2nd turn

[Bradley62]

Also included Sal. file for additional info.

[Bradley62]

turn 3 vs teltossi

[viridomaros]

we can't use pbl file, could you please attach the sal instead?

[Heinz57]

Bradley,

If you could, please upload the .sal file. The .pbl file can only be opened by your opponent who is apparently using a password other than instructed to the axis team, so I can't open the file to see anything.

Thanks!

Mark

[Bradley62]

here you go, sorry.

[Heinz57]

Thanks!

Your situation is not bad overall as you have some important gains developing west of Caen. There are several things you need to watch though -

1. Screen as you go - never let the enemy have access to your rear areas. Units at 73, 30 and 49, 23 - if they are able to move and not in reorg, can get onto the beaches and hold up your reinforcements, reduce your supply, and all other manner of mayhem. Screen your flanks...even if just with companies, you want to know that the enemy is always in front of you, never behind you. Enemy units from 34, 17-19 are likely to cut off supply to your units heading to Cherbourg.

In the process of advancing, you want to isolate his units, but not allow him to do the same to you - and in several instances this is what he is doing. When situations like that develop - you really want to aggressively reverse the situation - such as 26, 23 & 27, 24; as well at 29, 18 and 30, 17.

2. You have a good situation going on the Omaha Beach area's western flank - secure the road and use it to get some of your reinforcements inland deep and fast.

3. Maintaining formation integrity could use a little more attention - 101st Airborne's artillery is at 31, 16 while the rest of the division, without arty support is at 30, 29.

4. Pegasus Bridge will be an ongoing problem for you as he is in a very good position to decimate 6th Airborne...whether he can pull it off or not is a good question, but if he can - and he does have the forces there to do it - you will have to decide between a prolonged effort to take the bridge and establish a good perimeter...or to screen that area and route units around his flank into and beyond Caen. Then...in the last turn or two, bring up a nice strong group and try to get the bridge back.

5. You are very light in the are between Trevieres and Bayeux. Probably use a regiment of Americans to screen that area - divide each battalion into companies. Secure the roads, and bring up something heavier to take Bayeux as it provides a +2% supply bonus to everyone and you will need every little bit you can get.

Overall not bad - you have concentration of force in key areas and that is good....but you don't need as much so concentrated. More reinforcements will be coming and that will help you out. Don't be afraid of losing units, just make sure he pays the price for it.

Have a good one!

Mark

[Bradley62]

Some bigger battles developing. Not necessarily a good thing. :nervous:

[Heinz57]

It looks like your situation has improved somewhat, albeit with the potential to be quickly reversed. Your overstacking near Pegasus is likely to be hit hard. If he is able to commit more there, you would be in danger of losing Pegasus bridge and all the units east of the river, potentially some west of it. He has almost enough there to do it. Of all those units, only the ones in 81, 35 are dug in...

Digging in will save you more on the defense and cause the attacker more damage than what you will see attacking with everything from an overstacked hex.

Your letting a lot of your armor get tied down with the line he has built. More useful to pull it out, seek his flank and wrap around it. If that's not possible, you will at least be able to see everything he has on the front line, assess the weakest points and hit hard there with the intention of scoring flank attacks as a consequence of any penetration.

52, 30 and 60, 30 - more overstacks....screen your flanks, avoid letting an unseen unit into your back areas. Stacking six battalions together is just begging for trouble. He doesn't need to get a unit adjacent to deliver it, just needs one artillery battalion and a good 3-4 rounds of activity.

Otherwise, it appears you are doing pretty good south of Omaha - but there's no recon or screen to allow for much of an assessment. If the road is clear though, you will want to secure it, clear it of anything that may threaten it, and get heading toward St. Lo. while screening your flanks and digging in toward the end of each turn.

Your supply situation at Utah is horrendous - you need to clear those fort units as a matter of priority. Avoid having unprotected headquarters exposed to the enemy.

Next turn watch the replay and assess what your opponent is doing. Regroup and evaluate your position with respect to your primary objectives (south of Cain, St. Lo area, Cherbourg, Pegasus and Carentan).

Take your time - use shield and sword...if you insist on having 6 units in one hex, dig at least one of them in - but you will find it better to have 2 or 3 units in a hex with the others spread out to get flank attacks....1 or 2 stay open to attack while the last digs in. Behind your front line you can have additional reserves not dug in...or dug in that haven't moved, that you can bring up to exploit and solidify any advances. When advancing units, dig in the units with the least movement points, keep the others with more movement points available for attacks.

[Bradley62]

A question. What use are AA units when we have complete AS. There are several.

[L'Emmerdeur]

I asked the same question about AA units. Check the replies here - http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43429

[Bradley62]

Thanks sir.

[Bradley62]

.................

[Heinz57]

Okay - Turn 9 - but you've bottlenecked along the way and haven't really considered much of the previous advice. It looks essentially like you are trying to defeat him through combat, when your advantage resides with maneuver, as referenced in notes on other player's .sal posts.

Recon to the area of Foret de Cerisy, to get a feel for what he has in the area. That is one objective you can take within 4 turns - based upon what I am seeing...which is probably not everything. If it's not covered, keep a couple battalions in the area to keep it secure - and try to advance with a screen toward St. Lo and Caumont. Get a recon onto one of the elevation points, and that will give you a better idea of what is in the immediate area.

Advancing with a screen - use your infantry units to advance as fast and as far as they can to cover the maximum number of front hexes possible while maintaining security - 1 unit every other, or every 2 hexes. You want to see what he has and where he has it...and then you want to a) find where he has gaps, get units through them, b) expand the front beyond his ability to defend it (seek his flanks and go around them)...and if these things are not possible, assess where the weak point is in his line and then concentrate your armor against it. Make sure to bring up artillery, to support the attacks and if you can't reach them, call in dedicated air support.

Recommend scrapping offensive operations in the direction of Cherbourg. Establish a reasonable defensive perimeter and shift everything West. It'll take too long for your units to relocate in support of the drive on St. Lo. Aim to get as many of the 1 Point - 3 Point Objectives as you can - these aren't going to win the game for you, but they might stave off a defeat...

Focus what you can on Carentan - it's worth 30 VP to him, your immediately adjacent to it, he has a very good defense there. Best way is to get units moving into every hex where he is not - set up attacks for the next turn - flank attacks will get you a lot further a lot fast than trying to go at him from a river hex head on. Get him flanked, get him surrounded and the best defense will collapse fairly rapidly.

Everything now depends upon your ability to maneuver. With your current position and the disposition of his forces - if you haven't beat him head on by this point, you won't beat him head on in 4-5 more turns.

Having cooperating units in positions to gain flank attacks (attacking from two directions...at least one hex between them) consistently generates better results. Defensively, you want to minimize the number of units that "stick out" from a line - those are where attacks should really be concentrated - when maneuver is no longer possible (i.e. facing a continuous and uninterrupted defensive line).

It can take a few turns, but once a line starts giving way, the process of its deterioriation tends to accelerate considerably. Each additional hex that can produce a flank attack; each unit that is forced to retreat, that loses supply and readiness; that loses its fortification, that forces other units to jump in...

But, most games are not won through combat, but through maneuver - and decisive combat. Avoid attacking where the enemy wants you to attack - seek out where his units are not, or where they are weaker...you have the ability to extend the front beyond his means of covering all of it like a brick wall...