Chek

Yeah I know I left the e off.Still good to see someone getting some use out of it

Not quite sure what you're saying here Childress-surely you're not implying that due to the stress of combat tactics were ignored and it became an every man for himself affair, when the only way to survive on a battlefield is to work as a team and apply proven tactical doctrine.

More common sense than complex me thinks. There will be somebody there shaking the noobs out into formation, usually the sergeants and corporals and once the formation takes shape and firepower superiority or a line of withdrawal is established, then the common sense becomes obvious. If not one way or another you don't come back.

The Kiwis retook Castle Hill after the Nisei(those guys were just plain nuts) had originally outpaced the US advance and were forced to pull back.They snuck up at night, surprised the German sentries and overwhelmed the defenders. They then handed it over to the Indian Division who got the living hell kicked out of them but managed to hang on to it. Castle hill was crucial to launching an attack on Monte Cassino itsself.The NZers spent most of there time capturing and holding the township. Everybody had a crack at it starting with the Goums attempting out flank it and suffering a staggering 70% casualties and finishing with the Poles making a direct attack.The Germans had been outflanked at this point and were falling back but even so it was no mean feat getting up that hill and into the Cassino, the climb alone was impressive. There were numerous attacks and outflanking attempts across rivers,through mined marshlands,over steep narrow tracks with no cover, thru the township itself it was an epic Infantry battle with a lot of close quarters melee in abhorrent conditions. In my youth I worked with a vet who'd been there. I could usually coax an anecdote out here and there about his various experiences(did you know that the bodies in brewed up tanks smell like roast pork and an 88 shell can magically make a man disappear)but when it came to Cassino all he could muster was "not good", followed by a somewhat lengthy silence as I waited for him to elaborate.

Hmm wonder if they come with Gustav line, you know just so the boys know what they're fighting for, a moral bonus or something

I'm in the CMFI camp but it's a close run thing. Don't rule out shock force either I'm hard core WW2, got CMBN within minutes of it's release was so impressed within a month I'd grabbed shock force with all the modules. It's REALLY good, it plays very nicely and the potential tactical combinations of all those units is nothing short of mind boggling. So much depth in these games, damn things are endless. That learning curve is steep tho and borders on disheartening at times, but when it all comes together it's a beautiful thing

Btw JonS you're qoute is just pure poetry mate.

The preparation, planning, and placement prior to the battles participation will prevent particularly poor performance.....perhaps!

Wouldn't a great general utilise factors in such a way that when others would suffer they benefit,while a poor general would do just the opposite.

It's all good the Kiwi's are in what more do you need . Don't forget the tommy guns this time round

That'd be true.I know the Kiwi's called the Firefly's "the 17pdr".

Sure making me feel good

Ah yes but what a way to go.

Squeals and stammers incoherently in apoplectic joy.

Atkinson tells a ripping good yarn.I always feel like I'm reading a newspaper article for the folks back home though and yet strangely I still enjoy reading his stuff even though I know he's leaving a fair bit out. And as for Monty-vain,arrogant,obnoxious who wrankled his superiors and gained the undying support of his soldiers. A brief glance at his past speaks volumes of a man who new his business inside out and aside from Slim was probably the only British General who did.The average 8th Army soldier could've passed the Auk and not even known him but within a week of Monty's arrival he'd gone around every unit so that every grunt new who he was and what they were doing there,none of this drop back and fight dashing cavalry maneuvers,stand fast we stop the hun here.A simple,achievable plan enacted by a previously demoralised but now motivated army due solely to his efforts. Like has nothing to do with it,he knew his business.

At 35 I started counting backwards thus making me a not so tender 20. Eat your heart out Benjamin button.

HUH! Real men cut themselves

Ah the joys of dealing with the public,reminds me of my SHORT time spent working in a music store. A customer came in one day ranting about the latest version of Pro Tools(a multi track recording program)coming with a whole lot of extra plug ins and demanding that he be given those same plug ins for an earlier version that he owned.He refused to pay the fee for the upgrade and get an improved version of Pro Tools with the Plug Ins and it was a ****e load more than 10 bucks. Not a lot you can say to that(well actually there were some things I really really wanted to say,but would have unfortunately resulted in termination of my then position) I mean really... 10 bucks!!!

LOL or even worse work on the house.

LOL,what a silly place to put a power pole. Petter's always good to watch,if in doubt apply power.

A century and not out,well done.(it's a cricket thing)

Very good news indeed,thanks for all your efforts GAJ and a big thanks to the Donor also.

Yeah I had one of those.Vindictive bitch she was too.I remember a certain lad in primary school kicked her in the butt as she bent over in the cloak bay,then ran.She demanded who the culprit was and nobody said a word. He was our hero and still getting cred for it right through to our College years.

I remember me Pops telling me when he was being trained to shoot the SMLE,that a corporal would wander up and down the firing line with a long hard thin stick and when you failed to use your thumb and forefinger to work the bolt,would give you an almighty smack across the back of your hand and bellow-DON'T PALM THE F----EN BOLT. Anyway after watching Mr Kettlers post of 10 rounds in 6.5 secs,I guess that was why.

Yep C'Rogers is onto something,once those bullets and bombs start flying we are now in a world of pure chaos and anything can happen.