gnarly

Many thanks for the detailed reporting Baneman, and congrats & well-played!

And just for a little added pressure, the ending of the Bil/Baneman Battle means that the entire CM:FB forum audience is now hovering here, awaiting (with baited breath) the next panels in the Bud/Ian saga!! Take your time Bud! As long as they are here by lunch...

I'm sure I previously warned the German commander NOT to parallel park on ridgetops...?

Hansel and Gretel?

With the caveat that I only have CM: Black Sea (I have none of the WW2 titles as yet, though that will change rapidly once CM: FB is out....); it is exceedingly rare that I don't have my squads all split in BS. Even just from my play of the demo versions of the WW2 titles, the firepower of a Black Sea team is comparable (or more?) than a whole WW2 squad. And as also mentioned, the BS environment is lethal; spacing is key to survivability, whether in urban terrrain or in a forest. A cluster of 7 or 8 men is simply a disaster waiting to happen, whether courtesy of a HE tank round, an arty shell or a burst of MMG fire... How I split them depends on situation: normal Split for basic bounding overwatch/urban clearing; Scout for assembling a picture of the battlefield, and probing in front of my advance; or Antitank, typically with a javelin grabbed from the Bradley transport.

OMG!! Or another SturmTiger....... GROAN Looks like you'll be needing names for those behemoths.... I'll start the ball rolling shall I? Mickey and Minnie?

This info may at least assist with the more knowledgeable here making some educated guesses! From http://community.battlefront.com/topic/121406-some-final-blitzkrieg-basic-details/

I had to google this... And now feel suitably educated...

i Was about to say "That'll teach those Germans to parallel park on a ridgetop!" when I realized the SturmTiger was still viable... (cries...) Great panels! And thanks for the reply @Bud_B. Can I put in a request for a 'Kaaa-zing!'?? ricochet ;P

I should also preface all the above; I am a relative noob to this series!

I should also reiterate that the BS combat environment is very lethal; if you can be seen, you are very likely to be dead in a very short time frame. So using your scouts to see (without being seen) and therefore aligning your main assets accordingly is critical. I include even Fire Support and JTAC (or whatever they are called for air assets control) as your main assets; don't use these to spot (if you get their positions wrong, you'll lose them quickly...). Let your disposable scouts identify the enemy locations and makeup, then position these important assets as necessary (which may mean moving them close to a scout team's location, whose position has been proven to be viable).

That's one part of LOS evaluation. But more importantly, for the unit: 1/. Add a move path to the intended location 2/. Select the 'node' at this new move location (so that the entire line leading up to that new white node/point is highlighted/thicker) 3/. Press the T button (for targeting) and use it to evaluate LOS from that potential new move location. 4/. If it is not what you desire/thought/require, drag the selected move node/point to another nearby location, and repeat the process with the targeting line (point 3). This is the primary way of evaluating LOS, but should be used in conjunction with (and supported by) "drop down to ground level and have a look for myself." Scouting 1/. use the LOS evaluations above 2/. Use your dedicated scout infantry teams in advance of everyone else, including armour. Or if you don't have them, Split a squad into a Scout section, and send these two blokes up ahead to a location where at a minimum, have concealment AND LOS where you wish. Whatever you use, make sure they have binocs. Snipers are also really good for this. Don't get greedy and attempt to get one scout team with LOS over everything; it makes it easier for multiple enemy units to discover them. Instead, use multiple scouts in different locations with more limited vantage points to build up a picture together 3/. On the move node point for a scout's overwatch location, ensure they have a Covered Arc (yellow) of say only 50m (danger close threats). This way they will only shoot threats danger close, and NOT reveal themselves to distant targets by plinking away at them, earning a well deserved HE round or two in return. They are there to observe and report, NOT engage... 4/. If their cover is marginal, consider putting them on Hide at the overwatch location; I am no expert on this; there are some threads discussing a units ability to 'see' when in Hide versus non-Hide; I am sure someone else will correct me here if necessary. A cautious approach to a overwatch with dodgy concealment might be to intially put them on hide for a turn or two, see what they spot, then, if spotting ppr, unhide them. DON"T forget their covered arc! 5/. Crawling/Slow Once you have identified the concealed overwatch location with required LOS, ensure the last move segment into that location is Slow (crawl). (to help with this, when evaluating LOS, I always put one move path short of the probable overwatch location on say Quick, then a very short last one on Slow). This last one is the one I move around evaluating LOS (as per 1 above). A scout team using Quick all the way up their overwatch at the edge of a treeline will likely get spotted quick (even if hidden) and eliminated just as quickly. Using the above approach, they will jog into the treeline, then stop say 15m short of the edge of the trreeline, and crawl those last 15m or so to their overwatch, remaining undetected (hopefully). As per point 6, this requires patienc. But don't make their crawl/slow move too long, otherwise you will exhaust your pixeltruppen.... 6/. PATIENCE!!! Scouts will take some time to build a picture up. Don't be afraid to get your scouts out in front hunkered down in overwatch for a few turns to gradually build up a picture of the enemy, before significant mobilization of your main forces. Generally there is no rush. Complexity; there are many missions out there that are Company level max on smaller maps. Seek them out and give them a try. In BS PBEM's I have thus far only had one armour battle (which was a dismal failure), and zero air assets, so I can work my way up through the various variables without causing extra stress. Mech Infantry battles are still where I am most comfortable versus humans for this reason.

