Bayeux - Caen

[Mad Cow]

How the hell am I supposed to hold any sort of line here?

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/bayeux_caen.jpg

This game is against Elmer...

[Mad Cow]

Somehow I was able to get the variable initiative (or whatever it is called) and got to go first on turn two.

Was able to destroy a british para battalion and then set up this line around caen. Trying to use some tips I have learned on threads in this forum.

How does it look?

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/caen%20turn2.jpg

[Telumar]

Not too bad :laugh:

I can see the area west and south of Carpiquet is still quite inviting for allied manoeuver (as far as i can see from your pic).

The line around Caen looks good, but why is the artillery in Caen itself not digged in or set to reserve? Is it reorganizing?
You should put all your supporting artillery to ignore losses, so it can support three combat rounds. AFAIK it will only support one combat round on minimize losses, which means, if a combat lasts three rounds, the attacked unit would be two rounds without defensive artillery support. Not good...
I further would set all units in the line on ignore losses. A defensive line should be meant to hold at least for a few rounds, once broken the trouble begins. There are different approaches in the style of the game play with this. Experiment. Set them on ignore losses and watch Elmer attack, reload and try limit losses. Look who retreats and in which shape. Units retreating from a position with limit losses setting might suffer less losses than those on ignore losses and thus not fall into the routed status, which means they can immediatly dig in again. However they lose a good portion of supply and readiness on the retreat and are automatically set on minimize losses, so, if attacked again in the enemy's turn, they are likely to retreat again.
Send a real combat unit to the hex currently occupied by the AA unit on the Periers ridge. The AA unit will otherwise be overrun, and i can see a "retreat before combat road" down to Caen, also your recon unit could then be attacked from three sides. These AA units won't hold the ground in case of an attck if left alone, probably they will retreat before combat. it has to do with the 'passive defender' attribute of the AA guns. Maybe another veteran can outline this more detailed.

Edit: You're using my terrain mod. Nice.

[Mad Cow]

The line around Caen looks good, but why is the artillery in Caen itself not digged in or set to reserve? Is it reorganizing?

Just parked it within range of the front.



You should put all your supporting artillery to ignore losses, so it can support three combat rounds. AFAIK it will only support one combat round on minimize losses, which means, if a combat lasts three rounds, the attacked unit would be two rounds without defensive artillery support. Not good...
I further would set all units in the line on ignore losses. A defensive line should be meant to hold at least for a few rounds, once broken the trouble begins. There are different approaches in the style of the game play with this. Experiment. Set them on ignore losses and watch Elmer attack, reload and try limit losses. Look who retreats and in which shape. Units retreating from a position with limit losses setting might suffer less losses than those on ignore losses and thus not fall into the routed status, which means they can immediatly dig in again. However they lose a good portion of supply and readiness on the retreat and are automatically set on minimize losses, so, if attacked again in the enemy's turn, they are likely to retreat again.
Send a real combat unit to the hex currently occupied by the AA unit on the Periers ridge. The AA unit will otherwise be overrun, and i can see a "retreat before combat road" down to Caen, also your recon unit could then be attacked from three sides. These AA units won't hold the ground in case of an attck if left alone, probably they will retreat before combat. it has to do with the 'passive defender' attribute of the AA guns. Maybe another veteran can outline this more detailed.

Edit: You're using my terrain mod. Nice.

Thanks, those are the kinds of tips I need.

I like the mod, thanks.

[Mad Cow]

Begining of turn four. I was able to take the initiative again and get two turns in a row.

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/caen%20front%20turn4.jpg

[Mad Cow]

Here is turn four just before I hit the end turn button, no combat yet done, hopefully I get a few rounds.

Here is the Cherbourg front, it appears Elmer will try to go up the gut.

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/cherbourg%20front%20turn%204.jpg


No interest shown in Carentan

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/carentan%20turn%204.jpg

Fighting in the bocage, west of Bayeux. One American battalion in trouble..

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/bocage.jpg

The front west of Caen....

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/west%20caen.jpg

And the front at Caen itself...

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/caen%20front%20turn%204pc.jpg

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions?

