Bil Hardenberger

Okay, I know there are a lot of these getting released lately.. but I think mine are just a bit unique, vehicle icons are handled uniquely... when selected the icons flash blue for Ukrainian and olive for US units... 
 
Note that these are BETA.. I will be making adjustments, but wanted to get something out there for those of you waiting to try my floating icons.  I was going for clarity and ease of identification with this set.
 
If you download them and try them out please give me any feedback you like... I know there are some issues: for example the FOW icons, ammo dumps get the ammo bearer icon etc.. I need to adjust those for sure.
 
Grab them here: Bil's Floating Icons-BETA
 
Previews:
 

 

Yes, I am posting on the outer board. I always promise myself it will be the last time.

You know that scene in Zero Dark Thirty when they are in the chopper going to clip OBL? And the lead Sgt (whatever) asks "who here has been in a chopper crash" and all the hands begrudgingly go up? That is pretty much the response you would get in the CM Beta forum if you asked "who here has been in a firefight".

Do we all agree on the issue at hand? No,been a debate for about 15 years. But here is one thing most will agree on; nobody "does" what another someone staring from the sky think one should do in a fire fight. One could argue the name of the entire game is to position yourself so that the enemy and not you is reacting to fire.

Paraphrasing Rommel "if they hit the beach we are in trouble". Same can be said for combat in general. If your little guys are caught in any other position other than cover when the steel starts flying you are in real trouble...so avoid it. It isn't AI it is crappy tactics (in game and in RL). Guys dismount out of a IFV into an open street directly into fire...they are more justified in questioning the commanders "AI" than we are of theirs. I could go on about "when someone gets hit" but no need to really dig that up except to say again no real way to predict.

Last point, take a look at history and casualty rates of any given action. Then compare to a CM body count, CM's will be much, much higher. Why? Because in RL soldiers (even US) are much less likely to follow amateur and sucidal orders...you know, like the ones we give every game.

Want perfect control? Go play chess.

Good show Ken.  I'm glad its over.. now I can get back to work.  

If we don't get NATO, then we'll never see how an M1A2 SEP v2 matches up to the Leopard 2A7  

If we don't get NATO, then we'll never see how an M1A2 SEP v2 matches up to the Leopard 2A7  

If we don't get NATO, then we'll never see how an M1A2 SEP v2 matches up to the Leopard 2A7  

Yes, excellent show DMS.  You truly have earned your free copy!

Yes, excellent show DMS.  You truly have earned your free copy!

Okay I have re-worked these icons in the little spare time I have     Bil's Floating Icons BETA 2
 
Most work was done to the US icons... they now are square in shape and I have adjusted the color so they will work in any lighting conditions... (Ukrainian Icons do not have these changes yet).

 
When selected the icons reveal the nationality (for the US the icons will flash green). NOTE: This will not work for the shared icons, including, HQs, snipers, FOs, etc.:

 
I have also reworked the FOW icons... note the difference between the Russian and US FOW icons.  NOTE: My philosophy is that FOW icons are a warning to the player that something is out there.. hence the design:
 

 

I think he's doing a fine job.  
 
Totally engrossed Bud... keep going, this is a great AAR.

When the Market Garden module gets released I will be releasing officially the Combat Mission Tactical Problems Blog (link).
It has been up for some time as I have been slowly adding content. Eventually I will have practice scenarios that will be targeted towards practicing and experimenting with different tactical concepts. The first scenarios are completed and tested, only waiting for the module to release and for me to finish the content necessary for their completion. These problems will be progressive, meaning that you will start with small units (squads and tank sections) and then build to full company (+) combat teams.
The tactical concepts and procedures will get more complicated as you progress. I will add to this content as I get the time and motivation.
I thought a little sneak peek, now that Market Garden preorders are active, was in order. Feel free to look around and comment, either on the blog or in this thread if you have any questions or if you see any errors or issues.
If any of this information helps your CM play, in any of the different CM games (the concepts will be similar from game to game) please drop in and let me know.
Here is the overview post from the Combat Mission Tactical Problems Blog:

Okay, I know there are a lot of these getting released lately.. but I think mine are just a bit unique, vehicle icons are handled uniquely... when selected the icons flash blue for Ukrainian and olive for US units... 
 
Note that these are BETA.. I will be making adjustments, but wanted to get something out there for those of you waiting to try my floating icons.  I was going for clarity and ease of identification with this set.
 
If you download them and try them out please give me any feedback you like... I know there are some issues: for example the FOW icons, ammo dumps get the ammo bearer icon etc.. I need to adjust those for sure.
 
Grab them here: Bil's Floating Icons-BETA
 
Previews:
 

 

Okay, I know there are a lot of these getting released lately.. but I think mine are just a bit unique, vehicle icons are handled uniquely... when selected the icons flash blue for Ukrainian and olive for US units... 
 
Note that these are BETA.. I will be making adjustments, but wanted to get something out there for those of you waiting to try my floating icons.  I was going for clarity and ease of identification with this set.
 
