Perimeter Tournament Screen Shots & Discussion

[2054172]

Gentlemen this is the spot to watch the battles progress. Poor Old Spike will be posting shots and/or his opponents if they wish. I am sure that there will be lively explainations about their modes of attacking and defending. I am also hoping for some clean banter lads.
ENJOY!

2054172:smoke:

[Poor Old Spike]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/perm.png


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/Perim.png

Okay the format is simple - everybody plays just ONE game (against me), and whoever beats me by the biggest score wins the trophy inscribed with his name, piece o' cake..:)
I can never win it myself under any circumstances (sniffle), all I can hope for is to pick up a few ladder points.
Incidentally don't be put off by thinking I get an advantage by designing Perimeter myself, I designed my previous tourney (Trident) too and lost 20 out of the 25 games..

Perimeter begins May 1st and ends midnight June 30th (an 8-week run)
I'll do at least 2 action screenshots from every game including an endgame shot of the final front lines buckling and heaving..

Contact me if you're interested in signing up and i'll send you the map to examine in the editor, then if you decide to play, choose your side and either set it up yourself and send me 001, or i'll set it up if you prefer.
Also choose before the start whether you want games to count for the ladder.

pooroldspike@aol.com


THE PARAMETERS (cmbb), it's a QB, so buy whatever 'tools' you like to do the job..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/Peripars.gif



THE FIELD (I've enlarged the flags in the pics for clarity, 1 large on the airfield, 8 small around the perimeter for a total of 1100 points)
The Russians start anywhere in the surrounding red zone.
The Germans set up anywhere in the green perimeter zone, not knowing from which directions the Russkis will be coming.
There's also a small green German zone containing the central airfield buildings
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/perimap.png



OBLIQUE VIEW
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/periobliq.gif



Perimeter is of course just a semi-fictional miniature version of many real-life pockets such as this one
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/korsun.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

VALLEY SECTOR
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/vall.gif




MARSHES SECTOR
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/marsh.gif




COASTAL VILLAGE SECTOR (the sea is all fords, no boats needed)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/covill.gif




FOREST SECTOR
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/for.gif




SAILING CLUB SECTOR
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/sailclb.gif




HILLS SECTOR (your contour colours no doubt look better than my home-made mod)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/hills.gif




RAILSTATION SECTOR
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/railstat.gif




ACADEMY SECTOR (plenty of fords)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/acad.gif




AIRFIELD SECTOR
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/airf.gif


PS - I made some last-minute map tweaks after the above shots were taken, so don't be concerned if the final map looks slightly different, everybody gets the exact same map as everybody else.

[Poor Old Spike]

THE COMBATANTS

Okay the following doods have signed up so far and should all now have a copy of the map in their hands, begin whenever you like, plenty of time til the June 30th finish..:)

"I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start!" - Henry V

"Let slip the dogs of war" - J.Caesar

In alphabetical order-
(i'll edit new names in as they arrive, and will also add a note of which side they chose as soon as I know; you can still change your minds about which side you prefer right up til the time the first file is sent)

2054172 (Ger)
Airborne Bob (Ger)
Andre (Ger)
Bert Blitzkrieg (Russ)
CMant (Russ)
Combat Wombat (Ger)
Der Kuenstler (Ger)
ER Chaser (Ger)
GAZNZ (Ger)
Guderian (Ger)
Herrbixx (Ger)
Huzaar (Ger)
Mangus2000 (Russ)
Michael Dorosh (Russ)
Mt. Carmel Hill (Ger)
Mugger2006 (Ger)
Odies (Russ)
Okimaw (Russ)
Proniakin (Russ)
Red Devil (Ger)
RNL Tiger (Ger)
Seel (Ger)
Stndrtnfhr (Russ)
Tripps (Ger)
Waleed (Ger)
Willard (Russ)

(9 have chosen to be Russian, and 17 chose German)

(If anybody else wants to sign up, let me know)
pooroldspike@aol.com

[kawaiku]

I think I'll sit this one out and just watch from the sidelines...

[Poor Old Spike]

I think I'll sit this one out and just watch from the sidelines...

Yes mate you'll be nice and safe there..;)

[2054172]

Yes mate you'll be nice and safe there..;)

You have to remember POS that he is a yank......they don't battle unless the 7th fleet and half the world is sending troops. LOL:laugh:

[kawaiku]

Nah...you wish Numbers:p

Nah my turns are slow as it is right now and school is heating up so I can't beat ya right now:nuts:

[Okimaw]

Nah...you wish Numbers:p

Nah my turns are slow as it is right now and school is heating up so I can't beat ya right now:nuts:

Your turns are slow these days? I thought 2 files a week was your regular max, or is that just when you play me? :bite::freak::blab:

[Poor Old Spike]

You have to remember POS that he is a yank......they don't battle unless the 7th fleet and half the world is sending troops. LOL:laugh:

Absolutely..
Incidentally it's interesting to see not only who's entered, but who hasn't entered.
I mean, the tourney's open to every CM club on the planet but a lot are shying away, I don't know if it's the map they're scared of, or me..;)


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/WPCTIA.png

[2054172]

Absolutely..
Incidentally it's interesting to see not only who's entered, but who hasn't entered.
I mean, the tourney's open to every CM club on the planet but a lot are shying away, I don't know if it's the map they're scared of, or me..;)


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/WPCTIA.png

POS your always scarey!:laugh::laugh:

[kawaiku]

I like how he calls himself general:horse:

And I think POS is more entertaining than anything else haha

[Michael Dorosh]

I smell a rat - why is everyone taking Russian...? ;)

[Poor Old Spike]

I smell a rat - why is everyone taking Russian...? ;)

Beats me mate, perhaps they think they'll be able to brush my panzer reserve (10 x Pz IVH's) aside easily enough..:)

[Geordie]

Absolutely..
Incidentally it's interesting to see not only who's entered, but who hasn't entered.
I mean, the tourney's open to every CM club on the planet but a lot are shying away, I don't know if it's the map they're scared of, or me..;)


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/WPCTIA.png

Pah! Those credentials dont scare anyone, no one can rest on their merits!

Incedentally I have put a post up at WaW about your tourney, hopefully it can get more guys interested. Maybe someone should put one up at the Blitz too, didnt you get a decent turn out from there in the past?

[Poor Old Spike]

Pah! Those credentials dont scare anyone..


Then prove it by signing up along with your WaW mates..:)
Same goes for all other clubs, clans, cults and sects, just sign up and show an amazed world what you got, old POS'll take on every manjack of you, you play just ONE game remember,and whoever delivers the hardest knockout blow to my manly chin gets the silver cup..:)

PS - the cameras are ready to roll..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/takeper.png

[Andre]

POS tourneys are always a great entertainment and yes, of course count me in :nuts:

Andre

[Poor Old Spike]

POS tourneys are always a great entertainment and yes, of course count me in :nuts:
Andre

Okay mate i've sent you the map, pick your side..:)

PS, so far people prefer the Russians, perhaps they don't like these babies-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub1/end-43-rus.jpg

[KG_AirborneBob]

...i picked the germans...the underdogs by far....

[kawaiku]

...i picked the germans...the underdogs by far....
Unless you have Hans and Frans and cousin Arnie...then it should be a cake walk:smoke:

[Poor Old Spike]

Several games have begun, in this one my panzer reserve waits on the central airfield ready to race to to the perimeter as soon as the main Russian thrustlines are identified..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/perioo.gif


PS- they're PzIVH's, I could have bought cheaper IVJ's, but the J only has a slow turret.
The H has a fast turret, ideal for close-quarter gunfights, right Rio?

"Right"..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/rio1-1.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- valley

Andre's schreck guy up on the hill takes out one of my halftracks as I put in a mechanised infantry pincer move on the farmhouse at the head of the valley..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/and1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-coastal village

As my Russians hit the beach and begin moving inland, Andre contests the landing by laying down a mortar barrage..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/and2.gif

[[hirr]Leto]

COMBAT FOOTAGE

As my Russians hit the beach and begin moving inland, Andre contests the landing by laying down a mortar barrage..


Andre is a rock solid player. Currently playing him in the KOTH2 tourney semi finals.

