DMS

I saw some division equipment lists. Usually tables don't have separated column for SVTs, only for rifles in general. When it has - in the best case division had hundred or two of SVTs. Some examples from my notes:
143 rifle division, 22.02.43: 4059 rifles, 155 SVT, 103 lmgs, 549 smgs, 15 AVS (rare weapon!)
243 rifle division, 18.06.43: 3776 rifles, 181 SVT, 1007 smgs, 196 lmgs.
2-3 SVT for a platoon. I can post document scans for 2 cases above. SVTs weren't produced since 1942. (1 million in 1941, 200 thousands in 1942) It is fun that despite this in organizational charts till the end of war weapon of a rifleman was SVT. (letter "a" in "weapons" column - autorifle) This may confuse researcher.
 

You can't truly understand German mechanized tactic without researching Barbarossa. Full strength Wermacht on peak of its might against nearly equal Soviet forces: with modern weapons but obsolete tactic. Old fashioned army with separated branches against combined arms Kampfgruppen. In 1944 everyone had understood new style of war, Americans created their tank divisions with task forces, Soviets reorganized tank forces in tank corps. But in 1941 tactical difference was the largest. It makes Barbarossa game interesting for anyone who is interested in WW2 tactic, I think. 

W. Schneider's "Panzer Tactics" is great book. Company formations, attack by bounds, armored infantry tatctics. Probably the best I read.
And... Read manuals!  British one: http://wartimecanada.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Infantry Training Part I- The Infantry Battalion- 1944.pdf

-You Soviets shoot at our German planes!
-But... They bomb our airfields!
-It is whataboutism! We discuss how you shoot at German planes!

To all guys who said about Russia grabbing something.
Did you ever hear about Russian ship "Nord", that was captured by Ukrainians in Azov sea? Just because she visitited Crimia ports. Captain is still in prison. Ukrainians refuse to release him. I think that you didn't. Am I mistaken?

-You Soviets shoot at our German planes!
-But... They bomb our airfields!
-It is whataboutism! We discuss how you shoot at German planes!

Going clear back to when CMBO was in development, there has been a lot of effort put forth trying to properly understand the nitty gritty of Panzer armor, an effort which I believe far eclipses far harder to get info on the Soviet side of things, though quite a bit of work went into understanding terminal effectiveness of vs Russian AP projectiles and their various limitations and causes thereof. Happily, while looking into T-34 books, this popped up, and am I glad it did! This thing is gold clean through. It looks at gun barrels, armor plate and shells. It's got such things as US analyses of armor samples taken form a T-34 and KV-1 sent to the US by the Soviets and some of the scariest live fire comparison tests ever. If you think I'm exaggerating, take a look at what happened when the Soviet cast iron 82 mm mortar projectile went against our own steel 81 mm mortar projectile. Tests against 1" thick pine witness boards found the Soviet mortar shell put out an almost incomprehensible 9 X more hits  and 8.1 X more total perforations at 40 feet as a result of a hurricane of shell fragments our 81 couldn't begin to match. No wonder Ivan was in love with mortars! Artillery shells using cast iron or steel bodies are also covered.  As for tanks,, coverage is much more than the early T-34 and Kv-1, in fact extending through the IS-2,. It delves into AP shells and shot, including arrowhead, where direct comparisons are made between it and US HVAP down to the level of tungsten carbide core weights. This paper can be read readily, but the level of technical information is eye watering, a condition worsened by the fact that the text was typed and that this was microfilmed, making reading fine print in the tables exciting and making the photos hard to see in the bargain. This was originally SECRET, with a distribution which was a Who's Who of American military ordnance. If Herr Tom loses his mind reading this paper, I'm not responsible!

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/011426.pdf
Paper Presented at Meeting on
Trends in Soviet Metallurgical Developments
Central Intelligence Agency Washington 25, D. C.
I!
16 April 1953

Regards,
John Kettler
 

A Fanatic crew with Open up and an Area Target to the front.  Then ran a German scout team around behind the tank.  The IS-2 continued to fire the main gun forward and the rear facing MG at the German team. 

