snake_eye

Like IanL, I think that its is most probably a M36 Jackson AP shell. The M36 gun is able to punch a hole in a Pz V (as I found it out in some scenarios) from that distance quite easily and the JT will be no exception.

it looks like the German moved along the road !

Nothing wrong with the tracers and the bright white light, they were done with Adobe CS3 to simulate flares

Some extracts from the briefing and designer 's notes will explain why there are some US vehicles and or tank mounted with German in US uniforms "This scenario, will put you, I hope so, in a situation not too different from what could be found at the time.Don't be surprised, the Germans will use some US vehicles and or tanks commandeered, most of the time, to replace their losses. They found quite a few left in units park in working order. I am sure that you will like the Sherman flail tank doing marvel with the mines that could have been buried by the US Engineers." "Spearheading our Kampfgruppe, we have been lent a small detachment from Panzer Brigade 150 (Brandenburger) detached from its original Greif Operation to help us reaching the vital bridge of Lierneux. They wear US uniforms, some of them speak good American and they use captured US vehicles. PZ 150 (Brandenberger) detachment: 1 x M8 Greyhound 1 x Jeep .30 Cal 1 x Flail Sherman tank *******************************************SPOILERS*****************************************SPOILERS******************************* German crewed US Half track moving toward the bridge

Baraque de Fraiture should be the one you are looking for.

Well, thanks for your interest in the scenario. It is really an exciting work and I have to be careful while making the map. It takes time and a lot of sweat, but it moves forward. I shall be able to get some time to work exclusively on it soon. in any case, if the new map does not satisfy me, I still have the first one that could be modified slightly. I don't think that it will make a huge difference, tactically speaking. Stay tune. Cheer

@grunt_GI As a matter of fact I had few days ago a look at the files I had done. The first one with the short runway ! and the new one with the correct length. That is the one I have to finish. looking at the first one with the terminal done, I know that I will have to work on it for some time. I had many things done lately, besides traveling abroad, that kept me away from this work. My laptop when I travel is not anymore able to cope with the speed and graphic view I need while working in the editor and looking at the 3D view. So that did cut my possible working time on it by two lately. So, I won't give any date, but you can be sure that I will resume soon my work on it and finalize the design of a scenario which should be interesting and depict more or less with some veracity the kind of fights that were fought there. Since these battles left many scars on both sides, I think that it would be wise not to design a scenario too accurate these days, since the atrocities made on both sites are still present in the memories of all. However, the way the battle was fought tactically can be used in the scenario. Haiduk will be of a great help at that time. If he is willing to test the AI and the scenario OOB, I shall gladly wait for his comments, since I do not want to do something far from reality. Thanks for your interest Grunt_GI, it somehow kicks me and should get me to resume that work Cheer

Hi everybody, Just got home on time to see you on the start line. Go ahead guys and rout the Jerries; Cheer

Use of captured vehicles and or made in overtaken countries by the Germans was a necessity for them to overcome their losses and difficulties to replace them despite the huge effort they made to increase their fabrication. An amazing thing I remember when I was in my late teens while looking at the pictures my father had taken in the ETO and specially in Normandy was the story of a kettenkrad seen on one of them. They had captured it when it was found abandoned on the side of a road. Since it was a handy small tracked vehicle, specially to move off road with its trailer loaded with mines and or other explosives, Since my father was an Engineer officer having had Intelligence training and as such he was able to retain for his specialits team the kettenkrad. However they were in trouble for its maintenance, so they managed to interrogate a captured German mechanic on the basis that they needed to get some intelligence data from him. That is how, they got the prisoner put in charge of the vehicle maintenance. They smuggle him all the way to Reims and he managed to keep the kettenkrad running. Unfortunately in Reims other MP’s discovered the Jerry among them and there was no way this time to have it stay anymore with them. In the next days, the kettenkrad broke down and they had to find another way to move the mines for their testing in the fields. So if a Kettenkrad is on the list i buy it

Still unable to open the files,I am waiting for your AAR Stonecutter to see how the battle was fought after I had to relinquish my Command. I think that as usual we are about to have a very well written AAR that will put us right where the actions were. Cheer Great show snake_eye and Stonecutter! Curious of why Jerry is only attacking the Allied positions with his weakest tanks (PzIII's & short barreled PzIV)? I think that the enemy felt that the long barreled Pz IV gun gave him an advantage engaging opportunity target from an overwatch position from the far hill crest. However some mortaring earlier made him cautious and he did not use that to the full extent and even moved back to what seemed safer positions to him.

