Croda

You lost me completely on that one. Care to explain? :confused: </font>

You lost me completely on that one. Care to explain? :confused: </font>

I was being specifically non-specific, but I'll elaborate. The link in my sig tells the story of one man's journey across Europe with the 10th Armored Division. April 6-11, the 10th ran into very stiff resistence in and around Crailsheim, Germany. CCA of the 10th AD was surrounded and cutoff for most of that time. Vicious fighting on both sides and 2 heroic resupply missions by C-47s of the IXth Troop Carrier Command filled the days. This battle has captivated me and I'm trying to get as much information as I can in order to write a piece of my own about it. I've gathered pieces from McDonald's Last Offensive, AARs from the 10th AD, 10th AD CCA, 10th AD CCB, tomorrow I intend to get a copy of a research paper written in the late '40s entitled The 10th Armored Division in the Crailsheim Operation. So, I've got a lot of good sources. I was wondering A) Were AARs done at a level lower than CC (I assume they were) so that I could get more detailed descriptions of the fight. Similar AARs from the German side would, I imagine, flesh out the story quite well. I've read that the opposition was a hodge-podge of Mountain Troops (2nd Mtn), Volksturm, Armor, Hitler Youth, SS Engineers, etc. Getting AARs or a Unit History or a fairly detailed general history that described this period should be a boon for me. C) A period map of the area complete with map grid would place every unit exactly. All of these sources would combine to provide a pretty good picture of the events of those few days. I don't want someone to do my research for me, I'd just like some ideas as to what to look for and where seeing as I'm a bit new to this degree of research. Make a little more sense? C)

For all of you expert researchers, I have a few questions. 1) AARs: I've gotten some from the Nat Archives in Maryland, but to what command level can these be found? I've got them at the Combat Command level, but has anyone gotten them from regiment or Battalion level? 2) German AARs: How hard are they to find and does anyone know of a good means of getting them translated? I don't sprechen doich. 3) Maps: Has anyone ever come across the old Army maps? The topographical ones with the grid? The AARs I have includes map-grid references and I'm sure I don't need to explain how wonderful it would be to have them as a companion. 4) German Histories: I know some of the units involved in the battle I'm looking at, but it would be great to read their perspective. Any suggestions for sources? I'm heading to the Army War College tomorrow to do some research. They don't have as much as the Archives, but I think they have a pretty good library. So hopefully I can find some good stuff, but any input you guys can give an amateur before he sets out is appreciated.

Ah, my dear Geoffrey: Brings a tear to mine eye.

Tst Tst Croda First you have delusions about me being tied up after hours, now you see Hiram tethered to a post, and in the basement no less..... Next thing we hear you'll be running after Yeknod with a lasso and expecting us to believe you're practising for an upcoming rodeo...</font>

If you hadn't already seen it: A Public Service Announcement (and a welcome one).

Ok, you guys have GOT to tell me what books you're looking at!

Fortunately for us, your inner Croda rules the roost, and your inner Hiram is tethered to a post in the basement.

Profound. Very profound. Now, are we going to do battle or not? What did you think of the map?

Peanut brain. A lone sharpshooter does not count for a flank envelopment, and your artillery couldn't hit a barn from the inside. Noba.</font>

Now I'm trying to figure out if that's funny. Nope.</font>

Perhaps it is your new office in Berlin from which you'll be selling bulletholes and shrapnel to a populace clammering for a supply of bulletholes. I don't suppose this is above Hitler's bunker? But that was below a Government bldg, was it not? (Ignore me) [ March 26, 2002, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: Croda ]

And you're depriving some coffin of an occupant.

Why can't everyone just recognize Amelie for the triumph in movie-making that it is? Aaaaaargh! It's maddening. Love Amelie. Embrace Amelie.

