theforger
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Posts posted by theforger
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You are a star...many thanks
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Help!
I've finished a campaign build, BUT the zip file is 26MB...therefore breaches the 20MB limit on https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/tsd3/
If anyone can help it'll be appreciated. Already to go on the 16th Dec as well!
December 16th 05:35, the “Ghost Front” erupts in a maelstrom of noise and violence as Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein begins.
The Rollbahn D Campaign contains 35 linear scenarios built as historically accurate as I’ve been able to achieve.
You control the fortunes of KG Peiper, SG Knittel, and Panzer Brigade 150, along with elements from KG Hansen, KG Sandig, and the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
Boy did this project snowball!
The Campaign begins with a choice. Either starting at the very beginning or on Day 3 of the offensive. The latter will be an easier route as you’ll have not suffered any losses to your core units. I’ve included here what it takes to progress within the Campaign as not every engagement is balanced. The scenarios range from small to medium to Ben Hur like epics.
I’ve made minor changes to the Day 1-2 scenarios based on the feedback from the Rollbahn D Part 1 Campaign.
Day1-2
SN01: Murky Merlscheid / Fallshirmjager Regiment 9 / Minor Victory
SN02: Leaving Lanzerath / Fallshirmjager Regiment 9 / Minor Victory
SN03: Minen The Gap / Spitze / Minor Victory
SN04: Breakthrough / Spitze Kompanie and FSJ / Minor Victory
SN05: Hurrying Through Honsfeld / Spitze and Gndrs / Draw
SN06: Bull in gen China Shop / Spitze and Spitze Komp / Minor Victory
SN07: Butchers Of Baugnez / Spitze and KG Peiper / Minor Victory
Day 3
SN08: Laying Down The Recht / KG Hansen / Minor Victory
SN09: Poteau The Priority / KG Hansen / Minor Victory
SN10: Storming Stavelot / KG Peiper / Tactical Victory
SN11: Trois Is A Crowd / KG Peiper and FSJ / Draw
SN12: Jabos! / KG Peiper / Tactical Defeat
SN13: Probe At Stavelot / KG Peiper and FSJ / Minor Victory
SN14: Neufmoulin Rouge / KG Peiper / Draw
Day 4
SN15: Duel In The Mist / KG Peiper and FSJ / Minor Victory
SN16: Too Tight At Targnon / KG Peiper / Tactical Defeat
SN17: Vorauskompanie Searches For Gas / SG Knittel / Tactical Defeat
SN18: Ster Way To Heaven / KG Peiper, Sandig, SG Knittel / Tactical Defeat
Day 5
SN19: Stationary At Stavelot / SG Knittel / Major Defeat
SN20: Chewin Them Up At Cheneux / KG Peiper / Tactical Victory
SN21: Treachery At Les Tcheous / KG Sandig / Draw
SN22: Closing The Door / SG Knittel / Draw
SN23: Ambush At Chenai / KG Sandig / Draw
SN24: Violence At The Preventorium / KG Peiper / Draw
Day 6
SN25: KG X Factor / Panzer Brigade 150 / Tactical Defeat
SN26: No Prizes At Noupre / KG Hansen, SG Knittel / Minor Victory
SN27: Punishment At Parfondry / SG Knittel / Tactical Defeat
SN28: TF Jordan Storms Stoumont / KG Peiper / Draw
SN29: Cold Hearts At Froidcour / KG Peiper / Tactical Victory
SN30: Persistence Prevails / KG Peiper / Draw
Day 7
SN31: Borgoumont Blitz / KG Peiper / Major Defeat
SN32: Kicking Coblenz / SG Knittel / Total Defeat
SN33: Festung La Gleize / KG Peiper / Tactical Victory
SN34: Hansens Surprise / KG Hansen / Draw
Day 9
SN35: Katz Und Maus / The Survivors / Minor Victory
All the maps are my own, apart from Cheneux, which is stock that I’ve modified. Ranks/uniforms can be inaccurate as command units are above the battalion level.
Each Scenario will be available as a separate download in January.
Good Luck!
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https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/tsd3/cm-final-blitzkrieg/cmfb-closing-the-door/
uploaded this quick 30 minute CMFB scenario.
Axis versus Allies, but maybe playable H2H.
Medium map but small number of fighting forces north east of Trois Ponts.