Well gents, I have to relinquish my Command at a time which is not the best, but being away my laptop can not open the ema file. Whatever I do, lowering the setting in the options is done to no avail. Too bad, but Stonecutter immediately accepted to carry on the fight on my behalf. I am confident, not to say sure that he will stop that German counter attack and go on to victory. I have now some good reasons to plan my 2007 laptop change in the months to come. it did fare well all these past years, but CM is now too much for it and i have to admit it even if I have difficulties doing it. Cheer

Here after you will see the last pictures that the Military Intelligence board allowed us to release for your eyes only ! As can be seen the enemy did not try to move forward its units fearing to fall into a trap, since our last release. They are not wrong since we have the sides of a 90 degree angle covered by some ATGs. That is a perfect ambush. At least when you read it in a tactical book. In practise it is somehow different. However we can fire at the tanks frontally and on their sides depending on their attack axis. The enemy commander, must have felt that we were doing just that. He cleverly had some of its tanks and a SPW mounting a short 75mm gun, moving behind the cover of a tree line toward Saskatoon. Another tank stayed at the deployment area on the road overwatching Saskatoon and two SPWs are right now moving toward our right front, trying to envelop our right ATG position. Our scheme brought at least three results up to now. The first one, is that the enemy is over cautious and is moving piecemeal forces and rather slowly. The second is that we have been able to destroy its leading Pz III 5Omm tank. The third is that after its lost, its friends are backing up and removing some pressure on Saskatoon. We can now feel a bit more confident while awaiting reinforcements. Tanks and SPW deployed abreast facing Saskatoon Axis movements and PSW 233 with its 75mm short gun overwatching the valley Pz III 50 mm destroyed near Saskatoon The front line at the end of turn 83

Well, I am still having huge Internet link problem. These are worst than the actual German attack ongoing and being fought by Stonecutter to whom I gave command, being more or less out of communication. I am able from time to time to keep in touch with him and follow the attack. We were just discussing about my return to Command during a lull, having good comms, when it started all again. So, first I shall fight the provider starting on Monday and second try to resume my Command as soon as I can. I also wanted to share some pictures I had taken earlier with you and post a situation report, but it will have to wait just a few days. At least I hope so. Meanwhile the Germans are crawling forward slowly at a snail pace. That goes well with me and as a matter of fact I like very much to eat snails "petit gris" (small grey) are the best, even better than the big "Bourgogne". Shall we eat the Germans snails soon that is the question ?

Koh, I am having myself huge internet problems. I had to ask Frank to take command. I shall try to deliver a note to him about file 65. I am using my tablet, since I can be connected with it !!!!!! Cheer

@Koh, Yes it did show up at the end of turn 42. I gave it a move order during my 43 turn and I saw it moving during 44 , hidden by Smoke from 2" mortar bombs

Hi ChappyCanuck, I don't know if that as something to do with the toast, but 4 Pz III have reached the main road and are deploying with some Infantry ! I think I need it. I have the rhum, the sugar and plenty of water, but I can't get my hand on a white mug. tradition being tradition, I have put aside my black mug and I shall ask, tomorrow, my wife to find one at the store. Cheer

2'' mortar already ordered to smoke the area with wind drift taken in account. I am worried about the overwatching Pz IVs. I think I will have to smoke them. The bad thing is that I won't see for a while where they go ! They still think that my Sherman tank is somewhere and they are looking for it. It might be better to let them feel that way and have them stay where they are. Better have a piecemeal attack that all of them together ?

Axis Turn 30 We can now figure out a more precise intent of the German forces. The 5 PZIV seen on the down slope of the ridge while moving toward our line have stooped their movement and 3 of them have reversed on the hill crest to adopt an overwatch position. The 4th one is doing the same slightly forward . The 5th one have not been seen since few turns. I believe that it might be down in the valley draw scouting and or waiting. The PZ III the 3 with a 50mm gun and the 4th with a short 75mm are not seen by our observers but they should be on their down the trail leading to a valley draw. The trail is on the right of Saskatoon, but it can not be seen easily. An Hanomag with a Pz Gr squad has just been seen near the house where the trail moves down, starting to move down the trail So, I think that the tanks are waiting for them. Looking at the replay I was surprised to be unable to locate the only Sherman left. It had vanished. Well, not exactly, I had reversed it into an exit zone, inadvertently as well as a lorry from which troops had taken ammo earlier. The fact that the Sherman which had no more fighting fire power besides an MG is not in itself bad news. The rear elements tank fitters will be able to give it a new life . At least I think that Koh might do it ? Anyway that will be a tank that the Jerries won't destroy. I think that this Sherman contributed to the fact that the German tanks attack did not move farther. The damages it got were not received for nothing in exchange. Some readjustments are being done along the line and scouting team are moving to better positions to be able to spot the coming attack in time. You will find some pictures taken from the German positions toward our lines. The draw is well seen down slope. Close mortar burst, near the right most Pz IV overwatching our lines Field view from the most forward Pz IV on the ridge 3 Pz IV overwatch position on the ridge Pz Grenadiers's Hanomag moving down the draw to rejoin the Pz IIIs

