von Lucke
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Posts posted by von Lucke
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The size of the garrison in '42 was about the same as in '41. Gott himself had inspected the defenses under Klopper, and had given his approval to the dispositions --- matter o' fact, Gott had wanted to stay in Tobruk and lead the defense himself, but Ritchie insisted he (Gott) leave to organize the frontier defenses. (Which, given how things turned out, was prolly a good thing).
Probably the biggest difference between the SA defenders of '42 and the Aussies of '41, was the lack of a central command structure to coordinate all the defenders artillery assests into one grand battery (something that had saved the Aussies more than once), or to rapidly coordinate counter-attacks from one sector to the next. I suppose this could be squarely laid on Klopper, since he seems to have taken a strangely passive stance once the attack started --- failing to shift assets where they were needed. But, to be fair, the structure developed in '41 had been set in place by HQ Western Desert Force --- and Morshead had insisted they stay until his defenses were coordinated like a well-oiled machine. The defense in '42 was a last minute affair all around.
Tobruk itself was no longer the fortress it had been in '41: After the first siege, it had been decided that Tobruk was not to be defended (in the event, Churchill suffered a convenient memory loss about that), and most of the mines had been removed from the perimeter for use in the Gazala line; the wire had fallen into disrepair, the anti-tank ditch was broken down in many places, and the field defenses had silted up. The defenders were only given a week to put all this right before Rommel attacked!
201st Guards and the 11th Indian Brigades were prolly equal to the veterans of the Afrika Korps --- but not when out-numbered 6-1, with no CAP, limited AT capability, and inadequate arty support. The green 2nd SA Division probably never had a chance.
The second Auchinleck caved in to Churchill and ordered Ritchie to hold Tobruk, it was over for the poor sods left to hold it. No comfort for them, that the fall of Tobruk pissed off the House of Commons enough to censure Chruchill with a No Confidence vote over his conduct of the war.
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bir Hakeim, baby --- bir Hakeim!
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Yah, Denver! I could be persuaded to leave my desert fastness for a day-trip up to the foot of the Rockies.Originally posted by Dirtweasle:Perhpas a more attractive locale, if I may be so bold, would be Denver.
Nebraska, though... I've already seen the World's Biggest Prairie Dog in Kansas, so I've really got no call to be up in that part of the world again.
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You seem to be referring to the M1940 tropical peaked field cap. </font>Originally posted by Flesh:</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Michael Emrys:
The khaki cloth cap (the precise name of which escapes me at the moment) is one of the trademarks of the Afrika Korps, more recognizable even than the palm tree swastika.
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Sandbag positions?
Is that a terrain feature, like a wall? Or is it more of a defensive unit, like a trench? And how much space does it take up (20x20)?
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DeGaulle and Petain? Feh!
I want to see Koenig and Travers!
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True. The "S" should really be an "L". You also have to look at the period the "S" came out: By 1942 the Germans were fielding the 75mm gun, which could readily take down the once invulnerable KV. When that happened, the Sovs started to take a closer look at the faults in the KV design, and the "S" was their stop-gap measure.Originally posted by Schutzstaffel:Think of the KV-1S as the lighter, faster version of the KV1, many KV-1S tanks served in stalingrad, the new KV-1S tanks were built as fast heavy tanks.
The "S" was essentially a down-armored KV, in an attempt to remedy the mobility problem (not just speed, since the KV had a notoriously crappy trany; less weight meant less strain --- not to mention the ability to cross light bridges).
Plus, by this point in the war, most KV's had been mustered into seperate infantry-support regiments --- where their thick armor would prolly be of better use, when facing only 50mm or 37mm ATG's.
If I where you, I'd switch over to T34's, for the most part. Maybe keep a unit of KV's around for anti-infantry work (but swich 'em to KV-85's as soon as they come available).
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Many people don't know that the Ukrainian nationalist movement fought on until the early 1950's. General Nikolai Vatutin (perhaps the USSR's best field commander), was killed by Ukrainian partisans in 1944. The nations that dumped the German yoke for a Russian one so quickly in '44, would have been just as happy (prolly more so) to throw in with the West.Originally posted by Razgovory:Well My guess would be the Western Allies.
1.Soviet Supplies were badly stretched and forces were deep in enemy territory. The Red army was not nearly as good at logistics as most of the other combatants. During the winter 1945-46 the Red Army in Germany was forced to forage for supplies. The Red army in germany had alot of unfriendly ground behind them: Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia were not particulary happy to fall behind the Iron Curtin. Also the sheer brutality and chaos of the war left roaming bands of Bandits and Partisans who made travel through those territories difficult.
