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 from somewhere deep in the valleys there's a scratching of nib on paper and a furious volley of curses as handdrawn maps are flung at subalterns. Over the hubbub of clinking Naafi tea urns comes a haunting refrain Where would I beeee If I was boche artilleryyyy Where would I be hiding If I didn't want finding Would I scurry round in the night (Trying to avoid a fight) Remounting yonder hill, Or would I rush across the ford perhaps a trench to fill? Or even something untoward A unexpected plan Accuracy is its own reward, And gunners always beat elan! lenoon fucked around with this message at 14:23 on Mar 29, 2017 |
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Mar 29, 2017 14:19
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| # ? May 18, 2024 02:34 |
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Should we inflict necromancy on me? I think that's a reasonable idea if we don't have newer folks clamoring for the brigades.
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Mar 29, 2017 14:30
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xthetenth posted:Should we inflict necromancy on me? I think that's a reasonable idea if we don't have newer folks clamoring for the brigades. Same.
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Mar 29, 2017 14:50
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I can take the new artillery brigade probably.
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Mar 29, 2017 14:51
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AbortRetryFail posted:
Alright boss. Here's my thinking when it comes to where Germans are going to be, and where our remaining indirect fire can help out in the north. I think given the spotter plane reports and the final turns before night, the Germans are pushing north. We expect them to be in the trenches, and then I suspect they'll be reinforcing what is a pretty legit position. If I were a german gunner, I'd want my guns either behind those trenches or behind the ford. So. I'll be hitting the trenches as you suggest on turn 1 of the next go. Then turn two, I want to walk it back towards the fords, and then turn 3 onwards, hammer at extreme range to hit anything trying to cross the ford or the road. This is where I think the enemy will be and when:  That area between the trenches and the ford? I want to plaster so many shells into it it's still going to be giving up the iron harvest on the bicentennial. If we can catch any guns in transit, we'll be able to correct the outrageous fact that the RFA is outgunned (as per our slightly shocking spotter plane report) on the field at the moment. I do not plan on falling back from this position, but I do plan to relimber for the last night turns. I would respectfully request some infantry to my north, as if the Germans do night march through the forest, I will be caught at first light just as we all get out the lucifers and strike up the first fag of the day, and my men don't fight without tea, fags and french postcards.
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Mar 29, 2017 19:42
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I'd agree with you changing your standing orders to "Do not retreat" for the night, since if you spot an enemy, it'd be too late to run and your only hope would be to provide them with high quantities of shrapnel until one of you is dead.
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Mar 29, 2017 19:53
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lenoon posted:So. I'll be hitting the trenches as you suggest on turn 1 of the next go. Then turn two, I want to walk it back towards the fords, and then turn 3 onwards, hammer at extreme range to hit anything trying to cross the ford or the road. Sure, but can we have the trench shelled at least on turn 5 as well to get some suppressions and free kills just as our infantry moves up? They have 4 MGs with them, they'll need to be deactivated if they decided to not move during the night and sit in the trench, otherwise a lot of men will die. As per Loel's directive, the new division commander will probably be sending the new brigades through the effyaders forest from the West or around its outskirts. AbortRetryFail fucked around with this message at 20:37 on Mar 29, 2017 |
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Mar 29, 2017 20:31
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Bacarruda posted:Trin, can we have those eight cavalry chits attached to my division HQ? Without access to my map so I can check that those eight chits actually exist; you can certainly try.
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Mar 29, 2017 20:32
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I should have a computer soon and can take a brigade this weekend if one is still needed then.
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Mar 29, 2017 20:36
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Trin Tragula posted:Without access to my map so I can check that those eight chits actually exist; you can certainly try. I think he means those fabled reinforcement chits that were mentioned and never attached since nobody ever qualified for them. Bac, you should do a solo yolo cavalry charge in the south.Worst case scenario, you die. Best case scenario, you die in a way that makes the enemy thinks we sent a whole cavalry division past their lines. 
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Mar 29, 2017 20:37
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Tehan posted:If nobody else had dibs, I'd be happy to take command of the division coming in I would like to second this man for division commander, who was the commander of our 96th infantry and artillery reserve last game. Reason: not only is he in my Timezone for planning purposes, but I can contact him very easily if our internet pixel men are in horrible danger. Also he did alright I suppose. AbortRetryFail fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Mar 29, 2017 |
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Mar 29, 2017 20:43
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my dad posted:I think he means those fabled reinforcement chits that were mentioned and never attached since nobody ever qualified for them. Oh, them. No, they're no longer available; they've gone back into the reinforcement pool and will come on-board as infantry later.
