Disclaimer: I am writing the following article, because I believe we all need reminders, (for new and old players), of how to not lose our precious armored assets needlessly during a good game of either Combat Mission Beyond Overlord (CMBO) or Combat Mission Barbarossa to Berlin (CMBB) no matter what version of the games you own.Armor is too important a commodity to waste on a CM battlefield. During a quick battle or operation, your tanks are your main punch, your main anti-tank killers and your... Read More

Okay, urban combat is whole subject unto itself.Based on my experience with urban combat in Iraq, it is a slow, dangerous, exhausting, and terrifying ordeal.And it requires an entirely different set of tactics and skills from what we usually use. Now, much of the MOUT tactics I know do not apply in Combat Mission, because of the way that cities and buildings are modeled. Such as the fact that you try to never to enter a building through doors; instead you come from the roof, a window, or blow a ... Read More

This is a continuation of my previous threads. The infantry defense network works in conjunction with my anti-armor tactics already mentioned before. In general, the layers are the same as well. It should also be said that while I often follow this and my other posts as guidelines, I do not by any means strictly adhere to these tactics. I’m just writing thoughts as they flow, and I’ve had more than a few beers, so bear with me here. ? For a discussion of MGs in this network, see the... Read More

  When your tank spots a tiger and a bailed-out crew at the same time, it will always target the crew. Especially if it is your last Firefly. Tank Destroyers..... don't. Incoming fire is always more accurate than outgoing fire. Friendly fire.... isn't. AT Mines will magically gravitate to your axis of advance. Especially if you placed them. The chances of your tank bogging is directly proportional to how badly you need it. The big hills on the quick battle map are always ... Read More

This is a sort of catch-all thread for various arty ideas and tactics, and smoke as well, because it is closely related. We can swap ideas and tricks! Personally, I don't like how arty is modeled in CM. Being a mortarman myself, I have a pretty good understanding of how the FO / Artilley process works. The process really hasn't changed all that much from then until now, with the exception of technology. One thing I really don't like is that you cannot adjust sheaf shapes. Hopefully the new CM w... Read More

Okay, continuing from my previous thread. I believe that MGs are a vital part of the defense. In my experience MG do not score many kills... BUT they are very, very good at suppressing and basically scaring the @!#$ out of the enemy's infantry, and if they can't advance, well then they might as well be dead, because they aren't doing anything. In the defense I usually select the med Mg's with the highest amount of ammo. I actually don't pick the .50 cal and 12.7mm MGs often because while they ha... Read More

A defense is set up to stop an attack. The set-up of the defense is almost entirely dependant on the terrain available to the attacker and the defender. How you use this terrain will depend on the troops and hardware you have at your disposal. Prior to setting up, the defender should do a very thorough analysis of the map, including an overview at the "9" zoom level and a detailed look at eyeball level. In the real military this is similar to a leader doing his leader's recon before an atta... Read More

The following tactics apply to infantry moving to contact (Not in the orders sense) in most non-urban terrain, regardless of the situation, i.e. attack, defense, ME, etc. Note: When I say one-two terrain features or such, I mean anything that blocks LOS, i.e. a thick treeline, a hill, etc. There are three modes of travel: Traveling, Traveling Overwatch, and Bounding Overwatch. What type you use is determined by METT-T. When analyzing terrain, whether for an attack, defense, ME, etc, a useful m... Read More

Recent post here inspired me to start this discussion. So, let's hear it for your favorite anti-armor tactics when on the defense.Personnally, I think of it in layers of defense:This layering assumes I have the resources I want (Quick Battle), and it's about med. hills, med. trees, non-urban etc. Generally this applies to mid-to-late war armies. Adjust as accordingly for what hardware is available.Layer #1: If there is enough cover for escape routes, the first line of defense is infantry AT team... Read More

OK! So far it's been blah blah defense this defense that blah yackety yack! Time for a change of pace!Some basics:Every attack, from the platoon level to the regimental level, consists of three basic components:- The Base of Fire: This can be as simple as a couple of squads and an MG or as complex as a company making a small advance to pin down the enemy with FOs and tanks and smoke. The base of fire's job is pin down, suppress the enemy, so that the assaulting element can accomplish its objecti... Read More

