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Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



Trin Tragula posted:

This has been noted here at Umpire HQ; however, please be aware that any orders posted in the thread by the responsible commander that have not been clearly and specifically revoked will take precedence over emergency orders. Using words such as "Draft" or "Preliminary" do not count as a revocation.

Could you provide an example?

Adbot
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sullat
Jan 9, 2012

Loel posted:

This is a really good post and should be imitated.

Fires, see those nice little time tables for enemy movement on the 2 and 4oclock road? What say you drop arty on those spaces each turn. (Ie, they move to the turn 2 tile, we fire there at turn 2, they move to turn 3, we bomb turn 3, etc.)

Sir, while we all want to bring the fight to the Germans as soon as possible, we don't have any artillery capable of that until the infantry arrive with their attached artillery assets.

Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



sullat posted:

Sir, while we all want to bring the fight to the Germans as soon as possible, we don't have any artillery capable of that until the infantry arrive with their attached artillery assets.

TBK and lenoon have those assets, yeah?

thatbastardken
Apr 23, 2010

A contract signed by a minor is not binding!

quote:

there once was a boche from berlin
whose patience was worn very thin
by his leaders who led
all his mates to be dead
and would any day now do for him!

Trin Tragula
Apr 22, 2005

Loel posted:

Could you provide an example?

These orders have been adequately revoked, but it would have been better to put a strikethrough through everything, just to make sure I don't make some kind of horrible error while I'm trying to collate orders from twenty brigades.

Hunt11
Jul 24, 2013

Grimey Drawer
Here is a representation of all the travel/building times between the various crossings of the ford and Stethoscope.

sullat
Jan 9, 2012

Loel posted:

TBK and lenoon have those assets, yeah?

Yes, General TBK's artillery commander, General Lenoon will have control of the first artillery assets we get capable of indirect fire. HQ estimates that the first elements of the division will be available in 36 hours, whether they left their guns behind to move so quickly is unknown at this point. So when and in what amounts the artillery will arrive is, at this time, a known unknown.

my dad
Oct 17, 2012

this shall be humorous
Roll20 has been rehashing the same things for a while which is basically "Can we reach Stethoscope before the Germans"?


I would like to ask the Corps Commander "Is this a risk we're willing to take?"

Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



Trin Tragula posted:

These orders have been adequately revoked, but it would have been better to put a strikethrough through everything, just to make sure I don't make some kind of horrible error while I'm trying to collate orders from twenty brigades.

Keep that in mind Staff

my dad posted:

Roll20 has been rehashing the same things for a while which is basically "Can we reach Stethoscope before the Germans"?

I would like to ask the Corps Commander "Is this a risk we're willing to take?"

Im open to reaching it, yes. Holding it I dont think is plausible.

Hit it with our cav, savage them in the open terrain, fall back as needed.

thatbastardken
Apr 23, 2010

A contract signed by a minor is not binding!
It may be worth having division commanders collate their brigade commanders orders for the benefit of the GM

Istvun
Apr 20, 2007


A better world is just $69.69 away.

Soiled Meat

Loel posted:

This is a really good post and should be imitated.

Fires, see those nice little time tables for enemy movement on the 2 and 4oclock road? What say you drop arty on those spaces each turn. (Ie, they move to the turn 2 tile, we fire there at turn 2, they move to turn 3, we bomb turn 3, etc.)

We do not have any access to fires until day 2 of the battle.

Istvun fucked around with this message at 04:08 on Mar 8, 2017

Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



Istvun posted:

We do not have any access to fires until day 2 of the battle.

Fires, prepare firing grids for likely enemy deployment on day 2 :D

professor_curly
Mar 4, 2016

There he is!
Note from Roll20: even if we're both moving, and thus unable to shoot, on Turn 5, we can still get into accidental melee if we are bumbling around in the town. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that armored cars, in melee, in a town is a quick way to get a lot of guys Franz'd. Keep that in mind.

