MOS:96B2P

I'm calling this one done now.
I've created a wee handbook to go with the scenarios.
@Bootie would you be  able to do the honours and upload to TSDIII please? I managed to lock myself out of my account and currently trying to reset my password...
DONE - got back in and uploaded.
Everything you need is in the zip file. There is a website blurb, accompanying website image then the zip file with the scenarios and the accompanying PDF.
https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/tsd3/cm-red-thunder/cm-red-thunder-add-ons-scenarios/cmrt-german-tank-tactical-problems/
Many thanks!
Cheery!
George
 
 

Aftermath of yesterday strike on Russian base in Melitopol. It's claimed Russian HQ was hit and allegedly commander and chief of the staff of 58th CAA were wounded along with other officers. 

After reading the article I note that the headline could be re-written as
"Approximately 10% of republicans in House and Senate write letter opposing further aid to Ukraine"

True, and I really do appreciate it.
The drones, however, are flying over the city (one went pretty much overhead), and stray missiles and bullets (30mm with failed airburst fuzes) tend to hit whatever is in their way.
The midnight strikes went for almost two hours, I think. The most intensive air raid so far IMO.

Concerning allegedle Ukrainian involvement in attacks on pro-Wagner RSF rebels. Today journalists asked Budanov about CNN article he said nothing about Sudan, but say "We will pursuit Wagners anywere"
The moment of FPV drone under allegedle UKR team control hits at RSF jeep

Having some form of engineering, for instance AFVs with rollers/dozer blades in the modern CMx2 games, wouldn't mean the simulation has to go balls deep into the engineering subject/specialization. A limited set of eng capabilities could make the 'things go boom' more fun and allow one to sort of simulate/portray the RL problems we see on 'the news'. At the moment there is no real way to clear minefields in CMx2 modern. 
The same goes for fortifications; I wouldn't enjoy a 'dig your own fort' simulation but the current modelling of fortifications in CMx2 limit the amount of tactical battles one can setup up decently enough. 
I guess some improvements could also be made to fire-planning in order to keep everyone on board ;-P. I was already happy to have learned that the modelling of artillery effects against AFVs is going to be improved.
Anyway I thought you both have a valid point and that there is some fruits in the middle. 

I'm sure Kortenhaus offers some valuable first hand memories and a German perspective on these events (I should probably get this book).  It might be useful to consider how he came across all the information he used to write two entire volumes on the 21st Panzer Division.  He probably could not have personally experienced all two volumes worth of information. As an 18 year old in a combat zone I would suspect his personal experience was confined to a small sliver of the big picture.  Probably he was mostly consumed and focused on surviving the combat his platoon was involved in. So, unless he was an 18 year old that worked in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) of the 21st Panzer and was privy to the conversations and decisions of the senior command staff I wouldn't think he would have much personal knowledge on the events outside his platoon/company.
Then later (probably about 10 years later) after the war he wrote the books. He must have relied on other sources to fill in all the information outside his platoon and company experience. It would be useful to know the reliability of the sources he used that contradicts multiple other sources. Maybe the other sources he used are right or partially right but I would not automatically assume they are.
There are several other forum members that know about German units.  Off the top of my head @George MC and @RockinHarry come to mind. They might have some insight into your dilemma. 
You do good work. Your final product will be a great contribution to the CM community.       

Rock it!

NIne out of possible twelve scenarios almost completed. Two might be dropped due to lack of interesting subject matter. Had to modify a few scenarios based on newly acquired information. Spending last few days writing and rewriting a complex AI script for a large and long German attack on a complex map. The thought came to me today that scripting a large AI plan is like creating the coreography for a theatrical production. Every new impulse demands another play test to check the timing and effect.

