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CMAK
Kampfgruppe Richter in Budel. Dilemma, fight the allies or retreat?
A Very British Civil War
Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme.
Background
England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles)
Weather: overcast, mild, dry
The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more.
In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing.
In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!

Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included:
On the Right (Axis in this scenario
* The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII.
* The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so.
* The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire
* The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda.
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts
On the Left (Allied in this scenario)
* The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne.
* The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War.
* The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia.
* The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine.
* The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian,
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain.
This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already.
Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner.
This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
SCENARIO DESCRIPTION
A meeting engagement played out in the wooded terrain of the Ardennes at the beginning of the Bulge. 60+ turns.

The Germans are trying to seize important territory: bridges, cross-roads, and towns to allow breakthrough armored thrusts. Central to this map is the village of L’Shone and its surrounding road network.

The Americans are trying to occupy the same terrain to prevent its use by the Germans.

Best played as: H2H
Second Best played as: H2H
(Not designed for vs. AI play due to mounted units)

Map edge friendly to Axis: East. Map edge friendly to Allies: West.

It is hard to believe that it was only a week ago when we first heard of “The Outbreak”. Initially it was thought to be a terrorist biological attack, with outbreaks in large cities overwhelming medical facilities. But soon it was apparent it was much more… the more we hear, the more we realize that we know very little – the cause – the prognosis – or the scale of this crisis. All remain unknown – at least to the general populace. What the “government” knows may be something else again.
You are Jack McCann, police chief in the small coastal tourist town of Shady Acres, Maine. Normally by this time of the year, your town is overrun with loud tourists from the cities of the East Coast. If only that were the case.
Four days ago a large staff of the Center for Disease Control showed up at the Town Hall, and brusquely informed the Mayor, Chuck Zeto, that the Federal Government was immediately taking control of “Shady Island”, a favourite picnic spot in the bay. This was all one-way communication, you don’t know much more other than soon thereafter a convoy of sealed trucks arrived and barbed wire was being strung across the access bridge to the island.
The National Guard has been mobilized, and your own police force has been placed under the command of the governor’s office.
And yet even now, you are not sure why. A strange illness has swept the globe, but what little news was initially released was like something from a bad movie. Now that trickle of news has stopped altogether. The official story is that a Chinese cyber attack has shut down the Internet, but this being Small Town America, there are a lot of conspiracy theories floating about.
The Mayor, Chuck Zeto, who also is the local bank manager, has asked that citizens assist in securing the town from whatever threats may arise. Given that the local National Rifle Association sponsored Chuck’s last campaign, their members were eager to show their affinity for the 2nd amendment and reaffirm their ownership of large capacity magazines and assault rifles. With some hesitation, you agreed to deputize these men, but have asked them to stay at home until they may actually be required. Their training and experience doesn’t necessarily match their enthusiasm.
You were at your office all night. You had a call from Doctor Jacobie at the hospital. Dr. Jacobie, a Vietnam war draft dodger who only returned from Canada in the 1990s, is determined to ignore what he considers a “fascist edict” that all patients in suspected cases of the “outbreak” be turned over to the C.D.C. immediately and quarantined on the Island. “It reminds me of the interment of the Japanese in 1942!” Jacobie ranted, and he said he would treat all patients as “patients, not criminals”. At that, you sent two teams of part time deputies to the hospital to deal with any issues that may arise.
The town is an important transportation hub, in that the coastal railway runs through the town. The Railway has deployed their own security at the train station, as if there is an epidemic, it is important to prevent those infected from traveling. Hopefully they have enough staff to do the job.
You remained in your office all night, and it seemed that things may be calming down, but then with a complete news black out, and the mute C.D.C. guards by the island Park, who knows? You did receive several calls from citizens overnight, reporting screams and other noises from the areas near cemeteries last night; typically the local teens will go there to drink and smoke up. Although you usually will send a Deputy to put the run on them, there are more important things to do now.
The sun is coming up, but a heavy thick fog has blankets the town. A convoy of C.D.C. relieve staff are expected in from Bangor any minute; hopefully they have some news. To allow your exhausted staff get some needed rest, two detachments of National Guard troops will be arriving, one is about 5 minutes away and a second convoy from the east in another 5 minutes after that. It will be good to get home and hit the sheets. You are so tired you feel like the walking dead.
Your phone rings. It is the security detail from the train station. Old man Codger, a elderly farmer who lives north east of town, has just shown up at the Rail station, out of breath and terrified. He is rambling about being attacked at his home, and that the only way he could escape is by setting the buildings on fire. You had better send a Deputy to go interview him. It sounds bizarre.
The phone rings again… it is Deputy Boomhauer at the hospital. He sounds quite distraught. Apparently the hospital was overwhelmed with patients overnight, and now he reports the motion detector alarms in the morgue have gone off.
At that second the switch board lights up, and several simultaneous “10-78” calls are received – “officer need assistance!”… What the?????”

This scenario is
1) Meant strictly for play against the AI. Although it one player wants to try playing the Axis/Zombies, please feel free.
2) The scenario is meant to be strictly for fun.
3) Watch you ammo loads. Shoot for the head. You only have the ammo you brought into the fight.
August 12,1944. France. SE of Argentan.
Married platoons of U.S. 5th Armored Division
night out-posts.
France, 1940 - Case Red.

Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
Cassino town was destroyed by Allied Airforces on Wednesday, March 15th, along with the abby known as Monte Cassino. "The town was blown assunder and beaten into heaps of rubble, the official British history reported. Yet hundreds of bombs and thousands of shells failed to pound the town to powder, contrary to Allied expectations, nor were the surviving defenders 'rendered comatose', as planned." --The Day of Battle
CMBB
The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns.
Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)

In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…

After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.

