snake_eye

@mirekm61 The deployment of tanks in a village and or urban area with LOS very limited is difficult. Most often it is the infantry deployed as a close protection around them that makes the difference in alerting their crews of an imminent danger. The Tiger as a matter of fact is not the best tank to be used in such a battle. its huge advantage is its gun when it is use at a longer range than the enemy can afford. More when its gun is being traversed against a far away target it takes less time that when this target is close (it is a geometric evidence). In that battle the defence positions and or the movements of the Germans will be defined by the triggers. Since you have at least three Reds potential attack axis and since there is 2 German A.I plans that makes few possibilities that can happen at different places and time for that Tiger alone. Will it be the best move it could do ? Considering what I wrote above, I shall be reserved about its outcome, since it will depend of the player ability and or the Red A.I. A last thing. in an urban or so battle, a tank waiting in ambush can inflict terrible losses at the enemy. PanzerMike was told about my 2 Hetzers huge scoring in tanks and men in my "Fester Platz Polozk" AAR @verulam Thanks a lot for your compliment. The key, or at least one of them is to take the objectives. TG However the difference between Occupy and Touch is important. Since Occupy means that no alive enemy should be on the objective. We can be sure that the German A.I will do all it can to resist. I think that it would interesting to have one day a threshold percentage for the Occupy Objective. That way an objective taken at 80% could be considered taken. Cheer

@Erwin Take care Cheer

@thephantom and Frederico, I am please to hear your comments about one of the surprise. For the captured Equipment, you are referring to, It was not unusual at the time for the Germans to use these to good effect in their defence line. @Erwin, How are you doing ? It's been a long time we have not been discussing tactic like we did about CMSF scenarios. Glad you are having interest on CMRT. Let me know of you battle issue. Cheer

Thanks @all Verulam let us know about your battle. Have a good play

@db zero, Considering what you just wrote I fully agree. However the term "fanatical" seems after having check it, to be certain, in a dictionary improper Cheer

Feel free to post your comments about your battle here. Cheer

@db Zero The matter is not as simple as you think it was. The Germans troops involved in the North African theatre of war are not all fanatical. most of them were just people loving at the highest point their country and imbedded by the propaganda image of the Fuehrer. After all he was, for them, the one that got out Germany from its terrible economic crisis and gave work to all. The Sudetes crisis, the annexion of Austria, the beginning of WWII, its successes, in Poland and France made the normal German soldier feel being above average compare to its opponents. The first moral reverse (in Africa) came with the news of the fate of the battle of Stalingrad and this added to the long and then fast retreat toward Tunis started to show the reality of the outcome of the war to these men. However, their national pride was for the most intact. At that time, many of them, even in the high Reich sphere, thought that once the USA would be into the war the end would not be in their favour. That is why on many occasion from now on, the Reich believed in its attemps to dissociate the West powers from the East (the Russian). They thought that the West would follow them against the Russian. Even Himmler later on tried like Goering had done it earlier to succeed in doing it. To no avail thankfully. But I must say that like in all armies you had fanatical, but they were a minority. In the last months of the war in Africa the allies had no difficulties in replenishing their materials and their ammo. However they had difficulties in some instances to bring enough reinforcements, particularly the British. On the contrary, the Germans with the idiot order of Hitler to stand fast and not to evacuate through Sicily their army had no sufficient replenishment in materials, ammo and men. Near the end they had nearly none. So they fought to the end and Von Arnim surrendered once they were pushed into the Cape Bon. Having been there few times, I don't see how they could have managed an evacuation easily, with all the cliffs being there. Yet, some barges made specially, as an emergency measure, at the time did quite a feast. Bringing materials and ammo and going back with wounded. But that was a drop in the ocean. For the rest and because I had very close family persons, besides my father (in the US patton's Army ) and my mother (in the French 1st Army) involved in the fight that took place in Tunisia, I can recall that the US forces were not taken at that time very seriously, specially after Kasserine. That is why the German liked most fighting the Amis. That despite the fact that they were having the habit to fire quite a load of artillery concentration, that the Germans wished to have. To come back to that battle scenario, I am still surprise at the low casualties the US units had in taking that hill. On the over hand one should know that the Germans had not that many men and only few shells per tube to fire for a day. The only explanation, I have for that battle, since there were not that many prisoners, is that the German staged a rear fight battle, while they had done since few weeks, while pulling back to Tunis. That did not prevent them to do a short counter attack. Yet that one was only done to give them some breathing space and allow them to pull back to their next defence position few kilometers away. More, IMHO, they did not fight like fanatical. I also think that the US forces had at the time the necessity to boost their morale. Writing about that battle and avoiding to write that the Germans were pulling off made it appear as an overwhelming victory. That is the way some battle were told off and either side did it. A good book telling a lot about the African battles has been written by Marshal ROMMEL. It is done from its diaries. It is a must, because you will understand the daily situation with his comments about the Italians, Kesselring, all the way up to the fuehrer HQ Cheer

