Sunday, July 10, 2016

Graviteam Tactics Mius Front - Narrow Victory: First Contact

This is a self-made scenario assembled with the game's scenario editor.



I am playing as the German's, and we are trying to hold a crossroad against aggressive Soviet reconnaissance. Under my command, two platoons of German infantry reinforced with two heavy machine guns. The Soviets, with three platoons of reconnaissance troopers along with a platoon of light tanks.



The battle setup. My forces (red icons) deployed in two wings at both sides of OBJ Greta (grey circle). Each wing is a dug-in German infantry platoon. The heavy machine guns are consolidated in one icon in the forefront but are actually deployed along with the left platoon. Note the right platoon's (under the command of Oberleutnant Heldrich) deployment: it is partially in the reverse slope and with good fields of fire on OBJ Greta. In the background, the blue area and icons represent the enemy forces (3 reconnaissance platoons and one platoon of light tanks).
Key weapons is key positions. This heavy machine gun is dug in along the left platoon, with a good field of fire on OBJ Greta.

One of the squads of the right platoon, deployed in a reverse slope but still overlooking OBJ Greta.

First contact: two light tanks (Stuarts?). These two tanks reversed their direction immediately after detecting our position. This was odd and ominous. What are the Soviets up to?

And some 10 minutes later, dismounts start pushing towards OBJ Greta (to the left of this screenshot, but not shown here). In this screenshot, the field of fire (green area) order is an invaluable tool to control the troops' fire. In this case, I want to make sure that the Soviets (yellow white icons in the background) are fired upon only when we have a chance to hit them.
The "ambush" works (actually the sudden opening of fire from multiple squad ). A combination of machine guns, small arms and mortar fire suppress and kills equally among the ranks of the Soviets.
The Soviets likely sent just one squad of infantry, which was slaughtered in front of the right wing of our defensive position. The grey icons (casualties) are Soviet. Note in the far background the yellow and blue icons of Soviet infantry moving towards our right flank.
My troops have survived the first contact. But the situation is very fluid and keeps me wondering about what is going to be the Soviet's next move.

Stay tuned, more is coming.

Cheers,







5 comments:

Anonymous said...

If AI is any good it should order artillery barrage on your positions. And attack :)

Anonymous said...

The Germans are dug in, they have HMG's and mortars. I suspect that they also have more men, with the two standard infantry platoons + HMG's against three soviet recce platoons. And the AI does not seem to have any artillery. The only advantage it has is a light tank platoon, that is three or four Stuarts at the most. The soviet infantry will be suppressed by the the MG's and mortars, while the Stuarts race through the German positions and get knocked out by the AT grenades or molotovs. Even if the AI is any good i doubt it can do much in this situation.

JC said...


Artillery: good question. I don't actually know but I will check it out.

The AI on the attack: you will see it in the next post. :)

Cheers,

NW said...

What's to stop the M3s from sitting outside panzerknacker range and hosing down your positions? Aside from the reverse slope one it would be difficult to approach without envelopment, the AFVs may be quite dangerous yet.

JC said...

Very true NW. I didn't see a handheld AT rocket being fired, though, during the entire game.

Cheers,