General Staff
23 Sep 07, 13:50
Just played a Turn 1 against Elmer on this. Shades of El Alamein. I'll post other ideas as I get further in but a few ideas:
1) Air Force- if he leaves you one, I'd hold it back as a threat and try for Allied ships if you ever see them with JU-87s and ME-109s riding Air Superiority. Probably a one way trip.
2) I'd defend as far forward as possible. Break all units except arty, HQs (not possible) into 3 pieces (leaving them whole is just providing a target rich environment for Allied arty and putting more fish in the barrel to shoot) and defend in depth- 2 parts up, one behind so broken units in the front line have somewhere to go and the unit behind is always digging a second line and can recover a little. See article on Balkans 12 or Tannenberg 14 for how this should work. In my game versus Elmer I put and dug units in all the urban hexes available between the Metauro and the Foglia (Fano, Pesaro, Saltara, Petriano, S. Angelo, Urbino) including Fossombrone which was oddly left vacant (though a human player probably won't leave).
3) Use combined arms stacks of broken down units- a few tanks, SPGs, AT Guns, Flak Guns (88s are great). See the GS versus Elmer AAR here for how that works.
4) Allied interdiction is hellish. I'd almost suggest waiting to move until the bombers head off turns 3-4, but you really can't afford to do that. I'd move armour units first after breaking them into 3 to take the edge off interdiction and tire the planes some. I find moving each piece 1 hex at a time and recombining if possible, then breaking down again and moving another hex works best, though I've nothing hard and fast to prove this. The recombination helps spread casualties more evenly when you break down again. Moving 914th Stug to positions in Fossombrone, Saltara and Petriano for example resulted in the loss of four SPGs and four half tracks, but looking at the inventory, only one of each was destroyed- the rest went to inventory for repair and redistribution. Move infantry next, starting with those going into positions against the enemy- if they get retreated you can set up an attack, cancel it, and have the unit in mobile status able to dig in (which it can't do if in retreated status). Next either HQs or Engineers- probably HQs. Lastly arty, starting with flak and prioritizing guns by value in defence. Guns can be set up to direct fire and then cancel to gain mobile status to recombine and then dig in in the same way you can do this for infantry. Turn 1 movement will hurt but this is best way to do and tire his air out some. The casualties IMO are worth the ground and buffer it gets you since this scenario is really all about time.
5) Use engineers to help infantry dig in, but avoid putting them in the front line where possible- they're too valuable improving your defenses. Break them down into 3 to help more units dig in.
6) Arty should be sited for maximum defensive coverage. HQ's for best supply benefits to most units.
7) Try to dig units in behind routed units so they've got somewhere to shelter when they're retreated or can move again.
8) Super rivers won't save you or shorten your line given Allied extensive major river fording ability. He can pretty much cross anywhere. I'd use your major fording ability to get units into 17,12 and 18,12. This widens the retreat corridor from Fano, Pesaro, Foglia and should allow you to defend these urban areas a little more comfortably for longer with a reduced risk of getting cut off.
9) Don't forget HQs can help in disengaging (as can arty). Worth reading up on disengagement.
10) There are really 4 avenues for Allies to advance up. Fano, Saltara, Petriano and Urbino and these axes are what you should withdraw up making best use of terrain. Back up as slow as possible fighting all the way- forget the Gothic Line in early turns, though you'll probably eventually wind up huddled inside it. On coast I'd just dig in at Fano and hills/cropland west then make my next line at 20,11 and super river hexes west, though it might be worth trying to convert some open ground here to 100% fortified if you can afford to spare engineering capacity (maybe even whole units for this task to get done pronto).
11) Targets of opportunity. I'd probably only hit stacks if orange/red and lots of infantry out in open with little cover (not much use versus armour). Use a broken down unit to make the ground attack (limited attack, minimize losses) with as much direct arty support as you can spare. Do early in turn so you can dig in after with less chance of your arty in mobile with early turn end and therefore no defensive fire from these on Allied turn.
12) Reinforcements just go where needed, though try to always keep formations together for support and supply (if next to HQ) effects.
