Erwin

Andy,
Sorry   about the  link.  Purple. link has been tested  and  works..  Regarding your do I play CM question,   I   haven't. been able to  do so for months now, but  assuredly would if I could. Indeed, it's stressing me out that I can't destress by playing CM! Since. all I can do is post, that's what I  do instead.
state-sponsored violence in the soviet union: skeletal trauma and ...

Review of
STATE-SPONSORED VIOLENCE IN THE SOVIET UNION: SKELETAL TRAUMA AND BURIAL ORGANIZATION IN A POST-WORLD WAR II LITHUANIAN SAMPLE 
By
Catherine Elizabeth Bird
http://dissertationreviews.org/archives/9045  
Regards,
John Kettler

Ivan Zaitsev,
George Bradford,  founder of  the. amazing AFV  News, wrote the   below classic, which. is  theater specific but excellent.

https://www.amazon.com/Armour-Camouflage-Markings-Africa-1940-43/dp/0853681015
Scribd  has. many back issues of AFV-G2, a magazine founded by. Jim Steuard,  a  former American. tanker. and ordnance grog so hardcore he. towed a Nebelwerfer behind his  station. wagon when he moved to. California!   Every issue had a super detailed camouflage and markings article, of which  many  were WW II German. As if that wasn't enough, each article had a paint chip carefully matched to the best available info on the actual paint, together with exact instructions  on how to mix it using Floquil paint.

I detest WoT, but the blogs and videos can be quite useful.

http://ftr.wot-news.com/2015/02/24/german-camouflage-and-tactical-markings-part-i-by-agarestretiak/

https://mistertretiakpresents.wordpress.com/2015/03/26/world-war-2-german-camouflage-and-tactical-markings-part-2/

FoW doesn't float my boat, either, and the armored attacks look ludicrous, but this  article is really good and the bibliography juicy.

https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=2118

There's lots more to be had, but these should prove useful.

Regards,
John Kettler

 

This is a doctoral dissertation. on state-sponsored violence in Lithuania under the Soviets during  and after WW II. (1944-47).    It  is a forensic study of the specific activities of what the dissertation  calls "violence workers"  (nearly gagged over that one) at multiple sites, with Katyn being explicitly used for  comparison. This dissertation first sets forth the broad  context in which, the security organs operated, their ethos, organizational  structure and effectiveness, before getting down to the brutal  specifics based  on nearly 160  exhumations.   Found this  while looking into  the ability of coroners and  such to distinguish between  peri  mortem and post  portem  GSW.   It is clear that such distinction can be made,   and  that has ramifications on one of  my book  projects.  Spot. reading  of  various. parts of  this. document show it   to be. well-conceived, thoroughly documented, carefully considered and  well argued. It is   replete with  charts,   graphs,   histograms,   plots,  inventories,  photos and. more. Found   myself baffled, though, that a  table for Stalinist period state-sponsored violence in the Soviet  Union somehow  managed  to. have   neither regional  totals  nor overall  ones! The bibliography would  provide an education, too,  were people to chase down  what's   listed and read it. While the. Gulag Archipelago so ably detailed by  Solzhenitsyn chronicled the gigantic penal  system which  was  also.  a way of  disposing of  enemies of  the state by working them to  death amid incredible privation, this piece is  about  prompt liquidation  instead,  often committed  amid considerable  chaos and  upheaval.  Have never  seen anything quite  like   this.

https://d.lib.msu.edu/.../State-sponsored_violence_in_the_Soviet_Union___skeletal_trau...
STATE-SPONSORED VIOLENCE IN THE SOVIET UNION: SKELETAL TRAUMA AND BURIAL ORGANIZATION IN A POST-WORLD WAR II LITHUANIAN SAMPLE
By
Catherine Elizabeth Bird
Regards,
John Kettler

Is it also true you guys get wine and gourmet meals??   (Maybe calls for a new kitchen unit as well?)

