z1812

This is one of the better sites to arrange a game. http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/forumdisplay.php?fid=221

Thank you, thank you.

They look very good.

It's great to have 8 variations to work with and the originals are so good. I will take some artistic license with mine : ) I have already started some vehicles that are more brown drab. One is a dark gray green. It is nice to chat with you as I have used some of your mods for my games. I particularly liked your T-72 series in CMSF.

Thanks! I have always like a bit of colour in what I do. Each of the vehicles I am working on now is coloured differently and at a different stage of distress. I am also doing some Infantry as I find the colour differences in the different stock models to be minimal. Can you imagine that for regular Soviet Infantry Battlefront have included 8 different stock models.

This article May interest you. http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/12/23/the-camo-club-ten-military-sims-that-are-answering-the-call-of-duty/

Thanks or your comments. I am working on 3 other vehicles as well. I will post some pics over the next few days.

My T34-1942-late Mod is available at Green as Jade's Mods Warehouse.

I played this scenario against the A.I. from the Soviet side. Having lots of T34-85's, I expected to face some heavy German armour and so was very careful in my advance. I saw a few Panzer IV'S off in the distance and moved 3 T34-85's up to deal with them. Some easy kills I thought. Imagine my surprise when very quickly my 85's were burning to the loss of One P IV. I managed to persevere, despite losing more tanks, and in the process learnt not to take the P IV for granted.

My thoughts as well.

I found this site and article today. I thought some of you may be interested. http://www.allworldwars.com/Peculiarities-of-Russian-Warfare-by-Erhard-Raus.html

[quote name='womble You could do some tests and report the numbers rather than plucking "gut feelings" out the air.[/quote'] I have not done controlled testing. However I have played a number of small QB's and have tried different combinations of C and C with the Russians, so my observations are not, as you pompously suggest, plucking gut feelings out of thin air. Regardless of the amount, and integrity of C and C I provide, the Russians falter quickly under fire. These QB's are played with both the Russians and Germans on normal and regular settings with a leadership of 0.

I have been reading some of this interview. A sample below and the link afterwards. General Hozzel: The task was to give close air support to the Sixth Army thrusting in the direction of Stalingrad. At that time this thrust had come to a stop because of the River Don which runs parallel to the Volga River, building a kind of isthmus between the Volga and the Don. On the Don River was situated the town of Kalach. The Soviets, knowing our intention to take Stalingrad, had put up a barrier on the West bank of the Don, in front of this town. This barrier consisted of 200 to 300 tanks, and it was the first time we came in contact with such a mass of tanks. The Soviet resistance had clearly stiffened here. Apparently it was intended to delay the German thrust at Stalingrad as far as possible. The Sixth Army was therefore bound to attempt a breakthrough of the tank position with close air support to be able to cross the Don and push on to Stalingrad. Thus the tank battle started the Geschwader Immelman encountered for the first time a large concentration of tanks. We saw many packs of T-34s, also some older types. The fronts between friend and foe were clearly discernible. It would have been pointless to attack in large groups because our planes would have hindered one another. Instead we detailed one Staffel after another. They approached single tanks in Ketten and from the side, from south to north or vice versa. Each plane looked for its target, flying parallel to its neighbor, at approach angles of 30 to 40 degrees, aiming with the whole aircraft through the reflex sight, at the center of the tank, then dropping 500-kg bombs with tank busting head into the tank's side while making an extremely low pass above the ground. Flame- bombs also proved to be most effective because due to the heat developing the crew was incapacitated while the fuel container of the tank exploded. It was, of course, imperative to react rapidly, to pull up the plane in a split second after bomb dropping, flying across the tank so as to avoid being hit by the explosion of our own bomb. It sounds adventurous but that's exactly what it was. Later, a better method of tank killing was devised. The JU-87 was armed with two 3.7-cm cannons below the wings which led to great successes. In the Kalatch tank battle it was our tactics to keep one Staffel of 9 to 12 planes constantly in touch with the enemy. Whilst one Staffel still pressed home its last attack, the one following was approaching the target area. Thus the Russian tank forces, being unrelentingly harassed from the air, could not fully concentrate on the ground situation and the fighting of German tanks. When the crew of a single enemy tank saw itself attacked from the air, it immediately started curving so as to avoid the attacrer. In doing so it was, <f course, unable to fire against our tanks. Seeing that any Soviet tank must have felt attacked along the whole width of our offensive front, our tank hunting strikes had quite obviously a paralyzing effect on the firepower of the enemy tank force. I should not fail to mention here that among the Russian tanks there were also antiaircraft tanks we had to watch out for. We could easily identify them by their vertical barrels. It goes without saying that they were the first to be attacked by us. Yet, there were some of them who fired from camouflaged positions not made out by us in time. Still they scored no hits because of the angular velocity of our JU-87s attacking at a slant dive angle. The speed of our planes was too high for their cannon to follow it. The tank barrier near Kalach was finally pierced in a combined effort of Army and Luftwaffe. The way to Stalingrad was open. Within one day only the German armored divisions crossed the Don on a wide front, rushing forward across the isthmus—being about 60 to 80 kms wide—to their strategic aim of Stalingrad while steadily receiving close air support from Stukageschwader "Immelman" and Schlachtgeschwader 1. In the evening of the same day the Supreme Command of the Sixth Army was able to report that its armored spearheads had entered Stalingrad from north and south. The Germans felt sure of victory. 3ut soon it was realized that a tough struggle was ahead. http://www.allworldwars.com/Conversations-with-a-Stuka-Pilot-Paul-Werner-Hozzel.html

If I understand the above correctly then there is no specific "weakness" built into the Soviet units unless you are splitting squads. My experience in game play does not bear this out. Soviet Infantry are far less resilient than the Germans. Keeping my Soviet squads under command and moving them together has little bonus. As soon as they receive any sustained fire they start to panic. I am no where near being an expert on World War 2 tactical combat. However I have read some books concerning this period and by German accounts alone by 43, and certainly by 44, they had a healthy respect for Soviet Infantry. Perhaps I am missing something. If someone can enlighten me, then I am all ears.

Hi Juju, Thank you for your work. As many have said before me, the game would not be the same without it. Of all the mods available, if I could have only one, without a doubt it would be yours.

Thank you for your interest. I will release it over the weekend.

They look great!

I am sorry to hear about your cat. My Family has had cats and dogs die and it is very emotional for everyone. I still can't look at pictures of old pets............it makes me so sad. My Sympathy to you and your Family.

I am playing the Soviets in QB's against the A.I. right now to get use to the system. I purchase the units for each side to maintain some sense of balance and challenge. However my force size proportion is similar to what I would do for CMBN/FI. What would be recommended for a reasonable but challenging force ratio. Right now my force sizes are equal and playing the Soviets is interesting indeed.

Thanks to all for your kind comments. It is appreciated.

Hi Earl Grey, ( I wonder what tea you drink ) In the scale modelling world tank colours seem to be all over the place. As you also probably know it is also difficult to find colour photos. It seems to me that the BF colours are pretty accurate, however there are slightly lighter and dark, almost olive gray colours, as well. This tank I have done will probably have some de-saturation and blending applied before I release it. I am not a stickler for 100% historical accuracy as I enjoy a bit of Hollywood in my colours. Regards, John

Thanks for the encouragement. I am working on a T-34 85 as well. I will post some pics soon.

I find the Soviet Infantry quite fragile. I would have expected that earlier in the war but not as late as 43 and 44. What do you think?

My first CMRT mod WIP.

Thank you.............I think I have it!!