You'll have a tough time with him.

BTW, I don't have time to enter, as I am booked with other games atm, and I have final exams that need to be marked, and then I picked up another summer class to teach, have 4 conference papers due and have a consulting business to run. I spend wwaaay too much time on these boards as is, and have to start cutting back.

Good luck with your tourney M8.

Cheers!

Leto

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE -hills sector

Airborne Bob's fearlessly-probing 8-wheeler sends radio message to HQ -"Have located a Russian combined arms battlegroup and don't think they've seen m..........."
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ab1.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ab2.gif

[Waleed]

Poor s*ds....recon Armour guys really should be paid more.

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Andre's assault guns counterattack to drive the Russians back into the sea..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/beach1.gif



My Russians try to bludgeon their way out of the beach-head..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/beach2.gif

[kawaiku]

Poor s*ds....recon Armour guys really should be paid more.

It's just like what Patton told his recon when they asked him how would they know if they found the enemy. He replied, "Just drive down that road, until you get blown up."

[Waleed]

Yeah - good point.

IIRC they showed some German and American AFV's dead at point blank ranges in Patton the movie...(when he is walking the battlefield).

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE -railstation

Okimaw's SU-76's advance on the station, blowing up the stationmasters office as they go..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okf.png




But one of my panzers on the airfield has the chance of a longrange shot..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okg.png




And takes it..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okh.png

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

Skirting the edge of the lake, my lone M5 halftrack is ambushed by RNLTiger's gun and infantry..
It's only a 20mm gun but it riddles the halftrack like a sieve. Also note the HE burst from a panzerfaust which joined in..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/rnlm.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-forest

CMant's Su76 probes down the road and is met with a pointblank hail of 4 fausts including this one which can be seen in mid-flight on the red line, but every one missed!! (note crater on road where one impacted)
The SU then simply reversed back up the road out of danger cool as a cucumber..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cma-1.gif
---------------------------------------------------------------



MEMO to all competitors

Don't be puzzled if you find the program has randomly assigned Damp ground in some games even though the params are set to warm clear weather, it does that sometimes in QB's, it simply means tanks and vehs will move slightly slower off-road.

Also don't be fazed by any "last edited by POS" notes under some of my posts, it just means i've gone back to edit something in to make things clearer; for example somebody might ask me "who was firing at who, exactly?", or "were those tanks hulldown?" etc, so I go and add a new sentence or two of explanation or some divinely witty remark, or in the case of pics, add a target line or arrow or whatever to clarify the action..

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

RNL Tigers schreck guy engages my leading T-34 as it picks its way through the bogs..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/whoosg.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

...I have put a post up at WaW about your tourney, hopefully it can get more guys interested. Maybe someone should put one up at the Blitz too, didnt you get a decent turn out from there in the past?

All Blitz members are welcome to come here and enter mate..:)

PS, people keep asking me why I left Blitz, the fact is that their top brass and almost half the members were talking about replacing my mate Randy, so I told them "if he goes, I go".
But they went ahead and replaced him anyway, so I walked out because old POS sticks with his mates..:)
(I've been a member of Gamesquad for 5 years anyway)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- forest

CMant's Russians keep the pressure on against the small outpost deep in the forest; it's the key to a Russian breakthrough in this sector: remove it and not only will the Russians get the flag, but the road will then be open for them to pour into the central heartland of the map..
Consumed with road rage,this is the SU-76 that survived 4 faust shots earlier on..
(PS -i bought plenty of schrecks but never assigned any to this sector, thinking the Russians would never dare commit armour to a narrow forest road..)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmwoods.gif

[kawaiku]

[B](PS -i bought plenty of schrecks but never assigned any to this sector, thinking the Russians would never dare commit armour to a narrow forest road..)

Like they say, the most unlikely place is where the enemy will hit with all his might...or something along those lines:cool:

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

No sooner does my panzer column begin moving out to a threatened sector of the perimeter, than CMant's Yak-9 subjects it to rocket attack..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/strafe.gif




The Russian pilot pressed home his attack despite being under fire from this flak gun..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/strafb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

Tell me it's a bad dream; Mugger's two guns wipe out all 3x T-34's of one of my battlegroups on turn 1.
I tried to be smart by skirting round the lake with the intention of hitting the flag from behind, but I'd barely moved off the start line before the guns began speaking..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/muggj.gif

[ER_Chaser]

arghhhh! I felt the pain :)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE -academy/valley

RNL Tiger's assault gun picks off my leading T-34 as one of my battlegroups attempts a surprise move by advancing through the soft ground area between the academy and the valley..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/rnlsag.gif


The perpetrator..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/rnlasgb.gif

PS- the soft ground mod is my own, let me know if anybody wants it
pooroldspike@aol.com

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-academy

Mugger's invisible gun (circled) kills 2 of my halftracks.
Rather than going for a risky bridge crossing, I sent these 4 halftracks racing fast to look for a side door into the Academy, hoping to catch the Germans by surprise..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mugvhalf.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

MEMO to all contestants- make sure you understand the deployment zones; one guy has just surrendered because he misunderstood, all his Germans were facing towards the centre of the map instead of towards the outside and he lost 3 King Tigers on turn 1 when I invaded from the sea and shot them all in the back, we won't bother reporting the result on the ladder.

PS- In fairness to him, he was a young noob and it is a difficult map and not for fainthearts, so full marks to him for giving it a go, he's made of the right stuff..
At least one former tourney winner and a former ladder champion dropped out even before the start because they "didn't like" the map..;)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE -academy

As Okimaw's huge Red Army steamrollers towards the Academy, I commit 3 panzer detachments in an attempt to check its remorseless advance..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okimlls.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE - near airfield

CMant's Yak is back!
As my panzers struggle to sort themselves out after the previous rocket attack, they're mercilessly hit again..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmyak.gif



Despite my flak chattering away, nothing deters the Russian pilot from targeting the panzer leader..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ouch.gif

[RedDevil (FGM)]

............

[2054172]

I think you need another game spiker... check your email, I'm gonna send you a file :)

Welcome RedDevil:cool:....good to see you.....if you have any questions just PM me and hopefully I have the answers.:smoke:

[Poor Old Spike]

Okay 205 and RD, send the first files of your 'spring offensive' whenever you like, hey this Perimeter threads already drawn 1000 views and its only been up a week, and there are still another 8 weeks to the June 30th finish..:)

[2054172]

Yeh you know it is exciting.....:smoke:

[Poor Old Spike]

Hey Pred, fancy taking a crack at me?



"If you bleed you can be killed!"
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/predee.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

ER Chaser's lone German squad guarding the narrow approach to the boathouse opens fire on a Russian patrol, forcing it to hit the dirt..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercb.gif

[ER_Chaser]

That is my only hope, POS, to resist the ruthless godless communists ... :p

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- forest

CMant at last breaks the Germans in the forest outpost and his armour begins pouring through towards the big beckoning airfield flag in the background..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmbrthru.gif



while during the same turn his Yak-9 makes it's third rocket attack against my bruised and battered panzer column..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cma3.gif

[Michael Dorosh]

The original thread said Aug 44

Why do the screenshots say May 1945?

When I went to purchase forces for my set up, I noticed the map set to May 1945 also. I did my battle drills and rehearsals with August 1944 forces.

Which is correct?

[Poor Old Spike]

The original thread said Aug 44
Why do the screenshots say May 1945?



