Gpig

The top 5 things you don't want to see changed from CMx1 1- scale 2- pace 3- balance between FUN and Realism 4- Ease of command and control (don't get OVERLY detailed) 5- camera controls. LOVE it! and the top 5 things you want CMx2 to do differently 1- Detailed and functionally realistic animations. 2- Rubbled buildings and piles of rubble/deformable terrain/water has depth 3- SOPs for units (If A happens, do 4- Multi-multi-multi player 5- add a campaign function Good luck! Gpig

Hi Kingfish. Would you please email me: Chambois To the last man Ardennes - Team Desorby A Canadian Confrontation A Rock in the flood Resolve at Ranville (zipped, please?) Thanks! Gpig

I'd guess that it would at LEAST be as important as a "sheit." Maybe even ranking up there with "a rats ass." But . . . opinions differ. Personally, I find it all quite interesting. The achievements of the British and Canadians versus the Tigers. The poor tactics of the German counterattack. The cult of personality that has arisen for Wittman. And the fact that NOBODY on the allied side even Knew who Wittman was, until the next year. Wittman who?

*pop* I want a screenshot! I want a screenshot! (re-inserts thumb into mouth)

Thank you Mr. Reid! Well done. Gpig

That is odd. Sometimes Mines do not work. But your experience seems especially odd. Last night I had two tanks roll right through an AT Minefield of mine. It sure can be frustrating. You ARE sure they were AT mines, right? (Sorry, just had to ask.) Gpig

Well . . . kind of a gray area, but I think it'd be OK to run a few tests on your own time. If I was your opponent, I wouldn't mind. In fact, I might be busy running my own tests against JS2s. Gpig P.S. You DO mean setting up a similar model in the editor, right? Not opening up a new version of the scenario and playing from there . . .

Thanks, Kingfish. I've emailed Desert-Fox.

Hi Kingfish! ***SPOILER WARNING*** . . . . . I opened up Cintheaux-Totalize and had a look. It sure looks great. MASSIVE battle. But it does have a few major differences from the description of the battle in NO HOLDING BACK. (Though I'm sure Desert-Fox has built a fantasitc battle.) For instance, Gaumesnil was reported as not being held by the Germans (save for a few individual stragglers). And Radley-Walters set up his Sqn prior to the German counter-attack. (Not the case in this scenario.) Also, the Poles did not play a part in this battle, nor did any other Phase 2 Allied formations. Nor was there any CAS. (Not the case in this scenario.) But of course, I get the impression that Desert-Fox tried to make a battle that gave you the "feel" of things happening. Also, he had read through a HELL of a lot more source material than I have (me basing my comments on ONE book). Is Desert-Fox still around? I love the map he did, it looks perfect. I'm wondering if I could have his permission to do a NO HOLDING BACK version of the battle, utilizing his excellent map. (just for fun). Gpig

You mean that the SFR A Sqn was actually a bit farther SOUTH than 1 NY, instead of parallel with them? (Also, he had a squadron - 9 tanks incl his own - with him in Gaumesnil. Two of which were Fireflys. But a further 2 Fireflys of B Sqn SFR scooted on down towards La Jalousie once the counter attack started. Gpig

Excellent! Thank you sir! Gpig

No kidding. I've already tooled around with laying it out in the editor. It works great. EDIT: But if Kingfish is going to make an updated version of this battle, where do I pre-order! Someone (Moon? Rune?) did a CMBO battle called "tank warning?" where the terrain was VERY open. And for the most part it was. But there is some text in NO HOLDING BACK that describes hedgerows and covered approaches for portions of the 12 SS counterattack. As for the details of the map, I have a question. What does the widening of the railroad tracks signify? Does it mean there is a siding/double set of tracks? Or does it mean for the stretch of tracks so indicated, there is a grade (up or down)? Also, where the tracks cross the La Jalousie - Quarry road, there is some kind of "encirclement" around a portion of the tracks. Anyone know what that means? THanks, Gpig [ August 18, 2005, 02:47 PM: Message edited by: Gpig ]

