DerKommissar

I was always skeptical regarding Pavlov's house. A single house in a crowded urban center on a front line that spanned thousands of kilometers managed to hold off 6th Army? It's one of those tactical myths -- irrelevant to the big picture, but they make a heroic story. Most wars have their Pavlov's houses, such as the Alamo or the Battle of Kambula. This being said, I can imagine a loud night in Vegas is less exciting than a "quiet" day in Stalingrad. Much respect to the people who served there and not to the exclusion of everyone else on the lines. Likewise, I am skeptical about "blocking units". I have never heard them mentioned in specific episodes about the Eastern Front. This being said, I usually try to think for myself: How practical are "blocking units"? Logistically, you need a squad to handle a Maxim. Heavy watercooled beast on wheels that requires long belts of heavy ammunition and water. A valuable item that is in heavy demand, wherever there's German infantry (everywhere). Generally can't keep up with infantry and require some set-up time. The idea is that you deploy it in an overwatch position and mow down any friendlies retreating from enemy fire. Let us assume these are crack NKVD executioners, with little regard for their own safety. Self-preservation instinct would compel you to shoot back at whoever is sending lead your way. Machine gun nests being choice targets for mortars, MGs and marksmen. This also means that they have perfect situational awareness, despite being focused by the Germans. They can identify each soldier, and where they are going. I'm guessing the officer helps, because it's hard to see from that Maxim. No radios: you can't possibly know if troops are retreating in the woods, somewhere. It's also a judgement call. What if the Soviet is a messenger from battalion command? What if he was ordered to carry ammunition to the front? Let's say NKVD's order trumps everyone else's. Still, that's a lot of angry and armed soldiers and officers you will be eating and sleeping with. You see your guys running, you shoot at them. I'm guessing this is 100 meters plus, otherwise they would be within very effective German fire. I also assume they do not have perfect aim or optics, so it will take more bursts to hit a target the farther it is away. Meanwhile, you are suppressing your own troops by sending MG rounds everywhere. Germans are likely to spot you and you just forced your defenders down. With those snappy NKVD uniforms and the MGs on choice overwatch positions, friendly infantry know where you are. If they want to escape, they can avoid your LOS by going around or using smoke. The front is thousands of kilometers long. You can't really chase them down. They may be tempted to return fire. From their perspective, it could be a flanking German -- or so they'll say. What if a T-34 retreats? Blocking unit anti-tank artillery batteries? I see major tactical, strategic and moral hardships to implementing these units. This being said, cowardice in the face of the enemy is punished by every army -- in many by military tribunal (prison or execution). Soviet Union's military tribunals being the most dangerous. The fear of the stick that is effective, not the implementation itself. That's why these stories are often brought up, but rarely cited in context. The fear of the stick was very much required in the evening months of 1942. The Soviets had mass retreats in 1941 and 1942, caused by rapid German maneuvers. These routes would happen just before, or after the pincers met and caused a "Kettle". Tens of thousands surrendering and many more routing. With the frontline moving at blinding speeds, twisting and turning, a desperate logistical situation and the vast distances covered, I cannot believe the effective use of these blocking "units" was possible. Stalin was a monster, and I hope no one misinterprets my skepticism as denial of the NKVD's many real crimes.

It's a powerwheels. You know? For Kids! Woops, accidentally posted the new Armata family vehicle. In all seriousness, that's the BAE Black Knight unmanned ground vehicle. Word on the street is that the project was canned. Not surprising, considering its turret is jammed up against its engine deck. How is it supposed to turn? If it's a fixed gun, why is there an obvious structural weakness of a gap between casemate and hull? WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? So, pretty much, a modernized teletank with a 30mm and an GPMG. Except the 1930s Soviets got the rotating turret thing down.

A baby Abrams.

Recently, I've been running into the MBT-70 (Kpz. 70). I have to say, I really like the design: Why put the gunner and commander in the hull, when you can put the driver (partially) in the turret? I can imagine the 152mm works wonders in CS. The 20mm AA gives the commander something fun to play with. It seems to have been ahead of its time with the dynamic suspension -- something the Type 10 and others have taken on. Another story from development hell.

I've had this problem with other games -- something wrong's with the animation. I would recommend trying a clean re-install, too.

I'd be more interested if they advertised decent AI support. Something that used to be standard in these types of games.

I can imagine the Hun would be a wee bit confused about a turret-less Stuart. Is it knocked out? Has it been scuttled?

I'm curious: do more experienced troops make less noise?

I am playing Shock Force 1, as I wait. It's pretty good, and gives you a taste of what to expect.

Aye, and not just whatever the army needed -- but also what the civilian population needed. We often forget that the Red Army was fed better than the civilians. Urban and industrial cities were reliant on lend-lease non-perishables (such as milk and egg powder), as the, already insufficient, breadbasket was occupied. Good way to win hearts and minds, Roosevelt probably thought. Aye, opportunism was never considered a crime in the West. Many German POWs also preferred to stay in Canada, after spending their war in resorts, hotels and vacation spas. I would rather be in a place untouched by the war, with a booming economy and pristine infrastructure. If I have valuable skills -- like aerospace engineering, maybe I can be forgiven? Working in a POW camp in the West, seems better than returning a war criminal in Europe. Would you want to return to a post-war Germany or Soviet Union? This being said, I can also see the Soviets' sentiment. I can see why they may be a 'tad bit too tough on associates (even unwilling ones) of a faction that attempted to systematically wipe them off the face of the world. After losing countless relatives, property and freedoms, I can imagine the desire to make the punishment fit the crime. After 4 years of mortal struggle, both in the field and at the homefront, would you be eager to welcome those who abandoned you, and others like yourself, to total annihilation? Thank you for the update, and the hard work is greatly appreciated.

