Memories...
In my early days of ASL, I fondly remember a Tank Rumble - The 'Dompaire Rumble' via email with tow teams and a moderator. Each player commanded a tank and had to send in movement orders with two or three contingency options. Communication was only possible in the form of (short) 'radio messages' within the tank platoon. Platoon commanders had an additional platoon-frequency and could issue orders to their platoon. One could 'see' things, or not - especially while BU. One could also hear things if your engine was stopped even if you didn't see it, i.e. motor noises from a certain direction, firing, etc. If a tank was hit, communication to an from it might just suddenly go ominously quiet... Communcation among tank commanders was "in-time" i.e. a little game in itself, each commander having the 'characteristics' that his player gave him. Furthermore, for added atmosphere, no coordinates were used but certain buildings were given designations instead. So, for example, a transmission would read: "I am stopped immediately south of the 'Mairie'. There is an enemy Sherman approaching towards the NW about 80 meters from the 'Boulangerie'. I can hear further motor noises in the Orchards beyond and after an explosion black smoke is now rising from that area. Will engage the enemy Sherman now. Over".
That is actually, when "von Marwitz" was created. His first 'life' didn't last long, though: My tank never even reached the action because it was taken out by Air Support while crossing a bridge approaching the noise.
Good ideas of players were encouraged: For example, the tank of one player on my side was taken out but the (very angry) crew survived. The crew still had some fight in it. It moved (unseen by the adversary) into a steeple location with a fine view of the battlefield. A friendly tank pulled up and parked ADJACENT to the steeple CE. The crew in the steeple called down its observations to the tank, who in turn forwarded it over the communications net to the rest of the force. As a consequence, a successful and surprising flanking attack was made.
Handling the Rumble was somewhat cumbersome, but it had lots of 'fog of war', suprises and fun.
Good times.
von Marwitz