MikeO

Read a thread on the war-historical NG about this Op. A point made by one poster was that in the actual battle the Brit paras were attacked from all sides. In CM, reinforcements can only be brought onto one map edge during ops but this restriction doesn't apply to single battle scenarios. This completely hamstringed the CM Arnhem Op. Is this true?

Many certainly did but I've personally seen more photos showing the standard M1942/43 field grey tunic at the front. Splinter pattern camo smocks were only usually issued to panzergrenadiers and snipers (in the Heer) who, being more glamorous though less numerous than other troops, figure in photos more often than not. You also begin to see the cut-down waist length M1944 field blouse modelled on British battledress. A lesser known regulation was that panzergrenadiers mounted in armoured halftracks were supposed to wear a field grey version of the panzer uniform (M1940 special field grey uniform). In practice issue was limited. Panzer Lehr Division had the uniform issued to both PG regts in Normandy (both fully mounted in halftracks) and they are often confused with SP gun crew in photo captions. Most widely used army camo items were probably the Zeltbahn tent-quarter worn poncho-style and the splinter pattern helmet cover; both would probably look pretty cool in CM. I may be wrong but I think there's only one texture slot for all German infantry headwear in the game so that would mean splinter camo for all. I'm currently working on some camo texture mods along these lines. A good, concise, handbook on this topic is 'The German Army (5); Western Front 1943-45' by N. Thomas in the Osprey Men-At-Arms series (No.336). Cheers, Mike

While playing about with the editor I came up with a quick-and-dirty improvised 'cathedral' by joining six churches together into a cruciform shape (Norman style). Not perfect, but I might use it

The military section in Foyles bookshop is still one the best - they have so many books (including foreign language) that they have never been able to catalogue them. Its on Charing Cross Road which, as mentioned, is crammed with bookshops of all kinds. This one is closer to Tottenham Court Road tube. Also there is the smaller 'Motorbooks' in St. Martins Court, just off Charing Cross Road - near Leicester Sq. tube. Motorbooks is actually three separate shops in a row, the left hand one dealing with military subjects. Cheers, Mike (PS, Andreas, I do hope you haven't been down into that basement... .

I like all these suggestions for providing a bit more flavour to the Commonwealth units but my own personal top of a 'wish list' would be for a few more infantry squad types. Other threads include requests for British Commandos and US Rangers, all of which appear to have been used for more than just 'special ops' (It could be argued that paratroops were only meant for limited ops too, even though their actual experience went beyond that). I have several accounts of night attacks made during the Normandy campaign on German tank laagers that seem to have been the work of Brit Commandoes - some interesting scenario possibilities? Even if these are rejected I would like to suggest an option for including Commonwealth squads armed with more Stens (Brits) or Thompsons (Canadians) than the standard one per section. Thousands of Stens were produced and from '44 the 'Woolworths gun' can be seen in photos equipping up to half a section, especially for streetfighting duties. 'The World War II Tommy' by Bradley and Ingram has this to say: 'By 1944 Sten guns were in plentiful supply and privates might acquire them or be issued with them for some tasks, such as patrols or streetfighting...' Actually Brit airborne sections only had a standard issue of one per section but I'm glad to see that in the game they have three (I think...) which is probably closer to actual reality. With the huge variety of German squad types and optional weapon load-outs I think this is only logical! Anyway just a little suggestion...

Hello fellow Teesiders, Wes and Stodge (or are we still Clevelanders or even North Yorkshiremen these days??). Well it sure is a small world. Just wondering: how on Earth are we going to get by without Gazza from now on???????

Thanks, guachi, I was about to post that link to the interesting earlier discussion myself. Is there anything that hasn't already been discussed on this forum??