No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?

Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
This is a CMBB scenario, modelling Plan Yellow in France in May 1940.
It is a "dynamic flag" scenario, on a large map that will provide many options in attack and defence.
July 1941, a german advance detachment, composed of motorized infantry with Stug support, attempts to cut off retreating russian forces.
Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
July, 1944. Operation Bagration already going on since one month. The german north front runs danger to be cut off. Setting down of german troops in western direction
runs among constant attacks of soviet armoured shock forces...
43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
October, 1942
In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.

But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.

The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.

Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
CMBO
German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.

VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
Before dawn on D-Day the British airbourne must destroy the gun batteries at Vierville.
Koen - A Town to conquer
*****************************************

a Couple of weeks ago the Allies have conquered one of the major towns in France.

Now the Germans broke through the American line of defense in the Ardennes and are advancing rapidly towards this town.

Can the Allied commander hold this town?
November 1944, the French 2nd Armored Division is tasked to breach the German fortified line of the Vosges mountains. This battle takes place on the second days of the attack. The different French Task forces are competing with each other in order to be the first to reach the plain of Alsace. The company team Minjonnet (part of the Task Force Massu) blocked close to Voyer in a narrow valley by German remnants of the 708. ID has to bypass quickly this resistance. The French can be sure that their old enemy is not about to ease their action !
An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
Arnhem Bridge battle. British airborne against armoured SS.
Updated Scenarios
CMAK
A Very British Civil War
Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme.
Background
England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles)
Weather: overcast, mild, dry
The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more.
In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing.
In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!

Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included:
On the Right (Axis in this scenario
* The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII.
* The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so.
* The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire
* The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda.
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts
On the Left (Allied in this scenario)
* The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne.
* The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War.
* The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia.
* The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine.
* The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian,
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain.
This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already.
Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner.
This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
France, 1940 - Case Red.

Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
Axis and Allied forces clash for a town and large hill.
This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
Normandy - known for its rolling fields, orchards, stud farms and a good glass of cider. Sheltered from the elements which can pound the coastline this is a landscape is carpeted in apple blossom. It is here, at the heart of one of the best designated cider producing areas that you will find the Chateau les Bruyîres, an Empire period residence and 18th century manor house - run by the Wehrmacht. It is your task to put an end to this inappropriate ownership.
US Army invades an island defended by Italian Troops.

Map is 1200x1200.
Non-Historical.
20 Battles 10 Turns each.

Play HtH (Preferred), or Allied vs. Axis AI.
Allow AI to setup units, there is no pre-planned setup for the defender yet.
Two Reinforced Infantry Companies with Armor Support clash in this typical Meeting Engagement.
engineering company attacks dug in german positions somewhere near monte cassino to capture wine stash for captain hosehead
CMBB
Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns.
Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)

In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…

After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.

No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?

Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
October, 1942
In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.

But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.

The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.

a product of HDCS

3rd SS Totenkopf arrives back at the front after its Hiatus from the front in France and is immediately thrown back into action.

Follow the swift Donet's campaign the IInd SS panzer Korps stands poised for the final push too retake Kharkov and restore the pride of the Waffen SS, but they have too cross the Mzha river first.

Alternative History : Moskow Decision
This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941.
The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
Alternative History : Moskow Decision
This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941.
The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
CMBO
German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.

VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
Newest Maps
CMAK
a fictional Town in North Africa.
Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting
engagement.
Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting
engagement.
Version 2, church size and orientation adjusted to be in village center. Minor adjustments such as villages, small hills and ridges around the wheat fields.
Mixed terrain, woods, open fields, villages, church, river, bridges.
This is a huge (actually 5 x 4 km) map representing a piece of French countryside west of the town of Arras. It is flat (gentle slopes) and moderately populated with villages, forests, orchards and the like. It is suitable for a massive battle of regiment-sized forces (15,000 points or more).
Fictional Map, Crete, An almost compleatly dried up river bed with a ruined bridge across, 2 small hamlets on either side
The axis forces have captured the ridge east of Lieso. It´s been quiet over a month, so they have had enough time to dig deep in the ridge.

Allied forces are attacking with brutal force from east. Tuomari-Laurila has already been taken.
The axis forces are about to assault a little town called Lieso in aim to capture a road that leads through a ridge to deeper east. The allied forces are dug in somewhere around the old elementary school.
A small river splits a large map, with lots of roads and 6 bridges to control and a town also to control. This map is for meeting engagements and no side has a terrain advantage. Hopefully this will boil down to your choice of units and your game play.
CMBB
Beautiful and challenging map perfect for direct or flank approach. Fight in the woods, the streets, the buildings or inside a small factory! Great for infantery with some armor and artillerie support and IDEAL for a quick motorized assault in the middle of a foggy night.
This was a work in progress for the cancelled CM Campaigns. Maps are both operations and battles. Four maps included. One is large version (75% accurate scale) of the entire fortress of Brest Litovsk and immediate area. Others are 2 km x 2 km maps of the north and south portions of the fortress. You are welcome to use these maps as long as your credit "Bannon DC" for map creation.
1600x1600m, middle eastern front,
3 big victory locations in the middle of the map,
4 additional small flags,
medium settlement with surrounding rural areas,
some hills, woods and farmland,
a small river crossing from N to S,
prepared setup-zones for both sides,
therefor I call it battlefield-map.
Germans advance easily untill they find... A speed bump on the road to Leningrad
This Map is designed for Meeting engagements, it is set in a fictional City.
A medium town lying crosswisely to the advance direction. In and around the town gardens and fields, some bush and tree rows.
2 small rivers with some fords.
Only 1 large victory location.
Best used for meeting engagements.
Damaged large town/small city divided by a river. Contains several bridges, an old fortress, stadium, factories, railway station, and an old manor. Flags spread pretty evenly out on the map, made for a QB axis attack. IMPORTANT: ONLY FOR USE WITH UMLAUTS STALINGRAD MODS. You most use the scenario with these three mods found at www.cmmods.com:

FULL_telephonepole_umlaut
rubble_spray_umlaut
stalingrad_buildings_umlaut
Stalingrad-ish map made for Umlaut´s Stalingrad-mods.
29 2x2km maps. Various terrain; city, village, farmland, deep forests ...

