ltcmayer

That restriction is not as realistic as it appears. The S2 should have a pretty good idea of what type of enemy unit we are engaging, and will have an OOB for that unit, so if the enemy TOE says the unit has 125mm AT, we should know that and be looking for them. Of course, that doesn't apply in scenarios like TF Gebhardt, where you are encountering remnants of a unit (you will still have a good idea of what MIGHT be there, but you don't KNOW.)

Withdrawal under pressure is the hardest tactical operation. When the French army collapsed in 1871, an officer on the Prussian General Staff is reported to have said to v. Moltke that he was the greatest general ever, even greater than Napoleon. v. Moltke responde that he couldn'e accept that praise, because he (v. Moltke) never had to retreat. The implication is that greatness is only truly tested in mastering that situation.

The point at which you can usually no longer continue an attack or successfully defend is called a "culmination point." It is usually defined as that point at which you no longer have a favorable force ratio. That is, the relative combat power slips below 1:1 if you are on the attack. Defense is a little trickier to figure. The Russians used the same idea. If the attacking force no longer has a favorable force ratio (drops below 1:1) the attacking force will usually adopt a hasty defense and prepare to pass through follow-on forces -- or those follow on forces will seek to penetrate somewhere else. If you do things right in TF Gallagher, you can get to that favorable (for you) force ratio before the OPFOR suffers 80% losses. At that point, I usually end the game -- for both the sake of time and not to seem to bloody minded.

another way to look at it is that what Maj H included as standard is the known (unclassified) capabilities of those systems. If you think hat the classified data may give those ATGMs a little more capability -- use the improved warheads. On the other hand, the standard penetration value causes the OPFOR to use the ATGMs in accordance with current Russian doctrine: i.e., as an anti-ATGM system rather than as an anti-tank system.

A reply from a cavalryman and former scout platoon leader. The goal of the scout is to see without being seen -- adds immeasurably to your life expectancy. If you do have to fire (or if fired upon) get the @#!$@ out of there FAST! In the offense select SOP parameters of pop smoke and back up after both firing and after being fired on as most realistic. Consider the same when on defense. Try to get your scouts deep into the enemy rear without being seen (use terrain and smoke). Put the firing range of your scouts set to zero meters. Stay that way until you are fired on (then it goes to max range automatically) or when you see a juicy target you just HAVE to kill (HVT or HPT) and then plan on getting out of Dodge right away. The value of the scout lies mostly in what it sees, not what it kills. What you are doing with your ATGM is not all that undoctrinal, particularly in the light community. They may set up a series of anti-armor ambushes along the enemy's route of march, before they encounter the main defensive position. Bottom line is to task organize for whatever works and have fun (it is, after all, a game.) LTC Christopher Mayer 7th US Cavalry

Did you try the target unit function before you popped up (designating the zsu's as a priority target for the apaches?) Chris Mayer LTC Armor USAR

The way Maj H designed artillery effectiveness may not be precise, but it is generally right (that is, about as good as can be expected -- if not better -- for a desktop computer game.) More importantly, it gets you to react to artillery in a doctrinally correct manner. (e.g., don't occupy terrain that is so obviously good that the enemy will prep it, don't stay anywhere after receiving effective fire.) No tank is designed to take a direct hit from a 152/155mm of ANYTHING. Especially since it is hitting the TOP (weak armor) of a tank. ICM, which disperses many, many small HEAT charges means that (in many cases) the arty shell can have good effect against armor over a larger area. It may not totally destroy the tank, but it can be good enough to put the tank out of action for the period covered in the scenario. LTC Chris Mayer

I've found that the anility to make last second adjustments to indirect fires to be a good compromise between fidelity and playability. In real life, you cannot redirect rounds that are already in flight (except for PGM -- which is not played). On the other hand, the real world FO is not limited to transmitting only once each minute. So the rationalization is that the unrealistic redirection capability balances the unrealistic restrictions on calling and adjusting fire. Re instantaneous unlimbering and set up. The answer is self discipline. Put a restriction on yourself and play that you cannot bout unload and fire in the same turn. Or stop movement of an SP piece as the sole action for a unit in one turn, and not give it a fire order until the next. The game mechanics don't FORCE you to play unrealistically. LTC Chris Mayer

Curious -- what induced you to degrade the AT-10 and AT-11 (Men in black suits come knocking at your door?)