The Barrage from Hell

[Imp]

The Brits brought every thing I counted around 40 off map sections in the barrage mainly 25 pounders. 10 so are 4.5 - 5.5 inch biggest barrage I have ever had.

Turn 6 & the barrage has eased some units in the centre can finally see more than one hex as the dust clears. Apart from lifting the barrages right edge to let its troops in the AI has carried out a continuous bombardment from the outset, no let up to replot.

I know Sherman's & Churchill's are in bound but unless the LOS clears the troops are on their own no one is leaving their fortification under this fire.
This will test the Germans resolve I have already lost more units than I did in the last battle.

[Imp]

Sorry was supposed to be a photo but site restricts size drastically. Lets just say more craters than pristine ground & dust restricting visibility to one hex along the main axis of attack.

[DRG]

Create an Imgur account ( it's simple to use and free ) and upload screen shots there they use the handy link they have and it will show up like all the other large screen shots you see posted

www.imgur.com

[Imp]

Will take some screenshots the barrage finally stopped on turn 11 currently on turn 13 so am expecting the onslaught to commence again shortly.

The battle has gone well on both flanks where the bombardment was quite light & the attack was mainly armour. My MkIV's along with a few StuG's have mainly beaten off the incursions there. A 250/11 halftrack warrants mention as it avoided the barrage & managed to dispatch 3 Sherman's. I do however have a problem the flanking attack at the top of the map has swung inwards & until I see how the arty falls I dare not move my units on the flank to intercept.

The main attack was making slow progress but has now picked up speed & made it to the halfway line (hex row 44 on a 90 wide map. The pockmarked land is helping slow the speed of advance & my infantry held up surprisingly well. They got no support due to lack of visibility from the armour apart from one MkIV that risked a quick trip to kill a couple of M3SPguns. Most have used all their smoke so cannot screen themselves & pick fights & the AI has now committed its tanks to the main assault.
Interestingly the assault was mainly infantry based with a few armoured cars, Brens & SPguns supporting. I saw the tanks form up & wait for 3 turns until more truck infantry arrived unloaded & they all kicked off. They have made more ground in the last couple of turns with the tank support including Churchill flame tanks that I just cannot get a shot at.

This is going to be a hard slog I am inflicting damage but am not confident I can stop the drive before they get to the victory flags. Resorted to Z firing my machine guns to try & slow them as dust prohibits LOS & a quarter of my artillery pieces are already destroyed.
Those 5.5inch batteries cover quite a wide area no time to load up & escape it.

[Imp]

Picture test

[Imp]

[Imp]

Noe I have got pictures sorted decided to do a proper AAR on this campaign here. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showt...835#post847835

So far listed force composition & will do a quick summary of the first battle & this battle in that thread.

Just to finish this thread on reflection I think the AI may be in trouble while the arty is annoying & prevents manoeuvring it accounts for a lot of points.
Lesson learned also is you have to follow a bit to close for comfort behind your barrage to take advantage of it vs dug in troops, second battle in the campaign so still average experience.
Placed smoke on the first turn they recovered as still badly supressed but the rally bonus from entrenchments meant they were back to full fighting capacity after 3 turns just a couple of suppression points.

Picture from turn 13 the ground has not really got chewed up any more its pretty similar to turn 6. The difference is all but the top 4 hex rows was completely blanketed in dust - 1 hex visibility.

[Mobhack]

After the battle you should be able to notice that a chunk of the AI arty will be cheaper general support batteries (G/S).

It likes to buy those as a boost to the programmed barrage.

[Imp]

I would say that is a correct assumption the majority are as recommencement is taking longer than expected just a few have resumed fire missions so far.