John Kettler

Impressive string of typos in such a small space! Regards, John Kettler

While in our wargaming circles, it's commomn t find the descendants of Allied soldiers, sometimes you get one whose ancestor fought for the other side. One of my CoC colleague's has a grandfather in the Wehrmacht, the 88th Infantry Division Here is his story, translated for the family history, which is in German. https://henriss.wordpress.com/willibald-adhofer-in-the-88thth-inf-div/?fbclid=IwAR3Tx_Q_NZibCg_3HgzFf3OSeh5fhrAN_KLjIPIt-SesFI8CvtlhTDFIV8k Regards, John Kettler

Here is the Russian view of this CV pandemic, as told by the Chief Researcher of the Centre for Defense and Strategic Studies of the General Staff, former colonel of the Military Intelligence Service (GRU), Vladimir Kvachkov. This is NOT PC, is brutally honest and offers perspectives on this matter no one elsewhere has provided. Lots of food for thought here. A colleague sent me this, and I am grateful. This blockbuster of a video is in Russian with English subtitles. Regards, John Kettler

Love gadgets, and this one's a marvel. A music typewriter! Believe this is just the business end, with the actual keyboard not shown. If not, how do you work this thing, and where do you sit? Regards, John Kettler

Haiduk, Posted the link to this in the CoC group, where it was received with considerable interest. Turns out one of they guys there had done an essay on these assault engineers, read some memoirs and put together what the structures was of one of these at the platoon and squad levels. Here's what was said. His post includes a link to actual Soviet military documents. Noah Ellis I did an essay on them for a university subject. I was looking for a TO&E myself for CoC and found myself so deep in the sources I went: "why not?" I couldn't find a strict TO&E, but I did find the war diaries and a few post-war "yearbooks" (as in: "what the unit did in its war") which gave me the following. I can't generalise, but from what I found: The units didn't always have body armour (some sources mention it, others don't). The units were attached to mainline rifle units, who'd be tasked with taking particular built up areas with seniority I believe (from a quick skim read to refresh my memory) going to the rifle unit leader. The assault unit would look something like a very, very built up CoC platoon. I created a draft (unpointed) list in 2018. It's been a while since I researched this so my memory where I got everything from is fuzzy. But, here it is anyhow: 20 Riflemen 7 Sappers 4 Flamethrowers 2 Marksmen (орудин – literally “gun” in Russian. By implication (notably the presence of a large number of other “guns” ("pushkoi") in the formation, I am assuming that this means “Marksmen”. Memoirs, notably Boris Bogachev, identify the presence of at least 1 marksman in his platoon.) It could also be some form of artillery piece, perhaps an infantry gun like the 76mm M1927 or M1943, but usually an entry for infantry/field guns includes their calibre as well, which this entry does not. 1 Medium Machine Gun (either SG-43 or PM1910 Maxim) 1 PTRD/PTRS From my note: This formation is derived from an entry in the unit history of the 37th Separate Sapper Brigade. It is based upon the organization of the 5th Guards Assault-Engineer Brigade and 37th Sapper Brigade, supporting the 142nd Rifle Division in its assault upon Graudenz (modern Grudziądz). An ad hoc formation, the unit was made up of both sappers and riflemen from both formations. The remarks later on suggest that manpower shortages meant that the above numbers of riflemen are "best case". That's the full force you're looking at. Here's an org for the makeup of a strict "ShISBr" section. It seems reasonable (and realistic) to recommend it go under the supports section of a standard SMG or rifle platoon. Its exact make up is described as: 1 Section Leader 3 Assault Sappers 4 Flamethrowers 4 Faustnikas My Russian is borderline hopeless, so here's the original link for those who have a better grasp of it: https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=454734146... pages 51 & 65 are where these are laid out. If I've botched things let me know. These units should probably be only used in heavily fortified/built up areas. Regards, John Kettler

Falaise, Thanks for this! Am going to share it with my fellow gamers with miniatures. Regards, John Kettler

3j2m7, Happy to help, and I have some nagging thought that someone else went so far as to figure out what the exact Pantone numbers were for the various RAL numbers. These are printing industry standard designations. Something I can't resolve in this OP, though, is how you hold a true color standard given how much color variation you'll see on different model TV sets. Regards, John Kettler

One of my CoC colleagues posted this, and it's so juicy I thought I should post it here for those doing skins. https://resourcesformodellers.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/ww2-german-armour-paints-and-camouflage-colours/?fbclid=IwAR1YjclT_gMuGg8R-EGnI2ISZ9sb6OKW1DkUAa0_32m1Gy1J3GM45io2gNg Regards, John Kettler

Haiduk, Another highly informative post, and your caption for the last pic left my jaw hanging slackly in shock! Regards, John Kettler

Erwin, If you like that, you'll just love hearing that Burmese pythons became quite the pet rage in Florida, but became annoying large, so were dumped in the Everglades, where they soon somehow started mating with water moccasins! Consequently, there are apparently now venomous pythons. Suspect the mating compatibility was facilitated that both are constrictors, despite the water moccasin also having venom. Regards, John Kettler

It isn't every day the police call for a plumber, but this may be the ultimate drain clog. Happened in Florida. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3774598442580302&set=a.3123137937726359&type=3&eid=ARDUQYbJETieG_x36yFsqZvXM4NFhm1C3ZYnC6qSxsHHgM3iCX4HvL25klS88rG9ZOo3h29pNJBaKkaQ Regards, John Kettler

