Andreas

Breakthrough tank regiments (21 tanks, in two companies of 10 and one tank for the commander) would be assigned to rifle formations tasked with (well, duh) breakthrough. These would be Kv-1s, Kv-85, and then JS tanks. They would also be given independent SU regiments (same organisation as the tanks). The reason that these tank companies were labelled regiments was supposedly that this made it possible to sub-ordinate a battalion of infantry to them, giving the tank unit commander command of the whole operation in his sector. Outside breakthrough sectors, you would not normally see much, if any tanks. All the best Andreas

Pseudosimonds All the best Andreas

Don't think so - the Matilda tracks look different. All the best Andreas

A jpg file? A puzzle piece? A nice shade of grey? Artistic license of the Grant MG cupola? All the best Andreas

I love reading war stories from my scenarios. Thanks Wicky! All the best Andreas

5.PD (in German) When they went to Russia in 41: 55 Panzer II 105 Panzer III 20 Panzer IV 6 Befehlspanzer Appears they had two battalions during Bagration, one each Panther and Panzer IV. They were also working with a sPzAbt. This would put it on a par with the combat power of a tank corps, roughly. 2. PD (in German) No idea about the equipment in 41, but a very illustrious name of regimental commanders, two of which were to become Army Group commanders (Harpe and Balck) during their wartime careers. Also well known is Oberst von Thoma. Interesting tidbit, the ships with the equipment of the Panzer regiment were sunk in May 41, so they had to be completely re-equipped. At the start of Fall Blau, the following tanks were present: 22 Panzer II 33 Panzer 38t 20 Panzer III 5 Panzer IV 2 Panzerbefehlswagen Obsolete, is the word that comes to mind. All the best Andreas

Regarding Cavalry Corps, their main use was to give some added mobility to breakthrough forces in the often not particularly well-developed geography of the east. Unknown Pages of a Heroic Raid In general they were not expected to get into heavy combat by frontally assaulting anyone. Konev's (increasingly upset) missives to Baranov and his Cavalry Corps during the L'vov-Sandomierz Operation make that very clear. They were supposed to move fast, block roads against movement, disrupt reinforcements, and exploit 'unpassable' terrain by moving through it. In the process they could get hammered very badly, as the text above indicates, and as happened to 5th GCC in the latter stages of Bagration, and Pliev's Cavalry Mechanised Group at Debrecen. A Cavalry Corps was a relatively small formation, smaller than a German rifle division, and because of this it could survive with low supply requirements for a while (but not forever - even horses need fodder if you are always on the move). I would think that they were mostly used on the flanks of breakthroughs because of their comparatively lower combat power, where through their actions they could serve to broaden the breakthrough into directions where no heavy opposition was present, and to prevent the Germans from massing forces on the flank. The real fighting against German counter-attacks and reinforcements would be up to the mechanised breakthrough formations. All the best Andreas

To give some further information on this, based on Soviet officer memoirs I have read, this collection of intel was a core task for divisional and below staffs during the attack preparation. Higher levels of command would compare the amount of targets reported by divisions. If you were (well) below the average in reporting targets in your divisional sector, it could happen that the Front commander pays you a visit, and gives you the option to either report more targets, or attack on D-Day without artillery support (so happened to one Colonel commanding a rifle division - the meeting with Konev was apparently quite frosty). The way reconnaissance at this level was done was standard. Send a group of 3/4 men out to capture a POW. Feign an attack by a battalion at night, while the divisional intel staff is sitting in overwatch with a map and a pen, drawing in firing posts as they open up. The Germans did of course know this, and designated 'Schweige' (silent) MG posts which would under no circumstances open fire before the big day. The Soviets in turn knew this, and tried to make their feint attacks believable big ones to get the Schweige MGs to open up. During the barrage, artillery would also leave small corridors uncovered, through which assault companies/battalions would move, while the Germans are still in their dugouts. That way they would be in the trench, welcoming the Germans coming out of their dugouts when the barrage ended (vividly described by a survivor of the initial assault at Iassy). It could also happen that the initial barrage was curtailed/cancelled, because the Germans had given up their first trench position to avoid it. Finally, Soviet air support operated together with the artillery, and presumably integrated into the fireplan (again vividly described by the Iassy survivor). All the best Andreas

And it has to have a frickin'unbelievably huge diamond on it, otherwise she is going to be disappointed in any case. And he has to deliver the speech kneeling with the perfect full moon behind him. Otherwise... And... The list goes on. All the best Andreas

We'll get to that tonight. All the best Andreas

Just breathe slowly and relax Jim. All the best Andreas

I think people use Word. All the best Andreas

Thank Pseudosimonds for his work, even though this version is from BFC. All the best Andreas

Hi Thanks a lot for the time to write this up, and of course for the compliment on the scenario. The ACs in the village are there because I read about a similar set-up in a desert war history, IIRC. It also makes a difference to start with a bang every so often (it rarely happens in my scenarios). All the best Andreas

Humphrey as the beaten-down, cynical tank commander. Katherine Hepburn as the Medic attached to the section of tank riders commanded (really) by Edward G. Robinson. The tank named 'Liberate African Colonies from the subjugation by the Queen'. Peter Lorre as the young (official) section commander who has much to learn from his gruff section 2 i/c. I can see it now. All the best Andreas

That's the east front version of Sahara, right? Does it have Bill Murray in it? All the best Andreas

Quite right. All the best Andreas

Not as cute All the best Andreas

You have a long way to go to become a poet. Now have another Grappa and spill the beans on the announcement. Prosit Andreas

Wein auf Bier, schadet Dir. (Brewer's wisdom) Bier auf Wein, das lass sein. (Winemaker's wisdom) I would never drink beer after having had one of WineCape's fine wines. But there are many days in the year, so mixing is not a requirement. All the best Andreas

That's my wife. All the best Andreas

When Michael was a wee lad, Lego had not been invented. It only came out in 1949. Michael was well past playing with lego at that stage, getting ready to draw his retirement cheque. All the best Andreas

The Luchs is actually quite a sizeable vehicle (due to the requirement for it to be able to swim, while having eight wheels, I believe). I like the little French critters that they had a lot of during the Bastille Day Parade. Much smaller, also swims. VBL 2e BB VBL on Wiki All the best Andreas

I think it is quite indicative that the current Bundeswehr SPW Luchs has kept the two-driver lay-out and the eight wheels, added amphibious capabilities, and moved back to a 20mm/MG combo as armament. That shows to me that Michael's assessment is quite right. If you take your SPW somewhere where you need heavy guns, you shouldn't be there. All the best Andreas

I still have that 32MB card in my G4/400, and it continues to do sterling service. I must warn you however that the only direct comparison I have had were with the 16 MB standard G4/400 card, and the 8 MB card in the iMac G3/400 Graphite SE that I owned before. Compared to the PC version of the 64MB Radeon somethingorother that I was using for a few months when I had a PC, the Mac card was about the same level of quality, I think. All the best Andreas