manchildstein (ii)

i'm not sure what ultimately might have happened but having taken moscow would surely have been a bigger victory than that which actually occurred at kiev... moscow was the center of the soviet 'internal lines' and the germans having taken it would have made a mess of the soviet rail system... one also has to wonder about what it would have cost stalin politically to have lost there... i'm not saying it would have ensured ultimate victory for the germans but the outcome of the war certainly would have been altered at least somewhat... and to argue as stolfi does that everything was lost after august 1941 is not too out of line with reality from what i can see... i guess one thing we can all agree on is that - as andreas stated - if the attack had gone toward moscow, the german flanks would have been difficult to cover in any event... also, i don't ever recall andreas as in any way having been a apologist for the germans and thus consider his analysis here fairly bias-free... but i guess we all have our biases... it is interesting to see the range of opinion though - the one about the balkans having been the beginning of the end; the others appearing to say that the germans never had any chance in any way shape or form; or those of us who think that perhaps things might have gone differently if moscow had been gone for instead of kiev... i guess we will never know if the germans could have taken moscow; as well we will never know whether - if that had actually occurred - the soviets would have been politically and thus militarily shattered...

i would recommend reading what the author has to say about the balkans campaign and its relation to barbarossa... i found it interesting...

what i found interesting as well were the comments on the french/balkan campaigns... i'd never thought of the entire thing having been lost by august of 1941... but from the book there it makes at least some sense... as for the idea of it having been translated from russian... it's the periods - instead of what should be commas - after the first phrase of many of the sentences which may have fooled me... interesting that it's on an 'ru' website anyway there was another theory somewhere about how the germans were lured into yelnia by the soviet command... and that it all 'turned' there...

http://militera.lib.ru/h/stolfi/ i'm wondering whether the experts here give this book a yay or nay. it appears as though it may have been written in russian and translated to english.

i checked the file there on the depot and from the looks of it Keth updated it this morning - even though it still says 1.1... thanks for the encouragement... i was waiting for cmbb - about 2 weeks prior to getting it - and the thought hit me... 'do some minor allied scenarios...' i still have to make a couple italian ones... and a red attack against the romanians..... then there's 1942 and... anyway, someone on this bbs had a tagline mentioning that the alpini was unbeaten... so a 'crack alpini force' is on the drawing boards... as for germans... was going to do an 11th panzer but stumbled across another battle ... 111th infantry at dubno against soviet 34th tank division and supporting elements... am working on that one now... 'soviet 34th tank at dubno against german 111th recon elements'... it's called, 'dubno' will yet have to get to something about the 11th panzer, etc....

first of all, thanks to Keth for making these 3 new scenarios visible on the scenario depot so quickly... also, thanks to Tracer for the review of this particular scenario. SPOILERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . indeed i found this particular battle very difficult... so much so that i was worried no one would download my scenarios any more... in any case, every time i played it, afterwards i would say to myself, 'i could have manuevered better.' manuever is extremely important here... those toldis and csabas really need to back each other up... piecemeal they're extremely dead... the version of this battle is now 1.3 and has been updated at the scenario depot... now it has 4 additional supporting 40mm Bofors, and about 10 added HMGs... with the bofors and the at guns, you can set up on both of your hills at the start, and have firing lanes over a good part of the map... i think that the key is to somehow get a bead on the kv2 with the multiple bofors, and get the crew to abandon by overwhelming it with fire... ... in version 1.3 the infantry also have a better setup zone, so it might actually be possible to get a draw (control outright the flags in the town while the soviets still own the hill)... i would be interested to hear if anyone - using either version 1.1 or 1.3 - is able to get a victory in this one... win or lose though... i found it to be a blast... and there was always room for improvement on my part... thanks again everyone...

i think we need a new unit type... one with sod off shotguns...

i've been playing only 1941 so far, but have developed two scenarios with large numbers of green soviet tanks on the attack... i find that they are very brave... why just yesterday i sent 50 bt-7 tanks out and lost 32 within 17 turns... it's always that same thing... driblets and not mass... splitting forces is deadly... but bunching them up can be too....