This article was put together by myself, but is based on an earlier article by Jarrel Crider and draws on info contained in the user manual, thanks also to RickyB for his input and ideas. Optional Rules In PzC Some players in Panzer Campaigns will automatically try to use all the possible optional rules (OR) given in the game, without giving too much thought as to how they may affect play balance or realism. However, most of the Panzer Campaign OR have significant impacts on play balance and ... Read More

I've been asked by many people to compare Panzer Campaigns to Norm Kroger's "The Art of War"(TOAW).Despite the shared operational scale, there are many aspects of a Panzer Campaigns title, detailed in its treatment of a particular campaign that go way beyond the scope of TOAW. For example, Panzer Campaigns Normandy '44 has several special rules like: Special Bocage rules, that depict the unique defensive nature of the Normandy terrain Carpet Bombing in close support of ground forces, used by... Read More

I've been asked by many people to compare Panzer Campaigns to the Campaign Series, a wargame of a different scale that is also developed by John Tiller and published by TalonSoft. Because John Tiller wrote the programs for both the HPS Panzer Campaigns and the TalonSoft Campaign Series, players who look at both games would notice an instant similarity - I call it the Tiller style. The menus are laid out in a similar order and contain similar items, some or which date back to John's older Battleg... Read More

Week #1 with West Front! Now that TalonSofts WEST FRONT has mastered and is on the store shelves (or soon to be), what are you going to do with it first? Where are you going to start? There is so much to chose from, with 56 Scenarios, 5 Linked Campaigns (that add another 116 Scenarios) and 7 Dynamic Campaigns that take you from 'The Fall of France' to 'The Road to Germany'. The play value and possible combinations of approach to this game are endless.At first I was going to write and tell about ... Read More

With the recent changes to the optional Command and Controls rule, in West Front keeping platoons of the same company together takes on a whole new importance. The Company Command Post (CP) is deemed to travel with the 1st Platoon of each company. The CP has a Command Range, and units outside this range will suffer a -1 penalty when they are resolving a die roll to recover from Disruption or attempting to recover a lost morale point. The penalty does not affect other morale checks. The net effec... Read More

My initial perceptions of this light tank when I started PBEM in February was that it was a worthless piece of junk.  In one of my first games, 'Checking the Blitzkrieg', there were swarms of BT-7s, and as the German I loved to shoot them full of holes.  An easy victim,  I thought.  I was glad I didn't have them in my arsenal.  This thought turned to frustration the first time I commanded them in battle.  Roll them up blast away and wait to be destroyed the next tur... Read More

IntroductionWhen TalonSoft's East Front was released last year, I became very interested in all the different unit types and finding a best purpose for each. From the lowly Russian ATR (anti-tank rifle) platoon all they way up to the speedy armored cars, I felt each unit had a time and a place where it could function and contribute to the game. This led me to an interest in reconnaissance aspects of the game system.Battlefield reconnaissance in TalonSoft's Campaign Series is an art that has take... Read More

Greetings Gents,

This is a short little article on something I have found of great value in saving lives in East Front - Smoke.

So far I have played Fortress in the Snow (IE Velikye Luke) twice as the Russians. In the first game I advanced a WHOLE bunch of infantry over open ground and got slaughtered by artillery fire and bunkered machine gun platoons. It was not pretty…only the use of my Tanks where going to be able to save the day.
... Read More

This is a little article I thought I would put together about using Artillery during set piece battles. I have come up against quite a few opponents who could have toasted me if they used their artillery better, or I toasted them through effective use of artillery so I thought I would share my thoughts. I have divided these thoughts into various subsections for ease of getting them on paper.PLACEMENTWhenever possible if I have an artillery unit that is low on ammo during a turn, I will hitch it ... Read More

It is necessary, especially early in the war to identify and split your panzers by type (although in some scenarios you might need to group them together for tactical reasons such as high infantry concentration from the enemy). 1. Anti-armour elements. It is preferable to use the PzIII's (any type up to the N variant) in group of two's. In that way your panzer elements will have additional firepower when dealing with enemy armour and take away some of the micro-management issues (especially if y... Read More

