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kenfedoroff

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Posts posted by kenfedoroff

    Cmak

    in English

    Posted

    Hi All,

    I have CMAK and CMBB, and can usually send a file/turn per day (more on weekends).

    I live in Michigan, USA (for time-zone reference) and prefer a North American opponent so as to be able to have the chance at exchanging multiple files in the evening.

    Please, only dedicated opponents that can finish a game. No disappearing acts wanted.

    E-mail to: kenfedoroff@comcast.net

    Cheers,

    Ken

    0

    I'm at it again

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    Ken,

    Any chance your book mentions the weather conditions during the morning of the 27th? I know rain was a problem throughout the Operation, but just want to be sure it was a factor for the morning attack by 10th HLI.

    I would agree with John on this. While Daglish recounts the miserable night spent by 10th HLI (persistant rain and mortar fire), I don't find obvious mention of weather effects for the day.

    BTW, Daglish has several pages devoted to "Siegel on the Salbey" (with his four Pz-IV's).

    He provides straight down air recon photos matched with map and ground views.

    Again, I highly recommend his book for Epsom(although I still haven't finished it).

    Good luck,

    Ken

    0

    The Day of Battle

    in General Discussion Forum

    Posted

    This book suffers from a flaw that quite a few history books do: it is too large in its scope. Too many authors try to cram in a theater's worth of action into four or five hundred pages, and attempt to do so both from a larger strategic perspective and with ample narration from the guys in the lines. From what I have seen, this is an impossible task to accomplish in a work of such size, and as a result the quality of the work suffers. If you are unfamiliar with WWII, or just want a generic overview of the early Italian campaign, The Day of Battle or something like Neillands' Eighth Army would do you well. But if you want a more informative an detailed read, I would recommend reading a variety of books that focus on individual battles such as Sicily, Anzio, Monte Cassino, and the fall of Rome.

    Good point. I was glad the book ends with June '44, so he could concentrate on some of the toughest decison making faced at all levels, and the events that followed from them.

    I enjoyed both his books, as Atkinson weaves the political-strategic-logistic setting with what what was possible (and impossible) at an operational and tactical level, on the ground.

    For what it's worth,

    Ken

    0

    Question for Grogs

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    ...My suggestion to model the kind of Panzerturm at D-Day would be to use some obsolete tank with the turret gun you want and select the dig-in option, which will prevent it from moving. Won't be flush with the ground, so park it in decent terrain to offset this, say, rocks...!

    Regards,

    John Kettler

    Hi Stoat and John,

    Thanks for the explanations and suggestions.

    I very much appreciate it.

    Best regards,

    Ken

    0

    I'm at it again

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    Hi All,

    I am reading "Over the Battlefield: Operation Epsom", by Ian Daglish.

    I am enjoying this account of Epsom. It has lots of air recon photos (looking straight down at high noon), matched with "on the ground view" photos, with some matching maps.

    It looks like it could help out a scenario designer with units as well.

    It seems almost all the German counterattacks were hastily thrown together with whatever fresh units were arriving that day.

    I'm up to page 109, where it gives a description of the June 28 counter attack from the East (from Mouen towards Colleville).

    Two arriving infantry battalions from LiebStandarte were subordinated to 12-SS (with a lack of artillery liaison). A heavy weapons company provided support.

    There was a understrenth company of Pz-IV involved.

    For what it's worth,

    Ken

    0

    Question for Grogs

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    Hi All,

    I am reading "Gold Beach-Jig" by Tim Saunders from the Battleground Europe series of guidebooks.

    He makes numerous mention and has photos of what are called "Tobruk positions".

    The photos are on pages 124, 154, 156 and 183.

    Even with these photos, I still don't have a clear understanding of just what these Tobruk positions are, and how they would be represented in CMAK.

    Would they all be represented with a concrete pilbox...? or would it be wooded pillbox...?

    I'm not sure if the sandbag tile with a trench fortification positioned inside of it, would do it justice.

    Anybody have any knowledge on these particular fortifications...?