To be played as Allies against Axis AI Default Computer Setup July 1941, Soviet Mech Units counterattack against bridgehead held by Hungarian Motorized Units Huge 2.4k x 2k Map, ~4200 points per side Hot, Overcast, Dusk, Very Dry Soviet: Mech Hungarian: Motorized Infantry 30+ Turns This afternoon the 2nd Hungarian Motorized Brigade seized the bridges over the Dniepr at Dnieprol and Dnieprov, and they took the high ground and nearby town of Nikolinaev. In so doing they also wiped out most of the Red screening force while scattering the rest of it. The Axis now hold the high ground and the bridges and there are Red Army units trapped on the other side. In any case they've had some hours to prepare a defense. So it is dusk as your "Soviet Armored Brigade" attacks. Soviet 9th Army HQ has said other forces from divisional, along with other friendly elements - all of them now trapped behind Axis lines - will assist you from the other side of the river. They are set to time their attack with yours. As it is you have: 4 Sharpshooter (left in Axis-controlled territory after the earlier battles) 1 Battalion with 3 Platoons of Recon 15 T-34s with cast turrets 10 T-26 10 BT-7 4 KV-2 The plan is to sweep in and take Dnieprov, then storm the bridges and take Dnieprol. Once you have the towns, you can wheel about on the riverbank and seize the high grounds - "The Manor" itself. If you can clear the area of enemy units then perhaps you can buy more time for STAVKA - Red Army High Command - in this area of the front. You have some of the best tanks in the world and yours is a vanguard outfit. This evening you show the Axis a first glimmer of Soviet-style lightning war; a flame which will grow into a fire a few years hence and in the end consume the armies of the Axis powers in "the East." The plan is to move fast and in force. Research has shown the the T-34s should be the vanguard, followed up by the BTs and T-26s. It might also be wise to time your first contact so that the KV-2s are involved. The KV-2 is arguably the best "slug it out" tank of 1941. It may not be fast but it is great for engaging targets and more often than not, absorbing enemy fire without itself being put out of action. Notes: This uses a part of the map from "On the Dniepr" where Hungarian Fast Forces earlier took, "The Manor," while other elements of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade seized the river bridges. The Russian forces in the area were either wiped out, surrendered, deserted, or retreated in good order. The ones who managed to retreat then are now "part of your counterattacking force." So while your main force here is mostly Green tanks, the forces you are to link up with are already rated "Veteran" because they were the ones fought earlier today and managed to remain intact. Look for reinforcements from all over the map on the other side of the river; you have a Company of Infantry from the SE, a group of BT Tanks from the West, and recon elements from the SW. Spoilers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It does indeed appear best to lead with the T-34s. Experience has shown that the BTs get toasted if they lead the way. The combination which worked best for me was to attack with the T-34s in the lead, hopefully coming into contact with enemy units at about the same time or just before the KV-2s do. Once thus engaged I run the BTs and T26s across the smaller bridge. On the other hand, when the lighter tanks have led I've found my force chewed up pretty badly by the time the T-34s and KVs have arrived. With mechanized reinforcements appearing across the river, you have time to 'squeeze' the bridges from both sides, then 'wheel around' and take the 'manor.' Generally I leave the KV2s on the riverbank by the heavy bridge and pummel everything which pops into LOS from there. On leading with light tanks versus leading with heavier tanks: Someone once said that some battle between Alexander and Darius would have gone against Alexander if Darius had put his own "fodder" up front. I tried to apply the same thing to this tank assault and it doesn't work here. Later, I read somewhere that when the Germans would do an armored attack, that the heaviest tanks were on the front of the wedge, and on the flanks, and that the weaker tanks were brought up second. That is what appears to work here - at least from my experience. Let me put it another way - there is a world of difference between roughly 15 T-34s making first contact around those bridges, as opposed to when the T-26s and BT-7s make that same first contact.