I presumed it was still 'in-flight' at the turn end.. If not, show us MOAR!!!!!!!! Question @Bud_B, do you ever release your comics in a compiled digital form at the end (for instance, embedding it in game install folder as a promo by BS, that they compensate you for, or as links from the BF site to further promo the titles)? (probably been asked a million times, but...). Or even just up on GoogleCloud as a PDF? I (and I'm sure others) would love to read (or re-read) these afterwards at leisure, without recourse to scrollling through a thread.

This one? http://cmmodsiii.greenasjade.net/?p=2283

Good call!

I was pretty sure that was the case (GPS-guided), hence why I was confused at the XM395 inaccuracy versus the Excalibur in my game (with the seemingly 'obvious' differentiator that one team had a laser designator). Thanks for clarifying, though these (XM395s) are dropping 50m away from target, which seems pretty poor. But maybe I stuffed up somewheres...

I'd be very interested in such a firing range @db_zero. I'm playing the first mission of the US campaign, and have had woeful results with the XM395, compared with the Excalibur. Though admittedly, its a sniper team calling in the 120mm mortar, versus Fire Support with laser designater calling in the Howitzer...

Not sure if Forsyth and his crew would have agreed with that sentiment..... Superb graphical story telling as always!

Oooohh.... EXCITING!

Huzzah!

Many thanks @Holman and @Michael_Emrys

Pardon my ignorance, as I only have Black Sea, in which there is an extensive 'Formation Encyclopedia' section. I don't see the equivalent in this CM: FB manual? Am I blind? Or is this yet to come/be added?

Great little mission (Bradeley Speedhump) SeinfeldRules!!! I finally got around to playing it this New Years Day after being granted a child free day...! Lost a couple of BTRs and 4 men. First time I think I've properly implemented and succeeded with a solid mechanized assault. Very nice work, and as someone else posted, a great little skirmish. SPOILER: I actually was concerned that the Bradley was going to be a walk over; my sniper team spotted it in the second turn (they walked about 30m from the setup zone to set up their OP). But it turned out that actually getting armour with LOS onto it took a little thought (without exposing to Jav potential). I think if the Brad had been hull down, or tucked behind a building somewhat, it may have been much tougher. But those Javs a great challenge in themselves

If you are after some more REDFOR vs AI, try @SeinfieldRules Bradley Speedhump scenario

As one who thus far only owns Black Sea, I am SUPER excited about this release; it will finally be my entry point into the WW2 era (call me picky, but didn't want the BN bocage, the sheer masses of RT, or the Italians. ...). This one ticks all my boxes! Fantastic work BFC! Now, how do I justify this gift to myself, right on the wife's birthday? ??? And rhanks for the manual; I will be devouring religiously over the next few days....