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Mar 29, 2017 20:52
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AbortRetryFail posted:I would like to second this man for division commander, who was the commander of our 96th infantry and artillery reserve last game. Reason: not only is he in my Timezone for planning purposes, but I can contact him very easily if our internet pixel men are in horrible danger. Thirding. I hear you Anzacs are good at fighting in coastal areas. Maybe we should put your abilities to the test on a hostile coast some day.
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Mar 29, 2017 21:01
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Im at work for another couple hours, did we get some consensus on sending the south brigade to La Dand?
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Mar 29, 2017 22:31
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Assuming I get control of the new artillery Brigade, Lenoon, how about we split things up here. Since you're already on the field, focus a bit more on softening up the trench for our attack on it. Then when my artillery comes in, I'll drop shells on the empty areas between the woods and the ford, to disrupt any counter attack or guns that've set up on our side of the ford. Does that sound reasonable? Loel - not that I've seen. I'm personally against it, I would like to see the southern division entrench itself further forward and sit tight.
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Mar 29, 2017 22:48
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An idea that was brought forward was to just have them cross the ford and entrench nearby instead. They can bypass the wire since we can see it, and entrench overnight.
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Mar 29, 2017 22:55
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I think we've discussed all these is to discuss about it. It is a highly risky but highly entertaining plan, and if they don't die we can have them sitting back there as scouts or charging marching brigades, cutting wires, what have you. It would also freak them out about infiltrators, causing inefficiencies and delays in attacks. Building a trench further south below J trench (or as my dad and I discussed, just beyond the ford blocking their non-existent bridge) is a much safer plan but if we had a chance to do a cool thing and we didn't do it, I'd be a bit sad.
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Mar 29, 2017 22:57
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We still have our brave general Bacarruda to charge in if needs be.
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Mar 29, 2017 22:59
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So as mentioned in the chat they have to have used a spotter plan to see what is in the Vallee. I think the defense at the north and south will remain a mystery but we have to plan around them being ready to shell the center. So there are two things I plan to do. 1. Use my infantry engineers to make a second line of defense which takes advantage of Bois De Coq. 2. Sent an engineer back to Effyaders to start prepping bridges for a last stand. As in wiring up two bridges to blow and having the third covered in wire and roadblocks.
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Mar 30, 2017 00:39
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Actually Lenoon your artillery plan has given us a thought. The last time we saw the german Super-Brigade, it was in a very odd formation, and looked like it had been kicked into contingency orders by my dad's horse artillery. Let's run with that assumption being true for a moment. That means the only germans left in Foret de Effyaders are those scattered remnants from the brigade we nearly wiped out. What if the last known location of those brigades with an artillery barrage, while at the same time hitting the road and ford as best we can. Then the 21st immediately charges north, to try and wipe out the remnant germans and occupy our northern trench. After that, we dig in and have our artillery lay down suppressive fire along the road and ford crossing/the empty areas as necessary to disrupt the germans if they try to cross in the night. Our reinforcement brigades come in and fill in the line next to the 21st/reinforce it as necessary.
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Mar 30, 2017 00:40
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professor_curly posted:Actually Lenoon your artillery plan has given us a thought. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this Lenoon, but it sounds good. AbortRetryFail fucked around with this message at 01:43 on Mar 30, 2017 |
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Mar 30, 2017 01:15
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Trin: Can I have a hard number (either turn number or number of phases) for when the engineers show up?
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Mar 30, 2017 01:33
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First turn the update after next
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Mar 30, 2017 01:37
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I'm up for whatever orders HQ sends down, but I do need some in order to put mine in. One thing to keep in mind though - Trin indicated we're not getting many more units after the other division arrives, so we're going to have to hold the line with ~5 infantry brigades for the foreseeable future.
