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This is the American team thread! If you are on the German team, stop reading now! If you’re wondering what this is, see this thread. L’Abbaye Blanche August 8, 1944 American Briefing It’s been two weeks since the smashing success of Operation Cobra and our breakout from Normandy. Since then First Army has pushed south, capturing Avranches and allowing the newly arrived Third Army to spill out into Brittany. It seemed that the Germans were finished in northern France… …until yesterday, when four panzer divisions of the XLVII Panzer Corp suddenly slammed into the left flank of First Army. This counteroffensive, aimed squarely at VII Corp in the vicinity of the town of Mortain, threatens to penetrate all the way to Avranches and cut off Third Army.  We in the 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division find ourselves directly in the path of the 2nd SS “Das Reich” Panzer Division. On August 7th the German armored spearheads threw the regiment into disarray, capturing Mortain and encircling most of 2nd Battalion on Hill 314 to the east. Now the regiment is holding on by a thread in strongpoints around the town. On the northern outskirts 2nd Battalion, F Company holds a salient in the imposing shadow of the 800-year-old Abbaye Blanche. From there, our antitank guns can interdict the two critical highways connecting Mortain and St. Barthelemy. Attempts by 2nd SS Panzer to force the road met with unexpectedly stiff resistance and fell back. It is now the morning of August 8th. You must take command of this force and fend off renewed attacks aimed at clearing the roadblock. Be warned, the Germans will not underestimate you again! Expect strong formations of armor and mechanized infantry from both north and south of the salient. Your own forces are thin, but you hold a strong position which you have spent the night fortifying. Make smart use of terrain, internal movement, and fortifications to keep the Germans at bay! The Abbey itself is a dominating position to anchor your perimeter. American Forces Your initial force is a company of the 120th Infantry, 2nd Battalion that avoided encirclement on the first day. You are also assigned a detachment from the 823rd Tank Destroyer Bttn (towed). 120th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion
25x Foxholes 8x Barbed Wire 4x Personnel Mines 3x Antitank mines 1x FO (Regular) The Ninth Air Force launched intense attacks on the German columns yesterday and will hopefully resume after the morning fog has cleared. The rest of the division is in the area, along with the attached 746th Tank Battalion. Additional forces may arrive as they become available, but the situation is precarious all along the front and we are stretched thin. The Map! The map is 1200m x 896m, covering an area just north of Mortain. It’s a real place and not hard to find in google if you’re so inclined!   Here’s the map walkthrough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6DyAhBV9Q And an overview of your units and deployment zone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_smYTQ1jC2M Map conditions are dry and hazy. Objective Your goal is to keep the highways interdicted while inflicting heavy casualties on the attacking Germans. You have two objectives: The abbey and a railroad bridge at the north end of town. You will also score points for damage inflicted on the Germans. Be aware that the German objectives are structured differently than yours!
Reinforcements There will be multiple reinforcement waves over the course of the match. I’ll let you know when reinforcements are imminent and reveal what they are at least one update in advance so you have some time to prepare. Discord: https://discord.gg/AUQQwGd Ask for the Allies role. Save File: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gXq_fOC1st9uySHbTQXGy8AtsYOREqBy Password: hollywood This file is official. You’ll do your setup in it and turn it over to the Germans. Orders: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1gGNjT8GFqwLHtLREG0vc9OGMqykbz2praU2L7Gs096s/edit?usp=sharing Fray fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Jan 21, 2019 |
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Jan 16, 2019 18:55
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| # ? May 2, 2024 00:39 |
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Centurium offered on discord to lead you all. If anyone else wants to throw their hat in the ring, speak up now! Figure out your positions and do your setup in the save file. Lets aim to pass the file to the Germans by Friday night.
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Jan 16, 2019 19:20
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Looks like the Discord invite link has expired, can we get a new one?
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Jan 17, 2019 09:09
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The Axis are jamming our comms channels?
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Jan 17, 2019 10:49
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Try now.
