George MC

Hi Paul Aye I'm just down the road south of Inverness. Plockton is a grand wee place set amongst some very impressive scenery. Skye is also worth a visit. I've spent more time up on the mountains in the Highlands than down in the glens so I don't often see how great it is at sea level a lot of the time! I'm planning on heading up that way tomorrow to stretch my legs and bag a few Munros. Cheery! George

Really enjoyed your wee film PaulMD. The shaky camera and low, close up view is really effective. Nice one

This the one you mean Ken?

That's the beauty of designing your own scenarios. You get to make that scenario that ticks all your personal special, specific and idiosyncratic requirements. TBH it's rare I play other scenarios now. I mostly play about in the editor and play my own stuff. Why? Cos I'm such a fussy ****er

Just back from a meeting with your professional colleagues in the military AT world over in sunny Glen Coe. Great bunch. Your thread (and Seinfields's excellent scenario) has been the motivator for a wee campaign project I've just started and following a SPW company on a series of small engagements. So mostly the level of action you are fighting right now, on smallish maps (no more than 2km x 2km). That's what I like about this forum is the creativity just sparks stuff off

Really enjoying following this series. I'm finding it fascinating. I'd no idea about the processes behind planning a combat operation, although in retrospect it's like planning a project using critical path analysis. Now why did I not think of applying that to CM? Great work mate

Hi Mum

Cross of Iron - one of my favourite WWII Ost Front films oh that an the original Stalingrad (best watch it in the original German with sub titles though - the dubbed voices were a bit rubbish I thought).

I just watched the Kursk episode out of curiosity. I can't comment about the other episodes. TBH it's entertaining, very visual and aimed at a wider audience. I had thought, naively, that the old myths about Kursk might, given the extensive research about this action, might have forced a change of narrative. As I said I can't comment about the other episodes as I've not seen them, but if the Kursk one is anything to go by then I would not hold out much hope for it's historical accuracy. At least it'll look nice!

Thanks for posting. It's very glossy and well done but I swtiched off after watching the first wee bit of the Kursk episode when they started banging on about Tigers, Panthers and Elefants. Trotting out the same old worn cliches about the battle. I had hoped perhaps a more up to date take on this seminal battle. But nah.

He! I liked your BMP mini nuclear explosions! They're bombs on tracks eh. I've wondered about driving full tilt into an opponent's position with them. TBH sometimes that seems like the only way to effectively use them against the US! Looking forward to seeing how he deals with your mini Stalingrad when he gets into town.

Hi Big Boss Thanks again - aye it's always a challenge using unusual real world actions as a basis for a scenario. Re the assault gun battery. He! That's deliberate - see explanation below I appreciate your thanks about scenario design and the work that goes into them. It's also great (from my POV) to read about players' experiences and thoughts on a scenario. Cheery!

Hi Big Boss Thanks for the comments and feedback. In RL the Soviet had temporarily halted to regroup (they'd just made contact and beaten off an attack by the Stugs), They, the Soviets were in turn ambushed by Carius' unit, who were then supported by the Stugs. Now trying to create that in game terms is tough. EXIT zones screw up all the points scoring unless ALL units texit. Original versions of the game had this but it did not work out points wise. Yes both sides will do attacking and defending but it's not a meeting engagement in the true sense as both sides have an idea where some units from the other side are, and at some point one side or the other will either be attacking or defending or doing both! TBH what I was aiming for was to recreate the uncertainty felt by both commanders in this action. Hence in reality both sides are fighting to survive whilst either defending or attacking. it's not neat but I was loathe to create a tidy and neat scoring system. I know players like everything been crystal clear but the RL in this engagement was it was not. Carius bumped a Soviet tank unit and attacks. he, in turn is attacked by their mates trying to save their pals who are being taken apart. The Stugs see an opportunity and a/ take a wee bit of revenge b/ try to get out of dige intact. The excerpt from the Soviet brief is as follows: Whilst the German is: To my mind that makes it clear what either side has to do to win? It does force the player to make choices. Mind the major part of this action was undertaken by just two Tigers, with some limited follow on support from the others and some support from the Stugs. Still Carius and Kerscher took apart the Soviet unit on their own pretty much. If the German player wants a real challenge it's worth trying that approach out Pleased you enjoyed it though amd liked the map. The map is based on the RL scene of the action using period Soviet and German 1:25000 maps and 1:50000.

Excellent Thanks again mate. Aye the Tiger was starting to feel it's age when it came up against the newer Soviet armour. It's worth checking out Guderian's admonishments to Tiger crews who'd become too cocky when facing vanilla T34s...

Hi Ken Ah thanks for that I've got a revised version in the works (although it mainly touches up wee niggles such as this but I did beef up the Soviet AT guns to play about with in the version I'm playing through). I'll check it out. I assume you mean the first stone bridge on the German line of advance?

Thanks very much Champagne really glad you found it so enjoyable, and thanks for taking the time to play it and post your comments. Cheery! George.

Great AAR and like the images (which I can see). It does sound like you are holding the line effectively. It's difficult to see what your oppo is seeking to achieve, as in there is no clear schwerepunkt, unless he's probing your forward lines to prompt a response...?

Jings mate - you do spout some tosh...

Hi Zemke I added some notes in the scenario designer bit of Rolling Thunder that'll help you manage your M1s. It's worth noting that anything that can lase the M1 in this scenario stands a good chance of killing it

Great wee scene from the film Rob Roy - the physical sparring has echoes in the verbal sparring between Argyll and Montrose.

Nae bother IICptMillerII There was someone working on a method of tracking casualties and carrying this over from one game to another but IIRC it worked using an excel spreadsheet and physically adjusting the "core force" in the editor i.e. play a scenario, note your losses, then edit your spreadsheet. Use this record to then inform your purchase for your next scenario. Although I suspect this was being used within the context of a wider meta campaign.

Core units file only tracks casualties when scenario involving core unit file is part of a campaign. In short core units work as intended only with campaigns.

Just played your 'Interlock' scenario. Great wee fight on and excellent wee map and tactically very challenging. Great job I've just started the AD Assault Position. A huge part of playing scenarios for me is the map. If the map looks real I'll most likely play the scenario. If not I'll just exit - I'm not into playing something that looks the same as my early wargaming 1:300 micro armour days involving painted wooden houses and lichen posing as woods! Oh and hate zig zaggy roads... Anyway I really like this map. It feels real, like the micro details and the overall 'feel' is realistic. I'm in the opening moves of this scenario but enjoying it so far.

This is excellent stuff mate I'll take a lot from this. TBH my tactics based on my 'planning' make the Jacobite charge at Culloden look a/ complicated b/ effective...

Hi Big Boss Thanks for the AAR. It sounds and looks like a real ding dong tank battle Did your mate not force you to clear the objectives? I'd have thought he could have forced a draw at least given your losses? Glad you found it fun and challenging. Thanks again for the play through and cheers for the AAR. Cheery!