Bacarruda
Mar 30, 2011

Mutiny!?! More like "reinterpreted orders"


Armored Cars
Split the ACs into three two groups. Group 1: north to hide in the Effyaders forest to cover the M1 and the M2 by ambushing enemy forces trying to cross.
Group 2: center to cover the M4 crossing and prevent an early breakout from Stehescope.
Group 3: south to get on the 6 o'clock section of the Chemins. They will stay there 2-3 turns to harass and hamper enemy movements, then retreat by bounds over the M7 and cover the southern crossing.

Their mission is to create a much havoc as possible early on in the battle and to pin the Germans on the east side of the small river for as long as possible, buying time for the cavalry to get into position.

Use the fords to prevent enemy forces from getting off an enmasse charge off on the ACs.

Cavalry Brigade #1
Go north to secure the Effyaders Forest. Have some men with eyes on the crossings, with the rest prepared to charge weak enemy forces or harrass stronger ones with rifle, artillery, and MG fire.

Cavaltry Brigade #2
Go south to the Bois de Blob area and prevent enemy crossings of the M4 anf M7.

Engineers
Lay wire in the south to prevent a German night crossing of the river. Once the ACs are across the river, finish a roadblock on the west bank of the M7 ford.

My general concept of operations is to create as much confusion as possible amongst the German forces for as long as possible. We will use ambushes, hit-and-run tactics, and charges as needed to delay and distract enemy forces.

Concerns:
-German night moves may penetrate our lines and get behind us without knowing it.
-German horse artillery could destroy (or chase off) our armored cars, because they outrange the ACs MGs.
-German get access to infantry and heavier artillery well before we do, allowing them to outshoot any defense of the fords.

Bacarruda fucked around with this message at 06:03 on Mar 8, 2017

Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



I need a map and arrows to picture whats going on :v:

Istvun
Apr 20, 2007


A better world is just $69.69 away.

Soiled Meat
From roll20:

quote:

ewie (GM): have the horns tuned so the company is able to honk God Save the King

Trin Tragula (GM): ewie, that can happen
actually, they might honk Rule Britannia or Hearts of Oak instead, being fish heads
also since they might know that the Germans like the tune

AbortRetryFail (RHA Commander) (GM): can we use the honks to lure them into the forest

Trin Tragula (GM): You can certainly try

AbortRetryFail (RHA Commander) (GM): they won't know what it is and will want to find out what kind of interesting bird is making that noise

Trin Tragula (GM): guess what, there's exactly ten hums if you hum the first bit of Rule Britannia
I think
Close enough
Closer than the others, at any rate

Slim Jim (GM): the germans wonder how birds have learned der deutsche kaiser hymne

WE HAVE A NEW OBJECTIVE

also: the cars are an elite unit, which is better than veteran. They make 1 morale check and it gets a bonus.

Istvun fucked around with this message at 05:36 on Mar 8, 2017

thatbastardken
Apr 23, 2010

A contract signed by a minor is not binding!

quote:

When Britain fi-i-irst, at heaven's command,
Aro-o-o-o-ose from out the a-a-a-sphalt lane,
Arose, arose from out the asphalt lane,
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian a-a-angels sang this strain:

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the roads
Britons never, never, never will be choads.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the roads.
Britons never, never, never will be choads.

AbortRetryFail
Jan 17, 2007

No more Mr. Nice Gaius

Bacarruda posted:



Armored Cars
Split the ACs into three two groups. Group 1: north to hide in the Effyaders forest to cover the M1 and the M2 by ambushing enemy forces trying to cross.
Group 2: center to cover the M4 crossing and prevent an early breakout from Stehescope.
Group 3: south to get on the 6 o'clock section of the Chemins. They will stay there 2-3 turns to harass and hamper enemy movements, then retreat by bounds over the M7 and cover the southern crossing.

Their mission is to create a much havoc as possible early on in the battle and to pin the Germans on the east side of the small river for as long as possible, buying time for the cavalry to get into position.

Use the fords to prevent enemy forces from getting off an enmasse charge off on the ACs.

Cavalry Brigade #1
Go north to secure the Effyaders Forest. Have some men with eyes on the crossings, with the rest prepared to charge weak enemy forces or harrass stronger ones with rifle, artillery, and MG fire.

Cavaltry Brigade #2
Go south to the Bois de Blob area and prevent enemy crossings of the M4 anf M7.