Spoiler Alert! x x x x x x x x x Oh yes, this was the first scenario I played. I did notice Fionn's AAR on TGN but deliberately avoided reading it so I could play blind. Naturally, I chose to command the Green Howards and started advancing the companies cautiously forward through the first set of cornfields to the ridgeline with the second cornfield area in front; pretty much following the initial lines of advance shown in 'Gold Beach'. Must admit my knowledge of how the actual battle went influenced how I planned to proceed from here on. I knew about the danger from the 'White House' off to the left and the trees at the bend in the sunken lane. Also I'd read about the fatal mistake of the 4/7 DG tanks in racing forward and leaving the infantry behind. The forward SS infantry in the actual battle lay hidden as the Shermans passed by and allowed concealed AT guns to the rear, near Pt.102/Cristot, to knock them out one by one. I decided to keep the tanks back in an infantry-support role and advanced them to the slight ridgeline in as close a hull-down position as I could manage. Really didn't know what enemy forces to expect except the obvious SS PGs with plenty of MGs, 'fausts and 'schrecks. But in this close-up bocage country I could imagine a PAK40 concealed in every patch of wood. What if there were vehicles? I feared they might have SP guns waiting in ambush. Even half expected a counter-attack by PzIVs of the Panzer Lehr off to the right which occurred at Pt.103 around this time. With a tank platoon lined up on each side of the lane, together with most of the two infantry companies, I sent several squads down the trees on each of the lane. As i did this, WHAP!, one of my tanks on the right flank was destroyed by an unseen enemy but my forces spotted a couple of MG teams on the other side of the cornfields and started pounding them. My troops advancing up the lane came under fire from the trees at the bend but I'd anticipated this danger - my 3-inch mortar spotter in the centre had already called a fire mission on this point and the bombs started falling right on cue to devastating effect. By the time A and D Coys arrived as reinforcements, the enemy teams on the other side of the cornfields were keeping their heads down as my tanks, 2-inch mortars and MGs laid down fire. The enemy at the bend in the lane were also cowering from my 'mortar-hate' so I rushed D Coy (with Hollis) up the centre with the extra tanks. I sent A Coy off to support B Coy on the right. With the bend in the road taken, along with some prisoners, I judged the time had come for A and B Coys to rush across the cornfields on the right and take the wooded ridgeline opposite. The tanks and support weapons remained on my own ridge in case the enemy weren't as suppressed as I hoped. This proved to be a sound decision for as my platoons charged across a number of enemy units revealed themselves opposite my extreme right and sent tracer zipping through the corn. All my Shermans and Vickers opened up in response and the crafty enemy had to throw themselves into the mud. Not going to badly so far, but that constant rain and thunder is depressingly ominous! At this point I feel things have gone too easy and the enemy is holding back his worst surprises... On my left, not much activity but I notice enemy squads from that sector working their way towards my troops holding the trees around the sunken lane. I decide to hold on at the bend in the road for the time being as I have the support of my reserve tanks here. Also there seem to be enemy troops moving in from the south-west and I'm in danger of being attacked from three sides. If the enemy on the left can be drawn off toward the centre then I can deliver my left hook against a weakened sector. Well my Green Howards have cleared the right wing ridge and are putting down fire on the patch of woods beyond containing a victory flag - it soon falls. On the left I start to hunt forward with tanks and infantry, mindful of the 'White House' farm on the extreme flank. They take the left ridge with no casualties - the farm seems empty! I'm still cautious on the right as there is a lot of open ground between me and the trees bordering the lane diagonal. Suddenly there seems to be dozens of SS troops moving through the woods on the south side of the diagonal towards my troops holding the centre! I have a Firefly and Sherman on the lane at the bend but they can only fire at the edge of the wood. I arrange my D Coy platoons in spaced lines facing SW to resist the onslaught. It's close quarter mayhem in the woods with grenade detonations and Cockney (hey, these are Northerners!) cries of 'Bar-sted'. I edge my Sherman forward in 'hunt' and he helps with point blank fire. Luckily he doesn't succumb to any wily 'faust. After some pretty tense minutes, and heavy casualties on both sides, the SS are forced back. From here on things get easier. On the left I advance, hopping from wood-clump to wood clump with little opposition. My tanks can see and fire on the final objective; Point 102. The enemy is bringing on reserves but its too late. Have to bring up all the tanks in support as there's a lot of open ground to cover between the woods and the objective. They lay down suppressing fire on the clumps of trees around the objective and then put down smoke to cover the final charge. Sgt Hollis' platoon was given the honour of taking Pt.102...Allied major victory. All in all a most satisfying game. I felt the AI placed too many units too far back - if they had more on the other side of the cornfields they would have inflicted more harm on my advance. As it was, it was my own paranoia that made me so cautious - I only captured the final objective in the last few turns. I suppose that's what bocage fighting does to you. That and the constant depressing rain but, hey, living in Britain is good on the job training for that

