Doodlebug

Correction-fashionably late</font>

1) They always turn up three years late to any war. [ September 16, 2002, 12:14 PM: Message edited by: Doodlebug ]

Yep. It's a mortar but breech loading. I'd hate to picture the gunners trying to slip a shell into the muzzle and then elevate until it slid down onto the firing pin.

I too was wondering whether my spec was up to running CMBB? I have a "What the Butler saw" machine with comb and paper to handle the SFX. It runs at 1 Hz (2 if I poke the hamster on his wheel with a pointy stick). Is it worth me splashing out when the games's released?

Too pleasant comrade. "Attack or we'll shoot you quicker than the Fascists. Where's my samovar" is more like it!

More accurate than CMBO? Yes. More difficult to spot than CMBO? Yes. I admit they were a little cartoony and stylised before but you could certainly pick up on concentrations of firing easier and drop down into the sector to rerun the replay until you knew the situation. I'd hate to think I missed out on some great action in the replay simply because I hadn't spotted it at all. I simply think there possibly needs to be a trade off between accuracy and visual impact. Shouldn't the tracer simply be a guide to the player that there's activity and firing going on?

Useful feed back. Thanks. But easily forgotten in the heat of battle. I think I'm at the toddler stage now. I hope to be walking soon and given time running with the best of you. Probably at great speed and to the rear.

OK. So I know I'm hamfisted but this new split edge screen slide/rotation setup is foxing me. I tend to find myself falling into a flat spin and sliding across the battlefield when I try to rotate. Is it possible to mod a visual marker, perhaps either a couple of > < notches or perhaps vertical extensions from the interface bar to differentiate the slide zone from the rotation zone until folks are used to the new concept?

I'm actually finding that I'm having to micromanage squads far more than before. The smaller (and more historically accurate visually) tracer fire is hard to pick out at the higher views and I'm having to drop onto squads at very low views, look for the bullet strikes and then jump up a level and try to work out the source of the fire. I can't help but think that in a bigger engagement it's going to prove impracticable not to say annoying. Perhaps I'm simply used to the old style and given time I'd learn to adapt but at the moment given the increase in effect of suppressive fire I'm having troubles working out if I'm moving into or out of trouble.

Hi Andreas. Thanks for the interesting detail in your post. I can't help wondering though that the defensive setup you've given seems a very structured one. It struck me that as you're talking about a relatively early engagement you must therefore must be talking about the deployment of intact German Divisions, although depleted perhaps, rather than Kampfgruppes bodged together from all and sundry. I was intrigued as to how this sort of tactical system fitted into a Kampfgruppe situation or a fluid battle. I'm guessing it doesn't being more suited it seems to a static (and organised) front. Any details or observations on more fluid or later situations

I'm no botany expert but I'm pretty certain from some dark (and best not investigated) recess of my mind that modern cereal crops are bred way shorter compared to older varieties where the stalks were not considered waste product but were used for thatching roofs. I'm pretty sure that would not account for the discrepancy though.

Interesting observation about treating snipers proper as a "presence" on the battlefield. Reading "With British snipers to the Reich" makes me agree with that analogy. Working in an area, the purpose of the sniper teams was to make above ground movement difficult and dangerous and thereby induce a suppressing effect on the defenders. Having gained the ascendancy in a sector the ability of other troops to observe, infiltrate or conduct aggressive patrol activity is enhanced. I would support the assertion that the purchase of the sniper team as an asset to hinder movement and kill the unwary or reckless is actually a sensible way forward while retaining the use of on table sharpshooters. My only reservation about treating the sniper in this way would be the difficulty in coding the game AI.

