This is a blow-by-blow account of the Siege of Alcazar 36 scenario, stock with Combat Mission III: Afrika Korps. I expect it to be done entirely in text and screenshot. I'll start off with a prolegomenon this weekend, then the first turn the next few days, and hopefully one turn a day after that. Each turn in this hybrid wargame is one minute, by the way.
A. 2 engineer platoons, 1 MMG, 3 sniper
B. 1 rifle platoon + Ind. LMG
C. 1 rifle platoon
D. 1 rifle platoon
E. 2 MMG, 2 sniper
F. 2 mortar, 1 MMG, 1 sniper all arty spotters
G. 1 rifle platoon, 1 Bilbao
H. 1 rifle platoon
I. 1 rifle platoon + mortar, 1 Bilbao
J. 1 rifle platoon + MMG
K. 1 rifle platoon + Ind. LMG, 1 Bilbao
L. 1 Bilbao, 2 CA-1, 1 rifle platoon, 1 mounted rifle platoon in mobile reserve
M. 1 rifle platoon + Ind. LMG, 1 CA-1
N. 1 rifle platoon + Ind. LMG
O. 1 rifle platoon + Ind. LMG + Mortar
P. 1 Bilbao, 1 CA-1
Q. 1 rifle platoon
It's at this point that I should mention that CMAK does not model the SCW, so the Republicans are represented by Free French units, and the armor is British/Italian.
The tactics:
I only get a bit over half an hour to cover 200-350 m of dense urban territory. These short time limits are a common design flaw in CM scenarios. Obviously, no one would deem such an operation a failure if it were not concluded in just a few minutes!
Nevertheless, I've found that haste in such tight, or "crowded", infantry-heavy scenarios can be fatal. Never commit in force when the enemy dispositions are unknown. I'll likely violate that principle...
If I do this right, I'll set up decent overwatch with the MGs, mortars, and snipers in the south (N is down, S is up in this map). The enemy will probably be spread throughout the town, so perhaps sending all my arty spotters where they can for the most part see only the fortress is a mistake. Oh well... The good news is that if I can break through in any one spot, I could likely make a beeline for the objective and rout the defenders.
My engineers are the best troops I have, and they will advance along the same axis as the main thrust, though from the opposite end. They have the advantage of relative proximity to the fortress.
There is not much room for fancy manoeuvre in a map as dense as this one, so I'll have to reduce my overall tactics to "advance everywhere from the red line toward Alcatraz Alcazar".
11-18-2012, 21:08
Montmorency
Re: The Assault of Alcazar - A CMAK DAR
Alright, here's the first one to show I mean business.
0:00: I may have set the bar too high. These are mostly green troops, which entails command penalties. I shouldn't have set them to cover so much distance. I need to cover only 8-12 m per minute, on average, to reach my objective within time. Some of these platoons are going up as much as 75 m! Hopefully, the defenders don't have a very wide outer ring.
0:47: An MMG of Position E entered a building of the Riding School and ran into an enemy squad!! No fire has been exchanged, but there is a positive ID on a veteran 10-man unit with two LMGs. It will take 22 seconds for the MMG to set up in these conditions, and in that window they might easily be wiped out. I neglected to give the D platoon orders last time. Perhaps they'll be used to clear these rats out...
1:00: No other contacts. The vehicles all completed their routes. The infantry that were running reached their destinations. Those on more cautious stances will conserve their orders. The next turn should be devoted to clearing the Riding School for my heavy equipment, and for low-intensity advancing.
0:00: I have some good views of the east side of the alcazar (as in, "fortress", not This Fortress as I had incorrectly assumed earlier), thanks to my two snipers in the riding school. A bit of trenchwork has by them been noted on the Esplanade of the fort.
You might be wondering why I have three rifle platoons around the Riding School. I can't hope to get them to cover the 250m between it and the fort, of course. On the other hand, they are for the most part riflemen, and could lay down some serious covering fire in their dozens, along with most of my heavy equipment. I think...
The mounted platoon will move up to within 100m of the Toledo cathedral ("Santa Cruz"). Most of the action later will occur around the E or N ends of the objective, I believe. This is a good position from which to respond to changes in either sector.