When I opened up CM for the first time and saw this one my jaw hit the floor. I did my own version of the Battle of Cristot for the original SL boardgame when the 'Crescendo of Doom' module came out. When I got 'Steel Panthers' home this was the first battle I tried to cook up with the editor. Naturally I was going to do the same with CM and couldn't believe that someone had got there first Why this battle? Well I come from Middlesbrough in NE England which is the main recruiting area (as well as Nth Yorkshire) for the Green Howards. It was also CSM Stan Hollis VC's home town - he ran a pub there after the war. Years ago I came across some excellent local unit histories in the town library including books on the Green Howards and the 50th Northumbrian Division. The Cristot battle was described in detail and seemed a natural (some was reprinted in that excellent 'Gold Beach' booklet by Dunphie and Johnson that you used as a source). Well I still want to do an operation based around this sector, perhaps widening the action to include Pt.103, St. Pierre etc so I hope you don't mind me borrowing some of your map ideas? Also intending to do more of 50th Div's battles against Panzer Lehr; Lingevres, Tilly-sur-Seulles etc... Cheers, Mike (oops, sorry that should have been 'Hardenberger') [This message has been edited by MikeO (edited 07-16-2000).]

This is the MkIIC built by the Canadians. I have seen a photo of another version with two linked fuel tanks in both rear compartments. [This message has been edited by MikeO (edited 07-08-2000).] [This message has been edited by MikeO (edited 07-08-2000).]

Anybody know if the Canadians used Cromwells in their Armored Reconnaissance Regiments too?

I bought 'La Panzer Lehr Division' by Jean-Claude Perrigault (Editions Heimdal) at Foyles bookshop here in London. They have a superb military book section in all languages. Only thing is they have so many books they can't catalogue stock! I often lose all track of time in that place and realise I've spent a couple of hours browsing! Editions Heimdal, like your JJ Fedorowitz and our 'After the Battle' produce some of the most impressive (and expensive) WW2 tomes around.

Bought a huge French language book on the Panzer Lehr Division for 75 UK Pounds (110 USD?). Expect some scenarios to come out of this

According to 'The British Soldier, 1944-45, Vol 2' the Wasp was used; 'according to availability. Medium Machine Gun Company in the Armoured Division.' The TO&E chart in the book shows the Independent MMG Comp. attached to an armoured division having a Flamethrower Platoon with 6 Wasps. The chart for an MMG Battalion of an infantry division doesn't show Wasps in this book. Strangely, the book doesn't indicate the standard issue of flamethrowers of *any* type to an infantry division (though a soldier from 3rd I.D. is shown using an ack-pack). Airborne divisions are shown as having a total of 38 ack-packs. Who 'owned' them is not made clear though engineers usually come to mind. I get the impression that issue was very much ad-hoc and could be issued to any infantry unit from a central pool as the need arose (much like the troop-carrier doctrine). Doesn't clear up the mystery completely but hope this helps.

Well, I'd like to see some of those German SP guns built on captured French chassis by some bloke called Major B... no, sorry, the name's gone.... (get's his coat and sneaks out the door)

Hehe, has anyone tried sending nothing but British armour up that raised-road-through-boggy-polder in the 'Island' operation of CC2??

Arrived home from a BAD day at work and found CM sitting on the mat. Makes up for everything Location: Plaistow, East London, E13 Sticker said 'Computer Software $5' - does that mean I'll get a bill later? Wesreidau, I'm originally from the 'Boro and my folks still live there. 'ITS HIT THE NORTH!!' As the wise prophet Mark E Smith predicted?? Mike

Glad to see some Real Ale bores/connoisseurs have made their way here When I'm in the mood its got to be Old Peculiar from Yorkshire. Cold Guinness will do nicely on a hot day. Those dark stouts and porters are the best. Andreas, you have fallen for our Brit beers? At a recent Real Ale festival I really enjoyed some German Wheat Beer (Real Lager?)

