Wild Bill Wilder
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Posts posted by Wild Bill Wilder
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Hey there, Tommy!
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Cpl Ferris is indeed a recon unit ahead of the force but not too far. I equipped him for dealing with any German advance armor to shake them up a bit.
I don't usually do that, but in this case it proved to create an interesting situation or two in the testing.
Eyes with a bite can help.
Wild Bill
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On the way, Big DOg. SOrry, been out of town for a few days...WB
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I've been one of the few fortunate ones to read the AARs from some of the players. It has been very illuminating and entertaining.
Most of them read like a war diary or a combat newsman reporting what is going on around him.
A very energetic and talented group of gamers are participating...none of whom I would care to go a few rounds with in either PBEM or TCP/IP :eek:
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The first of my two newest scenarios, called "Amored Ambush" is now available for downloading at the Boots N Tracks site.
You can grab it here.
http://www.militarygameronline.com/combatmission/
A number of other battles can also be found there. The Site is maintained by Raider Team Captain Kevin Kinscherf.
Here is the summary of the battle:
Title: Armored Ambush
Type: UK attack vs German Defend
Date: July 18, 1944
Location: Emeiville, Normandy
Weather: Clear
Terrain: Dry
Turns: 25
Author: Wild Bill Wilder
Wild Bill's Raiders
The Scenario:
This scenario depicts the hard fighting to take the ground southwest of Cagny by the British Guards Armored Division.
The History:
After six weeks of hard fighting, the city of Caen and the surrounding vicinity was still putting up stiff resistance. The struggle had been costly for both sides, especially in men.
General Montgomery now proposed an operation that would utilize the three armored divisions under his command. They were the Guards, the 7th, and the 11th Armored Divisions.
Against this formidable force of over 700 tanks Rommel had prepared well his defenses in five separate layers. Each layer had a buffer zone of infantry backed by armored mobile forces with well hidden antitank guns behind them. The German defenses had a depth of nearly seven miles, a few miles more than what the British anticipated.
After a devastating carpet-bombing executed by most of the aircraft of the British Bomber Command, the advance of the tanks began. It was a long and difficult process. The attackers were bound on the right by continuing resistance of the Germans in the southern end of Caen. To their left the high ground of Troarn, heavily wooded, precluded any armor entering in strength.
Thus the British tanks found themselves wedged into a narrow line of advance with little room for maneuver. This was an ideal defensive situation and the Germans took full advantage of it.
After reaching the town of Demouville, the three British armored divisions moved in different directions. The 11th Armored moved to the southwest; the Guards to the southeast, and the 7th following the first two divisions and pressing on to Bergebous Ridge.
After suffering serious losses at Cagny, the Guards Division turned to the left and moved toward Vimont further to the south and to link up with the British 3rd Division covering the left flank of the advance.
Though suffering terribly at the hands of the British carpet bombing, enough tanks of the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion were able to get moving and provided an additional bitter surprise to the weary British tankers.
For the Guards, this was their first major engagement in World War II. It would be a costly one. In fact, all three divisions met with disaster. The Guards lost nearly half their tank strength in a period of two days.
By the end of the first day of action in Operation Goodwood, British tank losses were in the hundreds, a very high price to pay for a small bit of ground gained.
The only plus of the entire operation was that the Germans too had suffered irreplaceable losses and were forced to begin a retreat from the area.
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The first of my two newest scenarios, called "Amored Ambush" is now available for downloading at the Boots N Tracks site.
You can grab it here.
http://www.militarygameronline.com/combatmission/
A number of other battles can also be found there. The Site is maintained by Raider Team Captain Kevin Kinscherf.
Here is the summary of the battle:
Title: Armored Ambush
Type: UK attack vs German Defend
Date: July 18, 1944
Location: Emeiville, Normandy
Weather: Clear
Terrain: Dry
Turns: 25
Author: Wild Bill Wilder
Wild Bill's Raiders
The Scenario:
This scenario depicts the hard fighting to take the ground southwest of Cagny by the British Guards Armored Division.
The History:
After six weeks of hard fighting, the city of Caen and the surrounding vicinity was still putting up stiff resistance. The struggle had been costly for both sides, especially in men.
General Montgomery now proposed an operation that would utilize the three armored divisions under his command. They were the Guards, the 7th, and the 11th Armored Divisions.
Against this formidable force of over 700 tanks Rommel had prepared well his defenses in five separate layers. Each layer had a buffer zone of infantry backed by armored mobile forces with well hidden antitank guns behind them. The German defenses had a depth of nearly seven miles, a few miles more than what the British anticipated.