Engineers
Lay wire in the south to prevent a German night crossing of the river. Once the ACs are across the river, finish a roadblock on the west bank of the M7 ford.

My general concept of operations is to create as much confusion as possible amongst the German forces for as long as possible. We will use ambushes, hit-and-run tactics, and charges as needed to delay and distract enemy forces.

Concerns:
-German night moves may penetrate our lines and get behind us without knowing it.
-German horse artillery could destroy (or chase off) our armored cars, because they outrange the ACs MGs.
-German get access to infantry and heavier artillery well before we do, allowing them to outshoot any defense of the fords.

I like all of this except for splitting the cars up. The best defense they have at the sunken road is having overwhelming firepower, but splitting them up risks their lives. Taking one or two cars away and putting them elsewhere isn't too much of a problem, but if we end up splitting them into two equal groups it diminishes their firepower to a level where it may affect their survivability. I think splitting the cars will hurt us too much and they are better served all going to the sunken road as a group.

lenoon
Jan 7, 2010

Loel posted:

Fires, prepare firing grids for likely enemy deployment on day 2 :D

Yes sir!

Bacarruda
Mar 30, 2011

Mutiny!?! More like "reinterpreted orders"

AbortRetryFail posted:

I like all of this except for splitting the cars up. The best defense they have at the sunken road is having overwhelming firepower, but splitting them up risks their lives. Taking one or two cars away and putting them elsewhere isn't too much of a problem, but if we end up splitting them into two equal groups it diminishes their firepower to a level where it may affect their survivability. I think splitting the cars will hurt us too much and they are better served all going to the sunken road as a group.

My reasons for organizing the Armoured Cars into two groups come from our Corps commander's concerns and objectives.

Here is the threat. The German players are aggressive people. Last game, that aggression was rewarded when they took Saint Croissant first. But they also got slapped for the aggression when 19th Division marched into an ambush.

I think it is very likely the Germans will take these two lessons into account. They will be aggressive, but they will be very mindful of their flanks. That suggests to me an push along the center, with troops also probing our flanks and being prepared to exploit any gaps they find.

Loel posted:

As you recall, they zergrushed to their core city last game, and tried to rush the final location ignoring all losses. So we can label their doctrine as aggressive, particularly since it got them the (marginal) win last game. For this map, what does it mean?



My contention, then, is that their approach will look something like this. Bikes rush as fast as they can to the first beachhead they could, which the Staff say they can do by turn 5-6. They can set up arty on the hilltops and infantry in the city on the way.

The question for us, then, is what can and should we do by turn 5?

Now for what we want to accomplish. Loel has said that he wants to hold as much ground as possible. Doing that means engaging the Germans as far east as possible and stopping German leakers from crossing the central river and getting a foothold on the west bank.

Loel posted:



Commander's intent: We've been instructed to be aggressive in our defense, so here are my goals. Taking Stethoscope (Zone 3), or preventing its conquest, is the priority. If we cannot hold here, commander's intent is to form in Zone 4 in good order.

Sullat's current battleplan has all 10 armored cars going south of Stethoscope and firing from the Chemins for a few turns. Then, he splits the armored cars and sends 4-6 to defend the main E-W road and the M4 ford and another 4-6 to defend the M7 ford.

In other words, the battleplan favored by our corps commander supports organizing the Armored Cars into two groups within the first 10-15 or so moves of the battle.

I'm simply suggesting that we move that timetable up and have them work in two groups from the onset. I don't think the M4 force will get there fast enough if it has to loop back all the way from the Chemins. Looking at our timetables, Germans will probably be across the river before they can get there.

For those worried about splitting forces, remember that these two groups can be mutually supporting. The force on the central East-West road and the one on the Chemins can be in MG range of Stethoscope by Turn 4. With good positioning, both can help the other repel enemy attacks.

And if/when both withdraw, they can move to strong position that give us control of key ground.

Given Loel's concerns about a center push, we need forces locking down the M4 road. If we do not contest that crossing early, the Germans can split our defense down the middle.

A force of armored cars is ideal for holding that road. Sitting 16" (or so) away from the M4 ford, they can pick off German cavalry as they try to cross the ford. That bottleneck makes it very hard for the Germans to get off a multi-unit charge. Plus, if the Germans do try to make a push, we can alter our plans and support the M4 ACs with the first cavalry brigade.