May 45 is correct; the original thread in the general forum was just an 'introductory preview' of a work in progress, for example you'll notice in the earliest screenshots that the map was incomplete, then later in the thread it was more complete, and the parameters were finalised (May 45).
Then when all the work was finally completed that preview thread was discontinued and the tourney was given its own thread in the proper tourney section.
Rest assured everybody has got exactly the same map and parameters, it became immovably set in stone the instant it was launched in the tourney section..:)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE -academy

Okimaw's two Stalins have been sitting up ahead for several turns, so I task this pair of panzers to go hit them where it hurts- in the sides..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okimn.gif


Ha ha ha (insert forced laugh emoticon here), my shots just ping..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okistals.gif


Aerial view of the action..
(Footnote- the 2 panzers successfully reversed to safety next turn before the Stalins could return fire)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okifd.gif

[Michael Dorosh]

May 45 is correct; the original thread in the general forum was just an 'introductory preview' of a work in progress, for example you'll notice in the earliest screenshots that the map was incomplete, then later in the thread it was more complete, and the parameters were finalised (May 45).
Then when all the work was finally completed that preview thread was discontinued and the tourney was given its own thread in the proper tourney section.
Rest assured everybody has got exactly the same map and parameters, it became immovably set in stone the instant it was launched in the tourney section..:)

Well that sucks. Out of curiousity, why the change? There was a specific piece of valuable equipment available to the Russians in Aug 44 that is not available in May 45. Maybe you know what I'm talking about. It was going to come in handy but I guess not any longer.

I'll have to delay my set up to you, now, but I'm enjoying seeing what everyone else is doing. Nice combat trials. :) We have til June...I'll try and get my game set up over the weekend.

[ER_Chaser]

hehe .. side armor bounce ? isn't that a big surprise? :)
How about 88mm direct hit within 200m and still bounce off? :) That is mr. oki with his JS2 in the game with ME!

[Poor Old Spike]

Well that sucks. Out of curiousity, why the change? There was a specific piece of valuable equipment available to the Russians in Aug 44 that is not available in May 45..


You think Russian equipment is better in Aug 44 than May 45?
Tell us more, we're all listening, right Spock?

"Yes I'm all ears"..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/spck.jpg

[Michael Dorosh]

You think Russian equipment is better in Aug 44 than May 45?
Tell us more, we're all listening, right Spock?

"Yes I'm all ears"..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/spck.jpg

Who said it was Russian? It is available in the Russian OOB in Aug 44 but not in May 45. It is definitely better than the PzKpfw IV it would have faced off against, not to mention the Sherman, KV or T-34. But it ain't Russian. :D

Would have had great shock value too. I couldn't wait to use them on your Krauts....

[Palantir]

Nice spotting that Michael, would have drove the Germans nuts. :)

[Poor Old Spike]

If you both mean the captured Panther in Aug 44, a veteran would cost the Russkis 617 purchase points, which means buying just 4 would set them back a whopping 2468 pts out of their 3000 pt allotment, that's pretty steep..

By comparison, a vet Stalin 2 in the same period costs a lot less, 232 pts, and a vet T-34/85 comes dirt cheap at 173 pts.

I set Perimeter in May 45 simply so both sides would get the best big-hitting tanks of WW2, for example the Russkis can have Stalin 3's.
Also in May 45 the Germans can buy Jagdtigers, as at least one of my Russian opponents will be finding out..;)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/jtig.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy

Okimaw's Russians go for the fords and bridge but my panzers stand their ground..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okfre.gif


The German view. The panzer at bottom has just arrived and is in the act of pivoting to face the enemy.
(note the 2 Stalins (ringed) that my pair of panzers earlier got pings against)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okfred.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

My Russian tank relief thrust (top left) helps break Andre's 3x Hetzer steel wall that was containing my beach-head.
The 3x T-34's near the water's edge killed the other 2 Hetzers but I lost 2 of them
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/andfgh.gif


A relieving T-34 catches the last Hetzer napping..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/andflp.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy

Oh great, my Russian platoon only runs into Herrbixx's 3 German guns..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbixads.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

Herrbixx's beast must die!
It was just sitting there on turn 1 waiting for my Russians so I hurled everything I'd got at it, (6x T-34/85's and 2x SU-100's).
It fired back a few times and killed a T-34 but then my boys scored a couple of partial penetrations and maybe a gun hit, and the beast reversed back into the trees to lick its wounds..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbixdty.gif



I still don't know what the monster is, a King Tiger maybe, but I intend hunting it down, so stay tuned to this same bat-channel at this same bat-time for the next thrilling instalment..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbixdbv.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-marshes

ER Chaser's schreck guy takes out a T-34..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercvfd.gif


whoosh..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercfhy.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

As CMant's T-34's advance down the narrow isthmus towards the boathouse, a German squad pops up and fires 2 fausts in quick succession at the leading tank, but both miss! (the second one is seen here as a grey dot in mid-flight at the tip of the small white arrow)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmsaila.gif



The second T-34 returns fire and the squad crawls away like a whipped pup (inset)..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmsail2.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy

The battle for the Academy continues as Okimaw plays his trump card in the form of 2x Stalins.
My panzer pair again emerge from behind the Academy hoping for more side shots but find themselves staring down the barrel of a 122mm gun..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okiacadp.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okiacad.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okiacadgh.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Michael Dorosh's SU's wipe out a panzer in the first few seconds of turn 1, I thought the trees would be thick enough to conceal the panzer, just sloppy play by me plain and simple..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mda.gif



Then a few seconds later he wipes out my Hetzer, I sent it down the road to get payback against the SU's but I messed up the move plot and it dithered about instead of turning smartly to face its front armour at them, more sloppy play again..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mdb.gif

[[hirr]Leto]

Nice posts POS, enjoying them! Keep up the good work!

Cheers!

Leto

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

Huzaar's gun perched on the hilltop at left takes out an SU-100 as my Russian battlegroup picks its way through the treacherous bogs..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/huza-2.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/huzc-1.gif



The guns high well-camouflaged position dominates the marshes..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/huzb-1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy

The relentless battle for the Academy continues raging as Okimaw's 2x Stalins begin edging menacingly towards the bridge, so I order my panzer column to blow it in their faces,
The Russian behemoths will still be able to use a ford of course, but will lose valuable time re-routing..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okiokg.gif

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/kwai.png

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

My two Russian tank groups hunt down and slay Herrbixx's monster..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbixvfa.gif



The fatal blow is delivered by this SU-100..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbixcfa.gif




Wildly bellowing like the hound of the baskervilles, the beast is trapped with its back to the water and butchered..
I still haven't got positive I.D. on it, whether Tiger or Kingtiger etc..
(edit- later when my troops got up to the wreck to pick over it I found out it was a standard Tiger VIE)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbixcdd.gif



Noob note- that's the only way to kill beasts, mercilessly club them to death with a hail of shots..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/caveman1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/duel.gif

[Geordie]

I'm lapping up these screenshots Mick. Cant wait to see your JagdTigers in action. A SturmTiger would have been better. Ive only ever bought 1 of those and my opponent was fairly surprised by it.

[Poor Old Spike]

PRE-COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Combat Wombat's German scientists wheel out their latest fearsome wunder-weapon, giving rise to Allied speculation that it may be flouting the Geneva Convention on inhumane grounds..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womnjf.gif


What do you say doctor, should my Russians hide from it down a mineshaft?
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/ExIS/stranglove.jpg
" Well let's see now....ah...cobalt thorium G.....radioactive half-life of uh,... hmm.... it would not be difficult mein Fuhrer,...er Herr POS..., I would not rule out the chance to preserve a nucleus of human specimens.The radioactivity would never penetrate a mine some thousands of feet deep. nuclear reactors could provide power almost indefinitely. Greenhouses could maintain plantlife. Animals could be bred and slaughtered.."

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

Huzaar's gun at top right ambushes one of my Russian battlegroups as it advances towards the lake, so I throw everything back at it.. (red targeting lines)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/huzxsd.gif

FOOTNOTE- Next turn the gun was knocked out but not before it'd taken 2 of my tanks with it..

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy

Okimaw began area-firing into the Academy last turn, so I ordered my panzers to lay down a blocking smokescreen.
But while they're doing it he catches them off guard by ferociously hurling his 2x Stalins at them and the shooting starts. I decide to let the panzers stand fast and try to brutally club the beasts down, and my luck holds as I score a turret partial pen..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okillf.gif



The panzers view..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/okimls.gif

EDIT to update- next turn the beast took another turret partial pen and went down as if poleaxed..

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

Combat Wombat intercepts my Russian battlegroup with 2x assault guns, stopping my infantry line in its tracks; my armour are as useless as a dead dingos donger busy weaving their way around the bogs..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womlpr.gif

[[hirr]Leto]

What was the eventual breakdown of people who took Russians and people who took Germans Mick? I think the overall consensus was that the Germans were a shoe in to win this one, although several theories were presented.