@broadsword Blazing 88's and Aragorn2002 have now the file I made with the German A.I new setup and plan. The map had some slight changes made and barbed wires added. Cheer

@Blazing 88's File sent to your Email address Remaining @Broadsword56 I have 4 files. The original, two I worked on (map and ??? don't recall) and the one with the final A.I work. It is that one I sent to Blazing... Cheer

Yes, I have it. send me a mail. @broadsword56 I agree with You. I still don't understand how the US attackers made it with only few casualties. However, I have found some reasons that could explain it. Will tell You more later, if You judge it worth. Cheer

@all I shall upload it tomorrow afternoon. The wait won't be too long guys ! Cheer

Hi PM, Besides the Hetzer available from the start, I have not changed your setting.

Just one word : Fantastic. Just played 10 minutes and I can't wait to move again into that bloody fight. Cheer

Hi PM, Pretty good map. Looks like the Reds will have a bloody fight to assault and clear that small urban area. Do they have to rush past the bridges to get in town ? Do you have a fording site for the Infantry and or the armor if they have some ? The German player will have quite a challenge defending against the Red horde. If you want me to have a look at it let me know as usual. Cheer BTW you wrote "still chipping at the map" Is it a modified QB map ?

@ all, Thanks for your interest, If you want to think about a pending assault you will make shortly, here is Tac - map from the briefing illustrating some attack axis and showing your available forces. Needless to say these are the ones that are a possibility after having looked closely at the ground features and thought (rightly, wrongly ?), how the German might have used them in defence. Cheer

The last pictures :

My first scenario for CMRT is finished. It will be uploaded tomorrow. I had let you know about it in a "WIP Reds Attack Village" post (see the following link) http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=114863 It takes place during Bagration on the 23rd of June 1944 near the town of Bobruisk. You will play it against the German A.I and you can also have your hand at a H2H battle with some slight adjustments. The new introduction of the triggers is a feature that really allow the designer to do marvel. You will be judge of that. Here after some shots of the battle.

@kohlenklau, Thanks. Last time I used that feature was for a scenario in CMBN. But at the time it was for a steel bridge. The bridge piles you have used have a better looking effect than a steel bridge collapsing in its middle section into the water.

Hi Kohlenklau, The town looks good. I just have a question about one of the bridge. I see only he bridge piles and no deck ? How did you make it ? Will look forward for your scenario Cheer

@ all, Being travelling most of the time I have been obliged to put aside the scenario. Hopefuly, I am planning to upload it in the coming weeks on my return. I had the opportunity to finalize and test the German A.I many times and hone it to the upmost. I must say that it works like it never did earlier. That is the result of the triggers that are a fantastic asset to the game. I am meanwhile thinking at the use of some tactical drill that could be eventually put in effect in one of the two A.I plans already made. In any case the player will, acting as the Rusians troops, be against tactical defensives postures applied at the time by Germans troops during what was a long and never ending retreat. We should not forget that Von Manstein Kharkov last counter offensive in 1943 was the last major German victory in the East. Ever since they have known only retreat. Cheer

Trying to establish a kill zone (kill sack) is easier done against a human adversary. You can predict its reaction and react accordingly. That is not the same, while fighting against the AI, the soldiers and their supports elements. All are Trying to follow as much as they can their AI orders. In other words, the results of the tactic You are using will closely depend of it.

