mattman2000 Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Just had to say thank you to whoever designed this scenario for the Boots and Tracks team. First, the setting is great. Walloon volunteers (lead by an ambitious Fascist politician) are trapped inside the Korson Pocket -- trying to delay the Russians so thousands of Germans can assemble for their attempted breakout. The Walloons are exhausted, popping pills to stay awake (they count as weakened) and understrength, but they're largely veterans. The designer even included the historic personalities as command elements, and I made a point to keep them busy. The map looks great. Rain and mud limits mobility. Fog simulating the dust raised by a monstrous Soviet arty barrage has cut visibility to about 200m. Half the town's in flames or been reduced to rubble. There's no whirling tank clashes here. You position your guys as you think best, reinforce weak points in your line and hope it turns out OK. I don't want to include spoilers, I'll just mention the following: This was one of the few times I've seen the AI come close to coordinating its infantry and armor. In the first few Turns I saw Russian infantry elements scurrying between pieces of cover, approaching my grenadiers. Once firefights began to break out, the T-34s came out of seemingly nowhere and started providing direct fire support for grunts. My first line of infantry, along with Stug and Panzer IVs, held off the attack initially, but where overcome by sheer numbers as the Reds kept coming (some foxholes where just surrounded by wiped out squads). By the time the Guards Cavalry hit my second line, the field was choked with eliminated infantry men (friend and foe). You become attached to certain units during a scenario -- I had three. A Stug that was "shocked" and lost a crewmember to a 76mm AP shell, panicked and ran from a wave of T-34s, then recovered and killed five Russian tanks before being knocked out of action. A historic Battalion Command element that started the map overseeing a Pak, assaulted and killed a T-34 with a panzerfaust once that gun was KO'd, and then stormed and slaughtered a Russian pioneer squad hiding in a building. It then went on to rally a platoon and push the Reds from a VL on my right flank. Finally, a tank hunter team that managed to kill two T-34s by sneaking through the rubble. By the time it was over I managed to pull out a Victory, and saw that I had inflicted 367 casualties (along with 16 T-34s) in return for losing 118 men, three AFVs and a Pak. I'm not someone who can constantly brag he trounces the AI, so I felt pretty good about myself. And I know I'll be playing this one again. Well done 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfish Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Franko is the designer of this gem. The amount of research and detail he puts into his work is very impressive, and this scenario shows it. His Prokhorovka Op, which is part of the Kursk Pack, will be coming out soon. If you enjoyed this scenario you should definetly play that one. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattman2000 Posted July 15, 2003 Author Share Posted July 15, 2003 I'm gonna grab that pack this weekend. I'll keep my out for the op, as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franko Posted July 17, 2003 Share Posted July 17, 2003 Thanks for the kind words. I'm a big fan of the Cherkassy Battles, and I hope to release a few more of them. That one was a delight to design; and putting elements in to have the AI coordinate with the infantry was tricky: its now become sort of a trade secret. Thanks again. Frank 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Måkjager Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 Hi Franko... i just HAD to see what my bud Mattman2k was raving about ( he usually raves alot as he is RAVING MAD ) . Well...... i played it for the first time last night and "struggled" to win a minor victory against a ferocious Red assault...and i played it again today( Major Victory this time around ). The "star" for the Axis was the Pak 40 for me in both battles. It claimed 5 ko tanks in the 1st and 7 ko in the second. The pace of battle once joined just never seemed to let up. The Axis commander has to make delicate but pressing judgements on where and how fast he has to send in his armour...as i lost a few to the mud nowhere near the frontline...thus putting even more pressure on the defenders. An outstanding *WOW* what the *Feck* moment for me in the second time around was watching a Stug ko and destroy a Soviet SPG not 100m away...only to see the "destroyed" SPG fire off its last round after it had been ko smack into the Stug that killed it..both went up at the same time. Talk about wanting to tear your hair out :mad: I also had one of those Tank Hunter teams do the biz with 2 tank kills at close quarters. I had hidden the team on the roadside in a crater... i was not able to see them even with the bases on. During the game i forgot about where they were..only to have my eye catch hold of a "Hit" on a advancing Soviet tank.......yup..it was that hidden team doing its job..and it soon took out another All in all Franko...really enjoyed the scenario..its to be commended as a vs AI. REALLY looking forward to more of your work..especially the Kursk battle Best Regards Måkjager 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattman2000 Posted July 23, 2003 Author Share Posted July 23, 2003 Hey, I'm back. And except for the Irishman's attacks on my mental health I have to agree with everything he just put in there. This is a great scenario for those gamers who keep bragging about their tactical prowess and how the AI can't pose a challenge when on the attack. The only thing I regret -- I pulled a 70-30 victory from the scenario, but never got to see those Shermans sittting back near the Russian side of the board. Do they show up near the end? Gimme more 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevsharr Posted July 24, 2003 Share Posted July 24, 2003 Where is this scenario located I can't access the b+t website and it's not listed at the scenario depot? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfish Posted July 24, 2003 Share Posted July 24, 2003 Originally posted by kevsharr: Where is this scenario located I can't access the b+t website and it's not listed at the scenario depot? The new Boots and Tracks site Click on 'our most recent battles'. Should be halfway down. Enjoy, and let us know what you think of it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevsharr Posted July 26, 2003 Share Posted July 26, 2003 Thank's alot and the new B+T look's good! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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