Cheers!

Leto

[Poor Old Spike]

May 5th - So far 9 have chosen to be Russian, and 11 chose German)

Airborne Bob (Ger)
Andre (Ger)
Combat Wombat (Ger)
Der Kuenstler (Ger)
ER Chaser (Ger)
Herrbixx (Ger)
Huzaar (Ger)
Mugger2006 (Ger)
Red Devil (Ger)
RNL Tiger (Ger)
Seel (Ger)

Bert Blitzkrieg (Russ)
Mangus2000 (Russ)
Michael Dorosh (Russ)
CMant (Russ)
Odies (Russ)
Okimaw (Russ)
Proniakin (Russ)
Stndrtnfhr (Russ)
Willard (Russ)

2054172 (unknown, not started yet)
Guderian (unknown, not started yet)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Andre's Germans have pinned my Russian invasion force in their beach-head for the best part of 17 turns, but now my 2-tank relief column (bottom left) arrives and begins helping to crush the Germans in the perimeter (blue dotted line). The church is the first to go..
There are 4 wrecked Hetzers and 2 wrecked T-34/85's in this view.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/andrffy.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

Combat Wombat hurls a spearhead of 3x German assault guns into the flank of my Russian armour, I halt and return fire, scoring 2 partial pens but the ass guns keep firing and I lose a T-34.
I'm getting a bad feeling about this..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womaaa.gif



The German view.
My guess is they're Hetzers because most of the Russki shots are pinging..
Too late for the Russkis to do anything about it now except stand their ground and exchange broadsides to the last tank standing. Stay tuned to this bat-channel for the next thrilling instalment..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womnkl.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Achtung! Raus! Schnell! scream my panicking German garrison as Odie's T-34 column hits them not from the sea as they'd expected, but from the side in a surprise attack through the rocky ground, demolishing the village house by house as they roll forward!
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odiesvil.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Airborne Bob's flame guy takes on my Russian invasion force as it progresses inland..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/abobflam.gif

EDIT update- next turn the flame guy was quickly terminated..

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

CMant's T-34 column races down the isthmus at high speed running the gauntlet of fausts..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmantsaila.gif



And achieves a stunning breakthrough at the cost of one wrecked T-34..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmantsailc.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy and valley

MEDIC! MEDIC!- Stndrtnfhr wipes out 5 of my panzers in one turn!

These 3 were the first to go, I sent them on 'fast' to deal with a heavy SU that was shelling the academy, but I was too gung-ho and didn't maintain tight 'hunt' formation and got picked off by the SU and its pal. My boys fired back 3 times on the move but all missed..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/stna-1.gif



And these two panzers went next when a gun opened up from down the valley, both tanks were dead before the invisible gun was even spotted..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/stnbgu.png

[Poor Old Spike]

MEMO TO ALL COMBATANTS

Some players are already on turn 17 or more, whereas some other players are still only on turn 1, that's absolutely fine, but from now on I'm going to slow down my file-return rate to faster players, and speed it up to the slower players so that the tourney won't be so lop-sided..:)

Remember, the tourney ends on June 30th (7 weeks away) so if we all pace ourselves so that the first games begin ending around mid-June, the whole tourney will have a more comfortable spread-out feel to it over its 8-week duration..:)

So just play at whatever easy pace you feel comfortable with to ensure your game ends sometime in the second half of June, there's no rush..:)

[ER_Chaser]

POS the brave, the ruthless, the ... , the picture-nice-I-Like-it-bud ...

Just one small note: I cannot imagine how much energy you have to put into this great wonderful screenshots, I truly like them a lot and enjoy them :) ---- but if possible, just as a friendly reminder to you (although officially my enemy :D )---- some of your screenshots actually revealed non-trivial intelligence to your opponents, which might hurt yourself in the gameplay ---- but it is up to you, of course, to decide whether to spend even more time to edit those pictures then :)

[Poor Old Spike]

-- some of your screenshots actually revealed non-trivial intelligence to your opponents...


Hush! I deliberately let them see only what I WANT them to see..;)
For example if I 'accidentally' overlook one of my lurking Hetzers in a distant background corner of a shot, it might be because I want my oppo to see it in the shot and re-route his units to avoid it, thereby walking into a trap I've set for him just off-screen..:)
Hey what a laugh if I doctored a shot now and again by pasting imported images of Jagdtigers or Abrams all over the pic to really throw him, ha ha ha..:)

But just for the record I never doctor shots like that; the only things I sometimes add are arrows to show which direction units are moving, and targeting lines and muzzle blasts etc to clarify who was shooting at who, for maximum dramatic effect..:)

War photographers Normandy
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub1/war-phots-norm.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

PS- ANOTHER THING

Any contestant or anybody else can go look at the screenshots and add his own comments anytime he likes throughout the whole tourney..:)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/binocs.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Der Kuenstler's Germans have garrisoned this key wood which guards the approach to the flag in background; my T-34's can't see deeply enough into the trees to engage them so i send in a massive infantry attack to flush them out..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/dks-1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Mugger's German guns continue to bleed my armour force white; this is the 4th T-34 to fall victim to his Paks..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/muggh.gif






The guns view, it was covering the road and I walked right into it..
It fired twice before it was even spotted, but now my infantry begin engaging it and the crew hit the dirt..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/muggi.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

Combat Wombat's 3x assault guns (Hetzers?) and my 4x T-34/85's can't quite see each other so I order the T-34's to area-fire as near to possible to them in the hope of blowing off a track or hurting an unbuttoned commander..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womtrq.gif





It works! After a turn of area-firing this one is immobilised..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womtyu.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-railstation

Gun gun gun!
Michael Dorosh's Russian infantry converge on the station in a feeding frenzy so I hurl a panzer column to ward them off but his gun takes out the panzer leader..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mda-1.gif


The guns view..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mdb-1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Airborne Bob's Panther intercepts my battlegroup and fires first, but misses, it had its chance..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/abpann.gif





My T-34/85's return fire and the Panther takes a turret pen and abandons a few seconds later, nothing personal Fritz but you were trying to kill me..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/abpanbb.gif




"He was trying to drink at our well""
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/shar.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

As my Russians club the club in the background, the first elements of Seel's panzer reserve begin arriving.
I'm getting a bad feeling about this..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/seelat.gif





And at the same time on the other side of the map in the marshes sector he commits more panzers (including a Kingtiger) to take on my other Russian battlegroup.
I'm getting a bad feeling here too..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/seelb-1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

NOT TOO LATE TO SIGN UP!

To any latecomers to this stunning thread who want to sign up for the Perimeter Tournament, do it!
I mean, it doesn't end til June 30th (6 weeks away), so all you have to do is play ONE GAME of 25+ turns before then, and whoever beats me by the highest margin will have a silver trophy sitting on his mantelpiece to catch the sacred beams of the midsummer sun like the heelstone at Stonehenge, piece o' cake..:)

That's the difference between my short simple "one game" tournaments and conventional long multiple-round tourneys, you only have to play one single game in mine..:)

Drop me a mail saying you want in, choose your side and i'll send you a copy of the map and file 001 (or you can set it up if you like), then just buy your 'toys' (Jagdtigers, Stalin 3's or anything you like), and we're away..;)

"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
That puts it not unto the touch,
To win or lose it all"
-James Graham, Marquis of Montrose

pooroldspike@aol.com

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Der Kuenstler's Germans give my Russian infantry a bloody nose..
Even with T-34's in close support, his gun and infantry cut down my boys as they attempt to cross nomansland..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/dkg.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

MEMO TO ALL CONTESTANTS

Play at whatever speed you like..:)
Forget what I said before about how the tourney might look lopsided if some people finish their games early.
So from now on if you like playing fast, play fast, and if you like playing at a slower pace, play slower, whatever floats yer boat..:)
I'll post each result the instant they come in whether tomorrow or the next day, next week or next month..:)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

As my Russian battlegroup advances on the club, Combat Wombat hurls 3 x PzIV's to intercept..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womkli.gif




The 6x T-34/85's fight for their lives and the odds are with them; the action ends with 3 panzers and 2 T-34's wrecked..
(edit- I later discovered 1 panzer was still alive and kicking, it killed a T-34, making the score 2 panzers wrecked, 3 T-34's wrecked)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womkla.gif

[Michael Dorosh]

When part of your defense is psychological, you can't afford to be too predictable.

