Autumn Fog Playtesters Thread

[larryfulkerson]

I thought I'd post my overall strategic plan so Randy can plan ahead some:
[plus, I've started playing with curved lines to make arrows.]

[Abnormalmind]

[larryfulkerson]

Thanks Patrick.....you made my day.  And it's not a bad plan.

Also, I finally finished the Axis turn 10 AAR and put it on a file server so you can download it from here:

http://www.filedropper.com/afgameturn10

[Caz Collins]

Nice curved arrows Larry (inside joke) but i'm not studying that map untill I detirmine your intentions on my own. Thats' because I'm a stubborn DAT.

[Caz Collins]

[font=cambria]I've decided to post my turn 8 and 9 notes, although without graphics they are hard to follow:[/font]
[font=cambria][/font] 
[font=cambria]End Turn 8: (North to South):[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Northern Front (12 hexes from the Hurtgen Forest to the Ambleve River): The German’s are push slow but steadily westward; my line is full of mixed, mid-strength units, with some scattered reserves.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Laid bridges on the Ambleve River but did not attack. I have 30 ID waiting in reserve at Hohes Venn (3 hexes to rear).[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Germans are moving steadily westward between Houffalize and Troi Points against 82 AB, which is getting mauled. Will try to feed 83ID into line on turns 9 &10.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]I am taking a heavy beating in the Bastogne corridor between the Sure River and Ourthe River. I have the 101 AB and elements of 10 AD there. He has 5 SS PZDs there (the 1, 2, 9, 12, 17) and the 3 FJ Div. Probably the main point of his attack. I wanted to hold a strong line in this area. Guess again. I will try to feed in the 7th AD, but will not be there until turn 10. He will likely take Bastogne on turn 10.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]He is making steady progress with a smaller force just south of the Sure River, but I have little there to resist. Two French units and an Engineer BN.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]A major push continues in the Alzette to Moselle River corridor. He is pushing South (is that his plan or is he constrained by the two super rivers). I have very little on the line, but am bringing up the 80 ID on turn 9, as well as some artillery reinforcements. Hoping for more reinforcements to arrive here. [/font]

[Caz Collins]

[font=cambria]End Turn 9: (My latest turn)[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Northern Front (12 hexes from the Hurtgen Forest to the Ambleve River): The German’s continue to push slow but steadily westward, gaining two to three hexes; my line is full of mixed, mid-to-low strength units, with some scattered reserves. A limited counter attack by U.S. units on the very Northern shoulders has regained 2 hexes, but at poor trades in forces lost.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Ambleve River line under attack but continues to hold. This may not be a major point of thrust for him.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Houffalize to Trois Points area: Continues to maul the 82nd, but I am feeding into the line the U.S. 83 Div. This will slow him down a bit as he does not have overwhelming superiority here as in other places (although he is strong). Had 82nd held better or German was weaker I would have liked to commit the 83 ID to the Bastogne area.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Bastogne Area: The German continues to maul the 101st, which is all in red status now. He is approaching from the south also. Managed to slip some reserves in this turn (HQ and arty unit), but he will likely take it on turn 10 or 11. At a minimum he will surround it. The U.S. 7AD is approaching from the north, and a British Ar BDE from the west, but may be a case of too little too late. Need to determine if I should counter attack with these forces into his flank or use them to continue to hold a line to slow his westward advance. He is very strong here with five SS PZD and one FJ Div. He seems to want to break through my center with this force and use it to drive through the open terrain to the Meuse River.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]South of Sure River: Larry has finally broken out at this point after stalling him with minimal forces. I have a few scattered units on the line, but no reinforcements anywhere near. This will be a deep penetration in several turns. He will also use the super river lines to protect the southern end of his Bastogne thrust.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Alzette to Moselle River: He has completely eliminated all of my front line units and has advanced 5 to 6 hexes south. I have several HQ units forming a new line, but he will slice through them quickly. Luxembourg City will fall in two to three turns at most. He seems to be making his major push on the west bank of the Moselle towards my “garrisoned” line. It could be this southern thrust is an attempt to trap my arriving reinforcements in the southern pocket area. I have some reinforcements coming up, but many of them went into the reorganization mode on turn 8 and stopped their advance.[/font]
[font=cambria] [/font]
[font=cambria]Turn 10 will see significant U.S. reinforcements arrive, but I am not clear where or how soon they can reach the line. Need to decide how to handle them: feed them into the line as quickly as possible to slow his advance or assemble a large counter-attack force to strike north (or south). Also need to decide where to commit them: north towards point of closest enemy contact or north-west towards Bastogne area (which would leave them out of the fight for several turns).[/font]

[Caz Collins]

I've commited the 7th AD o Bastogne area but he still has more and stronger forces opposing . Will likely lose Bastogne on turn 11 or 12

[larryfulkerson]

I captured Bastogne finally.  Now to capture the rest of the map.  Axis turn 11's AAR can be found here:

http://www.filedropper.com/afgameturn11

Here's the moves mini-movie from turns 1 through 11

[Telumar]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

ORIGINAL: Telumar

Yes, Germans against the PO.