After a devastating carpet-bombing executed by most of the aircraft of the British Bomber Command, the advance of the tanks began. It was a long and difficult process. The attackers were bound on the right by continuing resistance of the Germans in the southern end of Caen. To their left the high ground of Troarn, heavily wooded, precluded any armor entering in strength.
Thus the British tanks found themselves wedged into a narrow line of advance with little room for maneuver. This was an ideal defensive situation and the Germans took full advantage of it.
After reaching the town of Demouville, the three British armored divisions moved in different directions. The 11th Armored moved to the southwest; the Guards to the southeast, and the 7th following the first two divisions and pressing on to Bergebous Ridge.
After suffering serious losses at Cagny, the Guards Division turned to the left and moved toward Vimont further to the south and to link up with the British 3rd Division covering the left flank of the advance.
Though suffering terribly at the hands of the British carpet bombing, enough tanks of the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion were able to get moving and provided an additional bitter surprise to the weary British tankers.
For the Guards, this was their first major engagement in World War II. It would be a costly one. In fact, all three divisions met with disaster. The Guards lost nearly half their tank strength in a period of two days.
By the end of the first day of action in Operation Goodwood, British tank losses were in the hundreds, a very high price to pay for a small bit of ground gained.
The only plus of the entire operation was that the Germans too had suffered irreplaceable losses and were forced to begin a retreat from the area.
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Good going Panzerman! Yes, you can do it and you did it.
I love seeing this great interest in scenario design.
That is how it should be. The addition of editors to the games had its beginning with TANKS by Norm Koger, at least to my limited knowledge.
Now a plethora of fine work from so many talented people gives us untold hours of fun at the computer.
Glad to hear this my friend. Thanks for sharing...Wild Bill
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Well thank you Wally! Sounds like you are a long term veteran of the wargaming community. Some of those go back aways.
I appreciate your kind thoughts. They do mean a lot to an old warrior like me.
Wild Bill
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There are a lot of great support sites for CM out there, so many! They all offer something to the die hard CM fighter.
I just visited Der Kessel, from Germanboy and Gregory Mudry and was quite impressed with the amount of material and especially detail offered there.
Of course the work done by Admiral Keith and Big Dog is the very best, offering scenarios from so many.
I would be amiss if I did not mention the Raider's contribution to the game with the Boots N' Tracks site.
We'll be posting a few new ones very soon also.
Isn't it great to have all these mods, scenarios, operations, maps, and information at our fingertips.
A lot of people have done a lot of work to enhance our gaming experience.
Wild Bill
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Big Dog!
This is a great service you are rendering to the CM wargaming community. You and the Admiral have done a superb job of gathering, collating, and presenting so many battles done in "our" game.
This involves a lot of work and is a labor of love for the wargamers. Many thanks for your work.
It is nice to see so many becoming proficient as this addictive hobby of design and play.
Wild Bill
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So is this group of "good ole boys" going to get together one day?
WB
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Well, I'm wide spread. I live in Smyrna, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta actually. My daughter is in North Carolina. I have kids in Atlanta, Stone Mountain, Greenville and Easley SC, and also NC.
I think that is all of them..lesse, six..yep, that is right.
So Preacher, we need to get together if you are a Marietta man. We might be closer than you think.
But I'm up for a meeting, SC, NC, Ga, Tenn, Alabaman, Florida, you guys call it, I'll be there!
Wild Bill
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However they are scored, let me tell you from the few I have read that are fantastically done. Excellent wriring in great detail that make the battle certainly come alive.
What has impressed me most is the great attitude, win or lose. No crying here! They faced their fate like men, went to war and gave it their best. You can't ask for more than that!
To those participating in this campaign, I congratulate you not only for your gaming skills but for your maturity. A great quality. It's easy to know how to win. It takes a good man to know how to lose.
Impressive!
Wild Bill
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I've got a few I can loan you, Gunny-Bunny. Drop me a note...WB
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THe "labels" are an excellent idea. I hesitated labeling the map too much as I thought it might take away from the "feel" of the battle.
I wanted the fighting ground to give the appearance of actual battlefields and the labels somewhat took away from that.
BUT, if you guys prefer that, I'll certainly include a few more for you, such as Hill 113,
Highway !, Objective 1, 2, 3, etc.
Do you prefer it that way?
Wild Bill
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Not sure, Richard. We've had some trouble with the site and may be forced at least for now to put htem somewhere else this time around.
So many great sites out there, it's hard to know where to stick 'em. I'll let you know.
Thanks for asking and for your comments, guys. That is always appreciated.
