Sarge Saunders

Hate to sound like the pedantic type, but that vehicle has a late G turret with the standard 75L/70. It's still a wonderful specimen, the hull is the only one in existence IIRC.</font>

Bump. Hey Rune- OK if I check my schedule for this? Sounds like a blast! -Sarge

Rune, I'm close to the Patton Museum in Indiana and I shall check my calendar for the 6th. Been down there once before. Lots to gawk at! They have a Panther II Experimental mounting an 88mm gun. I'll let you guys know. -Sarge

Rune- I just looked at it and that is a very interesting allied OOB. Looks like you do have Sherm 105s, but also Priests and other more effective varieties of the Sherman. Hard to imagine not winning with your Allied OOB. Unless the Axis has 10 Jagdpanthers.... It would be extremely interesing to find out a factual OOB. Your victory conditions are interesing. I need to play it to know for sure but surely there is a way to figure victory within the CM system. Maybe only exit points for prisoner vehicles which would allow the allied commander to engage with those nice shermans without losing double points to a knockout. Maybe ask Jgdpzr about his sources for the After the Battle publication. This raid is so famous that surely accurate OOBs exist. Anyone? -Sarge [ July 17, 2002, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

Smoked the bridge in completely. And it's a big bridge. There where no gaps. Then we all went across while my TD dueled with Axis TDs from across the river (without success). My arty helped the axis infantry along in their path backwards.

Oh yes!!! I have played Gemunden. My God, it is a real ballbuster. The German AI gave me tons of grief. The Axis TDs outshot my fast TDs at range. It was quite ugly. Smoke, fire and brute force got me across the bridge. I fought for every inch! Once across, my turreted shermans had a bit better time in town. But I eaked by a victory. I must have forgotten but I played that over a year ago.... Nice Job! -Sarge [ July 17, 2002, 01:45 PM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

Oh yeah, sure Sherm 105 Ws would make easy work out of Hetzers. Yet, IRL, I could just hear those guys talking...."Yeah, WTF do we do if we run into some gawddamn Tigers?" I do find it interesting that the Sherman 105 was considered a standard answer to that problem....If true. -Sarge P.S. According to the book, 3 105s where used.

Right. This is modelled in CM. I actually engaged a poor newbie toting Sherman 105s on a large map. Had him from a large hill with a hull-down veteran Jagdpanther. Sherm 105 guns cannot hit at range. Incidently, I could see that a 105 HEAT round would get more kills against sloped armor like Hetzers and Jagdpanthers. Since even the Tungsten carrying tanks like the Sherman EZ8 and M10 would have trouble with sloped armor (though regular 76mm AP rounds are enough to acheive regular kills against Hetzers it seems). So with that, I might not mind having some Sherman 105s along on a Task Force. Hehe, when Raid! describes the 88 on a Panther hull I figured Jagdpanther. Tougher opponent really than a Ferdinand. Panther chassis moves much better. But jgdpzr's sources seem clear they could only be Hetzers anyway..... [ July 17, 2002, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

Very good. I figured the factual version would likely differ from Raid. Hetzers would be pretty tough for regular shermans. Question: Are only the Axis vehicles incorrectly identified? What about the Task Force vehicles? Did they even sport the Sherman 105? Dying to know. Thanks!

Bump! Anyone know of a CM scenario for a Task Force Baum engagement? Seems like some possibilities for the Gemünden bridge would be fun. Take the crossing on the run! Or the ambush of the Panzerjäger and the attack on Oflag XIIB would have some interesting what ifs.... No doubt the "Ferdinands" could regroup down the road near camp. Could 3 Sherman 105s screen a convoy against 5 to 8 German tank destroyers? Just how many Halftracks would go up in flames? -Sarge

Please do. I asked the question primarily because the book was sketchy and possibly incorrect. Any factual information is welcome. BTW, the Panzerjaeger company was led by Hauptman Richard Koehl. They were on the Eastern front until March 45 where they transferred to Schweinheim. So yes, Ferdinands where probably rare on the western front until very late possibly???? Well, that makes more sense. It will blind or otherwise temporarily disable the German tanks. That's enough for the task force to run away or cross some ground and is hence the right tool for the right situation. I doubt they had an efficient mean to deliver large smokescreens, so directly blinding the tanks makes sense. Need reading recommendations ? </font>

It is Michael. The book is written in narrative form. Skimps greatly on historical detail. BTW, it was Sgt. Nutty who though he would die without having sex with a "big-breasted" woman! LOL! Also, it was Abe Baum who co-authored the book. Redwolf- You are correct. They book is wrong. Ferdinand, according to a web search, was based on the Porsche Tiger I chassis. And no, it seems to me the neither the 75mm nor the 105mm are the right tool for engaging the Ferdinand beast. Also, the book mentioned that 105s were used with WP in the anti-tank role. We all know that WP is not modelled in CM so there is one difference. Anymore comments about historical(?) use of Sherman 105s in the anti-tank role are welcome. -Sarge [ July 17, 2002, 10:40 AM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

