December 2001
Monday, December 31, 2001
December 31, 1944
Politics, Hungary-
The Provisional National Government of Hungary, set up under Soviet control in the city of Debrecen,declares war on Germany.
Sunday, December 30, 2001
New CMMOS V3.0 Mods
We have a bunch of the very latest CMMOS releases from Makjager and Gordon Molek. First off, Makjager has produced a selection of JgdPzV's in various camo schemes, along with winterized versions by Gordon Molek.
Also, Makjager has released a non-CMMOS compatible mod, in the shape of a Panther A that features "hasty" camo, zimmerit coating, and missing side-skirts.
Many Thanks to Makjager & Gordon for all their efforts.
Saturday, December 29, 2001
December 30, 1942
Sea War, Arctic-
At the Battle of the Barents Sea, the German pocket battleship Lutzow, heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, and six destroyers attempt to destroy the Allied Arctic convoy JW-51B. Although outnumbered, the British use superior tactics and exploit the German caution arising from orders not to sustain serious damage. Germany has one destroyer sunk, while the British also lose a destroyer and have one badly damaged. The battle outrages Adolf Hitler, who believes that the German fleet is tying down a huge amount of manpower and resources for very little result. Indeed, the Battle of the Barents Sea will lead to the end of significant sorties by major German surface vessels for the rest of the war.
Know Thine Enemy!
Here is an excerpt from "Russian Volunteers in the German Wehrmacht in WWII" by Lt. Gen Wladyslaw Anders and Antonio Munoz:
"...One of the first Russian volunteer formations was RONA - Russian National Army of Liberation - which was organized in the winter of 1941-1942 under the command of a Soviet captain called Kaminski, who was promoted by the Germans to Major-General. His army - which in fact never exceeded the strength of a division - at first fought against Soviet partisans, and later on the front. In the summer of 1944, after considerable losses, RONA was withdrawn to East Prussia, where Himmler took it over from the Wehrmacht and reorganized it into an SS brigade..."
Friday, December 28, 2001
December 29, 1940
Politics, United States-
In President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "fireside chat" broadcast, he describes how the United States must become the "arsenal of democracy" by giving maximum assistance to Britain in its fight against the Axis powers.
Thursday, December 27, 2001
December 28, 1944
The Daily Sketch, London-
Bastogne is Freed
Luxemburg Troops Retire to West Wall-Berlin
Great Battles on Flanks
Bastogne, vital Belgian road and communications centre, where for more than a week encircled American battalions, supplied by "sky trains," have bitterly resisted the Germans, was reported last night to have been freed.
This news came from Luxemburg after a day in which even Germany admitted a number of Allied successes.
Berlin said that Runstedt had withdrawn troops from some sectors of Luxemburg front to the forefield of the Siegfried Line to "avoid unnecessary losses."
By the loss of Bastogne, the German supply tunnel through Belgium has been narrowed to less than 20 miles wide, and it is further threatened by a deep wedge driven into it by the Americans.
Berlin also admitted that on both flanks fierce tank battles had developed, and said that in the north Field-Marshal Montgomery had thrown one of his elite divisions into the battle zone east of the Leuttich-Dinant line, as well as an American division transferred from Aix.
Great Air Blows
"The Allied aim is to crush our flank in the north with massed forces and a maximum of artillery near Grandmesnil, while on the southern flank a thrust near Vaux-les-Rosiers is designed to corner our divisions between the Salm and Ourthe Rivers." said the German official agency.
Runstedt's most dangerous thrust-that to the Meuse in the vicinity of Rochefort-has been halted, and we have recaptured Ciney and Celles, four miles from the river.
Late "flashes" from the Belgian front said that Allied air forces pounded the enemy ground forces and supply lines in great force yesterday.
As dusk was approaching the total sorties mounted to the 2,000 mark...
Up on the Rooftop...
Scipio is all dressed up for this one:
"A late present from Santa Scipio: an Axis Winter Uniform Super Pack. Exclusive in the WarfareHQ CM Mod Section!