Considering we recently got the hull down command, which finds a hull down position facing the marker -- it'd be useful to have "Find LOS" command. This just orders the unit to try to get eyes on indicated marker. I find it's really difficult to predict if a recce-ing unit will have LOS at a position or not. The positions I suspect to be good spotting positions, end up not seeing anything. The button/unbutton thing, for the most time, seems like all or nothing. Either the commander stretches out in his full height, or he's curled up in the hull. I think I recall Sherman commanders just poking their head out enough to get their eyes out of the hatch. I know the panther's copulas were specifically designed so that the hatch would push upward. This would allow the commander to peak out while protecting the top of their head.

I am doing the vanilla British campaign -- a change of pace from Normandy. During the briefings, I took a good look at the topographic maps. The ones that show you an overview of where the battle is happening in Syria. I noticed that they were not in English. Instead, in Cyrillic? I'm guessing? Maybe Russian? Blimey! What's a proper British officer, like myself, doing with Ivan's maps? Are cartography swap meets common? Were they paying us back for the topographic maps of Afghanistan?

I'm curious if the Churchill tank was still in service with the Soviets during, and after, Bagration?

I prefer the Hun's manuals! It's got pictures!

M728 Combat Engineering Vehicle: Centurion AVRE: Both got the 165mm demolisher cannon, lobbing big ol' HESH. ???

Those are some pretty convincing P. 3's by movie standards. It's also really good to see a model '41 T-34, most you see in movies are the 85s. Camouflage is a bit crazy, like CoH 2 micro-transaction specials. Much like actors and actresses in movies, tanks need their make-up. I am also glad that the Russian film industry doesn't shy away from certain historical symbols that are often associated with Germany of this time. I like that they got they used the right sights for the German and Soviet gun optics. A pet peeve of mine are how tiny battles are in these movies. This one feels kind of silly, in that regard. Soviet village in the middle of nowhere, and everything happens within 50 square feet. A single T-34 by itself? Not part of a platoon or company? Lame. Tanks facing off like Nick Cage and Travolta within 5 meters of each other, and getting ricochets from the looks of it? I see we have Brad Pitt returning as bedraggled tank commander. I'm guessing this is going to be a lone T-34 taking on an entire division? Nice infantry costumes, though! I probably won't see it, unless I have absolutely nothing to do. I saw White Tiger -- much of mystical nonsense and a few good tanks. Why can't they make movies like Liberation, or that film about the SU-100s?

TOWs are killers, and I am sure 25mms can suppress -- even knock out tank systems. I am a tad bit skeptical about the 25mm frontal penetration of the T-62. I suppose a few well-angled shots at close range to a vulnerable part of the armour could penetrate something? Considering you're quite knowledgeable on the subject: were any Bradleys equipped with DU rounds (M919 or other)?

Really good guide to bustin' up T-72s in tank games. Why would anyone, under economic strain, build a front plate for a foreign specification (reverse engineer?) with mild steel? Not only is steel a valuable resource in war, but the time and effort required by machining out new plates and welding them to the hull (an oversimplification of the process). Why not just scuttle some tanks and refurbish others? I suppose, in some dark depths of hypothetical possibilities, it could have been a clerical error, a la Bellamy's Cromwell. I have read that armour modules of questionable quality were added as applique armour. Mayhaps, that is where this myth comes from? Then again, I still find M242 frontal penetrations during Desert Storm to be fantastical exaggerations.

How much is that piece of toast with a picture of Rommel on it? xD

Rear view camera? Should come standard on 40 ton plus MBTs. xD

I've experienced this situation with 4.0 CM:Normandy, particularly with American 60mm mortar teams. I had have one crew popping off .30 cal carbine rounds at the direct fire target. I always found it amusing, because the other guys are working on sighting-in and re-loading the mortar -- and he's just trying to contribute: "Take this, Krauts!" At longer ranges (100m ~300m), the shooter's rate of fire was completely ineffective. It's important to note that sometimes, especially in the hedgerows, soldiers will shoot off small weapons at suspected targets. Considering I used direct fire on 95% confirmed static targets,it could be that they were just doing this out of their own accord. I did often notice these guys putting rounds down range when HE ammo was spent, but the direct target order was still on for that turn.That, I suppose, is by design. I always had rifle squads protecting the platoon's mortar, which I often placed in cover and concealment. The Germans concentrated on suppressing the rifles and rarely cared about the mortars -- as they were a less-direct existential threat.

I usually identify the diesel version by the strange engine deck. Is this T-80UM upgrade scrapped? Yeah, we shared those improvised Syrian modifications on a different thread. I am under the impression most of them are lucky charms, born of desperation. On the other hand, they're responding to their own needs as operators -- and perhaps providing inspiration, and demands, for innovation.

Better check the repository, lightning fast. I'd be shocked if nobody made it, yet.

Never even heard of the SSO up until now. When did they become their own branch? Beautiful, if only I got command a T-80/T-84 or a T-72b3 in Steel Beasts.