AAR Breaklight V PoorOldSpike - by Breaklight

[Breaklight]

We all know the parameters for this QB in PoorOldSpikes Tournament. If not, pop here to read the challange!
http://www.thefewgoodmen.com/thefgmforum/showthread.php?3906-ARDENNES-FIREFIGHT-TOURNEY-LAUNCHES!

The computer has put together Kampfgruppe Breaklight which consist's of:

5x Panzer IVH
1x Panther G
1x SPW 250/9 halftrack 20mm
1x SPW250/1
1x Recon 44 Infantry Company
1x Heavy MG platoon
1x tank hunter team
1x Spotter 75mm
1x extra HMG MG42

All troops are regular. Heres a picture taken by the propaganda department of the Kampfgruppe BREAKLIGHT whilst it as still in its assembly area.

The Battlefield

Heavy trees, still quite a few open areas, and a small "village" on the side of POS. No shocking height differences. The main flag finds it self situated in the middle of a heavy pine forest, accompained on its flank by the smaller flag. Obviously the local gamekeepers forest hut can be of a small tactical importance!

The Plan
My plan is simple, at least i think so!
The inf pop straight down into the woods as fast as possible, and take up defensive positions. Looking at the lay of the land i expect thay can make it there with good cover from the trees. As for enemy tanks against my inf, i'm not really worried. Their only vulnerable on the right flank, which can be covered by my panzers from the ridgline.

The tank assets I'm gonna split. 2 IVH's left and center, center being the tac reserve. The panther and 1 IVH on the right which is where i expect to find POS and his armour. That being the only side where he can support his troops in the woods with tank fire.The Panther being a nasty bloke, obviously goes there
Basic idea for the Panzers is firesupport and anti tank on the flanks, hilst doing a nice pincer movement to kill his inf later. Nothing like a bit of tank fire in a squaddies back to ruin his day

I keep the command tank of the IVH's platoon in the tac res. why? well for the comms of course
It would be a shame to lose him in the begining and have the other tanks fighting with the handicap of the "red radio button"

The tank hunter team i put far away on the left falnk, more a crappy job of eraly warning and stag duty. Somebodys got to keep an eye on your flank

The MG platoon goes with the inf into the woods, i think i'll need that MG support later.

That leaves a mixed unit over of a 20mm HTRK, arty spotter 75mm, MG42 and a platoon/ squad leader. I sent them up in the two storey building center of the sector. Eyes on the secondary flag.
The idea being for fire support later, and to give POS a hard time should he's boys try and take the hut!

The transport HTRK i put on the right, thinking that he can give fire support on that side.

1:The mixed groep in the two storey building, keeping an eye on the secondary flag.
2: Tac res of 2x IVH;ready to support either the left or right flank.
3: 3x inf platoons, 1x MG platoon and a company commander aimed straight at the heavy woods in front, where the main objective is.
4: Tank section of panther and IVH on the right flank. Also the HTRK which will move forward for fire support of the inf.

 

[Breaklight]

In the initial moves i come out pretty good i reckon.
My panther takes out one of POS's tanks in pretty much the opening turn. Thats always good for morale! Especially my own!

The panzers on the left flank i assign the task of taking out some tall buildings deep in the sector, on the side of the allies. My thinking here is that I would choose to get my arty spotters in them, so, why not take them out. And anyway, it gives nice fireworks

Funnily enough, they do rattle someone because in turn 4 smoke starts to get popped in front of them

Unfortunetly for the Infantry, their inbound route does'nt quite give the cover that i had hoped for.
POS's armour, scratched but most certainly alive, gives them hell with area fire. My panther and IVH cant get eyes on POS's tanks. This is screwing my plan because the inf pull back and have to detour around to the left, thus delaying my arrival at the main flag and losing me time to get my defense up.

