Monty's Mighty Moustache

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

I would say do it straight away, you’ll quickly find the limitations of the AI frustrating. It can make for a good fight if they scenario designer is really good but even then it can only react so much to trigger points. Playing against a human you will learn very quickly, and if you ask around you will find there are folk who will gladly hold your hand through it and provide feedback on what you’re doing as you play. Have a look around the Discord servers and the Few Good Men website and you’ll find plenty of people to play with.

I expected nothing less MMM

The Kremlin are now saying it was a Ukrainian attack on Putin himself https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65471904 MMM

The One Hundred and Seventeenth Minute KG Leino - Die Mitte The infantry are FINALLY getting mounted up. Only 4 minutes to go though so unless there is extra time I highly doubt they will be able to do much of anything. T2 continues to pull back... ..and my hopes of re-crewing THQ are dashed when the T-34 puts another round into her and brews her up. My first full armour loss of the battle. Not gonna lie, it stings. KG Perala - das Rechts Go-time. T1 and the StuG are in position. T1 lets fly at the T-34's last known position... ...and quickly gets some return fire that kills the driver and destroys the engine. She's immobilised. The T-34 is spotted... ...by the StuG! He takes carfeul aim... ...let's an AP shell fly at a range of about 350m... ...and destroys it with the first shot. The infantry are bussed forward. They dismount just out of range of prying eyes (and guns). SITMAP THQ is now dead and T1 is immobilized. RIP. Blood board updated along with the loss of his 4th T-34. The plan worked but I did get T1 immobilised. The good news is that it is within range of the buildings on the objective so I'll be saturating the area with fire to cover the advancing infantry. The StuG is going to move up to support the assault slightly now that tank is dead, but I am wary of there being more. He has 6 remaining by my count and I know where 4 of them are, here's hoping there aren't another 2 sitting on the objective. In the centre if all I can do is keep his T-34 there then I'll be happy as I don't want him to turn that thing around and then attack my assaulting force in the flank so I'll be pressing T2 ahead to see if they can get a spot on that T-34. Nothing happened on the left. MMM

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The One Hundred and Fifteenth and One Hundred and Sixteenth Minutes KG Leino - Die Mitte The 251/17 continues to provide covering fire as the infantry disengage. It's taking far too long but they do have quite a bit of forest to work through. They eventually get out into open ground. Just as their ride arrives. Up ahead the Tigers are bounding ahead, THQ on the left, T2 on the right. THQ pulls up as he spots some infantry heading this way, so my oppo clearly knows I'm coming, THQ lets the infantry know he's spotted them. Some casualties are inflicted. He gets an armour contact... ...just before a shell slams into the weapon mount knocking out the MG and causing some subsystem damage. Followed quickly by another that partially penetrates the front hull and incapacitates the driver. The tank is still operational but the crew are panicked and bail out. Firing on those infantry seems to have allowed his T-34 to get the spot, they never did spot their assailant. T2 is also spotted it seems as it also loses it's driver, this time the crew are OK and pop smoke and reverse. The dismounted THQ crew finally spot the T-34 up ahead. KG Koskela - die Links Nothing happens on the left, I can't see him pushing from the strong position he has in the woods and I don't have enough combat power to make him abandon that position. I also don't think he'll try advancing on SCHWARZ again, but he may. Until something happens though I'm going to stop reporting on this KG. KG Perala - das Rechts Everyone is moving into position to start the assault on GRAU. The plan for the T-34 is to area fire its last known location with the Tiger to try and draw its fire... ...hopefully allowing the StuG to get the spot and knock it out. Risky but the Tiger has more chance of surviving a hit than the StuG does. SITMAP THQ is not dead so I just hope I can remount the crew once they have regathered themselves. Next turn we'll start poking the T-34 at GRAU and see what happens while the infantry continue to probe the right flank. I do fear I've left this all a bit too late. I think I'm done on the left, I have possession of SCHWARZ and don't think I can get to BLAU but I will keep probing with the infantry to see what shakes out. MMM

