Armchair Dragoons Forums
Wargaming => The Modern World => Topic started by: Undercovergeek on March 24, 2021, 05:53:36 PM
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(https://i.imgur.com/oYYf8b9.jpg)
Hefty, persuasive, and tactically absorbing Combat Mission Battle for Normandy deserves a ACD After Action Report. The trouble is, after many days of hedgerow holocaust, fraught forest probes and costly cottage clearing, I'm now in no fit state to shepherd Shermans or put plucky pixeltruppen in harm's way. Worn to a frazzle by delicate tactical decision-making and teeth-rattling mortar stonks, I've totally exhausted my capacity for command. There is a battle yarn waiting below the break, but to unspool it I'm going to need your help.
(https://i.imgur.com/e08hCDV.jpg)
The Idea
For a change, you dispense the orders. Here, in outline, is how I envisage ACD's first ever co-op turn-based wargaming session working.
I'll select a bijou Combat Mission 'quick battle' map and populate that map with two small opposing forces. Battlefront's AI will be left to choreograph one side, while you, good Dragoons will, I hope, attempt to guide the other side to a famous victory. Every turn I'll describe the current tactical situation (utilizing pictures and a gridded map where necessary) and, via a comment, invite orders from anyone – prior CM experience unnecessary - willing to get involved.
(https://i.imgur.com/gqQG8B7.jpg)
As orders will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis and individual commenters are only allowed to 'move' one unit per turn, every turn will involve tactical input from multiple CCs (Comment Commanders). One turn Bob might send a Tiger trundling northward towards grid square C41, while Martok manoeuvres the halftrack and Brant does something sly with the Hetzer. During the next order round, Banzaicat could end-up in charge of the Tiger while SirSlash and Staggerwing do the honours with the tank destroyer and Sd.Kfz. 250.
Once the orders are in for all units, I'll execute them then return with a brief image-accompanied account of how the sixty seconds of in-game action played out. Did you manage to nail that Sherman loitering in the churchyard? Were you able to reverse your Panzer IV into the safety of that alley before those Hellcats pounced? It will all be revealed.
Sound good?
*apologies to Tim Stone for stealing his idea and most of his text for his first PBC game
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Awesome! Sign me up. :bigthumb:
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:bigthumb:
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Muwahahahahahahahaha :rockon:
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Great idea, I'm in!
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I don't believe I've commanded Wehrmacht units before, so this should be an interesting experience. ;)
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Cry havoc and let slip the Armchair Doggies of War!
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So..... to ease us in it’ll be a small map
You guys want just infantry small teams, mix of vehicles or just vehicles?
And you want Germans or Allies?
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Mix. Don’t care which side.
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I'm good with whatever makes it easier for you to coordinate the whole thing.
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Trundling Tiger, you say?
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I'm good with whatever makes it easier for you to coordinate the whole thing.
+1 to this. I'm not picky. 8)
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Right then.........
This is the venue - some small leafy acreage in Northern France, reports say theres an American convoy coming through here to secure the major crossroads
(https://i.imgur.com/R7WdEQp.jpg)
These are the victory point locations, if our troops are in the green and the Allies arent its a win for us, if were both in no-one gets the points, and well the Allies get the points if theyre in and we arent
(https://i.imgur.com/pdTWdx6.jpg)
This is our corner of the world, looking towards the American deployment zone
(https://i.imgur.com/bGpxuEf.jpg)
Sweeping look over the fields from the corner to our right/east - note the map is flat as a pancake so theres no terrain high ground to be fought for, but there are high farm buildings to try and get a look at the enemy
(https://i.imgur.com/KdfOlGU.jpg)
This is the Americans looking back at our deployment zone - i dont know their force composition yet
(https://i.imgur.com/zT1Q10z.jpg)
and the all important 'tell undercover where you want to move the pixeltruppen to grid'
(https://i.imgur.com/g4zE2HR.jpg)
ill post our force composition tomorrow and their places on the grid ready for the first turn orders
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if you need numbers down the middle and to the left of that grid let me know - i cant find a program online so its all hand done - but i dont mind
and for the elders among us, looking at you Bob, were in the bottom left corner so tomorrow therell be a line similar to -
Panzershrek team 1 at Black D 73, then one of you tactically minded chaps will say
'move panzershrek team 1 at Black D 73 towards hedge at Black D 63' and so on until weve killed everyone and won the day!!
