitzer (Gun shield; Smoke)<br />
1 Firing Bombardment (Smoke Bombardment)<br />
1 Mortar Platoon, 85 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Carbine team<br />
2 Mortar Section<br />
2 M1 81mm mortar (Smoke Bombardment)<br />
1 Machine-gun Platoon, 100 pts<br />
1 HQ Section<br />
1 Carbine team<br />
2 Machine-gun Section<br />
2 M1917 HMG<br />
1 Tank Platoon, 460 pts<br />
4 M4, M4A1, or M4A3 Sherman<br />
1 M3 75mm gun (Smoke)<br />
1 .50 cal AA MG<br />
1 Coax MG<br />
1 Hull MG<br />
1 Limited Air Support, 130 pts (P-40 Warhawk)<br />
1 P-40 Warhawk<br />
1 MG<br />
1 Bombs<br />
Total List Cost: 1420</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image name" border="0" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Map.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battlefield</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The battlefield was a 6 by 4 setup with woods scattered about and a few houses in the center and left side. A hill dominated the right side. We rolled up the mission "No Retreat" which meant we were playing a Defensive Battle. Because of the Berzaglieri special rule, Jonas was the defender and I had to attack. I really hate attacking with infantry, as I have no transports and a lot of slow and bulky teams. However, the terrain looked like it favored infantry sneaking through the woods for an all out assault claiming the objectives, so I had hopes for claiming the victory. <br />
<br />
Because Jonas had selected a strategy called Careful Planning, I had to deploy my entire force and surrender the first turn to him, despite the scenario rules claiming the opposite. Because of this, I took great pains to ensure he couldn't pick my guys off on his first turn. The other problem with this was that his reserves would be coming in sooner than anticipated, so time was of the essence. I therefore deployed my forces with a turn 3 assault in mind. My strategy was Hardened Veterans which allowed me to select two platoons and either give them an extra skill level or an extra motivation level. I opted to make my artillery and tank platoons into veterans.<br />
<br />
Jonas deployed his two full Berzaglieri platoons covering the entire line. Because we were playing across the long edge of the board, he had less territory to cover, and since all his troops were entrenched, his defence looked pretty solid already, and that was with three platoons off the table and one in Ambush. I hoped that a strong push on the southern (my left) flank would break through and allow me to claim the furthest objective.</div><br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Setup.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"><br />
<img alt="image name" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Setup.jpg" width="100" /></a><br />
Deployment<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Turns 1-2</span><br />
<br />
Jonas kicked off the game doing not much of anything. He sniped one of my AT guns with one of his own, but as he had no artillery and nothing else in range, his turn was quick and easy. I moved all my guys up towards the enemy, the right flank infantry moving at the double to be able to enter the woods in the next turn. My tanks moved up to threaten his entrenched infantry while my artillery started trying to range in on whatever they could see to little effect. I was reinforced by two P-40 Warhawks, trying to bomb a couple of AT guns in the center near the closest objective, but these were both shot down by Italian ack-ack. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn1.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"><br />
<img alt="image name" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn1.jpg" width="100" /></a><br />
Turn 1<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank" title="Click to view"><img alt="image name" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn2.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>Turn2</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In his second turn, Jonas sprung his ambush, positioning his Lancia 90/53s in a concealed position behind some rubble to the rear of his southern Berzaglieri company. He fired on my Shermans, blowing one up and bailing another. At the same time, the infantry team he had positioned in the middle buildings shot at my infantry platoon that had gone At The Double, causing him to be able to fire at twice his ROF, causing one casualty, and the AT gun to the north sniped another of my 37mm. The US infantry then pushed up further, entering the southern forest and taking refuge behind the buildings in the center for the assault that was coming next turn. My artillery bombarded the Lancias, destroying one and bailing the other as well as taking out a 47/32 AT gun, giving my Shermans some respite to bail in the one tank and move up to be prepared to support the infantry. Meanwhile, a solitary P-40 and my mortars joined their fire and blew up the AT gun that was sniping my own 37mms to the north.<a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn2.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to view"></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Turn 3</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image name" border="0" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn3.