Toward Odessa: Mechanized Detachment Eftimiu To be played as Axis against the Allied AI Computer Default Setup Aug 1941 South, Dry, Warm Dawn, clear, Strong Wind from S 30 Turns, Fixed Axis Attack 20 Large, 20 Small Flags Huge: 2.4k x 2k Map, ~4750 points per side In August of 1941 the Romanians retook Bessarabia then agreed to cross into the Ukraine in support of the invading Axis Armies. The Axis attack on Odessa in 1941 was mainly a Romanian Army conquest. To attack Odessa the Romanians had the 3 Corps, 1st Corps, and the 4th Corps. In reserve was the 11th Corps. Except for the 2nd Armored Brigade - itself made up of French-built "R-35" models and attached to 1st Corps - the 1st Armored Division was in 4th Corps. After the 1st Armored Division - minus the aforementioned 2nd Tank Brigade but with its remaining 1st Tank Brigade made up of "R-2" (Czech-built 35t) models - was committed in the push toward Odessa it suffered heavy losses in men and machines. Its remaining Tanks, Infantry, and other units were reorganized into "Mechanized Detachment Lt. Col. Eftimiu." Here you are ostensibly commanding this detachment in an attempt to dislodge the Soviets from a hill position on the Black Sea Coast. You have 4 Tank Companies and 3 of them are understrength; in all you have "4 Company HQ Tanks" and about 50 additional R-2s in the Tank Platoons. You also have 8 armored cars. There are no Romanian Armored Cars available in the scenario editor so German 5-ton cars were used to represent Romanian cars of the same weight and "generic" 20mm armament. You also have a Company (3 Platoons) of Pioneer Infantry, and some Heavy MGs. So you have about: 57 R-2 (37mm, 2 MG) 8 5-ton Armored Car (20mm, MG) 7 R-1 Tankettes (MG) Company HQ Heavy MGs 3 Pioneer Platoon 3 Flamethrower The idea is to clear the hill of Soviet positions as quickly as possible. If you can take the hilltop, then Army Command can later move up heavy guns and interdict Soviet shipping in this area of the Black Sea. The main thing is to cut the main coast road and rail line. Here are a couple of websites related to the real-life campaign: http://www.wwi.home.ro/odessa.htm http://www.freeport-tech.com/wwii/031_rumania/41-06/div_armor_41.html The makeup of Romanian Pioneers is interesting; 9 squads of 6 men plus 2 LMGs per platoon. Since they are rated as Pioneers they've been given all kinds of demo charges and molotov cocktails in this scenario. The squads don't carry SMGs but simple bolt action rifles instead. So your infantry firepower is in your supporting LMGs, the Company-level HMGs, the 3 Flamethrowers, and in the demo charges and molotovs of the squads themselves. Your greatest firepower is in your tanks. Your infantry starts out at 40% casualties and most all of your AFV companies are depleted. SPOILERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Testing has shown that the large flags of the town and the intersection can be taken fairly easily by an assault through the cover of the woods on the left. In any case with over 50 tanks at your disposal, you should be able to have a chance attacking from any direction. Of the defending KV-1 tanks just in front of the town; these are best taken out by infantry squads. Tank rushes against the KV tanks might suffer severe casualties without inflicting any losses. Originally, this scenario had something like just 15 Romanian tanks and a gaggle of "Malaxa Carriers" and supporting AT, AA, and Artillery pieces. These were all traded in for more tanks. This also allowed the entire force to be "mechanized" in that all of the infantry platoons now have (decent) transport.