When her friend tried the Heimlich Maneuver and failed, she resorted to more extreme measures to help her friend. Here we see her reaching way down her throat to clear the airway. Regards, John Kettler

Brother George is working on a wargame design and asked me whether the Soviets ever mixed T-34 types (T-34-76 and T-34/85) in the same Tank Company, not as TO&E, but as a place to put another T-34 type when a unit had been so wrecked only a few survivors remained. Back came this little gem, supposedly shot near Berlin, following my query to the Military History Club Za Oborunu on FB. Image expands. This looks like a Tank Platoon, but could just as easily be the remnant of an entire Tank Company. Matters not, for it shows this low level mixing did occur. Have no idea whether such a capability is available in the CMRT force lists. Not only is there a T-34/76 and T-34/85 mix in the below photo, but there are two different models of the former! Regards, John Kettler

Learned to love tongue twisters as boy (even if it took some time to master a few), but this is in another realm altogether, both in difficulty and, well, weirdness. Regards, John Kettler

Lt Bull, You're most welcome, and as I said, there are five videos in the series. Regards, John Kettler

Considering minor automotve damage can easily cost $10,000 to fix, can you imagine what this repair will cost us? https://tribunist.com/news/rookie-pilot-using-callsign-top-gun-crashes-fighter-on-runway-during-takeoff/?utm_source=delta&fbclid=IwAR1Y9ilOdBiCsDEqnzzJ6PLf1B4m3dYuiCFKFmSAxOhrZ_W_BHrK40dt63s Regards, John Kettler

Astounding! Regards, John Kettler

Erwin, My reply was premised on what you said about using it like a bazooka. Suspect you could severely damage or kill light AFVs that way and absolutely clobber soft skins. Depending on where you hit, larger quary might be doable, too, especially via hitting tracks or other running gear. As the training film showed, DF is an excellent way to put smoke right where it's needed. All in all, I think having the mortar installed and able to fire in IF and DF was a great idea. The CW forces could and did do the same with the standard 2-Inch Mortar, but DF was trickier because something stout (wall, tree trunk, big rock, etc.) had to take the recoil. Regards, John Kettler

Erwin, No HEAT or AP, straight HE only. Regards, John Kettler

Vergeltungswaffe, Please tell me more. My CMBB Strategy Guide is packed up in one of my boxes, so I have nothing to which I can readily refer ref Begleitgrenadiers. Where do they fit into the TO&E and which units have them? Attilaforfun, A tremendous read, but my head's in information overload. So many fascinating engagements reported, and this is the only account I've ever seen of FlaK 10.5 guns in ATG role. Suggest creating a separate OP for this article and putting it on CMFB Forum. Too juicy for it to be lost here! Regards, John Kettler

German infantry armed with lots of SMGs (usually MP38/40) is a US TV and movie trope and fairly common in Russian and other eastern countries' war movies and TV programs. Knowing German low level TO&E, this isn't really credible and is all about looking cool and being exciting to watch, but I've now discovered that the Germans DID operate such formations at both Stalingrad and Kursk. In Soviet account after account in Jason Mark's Island of Fire and in Valeriy Zamulin's Destroying The Myth, there are many descriptions of attacks by SMG gunners. In Zamulin's book, I just got through reading of no fewer than 50 SMG gunners supporting a substantial Panzer attack. In the latter case, I believe, based on reported attachments to the Panzers proper, that these are Panzer Grenadiers. In the former case, and working from memory, I believe they were Pioneers. Regardless, this has given me pause, for am unaware of any German infantry formation corresponding to the Soviet SMG company. Can anyone shed some light on this matter, please? Not only does this puzzle me, but I think it could have impact on what's available for both scenario building and QBs when it comes to German troop options. Regards, John Kettler

If you ever saw "The Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoon show you may remember the tall, handsome virtuous Mountie Dudley Do Right. Decades later, there appears to be a Dudley Do Wrong (or maybe Do Poorly) in the vaunted RCMP. https://tribunist.com/news/canadian-mounties-lose-40mm-grenade-launcher-and-ammunition-then-a-guy-just-walked-into-the-station-with-it/?utm_source=delta&fbclid=IwAR03sgU6iboEzzlRV413smEK2hEiByWEvsAxa16yJ3m1Vi-9okf21aN5Kak Regards, John Kettler

This is part of a five part series on the UC. This illustrates everything from Bren handling to grenade throwing from inside the carrier. Of particular note is the material on the 2" mortar, which has a specially drilled set of mounting holes to firmly attach it to the UC. No standard 2" mortar will work. When so fitted, the UC has twelve rounds for it, and the ammo split's given. The procedure for conducting observed fire by the VC with the mortar in full defilade is shown, as is use of the mortar in DF role. The first video in the series is the get acquainted one, and it shows the dazzling agility of this vehicle. For large radius turns, the track on the turning side is actually pulled in a bit. For short, sharp turns, one track is braked. So nimble is the UC it can reverse course near instantly. Short of having an autocannon or HMG, I'd think it would be a nightmare to hit if evading. Regards, John Kettler

How many wrecks has this unique dirt bike caused? This was shot in some Spanish speaking country, judging from the signage. Regards, John Kettler

Here's a huge set of weird news items involving various critters. https://www.accuweather.com/en/videos/animals/sheep-returns-home-to-farm-after-fleeing-wildfires-nearly-7-years-ago/vXAs4YSy Regards, John Kettler