They all quite beatuful ;)
I know it was UK and not USSR! but i didnt own CMAK when i made the level and i dont want to do everything over again so USSR must equal UK! its a fun level with the FJ troops in the greatest air invasion prior to D-Day.
CMBO
This CMBO map is built from a topographical map of the little town of Seville, NE of Melbourne, Australia. My idea was to lauch a Brit brigade (3 btns) across it at a German static defence screening mobile reserves.
Desiliens is an ancient Roman town. The map features the ruins of the town, an aquaduct, and the ruins of a villa on a low central hill.

The eastern side of the map is mostly woods, the west is hills and farms. It is most suitable for an assault on the town, but if the focus is shifted to the ruined villa it would be good for a meeting engagement.
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A town with a river and lake surrounded by grainfields
Map is based on a sketch in the book > Die guten Glaubens waren< the history of the SS Polizei Division and shows a hard-fought area south of Leningrad. The Observatory was not reached by the Germans although they really tried it
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JDR DRAGOON
Junior Tester

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Joined: Aug 2005
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Post #9   5425 days, 6 hours, 40 minutes, 25 seconds ago        
And here are my comments:

I generally agree with most of your comments. Overall I find the scenario balanced. It is (yet another) scenario where a heavy mechanized soviet force must attack from line of march towards a screen of heavily depletedbut high quality german infantry backed up by armoured reserves of equavally high quality. The theme is thus the classic one of outnumbered but superior armed and trained germans against the more numerous russians.

The terrain was quite intriguing. In a twist on the familiar theme of "driving westwards" the russians were actually advancing towards the east this time, with the goal of encircling and bagging the germans still fighting there. The eastern half of the map consisted of the german setup area, comprising a village in the NE corner with 4 small v-flags, a large hill (with scattered trees, patches of rocks and a large V-flag) extending from the south edge of the village and towards the southern table edge, where it overlaps with a large area of forest containing two V-flags. A road was running from the northern table edge, through the village and behind the large hill and forest.

Another patch of forest covered the NW corner of the map. In front of the large hill was a huge cornfield, extending from the western table edge and east to the crest of the hill and filling almost 2/3rds of the lenght of the map from North to South. To the south of this cornfield was a small depression along the western table edge plus a brush covered gully with patches of forest running from W-E straight towards the german held woods. This area in the SW corner of the map was also the soviet setup area and where all soviet reinforcements would arrive.


The scenario seems OK lenghtwise. The opposite forces actually start within 500-600 meters of each other and the soviets have good approach terrain for their infantry through either the cornfield or down the brush covered gully towards the forest with the two V-flags. 30 turns should be plenty, especially given the plethora of mobile firepower the soviets receive as reinforcements.

The correlation of forces is almost even in points terms, and are actually evenly matched at 1913 pts each, once the 161 points for unarmed transports have been deducted from the soviet total. Numbers wise the soviets field 7 platoons (1 recon, 2 SMG, 3 MotInf, 1 Pioneer, all regular and with 1-2 exceptions having reasonable HQ bonuses) to the german 4 (3 Panzergrenaider, 1 Pioneer, all Veteran or Crack with the Hqs having average to excellent bonuses, but the two german platoons on the table at start are "Weakened" instead of "Fit, making them harder to maneuver around). In support weapons the soviets field 2 Maxim MGs and 2 82mm Mortars (all regulars) against 2 german MG42s and 2 81mm Mortars (the MGs were Crack and the MTs veteran, albeit "Weakened" instead of "Fit"). The germans also have a lot of various other odds and sods such as 2 LMG42 teams (Vet), 3 Tank Hunter Teams (Vet), 1 Sharpshooter (Crack), a PanzerSchreck (also Crack), a Pak40 75mm AT Gun (Crack). Against this the soviets puts up 2 37mm AA guns, 1 12,7mm MG, 2 Tankhunter teams and 3 AT Rifles (all regular). Both sides also had some HQs (with low to excellent bonuses) to command all of these support weapons. In the light vehicles department the soviets have a bunch of jeeps to transport their recon ptn. plus 2 armored cars (all Reg), they also have 3 MG armed scout cars and Halftracks to ferry around HQs and Support weapons (all Reg). The germans for their parts had halftracks for one of the PzG ptns (3 MG armed and one 37mm armed) plus a single quad 20mm armed AA halftrack (all Vet). In the armor department the soviets have 6 T34s plus 2 SU122 (all Reg) against 2 german MK IVHs and 1 StuG IIIG (all Vet). Regarding artillery the soviets get one 120mm module with 40 shells (Reg), while the germans get a 105 module w. 60 shells (vet, but "Weakened" instead of "Fit"). The germans also get a single FW190 Fighterbomber (Vet) with a single bomb and plenty of Gunz. The Krauts also get a string of mines (padlocked in the cornfield to block the approaches to the village through the corn) and a single TRP for their guns and mortars to zero in on. In the At weapons vs Armor department, the soviets deploy 6 T34s, which can take out all german tanks except the StuG (due to the generous modelling of its layered armor) from the front plus 2 SU122 SP Guns, which can take out all german armor, but suffers from a slow reload rate and low accuracy against point targets once the range gets above 300 meters. The soviets also gets two 37mm AA guns plus 3 ATRs and a few THs. All of these are unlikely to take out a german tank when deployed offensively but might just get lucky. Overall this might account for 1 major AT system. The soviets thus have 9 such systems. The germans deploy one 75mm PAK, 2 MK IVs and 1 StuG. On top of this they get 1 Schreck and a slew of TH teams plus all german infantry units are festooned with fausts, Magnetic mines and grenade bundles. This constitutes the equivalent of 1 more major AT system. Overall the germans deploy 5 such systems, but all of them are at least Veteran and 2 of them are Crack. The overall correlation is thus one of 9:5 in the soviet favor, but the germans have a not inconsiderable experience advantage, and the StuG is immune to most of the soviet AT weapons from the front, so the soviet advantage is not as big as one might think.