This is the 16th of 35 scenarios built for soon to be completed Rollbahn D campaign trilogy. It is set on the afternoon 20th Dec 44.
"Tank fire echoes down the Ambleve valley. You control SG Knittels small rearguard at Petit Spai bridge, and now on full alert.
The bridge is Peipers only tenuous supply route and from the sounds of gunfire the position seems to be under imminent threat.
Your soldiers need to grab as many Panzerfausts from the SPWs as possible and take up ambush positions as quickly as possible."
NB: The featured pic shows the approximate end location of the KGs only Hummel. Page 82-84 Duel In The Mist 2.
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There are reports showing what the fighting strength of a division was, and what it should be, down to the number of rifles!
The SS Divisions are from RH10/312 starting from the LSSAH, /313 DAS Reich..../318 Hohenstauffen
A must see site for any scenario designer.
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Has a how to guide to search the Bundesarchiv for divisional records.
He has an index of panzer divisions. For example searching on RH10/140 shows all the KStN unit/status charts for the 1st Panzer Division from 1943-45. RH10/141 2nd Panzer etc.
The image quality is fantastic.
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11 hours ago, czarejs said:
If I can figure out how to make a campaign I'd like to go through the whole novel.
This may help?
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https://www.boekenbestellen.nl/boek/gustav-knittel/9789492475541
Reading Career, crimes and trial of Gustav Knittel by Timo Worst.
Not sure where to begin...packed with 533 pages of detail, maps and pics many of which I'd not seen before, its detective work of the highest order...top quality purchase!
Description of the Schnelle Group during the Ardennes is my area of interest and I was not disappointed one bit.
The only downside is that I've now got to make some adjustments to my Stavelot and Trois Ponts maps!
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4 minutes ago, Bulletpoint said:
One additional thing, the nitpick of all nitpicks, so take it or leave it:
I really think you should add the Umlauts in the German words spelled with ü.
In such a meticulously researched campaign, the spelling also deserves to be right, especially when the campaign is seen from the German perspective. Same goes with the word Führer in the campaign briefing.
+1.
Cheers for the continued feedback.
It was a rest area for the 2nd and 99th US Divisions.
But also was the location for the 254th Combat Engineer Battalion, of which B Company defending south of the town provide the majority of the opposition. The other 2x Companies defended approaches from the east and south west, along with a mixed bag of troops in the centre.
I included the bahnhof to the east as a touch objective because historically what was left of Sternebeck's Spizte took a wrong turn during the advance into the town and went in that direction, towards Wirzfeld.
There's a bit of a doubt if there were 2x airfields but there was definitely at least one.
Having refuelled at Bullingen the US were concerned that the KG would go north west towards Butgenbach which could have potentially freed up the 12th SS, instead they went south west to get off Rollbahn C and back onto their assigned Rollbahn D.
Re-AA, they are brilliant, effective but vulnerable!
Re infantry, you should have 1./, 2./ and 4./(heavy) Zugs along with pioneers from the Spizte, but they could be reduced in number from previous scenarios. Agree more would have been very useful, but I tried to follow the history.
This opening campaign is relatively easy for the Germans as they often had surprise and/or fire superiority. In a lot of the scenarios in the later campaigns the forces are more evenly matched and balanced. But there are some that aren't. For example, unsupported US Tanks defending a village, at night, against Grenadier probe.
I am going to review the briefings, re this and your earlier feedback, specifically weather conditions and visibility. Campaign 2 will not only be available as a standalone campaign, I will also build a single one that combines campaigns 1 and 2.
I'll add in a decision scenario prior to Minen the Gap, to enable skipping, but with the loss of some of some of the Spitze.
I'll take another look at the point allocation in Honsfeld, the quick fix would just allow campaign progression from a draw.
Thanks again.
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I think that's probably the best route. I could amend the script but you'd have to start the campaign again. I can only apologise.
I think both the Baugnez and Bullingen scenarios are worth trying as they do have a couple of interesting challenges.
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Hi Erwin, I didn't encounter this during tests.
The mission is to occupy the 4x buildings to the South of Honsfeld using the Grenadiers (50pts), supported by Spitze tanks.
The Spitze should be able to touch the town objective 50pts and then exit.
That should leave you with at least 100 points and the Amis with just 50 for holding the centre of the town.