The setup for me is at least half the fun. I also start out with terrain analysis. On attack: 1 - What are my VLs? 2 - Where will he most likely defend these VLs and with what? (keep in mind the opponent's preferences and the force type chosen at setup) 3 - How can I get there? Re 1: The VLs are so arbitrary, that sometimes they are entirely undefendable. If given a cluster of VLs and 1 off by itself on the flank, I will often concede it as it is not worth more than a platoon to defend, and that platoon will most likely be massacred should he attack that way in strength. Keep that platoon where it can support the rest of the Company. Re 2: Most people are very unimaginative in their defense. If there is a clump of trees at the base of the VL, drop a few rounds of 105 on it because chances are that's where he's hiding. Look for good spots for him to set up. Thicker trees are naturally better. Buildings are great. Are the VLs covered by quality defensive positions? Is the VL on the reverse slope of a hill? What is he using? Did the setup allow armor? Most people won't go into battle without armor if the setup allows it. It's often the first thing purchased. Figure out how you'd defend the position and then look for weaknesses. During this process I decide which VLs are the least defensible and designate that point as the goal of my initial attack (meaning the objective I'd like to achieve before committing my entire force. Re 3: Analyze the terrain to see how it benefits the attack. For example: If you are attacking against a position where the VLs are spread across the map, chances are the defender is defending the entire position. Look for a terrain feature that prevents him from bringing all of his fire to bear on your attack. Perhaps a forest, or a high ridge that separates his left from his right so there is no LOS. Remember that in an attack, you have a 1.5:1 advantage in points. If the terrain is such that his left cannot support his right, then you can assume a 3:1 advantage on a particular side. Take a look at the terrain from the top down view to see what approaches are available to your armor. The approaches should be wide enough to move the armor through while being able to secure your flanks from ambush with your infantry. I spend a lot of time running around in 1st person view to see what my approach will look like. Where are the good covered avenues? Where are the good overwatch positions? Where can my FO see the most of the field? Where should I set up my MG teams and mortars? After all this is set, just throw the pieces in place. The setup is the strategic part of the game. Once you hit GO is when the tacitcal part kicks in. The Defense is just the same. Figure out how your opponent is going to attack. How do you know? Well, how would you attack it? Make preparations to defend the most obvious routes. Wet or Snowy ground? Cover the roads. Dry ground? People rarely use the roads when the ground is dry. Setup an AT net. AT guns are cheaper than armor and I prefer them in defense since I can buy more infantry to supplement them. Setup your AT guns to cover the best approaches, and then put your AT mines in the spots that your guns can't see. Then place your infantry, AP mines, TRPs, FOs, support weaps. I think I went a little further than the question asked. Just ignore me.

Go get that invincible-Panther patch, you pillock. Even as we speak, my Nefarious Legion™ curls itself around your flanks; squeezing the life from you; enveloping you in an inferno to which Hell is the sole escape. I anticipate your every move. As you cautiously approach the town, the eyes and ears of the countryside tell me of each step you take, each breath you draw, each prayer your men mumble to themselves. Your uber-tank lies in a ruinous heap. You waste mortar rounds on a single unit which poses no threat, thereby giving away your position. You approach cautiosly giving my artillery ample opportunity to catch you in the open. Dearest, Noba, the battle's done 'cept for the killing.

It's a little cool here, but no snow on the ground, so I thought I'd pass on a very heart-felt: Ha Ha. Now, Squire, make me a dessert out of your opponents' livers. Liege

Hey, Admiral - I sent you a map called 'winter' last week. Did you get it?

Just finished Company Commander and couldn't recommend it more highly. Am also in the midst of Rendezvous with Destiny which is as complete and detailed as anything I've ever read.

Easily the worst title, and worst first page of an MBT in history. Had a gaggle of pissed-off fireants with a raging case of herpes consumed the whole lot of us, at least there would have been something occuring that could hold a modicum of interest. A blind man, given the opportunity to read this page of Peng as his only reprieve from blindness, would forthwith and rightly carve his eyeballs out with the serated edge of a grapefruit spoon to ensure that he never receives the offer again. You are a waste, a waste of Oxygen, a waste of DNA, a waste of ATP, a waste of electrons. The daisies which you will somday push toward they sky will smell of mule and will be given to Death Row Inmates to show them what the other-side holds for them. You're the rotting refuse of a rancid rectum. Please skip the sodding off and go directly to the Die-A-Lot-Now™.

To think that I just read 2 pages of that crap in an effort to 'catch up' with the absurd happenings in this asylum. What have I leared? My squire has no bile on Fridays. Australian teams have goofy names. Peng can't even get laid by a woman who makes a living off of 'extra payments.' Fricking wonderful. I'm away in scenic Massachusetts for the weekend (got my High School reunion tomorrow night ya'know) and won't return a thing until Sunday night at earliest. Unitl then, if anyone sees that earless-freak, dalem, teach him how to use his email.

Very large sleeping pills. Hey, Murdock, you know B.A. ain't gettin' on that plane. I pity the fool who tries to..zzzzzzzzzzzz

That is such a transcendental question. MrPeng, or ThatAlcoholicJackassWithTheSmileyFetish as we like to call him is Hiram Sedai's father. MrPeng (Hiram's real last name is Peng, btw) and Mrs Peng split up when young Hiram (later Sedai when she remarried) was only 12. MrPeng (alias MrHappy, alias GatesSlut) and Hiram (alias Phillies Phan, alias Ghost of Hiram) have been nurturing their relationship via games of Combat Mission. BTS has allowed them to continue a thread on the BBS in order to assist in fostering this Father-Son reunion of sorts. For more information, read the following: http://lindan.panzershark.com/cesspool/007077.html Jul 08 2000 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/013030.html Nov 28 2000 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/013850.html Dec 18 2000 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/014862.html Jan 12 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/015377.html Jan 22 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/015730.html Jan 30 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/016037.html Feb 07 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/016566.html Feb 21 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=016783 Feb 27 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=017065 Mar 6 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=017166 Mar 9 2001 http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=017360 Mar 14 2001 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That's sweet. We in the Nefarious Legion love you too. But don't call us 'homo.' It gets the Ozzies all excited. And by the way - Ha Ha! You live in Jersey and root for the Eagles! Ha Ha!