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Jan 17, 2019 15:53
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All right. At Fray's poking, I've slapped together a TO&E sheet for us to use for organizing. The only one with an assigned unit currently is Centurium, we'll need to get that sorted out. Sheet is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gGNjT8GFqwLHtLREG0vc9OGMqykbz2praU2L7Gs096s/edit?usp=sharing We had a productive discussion in voice last night. I think the general consensus was light infantry presence in the abbey with some AT support from across the water onto HW2, infantry presence on the ridge NW of the railroad bridge with possible light AT units, infantry and heavy AT support (whatever's not by the abbey) on the RR bridge objective. Possible mine deployments included on HW2 near the abbey, some AP mines in the wooded(?) area just north of the abbey on the other side of the stream, and north of the RR bridge on HW2. Barbed wire and foxhole deployment wasn't discussed beyond possibly some wire on the entrance to the abbey at HW2. Bare terrain image courtesy of Acebuckeye13, suitable for all your planning needs: 
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Jan 17, 2019 17:54
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Acebuckeye is a boss and let us look at the map on his twitch while we held a discussion on terrain and features. Tonight we'll discuss distribution of forces and positioning. Use Hypnobeard's gracious TOE for 'I wanna command this'. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...dit?usp=sharing I intend to make decisions in at least the deployment phase as discussions over voice (and looking at video again, hopefully) so that we are all on the same page and get to be heard. Last night at 11 EST seemed to work well. Voice server and all the needed links are on the discord. If you need the time to change, say so in discord or post that here. Based on last night's discussion, here is the situation: Situation: Enemy Forces: Unknown elements of the 2nd SS Panzer. Possibly include Panthers, Tigers, StuG's, and Panzergrenadiers. Other attached forces are possible. Strength unknown. Enemy Capabilities and Limitations: Defense: We sit on the line of communications between the northern and southern extent of the forces surrounding Mortain. The enemy is unlikely to be obliged to defend any ground because we're already sitting on the critical location Likely Course of Action: Enemy advances from either NE or SE from Highway 3, consider SE more likely. Expect armor assault along Highway 2 from the south with infantry support. Expect second axis of advance along highway 3 to the north in order to target the abbey with armor and accompanying infantry to attempt a breach. Most Dangerous Course of Action: if the enemy begins in the NE or flanks around and passes to the west of the forest and bocage to the west of the rail line their armor will have clear fields of fire all the way down to the rail bridge. This would allow them to establish fire superiority across much of our area, with no good cover until the railroad. Friendly Forces: Higher mission and intent: Our position between highway 2 and 3 prevents clear lines of communications for the 2nd SS as it attempts to envelop the 30th Infantry on the high ground outside Mortain. Our presence prevents the Germans from coordinating to isolate hill 314, and the boys on Hill 314 prevent the enemy from using the Mortain roads to advance to Avranches, where they would effectively cut off the entire Third Army in Brittany. First Army intends to advance on the right flank of the counterattack and envelop what appears the be the last effective group of reserves between here and the river Seine. If the enemy manages to break through here it will deprive Allied forces of the initiative in Normandy as we will be forced to react to relieve Third Army. Our forces must deny the enemy the use of those highways which are critical to their maneuver and communications against Hill 314. Adjacent Units: Other elements of the 30th Infantry with the attached 746th Tank Battalion to our rear Support: ULTRA intercepted the German orders to attack, all the way from their general HQ. The entire 9th Air Force USAF and 2nd Tactical Air Force RAF have been committed to stopping the counterattack. Rocket equipped fighter-bombers and medium bombers are possible support, but we won't know until the fog clears and Luftwaffe has its say about where they can go. Attachments: We have two platoons of the 823rd TD, with 76mm AT guns, and 2 .50 and 2 .30 MG's from battalion. Civil/Terrain considerations: The abbey wall is impassible without being blown up by HE. The bocage offers los and firing to units right next to it, but must be breached to pass. The railroad is in a depression that breaks forest cover. The river in the south is impassible and the forest to the west provides clear fields of fire on highway 2 as it approaches the abbey to the south. The heavy forest and bocage to the north of the village provides good fields of fire along the north of highway 3. Finally, the abbey's top floor provide fields of fire on nearly the entire area, but are equally vulnerable to pot shots from armor.. Oh, and this is an 800 year old abbey. I'd prefer not to have to explain to the Colonel why the General got a very angry message from De Gaulle. Once again, please join us on discord as we discuss the positioning of forces and command and control.
