BloodyBucket

Arty will do it if large enough, the smaller stuff is better used to smoke up the area so you can get your infantry close. Get close with infantry with demo charges, bazookas or flamethrowers and they will do the trick. Ideal tactic is to come up from behind, of course, where field of fire from pillbox is masked and the box is weakest. Tanks will do it, and the smaller caliber guns seem to work ok. Stuarts are good for this work, as are AVRE and SP arty units. Good luck.

Smallish landlocked country surrounded by enemies equals tactical innovation and excellence. (Germany, Israel) Huge, bicoastal country with vast resources and technology equals logistical innovation and excellence. (USA) Small island country without resources surrounded by enemies equals naval excellence and guts. (Brits, Japan) I guess it is a nature or nurture argument. ------------------ "Roll on"

Anyone else play really small scenarios? Small map, mostly infantry, 20 turns? Or does it have to be a battalion slugfest to be any good? Does size matter? Should I be embarrased by the miniscule nature of my scenario? ------------------ "Roll on"

Right then! Sergeant-Major marching up and down the square! ------------------ "Roll on"

The Sherman is not the only example of gear that could have been better. The magazine fed, fixed barrel BAR, the decision to stay with the 2.36 inch Bazooka, and the lack of a good antitank gun come to mind. Still, the old saying that amateurs study tactics while pros study logistics explains much. The landing craft, truck and transport plane probably did more to win the war in Europe than a whole host of Pershings without them would have done. ------------------ "Roll on"

Stix Is it true that your CD-ROM drive spins counterclockwise down there? ------------------ "Roll on"

Think of German tanks as power hitters on a baseball team. Not a whole lot of them, but they are spectacular and get all the press. Now think of Shermans as your utility players. Not great players, but you got a whole bunch. The other team has Sammy Sousa, but the rest of his players aren't great, and most of 'em are injured. Now, your pitching is your artillery and airpower, and it is a great bullpen. The other team has squat for pitching, because it used up it's bullpen in a big game out east. Now, this may not answer your question, but it does point out that it is almost baseball season. ------------------ "Roll on" [This message has been edited by BloodyBucket (edited 03-31-2001).]

Actually, I was hoping someone would post a mullet mod. ------------------ "Roll on"

When I played it we won $300 a month. ------------------ "Roll on"

Maybe you can peek inside the vehicle and watch what the crew does? ------------------ "Roll on"

Great thread. Hope my regular opponent does not see it. I admit to a tendency to go tank hunting at the outset, although I try to do it with my infantry AT teams if possible. Is there anything in life as sweet as the victory of an infantry squad armed with rifle grenades or a demo charge/gammon grenade over those damn big iron German monstrosities? Granted, the rarity of the event is a key to the immense satisfaction... ------------------ "Roll on"

Good example, Bullethead. I think that some of the fighting lent itself to inderect MG fire, when the lines were fairly static, but most units would not have it "on call" at a small unit scale. Still, I believe that the glory days of inderect MG fire were before WWII, at least for the combatants that had access to other fires. Not to say that it wasn't used, but if I were to design a WWII tactical game, it would not be at the top of the "must have" features list. Sure wish it could all be included, and the science of inderect fire with small arms fascinates me. Perhaps in CM2? ------------------ "Roll on"

Not all VG formations were "green". The aforementioned 26th VG was perhaps the best infantry division the Germans had in the Ardennes. It is my understanding that the VG designation started as a battle honor that got watered down over time. ------------------ "Roll on"

Good example. The Japanese used inderect MG fire at Iwo Jima, as another example, but it is my understanding that it was regarded as a "lost art" when compared to WWI practice. As a side note, the U.S. changed specs on the ball ammo used in the M-1919 and Garand just before WWII to help functioning problems with the Garand at the expense of extreme range performance in the MG. ------------------ "Roll on"

I don't know about the last tank theory, but certainly the first side that decides it is defeated always loses. ------------------ "Roll on"

How about the ambient sounds of Glen Miller or Harry James records wafting up from buildings occupied by U.S. units more than 200 yards from the front lines, changing to Der Bingle's "White Christmas" in deep snow battles? ------------------ "Roll on"

I have conflicting thoughts about the effectiveness of MG’s in CM. I know that a properly served MG can be an extremely effective weapon. I also know that the Japanese had thousands of MG’s on Okinawa in entrenched positions and it didn’t stop the Americans. The idea is that it is the skill of the user as much as what the gun is capable of doing, as well as the skill of the people attacking the MG. Granted, CM could do a better job of simulating indirect (Plunging) MG fire, but that technique was not generally used during WWII. Also, fields of fire laid out in advance should not be blocked by smoke. Another use for TRP’s in CM2? As to the M-60 issue, it speaks volumes that the MG-42 is still in service with several countries, generally rechambered in 7.62 NATO, and the M-60 is on the way out. I read that after WWII, combat GI’s said we should adopt the MG-42, but the army refused, based on the facts that the single prototype tested in 30-06 jammed and there was a general distaste for things German at the time. So we got a weapon designed by committee. MG’s haven’t changed radically since WWII, but there are more of them on the modern battlefield. ------------------ "Roll on"

I have a similar problem with my sound mod, the "spitting" sounds continue even after everone's mouth should be dry with fear. ------------------ "Roll on"

If you want a good way to kill some time until CM arrives, try reading "Closing with the Enemy" by Michael D. Doubler, a good general read on WWII small unit tactics from the American perspective. "The Sharp End" by John Ellis is also good. My favorite while I am not playing CM is still "Up Front" by Bill Mauldin. Insightful, and funny. ------------------ "Roll on"

Kump, you are on target as always. Seems to me that a site doing nothing but scenarios would prosper. No mods, etc. Just scenarios. Anyone contemplating such a site? ------------------ "Roll on"

A HMG is the one shooting at YOU. A LMG is the one shooting at the other guy. ------------------ "Roll on"

64 ------------------ "Roll on"

I ran to my computer to turn off the camera shake optiion, but I couldn't remember the Hotkey. ------------------ "Roll on"

Oh no, and a Marine officer to boot! Well, I guess the only thing worse is a Marine SNCO. Semper Fi, Black Five, and may you have fair winds and following seas in that tank of yours! Respectfully, Master Sergeant Bloody Bucket ------------------ "Roll on"

Too true, Black Five. Combined arms is the name of the game. We pink squishies have the greatest respect for the large iron beasts. As Bill Mauldin said so well, "A moving foxhole tends to attract the eye!" ------------------ "Roll on"