They are not so owerhelming! Playing for Syrians is even harder. That conscripts... Useless! But T-62s spot better now, unlike old SF.
My small AAR, in Russian, but with pictures:
https://war-tundra.livejournal.com/3765965.html

They are not so owerhelming! Playing for Syrians is even harder. That conscripts... Useless! But T-62s spot better now, unlike old SF.
My small AAR, in Russian, but with pictures:
https://war-tundra.livejournal.com/3765965.html

From the other side of the battlefield...

Syrian mechanised infantry assault an imperialist German Headquarters unit caught unawares.

Aye, but it won't be a drill, this time...
But, yeah, I think it may be annoying for some players. Spotting, accuracy and movement would all take a hit. No turning out of tanks, either. But it would definitely create a unique game with unique challenges. Maybe similar to electronic warfare in BS, where you can set intensity or turn it off all-together.

The Alamo playthrough is now finally ready in full HD.
 
And the link to the German Leopard 2 wrecking trough two enemy vehicles with one shot at 1:36:31: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAx81M54ZSw&t=1h36m31s
Enjoy!

Like already mentioned map size and the quicker communication and command play a key role why everything plays out faster here.
Also most of the time in real combat operations there are no air or cavalry conveniently around the corner to provide support. You may stir up a hidden nest, call in support, and then hit the deck for several hours before they come to solve your problem.
Also many things in CM die alot faster, especially infantry in buildings or other cover.
To visualize this:
There was a night where nearly an complete operation was hold up because of incoming small arms from a five-story compound in high density urban territory. Hours of shooting at nothing and dark spots that may be somebody peeking or just NOD shenanigans, thousands of round were put into this building but they simply denied to stop shooting. Cavalry was called in and also put another pack of heavy ordnance into that building (many buildings don´t collapse that easy), even calling further support was considered. Silence. Then order to enter the building, enemy gunshots erupted on one of the higher floors. Again on hold. Took another half on an hour to find a solution in order to pacify it and nearly another half hour to clear the rest of the building and situation (which takes seconds in CM).
Turned out that this building was occupied by only two individuals armed just with one AK and one RPG and alot of ammo.
They´ve managed to hold up company sized elements, cavalry support, and futher to delay the operations of other elements for half of the night.
Imagine this in urban environment where you have dozen of such buildings.
Real warfare can also involve an unbelieveable amount of waiting and also "camping" to put it in video game terms.

See me reacting!  The AI-tank-commander announces the targets and override-points the turret in the right direction for me (the gunner).  
https://youtu.be/ubncD6I1SqM?t=181
 

My experience comes from being a CV9030 gunner.
 
Let us start with a very real live example. CV9030 company is moving along a road surrounded by dense forest. Enemy contact is possible but not imminent. The company is "traveling" so mounted and expected to move somewhat quickly. Leading CV9030 is moving slow enough to be 100% ready to open fire instantly, the gunner is constantly "pre-aimed" to the next corner on the road ext. and the gunner will engage on his own initiative.
So let us say a meeting engagement happens. What happens in the lead tank?
- Gunner sees the enemy AFV and opens fire.
- Commander knows without words what is happening (gunner shooting + direction the gun is pointed) and acts out his part of the script. Says to the intercom: "reverse, fast!" and flips a switch that pops smoke. Gunner gives a report as fast as he can while/after shooting: "IFV, destroyed"
- Commander informs the platoon/company radio shortly: "contact, heavy" (heavy meaning mechanized force) Also sometimes lead tank intercom is directly connected to platoon radio so the information is as fast as possible and if the lead tank is lost the information is not.
- Commander gives the driver instruction on the reversing (left, right, hard left...)
- Commander and driver have packed up a short distance to the side of the road and the commander gives "dismount, left" order for the dismounts. Same time more information to platoon/company radio.