13) Don't panic. Kesselring seemed to stay fairly cool and he did OK.
Good luck!
1) Air Force- if he leaves you one, I'd hold it back as a threat and try for Allied ships if you ever see them with JU-87s and ME-109s riding Air Superiority. Probably a one way trip.
2) I'd defend as far forward as possible. Break all units except arty, HQs (not possible) into 3 pieces (leaving them whole is just providing a target rich environment for Allied arty and putting more fish in the barrel to shoot) and defend in depth- 2 parts up, one behind so broken units in the front line have somewhere to go and the unit behind is always digging a second line and can recover a little. See article on Balkans 12 or Tannenberg 14 for how this should work. In my game versus Elmer I put and dug units in all the urban hexes available between the Metauro and the Foglia (Fano, Pesaro, Saltara, Petriano, S. Angelo, Urbino) including Fossombrone which was oddly left vacant (though a human player probably won't leave).
3) Use combined arms stacks of broken down units- a few tanks, SPGs, AT Guns, Flak Guns (88s are great). See the GS versus Elmer AAR here for how that works.
4) Allied interdiction is hellish. I'd almost suggest waiting to move until the bombers head off turns 3-4, but you really can't afford to do that. I'd move armour units first after breaking them into 3 to take the edge off interdiction and tire the planes some. I find moving each piece 1 hex at a time and recombining if possible, then breaking down again and moving another hex works best, though I've nothing hard and fast to prove this. The recombination helps spread casualties more evenly when you break down again. Moving 914th Stug to positions in Fossombrone, Saltara and Petriano for example resulted in the loss of four SPGs and four half tracks, but looking at the inventory, only one of each was destroyed- the rest went to inventory for repair and redistribution. Move infantry next, starting with those going into positions against the enemy- if they get retreated you can set up an attack, cancel it, and have the unit in mobile status able to dig in (which it can't do if in retreated status). Next either HQs or Engineers- probably HQs. Lastly arty, starting with flak and prioritizing guns by value in defence. Guns can be set up to direct fire and then cancel to gain mobile status to recombine and then dig in in the same way you can do this for infantry. Turn 1 movement will hurt but this is best way to do and tire his air out some. The casualties IMO are worth the ground and buffer it gets you since this scenario is really all about time.
5) Use engineers to help infantry dig in, but avoid putting them in the front line where possible- they're too valuable improving your defenses. Break them down into 3 to help more units dig in.
6) Arty should be sited for maximum defensive coverage. HQ's for best supply benefits to most units.
7) Try to dig units in behind routed units so they've got somewhere to shelter when they're retreated or can move again.
8) Super rivers won't save you or shorten your line given Allied extensive major river fording ability. He can pretty much cross anywhere. I'd use your major fording ability to get units into 17,12 and 18,12. This widens the retreat corridor from Fano, Pesaro, Foglia and should allow you to defend these urban areas a little more comfortably for longer with a reduced risk of getting cut off.
9) Don't forget HQs can help in disengaging (as can arty). Worth reading up on disengagement.
10) There are really 4 avenues for Allies to advance up. Fano, Saltara, Petriano and Urbino and these axes are what you should withdraw up making best use of terrain. Back up as slow as possible fighting all the way- forget the Gothic Line in early turns, though you'll probably eventually wind up huddled inside it. On coast I'd just dig in at Fano and hills/cropland west then make my next line at 20,11 and super river hexes west, though it might be worth trying to convert some open ground here to 100% fortified if you can afford to spare engineering capacity (maybe even whole units for this task to get done pronto).
11) Targets of opportunity. I'd probably only hit stacks if orange/red and lots of infantry out in open with little cover (not much use versus armour). Use a broken down unit to make the ground attack (limited attack, minimize losses) with as much direct arty support as you can spare. Do early in turn so you can dig in after with less chance of your arty in mobile with early turn end and therefore no defensive fire from these on Allied turn.
12) Reinforcements just go where needed, though try to always keep formations together for support and supply (if next to HQ) effects.
13) Don't panic. Kesselring seemed to stay fairly cool and he did OK.
Good luck!