Hilarious 
 
 

Chris gets first blood. A scout car with a .50 cal pegged one of my Sahariana AT wagon guys.
He is dropping smoke near the objective. Perhaps he has a Fast Group enroute...some Bren carriers or jeeps maybe?
My assault group disembarks from the Fiats...in a defilade position.
That one officer looks like he maybe dropped his St Christopher medal?
Sunhelmets look so great. @boygarvin 's uniforms are so awesome. aka pitbull. Thanks buddy.

 

I'm sure Kortenhaus offers some valuable first hand memories and a German perspective on these events (I should probably get this book).  It might be useful to consider how he came across all the information he used to write two entire volumes on the 21st Panzer Division.  He probably could not have personally experienced all two volumes worth of information. As an 18 year old in a combat zone I would suspect his personal experience was confined to a small sliver of the big picture.  Probably he was mostly consumed and focused on surviving the combat his platoon was involved in. So, unless he was an 18 year old that worked in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) of the 21st Panzer and was privy to the conversations and decisions of the senior command staff I wouldn't think he would have much personal knowledge on the events outside his platoon/company.
Then later (probably about 10 years later) after the war he wrote the books. He must have relied on other sources to fill in all the information outside his platoon and company experience. It would be useful to know the reliability of the sources he used that contradicts multiple other sources. Maybe the other sources he used are right or partially right but I would not automatically assume they are.
There are several other forum members that know about German units.  Off the top of my head @George MC and @RockinHarry come to mind. They might have some insight into your dilemma. 
You do good work. Your final product will be a great contribution to the CM community.       

Various tidbits I can point out:
- There was a "flying wing" drone that fell within the city limits during the recent attack near Yevpatoriya. It looked undamaged (downed by EW?) and fell right next to the main office of RNCB bank (biggest bank in Crimea that uses old Privatbank infrastructure). The drone fell less than 1.5km away from where I was at the time.
- The morons cannot scale their production of propaganda BS school books. They've issues orders/laws that cannot be implemented, yet again. It is said that it will take years to print thier new "unitary" schoolbooks. Imagine them trying to switch their economy to the "war footing" as some want ;D That would be even funnier.
- There's a special, dedicated NDA they force upon people (first responders?) after missile/drone strikes that starts with words "becasue of the current geopolitical situation" that prevents them from talking about anything.
- The fuel prices continue to rise locally, and people are really noticing. There's quite a lot of rambling about it, and even some organized (and, strangely, authorised) street protests. Did not see much details yet about the latter.

World according to logics of German Minster of Foreign Affairs.
 

This happens every time anyone even suggests adding an extra bridge let alone more realistic obstacle game play - “Ya but now we may as well call it Combat Engineering Mission!!! “
I have a modern contemporary war in Europe that say “yes, if you want a realistic modern wargame then obstacles need to be an integral design consideration.”  Adding in realistic minefield breaching ops is hardly “throwing down” on battlefield minutiae.
But yes, let’s scrub all that inconvenient reality so we can go back to playing “Smash Tank Go Boom”.

I think you're being sarcastic, but honestly a more detailed fire-panning interface would be awesome. Are you sure you're talking to the audience you think you're talking to?
Also, based on what we're seeing in this war, obstacles and breaching ops clearly are a requirement. At least if you want something that can accurately simulate warfare. And that is what I want. If it wasn't, I'd be playing Starcraft.

That wasn't a malfunction that was a rapid unscheduled disassembly.

I'm sure Kortenhaus offers some valuable first hand memories and a German perspective on these events (I should probably get this book).  It might be useful to consider how he came across all the information he used to write two entire volumes on the 21st Panzer Division.  He probably could not have personally experienced all two volumes worth of information. As an 18 year old in a combat zone I would suspect his personal experience was confined to a small sliver of the big picture.  Probably he was mostly consumed and focused on surviving the combat his platoon was involved in. So, unless he was an 18 year old that worked in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) of the 21st Panzer and was privy to the conversations and decisions of the senior command staff I wouldn't think he would have much personal knowledge on the events outside his platoon/company.
Then later (probably about 10 years later) after the war he wrote the books. He must have relied on other sources to fill in all the information outside his platoon and company experience. It would be useful to know the reliability of the sources he used that contradicts multiple other sources. Maybe the other sources he used are right or partially right but I would not automatically assume they are.
There are several other forum members that know about German units.  Off the top of my head @George MC and @RockinHarry come to mind. They might have some insight into your dilemma. 
You do good work. Your final product will be a great contribution to the CM community.       

