RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW)

RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (Full Version)

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700851McCall -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 6:48:27 PM)
Do you have anywhere on the mainland with good supply? What is the supply level at the railhead?

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 7:51:43 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: 700851McCall Do you have anywhere on the mainland with good supply? What is the supply level at the railhead? warspite1 Yes. I'll show this next turn. This is why I think its the railroad. The port where I landed - Reggio di Calabria - is fine.

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 8:20:22 PM)
Turn 73 20th September 1943 The 17th British Infantry Brigade is lost as it can't get away from the German units east of Cosenza. A US battalion of the 3rd Division is also in trouble have been engaged. Here is the supply situation. 66 at Reggio and then rapidly reducing as the road heads east. Its at 32 by Siderno, at 11 at Catanzaro and then single digits from Isola di Capo Rizzuto up to the front. On the west coast it reduces to 32 at Pizzo but again, quickly reduces north of there. [image]local://upfiles/28156/2D3076863D7F4349838BC974353D0A2F.jpg[/image]

700851McCall -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 9:52:15 PM)
I guess you will have to wait for the rail. You have got another 550 or so turns to play with [:)]

Zorch -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 10:37:22 PM)
In view of your North African AAR, maybe you should start fortifying Messina now. [:D]

DanNeely -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 10:43:52 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: 700851McCall I guess you will have to wait for the rail. You have got another 550 or so turns to play with [:)] Its the broken bridges not the rail that're crushing supply on the east coast. I'm assuming the same is affecting the situation on the west coast a bit farther north.

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 10:56:21 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DanNeely quote: ORIGINAL: 700851McCall I guess you will have to wait for the rail. You have got another 550 or so turns to play with [:)] Its the broken bridges not the rail that're crushing supply on the east coast. I'm assuming the same is affecting the situation on the west coast a bit farther north. warspite1 No. All broken bridges (except for one north of Cosenza) are repaired. This is actually something that normal engineers did okay on (unlike rail).

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 10:57:34 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Zorch In view of your North African AAR, maybe you should start fortifying Messina now. [:D] warspite1 I'm way ahead of you Zorch. Tunis, Tripoli, Algiers and Cairo are being heavily fortified and garrisoned as we speak [:D]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 10:58:15 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: 700851McCall I guess you will have to wait for the rail. You have got another 550 or so turns to play with [:)] warspite1 Yes indeed, my plan is to bore the enemy into giving in [:)]

Zorch -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/22/2018 10:59:55 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: warspite1 quote: ORIGINAL: 700851McCall I guess you will have to wait for the rail. You have got another 550 or so turns to play with [:)] warspite1 Yes indeed, my plan is to bore the enemy into giving in [:)] You've had worse plans. [:D]

700851McCall -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/23/2018 7:13:06 AM)
one of the great things about TOAW is that it has realistic supply. You can't keep bashing forward forever with the same units, you have to pause and refit. And you can't just zoom around the map hundreds of miles from supply sources with impunity. Frustrating, but challenging.

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/25/2018 11:57:52 AM)
Turn 74 - 78 21st - 25th September 1943 Not much to report on as I've been trying to get supplies in place (by fixing the rail line). I can see some benefit already as the lines are (slooooowly) being fixed. However the Germans have been pounding the US on the East Coast so I've had to conduct a large-scale withdrawal. When getting the last turn back, devoncop said he destroyed 200 aircraft. So I think I best make a check on what's going on - as said before, I didn't even know my aircraft were flying.... Checking the aircraft is not as easy in this game but I can't see that I've lost a huge amount of aircraft (but as said it difficult to be precise as I didn't record reserve nos. previously). Since I first recorded the air numbers, I've lost one whole US squadron.

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/26/2018 5:22:49 AM)
Turn 79 - 80 26th - 27th September 1943 A quiet couple of turns - just a few unopposed air strikes from the Germans on turn 79 and then nothing on turn 80. Bizarrely considering the detail below, my aircraft supply is great - but proficiency and readiness are generally poor for all squadrons. The supply situation is - hopefully - almost resolved and the armies can get moving once more. Based on this, the right thing for the Axis was defending this far north. By defending in the south the Germans would simply be playing into the Allies hands as they would be fighting (and presumably inflicting losses) while having the luxury of slowly building up supply lines. [image]local://upfiles/28156/CF6227FBB2AD4135AD2985489F4C73CA.jpg[/image]

700851McCall -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/26/2018 7:06:13 AM)
It's a marathon not a sprint, as they say.