As already mentioned this sets up the classic east Front engagement of excellent quality but outnumbered germans against hordes of average commies. But the two sides are actually exactly evenly matched in points terms, but the bulk of the soviet forces show up on the field about 7-10 turns before the bulk of the german reinforcements show up. The germans start the game with 2 reduced plts. of PzGs and most of their support weapons and their artillery spotter on the map (almost all in a "Weakened" state), while the soviets have only their Recon Platoon with their jeeps and armored cars. But before 10 turns have elapsed the soviets have received an entire Motinf company (3 platoons) plus support weapons (Maxims and Mortars), 3 T34s plus a plt. of SMG Riders and a TH team and the 120mm Spotter. In the same timeframe the germans only get their 20mm AA halftrack. The soviets thus have a temporary advantage of 5 platoons to 2 and 3 T34s against a single 75mm PAK pkus a Schreck (albeit both Crack) and some TH teams. During turn 12-15 both sides gets reinforced further, with the soviets receiving their SU122s, Pioneers plus the AA Guns and their assorted transports. THe germans get their Armor (2 MK IVs, 1 StuG) plus a plt. of Pioneers and a plt. of Panzergrenadiers in Halftracks. On turn 20 the germans get their Fighterbomber while the soviets get their last 3 T34s plus SMG riders.

Since both sides are equal in points terms this means that the game should take on a kind of ebb and flow. The soviet player should capitalize on his initial advantage in the first 10 turns or so to put a huge dent in the initial german force and grab as much terrain as possible. If he can make it unto the central hill and into the woods before the german reinforcements show up in strenght he has every chance of bushwhacking them and thus deciding the game. The german player suffers from another problem: his forces are of excellent quality, but initially they are spread thinly (only a very reduced company of 2 platoons of 2 squads to hold a front of over 800 meters). He thus has to rely on his support weapons and artillery to delay and attrition the soviet attacker and win time for the reinforcements to arrive. If the german player can manage to hold onto most of the objectives and inflict sizeable losses on the soviet attacker while retaining most of his force intact, his excellent quality reinforcements have a very good chance of simply wiping the field with the remaining soviets ;-)

I was quite anxious about how to get the most out of my limited german resources. My "trench strenght" in pure infantry numbers was critically low (and "Weakened" to boot"), so I had to base my defense almost solely on the long range firepower of my (excellent) infantry heavy weapons. To this effect I setup my worst HQ, both Crack MG 42s, the Crack Sharpshooter, the 105mm FO and both 81mm mortars on the central hill w. the large V-flag, with LOS over practically the entire map (the mortars were placed on the reverse slope though, and fired through the HQ spotting for them). From this point they would be able to fire on any enemy advance approaching from the west. In the woods w. the 2 V-flags to the south I positioned my company HQ w. 3 squads and an LMG42, set up to cover the brush lined gully where it enters the forest from the west, yet still so far inside the treeline that fire could not be directed against them from outside. In front of them I also set up the TRP. I was banking on this platoon being able to stop any probing attack with its own firepower. In case you brought up more forces than they could handle, I would fire my mortars and FO at the TRP, hile my platoon would withdraw further into the woods. This of course meant that the village was only held by a skeleton force: 1 HQ, 1 PzG Squad and an LMG, but the approaches to the village was either blocked by the minefield or over open ground (and thus interdictable by my heavy weapons group on the hill), so I was willing to take my chances here. The only thing remaining was for me to figure out my Antitank fireplan. I was tempted to put the Crack PAK40 on the hill with the rest of the heavy weapons, but I was afraid it might only get off 1-2 shots before being killed by fire from the full 180 frontal degrees. I thus put it in the village, where it could shoot enfilading across the western base of the hill and frontally against any enemies appearing out of the woods to the immediate west. I set up the Schreck and both TH teams to cover the southern slope of the hill (which the PAK 40 couldn´t cover) in order to prevent any enemy vehicles from leaking through here (I even speacifically disabled Foxholes for these units, since I wouldn´t want anything to give away their positions prematurely). The platoon in the woods to the south were supposed to use their organic close assault AT weapons in case any vehicle dared venture into the forest. Having made as good a setup as could be hoped for I then started the game, hoping that I wouldn´t have to wait long for my reinforcements.

The opening turns saw enemy infantry in platoon strenght (some of them in jeeps) walking, crawling, running and driving along (and in) the gully in the south towards the forest held by my platoon. The MG42s on the hill opened fire at long range, destroying a couple of jeeps and sending most of the infantry (which later turned out to be a Recon Platoon) into cover. The 105mm FO sent a few flight of shells into them for good measure as well. Then the tanks appeared: 3 T34s w. riders coming out of the depression near the soyrth of the soviet table edge. My MGs shifted their fire in order to scrape the infantry off the armor and the sniper began picking his own shots in an attempt to button up or kill the TCs. The T34s almost immediately split up and started driving in their seperate directions (one going into and entering the woods to the south, another driving straight east towards the hill and the last hooking to the NE into the cornfield), alternating between moving and firing off some speculative shots against the hill. Meanwhile the infantry had entered the forest, where they were greeted by my platoon, who promptly proceeded to shoot the pants off the underequipped recon infantry at very short ranges with their larger numbers of automatic weapons. Additional soviet infantry now started to appear, some flitrating along the gully and into the forest (2 platoons it would later turn out), while others began going through the cornfield towards the hill (1 platoon). From a base-of fire near the soviet table edge, mortars, machineguns and a large calibre FO started to fire against the hill, but randomly and not against any pinpoint target.