@Koh, Many thanks and in particular for your smoke advice. I am the one to advice others to use a smoke barrage more than often and this time I did not even think of it ! I hope the enemy plane is not going to target our ATGs positions. My biggest problem right now is to find a suitable location for the Artillery FO. In Real action they have a map with coordinates and pre registered kill zone. That is not the case here. The FO must have a LOS to the target and that is the problem. Once he has it, you must be sure that the enemy is seeing him. You know the end of the story, no ? He gets shot and the shelling is done everywhere, but not on the target. I hope that this time, I might fare a little better and that the tanks will not move outside the shelling area that will be planned, before the shells fall all around. The Kittyhawk might bring better results. The problem, another one you are going to tell me, yes another one is that the delay for each one might prevent me to get good results depending on my choice. Anyway the arty could be asked by a leader, while the plane has to be called by the FO. Better not make a mistake in the choice. Remaining

Gentlemen, It is time to give you some insight of how the battle is being carried. I had already the difficult task to inform you of the lost of one of our two Shermans force. The entire crew is now safe huddled in a shell crater. During the fight its mate positioned on the left of our defense line managed to hit the drive sprocket of a Pz III mounting a50 mm gun. The tank was later seen moving. In the next turns the Sherman was submitted to a rain of AP shells - 5 penetrating hits and one denting the turret front. However it was not destroyed, but it lost one of its crew. The gun is damaged so it will only be able to fire its MG's (bow and turret) At the moment we can consider that we don't have any more any tank asset. We are facing 5 Pz IV mounting a 75 gun, 3 Pz III mounting a 50 gun and a new comer mounting the short 75 mm. We might not exclude to have obne or two more tanks around. That makes a for sure 9 tanks and maybe up to 11 ones. We are mortaring the area where the Pz IV are overwatching our lines. There seems to be some Infantry coming to their level. Our Intelligence makes us believe that the Pz III forces is moving to the left (seen from the German side) in order to come staright down to the right of Saskatoon. We believe that the Pz IV force is maintening its overwatch, the time for the Infantry to move forward, before they resume their advance. That is perhaps the best thing they could do, since the closer they will come the better the 6 Pounder will be able to hit them successfully. The only incertitude is wether the ATG crews will stand and fire without panicking . In any case the main road is under enemies tanks observation and thus any move along or close to it is to be avoided. An airplane was heard not long ago, but we have not heard or seen any straffing and or bombing. We are moving a small force toward Saskatoon, besides the one that came by truck. They had to leave it and are right now trotting along the road. The problem will be for them to go past the house at the Xroad. That road portion is seen and repeatedly fired upon. Turn 26 Sherman's damages Turn 20Sherman knocked out Turn 20 Pz III hit in the drive sprocket. That did not prevent th etank to drive away and be seen elsewhere in turn 26 Turn 26 The front

I had the spinning sync not so long and I don't have CMH. What I do is to hit the message again and again then the spinnig ends ! Takes 5 and more to get rid of the issue. More, I can not upload Cider 017, since I can not have access to Dropbox. I had the same yesterday ! Happy to have some new assets.

I had it also yesterday. The sync was continuous. I was unable to connect to Dropbox either with Edge and or Chrome. However I had been able to send to Dropbox Cider 013 from its outgoingmail game folder, using the scrolling menu with the right mouse Ctrl and clicking "sending to Dropbox". But I was unable to see if it was leaving or not, being unable till this morning to get a Dropbox connection. This morning, I saw it and just had to move it to Cider road folder

That is fine since I can not see my uploading Cider file (Capital C) in Dropbox. I also had tried to change its name earlier to no avail. So it might be better to leave cider 007 like it is ? I shall be careful next time Thanks Koh

Hi Koh, Thanks for letting me know. I do not use the CM Helper, should I ? Anyway, I am right now uploading with the correct capital C Cider OO7 I shall erase cider 007 once Cider 007 it will be seen in Dropbox Looks like we are going to have pretty good battle, full of surprise on either side Greg

I was also wondering where it could have gone ?