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Operation Hercules: The Invasion of Malta [WIP]


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Hi John

Since we are nit picking: "Balken" means "bar". Obviously, a bar can be from timber, but not necessarily.

The name just differentiates the shape from the curved German Cross, which was used by the Teutonic Knight Order (in German: Deutschritterorden) in the Middle Ages already. Later the Prussians used the German Cross as their symbol, from which times the well known "Iron Cross" derived.

Edited by StieliAlpha
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Any other beginner/amateur modders out there want to tackle a mod? Vehicles? Uniforms? Buildings? Other?

I would love to show off your efforts here in this overall project. PM Me to discuss. :D

 

Later this morning I have a "tele-photoshop" appointment with a uniform modder. We will talk on the phone while we both have photoshop on the PC and share techniques and methods to get us some cool stuff.

 

Last night I uploaded all my Malta mods to date to a playtester so he can see how they look, etc.

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kohlenklau,

 

RAC is truly horrified. After comparing the masonry courses on the Mark VI Light Tank with those painted on the Universal Carrier, there is now official concern to the effect that in the event of a rumored invasion of Malta, the UC's paint job may lead it be incorrectly IDed as Italian, with likely disastrous outcome, and  the already overworked Royal Engineers will, in order to make sure the UC doesn't expose itself via jarring diagonal pattern, tentatively designated "Drunken Maltese," against a horizontal series of courses common to both Maltese buildings and freestanding walls, is not at all happy about having to crash build stone facades for all stone buildings and walls in the AO of the UC. GOC is expected to have a fit over this. He thinks keeping the runway open and free of constantly the Luftwaffe supplied bomb craters is more important than making sure the UC seamlessly blends in with walls. He is, of course, wrong!

 

The above is a bit of military whimsy to ask you why you didn't model your new camouflage job based on the exemplar you provided? I believe you've got some info bleed going from the Matilda II on Crete in a stonework pattern more nearly resembling yours. It's in SGTJKJ's June 5, 2008 post. I always thought that scheme was very cool, especially when someone built a 1:35 scale model of a Matilda II in same and set it in a diorama.

 

http://armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=119940&page=1

 

Turning now to the designer's ability to ding up AFVs and such as part of the design, I think it's a shame you can't do that. I highly recommend that BFC find a way to do this, since it creates all sorts of fascinating options. Theoretically, my idea ought to be doable. As we know, though, what seems simple and doable to the idea proposer tends not to be when it meets all the attendant issues over in BFC's tiny code writing section. I think it's very cool you have Malta advisors and that you've BTDT yourself. 

 

Regards,

 

John Kettler

Edited by John Kettler
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kohlenklau,

 

That Italian expression seems to be exceedingly versatile, though I'm sure I know which one you're using. Affectionately, of course! I don't understand why, though, you're wishing me "Happy lightning!" Just so we're clear, I think what you're doing is something very special. On my best day, with a tailwind, I couldn't do so much as one vehicle skin, though I have heard of a dot .brz file! I'm very glad there are talented, giving people like you and others who put forth so much effort, time, skill and dedication to make these games so much more than what they started out as. For the benefit of all of us. OKW is going to have a duck when it discovers that aerial has gone missing!

 

Regards,

 

John Kettler

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Thanks. My mom's side of the family came to the US from Germany in the 1840's. I guess it shows! :D

 

 

I also could use some instructions for what WW2 era Luftwaffe Fallschirmjagers might use for commands in the aircraft:

 

1.Stand up!

2. Hook up!

3. Check equipment!

4. Stand in the door!

5. Go!

Edited by kohlenklau
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Thanks. My mom's side of the family came to the US from Germany in the 1840's. I guess it shows! :D

 

 

I also could use some instructions for what WW2 era Luftwaffe Fallschirmjagers might use for commands in the aircraft:

 

1.Stand up!

2. Hook up!

3. Check equipment!

4. Stand in the door!

5. Go!

 

Interestingly, on this link: http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/parachutists/ it says that Fallschirmjager used colored flags, colored flashlights, and a serious horn rather than verbal commands.  It's what US intel thought in 42, anyway, lol.

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Hi Kohlenklau

 

You are asking difficult questions, indeed. That's "army speak", not German.

 

The best I could find on short notice, is the manual of the NVA Paras (former East German Forces). It is from 1987, but I do not think the commandos are too different from WW2 orders. They had different drills for each plane, but the "most complicated" drill I found was:

 

- Aufzugsleinen einhängen! (=hook up)

- Fertigmachen! (=get ready)

- Aufstehen! (= stand up)

- Sprung! (=Go!)

 

And: Yes, apparently a lot of signals, like colored flash lights or hand signals, etc, were used instead. Sounds strange, but it looks like they moved to the door "automatically".

 

If you care, I can PM you the manual. It's only 50 or so type writer written pages... Would be a chance to polish your 1840's German. ;)

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Thanks very much for the info. <I will pass on getting the manual. :D  >

 

I will work these German commands into my scenario. As my "Ju-52's" make their approach to "Sprungzone Gerhilde" they will trigger a series of hidden touch objectives, the player will see these pop up at the top of the screen. He can then have one of his kids flash a red flashlight on and off & maybe his wife can run to the garage and honk the car horn. A family event....

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kohlenklau,

 

Some goodies from an FJ re-enactor site. The Ten Commandments of the FJ. Great chrome for the briefings! Several types of combat uniforms and full layouts of web gear here. The all-important drop containers. All-important because the FJ's jumped armed with only a pistol and a knife! Rather contrasts with the British fear-filled notion of German paratroopers with MP-38s in hand descending suddenly upon England, doesn't it?  And who can have an elite force without its own distinctive music?

 

Valuable information from a super groggy (guy's a weapon and militaria collector) on dispersal between well-trained FJ for a defined set of conditions. Regret electric turquoise, but I didn't design the web page.

 

(Fair Use)

 

A demonstration jump by the Fallschirm-Lehr battalion showed that 13 well trained parachutists could exit a JU-52 in 8 seconds. At an altitude of 330 feet and an aircraft speed of 120 miles per hour their dispersal distance would only be 25 yards between each man. Any jump carried outside of these parameters would result in the wide scattering of the stick of paratroops and more time for ground troops to react. The lowest recorded German airdrop was over Crete when some of the Fallschirmjäger jumped from 250ft. (which is a very daunting thought, a 75m jump, 9m of it static line !!).

 

When animations improve, we can get hand signals. Meanwhile, some clever person could combine the existing orders with the associated whistle commands. And if you've got FJ Pionere, here's great stuff on their toys, including a wealth of information I've not seen before on the special charges used to attack Eben-Emael. 

Your suggestions in #67 cracked me up. Scrabble™ opponents, though, wouldn't be laughing at all were "xlokk" a permitted word, especially on a Triple Word Score. 

 

Regards,

 

John Kettler

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I think I have all the inputs I need and now it is just a matter of finalizing the maps and making them. I have a playtest H2H battle in progress that will also provide feedback...

The goal this weekend is the FJ final approach map which is really the Larnaca beach invasion map with some extra stuff so 2 birds will be killed with 1 stone.

 

The mods can trickle in. I will import the mod tag [malta] to all the campaign scenarios and whatever we do for mods, we can tag them as [malta] and have it available.

The only thing special to do is to paste a folder of renamed mdr skeleton files in cmfi z fofder ONLY when you want to play the Malta campaign.

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