With the arrival of the additional infantry and a T34 in the forest my platoon there, now low on ammo, called down the 105mm FO and both mortars against the TRP and immediately withdrew, leaving the enemy infantry cowering behind them (didn´t seem to do anything to the T34 though). The 105mm FO, having spent 50% of his shells, saved the rest for "Final Protective Fire" should any infantry try to attack from the Cornfeidl and up the hill . Meanwhile my position in the village was reinforced by a 20mm Quad AA HT, which I set up near the southern exit of the village, enabling it to shoot at any infantry or light vehicles cresting the hill (and any planes as well for that matter). My men on the hilltop had taken about ½ dozen casualties from the specualtive fire so far, but the fire had not really managed to suppress them for any lenght of time and outgoing fire was still strong. But around turn 10 a BA64 and a T34 approached the base of the hill, obviously wanting to kill the inhabitants. This forced me to reveal my AT gun, which promptly took out both vehicles (I was hoping to catch more than one tank with my opening volley but had to settle for this, otherwise they would eventually have revealed my entire setup). They still managed to spot a single MG42 foxhole, which then came under intense mortar fire, reducing the crew to 1 man by games end (but he was still up and firing when not pinned! Hurra for Crack!). On turn 12-13 my reinforcements arrived. Using the road behind the hill to rapidly shift my reinforcements laterally, I sent both Infantry platoons (PzG and Pioneers) towards the forest, in order to shore up my ragged low ammo platoon there and evict the enemy presence. The AFVs were sent straight west towards the southern parts of the hill, intending to take up reverse slope positions in order to rake the advancing soviets. The Halftracks stayed on the reverse slope, ready to machinegun any infantry trying to crest the hill and overrun the heavy weapons near the large flag. As this was taking place, more soviet gear also showed up: 2 SU122 SP guns, a bunch of infantrt (later turned out to be Pioneers) plus a couple of Halftracks towing "Guns". The SU 122s started pumping shells onto the hilltop, while one of the limbered guns started doing a sprint towards the forest and the other started setting up. In short order my StuG gained LOS to a T34 through a keyhole between the forest and the southern slope of the hill, and duly despatched it. meanwhile my 3 infantry platoons in the forest were coming under pressure by the attacking soviets. To my dismay I discovered that the T34 supporting the attack here had canister available, which enabled it to wipe out entire squads w. a single shot and to my chagrin the infantr refused to use their AT weapons on it before they were destroyed or routed. 2 squads (1 PzG, 1 Pioneer) quickly went down the drain in this manner. But my vengeance was nigh: simulatnously cresting the hill, the MK IVs and the StuG drew LOS to the SU122 at about 500-600 meters. Both SP guns were duly dispatched at a range where they were hard pressed to respond (the 122mm gun is quite low velocity and in order for a slow travelling HEAT round to impact reliably they need to be a lot closer than 500 meters to be sure of a good hit. On top of this they reload quite slowly, making it even more important that the first HEAT shot be a telling shot). My AFVs then turned their wrath on the enemy assembly of light vehicles, dispatching a Scout Car and a BA64. You then chose to call it quits (probably wise enough, since my Veteran AFVs would have been essentially free to unload on you).

Overall I am quite pleased with my own play and I don´t really think there was much I could do better. The only parts I have to grumble about was outside my hands (such as overmodelled canister shots slaughtering entire 10 man squads in one snuff). Another aspect was the poor performance of my FO (only 2 casualties from firing off 30 or so shells), despite him firing at a clumped up Company(-) target. Bad luck I guess.

You have already noticed a few things you might have done differently. Here are my observations:

-Your initial reconnaisance was quite poor and your use of the Recon Platoon as regular infantry was not that good. They don´t have the firepower to stand up to machinegun festooned Panzergrenadiers at point blank. You did eventually find out abot the exact location of my troops, but that was after almost 10 turns had elapsed. What you should have done was send out ½squads (either in jeep or on foot) against positions you suspected was harboring the enemy. Either they get close enough and spot or they are checked by long range fire. Once you have an idea where the fire is coming from you send forward a BA64 (or perhaps even a T34) in order to get a solid spotting. This gives me the stark choise of stopping my fire (thus allowing your infantry to close) or having my position spotted and then plastered with aimed direct fire. The remnnants of the recon platoon can then be brought out later in the game, where their large ammo loadout and untouched condition would have allowed them to hunt down and finish off any german infantry hiding in the town or forest. You did manage to find my positions (more by default: by bumping into them), but it took you a long time before you were able to do anything definitive about them. Ad by the time you were, my reinforcements had arrived and the game was up. Imagine how the game could have gone if you had the picture you had of my dispositions, but you had them at turn 5 instead of turn 15?

-You probably also failed to utilize youtr T34s properly. Instead of sending them off in their seperate directions they should have stayed together, enabling them to reply more effectively against any threats that might manage to kill one of them (such as the 75mm PAK).

-You also seemed keen to rush one of your 37mm AA guns into the forest. It would have been just as effective as a "super-machinegun" firing from the trees near your table edge. It is not like it can penetrate my armor anyway, and it takes a long time to set up.

