Admiral Keth

After a significant amount of work, I am pleased to announce to unveiling of the PHP/MySQL version of the Scenario Depot. The Scenario Depot now allows you to submit Amazon-style reviews of your favorite scenarios and operations. File downloads are still not enabled, but I'll be implementing that over the next week or so. Come on over and kick the tires/tracks.

Check your email. [ 06-01-2001: Message edited by: Admiral Keth ]

Tom, Check out Osprey Publishing's site. Their Campaign series of books are stunning! I'm using several to develop the exploits of the US 90th Infantry through Metz.

Reading Guderian's Panzer Leader. Useful insights regarding the politics of that level of command, and the reasons why things were done the way that they were done. [ 05-02-2001: Message edited by: Admiral Keth ]

...leaving a trail of brats and stouts from the other thread. Brats? Stouts? Anyone?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Iskander: I think I love you and will bear your children...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> And go sit over there....

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Iskander: I think I love you and will bear your children...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Here ya go my boy! Plenty to go around...Careful, that's 12.5% alcohol. Don't spill any!

Oh boy, I brought bratwurst and homebrew Russian Imperial Stout...enough for everybody!

Managed to kill a bogged gunless Sherman with 6 Waffen SS squads. No shrecks, no fausts, just hand grenades. Took 4 turns of constant grenade chucking, but it's all I had.

Just another test.

Harry Yeide, Ausgezeichnet! Good link. Thanks.

Started to play a quick battle, but the commissars tried several of my HQ units as Tzarists and had them summarily executed prior to the game. Anyone know how to prevent this?

Berlichtingen, Sure, what we can try to do is offer a variety of "sort-by's" (year/campaign/creator/web host/etc.) that people can locate one or more particular scenarios or operations.

Dima, Many people, including scenario designers expressed their dismay at arbitrary inclusion of the scenarios in a "Get it all Here" package. I can understand their point of view, and since these scenarios were not mine to begin with, acceded to their wishes. I respect other people's boundaries makes me a coward; hardly. I'd like to see you try anything similar and see how you deal with it. And had you read more carefully, you'll note that Spike and I are working towards providing all of these scenarios in a fashion which is more palatable and legal than simply bundling them together and throwing them out there. There will be at least two web sites which will provide as many of these scenarios for which we can obtain permission. Coward, eh? Is throwing a temper tantrum and calling people names any better?

Spook, Yeah, I know, it sounds a little iffy. That's why I'm intensely scouring various sources to verify some of these stories. I understand the concept of a story growing in proportion to the amount of time which has passed, so I too am taking it with a grain of salt until I uncover concrete evidence.

As an example of the poor leadership, one of the stories I'm attempting to substantiate is the one where an M16 halftrack opened up on my dad's company, killing all but three guys (dad was behind a big rock when this happened). The commander of the surviving company simply walked up to the halftrack commander and unceremoniously executed him. So far I have been unable to find any mention of this event, but I'm still searching.

CombinedArms, I'm in the process of chronicaling my dad's experiences (some good, some bad...his final experience which got him out of the service was not good at all) and will be including them on the same site that I'm creating for the scenario series. I'm working diligently to get that site up, but it may be as long as a month before it's ready to be unveiled. I'll keep people posted.

Gang, I think what we are boiling down to is this: There are three classes of scenarios (1)those scenarios whose authors can still be contacted, (2)those whose authors are incommunicado, and (3) scenarios that are being hosted by other sites. Here's the proposal: 1) A site which lists ALL of the scenarios and their parameters, similar (but not the same) to the scenario database. Perhaps a rating or voting system for people that have played the scenarios. 2) If a person wants to create a site which lists all of the available scenarios must first attempt to contact the recognized author. 3) Upon the scenario author's written permission, include that scenario in a scenario pack. 4) Scenarios being hosted by other sites will simply have links to those sites. Not directly to the scenarios themselves, just the main website. 5) Scenarios for which the authors cannot be contacted through best effort (will/will not) be included. I would like everyone's inpout here. 6) Should any scenario hosting website go offline, a short (agreed upon) time period will elapse before the author is contacted for potential inclusion in the Scenario Pack. Everyone, mind you that this is just an idea for debate, and it's not meant to turn into a firestorm. Everyone here is enthusiastic (there's an understatement) about CM, and I think we are all simply trying to preserve and promote the game as best we can. I think I'd like to enlist someone's help (Spike, you game?) on this project, as contacting authors will be a monumental task.

Manx_CM, I have thought long and hard about what to do about this. Indeed, tracking either mods or scenarios is a painstaking and time-consuming task, one which the person undertaking the task does more out of enjoyment and appreciation for the game itself than any personal gain. I have discontinued distribution of the CM Scenario MegaPack, and I am going to concentrate on simply creating the 90th Infantry series scenarios. Given enough encouragement, I may create a site which lists the scenarios, their parameters, where they can be found (elsewhere on the net), as well as who created them. That in and of itself will be a Herculean task. Perhaps even rate them after playing each one several times. I would like to kjow if ANYBODY has any objections to that idea. Manx_CM, as well as other scenario designers, please accept my sincerest apologies for any offense I may have caused.

Spook, Thanks for the advice. The local hobby shop carries a massive selection of Osprey books, thus having the title is half the search. I'll ping them and see if I can't get it this week.

OK guys, nuff said. It's gone. Sorry if I offended anyone or stepped on toes. Goodbye.

Manx_CM I'm not sure what you mean, but it's not my intention to put any CM-related site out of business. A large portion of the scenarios that can be found in the Scenario Mega Pack are remarkably hard to find, such as the ASL-related scenarios. Many new CM players are unable to locate some of these lost treasures, and I simply want to provide a method by which new players can obtain them. If any scenario designer does not want their scenarios included in the Scenario Mega Pack, just say so.

Steve, Excellent resources, thanks. I'm also using a book entitled "The 90th" that my dad got when he mustered out. Publish date on the inside of the back cover is stamped 1946. It's chock full of photos, some maps, and a tremendous amount of written detail, but only a sparse order of battle, consisting mainly of casualties and captured equipment. A really definitive OOB (for both sides) is going to be critical to adding the level of accuracy I need to make this a proper tribute. I'll be OCRing in much of the text and including that with each of the scenarios, plus including some of my dad's accounts.

Spike, I sincerely appreciate your offer. There is a short list of scenarios that I am missing, and they are indicated in the Scenario database. I can provide you with a consolidated list if you like. Work has already begun on the Scenario Review site and I'm planning on unveiling it within a week or two.

All, I'm developing a series of scenarios depicting the actions of the 90th Infantry in Northern France. This series of scenarios will be a tribute to my dad (who was with the 358th Regiment Company E). While I have some great stories from him (he's the only guy I've ever heard of that faced down the same King Tiger TWICE and lived), there are a lot of details that are missing. Anyone with any info please contact me. I have already scoured the Inet, but the details that are lacking are orders of battle for both sides. I have maps and photos, but additional maps would be helpful. Thanks in advance.