Cheers,
Scipio"
There's No Place Like Home
Mr. Dorosh has a couple bits to share:
"A major facelift for the CANUCK site, as well as a change of address; the old one is no longer active - visit CANUCK at http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/combatmission/combatmission.htm"
December 27, 1941
Eastern Front, Russia-
The Red Army continues its counter-offensive in the Kalinin area 100 miles northwest of Moscow.
Wednesday, December 26, 2001
Picture Perfect!
Magnus has a special holiday treat:
"Today we have something special for you...I have uploaded a new fictional scenario named "Pourville," that depicts a Canadian assault on Dieppe's forifications. What is so special is that the scenario author, Olivier Gosset, actually lives in Dieppe and took 25 (!) photos of the landscape, along with close-ups of the bunkers (outside and inside) that he tried to model at the best of CM's capabilities. A great opportunity to match reality and simulation, and to train for fortifications assault, too!
Alas the scenario is French-language only, but the photos are indicated on the CM map itself, so even if you don't read French it might still be of interest. Grab the scenario on the "Scenario/Batailles Fictives" section of Appui-Feu, and get the opportunity to avenge all the Canadians who died in 1942...
And a Merry Christmas to you all! :-)"
Ringing Out the Old
Panzerman brings the year to a close:
"No folks, it's not the big one...
Well, I have been doing a little tinkering with the site for the last few days. You may have already noticed some of the changes. All the pages have been updated. As I said before, expect the Rhineland Pack to be released sometime during the first week of Jaunary, 2002.
Well, that's all for this year.
Panzerman."
Tuesday, December 25, 2001
A New Sleigh for Santa
A little late, but worth the wait:
"Another TCMHQ Christmas gift: Andrew Fox has released a new hi-res "Hetzer" mod. Download this dangerous toy ( 1.245 kb ) from the "Axis Armor" pages.
Cheers,
Tom"
December 26, 1941
Sea War, North Sea-
Britain launches Operation Archery, a commando attack against Lofoten Island, off Norway. The first force of 260 troops succeeds in destroying a fish-oil plant.
On December 27, a second landing by a further 600 troops successfully attacks fish-oil plants and radio facilities. The raids reinforce Hitler's fears that Britain is planning to invade the whole of Norway.
Sunday, December 23, 2001
Have a Happy Holiday!!!
The staff of Combat Mission HQ would like to take a moment to thank all of our loyal vistors for making us the #1 Combat Mission website on the net. Have a great holiday season, be sure and spend some time with your loved ones and prepare for a new year with lots of great things to come.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!
Matt, Ted, Mark, and yeah Fionn too!
Sound Off!
Scipio keeps making it better:
"Once again I have updated my Combat Mission sound mods. The update includes:
5 x medium explosions
1 x fire
2 x HT death
2 x MP44
2 x incoming heavy artillery
1 x RR/Bazooka
35 German voices.
I have also re-encoded ALL my sound mods with the Lame-audiocodec, which offers a much better quality.
Cheers,
Scipio
Saturday, December 22, 2001
December 23, 1939
Politics, Canada-
The first Canadian troops, some 7500 men, arrive in Britain.
Friday, December 21, 2001
December 22, 1941
Politics, Allies-
US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill meet at the Arcadia Conference, Washington. Talks between the respective political and military delegations reaffirm the "Germany First" strategic priority and establish the Combined Chiefs-of-Staff to direct Allied military action. They also agree to build up US forces in Britain in prepartion for future military action against Nazi Germany and in order to continue the aerial bombing of Nazi-occupied Europe.
December 21, 1944
Western Front, Belgium-
In the Ardennes, units of 5.Panzerarmee capture St. Vith.
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
New CMBB Pics Posted Locally
Some poeple may not have seen the five new pictures from CMBB posted thoughtout the day in various threads on the Battlefront.com forums. Well, I took the pictures and i posted them so I figured I might as well stick up here and replace those older ones. So there they are above! Click on the thumbnails to see the full versions. And ummm, wipe your mouth, your drooling again.
