Bannon DC

Thanks all. These are anti-personnel mines. I've been fully updated for years. Still... I can't imagine the AI would have stepped on everyone of his own mines. Something screwy is going on here. I'm still discovering wire and trenches... but I see all of his mines. oh well.

I am playing a couple of game in both CMAK and CMBB. It has become apparent that I can see enemy mines long before I approach them. I'm sure this is not new, it is just something I have recently noticed. Why are these mines showing up? I generally play extreme FOW. In some case, I think routed enemy units are retreating into their own minefield. That might be one reason why some show up. But others are so far back that no action has taken place near them. Thanks

Excellent... a two player match-up. You'll have to let me know how that goes. Drop me a note on TSD and keep me posted. I've experimented with Russian tin cans against German armor. I think 100 to 10 sounds like a good ratio to make it a little challenging for the Germans. :eek: New version is not much different. Primarily I had to correct some errors in the brief... I was telling people to adjust things that weren't adjustable! Then added a few more Russian tanks. Good luck to you and thanks for the comments.

I'm not a big fan of the operations system against the AI. The "reserve" system does work OK in terms of feeding units, but far from perfect. Don't make your reserves too big. When playing head to head, I prefer the "play as the lay" house rules. If both sides can agree not to teleport units around, then you can get a good battle going that gives you an over all strategy that makes it worth while to plan from one battle to the next. (Play as they lay -- keeping frontline units more or less where they are between battles. No complete reshuffling of the units between battles. Reinforcements start a certain distance from the frontline and have to move forward risking observation and fire.) I think urban or heavily wooded situations work better for operations. Keep "no man's land" small. Bannon

Junk2Drive (Axis) and I have been playing this one for a while. We are on battle 7. It is a good fight. I'm not spoiling... mines everywhere! Frickin' mines! Big map, but not a large amount of units. It captures the feeling of a battle of attrition. Good luck!!

You can design a map only. You can include a "read me" file explaining a tactical situation, weather, etc. (essentially a brief) and give each player the point cap. The players would need to start a Quick Battle, load your map, set the parameters, and set the points. Kind of a pain.

Welcome. The AI is not CM strong point... great fun against humans. You won't overcome that virgin thing around here.

It is actually an operation. Jeezz... I guess I should look at it. OK... it is 6 battles, 20 turns each. It is designed to be played as Germans vs. AI. Could work as two player, but not tested. Might be fun to play as Russians vs. German AI for the first couple of battles, but I doubt the AI could successfully advance. Overview: Germans must advance about 3k against a Russian force consisting of a lot of light armor and defensive lines. Germans have combined arms force and start the first battle with a only small armored group. Just took a look... I need to correct the brief and since I upgraded my graphics card last year, I added even more light armor to the battle. :eek: It is currently posted at The Proving Grounds. The version that is there is 100% ready to play but I will eventually correct the brief and upload the version that has some more Russian light armor. EDIT -- updated and posted latest at The Scenario Depot II. Link at TSD Bannon [ February 27, 2006, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Bannon DC ]

Have you posted it at The Proving Grounds yet? That's the place to go to find some playtesters. Good luck... sounds good.

double post

I've got on for you. It was up at the old Scenario Depot but I have not posted it at the new SD yet. It is an operation called "Combined Arms, South to Kiev." Features a handful of Panzer III/IVs vs almost 100 Russian light tanks. Also, as the name suggests, some supporting infantry. I think it is 5 or 6 battles of about 20 turns each. If you just want a tank fight, you can play the first two battles and be done with it. I emailed it to you... I want to take a second look at it myself before I post it to the new SD. Bannon [ February 24, 2006, 04:56 PM: Message edited by: Bannon DC ]

Didn't the Germans defend villages from the rear of the village? This sounds like what your suggesting in a couple of your options. Letting the enemy in will break up their own LOS. You can take on their lead units as they cross a street while there following units are still in building or further back and can't see you. Doesn't sound like a situation where you want to be out fumbling around in the dark. You could quickly find yourself outnumbers and dead. With those odds, you will need every platoon you have. I would go for your fire and retreat option. Keep in mind though they if your squads will get pinned and a hasty dash for the HTs might not always go as planned. Can you "withdraw" into a HT? Are you playing the AI or a human?

Clear line of site does not guarantee an accurate strike. It is almost certain, but not 100%. Farmerch -- are you talking about the spotting round? If you are talking about the spotting round being off target, that will be automatically adjusted. If the barrage has started to come down... yes, you must adjust yourself.

I you have a choice, best to deploy your unit behind the wire. If your guys decide to bug out on their own (panic, rout), they WILL run through the wire and almost certainly get killed. Behind the wire, you have more movement options. Wire itself does not injure units. Getting shot at will in the wire will cause quick casualties as your men are sitting ducks. Or stuck ducks.