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Mar 30, 2017 01:44
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My Dad's plan for consideration: Plan Brown: Head over the ford, kill the enemy engineer, then dig in. F is a fallback position provided we have discovered the ever elusive bridge that is definitely not there. It gives the illusion of having commenced a deep infiltration while not actually doing so. The two forward positions allow night spotting.  Unless I am expressly forbidden from crossing the Ford or someone has a better idea, this is the conservative defensive plan I will be going with. Edit: It is plan brown because that is hopefully the colour their pants will become AbortRetryFail fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Mar 30, 2017 |
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Mar 30, 2017 02:47
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Trin Tragula posted:Without access to my map so I can check that those eight chits actually exist; you can certainly try. You said that they'd be arriving this turn and would then attach themselves to the nearest surviving cavalry HQ, so I think they're not currently on the map. Bacarruda fucked around with this message at 03:39 on Mar 30, 2017 |
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Mar 30, 2017 03:17
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These orders are no longer valid based on current corps priorities. New orders have been posted that will be much more exciting. ******************************************************************************************* Fatigue tokens: 1, will gain 2nd token at 0800 tomorrow ******************************************************************************************* ORDERS FOR 21st INFANTRY BRIGADE The brigade will consolidate its position on Defense as follows:  Orders while on Defense quote:Turn to face enemy but hold position edit: this update is correct for 21st brigade casualties. we've lost three and there are 17 infantry companies present here. edit2: if I am unavailable and a deadline is pressing, corps, division, or other staff may update these orders for that stab north Curly has been banging on about. mllaneza fucked around with this message at 05:27 on Mar 31, 2017 |
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Mar 30, 2017 04:37
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Loel, we need some guidance on the overall plan for this turn + what reinforcements we are going to choose for this turn. I recommend that we choose the two infantry brigades (the 23rd and the 24th) as our first reinforcements. We spend the next few turns hammering the northern Effyaders Forest and the M1, M2, and M3 fords with artillery fire. Meanwhile, the infantry and my cavalry get into position to mount an assault. Once everyone is in position, we send the 23rd, 24th, and 21st Infantry Brigades and BARRFORCE (my improvised cavalry brigade) in a massed charge to take the northern Effyaders. We use belt-buckle tactics to get in close, neutralizing their indirect fire. Once we take the forest, the 8th Infantry Division takes control of the forest and the 7th Infantry Division moves to control the center and the south. I recommend that the 8th dig trenches slightly within the forest so that German artillery hitting the edge of the forest will miss them -- obviously, they should leave a few scouts forward to spot artillery, so they can hit anyone hitting the M1-M3 fords. --  Major-General Desmond de Vere Barrington, GCVO, DSO and Bar. Officer Commanding, BARRFORCE  Marching order to the trenches in East Effyaders to meet with the Cavalry HQ chit. Once there, switch to battle order. When the 23rd Brigade is immediately on our flank, switch to battle order. When the 23rd begins their charge, advance in battle order, then charge any Germans to our east. Do not charge outside of the forest under any circumstance. Once enemy forces are destroyed, fall back to the Western Effyaders trenches. e: cavalry isn't arriving, will be coming in later as infantry, so disregard this. Bacarruda fucked around with this message at 10:05 on Mar 30, 2017 |
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Mar 30, 2017 05:15
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Going over it in chat, come on in  general ideas we're leaning towards: one turn of bombardment in the north 21st brigade zerg rushes 2 infantry brigades reinforce once they get on the map in the south, plan brown (kill the engineer) one division commander bacarruda gets lost on the way to tallis sud Goal being, a sufficient feint to make them waste a plane and/or brigade movement to their south east, while we move in the north west. edit: just to reinforce this, they know we have a history of sending out elite cav officers on crazy missions way below their paygrade its kind of our thing
Loel fucked around with this message at 05:36 on Mar 30, 2017 |
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Mar 30, 2017 05:24