The Fun Never Ends!
Have you ever asked yourself what a doodad really is? Well, we have the answer! Actually, there are several answers. Doodads are graphical enhancements that will be found in Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin (CMBB). They include such things as headstones (as in what you find in a graveyard), rubble that's not flat, wheat that looks like it's ready for the harvest, and clumps of grass and flowers that stand out in the open. Click below to see the screenshots that will knock your socks off!
There has also been a lot of talk lately about how smoke will be affected by wind in CMBB. Well, we've got a screenshot for this awesome new feature too!
As the coup de grace, we have also included a screenshot that shows off one of the new super-sized maps that can be found in CMBB. This monster is 9 km of pure heaven. Can you say, "Holy long-range armor engagements, Batman!?" I knew you could.
Click away! You won't be disappointed.
And It Was Spoken (Again)...
Okay, folks, I am sure none of you were expecting a bone to be thrown since there was no begging and pleading. But, guess what?!...Here it comes!
For the two or three of you that are interested in Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin (CMBB), HomeLAN has posted a just-completed interview with a certain Steve Grammont (I don't know who he is, but he seems to know a lot about CMBB) and Madmatt (I know him and that's all I'm going to say)! There is a lot of ground covered, so I'll hit some of the high points here to whet your appetites.
Steve and Matt (S&M, Hmmm...) discuss the success of CMBO and the planned sequels. They also touch on the current state of the turn-based war game market.
If it's CMBB details you want, you've got it! S&M talk about several general features, such as the regions and timeframe of the fighting. The graphical improvements are discussed in great detail and "DOODADS" are revealed! To give an idea of what DOODADS are, here is a quote from the article: "When you see a platoon of T-34's prowling through a field with their lower hulls obscured by wheat stalks you know you are in for something special!"
An entire section is dedicated to gameplay improvements. All I have to say here is: "Build-Your-Own Factory!"
If that wasn't enough, S&M nail down most of the plans for the CMBB demo. Also, there is a hint about potential plans for retail sales of CMBB.
To top it all off, the current state of CMBB is covered in a section that mentions that "...the game code is about 95% complete...!"
If you'd like to read the entire article, swing on over to HomeLAN.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 18, 2001
December 19, 1941
Politics, Germany-
Adolf Hitler appoints himself as commander-in-chief of the army following Field Marshal Walter von Brauchitsch's resignation on the 7th. Brauchitsch resigned following a heart attack brought on by the strain of Soviet counterattacks. He was already under pressure to resign. His authority had been increasingly undermined by Hitler dominating strategic planning.
Hitler successfully keeps the Eastern Front armies in defensive positions during the winter. He develops an increasing skepticism toward the competence of his army commanders. Parallel to this is the expansion of the Waffen SS, seen by Hitler as being politically-reliable troops.
Politics, United States-
An ammendment to the Selective Service Act requires all men aged 18-64 to register, and for men aged 20-44 to be liable for conscription.
Monday, December 17, 2001
December 18, 1940
Politics, Germany-
Adolf Hitler issues his plan for invading the Soviet Union, code-named Operation Barbarossa. His Directive No. 21 retains a three-pronged offensive but the weight of the invasion plan has now shifted northward to Leningrad and the Baltic area, where Army Groups North and Center are to annihilate the enemy forces, before attacking and occupying Moscow.
Sunday, December 16, 2001
December 17, 1941
Politics, United States-
Admiral Chester Nimitz replaces Admiral Husband Kimmel as commander of the Pacific Fleet following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7.
Saturday, December 15, 2001
Alive and Kicking!
Berlichtingen is at the helm:
"Mensch is dying, so it's up to me to update...I'll try to keep the brimstone to a minimum.
We have one new Byte Battle from Germanboy. Claustrophobia is set in the Hell of bocage. Germanboy also brings you a new semi-historic battle. Securing the Dropzone is set in his boyhood backyard during Operation Varsity. 49th Recce gets an update...nothing big, just a bit of a tweek.