"Counting Down the Scenarios: An Introduction to Squad Leader Plus One, Part Two" by Bob Medrow
The General, Volume 15, Number 6, March-April 1979

The same, of course, goes for the offence.

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- forest

CMant's SU-76 column breaks through in the forest sector..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/CMantg.gif





And sends shockwaves through the German high command because the airfield and its big flag is just spitting distance away..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/CMantr.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Michael Dorosh's Russians bravely attack with 3 x SU-76's against my 7 x panzers/Hetzers..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mds.gif



Predictably the result is a foregone conclusion, Russian dead litter the front of the German position like the final scene from Zulu, he lost all 3 SU's and I lost 1 panzer..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mdt.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

FEEDBACK NEEDED FROM ALL CONTESTANTS

On your monitors do my screenshots look

A- too light?
B- about right?
C- too dark?

I just got a new 22" LCD monitor and they all seem a bit light to me, whereas on my clapped-out old CRT they looked a shade too dark and I had to lighten them a bit in Irfan paint-type program.

Maybe I lightened them too much?

[2054172]

FEEDBACK NEEDED FROM ALL CONTESTANTS

On your monitors do my screenshots look

A- too light?
B- about right?
C- too dark?

I just got a new 22" LCD monitor and they all seem a bit light to me, whereas on my clapped-out old CRT they looked a shade too dark and I had to lighten them a bit in Irfan paint-type program.

Maybe I lightened them too much?

Might be a little light there POS.....Still good shots though.:smoke::cool:

[ER_Chaser]

I think it is more like depending on people's local settings, POS, they should be able to adjust to proper vision.

[Poor Old Spike]

Okay thanks guys, from now on i'll post shots without lightening them, tell me if they look bad, here's the first one-

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Der Kuenstler's gun goes on a killing spree, knocking out these 2 x T-34's in quick succession, while his infantry slaughter my Russian infantry wave.
The gun was engaged by the tanks and some infantry but still kept on firing while no doubt shouting to his mates- "hey kameraden, i'll show you how to win the Iron Cross!"
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/dkqqq.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azDtp7bXnwo&feature=related

[Der Kuenstler]

That's what a +2 morale commander can do for you!

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy

Combat Wombats prowling PzIV ambushes my halftrack column, while at the same time his Henschel 129 tankbuster strafes them..
Inset- one halftrack escapes but 3 others lie wrecked..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/womksd.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes/coastal village

As Herrbixx's Kingtiger advances on the marshes along the blue arrow (top), I reverse a trio of T-34's backwards to take him in the side, but shock horror he's placed two guns covering the soft underbelly between the flags and I lose a T-34..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbxaap.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-academy

Seel's flame-halftrack flushes one of my Russki squads out of the trees and hoses him down with MG fire as he runs..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/seelflam.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

ER Chaser has bottled up my Russkis in the neck of the isthmus for 14 turns and I can't break through.
Every time I try to push my infantry forward, his unseen infantry in the trees around the lake open up pinning them (red fire arrows), and I can only advance inch by inch. I'm tempted to send my tanks through without infantry support but I don't want to walk into schrecks further down the line.
Here another line of tracer comes whipping from an invisible 'sound contact' on the left, pinning my men once again..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercttt.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Mangus sends 6 x T-34's against my hills outpost..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mangaa.gif



But my panzer reserve is on its way..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mangbb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

SITREP

My file return rate has slowed down a bit just lately because I'm still playing with my brand new 22" widescreen LCD monitor, juggling the settings and everything to get it right, I still can't get CM to display properly despite going through every one of the game resolution settings one by one, the pic is always stretched out too wide and looks a bit funny. Anybody got any suggestions to get it right?
If not, no real prob, at least it's still playable.

One thing I've noticed is that all the screenshots I did in the past on my ancient 17" CRT have come out too light in CM forums, I didn't know that til I got the new mon, so I'm going to re-do all my screenshots at Gamesquad to darken them down a bit, and that's going to slow my file-return rate even more..

Remember to tell me straight away if any of my future screenshots look too dark or too light, or display poorly for any reason, then I can correct them right away.
I simply need to be sure that they appear on my monitor looking exactly the same as they appear on everybody else monitors..:)

[McIvan]

I don't think that's possible Mick, it depends on the individual's monitor.

For the record, they were displaying perfectly on mine before.

[Waleed]

Yeah - always appeared really clear, be they on my main pc, laptop, or my local library pc...(well, over the last 4 weeks I have been "back" on the site anyway...)

[kawaiku]

O! Nice Spike, I was wondering why your screenies started looking better! haha, no offense

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Odies 6 x T-34/85's hit the ville in a surprise thrust from the side instead of from the sea, and I hurl 2 x Panthers and a Hetzer into their path and both sides begin shooting (ongoing)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odttt.gif



The Panthers in action..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odaaa.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

As my Russians shake out into two columns, Herrbixx suddenly hits them with 2 x Kingtigers(?)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbxeee.gif



Kingtiger(?) v Red Army..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbxfff.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

ER Chaser's German machine gun in the church miles away gets a Russki tank commander..
Inset- the TC is fine one instant, but in the main pic a second later he's hurt and buttons up, note the incoming tracer.
(I'll also post this in the Tac Talk section to show how TC's are vulnerable when hot lead is flying around especially from MG's even at long range like this)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/mg-v-tc.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Odies T-34/85's ruthlessly expose the Panthers Achilles Heel, its weak turret front..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odpana.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

Bert Blitzkrieg's Russian M17's lethal quad 50-cal riddles the thin back of my Hetzer..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/BBm17a.gif



The M17 had sprayed the Hetzers back a few times in the previous turn without effect, but now the Hetzers luck runs out..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/BBm17b.gif



A few seconds later my schreck gets the M17, but it's a poor exchange rate for me, a Hetzer for a halftrack..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/BBm17c.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/D1.png

(Incidentally the M17's stats page (Enter) gives no penetration values for its quad 50's because they're MG's)

[ER_Chaser]

Amazing.... first time see an HMG taking out a tank...

[Waleed]

...I've done it at last 5 times (...in BO, BB and AK) - always with .50cal, once with a German HMG...

...I mean in Real Life a US .50 cal can take out a BTR from the rear very easily!

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Having secured the sailing club (background), CMant's red horde now commence their push for my hills garrison (bott left) and begin by whittling away at my panzers blocking position..
Here another panzer goes up in flames and I didn't even see which T-34 fired..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/CMpusha.gif



The T-34/85 leader emerges menacingly from the scattered trees..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/CMpushb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Stndrtnfhr's Russian infantry come bursting out of the woods..
(yellow ring= see closeup footage below)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Stn-infa.gif



Up close and personal; the Russians gatecrash the house and the two SMG squads spray each other..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Stn-infb.gif



And the Russian squad prevails..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Stn-infc.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- academy

Michael Dorosh's infantry cross a ford under panzer fire while the AT-rifleman at bott right keeps the tank commander distracted and buttoned with a series of pings..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Mdatrif.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

1- I spotted Airborne Bob's Panther at this location earlier and predict it'll be coming down the road towards my Russian garrison at the hills outpost..
2- So I send 3 x T-34/85's hooking round to hunt it down in the side armour..
3- The thin arrow shows my intended route..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/abseqa.gif



Uh-oh, my boys walk into two Panthers head-on, the hunters have become the hunted..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Abseqbb.gif



The Panths carve up the 2 leading T-34's real bad, they started milling around and fired back but missed and I lose both,they had their chance.
I was able to jam the brakes on the rear T-34 to save him from a similar fate..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Abseqc.gif

PS- the T-34's had infantry aboard simply because I was about to transport them to another sector, and hadn't time to unload them..

