Illuminating Rounds 43: When I Call Roll

skarper

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I'd vote for continuing some scenarios online with VASSAL. Pretty hard to follow a ftf set up in my opinion - but it is more convivial.

Hope you guys get out of lock down soon and stay safe and well.

We've been lucky here in Vietnam - but our government is more 'effective' than the UK's so they had the tools to come down hard and enforce local lock downs [which has it's good and bad sides for sure!] while the UK Gov were running around like headless chickens.
 

RandyT0001

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My suggestion for a better 'Russia' produced WW2 movie is The Brest Fortress, available on YouTube in the US. Better than T-34 and White Tiger.
 

The Purist

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I would recommend that VASL be continued. You gents provide a very polished program.

Not a big fan of most of the Russian movies but Siege of Sevastopol was not bad. T-34 and White Tiger were definitely sub-par.

As for team play,... it would probably be best not to have communications between players during a turn. A quick 'staff conference' between turns would be ok.

Cross of Iron was written by Willi Heinrich,.... movie was directed by Sam Pekinpah (1977), the master of slow motion death. Fun movie. "Bridge at Remagen" is a keeper as well.

Battle of the Bulge,.. arrrggghhh!!! Total dreck, not even remotely connected to the actual events. Might as well have been on Mars (sorry Martin ;)).
 
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Tuomo

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If we had been playing as a team, I would have voted to press on with that first LC through the tetrahedrons instead of tacking to starboard.

But yeah, I don't think playing by committee would be fun. Too much forced cooperation on every decision. I'd rather do what Gerry said (with teammates alternating who actually plays during that turn) or just do it the classic way and I'll take the left flank while you take the right. Or in a 2-person team play tournament, each team plays both sides in separate playings of a scenario, to help balance out some part of scenario imbalance.

No love for Kelly's Heroes?
 

The Purist

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'''But yeah, I don't think playing by committee would be fun. Too much forced cooperation on every decision. I'd rather do what Gerry said (with teammates alternating who actually plays during that turn) or just do it the classic way and I'll take the left flank while you take the right. ...
One player commanding the tanks and another the infantry could be fun:

"Hey,... go VB Freeze that hex for me with your StuG"

"Pfft! Fuggit about it, those Yanks have Baz'es with WP6 and there's an M36 behind the barn."

"How about an SD6 to help my infantry across the road and into the woods by the farm house?"

"WHAT!?" You forgetting there's HIP MMG and 9-2 out there! Besides, going in BU makes it an SD5. No way,... not worth the risk with those Baz'es lurking around every bush and haystack. I've already lost a StuG, I'm not risking this one on some 'charge' into the open. We have a casualty cap of 24 and we're already down 6."

"Smoke?"

"Nope,... all out."

"Well,... what can you do?"

Tell ya what. Give me a few phases to rack up some Acqs and I'll try and shoot the Doughboys outta the hayloft."

<sigh> "Never mind, I'll do it the hard way."

"Suit yurself. It's 1945, ya know. These StuGs don't grow on trees anymore."
 
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Gordon

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A true classic.
It would probably be my all time favorite. Right up there with "The Dirty Dozen", "The Bridge on the River Kwai", and "The Great Escape." Not the "Most accurate"/"Most realistic" (not by a long shot) but I love 'em all the same.
 

Sparafucil3

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I'd vote for continuing some scenarios online with VASSAL. Pretty hard to follow a ftf set up in my opinion - but it is more convivial.
I vote you guys do what makes you happy. The videos resonate because of your friendship and your comradery. If getting together at the table highlights that, then do that. JMO, YMMV. -- jim
 

Gordon

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You could always get together and play via VASL, best of both worlds. :geek:
 

Gordon

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A true double-blind VASL option would really whip the Llama's ass.
 

Actionjick

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Lol, I couldn’t stand to read the tortuous landingcraft rules either.
Found them to be rather laborious also. The Rout Report may have done a satirical article on landing craft ramp rules bitd. I can't recall if that was so or if we just thought the LC rules were so convoluted Rout Report should have done an article on them.

I always looked forward to receiving the latest Rout Report. Good stuff!🤗
 

The Purist

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I vote you guys do what makes you happy. The videos resonate because of your friendship and your comradery. If getting together at the table highlights that, then do that. JMO, YMMV. -- jim
This. The obvious rapport and genuine friendship betwixt the two of you is what makes for such an enjoyable viewing experience. That's what keeps me coming back.
 

JoeArthur

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If you are going to watch a war film it should be difficult to watch. It has to show the gore, the fact that most of the men were in fact boys who generally died screaming for their mothers (even the Japanese). Because you don't want it all happening again...........

I'd vote for:


So I'm more of a documentary fan than a war film fan. Try the Fall of Berlin (1945) where "Over 40 Army cameramen from 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts' contributed footage of this remarkable documentary of the fall of Berlin, including captured German footage."

With regard to the Poles at Arnhem - Sosabowski told it like it was and the British officers got upset. They got back at him by blaming him for the failure of the operation. Some of that might have carried over into the film? In reality the Poles took 40% casualties.


What we did to Sosabowski was inexcusable................

Many thanks for another fun episode 👍
 
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AdrianE

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T34 has fantastic tank combat scenes but a plot that is beyond ludicrous. It is interesting technically but ridiculous historically.
Fury has the same issues.

I concur with "A Bridge Too Far".

How can you not include "The Longest Day"!

The first thirty minutes of "Saving Private Ryan" deserve to be on the list. The rest of the movie not so much.

Clint Eastwood's pair of Iwo Jima movies are also worth checking out: "Flags of Our Fathers" & "Letters from Iwo Jima"

If the Americans have to exit from F5, the Germans should place a wire in F5.

The lesson learned from this replay should be "don't stack".
 
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