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Actually, you can do this in CMBB: Use captured T-34s vs. Sov Shermans, et violà!Originally posted by General Brock:To continue this in Combat Mission terms. Hey! let us pit T-34's against Sherman's (or whatever the improved WWII versians were) point is. Give the player the options of doing that. Steel Panthers was'nt as innovative as CM but it had more flexibility in this regard.
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Yah? Well my credit card trumps ya both --- since it works much better in ordering stuff over the net.
[ October 10, 2003, 10:52 PM: Message edited by: von Lucke ]
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Well done: The two combatants' blow-by-blow is to the point, but with enough color to keep it interesting. Sorry it only goes to turn 10! I want to know if those Marders pummel the Lees near the road house! (MMMM, Lees and MGCs!). When do we get to know the ending?
Was also interesting how much both players relied on dust --- for spotting enemy movement, and for concealment kicked up by arty bombardment (*Begin Grog Alert* Even though, from what I've read, the attack by 33 Recon / 8th Panzer was made in the pouring rain *End Grog Alert*).
Soooo, is this scenario going to be in the Demo? Is it? Huh? Huh? Is it? Huh?
[ October 10, 2003, 11:44 PM: Message edited by: von Lucke ]
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It would help to know what the options are we have to defend with.
Failing that, I'd go with thermonuclear weapons.
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Will there be search lights, and red carpet, and long black limos, and Joan Rivers, and Anna Nicole Smith, and E! reporters, and...
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I second the nomination for smaller scenarios or ops. The big ones are definitely deeper strategically, but sometimes I don't have time to spend 20 minutes on each PBEM move. And when I do have time, I like to have 2 or 3 games going on, usually one big entree one with lots of troops, and one or two appetizers (desserts?) with fewer troops.Originally posted by Dr. Rosenrosen:</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by dalem:
I have to reiterate the call for something small. Even an Op based on small battles would be fine. I don't like to play with much more than a company + support very often.
-dale
Dr. Rosenrosen </font>
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Bir Hakeim, Libya, May - June 1942: The Legion Etrangere vs The Entire Freakin' Afrika Korps! (at least, to hear them tell it).
Actually, the action in and around the Gazala Line during Rommel's Operation Venezia (of which Bir Hakeim was a part) provide plenty of scenario material: The tank battles around the "Knightsbridge Box" (Grants vs PzIII Jlang), and the Brit counter-attack into the "Cauldron" come to mind.
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Wicky, have you met Tweety?Originally posted by Wicky:Can't think of the exact name of the 'battle' but it was an Italian rout, a British force went cross country as a short cut and got a few guns and troops ahead of the retreating force and ambushed the Italians. Later tanks caught up and forced a wopping great surrender. happaned just by a coastal road which limited the Italian manouerability.
Originally posted by Tweety:Something based around Beda Fomm would be nice. There aren't too many scenarios wich use exit point, this battle could be a great excuse. Italians trying to flood past the roadblock. Oh yeah!!!
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Ya know, I had this sneaking suspicion that you would be doing up a scenario based on the Rangers at Cisterna...Originally posted by Wild Bill Wilder:What the heck. Here is an example of the kind of briefing I like.
Maybe I should not post this. Well, they can fire me, but they can't cut my pay
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A Ranger Last Stand
&c.
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Think of it as a defective (as opposed to defecting, Comrade!) cannister round.
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Exposure in rubble: 21%
Exposure in factory: 15%
Looks like factory wins by 6%. (But, as stated above, rubble won't fall on you after heavy shelling).
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Forgot one: Sidi is literally, "my master", used when addressing a respected male.
EDIT: Blast! Missed it by that much!
[ September 24, 2003, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: von Lucke ]
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New Mexico here. Why aren't there ever any sneak previews in our neck o' the woods --- err, cactus? Why, I might even go so far as to go to Texas for one --- and that's saying a lot!Originally posted by Four Stringer:I live in Arizona, so I won't be attending
, but hats off to you and the other beta-types for extending the invitation. -
New Mexico here. Why aren't there ever any sneak previews in our neck o' the woods --- err, cactus? Why, I might even go so far as to go to Texas for one --- and that's saying a lot!Originally posted by Four Stringer:I live in Arizona, so I won't be attending
, but hats off to you and the other beta-types for extending the invitation. -
I believe JonS is correct, as the Arabic word for a water tank (or cistern) is birkeh, or birket.
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I thought he said at the end he liked the Tiger better... :confused: [/QB]</font>Originally posted by IntelWeenie:</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Vergeltungswaffe:
[QBThe most interesting part was listening to the British tankers all say they wish they'd had a Tiger while the German tanker said he wished he'd had a Sherman. The grass is always greener...
, but hats off to you and the other beta-types for extending the invitation.
La Legion Entrangere
in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps
Posted