As I recall, Steve once said Battlefront was not interested in doing a game on something that never happened. Now some of you will say CMSF never happened, but at the time it was developed the setting was still in the future , so CMSF has been, as they say, "Grandfathered in" as an exception now. Black Seas is also still a future setting. Any way I just wanted to enquire if Battlefront's position on NATO vs Warsaw Pact has not changed and is likely to never be in the cards. There is still a lot to do for the existing families and completing the Ost Front after all which is a desire for Battlefront.
 
And can I call for a bit of restraint in posting your favorite setting wish in this thread please?    

Su-76s were used as ersatz-APC sometimes, tank desant loaded inside crew compartment, not outside. May be sometimes it looked like that picture! (Not really, but looks fun)
 
 

Here is my clumsy translation of the first few pages, more to follow: 
The assault-platoon in the grenadier-company
 I. General remarks
Based on the experiences in the war, a new structure and new armament is required for the grenadier-companies, both for the attack and the defence. The partition of grenadier companies into assault-platoons allows their unitary and flexible/swift employment. [? pretty general remark]  With its new structure, namely two assault-squads and a fire-squad, as well as with its new armament, the assault-platoon will fulfill a very clearly defined role. The uniform armament of the squads facilitates their lead, so that even young and inexperienced squad leaders who have not finished their full training, can lead them into battle more readily. The adoption of the assault rifle 44 [Sturmgewehr 44] increases firepower and the manoeuverability of the squads. The withdrawal of grenade-launchers and sharpshooters from the squads relieves them of specialists. It allows the grenade-launchers to be concentrated on the platoon-level and the sharpshooters on the company-level.  II. Structure of the assault-platoon [you can compare it to the diagrams on p. 15 of the electronic document]
5. The assault platoon consists of:
 the platoon leader  the platoon HQ team, including the grenade launcher team 2 assault squads (7 men each) 1 fire squad (7 men) 2 infantry carts (Jf. 8), coupled, 1 horse, 1 operator/rider 1 backup/reserve/supply [?]  cart (“Feldwagen oder Panjewagen”), two-horse, 1 operator/rider  6. The platoon HQ team consists of:
2 messengers/runners 1 litter bearer/medic 1 Grenade-launcher-team (3 grenadiers) [probably this means 3 tubes], one of the greandiers is teamleader; The concentration of the grenadiers at the platoon-leader increases the effectiveness of fire and allows them to be used in a concentrated/focused manner  7. The assault squad consists of 1 squadleader and 7 soldiers. The soldiers are equipped with assault rifles 44. They are to engage in close combat and are equipped with plenty of ammunition and grenades. One of the soldiers is second-in-command of the squad leader.
 8. The fire squad consists of 2 light MG teams. The squad leader is in command of the squad as a whole and one of the MGs in particular. His second-in-command commands the other MG. Each MG is crewed by a gunner (“Schütze 1”) and two ammo-bearers (“Munitionsschützen”).
The first [=standard?] ammunition-allotment is 720 rounds for each assault-rifle 44. On them, the soldiers are to carry 6 magazines for a total of 180 rounds (30 rounds per magazine).
 III. The assault platoon in combat
 General principles
 9. In the attack, it’s the assault platoon’s task to wipe out the last resistance of the enemy. In the defence, the assault platoon defeats the final assault of the enemy.
 10. The assault platoon can accomplish any task, both in the defence and in the attack.
 11. The assault platoon is best used for the following tasks:
For assault and recon missions, for combat in rough/difficult (lit. hard to oversee) terrain, for missions during night or in foggy weather In the defence as a mobile reserve for the counter-attack and the protection of open flanks For the pursuit of the enemy and as an advance guard, riding on Stugs, trucks/cars or tanks; As rearguards in retreat actions, or for combat “im Zwischenfeld” (?) as a hunter-platoon of a ski-unit or as a ski-equipped part of a winter unit [… I don’t know how to translate all the special terms – generally it refers to their usage on skis]  12. The assault platoon is the smallest tactical combat unit of the grenadier-company. The individual deployment of assault squads or the fire squad is an exception.
 Attack
13. In all combat conditions, the completely hidden, hunter-like (“jägermäßige”) approach into the rear or a flank of the enemy and the sudden, overwhelming and surprising employment of fire at short distance is the key to success.