Currently reading "Raid!" about Task Force Baum and liberation of Hammelburg POW camp. This is the one where Patton sends these guys behind enemy lines to liberate his son-in-law. Roughly the vehicle OOB of the task force is Sherman 75s, HTs, Stuart Light Tanks, and a platoon of Sherman 105 assault guns. Now the thing that made my eyebrows rise is when they have almost reached the POW camp and are ambushed by a company of Ferdinand Panzerjaeger. For those who don't know yet, a Ferdinand is a heavy 88 gun mounted on a panther chassis. {EDIT: book is wrong here...It is actually a Tiger I Chassis, Porsche version} It is a serious Tank Destroyer! Now, apparently, Baum brought his Sherman 105s EXACTLY for this possibility. Huh? OK, he sets up his platoon of Sherman 105s to overwatch positions after the Ferdinands open fire. Some 105s shoot smoke rounds to screen the convoy (smart!). Others shoot HEAT ("C" charges) rounds at the Ferdinands. So we have a platoon of Sherman 105s facing off with a company of Ferdinands. The result historically, according to the book, was that the Ferdinands where driven off and the convoy made it through (though losing many HTs and supply HTs). The big question for all you grogs, demi-grogs, and semi-demi-grogs is: What the heck!? Did armored force commanders commonly use Sherman 105s against heavy german tanks? Why didn't Baum bring some M10s or some real tank destroyers? Are Sherman 105s undermodelled in CM for their AT capability? Shocking! Having played CM for so long, I just can't imagine thinking: "I may run into some German Heavies so I should bring some Sherm 105s....." What gives? -Sarge [ July 17, 2002, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

Gpig- Probably number 3. If your opponent has shown that he scouts ahead with teams, half-squads, etc. then he will trip any ambush such as you described later most likely. A couple of things to consider. What squads are you? What are his? If, for example, you have 10 man motorized squads then I'd say let it rip at 100 meters against an enemy in the open (since he is gonna ruin your ambush anyway). By doing number 3 you will hopefully accomplish the following (in order): Kill his scouting unit completely. What will he see after the scout is dead? Will his units further back have LOS? He might lose visual on your units or not get anything but a sound contact after the hopefully short melee with his scouts. Then pull back. The opponent won't know how far if the bocage breaks LOS. He will be forced to treat it as though you are there, wasting time and possibly arty. Meanwhile, he loses some men and you are safe and sound. Just my $.02! -Sarge [ July 16, 2002, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

4th!

Wow! Watching it now. Incredible footage! Love those rocket launchers. -Sarge

Great pics, Easy-V. I've had British engineers do funny but somewhat useful things for me as well! Recently in a single turn, a crack and veteran British engineer squad take out an 88 pillbox from the rear while taking heavy fire from a StuG 35 meters away, then only to have 2 JagdPanthers crest a mere 50 meters away! Nice job on the 88 boys, now time to withdraw! -Sarge

OH?!? Tell me more! Madmatt</font>

Ditto! Midwest would be great. Cincy is not far from Patton Museum (or me). Gee....doesn't MadMatt live in Cincy. Hrmmm? I have access to a top notch private German club in Cincy with a full bar and biergarten. Go Midwest!! -Sarge

Thanks YankeeDog!!! I missed that JasonC/Steve thread also. Wow! CM:BB will do MGs justice to be sure. I especially like the variable rates of fire bit. MGs do have a unique ability to really spray at "OMG, they're assaulting our position" kind of RoF. Looks like BFC will give us good machine guns in CM:BB. On that note, I will no longer complain when my tanks become fixated on MG nests to the detriment of all else! -Sarge [ July 01, 2002, 12:27 PM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

They are. Can't wait for CM:BB! Ditto. Let's keep CM "sanitary". We want to enjoy tactics and fighting. But as we all know too well, war is a nasty business. -Sarge

Hmmm, Does that mean no artillery missions against Regimental HQs? Hate to hit one of those unarmed Army clerks.... We sure are drawing a fine line. One that guys probably don't draw in combat. (refering to unarmed enemy (not PWs or Civilians.) -Sarge [ June 28, 2002, 05:13 PM: Message edited by: Sarge Saunders ]

I have the latest version of Apple Quicktime but it's still never played :mad: </font>

It has some flyovers of extremely un-modded battlefields. I think it ends with a PIAT sitting in open ground taking out a Tiger I. -Sarge

The intro movie requires Quicktime. Uninstall it and it will not play. -Sarge