Random chatter...

[Crossroads]

Just a quick explanation on the Panthers. I had to think about this for quite a while as altho there were 200 Panthers to start the battle by around day 2 there were less than 50 operational. I can't remember the exact numbers as my reference books are not here. They rarely had 20 in any one place. I think it was around 6 or 8 that caught fire and burned before they even reached the front. I did however want the German player to have a chance to see 200 Panthers so to replicate the unreliability of them I made a large number with morale of 1 and 2. I also set the reinforcement arrival of 1 regiment at 10%. They will still fire effectively but they will not stand up to close combat. It seems to be working as the German players can use them but run the risk of losing some large VPs. I know from the Russian side it is not a lot of fun watching a swarm of them advance on your front line :-).

Without having played this scenario, I think that's a creative solution to a problem as how to present green armored units into game.

Reminds me of the scenario "A Legend is Born", where green German panzer formations were represented by morale 5 units. Unfortunately, that did not work at all, as it is still possible to play really really aggressively with Morale 5 Panthers. At the end of the day they just plain annihilate any opposition they engage. That in turn results in a non-balanced scenario despite of the no doubt good intentions of the scenario designer to take into account the hapless behaviour of the German tanks at Arracourt. I've played both sides of what is otherwise an excellent and intriguing scenario with visibility of two, but it is unfortunately ruined by this aspect (and this aspect alone, I feel).

Now, with say Morale 2 Panthers and maybe Mk IVs too it could actually work out...