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Jan 18, 2019 00:01
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Any decisions on the deployment, Centurium?
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Jan 19, 2019 05:05
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So we have a company of infantry, a couple of AT guns of dubious use, vs an entire SS Panzer Division with Panthers, Tigers and King Tigers (oh no). I guess we're going to deploy inside the town (not on the outside of it!) and pray they get close enough.
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Jan 19, 2019 09:36
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I don't think we're having the whole division. We're expecting 3ish companies of mixed infantry (panzergrenadiers, probably) and tanks (looking at Panthers, some chance of Tigers). It'll be nasty regardless but not that bad.
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Jan 19, 2019 14:06
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The question of testing things in-game came up in the German thread. We've been doing it forever cause Grey was pretty laissez faire about it, but I do want to set some boundaries.Fray posted:Uuuuh, good question. I've always been a little off on this too despite being on a lot of teams that did it. I suppose since we're changing so much else this match we might as well set a policy on this too. Obviously it's hard to make a one-size-fits-all policy cause some things are much more gamey than others. Like, I don't have a problem with generic tests to see how two groups of tanks fare against each other; CM players do that stuff all the time just to learn the game. So here's my best shot at the issue:
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Jan 19, 2019 16:22
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!!! ORDERS !!! 3 Platoon, F Cpy Lt. Gay Hitler  your mission is to 1.secure bridge over the railroad 2. provide support to the AT guns in the forest to your north 3. To the extent possible, assist scouting and provide eyes over the highways The yellow area indicates your intended position. You may also deploy scout teams to the blue area if you find it expedient Your center of gravity must remain close enough to the bridge to deny its use to the enemy. Seek to exploit morale effects of mines, indirect fires, and supporting fires to maximize disruption of the enemy attack. The 823rd TD position to your north represents most of our ability to contest the enemy's actions, so protecting their position is critical to your survival. Without them the enemy has a nearly free hand to concentrate, and your position becomes much harder to defend. If overwhelmed, retreat to the rail line and hold it long enough to allow redeployment of forces farther south. The AT guns will be to your immediate north, with a detached machine gun and the F cpy XO. They may require your support. Other units will be across the rail line to your south We expect the enemy to approach your position from the north and east along Hwy 3 AT mines will be deployed on the railroad bridge. Be sure that your bazooka is able to cover the railroad bridge if and when the enemy might wish to use it. You have 7 foxholes to deploy B Company 823rd TD Capt. Bacarruda  you must engage enemy armor (and infantry, too) from the north of the battlefield to the middle. You must balance the risk of enemy artillery against the need to concentrate your fire, so positioning is critical here. You must also be able to respond to an enemy sweep around to the north and west. Your guns represent our only ability to deny the enemy free movement over large areas of the map. Our operational plan requires disrupting enemy movement and denying them the ability to concentrate for a decisive assault. Therefore your center of gravity must not shift from a position that provides lines of fire to the highways. To the extent possible seek to exploit the enemy's constrained movement by destroying leading units of vehicles on roads, suppressing infantry, etc. It is more useful to suppress or delay 1/3 of the enemy force than to destroy 1/5 of it today. The company XO is detached to your control. There will be at least 1 MG deployed to your position. Expect supporting fire from 3 platoon to your south. You have 5 foxholes 2 Platoon F Company Lt Comstar  2 platoon F company is to deploy in the abbey and be ready to repel an assault on the walls. Detach scouts and set up an observation post in the woods to the east Highly suggest you not hang