[Telumar]

I have seen on several screens, that you attack at minimize losses, but with direct artillery support on ignore losses. This will in each case cost you three combat rounds as the artillery will definitely fire three rounds at ignore losses unless Elmer's unit retreats after one or two rounds. When you attack at minimize losses and use direct artillery support, let the artillery fire with minimize losses setting. This will ensure that the battle usually lasts one round only.
If you're not going for that effect, but for supply/readiness drain and armed reconaissance then it's okay if you have no problem with the three combat rounds.

[General Staff]

I have seen on several screens, that you attack at minimize losses, but with direct artillery support on ignore losses. This will in each case cost you three combat rounds as the artillery will definitely fire three rounds at ignore losses unless Elmer's unit retreats after one or two rounds. When you attack at minimize losses and use direct artillery support, let the artillery fire with minimize losses setting. This will ensure that the battle usually lasts one round only.
If you're not going for that effect, but for supply/readiness drain and armed reconaissance then it's okay if you have no problem with the three combat rounds.
I'm pretty sure that's not the case. The arty in direct support- even if on Ignore Losses- will stop firing when the attack stops.

As an example just look at my Turn 2- Round 1 set up with arty supporting attacks east of Caen. The arty direct supported on IL yet the round ended with 90% of my turn remaining.

[Telumar]

Zut alors! I will stop giving game mechanics advices..

[General Staff]

Zut alors! I will stop giving game mechanics advice.
Please don't. We need all the help we can get. :D If it makes you feel any better, there is a case where what you indicate will happen. That's when a ground unit set to attack supported by Direct Arty Fire on Ignore Losses gets retreated by interdiction. The attack is cancelled but the arty will still fire by itself at the target- wait for it- 3 times.

[Telumar]

If it makes you feel any better

A bit.:cool:

[Mad Cow]

Well, Elmer has blown the front open for the most part. I've had to pull back out of the hills north of Caen and will now make my defense in the city itself.

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/caen_turn6.jpg

South West of Caen has seen a disaster develop. This was the part of the front I was most worried about and the reason I started this thread.

I am getting destroyed here and see no way of stopping the Allies.

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/sw_caen_turn6.jpg

A new front is developing at St. Lo. The following image is of Carentan, where nothing is happening. Should I deploy the troops holding Carentan to help out at the coming battle for St. Lo?

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/st_lo_front_turn6.jpg

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/carentan_turn6.jpg

And the Americans race toward Cherbourg.

http://host403.ipowerweb.com/~madcowss/images/screens/cherbourg_turn6.jpg

So this is how it stands at turn 6, just before I begin my first combat (not much). How am I doing so far? Where should I be against the AI? Is all lost for me now or can I salvage a draw?

[General Staff]

Well, Elmer has blown the front open for the most part. I've had to pull back out of the hills north of Caen and will now make my defense in the city itself.

South West of Caen has seen a disaster develop. This was the part of the front I was most worried about and the reason I started this thread.

I am getting destroyed here and see no way of stopping the Allies.

A new front is developing at St. Lo. The following image is of Carentan, where nothing is happening. Should I deploy the troops holding Carentan to help out at the coming battle for St. Lo?

And the Americans race toward Cherbourg.

So this is how it stands at turn 6, just before I begin my first combat (not much). How am I doing so far? Where should I be against the AI? Is all lost for me now or can I salvage a draw?
This is pretty much all over, it seems to me. Elmer's got another 6 turns to finish the job and he's well on his way.

Holding Carentan denies the Allies some supply, but its real importance is denying the Allies one of the quickest routes south and towards St Lo/Torigni- 2 of their objectives. Once they've got round Carentan, holding it becomes meaningless. I'd evacuate.

At this stage in the game and to win or draw, you should be doing much better. IMO there are too many units that have not been broken down. Maybe take a look at the thread "3-Piece Breakdowns & 2 Up 1 Back" for rationales for this. Or take a look at my game versus Elmer for how it can look in practice.

Hope this helps.

[Mad Cow]

I stoppe dtonight on turn 9. took a look at the Allied side and the vast majority of their units are orange or red, which gives me some hope he wont be able to take St. Lo and I think I might be able to hold Caen.

I'll get some more screenshots up tonorrow.