WACHT AM RHEIN. WACHT AM RHEIN ERRATA (as of 7 August, 1978) COUNTERMIX: (1) The German 560 VG Division's regiment counters should read 1128, 1129, and 1130 rather than 128, 129, and 130 respectively. (2) The German 9 Panzer Division has a tank battalion with a mis-printed designation. It should read 1/11/9P rather than 1/119P. WACHT am Rhein, the Battle of the Bulge, is a grand-tactical simulation of that enormous battle.The more than 2,380 counters represent every formation, at company and battalion levels, which fought there, including US, German, British, French, Canadian and Belgian units.
(Redirected from Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein)
Close Combat is the name of a series of real-time tactical (RTT) computer games by Atomic Games. In the Close Combat RTT games, the player takes control of a small unit (platoon or company sized) of troops and leads them in battles of World War II from a top down2D perspective.
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History[edit]
Close Combat was developed as a computer game version of the acclaimed Avalon Hill board game Advanced Squad Leader (ASL). The primary consultant for the morale model was Dr. Steven Silver, a specialist in combat-related trauma. Atomic Games had already developed several games for Avalon Hill, such as Operation Crusader, and Stalingrad. However, with Avalon Hill embroiled in a financial crisis that would ultimately lead to its demise, Atomic Games took what work they had completed, severed ties with the board game franchise and completed the game's development for Microsoft. The first three Close Combat games were notable, at the time, for being among the few games published by Microsoft. The final two games in the original series were, however, published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI).
Close Combat I and II were distributed for both Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS. Later versions were released for Microsoft Windows only.In 2005, Atomic Games was bought by Destineer. Destineer licensed the game to Matrix Games to develop three more Close Combat titles. Matrix Games hired first CSO Simtek and later Strategy 3 Tactics to develop these titles.
The five original Close Combat games were real-time tactical (RTT)war games, with a top-down perspective and two-player capabilities. Each was set in a different European theatre of the Second World War. Each game included a mixture of infantry and armoured units, whilst the later games also included artillery, mortars and air support. Although viewed from a top-down perspective, the later games modelled terrain elevation, and included buildings with multiple floors and viewable sides. The overall tone emphasised realism, and modelled the emotional or physical state of the soldiers and equipment which included, panicked, berserk, burning, incapacitated, pinned and many others.
Games[edit]
Innovations[edit]
There were many innovations in the Close Combat games compared to previous titles, which combined to make Close Combat more realistic than most RTT and real-time strategy (RTS) computer games:
Tactics[edit]
The factors above meant that the game required realistic military tactics, such as careful placement of troops in cover, ambush, advancing under cover and using terrain or smoke-screens to cover advancing troops. Effective management, such as keeping teams near their officers, not sending green recruits on assaults and maintaining fire discipline so as not to run out of ammunition were also necessary for the player to prevail.
Players also have to make effective use of combined-arms tactics to be successful in Close Combat. Infantry assault require support from machine guns, tanks, and mortars, to suppress enemy fire. Armor units also require screening from infantry units. Although they possess superior firepower, tanks are vulnerable to ambushes from bazooka or panzerschreck units, especially in close quarters such as a town or forest, where the ambushing infantry can wait to have a shot at a tank's vulnerable flank or rear armor. Tanks are also vulnerable to fire from concealed anti-tank guns, or ambushing tanks, which may wait to fire until the enemy presents his flank or rear.
Multiplayer[edit]
All versions except Close Combat: Modern Tactics offer only one vs one multiplayer. Modern Tactics offers three on three and Close Combat: Marines offers four on four, although these versions added more multiplayer ability.
Remakes[edit]
Four of the five original games, A Bridge Too Far, The Russian Front, The Battle of the Bulge and Invasion Normandy have since been remade with new units and maps, updated graphics (maps and sprites) and sound, updated map editors, menus, as well as fixing the compatibility issues that the older iterations of each game had with modern operating systems. Each remake, with the exception of Last Stand Arnhem, also includes the original version of the game that can be played without any of the additions included in the remake.
