View Full Version : Der Wanderer Tür : How to handle a game when you are a newbie
Hi Friends,
I have proposed Mr_clark an help on the way to play TOAW, I'm not so smart ass as Siberian heat :halo: but I think my little experience could be helpful.
I proposed Mr_clark to use as support the well known "Road to Rimini" in version 1.21 from Chuck
Both of us will have access to all side as we use the same password "test".
The goal is not to win but to have all the basics to play TOAW based on concrete examples.
So on the next coming post you will have evolution of the game with my advices, I will join the different level of game evolution through many saved "*.sal" files.
It is the openeing of a series of posting with advices for newbies on different subjects concerning TOAW like playing turn, creating sceanrios creating map for scenarios, the best way to find informations on Internet for modern armies :D (it will become my speciality :love: ),
All those threads will begin by
Der WandererTür : it means in German the door of the errant.
Last point we use opart300.exe
Der WanderLehrer
Road to Rimini 1.21 T01 100% before round 1.SAL
-----------------------------------------------
in this sal file you will see my placement of units before opening of fire.
What do I do here,
1st) I used the recon units to highlight the front line, it permitted me not only to find the nature of the units but their combat values.
2nd) Following this I choose the locations where I will concentrate my attacks to break German 1st defence line. I moved too engineers to repair bridges to help assaulting units. Don't forget that attacking through river hex lower you attack by 70% if I remember well. I put too engineer on the assaulting hex to lower the cost in movement point of assaulting units.
3rd) I moved all the units except artillery to use them at full force and from the beginning of the rounds. If you move units their entry in fight are delayed as they have to move then disembark find location to blabla etc.... So keep you arty quiet.
4th)this a tip I use to help me to choose support units. I put all my arty in tactical mode, for no other reasons that they will appear as support forces in the combat window and I can choose which one will add their fire on attacked hex.
5th) Following the point one I decided where to hit for the 1st round.
Readers donwload the zip file attached to this post
Look at next post
Here I set my attacking points.
From west to East
Attack points:
- 8,17 there is an engineer unit, infantry with arty could defeat them, and I'm able to attack them from two sides
- 12,17 infantry fortified in hill gives entrenchment of 48, not so good but I can launch attacks from 3 sides with help of arty I will able to soft it enough as at the end of the turn it will retreat.
- 15,16 engineer unit again, problem it is a the border of two different coloured units so cooperation between them could not be at best, it is supply and time consuming in a TOAW point of view! I will attack too but it not an essential point to blow
-17,15 Infantry again, but I massed enough units (see red point near the stack of units, it means dangerous concentration of troops in case of attacks my looses would be great) on two side to get until end of turn a good result with help of arty too.
It is one of my important goal to achieve.
- 19,13 could be a good breaking point as the anti-tank unit has a low defence value
-21,12 the most important as 17,15. I think that attacking along the road is a logical progression axe, it will help for supply and replacement, it will permit mechanised and armoured units to move fast. I have repaired the broken bridge, I have massed most of mech and armor units there, arty and navy will give a good support too.
Combat analysis
---------------
go to Town of Fano hex 21,12, click on the stack and chose plan an attack.
The new window which appears gives you the status of the attack you are managing.
on the right most you see support, with available units, here they have still been selected for this attack.
On top near support an important point to look at, is time expanded. It will give you how much time will consume an unit in an attack. The time is divided in 10 round, each round is marked by a square which could be grey or gold. If grey it means that the unit was still ready in this round, gold means the time needed to be ready to obey orders.
you may have 3 grey and 2 gold it means
you need a total of 5 tactical rounds to achieve attack still 3 tactical round have been used and you will consume 2 to finalize your attack. The time consumed is a summation for all selected units.
My advice is the following : for your planned action click on each unit involved, same with support units, an look at time consumed. You will see at each tactical round , depending on many factors as number of movement points used, supply available etc..., that some units need one golden square some one grey and many golden.
As you are on round one the 1st is mandatory gold (no time has been used) and depending on units you may have up to 10 golden square.
So for this attack on 21,12, by selecting units one by one you will see that the final result is only infantry units use one square. So we will use them only. The goal is to do as much as tactical round possible to fragilize the unit or stack of units we are attacking. The weaker units could retreat leaving less units for the following round, the attacked units loose their strength and on following rounds they can be oblige to retreat or they can be destroyed. The worst is they can resist until end of the turn but they are most of the time weaker.
