Steel Beasts ProPE 3 - IFVs Supporting Infantry, and Vice Versa

Steel Beasts ProPE 3 has been updated to version 3.011. The full list of changes is still being written. I've noticed a nice improvement in graphics (they look sharper and with a more realistic lighting, but it could be just placebo).

I have quite a backlog of Steel Beasts ProPE scenarios to play. This one is a pretty simple, fictional cold war-ish type of scenario. A mechanized infantry platoon is moving to contact. A meeting engagement is developing and my task is to secure a small German village. Enemy reconnaissance or the lead elements of a forward detachment are likely.

Panzer Battles Kursk, The Southern Flank - AAR

The release of the first Panzer Battles title is just hours away. I am pleased to present an AAR to show the game play and "feel of battle" of Panzer Battles Kursk, The Southern Flank. You are cordially invited to share my command post during this mission.

A zoomed out view of this scenario's map. My forces are the only icons visible.

Panzer Battles Kursk, The Southern Flank - Preview

The release of the first game using John Tiller's brand new Panzer Battles war game engine is imminent. Take a quick look at the most salient features of this new war game, some of the game content included and off course a selection of screenshots.

Lock 'n Load Heroes of Stalingrad - Gameplay Notes (2 of 3) - We Could Be Heroes, Just For One Turn

The southern flank in shambles, two full squads shaken. I tried to regain the tactical initiative at the opposite side of the battle. Not an easy task, my men told me, as enemy guns shoot over our heads.

Lt. Plassmann and his men just came out from cover (the hex highlighted purple) and bumped into an hex of prepared positions. The Russians were dug in and hidden from view (fog of war). The game rules specify that enemy units in an adjacent hex to a friendly one are automatically spotted.

DCS UH-1H Huey - Landing, Almost the Way is Supposed to be Done

In my previous landing video of almost one year ago, I showed that I was able to land the Huey safely. My landing approach, though was too shallow. In this new video, I am trying to do it the way it is supposed to be: the slope should be 30 degrees or so. I don't think I have achieved the 30s but at least I am in the 20s or so.



The YouTube version is in high definition, just in case you want to check the airspeed and rate of descent gauges.

Surprisingly, a 1,000 ft/min descent rate didn't kill me and was easy to get out from. The most useful muscle memory from this training: collective up, cyclic forward at the same time.

Cheers,

Lock 'n Load Heroes of Stalingrad - Gameplay Notes (1 of 3) - What if they gave a war and nobody came?

Lock 'n Load Heroes of Stalingrad
Designed by Mark H. Walker
Published by Matrix/Slitherine Games
U$D 39.99 Digital Edition
U$D 54.99 Digital and Boxed Edition

This board game to PC port has been years in the making and is getting a lot of praise from both board and PC gamers. This is my hands-on experience with it, including some game play notes. This is not a game review, not a treatise in tactical urban warfare and not an AAR. I just want to play and write about it. Spoilers ahead.

Steel Beasts ProPE 3.0 - Hunter-Killer Capable Tanks: The M1A2 SEP

After a very bad online combat performance this past Friday, I've been sent back to the virtual armor school. Although most of my virtual command (a platoon of computer-controlled M1A1s) displayed good gunnery, I've been told that not everything in armored warfare boils down to the amount of rounds on target. The choice of targets is where I failed.

It was a very entertaining discussion and an additional post about the bigger picture will follow soon. While talking about engagement areas and fire control with an avid Steel Beasts fan, he pointed out that people usually get the "massive fires" thing wrong. This was after a mission where frequently different platoons were shooting at the same enemy tank. Sigh. :) So, to learn about targeting priorities, he suggested to go and practice against overwhelming odds with a single tank. For some reason, he suggested the M1A2 SEP. And I am here today to tell you that the target acquisition and fire control goodies that this tank packs are really impressive.

DCS A-10C - Gun Runs Practice

I wished for a more exciting title for this entry. Like "tank busting" or something in that line. Alas, killing tanks with the A-10C's gun has proven a bit more demanding than what I thought. I didn't want to shoot fish in a barrel either (trucks and other thin skinned vehicles), so I chose some BMP-2s as targets. These IFVs have cannons and if you are not careful, they will do some serious damage to your A-10C. To add a bit more of a challenge, I flew my mission during the early hours of the morning, which forced me to use the pod for target acquisition.

The early morning is perfect for a practice mission against tanks BMPs.

The legendary GAU-8/A 30 mm gun/cannon of the A-10 needs no introduction. Let's hop into the cockpit and do some killing.

Steel Beasts ProPE 3.0 - The Battle for Tskhinvali: A Humble Foothold (2 of 2)

The anticlimactic detour to make up for lack of punch and alternatives to get back into cover. They call it a flanking maneuver ... We were just not in the mood for euphemisms.

This a continuation of a previous entry. A platoon of 3 Georgian T-72M1 tanks, part of a forward detachment has found itself too close to Russian tanks near Tskhinvali and undertook a wide flank maneuver to regain distance and engage in better terms.

Combat Mission Fortress Italy - Scenario Making: Darby's Rangers and the 39th Combat Engineer Regiment at Gela, Sicily 10 July 1943 -

The fight conducted by US troops at the northeast extreme of the city of Gela during the morning of 10 July 1943 is twice remarkable. At 0900, with the beach head still not completely secured, a small contingent of the  Italian Mobile Group E launched a so-called "counter attack" (most likely a diversionary attack) against the US forces in Gela. The first remarkable action was from Colonel Darby, who took a jeep back to the beach and commandeered an anti tank gun which was used to fight off the Italian armor. The second remarkable fact was that a good portion of the US forces at this location where green combat engineers.

Making an scenario inspired in the actual fight has been in my to do list for a long time. I think I have a reasonable starting point. I play tested the draft version and still needs some work on the AI.