kohlenklau

Attack! Attack! Attack! That's the fighting spirit I was talking about! Listen to that guy! If he was a major, he's a colonel now! Get my vehicle and driver around here. You get my box of medals. I'll decorate every man in this penetration, whoever they are. They've saved the reputation of this entire Army.

CMPzC CO Training Session 2: How big is a CMPzC operation? I usually follow my favorite sanity maintenance protocol of what I call "10-10-10x10" (ten-ten-ten by ten). A handy way to remember to fight my urge to make it too big an operation and have some freaking discipline and keep it an achievable 10 PzC turns max, 10 units per side max, 100 total hexes max map size. Of course this can fudge a bit up as the units part is not so much of the work. But all together, this seems to keep a lid on the party. Now with some turns under my belt, it is proving to be very sanity maintaining! Folks run out of steam. Some of these PBEMs can take months. So really as the CO of a side, your workload is only occasional in between PBEMs. Players can number in the dozen who get excited and say they are interested but only a half dozen answer the call to arms. As a PBEM is winding down and your turn for movement is approaching, you can be watching the PBEM and determine who will gain the hex and such to help refine your movements and future assaults. It reminds me of that game of chess those 2 dudes were playing in Bladerunner. If you have an operational plan as the CO, then you can pull away for weeks or months and then return to freshen up on what you had intended and then resume your role and press onward to victory.

CMPzC CO Training Session 1: What is CMPzC? CMPzC is a hybrid combination of the 2 separate game families. BFC's Combat Mission and JTS (John Tiller Software) Panzer Campaign. A BFC forumite noob first (I think) gave birth to the idea in the back of a shot up kubelwagen. Others took the baby and added their own ideas as I have done as well. Fizou, Kuderian and others. I will gladly add to the "thank you list" if I unintentionally leave anyone out. Panzer Campaign (PzC) is hex based "you go-I go" style with 1km x 1km hexes and 2 hour turns (1 hour per side). Here is the online manual: http://www.johntillersoftware.com/PanzerCampaigns/user/index.html The PzC series has many areas and timeframes covered. I bought "Salerno" for $20 on e-bay. The PzC maps have limited editability. If you find the exact area you want, then it is golden. But you must change town names and shop around for a certain map look to become an area that the game series does not cover. You gotta be flexible in life! Like I made an Ortona PzC Op Map from Salerno's Crete sub-module. There are other threads here in the BFC forum that discuss the pluses and minuses of various ways of hitching CM to an op layer. Vassal and some others games have been used. I use PzC. It has limitations but the more I use it, the easier it becomes.

I honestly need more people to stretch and take on the CO role at the op layer or these things just can't happen as meaningfully. If we have a pool of capable Op Layer CO's for each side, perhaps we can deal better with people having to take a short break due to RL issues.

I had a few thoughts on the way home from work... I will put together a CMPzC CO guidebook with some training situations based on past Operations. Perhaps this will demystify the process and knock down the apprehension. It doesn't have to be a hard job. AND you can still grab an actual PBEM along the way. If we can get a pool of trained and confident and dedicated CO's then perhaps we can expand the operational layer map and even have multiple CO's per side. Like a regimental CO over 2 Bn CO's who then have the PBEM foot soldiers under them. The regimental CO has to allocate limited resources such as artillery, ATG's, roadnet, etc. Hmmm. Sounds like it is perfect for a Bulge CMPzC Operation!

The best situation is having a CO for each side who is familiar with the CMPzC system and how to use the op layer to advance his side's cause. The CO doesn't have to own the actual PzC game. It is great if he does so he can see the results of his moves first hand and for the given terrain conditions he can see how far his units can move operationally versus going through the umpire and missing out on some aspect that I accidentally fail to pass on. I have added some familiar wargaming concepts to CMPzC such as "leader units", "mini-battles" and "action cards" . And now we are playing larger multiplayer battles on 3km x 3km maps with 2 hour timeframes. Many kind folks have assisted me with ideas, mapmaking and excel spreadsheets to track headcounts.

Alright Joakim! Tux jacket with flowery shorts! Can I also see by show of hands who is interested to take on the role as CO of their side and make the operational decisions?

Hello everyone, I have 3 of these CMPzC operations in progress. 1 each in CMBN, CMFI and CMRT. I wanted to take an informal survey to see what the interest level is in doing another. I believe the participants all have a bloody good time. The below photo is from a recent gathering. There is Chappy and mjkerner giving each other a good natured taunting over a cognac. I admit they are not perfect. I am not perfect and we have had a few bumps in the road. But for those folks who do dig this type of system I guess here at BFC there is not much else available. Over at FGM there are several ongoing of a similar nature. So, here at BFC, who is interested to commit to see a 6 turn Operation from start to finish? Probably in 2016. Probably something with the new Bulge title!

Here is the operational picture, more or less. Except the one Rifle Coy has moved up from the bridge hex.... If Nathan wants it, the next battle map could be a huge map that covers what you see now in "Dommelen Part Deux" plus towards the east to that mined area and on to the north for all of Valkenswaard. Engineers could march in at some time T, Stuarts also. Clear the mines. Attack and take the built up areas. Run the huns out of town!

Your little armored car arrived on map!

@nathangun Yes! A huge map and extended time period (2 hours) with preplanned reinforcements to enter on map based on movements of offmap units being ordered there. Multiple players per side doing the save file renaming technique before a "tail end charlie", designated team's last man to enter his moves, pushes the big red button.

The Sturmoviks spotted the axis force while returning to base to rearm. So they will be back to support you sometime later on in your 55 minute battle.

The battle creation is almost complete. Your forces will arrive in 3 equal size groupings at a map edge T=0, T=5 and T=10. You will have an exit zone to send off any unwanted trucks after disembarking your troops. Be cautious to stay away from it except for units you want to exit away for safety!

Turn 4A is coming up and the allies can flex some muscle. There are 2 full companies of engineers, another full company of Irish Guards with a 5 tank Sherman troop and some Stuarts. All now backed by TWO 8-gun batteries of 25 pounders. AND the RAF is arriving in force.... purple smoke!

Snols, Your men are jubilant after the destruction of the German recon unit. They have gathered to see what souvenirs they can get from the enemy dead... The platoon officers are only now forming the men up for further movement ahead. But it is difficult in this rough terrain. The guns are slowly limbered up and hitched to the trucks. When you get word that an enemy attack is coming your direction it is almost the most terrible of timing. This was relayed by the Soviet pilots above.... You had already ordered a recon team forward towards your objective Nyrigehaza on the backs of the SU's. But must now call them back to help in the defense! This battle is more like a meeting engagement....as you turn to face the enemy....

OK Mirek...time to be a hero. Valhalla awaits!

An appreciative salute to the current players who have stuck the course even when we entered multiplayer madness. These operations do consume time and demand some focus and are not for everyone... THANKS!

Dig in! Cut down and use tree trunks for barricades?

...a monkey wrench thrown in the works...or maybe better phrased for Commonwealth forces...a spanner?

The inflatable kind?

A Coy, Hasty P's.... I love all these beavers that the Canadian badges have!

Kittyhawk Mk III (strafing and bombing missions at random)

I think doing snow camo will be very enjoyable for you!