Wild Bill
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My vote is for blackouts. Do I have a vote :confused: ?
I think the focus needs to be on the battle, not how well or how poorly another player is doing.
Focus. Winning demands focus.
And if I don't have a vote, at least I can lobby
Wild Bill
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Sorry fellas, been involved in a few other firefirghts and could not get over here. By all means, send those AARs to ma also.
I really enjoy reading them and learn from them. Holien, I see you like them :eek:
Send me the video. I'd enjoy checking it out.
As for the scoring system, I go with the majority. That is not a cop-out. I do think what the folks involved in the tourney want (besides automatic victory -
) should be there.I'm glad I'm designing and not admnistrating
Wild Bill
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Keep 'em comin' Super Ted. You are right on top of it!
Wild Bill
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Thanks, Highlife and all of you. I will keep these thoughts in mind and venture out to a bigger one.
In fact, we'll shoot for a 40 turn one, which is indeed rare for me. Good to know what all of you like.
When I get it done, I'll keep it interesting to the last turn
Wild Bill
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I envy you guys in the heat of battle. You all have a great attitude "win or lose." That speaks well of all of you.
Thanks,
Wild Bill
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Not really, since we are discussing more about the time frame of scenarios. We are discussing the game.
I don't think the powers that be would lop off your head, Iron Duke. There is no favoritism here, my friend.
Right now with no official role, I'm simply a gamer just like you. And I have been moved before, so I know that feeling too.
I also believe this contributes more to the gaming community than slam dunk seesions, or let's kill Peng sessions that go on page after page. I don't always find a lot of interesting material in these either, do you?
Where should they go, do you think?
One more point on scenario lengths. Hans and MH have valid points.
I would offer, however, in consideration the fact that many commanders are faced with a squeeze on time. "Take that hill now." "The other units are moving ahead! What is wrong with your unit? Let's get moving. No excuses. Take that hill!"
Commanders were often prone to push lower echelon units and their commanders into action, thus depriving them or prudence and a more leisurely approach to the fight.
That is not true in every case, but I'm sure in your reading you've run across many examples of getting it done and getting it done now.
That transposes into a scenario with a limited time frame. Now you must throw some of that caution to the wind. You must move ahead, "damn the torpedoes" (in a manner of speaking). That is the idea with some of my scenarios that push you hard with a limited time frame.
Wild Bill
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Good answer, MH. You are correct about the flags.
As to scenario length. I've done a few forty turn ones but that is usually the max for me.
Most of mine bounce in the 20-30 turns category.
You've asked why. No offense taken and I'll be happy to explain.
"Short-Long" are, of course relative terms.
Compared to a 50-60 turn battle, mine are short.
Now as to why:
1. Most firefights on the level of Combat Mission lasted for a shorter period of time, 30 minutes to an hour. Some of course, are much longer, but as a rule firefights are over relatively quickly.
2. We are living in a time when everyone has a life overflowing with activities. They include work, more work, family, sleep and other little matters which squeeze the life out of 24 hours.
3. Knowing that the bulk of wargamers are so limited, and would like a scenario to play before supper or bedtime, I decided to make most of mine so that they are playable in one sitting.
4. A long scenario almost inevitably means a big scenario. With a smaller amount of units, you can only keep action going for so long.
5. My good friend Kingfish said it right. By turn 25 or 30 its all over anyway
6. Occasionally I'll go a little longer just for a change of pace.
7. Many designers, espcially those just starting, tend to make the monster long ones. They definitely have a place in the wargaming community and I applaude them.
I have the utomost respect for their efforts and so I try to cover ground that are not covered by others.
8. Many computers out there still have a hard time handling all data and graphics involved in those monster, long scenarios.
9. For some gamers, having to leave a battle by saving it since they can't finish kind of makes them lose their train of thought, thus being a little harder to get back into the groove, so to speak. And in that interim of catching the feeling, terrible things can happen :eek:
MH, you did well to ask this question. I appeciate your interest. I'll never be offended with any questions or comments, as long as I know they are meant to help, correct or inquire about my work. They are ALWAYS more than welcome.
Wild Bill
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Thanks for the update, Spanish Bombs. I appreciate the brief AAR. I know a tourney prohibits detailed comments. But just hearing this much is very encouraging.
Wild Bill
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Thanks Sarge. I appreciate the encouragement.
Old Buckeye puts me through my paces but he is one of the best testers you'll find anywhere. He is painfully kind
Wild Bill
) should be there.
Ambush
in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)
Posted
Excellent board game, Sarge. There were a number of variants to it as I remember.
WIld Bill