Hi WB,
during the Utah Campaign (which is really great) in the first Ardennes scenario 12/44 I encountered a little map problem.
The paved road from "West" towards "Born" is between hexes 18,29 and 30,29 rough! Did none of the playtesters realize this, or is this on purpose to force vehicular breakdowns??
I really come to love your style of scenarios, especially the German reinforcements that **allways** pop up in my flank and rear :-)
BTW, did anyone try an Airborne Assault with Paras and Gliders in this particular scen yet? With 1200 pts you can get a nice force together :-)
TIA
Spellbinder
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"Semper Paratus"
Posts: 157
Joined: 9/29/2000 From: Honolulu, HI, USA Status: offline
1200 pts? Man, WB... you're forcing me to do creative things with those points. I am in the middle of my 2nd attempt for the 1st scenario....this time with a Ranger company instead of a regular rifle co. Interesting. Not quite sure if the extra experience (if there is any) is making up for the lack of men, but I sure got to the city quicker this time
-Andy
Caution SPOILER ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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WB, I just conducted a daring Air Raid with:
2x 57ATG
1x Airborne Company
1x WACO CARGO Platoon
2x C47 Platoon
By Turn 11 the German was broken, by Turn 14 it was over with a score of 8700:594 :-)
Final results were:
US vs GE
128 Men 277
1 Arty 1
0 Soft 3
0 APC 9
3 AFV 14
I guess this scenario wasn't playtested this way, huh?
It was tremendous fun! Especially when those two Jagdtigers showed up! Great work, keep it up.
Your fan
Spellbinder
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"Semper Paratus"
Very interesting move, Spellbinder! I anticipated a possibility of such a thing and made the weather bad. Normally bad weather will stop air, but I guess that does not include transports. Nice move.
Even more impressive is the victory you got with primarily an infantry force. It proves again NB Forrest's old war adage, "Get theah fustest with the mostest."
Once you grab those objectives the enemy has to come to you. What core forces did you have?
Wild Bill
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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
_____________________________
In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Independent Game Consultant
Rangers are good soldiers, Latka. Being elite troops their morale and experience are higher. They can get the job done. They are not appropriate for every battle, but in one like this, the first one, I think they are adequate to the task, as you have discovered.
Wild Bill
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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
_____________________________
In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Independent Game Consultant
Sorry Spellbinder, I did not address the roads. Yes, that was purposeful. Many highways, even paved ones, especially in the Ardennes were not in the best condition, often little better than off road travel, (but less trees )
And yes, I will continue to be deceptive and treacherous
As another old saying, "better is old age and cunning than youth and strength"
Thanks for the kind words. I hope the next one will be just as much, no...even more fun than this one.
WB
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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
_____________________________
In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Independent Game Consultant
Hi WB,
thanks for the input on the road - should've know it was on purpose ;-)
As for my Core Force:
It is rather big, since I suffered the "I get my Support units form the first battle as Core units" as described in [URL=http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/002654.html], http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/002654.html , but remembering your tricks, I thought this was on purpose :-/
Here you go:
US HQ
2x M8 Greyhound
2x M24 Chaffee
2x US Recon Patrol (4Men, Rifle)
3x Arm Inf Sqd
2x M4A3(76)W
2x M4A3E2 Jumbo 76
3x Arm Inf Sqd
2x .50cal
2x M18 Hellcat
FO
4x 105 How
2x M4A1 Flame
---the following are upgraded from originally Support forces-------
2x M4A1 Dozer
2x M10 Wolverine
2x M36 Jackson
2x M4 105
Ammo Carrier
6x M3A2 halftrack
but even with this force your scenarios are rather callenging :-)
Take Care
Spellbinder
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"Semper Paratus"
[This message has been edited by Spellbinder (edited October 25, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Spellbinder (edited October 25, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Spellbinder (edited October 25, 2000).]
That is a very imposing force, Spellbinder. You've prepared for most eventualties, for sure.
The only thing I might have changed would be one of those Arm Inf platoons for a platoon of engineers. Those boys come in real handy for bunkers, mines, and some powerful close assaults.