Reception[edit]
Close Combat was commercially successful,[1] with worldwide sales of roughly 200,000 units by 1999. Zabalaoui said that the game outsold Atomic Games' earlier efforts by around ten to one.[2]
Like its predecessor, A Bridge Too Far achieved worldwide sales of roughly 200,000 units by 1999. Atomic Games' head Keith Zabalaoui said that the first two Close Combat titles each outsold the company's earlier games by around ten to one.[2]
In the United States, Close Combat III sold 45,438 copies during 1999,[3] and was the year's best-selling wargame.[4]
The first five Close Combat games totaled 1.2 million units in sales by April 2004.[5] By 2018, the combined sales of the series' 17 entries had surpassed 5 million units.[6]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Close_Combat_(series)&oldid=919646031'
South of Wallerode, December 21st,1944
When the Ardennes offensive began on December 16th, a vitalearly objective for 5th Panzer Armyâs attack was the road hub townof St Vith. But, by December 18th, 7th Armoured Divisionhad rushed its Combat Command B into place to hold the town after the defeat ofthe frontline US 106th Infantry Division on the Schnee Eifel in theprevious days. The US tankers had a few days to get into place and hold-off theinitial probing attacks, whilst the Germans regrouped their forces, brought upextra artillery and moved up the Fuhrer Begleit (Escort) Brigade from reservefor the assault.
The vanguard of the Fuhrer Begleit Brigade would support the mainattack of the 18th and 62nd Volksgrenadier Divisionsagainst St Vith. After a heavy artillery bombardment the Volksgrenadiersadvanced, supported by their own StuGs and Hetzers and some of the BegleitBrigadeâs Panzer IVs. There was fighting all along the frontline north-east,east and south-east of the town, but the Germans soon made gains with the 295thGrenadier Regiment and the attached Sturmgeschutz Brigade 244 attacking alongthe main St Vith-Schönberg road from the west. Here, flanked by the dense woodsof the Bois de Wallerode, they made progress all afternoon, until the woodsgave out to farm pastures south of the village of Wallerode, just 3km from StVith itself. At Wallerode the 7th Armoured Division met thethreatening advance with its Shermans of 31st Tank Battalion and 38thArmoured Infantry, supported by M10s and M36s of 814th TankDestroyer Battalion. But, through the early evening, the Volksgrenadierâsstrong attack was successful, forcing the US tankers to withdraw back to StVith itself. But, closely pursued by the enemy, the US troops panicked andabandon St Vith that evening. By midnight, German tanks and troops were in thestreets of St Vith and the road hub town had fallen.
This game recreated the early evening battle south of Wallerode, justoutside St Vith, where the forests end and the German attack continued over theopen farmland around St Vith, as marked on the map.
The location was found on Google maps. I even took a street-view tour of the battlefield, which was informative, and shows how limiting wargmes terrain is when compared to the real world.But our boards were a good approximation.
Each of the three players aside had selected a 750 ptbattlegroup. The Germans had two Volksgrenadier battlegroups (a new list beingtrialled for the book) and a Fuhrer Begleit battlegroup (Panzer Division withrestrictions). The US faced them with two Armoured Division lists (from 7thArmoured) and a cavalry group (armoured division with extra restrictions forthe scenario) including a reconnaissance troop of six jeep teams and three M8Greyhounds (under my command â the short straw!).
Here are the force list for each side, add to whichwere a Forward HQ, signals unit and a forward aid post.
GermanBattlegroups
North â fromFuhrer Begleit Brigade
2 x Pz IV H platoons, each 3tanks
FO team in SdKfz 250 SdKfz 234/1 Armoured Pz Gren platoon with MG42s and Panzerfausts 80mm mortar team HMG42 team
Sdkfz 251/9 SPG
Towed 20mm AA gun + medium truck Time 105mm barrage (on turn 2)
Infiltration (special rule)
Volksgrenadier Platoon with Panzerfausts Combat medic
Panzerschreck team
80mm mortar team
FO team
2 x 76.2mm guns (off-table) 120mm mortar team + loader team
Sniper
Motorised Recce Team (2 Panzerfausts)
Supply horse-drawn wagon
1 2nd Priority Artillery Request
1 3rd Priority Artillery Request
Centre(and South) â from 295 Volksgrenadier Regiment
Volksgrenadier Platoon with Panzerfausts
Volksgrenadier Platoon with Panzerfausts
75mm IG18 with loader team and horse drawn tow
StuG III Battery (3 StuGs)
Flak36 â88 with loader team and tow
SdKfz 222 armoured car
4 timed 76.2mm artillery strikes (turns 3,4,5,6 onvillage)
Supply horse-drawn wagon
North âfrom CCB 7th Armoured Division
Dismounted Armoured Inf Platoon (Regulars)
Combat Engineer Squad with flamethrower anddemo-charge
Recce Ptn Cmd (3 men in Jeep)
Pre-Registered Target Point
Supply Truck
Armoured Infantry Platoon, in 4 M3 HTs
Combat Medic
Medium Tank Platoon (5 M4 Shermans)
2 M36 Jacksons
Armoured FO (M4 Sherman)
Armoured Artillery Battery (3 M7 Priests)
Battery of 2 81mm mortars (off-table)
Sherman ARV
Supply Truck
Pre-Registered Target Point
Forward Air Controller in Jeep
With the 12âx6â snow boards set-up, liberally amountsof baking soda scattered and the six battlegroups deployed, it was time tostart the game. We rolled for weather conditions, it was snowing and misty, noair attacks would count (they were 0s instead) and all timed airstrikes werecancelled (but nobody had taken any). So air power would play no part today âbad news for the US players.
