Phantom Captain

The Soviet's main line of works has been uncovered. The Panthers, attempting to punch a hole in their line, do their work and begin driving the enemy out. Once a hole is made the line can be turned and rolled up all along the front. The Panthers can only do so much and it's left for my infantry to mop up any Soviets still hiding in the works. Utilizing the tried and true tactics of suppress and flank, my troops begin carrying the works and their confidence grows for the assault on the town. Momentum is building... Here while 1st platoon suppresses a couple stubborn defenders, 3rd platoon flanks to the left and finishes the job.

I haven't had time to get into the CW files and open them to find the bmp map. It's not in the mod files. I'm sure it will work, just need to find it. I have all the textures, just not the right bmp map.

Thank you!

YES!! PLEASE!!!

Hmmm. I pulled the Realism helmets and added the CW helmets but I think the map is wrong now? Is that the MDR file? When I put the CW helmets in they now have a black stripe around them so I think it's mapping wrong, but I don't know where to get the right one?

Excellent. Thanks!

So, as the title states, I am using the Syrian Realism mod. However, is it just me or are their helmets too metallic shiny in the sun? Does this happen to everyone using this mod or is it something odd or some overlap or something? I am just not sure if it's supposed to be like this or if something is off. Thanks in advance for any help!

The marshes and fog are oppressive and the gloom settles over everything. The men know death is lurking just beyond their range of vision. And then to confirm it another Panther succumbs to the Soviet AT guns hiding in the fog. This time only three crew members escape. https://i.ibb.co/fnXmmRV/Combat-Mission-Red-Thunder-Screenshot-2022-06-19-08-36-32-96.png More photos from the front. Scouts move through the fog and gloom of the Pripyat marshes and forests.

Again, contact, and exactly as intelligence warned. The Soviets have prepared positions, interconnected trenchworks and AT guns. Immediately lead begins zipping around my men. Unfortunately for my troops who thought it would be comfortable to ride into battle, warming themselves on the heat of the engine, once the bullets start flying the ground seems a much better option... Hearing the direction of the Soviet Maxims a Pioneer scout element runs to both flank and grab cover. As the Soviet guns find their range in the fog a couple of them score partial hits that cause spalling and light damage. My crews feel lucky and thank the Panther armor for their lives. Exactly where I suspected an entire Soviet trench complex is unmasked in the woods. Artillery is called. 7th Kompanie begins flanking around, through an AT minefield, to get lines of sight on both the Soviet works and suspected lanes of retreat. On the other side of the complex, away from the mines, two platoons of Panther tanks relentlessly hammer and spray the Soviet positions slowly driving out and breaking the stubborn defenders. This platoon leader has lost both his main gun and radio and moves to yell out the position of the AT gun that hit him to his subordinate. Maneuvering on the trench line while both infantry and armor suppress it, my flamethrower does what he does. If it is necessary to burn them out, then we will burn them out. Finally an entire platoon of Pioneers assault and carry the Soviet works. Looking back only a trail of bodies marks where the Soviets have been pushed back, trench line by trench line. And still, there are more trenches just behind the timber line and a possible newly suspected AT position in another forest beyond the newly spotted line of works. The fight grinds on.

Thanks for your perspective and I am glad you got out. The above is brilliant sig line material!

March 29, 1530 hours. 2.5 hours since the end of our last attack. Aside from combat fatigue my troops now must deal with extreme cold. A blizzard has stalled the attack but since moved on leaving only light snow. Additionally a blanket of fog lays over our line of attack restricting LOS to only 400m or so. 6th Kompanie, this time, will take the middle and again be the point of the spear. They are motivated and morale is high after this morning's action. I have faith these men will again do the job required of them. Additionally, I have 14 Panthers, yet two are damaged from this morning and struggle to keep up due to damaged tracks and engine problems. The StuG battery is also a few minutes behind. Once again, forward into battle. An eerie feeling of familiarity and inevitability grips my men. Intelligence warns us to be wary of both Russian AT guns dug into well protected positions as well as trench lines and fortifications. Because of this the Battalion has been granted a company of Pioneers as a support element. The MG-42 with its nasty bark and even worse bite. The Engineers are at least dressed for the conditions. And maybe something to warm the Soviet enemy up a little. Flamethrowers! (It's been a looong time since I have used flamethrowers in CM!!). However, just the presence of the Pioneers and the intelligence report makes me very cautious about what is ahead. We are coming...

Thanks! It's so immersive, the story kind of tells itself. I have to compliment your maps again. I have just started battle 4 and I love how deep you have made these maps. It becomes so important with my on-map mortars as the length of the map is longer than their range so I have to be aware of moving them forward to support the attack! And now, this fog...

Amazing map! Super impressive!

I feel like we are gaining steam and momentum. We WILL relieve those troops! This campaign is AWESOME!! So much fun!

Bursting into their villages my troops heave a sigh of relief and get a huge morale boost as the Soviet defenders melt away like the snow. Again, 6th Kompanie is the point of the spear. My Panthers wreak havoc on the Russians, getting in and around their positions and crushing the defenders where they stand and where they run. Total German Victory as the Russians finally capitulate and surrender. This battle today does much for my troops as they try to forget the bloody nose they received yesterday. A couple of my StuGs had their guns damaged and a few Panthers will have to be un-immobilized and repaired, but overall a good morning. Battle 3 is over!! The push will continue...

LOL @IICptMillerII Some of us are still here and posting on other threads! Wow! @Rinaldi This is EPIC!! I can't wait to read more! This puts to shame my AAR posting of my Red Thunder campaign in the screenshots thread... Nicely done indeed!