Toward Odessa: Mechanized Detachment Eftimiu To be played as Axis against the Allied AI Computer Default Setup Aug 1941 South, Dry, Warm Dawn, clear, Strong Wind from S 30 Turns, Fixed Axis Attack 20 Large, 20 Small Flags Huge: 2.4k x 2k Map, ~4750 points per side In August of 1941 the Romanians retook Bessarabia then agreed to cross into the Ukraine in support of the invading Axis Armies. The Axis attack on Odessa in 1941 was mainly a Romanian Army conquest. To attack Odessa the Romanians had the 3 Corps, 1st Corps, and the 4th Corps. In reserve was the 11th Corps. Except for the 2nd Armored Brigade - itself made up of French-built "R-35" models and attached to 1st Corps - the 1st Armored Division was in 4th Corps. After the 1st Armored Division - minus the aforementioned 2nd Tank Brigade but with its remaining 1st Tank Brigade made up of "R-2" (Czech-built 35t) models - was committed in the push toward Odessa it suffered heavy losses in men and machines. Its remaining Tanks, Infantry, and other units were reorganized into "Mechanized Detachment Lt. Col. Eftimiu." Here you are ostensibly commanding this detachment in an attempt to dislodge the Soviets from a hill position on the Black Sea Coast. You have 4 Tank Companies and 3 of them are understrength; in all you have "4 Company HQ Tanks" and about 50 additional R-2s in the Tank Platoons. You also have 8 armored cars. There are no Romanian Armored Cars available in the scenario editor so German 5-ton cars were used to represent Romanian cars of the same weight and "generic" 20mm armament. You also have a Company (3 Platoons) of Pioneer Infantry, and some Heavy MGs. So you have about: 57 R-2 (37mm, 2 MG) 8 5-ton Armored Car (20mm, MG) 7 R-1 Tankettes (MG) Company HQ Heavy MGs 3 Pioneer Platoon 3 Flamethrower The idea is to clear the hill of Soviet positions as quickly as possible. If you can take the hilltop, then Army Command can later move up heavy guns and interdict Soviet shipping in this area of the Black Sea. The main thing is to cut the main coast road and rail line. Here are a couple of websites related to the real-life campaign: http://www.wwi.home.ro/odessa.htm http://www.freeport-tech.com/wwii/031_rumania/41-06/div_armor_41.html The makeup of Romanian Pioneers is interesting; 9 squads of 6 men plus 2 LMGs per platoon. Since they are rated as Pioneers they've been given all kinds of demo charges and molotov cocktails in this scenario. The squads don't carry SMGs but simple bolt action rifles instead. So your infantry firepower is in your supporting LMGs, the Company-level HMGs, the 3 Flamethrowers, and in the demo charges and molotovs of the squads themselves. Your greatest firepower is in your tanks. Your infantry starts out at 40% casualties and most all of your AFV companies are depleted. SPOILERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Testing has shown that the large flags of the town and the intersection can be taken fairly easily by an assault through the cover of the woods on the left. In any case with over 50 tanks at your disposal, you should be able to have a chance attacking from any direction. Of the defending KV-1 tanks just in front of the town; these are best taken out by infantry squads. Tank rushes against the KV tanks might suffer severe casualties without inflicting any losses. Originally, this scenario had something like just 15 Romanian tanks and a gaggle of "Malaxa Carriers" and supporting AT, AA, and Artillery pieces. These were all traded in for more tanks. This also allowed the entire force to be "mechanized" in that all of the infantry platoons now have (decent) transport.

