Turns 1-4, Red Team patrol
I shall now begin my AAR (After Action Report) of IIRC my second try at this scenario on "Fleet Admiral" difficulty. The first one was some months ago when I was checking whether it was possible to replicate on the highest difficulty what had become my standard "modus operandi" on "normal" "Captain" difficulty.
 |
| Figure 1 - Loneville |
The main image depicts a moment during the OPFOR turn #2. The Green Team (GT) has advanced towards Loneville to assault it and a patrolling Red Team (RT) unit of U.S. Recruits moved into contact with Cav/A Coy on the GT's right flank. Note to the right of insert #3 an addition to the GT: X/B Coy, an half-strength out-of-supply U.S. Infantry unit. “Our initial force (...) will soon grow in strength!” indeed. X/B Coy will be crawling West one hex per turn until it joins with the other GT units.
Insert #1 shows the outcome of the Recruits' attack, causing 1 efficiency (eff) damage to the M3 Stuart and taking 2 health, or strength, points (hp) of damage.
Insert #2 (turn #3) shows the outcome of a double attack on the RT patrol, inflicting 4 hp damage for 1 hp casualty on the M3 Stuart. Both Cav/A and 1/A Coys combat predictions are shown (the crosshairs flanked by the US and white star in a red field flags over the 2 and 0+ numbers respectively), each GT unit is expected to inflict 2 hp damage on the enemy unit and take 0+ hp casualties.
Insert #3 depicts the situation at the start of turn #4. The RT patrol moved to cut Cav/A from supply and attacked it, causing 1 hp damage for 3 hp casualties. 1/A Coy is poised to attack the RT unit with a predicted 4 hp damage to the enemy.
Insert #4 is a bit of a Frankenstein: Cav/A Coy North of 1/A Coy is real but I had no screenshot of it with the RT patrol still alive so I copy pasted Cav/A in that hex. 1/A Coy has attacked the RT patrol, causing only 2hp damage but forcing it to retreat, and advanced into the hex left vacant. Cav/A Coy moves into the hex North of 1/A Coy, attacks the RT patrol (prediction shown) and destroys it.
Insert #5 shows the GT at the end of turn #4 in position to at last assault Loneville and the experience points earned so far. 1 out of 8 enemy units are now dead.
I made a couple of mistakes in this engagement: Cav/A Coy shouldn't have been on the hill at the end of turn #2, that's "close" or "high cover" terrain where Infantry-class units have an edge against Tank-class units; I was too eager to provide flanking support and placed Cav/A Coy again in "close" terrain where it could be cut off from supply.
 |
| Figure 2 - Independent attacks |
The above two pictures are from another try at this scenario and illustrate both how single unit attacks are not the way to go and how powerful flanking support actually is.
 |
| Figure 3 - Flanking support |
This particular attack was made during turn #2 and the M3 Stuart could be one hex further North; either location leaves it vulnerable to flanking attacks from both the Loneville garrison and the patrolling U.S Recruits and the Northern-most location is very likely to be cut off from supply.
By the way, just because I'm simulating Iron-man mode doesn't mean I can't/won't revisit a scenario to check if I missed something or if another approach would work or if I didn't have screenshots to illustrate some point, as long as I disclose what I'm doing. IMO that's even more valid if you are a blind player truly invested in learning a new game. At this point we're playing a tutorial, we're supposed to be learning and experimenting.
---
Comments on this post are disabled. That's just for ease of management. They will be enabled in the last post for each mission.