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-airfield

The battle for control of the airfield rages as CMant's 4 x SU-76's break out of the forest with infantry in support.
I hurl 4 PzIVH's into their path (top right) and also manage to get a schreck and flak gun into action to help blunt the Russian spearhead.
Inset- the flak gun makes mincemeat of an SU's thin side armour..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Cmkl.gif

[2054172]

OK guys
What should i take?
Russians or germans...?
Who wishes they should of taken the other one?
WHY?
I still need to start this little battle.:smoke:

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Mangus's Russian artillery lays down a smoke barrage on my hills outpost.
Beyond the smoke I can glimpse at least 6 x T-34's and a (gulp) Stalin deploying into battle formation..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Mangjj.gif

[Andre]

Hi Wayne if I see your new avatar,I hope that not really you :D
you should choose the Reds you looks like an Siberian Devil :scream:

[Waleed]

OK guys
What should i take?
Russians or germans...?
Who wishes they should of taken the other one?
WHY?
I still need to start this little battle.:smoke:

I'd have gone for Russians - purely because I haven't played with them as much as the Germans :)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- railstation

Bert Blitzkriegs Russian steamroller is about to overun the station, so I hurl a pair of Hetzers into their flank..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/BBsus.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Advancing from the sailing club (background) Cmant's Red Army kicked in the door to the hills outpost (bott left) by wiping out 4 x PzIVH's (yellow circle) so I race another 4 panzers (bott right) from the airfield to the defence of the outpost..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmapush.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

I send this small Russian battlegroup spearheaded by 2 x T-34/85's and an SU-100 to conquer ER Chaser's coastal village in a surprise attack from the rear, anticipating only minor resistance because I expect whatever German troops are there to be facing the beach..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/erccha.gif



But no sooner do the Russians begin rolling with the armour area-firing into the church on the move, than the supporting infantry is pinned by small arms fire, but even worse the armour finds its head is in a noose, ambushed by German infantry on all sides..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercchbb.gif


Ominous whooshing sounds are heard from indeterminate locations and my SU-100 is stopped in its tracks..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercchc.gif

[ER_Chaser]

I appreciated the bravey of the Soviet tank crews, but ....

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

After capturing the marshes outpost at bott left, I wheel my T-34/85's into line astern formation for an attack on the richest prize on the map- Der Kuenstler's airfield..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/dka.gif



But before I can move off he launches a spoiling attack with a fusillade of schrecks and fausts (red fire lanes) killing two T-34's and making the rest mill around in confusion. Only the T-34 leader gets through and finds himself alone at the tip of the arrow, frantically radioing "where are my comrades?"
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/dkb.gif




The punch-drunk T-34's turrets swing like crazy looking for whoever's firing at them..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/dkc.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Odies Yak-9 rockets my Panther column as it moves to engage his T-34/85 battlegroup..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odyaka.gif



Rockets burst around the panzer leader..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odyakb.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub1/yak9.png

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE-valley

2 of CMant's Polish T-34's break out of the confines of the valley, but a third took an immobilising faust hit as it raced through (it's the Polish icon)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmavall.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

With the end of the game imminent, I go for Andre's airfield by taking the risk of pushing my T-34/85's and halftrack ahead of the slow-moving infantry support, hoping the halftrack will draw the fire of any lurking schrecks/fausts which the T-34's can then deal with. (The main hangar was rubbled by earlier T-34 area-fire).
Suddenly a schreck comes flying out of the house on the left, note the small grey projectile in mid-flight..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/and-airfa.gif



But it falls short of my leading T-34..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/and-airfb.gif




And they all immediately return fire before he can shoot again. You had yer chance Jack..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/and-airfc.gif

[Andre]

thx was an thrilling match and an max on entertainment looking forward for your next competition:nuts:
Andre

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

ER Chaser finishes off my small Russian battlegroup. It's the one that was going for the church in earlier screenshots but found its head in a noose surrounded by schrecks and fausts on all sides.
Here another one comes flying out of the trees at bott right..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/erc-arma.gif



German infantry closes in for the kill with grenades and is all over them..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercarmb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Bitter fighting for every inch of ground as my Russians edge slowly forward in the face of ER Chaser's potent combination of schrecks, artillery and small-arms fire..
The Red infantry begins to break and run..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/erchills.gif

[ER_Chaser]

And some incoming counter attack :)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

CMant sends 4 x T-34/85's against the German outpost and I hurl 4 x PzIVH's into their flank to head them off..
(the panzer near the flag was knocked out earlier)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmtankc.gif



A fierce tank battle erupts as the panzers come to a halt and begin pouring fire into the still-moving T-34's..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmatanka.gif




The T-34's fight for their lives but it swings the Germans way; all 4 T-34's are wrecked for the loss of 1 panzer..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmtankb.gif

[mangus2000]

I wish i had taken the Axis! But thats coz i'm far far to slow on attacks and have given POS time to reinforce and i'm stuck at the edges now:angry:

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills/airfield

While my 3 surviving PzIVH's (yellow ring) of the fierce tank battle at bottom left are still getting their breath back, CMant launches 2 x T-34/85's (top) in a surprise attack firing down the runway into their backs, they're the 2 that broke through the valley earlier..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmah.gif



One of my boys goes down as they desperately swivel their turrets to meet the threat.
(the bailer was put out of action in the previous tank fight )
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmai.gif




After more exchanges of gunfire both T-34's are wrecked and 2 panzers survive..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/cmaj.gif

[ER_Chaser]

One tiny suggestion to CMant:
this is a typical case where if you had well synced the two fronts, the results could very well be exactly the opposite. By this I mean, if you moved the airstrip task force two turns earlier (or the village force two turns later, whichever is possible), then you would have sandwiched those panzers in between, even if you then would have bad luck and lose some T34's, the panzers cannot possibly take care of front and back at the same time. At least one group will break through.

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- valley

Odies Russian infantry and armoured car flush the Germans out of the farm at the head of the valley..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odq.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/odf.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

Herrbixx's Tiger comes prowling and is engaged by my 2 x SU-100's..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbxh.gif



The SU-100 is a fearsome weapon quite capable of handling Tigers. The result- a fair exchange, one for one.
The action also demonstrates the advantage of outnumbering the enemy; if he shoots one of yours down, your boys wingman will take revenge..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbxi.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

FIRST RESULT JUST IN
CMant(Russ) = Draw


Endscreen- CMant's Russians kicked in almost the entire eastern half of the pocket-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Cmt-en.png


The hills outpost was the scene of ferocious tank battles as CMant bled the defending panzers white.
Here in the endscreen pic 8 x PzIVH's and 4 x T-34/85's lie wrecked..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Cmant-endb.gif

This game screenshot post numbers- 32 35 37 44 52 67 85 102 125 129 135 140 146 148 152
------------------------------------------------

GAMES FINISHED SO FAR- 1/26
(Tourney ends June 30th)

[Poor Old Spike]

RESULT JUST IN-
POS(Russ) minor win against Andre

Endscreen- my late T-34 thrust proved decisive by capturing the airfield..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/andr-en.png


Below- the battle for the coastal village was very brutal, Andre's Germans kept my units pinned in the beachhead for most of the game, note the thin light blue lines denoting a hail of infantry small-arms fire coming in from the flanks.
The tank battle cost him 4 Hetzers (blue circles) and cost me 3 T-34/85's (red circles)
But I later brought in 2 more T-34/85's from the marshes sector to break the deadlock and they can be seen close up to the flag..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/and-endb.gif

This game screenshot post numbers- 22 23 27 53 81 141 153
--------------------------------------------------------

GAMES FINISHED SO FAR- 2/26
(Tourney ends June 30th)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Herrbixx's gun crew see a perfect target - a T-34/85 on the skyline - and remember what they were told in training -"If you've got the shot, take it"
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbx-guna.gif



Scratch one T-34... Ironically I was reversing it at the time (purple arrow) because I didn't want it to get caught up in the rocky ground to its front. It never saw the gun til it fired..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/hbx-gunb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

ER Chaser's Germans close in on the marshes outpost in a feeding frenzy with Panther support..
I had 2 x T-34's and an SU-100 in this sector but sent them against the coastal village where they were ambushed and wrecked (red circle) in earlier screenshots, leaving the marshes naked and helpless..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ercclose.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

