Just a little shout out to my current and recent opponents...
I'd like to thank Ed, Steve, Curt, Miguel, and Erik for helping me throw the rust off my Campaign Series playing by gaming with me over the last two months... A great bunch of wargamers and some classy guys all around...
I'm still working through the pain of reacquiring all that lost detailed knowledge of CS, but I learned that my tactical and operational sense still works...
My thanks to them for stepping up and mixing it up...
Ed, this one's for you...
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Von Krieg scans the horizon through his binoculars... In the Desert, enemy formations on the move are easy to make out by the choking plumes of tell tell dust...
Moving across his front are long columns of Cruisers heading somewhere in a hurry... very unexpected... intelligence has failed again... there are too many for the current plan... Time has run out to assemble the panzers...
He pauses for a moment... taking it all in... considering his recently issued operational plan... damn... they are going to pile up on the right...
He keys his microphone issuing new orders.. Implement Plan Bravo... Immediately, the multiple idling panzer engines surge to a full power roar...
Panzers begin to surge across the open ground, picking up speed as they move in tight formations towards the enemy... the new long 75's of the overwatch force belch in unison... on the horizon black smoke pours from multiple British tanks as they explode in flames...
Panzer wedges sweep forward towards the British right... Two can play that game...
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Jim - it has been great meeting you and engaging you as well on the electronic battlefield! You still scare the hell out of me man and everyturn was/is a pin cushion.
Here's to you and some of the downtime you were able to enjoy! Thanks for making this club my escape from reality Jim and to the rest of the officers who help run it!!
For you Steve... a chance to rekindle the fear... LOL...
Comrade von Krieg finished surveying his plan... at every turn the Imperialist Fascist Invaders had snipped at his heels... nothing seemed to have gone right in the fight since the slaughter of the enemy's scouts... but still victory may be possible... the enemy had ceeded the initiative since the beginning... and unexpectedly continues to do so...
With the T34s stumbling into the panzers laying in wait...
as well as the Luftwaffe roaring overhead unmolested sending large oily black smoke columns heavenward where the twisted steel carcuses of the mighty KV's fell...
and as the Fascist artillery probed the countryside, looking for the careless... the few Red Army infantryman that had made it forward were mowed down by shadowy figures in the treelines as they probed forward..
too many had been stuck on snow and ice bound paths as they slowly snaked forward towards the raging inferno... they were only now moving to the forward jump off positions... too late for the final push...
Only once had a solid blow been landed... a panzer company is caught hiding in a draw along the ridge... luckily for the Heroes and Defenders of the Rodina, many T34s were moving through the area at the time... the fight was a tremendous affair, but was over quickly... burning Kruppe steel littered the hillside where once Hitler's Legion had stood waiting to continue their ravaging of the Rodina...
Even with all this friction, victory remained a possibility... It would ride on the backs of those that had been fighting since the beginning... they moved into position for the final push on to the objectives...
As the Red Army formations moved forward, panzers emerged from the just below the lip of the ridge... tearing into the raiding party in the South... as the company surged forward it was cut down... burning T-34 and T-70's dotted the plateau... the raid will not get close to the objective... but they do garner an unexpected benefit...
Some of the enemy forces guarding the central objective engaged the raiding units... this has weakened the central defense as the T-70s, T-34s, and KVs surge to the second objective... Panzers exchange fire with T34s sweeping across the snow... burning Panzers, halftracks, T34s, and T70s litter the landscape... Once more, the Red Army fails to take the objective... but the burning German vehicles are beginning to add up... as they are getting pounded by the larger guns of the Soviet tanks...
Finally, the main assault goes in... mortars and rockets erupt in and around the village on the valley floor that is the objective...
Comrade von Krieg's remaining infantry slowly moves forward... as they approach the village they drop down as the the SU-122s, SU-76s, and KVs engage the village teaming with enemy engineers and panzers... In the chaos and confusion of the bursting shells.. faint whistles can be heard... followed by shouts of HuZZA, HuZAA, HuZAA... the Heroes and Defenders of the Soviet Union jump up and race forward to eject the hated enemy from the village...
SUCCESS!!! the village has fallen... and the German defenders are routed by the slimmest of margins...
While not without cost, the German attack has been contained...
Take care,
Jim von Krieg
Jim von Krieg Wrote:I'm still working through the pain of reacquiring all that lost detailed knowledge of CS, but I learned that my tactical and operational sense still works...
Yes indeed your tactical sense is just fine.
Folks JvK slapped me around so hard in our two matches that I am still spinning.
He is one ot the top 3 players I have ever been smacked by.
It was an honor to be crushed.