There are also points for casualties for and against 50 points for both 30%.
If you are struggling, by placing one unit in the centre of the town will deny the Amis the 50 points without having to mout thru the whole town.
Maybe there was an Ami unit in your South Honsfeld objective area?
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On 5/6/2021 at 7:45 PM, Combatintman said:
From a Beta test ... but can anyone match this ....
Played first as USA Wego/Iron. Just about gotta victory. My first impressions was that's an ugly looking tank, what am I supposed to do with that!
But to be fair it seemed more effective than other's in the USA inventory I've played with. I've started 2x USA campaigns, only to discover I have a lot to learn, so before continuing with the campaigns, I'd try to at least win a battle or two.
Also the 2x M150's were very effective too and arrived just in time. Enjoyed the scenario.
Then played as the Russians and it was more straightforward, but I was a surprised at how many T72's I lost.
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7 hours ago, Erwin said:
******* SPOILERS *******
I thought there was chance I would be short on time, as I was moving carefully to reduce casualties. But, it was fairly easy to move along the road with the tanks, backed up by the Stummels and the Wirblewind and SPW's using the HMG's and mortars in a direct fire mode, and blast the enemy out of his foxholes.
I expected a tough fight along the woods road where the tanks would have been very vulnerable. But, most enemy positions were in full view and could be destroyed by HE fire. Suffered total of 13 inf casualties IIRC - primarily around the railway station where I did get surprised by unexpected US forces.
This video from Jay Karamales, about 25 minutes in, shows the foxhole positions of the 394th around Buchholz. The previous day elements of the 27th Fusilier Regt, wondered down the railway track and got cut down and routed by the Amis at Buchholz.
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30 minutes ago, Bulletpoint said:
That's interesting. Because he disagreed with their rampant nazism, or for other reasons?
I don't know, he may have been protecting himself and/or his men from war crime charges that followed an SS KG assault. Or he may have witnessed atrocities first hand in Honsfeld on the 17th.
I would add this is just from one source and there's conflicting info around Fallshirmjager units with Peiper after the 17th so I wouldn't take anything as definitive.
There's consensus around a company of the 9th Fallshirmjager regiment fighting in Stavelot, but they never reached as far west as Stoumont, from PoW records, that was the z.b.V Fallshirmjager unit.
The "Fallshirmjager" pictured at Poteau after the fight with Task Force Mayes, the morning of the 18th were actually from Knittel's recon unit, Luftwaffe replacements that didn't receive their SS uniforms in time for the offensive. They also arrived just for the photo op with a kreigsberichter and weren't involved in the fire-fight, it was elements of KG Hansen. Then they were ordered back to Kaiserbaracke and onto Stavelot.
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1 hour ago, Erwin said:
Noticed a weird C2 issue. I have two mortar units close to each other from two different platoons. I also have the Bn HQ close to both. However, when any HQ tries to select one of them for indirect fire, one is always "Out Of Contact", the other is always selectable. It always seems to be the same mortar unit. Have a savegame if anyone wants to look.
Seems strange. It may be the "wrong" HQ?
There are elements of 2x battalions. 1st Btn, 2nd Kompanie.
And 2nd Btn 5th Kompanie. Each platoon in the company has its built in light mortar team.
2nd Btn under Major Taubert wasn't overly enamoured with fighting alongside the SS and managed to steer clear after the 17th.
1st Battalion crop up in the 2nd campaign fighting to re-open the supply line to Peiper at Stavelot and are pictured riding on the King Tigers at Kaiserbaracke.
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18 hours ago, MOS:96B2P said:
+1.
Wow. I just saw this and had to read it a few times to make sure I was understanding it. About 30 scenarios spread out in three campaigns!?!? Also it seems like you are attempting to be historically accurate with both maps and TOE. This is a massive undertaking. Thank you.
I really enjoyed your other scenario, Mission to Maas, which in part inspired the CMRT mini-campaign Alarmeinheiten. I have not had a chance to play Rollbahn yet but both @Bulletpoint and @Erwin, who are veterans of the game, seem to like it. Those two generally notice EVERYTHING and give valuable feedback so I'm sure this will be another good one. I look forward to having time to play through this one. Thanks again.
It should be pretty straightforward to do a 4th campaign, combining parts 1,2,3 incorporating their feedback. As you said, I am getting really good advice from the guys. Campaign scripting is a whole new level for me.
