View Full Version : Road to Rimini: JLBETIN Versus HEAT
This AAR is a chapter of a more global AAR that begin at this address http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3380
Have fun
INTRODUCTION
The German point of View
First off I could see the Germans have no mobile reserves of any kind during the first few turns. Yet I took a chance and moved some units off the line to the west and arranged them in the middle to be a fire brigade when the breakthroughs start coming. The initial turn allowed me to move freely, but I could see overwhelming air interdiction would make moving in subsequent turns almost impossible.
The German point of view
Fairly heavy losses in the front echelons. Not much I could do except try to make sure I was positioned to block his supply of some of his forward units. This might dull the edge. Many units are going to be caught across the Foglia River and lost.
The Allies point of view
As I played UK a second time, against Heat this time, As I told in the main thread, I have defined a strategy and I want to follow it.
So I took the same decision for driving my attacks. Look back to the main thread to get the main strategy.
To recognize german troops I sent some reco btn to highlights german untis
1st crossing the south river, to do so, searching all engineers btn and position them to either rebuild bridges or help crossing the assaultings troops.
As soon as a breach is made, send mobile units to discover rear units. Use retreat without combat (RWC) as much as possible. The funiest here is that a canadian rec will help to open the road to Pesaro, on the Adriatic coast.
If on west part the German are wiped easily, it is an other song on the western part of the map. Woods and Hill help German to resist on Indian assaults. Assault coming mostly from river hexes, which gives a 0.7 reducing strengh multiplier.
The German point of view
He hits the main line and makes one hex on the sea-side flank behind Pesaro. Strong unit still in Pesaro and I am going to leave that on F defense to make him work at dislodging it. Perhaps I will get lucky and it will hold out for the full turn...or otherwise consume his rounds. Elsewhere I still have some units intact, now almost behind his lines. I move an HQ to form an adjacent line of supply to those forward units so they will remain strong in turn 3.
The Allies point of view
Yessssssss ! the breakout is made against the first line of defense, Poles are in time on the road to rimini, Pesaro is not fallen ut it will came soon. Some Poles units are on the other side of the Gothic line.
Hurrayy Ooooooh no, ch*t, mer*e, Koch in britonic language, most of my Poles armored are stopped, Orange Barred, they are blocked and can't attack, TOAW engine is unfair !!!!
In the same time Brits armor and Canadian are on contact with the Gothic line. Indian and Ghurka are moving north too. Many of its surrounded units have been eaten or retreated. My plan seems to work.
The German point of view
He now has 2 clear hexes of my line hacked out. Next turn will be the big breakthrough as I had to commit my reserves already. I used some of my remaining infantry to try to counterstrike his red overstacked hexes on the river to focus my artillery on him and try to wear his units down a bit before he has to commit them in the attack in turn 4. Some success but no retreats as I has hoped. One stack in 12, 12 (see pic. 1) was pure infantry...and thus I made excellent headway in attacking it. I lost one battalion of paratroopers, but he also suffered heavily in that hex.I moved up an AT unit to cover the adjacent hex because without any AT units of his own attacking me, I should be able to survive against those pure, worn down infantry. I can't see all that is behind that hex however, so I could be caught flatfooted if a large armor unit comes rolling up to support his attack. Also was able to break down one of my now surrounded infantry in his rear echelon and push many artillery units around. This should make him think twice about leaving his artillery unprotected... and it might divert some front line troops to come back and take care of my rogues.
The Allies point of view
To be honnest I don't saw that one of its unit was behind my lines, and when my arty were shocked I just saw it (too late, smartass Heat).
But return on main front. Peasro is free of German but broken bridge avoid me to occupy it, I need to make come an engineer btn latter to open the road to the town and repair the bridge..
On poles sides lot of untis are wounded and have lost combat power. But to prepare an assault on fortified line you need to stack your untis !!.
I played that too when I played France 14 as the French (see my AAR on this forum).
So now we are facing the true difficulties are my choice for breaking the line correct ??.
