On fuses and flares

[Mikester]

For those that might be interested.

The latest resurrection of the white phosphorus debate got me looking for some info I'd read a while back. I couldn't find it, but did come across some other info that pertains to 2 other discussions that have come up before.

1) Use of flares for illumination at night. CM doesn't currently have this as I recall because it is generally believed that flares were mostly used for signalling purposes. However here is an exception as describe in "Order of Battle Series, The Ardennes Offensive" by Bruce Quarrie:

"This was defended by the CCA of the 7th Armored Division, which had already had one encounter with 9 SS-Panzer Division outside St. Vith, and was now starting to pull out as part of a planned northeasterly withdrawal to straighten and shorten the American lines. After a short, very confused fire-fight ilumminated soley by flares, Wisliceny's force broke through at Manhay. The road to Granmenil and Erezee lay open." (p. 67)

This would seem to indicate that there were cases where flares were used for illumination purposes during night battles.

2) The use of the POZIT proximity fuse has also been raised before. Here is a real example of it actually being used in combat as found in same source noted above on p. 87:

"In the first place, Kaschner did not have a whole division for the attack, but only three battalions; one of the others was late arriving, one had gone to help 272 Volksgrenadier division to the notrh, and one was too far away, having been relieved at Wahlerscheid only hours before the assault. In the second place the Americans, having been there for a month, were well dug-in with overlapping fields of fire. And in the thrid place, seeing the German attack developing, the CO of the 405th Field Artillery Group, Col. Oscar Axelson, too the bold step of ordering his 196th Battalion to use the still top-secret POZIT proximity fuze. This made the high explosive shells burst overhead the German infantry, causing a degree of panic as well as horrendous casulaties (Kaschner lost 20% of his assault force on the first day)."

So there is some evidence to support the notion that POZIT fuses were actually used in combat as well.

Do either of these stories indicate that these actions were taken on a "regular" basis? Probably not, but they do show us that flares were actually used for illumination purposes in order to fight at night and the POZIT fuses did see actual use in at least one real combat situation in the ETO during the war.

Mike D

aka Mikester

PS: Still looking for that WP info.

[ARCHANGEL]

M,

I could have sworn I saw two airbursts in VOT...105mm... over Plomville during a little pre-assault shelling of the place.

I was surprised...but there they were.

[Lorak]

airburst? or roof strikes?

Lorak

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http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/combatmissionclub

Lorak's FTX for CM

[Jager 7]

Mikester,

Good stuff on the Proximity fuse in the ETO. I would assume it became more widely used during the early months of 45. The Variable Time (VT) fuse was first used in the Pacific on Okinawa (same as proximity fuse)between April and June '45.

Don't know how much illume was used for illuminating the battlefield in the ETO but was used extensively against the Japanese at least during the latter part of the war.

I only caught part of the WP debate but I would suggest WP as a quick building smoke and not to be used too close to friendlies. Don't know exactly what smoke round was used during WWII but do know that HC (chem smoke) was used in artillery for about the past 30 years or more. WP being used for marking and the quick build of the initial screen. The HC smoke round being the main smoke screen producing munition. Anyone else got any data?

[Formerly Babra]

Set up upwind of your enemy, burn a house down, cross the river... Oops, not in CM.

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When I die I want to go peacefully, like my grandfather, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car

[Marty]

Just in passing. while thumbing through the book I mentioned (BREAKOUT AT NORMANDY), I noticed the following :

"In trading shots with German armor, his M10 had been hit in the bogey wheels, which had impaired it but not crippled it. A jeep had driven through with an officer shouting, "Anybody out of town that can get out of town!" Flares had lit the town up "just like day." The M10 had limped out of town, headed west on the D13 with one of its two engines knocked out. When the German column of 11 vehicles came along the D13 shortly thereafter, they paid no attention to the apparently knocked-out U.S. tank destroyer and simply drove past in the darkness."

Certainly an exciting adventure for that crew (!), But the point was the reference to the use of flares which seems to have been fairly common.

[V B]

I agree with the flares issue. I mean is there not some way this could be added as a dynamix light source? Does CM use the dynamic light sourceing? I mean a simple small cylinder that provides area light (can be used like a art strike or air strike). I know this has been discussed. Otherwise I was wondering if you guys at BTS were going to add landing craft? Immobile structures? FOr us scenario designers out there. Anyhow. Thanks for any response that can be included.