I would like to see all sorts of things in a game as well.  I love eye candy and wish there were far more flavor objects in the games. 
However, we have to realize that aircraft skimming over maps, dropping paratroopers, landing and disgorging troops etc. are all merely eye candy and can be simulated in the game by reinforcements turning up (with possible casualties/MIA's) and the current abstract air power simulation system. 
It's like wanting a Pacific Theatre CM and then also wanting ships and carriers and landing craft and... 

Weather is better.

Found  this on a CoC FB. group  and  thought it would be of prime interest here. CGSC=Command. and General Staff  College for  those who   don't  know the acronym.   CGSC. is where the US incubates its future generals  and admirals.
 http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/…/filena…/1316.pdf/mapsto/pdf
Regards,
John   Kettler
 

Brief comparison:
 

Rinaldi,
That was quite the sobering read and call to action. Many thanks for this disturbing information. Had no idea we were in such bad shape. Here's hoping the foe's in far worse condition!
Regards,
John Kettler

+10
But, it seems that we have to hope that modders do a job on CMFI to give us that experience.  There is a basic DAK/North Afrika mod out there, but very few vehicles are suitable apparently. 
Could try adding to the "official Wish List" that BF creates more models in their future CMFI expansion that would be suitable for use by DAK/NA modders (even if BF didn't create a final product).  But the era would be 1940-42 - earlier than current CMFI. 
Certainly, if BF sold that DAK/NA expansion as a module, I would pay quite a bit for it.  Hope many others would as well.

+10
But, it seems that we have to hope that modders do a job on CMFI to give us that experience.  There is a basic DAK/North Afrika mod out there, but very few vehicles are suitable apparently. 
Could try adding to the "official Wish List" that BF creates more models in their future CMFI expansion that would be suitable for use by DAK/NA modders (even if BF didn't create a final product).  But the era would be 1940-42 - earlier than current CMFI. 
Certainly, if BF sold that DAK/NA expansion as a module, I would pay quite a bit for it.  Hope many others would as well.

I think it's named for the sound it makes as its tracks crush the bodies of the aliens (or infidels - take your pick):  "Khorramshahr".

eBay served this up to me (have bought military books there on eBay before) when I was buying a replacement keyboard . Never heard of this anti-Sherman tank book before then and was wondering whether anyone here has read it, and if so, what. impression did it leave?

https://www.amazon.com/Want-Gun-Sherman-Tank-Scandal/product-reviews/0764352504/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews
Regards,
John Kettler

Chelster,
Sounds like a technical issue, not a PC ability to run the game issue. Here's why I say that. I'm a Mac guy, and my machine, an ancient (130+ in cyber years) was built in (gasp, wheeze) late 2009. It runs at 3.06 GHz, has 12 GB of RAM (upgraded last year from 4, thence 8) and a 256 MB ATI/Radeon 4670 video card. It ran CMBN fine on 4 GB of RAM, but couldn't readily handle the greater demands of CMBS and could hardly do anything with the graphics intensive CMBB. Offhand, I can't see how your 2016 PC laptop wouldn't run rings around my cyber fossil, even if yours has less RAM. 
Regards,
John Kettler

A thought regarding reinforcements...  What seems to happen too often is that the designer makes a set-up zone across the entire map edge while having the at start forces arranged on one small section - say the right hand side.  So a player (like me) rearranges the at start units to cover the whole edge.  When reinforcements arrive they are all grouped in one area - the left hand side.  It's like the designer wants the player to start the attack the way he set up the at start units, and the reinforcements are "supposed" to arrive to attack down the 2nd axis.  Of course by that time a player like me is buggered.
So, if you want a player to attack in a certain way, don't provide huge set up zones that encourage players to do a new set up to cover areas that the reinforcements are supposed to cover.  Or, better still, use the briefing to TELL the player where the reinforcements will arrive.

Sig-other unit and I really enjoyed The Crown.  Had withdrawal symptoms after seeing series.  Hope it comes back for more seasons.

Love  it Now to important business--what really gave rise to agriculture.
 
