Kingfish

Looking for tips on how to post pics of a map I've designed. I've tried imageshack, but apparently my screenshots are too big, and resizing it would not give an accurate picture of the distances involved (3km x 2km). Anyone know how I can post large pics here?

Quick update I have received quite a number of files, and managed to get 4 games completed last night. Still a few more to go, and I don't think I have everyones I need. If you haven't responded to my e-mail please do so as soon as possible. Also, be on the lookout for Tiger Valley, which has been given the green light for release. GJK of The Proving Grounds may unveil the new Scenario depot soon, so it may be posted there.

My guess is that they were an occasional capture. The SU-85 first saw action in Sept '43, and by then the days of wide-sweeping German offensives, the kind that used to round up entire armies in one fell swoop, were long gone. They certainly could have captured a fair number, but most likely it would have been 1 here, 3 there, etc. Not enough to justify equipping an entire German unit.

If a single enemy sniper manages to contest a flag, and thus the outcome of a battalion sized battle, then you have't actually secured the flag. Take the same scenario, and now move a platoon (or even a half-squad) near the flag and the sniper is no longer relevant. Feb '43, during the battle for the Kasserine pass, the British 26th armored brigade began to withdraw to lay up for the night in their laager. A Germans armored column followed a ways behind, headed by a captured Valentine. The Brits manning the perimeter thought it was another withdrawing British column, and let them enter the camp. The Germans stormed in, shot everything to hell, then withdrew in good order, leaving the badly mauled Brits to lick their wounds. Those who played the ROW IV finals know which battle I am referring to. It isn't impossible to recreate.

Sounds like they were slacking off that day. 40 to 60 kills is typical for newborn Finns.

To those who still have games in progress, I have sent you an e-mail. Please respond asap. We need to finish this out. Thank you

Well, maybe not Grilles...

Or in transit to another theater? Sturmvogel shows the unit having 22 assault guns operational in March w/ 14th Army, then a big gap of several months before the next mention in September, only now they are fighting (and being wiped out) outside of Nancy. Damn the Germans and their shoddy record keeping!

So far everything seems to point towards StuGs rather than loaners from the 29th PzGr. Villa Strada was on the extreme eastern flank of the 4th FJ division's line, with the 29th PzGr to the west of them. Could the 29th have sent a few Mark IVs to help their comrades to the east? Sure, but why bother when they could draw from the Korp's StuG Brigade or the 508th Schwere Panzer Abtielung?

The pines stripped of foliage in the background is a nice touch.

Correction to my original post, it was the 4th FJ, not 356th ID, which held that part of the line. A check of different sources shows it had no organic armor assets, but 11th StuG Brigade was available from 1st FJ Korp.

The spreadsheet is available to those who have finished all their games. E-mail me if you want to see it.

You can win as the reds in LfB. Flenser got a 99.

Two pics in question, both from the After the battle mag. The first shows a Mark IV knocked out during the battle for the Poggio Cigoli (Point 281). Looks like a 'G' model. The caption reads in part: "during the counterattack a German PzKpfw IV, belonging to Panzer-Abteilung 29 of the 29. Panzergrenadier division, blew this hole in the wall...". The second shows the shattered remains of another Mark IV, with the turret lying along side, the victim of an ambush. Again the caption reads in part: "later that day a PzKpfw IV from Panzer-Abteilung 29 cautiously approached the position only to be knocked out by a 17-pounder from the 7th Antitank regiment...". Now granted, these two were not involved in the fighting near Villa Strada, but further west, but since both sources mentioned "Mark IVs or SPGs" in the Villa Strada fight I thought it was worth asking. [ November 28, 2005, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Kingfish ]

Normally I wouldn't have bothered asking, since I knew that the StuG / Marder combos were the staple of most infantry division's PzJr battalions, but it was the pics of the destroyed Mark IVs that threw me off.

I wouldn't have any AARs from the invitational, since this was run by SuperTed. I do have AARs from as far back as ROW I somewhere around here.

