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mandreads -> mandreads vs gorzag (uk vs ja) (4/4/2003 6:34:28 PM)
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We played a decent sized meeting engagement with vhexes in the middle valued at 100 at the end of the battle. 3000 points, arty 10%, no air sections, weather was clear. 13 turns.
If I remember right I bought one Heavy cruiser trp, and four companies of infantry coupled with few sections of 2pdr at guns and HMGs and one Sapper section. Then I had three sections of mortars and two sections of light howizers, with enough ammo carriers.
I sent two flanking teams, one in north one in south. Both teams were three Crusader III tanks. Main force, two inf Co's and three crusaders went straight across. Three crusaders and one Inf Co took alternate route to vhexes.
My flanking teams were both noticed by those pesky motorcycles. Soon after that the south team was basically ran over by several assaults of cavalry. The secondary main force that was taking alternate route then engaged the cavalty to keep those away from my AT guns.
North flanking team was met by enemy armor and infantry, and the got caught in the open and they had to retreat. Lost two of them.
Main force infantry got hit heavily by enemy artillery, actually they never saw any real action. Main force armor was very cunningly decimated in single turn by a flamethrower tank. Gorzag really got them pants down.
At that point we decided to stop.
My strategy was to move slow and prepare the way with my artillery. I didn't take any transports for infantry. I must give Gorzag big credit for very good strategy and tactics.
Below is the turn reports of the match to add some atmosphere, I added some comments:
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JA:
Colonel was listening to the report. 'Kawaguchi-sama, we moved forward.
Apart for some artilery there is no sign of british troops. We are ready to move toward our objectives.' 'Subarashi, proceed as planed.'
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UK:
"1Lt Millis: Enemy shooting targetting shots at our defense posts.
Col Langdon: Any casualties?
1Lt Millis: No sir.
Col Langdon: Ok then, tell the men to dig deeper and stay put.
1Lt Higgins from command tank: Target area sighted, smoke mission complete. Move in to secure target area. But what the... motorcycles all around the target area, enemy tanks
approaching at the hill crest level! Open fire with At-guns! Concentrate artillery fire at suspected enemy locations!"
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JA:
"Our motorcycle suqads report havy loses. They run into enemy tanks. What are your orders Colonel?
Don't fall back, fight untill you die. I never really liked those
bosozoka.
Fire our artilery on them. This should stop infantry that is sure
following tanks. And don't fall back!"
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UK:
"1Lt Higgins from command tank: Our positions have been compromised, things are bound to get worse. We receive a lot of harassment fire from enemy motorcycle squads, we return fire
and inflict some casualties. Enemy tanks are targetting our tanks but so far we've been lucky. AT-guns seem to make enemy tank operations a little hard but our advance is slowing down.
Col Langdon: keep those mortars firing at that hill, smoke the area and keep up the speed"
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JA:
"Colonel-sama, our tanks are almost in position. We have no word form motorcycle squads, but there is some fighting heard in the forest. Very little though. 'That is not a problem. We will not need motocycles later. Hurry those tanks, we need to have their guns in position.'"
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UK:
"1Lt Higgins from command tank: Enemy is swarming all over the target area. AT-guns are taking heavy mortar fire and gun crews are abandoning their guns. Enemy cavalry is advancing
in south, the crusader section engaged those. We have been targetting the enemy tanks all over the place and so far five of them is down and few damaged. No critical casualties on our side. Oh, and the bad news. Enemy has a 75mm AA gun in place on top of that hill."
Col Langdon: Mortars, target that AA gun. 1Lt, keep going but wait for the infantry support"
1Lt Higgins: **** those grunts, they can't move very fast, the enemy is firing mortars in this area."
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At this point everything looked fine to me. I was engaging lighter enemy tanks in middle and north. And in south I was making a good stand against the cavalry.
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JA:
'Colonel Kawaguchi was worried. British tanks are moving forward, but our infantry is ready. Everythign will be decided now. Blood versus metal. Spirit versus machine. May the Emperor protect us. Banzai!'
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UK:
1Lt Millis: Col Langdon, battle reports from the front!
North sector, 1Lt Blackwell is saying that they are outnumbered and taking heavy fire from enemy tanks. Their flanking attempt has come to an end, he say they have to fall back and find another route to target area. He says also that his formation was caught in the open.
South sector, 1Lt Middleton reported, "Japanese cavarly has pinned us down in the forest! they are everywhere, they are coming, they are coming!" Then I lost contact.
Middle sector, 1Lt Higgins from command tank radioed in, Middle sector armor advance is proceeding as planned, we've lost some recon vehicles but so far so good. Our worst problem is those 75mm AA guns... **** if we just scored some hits, can't hit a **** thing in this smoke.
Middle sector infantry advance has practically stopped
we can't advance, we have to wait for the tanks to clear the way and this constant rain of mortars is really getting us. I am having hard time just to keep the men in this position. Didn't I f*n tell you to order some transport for the infantry!
Evetrything is under control in the back lines. We've lost two at-guns but we repelled the enemy motorcycles, our mortars are in tact and firing. Now that the enemy artillery stopped firing at us the at-gun crews went back to their positions.
Col Langdon: Give me that radio! Hang in there Blackwell! Do
not retreat, engage the enemy and pin them down as long as you can!
South sector armor section! Get out of the woods and get those 75mm AA guns, some horsemen can't hold you, run over 'em **** it! Middle sector, mortar support is still with you, 2Lt Evans! get your men up and running, this is it, show me what you got!! 1Lt Higgins, good job, engage enemy armor and watch out for those 75mm AA."
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JA:
"Colonel was very satisfied. In the northern sector enemy has fallen into our well laid trap. Most of the british tanks are burning (beautifoul sight....) and infantry is being hunt down. In the south cavalary managed to destroy a recon car and immobilise one of the tanks. Others are being dealt with right now. Our motorcycle troops (they never give up), finally localized and engaged british HQ. There might be some problem with a new group of tanks and infantry spotted in the south, but more forces are sent
into this direction. Good, everything is procceding as I have
forseen....."
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UK:
1Lt Higgins from command tank: "We are being assaulted by enemy engineer tank! That flamethrower is blowing our section up like cans of spam! We lost a tank.. and another! and yet another! Fall back! Fall b...
*Lost contact*
1Lt Middleton: We are taking damage! Regroup to defensive formation! ... Bail out! *Lost contact*
In the command post: what the... Where did those enemy motorcycles show up! they are firing at us! everybody grab a gun!! alaarm!!
Col Langdon: "Goddamn! All units regroup!"
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JA:
"So, we stoped their assault in the north, cavalary bravely destroyed almost all of british tanks south. But the battle is far from won yet. There is a difficult decision to make. Wether to counterattack and try to take this small village, or to stay and consolidate what we already have. Also there is one more group of tanks, that might prove just too much for our cavlary
man. What to do.... ?"
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UK:
"1Lt Millis: Reports from the front don't look too good sir. Still no word from southern flanking sector and north isn't doing very well either. Those flametanks are chewing off our heads. We managed to fend off the southern cavalry though, I'd say they can't pass. Advancing infantry has taken heavy losses due to enemy artillery.
Col Langdon: Everybody regroup to defensive positions and get ready for withdraw!"
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