Of course, all this is at the discretion of Loel what he choose to prioritize. If he emphasizes the Chemins effort, then I'll commit the ACs fully to that movement.

Bacarruda fucked around with this message at 12:08 on Mar 8, 2017

lenoon
Jan 7, 2010

So thinking turns and times for the purpose of catching Germans with indirect fire: turns are half an hour? And then we won't get artillery for 36 hours (I think I read this), so we're looking at artillery firing schemes for turn 72, which leads me to think that planning for best case scenario would be hitting just on the other side of the fords along the north and south roads repeatedly, and worst case scenario is platoon levels of danger close they're overrunning the town fire now now now now

Edit: I am also preparing these timetables in the best most accurate way, with a pencil, hand drawn map and a protractor, while smoking and whistling tunelessly.

Comrade Koba
Jul 2, 2007



I'd like an infantry brigade, so I guess I'll just wait by the sidelines until reinforcements turn up. :britain:

Comrade Koba fucked around with this message at 12:27 on Mar 8, 2017

feedmegin
Jul 30, 2008

Loel posted:

Working list
3rd Cavalry Division commander -- Bacarruda
RNAS Armoured Car Brigade commander sixkiller / Vincent Van Goatse
? Cavalry Brigade commander -- mydad
? Cavalry Brigade commander -- xthetenth
Royal Horse Artillery commander - abortretryfail

7th Infantry Division commander -- thabastardken
? Infantry Brigade commander -- Acebuckeye13
? Infantry Brigade commander -- mllaneza
? Infantry Brigade commander -- Eddy-Baby

Royal Artillery commander - lenoon
Royal Engineers commander -- Hunt11

KYOON GRIFFEY JR -- Open XO
grassy gnoll -- Open
Terrifying Effigies -- Open Brigade
sullat - staff

Let me know if I missed you.

I can has brigade? :smith:

(Happy to wait for reinforcements, I'm totally new at this so seeing how other people do stuff is probably a good idea)

thatbastardken
Apr 23, 2010

A contract signed by a minor is not binding!


Major-General Sir Theodore Bedford-Kant, KBE. GC, MC, DSO, commanding 7 Division of His Majesty's Royal Army the British Expeditionary Force. Right, I want all you brigadiers to sound off and tell me where you are with your preparations for battle!

quote:

7th Infantry Division commander -- thabastardken
? Infantry Brigade commander -- Acebuckeye13
? Infantry Brigade commander -- mllaneza
? Infantry Brigade commander -- Eddy-Baby

Royal Artillery commander - lenoon
Royal Engineers commander -- Hunt11

Orders!

Select a staff officer from the unattached hopefuls! Their job will be to double check your work, and send emergency orders if you are unavailable.

Study the map with an eye towards infantry tactics! It's all very well the donkey wallopers are having their bit of fun now, but come tomorrow our boys will have to do the real work.

If you find you have copious spare time, assist a 3rd Div Brigadier! Help them communicate ideas to the thread, draw encouraging pictures of British horses kicking Germans in the pants, make them a nice cup of tea.

I expect at least one terrible poem from each of you before we engage in battle! Limerick, sonnet, ode or heathen haiku, so long as it stinks!

Comrade Koba, do you want to act as 7th Division X) until a brigade command becomes available? Respond in the form of a poem.

thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 23:51 on Mar 8, 2017

Trin Tragula
Apr 22, 2005

Critically important point, just in order to get y'all into the proper roleplaying mindset:

thatbastardken posted:



Major-General Sir Theodore Bedford-Kant, KBE. GC, MC, DSO, commanding 7 Division of His Majesty's Royal Army.

The Army is not Royal. The Navy is Royal. English naval assets were historically the personal train set of the monarch, so the Navy is collectively Royal. The Army traces its history back far enough to remember things like the Unpleasantness with that dreadful oik Cromwell, and is still pleased to think of itself as a collection of various geographically-raised regiments and specialist corps, so although some of the units within it are Royal (or things like "The King's Own", or "Loyal"), the British Army collectively is not Royal and you will certainly point this out at great length to anyone who makes the mistake of suggesting it is. "Who do you think we are, the bloody Navy???"