Getting those recon units was smart. I always put them on top of my tanks to take the heat of an enemy close assault.
Nicely done! I like TF Spellbinder!
WB
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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
[This message has been edited by Wild Bill (edited October 25, 2000).]
_____________________________
In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Independent Game Consultant
I tried the first couple of scenarios with an airborne assault as well - got decisive victories in the first two, both about turn 14. A company of airborne inf. with a couple of platoons of armd engineers and a ragbag of support (HMG and bazooka) uniys seemed sufficient.
The armoured counter attacks were stopped by some stay behind units and the 2 AUX ATG, which I was lucky to have still alive. If nothing else grinding up the road ahead of the tanks with 155mm artillery does seem to slow them down somewhat...
I think I'm going to have to have a serious go at this scenario (playing it as leg infantry) and see how I do with that.
Thanks for giving it to us...
Hi WB,
thanks for the roses ;-)
Actually I call it "Combat Force Fisher (CBFF)" and after only a marginal victory in Boiselles - guess I lost too many Brits to the Wurfrahmens - we are heading for Prum in Germany.
Yes, my Recons are **very** valuable! The two Greyhounds are the first Elite units with 23 Kills each :-)
On the Engineer issue, you are (of course) right, but I thought buying Engineers for support and therefore getting the 3 extra Zooks from the Arm Inf has more value. But the attacks on the Siegfried Line and Bogeyman Hill proved that experienced Engineers would've been better. Oh well, maybe next time.
BTW, I plan on copying your camp files, rename 'em and then link them together one-by-one so I have to play *all* the scenarios - because this campaign is so much fun that I don't want to miss a single battle :-)
Should I leave the repair/support/ reinforcement points as they are, or should I fiddle with them??
Thanks
Spellbinder
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"Semper Paratus"
Posts: 764
Joined: 6/1/2000 From: Los Angeles, California Status: offline
This is such a fun campaign. You should try and play it with fewer points. It gets real dicey. What was the initial point alottment before the adjustment? The fewer points you have the more work each unit has to do, and there are moments when you cant send forces in yet because you cant afford to lose them. In some scenarios (like siegfried line) you can take some awful losses due to simple mistakes, and having elite leg scouts is SUPER valuable. They can creep in, scope out the situation and you can actually navigate through the hell without too much fighting. Too often in this game I find myself sending in recon to die. In a challenging campaign however that tactic hurts you in the end. Its good stuff.
Tomo
Posts: 3
Joined: 10/23/2000 From: RSM, California Status: offline
Hey, you guys sound like you're all having a heck of a lot of fun! What campaign are youi guys talking about? Id like to know, I usually only play the scenarios. oh and WB great Omaha Beach Scenario!
Hi Sarge,
the Campaign came with the new 4.3B/4.4 patch and it is in slot #4 called "Utah to the Rhine".
It's tremendous fun and regarding your play it can be between 12(?) and 22 scenarios long - I'm not 100% sure on the number though.
Anyway, before you try any other campaign, try this one!!! It's a lot of fun :-)
Take Care
Spellbinder
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"Semper Paratus" http://www.fischers-design.de
Come on in, Sarge. Plenty of fighting left for you too (G). Glad you liked Omaha. Juno and Utah are also done now. We hope to have Gold done soon and then Sword.
I think the next one will be of the same caliber...East Front this time. Gotta have some Tigers to drive and T34s to kill!
Wild Bill
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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
_____________________________
In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Independent Game Consultant
Come on in, Sarge. Plenty of fighting left for you too (G). Glad you liked Omaha. Juno and Utah are also done now. We hope to have Gold done soon and then Sword.
I think the next one will be of the same caliber...East Front this time. Gotta have some Tigers to drive and T34s to kill!
Wild Bill
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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
_____________________________
In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Independent Game Consultant
Gee WB!
Whaddaya doin to me???!?!
3 - THREE! - Jagdtigers!!!!
I'm getting my nice little Combat Force chewed up!
What a nasty surprise - I guess a change of strategy is in order here.
Oh well, I'll keep you posted
Spellbinder
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"Semper Paratus" http://www.fischers-design.de