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/27/2018 6:38:07 AM)
Turn 81 - 84 28th September - 1st October 1943 After 3 more turns of rail repair I think I'm now in a position to get on the move again. On Sicily there is now a complete rail line from the British and US reinforcement hexes to Messina. On the mainland there are still about 10 rail lines to fix but these should be done within 10 turns or so and supply levels are acceptable I think. In fairness to devoncop I'm not looking at the other STBP threads and so, as per the CFNA game, I am playing this completely new. This has its disadvantages of course but it's also quite exciting. I will need to read the rules on air drops but I have my two airborne divisions at airfields so I guess that is a start! All fighters are on air superiority while the troops start moving up to the front. As for the plan, well given what I've seen of the German forces I don't know how a landing at a German garrisoned port is actually possible, but I'll have to try something and see what happens. To this end I have a rough idea of the units to be employed: West Coast: British 8th Army - XIII Corps 5th Division 46th Division 1st Canadian Division 7th Armoured Division + 8th Army assets East Coast: US 5th Army - II Corps US 3rd Division US 36th Division US 45th Division + 5th Army Reserves At Catanzaro available for amphibious landings somewhere tbd: US 5th Army - VI Corps US 34th Division US 1st Armoured Division At Isola di Capo Rizzuto - available for airborne drops: US 82nd Airborne Division At the three ports north of Pizzo available for amphibious landings somewhere tbd: British 8th Army - X Corps 8th Indian Division 56th Division 78th Division At Pizzo - available for airborne drops: 1st Airborne Division

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/27/2018 6:28:54 PM)
Turn 85 2nd October 1943 The British 46th Infantry take Cosenza unopposed and begin the march on San Marco. I will need to bring engineers up to mend the bridges and repair the railroad. On the east coast the 36th Division, marching up the coastal road, push back a battalion from the HG Division. Their target is Corigliano. All the Allied aircraft are on air superiority/interdiction missions in case the Germans decide to contest these moves. The turn consists of three rounds of bombardment by the British and two by the US. The damage is reasonable - but the Germans are tough nuts to crack. [image]local://upfiles/28156/598B1E1AF15741FD93133516D4E173A2.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/27/2018 8:07:42 PM)
Turn 86 3rd October 1943 I played that turn all wrong [8\|] The scenario is quite different to CFNA and I need to adjust better. I opened up with some bombardments but used too much of the turn, meaning that I couldn't then attack.....

