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Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 2:11:01 AM

IronMikeGolf

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The scenario is this:

A combination of US remnants has reconstituted as a battalion sized task force. This task force is to defend Braunschweig as an Armored Cavalry relief column attempts to break through to reinforce. The task force has made improved positions in the city of Braunschweig and is defending with a mix of armored cavalry, M113 equipped mech inf, and M2 equipped mech inf.

Soviet forces are expected to attack from all points of the compass. Those from the east will be second echelon units, possibly Category B. Some front line units are expected to attack from the west.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Here is my opening deployment. The red circles indicate bridges ordered to be blown. The red polygons are engagement areas.

About 75% of the defenders are in Resupply. The improved positions are defended by M113 mech inf units.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 2:34:33 AM

IronMikeGolf

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0250 hrs (23 minutes into the battle)

Two tank battalions are attacking from the east. Both appear to be pressing towards the remaining intact bridge into the city center.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 2:43:46 AM

IronMikeGolf

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0313 hrs

The attack has been broken. 7 tanks remain from the northern tank bn and 2 from the southern bn at this point. 7/Recce (M1A1 equipped) has accounted for 21 x T64 and the bn HQs.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 3:11:53 AM

IronMikeGolf

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0400 hrs

The attack from the east was by a tank regiment. Two bns attacked from the southeast and were destroyed. One bn attacked from the southeast. 4 T64s remain and they are out of ammo and out of command range. They are out of the fight for the moment.

4/Recce is repositioning to maintain eyes on A39 to the east. 3/Recce is ordered to cross the River Oker west of Melverode and occupy high ground west of Brainschweig Weststadt to observe the railway approach.

Units have resupplied.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 3:30:32 AM

IronMikeGolf

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0526 hrs

An attack from the west has begin along N1. At this point, it is a tk bn reinforced by an MRC. Tanks are T80s. Remaining bridge to the city center is ordered blown.

The ITV plt(-) and 3/Recce have moved to help an M1 plt cover the south engagement area.

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< Message edited by Iron Mike Golf -- 1/21/2015 4:43:15 AM >

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 3:52:03 AM

IronMikeGolf

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0547 hrs

The west attack is stopped at a cost of 3 tanks and the attacking tank bn annihilated. Where is the rest of that regiment? I am thinking if it was coming down N214, I'd have seen them by now, so I am moving a tank plt to support covering the south engagement area. It will resupply upon arrival.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 1:38:32 PM

IronMikeGolf

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Driving on....

0608 hrs

An attack from the south by two reinforced tank bns is underway. Dropping the railway bridge has made it more difficult for these to merge into a single attack, which surely would succeed.

The bn on the western autobahn has had 2 tank companies destroyed and the remaining company is at about 70% strength.

The bn on the eastern autobahn is is better shape, with one company destroyed. Another tank company is not visible at the moment. It is 500 meters behind the lead tank company in the low ground. I think I have just enough combat power to stop this bn. It is getting ready to run the gantlet east for the fortifications.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 1:52:41 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0630 hrs

The reverse slope defense east of the fortifications no longer has effective anti-armor capability. That attack is down to two T80s and is trailed by a 70% MRC on foot 3 km behind. Mech units in the fortifications have have effective fires with their DRAGON IIs, but another bn size push along this route will likely succeed unless I get some reinforcements there.

The western attack is stalled with a 30% MRC also on foot. The Co(-) covering the southern engagement area is just about out of ammo.

A remnant of the MRC has entered the outskirts of town in the northwest. It's a dismount rifle plt. Not a threat.

I am tempted to strip some tanks from the western side of the city, but I don't know where the next attack will come. I am really wishing I had some recce 4-5 kms outside the city to the east and west. A couple of DICKs (Dedicated Infantry Commie Killers) with a PRC-77 would do the job.

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< Message edited by Iron Mike Golf -- 1/21/2015 2:54:46 PM >

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 1:59:30 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0655 hrs

The one direction I've not seen any action from is the north. I am repositioing folks to orient on that axis and then pushing LOGPACs to them.

The MRC have been reduced to non-threatening remnants (or as my former First Sergeant, Jose Callebaro would have called them, "Rembrants").

