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Sure!

Big P wrote:
Though next to it is an 88mm shell casing I pulled from a hedge at Moissy Ford in Normandy...

Mega jelly now. Like carlos13th said, pics please!

I got a chance to climb into a Matilda II at a museum, and it only reinforces what Big P has said. The lack of vision - and the feeling of claustrophobia - is very noticeable.

It's worth bearing Big P's comments in mind when you watch "Fury". It's obvious that, apart from the inaccuracy of much of the shooting (which seems authentic), the film was inspired more by video games than historical research. Still an entertaining film though...

I understand that the visibility out of tanks is poor, but I was just pointing out that there's 5 men in a tank and one of them has the sole purpose of spotting and directing the other tank crew who are doing the driving/shooting/loading/radio, so even though he's looking through a letterbox-like slit, I'm sure during a battle he'd be looking extremely intently in all directions through that letterbox sized slit (or multiple slits as the case may be).

The exception would be the earlier T-34's where there wasn't enough room for a dedicated loader and I don't believe they had a dedicated cupola for the commander either. Spotting enemy tanks must have been a nightmare.

I think the point was that you simply can't see very much from inside a closed-up tank.

The initial models of the T-34 didn't have cupolas, or radios. They quickly became disoriented if they fought buttoned-up. As with so many things, the Germans got this right early on - but Panzer commanders still preferred to command with the cupola hatch open.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
I understand that the visibility out of tanks is poor, but I was just pointing out that there's 5 men in a tank and one of them has the sole purpose of spotting and directing the other tank crew who are doing the driving/shooting/loading/radio.

Not in all tanks.

Most French tanks had a one man turret, so he would be commander, loader and gunner. Add to that restricted vision and they immediately become tactically outclassed to a degree by a crew with designated roles.

This is why in the Blitzkrieg supplement im currently writing, French tanks have a further penalty to spotting to represent the inherent difficulties of a single man turret.

 Tailgunner wrote:
I got a chance to climb into a Matilda II at a museum, and it only reinforces what Big P has said. The lack of vision - and the feeling of claustrophobia - is very noticeable.

It's worth bearing Big P's comments in mind when you watch "Fury". It's obvious that, apart from the inaccuracy of much of the shooting (which seems authentic), the film was inspired more by video games than historical research. Still an entertaining film though...

I guess they hired those four WW2 tanker veterans to comment and revise on the armored combat aspects, and then threw all that out the window?

One of them was armoured infantry... serious cool dudes.

Throw away the Hollywood A listers, id rather listen to the 4 old war horses any day.

Fury, is what it is, a Hollywood war movie like SPR. To expect utter accuracy aint gonna happen. Best to just switch off rivet mode and watch it...

Though it has a real Tiger. Tiger 131, whose turret I have been inside...

Haven't seen it yet, though I do want to, even if it's just to see actual tanks, none of that CGI crap, drive around and do stuff. And yes, Bovington Tiger in action? Wibble!

Though from what I heard the SS appears to be using human wave tactics at some point when it would've been easier to do something else. All I can say is.. wut?!

 judgedoug wrote:
guess they hired those four WW2 tanker veterans to comment and revise on the armored combat aspects, and then threw all that out the window?

It looks as though that's what they did, presumably in the interests of spectacle and plot. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed the movie, which has some great scenes and good acting (including Brad). But there are rather too many "oh come on" moments. Mostly in the final sequence, which is pure Hollywood.

BrookM - the Germans in the final sequence appear to be hardened veterans (who march along an open road singing), but they behave just like Hollywood Germans always have, and obligingly run about shouting so they can be mown down in droves.

Last bit of threadjack: Warlord did an interview with one of the four veterans who consulted on the movie, mister Paul Andert, the infantryman of the group.

http://www.warlordgames.com/fury-an-interview-with-the-heroes/

 judgedoug wrote:
So my brother and one of my buddies have been playing Battlegroup Kursk for a year or two now, once every few months. They ran a game Saturday night, 750 points. It was my first game and what follows are my initial impressions:

Couple more things i was gonna point out .

- don't look at the T-34/85 Stats..they aren't in the Kursk book, they're only in the Fall of the Reich as well you can't use Stal Stal Stal in the FOTR book with them as it doesn't reflect their tactics at that point in the war.so comparing them to german tanks in Kursk isn't a fair comparison.

- You should consider taking a forward HQ, this will give a senior officer ..if he's on the board(should come on first) you get to reroll your reserve dice ever turn and once pregame they get to reroll an order die..plus he's an officer for the points he really will cut down on the randomness against you in thisarea..but its your choice depending on play style, oh and being able to unpin a tiger tank on your own turn so it can be activated makes the FHQ pretty much a requirement.

- infantry units that ride onto the board on a vehicle don't count towards your reserve total..so bring your troops in or on reserve vehicles if your reserve die are low to get units on the board.

The fire and maneuver idea works..just don't' do both in the same turn with all your AFV's. if you don't top load your force with uber heavies like a Ferdinand and a Tiger what works well is staggering your forces movements. Maneuver and area fire(pin attempt no spotting needed) with one unit of tanks .and stay stationary and aimed fire with the other unit...as well when shooting don't forget to split your fire between targets if you have multiple in the same range band and in the open.