During WWII night attacks were used with increasing frequency - certainly more than in any other major conflict prior to it. This is especially true in the Pacific theater, where the Japanese frequently favored the effects of darkness for masking both infiltration and mass assaults.A set-piece scenario that takes place at night will be so noted in the introduction to that battle, just prior to the recommended side. The "Visibility" window of Scenario Information display (hot key 1) also states i... Read More

Japanese Strategy by Yossarian/Michael WetherholtWow, a strategy guide....what a great idea. I'm flattered that you would like some imput from me about Rising Sun. I'm no expert, so don't take what I have to say as Gospel or the final word...these tips that I'll relate are my understanding of the rules and the beneifits and detriments of playing as the Japanese. And yes, I would spend $20 for it. I'm a horrible armor commander and could use all of the help that I can get, especially in East Fron... Read More

The following list of strategies and tactics comes from my personal experience playing Talonsoft's East Front and other similar wargames (Talonsoft's Bulge/Ardennes game), and represents lessons learned (usually the hard way) from my many worthy opponents on the PBEM battlefields. Most of this is common sense and basic, but still not obvious to the casual observer (at least it was not obvious to me when I started playing these wargames). I broke up this list into two major categories of tips: th... Read More

As the commander, you must orchestrate a combination of offensive and defensive operations to defeat the enemy and gain the initiative. For success on the East Front battlefield, you should plan for an extended battle utilizing all available forces at your disposal. Audacity, aggressiveness and good planning are keys to a victorious fight. You must attempt to shape the battlefield by diversion, delay, destruction, and/or attrition of enemy forces. Also, you will need to anticipate, create, and e... Read More

Why would you form a square? They have only 1/4 of the firepower of infantry in line. However: They cannot be attacked enfilade They exert ZOC in all adjacent hexes They are the strongest defence against cavalry melee attacks, negating the normal tripling If you have to hold a position and think you have the odds against you it might be worth squaring one or more infantry units on the objective (e.g. Utitsa Mound hill top) before the enemy arrive and it becomes disordered and can no lo... Read More

Enfilade fire is fire from the side and is especially powerful. It represents fire with an element of surprise against unprepared defenders. If a unit is fired on or meleed from an enfilade position and any casualties are caused there is a good chance that the unit will rout as enfilade attacks cause a -2 modifier to the morale check. Most units, especially if already fatigued and/or disordered are at serious risk from enfilade attacks and the rout of one unit can easily become a chain rout, lea... Read More

Move your artillery as close to the enemy as possible, especially if that enemy is in static defensive positions. Remember to go no closer than three hexes, leaving you the ability to shoot at the target but leaving you (with very few exceptions) out of range. Close range greatly increases the results on a massed infantry target.When manoeuvring stay out of your guns' line of fire to the target. It is easy to site two batteries with enfilade shots on a good target only to move an infantry unit i... Read More

Force Ratio & Combined Arms:Know the forces involved in each battle, as this will strongly shape your battle plan. If you have an edge in artillery & air support, your plan should capitalize on this. If your opponent has a big edge in armor, you will need to plan to neutralize this superiority. Combined arms is an important aspect of Maneuver Warfare which deserves separate treatment that I cannot offer here, but look for the obvious advantages & disadvantages in the units involved (... Read More

How can something 2000 years old help me?Actually, it is older than that and yes it can help you, it is Sun Tzus’ "The Art of War". You have probably heard quotes from it in movies, have you ever taken the time to pick up and give it a read? Sun writes about a myriad of topics, some of which don’t apply to day (such as the emperors’ concubines, but if you look at it figuratively it still makes sense), but most are readily applicable to the modern military and especially gamers.... Read More

METTT derives from US Army practices (among others), and is applicable literally from the level of the lone dogface, all the way up to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It is also suitable for the wargamer- any gamer, playing any game. METTT ("me, triple t") stands for: Know your MISSION Know your ENEMY Know your TROOPS Know the TERRAIN Know the TIME A gamer can use this acronym to help remember what to check, and what to keep focused on, while playing. It is short, easy to remember, and is a... Read More