Bounce the Bogen (THC’s latest play-by-comment Combat Mission game begins today)

It’s early April 1945 and, a week or so after ‘bouncing the Rhine’, the Western Allies reach another watery obstacle, the Bogen river. At Mannsfeld a few gung ho US AFVs manage to barrel across the bridge before it is blown. Further south, in the British sector of the front, Monty’s vanguard reaches Nottingheim fully expecting to find its two crossings reduced to rubble and twisted metal. Instead the swashbuckling Captain Hood discovers a golden opportunity and a very helpful banner.

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Friday Foxer #238

Every Friday, Tally-Ho Corner’s cleverest clogs come together to solve a ‘foxer’ handcrafted by my sadistic chum and colleague, Roman. A complete ‘defoxing’ sometimes takes several days and usually involves the little grey cells of many readers. All are welcome to participate.

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2025’s communal Combat Mission game begins on Friday. Probably.

If there are no posts on THC on Wednesday or Thursday this week don’t blame Corsica 1764, Ground of Aces, or the first Strategic Command WWII: War in the Pacific expansion. The lull is probably because I’m busy preparing this year’s communal Combat Mission scenario. Having burnt my fingers experimenting with ambitious PvP variants for the past couple of years, I’ve decided to return to a more traditional PvE format for the coming hostilities.

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In 2004, steam loco sims didn’t come any better than SpoorSim

Microsoft Train Simulator, BVE, Trainz… in 2004 the PC rail simmer had far fewer choices than they have today. Oddly, one of the most realistic options available to desktop train drivers back then featured South African rolling stock. If you’re as ancient as I am and love all things locomotive you may be interested to hear that Charl Vockerodt’s SpoorSim is still available, if you know where to look.

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World War II Armored Recon reconnoitered

Forty plus years of WW2 tactical wargaming leaves an indelible mark on a person. Like most long-in-the-tooth desktop generals, I’m now so used to parsing battlefields, assessing weaponry, and weighing up odds, the process is almost instinctive. StuG there…. dead ground there… possible Pak 40 position over yonder… synapses twinkle, decisions are made, orders are issued. The ritual is so ingrained, so natural and apt, when a game prevents me from conducting it, feelings of surprise and resentment are inevitable.

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