(The proper designation would be 7th Division, British Expeditionary Force.)

Your brigades, by the way, are the 20th, 21st, and 22nd. The 3rd Cavalry Division consists of the 6th and 7th Cavalry Brigades, and the RNAS Armoured Cars. (The latter is in fact Royal, being part of the Royal Naval Air Service, because everything's made up and the points don't matter.)

edit:

20th Bde: 1st Grenadier Guards, 2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Borderers, 2nd Highlanders
21st Bde: 2nd Bedfordshires, 2nd Yorkshires, 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, 2nd Wiltshires
22nd Bde: 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers, 2nd Royal Warwickshires, 2nd Queen's, 1st South Staffs

6th Cav: 1st (Royal) Dragoons, 10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) Hussars, 3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards, C Battery RAH
7th Cav: 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards, Royal Gorse Hards, K Battery RAH
No. 3 (Eastchurch) Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service

Trin Tragula fucked around with this message at 15:30 on Mar 8, 2017

Bacarruda
Mar 30, 2011

Mutiny!?! More like "reinterpreted orders"

Trin Tragula posted:

Your brigades, by the way, are the 20th, 21st, and 22nd. The 3rd Cavalry Division consists of the 6th and 7th Cavalry Brigades, and the RNAS Armoured Car Brigade. (The latter is in fact Royal, being part of the Royal Naval Air Service, because everything's made up and the points don't matter.)

And purely out of fluff interest, any notable infantry or cavalry regiments making an appearance?


Trin Tragula posted:

20th Bde: 1st Grenadier Guards, 2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Borderers, 2nd Highlanders
21st Bde: 2nd Bedfordshires, 2nd Yorkshires, 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, 2nd Wiltshires
22nd Bde: 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers, 2nd Royal Warwickshires, 2nd Queen's, 1st South Staffs

6th Cav: 1st (Royal) Dragoons, 10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) Hussars, 3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards, C Battery RAH
7th Cav: 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards, Royal Gorse Hards, K Battery RAH
No. 3 (Eastchurch) Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service

Thanks, Trin!

Some very posh and fashionable regiments there.

Bacarruda fucked around with this message at 16:06 on Mar 8, 2017

sullat
Jan 9, 2012

thatbastardken posted:

I expect at least one terrible poem from each of you before we engage in battle!

In war, some people are all talk
while other proudly throw rocks
But the women of la Dand
fight for their land
By giving the Germans the pox!

Don't forget the final rule, sir. Am I being offensive enough?

Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



thatbastardken posted:



Major-General Sir Theodore Bedford-Kant, KBE. GC, MC, DSO, commanding 7 Division of His Majesty's Royal Army. Right, I want all you brigadiers to sound off and tell me where you are with your preparations for battle!


Orders!

Select a staff officer from the unattached hopefuls! Their job will be to double check your work, and send emergency orders if you are unavailable.

Study the map with an eye towards infantry tactics! It's all very well the donkey wallopers are having their bit of fun now, but come tomorrow our boys will have to do the real work.

If you find you have copious spare time, assist a 3rd Div Brigadier! Help them communicate ideas to the thread, draw encouraging pictures of British horses kicking Germans in the pants, make them a nice cup of tea.

Yes good. if you a reserve officer who wants a brigade, start by being an adjunct to an existing one. I dont want any fixable mistakes like illegal orders when we have lots of eager officers ready to check our work :D

Bacarruda
Mar 30, 2011

Mutiny!?! More like "reinterpreted orders"


Major-General Desmond de Vere Barrington, GCVO, DSO and Bar. General Officer Commanding 3rd Cavalry Division, British Expeditionary Force.

Gentlemen, here is our order of battle. As you can see, we have some of the finest regiments in the British Army. Our traditions go back to Waterloo and the long shadows of our ancestors lie over us in this moment. Let's make them proud.