Erik
I know what you mean Hawkster....I was playing all along for a draw and held almost a minor with my last turn - so I had a large heavy draw at least i am thinking....so - with no smoke the german army commander orders his fearless engineering platoon to hold the village along with some small panzers...this was the real weak spot for us as Jim held back his heavies for the last turn...they decimated my engineer platoon and took out the tanks and assaulted the village for the minor v...shouts of "for the motherland" and "sweet russia" were all we herd as our shattered and defeated men began to pull out of the fight....there were other chants from the glorious red army servants but i am too kind to repeat their offerings here in this passage! Burning and smoking hulks of german and russain steel littered the battlefield, the germans held on for the entire game - but one last turn from the reds and push was all their fearless leader needed - for his heart is one of damn frozen coldness and bitter revenge for his homeland had been invaded by a peacfull country...now as the german commander gets into his awaiting mercedes - he says under his breath.....wait until our swords cross yet again on the battlefield, there will be a furry of death to come to this communist leader and his victorious men....they will taste the blue steel of the fatherland and they will smell death around them! Heres to the next one Commrade Krieg! Do taste your victory but know that death is rotten and will be justly served!
I love counterstroke as the allies :stir:
Well done Boss, Whipping these pros back into the humble bins
:whis:
LOL! :rolleyes:
Colonel Dogwhit dropped his binoculars to his chest. "What is Major RoadRunner thinking?" he asked to the open air. The harsh desert wind was supposed to foretell the victory of pursuit. At least that was the plan. :smoke:
The Colonel whispered, "Bloody Hell" and moved to his waiting car.
He turned to his driver and said, "These Germans are well led. They've exploited the weakness of our tin cans and our 6pdr's are not able to scratch their armor from that distance." :chin:
:censored: Boss, you are a stunner! :bow:
All beware! Jim has become a well oiled killing machine. :kill:
British forces were bearing down on the right, as well as sweeping up towards the high ground in the center... there are so many enemy tanks sweeping over the highground and piling up on the right, there couldn't be much left to the south...
Recognizing the danger to his right, the experienced commander pivoted his entire front by refusing his right and launching an attack to the south...
As he looked on, reports streamed in that the light panzer screening force of his right flank was moving quickly back towards the heavier friendly forces of the center... the enemy had launched a left hook and would find nothing but empty desert..
From his command panzer, Colonel von Krieg looked on with pride and satisfaction as his attacking panzer battalion in a tight compact battle formation swamped the enemy position to the south with it's well practiced battle drills...
After observing the large number of cruisers moving across his front, he had suspected that the position was only defended by a small screening force.... As the panzers overran the position, it was clearly the case...
It was also apparent, the enemy had lingered too long as black oily plumes dotted the landscape to the south... burning British cruisers and scout cars were observed across the open ground...
This southern attack while important was also dwarfed in ferosity by the fight in front of von Krieg's main battle position... the enemy's seizure of the high ground sparked a general melee at medium and long range... the panzers hammered the advancing cruisers as the British tanks swept along the road and the east face of the high ground...
Yet the cruisers continue their furious, almost suicidal charge... as they advanced, the enemy force sweeping up the valley on the west side of the high ground was pushing quickly around and would be in the fight very soon. When this happens, things are going to get dicey quick...
von Krieg realizes he is in trouble... He needs more force at the main point of the British attack... He taps the mike to recall two companies of panzers from the south... As the initial wave of cruisers start to sweep in on the flanks, it's clear the position can't be held...
Panzers begin to leap frog to the rear... cruisers and panzers intermix in close, hard fighting... the enemy attack is weakening in the face of such concentrated firepower... but enemy reinforcements are streaming towards the fight quickly...
Just as the situation seemed to be going from bad to worse, the enemy pressure slackens slightly as burning cruisers indicate the enemy's charge has not been without a steep cost... the recalled panzers arrive quickly to shore up the left flank and offer covering fire for the harried panzers in the thick of the fighting...
Von Krieg takes a deep breath... Just moments before, his battle line was on the verge of collapse... But, the arrival of fresh forces has stabilized the battle... and the British tanks will not advance without further catastrophic losses...
Maybe, just maybe...
Colonel Dogwhit stomped his foot in frustration. ":curse:" as he trotted to the waiting staff car. "Damned those Krauts. Damn that Major Roadrunner ... the fool has gone and issued a 'Tally Ho' to my boys."
Dogwhit shakes his head. "This was to be our pursuit. How could the Krauts have turned so quickly and mustered so much? :censored:"
The German pivot quickly brought the British advance to a standstill.
It was a matter of superior guns being brought to bear on inferior armor. Though some of the Crusaders were Mk III's they proved incapable of getting in close to inflict enough damage on the Kraut III's and IV's! :chin:
Dogwhit has a moment of peace that only comes from his radio being shot out. Division has been calling and wanting a report.
Major Roadrunner was engrossed in closing with the enemy. Speed has failed him. He is now in for a penny, in for a pound. God save the King!
The swift bird's whole command hears one last order from the mad major, "Form on me. Let's take the fight to them! Tally Ho!"
Engines roar. Dust is thrown in high plumes behind the surging Crusaders. More than a few tank commanders have "onward into the valley" go through their minds.
And, one final call from the major. "Meep Meep!" :P
LOL Fooled by the master.Think i read a report somewhere on the use of the Russian BT7 by Jim someone who knows his stuff so dont be fooled.:bow: