kipanderson

76mm, hi, It is the quality of the action scenes, the filming, direction, acting that matters to me. As mentioned by John Kettler good to see equipment of all types look correct. That is what I meant. To Russians the detail of the story may matter.. just representative battle to me. Very relieved it looks as if filmed in conventional style. All good stuff, All the best, Kip. PS Yes as with para anyone know how it will be distributed.. Netflix?

Hi, Thanks for the heads-up. This one does look very well made. The Russians have had all talents for making great wars films, techniques for years but have their own exaregated style. But this looks like it is made in very conventional style but with all the best of modern film maker’s art. Whether or not the detail of the story is true is irrelevant. Their will have been many actions such as this during the campaign. Best book I know that tells the story from both sides from first person through to front commanders, is The Defense of Moscow 1941, Northern Flank by Jack Radey & Charles Sharp. Gives a superb picture of how the fighting and logistics just killed the offensive until the Germans were the ones just hanging on. Exceptional in balance and quality of research for both sides. All the best, Kip.

Bootie, hi, Great work. Congratulations. Thanks, will use a lot. All the best, Kip.

BarbaricCo, hi, Yup…PC Windows 10, 700 series NVidia card. All the best, Kip.

BarbaricCo, hi, Congratulations :). Just spotted this and installed it in Black Sea as it happens. Works as advertised. Very clever stuff. Thanks. All the best, Kip.

Steve, hi, “Motivation on the separatist side isn't great, motivation on the Ukrainian side is excellent. He hinted at some of these things, but didn't talk about how this is the single biggest factor in the strategic defeat of Putin's plan for Ukraine. “ Just to point out that there is somewhere out there a high quality alternative view. I don’t follow these things as closely as you and don’t doubt there are some Ukrainian units with high motivation. However I very specifically remember reading not long ago an article that addressed this very issue. The writer pointed out that the Ukrainian army suffered low moral with high desertion/refusal to turn up rates. And explained that most Ukrainians didn’t think it worth risking their lives to try and recover territory that was largely populated with Russian speakers or may have used term such as ethnic Russians. And they vote with their feet. I only read sources such as the Financial Times and various Jane’s publications on this subject. I know you read Jane’s too. As for the final outcome time will tell. I don’t get involved in these discussion because it takes too long and also I have learnt over the years that the written word tends to sound far harsher and angrier than the spoken word. I am generally a cheerful bloke, unless provoked by a thug as is true of most, but the internet I don’t think of a good place for politics. But to get back on topic, there is certainly an authoritative source somewhere out there, probably FT or Jane’s, who disagree about who is motived. Not a BBC reporter doing two minute piece to camera witnessing a Ukrainian withdrawal. Lucky to have CM at all, just look at the competition.. All the best, Kip.

Hi, Yup…this is a good find. Currently probably the best overall review that is free. Best I have come across. The odd comment looks odd. But superb stuff. Thanks, All the best, Kip.

Hi, Stout Hearts: The British and Canadians in Normandy 1944. By Ben Kite. Many of you will know that almost by tradition now the Michael Doubler book Closing With the Enemy has been considered the best overall CM relevant guide to tactics in WWII. But each to their own of course. As it deals with explaining how the Americans did things when they went well after many lessons learnt you hear little of other ways of doing things but still superb, detailed explanation of real world WWII tactics. Stout Hearts does the same but following the adventures of the Commonwealth forces in Normandy. It is a bigger, fuller book. An incredibly detailed and well written explanation of how battalions really did fight the war. Lots and lots of detail on tactics. Wonderfully illustrated by first hand counts, but also clearly explained from a more serious, lessons learnt perspective. The two are welded together as in no other book of the many hundreds I have read on military history. The fact that it follows the adventures of the Commonwealth forces should not put anyone off. As the Doubler book hopefully did not put off those who are not American. Such as myself. The tactics are relevant to all nations. An example is the detailed passages on the use of anti-tank guns. Near always setup to fire through side armour. Explains why even the Soviets with their ubiquitous light weight but low energy76mm guns could often halt any German, medium armour unit. The 76mm gun could penetrate the side armour of a Panther, let alone Mark IVs, at 45 degree strike angles out to and beyond 1,000m. In “village Russia..” or Ukraine you see this when Panther battalions were ground to halt trying to fight their way into the Korsun Pocket.. to give one example. They had to clear a wide corridor by assaulting over quite long front or losses climbed quickly. But no matter.. If you are keen fan of CM I know of no better books on the tactics than the two mentioned above. The newer Stout Hearts being the bigger better book but that is no insult to Doubler as no doubt his book was a quicker product. Each to their own… . Lucky to CM at all..! All the best, Kip.

