Annonchinil
Scholar
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
- Messages
- 844
Wiki history:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bat ... El_Alamein
Scenario Description:
El Alamein, October 23rd 1942: Two years had passed in the struggle for control of the Western Desert. Each side had won, and each side had lost, neither side had managed to inflict a decisive defeat on the other. The two sides had frequently been compared to two boxers, each tied with an elastic rope of their supply line, as one moved further from the supply source, the stronger the pull his rope exerted to get him back to his corner. The balance had now passed back to the 8th Army, close to its supply and getting stronger each day, while the Afrika Korps was at the end of its rope and getting weaker. Montgomery had planned a deliberate bleeding of Rommel's daunted troops, attacking here and there to cause them to react and burn precious fuel in constant movement. The time was now ripe to finish the Afrika Korps once and for all. Monty's plan was for XIII Corps to mount holding attacks, while XXX Corps delivered the main blow in the north. Two corridors were to be secured so that the armor of X Corps could move through the extensive minefields and destroy the Axis armor. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the Allied victory at Alamein "The End of the Beginning!"
Turn 1/150
20:00 October 23, 1942
So after playing a few games against the AI and some smaller PBEM battles I decided to take the plunge and try one of the major scenarios. Luckily my opponent chose 2nd Alamein as it appears to be one of the smaller battles.
Still, when I opened it up I can say that I felt a bit overwhelmed about what to do.
I guess the first thing would be to take a look at the VP locations and the VP dialogue.
It appears that in order to win the Allies not only have to capture all the objectives but inflict higher casualties on the panzer army. Furthermore about 1000 points in objectives are near the starting lines while 1200 points are at the back. The one thing that I assume from this is that preserving my units and inflicting casualties is more important than holding VP locations.
Falling back is a viable option, unfortunately with only 100 hexes between the front and the end of the map at a retreat of two hexes a turn would allow for a 50 turn retreat. In my limited experience in the game I found that pulling back can lead to higher casualties to the defender unless they retreat their full MP allowance. If not enemy units have the incentive to fire against unprepared attackers while the danger of disruption makes returning fire a less attractive option. Thus maybe the open space should just be viewed as somewhere that new lines can be set up instead of a full mobile retreat. Either way my initial position is covered by minefields, trenches and bunkers so I am not going to abandon it now. Pulling back is just an option to consider when the time comes.
The starting positions of the units:
(those at the front are right of the main line, those in the rear are to the left)
The rounded strength of these forces and the dates they become unfixed:
(morale) [I: Infantry, G: Guns, V: Vehicles]
German-Italian Panzer Army
Deutches Afrikakorps
21st Panzer (A) [2000I, 60G, 180V] Release: 00:00 26th October
15th Panzer (A) [2000I, 60G, 160V] Release: 00:00 25th October
90th Light (A) [4000I, 90G, 10V]
164th Light African (B) [5500I, 90G]
FJ Bde Ramcke (A) [2000I, 20G]
X Corps
17th Pavia (D, poor quality) [2500I, 60G, 35V] Release: 18:00 24th October
27th Brescia (D, poor quality) [3000I, 25G]
XX Corps
132nd Ariete (C) [1500I, 80G, 150V] Release: 18:00 25th October
133rd Littorio (C) [1200I, 50G, 130V]
185th Folgore Para (B) [5000I, 20G]
XXI Corps
25th Bologna (D, poor quality) [2000I, 50G]
102nd Trento (C) [3000I, 75G]
Overall I am surprised at the quality of some of my units, DAK troops are excellent and there are a few Italian Morale C divisions. Unfortunately their three foot infantry formations (Pavia, Brescia, Bologna) suffer from not only D morale but from poor Assault, Defence, Firepower values. This force has to take on the 8th Army that has substantial advantage in armour and artillery. While digging in will help, with most of the ground being 10% clear terrain it hurts the defences. It seems like the Allies have the firepower necessary to win a grinding battle and the armour to win a mobile one.
At this time though that point is not here yet so its time to consider my ability to hold the current line.
I have to deal with the main enemy assault in the north, and pinning attacks south. At the same time with 150 turns enemy armour can be committed anywhere along the front, although the strong Axis AT units will most likely necessitate its commitment where they enjoy and artillery and infantry superiority.
In the north and center I begin to expand my lines and move certain units around. Most of my experience is either in eastern front and modern titles so I feel a bit uncomfortable playing with no locking ZoC and in the two desert battles I played both of my opponents chose to not seriously test the defensive line. Other than that I move my artillery closer in order for it to have deeper range than just the hexes adjacent to my units, so if my opponent chooses to keep his infantry further a way and hit me with artillery, I can hit him back. These moves are unfortunately done during the night so that the new defensive positions will be ready in the morning.
North:
Center:
In the south I make the first big choice in the game and decide to abandon the bulge through a series of delaying actions until Pavia becomes unfixed on turn 10. It was difficult to give up bunker positions and defensive depth but I felt I had to do it because:
-Main enemy thrust will come from the north
-When the battle becomes more mobile or I need to pull back these units will fall behind
-The shorter line will allow more units to be directed elsewhere
-The enemy can slowly outflank it, although I am not sure he has the forces to fully develop such an attack
-An attack just north of it, closer to the enemy concentrations, will render it in danger
Either way unlike in the north and center I do not plan to begin to pull back until after the night, mostly do to the fixed state of Pavia.
Thoughts, comments suggestions?
