Keith

If you enjoy Jadgtigers, check out my historical scenario "Debut of the Jadgtiger" on the The Gamer's Net scenario depot. I believe the Jadgtiger was a waste of valuable resources - human and material. Do you realize it took over 1,000 man hours just to build a single Tiger tank? Germany did not even have the fuel to keep the tank running anyways.

The Ardennes Offensive failed because of the following reasons in order of importance: 1) Insufficient means to execute a too ambitious objective. In short, the plan was too grand in scope and beyond the capabilites of the German Army at this time. In fact Rundsted and Model argued strongly for the "small solution" which involved cutting off troops around Achen. The Germans never had a chance to reach the Meuse. 2) Logistics. During the battle the Germans supply system completely broke down and simply could not get fuel and ammo to the fighting troops. At the high water mark of the offensive the Germans were siphoning fuel from the heavy panzers just to keep a portion of their forces mobile. Most of the Germans tanks were not knocked out by enemy fire but simply were abandoned. BTW it is myth that the Germans had insufficient fuel. The truth is they had enough supplies but it was stock piled on the wrong side of the Rhine and it was impossible to bring it forward given allied air superiority and the condition of the clogged roads. 3)Weather. It is one thing to blitz through the Ardennes during high summer and quite a another attack along muddy dirt roads in several inches of snow. During the opening phase of the offensive the German panzers were literaly locked in gigantic traffic jams on road that had been churned into mud soup. 4) Allied air superiority. Self evident. 5) Low quality of troops. The average quality of the german soldier at this time was low with insufficient training. In addition many of the divisions (even Panzer Divisions - particularly Panzer Lehr) were badly understrength before the battle even began. Some "moterized" units were riding bicycles into battle! A great deal of the infantry came from surplus Naval and Luftwaffe replacements with virtually not combat infantry experience. Finally I would have to say the Germans never had a chance and they were merely prolonging the inevitable. The failure in the Ardennes cause the EF to collapse like a house of cards in January 45'.

I suggest you keep the historic map scale but reduce the scope of your scenario. Rembember that CM is really best suited for company to battalion sized battles. If this is one of your first scenarios I would try to keep it small to allow yourself to learn how to tweak the force ballance, objective flags, etc. Also recommend testing the scenario thoroughly against the AI and then posting at this forum for people to test your scenario.

Thanks for the compliment. If you enjoyed the scenario "Debut of the Jadgtiger" be sure to check out my other historical battles titled "The Bloody Causeway" and "Indian Fighting". Just do an author search for Keith Schur. [This message has been edited by Keith (edited 12-27-2000).]

Thanks for your help!

I posted the scenario on the scenario depot of The Gamer's Net website. Special thanks to Terry Flemming, Bill Valencia, and Bob Crane for their help testing and valuable feedback. Here is the scenario intro briefing: "On the crisp, clear night of New Years Eve, 1945, with moonlight reflecting off of newly fallen snow, the German Army launched it last major offensive in the West: Operation Nordwind. The objective of operation Nordwind was to break through the Low Vosges Mountains to the Alsatian Plain and relieve the 19th Army in the Colmar Pocket. Unfortunately for the German high command the U.S. Seventh Army was fully aware of the possibility of an attack through aerial photoreconnaissance, ULTRA intercepts, and prisoner interrogations." "The objective of the newly rebuilt 37th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 17th SS-Panzer Grenadier Division "Götz von Berlichingen" was to smash the infantrymen of the American 3rd Battalion, 397th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division, which were holding the town of Rimling. Just before midnight on December 31st waves of SS storm troopers clad in white snowsuits, running upright, surged toward the American lines, yelling curses in broken English and German, howling and screaming. The first assaulting SS troops ran directly into American minefields, barbed wire, and small arms fire. The 397th Infantry refused to be pushed out of the village of Rimling, where it blunted the attack of the 17th SS Panzer-Grenadiers and was instrumental in foiling the Germans' attempts to break through. During the first week of 1945 the Germans committed dozens of Strumgeschütze, Panthers, the new super heavy Jadgtigers, and flame throwing Hetzers in support of repeated attacks by the 17th SS but failed to eliminate the "Rimling Salient" and achieve a decisive penetration. In recognition of their extraordinary accomplishment, the 3d Battalion, 397th Infantry Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their heroic defense of Rimling."