The rest are small movements, and would not be of much interest to you at this point. Continue as planned.
0:01: It has been revealed that there is a full company of enemy infantry running to and fro on the esplanade. The enemy status within the riding school has just been updated to "1 platoon". This is rather serious. I wish my MG were in place.
0:30-0:50: My MG is wiped out. The platoon in the riding school heads south and engages D platoon, inflicting a casualty. An enemy platoon comes down along the Cobertizo de San Miguel, opposite my engineers. One of my MGs reaches its position between the School and the Government offices and opens fire all across the esplanade.
1:00: Now is the time for artillery. I need to reorganize my men to save the situation at the Riding School too...
Anything I should be doing that I'm not? I'm not planning to update daily until the following week, so there's time to modify my style.
11-21-2012, 12:39
Visor
Re: The Assault of Alcazar - A CMAK DAR
I don't know what this is, but I am interested.
11-21-2012, 21:22
Montmorency
Re: The Assault of Alcazar - A CMAK DAR
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
This is a tactical wargame of the Combat Mission series. I'm currently leading a Republican battalion in an assault on the citadel of Toledo, Spain. The year is 1936.
Is there something specific with regard to mechanics that I should elaborate on?
I have units of squads, vehicles, and weapons systems. I maneuver them around the battlefield towards objectives, and they fight it out with the enemies they meet, unless ordered otherwise. Command and control is modeled, as well as morale - these are something to keep in mind when planning a turn. Lower-quality troops of course have worse morale and higher order-response times. They get higher penalties for being out of command.
I'm not sure what I can add to that unless asked on a specific point.
2:00-3:00
0:00: The engineers of Detachment - yes, detachment! - A will advance to better positions in buildings along the cobertizo, and will set firing arcs over the street in case the enemy decides to push on beyond their current position.
C and D detachments will engage the enemy around the Riding School. B detachment will complete its deployment while remaining prepared to support C and D at short notice. The MG and snipers in the Riding School (E Detachment) will support as needed.
F detachment is still moving up, particularly the arty spotters. I need to The MG already in place will continue to ly down fire across the esplanade. Hopefully the noted company will stick around for the 3-5 minutes necessary for my shells to start coming down. F detachmentwill advance a few tens of meters to the outer gov't offices and engage the enemy as well. The 2 Bilbao in the area will attempt to get a keyhole LoS on the esplanade, as the enemy may well have artillery hidden in the treeline.
From the North, away from the action, we proceed normally.
0:40-0:60: My MG in the riding school, coupled with a squad of D Detachment, rips into an enemy platoon atttempting to cross the square in the open. At least 19 of the enemy go down - a solid victory. One enemy squad runs past D Detachment's pincer and meets one of B Detachment's squads.
A platoon or two of the enemy emerge from the east side of the alcazar. It seems as though at least 1/2 of their force is concentrated here. Thankfully, one of my arty spotters has reached a good position.
1:00: It is reported that the commander of a Bilbao near the cathedral was made a casualty. It is not known from where the shot came nor from what caliber weapon. Though caution may be merited, I expect that the best way to draw out the enemy is by continuing the latest orders.
All my views from spiders and bots? No matter. As you'll soon get to filter through your primitive and rigid I/O frameworks, this one shouldn't last too long.
11-23-2012, 18:44
Montmorency
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
3:00-4:00
0:00: There is some merging of detachments, and this is reflected in the new designations. There will be an updated OOB with TOE in manpower on T10.
Detachments B, C, and D will hunt down those remaining around the riding school. Detachment H will occupy the government offices facing the alcazar - the remainder of them, that is. Elsewhere is the usual.
The designatory reorganization takes effect now.
The spotters for the 6-inchers are in a good-enough position to call down fire on the esplanadee. Unfortunately, it will be a full 7 minutes before the barrage commences.
0:00-0:15: An 8-man enemy squad is wiped out around the Riding School. N of Zocodover Square, enemy gunfire sends Detachment D into disarray.
0:30: Hostiles IDed in Zocodover Square.
0:30-1:00: Ultimately, over a dozen hostiles brought down around the Riding School for one casualty in all of Detachment A.
