Bil Hardenberger

Well, a few enemy teams, including one HQ team break from the wood line and head across the open space leading to Obj. Blau... what spurred that movement, and why through the open? Note that I now have a full squad in KT4 heading toward the enemy teams. Notice that I have started to cross from KT2 to KT4... note the squad at the edge of KT2 facing KT5.. they will stay in this position for several turns yet to allow the movement toward Blau to develop.

I thought this image was too pretty not to share... the softer side of tank porn, my ISU-122s in position (hopefully acting as distractors): I did have some contact this turn.. looks like the remnant of the very first team I encountered.. it appears to only have one member... ...by the end of the turn the enemy soldier was running for the rear being chased by my precious SMG ammo... Overview of where the encounter occurred at the top of KT3:

That is correct. The naming is exactly the same.

The CMFI version includes Italians the CMBN version does not. That's the only difference.

That is not my intent at his point in the battle. My intent is to perhaps make Elvis doubt whether I am going to use this route or not. That will at least force him to keep something along Axis Red to counter any potential move. I have the OT34 present in the area you mention to help along that route to Blau.

2nd Squad's SMG team passed through the Danger Area without problems... This image shows my next moves.. KT2 has almost been completely cleared.. no enemy contact at all n there. 5th Company is now tight behind my scouting 4th Company platoon... note that I intend to break this force up into three parts, all with the same goal, but I will show the move towards Objective Blue for several turns before I move on to Axis Yellow. In KT3 I know there are enemy teams out there so I have almost a full platoon in flank protection while I move another along the edge of the woods and on towards Objective Blue as shown... I want one squad on each side of that clearing with a third following up. My ISU-122s are in position on the river bank... I might move them forward some more to peek around the corner but I have not made up my mind.

My Period Icon mod for CMBN can be downloaded here: CMBN Mods Page and for CMFI: CMFI Mods Page These are both up to date and include icons for all unit types. As mentioned they use the US Army military symbols from the period.

You might think this is tank porn.. well it is.. but it also has a purpose: It is a view of my lead ISU-122... I am sending the ISU-122 Section forward to the river line to give more emphasis to a center-left side attack to hopefully mislead Elvis... doubt it'll work.. but the more I push into the center and the left the more he will need to either keep in place to meet it, or redeploy to counter it. Composite Image: The area between KT3 and KT 4 is a danger area.. you need to cross these areas as quickly as possible... the following image shows my movement from KT3 into KT4. My Rifle and LMG teams will be in their overwatch positions before the SMG team rushes across. Composite Image:

Miquel, I want a steady movement through the area so am only giving short pauses. Longer pauses are great for LPs and OPs.

Reconnaissance Thought I would share with you how I am conducting my recon in KT2.... (this image is a composite put together in Photoshop to show all movement orders simultaneously). 1st Platoon/4th Company has the responsibility of clearing the way for 5th Company which will followup along this route. 3rd squad is moving through the heart of this wood moving in a zig zag pattern.. note the pauses given to each. My goal is to not have all teams moving at once.. and to stop and pause from 10-15 seconds at each waypoint (this allows them to spot, listen before moving onto the next waypoint). I am ordering no more than one or two legs of movement per turn, and all movement is Hunt. 2nd Squad is moving up the flank of the forest to clear this route in the standard formation I laid out previously... SMG team in front, followed up by the Rifle team and then the LMG team. 1st Squad is pulling up the rear (platoon reserve) and will be there in case one of the other squads gets into trouble. Note that as of the end of this turn I had progressed fully through about half of KT2 with no enemy contact. Let me know if this sort of thing is interesting or not.

Baneman, I'd have to go back and look (don't have time right now).. but in the very first encounter when I took down three of the enemy my team used about 30 rounds total.. so not too bad. When I area fired the SMGs didn't fire at all, only the rifle did.. so no rounds were expended then. There was a lot of firing when the second enemy team (of 5) came into view.. sorry I don't have a count of those round expended. I'll watch in the next encounter how quickly ammo is burned.

Yep, as stated keeping my SMGs supplied is going to be a problem. I am sticking to a couple of rules: 1) Use Area Fire as little as possible. When I do use area fire with SMGs I will only target briefly. 2) Do not give specific fire orders for SMG teams... I want them to choose their own targets. This should ensure that when they fire ammo usage will be more efficient. 3) When possible, ensure that buddy aid is used as much as possible for casualties that were carrying SMGs. By the way, I do not have any SMG ammo on any of the trucks. There was a bug in the early BETAs that effected SMG ammo so I couldn't take advantage of that... so what the SMGers are carrying is all they will have available for this battle. My SMG Squads (on the tanks) I am saving for any breakthrough attempt that is necessary. I want them ready and fully armed for when that is necessary.

Fast... I don't remember if they were ready or tiring to be honest... I don't think they were tiring. Those short runs usually only have an immediate effect on heavy weapons teams (MGs and mortars). I consider this super short fast move a rush... as such I want them to move quickly, get to the new position, take up positions and be ready for anything. On hunt they could get interrupted by any incoming fire and in these cases I do not want that. Well if the suppression fire did suppress them then yes this short fast run should get closer and set before the enemy could recover. Yeah they are burning through it.. and with two KIAs in that team the SMG ammo situation for that team is now not good. This is a BETA and there is still some missing art.. the black icons are the pioneer squads.

I think you meant Pyrhic grenade throw John.