out in the upper floors of the abbey long term to avoid panther potshots there will be AP mines in the woods to the north of the abbey, and 1 platoon will be immediately to your south Your force must be able to contest a direct attack on the abbey from the west. You also will be the closest thing we have to a reserve, so strive to keep your forces coherent enough to redeploy. To that end, your center of gravity should be close to or inside the abbey, but your fields of fire should extend far enough north to engage enemy infantry should they emerge from the forests and into the town. Your scouts are also critical to our ability to see into blind spots hidden from our forces in the north or farther to the south, so effective scouting will be critical from your forces. Remember that the Abbey wall is impassible unless it gets blown up by HE. AT Platoon F company Lt Acebuckeye13  Your mission is to defend the south bridge at the abbey and the southern flank of the abbey. Choosing your position to force the enemy to engage you at a short range and possibly with flanks presented will be critical. Have contingency positions chosen if the enemy overwhelms the north so that you can wheel around to target the rail bridge road. Finally, if the abbey position is compromised your position will be the anchor of our fallback line. Your center of gravity will therefore need to be concentrated and solid. Effectively coordinating with 1 Platoon to your north at the abbey will allow you to force the enemy to present flanks to either your position or theirs. Expect at least 1 MG near your position. Because your jeep goes fast, vroom vroom, the FO is detached to your command. He is to start in the Very Fine House, but you may need to quickly redeploy him as the battle evolves. Indirect fire needs to deprive the enemy of mobility and therefore the opportunity to concentrate for a decisive attack. You have 4 foxholes 1 Platoon F Company Lt. Hypnobeard  you are to repel attacks on the south bridge by the abbey with support from the 57mm AT guns. Getting sweet, sweet side shots on those German tanks may require creative positioning between the abbey, the houses along the road, and the woods. You can shift your center of gravity to exploit enemy vulnerability, but should try to keep open the ability to shift into the abbey if 2 platoon needs to redeploy. I expect you to coordinate closely with Acebuckeye13 of the AT platoon, if you attack together you can guarantee flanking fire on the enemy. You are also responsible for keeping the treeline of the forest immediately south of the abbey clear of enemy infantry that might be able to engage the AT platoon. You have 5 foxholes Weapons Platoon, F Company Lt Generation Internet No map for you, sorry. Your mission will be first to suppress as much infantry as you can and second to dissuade enemy infantry from rushing our AT gun positions. Deploy your .50 MG's in a position to support the 823rd TD in the north. Having similar fields of fire to the AT guns would be nice, so that you can target halftracks while they target armor. Your .30 MG's should be able to support the AT platoon in the south, as well as be able to redeploy to cover the town or Abbey. There are positions that would work nicely both along the town and in the abbey itself for this task. Try not to present an easy target for German tank potshots. It is less important to concentrate your fire in the abbey area than it is in the north. Remember that your jeep can facilitate tactical redeployment of your MG teams. You have discretion as to where to deploy the mortars. You have 4 foxholes
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Jan 21, 2019 17:33
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Will post orders when I get home, 7ish eastern. Can we stream the input of the orders?
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Jan 21, 2019 17:38
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Thanks Centurium. For anyone not on Discord, there were some delays due to illness. Let's see if we can get all the orders posted in time to do input this evening. It's not due at any specific time, let's just try to get it done. The first turn will be 6 minutes or until significant contact. Either inputter can decide when "significant" contact has happened and stop play.
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Jan 21, 2019 17:41
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Gay Hitler posted:Will post orders when I get home, 7ish eastern. Possibly, we'll see how things go.
