Parts

Colin you have put a lot of time and effort into getting the tanking to where it is. If only I had been too pissed to join Saturday night!! I would imagine that some are still reeling a little from last week's defeat against the 352nd. Rather than seeking to change the days for tanking, I personally would find it tough to do anything other than a Saturday night as my significant other pretty much works most other nights except Wednesdays, on which I go out. Why not consider a tank holiday (Get it!?). Perhaps a couple of weeks off, time to recoup and gather up some PR for tank returns. As you know I am not one for single crewing so I am restricted if numbers are low and more tanks are required. All said and done it has been fun up until now, I don't see why that should change just yet.

Timing is the art of comedy You are talking to someone who doesn't single crew very often. Picking it up in the middle of a match, I realised later, wasn't the smartest move for me.

I was wondering how it would be for air support if we used a more rural environment. Prohorovke for example.

@Friar @FoolTrottel @Painless I am looking forward to hearing feedback from all of the participants of last nights duck shoot (I mean match 😁) I think Les it quite correct in her feedback. Sitting still in a bush whilst (Friar too is correct) looking from externals would have been a pleasing position to be in! With regards to the tanks and their capabilities or resilience to hits. The Tiger didn't really feel like it had an advantage! When I swapped to a PzIII and then IV I realised this. Yes the Tiger may be provided additional protection and perhaps it was hit by more than one tank at once. Definitely for me the single crew moment was a low moment. I had a perfectly good set of 2 Sherman's sitting behind a building watching a flag. I was in a tricky location on the corner of the building. In multicrew, as I rolled forward the gunner would have rotated the turret to align with the target. In single crew you obviously need to roll, stop, change positions from commander to gunner, turn the turret, aim and fire!. It all took just a little too long to make it viable. I got one Sherman but the other got me (in a PzIII)

I would like to open up a conversation around the last night match with 352nd. I think that this could be a good place for us all to contribute to the debrief. The point of this, for me, is all about learning to improve. It is definitely not about pointing any fingers at individual performance. It will be important to get a perspective from both ground and air crews. So, please allow me to get the ball rolling. Things I am not clear on: The number of 352nd tanks on the ground and planes in the air. The number of multicrew tanks on each team Opening moments of the match: The initial brief on movements and goals was explained We made good progress to the first flag (Railway) Communications worked well between ground and air and all tank crews had free range The main segment of the match: After taking the first flag we got pinned as we looked to move to the factory After that first few minutes self deployment surfaced and the CS (Command Structure) went out of the window There were moments where TS was so busy I wanted to turn it off as I could not hear any one specific conversation just a mush of noise The commander lost control of ops so the team did the best they could from that point on Having had a brief chat with @Painless about air ops it was clear that air ground targets are very hard to engage in a built up areas. Targets could be acquired but by the time you have come around for final runs the targets had just turned left or right into streets between buildings and disappeared from view. There were some very high quality kills made by the majority of the Dogz, some more openly celebrated than others. There was only one blue on blue also to be commended. For whatever reason the tactics chosen didn't feel like they worked (discuss please). What do we need to do to improve ????? I have my views on this but would like to hear others too please! One such thought from me is that perhaps we should have split into pairs right from the off. Each pair being given a flag to take. Moving makes you an easy target, as we know. SO once the 352nd had dug themselves in, they only had to wait knowing that we had to appear at some point. At a point Sid and I ended up single crewed. I found it very difficult trying to multitask across the full range of requirements, including commander's role. One last thing from me - Thank you everyone for hanging in there through what must have felt pretty frustrating at times. Let's hope that this debrief post brings plenty of feedback and that we can learn from it and turn the tables for next time. Salute.

Top draw Col. See you in the lobby later. 🙏

There sure are some purdy tanks there 🤙

Cheers Bob, hopefully we can have something in place by Saturday. That way we can all give it a kicking and see if it breaks.

Good responses both @Friar and @FoolTrottel I totally agree about the "enjoyment factor" (FT) I really do. I also think that Colin's setup idea works for me. I am sure that us Dogz will be able to hold their tongues if required to. All tanks have open channel and a separate whisper for own tank. Pre-fix all comms with Name calling name. (Parts to Friar) Public channel where both sides, allied and axis, can chat before and after (I don't know that I would want to talk to them during? Parts and Fenrir (ground-air) channel (That would mean two whisper key bindings for Parts and Fenrir?) Can 2 whispers be set up FT?