After securing the sailing club (bottom), my Russians begin moving on the hills outpost (background) but Guderian establishes a blocking wall of 4 x Hetzers across my front (blue arrows).
I respond by launching all my armour (3 x T-34/85's and 2 x SU-100's) against them (red arrows)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gudtkbata.gif



After a violent prolonged gunfight all the Hetzers are wrecked for the loss of a single SU-100.
My T-34's got some side shots against them which was the deciding factor, while the powerful SU-100's drilled straight through their fronts..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gudtkbatb.gif




Closeup- whereas T-34/85's can have trouble penetrating a Hetzer's upper hull front, SU-100's usually have no trouble at all as demonstrated here..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gudtkbatc.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

This is from the same turn as the previous screenshots, I race a pair of SU-100's to have a crack at a big bunch of Guderians armour icons near head of valley in background but run head-on into 6 of his assorted panzers/ Hetzers coming my way.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/guda-1.gif




The SU-100's wipe the floor with them, killing 4 out of 6 for no SU losses.
None of the Germans had time to fire back, in fact some began popping smoke and reversing when they caught sight of the SU's..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gudb-1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

My Russian advance towards the hills outpost (far background right, among trees) is barred by Seel's gun up on the ridge. I earlier wrecked the Hetzer in a tank shootout, but because the gun is slightly over the ridge my tanks haven't been able to hit it; their shots either fly over its head or impact short on the front of the ridgeline. The gun however can get good shots on my tanks like sitting ducks..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/sea.gif



So I lay down heavy infantry small-arms fire (red lines) on the gun to keep its head down, and rush it with my 3 x SU-100's and a T-34/85 (arrows)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/seb.gif



It works, next turn my armour is up on the ridge and able to get clear area-fire shots at the gun icon which is quickly knocked out..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/sec.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

Der Kuenstler's German squad punishes my T-34 for breaking the first rule in the tank driver's handbook-"Never drive within 40metres (grenade-throwing range) of any terrain that could be concealing enemy infantry"
(Okay i'll take the rap for driving them too close but my excuse is they'd been under schreck attack from behind in the previous turn and I was racing them down the runway to get away in a hurry..)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/dk-gren.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

At last I'm able to silence Der Kuenstler's troublesome gun, just look at the havoc its been wreaking against my T-34's..
My last 2 T-34's can't see it (and it can't see them) because of intervening smoke from burning wrecks, so I use the well-known tactic of area-firing into the ground next to the gun, and the blast knocks it out.
(Note the blank panel (white circle) in its datastrip, that's how we know if a gun or infantry unit is kaput)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/area-fvgun.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Odies beats back my column of 4 x Panthers by firstly taking out the panzer leader with a T-34/85..
(he wrecked the 5th Panther burning in background earlier in the battle)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/od-reva.gif



Then follows up with another Yak rocket attack which immobs a Panther as his infantry close in..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/od-strike.gif



So I pull the plug and slam my 2 remaining Panthers into reverse (purple arrows) to get out of it while they still can.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/od-rev.gif

[Der Kuenstler]

Good shot - there was only one survivor left firing it...(my gun from earlier screeny)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- railstation

As Bert Blitzkrieg's Russian infantry overun the station, several of his SU-100's begin wheeling threateningly towards the Academy (background).
I reverse my 2 x Hetzers out of the line (purple arrow) because the station is a lost cause and they can contribute nothing more to its defence besides being no match for 3 x SU-100's head-on..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/bb-rail.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

RESULT JUST IN
RNL Tiger(Ger) total win

I lost this at the purchase screen by buying all T-34/85's which couldn't make any headway against his fleet of Hetzers, I should have had some SU-100's or Stalins in there, duh..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Rnl-endx-1.png



My amphibious landing turned into a mini-Anzio, pinned in the beachhead the whole game, my 3 x T-34/85's (red ringed) were all wrecked by a combination of Hetzers (blue ringed, all alive) and schrecks..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/RNL-endb.gif

This game screenshot post numbers- 31 33 40 164
------------------------------------------------------

GAMES FINISHED SO FAR- 3/26

Current Leader Board
RNL Tiger(Ger) beat POS 84-16 (margin 68)

[CMant]

One tiny suggestion to CMant:
this is a typical case where if you had well synced the two fronts, the results could very well be exactly the opposite. By this I mean, if you moved the airstrip task force two turns earlier (or the village force two turns later, whichever is possible), then you would have sandwiched those panzers in between, even if you then would have bad luck and lose some T34's, the panzers cannot possibly take care of front and back at the same time. At least one group will break through.

That was the plan , but the Poles showed at the airfield a minute late .

RNL is well on the way to the Trophy .

[Waleed]

Well done RNL Tiger...
...which means POS will have Su-100's now... :surprise:
We are on T1 in our Perimeter game, but I am away for a few days now...

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

In fact this should be called 'non-combat footage' because I retreated and only one shot was fired, (Mangus's Russian sniper got one of my tank commanders), but this pair of pics is tactically unusual because I reversed most of my armour to avoid a battle.
PIC 1- My PzIVH's/Hetzers are ready to meet the incoming Russian attack, it seems the entire Red Army is out there behind the smoke, at least 7 x T-3485's/Stalins..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Mana.gif



PIC 2- But I had second thoughts and reversed them because the hills outpost is a lost cause anyway, his infantry are already swarming over it somewhere in the smoke, and they might even come bursting out of the smoke to close-assault my armour, so I pulled back and we'll maybe have a nice clean tank battle later. My only worry is how i'll explain my retreat to Hitler..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Manb.gif

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub1/hitlr.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

...which means POS will have Su-100's now...

Roger that mate, right Master Po?

"Yes grasshopper, as the ferocious jaguar mercilessly overcomes the suckling piglet on the slopes of sacred mount Hu-Chow, likewise we must never fear to use inhumane weapons of terrible destructive power; let the fear be your enemies"..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/po-kcc.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village/ marshes

Two of Combat Wombat's German assault guns are prowling towards my marsh garrison (out of frame to left). Two more (blue circle) were immobd and abandoned under area-fire in earlier stunning screenshots.
So I send 2 x T-34/85's to hook round the woods to get the prowlers in the back, what could possibly go wrong?
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/wou.gif



Gun gun gun! It opens up on my boys, nobbling one..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/wov.gif



But his mate gets one of the assault guns (which turn out to be JPIV's)..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/wow.gif



Eat this Charlie..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/wox.gif



Then the gun gets my other boy..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/woy.gif



The gun's view. (the 2 x JpIV's ringed for clarity)
Final tally- 2 dead T-34's, 1 dead JpIV..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/woz.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

It's only turn 1 and Waleed gives his assault gun a clear message to deliver to the Russians after his recent layoff from CM-
"Hello boys, I'm back!"
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/waa.gif

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/wab.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

RESULT JUST IN
POS(Russ) beat Guderian

A big tank battle won by my SU-100's in the centre was the decisive factor (see earlier stunning screenshot posts #156/157 in this thread) and Guderian conceded the game..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Gud-enda-1.png

But my other Russian column in the valley ground to a halt under threat of schreck fire from the high ground on either side..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Gud-endb-1.gif

This game screenshot post numbers- 156 157 171
------------------------------------------------


GAMES FINISHED SO FAR- 4/26

Current Leader Board
RNL Tiger(Ger) beat POS 84-16 (margin 68)
------------------------------------------------------




However as a note of consolation to Guderian, he did win my previous tourney and the silver cup..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/tribu.png

TRIDENT THREAD - http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/showthread.php?tid=44093

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

3 x SU-100's in a pincer move against Seel's Kingtiger..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/seeH.gif



But it just shrugs off a total of 4 ricochets, kills an SU in return, then reverses away laughing..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/seej.gif



"Huuh....what's holding him up.....huuh....?"
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/ExIS/cagney.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- marshes

Seel's flame-wagon turns up the heat on my boys in the woods, so I send a T-34 to tell him to cool it..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/seer.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT Footage- Academy