I've only just finished working through your extraordinarily detailed work on the composition of a Commando John and just wanted to thank you properly. Much appreciated. I intend to use your idea as presented. One further question I'll float to any interested party. As mentioned above by Andreas the 11th Armoured troops were highly critical of their behaviour in proximity to the enemy. To quote Major Noel Bell M.C. of the Rifle Brigade "We were amazed after daybreak had broken on the 6th to see them walking about, seemingly quite oblivious of the enemy so close at hand, making no effort whatever to conceal their movements. In consequence a considerable enemy artillery barrage came down on our positions, wounding many of them, some seriously. To us trained for years in fieldcraft and concealment of movement, their lack of same left us speechless" I appreciate that Commando's had an enviable record on special operations but in open warfare? What unit experience rating do you think appropriate for this type of action? I'm wavering around regular but the description above does seem to show a good deal of deficiencies. Does this sort of performance equate to green I wonder? Finally is anyone able to offer any additional snippets or links into other Commando actions during the period? (edited for appalling typing). [ June 12, 2002, 05:10 PM: Message edited by: Doodlebug ]

Gary, you are right. That particular book is staring down at me from the shelf and is a gold mine for late war British operations in the drive into Germany. Many of the actions are described at a low enough level to make them ideal for conversion into scenarios or operations. The opponents are interesting and varied too. Primarily the book focuses on the 2.Marine Infantrie Division, converted German naval crews, and which aquitted itself very gallantly. Andrew Fox asked for some scenario's for his newly modded Comets. He may just get them.

Andreas, you are a God send. That's the very action I'm working on and my next message would have been for someone familiar with the region or area to cast an eye over my map and make suggestions as to any improvements required. Care to take a look? It's not quite ready but I've got the incentive to press on now. What with you knowing the area and John showboating the details I needed.

Thanks for the feedback Gentlemen. I couldn't ask for more. I am grateful for your efforts. I guess the hard coding issue will mean Para berets prevail but in all other respects you've confirmed my suspicions. Incidentally John D. did they replant the Oaks that blew down in that Storm a while back(can't remember for the life of me when) or is it now Sixoaks, Fiveoaks,Fouroaks, Threeoaks, Twooaks, Oneoak? Nooaks? Here Shep!

In 1945 1st Commando Brigade was attached to 11th Armoured Division to beef up the infantry content and use otherwise redundant troops. I understand the Brigade consisted of 3,6,45(RM) and 46(RM) Commandos. In total this Brigade provided the equivalent of two full strength infantry battalions. For the purposes of a scenario I am working on I figure on substituting British Paras for the commando squads but can anyone out there come up with some organisational details or sources for said information of what consituted a Commando? I am guessing, somewhat obviously given the above details, that each equates to a half battalion and may lack heavy weapons given the raiding heritage of the force. Alternatively would there be no difference from other British troops by this stage of the War?

I've just finished reading a book "Tank Tracks" about the 9th Btn.RTR., a Churchill equipped unit, used during the campaign of '44/'45 in support of a number of differing infantry divisions. It is clear from there that although the regiment was attached to an infantry brigade within the infantry division for the duration of an operation squadrons or troops were often committed to action independently depending on the scale of the action. The tactic seems to be to get a given infantry unit onto it's objective and then withdraw into a counter attack role. If troops were committed to action it was under the command of the troop commander a role which is not reproduced in the game. To use two or three Churchills without the squadron HQ being present is entirely plausible.

Hold hard my friend. "the No. 4 SMLE was, by that time, quite obsolete" I don't agree with that. Right about now virtually every army still used the bolt action rifle, the Us Army being the exception with the Garand. As bolt actions go the Lee Enfield was about the best and although they've been replaced post war can't be damned that quickly.

I did a similar calculation some time ago but didn't publish because of the contentious nature of the conclusions I'd reached. I confidently await the justifications from the SMG wielding West Front Ubers when these sort of numbers do not make it to the East Front.

I do believe you're right Andreas. Oh how those naughty CM player's abuse the pure science of scenario design. Once the genie's out the bottle you just can't put it back!

Yep. I figure Germany would never have lost if only they could have produced a larger version carrying an 88!

Once upon a time in a scenario far,far away there lived a Sdkfz7/2. One day while out driving he met some strangers. He reversed up and down just in front of his new friends and killed two Daimlers, one Humber, three MMG Carriers, one White Scout Car, a Jeep and occupants, a Sexton and mauled two squads of infantry all inside two minutes. For he was a magical half track impervious to AP, HE and small arms. When he'd finished introducing himself he drove away and lived happily ever after. Not one of my finest hours.

I was after them as well so a big thank you from me too.

I've always hoped that someone would do a Munchkin Army mod for the Allies and Flying Chimps for the Axis.