Cold Steel SBCT Campaign (Untested Conversion) - Page 3

Duzmond · #21 April 9th, 2015, 02:46 PM

Turn 18 progress, The light attack helo's spotted most of the HMG sections placed on high ground around the town to the north and east,and also destroyed most of them. The main force has broken through the town,destroying the last of the engineers and the enemy HQ. Feels like this one is over.

Image shows main force having completed the town fight.

scorpio_rocks · #22 April 9th, 2015, 03:27 PM

Duzmond: Do you normally keep your units in 1 hex?

Seems unreasonable to me to have four+ 7x3m (stryker) armoured vehicles operating in the same 50 m hex. It would probably be against standard tactical doctrine of the US army too.

Or am I very wrong and fighting my battles badly? (open to anyone to answer - sorry for slight off topic)

Duzmond · #23 April 9th, 2015, 04:27 PM

I keep platoons together usually in the same hex. They don't stay that way if the situation demands it. This one doesn't.

I don't know about or follow any established military doctrine.My play style is a result of having played the game since 2001,though I took 2012,2013,and 2014 off.

Now about the multiple vehicles per hex.

Maybe the game should impose a limit of some kind?
I have found having an entire platoon together when defending is considerably more effective in the game. Attacking as well.

It also nice where terrain blocks vision,and having them all together allows better response when an enemy shows up,or you need to attack through a tight space.

It would be nice to find a human opponent actually,but that seems hard to do.

Duzmond · #24 April 9th, 2015, 04:49 PM

At the end of turn 18 I spotted the enemy artillery.
And plotted strikes against them.

Images show this.

Duzmond · #25 April 9th, 2015, 05:19 PM

This image shows the final results for the second battle.

A marginal victory. The game ended shortly after pressing end turn.

scorpio_rocks · #26 April 10th, 2015, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duzmond

Now about the multiple vehicles per hex.

Maybe the game should impose a limit of some kind?
I have found having an entire platoon together when defending is considerably more effective in the game. Attacking as well.

I believe that this is considered very "Gamey" in many circles. Certainly all "house rules" I have found for PBEM from places like The Blitz, etc limit Tanks to 1 /hex and APCs to 2/hex.

Duzmond · #27 April 10th, 2015, 03:12 PM

You realize I'm playing the AI here right?

"Gamey" is when your opponents entire force is AT units,or when there main force has a swarm of cheap vehicles to soak up your defensive fire.

Suhiir · #28 April 10th, 2015, 04:36 PM

Even against the AI putting too much in one hex can lead to disaster when it rains steel.

Imp · #29 April 10th, 2015, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorpio_rocks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duzmond

Now about the multiple vehicles per hex.

Maybe the game should impose a limit of some kind?
I have found having an entire platoon together when defending is considerably more effective in the game. Attacking as well.

I believe that this is considered very "Gamey" in many circles. Certainly all "house rules" I have found for PBEM from places like The Blitz, etc limit Tanks to 1 /hex and APCs to 2/hex.

Well that's new new I have never come across it, sometimes the situation requires more than one per hex. Certainly they don't stay there because multiple units in one hex is generally counter productive.

Costs movement points to pile them in.
Chance of another unit getting hit by a stray shot
Everyone suffers suppression. from fire.
Cant remember but I think the chance of being hit increases slightly.
Artillery will be more effective.
MG or auto cannon fire at will have a field day, wait & listen to the shots ricocheting of the vehicles.

Versus a human you wouldn't need house rules, I would try to cover the route hexs & then attack.

wulfir · #30 April 11th, 2015, 01:54 AM

Nowadays I think PBEM players often limit Z fire to a few shots per unit, maybe its not allowed at all - in that case there might be a point to limeting the number of troops in a hex...

For those that might not play PBEM Z fire is the so called 'area fire' allowing the troops to fire into hexes out of direct line of sight.

While the AI does not use it a human player can (use or abuse

),
- and it is hugely effective. It will cripple units, esp. moving infantry and cause most, even dug in units, to a state of retreat/rout if you blast them enough.

If you pile up units in a few hexes it will be a very juicy target for Z fire.

Experienced PBEM players of the type I met when I first started to PBEM over ten years ago were experts at the use of Z fire. The used all kinds of creative SP-Mortar, SPA, SP Rocket, HMG setups taging along the assault columns, maybe not the most realistic use of SP artillery but very effective in game turns.

Against the AI piling up units in the same hex might be useful, getting more OP fire as enemy units appear in their line of sight, but against a human opponent in can be a terrible disadvantage.