I also move the HFTRK up, which of course falls victim to the wrath of POS's armour

At this stage i want to pull the reserve tank section to the right, to give the Panther and IVH cover as they move forward to hunt and kill POS's armour. But.. the command tank somewhere along the way gets bogged in heavy snow.
I manage to get one tank in a sort of overwatch location on the right.
The infantry slowly manage to get to the woods, but not before the boys of POS as i had initially planned. On the left I send the other tank section forwards as well, hunt and kill!!

The mixed unit in the house, having seen american movement around the secondary flag (the gamekeepers hut..) give area and harressement fire. The 75mm arty bloke gets to let loose on the enemy side of the heavy pine woods. although i very much doubt if POS even noticed that!!
At some stage i also send the 20mm forwards to cover the hut.

Move 4 of 20.

Move 7 of 20

Move 9 of 20

RED ONE:ALLIED INF moving forward.
RED TWO: Known ALLIED armour, and more than two!
RED THREE: I expect more ALLIED armour in this part of the sector

BLUE FOUR: The two IVH's move forward.The left tank i give a armour cover arc to watch the direction of red three, for obvioous reasons. With a cover arc he wont get distracted by inf in front or sides and can react quicker to an armour threat from that direction. His buddy tank, safe with this cover can now concentrate on giving the targets he encounters a headache

 

[Breaklight]

Upto turn 19 / 20 I am trying to harresse POS as much as possible with area fire at the secondary flag from the MG42 in the house, supported by the 20mm HFTRK.
The 20mm takes some hits, i probably brought it in too close because it gets knocked out.

The tank section on the left pushes forward and takes fire from the front and left flank.
They manage to withdraw unscathed but not before a very fanatical bazooka boy does his best to ruin their day! I decide to let them flank around more to the left, using the buildings of the village as cover.
The tank hunter team on the left i also want to ove forward, but they soon withdraw when they come under small arma fire, direction and from whom, i never know!

The panther and IVH, with cover from one IVH on the hill, manage to come forward but just got get eye's on the tanks of POS, of which i know they are there! These are still giving my boys in the woods are hard time as they try to get to their positions.

The IVH gets thru the treeline first, and i let him loose with area fire into the pine trees at possibly positons of POS's infantry. He gets a few shots of before he himself is taken out. I suspect again a fanatical bazooka boy!.
The panther pulls thru, so i let the IVH on the Hill release his position and join the panther.


As for the Infantry in the woods, i use a lot of area fire in the hope of keeping the allied heads down,
whilst I slowly meter for meter move my squads forward on the order of "move to contact".

Move 13 of 20+

The left tank section..
Move 13 of 20+

 

[Breaklight]

 

[Breaklight]

From turn 15 I'm starting to feel the pressure of time. I'm moving for my idea very slowly and cautisausly. I've got inf in the woods but still not holding the flag. My tanks are coming forward in a pincer movement but cant seem to find POS's tanks.
At turn 19 lots of s*** starts to happen...
On the left, 1x IVH gets knocked out by a well placed and sneaky MH8.
On the right i have alot more luck... i run into to shermans and after a brief but fierce fire fight the IVH wins, although he does withdraw due to the heavy and accurate tank fire from front, but also because bazooka boy is back and does hes best to open the IVH in its side.

I pull the panther up past him, and he runs into the same fate..
3x Chaffees roll by and pepper him with shots! No hits are scored on the Chaffees
Speed and manouver i say!
I manage to push a little bit deeper into the main flag but not much.

In the end I win with a small tactical victory, and to be honest I'm very chuffed with meself..
because usually I get slaughtered! lol

Maybe reading all the tips and tricks here is starting to pay off

For the end result see POS's post here >>
http://www.thefewgoodmen.com/thefgm...FIREFIGHT-TOURNEY-LAUNCHES!&p=28200#post28200

Many thanks to POS of course for cooking up this tournament! And of course to the wife.. whos had to put up with me checking the email on the laptop every half hour
And then of course sometimes being gone for another whilst "I do my move..."

Thx POS!
Regards

 

[Wardog]

Great description of your battle with POS.