R&T Campaigns

[Sgt Joch]

Walter Dunn, “Hitler’s nemesis, the Red Army, 1930-45” is my main source for this. Large numbers of 76mm M4A2s were shipped to Russia in late 44-early 45. At the time, there was a shortage of T34s due to the heavy fighting in the summer of 44 so many Guards units were equipped with Shermans.

Dimitri Loza also as you noted had a favourable impression of the Sherman vs Russian tanks.

One point Dunn makes is that the Russians did not build high quality tanks, they knew from experience that a tank in combat had an average life of around six months so they designed and built tanks with a short designed lifespan which allowed them to maximize production. The Russians liked the Valentine, but used many of them in training units, not because it was a bad combat tank, but because it had an engine designed with a 100,000 km lifespan. To the Russians it seemed a waste to use the tank in combat where it would be killed in a few months.

p.s - having a comfortable tank may seem like a luxury, but in an offensive, you can spend days with little sleep living in the tank. Being less groggy can make the difference between life and death in a combat situation.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Sgt Joch

[Sgt.Squarehead]

TBH I'm not seeing any real contradictions between your positions.....The M4 was certainly popular with some units, others preferred the T-34, their relative merit is so close as to be difficult to measure.

TBH I'm just glad I can now choose to use whichever I want in CM. 

[Ithikial_AU]

On 12/31/2021 at 11:25 PM, dbsapp said:

But I absolutely agree with @Monty's Mighty Moustache that the amount of Lendlease equipment  looks  absolutely inappropriate and  artificial. What even worse practically the majority of CMFR single missions are also made for Lendlease fans. So basically there is no way to play Soviets playing Soviets. 

The stock scenarios and campaigns with a module release are meant to use the new formations and toys. With most of the F&R content being for the Germans (just a product of history with minimal Soviets changes to kit & formations this late in the war), the inclusion of lend lease equipment organically became a central theme of the module for the Soviet side. This is probably why you see many of the scenarios including Shermans, given the scenario designers are looking for historical engagements following these lend lease equipped formations.

If you are sick of Shermans, I know The Battle of Tukums 3 scenario campaign doesn't include any.  But you may be sick of Soviet made armour by the end of it.  All of the German formations except one are newly included in the FR module while all of the Soviet formations are from the CMRT base game.

[Monty's Mighty Moustache]

Oh dear, what did I start? I want to clarify that in no way do I think the To Berlin campaign isn't awesome, because it is, it's just that personally I would rather not have the Sherman as my MBT when playing as the Soviets for a campaign as large as this. If only I a) had the skills and b) had the time to create a campaign myself, one day perhaps.

Completely understand the reasoning why it is the way it is and like I said it's a very minor nitpick, I am enjoying the campaign and the module immensely.

MMM

[DougPhresh]

Is there any chance someone can upload the pdf of the manual supplement for the FR module? I like skimming them before buying a title, and for some reason they haven't done that lately. I'd "trade" the manual for RtV, but I'm not on my computer that has it installed at the moment. 

As an aside, I thought the quality of the manuals has really improved lately. The Black Sea manual did a great job explaining formations (which I'd like to see for all title) and the RtV manual charted the availability and fighting quality of the multitude of nations and forces that fought in Italy, really great stuff.

[Bufo]

1 hour ago, DougPhresh said:

Is there any chance someone can upload the pdf of the manual supplement for the FR module? I like skimming them before buying a title, and for some reason they haven't done that lately. I'd "trade" the manual for RtV, but I'm not on my computer that has it installed at the moment. 

As an aside, I thought the quality of the manuals has really improved lately. The Black Sea manual did a great job explaining formations (which I'd like to see for all title) and the RtV manual charted the availability and fighting quality of the multitude of nations and forces that fought in Italy, really great stuff.

Sent.

[joethejet]

Ok, you guys convinced me. I got the RT module.

[Vergeltungswaffe]

You will NOT regret it.

[Panserjeger]

I am researching the northern part of Operation Bagration and have compiled the tank strength of the Red Army forces opposite 3rd Panzer Army as of 22.6.44 into a spreadsheet. I believe most of the cases where the strength reports only lists T-34 are T34-76´s. The 28th Guards Tank Brigade curiously enough has 3 captured PzKpfw. VI Tiger I´s ! 

 

 

[Lille Fiskerby]

9 hours ago, Panserjeger said:

I am researching the northern part of Operation Bagration and have compiled the tank strength of the Red Army forces opposite 3rd Panzer Army as of 22.6.44 into a spreadsheet.

Very nice +1

[BornGinger]

On 12/31/2021 at 12:25 PM, Monty's Mighty Moustache said:

Yeah I know all that, all I’m saying is that in a game set on the Eastern Front I’d rather play with T34s et al when playing as the Soviets.