-And of course you failed to use the window of opportunity before my reinforcements whoed up. If you had managed to get onto the hill before my AFVs showed up I am sure, that my StuG and MK IVs would have had a harder time of it (and your SU 122s would have gotten those short range shots they crave in order for their HEAT to connect).

-The reason your SU122 didn´t fire off more shots against my armor were fourfold. 1: They were in LOS of each other for only two turns (and not even for the entirity of those turns, thus limiting the firing opportunities), 2: Units are generally wary about risking precious shots at low hit percentages at long range, 3: The SU122 has a long reload time due to seperate ammunition. It can thus fire off 2-3 shots a minute at most with 2 being the most typical, 4: Your AFVs were generally buttoned and mine were not, allowing me to get LOS and first shots more easily. It often took yur AFVs between 10-30 seconds to discover that they were under fire, on top of this I was also able to mass the fire of 2 or more AFVs against each SU 122 in sequnce.

Overall I find the scenario balanced enough though. The soviet player certainly has the means available to achieve his ends.
JDR DRAGOON
Junior Tester

Member #2429
Joined: Aug 2005
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Post #8   5425 days, 6 hours, 41 minutes, 5 seconds ago        
OUTCOME:Total Victory
STATISTICS:
Axis
Allied
Player Name:
Me
Him
Experience Bonus:
0
0
Play Balance:
0
0
Men OK
144
2
Tot. Casualties
41
55
Men KIA
9
17
Men Captured
0
205
Mortars Dest.
0
2
Guns Dest.
0
2
Pillboxes Dest.
0
0
Vehicles Dest.
0
17
Aircraft Dest.
0
0
POINTS:
Axis
Allied
Flags Held:
900
0
Enemy Casualties:
1083
265
Prisoners Taken:
1580
0
Exited Troops:
0
0
Scenario Bonus:
0
0
FINAL SCORE:
93%
7%

Played this one PBEM against human opponent. He surrendered in turn 18 due to casualties. Here are his comments:

Realistically I could have probably taken the two flags in the forested area
(w/ heavy losses to infantry - as yours were vets and mine were regulars) as
long as I kept the remaining tank alive. That wouldve been difficult with
the presence of flamers and pioneers though...

Even if I succeeded there, taking the hill would have been next to
impossible, as my battered infantry wouldn't have had the support it needed
to advance on the 3x veteran tanks you had along the ridge. 2/3 of my T34s
were KO'd, and I lost both my powerful SU-122s (the survivor was
gun-damaged). Btw, whats up with the Su-122s not firing on your armor? Hey
had HC ammo.

My 120mm FO was depleted, and I had a couple of mediocre MGs and a mortar
unit w/ ~14 rounds left. The rest of my infantry was in front of the hill
and in the woods. Your hilltop defenders proved tough...and seeing that many
were 'crack' explains why. I couldnt dislodge them with arty and
mortars...and couldnt seem to get close enough to get a spot on their exact
locations. The only thing I seemed to accomplish successfully was getting my
recon and mot. inf platoons into the woods.

The town had a few defenders, including that pesky ATG. Unfortunately, my
men were never in a position to maintain visual contact with the town area
(due to the gentle slopes), so I couldn't drop arty on it...which wouldve
possibly made an early advance on the hill successful. In retrospect, taking
the T34 with a platoon around to the left and attacking the town first may
have been a better decision (avoiding the mines of course), but hindsight is
20/20.

The two AA guns (and the presence of your AA truck) led me to believe that
there may have been air support late in the game on both sides...but air
support in CM typically has a negligible effect on final outcomes. All in
all, not a bad scenario...attacking as the Soviets is very difficult for
me...but at least it wasn't one of those 'exit' maps! ;-)
LEEW
Junior Tester

Member #5800
Joined: Jan 2007
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Post #7   5971 days, 47 minutes, 29 seconds ago        
Ran through again playing allied against axis AI, no CEB.

Got a tactical victory this time.

I tried the jeep recon as you suggested. It sort of worked. The axis HMG's would strip the riders off the jeep, but the jeeps would keep going. I got a couple of them up to the scattered trees on the ridge line. One next to the AT team and one next to the LMG team. The jeeps were destroyed then, but not before the AT team was spotted. The lmg team stayed unspotted for about three more minutes, with the driver 8 meters from him. So drivers don't spot very well as they say.

The crack HMG team wasn't spotted until about turn 9. They are just really difficult to spot, even though they are shooting most of the time.

The plane only IM one tank and destroyed both halftracks and all the jeeps that were left with his mg's.

The AT rifle teams actually caused the stug to retreat and possibly caused a crew injury, as there was several side penetrations. Anyway he stayed buttoned and finally got hit in the side by a T-34. Also one of the Pz IV's got KO'ed while trying to get the allied inf that were pushing towards the ridge flag.

The AI used it's halftracks this time and lost the AA one when a T-34 was moving up in support of the inf on the ridge.

What might help is if some kind of HE started on map to do the recon by fire that you suggested. They need to start shooting before the inf tries to do much moving, as those HMG's are murder, and you can not spot them until you are really close to them. The SU's would probably work best for this, as the T-34's blast doesn't seem to bother those teams very much. The only trouble with that would be they would be out of HE when you needed to try and hold the ridge flag at the end.

Having played this three times now, it amazes me how much HE it takes to move any of the axis teams out of their foxholes. The axis AT team always causes several minutes delay for the armor. You just don't dare move to close to him until he is KIA.

This would have to be really hard H2H, and is a challenge for me against the AI.

lee Smile


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JASONC
Senior Tester

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Post #6   5974 days, 18 hours, 44 minutes, 27 seconds ago        

Since apparently it is something of a black art, I will explain how Russian motorcycle recon works.