No sign of the relief column as yet.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 2:04:57 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0724 hrs

Radio contact with the relief column has been established!

Counterbattery radars and radio interscepts has indicated the presence of enemy forces 8-10 kms northeast of Braunschweig. Forward recce elements have been spotted approaching from that direction.

The reinforcing Cav troop is ordered to reinforce north and east of the city.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 2:08:33 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0749 hrs

Cav reports a tank bn assembling for an attack along the N1 highway. More recce elements probing from the east. Looks like this next attack may be better synchronized.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 2:16:13 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0837 hrs

A bn of T72s attacked along the A39/N4 route and got chewed up by the now reinforce gantlet east of the fortifications. Another T72 bn s approaching along N248.

The attack from the west has not started yet. Some T80 companies have been spotted to the northwest and will likely approach along N214.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 2:23:13 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0900 hrs

Contact north and northwest. Two damaged T72 companies are forcing a river crossing into the city center. I am tempted to move some M113 mech insode the fortifications, but I want to see what happens to the north and northwest first. Those are T80s and as yet have taken only light casualties (one T80 company out of six total).

The T72s prepping to cross the river are still being engaged by DRAGON fires.

Howitzer ammo is critically low. I did not manage that well. Mortar ammo is holding OK.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 5:07:45 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0921 hrs

The barbarians have crossed the river and entered Braunschweig Centrum with remnants of two T72 companies. One of those has routed and is attempting to retreat back across the AVLBs. The other remnant, a plt of T72s, is assaulting an improved position held by a mech sqd.

An M113 mech plt is moving to reinforce that sqd and another is moving to reinforce the position to the northwest of that sqd.

Across the river is a full strength T72 company and a 40% strength MRC, which is on foot.

To the northwest, the remaining T80 bn has been attritted to company strength and its MRC has been slowed to leg mode. A single SA-14 team has survived. The largest company remnant and the SAM team are attempting to breach a FASCAM minefield laid at the autobahn junction.

Of note is a bn mortar battery. In its current location, it can not range the objective. I can only shoot as far as the high ground to the east of Braunschweig Centrum and the east edge of Nordstadt Braunschweig.

The main threats now are the T72 plt vs mech sqd fight on the objective and the intact T72 company across the river.

Howitzers are about out of ammo. One 4.2" mortar section is down to 25% ammo. The other is at 80% ammo and 45% Readiness. Overall, US is at 40% strength.

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< Message edited by Iron Mike Golf -- 1/21/2015 6:21:48 PM >

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 5:30:31 PM

delete1

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Nice Iron Mike! I have to say I like a lot to read your posts. Learn a lot! I laughed a lot with your barbarian...hehehe...nice touch!

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 5:34:02 PM

IronMikeGolf

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0936 hrs

Soviets have dropped below 30% and US is at 39%.

Reinforcements arriving in the northernmost improved position routed the attacking T72 plt, which is now retreating back across the AVLB. Several mech plts then engaged the full strength T72 company as it attempted a river crossing, killing 9 of its tanks.

At this point, the US still had 11 Abrams and 2 Bradleys and a mech inf Co(+).

I ended up with an 86%. One third of the VPs were the 10000 point VP location hex in the middle of the improved positions. Over 20000 VP were Soviet kills.

I looks like in the earlier attacks, the Soviet line units outran their mortars and the Bn HQs were killed before any orders to move forward could be issued. Had Arte used those assets better, I suspect the outcome would be different.

Also, it seemed the idea of leaving one bridge intact worked. A huge amount of Soviet AFVs were killed as they tried to skirt around the city center. Had they done that maneuver east of the high ground, or had the bridged the southeast corner of city center, again, a very different outcome.

Here endeth the AAR.

