chuckdyke

The family cat. It happened just before Christmas 1944 during the 'Honger Winter' (Dutch Spelling). The cat scratched on the door came inside with a beautiful piece of beef (Eye Fillet). The only place he got it from was the German Naval Base. The picture of Santa which became his new name always had a place of honor in our living room. A raid by definition is to destroy or seize something the enemy values. Santa fulfilled this criterion in my opinion.

It was based on what the currencies were worth in Neutral Sweden. US manufacturing was far more efficient and could produce a comparative vehicle a lot cheaper. We are better off asking Battle Front about their formula.

I have the answer probably. A Panzer IV cost 110 Thousand Reichsmarks during WW 2, A Sherman cost $ 50000 on average during WW 2. In buying power The Reichsmark is maybe 80% to 90% of the US$ that is if they converted their money in neutral Sweden for example. It is a theory, but I don't know which formula the game designers used.

Red forces need fanatics. A force of fanatics will increase their 'Combat Factor' with the increase of casualties the thing is you don't know them till the chips are down. They could be randomly generated in the engine.

It takes a few computer games to figure out bocage fighting combined with the benefit of hindsight. Yes, specially adapted Shermans and Stuarts did the trick and fortunately the allies had lots of them. Even now we see Bocage as something of an overgrown hedge it took one thousand years to become part of the landscape.

Yes, logistics there is not much difference between a Russian winter and a German winter. The Germans were not particularly good with logistics the actual reason they lost the war. Compared with the Russian Siberian troops which were committed in the counterattack around Moscow the German clothing was inadequate.

The only logic is to keep the game historically adequate. In the last year of the war only 4000 Panzer IV's were built. To reflect this in the game is to make the purchase more expensive.

It is a hospital, corridors, wards theatres, staff amenities etc. The only thing they can do is to increase the combat factor of the defender. I can't recall any trained soldier silly enough to shoot from an open window especially with a high-tech Stryker outside. To defend in CM, hide with a target arc to trigger the trooper. I agree against the AI this scenario is not hard. Once you make it to the roof you're home, your grenades and satchel charges are effective the defender has problems throwing grenades up towards the ceiling. Never be in a hurry to enter buildings, ask my old man spit blood 25 years later from a lung-shot. He passed away 20 years ago. In this game you fight a mathematical model. This 'Hospital' was 6 blocks with no corridors with 3 floors showing. Naturally the shooting from windows is hypothetical only. Even when you can eyeball your target in the game the 'No LOS' sign comes up. This explains it, your troops only can return fire when they are shot at and it is the precise moment you can kill the enemy. if you try to macro manage the game manually you will end up with a lot of frustration. The AI plan obviously is shoot withdraw and return to a different position.

Yes, a mistake in the same category as Hitler's mistake invading Russia without a supply of winter uniforms. See the enemy, see the terrain, and see your troops. More easily said than done.

Out of real life an RPG 7 wounded a Centurion Tank Crew member and he lived with a migraine for the rest of his life. I imagine a Leo II can cope with it after experimenting the modern battle tank fires very accurately on the move. Abrams, Challengers or Leopards if I engage speed on fast from terrain feature to terrain feature. Using tactics from CM games during WW 2 makes you a sitting duck for ATGM's even the dated Saggers.

Playing at present Breaking the Bank on Iron. Progress so so. Selected this mission because it is a MOUT operation. The Syrians have a ring of outposts willing too quickly to surrender. Once your troops move in the building to take their surrender they are ambushed. I have one squad severely affected. You kill 50% of the outpost the others go MIA. The defense factors of buildings in CM is hypothetical. I suppose positioning a sniper with a cover arc suggests he will keyhole towards the objective and makes the likelihood that he will be spotted unlikely unless his luck runs out because he didn't reposition himself. The purpose of Wargaming is too develop a model which works in real life and nothing does it cheaper than a computer. What kills infantry well anything what says boom. Advice from a Waffen SS veteran "The one who shoots first usually lives longer." It works in CM, scout enters the building with a short cover arc. The cover arc is the key it seems, he will look through the right window instead of staring at a wall. He gets a sound contact if there are forces in the house or houses nearby. The remainder of the squad will enter after a 45 second pause so at the next turn you have intelligence of the enemy. It is your call fight or withdraw. Use DOPE in the game. Data Of Personal Equipment aka the Snipers Bible it works with computer games too not only with the Sniper Equipment all the equipment in CM. Happy gaming.

Total victory and I played on Iron, 1st get all the Javelins out of the Strykers use the buildings for hard cover. Achieve fire superiority with the Strykers and get them to support the infantry. Don't stop the Stryker, let the Strykers fire on the move. The key weapons of the Syrians pair them with the Javelins. Don't move in the hospital till you don't take fire. Have your infantry move to the roof. Grenades and explosives are the killers your small arms merely suppress the enemy. It is basics base of fire and breach the perimeter walls. If I see that amount of fire power hide in the inner rooms and booby trap the entrances and have something like claymores to cover the corridors. CM doesn't have claymores funny enough.

Snipers! every sniper is a marksman but not every marksman is a sniper. 90 % of a sniper's task is recon and or spotting. Consider assigning a mortar to him 60 mm -81 mm so he doesn't give his position away. 81 mm can take out BMP's reliably. Dismounting or debussing, see your objective or short-term objective and see the last feature in the terrain which can hide your vehicle. That is the place to dismount your troopers, in Syria a soldier in full battle gear can be quickly affected by the heat. It took me 4 minutes for the sniper to take out the Kornet batteries no way he can do that with his scoped rifle. In the game he has a Laser, PDA besides his rifle. To go mount the APC or IFV give the mount order and you can move the vehicle and the squaddies at the same time. The squaddies will board at the rendezvous point.

