Telumar
22 Jul 06, 19:06
As some of you might have seen, Larry posted his turn one in the public AAR section. Unfortunatly i still haven't received my copy of the game, so i couldn't open the file he sent me and am not yet in action. He was so kind to send me a pic from his turn end (from the allied side).
It seems that his opening was not that agressive as Jamiams. I will comment the situation and outline my plans from the west to the east.
1.) The Cotentin peninsula
I think it's possible to build a defence line south of Montebourg - Quineville, maybe using the bocage terrain south of Montebourg, the weakest spot then would be the open terrain hex south of Quineville, which may be needed to be backed up with an armour battalion in tactical reserve behind it, if possible. To counterattack towards the bridge over the Merderet, west of St.Mere-Eglise, will require carefull planing as the 'Zone of Control' of the Para Bn northwest of this bridge will prevent a fast advance as bypassing is movement points intensive and risky. The infantry unit on the most southern bridge leading over the Merderet will blow it and dig in behind the blown bridge.
It seems that one parachute battalion of the 82nd AB is in reorganization or reserve (indicated by the orange bar under their unit type symbol). This is a invitation to counterattack :devil: : They are probably not dug in, so i will raise hell upon them...
2.)Carentan
One armoured cavalry unit has made it across the bridge, i think my FallschirmJägers are capable of throwing this unit back and even retaking this bridge to blow it.
The bridge over the Taute river. I doubt that a counterattack would be successfull, even with using the art. unit from around Grandcamp and the Ost Bn from Isigny as this area is in reach of the allied navy's guns.
I do not plan to reinforce the peninsula with forces from the south, i will use these forces for the defence of Carentan and St.Lo/Torigni only as this area is quiteVP intensive. He can have Cherbourg if he wants, but he will need more for a victory..
3.)South of Omaha beach
Retreat, bridge blowing and creating a net of ZOC's (to deny the enemy to manouever freely) will be the agenda for the coming days until enough reinforcements arrive to hopefully stop them. There is a good line of defensible terrain reaching from the bocage on the southern side of the canal near St. Jane de Daye down to the hills northeast of St.Lo and then hooking along the ridge towards Balleroy. Most part of this line will be in bocage or hills behind rivers or canals which will add to my defensive strenghts and also reduce the attacker's strength as he must attack from a river hex with 70% strength.
4.)Bayeux
Bayeux is a lost case anyway. It is a huge gap that Larry surely will exploit. In my last game (in COW) i was able to get the allies to a halt in the hills between Balleroy and southwest of Tilly-sur-Seulles, i think it will take this course here, too. Note the area south of this line contains several 'peak' hexes which should give a good bonus to my artillery and if iirc the artillery hasn't necessarily to sit on these peaks. (the manual says mountain peaks within observation range of the combat location increase effectivness of long range fire)
5.)Caen
Luckily for me the brits haven't made it across the hills north of the city. This gives me three defence lines i can use to fall back. The first directly on the hills, the second one in Caen itself and the third one south of the Orne River, all lines in good defensible terrain.
It will not be easy to get through the paras of 6th AB to Pegasus bridge but i will, must try it with armour from the 21st Panzer.
The area west of Caen is not that worrysome as it might look like. The 12.SS Panzer will reinforce this are on turn 2. I plan to establish a line roughly from Carpiquet to Moyers-Bocage; hopefully i find enough infantry for the first line so that i can back this line with armour on tactical reserve, mainly in the open area. I've chosen this open area because it's out of reach of the bourgebois ridge and protects the western flank of Caen. The Odon river is too near to the ridge for my taste. However, if Caen will have to be given up, i will have to put this line behind the Odon but still keeping the hills and the forests around Moyers-Bocage.
Attached is the link to Larry's AAR thread and the pic of his turn end. Btw, he got eight combat rounds.
http://www.xtreme-gamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43085
http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=alliedturnoneendwa8.gif
It seems that his opening was not that agressive as Jamiams. I will comment the situation and outline my plans from the west to the east.
1.) The Cotentin peninsula
I think it's possible to build a defence line south of Montebourg - Quineville, maybe using the bocage terrain south of Montebourg, the weakest spot then would be the open terrain hex south of Quineville, which may be needed to be backed up with an armour battalion in tactical reserve behind it, if possible. To counterattack towards the bridge over the Merderet, west of St.Mere-Eglise, will require carefull planing as the 'Zone of Control' of the Para Bn northwest of this bridge will prevent a fast advance as bypassing is movement points intensive and risky. The infantry unit on the most southern bridge leading over the Merderet will blow it and dig in behind the blown bridge.
It seems that one parachute battalion of the 82nd AB is in reorganization or reserve (indicated by the orange bar under their unit type symbol). This is a invitation to counterattack :devil: : They are probably not dug in, so i will raise hell upon them...
2.)Carentan
One armoured cavalry unit has made it across the bridge, i think my FallschirmJägers are capable of throwing this unit back and even retaking this bridge to blow it.
The bridge over the Taute river. I doubt that a counterattack would be successfull, even with using the art. unit from around Grandcamp and the Ost Bn from Isigny as this area is in reach of the allied navy's guns.
I do not plan to reinforce the peninsula with forces from the south, i will use these forces for the defence of Carentan and St.Lo/Torigni only as this area is quiteVP intensive. He can have Cherbourg if he wants, but he will need more for a victory..
3.)South of Omaha beach
Retreat, bridge blowing and creating a net of ZOC's (to deny the enemy to manouever freely) will be the agenda for the coming days until enough reinforcements arrive to hopefully stop them. There is a good line of defensible terrain reaching from the bocage on the southern side of the canal near St. Jane de Daye down to the hills northeast of St.Lo and then hooking along the ridge towards Balleroy. Most part of this line will be in bocage or hills behind rivers or canals which will add to my defensive strenghts and also reduce the attacker's strength as he must attack from a river hex with 70% strength.
4.)Bayeux
Bayeux is a lost case anyway. It is a huge gap that Larry surely will exploit. In my last game (in COW) i was able to get the allies to a halt in the hills between Balleroy and southwest of Tilly-sur-Seulles, i think it will take this course here, too. Note the area south of this line contains several 'peak' hexes which should give a good bonus to my artillery and if iirc the artillery hasn't necessarily to sit on these peaks. (the manual says mountain peaks within observation range of the combat location increase effectivness of long range fire)
5.)Caen
Luckily for me the brits haven't made it across the hills north of the city. This gives me three defence lines i can use to fall back. The first directly on the hills, the second one in Caen itself and the third one south of the Orne River, all lines in good defensible terrain.
It will not be easy to get through the paras of 6th AB to Pegasus bridge but i will, must try it with armour from the 21st Panzer.
The area west of Caen is not that worrysome as it might look like. The 12.SS Panzer will reinforce this are on turn 2. I plan to establish a line roughly from Carpiquet to Moyers-Bocage; hopefully i find enough infantry for the first line so that i can back this line with armour on tactical reserve, mainly in the open area. I've chosen this open area because it's out of reach of the bourgebois ridge and protects the western flank of Caen. The Odon river is too near to the ridge for my taste. However, if Caen will have to be given up, i will have to put this line behind the Odon but still keeping the hills and the forests around Moyers-Bocage.
Attached is the link to Larry's AAR thread and the pic of his turn end. Btw, he got eight combat rounds.
http://www.xtreme-gamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43085
http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=alliedturnoneendwa8.gif