This scenario is now version 1.3 and should be more balanced, but still difficult for the Axis on the attack: On the Dniepr Designed to be played as Hungarian against the AI Default Computer Setup Semi-Historical Hungarian Attack Aug 1941 Hot, Still, Dry Ground, Mid-day Huge: About 3000 points per side, 2k x 2k Map 30+ Turns Scenario Version 1.3 CMBB Version 1.0 Outside of Nikolaev elements of the 2nd Hungarian Motorized Brigade have been tasked with taking the high ground and the bridges on either side of a bend in the Dniepr. The hilltop with its "Manor" is one of the few pieces of high ground so seizing it in good time will allow your Axis main forces to set up artillery observation posts with far-reaching LOS. A couple of Battalions of Motorized Infantry are to take the bridges up river to your "left" (off-map). For your attack on the high ground you have the Brigade Recon Battalion, reinforced by the Brigade HMG (AA MG) and 40mm Bofors (AA) Companies. Whichever attack - your own against the high ground or the one against the bridges - succeeds first is supposed to reinforce the other. The main body of your available trucks have - in conjunction with your light tanks - debarked your Infantry Company, Pioneer Platoon, Battalion Commander and support units (Light Mortars, ATRs, AT, HMG, Bofors). Your trucks have already returned to a place behind the main lines. Your towed and passenger units are just now completing the process of forming up for the imminent assault. Your Battalion Commander has scoped out a couple of small hills on the approaches to Nikolinaev (the town at the foot of the hilltop) and your reinforcements from Brigade have a couple of options as to where to deploy in order to provide decent covering fire for the attack. The guns are in place. Your armor is massed on the main road into town while your infantry already occupy 'forward' positions. In approaching these jump-off points you have spotted several BT tanks. In your initial setup for this battle your units are more-or-less out of harm's way at the moment. It is important that you take this hill - no matter what the cost - quickly before the Soviets have a chance to reinforce it. Yours are the only immediately available units. The haste of the attack precludes the laying of wire needed by your 105mm FOs, and those guns are not currently available for front-line, direct fire duty. The Battalion-organic 47mm AT, the reinforcement Bofors and HMG; these could be your margin of victory here. You're facing units of the vaunted Soviet 9th Army. You're going to need to close fast in order for the 20mm guns on the Toldi Tanks and Csaba Armored Cars to have any effect - even against the thin armor of what are ostensibly BT tanks. The big question is as to just what kind of units the Soviets have amassed here in support of their armor. It is tough to tell just what might lurk in the patches of scattered trees here where the collective farms - orchards and sunflower fields - with their squat, cookie cutter houses contrast with both the peasant shacks around and about and the old manor overlooking the river, stark reminders of Czarist times and the latter probably now inhabited by functionaries of the party. In any case a good rule of thumb for your armor is to keep it moving while keeping it together. Your infantry - now on foot - is going to have to find a way to storm the town. It is currently assembled at or near what is probably the most covered approach; through the main collective orchard on the near right. Just remember. Your own (2nd) Recon Battalion is one of the only (2) "spearheads" of this type available to the "Hungarian Mobile Corps" in 1941. Aftermath: In the actual campaign, the Hungarian Mobile Corps fought along the Dniepr, and took Nikolaev (not to be confused with the "village of Nikolinaev" in this scenario) from the West while the German 16th Panzer Division stormed in from the East. However, in that battle most of the Soviet 9th Army did escape desruction. "The (Hungarian Mobile) Corps finally got its well-deserved rest after the capture of Nikolaev as it was placed in reserve at Krivoi Rog from 24 August. This only lasted a week or so as the Corps was to defend a 200 km (120 mile) stretch of the Dnepr River from Dnepropetrovsk to Nikopol while the 1st and 2nd Panzer Groups encricled the Soviet Southwestern Front behind Kiev. The most dangerous part of this sector was the island opposite Zaporozhe." As the fighting wore into Autumn the Corps was fairly well shot. By something like Nov 1941 the Hungarian Mobile Corps had lost all of its MG Tankettes, 80% of its Toldi Tanks and 90% of its Csaba Armored Cars. Here are some websites you can go to if you want to look into this Campaign: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/2072/hung_tw.html http://www.freeport-tech.com/WWII/015_hungary/41_org/brig_mot_41.html http://www.hungary.com/corvinus/lib/thou/thou14.htm Scenario Order of Battle: 1941 Hungarian Recon Battalion at 70% manpower, and minus 2 47mm AT Guns (3 AT guns on board). 1 Battalion HQ /w 81mm FO 1 Company Infantry 1 Platoon Pioneers 2 "50" mm Mortar 3 ATR 15 Toldi (20mm; 15 of 20 remaining from Tank Company) 8 Csaba (20mm; "6 remaining" of 12 from Battalion Armored Car Company (10) plus 2 Battalion Commander vehicles) 12 Tankettes (MG; 12 of 20 remaining from Company) From Brigade: 4x 40mm Bofors AA 8x HMG The Hungarian Mobile Corps was reputed to have had the best soldiers of that nationality. That is why the units here are all rated "Veteran" and above. Notes: Easier Version of the orginal, "On the Dniepr." Spoiler Info: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The first version of this scneario was unduly difficult, at least for the likes of this designer. In adding the supporting Bofors guns - something which had been there in earlier versions of the scenario - it looks like the Hungarians have a fighting chance in at least seizing the flags in the town before the hill. As it was - in my experience at least - it was impossible to do any more than contest the flags at the bottom of the hill whilst having absolutely no hopes of even approaching those on top of the hill. With the 4 Bofors available it should be relatively easy to knock out the KV2; and the KV2 is the key to the town. Also, in this 1.3 version of the scenario the infantry has a much better jump-off point for the attack. Contact should be made much sooner. In any event I would still rate this scenario as "difficult" - an average score of 30-70 might be about right.

that explains why, when i loaded it as german into the scenario editor, it had the little romanian star on the side...

thanks for all of the info everyone

so the german 11th panzer had 38(t)s as mediums then? ... so panzer ii as lights?

i'm also thinking that perhaps the weaker panzer divisions were committed in the south, and weren't equipped as well as the ones in the center and north.

hi, this site here http://www.freeport-tech.com/wwii/011_germany/41_organ_army/41_div_pz-11.html shows 11th panzer with a tank regiment of '2 battalions,' each with 2 light tank companies and a medium tank company. i'm just wondering if the 38t is a light tank or medium. in other words, would a scenario representing the 11th panzer in say july of 1941 be more 'realistic' using a combination of pz ii (light) and 38t (med), or with 38t (light) and pz iii (med)? also, were the 'mechanized infantry' battalions within the same regiment/brigades in the panzer divisions all outfitted with spw 251/1 or were there a lot of trucks involved... say only 1 battalion out of 4 in the typical division having spws? finally, does anyone know specifically which axis divisions were fielding the somua tanks and whatnot? thanks in advance

i've read that variable reinforcement times are pretty much out in scenarios to be used in tournaments... ...i used to have variable reinforcement times but came to pretty much the same conclusion... variable entry can cause the scenario to become unbalanced... ...air support is another one which can cause problems i think that in tournaments you'll see scenarios with reinforcements set to 100% arrival... as for whether the designer in your case was intentionally writing 'company' in the briefing and then inserting a platoon into the actual battle... that sounds intentional to me... in any case you would think that with a 10% chance starting on turn 25, that the reinforcements should have been there by 35 or so at the latest...