Enjoy!"
December 16, 1941
Far East, Borneo-
The Japanese 19th Division makes three landings along the coast of Borneo. The British and Dutch forces defending the island set oil installations ablaze before retreating.
Still Growing
Swamp just keeps adding more good stuff:
"Combat Opinion is now usable in Netscape and Opera web browsers. Also, I want to add that it's gotten over 40 player submitted polls in two weeks, so come on over!
Swamp"
Friday, December 14, 2001
December 15, 1944
Pacific, Philippines-
As part of General Douglas MacArthur's second phase of the invasion of the Philippines, the US 24th Division lands on the island of Mindoro.
Far East, Burma-
The British 19th and 36th Divisions meet at Indaw, and set up a continuous front against the Japanese in northern Burma.
Thursday, December 13, 2001
December 15, 1941
Sea War, Atlantic-
A British convoy of 32 ships, including the aircraft carrier Audacity, leaves Gibralter for Britain. Audacity is the first British escort carrier introduced to provide Allied convoys with constant air cover by intercepting enemy bombers or U-boat "Wolf Packs" when they are beyond the operational range of land-based aircraft. During the voyage, the convoy suffers attacks from 12 U-boats, but destroys five of them. The convoy loses Audacity, a destroyer, and two merchant ships, before it reaches Britain on the 23rd.
A Light at the End of the Tunnel
Pnazerman has another gem heading out of the gates soon:
"With work on the Rhineland Battle pack winding down there isn't much to say. I have finished (finally after hours of typing) the Rhineland OOB, which will be included in the pack. The OOB is in PDF format, and may be put in Word as well. That's about all, for now. The next update will be the release of the Pack.
Finally, if you have played our battles, like them or not, let us know, via email (sn_master@hotmail.com) or the Battle ratings at the Scenario Depot.
Panzerman"
December 13, 1939
Sea War, Atlantic-
The British heavy cruiser Exeter, with light cruisers Ajax and Achilles, engage the German pocket battleship Graf Spee at the mouth of the Plate River, off Uruguay. The British vessels sustain severe damage as they maneuver to prevent Graf Spee delivering concentrated fire on a single vessel.
Graf Spee, itself damaged, withdraws to neutral Uruguay for repairs. Ajax and Achilles are later joined by the heavy cruiser Cumberland to await Graf Spee's emergence from Montevideo's port. The Graf Spee, however, is scuttled by its crew on the 17th.
Wednesday, December 12, 2001
CMMOS 3.0 is Alive!
Yep, we have the brand new version of Gordon Molek's brilliant CMMOS program ready for you to download. But there's more - we also have virtually every CMMOS mod (116 to be exact!) known to man. Well, what are you waiting for...go get em'.
Direct Link: Grab CMMOS 3.0 HereTuesday, December 11, 2001
December 12, 1942
Eastern Front, Stalingrad-
A hastily-assembled force of 13 divisions, including three Panzer divisions, under the control of 4.Panzerarmee (Hoth), begins Operation Winter Tempest, the relief of 6.Armee (von Paulus) encircled at Stalingrad.
Monday, December 10, 2001
December 11, 1941
Politics, Axis-
Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. The United States then declares war on the two Axis states. Romania declares war on the United States on the 12th. Germany's declaration now confirms US participation in the European war.
Sunday, December 9, 2001
December 10, 1941
Sea War, Far East-
About 90 Japanese aircraft sink the British battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Repulse while they are attempting to intercept Japanese warships off Malaya. The attack claims 730 lives and leaves the Allies without a single battleship in the theater.
And Another Thing...
Yet another weekend update from Tom:
"The TCMHQ X-mas mod festival continues: Mr. Ryan Barr was so kind to make a CMMOS-compatible version of Andrew Fox´s Jeep (download the 4.5 MB file from the "Allied Armor" page) and Mike8G finally published the gunshields for his great SdKfz 7 Flak mod (the update is included in the SdKfz 7 1/2 zip file on the TCMHQ "Axis Armor" page).