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Jan 21, 2019 18:11
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1st Platoon, F Co, 120th Infantry Foxholes should be set up as indicated by the yellow circles; ensure that HQ section and 2nd platoon sections except for scout team are deployed into the foxholes. SPLIT scout team from all three squads, then SPLIT remaining squads again. HQ section Deployed in foxhole indicated. 1st squad Scout team: Deploy where indicated. Scout team is to move FAST along path indicated and take up position in edge of woods at location marked with yellow arrow. A section: With BAR, will deploy on the 2nd floor of the building indicated. B section: Deploy in the building at the Abbey entrance. 2nd squad Scout team: Deploy in woods where indicated. A section: With BAR, deploy in foxholes. Intent is to be as far as possible from wood's edge but still maintain LOS on area south of Abbey, including the bridge. B section: Deployed in foxholes as A section. 3rd squad All squads deployed in buildings as indicated. A section: With BAR. Hypnobeard fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Jan 21, 2019 |
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Jan 21, 2019 18:24
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GI and Comstar, any ETA on when you can give me orders? (Gay Hitler and Bac have given me stuff over Discord). e: for future reference though, we need to make posts in the thread with orders just so everyone's clear on what everyone else is doing. Acebuckeye13 fucked around with this message at 03:34 on Jan 22, 2019 |
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Jan 22, 2019 03:30
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Hey Comstar, since the Germans (and Fray!) are likely chomping at their bits for me to get the turn to them, if you can't get orders up in the next couple hours I'll position your platoon in the Abbey. It's a reasonably small area so you should be able to move them around to where you want them to go next turn if you don't like where I put them, and I'll do my best to put them in good temporary positions for the time being. Do you have discord, by the way? We've been doing most of our planning and chatting in there and I've been streaming my inputting of orders so I can get everyone where they want their dudes to be, and I hate for you being left out of the loop like this.
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Jan 22, 2019 05:27
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Germans are waiting for at least one person themselves so no need for last minute provisional orders.
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Jan 22, 2019 05:50
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Fray posted:Germans are waiting for at least one person themselves so no need for last minute provisional orders. Ah cool! In that case Comstar please ignore my last post 
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Jan 22, 2019 05:53
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Orders Super detailed images:   .30 Cal teams in the south looking east covering the 57mm guns with the jeep in reserve to scoot if they need to, .50 cal teams in the north looking north/east covering the 3 inch guns with the HQ support team as a cheerleader. Mortars dispersed in the rear (not pictured) with the platoon HQ ready to drop propaganda leaflets on our troops.
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Jan 22, 2019 06:04
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2nd Platoon, F Company Platoon HQ in Black, on the top floor, facing North. Squad 1 in Red, middle floor, facing North East Squad 2 in Purple, top floor, facing East Squad 3 in Green, ground floor, facing East, HIDING. Scout squad split off to be the edge of the forests Scout 1 in Pink, facing North East Scout 2 light Blue, facing East Scout 3 in light Green, facing East Comstar fucked around with this message at 11:14 on Jan 22, 2019 |
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Jan 22, 2019 11:09
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Late arrival here!
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Jan 22, 2019 14:14
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orders sent, god help us
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Jan 22, 2019 17:56
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And I have our first video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiYPeoVgMgA Plus a map!  Start of Turn 1 is at 7 seconds, Turn 2 at 3 minutes, Turn 3 at 6:25, and Turn 4 at 10:19. Watch, and be amazed!
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Jan 23, 2019 06:11
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1st Platoon, F Company HQ element: QUICK as indicated to building, once in building go to third floor, face east (toward the Heinies). 1st Squad: A section: QUICK to building as indicated; occupy 3rd floor on arrival. OK to move outside of building but stay inside the wall if necessary. (I'm not sure if they can move building to building or which would be quicker. Facing as best you can as shown--don't know if there's windows on the east end of the building or not. B section: QUICK to building as indicated; occupy 2nd floor on arrival. Path to building should stay inside the wall. Face as indicated to best of your ability--see A section. Scout: MOVE along path indicated, staying below slope. On reaching point marked, HIDE, facing as indicated to the best of your ability. Stay as close to but below any terrain crests. 2nd Squad: All elements hold position. 3rd Squad: All elements adjust facing as indicated but otherwise hold position. Comments: Ace: When you get around to it I wouldn't mind a bit of a closer examination of the forested hill the Abbey sits behind--maybe during the day tomorrow? Looks like we've got an infantry attack setting up; trying to push forward through the woods to the Abbey. Depending on the windows I should have decent LOS to the hilltop, but I'll need to check that.