I sent lot of attacks, at least 3 round, but if german are weakened, in center part of the front there is no breakthrough. Worst, some isolated german btn are stopping my units because I need to destroy them. It was a MikeJ advice in my first fight against him in 2 week in Normandy, never let units behind your lines :D.
In the west Indian took contact with Gothic line too
The german point of view
He had a major breakthrough along the coast road, with several units now behind my front lines. I have pulled more units off my right flank to begin forming a second delaying line in front of the Conca river - but not enough units to do more than have isolated pillboxes waiting for him. However my reinforcements start arriving on turn 5 so it might buy me just enough time for them to begin forming up a defensive line back near Rimini...where I can fight for a marginal victory or a draw. :D
The Allies point of view
Poles did their job fine a major breakthrough is made in the east.
but Brits and Canadian in Center are stucked on the Gothic line.
Time is runing out, on turn 5 he got reinforcement. I feel bad, the timing is not respected in center part of the front, and I need them to surroung the remnant troops of the Gothic line.
The german point of view
Slower than expected turn for my opponent. He has several units behind my lines, but this turn did not exploit them by going deeper into the backfield. This has given me time to readjust slightly here and there along the line to further delay him on the next turn...as well as move up my turn 5 reinforcements - which were quite substantial. I have my 2 Panzer battalions from the 26th PZ regiment sitting just behind my line in a strike position for next turn. Judging by my situation, any kind of victory in this scenario is probably beyond hope...but a draw is certainly plausible. To save a draw you will need to maintain ownership of Riccione and everything north of that position. This turn I also managed to squeak one infantry company behind his lines to interfere with his reinforcement hex.
The Allies point of view
The seams ot the Gothic have split :D . I try to exploit with my rec btn, but I have not enough move points. I need to crunch the surrounded units !!, I'm loosing time.
Doing a RWC I isolate myself one of my pole rec btn, stupid isn't it.
In the west part the indians and the brits are pushing north the Huns.
At now I know that I won't be abble to reach Rimini, my only hope, to get a marginal victory, is to seize all northern VP location -> Catolica + Riccione
The German point of view
Turns 6 - 10.
My opponent lit up the skies by putting his air force on Interdiction for the remainder of the game. I was getting 72% interdiction which more or less meant I had to sit in place and hope I could hold on. Attacking was out of the question as his force was too great on the ground, and multiple rounds of interdiction strikes would end up hurting me more than any counterattack could do to him.
I left a few islands of defenders in selected spots so that the bulk of his force could not move up and strike my draw line at once. This probably helped save Riccione (5VP) and gave me the draw. Had that city fallen it would have given the allies a marginal victory.
The Allies point of view
Ok stop kidding, all air units in interdiction, to block the moving german reinforcement. They arrive, they are here. Yes my reinforcement are coming, I divert some to kill the impudent company sleeping in my back see next post.
But those reinfoce are welcome to help me to finish the remant units trapped in the western part of the front.
In the west and center Front armored and rec btn try to exploit and made some RWC
One by one I seize the gothic line stronghold, some are void.
Force the way to the north is my only obsession.
The Allies point of view
It was a small unit sleeping in my back, that I was not aware. but I killed it
Siberian Heat is a Smartass
The Allies point of view
Making a final push I was abble to seize Catolica. In center many RWC have occured but with no major result as the bulk of the German reinforcment are arriving, closing the hatch. Probably the locked Poles units on turn 2 by the TOAW engine cost me the marginal victory.
In the western part of the front the NZ are helping indian to remove the latest german mole
The Unreachable Dream
The German point of view
Situation on my final turn (turn 10). His offensive sputtered as I stacked more and more units in front of him...but due to massive interdiction effects I really had no options other than sit in place. Chuck is aware of this interdiction issue and is working on a revision to address this.
The Allies point of view
Ite missa est, the German have closed the hatch, my nortern units have been driven back or eliminated. My troops are exhausted.
This is a draw, beautyfull friends, a draw ( sing it A la Door, "this is the end" )
Dear reader,
I invit you to return back to the main thread and reach the final posts
http://www.gamesquad.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3380
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