Cheers,
Tom"
December 9, 1942
Politics, United States-
General Alexander Patch succeeds Lieutenant General Alexander Vandegrift as commander of operations on Guadalcanal. The 1st Marine Division is replaced by the US XIV Corps.
Saturday, December 8, 2001
Looking Forward to the New Year
Panzerman pops up his head to say:
"Just a little update today. The Rhineland Section has been updated. We expect the Rhineland battle pack to be ready just before or after New Year's Day.
Now I must get back to work.
Panzerman"
Something New from Someone New
Tom has another TCMHQ weekend update:
"One for the weekend: Mr. Bulent Gorucu from Istanbul presents a new Hi-Res "King Tiger" mod (889 kb) based on photos of a Tamiya model kit. I hope we´ll see more from this very talented guy in the future! You can download the new Tiger from the TCMHQ "Axis Armor" section."
Cheers,
Tom"
December 8, 1944
Pacific, Iwo Jima-
The US Air Force begins a 72-day bombardment of Iwo Jima, the longest and heaviest of the Pacific war, to pave the way for an amphibious assault.
Friday, December 7, 2001
But, Wait! There's More!
Scipio has another one:
"Ho Ho Ho - Santa Claus visits early this year!
As Wehrmacht commander you know the most important question for your soldiers is: Are we dressed good enough? Never again must you panic - with Scipio's Wehrmacht Uniform Super Pack! This package includes 6 differnt historic Wehrmacht cammos + fieldgrey (all trousers included), 8 different helmets, 4 different ammo pouches, 5 different Gebirgsjaeger sleeves, and an installation tool (for Windows). Nearly everything can be exchanged between Heer/Gebirgsjaeger, Fallschirmjaeger, and Volkssturm!!! The cammos from left to right: Splinter 42, Splinter 43, Swamp (Tan Water) 43 early, Swamp 43 late, Swamp 44, and Swamp 45.
Cheers,
Scipio"
New Faces in Old Places
Scipio sends more mod madness:
"WarfareHQ has new mods: JorgeMC has made an Ardennes Axis uniform pack with winter uniforms & faces for FJ & SS, and from the same author a Zimmerit King Tiger - based on Antonio Martin's KT.
Cheers,
Scipio"
Thursday, December 6, 2001
December 7, 1941
Air War, Pacific-
A Japanese force of six carriers launches two strikes on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Oahu Island, Hawaii. Over 183 Japanese aircraft destroy six battleships and 188 aircraft, damage or sink 10 other vessels, and kill 2000 servicemen. The Japanese lose 29 aircraft. Five midget submarines are lost during a failed underwater attack. A planned third strike, intended to destroy totally the harbor and oil reserves, is not launched for fear that the valuable Japanese aircraft carriers might be attacked by the remainder of the US Pacific Fleet. Japan then declares war on the United States and the British Commonwealth.
Despite information from Allied codebreaking operations, diplomatic sources, and other warnings, the raid is a tactical surprise. The failure to take appropriate precautions at the base, exacerbated by failures in interservice cooperation, is severely criticized. Despite the attack's success, the US Pacific Fleet's aircraft carriers are at sea and thus survive, while the fleet itself is quickly repaired. In the United States there is outrage over the attack and popular support for declaring war.
The Whole Kit and Kaboodle!
Tom has the latest from the expert:
"The long-awaited SUPER HI-RES JEEP KIT by Andrew Fox contains several photorealistic US ,Canadian, and British Jeeps with clean/wheatered/dirty variations. Download this wonderfull set (4 MB) from the TCMHQ "Allied Armor" modpage.
Cheers,
Tom"
Poor Mr. Happy
Mensch is back with the good stuff:
"Argh, it's been a while sorry for the wait, RL and stuff came up along with some uh private things. Grrr. Right so what's new? Well there are two new Book reviews one by «Germanboy» and «Kip» plus a half a dozen books given to me to put up for Suggested reading for all those interested (found in Design Tips/Articles).