    Thanks in advance,

    Ken

    0

    Verkne-Kumskiy Topo Maps

    in Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin

    Posted

    Originally posted by Von Schwendeman:

    I figured out how they did it, the map is an operation map not a scenario map.

    Yeah... I made a 4k X 6k map for a Static Op, (where the where the whole map is displayed for each battle, just roughed in, with lots of Steppe, mind you), to see what would happen, playing Hot-Seat/play-test, and I locked up my computer after about ten-turns...

    Long lines-of-sight and craters really slow down my old computer.

    For what it's worth,

    Ken

    0

    The cursed uniform elevation code

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    Does it help if you immediately "Save", and then... "Preview"...?

    It's been a while since I played with the scenario editor... I seem to remember having problems with elevations, at times...

    BTW... I am finishing up CMAK-"The Villas of Tuscany" in a PBEM (which I believe is one of yours?). It's a very realistic and well done scenario, with a fantastic map.

    Good luck,

    Ken

    0

    New (to me) Books

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    Originally posted by civdiv:

    Just picked up a couple of books from the library that are new to me;

    'With the Jocks' by Peter White

    of

    'No Holding Back' by Brian Reid

    Any thoughts on them?

    I enjoyed "No Holding Back" that was recommended by Grog Dorosh. (Thanks for that...)

    I just got "With the Jocks" (based on your question at the start of thread) and am enjoying it very much. Thanks for the heads-up on that!

    Cheers,

    Ken

    0

    Loyalty is My Honor

    in Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin

    Posted

    Hi All,

    I just finished reading "Penalty Strike", "The Memoirs of a Red Army Penal Company Commander, 1943-45", by Alexander V. Pyl'cyn.

    I enjoyed this book, as it was strictly a "worm's eye view" of the war. Completely different from the "Grand Campaign" type of books that were written by high officers of the time.

    I have no idea if it's a real first-hand account or a "Forgotten Soldier/Guy Sajer" type of memory, as I'm no Grog, but couldn't find any glaring descrepencies in the account.

    I learned a lot about Penal Companies (the author dispels a lot of myth).

    Be warned... there is not a lot of first-hand battle accounts, as the author was wounded several times, and also... units within the Company were often "Left out of Battle", so that the entire unit wasn't wiped out, if things went wrong...

    I enjoyed it.

    Sincerely,

    Ken

    0

    Are Shermans THAT bad?

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    Originally posted by JasonC:

    ken - and why on earth do they need tow vehicles?

    Do you think operational tanks need tow vehicles to conduct a fighting withdrawal?

    They are out of operational for a reason, and no it isn't needing an oil change...Etc.

    Hi Jason,

    You are exactly right. I was merely sharing my learning experience regarding the fact that many losses are not from immediate battlefield loss (a tank being killed and burned out...)

    I am reading where panzers were ordered to advance/operate in unsuitable terrain, and became bogged. A second tank attempts to tow the first and ruins the transmission. Now... two tanks are immobilized (without even seeing the enemy), and the Russians have broken through and surrounded the area... The Germans then are forced to destroy both of their panzer to prevent them falling into enemy hands...

    As an average (at best) CM player, I can sometimes relate to the frustration of Allied players with Shermans (and T-34) when facing Tigers, Panthers, etc., but their numbers certainly did the trick.

    Salute,

    Ken

    0

    Are Shermans THAT bad?

    in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

    Posted

    Originally posted by coe:

    ...so how was it the Germans lost 2000 AFVs in Normandy when the allies were saying it took 5 shermans to take out a panther? Were the AFVs mostly abandoned?

    (lack of repair parts, fuel, over run?...

    I just started reading Jent'z Panzertruppen-V2, (but haven't got to Normandy yet...) but it's amazing how many panzers are lost when the front moves against them (in Russia). They don't have enough tow-vehicles to get them to safety, and then... when they do get them to (supposed) safety (a town far to the rear), the Soviets make some operational breakthrough and bypass said town...!

    For what it's worth...

    Ken

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