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So I've talked with Loel and mllaneza, they've both agreed to this. . Here is my proposal. On Turn 34, we saw the German Super-Brigade marching like this:  In some form of Marching Order, moving along the road. Then my dad's horse artillery shot at them. On Turn 35 our spotter plane saw this:  They adopted battle order, and faced the horse artillery. The horse artillery were then promptly destroyed by indirect artillery fire. Now it seems likely that the German Super-Brigade is still there in battle order, having been knocked off its orders to follow contingency orders. This is reinforced by the fact that we never saw it again. Since a formation of that size is unwieldy, and since we never caught sight of it again, that would indicate a knowledge of our sightlines I don't think the Germans have, or extreme luck if they did move it across the ford already. Moreover, if they were in the trenches just north of 21st Brigade, our northernmost companies would still see them. The Super-Brigade is so big it would more than fill that trenchline up if they were there. With that in mind what I propose is that 21st Brigade immediate charges north.  If my guess is right, then the only Germans left in Foret de Effyaders are 3 machine gun companies and a single infantry company. Since we know where they are, we spend 4-5 artillery guns to hit these locations on the first turn. We might get some friendly fire, but probably worthwhile to try and suppress the machine guns before they can fire. I've mapped it out. If that super-brigade is still there, they can just get a few units across the M1 crossing in 1 turn. They cannot get anyone across the ford in 1 turn. Therefor the remaining guns can preemptively bombard the road with no loss in efficiency. The 21st can dig in the northern trenchline, with orders to charge any germans they see along the way. If the Super Brigade does cross along the road or ford it should run straight into the 21st Brigade in the trenches/woods. Then Lenoon's interdiction artillery that he has planned (focused along the road and ford in this case, because we know that's where they have to be coming from) can pick apart the Super Brigade if it tries to cross, and then run straight into the 21st. If there are more Germans in Foret de Effyaders then we still get a solid round of artillery bombardment on the trenches, and we still cut their range advantage significantly by charging in at night. We might lose the 21st Brigade, but we have 2 reinforcement brigades coming right behind it to finish the job if necessary.
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Mar 30, 2017 05:29
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I'm relief Division Commander ARF and I approve this message. The chance of them slipping by us into Effyaders forest has been basically discounted (I'm told 20% chance however I think it is even less than that), so I'm going to be amending the artillery and 21st Brigade orders. I'll post here once I have done so.
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Mar 30, 2017 05:39
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If it all goes wrong I'll take responsibility for it.
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Mar 30, 2017 05:53
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professor_curly posted:If it all goes wrong I'll take responsibility for it. Chin up old bean, we've the best infantry in Europe.
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Mar 30, 2017 06:24
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Loel posted:general ideas we're leaning towards: The northern plan looks good, although it's a bit of a gamble. I'm more concerned about the southern plan. Speaking as an observer, I think it's wise if we simply have the 20th fall back into the Bois De Blob to avoid German artillery hitting the J Trench. Then, they can move forwards during the night to dig a new trench in an unshelled area that can still over the M7 fords and the German bridges. If we are dead set on offensive action in the south, let's do it at night. Have the 20th cross under cover of darkness and then dig in on the far bank. If my reserve cavalry brigade is on the field, then can head south and follow the roads east until they hit the Chemins, then they can turn north and attack the German artillery at night. Once the guns are dead, they cav can fall back to our lines. I think it's a very risky plan and I'd rather use the cav as a mounted reserve. But, I thought I'd throw the idea out there. Bacarruda fucked around with this message at 07:31 on Mar 30, 2017 |
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Mar 30, 2017 06:46
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 I have amended the 7th Division Orders post for this turn. Everyone's orders have changed.
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Mar 30, 2017 07:21
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Bacarruda I'm really confused by your post. I'm pretty sure I must have something wrong. Does night time not start immediately as of now?
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Mar 30, 2017 07:22
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AbortRetryFail posted:Bacarruda I'm really confused by your post. I'm pretty sure I must have something wrong. Does night time not start immediately as of now? You're correct. Night rules should be in effect all next round. I misread Trin's earlier post about when night starts.
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Mar 30, 2017 07:31
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AbortRetryFail posted:
When in danger Or in doubt Run in circles Scream and shout edit; eh, gets me out of pre-plotted artillery anyway.
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Mar 30, 2017 07:45
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Bac, the idea was that you charge the South ford alone, and go around the enemy defences, either being a distraction, or somehow making it all the way to La Dand.
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Mar 30, 2017 09:16
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| # ? May 18, 2024 02:34 |
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Loel, we still don't officially have anyone assigned to the new division. Could you please do it so that people could actually start giving orders Tehan - Division Commander professor_curly - Artillery And who exactly gets infantry? There's a couple of people, including me and xthetenth, volunteering to take up these brigades.
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Mar 30, 2017 09:39
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