"Midway" is a really, really, really baaad movie. The reason why there is so much footage of actual battles is because the movie budget was so slim that they couldn't afford to do thier own special effects! The dialoge was incrediably weak and the (over) acting was even weaker. Go rent "Tora! Tora! Tora!".

Olle, I would have to say you are way off base here. The facts are: 1) The standard Panzer Division TO&E called for an armor regiment comprised of one battalion of Pzkfw IV and one battalion of Pzkfw V. That makes 50% in my book. 2) By 1944 most of the so-called "elite" panzer divisions were mere shells of thier former quality because they were for the most part they DESTROYED on the Eastern Front. It was standard Hitler policy to rotate burnt out divisions to the WF until Spring 44'. 3)It was also standard Hitler policy to equip new formations with tanks at the expence of bringing burnt out veteran divisions up to strength. The most notorious example of the bankruptcy of this policy is the formation of the stop-gap Panther Brigades in 44'. These panzer troops were as green as green could be and their performance showed it. If you want to educate yourself try reading up about the Lorraine campaign were the VETERAN 3rd Army KICKED THE HOLY **** out Manutauffels GREEN Panther brigades.

I currently have a couple of PBEM games in progress and I would like to know if it is possible to apply the beta patch and continue the PBEMs with no problems. Of course my opponents would need to apply the patch. [This message has been edited by Keith (edited 12-07-2000).]

I have developed a new historical scenario titled "Debut of the Jagdtiger" featuring the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division's assault against the 100th Infantry Division in Operation Norwind. I am looking for a couple of testers who can give constructive feedback on the scenario. I am willing to reciprocate if you have a scenario needing testing (no huge scenarios please). Email me at kschur@erols.com if you are interested! -Keith [This message has been edited by Keith (edited 12-01-2000).] [This message has been edited by Keith (edited 12-01-2000).]

Remember the most important step in scenario design is TESTING. This is especially true for converting scenarios from one game system to another. I recommend playing the scenario against the AI several times from both sides. Then ask for volunteers on this forum (in the Scenario Center) to play test your scenario. What might look good on paper may be a complete bust in the CM game system with out some major tweaking.

Apparently it took 10 minutes to fire a single 761 pound rocket! Furthemore the ammo load allowed for only 13 rockets. So in a typical CM game you would be lucky to get three shots off. Not too useful. These super tanks are an example of how the Germans wasted valuable resources when they should have been concentrating production on the bread and butter of the tank force- the panther. The Germans should have taken a page from the Russians and concentrated on a few select models.

Contrary to popular belief the Jagdtiger never saw service in the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler had ordered that the new Jagdtiger battalions be used, but a SNAFU with the rail transport prevented the tanks from seeing action. Subsequently during Operation Norwind in January 45' the Jagdtiger made its debut on the Western Front. It was used in the Low Vosges mountains around the town of Rimling, France against the 100th Infantry Division. I will be publishing a new scenario "Debut of the Jagdtiger" shortly on the Gamers Net that deals with this very battle!

Russellmz, It has been a while, but I recall Ambrose inserting a famous quote from the commander of Panzer Lehr describing how his division was shot to pieces by Allied air power while trying to get to the beaches. Ambrose refered to the unit as being an "elite SS" unit. The really bad thing about Ambrose is that he makes a very minimal attempt get the "other side of the hill" perspective into his books and he pulls quotations from U.S. veterans as truth whithout corraborating the statements with other sources/facts. He is almost like a cheerleader, trying to put the American "citizen soldier" on a pedestal compared to his Axis or English counter part. No doubt by 1944 the German high command had its hands tied by Adolf which caused a certain amount of command indecision and inflexibility from the divisional level on up. But Ambrose makes a huge leap to contend that the German Army was nothing but a bunch of mindless automatons that had no initiative and blindly followed orders. Furthermore Ambrose makes an unfounded contention that Amercian democracy produced a superior soldier to German fascism.