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Jan 23, 2019 07:11
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Hmm, reckon there's a company of infantry headed to the Abby, and they are not trying for the Bridge. No heavy armour support is surprising. Can we get some infantry in the dense forest south of the Abby in place? Can we get some morter fire on the enemy infantry my scouts got shot at by? 2nd Platoon, F Company  Scout team under fire- FALL BACK the black line to the back of the woods. Face east at the end. 2nd Squad that was hiding- MOVE down the blue line to the ground floor of the building on the other side. Face East Platoon HQ move FAST down the red line to the corner building. I know the LOS will be bad, I just want them closer. 1st Squad on the top floor - split up around the purple dot - 1st fire team stay where they are, 2nd team move down one floor and face east.
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Jan 23, 2019 13:01
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A little surprised they were leading with their chin in the vehicles and armored car. But they have an AT gun suppressed so we should probably move it.
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Jan 23, 2019 13:30
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It's not a Panther but that's one less 20mm that's going to be hosing down the hedgerows.
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Jan 23, 2019 18:10
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Orders due Jan 25 at 7PM EST All updates going forward will be three minutes. Fray fucked around with this message at 16:57 on Jan 24, 2019 |
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Jan 24, 2019 16:25
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For the observers, mostly: We are pondering moving some machine guns to better engage the enemy (potentially poking some .50's in the north and moving the far south .30 to the abbey) and have drawn up contengencies to contain German infantry in the central low forest with fire from the north and south and giving them mortars all day every day. We are not, however, convinced we see the entirety of the German deployment at this time, and intend to wait until we see a demonstration of commitment in some direction before we reassign assets. Accordingly, orders to all commanders at this time are to fight your positions.
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Jan 25, 2019 05:40
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Orders due in a little under 11 hours! Get them posted ITT!
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Jan 25, 2019 15:24
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No change for my AT guns.
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Jan 25, 2019 18:15
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No changes for third platoon. Continue to draw them in and not overreact until we have more intel
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Jan 26, 2019 06:37
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. [replaced] Hypnobeard fucked around with this message at 20:58 on Jan 27, 2019 |
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Jan 26, 2019 07:25
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The turns! Map up tomorrow when it's not 1 in the morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgkLlv_QLHE e: apologies for any audio issues, my laptop's fan is loud as gently caress
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Jan 26, 2019 07:27
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I need to pull my OP's back out of of those firefights. I'll pull them back to the back edge of the forests. Can we have one of our ATG's hide and wait till those Stugs move on the Abby and present a flank shot to them?
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Jan 26, 2019 09:58
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Orders due Jan 27 at 7:00 PM EST Going forward, please post all orders in this thread! The thread is meant to be the official source for the inputters to work from.
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Jan 26, 2019 18:01
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So some discussion here, then. It looks like the Germans are setting up a base of fire in those three houses. Do we have anything besides the HE from the AT that can meaningfully impact them? I think the .50s might be useful based on what Ace said in Twitch. Are we planning to shift anything to try and dislodge the infantry or is what we have currently enough? I'm going to start working a scout team up hw 2. We need better eyes on what is going on behind there. I think that we're going to see a couple of squads of infantry at least through those woods, probably in coordination with Stug fire on the Abbey itself. IIRC it's a pretty short turn for one of them to scoot and fire down that dirt road leading East from the Abbey, so they could breach the wall there.
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Jan 26, 2019 20:51
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| # ? May 2, 2024 00:39 |
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***Orders*** Northern positions: I'd prefer not to reveal our HMG's yet, so don't move this round. Try to deal with machine guns in houses with HE for now. Have a plan for bringing a HMG to bear on those houses though. Center/Comstar: put those scouts in for a Bronze Star. Maybe consider when the house position is too established, and they need to pull back to keep eyes on. Be developing a plan for protecting your forces in the Abbey if assault guns start shooting them. South: let's try to extend our eyesight in the far south. Otherwise, I sense a push coming. Good hunting. I've been more guilty of this than anyone, but a reminder by way of penance and mea culpa: please put your orders in this thread. It is the source of record for inputting.
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Jan 27, 2019 20:16
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