Just saw a re-issue of some of these German reports. Scholar's Bookshelf has it for only $225. Includes 11 of the reports including the "planning and operations" report mentioned above. I did a search on Amazon and noticed several out of print issues (under search of "german report series") including something that looks similar to the compilation published in 1979. Link

BigDuke or anyone else -- Regarding those Soviet maps at the "topmap" and the Berkley site... is there a key for some of the terrain elements? I've looked at many of the individual maps, but they do not have a key on them... I'm assuming there must be a master key somewhere. thanks

BigDuke Incredible map source. I'll check with Dorosh, but I have also found maps of the area at the link you posted above. Those maps appear to be very good and will should satisfy my needs. Basically, in that swampy area, I wanted to see where you would have wet feet or dry feet. Looks like mostly wet feet! (I do have one or two from the original source we were discussing and they are much easier to read). Budapest maps were OK, but difficult to see details. I'll keep looking. Thanks, Bannon

Be careful in choosing your "good cover." In a recent game, I had engineers in a house because there was a firefight nearby. They were a little too close to the minefield they were clearing and the house came down on top of them when they tossed their satchel charge. You can also target a mine to be cleared. This is helpful when in a thick minefield. If you are clearing a path, don't leave it to the engineer unit to decide which one to clear. This often results in the engineer actually shooting at the minefield before tossing the satchel... but, hey, that is just CM for you. (This could also draw enemy fire). Mine clearing is also and automatic reflex for engineers with satchel charges. If you do NOT want them to expend a satchel... don't stop them within 30-40m of a minefield. (If no choice, set them to "hide.") Always keep in mind that these satchels are have a pretty strong blast. (Maybe equivalent to a 105 shell?). They will damage nearby units such as tanks and infantry. Watch your movement paths for friendlies moving near the area or sitting in nearby houses. In operations, try not to damage or KO "abandoned" tanks that may be stuck near minefields. (Abandoned tanks and guns have a chance of being repaired and returning to action). Regarding wire -- it does not increase excertion by simply moving through it. However, it takes a long time to move through it, so if you are "advancing", or any of the other movement orders that increase excertion, you will get tired. Similar to moving across a ford or deep mud... if you are going fast, it will tire you out very quickly. Units fired at while stuck in wire will most likely route or take heavy losses. That is why wire is an effective obstacle... but only if enemy units are there to make you pay for going through it. [ January 31, 2006, 08:40 AM: Message edited by: Bannon DC ]

A tip for this is to use "area fire" instead of directly targeting the unit when you see it. This situation will happen frequently no matter if it is a crewed weapon or an infantry squad. You will surpress them, lose site of them, and they they will pop back up and shoot at you. To keep that gun down, I would have my infantry directly target it and have MGs and mortars do area targeting. This way they will keep firing at the area when the enemy unit is surpressed... and keep him surpressed.

Let me guess, Halder wrote that one? [/QB]</font>

BigDuke -- I'd love that link to the Hungarian maps. I am particularly interested in Budapest. Also, I have visited the first site you linked previously, but was unable to read it. I am working on some stuff in the area covering Guderian's initial attacks in June 1941. I am interested in these areas: Pruzana/Pruzany, Kobryn, Baranovicze/Baranovicy, and Sluck. (Belorussia) Also, along the Luga River at Porechye on the way to Lenningrad. If you have the time to ID those maps, I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Bannon

No page xiv in this one. Only a one page preface. Heinrici is mentioned in the "Campaign Planning" pamphlet. I thought it might be him. thanks for the feedback

civdic -- Thanks for the link. It lead me to some other sites and I found a local used book seller that specializes in history and some other fields. Bought some great stuff this afternoon -- 2 US Army Historical Study pamphlets (about 100+ pages each with some good maps.) These were written by German generals while held by the Allies after the war. "Russian Combat Methods" and "The German Campaign in Russian, Planning and Operations ('40- '42)." Very happy to find these. Also picked up a piece of pure Soviet propaganda -- "Russia's Fighting Forces" by Capt. Sergei Kournakoff. This was release in 1942 and covers Japan conflict, Finland, and some rallying remarks about the German attack. Good stuff.

I just picked up a Department of the Army (US) Historical Study titled "Russian Combat Methods in World War II." (No. 20-230, issued Nov. 1950). The preface mentions that this was prepared by a committee of former German officers and mentions the principal author "commanded in succession a panzer division, a corps, a panzer army, and an army group." I think that should narrow it down to a few possibilities, but I don't know my German command hierarchy well enough to know who they would be. Can anyone help out? Here is another obscure clue that might be of use. Opening paragraph of the preface: "This pamphlet was prepared by a committee of former German officers at the EUCOM Historical Division Interrogation Enclosure, Neustadt, Germany, in late 1947 and early 1948. All those officers had extensive experience on the eastern front in the period 1941-1945." And the paragraph goes on to conclude with the principal author info quoted above. Thanks for your help. Also picked up another study "The German Campaign in Russia -- planning and operations (1940-1942). (No. 20-261a) Good reading.

thanks all