Blackwatch

I got my CM yesterday in Montreal. It was waiting for me on my doorstep (ie. I didn't even have to go to the post office to pick it up!! ). The ultimate torture was that I had a dinner party to go to last night and didn't even have a chance to try it out. Ah well, I got the rest of the summer ahead of me....

I'm about halfway through James Jones' novel 'Thin Red Line'. Never have I read such a vivid (and horrifying) account of small scale infantry combat. I urge everyone who wants to get a better feel of what CM is simulating to read this book. The descriptions of C-for-Charlie Company's attack in 'The Bowling Alley' towards Hill209 makes me fully appreciate how WELL CM is done since I can visualize the whole thing as a CM battle (deployment of platoons, company mortars, MG etc.). Reading this will make you also appreciate what you DON'T see in CM (the blood, the terror, the insanity, and what's going on inside the soldiers' heads during the attack); there's nothing sanitized in this book. Not that I'm complaining about CM being sanitized, but this will give you the 'full monty' and you will appreciate your CM experience all the more for it. S! p.s. I haven't seen the movie and don't intend to. READ THE BOOK.

Interesting quote. I'm currently reading 'Steel Inferno' which is about SS forces in Normandy and it was also mentioned in that book that SS troop training was unconventional in that sporting events were emphasized and drills and marches were not even part of their training program. Looks like this quote is consistent with what I've been reading in the book.

Well, since I just registered with my board I should give my stats as well. I'm 35 and married (no kids yet) with a house in Montreal. Been a board wargamer since the late 70s (AH's Stalingrad being my first) although I've completely switched over to computer wargaming since the early 90s (no huge maps dominating the basement floor for months on end, no pets to curse for knocking over those lofty stacks of counters...God how I miss those days!! ). I've got a PhD in Biochemistry and am currently engaged in your typical mad scientist activities (and no, I don't genetically modify tomatoes... ). Oh, and EAGERLY awaiting my CM order to appear on my doorstep!!!

Another Montrealer here. I think the idea of putting together a Canadian CM chapter is grand! Gotta start researching various battles in which Canadian forces were involved to put together some nice scenarios!