I disagree, I played the Soviets and won but there are ways for the Germans to win. I'll say no more. MMM

The One Hundred and Thirteenth and One Hundred and Fourteenth Minutes KG Leino - Die Mitte I'm gathering the infantry that were hunting the Reds in the woods near the objective and will load them up to support the Tigers. I fear I may have left it too late but hoping for extra time! A 251/17 moves up to provide covering fire. The Tigers press on over the bridge. The 251/17 is on station and starts putting fire into the woods. The infantry are moving down to join Jean. The troops on the objective spot a Red in the woods. They join in providing suppressive fire. KG Koskela - die Links My MG team arrive at the edge of the woodline near SCHWARZ to cover the open ground. The SPWs provide overwatch too in case he tries that AoA again (I don't think he will). I've bussed some more infantry into the woods near the Panther to try and get a spot on his T-34s. It will be a miracle if they spot anything let alone get a shot off. KG Perala - das Rechts His remaining T-34 pulls back even further, into the path of the Tigers advancing up the middle. The AT team are almost back to safety. Once they are back then the plan is to MOVE. I have been static for far too long, the plan is to advance the Tiger and StuG to a SBF position and try and engage the T-34 at the crossroads while the infantry load up on their SPWs and hook around to the right so we pop up at a different position. Scouts lead the way to make sure there are no nasty surprises along the chosen AoA. The infantry, what's left of them, mount up. The StuG moves into position covered by the Tiger. The scouts have a good view. SITMAP I need to move. Not a lot of time left and a lot to do. Hopefully in the middle he keeps backing that T-34 up and my Tigers get the drop on it. I'm really surprised his remaining T-34s haven't fallen on KG Perala and wiped them out, he may have lost a few but I don't have much to defend myself really. MMM

I was Soviet

I played that H2H when F&R first came out, good fun indeed. MMM

Ian’s website is also a useful resource https://www.combatmission.lesliesoftware.com/# MMM

I can't speak for others but I like it because a) it features no western forces (always have been more interested in the Ostfront) b) Soviet doctrine when it works is a thing to behold c) SMGs everywhere, close up fighting is absolutely BRUTAL d) wide open maps and plenty of large armour engagements. There's also a lot of user-made content and even some campaigns by the fine folks on this forum, along with mods, that replicate fighting at Kursk and Stalingrad (within limits of what's available). Not sure I would call it the best CM game, it's my favourite because of the factors mentioned above but every game brings something to the table. MMM

The One Hundred and Twelfth Minute KG Leino - Die Mitte The panzers are rolling the trailing Tiger keeping an eye on the right flank. They are meeting no resistance so far. Back in the woods (above the Tiger in the screenshot above) I pushed some infantry in there as they had a tentative contact. A burst of SMG fire takes out a man. The culprit is spotted by the Tigers, strangely, but they get no shots off. KG Koskela - die Links Only one man remains of what I am now sure was a platoon (-) sized force trying to take SCHWARZ. He is trying to get back to the woods from whence they came, Heinz has a bead on him but curses as his shots hit everything but the man. Heinz runs dry and while he's reloading the Ivan manages to escape to the safety of the trees. Everyone relaxes and breaks out the smokes, all returns to quiet. For now. The snowfield is littered with corpses. The rest of the infantry are still scouting through the forest. No contact yet. KG Perala - das Rechts Now the armour threat has gone I can pull back my AT team who were very exposed. The others finish repositioning. I will need to launch another attack very soon, I've been sat too long. SITMAP I'm shocked I haven't been counter-attacked on the right. By my reckoning he has two platoons worth of T-34s at least when you include company HQ and add-ons, but then the onus is on me as the attacker to take the objective from him so I get why he may just sit tight. I need to move, the clock is ticking, I just am not sure I have the firepower to take GRAU but I'll give it a try. In the middle the small force is pushing up and over the bridge and the infantry in the woods are going to pull back. No point in getting into a senseless firefight when I don't need to. I'll put some area fire on it from ROT where I have deployed my MG42 teams. On the left I think I am going to continue pushing through the woods but I'm not expecting to get any firm contacts so it will be time to hunker down and concentrate on defending SCHWARZ. I will keep area firing with the immobilised Panther and the StuG to try and keep his forces there pinned in place. MMM