https://www.amazon.com/lamp-oil/s?k=lamp+oil  
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1480560/Lawn_Mowing_Simulator/
For the average “I just want things to go boom” player, perhaps.  If you want a serious realistic wargame simulation then obstacles and breaching ops are clearly a requirement.
 

3rd assault brigade had confirmed liberation of Andriivka. Yesterday the brigade refuted claims of MoD deputy Hanna Maliar, that the village under UKR control. UKR troops really were in the village, but premature statement has interfered to accomplish the operation. It's knowingly, on tactical level, information about changes on the ground comes to higher HQs with delay, because company/battalion commanders if they lost a ground try to restore situation and only after several failed attempts reported on higher level about troubles - they just fear they will be fu...d out by higher chief. But, when Russian higher HQs get information first about ground loosing from social networks or premature official persons statements, they fu.k out lower HQs at all, but have a time to conduct some counter-actions, if information confirmed. Yesterday Russians after Maliar statement launched fierce "last hope" counter-attack with intensive arty support and the could prevent our troops to take foothold in the village completely. Only during next 24 hours 3rd brigade completely liberated Andriivka and held on positions.
Brigade press-service claims during long battle for Andriivka they completely wiped out enemy 72nd motor-rifle brigade. Russian suffered heavy looses in personnel and command staff. It's claimed brigade recon chief and three battalion commanders were killed. At the final phase UKR troops encircled Russians in the village and completely eliminated them. Details, videos etc will be soon

If i could throw in one more specific thing. CM needs a vastly better simulation of mines, mine clearing, and relatede combat engineering. Can the cost of that be justified in absence of a nice military contract, I have no idea, but the third phase of this war has been mines and what to do about them, while each sides artillery did every thing it could to make the minefields even less pleasant. Yes that is an oversimplification, but it is a pretty good one.

When he promised that, Falcon hadn't even landed IIRC. So obviously there's some special Musk dust for investors, but these are not bad numbers, given that Starlink has huge demand. I promise you that investors are literally willing to sell their firstborn to get their hands on private SpaceX stock (per several investors I know who tried, and one who couldn't convince his business partners when they had a chance). Nobody in the business doubts that Starlink will be a massive moneymaker.
They've solved their base station cost problem, which is pretty amazing. The next big problem is the larger new satellites require Starship to launch, so that's the gate on more users due to bandwidth constraints. But hopefully we'll have "excitement" in October when the next Starship test launch is likely!

Interesting, update on the incident from last year, but what I think most suspected
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66798508
P
 
 

So, back @home and returning with CM-Work 😎
Sometimes, a little break from creating/testing AI-plans is very helpful to get new motivation and to avoid the „Combat-Mission Designer‘s Burnout“ - a serious mental disease, well known to everyone who ever has created a Campaign 😉
Regards 
Mr.X
 

That is not exactly my point. My point exactly is separating faults of the man in one area from his presumed faults in another area, which upon further investigation, may not turn out not to be faults at all. This is a genuinely difficult question for humans. I know Musk is intensely disliked by some for his position in internal US politics, and overcoming this so as not to apply a negative bias and presumption of bad faith to other areas of his activity could be genuinely difficult.
I am not involved emotionally in US politics, am a happy user of Twitter and willing to extend a presumption of good faith to Musk - from which perspective I find the depth of negative opinions of Musk in his actions over StarLink to be difficult to justify. The possible explanation is a spill over of negative emotion from his other activities, which is understandable, but still not exactly good thinking