If you download them and try them out please give me any feedback you like... I know there are some issues: for example the FOW icons, ammo dumps get the ammo bearer icon etc.. I need to adjust those for sure.
 
Grab them here: Bil's Floating Icons-BETA
 
Previews:
 

 

Okay, I know there are a lot of these getting released lately.. but I think mine are just a bit unique, vehicle icons are handled uniquely... when selected the icons flash blue for Ukrainian and olive for US units... 
 
Note that these are BETA.. I will be making adjustments, but wanted to get something out there for those of you waiting to try my floating icons.  I was going for clarity and ease of identification with this set.
 
If you download them and try them out please give me any feedback you like... I know there are some issues: for example the FOW icons, ammo dumps get the ammo bearer icon etc.. I need to adjust those for sure.
 
Grab them here: Bil's Floating Icons-BETA
 
Previews:
 

 

Okay, I know there are a lot of these getting released lately.. but I think mine are just a bit unique, vehicle icons are handled uniquely... when selected the icons flash blue for Ukrainian and olive for US units... 
 
Note that these are BETA.. I will be making adjustments, but wanted to get something out there for those of you waiting to try my floating icons.  I was going for clarity and ease of identification with this set.
 
If you download them and try them out please give me any feedback you like... I know there are some issues: for example the FOW icons, ammo dumps get the ammo bearer icon etc.. I need to adjust those for sure.
 
Grab them here: Bil's Floating Icons-BETA
 
Previews:
 

 

Apoll, yes it does sound like you are playing real time... I never play in real time, only wego.  I too suggest you play that way.  There is way too much going on in most scenarios to play real time, which I would only ever play in a platoon sized battle.
 
You need the time to take stock of all aspects of the battle.. you can only do that in wego mode for anything larger than a platoon.  In wego you can rewind each turn, watch the enemy UI contacts and determine movement paths, intent etc.  Happy to go into more detail, but it sounds like you know what you are doing, only need to remember that you are playing as every commander at every echelon, from platoon leader, to company, to battalion commanders, all the way down to individual team leaders.  You need to be able to jump into each of their shoes.. not possible in real time.
 
Hope that helps some!

Apoll, yes it does sound like you are playing real time... I never play in real time, only wego.  I too suggest you play that way.  There is way too much going on in most scenarios to play real time, which I would only ever play in a platoon sized battle.
 
You need the time to take stock of all aspects of the battle.. you can only do that in wego mode for anything larger than a platoon.  In wego you can rewind each turn, watch the enemy UI contacts and determine movement paths, intent etc.  Happy to go into more detail, but it sounds like you know what you are doing, only need to remember that you are playing as every commander at every echelon, from platoon leader, to company, to battalion commanders, all the way down to individual team leaders.  You need to be able to jump into each of their shoes.. not possible in real time.
 
Hope that helps some!

Sorry but sadly Bil is toast. Those M1s will just roll in, shrug of any rpg shots and machine gun (iirc buildings might be preserve options) any Russian infantry sheltering in the buildings. Once Bil runs out of a/ T90s b/ anti tank assets nowt left to do but surrender. A company team with a plartoon of M1s and two platoons of BIFVs would have made for a more balanced challenge IMO.

You only need superiority at the point of contact... find him, then concentrate against each enemy position with overwhelming firepower to suppress the enemy unit (fix him), maneuver to his flanks (flank him), then assault the position (finish him).  
 
Eat the elephant one bite at a time.  You do not need 4:1 odds to accomplish this.. especially for a defending enemy that is probably spread out to cover all avenues of approach.

You only need superiority at the point of contact... find him, then concentrate against each enemy position with overwhelming firepower to suppress the enemy unit (fix him), maneuver to his flanks (flank him), then assault the position (finish him).  
 
Eat the elephant one bite at a time.  You do not need 4:1 odds to accomplish this.. especially for a defending enemy that is probably spread out to cover all avenues of approach.

You only need superiority at the point of contact... find him, then concentrate against each enemy position with overwhelming firepower to suppress the enemy unit (fix him), maneuver to his flanks (flank him), then assault the position (finish him).  
 
Eat the elephant one bite at a time.  You do not need 4:1 odds to accomplish this.. especially for a defending enemy that is probably spread out to cover all avenues of approach.

My close terrain recon technique is outlined in this post (from my CMRT BETA AAR):
 
Close Terrain Recon Technique
 
If you don't want to waste ammo using area fire, this technique should at least help you ID where the enemy teams are located and you can then plan with that knowledge as you move forward.

I have one in the works, needs a little tightening up but will be available soon:
 

Let me say that I also feel a bit like John - without this AAR or Chris' videos I'd have just passed on CMBS, at least for a while.

Bil,
Your skills demonstrated the New Modern - Black Sea very well.
Yes, any Russian force would withdraw facing such dominating combat power. You stuck in very well facing overwhelming numbers your forces faced.
Nothing better than TWO worthy opponents showing us how to deal the cards dealt... in Black Sea.
Salutes,
Buzz