Monty's Mighty Moustache

Not if you want to maintain any kind of C2 they aren't. Unless it's a recon team with a radio (i.e. a specialist) then the smallest unit that should be assigned a task, IMHO, is the platoon. Of course the Red Army did things a bit differently as you allude to but if you send a fireteam or squad off on their own then they can and will suffer from not being effectively led. MMM

@AdamPraha if you haven't already seen it I'd recommend reading through the tactical toolbox on Bil's blog, has a lot of useful information. Here's a link to the movement techniques section: https://battledrill.blogspot.com/2013/08/tactical-skills002movement-techniques.html

Real-time, for me, is nigh on unplayable once you get above a certain size of force involved as it's far too easy to miss things. Combat Mission has always been a turn-based game, We-Go was their USP when CMBO came out, and the real-time mode was added later but it's fundamentally designed to be played in turn-based mode and I never play it any other way. The only way I could imagine playing in real-time might work, for me - others probably have better ways to manage it, would be to watch from a high level overview and then pause and zoom in whenever something interesting happens. But then there is no ability to rewind and find out why it happened. I re-watch turns multiple times to make sure I catch everything I want to see.

The beeb has done its verify thing on the narrative coming from the Kremlin: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68657383

1) It depends. If they have good concealment then not really necessary to hide especially as tanks don't spot that well. 2) Yes a panzerfaust team with a Target Armour Arc will only shoot the rocket at armour. I can't remember exactly but I think armoured cars and such don't count as armour but half-tracks and tanks do. 3) Yes if the team is hiding and a target comes into the arc and they have a good shot they will unhide and attack. Target arcs are a good way to make sure supporting assets such as HMGs or rifle squads don't open fire and give away the positions either, just set a small target arc of a few metres and they will not fire at anything outside the arc.

The team had two fausts, the first went over the top of the panzer (as expected) but the second hit and the crew bailed out. I had it marked down as dead but next turn the crew popped back in and started blasting away. I can't remember seeing that happen too often in all my years playing, I think it must have hit something squishy as only 4 crew got out (and back in again). The range was about 45-50m if I remember correctly, they were waiting in ambush at the roadside in case he pushed his armour down unsupported. Felt very aggrieved

I had a PF60 fire at a tank just the other day in a PBEM, in fact I've seen 4 fired in the battle so far. It's likely they were out of range, as @Vacillator says max range was 100m. Only one of them has actually hit and it didn't actually KO the panzer but that's another issue

The beeb are reporting the Ukrainians are indeed claiming they shot down the A-50 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67978739

My computer was only one year old when I tried to play it, so it was not old by any means at the time. The point of my post was not to criticise, merely to point out that calling someone lazy when you don't know what decisions were made for the FR scenario and why is probably a bit harsh. I may return to the Blue Hills once the performance improvements come in Engine 5, it was an enjoyable scenario when it ran.

For the record I tried to play your Blue Hills scenario in FB as PBEM and whilst it was an interesting scenario it was unplayable due to performance issues, and whilst I don't have a top end PC it's no slouch. We had to abandon the game not long after starting as my oppo was having issues too. So perhaps it was a conscious choice by the designer? To simply label them lazy is very judgemental, Walt Whitman would not be impressed MMM

I keep seeing people commenting on Steve’s priorities like they know exactly what he’s working on and how he spends his time. But none of you do, unless you work closely with or know him well. Now you can comment on the “impression” you get of how what he is working on, that’s fair, but to say he needs to sort his priorities out based on that is ridiculous

I remember seeing more than one video of that campaign, pretty sure @Grey_Fox did a series but not sure if he did that mission.

This mission? I haven't played it but this is just one of the playthroughs on YouTube MMM

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-tried-to-shoot-down-ukrainian-flag-revealed-firing-position-2023-9 Made me chuckle MMM

https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-admits-thwarting-ukraine-attack-not-activating-starlink-satellites-2023-9 He didn't think Starlink would be used for military purposes? Man is either deluded or a liar. Or a deluded liar.