Hi, Cheers... happily off to get it.. All the best, Kip.

Hi, Cheers , will give it go.. Thanks.. All the best, Kip.

Hi, I agree with JasonC in that the filming techniques are fine, but it’s shame that all these films always play to the myth of the human wave. Fine no doubt on some occasions in first period of the war, but not by ’44. Films can be every bit as exciting if all is done historically.. they only have ask any real historian of the period. In fact I bet more exciting in that even those who don’t know would sense it all looked more real world. No matter.. All the best, Kip. PS with Band of Brothers then Pacific plus in third place Generation War we have had better war films, series in this case, than I ever expected so no real complaints... didn’t expect much from 1944 anyway..

George, Yup,,, fantastic stuff as I knew it would be.. . Will save this for when I have time to play it a full hour or more at a time.. As is my habit have popped in to the editor just to take a preview of the map.. stunning.. they always are in your games.. Thanks.. All the best, Kip.

Hi, I hate to say it.. but I too haven’t witnessed anything so funny in CM for a long time.. . Now I feel guilty.. I am sure they were very fine men. Really . All the best, Kip.

Bill, Looks very interesting.. look forward giving it some careful study when I have some time. It certainly is possible to play to house rules. Did a lot of that if my standard sparring partner of old when playing CMBN. This was before Upgrade 3.0 and we had our own, strict artillery rules re calling fire, FO and such. Will be interesting... Thanks, All the best, Kip.

Hi, Yes... I have a heavily edited, big, spectacular scenario waiting for me to play this weekend that I am looking forward to.. So it is no more than the usual stuff all will be accustomed to. Nothing at all to stop anyone playing.. Not new, just thought it time to get round to formally reporting it and getting a minor tweak for the next patch or module. All good stuff, All the best, Kip.

Thewood1/Mark, Well... really no more to say I am afraid. . I too noticed when playing CMRT that behind armour effects were sometimes less serious than they probably should be. So did a bug report and Charles did a fix. Using the same phrases he always does. That is it.. all I know.. . When the winter module comes along and/or a patch is above my salary level... as the saying goes. But as explained above, the powers that be, Charles, are on to this one... so all is well. All the best, Kip.

Stndrtnfhr, This is a known issue. I did a long bug report myself. Charles did then address the problem and there will be a tweak either when the module comes along, I don’t know when either , or a 1.04 patch. Should have responded earlier .. but loose track with now happily so many titles of CMX2 up and running.. . All the best, Kip.

Hi, Yup... some great videos.. Congratulations to all.. . All the best, Kip.

Hi, Just to be clear... by “authentic...” I don’t mean Fury. Again techniques and effects good.. but not authentic. No.. all the ones I rate are TV/streaming series.. Pacific, Band of Brothers, Generation War, Das Boot. All others may still be “sort of OK..” but the above are only ones I put in the top bracket. Way better than the rest. But each to their own.. . All the best, Kip.

Hi, Yes... the Russians certainly do have the filming and effects techniques. They are often stunning. But as others have said they love exaggerated, caricature type war movies. Why not if they sell and people enjoy them, like Clint Eastwood cowboy films are Mikey mentioned. But would be great if they did also make the odd one aimed at being authentic. All the best, Kip.

Hi, Happily downloaded.. looks good.. Thanks.. All the best, Kip.

Hi, Very good analysis of new toys. http://defense-update.com/20150509_t14-t15_analysis.html#.VU3_LCF0yUk Still of course a first guess... but by people who know what they are talking about. All the best, Kip. PS. Apologise if previously posted by others... probably has been.. haven’t looked.. .

Cracking new book... Hi, Quick heads-up on new book.. Stalin's Favorite: the Combat History of the 2nd Guards Tank Army from Kursk to Berlin: January 1943-June 1944 v. 1 by Igor Nebolsin. Dry, but we are hardcore in here so that’s not a problem , but busting with information superbly presented.. Just received my copy. All the best, Kip.

Jon, “I wouldn't too much store in Gehlen's work either. He was, after all, the guy who was constantly wrong footed by the Russians. I suppose you could say Gehlen had a great deal of personal familiarity with the Russian's tricks because he'd fallen for all of them, but that doesn't really seem like a ringing endorsement” I was going to make the same point.. I agree with you . He was not a success at “predicting..” what the Soviets would do. Where Bagration would be launched for example. However at organization and tactics he was the real deal. All the best, Kip.

SeinfeldRuels, Just took a look at the Lithuania map in the editor.. Great map.. looking forward to downloading and playing all . Thanks.. All the best, Kip.