For the record Steven Ambrose IS a hack. He bases all of his history on American soldier's memories 55 years after the fact. Furthermore his books are LOADED with factual errors. I casually browsed through one of his books at a bookstore and I found numerous errors in a matter of minutes. Errors such as a reference to the 57mm German anti-tank gun, or referring to the Panzer Lehr division as a SS division. Ambrose regurgitates history from other sources and turns it around to suit his theories. I see him as a reaction to the John Keegan camp which actually believe nonsense such as Montgomery planned all along to conduct a battle of attrition around Caen to allow the Americans to break out on the left. BTW I am from the US so I have no axe to grind.

In Berlin people marched against the recent upsurge in violence against immigrants and synagouges and in rememberence of the holocaust. Here are some photos from the Washington Post: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/photo/topstory/G57243-2000Nov09.html

"Parker's Crossroads" is a fun scenario. I would suggest that the author of the scenario give the americans a boost by adjusting the victory margin in the scenario parameters menu. It is pretty much given that the Germans will win, but with the added victory margin for the allies it will be more balanced.

In the old Steel Panthers war game scenarios were randomly padded with a variable number of extra turns (usually 1-3). This helped to discourage the gameiness associated with last turn "flag grabbing" tactics. I think this would be a nice addition to the CM game.

I agree with Germanboy's assesments. AFVs, particularly open top AFVs, should take evasive action and move out when under artillery/mortar fire.

To add my 2 cents in, I am currently designing a scenario that involves the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division assaulting the U.S. 100th Infantry Division in the Vosges during operation "Norwind". My sources clearly state that the 17th SS was a completely rebuilt unit with highly inexperienced leaders. This was reflected in their attack technique, which basically involved using human wave assaults of fanatical SS troopers. The CM game system perfectly enables me to model this by allowing the SS troops to have "Green" experience level with fanaticism set to 50%. Incidentally, I imagine this is how many early war Russian units can be modelled. Bottom line is the system works fine.

As a side note I have read the Joseph Pieper's men murdered a bunch of black men they had captured. It is interesting that this incident is rarely mentioned compared to the "Malmady Massacre", which involved exclusively white troopers. The source was Micheal Reynold's book "Men of Steel".

Jackson, your statement that the Comapny HQ is "able to bring his platoon leaders up to speed on what was happening to the other platoons, and could better coordinate immediate counterattacks or withdrawals, and reposition heavy weapons. " is absolutely true and is modeled quite accurately in the current game system. In the game Company HQs can assume command of ANY unit within its command radius and is thus able to form teams and quickly position support units. As far as coordinate counter attacks and withdraws, I believe this is abstracted in the sense that units out of command an control have longer reaction times. Thus the game models this feature too. I found your idea intersting and it is always good to come up with new ways to improve the game but in the end analysis I have to vote against this won.

Croda, Your statement "As it stands now, platoon leaders are beholden to no one. If they panic, they don't have the benefit any leader to 'straighten them out' so to speak." is in fact incorrect. You will notice in the current game that if a platoon leader breaks or panics within the command radius of a Company HQ then it goes to being under command of that HQ and receives any appropriate bonuses. So the game is already modeling what you are talking about. Leadership is not magically transferrable between commanders. Like I have said the real life function of a Company HQ during battle is that of a floating HQ unit.

The Company and Battalion HQ units' ability to assume command and control over any given unit is a HUGE bonus. It allows the player to organize units into ad hoc teams. In addition, having a Company HQ in the rear is an excellent tool to rally broken units. These functions mirror what the real life function of the Company HQ and Battalion HQ is once a battle has begun. The fact of the matter is that when the shooting starts, there is little in the way that the higher level HQs can exert control over the battlefield. Once the lead start to fly Company grade officers serve to organize counterattacks, rally troops, and in fact function as a floating HQ unit. Of course prior to the battle the function of these higher level HQs are totally different. In summary I would have to say that the game is fine the way it is and reflects reality. I think adding further bonuses or penalties is unrealistic. This proposed new functionality is in essence saying that if the Company HQ is within a certain radius of a Platoon HQ then the Platoon HQ has some magical bonuses to better motivate/rally/combat/stealth capabilities. This is ludicrous and just adds unneeded complexity to the game.

Incidentally the main reason that TD battalions were broken up and parceled in direct support of the infantry was the fact that the infantry battalions lacked an AT gun capable of knocking out most German tanks. The 57mm AT gun was inferior and no infantry commander was willing to have his troops be overrun by armor while the TDs waited in the rear on the reverse slopes of hills for the armor to come to them.