snake_eye

That very well done 251/1 display better than words the way to exit the HT. If you look at the German training movie you will see the Grenadier crashing down or losing their equilibrium once on the ground and they were not under fire !

Does not mind if it is a German or US HT, jumping over the side with all the gear is not practical. Unless the HT is on the verge of blowing up and or the rear exit is under fire and that you have to get out anyway. In over situation, jumping over might get you a minor injury to a leg and or an ankle, if not worst. Besides the height you are jumping off from is a bit more than 2 meters. You have to clear the edge of the HT upper side, propels yourself outside without having one of your gear attachment caught. That means standing up on the inside bench, grabbing the upper side this one hand (the other has the rifle) and threw yourself outside, with the legs clearing barely the side (same as jumping over a small wooden fence). You can't put one leg on the upper side, raise yourself, have the other one rejoin and then jump. If you do so, that will end in a crash either inside and or outside. Let you imagine the guy trying to get in order his gear which has crashed all around. For my part I have always preferred the back door of the US HT. I try it once in a motor pool over the side, climbing down in no hurry with no gear and got my jacket caught in an exterior attachment and had to freeze unless I wanted it tear off.

Right flank possible attack axis Left flank possible attack axis

The Recon phase is finished. It is a probe advance to determine which Germans forces you might be against in the next battle. More, you will have to decide to have a left and or right axis attack. To attack on both sides would be to difficult to manage, since it should be a Battalion attack, if you want to gain some ground. That left and or right attack is going to be done with one Infantry company at the spear, another one in close reserve and the last one ready in the CORE for the third battle. The Infantry will attack with the support of some tanks working closely with them. A strong artillery barrage will be the prelude of the attack on the objectives. One thing that will be decided from the testing of the Recon phase is the day hour. For the initial testing it has be done around 08:00 AM to be able to see how things were going. I think that it should be done earlier, but I am not sure, if that way, the recon will be as effective due the poor visibility ? If there are some of you willing to test the Recon phase, why not. Let me know. That could be done starting sunday and or monday, not being available earlier. Cheers

@Von kleist I'll let you concentrate on the battle and can't wait either for your AAR. I think that we all are going to learn quite a lot about the way, both of you are fighting that last crucial hour.:cool: To All: I think that the new scenario is going to be done like a campaign. That way there will be a short recon phase with M8's and or Stuarts. Then the player will have to decide where its main attack axis should be brought, on the left and or the right of the map landscape. In the second battle depending if he is on the left and or the right, the fight will not be the same. However the possibility to move on the other axis, if the battle engagement permits it, will be feasible. If the testing allows it, there will be the recon and one battle; If that does not allow the overtake of the main town, then the fight of the town itself will be fought in another battle. For the time being nothing is granted. I shall have the US force played against the Germans A.I I shall post some new shots of the landscape viewed from the attacking side. The US forces will have to get through a ford and or a bridge depending on which side they are attacking. There are a lot of marshes between these, negating a frontal attack. I am currently thinking about the way to get through the bridgehead while keeping my pants on. If I succeed, it will be a go, if not I will have to work on it a bit more.

BTW, I did not have any loading and or saving problems with that scenario, besides the fact that it becomes sluggish at some moment. My graphic card then has difficulties catching up, my quick move on the map playing R.T Huge map. Good scenario. Got in trouble having difficulties to keep my situation awareness because of the graphic card issue. Will try it in Wego later on.

These Icons are perfect to distinguish quickly among numerous units, the support and HQ. Downloaded it right away. Thanks to George for showing them in use.

@sburke That's the way some battles are fought with the FOW being felt and afflicting all our sense. @longleftflank Coming from you and having seen what you have done in CMSF for USMC Ramadi, I am very touched by the compliment. I am now working on the area to give the player a landscape enabling him to be able to play realistically either in defence and or attack. If I consider only one, the other side will be unable to gain or maintain ground without disproportionate ratio of forces. I am starting the most difficult part of the scenario. That is putting down the OOB, working on the A.I plans and testing. Cheers

The Iron bridges have been used around the small harbour, that is damaged, to simulate metallic works that you can see in shipyards. They also simulate turning bridge, sometimes seen on docksides. Ok, that is not exactly what they look like in a real harbour that is why you have them damaged. That was the closest I could come to depict them. There is another one in the rail yards to simulate a destroyed turning bridge. Like the one found to reverse a rail engine. The rail circle is quite impossible to do, the way I would like it to be. Anyway, the all place has been pounded by the artillery, so girders are found around. One thing that you have not noticed is the use of stone bridges in the railroad station to simulate the passenger’s platform. For that, their use has been easier.