The One Hundred and Eleventh Minute KG Leino - Die Mitte The SPW leads, the Tigers follow. It's go time! KG Koskela - die Links The Reds continue to have a bad bad day. There are only a few survivors as time ticks down, one Ivan makes a break for the treeline as the 251/17 gunner is busy reloading. Just as he's about to make it the cannon comes back to life. It was a good effort, but he doesn't make it. One survivor is seen heading back from the way they came. Over near the objective the limited infantry I have have dismounted and are scouting forward to see if they can get a spot on the T-34 or any infantry. Not hopeful but you never know. KG Perala - das Rechts Quite quiet, I'm re-positioning the infantry to get away from any indirect fire that may come down on where they just were. I'm awaiting an armoured counter-attack, will see if it comes. SITMAP Not much to say really, I don't think I can get to BLAU with infantry and armour guarding the approaches. That boggy stream limits movements significantly and I only have 1 mobile Panther and a StuG. I need to move on the right, I'm a sitting duck at the moment. The forces pushing up the middle will hopefully force him to reposition. MMM

The One Hundred and Tenth Minute KG Leino - Die Mitte Not much to report, the Tigers are gathering along with a SPW to push over the bridge and hit the forces that he has attacking KG Perala in the rear. The SPW will go first to scout the approach. KG Koskela - die Links Further confirmation that he can hear me, the contact keeps moving and settles on the left edge of the treeline, that way is blocked. Meanwhile to the rear of the position Heinz now has the angle he needs to start inflicting pain on the Reds brazenly marching across an open field like they are on the parade ground. His blood like ice in his veins Heinz calms his breath and squeezes the trigger. The call goes out on the net for backup and the nearest 251/17 turns to join in the fun. It quickly becomes a turkey-shoot, the pictures tell the story. KG Perala - das Rechts THe infantry pull back until I can deal with that T-34 at the crossroads. On the left the last T-34 from that platoon is spotted as it pulls back. We get no hits in. SITMAP In the middle the forces are pushing up to at least perform a holding action, if not hit his remaining T-34 in the rear. On the right I need to wait until Leino's forces are across the bridge and at least have his attention before moving on GRAU to deal with that T-34. Time is ticking down though and my chances of clearing the objective are rapidly getting slimmer. On the left my SPWs are moving in for the kill on what looks to be a platoon-sized force caught out in the open. I'm also moving one of the MG teams on SCHWARZ down to the woods in case any of them slip through. MMM

No sorry my slate is full right now, sounds like you have a taker though. Best of luck, no spoilers from me! MMM

I was the US defender. Ended in a Draw MMM

I played this H2H last year. A tense, bloody affair! Highly recommended. MMM

I'd start with small sized battles, infantry only at first and then work up to combined arms. There is a scenario in the CW module called 18 platoon which is a Probe using a platoon against a German OP, good for honing the skills. You could also do a "play-along" with one of the YTers out there. @Haplesshas a playlist where he went through The Road to Montebourg campaign so you could try and emulate those tactics? Also I'd recommend reading through Bil's blog, it's a great reference and teaching aid: https://battledrill.blogspot.com/ MMM

Here you go Bridge Too Close. Not sure if it's still playable, been a long time since I went through it. MMM

I had this in a recent PPBEM, I split off a zook team from a platoon and sent them ahead in a jeep to setup an ambush whilst the platoon mounted on trucks. The trucks got annihilated by a jadpanzer wiping the rest of the platoon and the zook team at the other end of their map immediately became panicked. Took me a while to work out why. MMM

One of the forum members did a video on Youtube about how best to use such things in CM. MMM

Even the beeb has picked up on the buildup: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64551937 MMM

Use Target Light and it will only fire its machine guns. MMM