Degsy

DL, I haven't watched it but the title means "The Road to Berlin"and it looks as if it was released for Victory Day this year.There's an IMDB (that actually doesn't say very much) here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4686604/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

"The Cauldron" by Zeno is a novel about Oosterbeek not a history, but it was written by someone who was an NCO with 21 Ind Para Coy at Arnhem and Oosterbeek. http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Cauldron-Zeno/dp/0330020897 He used a pseudonym because he had been convicted after the war for the murder of his wife's lover. His real name was Gerald Lamarque, but he signed up as Kenneth Allerton and was known within the unit as 'Val'. If anyone has the After the Battle book, there's evidently a picture of Staff Sgt Allerton it. http://www.market-garden.info/html-books/the-cauldron.html It's been 20 years plus since I read it, but it's worth a look if you can find it. It goes from the pre-drop preparations, through the company's landing to set up the Eureka beacons ahead of the main drop, through the defence of the Oosterbeek perimeter and then the withdrawal across the Lower Rijn.

"Does anyone have a link to this in original Russian please? I'm interested to hear what he actually said and the manner in which he said it". VasFURY, he's reported to have have said it in this documentary shown on Rossiya 1 on Sunday. I haven't watched it so can't comment on whether he actually said what's reported, and if so, how. http://russia.tv/video/show/brand_id/59195/episode_id/1180834

Pretty much what Euri said about both the scenario design and tactics. I put a pre planned barrage onto the central landing site and the little promontory to its left, then waited and observed. Some of my tanks started plinking targets on the opposite shore unordered, so I shuffled them into better fire positions and let them continue. After approx ten minutes of that, I smoked the central landing site and the ridge above, then put an infantry company across to clear that site. The AGS's were initially left on the friendly side of the river to give supporting fire, although I didn't see them firing, despite having available targets. Once the central site was cleared I put the remaining infantry and sappers across and fanned out to clear the the landing sites on either side. Once cleared ,dismounted infantry led up a couple of the valleys running down from the ridge and then on 'to the green fields beyond'. I could have got more use out of the air assets but was wary of Tunguska's and MANPAD's. If I was playing the scenario again I'd use the air to work over the landing sites in a preplanned + 5 minutes strike arriving after any preplanned arty had finished. All of my casualties happened on the far bank and nothing was hit during the crossing itself. The BMP 3's did fire whilst swimming, although I only saw secondary armament being fired, not the main gun. Can they actually fire secondary and/or main armament whilst swimming in real life? Anyway, thanks BF - all of the maps that I've played so far in CMBS have been both excellent and immersive (love the fork lift truck btw - shame it's not playable), and the AI plans in the scenarios have produced some nasty surprises.

It's not specifically to do with Debaltseve but there's a short BBC Radio World service documentary here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02f13ps containing translated interviews with Russian volunteers about why they're fighting.

This BBC documentary isn't specifically about British tank design, but it does touch on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krQPDp1kAtg There's also a book by by Mark Urban, the former tankie who presented the TV programme: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tank-War-British-Brothers-Regiments/dp/034900014X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424367240&sr=1-1&keywords=mark+urban if you wanted to get into the policies behind British tank design, there are these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Design-British-Crews-World/dp/0750910593/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424367336&sr=1-1&keywords=british+tank+design http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Tank-Scandal-British-Armour/dp/0112904602/ref=sr_1_18?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424367514&sr=1-18&keywords=british+tanks http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Tank-Production-Economy-1934-1945/dp/1472505042/ref=sr_1_24?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424367561&sr=1-24&keywords=british+tanks but the Mark Urban book and tv programme are probably the most accessible (and the cheapest).

Get the camera down to ground level and check the terrain, because there are small undulations that will you give some cover. You are going to take casualties though.

There are some examples of architecture from various parts of the Ukraine, including Carpathia, at the open air museum at Pirogovo/Pyrohiv just outside Kiev. Some photos here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrohiv http://www.inyourpocket.com/ukraine/kyiv/sightseeing/museums/Folk-Architecture-and-Life-Museum_26489v https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=architectural+museum+kiev&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4BBYU7D5Jce3POL-gHA&ved=0CHUQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=655

Hi IMC the David Isby book http://www.amazon.com/Weapons-Tactics-Soviet-Army-David/dp/0710603525/ref=pd_sim_b_10 is a goodie if you can get hold of the second edition. "Red Armour" by Richard Simpkin is an analysis of Soviet tactics in the mid 80's. He is/was a serving British Army officer who I think could read Russian, so a lot of his analysis is based on Soviet primary sources. The problem is that it's so rare that you'll need to sell some of your organs to buy a copy. Your choice on which organs though, so that's a plus. http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=11545853627&searchurl=bsi%3D30%26amp%3Btn%3Dred%2Barmour The Ralph Peters novel "Red Army" is always worth a read. It's not a techno-thriller ala Tom Clancy or Larry Bond, concentrating on the hardware. Instead it focuses on the experiences of individuals at various ranks on the Soviet side during an attack on West Germany. My two favourite characters are the desantnik who leads a heliborne attack on a German bridge, and Major Bezarin, a tank battalion commander. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Army-Ralph-Peters/dp/1451636695/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391546029&sr=1-1&keywords=red+army The US Army's FM100-2-1 "The Soviet Army:Operations and Tactics" is early to mid 80's but will otherwise deal with what you're looking for. It's on Amazon, but I think may also be out there for free in Internetshire. http://www.amazon.com/THE-SOVIET-ARMY-Operations-Tactics/dp/B000L3OTBM Thanks for flagging up the Zaloga book - I hadn't heard of it before.

"The writer, Jim Shortt, is an expert on special assignment topics, served with the Muj and has personally trained many Russian and Baltic States' units in anti-Spetsnaz tactics, counterterrorism, hostage rescue and similar. What I've read so far is first rate". This Jim Shortt? http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/The_Baron_of_Castleshort

Hi Sandokan, good call. The Italian title was "La ritirata Afgana" and the star is Michele Placido, who plays Major Bandura. The IMDB entry is here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098990/, and there's a link to a full synopsis on that page. I've found versions in Italian and Czech on Amazon but nothing with English sub titles.

Don't know if this has been mentioned before http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWOf-QqtWCU&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL9DC5A72D8395F917 It's a 1991 Russian/Italian co-production "Aфганский Излом" - Afghan Breakdown. No English subtitles unfortunately but some impressive action scenes.

Hi George, I'm in the UK, have done a bit of H2H Normandy and a lot of pbem CMBB and CMAK. I should be able to turn around a turn a day. I'd prefer Carbide Carbide but will have a hack at Le Desert if that's your preference. I use Dropbox for other stuff but haven't used it from pbem. Drop me a line if you want to give it a go. cheers Derek