TANKS AT PLATAMON

[john connor]

Excellent Daz. Thanks. I think you're right. Or could be....

Here's what happened - and which I won't post pics for - I ran it with the plan I had and the 25 pounders didn't get anywhere near Panteleemon because they ran out of fuel.....oh dear...my idiotic planning, that.

So I went back - via a save - and changed my mind, and placed them somewhere just sth of the ridge. Then I ran it until about 10am the following day, quick time. The panzers came, broke through and swept south.... They just swept past the 25 pounders, who didn't fire a single direct fire shot (the range was probably just over a kilometre) and came right round behind me. End of story, I would think.

So then I went back, via another save, and ordered a withdrawal. As below. That's where I'm at now. I'll try this. My messing around means, however, that many units are now knackered from being ordered here, there and everywhere and I'm at even more of a disadvantage than I was....

Like I said, it's tough....



I'm by no means sure that this plan will work. Because once past the ridge there is so much space that why wait/pause to attack my defensive positions when you can just sweep past them? And that's if my poor foot-sloggers ever make it to the new positions.... We'll see.

 

[DerGrenadier]

I would also opt for a fighting withdrawal. Like Daz said I would fall back from one defensive position to the next one. Trade space for time. Try to slow the Axis down by interrupting his march columns. Make him deploy for attack. This will cost him precious time. Iknow is easy said but hard to be done. But I have faith in you Commander

 

[john connor]

Now you're making me nervous. I don't think I can do it. I can't handle the wastage, the poor helpless troopers. I need replacing. I need a job writing the history of it, not doing it. What I fancy is a holiday in sunny Platamon, not this.....

Anyone want the latest save - to replace me, to continue from there?

 

[Iconoclast]

Peter, you are not wiggling yourselve out of the responsibility for your men!

 

[Rob]

Hi,

Great read as always!

You may find that C Coy. earlier on was continually retreating after only a few casualties because of it's min aggression setting. If you set to max with the ambush task option still selected that should (as far as I know) inhibit the troops from switching to firing at max range. My understanding is that the engagement task options will tend to supersede many settings. As for the direct fire of artillery, the "fire" option was greyed out?

Rob.

 

[john connor]

Lol, iconoclast. And thanks Rob. True, I had aggro set to minimum, because I thought that that would inhibit long range firing, because they would be less keen to engage. It's interesting how much is guesswork, even after reading the manual. Not sure what you mean by the 'fire' option? You mean the direct fire cross? I wasn't trying to use that, just waiting for them to do it automatically. The direct fire button targets an area, not objects (like tanks), so it's not too effective against mobile targets, I've found.

But I've gone off the idea of throwing my battery guns into the breach at close range. Maybe we will see if they do that once we end up at the bottom of the map, contesting the exit point. But I have to get them there first.

Ironically, all the Axis armour has to flood through a (large) 'choke point' which is the part of the ridge just above B Coy positions. Armour can't get across near the tunnel or castle now the crossings are blown. It's about two a km wide gap they have to use,where it's passable, so not quite a 'choke point'. Nevertheless, if I actually had some PIATs, even, then I could station two companies there and have a decent fight. But as it is, with the Boys ATR doing terribly, and no other real AT weapon that I can use, I think it will be best to try to pull back and not to try to stop them. It would be ideal to hold them at the ridge until night, then pull back, but I won't be able to hold that long (I know, as - as said above - I ran it through quickly and watched the armour roll past...). So we will try to pull back in daylight, across open ground?

I don't see any easy or safe options here.

 

[john connor]

 

[john connor]

This is how we look this fine, Greek morning:


That's everyone except the base. C Coy has obviously taken a battering, and, as I said, is presently being shelled, hence the suppression meter going off the scale. But that aside I think they're all looking in pretty good shape considering we've so far held up a reinforced armour regiment for over 18 hours!!

The Engineers have dangerously low cohesion, but that might settle now they're in place in Platamon. They've just carried out a full speed night move. B Coy's cohesion is a real issue though, as they're my delaying force and they're under more or less continual pressure and attack. I'll probably pull them back within the next hour.

 

[Daz]

They are mostly looking in good shape mate, and you have managed to pull most of them back already as well

 

[john connor]

I'm almost feeling hopeful, Daz.....

 

[john connor]

Nothing much to report, unless you're Captain The Hare, in charge of B Coy. You can read his reports to the left....

 

[john connor]

 

[john connor]

 

[john connor]

11.48am



To answer my question - as they're on foot, it seems likely.....

 

[john connor]

 

[john connor]

Notice also that C Coy have made it safely to Poroi

 

[john connor]

 

[Daz]

Things are looking very good mate

 

[john connor]

They don't look terrible, at any rate. I'm waiting for those reinforcements. They must have some. Armour to flood past me. I haven't played this from the Axis side before, so I don't really know how much they've got waiting in the wings. That I keep getting points for the Tunnel and road was a surprise though - changes the picture!

 

[john connor]

13.14pm


13.25pm


13.54pm