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Good stuff, looking forward to this!
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:bigthumb:
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Tally Ho......
We have been blessed with a Panzer Division Escort Company, most of it anyway
Im looking for orders for
Pz Division Escort Company HQ currently in Black H 76
1st Platoon HQ currently in Black C 75
1st Squad in Black E 76
2nd Squad in Black A 76
3rd Squad in Black C 76
1st Panzershrek Team in Black B 75
2nd Panzershrek Team in Black D 75
3rd Panzershrek Team in Black A 75
HMG Section HQ in Black D 75
HMG Team 1 in Black E 75
STUG in Black G 73
Recon Halftrack Black K 73
3rd Platoon HQ Black C 69
1st Squad Black C 70
2nd Squad Black A 70
3rd Squad Black E 70
Panzershrek Team 1 Black E 69
Panzershrek Team 2 Black B 69
Panzershrek Team 3 Black D 69
So 19 units in all - i doubt therell be 19 contributors so I suggest ill move the HQs on the understanding that theyll always be a few steps behind their squads unless you say different - i think that makes 12 different orders to issuue - well see how it goes - if after a day or two theres unassigned orders ill do it until interest hopefully picks up
Ill assume all movement commands will be 'move' unless you specify otherwise
Any other shortcomings ill guess well run into as we go
Good luck chaps
Maybe whoever elects to move the Panzershrek teams takes responsibility for the whole platoons (3)
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Do you have a definite number of participants so that you can assign specific units to them?
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The idea is it’s first come first serve - if you move the stug now someone next turn might move it - however it’s so gentlemanly here I imagine someone would ask permission to move ‘your’ tank but the idea is to move a unit of your choice not have specific ones assigned
However this is also a new direction and contributors can have their own men - so to speak
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No, that's fine - I like the randomness of it and it may provide us with some interesting situations.
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So something like this:
3rd Plt Pzsrk Team 1 in Black E69 runs to Red B60, ground floor
3rd Plt Pzsrk Team 2 in Black B69 runs to Red A61, ground floor
3rd Plt Pzsrk Team 3 in Black D69 runs to Red A59, ground floor
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Exactly - do you want that processing?
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Sir, yes Sir!
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Unless there are alternate motives, and I will check for you, but as far as I know you can’t fire a Faust or a shrek out of a building
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Unless there are alternate motives, and I will check for you, but as far as I know you can’t fire a Faust or a shrek out of a building
Got it. Don't want to fire from those positions. Just first move to...
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Unfortunately, due to an issue with my eyesight, I can't see the map very well - but I wanted to try and move the STuG to support those guys that Vance has just moved. maybe a move to cover order. My idea was to get them to a position to cover the road.
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I can send you the map grid and you can zoom in and out to your hearts content Bob
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Or download the pic from here and zoom into the appropriate sections
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I'll try that :)
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Unless there are alternate motives, and I will check for you, but as far as I know you can’t fire a Faust or a shrek out of a building
Got it. Don't want to fire from those positions. Just first move to...
Turns out you now can fire from within buildings if and when the needs arise
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Unless there are alternate motives, and I will check for you, but as far as I know you can’t fire a Faust or a shrek out of a building
Got it. Don't want to fire from those positions. Just first move to...
Turns out you now can fire from within buildings if and when the needs arise
:bigthumb:
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Lets see whats out there.
Move Recon Halftrack Black K 73 up the road to the crossroads at Black N 52
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If they can get that far this round, move HMG Team 1 in Black E 75 to Red F 58.
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Ok chaps - will post the orders this weekend and take some pics and update the locations for the next round of orders
Slim pickings from the commanders - I will move the unordered guys and hopefully more will jump on as the action hots up
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Fingers crossed!
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Ok chaps - will post the orders this weekend and take some pics and update the locations for the next round of orders
Slim pickings from the commanders - I will move the unordered guys and hopefully more will jump on as the action hots up
:bigthumb:
In the future if no more people jump in do you want use to order more units?
