Looking to work together to have more Ostfront.

[211th Grenadier Regiment]

To all Soviet Units.

I am Tom England, and I am the unit Co. of the German 211th Grenadier Regiment. We are currently a new TSG unit.

I am writing because the 211th spent 95% of it military tours on the Ostfront. Most events that I have been to have been US / British Allied oposition.

Our unit is having our first training event in Indiana and the 95th Russian Rifle Guard has agreed to be an oposing armee. Hopefully this is a first of many.

Yet, I would like to work with other units to hold more Ostfront tacticals.

Please let me know your thoughts.

The 211 is located in Central Illinois. But please never mind the distance and let me know your ideas and thoughts.

Danke,
Tom England
211 G.R. Unit Co.

[crazydima]

Tovarisch England,

More Ostfront events are always a good thing for us Soviets. The 95th is a good bunch of guys.

I as well as 4 other members of the 416th live in central Illinois with three being near Peoria, one near Decatur and I am just north of Springfield. We have another fellow up in the Chicago area.

The rest of our unit are scattered around in Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Keep us posted.

Sincerely,

Dima

[Konstantin]

Tom,

More ostfront events are always good. Problem is numbers. The soviets are the smallest of the major impressions. A lot of russian reenactors are tired of being outnumbered 3 to 1 by the germans. Thus they are being turned off to eastern front tacticals. Not even going to mention the massive gap in firepower.

Just about every german reenactors ostfront fantasy is to be outnumbered by the Russians. Just won't happen unless German registration is limited at events.

For instance, Rosemount is a great event in Minnesota. Problem is the germans always out number us by 2.5/3 to 1. Then couple that with they want us to attack them. I am sorry but that is uber retarded.

Lets see. The event is 75 germans, I have 25 russians. The germans are armed with 4-5 MG's, a bunch of MP-40's and even a few STG-44's. We have 1 or 2 PPSh-41's. Like I said uber retarded.

Last year I had formulated a plan to over run various german groups one at a time using our limited numbers. Big problem was the germans didn't want to wait doing nothing, so they went on the offensive and the whole battle collapsed into a huge cluster nugget.

Then some had complained that they were bored cause they saw no morning action.

I am always open for doing more east front events, however we need to find a happy medium. Not a lets go clobber the russians.

We have been approached about an ostfront event in central illinois, and it was discussed but nothing has come of it yet. If anything goes down I will pass the details on. German participation would be limited to invite only and MG/Full Auto ratio would be watched.

I really like the way they handle it near KC. One german is allowed to attend for each russian that plans on being there.

Wow, that turned into a rant. LOL Sorry about that.

-dave
416th

P.S. Weren't you the guys at Charles City two weeks ago?

[ewj]

Dave, you hit the nail on the head. Last Ostfront Stackograd the morning was great fun lots of sneaking and movement. After lunch things went really pear-shaped. fecal matter-loads of Germans coming from everywhere. No sooner did you put the helmet back on than three or four shots got you again.

The one thing I will say is that the local Fallflat Jeagers turn up as Russian for the day. Of course the SS will not - "Oh you'd never get me to dress up as a godless commie" was one comment I got last year from one of the 2nd SS. He failed to understand when I told him to google Oradour-sur-Glan.

[Konstantin]

Exactly Elliott.

That morning we were plugging along just fine. The goal was to find the german groups which had purposely been divided. Then use what we could to overwhelm the smaller groups, one at a time, and move on.

The next thing you know we had germans on both flanks and coming up from behind us. It was stupid.

They were tired of waiting to get into the fight. Especially once the scout squad had engaged and they heard the firing from near the little blockhouse.

Next time they try that crap I am going to order everyone to lay down arms, surrender and end of scenario. They can have fun standing there watching us stand around. LOL

I love Rosemount sight to death, but the lop-sided numbers has really soured me to eastern front tacticals. A Russian Attack at 1 to 3 odds without artillery, tank and aircraft support? WTF do they think this is, 1941? Why do they always want us to attack? I think I know.

I am no big fan of east meets west either, well except McCoy, that's how those should work. However I will have to say at least there are plenty of americans & brits to keep the numbers facing us smaller. LOL

Thank God for Grosshardt and his Fallschirm boys. Could you imagine how bad the numbers of soviets would be without them. Not to mention the PPSh's and DP-28 he adds to the mix.

I fear Eastern Front events are going to have to be micromanaged on the levels of german numbers and weapons if they ever want to see their dream of superior soviet numbers realized. Either that or entire german units will have to galvanize soviet, and I am sure that would go over like a turd in a punch bowl.

It will get worse before it gets better due to the new sturm german uniforms bringing the overall cost of the german impression down. Now more can do it that hadn't been able to before.

Hey at least we can still outnumber the Finns. Of course I want to have an event against the Italians sometime. Now that would be interesting. LOL

Later

-dave

[ewj]

admin said:

Why do they always want us to attack? I think I know.