Enemy fire causes significant hangups for Detachments C and D, though no losses are incurred. However, the crew of the commander-less Bilbao spontaneously decided to abandon their vehicle for no discernible reason.
A CA-1 engages the enemy in Zocodover.
The Arch is now covered by Republican troops. Over the next few minutes, I will clear the area and leave behind a platoon for security purposes. If, in the second half of the battle, it looks as though the introduction of fresh troops will improve the situation, I will commit the platoon minus one squad.
Detachment A: The engineers will make attempts to infiltrate across the Cobertizo; within two minutes they should have enough force to overwhelm the enemy there in a direct assault. They are then to make their way to the buildings overlooking the south terrace of the fortress, in preparation for the main assault.
Detachment B: More artillery spotters are in place. The 3-inchers will take 2 minutes, and the 4.5-inchers another 7. Those infantry not otherwise engaged will continue to advance up the slope toward the fortress, particularly into the treeline.
Detachments C & D: Two of my runners will stay to pin down the Zocodover squad, while everyone else continues as normal.
Note that there has been sighted a roadblock on the road to the north terrace of the fortress. All armor will have to proceed to either the large plaza on the east side or the Cuesta del Alcazar on the west side, a much longer distance. I will likely peel off one or two runners to cover the west side. The rest of the armor will take the transverse road to where the majority of the fighting has taken place so far.
0:00-0:20: The engineers have been outflanked, it appears. Interesting.
Several more hostiles are gunned down around the riding school. Most of the survivors attempt to flee south.
0:40: The Zocodover squad disables a CA-1 somehow.
1:00: The Zocodover squad killed two of my men and disabled one of my few tanks. I'll allow it to hold up the better part of a company for a bit, so that its destruction can be assured.
A group of enemy officers on the esplanade was eliminated by my snipers.
The mounted platoon is to move south, to be closer to the fighting. It is not part of any detachment. For your information, the C and D Detachments are to be merged into one: C.
A: Engineers of Detachment A will plant demo charges on the nearby residences, which are currently occupied by enemy infantry. Around the riding school, the last remnants of the enemy platoon are to be hunted down. The men will stay on alert for the flanking platoon, which may strike at any moment. The rest will continue to exchange fire with the fascists.
B: Continue to exchange fire. Continue moving up into the treeline N of the fortress. The 2 Bilbaos still blocked by a rise, will move up to get sight of the enemy.
C: Continue moving up into the treeline N of the fortress. Half of my AFVs are with this detachment. 3 will transfer to Detachment B, to where the 2 Bilbaos are. One Bilbao will remain to suppress the enemy in Zocodover Square. A platoon will charge the enemy foxhole while it is suppressed by another platoon.
0:05: A demo charge sets the first of the buildings aflame.
New contact S of Zocodover Square.
0:20-0:30: The next house is entirely demolished by a demo charge. The enemy within fled in time to avoid the brunt. It seems that the enemy had already vacated the first house before the charge went off.
Contact with the routed enemy S of the School. Several shot down.
The Zocodover squad eliminated. The second contact in hiding.
0:30-1:00: The ovezealous engineers completely demolish the first house, in addition to the second. The engineers get sight of the cowering foe and open fire. A squad on the other side of the street sights one of the flanking squads and opens fire, inflicting 2 casualties.
The mounted platoon's trucks get into a logjam. Poor vehicle pathfinding is a perennial annoyance with this game.
Infantry of Detachment B reach the edge of the esplanade. It is still a small rise to get over, but once the artillery barrage is complete they should be able to get across to the next wooded area.
0:00-0:20: The shells begin to fall upon the esplanade. The engineers are in a shootout with the flanking squad. Another squad joins i, but does not yet engage my engineers.
0:30-0:60: One of the snipers spontaneously runs out onto the quad and is routed by enemy fire. The engineers inflict a casualty. Another flanking squad is detected moving up. An enemy squad foolishly flees from its trench on the esplanade toward the fortress. It appears most of the enemy is now within the fortress itself. The artillery spotters will have to be informed.
A: The engineers are to advance under cover of the smoke from the demolished house. 2 squads remain behind to combat the flanking platoon.