But how strong we want to launch our attack ?
minimize loss: unit launch one attack in round, and use very few supply; limit loss: unit launch up to 2 attack in round ;
ignore loss: unit launch up to 3 attacks per round, it uses lot of supply
All this is true too when you defend it is why you will see all toaw players put all units in defence in digging ignore loss mode.
Now here is my own strategy, if I feel that I could have lot of rounds and my units are strong or in great number compare to the defending units, I do attacks in minimize loss, consuming less supply it permits more rounds. I use ignore losses only when I want to achieve the capture of an essential hex and force the luck. Other way as many players I let my units in limit loss.
Warning concerning artillery, when arty is used in indirect fire, the force of shelling it means its weight in Kg of explosives ( and supply used) is set by the 3 values minimize, limit, ignore. On my own experience if you want to hurt badly an entrenched unit shell him in ignore loss mode, it could be removed from its entrenched status. But don't shell him with arty only results are poor always add attacking units.
Cooperation between units, look at the flag along units, if gold it means full cooperation and support between units with golden flag, grey one partial cooperation between golden units flag and grey unit flags, black few or no cooperation with black flag. That is for combat support but in it implies too time consuming. no time consuming for golden flagged units, more time consuming in support with grey flagged units and lot of time consuming with black flagged units.
Except if enemy is under shock as it let you use the maximum available rounds, it is very rare to have more than 5 rounds in a turn most of the time you may hope to get a minimum of 2 rounds.
So return on Rimini, for each hex I want to attack I select the units using the less square possible, I try to avoid mixing units with black flags, and set them in limit losses. Look at hex 19,13 all the units there are not ready enough to act only in one tactical round, most of them need two, because they have made a big travel before to join this final location, they have used 2 tactical round time. So on hold until next round.
All hexes have been considered, I launch the attack.
For fun you can launch many time the attacks for round one, you will see that in 95% of time the results are never the same, in win, loss, retreat etc...
please download the attached zip file
Road to Rimini 1.21 T01 80% before round 2.SAL
----------------------------------------------
Ahhh an important point if you go on top the map you will see some Lutfwaffe counter, as we are in an overwhelming position I sent many airplanes to kill them, look at the Air unit tag in view menus. Most of German are wiped
After all attack have been resolved TOAW inform us that we have consumed 20% of time by displaying a message telling we still have 80% of time.
So where are we.
- 8,17 engineer is weakened
- 12,17 infantry fortified have disappeared tank unit advance in hex, I let him advance one hex more, as it is a tank this move is less time consuming than infantry, it helps to break the line
- 15,16 engineer disappear too I let unit move into enemy line especially to attack arty units, most of them do the famous retreat before combat which permit attacking unit to move without engaging fight, each time arty retreat and take loss
-17,15 Infantry strength is lowered
-21,12 Infantry strength is lowered too
What to do
- 8,17 I continue the fight
- 11,18 Looking at this hex I saw that all possible attacking unit except the tank on north can attack in one round ( one grey one gold all flag gold) as Arty could help I jump on the occasion
-16,15 Infantry unit could be attacked on 3 sides by units with gold flag and all in one round, banco
-17,15 due to preceding on 16,15 I can attack on one side, but looking at hex 18,14 I have a better opportunity
-18,14 All unit on 2 sides could attack in full cooperation in one round, here too bingo
-19,13 now most of unit can attack in one round so I can attack
-21,12 I pursue my effort adding nearby all units in the attack
- Luftwaffe I want to launch a second attack, remember that Heavy bombers are here on turn one only, so I remove them from rest to combat support and put them on most important hex to attack (look at sal file lazy boys)
please download the attached zip file
Road to Rimini 1.21 T01 50% before round 3.SAL
----------------------------------------------
50% of time consumed
Result of attacks
- 8,17 Engineers still resist but are in 1/1 status
- 11,18 Infantry weakened 5/5 to 3/3
- 16,15 Infantry weakened 5/5 to 2/2
- 18,14 Infantry weakened 5/5 to 2/3
- 19,13 Panzer jäger 10/2 to 6/1
- 21,12 UK capture Fano (+5) defender destroyed IRCW
- Luftwaffe destroyed
So what to do now, I have to make attacks with 5 squares for time, I will use units with 4 grey and one gold
- 8,17 I pursue attack, I'm not far from break