To all: Thanks for your comments. Soon it will be about time to get a ticket ride ! I hope that playing the Red attackers will put you in their boots and feel how the Germans were defending their lives before being pushed back to their the fatherland boarders. About the triggers. I have found the manual indications well done. I should say almost well done, that is once you have tested it by yourself. After just a few tests and mistakes, you get it right. You just have to understand that when you are triggering an area you must designate it clearly. If it is done for a German trigger, the Enemy designates the Reds. However you must absolutely draw that trigger area in the Axis objectives in the Editor and give it a name. That name will be shown in the "wait for" screen and will be seen on the map, while playing the game in the testing mode. The hours effect are well explained. @PM If you want that we reverse role and be this time my tester, let me know by email and I'll send you the file and actual explanations.

WIP - Red village attack - no name chosen for the time being. I am doing the testing of my first CMRT scenario with a full use of the triggers. These are allowing many A.I orders to be executed at a precise moment when troops and or armor (enemy and or friends) are moving on a designated area. But they also can be triggered when another unit is executing its own orders. That way subsequent orders can be done. During Bagration and later, the German forces have had to conduct a very orderly retreat, most of the time, besides few counter attacks with numerically inferior men and materials. I have always been amazed when I read AAR of these retreats on newly prepared defence at the way and the skill they used in fighting rear guard actions. The tactics deployed and their results were unbelievable considering the units they fought aginst. Companies were more platoons and they had just a few tanks and or assault guns at disposable. On the other side, just on their heels, Red masses and waves of attackers and tanks were rolling. The objective of the Germans forces was to inflict as many losses as they could and lose grounds as slowly as it was possible, in order to allow a retreat on better prepared grounds or to gain time for a counter attack by a Kampfgruppe having more troops and tanks For that scenario rather than creating a new landscape suited to the ideas I had in mind, I searched into the QB maps one that could be suited to the tactical schemes the Germans defenders would have to use. The one chosen is Village Forest Attack 007 1040 x 848. Its length was brought to 1232. Many grounds features have been changed. A RR Station was made and filled with Germans and Russians disabled armor, some awaiting to be brought to the rear by rail. It was not unusual that the Germans repaired slightly damaged Russians materials and re used it. Germans tanks whenever possible were transported back to a rear repair echelon. The village is important for the Russians since it is a transport hub for supplies and it has a Rollbahn running through it. The RR bridge and the road one have not been prepared for destruction, so they likely think that their armor spearhead will be able to overcome the German defence. The Germans have been seen on earlier air recon, accelerating the hauling of their supplies (by rail and trucks) toward the rear with most of their reparable tanks by rail on flatcars. The Russians believe that they will face at the most the equivalent of 2 full strength platoons. That is the remains of a Company. They do not expect to have to fight dearly for taking the town, since it can be thought that the enemy will move back in stages to give up the town and leave rubbles behind. Some AT guns and one or two tanks and or assault guns might be lurking in wait. They do not have artillery, since it has been overrun two days ago while attempting to escape. In any case The Reds estimate to have a 2 to 1 superiority in men and 3 to 1 in tanks and assault guns. They also have a four 122mm Howitzers and some mortars. That should be sufficient to lay a thick smoke curtain during the initial assault and flatten any strong points that might delay the advance. On the left of our attack axis the Reds will be confronted with an AT ditch that they made at the time to slow down the German advance. It did not, so it is believed that the same will happen again. The quick action of our spearhead will prevent such eventuality. Regiment made it clear that the RR Station is vital for us to bring ammo and food for the troops that will be deployed in the pursuit of the enemy. The village will become a huge staging and replenishing area. The triggers testing have been plainly successful, after some not concluding ones. The objective which I am defining as far as points are concerned will be to move into the town, prevent eventually the escape of the Germans forces that have not been destroyed, by moving into its rear and sealing their escape. For that I might need to augment the size of the map a last time. I am also thinking about a small counter attack, just to allow some forces to pull back and escape. So, if you don't find many Germans defenders on your way, that will be that your advance speed is faulty. I hope depending on some travels I have to do that I shall be able to upload it early May. Meanwhile here after are some shots.

A pretty good scenario I encourage to play. Besides a well done map, it offers a real Recon tactical challenge for the Red side. You won't see any train for the time being, but the RR station is so well done that you can imagine flatcars on the RR tracks waiting to be loaded with trucks. Staying on your list PM for further scenarios testing. Cheer

Erwin, Not contemporary as far as the materials are, for the rest the setting in Ukraine against Nato could be. Let's hope things will stay the way they are.