14. When approching, the platoon leader leads his assault platoon close to the enemy, evading fire combat. 
15. Proper assessment of the terrain is required prior to any action. Every opportunity of concealment needs to be taken. It’s not that important to reach the forming up point for the final assault as fast as possible, [but – is missing] to reach it undetected by the enemy and without any casualties.  
16. The assault platoon opens fire as late/close as possible and needs to make even more use of the support fire of heavy weapons [to cover its movement, obviously] than before. It’s not the assault-platoon’s task to use [it’s own] suppressive fire to get/manoeuvre within large or medium distance to the enemy.  
17. To advance, the assault platoon evades enemy fire zones, exploits even the smallest cover, and crosses areas observed by the enemy in a trickling manner (“Vortröpfeln”). Very narrow but deep formations as well as spreading out a lot helps reduce casualties. Any method of advance that does not offer good targets to the enemy is suitable.  
18. When crossing open areas in a trickling manner (“Vortröpfeln”), the intervalls between the men (or pairs of men) are to be set between 0.5 and 5 minutes. The objective area for the manoeuvre needs to be determined beforehand. An energetic squadleader should be picked to be “Schießender” (lit. firer). He oversees the manoeuvre, and ensures that the men move from one waypoint to the next in irregular intervals. (see example attachment 3) 
19. Only if all other means (support by heavy weapons, terrain, fog/smoke, darkness) fail, the assault platoon may stop its forward movement and advance by fire [so that means providing its own suppressive fire]. 
20. Concentrated fire by all supporting weapons needs to be exploited for a swift and cohesive advance.  
21. When assaulting, one or both assault squads are to be deployed in front/attack. The fire squad  and the grenadier-team are following closely. They provide fire-support wherever the enemy is still resisting. 
Assault squads roll up enemy trenches (“stoßtruppartig”). See the details about rolling up trenches in “Merkblatt 25/3: Instruction for close combat and grenade-training”, Nr. 73-86)
22. If the fire support delivered by the company or battalion proves insufficient for the assault, the platoon leader needs to employ his fire squad and the grenadier-team for fire support or suppressive fire. 
23. The platoon leader needs to plan the attack according to H.Dv.130/2a Nr. 458-463.
24. The combat-plan needs to consider the following questions:
 Where do I need to go? What/who is preventing me from going there? How/where do I launch the assault? From where and when can the assault be supported by the fire squad?  25. The combat-plan then needs to be broken down into individual orders:
a) To the fire squad: Fireposition – where?, Target – where? Fire support – how? (time to open fire, duration of fire); Follow up – when? Where? b) To the assault squad: Target of the assault – where? How to approach? How to assault? c) For the grenadier-team: Follow up – to whom? (advance together with the assault squad or stay with the fire squad?) – fire position – where? Target, where? Ammo-consumption  26. This is how the assault squad is to be used on the attack:
a) When conducting a two pronged attack [“zangenförmiger Angriff”], the fire squad and both assault squads are to be used in a way so that they don’t lose their communication with each other b) The grenade-launcher team follows the assault squads to support them in the attack and in the assault against targets that pop up surprisingly c) The assignment of the grenade-launcher-team to the fire squad is an exception and depends on the terrain and the distance to the target d) Holding back one of the assault squads as a reserve of flank-guard to support the fire squad is the exception  27. Assault and fire squads complement each other even if there is no explicit order for it. The light MGs of the fire squad always need to cover the assault squads, even when they [the MGs] are advancing in alternate bounds. The assault platoon’s squads act upon signals or shouts.
 28. The platoon leader takes in hand all the preparations for the assault. He is the first to charge forward, motivating his soldiers to do the same, and assaults with the assault squads.
During the assault itself, a lively fire of all of the platoon’s weapons is employed, as well as loud and continous cheering. The assault-rifle 44 is fired on the move, the enemy needs to be drowned in fire. In the first phase of the assault [? not sure; “beim Sturm”], the soldiers are to fire aimed single shots in quick succession, in the second phase [?  not sure; “beim Einbrechen”] bursts (2-3 rounds).