The German plan was to concentrate their attacks tothe north, with the Fuhrer Begleit launching the northern attack, led by all 6of its Panzer IVs, with the grenadiers in reserve, ready to rush on and seizethe objectives once the tanks had softened up the resistance. In the centre thetwo Volksgrenadier groups of infantry led by StuGs would combine to capture thecentral farm and then the road junction beyond. The south was screened by asingle 88 and a recce team who had infiltrated into the woods to sneakily claimits objective.
The Americans had deployed with the cavalry group inthe south, mainly at my request as it had the cover and forests in which tohide the light armour. Out in the open I felt it wouldnât last 2 minutes andquickly break. My jeep teams dismounted their machine guns into the buildingsand set-up with good lines of sight for the off table âLong-Tomsâ and mortars.Fortunately, they had almost nothing to fight.
The rest of the US would be in for a harder battle.The armour in centre formed a gun line, on ambush fire, to await the StuGs,with their mounted armoured infantry to launch a counter-attack to contest thecentral farm. The M3 mounted infantry were soon on reserve move, waiting forthe order to go. Behind them the battery of M7 Priests started their long dayâswork, hammering a pre-registered target point which was right in the middle ofthe Volksgrenadier advance (and would cause them pain all game). The Priestsfired every turn, except when they were reloading with105 ammo. In the north,the tanks planned to counter-attack to re-take the farm and house (anobjective), whilst a thin line of infantry in foxholes linked the two forcesalong the line of the lane, about to face a heavy attack.
The map shows the main German (orange) and US (green) advancesin the game.
The northern-most farm, the scene of close quarters fighting as the Fuhrer Begleit Brigade took it.
The road south into the hamlet, site of the Priest battery and the aid post, in the paddock.
Across these snowy fields the Volksgrenadiers would come.
The southern forest and hamlet, hiding the cavalry troops.
The wreckage of the day's early probe towards St Vith.
EarlyTurns
The Germans began to roll forwards, under thundering US artillery from on-tablePriests and off-table 155s and mortars, which caused much pinning anddisruption (and would all game). In the centre the StuGs opened fire at longrange, and the Shermans returned fire, but any early hits glanced off thearmour, it was going to be a long gunnery fight.
In the north the Panzer IVs opened fire too, and foundtheir mark early, knocking out one Sherman, whilst the 57mm anti-tank gundeployed into a hedge, only to find themselves low (and out) of ammunition. Somebodymust have brought the wrong ammo boxes. As a concellation, artillery firescored a direct hit and knocked out a Panzer IV (it was the officer too,bonus!).
In the south, seeing that the German Forward HQ andsignals van had taken up residence in the farm, but had no protection beyond asingle 88 on ambush fire, I decided to take the initiative andcounter-attack.Two M5 Stuarts, an MGJeep and an M10 headed off at high speed along the main roads loop (St Vith toSchonberg) to destroy the HQ units, easy counters and a serious blow to theGermans should my recce guys make it. The 88 ambush fired (at the Jeep!) andmissed and the race was on. The German players suddenly looked very worried andwere scrambling for reserves to throw in to save the HQ, who themselves weretaking up their rifles to fight.
Those reserve arrived in the form of a Volksgrenadiersquad, whose Panzerfaust destroyed my leading M5, then the 88 hit my second M5and it was a burning wreck too. The squadâs MG turned the jeep into scrap metaltoo. Suddenly, the counter-attack didnât look so clever! The last M10 exchangedfire with the 88, missing as it was only armed with AP rounds and was trying toactually hit the gun directly. Then, as it reversed away it hit a mine (arandom counter draw) and was disabled. End of counter-attack â boo!