Michael Dorosh's Russians press home their assault..
His unseen AT-rifle off to the right is regularly pinging shots off my PzIVH front and I can't wheel it any further forward to contest the infantry's river crossing or i'll be exposing its side armour to the ATR..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mdk-1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

This German squad stoically defending what's left of the hills outpost sees the unwelcome sight of Mangus's T-34's bearing down on them..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/manghills.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

With the game heavily into overtime, I edge my battered and bleeding Russians a few metres closer to the outpost flag to strengthen my grip on it, but the leading elements are ambushed by ER Chaser's assault gun (top left) which is covering the outpost..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/erclatea.gif



After an exchange of blows, this T-34 takes a knockout punch and goes down..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/erlateb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

Even though I've done everything right (my Russki infantry screen walking ahead of the tanks to flush out schrecks and guns), Tripps's schreck guy pops up and decks a T-34 with his first shot, obviously I should have had my screen a little further ahead of the tanks.
Er... make that "done everything almost right"
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/tria-1.gif




But now that Herr Schreck has blown his cover by firing, he's about to experience the full fury of my infantry,
(Noob note- they were walking on 'Move to Contact' which means they stopped and knelt the instant he fired, now they'll now begin hosing him down. That's why I like MtC, everybody in the vicinity stops when enemy shooting starts, rather than blindly carrying on walking)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/trib.gif




PS- Tripps told me his schreck guy was only green.
Yeah he was green but he was mean..:)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/hulk.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

Oh great, only 15 seconds into the game and I lose a T-34 to GAZ NZ's gun as my Red Army begins advancing on the sailing club (offscreen to left..)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gaza.gif



The culprit is well concealed among the foliage..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gazb.gif



As usual nobody sees a gun til after it fires..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gazc.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

RESULT JUST IN
ER Chaser(Ger) gets major win and places second on leader board.

My Russians were wiped out in the south, and in the north my Big Push fizzled out..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Erc-enda.png



My Big Push ground to a halt in front of the hills outpost; 3 of this armour group are wrecked..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Erc-endb.gif

This games screenshot post numbers- 50 66 112 120 136 143 144 155 176 179

----------------------------------------------------------------


GAMES FINISHED SO FAR- 5/26
(Tourney ends June 30th)

Current Leader Board
1st- RNL Tiger(Ger) total win 84-16 (margin 68)
2nd- ER Chaser(Ger) major win 78-22 (margin 56)

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

First the good news for my Russians; GAZ NZ's gun that got one of my tanks in screenshot #178 is now blasted by Stalins area-fire and wrecked..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/GazG.gif



But the bad news is another gun (150mm) has now popped up and is demolishing my infantry. (Inset=closeup)
(red circle is the gun wrecked in the screenshot above)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/GazK.gif


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Guncrazy.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

Chess-like move/countermove on the Eastern Front..
1- I send 6 x T-34/85's and infantry against the big flag. (1 T-34 was picked off en route)
2- Airborne Bob counters with a 3-Panther thrust
3 - I intercept the Panther leader with a pair of 34/85's
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Abl-1.gif



Scratch one Panther..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Abm-1.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- hills

With my Russian infantry line stalled in the face of GAZ NZ's guns and infantry, I hurl my armour forward to break the deadlock; it kills at least one gun and possibly a schreck but there are still unseen whooshes, bangs and grenades coming out of the whirling maelstrom of fire..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gazx.gif



No gain without pain...A grenade from somewhere gets my Stalin leader..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gazy.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

1- After overunning the hills outpost (rear centre), Mangus's Russians maintain the momentum towards the airfield.
2- I order my panzers to stand fast on the runway and slug it out, and after a fierce exchange of fire we both lose 4 tanks each..
3- I order a pack of 4 x Hetzers to reinforce the airfield battle..
4- And Mangus orders a pack of assorted armour to do the same..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mang-airf.gif



Having seized the high ground, Mangus's T-34/85's pour fire down into my exposed panzer group on the runway..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/mang-airfb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

Yet more of GAZ NZ's guns pop up and knock out more Russkis, they're thicker'n fleas on a hound dawgs back out there..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gazj.gif



And the Stalins tough upper hull is useless if it's drilled through the thinner turret..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/gazkl.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMMp_llzBT4&feature=related

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

My Russian car probes ahead of the main force towards Tripps's clubhouse..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Trio.gif



And is almost blown apart by a faust (seen in flight at tip of arrow)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Trip.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- railstation

As my Russians edge cautiously along the railway line they suddenly come under long-range fire from 2 of Waleed's assault guns, resulting in a blockage to the line (inset)..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/walr.gif



Perched on the high ground near the valley, the assault guns get clear shots..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Wals.gif

[Michael Dorosh]

Screenshots are like ice cream.

[Poor Old Spike]

Ha ha, (private joke)..:)

[Poor Old Spike]

RESULT JUST IN
POS(Russ) minor win against Airborne Bob

Many of the flags remained neutral in this close contest..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ABob-end.png



My T-34's huddle behind the wood as a late Panther attack comes in..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/ABob-endb.gif

This games screenshot post numbers- 25 84 95 128 181 189
--------------------------------------------------

GAMES FINISHED SO FAR- 6/26
(Tourney ends June 30th)

Current Leader Board
1st- RNL Tiger(Ger) total win 84-16 (margin 68)
2nd- ER Chaser(Ger) major win 78-22 (margin 56)

[Michael Dorosh]

Has anyone managed a draw or a victory playing as Russian yet? The scores would be more valuable if we knew which side was which. I see RNL Tiger and ER Chaser were both German. Given that this is really a Russian assault (despite the "Meeting Engagement" parameter, the flags start in German control), how will those that chose to play as Russians be graded against those that played as German? Achieving a 50-50 draw as Russian would be in my opinion a bigger victory than getter a 60-40 win as German.

[CMant]

I managed a 45 - 55 " Draw " only because POS didn't bring any ATG's and his Panzerschreck and Panzerfaust guys missed so many times . I think every German on the map was carrying a Panzerfaust .

POS himself won as the Russians 60 - 40 .

[Michael Dorosh]

Okay, so we have

POS as Russian
+68 RNL Tiger 84 - 16 POS
+56 ER Chaser 78 - 22 POS
-20 Andre(?) 40 - 60 POS

POS as German
-10 CMant 45 - 55 POS

I'd suggest that the top scoring Russian and the top scoring German should have to face each other in a Final match - to determine who gets the trophy. If everyone was playing as German, it would be an easy comparison, but I think doing well as Russian is measured differently than the raw scores might suggest.

Use the same map, but make it a true meeting engagement; set the Germans up south and east and the Russians north and west and let them go for the airfield.

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

With this battle in overtime I play my final card against the main flag by sending 2 x T-34's to establish a presence near it to hopefully at least turn it neutral, I kept them in the centre of the runway out of grenade range but Der Kuenstler's invisible schrecks/fausts mercilessly cut them down. (The third T-34 in flames further down the runway was brewed by a grenade a few turns previously)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Dk-whsh.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- coastal village

Mt.Carmel Hills gun takes out an invading T-34 in the shallows just 20 seconds into the first turn.

"Morality ends where a gun begins"- Ayn Rand 1905-1982
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/MCHa.gif



But my other T-34's are on the ball and quickly knock out the gun..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/MCHb.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- airfield

My SU-100's at last hunt down Seel's Kingtiger, the beast sought refuge from its tormenters by reversing behind the hangar but left it too late and was despatched by this fatal blow..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Seekt.gif




"We're sorry to kill you, brother. Forgive us. I do honor to your courage and speed, your strength"..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/moh.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- sailing club

My Russians are routed by GAZ NZ's gun line, leaving 4 wrecked tanks behind them (marked by X's)
Fear is deeply etched on the infantry's terror-stricken faces as they blindly flee to the rear wildly shouting "we've been X'd"..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/Gazrun.gif




"When things started getting hot I lit out"..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/litout.jpg

[Poor Old Spike]

COMBAT FOOTAGE- Academy

My Russian mechanised infantry sought a side entrance to the academy but Mugger's gun denies them access..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Competitons/muggun.gif

[Poor Old Spike]

RESULT JU