Arriving Turn 0:
Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) Armoured Car Section: Commander sixkiller, RNVR

Arriving Turn 4:
6th Cavalry Brigade: Brigadier General xthetenth
-1st (Royal) Dragoons
-10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) Hussars
-3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards
-C Battery RAH
-Mounted Troop, Royal Engineers -- Lieutenant Colonel Hunt11, RE
Total Strength: Brigade HQ, 10 cavalry companies, 2 horse artillery batteries, 1 mounted MG company

Arriving Turn 10:
7th Cavalry Brigade: Brigadier General mydad
-1st Life Guards
-2nd Life Guards,
-Royal Horse Guards
-K Battery RAH
Total Strength: Brigade HQ, 10 cavalry companies, 2 horse artillery batteries, 1 mounted MG company

All officers, here is the situation.

German forces have broken through the Belgian lines and are headed right for the town of Effyaders. If Effyaders fall, the Channel ports fall. If the Channel ports fall, the BEF falls. if the BEF falls, France falls. And if France falls, Britian falls. The fate of the world lies on our shoulders at this moment.

The 7th Infantry Division will be bringing its three brigades and artillery onto the field 36 hours from now. We must hold until then.

I expect to face a German cavalry division+ on the first day, probably supported by horse artillery, bicycle troops and crack light infantry. We may see some German infantry on Day 1. We will face at least a division+ of infantry, with indirect fire on Day 2.



Here is our mission. Pevent the German from taking Effyaders. Hold as much ground on the right bank of the Effyaders Canal as possible. Our objective: Germans from crossing Zone 4 in force, Make this line will be our front line at the end of the battle. If we cannot accomplish that, we will fall back to Zone 3 and seek to hold that as our secondary objective.

Loel posted:



Bacarruda
Commander's intent: You are to focus on Zone 3. Priority list as follows:
1) Maintain integrity of command
2) Scout opposing forces
3) Ambush targets of opportunity
4) Fallback to zone 4 when the situation warrants

Scouting priorities are to find out:
What brigades we are facing, and in what composition
Where are they coming from, and at what speeds
What is their most likely avenue of approach towards Zone 4.

Here is how we will execute our plan.

Our overall plan is simple. Armoured Cars rush forwards to the Chemins to delay the enemy for as long as possible, then retreat back to hold the M4 and M7 fords. One brigade in the north in Effyaders. One in the south near Bois De Blob. Engineers creating obstructions to hinder enemy movements.

My intent for all commanders is simple: delay, disrupt, distract. You must confuse and harry the Germans as much as possible. What we lack in strength, we must make up for in guile. Ambush them with rifles or sabres as you see fit. Use cover and concealment. Use chokepoints to cancel out their numbers. Bloody well slow the Hun down until our infantry can get there.

When night falls, we must be wary of German night attacks or flanking moves.

Here are your orders.



All commanders - I want conditionals that account for the best case, worst-case, and most likely enemy scenarios. Make sure you have a plan to fall back to our marked last-stand locations. Here are timetables to help guide your planning.

professor_curly posted:

Timetables
Table 1: Armored Car Movement (Road)


Table 2: Enemy Cavalry Movements (Marching Order)


Table 3: AC + Enemy Movements


Scout aircraft, fly over the suggested spot at Turn 12.

RNAS Armoured Car Section (Sixkiller), send 7-8 of your cars into the 6 o'clock segment of the Chemins to engage German cavalry approaching Stethoscope. Consider sending some cars into the shoulder of the road, using oblique formations, etc. to maximize your frontal firepower, although keep in mind the movement penalties you face when going off-road (if you go 1" off-road, you will only have 16" of move points left if you get back on the road).

Have these cars fall back after a 2-4 turns (although if you are in a favorable fighting situation, you may issue conditionals to stay longer) and then have them set up to hold the M7 and M4 fords.

Use the bottlenecks at fords to prevent enemy forces from charging your forces. Delay them as long as possible until cavalry brigades can arrive to support you. If overwhelmed by enemy forces, break contact and find suitable ambush positions, or fallback to the Zone 3 last stand site.

Have your remaining cars acts as scouts covering the M4 and M1 fords. Do not let them get destroyed.