First bloody, an officer Panzer IV is knocked out by 155 fire.
The other tanks reach the hedge line and open fire.
The central Sherman firing line, white smoke indicates waiting on ambush fire.
Coming the other way, the Volksgrenadier attack heads into range.
The extreme south, blocking the way throguh the forest. They weren't needed and moved to the main road.
Foxholes, braced and about to receive some heavy fire.
A 57mm ATG deploys up the main road, in the wake of an M10.
The hamlet under artillery fire, pinning an M10. It stayed that way for many turns.
Here come the US cavalry, quickly up the main road to attack the German HQ in their farm.
More StuGs in the centre, with horse tows behind for the infantry support guns.
The only cover available for the Volksgrenadier infantry.
Called into emergency action, the 88 swings round to take aim at the road.
.. and the M10 reverses and hits a mine - must have been one of our own!
The truesome Priest battery, keeping up a maximum rate of fire from the table edge
Mid-Battle
The initial exchanges had been seen neither side get an advantage. The Germansmay be just edging it on counters taken, but their attack had slowed to acrawl. They were directing constant fire from off-table 76.2mm guns, 120mmmortars and the StuH onto the US foxholes, as well as raking them with MG fire.The poor GIs were being whittled away, one after another the foxholes wereemptied, but the absorbed a lot of fire power in the process.
In the north the tank gun-duel continued, but the USwerenât winning it, and another Sherman was now smoking. Running out ofanti-tank shots, the reserve M10 and M18s arrived, only for a 37mm shot (fromthe arriving panzer grenadierâs 251/10) knocked out one â the best shot everfrom a door-knocker â depressing! Meanwhile, the infantry were now engaged in aclose assault for the farm and neighbouring house, seeing off the first panzer grenadiers,but then being overrun as the next German squad stormed in, stick grenadesflying. They had the objective, and the northern US forces were looking verydepleted. Sean had too many orders for what units he had left â not a goodsign.
The long range gun fight in the centre also swung theGermans way, when StuGs found their mark and 3 Shermans were soon left burningamongst the raining down 120mm mortars shells ( and one busy loader team thathad passed 4 out 5 tests). Finally, the armoured infantry where free enoughfrom pinning to get going. Their reserve move saw them race for the central farmand, in their next turn, .50cals blazing to pin the target Germans, the squadswere out of their transports and close assaulting. Behind them their supportweapons MGs deployed and cut down advancing Volksgrenadier infantry who hadreached the road junction objective and claimed it â the German high water markfor this game. At the farm the attacking US infantry cleared the farm buildingof an MG team and the disguised âGriefâ team, and when their bazooka knockedout the 222 armoured car in the courtyard, they had the objective as well, andhad quickly doled out five BR counters to the Germans in the process.
The German response was to direct mortar fire and longrange 37mm AA cannon fire on the farm, which pinned the US troops, but theycouldnât get the objective back. In fact, all their fire achieved little in aflurry of 4+ cover saves passed by the US. When M3 MG fire stripped a PaK38 ofits last crewmen, the resulting counter saw the southern-most Volksgrenadierbattlegroup break. The sudden loss of the farm had been too much for them andthey began pulling back.
The Fuhrer's panzer grenadiers arrive at full speed, overtaking the tanks in the assault.
The northern house, an objective, about to fall.
Unless the reserve tank destroyers arriving can stop them..
.. erm, no! The M18 is a victim of the door-knocker. Rude!
The StuGs press on in the centre, banging shots back at the Shermans as they crawl forwards.
But they are all still there, if running low on AP ammo. Where is the supply truck? Oh, still in reserve. It eventually arrived, but by then 3 Shermans were in flames.
Covering from the hamlet, the M10 officer did more arty spotting that firing. Note the armoured cars waiting the call to move on the road. They soon whisked off further south.
A StuG hit by stray 155 artillery fire, just as my M10 had it lined up as well.
Volksgrenadier support weapons massing by the hedge, mortar team, HMG, FO. All hitting the foxhole line ahead.
One StuG is smoked by a Sherman shell, finally a penetrating hit.
The patiently awaited M3 rush to the central farm finally arrives (after much pinning by mortar fire) and the assault is on. The lurking PaK38 behind was hit by MG fire and knocked-out, the last counter that broke the defence of the farm.
The Platoon HQ and combat medic break into the farm.
Meanwhile, the German infantry move to the road junction and briefly claim it. .30cal MG fire would later sweep them off it.