I pretty much follow what @Centurian52 does but additionally I always use the + key to cycle through my units to see if anyone else got wiped out or took incoming fire. It's easy to miss an icon disappearing if they all get hit by artillery, especially for smaller teams like HQs and scouts, or fire making your men go to ground if they didn't take any casualties. MMM

I am by no means an expert but I tend to do my OCOKA like outlined in my DAR (which I really must finish). It is really useful in the early stages and helps identify KT and NAIs and TAIs too. It depends on your forces I guess. If you have a boatload of artillery then there's no reason not to deny the terrain to the enemy with indirect fires, make him at least keep his head down if he's up there or dissuade him from trying to go up there in the first instance. If you have only manpower and armour then you'd probably have to find a way to take it. Movement techniques would be my go-to, you'd have to use bounds, either successive or alternating and provide all round overwatch to the element that's moving. When I get away from the above (tired, CBA or am not thorough enough) is when I usually get into trouble, and I get into trouble a lot MMM

Love watching how other players approach these things, I did it completely different. MMM

What if the Ukrainians basically have baited the Russians into counterattacking in the north by attacking the south, and have forces built up and waiting to launch a spoiling attack to destroy them when they push? They of all people know the Russians love to attack and don't like to sit and defend. That would be epic (although probably pretty unlikely but one can hope)!

This is basically me, I was playing Close Combat for the most part but wanted something...more. I stumbled across CMBO in a PC store it said it was 3D so I gave it a go and 20 years later I'm still here (still have it in my drawer), albeit I have in the dipped in and out over the years. Only game series I keep coming back to.

Thanks for these @George MC, I like to use scenarios such as these to hone tactics. I've played through the first scenario and without giving spoilers away it looks like I went exactly the way you were predicting. I got luck though and only suffered one casualty and that was through friendly fire. I just fired up the second one and it seems the briefing is the same as for the first scenario. Not that it matters as it's clear what I need to do but thought I'd let you know. Not checked the third one (have to work now) but it might be worth double checking that one too. MMM

Thanks @George MC, I must remember it is a game from time to time though, especially when the points are on the line I should get the next one up soon.

IIRC if you split them and then they are out of C2 from their HQ unit then they suffer a huge morale penalty as doctrinally the Red Army were not supposed to split. I think I read, a long time ago, that BF were not going to allow it but had to in order to allow tank riding. I tend to keep them together when I need to mass firepower but will split off a scout team etc when advancing to contact MMM

The One Hundred and Nineteenth Minute KG Leino - Die Mitte The SPWs arrive on station. KG Perala - das Rechts The attack continues. A 251/17 goes boom. At least one more T34 to deal with! The poor infantry. The pictures tell the story. On a positive note the StuG arrives to help, a bit too late, but he has spotted the T34 and it does not appear that he has been spotted in return... SITMAP I've updated the blood board with the loss. It's all pretty much academic now. I could try and rush the StuG onto the objective but that doesn't seem like good form to me, and certainly not realistic and I like to play as if I were actually there. MMM

The One Hundred and Eighteenth Minute KG Leino - Die Mitte The SPWs move out, far too late to be of any assistance I fear but fingers crossed for overtime! The armour is awaiting their arrival before moving on. KG Perala - das Rechts The attack begins. The StuG is on its way over to support the infantry. The T1 is peppering the objective building with fire as are the supporting SPWs. I start taking casualties. I already had a paucity of infantry, this is not good. I get some firm spots on the objective, as predicted it is swarming with Ivans. The casualties continue to mount. Then I get another sound contact heading to reinforce the objective. SITMAP I've left it too late, unless I get some generous overtime then I will not be able to clear the objective in time. I could maybe get onto it to deny him the points but that would depend on him I guess. He's already reinforcing it with one tank and I still expect an attack to fall on their left flank from the direction of the farm at any moment. MMM