Have to agree with most everything Talenn says here, I'm sorry to say. Samurai Japan is actually my main historical interest and I've played strategic campaigns involving tactical battles with miniatures for around ten years now. S:TW was a BIG disappointment in the strategic stakes, especially as the game was delayed for so long. This part of S:TW reminded me of a 'family boardgame' called 'Shogun' (re-released as 'Samurai Swords') by MB Games. That boardgame was itself a sort of samurai version of 'Risk'. Despite Japan's mountainous terrain, with movement of armies confined to the few roads, in S:TW the map is completely flat as far as strategic movement is concerned. Plus even though provinces such as Mutsu are huge compared to small ones such as Iga, they are all treated as if they are the same: all you have to do is walk in and win one battle (plus a siege if there's a castle) and the province is yours. You can only build ONE castle in province. Why? In r/l Mutsu, many were built. And yes the diplomacy and intrigue is equally superficial. If you're into this period, do yourself a favour and get hold of the movie 'Samurai Banners' starring Toshiro Mifune. Based very closely on the life of an advisor to the Takeda Clan its got it all - colourful battles, heroics, alliances, treachery and subterfuge. Best of all, there's not a darn ninja in sight. After all they were mostly romantic myth that grew up in the post-samurai era. Certainly not the rampaging assassins that kill my taisho every few turns! The samurai game with best strategic map IMO is still the old classic 'Lords of the Rising Sun' - the only reason I still own an Amiga! The tactical battles were pretty abstract but for 1989 what can anyone expect? At least this is one feature S:TW really excels in and they certainly are pretty. Even so, the unit types aren't very historical, showing the designer's Euro-centric prejudice mostly. This Samurai Warrior is looking forward to Combat Mission being many times superior; after all, the designers of THIS game didn't isolate themselves in an ivory tower for years; they actually listened to wargamers

Yes indeed, our arses salute you Mr MantaRay! A big thank you for being there on Omaha for us. Unfortunately I was born 20 years later so I couldn't thank you at the time. Oh, and a big thank you for all those awfully nice Sherman tank thingies you sent us - they fitted our little old 17 pounders quite well

The Joke's on England... Q: What's the difference between a packet of Sellotape and Phil Neville? A: One's a glueless kit. Q: Why aren't the England football team allowed to own a dog? A: Because they can't hold on to a lead. Q: What's the difference between the England team and a teabag? A: The teabag stays in the cup longer. (Sergeant Huang, eat your blessed heart out) Seriously, we all know that the principle behind British sports selection is to pick 'jolly decent chaps' and not trouble ourselves with trendy 'foreign' ideas such as 'skill'. This would only lead to the sort of base vulgarity we associate with those Johnny foreigners who constantly talk about 'winning' all the time. Just look at that MacEnroe fellow. Total bounder. However, I have heard that with the huntin' season approaching some people *have* declared open season on the small, defenseless, furry beast known as the 'neville'. Probably a 'Last Huzzah' before Tony Blair bans it... [This message has been edited by MikeO (edited 06-22-2000).]

Oh yes Mr MantaRay, sir, I'm glad you mentioned that! I would just like to say on behalf of our whole nation: 'Thank you for saving our arses back in WW2' <g>

'Hmm, I don't know where you get your coffee in the UK...' Don't drink the stuff meself - I fear it would make me as 'hyper' as some of our overseas brethren here 'And England got what they deserved...' Yes, but awfully polite of them to continually pass the ball to the opposition I thought. And so gentlemanly to allow the other team to mostly win the tackles too [This message has been edited by MikeO (edited 06-21-2000).]

Ok, GhostOne, since you've tried the Brits, what we want to know is are the voices 'Son-of-Dick van Dyke' or 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Sten-Guns'? Cockney Geezer or Mockney Loser??

Quite so, sir. Stiff upper lip, wot? My goodness, these colonial chapies are an excitable shower. Must be something they put in that 'coffee' stuff. Still, these nice BTS wallahs seem an inventive bunch... BTW, WHAT THE $£%&*@) &%$£ HAPPENED TO ENGLAND AT EURO2000!!!!!!