The end is approaching. The pincers are closing and only the center holds out against the German onslaught. Yet, it too is crumbling under the relentless pressure. Through smoke, snow and fire... On my left, 6th Kompanie are the heroes of the day. Because of the speed and fury of their push against the left, the Soviet defenses buckled and broke leading to the collapse of the whole line.

@JMDECC Hey, did you ever get around to making those US versions?

Hey all, I just wanted to bring attention to this. My Grandfather was one of the 200 original Merrill's Marauders who made it out alive and walking on his own power. He had both dysentery and malaria and was affected with PTSD his entire life. He was one of that generation that did what they had to do, bore it and never talked about it after. However, at the end of his life, he talked to me a ton and told me all his stories as he knew I was one who really appreciated it and wanted his knowledge and experiences to save them. https://www.ausa.org/news/merrills-marauders-recognized-gold-medal?fbclid=IwAR0o4M6oXxhFzpBmpWbgMsAlBXGpPUAjs4ayrBKOjUhG7CX5HMiHKVZvpug He was only a private, fought on Guadalcanal first and then volunteered for the "secret mission" that became the Marauder's campaign. They were all heroes and deserve this and it makes me sad only two of them are left alive to receive the honor. He spent 29 months in the Army during the war. See my sig. RIP Grampa. Here is a just released documentary about the unit and what they did if you are unaware or interested. The 75th Ranger Regt. of today traces its lineage directly back to the Marauders. https://video.kpbs.org/video/they-volunteered-for-this-merrills-marauders-Ty6ODM/?fbclid=IwAR0gx9DGIbIC04z_O63lFgU6Dpmb6g1FwAp7mm3-CQzMnAwRbfiVJpIRH_Y

German pressure on the Soviet's right flank has become unbearable and their line is starting to collapse. This time the terrain helps funnel my attack into an acute point which overwhelms the defenders... Many Soviets break and run for their lives. This very lucky soldier doesn't realize how close he has come to never making it home. As this portion of the line collapses the way opens for my troops to keep pushing into their objective proper. Now we must keep applying pressure and dismantling the defenders dug in positions with overwhelming firepower, one by one. This brave Russian soldier can't take anymore and decides he has had enough for this war...

Same.

5th Kompanie is tasked with moving up the center to edge of the forest and then determining their course of action from there. Unfortunately, they have wounded men from the day before and are proving extremely slow through the snow as the wounded soldiers try to keep up. On my left, 6th Kompanie has moved up quickly to the railroad tracks running directly through the battlefield and keep an eye out for enemy scouts that have been reported in and around Stare Kozary. My men do NOT want scouts reporting back our positions. Because the snow makes my men so slow the Panthers have been ordered to scout forward and "find" the Soviet enemy. My tanks creep forward, unbuttoned, desperately gazing ahead to find the reported Russians and their AT guns. The tension is palpable and can be cut with a knife. 30 minutes of moving and scouting has only spotted a squad of Soviets around the tracks and forest in my center, but my Panthers have killed a pair of scouts seen running back to their lines. Contact! Russian guns open up and the Panther on my far right breathes a sigh of relief as at least two guns opened on him yet missed with five rounds that churn up the dirt around him and bounce one final round off his glacis as he retreats. My tank platoon commander radios back and calls for my FO to move up! On my right, waiting for the artillery a platoon from 7th Kompanie mounts up to storm the enemy's left flank once the artillery and smoke have done their job. However a few unlucky men get picked off their tank mount by a couple wild stray MG bullets from over 500 yards away. The panthers wisely back away to wait. Suddenly, on my left, my Panthers have unmasked the enemy line. Multiple AT guns open up at once as my Panthers return fire. However, my line of 10 Panthers has HUGE combat power and it's coiled up and ready to spring. Unfortunately, my first Panther casualty just so happens to be one of my Crack tanks. A lucky Soviet AT round pierces the turret instantly killing the commander, yet, the crew manages to get out alive! An additional Panther has lost its gun but the Soviet guns are silencing. We have just under an hour to go. My StuGs are now moving up to support my infantry who have worked themselves into their assault positions. The storm is about to break...

March 29th, 1100 hours. The next day... Today we must make our attack and ultimately breakthrough to our surrounded troops in Kovel. Defeat is not an option, only total victory will be acceptable to relieve our comrades before their destruction. High command has tasked II Battalion, 434th Regt. with the first part of today's mission. II Battalion is composed of 5th, 6th and 7th Kompanies with 8th Kompanie weapons. Additional support will come from mortars and artillery guns as well as 16 Panther tanks from Nicoluss-Lecks 8th Kompanie and a battery of 5 StuGs from 2nd Batterie/StuG Bde 190. Again, the terrain will be a major factor as there are still snow flurries, it's freezing and there is snow on the ground. I really must avoid moving through any dense forest, the main being right in the middle of the map. 7th Kompanie, on my right, moves out. Again the troops are comforted by the sight of so much armor out to protect them today. 3rd Squad, 2nd Zug, 7th Kompanie has the unenviable job of walking point. In the face of all that open ground and brooding dark forests in the distance, they grit their teeth and move forward...

I was thinking more about this and it's really interesting how things change on the tactical level in regards to the operational objective. Ultimately, we are trying to breakthrough to a surrounded unit so my losses and what it takes to do that become irrelevant weighted to the overall objective. I have been pushing harder and taking those casualties knowing, ultimately, we must do what it takes to relieve that unit! Awesome stuff here.

PS. The maps are SUPERB! Have fun in the frozen Pripyat Marshes! I don't think I'll ever forget them, haha!