@Sburke Let me know once your battle is done, I would not like to miss for anything the posted AAR that you and Von Kleist have been collecting about your very intense fight, since the start. I think, that will be helpful to many of us and even to myself. There are always different ways to get through a battle, we don't even think about. Cheers

You are welcome ! BTW let me know how you are doing in Die Amis kommen. Cheers

The last shots

8 shots, of “Take the high ground”, a scenario in progress showing the landscape and the town environment. The Germans deployed in or near the town will defend it at all cost as they have been ordered. Needless to say, if they can not fulfil that task, they will have to retreat in order and have as many troops, tanks and vehicles exiting to gain points. However, if they do it before inflicting enemy casualties up to the threshold being set, they won’t get enough points On the US side, the orders are to take the town and prevent the Germans to escape. A H2H will be available. The scenario with the river, its 2 bridges and a ford available will be fought on a map of 1000 x 1500 meters. Some hills will provide some cover, while approaching the town. But they will probably be occupied by some forces. The player being able to keep that high ground will be able either to defend the town if he is German or take it if he is playing the US forces. That is for the moment what I would like to do, but that could change. Cheers

I think, I can say that I have done it with the “El Derjine Campaign” (Repository CMSF – Marines) The 1st battle is rather a Platoon fight. The 2nd is a full Company (ies) battle either side having had a premise of what was to come with the 1st battle. The 3rd battle has a difficult helicopter Platoon assault at a radar station, but the company(ies) troops leaving their preceding conquered objectives of the 2nd battle can carry on toward their assigned objectives. The enemy having had a bad time in that 2nd battle (that if you won the battle). The 4th battle is one, which happens when the US forces are in a small village about to start an attack, just after having been replenished. Being caught off guard it is not an easy battle, but once the surprise is setting down the battle becomes interesting. You have from memory another battle or two in case you do not fulfil the objectives. In some instances the RED CORE UNITS have had reinforcement brought in to prevent to remedy to Company and or Platoons having the name but not the expected force. As I wrote earlier the CORE UNITS setting is very difficult to do and FMB defines it as very tricky, which is right. Quote FMB : "I haven't deliberately done this, but I try to make the opening missions of my campaigns easier than most of the others to let the player get a feel for their forces. I might consider doing something like this in the future." Please don't change a thing of what you have done. That campaign is perfect and I don't think that having one easier fight and or battle at the beginning will make it better. The forces are well balanced. More, when you get in the following battles, the rate of casualties is more or less balanced. The only problem I have raised is about the replenishment of the tanks and or Armored vehicles. Just one good tank (not a PZ IV, but a Panther for that campaign) coming in , makes quite a difference. The tanks get immobilized for either side a bit too easily. But that was the case when they were moving on adverse climatic condition and not on roads. Besides German tanks had problems with their tracks more often than their US opponents. Cheers

That's why kampfgruppe were being hastily made to plug holes in the lines. At the time, after a day or so of heavy fights, a Company was rather a Platoon and a platoon a squad. What remained was added to a KG if an emergency arose or sent to the rear area to get new reinforcement from their home Division and be refitted. The repair echelon of the Panzer company was doing miracle with the tanks as long as the ground had not been relinquished. that happened frequently in Normandy until the front collapsed. If only I could get one Panther back being repaired ! Will see what I can do in the 5th battle the town being right there. The situation is not excellent, but far from being desperate, reinforcement coming in or not. Cheers