Congrats but the parameters are 25 % losses for the Brits or something like that? The Vietnam war was lost because of the parameters and no battle was lost. It is the dilemma of modern warfare. The Australian SAS is in trouble because of an alleged breach in rules of engagement. Already found guilty without a judge or jury. This is my rant for the day. I must give editing a go I understand it is to make a combination of battle plans. I like the game 'The Full Monty' found the key is don't engage without Arty, Choppers and later Fighter Bombers. One body bag is one too many I already have a few wounded. See the enemy, see the terrain, and see your troops. Easier said than done. Continue my rant. Afghanistan easy to beat special forces as the Taliban. Find a platoon and surrender to a Special Forces patrol. Their mission (Special Forces Patrol) is stuffed, by international law they must even defend them and share their rations. it is ridiculous glad I am seventy and only play the game.

Recon objective to establish a 'Standing' or 'Listening Patrol'.

Played it 2 days ago against the AI on Iron. I didn't use the Strykers to breach the wall but the trooper's explosives. The trick is use a base of fire till the hospital is silent, the Javelins to take out key equipment. They are expensive about ₤100000 a pop. Once you enter the complex make your way to the roof. it is a lot easier to throw grenades downstairs than up. Yes, wish there were choppers in this game. Congrats on your win, on Iron Red had 5 panicking troops left, before they surrendered. This scenario is a good lesson for MOUT operations. Modern armor fires accurately on the move, same with the Strykers don't stop during a move unless they are back in a hide. Pattons and Centurions still fought with WW 2 tactics and the losses against Saggers ATGM were unacceptable. Good scenario but the map could have been a little bigger. I lost one Stryker 2 Strykers had their armament disabled but the one survivor was enough. I had 6 killed and 11 wounded inside the parameters but room for improvement. Surprised Combat Mission doesn't have 'Claymores' in the game, Russians have their own version, and I would leave them behind inside the building defend the inner buildings from the 3rd floor. Also there are no cellars better stop my rant it is still a good game.

M1A1SA Abrams is the Abrams in the Shock Force 2 Manual which came with the game. The SA stands for Situational Awareness. In the picture he has a beautiful digital screen. The purpose is that they can see whatever any other tank sees in the unit. That is the purpose of digital technology.

Let the troopers decide when to fire their weapons. I never looked back, just look at the AI when you play against it. Despite its silly decisions sometimes marksmanship is sometimes outstanding.

Never expect your troops to respect you if you don't respect the parameters of operations. Soon you will be confronted with Combat Stress. See the terrain, see the enemy. see your own forces. The reason I play on Iron otherwise the game does it for you and you don't learn anything. Recon is ongoing throughout the game.

Thanks for me Hotseat is the ultimate, I don't have a clue about PBEM On Iron against the AI I rarely have a total victory so a long way to go yet. Had a tactical defeat yesterday with 'Edge of Darkness'. Funny enough thoroughly enjoyed that game.

Find a person to play Hotseat is a problem, I found two in the area I live. To play AI is just an apprenticeship. Nothing but respect for the editors, but their efforts at best is a set piece attack or counterattack. To doctor battle plans is a thankless task. Mods look pretty I agree but for me as it comes in the game is good enough. I would even play the game if it only came with NATO symbols.

Battle for Normandy Bundle and Final Blitzkrieg. Since I bought Shock Force 2 I have not touched the others. I am 70 and retired with 10 years active service which ended forty years ago. WW 2 was familiar but modern equipment took some adjustment. Modern armor travels fast terrain permitting firing on the move, the WW 2 Bazooka and Panzerschreck have evolved AT guns are obsolete even the recoilless guns which were still state of the art during the cold war. The Centurion and the M60 were tanks the allies wished for during WW2. In 1972 they became obsolete overnight with the introduction of the Sagger.

The Abrams specially modified is particularly good in breaching operations. Oh Yes, I used Javelins to get rid of Kornet ATGM's. Yes it is an tit for tat game.

In 1302 a battle took place in Flanders. Flemish Infantry vs French knights using heave cavalry, the moment I saw this map, I had a sense of Deja Vu. I would deploy my infantry on the side of the river from which the enemy is coming. They will breakthrough but for heavy cavalry the terrain will be awful near the river. For the French, their attack became a disaster. History books call it today 'De Gulden Sporen Slag'. Battle of the Golden Spurs the Flemish traded the golden spurs of the surviving French knights. The ones who couldn't pay the ransom were struck over the head by a 'Morning Star'. It is a solid stick with a chain from which a spiked ball is attached. The Flemish name is a 'Goedendag' which translates as Good Day Sir (Knight).

Not new at all, I elaborate further. Four man, one is a scout, followed by the fire-team leader and the other two in reserve. They can secure, attack or assault. A section can also be split using the same principle. Platoons three sections or squads. Company three platoons, Battalion three companies. We just call it different secure element with two reserve elements. You have a battle plan everybody understands and carry out. The leader moves with the security element followed by the support. This way maximum firepower can bear on the enemy at the shortest possible time. The leaders knows when the reserve units can advance without getting ambushed. Typically advance to a terrain feature before the objective. From the reserve elements we can for example break off a marksman team for over watch. No scout moves without cover from supporting elements. Kind regards.