The key is to use it piecemeal instead of as a formation. Counterintuitive, perhaps.

One dinky half squad gets in its jeep and tear-asses straight at a suspected enemy position. It makes for a spot next to some form of cover with the infantry set to bail out into that cover. But nobody really expects the first one to make it.

If the defense is utterly silent, perfect fire discipline, then the half squad bails into the cover, sneaks a little, and hides. Then unhides, and you now have eyes close enough for full spots of anyone who fires.

So the defense can't stay utterly silent. Instead somebody fires and blows up the jeep. A busted half squad bails somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and sneaks for cover as best it can. Probably drawing still more fire and getting shot all to rags.

Who cares? It is one lousy half squad.

Now, blow apart every shooter. If you only have sound contacts, deduce what piece of cover they are in from where the first cyclists got shot, from where the sound contact is, from where there is decent cover with LOS, and where you'd put the MG or whatever it was.

T-34s have enough HE ammo to remodel a medium sized city. Use it.

If you want a closer spot, send a BA-64 running up to 150m from where you think the fire came from. Keyhole the LOS a bit by poking around cover if possible. You will spot trenches, and shooters when they fire again. The defender might reveal a gun or schreck to KO the BA-64. If so you will spot it and can kill it with tank fire, on map mortar fire, or an FO etc.

Now, send the second half squad tear-assing at the defense on its "jeep". Blow up whoever shoots at it. (The rest are standing by singing "tra la la", they don't need to risk themselves).

Done properly, by the time you have used even half of one recon platoon and its supporting BAs, you will have unveiled the defense, plastered the heck out of it, and pushed some survivors close enough to ID everything that moves. You have therefore developed the contact. Now stop playing recon and launch an actual attack, using FO and AFV prep fire, full regular infantry platoons (more than one), T-34s, SMGs, etc.

It isn't worth trying to get a platoon of recon infantry into position to attack themselves like an ordinary infantry formation anyway, since they are very lightly armed. They are meant to see things and harass from a lot of points on the compass with a few diddling rifles, so weak as to barely be worth shooting at. Not to charge in a compact mass or try to shoot things down themselves. Leave that to the tanks.
--------------------
JASONC
Senior Tester

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Post #5   5974 days, 19 hours, 7 minutes, 51 seconds ago        

I appreciate the feedback and I will consider extending the time, delaying German armor arrival, or speeding up the arrival of the second T-34 platoon - or all of the above. But I also think the standard problem of killing one StuG with 8 Russian AFVs should not be as hard as it apparently was for you, particularly with the AI driving said StuG. More generally, Russian mech has lots of strengths which I don't detect in your description.

The Russian SUs have HC, which is unusual, and a key feature no one has mentioned yet. It makes them StuG killer capable from front aspect. They need somebody to distract the thing and the range needs to be short, but on this map most ranges are short.

The T-34s of course need flank shots to hurt the StuG. But can kill the Pz IVs without it - and the PAK if it matters. The Russians have 2 to 1 odds in heavy AT hitters, and the Germans only one piece that bounces rounds for 3/4 of the Russian armor, but is not actually invulnerable from the front (because of the SUs).

I also get the impression that you were taking way too much time on the attack, as the Russians. Another key to this one, which the Russian side briefing tries to stress, is that the Russians have to push hard early. If they have infantry past the crest when the German armor arrives, just for LOS and intel (also potentially distraction), then the armor fight looks a lot better for them. There is no reason the German infantry force can't be bounced out of its holes with massive Russian firepower early.

The "jeeps" are actually the recon infantry's motorcycles. Yes using them will draw fire - drawn fire will also expose shooters to reply by the Russian armor. That's sort of the idea of Russian recon. If you need something risk-able close enough to spot a firing MG, that is what the BAs are for.

The Russians need to push hard well into the German infantry defense, fast. Once they can get infantry either into the right woods or onto the crest, and the German center infantry is pretty well smashed, the Russians have options when the German reinforcements arrive. Where to send the tanks past the crest, and when, being the most important.

If you are stuck on the Russian side of the hill, you still need to make the center crestline area unlivable for the German armor. One way to do that is to have spread tanks - he can't face all directions with the StuG simultaneously (especially the AI, which will rotate it to track a BA or even infantry).

If the German armor "runs the table" then they will hold, and deserve to. The bulk of the Russian firepower is in their AFVs. The SUs have deep HE loads with very powerful shells, and the T-34s very deep HE loads with just dangerous ones. They should all be reconning by fire the whole way in. Every scrap of cover on the forward slope of the middle hill, in particular, should be heavily shelled. The recon guys should have found many positions already etc.

None of it is about setting up a slow Russian infantry attack through cover...
--------------------
LEEW
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Post #4   5977 days, 2 hours, 18 minutes, 10 seconds ago        
Tried again against the axis AI with no CEB. Got a minor defeat this time.

With prior intel on the ridge HMG's and the axis tanks it still was a bear.

The plane only gun damaged one of the SU's this time.

The axis arty spotter targeted the T34's, instead of the inf in the setup zone. He was routed at the end of the battle with shells left, but no idea when it happened.

Went up the right flank to the trees again. It took the full 30 minutes to move over there and fight a few inf units to get the flags. With a human player they would have targeted the arty in the trees on the TRP and destoyed the first platoon in.

The last two minutes saw a tank battle on the far side of the trees. Four T34's KO'ed and one stug and one Pz IV.

Four to one odds against the stug at less than 100 meters and he just nails them one after the other. One T34 backed off or it would have died as well. One had a side shot and finally took him out, but then a Pz IV, which had been unsighted nailed him and another T34.