Hello fellow tankers. Given that Colin has put a lot of hard work into pulling together the concept, the maps, and the match between us, diesel swilling Dogz, and the 352nd I thought that I would throw my hat into the ring and offer to work out the team speak setup for said match. With the high likelihood that there will be air and ground attack forces in theatre it would be easy for TS to become overrun and unbearable to the user. My proposal is that there are two clear lines of command AIR and GROUND. How each one is set up and used needs to be decided between those heading up each force (AIR and GROUND). Sorry but I can't remember the name of person heading up AIR. The one stipulation is that there is only one TS whisper link between ground and air. This can obviously be handed on in situations where the initial interlinked signaler is for whatever reason taken out for a time. If air and ground pass radio traffic it would then be down to the recipient to whisper it out to the others in their party. TANKERS HISTORY Currently TS is fun as we all get to regale our information across the full range of Dogz in one hit! We laugh, we swear (Sorry FT), we do shit and giggles. Once we are in enemy contact good information is passed between tubs. Sometimes TS gets so busy with that good information, that it gets lost in the mush of noise. Personally this is where TS becomes challenging and I start wishing that I had a whisper setup (nothing personal) that could filter this out. I know that there is a small but dedicated regular Tank crew / Team speak user base out thee and I wondered what you thought about setting whispers. TANKERS WHISPER IDEA (open to suggestions!) One person is nominated as Lead signaler - Their role is to communicate with air. Only the lead signaler will be allowed to talk to air support. If the lead signaler is re-spawning and unable to be of any use for a time someone else is to take that role until the lead signaler returns to the fold. The other tanks can chat as much as they like between tank crews within their own tank, but will only be able to group call on a whisper button. I do appreciate that to run with this might make for a less verbal intercourse! I do however feel that it is just one idea and I call on any others to feedback any ideas of TS setup they feel might work. AN IMPORTANT ISSUE If we are going to try something like this I do believe that we had better practice it and test run it before the 5th of March. I would need some support going through the button to setup any agreed framework (FT?) Salute

Nice to meet you last week mate. It's bloomin good fun once you get your eye in. I much prefer to multi crew as it feels more immersive and allows for the full capacity of the tank skill set. Happy to multi crew anytime.

Seeing as I have found joy in multi crew tanking I find my boat less floated when I have to single crew. That said I thought that the map and mission were jolly good ho. If I were to be as bold as to say with minor refinements it could have been one of your finest Colin, and for that I want to thank you muchly. If we had held back prior to all joining the server willy nilly would the convoy have rolled? I am guessing that the convoy was triggered when the first tank went past a certain trigger point? Personally I do not think we needed prior warning about the approaching convoy. it would have been good to see how we dealt with it on the hoof, so to speak. Anyway, pre-mission briefings can be delivered using the acronym SMEAC (pronounced SMEEEEE-ACK) SITUATION (Current ground truth) - Eastern Europe - There is a risk of a enemy fuel shortage and intel suggests that they are gathering to move into Proyorovckarts (heavily industrialised town, where there is known to be 2 independent fuel facilities with little to no defense force. As far as we know all civilians have withdrawn MISSION (The objective) - Dogz Armoured Battalion is requested to move to, secure and hold both fuel facilities EXECUTION (The how) - Enter the server and hold at spawn point or you may prematurely ignite the mission. When the "move out" command is given 6 M4A2 Sherman tanks will proceed from the form up point at 123456 and proceed West along the broken hoghway heading for bridge 2 on the plan. This will be the crossing point for all 6 hulks. Once over the bridge hulks 1,2, and 3 split left and proceed to take and hold fuel point "A" and hulks 4,5, and 6 turn right and move to take and hold fuel point "B" Any contact along the way will be dealt with as appropriate - re-forming and moving together wherever possible. ADMIN & LOGISTICS (The boring but important stuff) - Team leader "A" will be Sgt Smith - Team leader "B" will be Sgt Jones - Use the road surface to make good speed - Initial formation single file - Ammo 90 APHE - 10 HE COMMUNICATION PLAN (Command and signals)- TS with whisper channels - Emergency RV drills if ambushed, comms between teams and individuals etc Good luck https://www.inc.com/gj-nolan/the-military-tested-planning-tool-all-business-leaders-need-to-try.html#:~:text=SMEAC (pronounced "smee-ack,t roll off the tongue). I am more than happy to build the briefing if Colin buzzes me the info in advance. Let's not be herded catz! We are dogz and therefore pack animals! @Painless @Friar @FoolTrottel

Of course I didn’t mean it. In fact I don’t have a clue what you are talking about?

Just quick note to say thank you to Colin for the mission of last weekend. Tough though it was it was much fun. I needed my faith being restored in TC as the polish was wearing off a little. It was good to get back in a multi crewed tank again. Let's face it, as a simulator goes it does work better with multi crew. If you doubt this you have to ask yourself why they didn't single crew tanks during WWII? Anyway thank you again Colin, and the rest of you Dogz that came along and got a battering thank you for making it fun. See you next time.