Tactics Academy DAR#2 AC Spectre Vs 2054172

[Jonny]

Turn 15 from AC.

Nothing to report really except that i've noticed AC can see a contact marker near the flag he thinks he owns, this is enough to neutralise the flag (as you can see from Numberz shots that the AI thinks he owns that flag), he doesn't seem that bothered about it tho. Perhaps just waiting to crush it with the flanking move? Also i not AC is not moving his infantry on his right to support his armored push, if numberz had any infantry there that could have been painful.

Infatry that I was hunting with 2 of my Northern tanks has disappeared but I am pepering their last known position with area fire. My other 2 Northern tanks on the road exchanged fire with Numbers' Brumbar. Since I don't like my Sherman's chances with the Brumbar head to head I decided to break contact and try to get a flanking shot. My southern M10 is immobilized but still firing at any targets in sight.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 16 from AC.

He is engaging numberz mortars on his right with area fire (although AC does not know what they are, they are just "infantry" markers). Numberz had moved up a mortar HT up to one of his CO HQs and is area firing the M10 and sherman pair. AC got very unlucky with a top penetration which took out the burning M10 you see on the left.

Numberz managed to rush a squad to the flag (white arrow), as ACs inf were all hiding with short arcs on around the flag they let them just run to their objective, AC even had an MG here which IMO should be allowed to do their thing 9/10 times.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 16 from Numberz.

Apart from pushing a squad to the flag nothing much happened, i think Numberz must have been surprised that his squad reached the flag without a shot being fired. He's area firing his brummbar at where he last knew the shermans to be, but they're now behind the other side of that hill so should be safe. I've drawn a line from the mortar HT to its target point, we see its far too far forward, it doesn't even cause the sherman/M10 to button up

well there you go you let me kill another M10...anymore for the meat grider?

 

[Jonny]

Turn 17 from Numberz.

Turns out AC wasn't happy with that squad sitting right on top of that flag and tells one of his M10s to area fire it, it doesn't cause much damage though. He backs his brummbar up, not sure why, it was in a good position with its flanks blocked.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 17 from AC.

Taking a closer look i actually see that ACs M10 causes more damage to one of his own squads than the enemy, there was a house in the way of the target and most of the shells hit the house and when it exploded it caused 5 casualties in the squad sat in it.

I do have a few more left as a matter of fact. How's your Tiger?

 

[Jonny]

Turn 18 from AC

Numbers has reversed his Brumbar down the road in a southerly direction so I will be looking for him to try and flank or get in behind me. I have dropped smoke infront of the Tiger and will try and move both my spotters up into position to fire on the village under the cover of the smoke. Moving my 2 Shermans off the road as they have been in one place too long already. The other two tanks in the group were already moving, good thing too, because some sort of indirect fire is dropping on the spot where they were just sitting. I actually feel pretty good right now, keeping it fairly close. Lot of battle yet to go, however.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 18 from Numberz

He's slowly moving his forwards to his left hand side.

well I see more armour coming...but that is fine...hope that he takes my bait...told him my tiger had a damaged gun LOl

This is a dirty trick IMO, however if AC falls for it he only has himself to blame for 2 reasons:

1. Any player worth his salt wouldn't give a piece of information like this away
2. Most players should know, for an AFV, Immobilisation + Gun Damage = Bailing out

 

[Jonny]

Turn 19 from Numberz.

AC's armor group on his left crested the hill, took out a gun HT (circled) but then spotted the tiger, popped smoke and slammed into reverse. Unlucky for AC as he had an M10 with a LOS on the tiger which could have been a chance to finish the tiger off.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 19 From AC

Seems i misinterpreted ACs armored movements, his shermans did wuss out at the sight of the tiger but it looks like his M10 reversed because he ordered it to, seems to be moving it around the side slightly.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 20 from AC

Nothing much to report except he has called in his 105mm on the far flag, a 4 minute wait for that.

Just as I suspected, Numbers was not entirely truthful about the damaged gun on the Tiger. Sure glad I didn't rush in head on.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 20 from Numberz

Again not a lot to report, he's moved his brummbar to face his front, seems a bit strange, perhaps he thinks his tiger will hold back the flanking move, or perhaps he thinks its a feint.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 21 from Numberz

Now i see why he's moved his brummbar, he's area firing the M10/Sherman pair, i will see if it did any damage when i look at AC's turn but it broke his LOS area firing at the flag. AC's mortars have started falling (white circle), hasn't caused much damage but should hamper movement. AC's area firing of the squad at the second big flag is finally starting to take effect, they've taken 3 casualties and as they're out of command they panic easily, if AC keeps this up they should break soon.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 21 from AC

Turns out numberz area firing shocked his M10 but not much else. Also one of his 60mm mortars opened fire on the squad on top of the flag.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 22 from AC, nothing of significance to report

 

[Jonny]

Turn 22 from numberz, again not much to report, he's lost a mortar.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 23 from Numberz

Not a lot to report, his troops by the far flag are taking a bit of a hammering from ACs area firing armor but they seem to be holding up. He's lost another mortar HT too

My motar carrier was commanded by the AI and moved to avoid the Artty barrage...and drove the Carrier into the LOS of the enemy...Goes to show you the AI is not smarter then a human

 

[Jonny]

Turn 23 from AC, nothing of worth to report.

81mm mortars dropping in the village, 105 rounds 2 minutes away. Ordrs for smoke to screen the Tiger Once that appears I plan to move in quickly from two sides to try and knock him out.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 24 from AC

He makes a break for Numberz tiger with his armor, it doesnt exactly go perfectly, the two left Shermans went straight forward and were took out in quick succession, 2 shots 2 kills, however the smoke allows his M10 to close the distance.

Smoke is in effect, Making a fast run at the Tiger. Mortar Rounds are still falling and 105 rounds should start in the upcoming turn.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 24 from numberz

He seems to be moving up his right, trying to consolidate his hold on the 2nd flag presumably (white arrow). I missed this on ACs view but his 105mm barrage badly misses, it was aimed at numberz back flag and landed where the black circle is.

Tiger took out two of my tanks, still two left and I'm committed to the attack. Now, however I'm thinking that I should have left the Tiger where it was. It was immobilized, not going anywhere. Perhaps the best bet would have been to leave it there and find another route of approach into the village and try to eliminate the Brumbar. This is a learning game and I just learned something.

 

[Jonny]

Turn 25 from Numberz.

He continues moving his armor forwards. It doesn't work though, Numberz must have spotted that they were coming down the left flank of his tiger as he puts a armored arc on his tiger so its turret moves to face the threat. His M10 moves forwards, but it is buttoned and the tiger spots it before it spots the tiger. The tiger takes one shot and KO's the M10, the other sherman can see the tiger and shoots but doesn't have the power to penetrate.

This went wrong for the following reasons:

• Numberz saw the flanking threat and moved his tigers turret to face it.
• AC led with his M10 to get the flanking shot, he should have moved the sherman down here as the M10 can penetrate the tiger from the front, the Sherman should have been the flanking bait and the job should have been finished off by the M10
• Both the sherman and the M10 were buttoned up, they couldn't spot the tiger in time, especially from the M10s side

sad to say he has wasted his armour...I wonder if he could tell the Tiger was immobile?