Going for the Meuse ??

Going for the Meuse and sending Heeresgruppe B Reserven to the Roermund area for a planned encirclement of Aachen. The beginning is quite a lot of traffic management, btw. Screenshot from the beginning of turn 4 showing the southern thrust. (I adjusted unit colours to my personal flavour)

[Caz Collins]

The end of the Allied turn 11 sees both Bastogne and Luxembourg City solidly in German hands. My defensive line is almost nonexistent in places.

[Caz Collins]

A three-sided counter attack fails to retake Lux City

[Telumar]

When will the German Infantry Divisions in the north become active (if ever)? 

[Telumar]

i mean these:

[sPzAbt653]

ORIGINAL: Telumar

When will the German Infantry Divisions in the north become active (if ever)? 

The German 15th Army starts in the northern part of the map in garrison status. It is released if the Germans reach within 5 hexes of Aachen (53,22) or if the 'Release Unit' located at hex 65,1 is disbanded by the German player. In both cases the US Ninth Army will also be released.

I suppose maybe I should put together a .doc that lists all the units various release triggers. I've got a split opinion on this. Historically, neither side knew what units they were getting and when, so in the scenario that information generally isn't available. On the other hand, it is a game and the players should be able to find out what is going on, so I should put together a .doc for referance. What do you guys think?

[Josh]

"I suppose maybe I should put together a .doc that lists all the units various release triggers. I've got a split opinion on this. Historically, neither side knew what units they were getting and when, so in the scenario that information generally isn't available. On the other hand, it is a game and the players should be able to find out what is going on, so I should put together a .doc for referance. What do you guys think?"

Well definitely, but you could have it both ways. First mention that you originally didn't plan to write down the release triggers in a .doc file on top of the file, a spoiler alert so to speak (WARNING: spoiler alert!) , and *then* write down the release triggers for those who *do* want that information.
Everybody happy.

[Abnormalmind]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

What do you guys think?

I suggest only providing rough details instead of exact information. Such as in this example, formations of the US 9th Army will be released to the Allied player over time. This holds true for the Axis 15th Armee, too. Generally, the units held in reserve or closest to the main battle lines will be released first. Not all units of the 15th Armee or the 9th Army will come out of garrison mode, unless the Axis player threatens Aachen or the Axis player disbands the special release unit.

[Panama]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

ORIGINAL: Telumar

When will the German Infantry Divisions in the north become active (if ever)? 

The German 15th Army starts in the northern part of the map in garrison status. It is released if the Germans reach within 5 hexes of Aachen (53,22) or if the 'Release Unit' located at hex 65,1 is disbanded by the German player. In both cases the US Ninth Army will also be released.

I suppose maybe I should put together a .doc that lists all the units various release triggers. I've got a split opinion on this. Historically, neither side knew what units they were getting and when, so in the scenario that information generally isn't available. On the other hand, it is a game and the players should be able to find out what is going on, so I should put together a .doc for referance. What do you guys think?

IMO, if the information wasn't available historically until after the fact then do the historical thing. People get far too much information as it is. Takes the fun out of it. Put that in your doc.

I would go so far as to arrange it so the owning player can make the release variable by a few turns instead of making it hard coded. Keep the future as clouded as possible. Keep 'em guessing. [;)]

[larryfulkerson]

I guess I'm in the "historical" camp in that I think maybe the information should reflect what happened historically and leave it at that.  That way the players know what DID happen they just won't know what WILL happen ( in the game ).  Along that line of thought, maybe the formations mentioned should be released when the historical conditions are met for their release.  That seems a hard thing to do with event triggers however.  I'm not a scenario designer or anything ( but I play one on TV ) but it seems to me that trying to put together a string of event triggers that do the right thing in this issue might be extremely complicated.  Perhaps it can't be done.  Lemme know what you decide.

[Caz Collins]

The 4th Armored Div finally manages to wimper into the Bastogne area. Strictly a hold by the skin of my teeth situation here. Larry advances 1 to 2 hexes a turn. The 101 AB and the 10 AR are mostly just remnants now. Bastogne is his for a while.

[Caz Collins]

Speaking of Aachen, Larry must not want it very badly; not a PZ or PZG symbol to be seen (on the line anyway) Allied turn 12.