6th Brigade (xthetenth), you'll enter the map on Turn 4. Your orders are to move to the Foret De Effyaders to secure the M1, M2, and M3 fords. You may also need to change plans to hold the East-West road and secure the M4 fords should the enemy attempt to cross there in force. Your mission is to prevent the German from taking the Foret de Efffyaders. If you face overwhelming enemy forces that you cannot delay or destroy, alert division HQ and fall back to the Zone 3 last stand area.

7th Brigade (mydad), you'll enter the map on Turn 10. You will have two roles: mobile reserve and southern covering force. Head to the Bois de Blob area to counter German crossing efforts From M4 to M7. If 6th Brigade tkaes ehavy pressure, be prepared to assist them directly or indirectly.

Royal Engineers (Hunt11), Keeping mind timetables (your movement time, German movement time, build time), block the M7 and M6 fords with wire or a roadblock. Make sure you do not trap the armored cars on the eastern bank. I also want some wire or roadblocks on the East-West Road. If safe, continue wiring or roadblock the rest of the ford. If not, put wire on our flanks in the zone 3 area and begin digging trenches in zone 3 to stiffen our fallback positions there. here is a map with zones suggested sites to wire/block.



Bacarruda fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Mar 9, 2017

Comrade Koba
Jul 2, 2007

thatbastardken posted:

Comrade Koba, do you want to act as 7th Division X) until a brigade command becomes available? Respond in the form of a poem.


Roses are red
A poilu's coat is blue
Rhyming is for degenerate Frenchmen
I'll just wait for an infantry brigade, thank you! :britain:

Trin Tragula
Apr 22, 2005

:siren: THE OFFICERS' CLUB OBSERVER THREAD IS NOW OFF-LIMITS TO PLAYERS

Anyone who disobeys this order will face a strong dose of Field Punishment Number One.

edit: to follow tonight, some details about emergency reinforcements, just in case you make a huge bollocks of the first eight hours of battle

Trin Tragula fucked around with this message at 16:39 on Mar 8, 2017

Hunt11
Jul 24, 2013

Grimey Drawer
Royal Engineers Corp

Upon entering the field of battle both mounted engineers are to follow the mapped out path and begin placing barbed wire along the bottom two fords.



Contingent orders
Any infantry move towards position in battle formation: Fall back west before heading north and start wiring up the northern fords.

sullat
Jan 9, 2012

Trin Tragula posted:

edit: to follow tonight, some details about emergency reinforcements, just in case you make a huge bollocks of the first eight hours of battle

Naval Reserve Brigade, maybe. Churchill slaps some rifles in the hands of untrained sailors and sends them over. Ammunition, arty, MGs not ready yet.

Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



Bacarruda , you are the front line. Where would the morning plane be most useful to you?

Terrifying Effigies
Oct 22, 2008

Problems look mighty small from 150 miles up.

Loel posted:

Yes good. if you a reserve officer who wants a brigade, start by being an adjunct to an existing one. I dont want any fixable mistakes like illegal orders when we have lots of eager officers ready to check our work :D

Willing to tag along with the 7th Division as liaison officer from the the units arriving later, and free to help out with any Div or Brigade level duties when I'm not snarling out the traffic jams in the rear.

Sixkiller
Mar 2, 2015

Sanguine Sanguinary
Rolls-Royce Brigade: The Big Red One

Draft: The overall command of the brigade is split between me and RNVR, so I’ll be leading ‘Red Group’ in their daring raid on Stethoscope; meanwhile, RNVR will operate the defense of the forest.

In total, this operation gives me five armored cars to work with. I order that they be split further into two groups: Magnus ignis, four ACs, will move on to the 6 o'clock road; Ignis, one AC, will move on the road facing Stethoscope and join up with the additional cars sent by ‘Blue Group’. If everything works out, the German cavalry will find itself in a pickle: murdered by machine guns.

Magnus ignis will hold its positions for two or four turns, depending on four factors: damage dealt; casualties taken; the initial surprise of the enemy; and finally, the number of enemies spotted.

Ignis is to hold at all costs, preventing the enemy from escaping or advancing forward. It's a one man, or car, mission. The best of luck to them.

Bacarruda
Mar 30, 2011

Mutiny!?! More like "reinterpreted orders"

Sixkiller posted:

Rolls-Royce Brigade: The Big Red One

Draft: The overall command of the brigade is split between me and RNVR, so I’ll be leading ‘Red Group’ in their daring raid on Stethoscope; meanwhile, RNVR will operate the defense of the forest.

