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2018
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2016
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2021
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2020
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2015
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2014
2-5-23. First blog of the 2023. These last two years have been pretty slow around here. I have not been able to delve into the alternate history of Assault as I would like due to outside responsibilities. My goal this year is to have some scenarios for the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, expand and update the 21st century Assault section, maybe even some added Chinese Forces. So much to do, so little time. Anyways, I hope you all will bear with me. In the meantime, ENJOY!!
3-9-23. The new 2023 Advanced Assault rule set is now available. There are new procedures and methods of Indirect Fire along with all the 2021 and 2022 updates in one document. Enjoy!
10-23-23. It has been a long while since an update. Welcome to Oz 77 Yom Kippur War scenario October 6-9 1973. Enjoy!
3-20-24. First entry for 2024. I have updated the Soviet Army. Lots of additions, Baltic/Northern Fleets, Leningrad Military District, moved Airborne units to the new VDV tab and updated Fire Charts. OZ77 part 2 is coming soon. Enjoy!!
3-29-24. You will notice quite a few changes in the Soviet Fire Charts. I quite often come across new information or data that I did not know about or missed and feel compelled to update the charts. I think I am satisfied with what I have compiled so far. In doing so, some equipment IDs will be updated and modified. All this is leading me into reconstructing the Warsaw Pact with better graphics, color schemes and a more accurate modeling of the units as they should have existed in the 90s if the Pact had survived. I haven't given up on the Oz77 Part 2. I will continue to work on this also. In the meantime, ENJOY!!
4-23-24. Massive update to the Warsaw Pact. I have updated all the Fire Data Charts for the Warsaw Pact. New look for the Bulgarian Army. While doing that I decided that the Turks and Greeks needed dedicated adversaries so I added the Balkan Front and Odessa Military District. I am currently working on the Romanians and the Danube Front along with the Kiev Military District. Plans after that include the Carpathian Military District (more opponents for the Turks) and updated Yugoslavia. I have not forgotten abou the OZ-77 series. I am working on getting all the maps from Waset to Mazrat Beit Jan before diving into the updated rules and scenarios so please be patient with that. It is a monster game. In the meantime, ENJOY!
4-24-24. I added a link to Soviet Armed Forces website. A trove of hard to find information on the Warsaw Pact.
5-3-24. New Updated Romanian Fire charts, Romanian Army & Danube Front. Easier to read and more accurate OOB. The Romanians are depicted transitioning to more modern equipment. More MLI84s were being produced and the T-34s & SU-76Ms are being replaced by TR-85/TR-580 & BRDM2 AT5. I kept the T-72 to a single battalion as the Romanians continue the development of the TR-85. More to come in my second journey through the Warsaw Pact. Enjoy!!
5-13-24. Created the Albanian Army for the Un-aligned Nations page. That is the first update to that page in about 3 years. The Albanian Army has been the most difficult one to model so far in the last 10 years. Little to no information was out there on unit designation/composition. The closest thing I could find was a declassified CIA analysis from 1949. There was a shift from the Soviet Union to Communist China in the 1960s. I used FM 34-71 "North Korean Military Forces" as an organizational guideline in constructing the Army units. There was quite a blend of Soviet and Chinese equipment with a preponderance of the equipment from China. The late 70s saw a split between Albania and China. The Albanians kind of lingered in limbo until the fall of the communists 1990-1992. In the 90s the Albanians acquired 30 or so BMP-1s and about the same number of BMP-2s. You will also find that the Albanian Air Force consisted of older Soviet and Chinese Mig fighters that were also utilized in a ground attack role. While they did not possess the Chinese A-5 fighter bomber, they did operate the J-6C (Mig 19) from which the A-5 was developed so I included it as an upgrade. More to come. Enjoy!!
5-16-24. As promised here is the updated Hungarian Army. I believe it is the most accurate OOB I have created to date. It is a rather small army for the Warsaw Pact. More to come as I journey a third time through the Pact. Enjoy!!
5-26-24. Small update. Corrected the Soviet Helicopter DF and the Soviet Tracked Vehicle DF for the AT-6B and added the original 2nd Edition Rulebook for Assault. I will add the rest of the rulebooks as soon as I get them scanned. I also have the 1st edition rulebook that I may add for comparison.
7-9-24. Finally completed something I have been working on for quite a while; Advanced Assault 5th Edition Ruleset. I have grouped the Advanced Assault rules into module sets that you can use or not use. I left the Advanced Assault Artillery Rules as part of the Advanced Assault main ruleset. You will also find new Charts & Tables and Forms, new Game Aids & Markers intended for use with Advanced Assault. Also new is the Truck Transportation Chart that breaks down truck transportation the way Helicopter and Naval Transport Charts do. I have also updated the Soviet Army assigned to the Central Group of Forces and the Czechoslovakian People's Army to more accurately reflect the probable composition in 1995-99. You will also find the Air Force's will have their own tab. I am already working on the GSFG and NGF breakdowns and revamps. So why? All these changes are leading up to the MACRO-ASSAULT series that I call "Drive On (fill in the blank)". I have experimented with a "Drive On Munich" scenario that pitted the CGF vs Bundeswehr and U.S. units. I have already been working on "Drive on Hamburg" and have sketched out "Drive on Frankfurt". Before I can fully develop those, play experience from the DOM made me realize that I needed to update the WP and NATO armies to include more capabilities such as radar and better CAS system and add more units that would've impacted the Operational Plans. The 5th Edition Ruleset will give you an idea on where this is headed. In the meantime, ENJOY and please send feedback. I listen.
Forward Observer
2019