- 11,18 I move an infantry unit in 12,17, I hate non occupied hexes, relaunch same attack but tank can attack from north now within the same global round (4 grey squares, one gold)
- 14,15 possible attack on 2 sides of units with same golden flag and in same round, against 278th fusilier
- 16,15 Canadian pursue attack
- 17,15 splitting attacking units from 17,16 I can make a 2 side attack on the still attacked 3/3 infantry
- 18,14 I took the risk of one side attack as I use many strong units and defender is weaker
- 19,13 Continue assault
- 20,12 with splitted unit of 20,13 in 2 attacking direction with the move of one polish unit in 21,12. I make a 3 side attack on this infantry units
- remove lancaster from rest to combat support
please download the attached zip file
Road to Rimini 1.21 T01 30% before round 4.SAL
---------------------------------------------
This file show round 4 before making any moves, we have used 70% of our time
Look at map
- 8,17 Garglll still alive but no more in entrenched mode
- 11,18 Infantry weakened 3/3 to 2/2
- 14,15 278th fusilier 3/2 to 2/3
- 16,15 Infantry weakened 2/2 to 1/1
- 17,15 3/3 infantry divided in 3 companies 1/1 and retreat, Canadian tank move on hex
- 18,14 3/3 infantry divided in 3 companies 1/1 and retreat, Canadian tank move on hex
- 19,13 Panzer jäger 6/1 to 5/1
- 20,12 Infantry destroyed polish tank advance on hex
- I removed lancasters from rest to combat support
please download the attached zip file
Road to Rimini 1.21 T01 30% before round 4 bis.SAL
--------------------------------------------------
I create an other file (30% before round 4 bis) here because I want to show you what differences can do the Retreat without combat and moves of unit after breaking a defence line
All Polish units follow the road north of Fonca, most of company level units did retreat with no combat letting Canadian
and UK units surrounding other German units
As you can see German front in north east is dislocated. Continuous attack with less casualties have given their best results
Now look at prepared attacks, as I'm not sure to have an other round, I will attack now mostly at limit loss level
- 6,18 2 sides attacks against Panzer Jäger
- 8,17 Same player shoot again, will it work this time ?
- 11,18 Infantry 2/2 by 3 sides
- 12,16 To add pressure 2 sides attack on a 5/5 infantry
- 14,15 278th fusilier 2/3 3 sides attacks
- 16,15 Infantry 1/1, 4 sides attacks, 3 south in limit losses mode, one north in limited attack with limit loss level
limited attack means attack without move of the attacking units could be useful when you want to add attacking value
from and hex you don't want to move
- 16,14 Canadian Tank Btn attack a stack of retreated infantry companies, retreated arty units and an div HQ
- 18,13 5/5 infantry 2side attacks by units with no cooperation. Limited attack from Canadian in ignore losses mode
and limit loss mode attack from Polish units
- 19,13 Panzer jäger to 5/1 attacked on 3 sides by polish units
- remove lancaster from rest to combat support
please download the attached zip file
Road to Rimini 1.21 1.SAL
-------------------------
End of turn one, look at final results of this turn
- 6,18 2 Panzer Jäger retreated value ?/?
- 8,17 Engineer destroyed Ghurkha advance on hex
- 11,18 Infantry 2/2 destroyed
- 12,16 infantry 5/5 to 3/2
- 14,15 278th fusilier 2/3 to 2/2
- 16,15 Infantry 1/1, evaporated
- 16,14 stack weakened
- 18,13 5/5 infantry 5/5 to 3/3
- 19,13 Panzer jäger 5/1 retreated value 2/1
What can we see after this fist turn, in 5 rounds, the front line is destroyed in north east, I will be able to surround many German units of the 1st line of defence there, with a loss rate not to high due to minimize loss attacks Friendly loss 7 Enemy loss 3. In west the next turn will permit to open wide the holes made.
If you analyse well your attacks windows you main gain many tactical rounds, and then get advance in your attack schedule, this is enough to transform a marginal victory to an overwhelming victory
I continue now but looking at the German side
Let's go an die andere seite die frontlinie
I join the pbl file the password is "test"
Road to Rimini 1.21 1 GE100%.SAL
---------------------------------
German turn 01
look at the German situation on turn01 south east part of conca river. The front line is broken you can let your forces be killed on place, or you can move them backward and use them in better place, this is what I chose.
New hint :To disengage units without trouble use either arty unit, Hq units or reco units, place them on the unit you want to disengage and move it. It is what I did here
Look at file: I use the reco unit in hex 14,15 moving it on units in 13,16 and 12,16 and permit them to disengage freely, those two units moved in the urbino area 6,17. I did the same with reco unit in 9,17, unit which went in urbino area too. I tried then to move these reco units toward German lines, it was not possible for unit originally in 13,16
Why did I move those units in the Urbino area, look at UK units , they are mainly infantry units not tanks, so I can put a strong line of defense there to hold them.