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After Lanzerath the Spitze and Spitze Kompanie were in pretty much in continuous action on the 17th. Units that appear to have full rest and supply will be ones rotated into the front.
There is limited rest and resupply available after capturing the fuel dump in Bullingen (mission 6).
Care should be taken on what units lead the assaults as they may have suffered track damage in previous actions or be low on ammo. There is no refit or repair throughout the campaign.
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there's a picture on page 137 of Then And Now which took me sometime to work out where about in Honsfeld it was taken, because in the shot the Grenadiers and SPW are heading back in to the town from the north west against the direction of the offensive. Thanks @Bulletpoint for the feedback on your progress.
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Re mission 3.
The Spitze lost 2x Panthers (Bersin and Bahrendt) before linking up with the Fallshirmjager in Lanzerath on the night of the 16th, a substantial element of Sternebeck's firepower.
So from a historical perspective I wanted to include it.
This could be considered self indulgent, but this process has been an education for me on what happened and when to the KG to try and get a deeper understanding.
From a game play perspective absolutely acknowledge, apart from maybe admiring the scenery and a developing sense of foreboding, there's little for the player, but I also didn't want to automatically rob you of the two Spitze Panthers either.
Thankfully from a players perspective there's no more of these type of scenario's in the remainder of the campaign.
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I have a couple of maps that could make decent QB's. What should be included / excluded?
Objectives?
Units, if any?
Briefing notes?
Appreciate any advice
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no way of moving friendlies via AI unfortunately... I did check.
Orders were given to the Spitze at 16:00. But they were held up...possibly by where ur now...the blown Scheid rail bridge.
The Germans had blown the bridge during their retreat in September. Take your point and will amend briefing, as by 5pm, visibility would have been very poor.
Bit of a gamble to include this as a scenario, but the main aim of developing the campaign was to be able to retrace and replay the historical steps of the KG from start to finish...not just the well known clashes.
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It seems to happen quite regularly towards the end of some battles rather than earlier on. Which would back @chuckdyke theory.
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The mortars are standard with the Fallshirmjager units / table of equipment, so no additional heavier arty were purchased for these early engagements, I probably should have been more specific. Arty is a bit of an issue for Peiper... the 150mm seemed to be stuck in traffic... a lot.
This campaign covering the first 48 hours finds the Amis very much on the back foot in a state of shock, and it should be quite a straightforward for veteran players. However in testing the A/I did react in different ways units so there's an element of replay ability but not much in Part 1. On the plus side there's 30 or so related scenarios available over the next 6 months in the 3 campaigns that give a large variation in degrees of difficulty.
I'm happy to provide any of the individual scenarios/maps/campaign script, if anyone would like to take the degrees of difficulty up a notch or develop what ifs.
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Congrats you've reached Page 134 if you have Pallud's Then and Now
. Like the spoiler reveal.
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https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/tsd3/cm-final-blitzkrieg/rollbahn-d-part-i/
Part 1 of the Campaign available for download.
Covers the first 48 hours of KG Peiper and nearby units. Should be ready to download thanks to BornGinger's Wordpress advice
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It should be a relatively straightforward campaign compared to parts 2 and 3. I'm waiting for my copy of a recently discovered and on order book covering Knittel.
https://www.boekenbestellen.nl/boek/gustav-knittel/9789492475541
by Timo Worst, before making some final changes to Part 2 (12x scenarios, all built).
Part 3, 17x scenarios are also all built but again waiting on Part 2 before posting.
Thanks to Rastamon for advice and Kohlenklau for mods included in Baugnez/Malmedy scenario.
Wow. I just saw this and had to read it a few times to make sure I was understanding it. About 30 scenarios spread out in three campaigns!?!? Also it seems like you are attempting to be historically accurate with both maps and TOE. This is a massive undertaking. Thank you.
CMFB Rollbahn D Full Campaign
in Combat Mission - General Discussion
Posted
Hi Erwin, if you've not played Rollbahn D 0-48 just download the full campaign and start on day1.
If you did give Rollbahn D 0-48 a run out, in the full campaign I released today I've given you the option to start on day 3, rather than having to replay days1 & 2 again.
The first 7 scenarios that Rollbahn D 0-48 are the same first 7 scenarios in the full campaign.
The choice is yours