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The first Italian reserves - a Carri platoon - arrived on the southern flank, moving up as far as they could. The bailed out Lancia jumped back in. Deprived of juicy Shermans to destroy, he opted to snipe an infantry team instead. Heavy machine gun and AT fire erupted all along the lines, causing some casualties in the center infantry blob, but not doing too much harm. It was time for the Big Push, and the US riflemen made ready for what was supposed to be the battle-winning assaults. The southern infantry exited the forest and moved to within striking distance of the Berzaglieri. The center blob moved up to assault the house containing a single Italian team, while the Shermans stood still to lend their fire to the assault. Artillery rained down on the lone Lancia and the southern Berzaglieri platoon, bailing the AT truck and pinning the infantry. The infantry fired all their shots killing nothing, and the tanks didn't fare better. Having no smoke concealing their movement, the southern US riflemen ran towards their adversary only to be countered by withering fire. Shattered, the assaulting platoon fell back to the woods. The forward platoon in the center assaulted the building but were also rejected by a hail of bullets, causing them to seek refuge further back, one team missing in action. Finally, it was down to the Shermans to show how it was done, and they assaulted the southern Berzaglieri, AT gun shells bouncing off their side armor. Three Italian infantry teams were destroyed, and the rest refused to counter attack, winning the assault for the Americans. A minor victory in what could have been a much better orchestrated assault. </div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Turn 4-5</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image name" border="0" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn4.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn 4</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Italian armored cars showed up in the center-North while the Carri to the South pushed up to support the beleagured infantry. The Lancia's crew once again manned their gun. Heavy machine guns and AT guns once again opened up, killing a couple of teams in the center while the Lancia destroyed another Sherman. The tanks - now outside the Lancia's field of fire - opted to stand and shoot at the Infantry and guns in front of them. The infantry in the center moved into new positions, while the 37mm AT guns in the North attempted to dig in, but found the ground too hard, breaking a few shovels in the process. The Shermans fired at the Carri, hitting three with penetrating shots but failing to destroy any of them. The remaning Lancia was finally dispatched with artillery and mortar fire. The northern Berzaglieri now started to advance together with the armored cars. A newly arrived mortar platoon took up positions to fire in the next turn while the Carri, joined by one of the three bailed out tanks, made a mad dash for the Shermans, getting two in position to fire at the weaker side armor of the American tanks. Machine guns, Solothurn AT rifles and 40/32 guns fired again at the center infantry, causing more casualties. The Southern platoon fired at the Shermans doing nothing, so it came down to the Carris to attempt to dispatch the US tanks. Three shots hit the Americans, two of them in the side, but none managed to penetrate the armor. The Carri were now standing right in the middle of some pissed off American tanks and within assault range of concealed Us Riflemen. It didn't look good for them. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image name" border="0" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn5.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn 5</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The now heavily depleted front infantry platoon in the center decided that it was now or never and moved into position to assault the house containing the lone Italian infantry team. Meanwhile, the rearmost platoon moved northwards to assault into the forest containing advancing Italians. Smoke rained down in the center, concealing the movements of the Americans and ensuring that the defensive fire would be kept at a minimum. The Shermans easily dispatched the invading Carri, but the two remaining tanks - both bailed out - wouldn't go home. The infantry in the center assaulted the house but didn't manage to kill the Italians, who promptly counter assaulted with two teams, destroying one American. The Americans found courage for a counter assault of their own, killing one Italian team, and then began a few turns of neither side managing to hit, until finally the last Italian team was destroyed. Victorious, the American platoon suddenly decided they had had enough and retreated off the table. Way to go, boys! The northern infantry, concealed by smoke, failed to make contact in face of surprisingly heavy defensive fire. They retreated to the woods they started the game in, and leaving the US center practically empty.</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Turn 6</span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image name" border="0" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn6.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn 6</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The entire Italian force on the northern flank advanced towards the American back-lines, getting into position to fire at the 37mm AT guns and the lone HMG team in the HMG platoon. The armored cars got to within 10 cm of the infantry in the forest, loading their machine guns to decimate the Americans. A couple of 40/32 guns to the rear took up firing position on the Shermans, while the southern Berzaglieri platoon took aim. The Shermans, HMG and 37mm came out of the firestorm unscathed, but the center infantry took heavy losses. The Italian Armored cars followed up with a swift assault into the forest. Defensive fire caused one of the three cars to bail out, but the two others followed through, killing their targets. The Americans attempted to counter assault but couldn't harm the Italian cars. In the second round of assault, the Italians killed all but the HQ of the American platoon, who promply failed their moral and had to break off. The lone surviving HQ then decided enough was enough and ran off the table. In a break-through assault, the Italian armored cars then dispatched the American company HQ, leaving the weakened American force close to surrender. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Shermans in the south bailed out another Carri, causing the platoon to finally pack it in. Artillery fell down but caused no damage anywhere, and the northern 37mm AT guns picked off an Italian team after having failed to dig in - again. The HMG platoon did manage to dig holes big enough to provide some cover, though.</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Turn 7 and Italian turn 8</span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image name" border="0" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn7.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Italian 40/32 AT guns decided to move a bit further to be able to hit the side armor of the Shermans. The armored cars followed up on their assault by moving through the forest, threatening to assault the HMG platoon in the next turn. The infantry in the northern woods moved up to the forest edge. Fire rained down on the Shermans, but they remained unscathed. Instead, they fired into the Italian guns, picking off an AT gun. The 37mm opted not to make a third attempt at digging in, instead wanting to fire at their full ROF at the Italians. That resulted in yet another Italian casualty, but nowhere near enough to break the platoon. Artillery failed miserably to stop the Italian armored cars, and the mortars braced themselves for a coming assault. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image name" border="0" height="100" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/Mathawk1/BR1/Turn8.jpg" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian Turn 8</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In what was to be the final turn of the game, the Italians moved up to assault the 37mm AT guns in the flank. Lacking turn-tables, the US guns wouldn't be able to provide defensive fire in that direction. The armored cars manouvered to assault the HMG platoon and the rest stood still and fired. The two 40/32 AT guns found their mark, bailing another Sherman. Only the platoon commander remained operative, and he didn't like the odds one bit, running off the table with his tail tucked between his legs. The armored cars fired into the HMG platoon, killing nothing, and the mortar platoon, killing a mortar team, and followed it up with an assault that dispatched the tiny American HMG platoon, and killed the mortar commander. The northern Italian infantry shot the 37mm AT HQ dead and launched a 1-team assault on the two guns, killing one. The last American gun broke off, but refused to surrender. This concluded the game as the hobby center had closed an hour and a half earlier and we were getting evil glares from the manager.</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Result</span><br />
<br />
As per the mission objectives, the game was an Italian victory, but as we had decided earlier, in event of a premature game ending due to the hobby center closing, we would call it a draw if neither of us had fullfilled our victory objectives. As I was over half the field but didn't claim the objectives, a draw it was, albeit a draw with a heavy tinge of Italian victory.<br />
<br />
Thinking back on the game, I see a lot of mistakes that led to this conclusion of the game - mistakes mainly on my part. The first assault should have been covered by smoke. I was so afraid of the Lancias that I put far too much effort into destroying them, leaving my mortars unable to provide cover for the infantry, which was the job I had intended for them. I also failed to follow my original plan, which was to mass infantry on the southern flank, launching simultaneous assaults with all three platoons. As it were, after the first failed assault the southern platoon were basically just farting about in the forest, having no effect on the game at all. I should probably also have assaulted the southern Italians with my Shermans. That would be a risky undertaking, seeing as how I only needed to get a bailed tank to be forced to check for moral, but at least it would mean I had a chance to win the game. The Shermans didn't really do much at all as I used them, too afraid as I was of having them go and die on me. Finally, I need to learn to conserve my Company HQ. He has a nasty habit of dying in all my games, leaving me prone to lose the game on Company Moral. I didn't use his reroll once during the game, so he could just as well been in the back, out of harms way, or even in the southern platoon, maybe spurring them on to get unpinned (they spent a good three turns pinned). Overall, I'm learning and slowly getting better, but I still make too many mistakes, and I don't have the courage to follow through on my plans. <br />
<br />
Anyway, thanks to Jonas for a fun game. Jonas really should have won the game, but I was literally saved by the bell. I promise I'll be better next time.<br />
<br />