29. The big effect that  the assault rifle 44 has on morale needs to be exploited for a quick assault sprint into the enemy line/position. When approaching close to the target, going prone and throwing grenades often leads to unneccessary casualties and threatens the success of the action.
30. After the successful assault, the fire squad and the grenade launcher team follow up without orders.
31. After the successful assault, the platoon-leader reorganizes his platoon for the next assault. Any success needs to be exploited further. The enemy must not be given time to reorganize his defences.
32. If the assault was directed at a limited target [so the platoon is supposed not to exploit a success with continous attacks?], the platoon leader sets up a defence of the conquered position with the two light MGs of the fire squad and the grenade-launcher team. They (the MGs + grenade launchers) ensure that the position is not lost to a counter attack, even if no explicit order is given.
33. Due to its quick readiness to fire and its high firepower, the assault rifle 44 is of particular use in the night attack. Assault-platoons are to be used in the first line. Moonlit nights and snow are favourable conditions for a night attack.
 34. A night attack requires a very detailed attack- and fire plan. The attack needs to proceed according to the very strict plan. It is impossible to redirect the attack on the fly.
 35. Night attacks are always conducted against a limited target. The enemy position is taken by a surprising dash/assault by the asssault squads in line [? “in breiter Front”, on a broad front], with continous fire of all soldiers. The fire squad follows up closely.
Defence
a) The assault platoon in the main defensive line ("Hauptkampflinie")
 36. When the assault platoon is used in defence at the front line, it deploys in a way to defend the position.
 37. For defending a large front, the light MG from the reserve [? “Gerätereserve” - the diagrams at the end of the document show it being transported on the horse cart] is to be used [in addition to the other MGs, obviously]. It is to be manned by the ammo-bearers of the fire-squad. The platoon leader decides where to position the fire squad, either deploying it in individual nests over the platoon sector, or, depending on the terrain, he might use concentrations of the light MGs and the assault squads. All MG positions need to be fortified as “fighting nests” and equipped with anti tank weapons. Additional anti tank weapons (Panzerfausts, blinding devices, mines, Molotov cocktails) are to be distributed all over the position, readily available for every man.
38. The grenade-launcher team needs to cover those folds in the terrain that cannot be reached by the fire of the light MGs and the assault rifles 44. It supplements the effect of grenades to cover the dead angles in front of the position. The grenade-launcher team has to be mobile.
39. The counter-attack-reserve of the platoon leader consists of one assault squad. If the sector is very large, however, the counter-attack-reserve only consists of the platoon leader and a few soldiers. Counter-attacks in various situations/in different directions need to be preplanned and practiced.  
40. On the defence, one needs to consider daytime and nighttime positions (setup of pickets, organization of the sentry duties, coordination with other observation posts close-by).
 b) The assault platoon as a counter-attack-reserve
 41. Usually, a battalion’s or regiment’s counter-attack-reserve is made up of its assault platoons (fire extinguisher!).
 42. The assault platoons that are deployed in the rear area of the front (“in der Tiefe des Hauptkampffeldes”) need to be set up in a way so that their fire squads can destroy any breakthroughs by the enemy and support the assault squads’ counter attack.
 43. If the whole assault platoon counter-attacks, the fire squad is to be used as the fire-reserve of the platoon leader in the re-conquered position. [?]
 44. Counter-attacks have to be conducted against the flanks or rear of the enemy, along the main line of defence (“Hauptkampflinie”). The faster/earlier the assault platoons counter-attack, the better their chance for success, even if the enemy is in superior strength. Therefore, the platoon-leader needs to make his own decision [on his own initiative] if/when to counter-attack.
 45. Fire by all weapons and any means available are applied in order to destroy an enemy breaktrough and overrun it with a swift counter-attack.  The counter-attack is to be carried out with all guns blazing, reckless personal commitment, and continous cheering.