Regards,
John Kettler
 
 

This is well worth a read and has lots of photos and maps. Numerous citations, too.

http://www.v2rocket.com/start/deployment/v2s-on-remagen.html
Regards,
John Kettler

Brother George had asked me  to  provide proof they  were  present after I mentioned  a clip  I saw. They were!
Axis WWII Discussion Group: Marder III Ausf M Used In Battle Of The Bulge ?         Axis WWII Discussion Group: Marder III Ausf M Used In Battle Of The Bul...
 
  Fair Use   Re: Marder III Ausf M Used In Battle Of The Bulge ?
January 18 2006, 1:25 AM    Joey, 

The following information is extracted from Ron Klages.
Marder III (75)
DECEMBER 1944: 
PJAbt. 3 [3. PGD] with 7 units 
PJAbt. 246 [246. VGD] with 8 units 
PJAbt. 1553 [553. VGD] with 2 units 

Note that some of the Marder III could have been the H
model. 

Units from the above listing that participated in the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge);
246th Volksgrenadier (VGD) (was 6th Army Reserve) 
3rd Panzergrenadier Division

I hope this is of some use.

Tom Nelson  
Also this,  but  site is showing as  suspect. There may be more, but  I  can't  see the rest of  the blurb.
German Army, Battle of the Bulge, 15 December 1944 - US Army ...
usacac.army.mil/cac2/CGSC/CARL/nafziger/944GLAA.pdf   Battle of the Bulge. 15 December 1944. OB West: Feldmarschal G. von Runstedt. Army Group B Feldmarschal W. Model. Army Reserves: 79th Volks Grenadier ...... Führer Grenadier Brigade Artillery Battalion (3 btrys). Führer Grenadier Brigade Panzerjäger Company. (10 Marder III). 2nd SS Panzer Division (Das Reich)35.
Regards,
John Kettler

This is a great site on a unit which saw more consecutive days in action (341) than any other in the Fifth Army. This is an extensive site covering pretty much everything you'd want to know about an independent tank battalion which fought its way up from the toe of the Italian boot. Wiring diagrams, personnel lists, tons of photos, route maps, battle expositions (including great material on a Tiger 1 engagment, equipment lists, honor and more grace this useful site. If you would understand the independent tank battalion, this is a fine resource.
http://www.752tank.com/index.html
Regards,
John Kettler
 

Well, a war on two fronts is generally bad. 

This was a movie?!!  And it's now an online game!!!!!  Good grief...

Maybe make your scenario available to us and we can try and accomplish the same mission.  It would be interesting to compare different players' strategies/tactics.

Bulletpoint,
In order to engage a target, the mortar must either be in direct lay, where someone can eyeball the target from the mortar position and, with or without a map, figure out the range, the appropriate charge, then begin  adjustment firing until the bracket is achieved and FFE can commence. In order to conduct indierect fire, an FO or somebody else has to pass the coordinates to the mortar team, the team must have a pretty good own location in order to be able to shoot effectively, and adjustments have to be made based on spotting the impacts before the shoot proper can begin. What you want to do is run up (not necessarily Fast) on a piece of ground which may or may not be level and start firing. Won't work because the mortar could easily be out of alignment in both traverse and elevation after that, not to mention cant, all of which must first be sorted out; the range isn't known, the crew's been likely subjected to jostling. The ammunition is still in racks, too. Therefore, no charge bags can be added until the rounds are removed from their shipping tubes (or is it boxes?). Nor can the right charge be applied until the range is called. All in all, you're looking at an evolution which may, likely will,  take longer than for infantry to deploy the mortar in the usual way. Realistically, I don't see how you could move up the mortar track and do all the other needed things in a mere minute. Could I be wrong? Sure. But I don't believe I am. Am not familiar with the mortar halftrack in CMFB, but I do know that many pointed rearward for quick escape. This says the M4 type, the first model, which used the M2 halftrack, fired aft, but the M3 based M21 fired forward. If that's the case, then you also have to factor turning around and reversing into position for the M4, which makes things worse. Consequently, taking the various factors in aggregate,  I find it eminently reasonable you can't do what you want to in a single turn. FM 17-27 81-MM MORTAR SQUAD and PLATOON is here. It is the complete how to for the M4 series and is from 1942.
Regards,
John Kettler