Other units are put in ignore losses and will hold as long as possible.
Arty units which can escape 11,14 & 12,14 have been moved in rear area see next file
look at next file: Road to Rimini 1.21 1 GE100% after moves.SAL
I moved all my units, have a look.
- The saved arty units are placed in 9,11 & 10,11. To permit them to recover more quickly in term of supply I put their HQ just near them, you got. remember the TOAW help "The level of re-supply possible for a unit increases by 50% if a cooperative headquarters unit is located with or adjacent to a unit".
- The disengaged units are placed in 8,16, 6,16 7,16 to create a new line of defense that I reinforce with Gebirgs units coming from fortified line along with artillery units to give them more fire support. I prefer to defend there and if necessary slowly move back to the fortified line it will delayed UK unit advance.
- I took too 2 Gebirgs units and move them to the east part of the front to reinforce it
- I modified the defense of hex 9,15 by putting there a 5/5 gerbirg unit, I transfer units in 8,14 to let the infantry unit time to reconstitute
- I modified too the defense of hex 13,12 and 12,11; I put the Panzer jäger in Tactical mode to permit a strong counter attack when this hex will be attacked
- I'm very concerned with hex 15,10 which seems weak for me it is why I moved one gebirg unit near, I hope the hex could resist enough to move the Geb. unit in this hex.
Now we have to wait for UK attack, that I will do ASAP with only tactical comments.
Now open turn 2
File Road to Rimini 1.21 2 100%.SAL
-----------------------------------
Have a look to initial position. Eastward, I have no vision of enemy situation. Worst The Conca River is major one and needs engineer for its crossing. Westward German seems to have enforced his defense line.
As I need to have better vision and I will send westward recon unit first East ward Engineer with recon units to highlight the situation.
Concerning trapped units I will see if some RWC are possible, it will clear the path for coming units. IT is done except the entrenched unit in 18,13 all have been destroyed.
So for Eastward move engineers from all divisions as don't need them to cross river in the west part of the front.
Concerning UK units situation we have a true problem as most of the Indian division is in reorganization mode and cannot move. That's the game but it is a true problem as we are limited in time. Only thing to do put them in entrenched mode with ignore losses setting.
I took the 1st House Cav in hex 11,19 and use it to check enemy lines, HUM 8,16 and 7,16 hexes are possible points to attack.
I took the 51 Royal tank to do a probe attack on the German recon unit in 12,16 and I got a RWC, nice!!! But no other RWC as German is probably in a better defense situation Forest and hill ?
File :Road to Rimini 1.21 2 100% moves made.SAL
-----------------------------------------------
As path is free I move an Engineer unit to make a crossing in Hex 11,13 in front of a non fortified hex, I do the same in 14,11 where too there are no fortifications. I move Canadian engineers to those 2 points to reinforce the crossing capacity.
Concerning the extreme east part of the line, German has blown the bridge of the town of Pessare, I will need Engineer to cross so It took the 2 polish engineers units and post them around the town.
Yet highlight the East part of the front with recon units.
Canadian dragoons in 11,13 area gives bad news 6/7 Fallschirm units, and it seems the same in most hex of the front except an Engineer unit with 3/4 but in a fortified position.
So we have a better view of enemy situation.
Now moves our troops.
Westward, I move the few units not in reorganization mode, very few to expect there. In the 8,16 and 7,16 area I move UK units taking care of movement point consumption, have a look on the map.
I tried to move the 1cc engineer in hex 16,10 but I was too short, will be for next turn.
On my 2 bridge head I tried to place more or less equally Canadian units with Armored units.
I begin to surround the last alive German unit in this area.
and I begin to move near pessaro all possible Polish units
And What's about Arty units.
For Indian sector most of them are in reorganization mode, nothing to do and the remnant are well positioned so nothing to do there.
For the Central UK sector, I will try to move them in nearer position to have the full fire support for both Indians, UK and the west Canadian bridgehead.
I did the same for all Canadian units.
I put all moved arty units in dig in mode as all of them will help at 1/2 strength depending of their availability all attacking units.
For polish I took the arty units which were out of range and put them in dig in mode. All these at right distances will provide direct fire support
Concerning air units, I put all of them in combat support at least for the 2 first rounds then they will return in interdiction mode.