i like the level 9 view... it's like being in a 'storch' or somefink... i wonder if level 9 view with bases off and units at realistic size would be something which could be added to franko's rules... as for the other views being modified... the main thing i noticed was the 1-5 before going to overhead (6-9)... where in cmbo it was 1..4 then 5..8... i think that overall cmbb is better in this regard...

it could be that the problem with hqs and mgs is that they have binocs... thus they see enemy units and open up more quickly... there is a thread about certain units opening up 'too soon.'

as it is now, it really appears to me that the ai gets very confused over multiple flags. i've not researched this heavily but have seen scenarios where there are about 15 large flags in one spot, then single small flags there and about, and masses of ai reinforcements will group around one or more of those small flags, ignorign the mass of large flags across the way. another thing i've seen is that the ai will move out of really good defensive positions... just the other day i saw it move several 76mm artillery pieces, out of their ambush foxholes and into the open just a few meters away. and there was a small flag placed in the area in an attempt to get them to never move in the first place!... but as i mentioned the behavior of the ai with regard to large and small flags seems indecipherable... but as it is, usually suboptimal at best... for example... in the same scenario i cease-fired after about 25 of 30 turns and also found sharpshooters and machineguns milling about in the open, out of their foxholes, and a company commander which was way out in the open!... and every ai position had been marked with at least a small flag before the battle had started! anyway, if nothing else, what i would like to see is a flag system where the scenario designer programs the value of the flags. there would not be large and small, but a single, victory-points-programmable flag type. secondly, i would like to be able to tell the ai's troops -- "don't move!" ... on another thread someone mentioned that for the time being, making the scenarios shorter gives the ai less time to make mistakes. as a rule it seems - even on defense - that the more time you give the ai the more it will unravel its own positions... finally, i've seen scenarios where the ai is given say 50 or 100 vehicles... i've seen masses of ai vehicles converge on a single point on the map, facing every which way once they got "there." i don't know if this particular behavior was modified since cmbo but if not, it's got to be fixed so that the ai doesn't "scrunch" its vehicles all together... there has to be some space... and they should all be facing in a reasonable direction... having said that, it is still possible to get the current ai to give a good fight... it just takes a little bit of work...

'self-hotseat' can be useful in certain situations...

don't get me started... seriously... i've had the game for a week and haven't even scratched the surface of it... to be honest, western europe '44-'45 is not 'my (main) thing'... in cmbb so far i've been messing with making some scenarios involving hungarians, then i will move onto romanians and probably italians at some point... then there are the germans...i probably won't do finns because there are plenty of people making those... anyway... i love this game!... the east front IS my thing ... at least as far as wargames go... so far my only complaint would be the easy tiring of the ground troops... them hitting the dirt isn't so bad... i DO wish there were artillery pieces available for direct fire.... but like i said, even without the artillery pieces and my beloved 37mm flak trucks (are those in the patch .... does it matter or is there still a problem with soft vehicles as targets?)... even without some of the units i was hoping for, i've discovered toldi tanks and once i've gone through and done something with each of the hungarians, romanians, and italians, there will be german 37mm halftracks... german recon... german heavy armor... and all the while there will be all kinds of different ways of doing the soviets.... to reiterate... this game opens up all kinds of scenario possibilities!... if you don't like the infantry... then try maybe looking at it this way... fight more vehicle battles... i mean i know there was a lot of infantry in this front but i would bet a pretty penny that most of the key actions from both sides were fought by mech/armor on the 'breakthrough... in other words a gamer could go on re-creating 'vehicle-heavy' battles for a long time here before he ever got bored and had to resort to mostly infantry...

to no one in particular: aren't there at least 3 IS2 versions in the game, all with varying degrees of armored protection? if so, it would really help if, when referring to that tank in your posts, you mention which of the 3 you tested (or had a bad experience) with...