The Bridgeheads

Setting

I wanted to play a quick, small battle so I selected "The Bridgeheads" from the CD and played as the Allies. A river runs through the map. There are thick trees down by the water and two flags to be captured there. Your two infantry companies begin behind a small ridge that hides you from enemy view.

First Attempt

I gave the computer +1 experience and +25% play balance.

The plan was to have A company attack the right flag with a platoon from B company as reserve. Another platoon from B company would keep a lookout from the top of the ridge and the last would hang back and watch my rear.

I sent one platoon from A company toward the flag with move to contact orders. When they didn't see anyone for the whole first turn I ordered another platoon down to the river's edge and the third to overwatch from the ridge. But at that point intense fire opened up near the flag, caused a lot of injuries, and eliminated one whole squad. Some infantry on the left opened fire on my guys on the hill and rather than back up they all started crawling forward toward the trees.

I launched the rest of A company toward the flag to help out, but they arrived one at a time and each was cut down mercilessly. One squad ran off the map and the others were mostly advancing on their bellies.

The situation was so bad that I sent 2nd and 3rd platoons from B company toward the right flag too. They each got slaughtered as they ran down the hill. At that point most of my men that weren't already dead were running off the map.

I ran through a few more hopeless turns but soon gave up on what was obviously a total rout.

Second Attempt

Ok, so hitting the defenses piecemeal is clearly not going to cut it so I went to the other extreme. I decided to send all of A company against the right flag in a human wave. I also decide to give myself a break and set experience bonus to normal and play balance to normal.

The first few men to get moving were quickly suppressed but when the bulk of A company was heading down the hill they couldn't all be stopped. I sent a platoon from B company to the crest of the hill to help out and moved the others up behind him. At the end of the turn I had taken out one German squad and lost four of mine.

There was still a lot of fire coming from German troops in foxholes near the flag so I sent 1st and 3rd platoons from B company over the hill and into the fray.

Finally the remaining three German squads around the right flag were eliminated.

At that point I had lost all of A company's 1st platoon and a squad from 2nd platoon. I sent all troops to the woods to reform by platoon. A German squad was briefly seen moving my way in the woods and fired on. Some enemy infantry in the far left also fired when it could.

Two squads were seen on the left as my men assembled in the woods. The squad in the center was sighted again.

I began leapfrogging platoons ahead of each other through the woods along the river. I began with 3rd platoon, B company and then 3rd platoon, A company. They ran into the German squad and eliminated him. Some officers and a very depleted platoon are left behind to protect the flag.

I Leapfrogged 1st platoon, B company up and then 2nd platoon, B company. They didn't run into anyone.

Next I moved 3rd platoon, B company again and then 3rd platoon, A company.

I was getting close so I ordered 2nd platoon, B company into a supporting position. Two enemy foxholes were identified and I lost two squads advancing on them.

First and 2nd platoons from B company joined the fray.

Finally, I just sent everybody toward the flag. A squad and his HQ were eliminated and a machine gun team tried to get out of his foxhole and retreat.

Result

At that point the Germans surrendered. They had lost almost all their men (10 KIA). Only the two men with the machine gun were still standing at the end. I had seventy men still ok. The result, though, was a draw because I had lost 77 men (20 KIA).

Conclusions

I am really learning the cost of advancing over the open and the value of smoke (which I didn't have here). I'm not sure how you could advance on these dug-in positions without just overwhelming the enemy with numbers, a costly, but very Russian, tactic.