I move the same the navy unit.
-------------------------------------------------------
Now I Prepare fights. look at files made for each round
-------------------------------------------------------
1st round: see Road to Rimini 1.21 2 60%.SAL
--------------------------------------------
hex 8,16 inf 5/5F eng 2/4F
hex 17,9 Falsch 6/6F
hex 18,13 inf 3/3F
Except artillery set at ignore losses, all attacks are made at minimize losses
Result:
we have consumed 40% of global time
hex 8,16 inf 5/5 eng 2/4 -> inf 3/3F Eng 2/3 but no more in entrenched position
hex 17,9 Falsch 6/6 -> Falsch 4/5F
hex 18,13 inf 3/3 -> unit eliminated but hex not taken
Units move: All units which were surroundind are either in reorg mode, I make them dig in, or are moved north in direction of pesaro, repartition made following the less expensive movement cost. Occupation of 18,13
2nd round:
----------
hex 12,15 Recon ?/?
attacks is made at limit losses
Result:No time consumption
hex 12,15 Recon ?/? -> unit retreated
unit move : AT btn enter hex 12,15
see Road to Rimini 1.21 2 60% bis.SAL
see Road to Rimini 1.21 2 50%.SAL
3rd round:
----------
we are still at 40% time consumed
hex 8,16 inf 3/3F eng 2/3
hex 10,12 Falsch 6/7F
hex 14,10 Falsch 6/7F
hex 17,9 Falsch 4/5F
Except artilery set at ignore losses, all attacks are made at minimize losses
Result:
50% of time consumed
hex 8,16 inf 3/3 eng 2/3-> eng 1/2 inf 2/2 no more entrenched
hex 10,12 Falsch 6/7 -> Falsch 5/5F & Gerbig 4/4 enter the hex
hex 14,10 Falsch 6/7 -> Falsch 6/7F & Gerbig 4/4 enter the hex
hex 17,9 Falsch 4/5 -> Falsch 3/3 retreats Hex not occupied
unit moves: 1st I let engineer enter 17,9 permitting 6 other units to follow it, all air units set to combat support
see Road to Rimini 1.21 2 30%.SAL
4th Round:
----------
hex 8,16 eng 1/2 inf 2/2
hex 16,9 Falsch 3/3 retreated and Falsch 6/7F
Except artilery set at ignore losses, all attacks are made at minimize losses
Result:
70% of time consumed
hex 8,16 eng 1/2 inf 2/2 -> eng evaporates inf 1/1 retreated hex not occupied
hex 16,9 Falsch 3/3 retreated and Falsch 6/7 -> retreated Falsh / retreats again, Falsh 4/5 no more entrenched
unit moves : occupation of hex 8,16 by 5 UK units
see Road to Rimini 1.21 2 final.SAL
5th round:
----------
It remain only 30% of time, this round is certainly the last one, non attacking units are entrenched at ignore losses, all arty set in Tactical mode and which can be entrenched must be done so. All airplanes are set to interdiction.
Hex 7,16 retreated inf 1/1 recon 3/3
Hex 11,15 retreated Recon ?/?
hex 10,12 Falsch 5/5F & Gerbig 4/4
hex 14,10 Falsch 6/7F & Gerbig 4/4
hex 16,9 Falsh 4/5 -> Gebirg ?/? retreats , 2 polish units occupy the hex
all attacks are made at ignore losses
Result:
Hex 7,16 retreated inf 1/1 recon 3/3 -> inf 1/1 evaporates Recon 2/2 Arm eng 2/4 enter the hex
Hex 11,15 retreated Recon ?/? -> 25% loss no oter info, no moves
hex 10,12 Falsch 6/7F & Gerbig 4/4 -> Both retreat value unknown , hex occupied by 2 UK units
hex 14,10 Falsch 6/7F & Gerbig 4/4 -> Gebirg ?/? retreat Falsh 4/4F
hex 16,9 Falsh 4/5 -> Gebirg ?/? retreats , 2 polish units occupy the hex
Here we are on turn 2 that I join here, I wait for Mr_clark german turn for analysing what he did and give if possible better advices.
If this thread a got interest from your part don't hesitate to add comments, criticism, playing hints and tips or questions
Der WanderLehrer
After reading all that stuff in invite you to take time to read the following article of Siberian Heat
http://www.warfarehq.com/index.php?page=toaw/siberian.shtml
Take in account that Siberian Heat is a very skilful player
Der WanderLehrer
vBulletin® v3.7.4, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.