EndGame
One German battlegroup had broken, they seemed rather doomed, but they pulledback in the centre, quickly re-armed their remaining StuGs and set to makingany US advance difficult. Their off-table Russian artillery was still hammeringin, along with a 150mm Nebelwerfer strike called up from Corps support, (itscored two direct hits on a Sherman, which miraculously survived). To add tothe injustice, the Sherman ARVâs third attempt to fix a knocked out tank rolleda 6, it was back rolling and into the action!
In the north, the panzer grenadiers and panzers pushedon, overran the 57mm anti-tank gun and suddenly that US armoured battlegroupbroke, all it remaining units were removed. Dammit, it was very close.
The continuing battle in the centre, around the farmwould be crucial. The Germans tried a new attack, supported by heavy StuG fire,they blasted the farm, destroying one US squad, but their final close assaultwas a last gasp effort, when only 3 men (and a medic!) made the final rush, andthey were repulsed with easy. The farm was now secure and more US tanks andinfantry were on the way to reinforce it. Also, two Shermans had moved backonto road junction and reclaimed it, before one caught a StuG shell and wasknocked out (for the second time). But, the Germans were losing BR (and hope)fast.
In the south, with no opposition again, I took the chanceto go after the FHQ for a second time, this time with the only mobile troops leftavailable, my armoured car squadron. They raced off across the fields and beganbrassing-up the farm. Forced to save their FHQ again, the last Volksgrenadiersquad from reserve ran into the farm. When they unleashed an inaccuratePanzerfaust at an M8, caution got the better of the crews and they pulled back(still firing their MGs) whilst their handy officer called in the 155s again.The Long Toms smashed into the farm with lethal accuracy, wiping out the Germansquad and their MG team. It was too much for the last Volksgrenadiers, their BRwas finally gone, they broke. With 2 from 3 German battlegroups broken, thegame was over, the US had won.
The last Sherman in the northern batlegroup goes up in flames. Trouble, deep trouble.
Glad to be upgraded to Regs, now they are involved in close assaults.
But the engineers never made it far enough forwards to use that flamethrower. Pinned, and whittled away behind the hedge, they quit when the battlegroup broke.
The last two tank destroyers re-supply - or not! Panzerfausts put pay to them both, and ends the US armour's resistance in the northern sector.
The Fuhrer's elite, securing the objective behind.
ARV arrives to do some good work and get a Sherman back in business.
The M36s arrived to trade fire with the StuGs, and lost as well, The first one is hit and burns. Man, the tank destroyers have been so poor! We had 8, and lost 7. Kills scored in return .. 0 (I counted them twice).
My luck isn't always bad.. my command and control roll on turn 8, we used 5D6, with the result divided as we wished between commanders, who then added their officers to it. Maxed out!! First time for everything. This isn't faked.
The Schonberg road, in the south, an ad-hoc roadblock of 57mm ATG, armoured infantry squad and M8s. These were soon needed.
Off race the armoured cars on a second mission to decapitate the German force.
Final reinforcements on the way to the central farm, the last armoured infantry squad is led by 2 Shermans and the last M10 on the table.
The lead M8 opens fire on the farm with co-axial MG. A returning Panzerfaust narrowly missed, so he pulled back to let the arty do the business. It did!
Reclaiming the central road junction, and forcing another counter on the brittle Germans.
It had been an excellent game, 6 hours of fiercebattle (brilliant fun for a Sunday afternoon, and thanks to Ken, Xones and Andy on the German side,and Sean and Russ with me with the Yanks). The Americans had triumphed, but aswe reviewed the game it turned out that the Fuhrer Begleit still had 10 BRleft, Russâ US armour had just 4 (so 1or 2 counters would most likely break them) and my cavalry had 6 BR.. so, veryclose indeed at just 10 BR a piece. I think I shall include this as a mutli-player scenario in the WaR book.
The German attack plan had been sound, concentrating for two main efforts, rather than three attacks, except they hadignored the USâ weakest battlegroup, my cavalry, a strong attack against themsurely would have broken them. The US armour had had a tough day (when doesnâtit?), but had done just enough to hold the Germans, whilst the artillery had, Ithink, done a lot of damage in pinning - god bless the Priests and off-table 155s.
Hope you all enjoyed the AAR and pics. Look-out for the BG Wacht am Rhein book, sometime before Christmas this year.
Also, (not that it really matters) but Iâm on a hot streak. Ihave won (or helped win) my last six wargames â woohoo! Long may it continue(yeah, right!).
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