Used the SU's from behind the trees to shoot at the ridge line. There was some axis casualties up there, but didn't know that anything was getting hit. A couple of those pesky HMG's were dead as well as a mortar.

Actuall had some indirect fire from the SU's go over the ridge and land in town. Damaged a house.

If no units are changed there will need to be more time for the russians to scout and develope an attack. It takes 10 minutes just to get moved up to the ridge and then you have to back off and redeploy.

The jeeps are of no use at all, since they come under HMG fire from the very start, if you try to use them. Just a bunch of points to the axis, unless you leave then in the hole, and then the plan will shoot at them with his MG's.

I just used the recon inf with their double stealth bonus to sneak up to the edge of the field below the ridge flag. At turn 29 they were in position for an assult, and actually was able to move up a little with some covering fire from overwatch from the tree flank and one scout car which came rushing up from the tree flank, as the enemy tanks were occupied else where. Still wasn't able to neutralize the flag as planned.

The AI didn't use any of it's reinforcements this time until I pushed through and made contact with the tanks and inf. The half tracks in town were not used either game. I didn't even know they were there until after this last game. So they could have been used to hold the ridge flag as well, or where ever they were needed.

lee Smile
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LEEW
Junior Tester

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Post #3   5977 days, 23 hours, 46 minutes, 25 seconds ago        
Played the russian attacker against the axis AI. No CEB. Got a major defeat.

Now this one seems to have a major problem. Buttoned T34's don't stand a chance against vet unbuttoned axis tanks. The axis sniper kept the tanks buttuned up. Then when they did have a chance to shoot, they would panic at seeing the stug and back off before getting the range.

Then to add insult to damage the axis air force shows up and knocks out a T34 and shocks another.

About turn 20 I had already figured out this one wasn't playable. The stug just hunted each T34 and KO'ed them as will. Nothing could stop him.

Then the Pv IV's assulted the wood flags on the south side and just drove thru the inf. The cocktails were a waste and the grenades didn't do anything.

Most of the reinforcements came in sight of the axis HMG's on the the ridge, so the inf were chewed up. A couple squads routed off map.

Got a couple platoons up the south flank and this was the only interesting part of the battle and the only reason I finished it.
The two half tracks and scout car were following close behind the platoons and were helping clear out the woods. That was fun.

The guns dropped off when the tanks started in, but with four minutes to setup, they didn't have a chance. One was overrun and the other was still sitting up.

Did I mention that the whole platoon that arrived with the last tanks were wiped out by the bomb from the plane.

Did have two platoons in the edge of the field below the ridge flag, but they just had to hide and wait with the tanks prowling around.

The stug took out the two SU's as well. They only got one shot and then he hammered them both with a one two punch. They were bottoned as well.

Since this is the second AAR with a defeat and sounds like the same problems, I think it is probably safe to say this one needs some more work.

lee Smile
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SHABE
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Post #2   6004 days, 8 hours, 10 minutes, 49 seconds ago        
I played it H2H with Stu and scored total victory. Here's how it went:

I was aware I couldn't defend the whole map with the forces at hand so I decided to go for the hill and village only. Every squad was split to give more targets for the enemy HE chuckers. After serious consideration I decided to put my main killers on the hill - all heavy ordinance plus few half-squads and all panzer knackers, the rest of the infantry was in the village with the pak and the FO. I was sure my opponent will use the woods on my left to flank the hill so my plan was to let him do so and get his boys while they emerge from the trees for their assault. I put my TRP in there so I could cheer his men with few tree-bursts. I also send my sniper well forward on my hard left so to get an idea of the strenght of the enemy flanking force.
It turned out the enemy was doing exacly what I thought - a whole platoon riding on jeeps rushed to the woods but got checked by HMG, mortar and sniper fire. The russians finally made it into the woods but a lot slower than they expected. But then very bad news came - two platoons advanced in the wheat field strait towards the hill, supported by 3 T-34 and a min later 2 SU-122. It didn't took long and the recons in the woods advanced towards the hill but I stoped them with HMG and arty, though my HMG positions were now exposed and with nothing to throw at the enemy armor I was thinking it's over. However my oppo didn't took the opportunity and instead of chucking HE on my positions he advanced his T-34 even closer to the hill, even his armored cars were silent, meanwhile the infantry in the wheat got dangerously close - at less than 200m of my positions. And here the battle got decided - my armor arrived on the right time and on the right place and almost immediately destroyed the two leading T-34 and routed the third (all T-34s were without TC and at least one was shocked, all this done by my sniper a turn earlier). I then quickly finished the SUs after firstly drilling them with my sniper. The surviving T-34 tried a mad rush through the forest but meet my tank hunter. The guys in the wheat tried to force the hill before my now jobless tanks could turn around and face them but the 120 mortar and the maxim were not enough to suppress my defenders and I quickly routed them. I also started local counter-attack in the woods with my mounted infantry. It didn't took long after my oppo's armor was destroyed and he admitted defeat but we agreed to continue after he got three more T-34. The new tanks had even smaller life span and after a few more turns we agreed to end the game.
All in all it was well balanced and interesting game, the reason I did so good is the mistake my opponent made - to send his tanks well forward and keep their hatches open. My sniper got four TC and was the main reason I didn't lose my Pz4s in the first firefight with his three T-34, well lady luck also helped :). I'm sure it would have being another story if he had ganged his T-34 with the SUs.
My only suggestion is to add +2 command to the german company hq, so he could govern the hill alone. Also, I don't know how it was on the russian side but I think it would have being better if the second T-34 platoon arived earlier.

Here's an endgame screenshot
screenshot
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JASONC
Senior Tester

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Post #1   6063 days, 23 hours, 3 minutes, 17 seconds ago        
Scenario discussion area for OK9N-4TAFlanksBolkhov
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