ScoutPL3

Ok I'm at my parents for the night but cant stay out of this any longer so I had to set up another ID since I didnt know the password to my original one. Jason, I appreciate the concern but really, I'll be OK. I too have managed to find enough players to get started, 8 now, with more coming in, so if there are more of you out there interested drop me a line and we'll get a second round going. If a commander wants to throw all of his eggs in one basket that will totally be his perogative. I think a massed tank attack would be very risky, particularly for a fight with an enemy who may expect just sort of a thing. Tanks arent invincible. And once you start stripping them away they're impossible to replace. The entry rules will also make it difficult for a commander to really mass three or four companies of tanks at once. All forces entering a map will enter piecemeal, as if they were coming into the battle in march order (as they would in real life). If a commander wants too pause before attacking to concentrate his forces then the enemy commander will have time to react accordingly. But the way to handle this is to plan ahead. Like I explained above, each company coming into the AO has a specific task and purpose that supports the overall task, i.e. Breach, Suppress, secure, seize, etc. all support the TF task of Seize. So plan it that each element that enters (there will be three, regardless of overall size of TF) will have a specific task that will build on each other. In a perfect world your synchronization (Ft. Benning word for coordination) will result in your last element coming on board and being able to march right into their attack on the main objective, their path cleared and secured by the preceding elements. If you want to charge across the map with a butt load of tanks then you are taking serious risks having them picked apart by defending Tanks, TD's, AT guns and AA guns, not to mention infantry AT weapons in restrictive terrain and possibly mines and obstacles. If not on the first map then certainly by the second. It IS October. What if your Tanks all bog down in the wet ground waiting to concentrate? Your panzer blitzkrieg could fizzle out in the drizzling rain pretty fast. Then where does that leave you? Attacking or defending with a reduced infantry force against a combined arms force? Not good odds. Tanks also suck at seizing towns, heavily wooded areas and bridges, something that a commander will have to do a lot of in this game. I dont know if anyone has noticed yet but the map is one that forces infantry dominated combined arms (as did practically all of western europe), even the relatively "open areas" are dominated by towns that will require infantry to secure. So if a commander wants to "hail mary" it then let him. It will make for a very interesting discussion when the smoke clears. If you dont like playing with alot of units, then thats ok. Dont play that way. To be honest, I dont particularly like playing that way either. But then I'm not PLAYING, I'm refereeing, so it really doesnt matter does it? (Anyway catch the underlying inference here?) Now back to the more important matters at hand. I am considering setting those battles that will have a reserve unit a sector away as operations rather then regular battles. That way I can set up the reserve units as reinforcements in the operation. When either side begins to get its butt kicked the CM Program will automatically bring up the reinforcements, making them more relevant and immediate. Any pros or cons to this issue? These operation reserves will have to be limited to a max of roughly 2 companies (or 1/2 of a battalion TF, which is all that can arrive at once in a sector map). Also, Lloyd, you need to add 2 Shrecks and another Halftruck/Truck to each PZGR Rifle Company. The 105mm Batteries have only four guns so you will get only two spotters per battery rather then three. Both commanders, only one battery per operational turn can be designated as Direct Support, the rest have to stay in General Support. There will be a die role at the beginning of each day for weather. If it is favorable then the american may receive some air power. Specific amount to also be determined randomly. Any thoughts or questions? Let'em rip!! Oh by the way, that LT Winters on Band of Brothers? Needs to let his NCO's do more of the work, and do more leading! He was running around shooting way too much.