Cheerio!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-25226593636536168322011-02-01T08:58:00.000+01:002011-02-01T09:56:41.639+01:00Essential tools: Army BuilderRight, now I'm going to do a bit of promotion, and chances are I'm preaching to the choir, so bear with me please<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.wolflair.com/index.php?context=army_builder">Army Builder</a> by Lone Wolf Development, Inc. is a stand-alone program allowing you to construct army lists very easily. Army lists are downloadable for many (if not most) miniature games, and all downloads are free. Of course, the program isn't free, coming in at $39.99 for a new license, which includes one year of subscription. After that, subscription renewal runs at about $12.50 per year. There is a free-trial, but that doesn't allow you to save army-lists above 500 pts (for the game systems I use). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZsYNYUjHYMXjUWSgj7Im5gWt7qxdsGATJcrj2WR07RUQu56H3vhwyO3a1tXqPx5djFK-iFpT7bokXHk0Mikv4jmWWpd1MDIPf3Pw1hFL6ZK5yCydpyGL6ahEv91GTDJyYLZA46HGEAo/s1600/Armybuilder1thumb.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>A<span id="goog_1119722998"></span> US Rifle Company list with added pictures.</div><div><a href="http://tinyurl.com/5un6zuo">Click here for full size.</a></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span id="goog_1119722999"></span>Is it worth the price? Well, that depends, but for my personal use I would say absolutely. I literally spend hours tinkering about with army-lists, both that of my own and that of my opponents, scheeming as I go. The program is regularly updated to include new features - which includes saving your list in a pretty .pdf format with pictures - and the game systems are updated all the time. The program is based on a fairly simple data-base system, which means that if you're technically savvy, you can make your own game system. This is a genious move on Lone Wolf Development's part, as they don't have to do squat when it comes to furnishing the users with army lists - the users do that themselves!</div><br />
The interface is intuitive and easy to use, and you soon discover all the different features, allowing you to come to your game prepared with a gorgeous list representing your force. This might seem redundant as the information provided in these lists are all covered in the various game supplements, but it's extremely handy to have a short list containing all your army's stats and values.<br />
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There are a few bugs in the system. For example, I tried my darndest to add a picture to a HMG platoon and a section of air support. For some reason, the picture for one of them was transferred to the other whenever I clicked any of them, causing me to pull my hair in frustration after the tenth time it happened. I eventually managed to solve it by adding the picture through a different menue. Complaining about bugs is sort of useless, though, as it's better to just report them. As I said, the program is updated regularly, and kinks like this are sorted out.<br />
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To summarize, Army Builder is an essential tool for me, and it allows me to easily work out army lists without having to flip through rule books with a pen and paper and a calculator.Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-69517388727599138922011-02-01T05:29:00.000+01:002011-02-01T05:31:23.552+01:00US Anti-Aircraft Artillery PlatoonHaving a plane come in and drop a bomb on your bunched up tanks or artillery isn't fun, so there's every reason to get some guns that can take down those planes before they do any damage. I haven't encountered many people who run with AAA, but those that do generally opt for a self propelled version. <br />
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Not me.<br />
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I go with gold old Swedish M1 Bofors 40 mm anti-aicraft guns, mainly because I have a personal relationship with this piece of equipment (we have them at the museum where I work), but also because these are beastly guns if used properly. <br />
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The M1 Bofors does stick out like a sore thumb, and you can't really do much about concealing it, as it needs clean fire arcs to do it's main job - keeping aircraft away. Digging the guns in is absolutely vital, and even then they probably aren't going to survive the game, as they don't become concealed when dug in. On the other hand, every shot directed at these guns is a shot that isn't going into what's going to win you the game - your infantery - so having these guns in a central position, drawing fire, is helping your cause. <br />
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I've had good luck taking out light tanks, infantery and even the odd medium tank foolish enough to present its side armor. With a full platoon, you're getting 16 shots at AP 6, FP 4+ over 60 cm. That is, if you can keep them unpinned, which is tricky. Having a 1IC lurking around does help with that kind of thing.<br />
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The main task of taking out aircraft is of course a breeze, provided the enemy is dumb enough to even try bombing within range of your AAA. Most opponents won't do this, of course, so what you're getting with these guns is a safe-zone with a diameter of 120 cm around the platoon. That's good for a defensive setup, but if you're going to be attacking a lot, you might want to invest in mobile M15s. That'll cost you a bit more, and they're only AP 5, but you get a mobile platform and armor to boot.Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-57255554989855192012011-02-01T00:54:00.000+01:002011-02-01T05:32:21.326+01:00US Field Artillery Battery<div></div><div>Playing a Rifle Company, artillery is more or less essential in my opinion. I use the M2A1 105 mm Howitzers to keep the points cost down, although I could definitely see myself using the 155 mm version in the future. </div><div></div><div>Artillery like this is immobile, which means that initial deployment is absolutely vital. If possible, I like to stick the guns behind terrain to keep the enemy from drawing a line of sight. This is to enable the guns to keep firing and not having to deal with pinning and getting blown up. As long as you keep a distance of at least 10 cm to any piece of terrain you want to be able to fire over, you're good to go. If no such terrain is available, or if what terrain is available would keep my guns from firing in any important directions, I stick them out in the open. If you dig them in, at least they'll have bullet proof cover from all sides, and if not, they still have their gun shield. </div><div></div><div>Artillery in the open is a magnet for enemy fire - both counter battery fire and aircraft. Some sort of protection for the artillery is pretty useful if you want to be able to keep firing. I tend to place my Bofors 40 mm AAA close by to ward off errant planes, and if possible with a clear field of vision towards the artillery to be able to take pot-shots at closing tanks and infantry. Having the two platoons covering each other would normally prolong their lives, but as I've seen in past games, that doesn't always work.