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< Message edited by Iron Mike Golf -- 1/21/2015 6:35:01 PM >

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 6:01:54 PM

Tazak

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Nicely played, think I'll need to reduce the US forces muhahaha...

the updated version should play out differently with a few more challenges

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/21/2015 7:30:34 PM

IronMikeGolf

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Thanks fellows. This is a fun scenario, dancing around the battle position. I think this would be very tough for the US in a head-to-head mode.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/22/2015 5:45:22 AM

delete1

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Hey Tazak, I am pretty sure you might have already done that, but I was recently messing a little bit with the game scenarios and editing some parameters just to feel the gameplay consequences. One parameter that I really start enjoying switching around is the units training level. Its really a very easy thing that ones can modify and quickly have the power to escalate the games from easy ones to a more challenging ones without changing too many things. I have done that several times even as a learning process. Starting games with a lower training opponent and then increasing that feature and lowering mines at subsequent games.

Specifically for the soviets that helped me a lot to understand how to play with them progressively. I found harder to play with the soviets, as they have a very different doctrine and as the attackers are always in a more punishing situations, plus the sensors aspect as well. So with this training aspect, I could managed to have a nice learning curve with the soviets without getting too frustrated. Better deal progressively with losses and keep the focus on the big picture, a really important aspect playing the Pact. I know that is probably not realistic, but thats just a way I found very interesting to enjoy the game and try to learn it. With a higher training, at least for me, the soviets seems to fire at a longer ranges and in a more accurate way.

It might be something interesting to see at that scenario played by Iron Mike. Playing with the training feature, I had even a chance to create some fictional scenarios with a more even number of runners between NATO and Warsaw Pact. Interesting battles. Balanced losses for both sides. I dont really enjoy one side killing waves and waves of enemy. For me it feels too much of I would say Rambo or hollywood war situations but thats just me. I know that we might actually find situations like this in real life. Of course, not a single guy wiping out and entire army as the famous Rambo or the more recent movies with Stallone. hehehe...

Just want to share some of my experiences with the game. Still have a lot to learn!

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/22/2015 2:09:47 PM

IronMikeGolf

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Daniel,

I, thankfully, never had to face real Warsaw Pact attack in western Germany. But I did train for that possibility. For decades.

It really gave me pause when training at the National Training Center and Combined Maneuver Training Center to see (and hear!) waves of 30 and 60 ton machines driving straight at me. It can feel hopeless to expect to survive, let alone win, in the face of that. But those young, inexperienced leaders and soldiers do it again and do learn how to win in such an environment. It is so much more than the simple gunnery of quickly and efficiently destroying "waves and waves", because the enemy is experienced and crafty. He uses terrain and maneuver, too. So, you learn to use terrain, when and where to maneuver, as well as honing your gunnery skills.

History, whether it is in simulators, in force-on-force training, or on the battlefield, has shown time after time that battles often hinge upon the performance of a platoon that is at a critical place on the battlefield at a critical time during the battle. So, the philosophy I was trained under was to make each and every platoon capable of turning the battle, should it find itself in that circumstance.

I had a Battalion Commander who characterized soldiers in line units into three categories: Killers, Fillers, and Fodder.Turn a few Fillers into Killers in your squad or platoon, and you can do amazing things.

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/22/2015 2:36:28 PM

Tazak

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Daniel Rincon

Hey Tazak, I am pretty sure you might have already done that, but I was recently messing a little bit with the game scenarios and editing some parameters just to feel the gameplay consequences. One parameter that I really start enjoying switching around is the units training level. Its really a very easy thing that ones can modify and quickly have the power to escalate the games from easy ones to a more challenging ones without changing too many things. I have done that several times even as a learning process. Starting games with a lower training opponent and then increasing that feature and lowering mines at subsequent games.

Specifically for the soviets that helped me a lot to understand how to play with them progressively. I found harder to play with the soviets, as they have a very different doctrine and as the attackers are always in a more punishing situations, plus the sensors aspect as well. So with this training aspect, I could managed to have a nice learning curve with the soviets without getting too frustrated. Better deal progressively with losses and keep the focus on the big picture, a really important aspect playing the Pact. I know that is probably not realistic, but thats just a way I found very interesting to enjoy the game and try to learn it. With a higher training, at least for me, the soviets seems to fire at a longer ranges and in a more accurate way.