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/28/2018 5:13:39 PM)
Turn 87 4th October 1943 The Germans appear to have retreated someway on the east coast. This allows the 36th Division to establish itself along the river north and east of Corigliano. On their left the 45th Division occupy the town and then move beyond to the river line. Reserves of tanks are brought up too but there are a number of bridges that need repairing before any advance is possible. [image]local://upfiles/28156/C8DC1663E03A4642B8165578600A4F22.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/28/2018 5:28:42 PM)
Turn 87 4th October 1943 Meanwhile on the west coast the British set about the Germans around San Marco. On the right flank inland the 46th Division, with support from 8th Army assets, push north to try and hem the Germans in, while the 5th Division attack from the west and southwest of San Marco against a German reinforced panzergrenadier battalion. The 7th Armoured Brigade provide the necessary muscle. The defending Germans retreat but not before a company/battalion? of paratroopers evaporate. The air battle that accompanies the ground fighting looks a bit weird though. Around 600 British and American fighters escort 83 bombers to the fight. They are opposed by a full 36 German fighters. The fighting is hard fought and close with the German losing...ahem 4 aircraft (1 destroyed) while the Allies lose 22 (10 destroyed). [image]local://upfiles/28156/3F71D4E0119341BB827E10ECCC2A6D71.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/28/2018 5:48:56 PM)
Turn 87 4th October 1943 Attention is then switched to San Marco itself and 46th Division take over from 5th Division. Once again however, the infantry can call upon the tanks of 8th Army reserve - as well as the Canadian infantry coming from the south. A paratroop battalion is destroyed and San Marco is occupied. The turn finishes off with a round of bombardment. I just hope the Germans find manoeuvring difficult so that I can swing my US tank forces west.... [image]local://upfiles/28156/CE6619073D4343B29211974534262D6D.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/28/2018 7:20:27 PM)
Turn 88 5th October 1943 Strangely, although there were numerous bombardments from the Germans last turn, none of them showed up on the combat report [&:] While the two infantry divisions hold the river line - and the third is in reserve - the armour of 5th Army Reserve is ordered to head west to engage the Germans in the rear of the British position. [image]local://upfiles/28156/09039C82A4DD42178E235D6AC983FA32.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/28/2018 8:14:17 PM)
Turn 88 5th October 1943 The 5th Division is then ordered to attack along the coast road in conjuction with 7th Armoured Division while 46th Division, supported by 1st Canadian Division and 8th Army assets attack north of San Marco where the Germans have some serious strength in the form of a heavily reinforced panzergrenadier regiment. The attacks take their toll but the German strength appears to be dissipating. The attacks are repeated in the last round. While the Germans on the coast hold, those north of San Marco are forced to retreat. For this last round the US were able to provide a light barrage against the rear units - although this had negligible effect. I decided to to attack as the odds were unfavourable and I would rather conserve strength. [image]local://upfiles/28156/A01DF7CDB31F4CDDA18AC97915F29B79.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 9:33:13 AM)
Turn 89 - Axis Turn (in real time) 6th October 1943 Now the action is truly underway I will need to look at the enemy moves properly. I will give this the same treatment therefore as the CFNA game. Sadly the Germans are not - as I'd hoped - choosing to retreat. They are in fact bringing more units south to engage with the British. I can see a panzer battalion moving south, north of the US 5th Army's left flank - this unit then heads west rather than continuing south to attack the US forces. Sneaky little wotsit! devoncop has a German paratroop unit in the central mountains that moves north toward the US forces.... [image]local://upfiles/28156/4AC12CA499514FF1ABAC301A5C81573E.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 9:55:01 AM)
Turn 89 - Axis Turn (in real time) 6th October 1943 The moves switch further north now and there is lots of choo choo action as lots of reinforcements can be detected heading down the west coast.... The turn then switches to bombardments. I'll have to start looking at these in the same detail too.... There are 9 bombardments in all - and two hexes are singled out for special attention. For the results of these barrages/air attacks please see next post [image]local://upfiles/28156/25AB33C236BE4B41BF8692952C034FA0.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 11:01:03 AM)
Turn 89 - Axis Turn 6th October 1943 The German bombardments of the British positions proved pretty painful and there was no artillery to inflict counter-battery fire with. This was not the case with the US attacks and so I was at least able to provide some level of hurt back. [image]local://upfiles/28156/F1981D5FD57041D6AB44DE9A82B739E8.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 11:11:36 AM)
Turn 89 6th October 1943 The engineer position was pretty dire that turn with only two attempts succeeding. I decide to send some scouts out along the east coast to find out the strength of the opposition here. The detachment from the 36th Recon Battalion stumble across artillery and infantry further north. Their comrades of the 3rd Division to the west do not find anything. Two regiments of the 45th Division destroy the German interloper to the south. North of San Marco a German screen is pushed back - British armour moves across the river but will need the bridge repaired asap. The main attack is from the 5th Division on the coast against the German panzergrendiers. Huge artillery and air support is ordered for this attack. [image]local://upfiles/28156/95528DC7FA0F41BBB85FF39E465845E8.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 11:38:47 AM)
Turn 89 6th October 1943 British losses continue to be painful and I will need to consider taking 5th Division out of the line due to yet more heavy losses to infantry and tanks. At least this time the panzergrenadiers were forced to retreat. I need the US forces to the northeast to force the Germans off the road. There is good news and bad news; the good news is that both a US attack in the north and a British attack in the south are successful. The bad news is that the turn ends and the so the units that moved in to the vacated hexes are now incredibly vulnerable.... The Germans lose half their infantry as well as much of their artillery at a cost of less than 20 tanks. British losses were very heavy in all departments.... [image]local://upfiles/28156/DC375F91C4154EB9A4655D0361F3A0F1.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 1:05:11 PM)
Turn 90 - Axis Turn (in real time) 7th October 1943 Damn! devoncop brings to panzerjaeger units into block the road in front of the US tanks. I suspect an attack will be forthcomimg.... There is some shuffling of forces going on in front of the British positions. The Germans aren't withdrawing but I think one (presumably mauled) unit has moved back to replenish. However, yet more big black units head south along the coast road to beef up the position - It looks like a whole infantry division (65th). Wow this is a serious amount of reinforcement going on.... The US 3rd Division's recce detachment finds itself in a bit of trouble as enemy forces head south to engage....the 36th's unit finds itself in similar trouble. The bombardments start - it looks like on the east coast. It is and then an attack goes in that forces the Americans to withdraw. Then the turn ends. Looks like a proficiency failure.... devoncop has confirmed that was the case. So there was only the opportunity for him to launch two attacks - one bombardment and one land combat. The bombardment was levelled against the US tank force and they got away with only light casualties fortunately. I lost no tanks which was a bonus. On the east coast the recce unit will be lucky to get away however as its reorganising....

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 1:53:14 PM)
Turn 90 7th October 1943 My engineers were a little better this turn and the bridge between the main US forces an the Germans on the west coast has been fixed. In the British sector the two bridges north of Cosenza remain down. I've got no idea how amphibious landings work against the Germans but as a tester I order the 56th Division to sea. They will attempt a landing just behind the German front line.... But before all that here is the position on the east coast [image]local://upfiles/28156/40F8ADEC56FA458DB5DB51CC6C2B280F.jpg[/image]

warspite1 -> RE: STBP 1943-45 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) (3/30/2018 2:20:11 PM)
Turn 90 7th October 1943 There are three attacks planned and one invasion (plus a bombardment on the coast). The turn becomes something of a disaster. The initial bombardment proves hugely costly in counter-battery fire. The amphibious landing is a complete pig's ear and pretty much half the infantry and the divisions equipment are lost. Its a similar story against the single recce battalion - where almost 200 rifle squads are lost. I really don't understand how that is remotely possible but ho hum... The attack by the Americans is no different... Total disaster. [image]local://upfiles/28156/ACAD6F769C724A538A2B6A9A90D4A13F.jpg[/image]

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