Here is a scan of the map, better detailing the area of the engagement. This is straight out of the book NO HOLDING BACK by Brian Reid. (and I hope I don't get in too much trouble for this.) http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/725/deathridemap8qo.jpg' alt='deathridemap8qo.jpg'>

Those ARE the main points. A little bit more, directly from the book (pg. 414): "Radley-Walters consistently has maintained that he moved part of his squadron, including two Fireflys, into an ambush position behind a stone wall in the area of Gaumesnil. In the ensuing engagement, one of the Fireflys knocked out a Tiger that was moving north just east of the Route Nationale, while he claimed a SP gun that was travelling along the road as destroyed. (This is from the authours interview with Radley-Walters in Jan 2002.) His entire account in the book is as follows (pg. 420): As for the Sherbrookes, as we have seen any logged radio reports of the battle were detroyed when its regimental headquarters half-track was destroyed by an American bomb later that same afternoon. Howwever the squadron commander, Major Sydney Radley-Walters, has recorded the events surrounding his squadron's part in the action of 8 August. His account begins after the series of local counterattacks which perhaps started as early as 0830 hours, were defeated. "I decided that I should move forward to Gaumesnil and be in position to support the Royals [Royal Regiment of Canada] when they were ordered to capture the village. At approximately 1030 hours I left the woods and skirted the woods to the left until I reached the railway line, then turned south past La Jalousie until we reached the rear of Gaumesnil. I was able to get good cover during this move and had right flank protection from the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and my #1 Troop as I moved the Squadron south behind the bush at Gaumesnil. The village was small but at its eastern edge near the Caen [-Falaise] Highway was a large chateau with a tall stone and cement wall completely around the property giving good fire positions to the east and south-east. That stone wall was still there the last time I visited Gamesnil in 1993, however, the chateau was destroyed. [T]o the rear there was a large wooded area which gave good protection from view. As best as I can remember, I had eight tanks left with me and two were equipped with 17-pounder guns. We took up defensive positions about the farm and made holes in the stone wall so we were covered from view but could observe any targets coming north on the Caen-Falaise Highway and in the fields to the east of it. I recall the woods to the rear of the village and the hedgerows around the village gave good cover, so moving into this location and taking up positions behind the stone wall, and around the village was not a problem. It was approximately 1115 hours when the Squadron was settled in its position. Except for a few individual German stragglers, the village was not occupied. At noon we could see movement to the east of Cintheaux. There was a long hedgerow that ran east from the village out into the fields and our artillery was shelling this area and the village when this movement was spotted. It is my recollection that is was somewhere between 1215 and 1230 hours when the attack started ...... In our area around Gaumesnil the visibility, I recall, was thick with smoke and the German attack was supported by mortars and artillery as they moved parallel with the Highway towards Point 122. It is my recollection that the attack moved as a group with five Tigers leading the group well spaced with four at the front and the fifth leading a number of Mk IVs and half-tracks with Jagdpanzers. One of the Tigers was running close to the highway beside Gaumesnil followed by two Jagdpanzers advancing on the main highway ... When we saw the German attack coming in, I just kept yelling, "Hold off! Hold off!" unitl they got reasonably close. We opened fire at about 500 yards. The lead tank, the one closest to the road, was knocked out. Behind it were a couple of SPs. I personally got one of the SPs right on the Caen-Falaise Raod. The other Tigers were engaged not only by my Squadron, but also by two Fireflys from B Squadron that had moved over to La Jalousie when the counter-attack started. Once we started to fire, the German column turned to the north-east and headed for the wooded area south of St. Aignan [de Cramesnil] ...... It is my recollection that we destroyed two Mk IVs before the rear of the German group veered too far to the east ...... When the action was over we claimed the Tiger beside the highway, a second Tiger which was at the rear of the advancing column, two Mk IVs and two SPs. I'll scan the map later and add it to the thread. The map is very informative as well. Gpig [ August 17, 2005, 03:42 PM: Message edited by: Gpig ]