I decided few days ago to give it a try. I have played it ever since, Elite Wego and not RT has I do it most of the time. That way it is easier to watch on different locations, the troops moving and the enemy reaction while playing back the recording. That recording is like a S2 intelligence officer, providing you with details you would have missed otherwise. From these details you can figure, how to make your next tactical move. About the campaign: The briefing and its narration for each battle is very well done and it is a pleasure to read it. To keep a close attention to their reading is very helpful. The maps are well done and the bocage that seems impenetrable affords however some exit if you look closely at it (that you can’t do it in RT). You can use it to your advantage while moving close to the enemy. I have played 4 battles up to now. I had decided after the first battle, not to split my forces (decision 1) and to move through the North wooded area (decisions 2). I did not fare too badly for the first 3 battles getting each time a Tactical victory. However, I had lost at the end of the 2nd battle: 3 Panzers IV destroyed by AT fire, plus 1 being immobilized by a mine and 1 simply immobilized). All the Panzers IV were at that time out of action. 3 Panthers were also immobilized. The PSW 234/ 1 and PSW 234/2 were at that time all gone having been destroyed. 1 in the 1st and 2 in the 2nd battle. The 2 remaining, being immobilized. I got into the 3rd battle with 2 Panthers V and got one immobilized from an anti tank shot in the track. The 4th battle was a nightmare, having no tanks, no mortars, no artillery and depleted troops at that time. I lost all the recon armoured cars and took casualties forcing me at 30 minutes to the end to surrender. I got a total defeat for that battle. From the start of that battle I knew, the KG was not a match with its meagre remaining forces against a well organized US infantry. I managed to exit nearly all the trucks and kubelwagens without damage, before it became too late, but could not do it for the PSWs. The 2 being immobilized were destroyed like the 3 others while they engaged targets and or retreated to the exit. The infantry sustained, before surrendering, 44 KIA 5 WIA against 7 KIA 2 WIA for the US 1 Stuart was destroyed. 3 or 4 Shermans were seen at the end of the battle immobilized. Mechanical failure, bogged, combat damages ? Well, I let the pressure go off and I shall play the 5th one it in the coming days. I don’t expect to have tanks reinforcement available. I only have, 1 Panther crewed by 3 guys instead of 5 remaining from the 3rd battle. However it did not rejoin the 4th battle, so why should it rejoin the 5th. ************************SPOILERS*************************************** Most of the vehicles casualties have been inflicted by AT guns. They are especially difficult to spot. Every time you get a non covered ground with a good LOS, you can bet there is one lurking in the far hedges. In the 1st battle I lost to AT fire,1 Mk IV and 2 PSW and again 2 PSW and 2 Mk IV in the 2nd battle. One difficulty, I have found in every battle is in the way the tanks and PSW got immobilized without any mechanical reasons. Were they bogged down? There was no mention of it. Some were destroyed later on, being sitting ducks unable to avoid the AT and or tanks when they came in. For the tanks being immobilized (due to sustained damaged, mechanical breakdown and or ground adverse condition) we got: 2 MK IV and 2 Panthers during the 1st battle. 1 Panther in the 2nd battle. Another one in the 3rd battle. The first 3 battles were fought, by the infantry with a casualty level inferior to the US side. Since I was attacking, I was satisfied with that result. The mortars and heavy gun were used without restriction, whenever a good FO and or squad leader LOS was obtainable on potential enemy positions. That resulted in having one mortar available in the 4th battle, but without ammo available! The Infantry got the best results, using the bocage protection, while moving forward, being most of the time hidden to the enemy. In the houses to houses fighting, the tanks, staying close, with their gun and MG were quite an asset. As a matter of fact, the only Panther that has mobility till the end of the 3rd battle did kill 35 infantrymen during it, while clearing the crossroad in the village. Being the attacker I had the following campaign casualties at the end of the 3rd battle : 138 KIA against 210 US 95 WIA against 126 US 0 Missing against 36 US The 4th battle I got the infantrymen blooded with no result 182 KIA against 217 US 100 WIA against 128 US 0 missing against 36 US Usually the attacker is sustaining heavier casualties than the defender, so that does not seems so bad at least before the 4th battle. The mortars were also effective in keeping the enemy’s heads down, while the Infantry got closer. The bazookas teams when present were that way kept ineffective most of the time. The HMG regarding from the number of enemy killed, did not fare so well. They kept the enemy hunkered down and that was finally better than the kill they did not registered. One advice, I think about, is to replenish at the trucks, the infantrymen and HMG teams, during the setup whenever that is possible. If you don’t do it they might begin the fight with a very low ammo level. Another one, keep your tanks in action as much as you can, if they don’t become immobilized (see my preceding remarks) you will need them for the 4th battle to repel a strong tank counter attack. If I had at the time only one Panther, I could have slow it down. Regard the PSW, as recon asset only. They are best in that role. I have found them ineffective against Infantrymen at medium range and not able to avoid damage at closer range. More sometimes, they don’t even fire and look at the enemy doing nothing else. One was close to a Sherman and did not even saw it. The Sherman did and a shell sent it to grief. ******************************SPOILERS END******************************* Thanks to FMB, the maps as I wrote it are very well done and the ground features are realistic. The forces balance is good, well done and again realistic. The A.I forces are well emplaced and their moves tactically very well done. The briefing are real jewels, you really get into the mood of the coming combat. The only drawback and FMB is not to be blamed for it, is about the CORE UNITS. The replenishment starting at the 4th battle is really insufficient considering the task the KG has to do. Without any tanks available, that is impossible. Even a good Kompanie having no AT capabilities will be in trouble. The CORE UNITS replenishment is for me the most difficult thing to setup in the editor. There are so many variable, that it will never fit with what is needed. If there could be, let’s say 3 options that could be set by anticipation and that one of them could be triggered depending on a threshold affected to such replenishment, maybe that could be done. It is easier to think about 1 option, than 3 options If someone has an idea ? It is such a pretty good campaign, that I was not at all angry at being obliged to surrender on that 4th battle. Every realistic AAR of the predicament I found myself in would conclude to the right choice, I have made in surrendering. If I write this, it is to point out that you can lose a battle and find no excuse for such a realistic outcome. The designer is not the one to blame. You are the one, even if you did not have all that was needed to change the outcome. That is the way some battles are. On the contrary, I blame the designer, when facing unrealistic odds and situations, I am kicked out of the campaign as quickly as I got in. In that campaign, that is not the case. I shall live to try to do better on the 5th battle. If I screw up that battle, I will have no regret, but only good memories of the good time I took playing it. BRAVO!!!!!! FMB Cheers