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That might be the way forward - let’s see how it goes
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Barthheart's tank hunters head off to the farmhouse in the east
(https://i.imgur.com/h5cUF3f.jpg)
and Martok's HMG team follow
(https://i.imgur.com/Q1TiEeV.jpg)
thecommandtent's recon halftrack almost makes the junction in the 60 seconds
(https://i.imgur.com/ilCkcxZ.jpg)
The rest of the unmanaged bods are the infantry squads from 1st and 3rd platoon, Platton HQ and the StuG - the infantry run forward to the hedge
(https://i.imgur.com/gt7tfK4.jpg)
HQ takes cover at the back of the pack
(https://i.imgur.com/YfdFKVD.jpg)
and the StuG heads east to try and get sights on anything coming up the right of the map
(https://i.imgur.com/PvHCm7T.jpg)
After the 60 seconds there are no enemy contacts anywhere
So, im looking for orders again - even if you want your previous commanded pixeltruppen to carry on with their last orders just drop them below, so Barthheart could say leave the shreks to continuue, or can divert them now theyre under way
Pz Division Escort Company HQ currently in Black L69
1st Platoon HQ currently in Black F69
1st Squad in Black G62
2nd Squad in Black I62
3rd Squad in Black K62
1st Panzershrek Team in Black J70
2nd Panzershrek Team in BlackJ71
3rd Panzershrek Team in Black J72
HMG Section HQ in Black L70
HMG Team 1 in Black O67
STUG in Red D69
Recon Halftrack Black N53
3rd Platoon HQ Black O65
1st Squad Black A63
2nd Squad Black C62
3rd Squad Black E62
Panzershrek Team 1 Black V69
Panzershrek Team 2 Black U69
Panzershrek Team 3 Black T69
Good luck fellas
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Continue moving HMG Team 1 towards Red F 58, please. :)
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Keep the tank hunter teams on course... if they can still breath after the StUG stirred up all that dust!
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Keep the tank hunter teams on course... if they can still breath after the StUG stirred up all that dust!
Yeah - that was new! 🤦♂️
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Recon halftrack cautiously advance to Black N 42
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Olympic prowess and stubborn drivers abound in the second turn.......
3rd platoon occupy the farm buildings in front of them to take the first VP location, 3rd squad enter the main house
(https://i.imgur.com/Ju25wTt.jpg)
2nd squad take cover behind the outbuilding, and first squad enter the woodlands behind the farm
(https://i.imgur.com/ABp89v1.jpg)
1st squad, 1st platoon run upto the crossroads and cover the halftrack
(https://i.imgur.com/IZyGreD.jpg)
and 2nd squad cross the road and cover from their side - the driver of the halftrack for reasons unknown completely ignores his orders and has a cigarette while the action unfolds
(https://i.imgur.com/571cy9m.jpg)
The AT teams finally make the big house and take position, not a man out of breath!
(https://i.imgur.com/mmnllkG.jpg)
whilst the HMG team jogs past, also unaffected by the sprint but they still have a little way to go
(https://i.imgur.com/Q1h0IC2.jpg)
and the tank heads to a bend in the road that should give it a view of the enemy set up area
(https://i.imgur.com/2A6t9T4.jpg)
A birds eye view of our end of the map
(https://i.imgur.com/KOiPwUD.jpg)
and the grid
(https://i.imgur.com/zqm8rId.jpg)
Orders then for the following -
Pz Division Escort Company HQ currently in Black L69
1st Platoon HQ currently in Black K62
1st Squad in Black K53
2nd Squad in Black M55
3rd Squad in Black O53
1st Panzershrek Team in Black K62
2nd Panzershrek Team in Black L61
3rd Panzershrek Team in Black M60
HMG Section HQ in Black Q67
HMG Team 1 in Red E59
STUG in Red Q52
Recon Halftrack Black N52
3rd Platoon HQ Black O65
1st Squad Black E59
2nd Squad Black B55
3rd Squad Black H56
Panzershrek Team 1 Black K62
Panzershrek Team 2 Black L61
Panzershrek Team 3 Black M60
If you so desire you can adopt another unit or 2, i dont mind, but i dont want to get the tank blown up and have no one else to blame!
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Just out of curiosity, about how many 'players' were participating in this?
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Three or four I think - it died a swift death
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Ok, thanks. I've tried to run things like this before over at ACG but I think I made them too big and they kinda get out of control as far as trying to find time to manage/run them.
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May have suffered the opposite here without enough contributors - looking at RPS I figure the magic number is about 12
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Three or four I think - it died a swift death
:'(