Posted this over at the Axis history forum, but so far no one has responded. Hopefully someone here may be able to help: Looking for info on what type(s) of German armor supported the "Olga" Line during the battle for Florence in August '44, specifically around Villa Strada and Villa Bonazza. To date my two sources of information are nzetc.org, and issue 129 of 'After the battle' magazine. Both confirm that Tigers of the 508th Schwere Panzer Abtielung were present, with the 2nd NZ division bagging its first Tiger near Villa Strada. However, both sources also mention "Jerry had four Mark IV tanks or self-propelled guns there". My question is would these be StuGs, Marders or actual Mark IVs? The area around the two Villas were the responsibilty of 356th ID / I Fallschirm-Korps, of which the 11. Sturmgeschütz Brigade was part of. 29th PzGr was also on the line nearby, and there were also several photos of Mark IVs that were destroyed in battles near there. Were the Mark IVs from 29th PzGr Div, and could some have been loaned to 356th ID?

This is a temporary update on games completed. Once I get access to the finalists page (yes, I forgot my password) I will update that as well. St. Nazaire Green Hornet - Londoner Sividosi - Walpurgis Nacht Steve McClaire - Platehead Steve S - Stoneage Dangerous Dave - Ankulin GAJ - Big Duke 6 Kanonier Reichmann - Big Dog The Enigma - Frenchy Elmar Biljsma - Melnibone DieselTaylor - Stikkypixie John Bertles - Sandy Other means - Grimthane 12/16 - 75% Still waiting on: Victor Charlie vs PanzerTwat (finalist) Flenser vs Malakovski JohnO vs mPisi sripe vs Michael Dorosh (Mike, please send the score to either Spanish Bombs, Richie or Ace Pilot. They'll forward it to me) Tiger Valley Green Hornet - Victor Charlie Walpurgis Nacht - TlKillerich Sivdosi - Steve McClaire Holien - Steve S Ankulin - Big Duke 6 GAJ - Dangerous Dave Big Dog - Frenchy The Enigma - Kanonier Reichmann Melnibone - mPisi John Bertles - Diesel Taylor Michael Dorosh - Grimthane Sripe - Other means 12/16 - 75% Still waiting on: Panzertwat - Londoner (finalist) Malakovsi - Stoneage JohnO - Elmar Stikkypixie - Sandy Loaded for Bear Steve McClaire - Walpurgis nacht Big Duke 6 - Dangerous Dave Ankulin - ded BigDog - The Enigma Frenchy - Kanonier Reichmann mPisi - Elmar Sandy - Diesel Taylor Other means - Elmar 9/16 - 56% Still waiting on: Londoner - Victor Charlie (finalist) Panzertwat - Green Hornet (finalist) Tlkillerich - Sivodsi Stoneage vs Flenser Malakovski vs Steve S Melnibone - John O Grimthane - Sripe

How is your game progressing vs Londoner in TV? Yours is the last of the finalists for that scenario, and I would love to give Richie the green light to unleash it.

32 is very impressive for a 2-man unit, especially when one of them is armed with only a pistol. Whats the FP for that unit at 40m?

cough Bir Hakiem cough

Yes, I promise it will be updated sometime tonight.

While I value your input, and welcome it at any time, I don't think you need to worry about the scenarios for the ROW V finals suddenly becoming the norm. For one thing, this is most likely the last ROW using the CM1 engine. It was because of this that I decided to expand the parameters and allow scenarios that would have normally been too large or lengthy. Consider this a one time blip on the radar. Now, could we have tweaked them down to more manageable levels? Sure, but that is looking at it with 20:20 hindsight. At the time I decided to keep them as is, thinking that the quality (as in the case of TV) or novelty (SN & LfB) might offset any problems with size and number of turns.

"To the last man", which wasn't a ROW battle but was designed by Wild Bill. Its been, what, 4-5 years since we've played that game, and to date it still ranks as the best CMBO match I've ever played. I still remember that round coming in. I've just ordered a Company HQ and platoon forward as reinforcements, and the round arrived just as they left the buildings (not that they would have survived inside anyway). The company HQ managed to get one foot out the door...

I'm having trouble opening it. Could be because I am using Firefox as my browser. If possible, can you scan for me the area Villa Strada (not to be confused with the town of Strada) / Villa Bonazza? This is roughly 14 miles south of Florence, and just north of Tavarnelle (also known as Tavarnelle Val di Pesa). It is just west of route 2, the main N-S highway leading to Florence. E-mail me if you have any question. I do appreciate this. BTW, thanks to JonS for the reference.