A slightly revised version of the Kall Trail (briefing change only).
Two new Battles from «Germanboy» "Leading the Way," another icy frosty
Scenario where you can freeze your Mr. Happy off. Also another
Historical Scenario from «Yankee» called "Destruction of the 112th," Run! Run!! wait.. HIDE HIDE!!
Enjoy"
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
December 6, 1940
Politics, Italy-
Marshal Pietro Badoglio, Italy's commander-in-chief resigns.
Attention Aspiring Actors!
And, now for something completely different:
"Hello,
I am a member of the 7./GR (mot.) GD reenactment unit. We have been reenacting GD's 7th Kompanie for the past twenty-five years. We have over 100 members and are active from New York to Virginia. Check out our website. As you might imagine many of us are avid Combat Mission fans.
We do many public events, mostly in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Our next big event will be near Harrisburg, PA at Fort Indiantown Gap on January 26, 2002. There will about 1500 WW II reenactors there and an awesome WWII militaria flea market. Probably our best public display and public interaction is at the WW II Weekend and Airshow at the Reading, PA airport on June 8-9, 2002.
Best Regards,
Logan Brown"
Tuesday, December 4, 2001
December 5, 1944
Pacific, Philippines-
The final US offensive on Leyte begins with a drive by the X Corps into the northern Ormoc Valley, with simultaneous assaults by the XIV Corps in central and southwestern Leyte. On the 7th, the 77th Division lands virtually unopposed below Ormoc. Japanese forces are pressed into the Ormoc Valley, and are under intense artillery and aerial attack.
Home Front, Germany-
The Nazi women's leader, Gertrud Scholtz-Klink, appeals for all women over 18 to volunteer for service in the army and air force to release men for the front.
Hey, Mikey! He Likes It!
Just another unusual midweek update from Tom:
"TCMHQ has published Mike 8G´s latest Ambush Cammo Jagdpanzer IV Mod (1.3 MB). You can download this Beauty from the "Axis Armor" website."
Cheers,
Tom"
Monday, December 3, 2001
December 4, 1944
Far East, Burma-
General William Slim, commander of the British Fourteenth Army, begins the destruction of Japanese forces in Burma. The British IX and XXXIII Corps begin the offensive, heading for the Japanese airfields at Yeu and Shwebo. The Japanese Fifteenth Army, commanded by General Shihachi Katamura, is in a weakened state following its reverses during the fighting at Kohima and Imphal.
A Place of Their Own
Panzerman is doing a little remodelling:
"Not a big update, but I have added a Scenarios page. It has the
following: The Normandy Pack, Belgium and Netherlands Pack, and 505th Stand. Well, that's all for today.
Panzerman"
Sunday, December 2, 2001
December 3, 1944
Balkans, Greece-
A civil war breaks-out in Greece. British forces deliver an ultimatum for all sides to surrender their arms.
What's That Rising from the Swamp?!
Swamp has something new to share:
"Announcing the opening of Combat Opinion, a website where you can vote on, browse, and add polls. Each poll has a comments section as well. We have over 20 polls already, so come on over!"
December 2, 1939
Politics, Finland-
The League of Nations is asked by Finland to intervene in its conflict with the Soviet Union. The League eventually agrees, but the Soviet Union opposes its involvement and is expelled from the organization on December 14.
Saturday, December 1, 2001
Just Playing Around
No mysteries from Panzerman:
"I have been doing a little playing around with the site; not much I just moved the Rhineland section below the regular news section. The December WWII picture of the month is now up as well. All news on the site from June-November 2001 is now on the custom page. Well that's all for now.
Panzerman"
Making His Mark(ings)
Michael is helping us prepare for CM2:
"GD for CM has received a face lift, and the page on German vehicle markings has received a major update.
Mike"
Back to the FUTURE
FUTURE has returned:
"After many months of not having my CM mods up on the net, I have now uploaded them to my Wargaming website. Here is a small blurb in the Downloads page about why my CM mods are now with all my other mods for Close Combat."