Operation Autumn Mist - 14th December 2008

Yep. Cholmley told me about this at the training day. It should work out pretty well IF we play as a team. If the 5 man gruppen are fairly close to each other, it won't make much difference to our tactics anyway. We'll need a hefty ratio of attackers to defenders as well.

I also need a volunteer to use my MG42. I think that I'll be more suited to a squad leader/assault troop role for this, especially given the recce/patrolling tasks we will have. Obviously, I'll give the volunteer a full run down of the gun and how it all works (and give him some extra ammo and batteries!).

We can sort out an orbat over the next couple of weeks. I think we have exactly enough to form two "squads" of our own.

i did a quick 5 minuite site recce today, as i was passing on a work job, (well passing 30 miles away but what the hell )

the panzer can get on site, this was a worry as i was told the fences and walls round site may cause a problem. they wont

the small area of site ive seen, is dense trees,meaning small trees, but full of fine growth in between that will make moveing through the trees difficult, and throwing grenades and fireing bbs through this crap may be hard, its only a small part of the site ive seen though

the panzer will have no problem pushing through the growth between the trunks

the ground was frozen today, but it looks like it could be boggy up to the knee if weather was warm

pray for a cold snap

not much info but i detoured 20 mins each way and 5 mins on site i was nealy an hour late back, and had to blame "roadworks"

Decided I'm going with jackboots for this - my low boots are missing yet more hobnails, and I can't find my sprares - I also don't have time to get them to a decent cobbler either. In actual fact, first task is to find one...

steiner, theres an 86 year old cobbeler in rochdale,still has his old shop, ill pop in and see if he will do it for you, leave em with me at autum mist, and ill post em back to you in the new year

ill have a chat this week, (check hes still batting so to speak, he was 2 months ago)

tell me what work you want , and ill ask him what price, etc etc

Cheers Tony, I may take you up on that....

I thought I'd found one - he was an old bloke working on his own, and I talked to him about preparing the leather, etc. Anyway, I turned up 2 days after they were supposed to be ready, and he was literally just starting them! I supplied him with some real German hobnails, and I've never seen anybody so cack-handed in my life!! He kept dropping them on the floor, which was such a mess that you'd never find them again, and had clearly done no prep work at all. I would've been better doing them myself!

Kameraden - the need for watch, compass, notebook, pencil and bino's has been requested by Oberfeldkommandantur.

These are required for the intelligence gathering.

Those who have items, please post what you have. Also depending on your role within 'Hohenstaufen' would you be willing to loan out on the 'you bend it/lose it - you pay for it' basis?

I have the following:-

1 x Original German Marching Compass
1 x German Bino's
1 x Repro Schreibblock
X x Wooden Pencils
1 x Watch

I am willing to lend all items if required apart from the compass - replacement cost is too high.

I have some old but not period Binos (I assume they're 70s), think they will be ok? They are Zeiss.
Pencil & Paper I should be ok on. Don't have a period looking compass but I'm sure I can find something.

Watch wise I only have my posh watch working right now but I am just about to order a new more period one, hopefully it will arrive in time. Meant to be for Christmas but what the hell- if I have order it I'm going to give it to myself early. Or late as it was originally meant to be for my Birthday, in August.

1940s Swiss wristwatch
post-war German compass
post-war Sovietski binocs
Would prefer not to lend them, thanks.

Guess I can get hold of pencil / paper easily enough.

Got bino's (ww2 dated) and a compass (Silva Brit army one in mils not degrees). It's important to remember that you need to be able to actually use them properly as well lads!

I can use a compass for finding my way around, not sure about using it for patrolling/recceing though. Maybe I'll just forget the compass and volunteer to be the unit artist to sketch the enemy defenses. Or if its the yanks I could ask them to pose for me and say I'm doing portait paintings.

ive no compass, but it wouldnt work right on the panzer anyways, i can bring no period binos, but they will look too modern ???

also ive got a few ikea pencils lying around, as most ex squaddies know, pencils write when wet, and dont freeze. so a far better choice than a pen

yah mad bastards - I think between us, we'll need intel gatherer's and runners

Any bino's, pencil-paper, compass etc will stand us in good stead. Bring a sun-dial if that's what you have lol

won't ask for names etc - since this is a un-secure intel station - discuss on the day

Dell, this this section is seen by me and Stephen who are on the Allies this time - all four of us are controlling the game for the benefit of all players, not one side or the other.

I wrote the scenario, I posted the kit recommendations and your briefings in Guy's name. There is no point in being secretive, commanders could complete the game in ten minutes if they were minded to win at all costs. That's not how it works at all. I've already given the Germans many clues, not least at the training day, of things to concentrate on. It doesn't matter what I know, it doesn't get used to help the other side, that would be a completely rubbish concept!

Have a think about including the rest of the German players when discussing 'tactics' - ten shit hot players will come to nowt if the other twenty are bimbling aimlessly!

comments taken David.

I'm looking forward to the CiA game in December. Excuse my inclusion only of fellow Waffen SS team members in this thread.

I have made certain telecomms signals to the Northern FJ attending the game.

I am only a player, not a mover or shaker - my posts are in no way meant to exclude any axis player, I only posted here, in the private Hohenstaufen forum to try those wearing the 9th Waffen SS loadouts for the game, knew what additional equipment was on the list - if you have it, bring it.

If I was going to attend as a member of the Fallschirmjager - I would have posted the same content of post in that section.

I was trying to ensure the other players I can post out too, can work out kit requirements especially when paraded in front of Axis High Command.

If I have stepped out too far, please delete posts as CiA see fit.

Del

Heh, I'm not deleting anything Dell, just pointing out that there is no point keeping tactics 'secret' from me and Stephen, that's all!

My point about including the rest of your team is a serious one - if they need some direction and motivation then why not let it come from the members of Hohenstaufen (who are motivated). It would be a real shame if Hohenstaufen's efforts on the day were negated by the lack of effort by the rest of them.

I've posted the compass/watch/bino post in the Axis game specific area.

Cool, I didn't mean you to offer your kit to all and sundry! But you have drawn their attention to a useful piece of intel which is great - I'm sure only 50% of people bother to read stuff and even less follow the brief on the day!

So, to another plea to Hohenstaufen for the game ('cos I'm expecting the best from you ). Listen to orders and follow them without question! There is a reason for everything, even if it's not clear to you at the time. I'll give an example:
Much grumbling at Bryansk on the 'supply run' section of the game with first contact.
Specific brief: Collect supplies and make three supply runs to crossroads
Specific instructions: Do not leave the roadway
What happened? First sight of unknown people Germans start firing and leave the road chasing after them. At that very point we nearly lost the game - we hadn't even reached the supplies, let alone started ferrying them back. Worse than that though, from the Russians POV it nearly ruined the ambush they were setting up for our outward journey (spoiling their game and the whole point of the supply run/ambush 'game') even worse than that they were laying electrically detonated pyro so it was dangerous to go off limits. OK, so they were careless in remaining hidden (or keeping still even!) but it doesn't excuse disobeying orders - I knew they wouldn't attack until the return journey!

What happened? First sight of unknown people Germans start firing and leave the road chasing after them.

Sorry about that! It won't be happening this time. We'll obey our orders and carry them out as well!

Hah, I wasn't pointing fingers, it matters not one whit - it was just an example that came to mind so I could illustrate a point.