Is it me or are these tinypic images worse quality than usual?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bat ... El_Alamein
Scenario Description:
El Alamein, October 23rd 1942: Two years had passed in the struggle for control of the Western Desert. Each side had won, and each side had lost, neither side had managed to inflict a decisive defeat on the other. The two sides had frequently been compared to two boxers, each tied with an elastic rope of their supply line, as one moved further from the supply source, the stronger the pull his rope exerted to get him back to his corner. The balance had now passed back to the 8th Army, close to its supply and getting stronger each day, while the Afrika Korps was at the end of its rope and getting weaker. Montgomery had planned a deliberate bleeding of Rommel's daunted troops, attacking here and there to cause them to react and burn precious fuel in constant movement. The time was now ripe to finish the Afrika Korps once and for all. Monty's plan was for XIII Corps to mount holding attacks, while XXX Corps delivered the main blow in the north. Two corridors were to be secured so that the armor of X Corps could move through the extensive minefields and destroy the Axis armor. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the Allied victory at Alamein "The End of the Beginning!"
Turn 1/150
20:00 October 23, 1942
So after playing a few games against the AI and some smaller PBEM battles I decided to take the plunge and try one of the major scenarios. Luckily my opponent chose 2nd Alamein as it appears to be one of the smaller battles.
Still, when I opened it up I can say that I felt a bit overwhelmed about what to do.
I guess the first thing would be to take a look at the VP locations and the VP dialogue.
It appears that in order to win the Allies not only have to capture all the objectives but inflict higher casualties on the panzer army. Furthermore about 1000 points in objectives are near the starting lines while 1200 points are at the back. The one thing that I assume from this is that preserving my units and inflicting casualties is more important than holding VP locations.
Falling back is a viable option, unfortunately with only 100 hexes between the front and the end of the map at a retreat of two hexes a turn would allow for a 50 turn retreat. In my limited experience in the game I found that pulling back can lead to higher casualties to the defender unless they retreat their full MP allowance. If not enemy units have the incentive to fire against unprepared attackers while the danger of disruption makes returning fire a less attractive option. Thus maybe the open space should just be viewed as somewhere that new lines can be set up instead of a full mobile retreat. Either way my initial position is covered by minefields, trenches and bunkers so I am not going to abandon it now. Pulling back is just an option to consider when the time comes.
The starting positions of the units:
(those at the front are right of the main line, those in the rear are to the left)
The rounded strength of these forces and the dates they become unfixed:
(morale) [I: Infantry, G: Guns, V: Vehicles]
German-Italian Panzer Army
Deutches Afrikakorps
21st Panzer (A) [2000I, 60G, 180V] Release: 00:00 26th October
15th Panzer (A) [2000I, 60G, 160V] Release: 00:00 25th October
90th Light (A) [4000I, 90G, 10V]
164th Light African (B) [5500I, 90G]
FJ Bde Ramcke (A) [2000I, 20G]
X Corps
17th Pavia (D, poor quality) [2500I, 60G, 35V] Release: 18:00 24th October
27th Brescia (D, poor quality) [3000I, 25G]
XX Corps
132nd Ariete (C) [1500I, 80G, 150V] Release: 18:00 25th October
133rd Littorio (C) [1200I, 50G, 130V]
185th Folgore Para (B) [5000I, 20G]
XXI Corps
25th Bologna (D, poor quality) [2000I, 50G]
102nd Trento (C) [3000I, 75G]
Overall I am surprised at the quality of some of my units, DAK troops are excellent and there are a few Italian Morale C divisions. Unfortunately their three foot infantry formations (Pavia, Brescia, Bologna) suffer from not only D morale but from poor Assault, Defence, Firepower values. This force has to take on the 8th Army that has substantial advantage in armour and artillery. While digging in will help, with most of the ground being 10% clear terrain it hurts the defences. It seems like the Allies have the firepower necessary to win a grinding battle and the armour to win a mobile one.
At this time though that point is not here yet so its time to consider my ability to hold the current line.
I have to deal with the main enemy assault in the north, and pinning attacks south. At the same time with 150 turns enemy armour can be committed anywhere along the front, although the strong Axis AT units will most likely necessitate its commitment where they enjoy and artillery and infantry superiority.
In the north and center I begin to expand my lines and move certain units around. Most of my experience is either in eastern front and modern titles so I feel a bit uncomfortable playing with no locking ZoC and in the two desert battles I played both of my opponents chose to not seriously test the defensive line. Other than that I move my artillery closer in order for it to have deeper range than just the hexes adjacent to my units, so if my opponent chooses to keep his infantry further a way and hit me with artillery, I can hit him back. These moves are unfortunately done during the night so that the new defensive positions will be ready in the morning.
North:
Center:
In the south I make the first big choice in the game and decide to abandon the bulge through a series of delaying actions until Pavia becomes unfixed on turn 10. It was difficult to give up bunker positions and defensive depth but I felt I had to do it because:
-Main enemy thrust will come from the north
-When the battle becomes more mobile or I need to pull back these units will fall behind
-The shorter line will allow more units to be directed elsewhere
-The enemy can slowly outflank it, although I am not sure he has the forces to fully develop such an attack
-An attack just north of it, closer to the enemy concentrations, will render it in danger
Either way unlike in the north and center I do not plan to begin to pull back until after the night, mostly do to the fixed state of Pavia.
Thoughts, comments suggestions?
Is it me or are these tinypic images worse quality than usual?