You and the other ones who don't want too many Shermans in Red Thunder can always open the scenarios in the editor and swap the Shermans with T-34s and/or IS-tanks and then save the scenarios with another name.

For the campaigns it is possible to open them up with a program someone made and is to be found somewhere (don't remember what the program is called), swap the tanks in the scenarios and compile them back into campaigns again.

All of you would then have the tanks you want. Easy peasy.

Edited January 18, 2022 by BornGinger

[M.Herm]

Not only because I am German, I have to mention that the model of the Reichstag is an appalling insult to the eye. As if it hadn't been damaged enough in 1945, battlefront gave it its death blow. Sure, with the modular building blocks it is probably quite difficult to replicate. But that is really beside the point. All the campaigns are very beautifully designed.

[Codreanu]

3 hours ago, M.H. said:

Not only because I am German, I have to mention that the model of the Reichstag is an appalling insult to the eye. As if it hadn't been damaged enough in 1945, battlefront gave it its death blow. Sure, with the modular building blocks it is probably quite difficult to replicate. But that is really beside the point. All the campaigns are very beautifully designed.

Part of the reason why the second mission of Night at the Opera fell flat for me, especially after how epic the first mission was. The Reichstag and Brandenburg gate really deserved custom models.

[benpark]

I know, I know...

I asked for 'em, but knew it wasn't happening - that's outside the scope of most modules, and Steve did say "Yes!" to some stuff that I had requested for improving city fighting (that running/hedgrow patch was looked at from every angle, not just hedges and walls). A lot of work for two structures, so that's understandable. Mike (2D) and Cassio (3D) also have a pretty full plate on any given day.

Instead, you got busted up walls, more maps than you will be able to use, scenarios and campaigns that have a massive amount of research and effort, a factory, and a ton of other stuff.

I decided I could live with it, but your mileage may vary.

Edited January 29, 2022 by benpark

[Codreanu]

34 minutes ago, benpark said:

I know, I know...

I asked for 'em, but knew it wasn't happening - that's outside the scope of most modules, and Steve said did "Yes!" to some stuff that I had requested for improving city fighting (that running/hedgrow patch was looked at from every angle, not just hedges and walls). A lot of work for two structures, so that's understandable. Mike (2D) and Cassio (3D) also have a pretty full plate on any given day.

Instead, you got busted up walls, more maps than you will be able to use, scenarios and campaigns that have a massive amount of research and effort, a factory, and a ton of other stuff.

I decided I could live with it, but your mileage may vary.

One of the struggles of game design, you will never ever have the time or money to add in everything you want, just have to choose the most important bits. Still an incredible mini-campaign without them and absolutely nails the feeling of fighting in Berlin and is a big part of why F&R is the best CM module to me. When you compare two buildings to everything else F&R adds it really is nothing more than a minor nitpick.

[M.Herm]

15 hours ago, Codreanu said:

Part of the reason why the second mission of Night at the Opera fell flat for me, especially after how epic the first mission was. The Reichstag and Brandenburg gate really deserved custom models.

Ah, I forgot the "Brandenburger bridge".

[benpark]

It's where the trolls of Berlin live, sheltering from artillery showers with everyone else. They hand out shiny coins to every Soviet soldier that writes his name in the modular Reichstag.

Sometimes we have to use some imagination to fill in the gaps.

[Warts 'n' all]

On 1/6/2022 at 4:36 AM, Ithikial_AU said:

I know The Battle of Tukums 3 scenario campaign doesn't include any.  But you may be sick of Soviet made armour by the end of it.  All of the German formations except one are newly included in the FR module while all of the Soviet formations are from the CMRT base game.

I'm late to the Fire and Rubble party due to both personal, and computer health problems. Having finally bought it yesterday I shall be kicking off with The Battle of Tukums. Apparently it was created by someone from one of Her Majesty's antipodean penal colonies.

[Ithikial_AU]

11 hours ago, Warts 'n' all said:

I'm late to the Fire and Rubble party due to both personal, and computer health problems. Having finally bought it yesterday I shall be kicking off with The Battle of Tukums. Apparently it was created by someone from one of Her Majesty's antipodean penal colonies.

It was.  Hope you enjoy. Read the briefings, push hard and don't be scared to go a bit unorthodox with your panzers to get the job done - especially in Mission 1. Mission 2 & 3 largely use the same forces.

[Warts 'n' all]

4 hours ago, Ithikial_AU said:

 push hard and don't be scared to go a bit unorthodox 

Elizabeth rolls her eyes. "That'll be fun, won't it? Noddle Head."

"Quite dear, I hear the sound of planes overhead."