Fantastic! I have looked at the first 2 episodes and can’t wait to see the others. Being done by a professional, if I am not surprised by the very realistic story board and the way the assembling of the shots has been done, I am astonished by the fantastic work done in using FRAPS and by the CBMN editor’s possibilities to create the scenes to comply with the story board. Patrick. T. Ware has done something that will surely give some ideas to others. Its ToVC concept has obtained such a perfection, that the FRAPS recording that were seen previously are a long way behind. Thumb Up ! Bravo!

Years ago Bovington was the reference. I dreamed to be able to visit it. Never was able to do so. However, I have visited 2 months ago the French tanks museum in SAUMUR. A TIGER and a splendid PANTHER can be seen there on display and running on exhibit days. I took nearly 300 shots during my visit which took few hours. I was like a kid fulfilling a dream. I really have a wonderful wife, she stood patiently alongside me all the time. She does not like all these things and guess what? She found the exhibit splendid. just that to say about the quality of the Museum. I had seen some of these tanks being loaded on railroad platforms years ago. Some of them specially the Russian ones had been handed over by Israel after the wars in the sixties. Some of them were not in a good shape and engineers really took the time to see into their entrails in order to see what they could learn about their Russian colleagues. To see them again in such a good state (even if, some are not in a functional state) was a surprise to me If some tanks shots do interest you let me know.

Hi Sburke, You are right for the H2H. I should have indicated where the US and Germans reinforcements should arrived precisely. Actually the US map only shows you 4 blue axis arrows, without any details about the units, which might come. It is the same on the German tactical map. There are only yellow triangles showing the possible pathways that the US forces might use. The only excuse I have would be to say, is that, this is part of the FOW (fog of war). In reality, the units involved in some kind of reinforcement would know which axis is going to be followed. That would be done as long as the enemy would permit it. A Company commander however did not have at the time very precise details at his disposal, but rather broad indication shown on a map. More, if the objective of attack and or defence were clearly seen on the map, it was often difficult to find a right path to leading to them on the ground. HQ had a tendency to see high grounds as an objective with, more than often, a total disregard of the way to get to it, having not looked at the ground leading to it with the attention that it would required. It looks like I have acted like a HQ officer more at ease with blue and red grease pencils, than moving on the ground! That will put you in the mood of a ’44 month of July in the bocage, trying to find out what is going on, dodging, cursing and fighting, just for these red and blue arrows on a map, done by that ******guy in HQ More seriously, I shall be very interested to read your AAR. I can only wish the both of you a good time playing it and if you have a draw at the end I might not be surprised. It will be a German victory, considering that they have stopped temporally the US forces. But the Amis will be on their objectives the next day without a fight, the Germans having retreated during the night. For the Germans to retreat without losing too many forces was the objective. What else could they do, fighting in july 1 against 3.8 US forces (that ratio taking in account uniquely the men!). It was even, higher than 1 to 6 in the area of the 6th June landing in the first days, before the Germans brought reinforcement from Brittany and south of France.. Cheers

To show you that the obstacles like they are set in the scenario and unless you move them, which I don’t recommend, are not a brake to the momentum of the US advance, you can refer to the pictures of such advance in a German player battle, against the A.I. Since US units are shown when seen by the defender, consider these pictures as spoilers. *************************Spoiler***************************** http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=99585 **********************Spoiler************************************

A StuG III is turning off the road, passing alongside the first hedgehogs being set on the slope, before messing up with the last ones at the 57 seconds mark and finally arriving after 1 minute and 9 seconds at the end of its pathway. In that case the fact that the StuG is moving along the obstacles and more or less around them, we can consider that the hedgehogs are a deterrent against tanks and or vehicles. But to prevent them to pass, the hedgehogs have to be deployed across the full length of ground you want to interdict Cheers

Another StuG III is made to pass over a concertina across the road and to move on the road at a post behind some hedgehogs barring it. It goes right over the concertina and avoid the hedgehogs and that in 24 seconds

A StuG III is turning off the road, passing alongside the first hedgehogs being set on the slope, before messing up with the last ones at the 57 seconds mark and finally arriving after 1 minute and 9 seconds at the end of its pathway. In that case the fact that the StuG is moving along the obstacles and more or less around them, we can consider that the hedgehogs are a deterrent against tanks and or vehicles. But to prevent them to pass, the hedgehogs have to be deployed across the full length of ground you want to interdict