Allied Corps AAR: Italian Offensive

[okiemcguire]

Allied Corps Italian Offensive

This is one of my favorite scenarios in Allied Corps for a fighting withdrawal. Since we are greatly outnumbered, our strategy must be one of delay and gradual withdrawal. We will be notified by HQ when to withdraw and for how long to hold those positions. If you fail to withdraw to the positions as ordered, you will receive a message that someone else could be found to take command.

Here is the Mission and Victory Conditions:





When the game starts, you will be notified of new equipment that is available. We will take advantage of the Cruiser Mk.IV and the Hurricane Mk.I.



We are notified by HQ that we must hold our current position for 2 turns.



Ok, here is the plan. We will be required to withdraw and hold to three positions. Each of these defensive positions have 3-4 blank VH flags. Your units must capture and hold those flags. For the final move, it will be to evacuate those units out the 'Star' evac doors.

As we withdraw, we will look for opportunities to destroy any units. One of the tactics to use is the 'Surrender' tactic. This is when a unit is fully suppressed in combat, it will retreat to a free adjacent hex. First, the unit will try to retreat directly away from the attacking enemy, and if that hex is not available, it will try to move as far from the attacker as possible. If all retreat hexes are blocked with impassable terrain or enemy units, the unit will surrender (i. e. will be instantly destroyed).



Well I hope this sparks your interest. More to come...

[okiemcguire]

Turn 1

For deployment of your troops, you may have noticed that there are only 8 places for your ground troops. The last or ninth position is at the airfield. This scenario was designed to give you an opportunity to use air power. For this sceanrio, I had upgraded my Vickers to the new Cruiser IV and purchased a Hurricane I fighter.

My initial deployment is pictured next. You must remember that the Italians will move first, so make sure your troops have artillery support. The idea again is that if they foolishly wish to attack, they will first be hit by our artillery. I will move the Recon up to fill the space available at the southern position.



I will first attack the armored recon unit with the Hurricane and then follow up with the Cruiser I. Next, I will attack the infantry in front of our infantry by artillery and then the Crusier IV or Infantry.

I will not attack the infantry in front of our southern position. Why? If I do, the two artillery units supporting them will bombard my firing unit. As it is, until I can get their range, the artillery will take a couple of shots on my units during their turn.



Here is how it looks at the end of Turn 1.

[okiemcguire]

Turn 2

Well, we get a present from RAF HQ! They have given us another Hurricane Fighter.



Fighters have a protective cover range of 1 hex. If any aircraft comes within that range and attempts to attack a ground unit, they will meet the ferocity of our Hurricane. With that in mind, I placed the two fighters so that all our units are covered.



Turn 3

We get our first set of orders to withdraw to a new defensive position. We get plenty of time and should be able to accomplish this in two moves.



Here is our transient position after the first move. I also moved the fighter cover as well.



Turn 4

It looks like we got the extra fighter just in time. An enemy fighter and bomber has approached our positions. The fighter will fire on us if we attack the bomber. Therefore, I moved our fighters into a position that will hopefully down the fighter by one of ours, then attack the bomber. I am hoping that mass attack availabilty of two fighters will affect the outcome. As it turns out, it took both of my fighters to bring down the enemy fighter, leaving the possability that the bomber could get off a shot at one of our ground units.

Another option to this would have been to use one fighter on the enemy fighter and the other on the bomber. The enemy fighter could have got off a shot at my fighter attacking the bomber. I could have lost strength on that unit and probably would not have been able to shoot it down. If that would have been the case, both enemy planes could have returned to their base and reinforce to full. At least the way I did it, one aircraft is gone.



While the air battle was forming, I had moved our units to the ordered defensive position. Note that the previous flags for the new position now reflect that they are under British control.



Turn 5

As anticipated, the bomber went after one of my ground units. I have positioned my fighters to retaliate.



Turn 6

A message from HQ orders us to hold our current position for 2 turns. Should not be a problem, we have a strong artillery backed and entrenched defense.



Here are perfect examples of surrender tactics. I circled the targeted units. I will hit each unit with artillery and then fire on them from one of the adjacent units.



Yep they were both destroyed...



So what happens next? I am working on the next set of turns...

[okiemcguire]

Turn 7

Not exactly surrender tactics, but we will destroy the circled enemy armor. Using Air power, artillery, and armor the deed is done...





Turn 8

Our next move orders have arrived. This time giving us plenty of time..



The orders could not have come at a better time. The enemy had moved within artillery range and using a light cruiser to bombard our positions. Another bomber attempts to reek havoc..



We take some parting shots as we move to our first transient position. We first shoot down the bomber. Then, using the other fighter and our Light Cruiser, we reduce their naval strength.



Turn 9

The enemy cruiser tried to hide, but we used one fighter to scout it's position. Then, again with air power and our cruiser, we are able to even futher reduce their strength. All our units have reached the ordered new defensive positions. Again note that the flags are under British control.



Turn 10

The enemy cruiser decided to commit one last attack on our cruiser. It was soundly sunk. I then returned the aircraft to our airfield and resupplied all units.



Turn 11

The enemy troops have caught up to our new defensive position and foolishly allow us to again utilize surrender tactics.





Turn 12-13

We received the order to hold for two turns in turn 12.



Without becoming too redundant, the enemy just throws itself at us so that we can continue Surrender Tactics...



Turn 14

We are told to move to our final defensive positions.



We destroy two armor units as we withdraw toward our final positions.





Will they be able to hold and then escape? Look for the next set of reports coming soon...

[okiemcguire]

Turn 15-16

When we last left the narrative, our troops were withdrawing to their final defensive position. While moving, a bomber tried to get a shot in but he will be shot down.



We are now in the final position and will resupply in preperation of the enemies last ditch effort to destroy us before we evacuate.



Turn 17

They have not yet learned about our Surrender Tactics.



Turn 18

We are ordered to hold for 1 turn. This should be easy to do...



And again, they offer their armor up to be slaughtered...



Turn 19

The day has come.. we are ordered to evacuate...



To evacuate a unit, move the unit to one of the 'Star' Evacuation Door hexes. In this case, I have moved the Infantry to be evacuated first. Once I select the next unit to move to evacuate, the Infantry unit will disappear from the map. You continue this process with all your units. It does not matter which evacuation door you use. Leave the Light Cruiser last. Even though it cannot get to an evacuation door, once it is selected, the last unit you had moved to be evacuated will disappear.

We will take a parting shot with our artillery and armor for two last surrender tactic opportunities.



The last unit, a Hurricane, has moved to be evacuated. Once I select the Cruiser, all units will have been evacuated and saved.



We have achieved a Triumph by evacuating at least 9 units. In our case, we evacuated 10 counting the new Hurricane we received.



HQ has sent us a message recognizing our "tremendous outcome"