Aye, Michael. I'm not saying it's certain. In fact, I did write "makes a pretty tight case" above. I'll be the first to admit that ALL I know about the topic has been gleaned from Reid's book AND what I've read here (BFC forum). So that should put my comments in perspective. In the other thread (in the CMAK forum) "fences and walls," I stated that "This book does put forward a great case for the above being true (Canadian claim on Wittman's tank). But like the rest, it is no sure thing." Just wanted to be clear. (Also, I plead guilty for wanting to have a bit of fun.) roqf77, the chapter covering the counterattack and Appendix E of Reid's book, shed some new light on the events. But he also states that nothing is 100% sure. If you're interested, I could type up the chapter referred to (or at least the relevant bits). Gpig

Is this a new CMAK conversion of an old CMBO battle done by WBW? Cool! Would you let me know what battle it represents, historically speaking? Thanks, Gpig

Originally posted by Breakthrough: In the new book, NO HOLDING BACK, Operation Totalize, Normandy, August 1944 - (By Brian Reid) the authour makes a pretty tight case for a Canadian from A Sqn of the Sherbrooke Fusiliers claiming Wittman's Tiger as KO'd. This book also places Sgt. Gordon (and trooper Elkins) with 1 Northhamptonshire Yeomanry, not the Fyfe and Fofar (unless they are one and the same). Check it out! It's an interesting study. Gpig

Hell yeah! P-51D! Now that guy was an exceptional trickster. The 1 Northhamptonshire Yeomanry of 33 British Armoured Brigade (with Tpr Elkins in a Firefly tank) was not the only unit that engaged Tiger tanks that afternoon. Major Sydney Radley-Walters' A Sqn of the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment and the 144 Regiment Royal Armoured Corp were also within range and made claims on Tigers. According to the research done by Mr. Reid, there was no CAS in the area during the counterattack by Wittman's unit. So yes, that would make the case for the effectiveness of CAS extremely weak in this example. I agree with you about the tactical ineptness evident in the counterattack. The book makes note of it. Also, the double standard applied to german "mistakes" versus allied mistakes. Very interesting stuff. All good for the continuation of my education. Gpig

Hell yeah! P-51D! Now that guy was an exceptional trickster. The 1 Northhamptonshire Yeomanry of 33 British Armoured Brigade (with Tpr Elkins in a Firefly tank) was not the only unit that engaged Tiger tanks that afternoon. Major Sydney Radley-Walters' A Sqn of the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment and the 144 Regiment Royal Armoured Corp were also within range and made claims on Tigers. According to the research done by Mr. Reid, there was no CAS in the area during the counterattack by Wittman's unit. So yes, that would make the case for the effectiveness of CAS extremely weak in this example. I agree with you about the tactical ineptness evident in the counterattack. The book makes note of it. Also, the double standard applied to german "mistakes" versus allied mistakes. Very interesting stuff. All good for the continuation of my education. Gpig

*puts a fiver in his brandy snifter* You here all week?

Hee hee hee. I knew that would bring someone out to play. This book does put forward a great case for the above being true (Canadian claim on Wittman's tank). But like the rest, it is no sure thing. The important thing is that the counter attack was repulsed. Great book, by the way. Gpig

Hee hee hee. I knew that would bring someone out to play. This book does put forward a great case for the above being true (Canadian claim on Wittman's tank). But like the rest, it is no sure thing. The important thing is that the counter attack was repulsed. Great book, by the way. Gpig

What's it about?

Yes. New wall features would be greatly appreciated. I was just reading an account of Shermans in action from "No Holding Back. Operation Totalize. Normandy August 1944." written by Brian A. Reid. On pg. 237, "Here the crews moved their Shermans into concealed positions behind the wall, knocking down parts of it to create firing ports like the battlements of a medieval castle." (This is also the troop that KO'd Wittman's tank.) Gpig

Yes. New wall features would be greatly appreciated. I was just reading an account of Shermans in action from "No Holding Back. Operation Totalize. Normandy August 1944." written by Brian A. Reid. On pg. 237, "Here the crews moved their Shermans into concealed positions behind the wall, knocking down parts of it to create firing ports like the battlements of a medieval castle." (This is also the troop that KO'd Wittman's tank.) Gpig