In December 1944, the Germans had 179 Infantry divisions. Of these, 56 had 2/3rds of their line infantry platoons equipped with StG44s. A further 10 had a third of their strength re-equipped.

If somehow the rights to CMA could be crowd funded and bought would BFC consider updating it?
Yeah, it's a long shot. But what would Snowball care. They abandoned the title in less then 6 months after it was released.
 
Mord.

I'm working on the translation. Give me a couple of days.
 
Some quick basics: 
The new assault platoon (of a Grenadier-company) described in the paper consists of: 
2 assault squads (7 men each, armed with assault-rifles 44 (Sturmgewehre 44*), plenty of ammo, grenades)  1 fire squad (2 light MGs) - to provide covering fire during the final assault platoon HQ squad/team + 3 grenade launchers (I suppose these are very light ones; they're taken from the squads, concentrated on the platoon-level) the grenade launchers are supposed to follow the assault squads, not stay back with the fire squad (!) (The snipers formerly employed on the squad-level (?) are to be ceded to/used on the company-level.) It seems as if it was not mobilized/mechnized? The paper only mentions horse-carts and that the soldiers might ride on tanks/trucks when forming part of an advance guard.
It was to be used particularly for assault and recon missions (special emphasis also on clearing trenches, but here the paper just cites other manuals), for combat in rough/difficult terrain, in fog, during night, as a mobile reserve for counter attacks and the protection of open flanks, for the pursuit of the enemy and as an advance guard, as a rear guard during retreat movements, and also as a ski-unit in some circumstances. 
What I found very interesting is that the paper puts great emphasis on the fact that the squads are supposed not to fire during the approach phase (only during the final assault, over very short distances, "fire-ambush"). As much as possible, the squads were to advance to the assault-FUP undetected by the enemy, moving in very open order, relying on the support of heavy weapons / other units. The squads were not supposed to provide their own covering fire ("sich vorschießen") in this phase. I found the advance by "Vortröpfeln" or "Sickern" (lit. trickling) especially interesting: If the squads found themselves forced to cross open terrain that was observed by the enemy, the men were supposed to cross individually or in pairs, with very large and irregular time intervalls (0.5- 5 minutes). The paper emphasises that it's not about time, but about approaching as undetected by the enemy as possible, and suffering as few casualties as possible. So really, the assault platoon was supposed to deliver shock - getting into very close range to the enemy undetectedly at full strength, then using this hidden concentration of force to surprise the enemy with an ambush-like assault, including loud cheers. Such an assault - sudden opening of fire, high volume of fire with assault-rifles, cheers, a fast sprint - was supposed to break the defender's morale.
 
--
* So we're safe to assume that this document is post 1943?

A module for CMBS _please_. 

Fulda Gap!

The received wisdom in CM circles seems to be that 251s are battle taxis which unload hundreds of meters from the foe, but I would note that we also had plans to fight from our ARMORED INFANTRY halftracks, including firing bazookas. Here is how German war artist Hans Liska depicted the 251 in battle am Ost. This is very much like the "Welcome to Africa!" given by the DAK veterans to a newly arrived TORCH unit. The welcome consisted of an attack out of the setting sun, lots of shooting and grenade throwing, an about turn and disappearance into the darkness. That story is in the anthology of battle stories released by BFC in support of CMAK. https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Commande…

Here is a brief description of Panzer Grenadier tactics, which included, depending on the situation, fighting from the halftracks. If we ever get Barbarossa this would be pretty common. Brother George, quite the student of German tactics and a retired Army Scout of 20 yrs. experience, gagged when I talked about 251s as mere battle taxis, pointing out they leapfrogged each other in what we would call bounding overwatch.

http://axisafvs.blogspot.com/2015/03/panzergrenadier-tactics.html

Mutual support (mostly from MGs) is clearly shown in this excellent Panzer Grenadier training film, as is the fact the 251s are rolling close to the the foe before debarking infantry. The shot up foe is then subsequently flamed by Flammpanzers driving smack into the enemy occupied area and making like dragons, with the multiple flame projectors providing tremendous arcs of fire. There are no CM battle taxis anywhere in this film. As noted in the article, tactics change considerably if facing a serious AT threat.
 
Regards,
John Kettler