I know they like us doing the charge against their lines sort of a khaki Picket's charge that really turns them on.

OK, we could always try going on the defenssive even when they want us to attack. donkey nibbly bits the points for the scenario, let them come to us! Our only chance is to gain some localised superiority, but that leaves us open to encirclement.

Now speaking for myself I've had far more fun at event when I didn't meet the enemy, but had the possiblity of meeting him. I've been at Rosemont for a couple of hours and never run into a German whilst being Canadian and had a blast. For myself I don't have to burn powder to have fun.

[Panzerknacker]

It also doesn't help when their halftracks are PTRD proof and don't even tell me you didn't know I was firing at you. We put a total of 6 rounds at least between two PTRDs and it still kept coming.

img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/panzerknacker43/ArmoredCar5.jpg

I even shot at a MG gunner who was running at our BA firing from the hip and I apparently missed.

Back to the subject though, I would love to see more Ostfront taticals.

Tom

[To Dima]

CrazyDima,
Please contact me off line at [e-mail]
Would like to set a time when we can either meet or discuss some plans over the e-mail or phone. My Feldwebel lives in Peroia.....

There is a small viallge east of me on Rt.36, called Oakland, it would make a great winter battle or summer offensive.

Tom England

[Ostfront Ideas]

To all,
Read your posts, and the mood seems to be early war battles on the Ostfront.

Ex: Our training event is staged in 1942 Kharkov region, the end of the second battle.
During the fighting the 211 has been cut off from the rest of the 71st I.D. we need to break out to open the pocket for the advancing Armee.

Friday night there will be 2 night tacticals.
Saturday will be as follows:
Morning Patrol

Afternoon Tactical. We will deploy neon colored twine to mark the movement of the front line.
This will eliminate the restart of fighting from the same assembly points.

Evening Full Assualt tactical w/ counter attacks at night.

I understand the attitude toward beign out numbered. I would like to see HEER only, and minor vehicles in use if the area allows it. For the most part, the German forces on the Ostfront were footsloggers. Reason for Heer, I'm not a big SS fan.

Plus I would like to see full immersion evnets, were you deploy into the field, and return on Sunday morning. With harassing fire at night.

I know most have consider these ideas, but I get tired of the Allied "Band of Brothers" fighting and we Germans take a beating.....or shot one round and walk 100 yards....all day long. HOW BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Victory will be decided by History...................not by shear numbers. I have read were 6 Germans held a hill for 72 hours against 3 Russian Divisions. Yet I have read were a small band of Russians decimated the German onslaught. So again, victory will be what History says.

Again I live in Central Illinois, and most of our men do as well. We are new...yes, and recruiting always, but most will drive up to 4 hours for a good event.

Anyway, let me hear your thoughts.

Tom England.

[Lets begin to lay the plans]

So, who wants to start the planning.............I'm Game.
We can begin with Operation Barbarossa, Lenigrad, Volkov Pocket (A sweltering summer tactical infested with mosquitos), you name it we can do it.

On the driving, 4 hours is to short, but willing to drive up to 8 hours for a EXCITING EVENT.
Tom England

[crazydima]

To said:

CrazyDima,
Please contact me off line at [e-mail]
Would like to set a time when we can either meet or discuss some plans over the e-mail or phone. My Feldwebel lives in Peroia.....

There is a small viallge east of me on Rt.36, called Oakland, it would make a great winter battle or summer offensive.

Tom England

Tovarisch England,

I am currently at my mom's farm outside of Charleston, IL for Mother's Day.

As soon as I get back I will drop you a line to see what we can work out.

Sincerely,

Dima

[FrigidAdam]

Dima,

The "Frigid Souls of the North" are always more than willing to help out. The prospect of having more Eastern Front events are always a good idea. With Wisconsin not being that far away, anything we can do to help, just let me know.

Adam

[grenadier]

To all who are intrested,

I'll open up a forum post on Yahoo for Early War events on the Ostfront.
I want to make it clear that it will be a planning "committee" and who ever joins will have their right to imput their ideas.

Since I know the TSG VP of WWII we will need the Insurance papers to hold an event. This is no trouble.

Secondly, we will need to secure ground.

Then plan a time frame. Maybe early winter could be a possible start time?
Tom.
Ps. Will post the forum address soon.

[grenadier]

To all,
Here is the forum address for the strtegic planning for "new" Ostfront events.
I believe we all can work together to make this happen. I know we can.
I believe as well there is a need for early war tacticals and living history events.

Address: groups.yahoo.com/group/england93

[9thromanian]

Ok,

Know that last year Haydenville, MA was equal with 30 on each side. The biggest problem as already stated is getting the Russians out. Many of you have a German and Russian impression (I have a Romanian one instead).

Question is how do you get people to switch from primary to secondary impressions? Are people willing to put away the German impression to do Russian? Do you charge Russians less than German?