In total, this operation gives me five armored cars to work with. I order that they be split further into two groups: Magnus ignis, four ACs, will move on to the 6 o'clock road; Ignis, one AC, will move on the road facing Stethoscope and join up with the additional cars sent by ‘Blue Group’. If everything works out, the German cavalry will find itself in a pickle: murdered by machine guns.

Magnus ignis will hold its positions for two or four turns, depending on four factors: damage dealt; casualties taken; the initial surprise of the enemy; and finally, the number of enemies spotted.

Ignis is to hold at all costs, preventing the enemy from escaping or advancing forward. It's a one man, or car, mission. The best of luck to them.

Aahah, sorry. I should have made something more clear

"RNVR" is not a player, it's just a postscript. It means "Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve" i.e. I was adding some fluff and implying your character was a Royal Navy reservist called up at the outbreak of the war.

All the armored cars are yours.

Loel
Jun 4, 2012

"For the Emperor."

There was a terrible noise.
There was a terrible silence.



Maps. Arrows. :D

Slim Jim Pickens
Jan 16, 2012
Having the armoured cars hold position for 2-4 turns is essentially the same as asking them to fight to the death. This is a game where 5 chits can die on the first turn of an engagement.

Armoured cars in cover like the Chemin Ceux can lay an ambush which makes them invulnerable to all counterfire for one turn of fire. This is powerful, and necessary, as the enemy will probably have reserve artillery ready to use indirect fire.

Armoured cars in non-cover do not have this luxury, and will be fully vulnerable to anything, up to and including the Germans simply bumbling into firing range. A squad of 2-5 armoured cars is not strong enough to rout a full cavalry brigade, and will take disproportionate casualties.

We should split the car brigade, but only into a group of 8, and two individual scouts. We can send the scouts onto the middle and north roads where we don't have a presence, with orders to immediately flee on sighting boche. This way, we can cover the spotting gap presented by the enormity of this map. Later, the fresh cavalry brigades will be arriving, and with our superior scouting network, we can organize where exactly we want to ambush or encircle the boche.

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Eddy-Baby
Mar 8, 2006

₤₤LOADSA MONAY₤₤

Orders posted:


Study the map with an eye towards infantry tactics! It's all very well the donkey wallopers are having their bit of fun now, but come tomorrow our boys will have to do the real work.




Brigadier-General Edmund Babington DSO, commanding 22nd Brigade

Gentlemen,

I'll try to be brief. Since we are still unsure how quickly we will be able to reach Effyaders, it would behoove us to prepare for several possible situations once we arrive.

Let's consider what the state of the battle is likely to be when we arrive. I'm sure you all remember the map.



Current orders call for a defence of Zones 3 and 4; but it seems unlikely we will have the force to hold at the town of Stethoscope. It's more likely that by the time we arrive, Zone 4 will be the main line of defence.

It seems like a straightforward plan would be to deploy a brigade each to Effyader Forest and Blob Wood, to reinforce existing friendly defenders holding the river line. The remaining brigade could hold the centre, or wait behind the lines in reserve. Ideally we could prevent the Boche from making it across the small river entirely. However, this plan assumes that we are able to at least hold Zone 4. This area could be held or contested by the enemy by the time we arrive. If we are close enough we should counterattack and retake it.

If the enemy is able to gain significant advances, we may be forced to deploy further away from the woods which could make attempts to retake them difficult; in which case, it would probably be better to dig in to stop further enemy advances and wait for new orders.

I would like to suggest the crossroads in the Saucisson Valley (Zone 5) as a good position for a reserve defence. Troops there will be masked from direct spotting and able to ambush enemies with close rifle fire if the Boche are able to advance into sight. Defenders can retreat into the Coq Wood if pressed.

One thing to consider; if we arrive late in the day or evening, our men will be just as tired as if they had fought the full day. If we can keep one or more of our brigades out of combat until 0800, they will not suffer the effects of fatigue for the second day.

If any of you would like to volunteer as Staff Officer, please speak up.

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