B: The spotters for the 3-inchers and 6-inchers are getting the artillerists to shift their guns onto the alcazar proper. It's a shame such a nice Medieval castle will have to be wrecked. Delays range from 37 seconds to 2 minutes. For the 6-inchers, it will be 5 minutes before the shells fall. I should have everyone in place by then.
0:00-0:20: An enemy squad on the esplanade is eliminated.
A squad is sighted moving onto the north terrace.
The engineers fight it out with the enemy at less than 50 m. The enemy squad that took the blast of the demo charge is now at 6 men, but it appears to be a crack unit, the experience spectrum being: Conscript - Green - Regular - Veteran - Crack - Elite. In fact, the enemy seems on average to be Veteran to Crack, while, as previously mentionded, my men are mostly conscripts but for a couple of regular platoons plus the engineers and AFVs. This was likely a design choice with the intent of stiffening the Nationalist side.
0:20-0:30: The engineers easily defeat the crack squad. Nearby, an assault by one squad toward the flanking platoon results in a friendly casualty.
0:30-0:60: Engineers take down a flanking squad. There are more here than my earlier apprehension indicated, however.
Detachment C receives fire from the north side of the fortress.
The engineers fight it out with the enemy at less than 50 m. The enemy squad that took the blast of the demo charge is now at 6 men, but it appears to be a crack unit, the experience spectrum being: Conscript - Green - Regular - Veteran - Crack - Elite. In fact, the enemy seems on average to be Veteran to Crack, while, as previously mentionded, my men are mostly conscripts but for a couple of regular platoons plus the engineers and AFVs. This was likely a design choice with the intent of stiffening the Nationalist side.
The nationalists in general managed to get the support of most of the army, including experienced units, and officers. the Republic mostly had to recruit anew with politically motivated conscripts falling in and out of guerrilla/regular army activities on a semi-regular basis.
12-10-2012, 18:59
Montmorency
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
Oh, a human! The Nationalist experiential advantage was mentioned in the mission briefing, but initially I figured we'd be on par for experience:
Quote:
In the meantime collected some 200 conscripts, the musicians from the Academy's band and summoned the local members of the Civil Guard...
Seemed like a good bet at the time.
12-12-2012, 20:58
SwordsMaster
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
The Guardia Civil are generally regular military, they fall under military command. Admittedly it's not readily obvious why the briefing says there are 200 green conscripts and then give the enemy veteran squads...
Say, would you recommend any other RTT games? Close combat was nice, but it really didn't age very well... I'd be looking for something similar, but a little less dated. Men of war -style, but including the morale, etc as close combat does.
12-12-2012, 22:34
Montmorency
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
RTT? Besides these Combat Mission games (of which Battle for Normandy and Fortress Italy are the latest iterations)? I only know of the Steel Panthers games (free though old), the Theater of War games, the Airborne Assault games (with NATO icons, almost operational), and...this.
8:00-9:00
A: Engineers will keep the flankers at bay.
B: Continue firing at the enemy.
C: This minute, and the next, for the stragglers to catch up - and for rest. We need to be in top condition for the final rush. As for the Bilbao with this detachment, it can not continue to the west side of the alcazar. This is what I get for using the top-down views exclusively...
0:00-1:00: More come out onto the north side of the fortress. One squad foolishly leaves the protection of the walls and tries to inch toward my position. They are sent back with tail between legs.
The engineers take out at least 4 flankers for one of their own.
Two enemy squads on the esplanade bite the dust.
<Aftershot corrupted>
12-12-2012, 23:42
SwordsMaster
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
Thanks, Real Time Tactics. They don't want to call it strategy as you don't get the base building, unit building, and resource management...
12-14-2012, 08:09
Montmorency
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Now that I've burned out on EU3, the updates should come quicker.
9:00-10:00
A: Engineers to keep up the fight.
TOE/OOB:
*2 pioneer platoons
*3 rifle platoons
*2 MMG
*1 LMG
*5 sharpshooters (mostly out of ammo)
So, 7 AFV and ~650 men in all. Light casualties. Finally, let's not forget the mounted platoon still held in reserve. It's likely that I will not be needing it, so we may as well put it out of our minds.
