tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post385333810772776747..comments2024-03-28T22:10:41.636-07:00Comments on Archduke Piccolo: A nostalgia piece - 488th Mechanised BrigadeArchduke Piccolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-39911119217455936902020-06-08T18:42:32.677-07:002020-06-08T18:42:32.677-07:00Cheers, Chris - that was built nearly 30 years ago...Cheers, Chris - that was built nearly 30 years ago. Since then I've acquired in metal a BA10, a BA6 (with the big BT5 turret) and a BA64.<br /><br />By the way, I've been following the Soviet 1943 Spring offensive with interest.<br />Cheers,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-88854978284377611112020-06-08T12:45:30.670-07:002020-06-08T12:45:30.670-07:00The Cardboard BA-6/10 is very impressive.
Regards...The Cardboard BA-6/10 is very impressive.<br /><br />Regards, Chris.Chris Kemphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15784847480097649252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-54185182874259753152020-05-31T15:49:24.837-07:002020-05-31T15:49:24.837-07:00Bob -
So do I! I started doing the 'formatio...Bob - <br />So do I! I started doing the 'formation in a box' thing, but have decided to abandon that plan, and just have boxes of kit that I'll simply 'pick' when I'm setting up a scenario of campaign. However, I will group infantry by unit, I think, of 4 or 6 stands. <br /><br />I've been looking at my postings of a two or three years back, and, apart from the 6-stand 'Division', rather like what I've done there. That might well be revisited. <br /><br />Cheers,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-73563166710101403882020-05-31T12:09:57.685-07:002020-05-31T12:09:57.685-07:00Archduke Piccolo,
I also tried using CD, and have...Archduke Piccolo,<br /><br />I also tried using CD, and have all the editions, the Battle of the Bulge mini-campaign book, and the Bathtub Operation Barbarossa book. I also own COMBINED ARMS and OVER THE TOP, as well as the ORBAT book.<br /><br />In the end, I opted to use my CD units for MEGABLITZ and later, HEXBLITZ.<br /><br />Your Mechanised Brigade has lots of potential to be reshaped into larger formations, and I look forward to seeing the end result of your planned reorganisation.<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />BobRobert (Bob) Corderyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13109130990434792266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-54666274358099215282020-05-31T05:28:51.388-07:002020-05-31T05:28:51.388-07:00Playing the Russians in Memoir '44 is quite a ...Playing the Russians in Memoir '44 is quite a challenge, too! Back in the day also had some KV1s and KV2s (still have them). But they didn't get much action. I think the reason why I didn't 'do' Brits and German 'formations in a box', was that there was no convenient formation of a so convenient as the Soviet Mechanised Brigade.<br /><br />But the Command Decision Army lists rather beguiled one into attempting to have complete formations, hence my 16 Panthers and 18 or 19 PzIVs (actually, I have 22 I think, but 3 of them are PzIVF1s), and my Armoured Regiment of 9 Shermans and 4 Fireflies, not to mention quantities of other kit. Archduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-10349260647086853212020-05-31T01:02:37.305-07:002020-05-31T01:02:37.305-07:00Great stuff. Curiously your Mech Brigade mirrors m...Great stuff. Curiously your Mech Brigade mirrors my own 15mm Soviet collection quite closely. Great minds think alike:)<br /><br />I used to play a lot of Spearhead as a “professional Russian" and I learned quite quickly how plan properly and use reserves to work around the Sov command limitations. I also got quite good at guessing where to drop pre planned artillery. Open sights or pre planned was the only way to go with Russian artillery. Martin Rapierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16788664847205341619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-48661590870276304502020-05-30T09:13:07.551-07:002020-05-30T09:13:07.551-07:00These horror stories stick in the memory just as w...These horror stories stick in the memory just as well as the greatest victories, don't they?<br /><br />Your comments on Soviet 'modus operandi' are interesting. The one problem with the games back in the day is that they were 'pickup' encounter battles. My approach (and I did this with other rule sets and periods as well) was to try and induce an 'internal flank' to hit. The 'Austerlitz' method.Archduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-21641026086821014752020-05-30T08:33:31.681-07:002020-05-30T08:33:31.681-07:00I confess I played much more Combined Arms than Co...I confess I played much more Combined Arms than Command Decision (1980s Cold War that never was).<br />The Soviets hadn't moved on much from WW2 in command and control, so battalions took on US companies.<br />It never clicked until I read a piece by FC in the CD magazine giving advice to Soviet commanders where he laid out Soviet operational art; think big!<br />Once I grasped the concept of sacrificing tactical cut and thrust for the main objective, it all came together; find the main line of resistance, pin it and hammer it with all that plentiful artillery while pushing through the weak spots with the rest.<br />Too many people end up with a massed forward trundle (a bit like Arab armies trying to use Soviet doctrine) and play into the enemies hands (invariably stronger at a local level).<br />Your tale of the wrong order chit reminds me of one of my games using hidden units, where each real vehicle or unit was represented by a counter, with several dummies. At point of contact, counters were revealed.<br />I remember boldly advancing what I thought was a dummy in advance of the main formation, only when comparing that number to my list, to discover that not only was it not a dummy, but comprised the regimental commander in his Uaz jeep leading a formation of tanks from the front into the teeth of the enemy!<br />I can only assume I got distracted or mixed up the counters.<br />IIRC he survived, although not many of his following tanks did, I assume he did not present a sufficiently worthwhile target!<br />Hero of the Soviet Union for bravery, promoted to a command in the middle of Asia for incompetence!<br />NeilNeil Pattersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13565511145163341782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-8978094320334344192020-05-30T07:52:47.622-07:002020-05-30T07:52:47.622-07:00Thank you, Stryker. A bit of self-indulgence. It...Thank you, Stryker. A bit of self-indulgence. It's a pity the battle maps I drew up after some of the 488th's combats are no longer extant. Valuable historiographical documents gone sadly by the board.Archduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-29854641553925648602020-05-30T05:28:27.218-07:002020-05-30T05:28:27.218-07:00Great post, a very enjoyable read!Great post, a very enjoyable read!Strykerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14258922461691204362noreply@blogger.com