</div><div></div><div>The best way for a defensive formation like a Rifle Company is to integrate your defense. That means every platoon that isn't about to advance on the enemy should support the other defenses as much as possible. I place my artillery, AAA and anti-tank guns with this in mind, trying to construct an impenetrable wall of fire which the enemy must penetrate to snag my objective. This is easier said than done, and I'm still working out the kinks.</div><div></div>Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-56660994532761834282011-01-31T23:06:00.000+01:002011-01-31T23:07:35.940+01:00US Anti-Tank PlatoonWhen it comes to AT in mid war, you have two basic choices, unless you want to go self-propelled. There's the M3 37mm gun, and the M1 57mm gun. At first glance, it would seem that the 57mm gun is the preferred option, but there are a few caveats. For one, the M1 doesn't have High Explosive ammunition, making it useless against infantry. There's also the fact that you get only three M1s in a platoon, as opposed to four M3s, and that the M1 is a Medium gun while the M3 is light (5 cm movement vs 10 cm). It all boils down to what you expect to face.<br />
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In my list, I have both. The M3s are deployed supporting the infantry as a makeshift HMG when it's not shooting tanks. The M1s are deployed to have a commanding view of the field, being able to destroy all but the heaviest of tanks. <br />
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In a situation where I can't have both platoons deployed at the beginning of the game, I'd rather deploy the M1s initially if I can get away with it (depending on opposition). The 5 cm movment of the M1s make them a pain to bring in from reserve. Deploying the guns, it's more important to have a good field of view than to have them concealed. The guns have gun shields, and they can be dug in, so you can always worry about concealment later. A friend of mine made the observation that the AT guns are more area-denial weapons than offensive, a statement I agree fully with. You want to make the enemy worry about positioning his vehicles, and punish him for any mistake. <br />
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One problem I have had with AT guns in the past is when they are assaulted by a superior enemy. At one point, My M3s where pinned and then assaulted by three Stuart light tanks. That might seem to be a piece of cake, but with only one shot per gun and just a 50% chance of hitting (tanks were veterans), you can only really count on destroying one, at the most. If I had had the points for it, there was a great counter for this. You are able to purchase bazooka teams for your AT platoons, and if you are able to points-wise, I would heartily recommend it. It makes an assault an altogether riskier prospect for any tank.Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811066493144961698.post-82732025012722014192011-01-31T04:15:00.000+01:002011-01-31T23:08:19.044+01:00US Rifle PlatoonThis unit is the work horse for my Rifle Company. You have to have at least two, but if you have the points, I'd recommend three. At the moment, I'm experimenting with a three-platoon setup using two sections in each (for points reasons mostly). With a bazooka team (which is basically a must have), such a platoon can lock down an objective until support can arrive.<br />
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Using only two sections makes the platoon feel a bit light, but on the other hand, a lot more managable, as it doesn't take as much space. I found fitting Rifle Platoons in my deployment area to be a problem, especially if you want to keep them spread out to avoid being blasted by templates. 6 + 2 teams is easier to fit than 9 + 2. The main problem is that the platoon shrinks rapidly in combat. Losing a team from a 9 + 2 platoon is hardly noticeable, but it's very noticeable with only 6 standard teams. When used in assaults, two platoons supporting each other is basically mandatory with this setup.<br />
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Playing larger points battles - like 1750 pts and above - I will definitely use full platoons with all the bells and whistles, probably including attached LMGs from a Weapons Platoon. <br />
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When it comes to transports, I am a bit vary of putting my guys in unarmored 2 1/2 ton trucks - I can't use armored halftracks for a mid war rifle company - so thus far I've been footslogging it across the battlefield. It doesn't matter too much in a defensive battle, but I've found myself having to attack more and more, so I might have to get some wheels for my troopers. For 25 points I get 8 trucks, and that should be plenty. The problem is that I have to keep the trucks out of the enemy's field of fire, or my guys are toast. I'm going to try it out in a non-competitive game.Fredrikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06746399063229698074noreply@blogger.com0