0:00-:30: The engineers inflict at least 2 casualties on the flankers, forcing some back, although one squads manages to get into the treeline between the houses.
The smoke clears as the engineers reach their positions in the buildings just across the south side of the fortress.
Enemy riflemen in the SE tower gun down another of my MG-men.
0:30-1:00:
On the esplanade, a shellshocked lower-CO surrenders to Republican armor amidst dozens of his comrades' bodies.
On the north side, the enemy platoon continuously attempts to get across into my position rather than waiting for my assault like sensible troops. Their repulse comes easily.
A: I estimate the flankers to be at about a half-company by now. One of the engineer squads will charge into the wooded area past the cobertizo to flush out the Nationalists who ran across into it last turn. More setting up for the engineers' assault.
B: The barrage continues. Very soon, the small guns will go silent and the heavy artillery will roar. AFVs continue to case out the esplanade for movement.
C: Give it another minute or two. These fellows are quite tired.
0:00-1:00:
Multiple hostiles down, though 3 engineers become casualties.
The fortress shudders as 4.5-inch shells slam into its roof.
A casualty for Detachment C, as the enemy on this side of the fortress are increasingly eager to suppress me, though they lost half a dozen just now. I suppose this will delay the assault in parts. The NW corner, on the other hand, will soon be breached, I think. Just one more turn for rest.
12-16-2012, 03:07
Montmorency
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I'm using 0:00-1:00 timestamps solely now, because my game is bugging out on the Rewind function lately... Images in the next update
11:00-12:00:
A: The engineers fight it out.
B: The 3 CA-1 tanks peel off and head to the south side of the fortress, to join Detachment A.
C: Shootout with the enemy to continue. One platoon and one MMG will charge out onto the esplanade to attempt a foothold. The Bilbao has come across the transverse street and ended up on the north terrace to provide close support.
0:00-1:00:
4 engineers down for one or two hostiles in the bush, and green ones at that!
My platoon and MG get very nearly across on the esplanade, but encounter hostile engineers in the trees, eliminating them for the loss of 3 men. They have also spotted an enemy MG setting up, but they should be able to cover the last few meters into cover next turn.
Another bunch gunned down on the north terrace. The Bilbao puts some fear into the survivors.
12-21-2012, 20:10
Montmorency
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
Computer issues over the past week have forced a clean reinstall of my OS. All my data is saved, however, so once I get the backup restored I'll be able to continue playing and updating. If only just a couple of updates prior to New Years', as reassurance...
12-23-2012, 22:59
Montmorency
1 Attachment(s)
Re: moncler jassen wryimxdi moncler
12:00-13:00:
PLANNING -
A: Continue to fight the flankers.
The CA-1s should enjoin soon.
An LMG from the Riding School is moving to a position from which it can fire upon the SE tower.
B: The big guns - 6-inchers - are about ready to blow.
The two rifle platoons in the offices will move onto the wooded slope to maintain readiness as reserves.
C: The platoon on the esplanade will complete its rush into the wooded area.
Most of another platoon will break for the NE tower, uncomfortably close to the shooting.
A third platoon will finally make the charge on the NW tower, which appears to be undefended.
A: The enemy squad is finally downed, but 2 more engineers go down. The squad is in tatters, having lost 9 of 12.
The CA-1s finally arrive and begin to lay down fire.
B: The platoons are coming across without much trouble.
C: The first platoon across is having problems, meeting resistance. Another enemy squad opens up on my MG that went with it (the platoon).
The second - demi - platoon got across fine.
The third platoon was apparently within LOS for the shooters on the north terrace. Some got into the structure, but a number are panicking on the pavement and refuse to do much besides. 8 of my men were felled here, the largest single loss of the game so far.
The only reason I was so successful was the silly AI maneuvering. The enemy squads did not like their starting defensive positions and so bolted to and fro, to the detriment of their fight.
Running out from cover onto the esplanade, attempting to flank me for no good purpose, sending a platoon far out from the front...
To be honest, I took the ceasefire because there just wasn't any challenge to a victory that would follow even from spending the next 20 minutes cooling my heels.
There's something else I intended to say at some point. If I recall what that is, I'll inform you.
