Command Ops: The Tennis Racket

Russian defenses of the "Tennis Racket" (Lazur Chemical Factory) take shape. 

A number of people have asked me about whether or not the intent is to try and play the Hubertus scenario at a smaller scale and also how I create these maps.

I like to draw them free-hand and haven't tried the bitmap underlay. I loved battlefield maps as a kid and would draw Civil War maps in my free time. I know the underlay would be easier (and more professional) so I will try making a map with one next time. The Stalingrad map is too far along for me to try and redo it with the underlay but I will try to use that next time (Monte Cassino or somewhere along the Rhine).

As for the scale. I've not changed anything.  The square grids on this map are 1km.  The factories north of Krutoy Gully stretched for 11km and the area where the bulk of the fighting in this operation took place was roughly 44 square kilometers (with most of the focus on the 20km box where the Lazur and Red October Factories are).  Perhaps I will find the map is too small (hopefully not).

I chose Hubertus as my first Stalingrad scenario for two reasons: the description of the Pioneers attack in Craig's "Enemy at the Gates" is thrilling and I wanted to see what it might be like. Also, the OOB for each side is the clearest that I could find online, of any period of the fighting at Stalingrad.

Fingers crossed, it works and is worth playing by the community!





Comments

Doug Miller said…
Really looking forward to this Chris! Being able to fight an East Front battle in Command Ops is a Holy Grail kind of thing.

I find your scenarios very professional. While I've not done a detailed comparison of the Stalingrad map with detailed sources, it was obvious to me the first time I saw it that it was Stalingrad.

I was glad to see the Gothic Line scenario, too. You're cracking stuff out faster than I can find time to play it!
December 8, 2013 at 9:44 AM
Chris said…
Thanks Doug I appreciate the comment! I want to play Stalingrad as well and I wouldn't mind tackling a smaller engagement with the Soviet estab file I am doing. One thought I had was to use APOS as a map resource, draw a map in CO and then flesh out my own scenario. The Gothic Line scenario, like Champs, is a smaller engagement. Check out Arnaville too! I think its my favorite actually. The research that went into that was fun!



December 8, 2013 at 5:05 PM
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