As promised, here is the current situation: Notes: 4th Company 1st Platoon - scouting KT2 2nd Platoon +OT34 - scouting & feint in KT3 3rd Platoon - moving to KT3 for support 5th Company - in reserve T34/85 Platoon + tank riders - in position in KT1 ISU-122s - providing force flank protection (covering the Axis Red open area) That's everything right? Oh wait, I think I promised you guys some OT34 Flamethrower Action... well this turn I did some area fire to hose down the forest where I suspect the fourth enemy team must be hiding out.. actually I just wanted to see it fire. Enjoy the movie. Now that's out of the way I will save the rest of the fuel for real targets.

Yep the action in the forest is close, fast, and brutal. Definitely helps to have high ROF weaponry that's for sure. Elvis should have used at least two teams if he meant to assault me, preferably three... one or two to suppress my team, then the final one to assault.. a basic squad attack drill. Traveling today, so my next turn report will be late.. I hope to be able to get to it tonight. I fire my flamethrower this turn... you will want to stay tuned for that, I will post a movie.

You guys sound bored.. here is some action to get you back in the mood: My SMG team rushed forward about 15 meters took up positions and was engaging the withdrawing enemy team when they suddenly heard something behind them! Whirling around they saw an enemy team obviously oriented and advancing on their previous location... My SMGs quickly silenced three of the enemy, and all five would eventually fall... but not before the final German tossed a grenade into the middle of my team... I suffered two casualties, one of them was the Squad Leader... Before that action took place I noticed two enemy contacts.. those together with the two that were withdrawing makes a total of four spotted so far. I left the rear of my formation uncovered... I need to watch that in the future. I like that Elvis tried an attack, good for him.. too bad it didn't work out for him. Even if I hadn't moved my SMG team though I suspect he would have lost his entire team. Now.. where is the other team that was maneuvering with this one? That contact disappeared. Elsewhere my T34s have started entering KT1, I am about 1/3rd of the way into KT2 and my scouts have found nothing there yet. The withdrawing teams were engaged by the lead squad's Rifle Team and though I only saw one individual he ran off and no casualties were seen. Next turn I'll give you an overall situation report.

I am sorry, but what you are asking me to do is create a second set of screen captures.. and truthfully doing these AARs is enough work without adding that additional labor. I have no doubt that Elvis will post normal mode screenshots of my equipment as he spots them, so please be patient, they will come. Bil

Plenty of images in normal mode of Russian equipment and infantry: CMRT Screenshot Section

Yes, as I said above, I prefer this mode. Plus I actually think the screenshots look better in this mode, and I enjoy playing with it, I like the way it looks, I'm making the screenshots (and potentially movies) so I get to choose.

The enemy team (or teams) withdrew this turn... My SMG Team laid down some suppression fire for 15 seconds then advanced to the location of the enemy casualties... ..my Rifle team started rushing forward to hit the enemy team(s) in the flank... ...all the while the enemy team(s) pulled back out of contact, I am determined to maintain contact so will be pursuing. Here is the sequence of events: The Platoon HQ Squad is advancing forward in support. In position my SMG Team can indeed identify three dead Germans from last turn's encounter: My movements for next turn: The squad in contact will continue to advance, I am trying to ensure I only have one team moving at a time to enhance spotting. The Plt HQ Squad will be moving into a flanking position on the edge of the woods. The OT34 is advancing across the stream and will also be on hand for close support (I really want to try out the flamethrower on this thing). I will be firing my mortar ahead of the suspected enemy team(s) in case they keep withdrawing. My goal for the next 10-15 minutes is to convince Elvis that my main effort is coming up this route... hopefully that will force him to deploy his armor and re-deploy any infantry he has on the Axis Yellow route. Note also that along this route I do not want to advance further into the woods than my SMG Team is.. this is so I can support the infantry with mortar and tank fire as required.. any deeper and they would be on their own.

Yes I had considered that, which is why I said (possible).. it has yet to be confirmed. _____________ Sorry but I only play with the game on War Movie mode now... whether it be CMFI, CMBN, or now CMRT. But that's just me and my preference. _____________ I wanted to make one note from last turn... previously my HMGs were getting pulled around like they were ATGs and could only be given Move orders.. now with the new BETA (yes we recently upgraded) they can indeed be hustled forward so my HMGs are now on the move heading towards KT3 and KT2 specifically to backup my scouts.

I thought I would start this turn off with today's official tank porn: Miss February, the T34/85: ..and her hotter little sister, the OT34: This turn started off with my SMG team in position.. it didn't take long to spot an enemy infantryman.. obviously oriented towards my moving Rifle Team... it only took one squirt from the SMG to take this fellow out at around 15 meters: Another enemy soldier was spotted later in the turn... note that this soldier was killed before the two grenades (red circles) landed... after the grenades exploded I heard another soldier cry out in pain... so it sounds like Elvis suffered three casualties this turn (possibly). So this is the setup at turn end.. note the second sound contact. The one enemy unit I encountered didn't seem to have enough firepower to be a complete squad, so I suspect I am facing enemy teams.. if that's the case then the one team I hit this turn must be down to one man. My goal is now to pin the second (team) before it can slink away and to eliminate the first... if this is his recon, then I want to blind him as quickly as possible.

Andrew, I see what you did there.

My forces are organizing for their assigned tasks, in KT3 this last turn I get two sound contacts on enemy infantry in the woods (one contact might be moving as the contact was fleeting). I am setting up to hit them, but want to give them one more turn to see what they do. I have the SMG team in the woods, the rifle team coming into the edge of the woods, and the LMG team in a support position on the river bank. I also am moving the OT-34 up into a position near the end of KT1. I want him to hear the sounds of tanks in this area. I have a mortar setting up in the opposite treeline. We might actually have an exchange of fire in the next turn.