It might be something interesting to see at that scenario played by Iron Mike. Playing with the training feature, I had even a chance to create some fictional scenarios with a more even number of runners between NATO and Warsaw Pact. Interesting battles. Balanced losses for both sides. I dont really enjoy one side killing waves and waves of enemy. For me it feels too much of I would say Rambo or hollywood war situations but thats just me. I know that we might actually find situations like this in real life. Of course, not a single guy wiping out and entire army as the famous Rambo or the more recent movies with Stallone. hehehe...

Just want to share some of my experiences with the game. Still have a lot to learn!

Daniel, my early scenarios and campaign do nearly all use the same veteran/regular, this one does feature a wide range of training levels from 'combat hardened elite' types (reminds me I need to reduce the amount of them) down to 'green - just got into theater after some basic refresher training' and everything in between. I've also reduced ammo & readiness to force the player examine his/her forces before starting, the AI also has a wide range of ammo/readiness but he'll ignore those until it forces him to 'rest & resupply' hopefully mid battle.

Have you tried changing the national stats data, there are some powerful features there as well in terms of how quick arty/airstrikes occur etc as well as how the AI acts in terms of response to fire etc

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/22/2015 3:06:08 PM

Mad Russian

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Daniel Rincon

Hey Tazak, I am pretty sure you might have already done that, but I was recently messing a little bit with the game scenarios and editing some parameters just to feel the gameplay consequences. One parameter that I really start enjoying switching around is the units training level. Its really a very easy thing that ones can modify and quickly have the power to escalate the games from easy ones to a more challenging ones without changing too many things. I have done that several times even as a learning process. Starting games with a lower training opponent and then increasing that feature and lowering mines at subsequent games.

It's probably the one parameter that I relied on the most for setting the way a side would do in each situation.

quote:

Specifically for the soviets that helped me a lot to understand how to play with them progressively. I found harder to play with the soviets, as they have a very different doctrine and as the attackers are always in a more punishing situations, plus the sensors aspect as well. So with this training aspect, I could managed to have a nice learning curve with the soviets without getting too frustrated. Better deal progressively with losses and keep the focus on the big picture, a really important aspect playing the Pact. I know that is probably not realistic, but thats just a way I found very interesting to enjoy the game and try to learn it. With a higher training, at least for me, the soviets seems to fire at a longer ranges and in a more accurate way.

Each of us learns by an easier method. If adjusting the training level helped you learn the game that's all for the best.

quote:

It might be something interesting to see at that scenario played by Iron Mike. Playing with the training feature, I had even a chance to create some fictional scenarios with a more even number of runners between NATO and Warsaw Pact. Interesting battles. Balanced losses for both sides. I dont really enjoy one side killing waves and waves of enemy. For me it feels too much of I would say Rambo or hollywood war situations but thats just me. I know that we might actually find situations like this in real life. Of course, not a single guy wiping out and entire army as the famous Rambo or the more recent movies with Stallone. hehehe...

This actually isn't a Hollywood creation but how the Soviets practice the art of war. Real war isn't like chess where everybody has the same equal chance at winning. In war, if the sides are equal the attacker is making a huge mistake. Because in a 'normal' standup fight the defender has the advantage. That's why armies want to see at least a 3-1 advantage in numbers before they attack.

quote:

Just want to share some of my experiences with the game. Still have a lot to learn!

Thanks for sharing.

Good Hunting.

MR

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/22/2015 4:40:41 PM

Tazak

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Don't forget that the defender will also try to defend in the best possible position. In this scenario the soviets have in the region of 4 tank regiments vs a reinforced US infantry heavy battalion.

Due to the terrain around the town and the way I've tried to depict hasty disjointed attacks early on it does lean towards heavy tank losses but each attack should weaken the US so as the later attacks get more coordinated the position should get more untenable, I've designed it that the player needs to conserve their forces and the AI will punish mistakes and overrun the US positions (it done it to me more than a few times).

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RE: Aww Nuts Playtesting - 1/22/2015 10:45:21 PM

delete1

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Mad Russian, Iron Mike and Tazak, thank you for your replies. Very interesting inputs, insights and informations. Always learning new and informative stuff with you all. Cheers! Ps: Tazak, havent tried yet with the national data stats. It indeed looks a very powerfull tool for editing. Will try that as well. Thanks.

< Message edited by Daniel Rincon -- 1/22/2015 11:51:36 PM >

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