March 2018 Challenge: Belgrade, February 2140

[antillies]

Command in this case is what the Soviets called grouped combined arms units (composite units with different types employed together).

That seems plausible, but would you happen to have a source on that? It just seems a bit odd to me that units would be labeled specifically to indicate they are a combined arms unit, when most units were (and are) inherently combined arms (take the 5th Guards Tank Division; it, like most Soviet armored divisions, had tanks, infantry, artillery, and other support units operating in cooperation).

[Del2me]

Loving the look of this so far, when I was in my teens I spent far too many hours in Battlefield 2142, so this is a nice blast to the past!

Have you considered representing titans & their colossal grandeur?

[antillies]

Thank you, Del2me! I can't tell you how many countless hours I too spent playing. It remains my favorite shooter. As to titans, not in this instance. There actually weren't any titans at Belgrade. But you prompt an interesting question if I do make another map that does feature them. I wonder if they'd be represented individually or just included as part of a divisional asset.

I've been playing around with the color scheme, trying to find something else I like. I also added a slight stroke to the elevation levels to make them look a bit more intentional. Would appreciate feedback between this blue-gray scheme and the previous tan-brown one, which you guys thinks looks better.

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[Meshon]

Well that looks more wintery! Which I think fits your theme? I'm guessing the ice wall is the upper left corner.

My Art Historian sweetie pie says your composition is great! I'm not a super good judge, but I'll second that.

Cheers,
Meshon

[Daistallia]

That seems plausible, but would you happen to have a source on that?

Not right off the top of my head. Something I remember from reading WWII histories. Could be misremembering it, but I don't think so.

It just seems a bit odd to me that units would be labeled specifically to indicate they are a combined arms unit, when most units were (and are) inherently combined arms (take the 5th Guards Tank Division; it, like most Soviet armored divisions, had tanks, infantry, artillery, and other support units operating in cooperation).

They're ad hoc feild formations, akin tothe German kampfgruppe, US RCT or task force, or Brit's battlegroup,on a larger scale. The difference is that a standard tank division, for example, is tank heavy 3 tank rgmts and 1 infantry rgmt, all part of the same division. A command would be more balanced, using a mix of of subunits from different divisions, dictated by necessities of the operation and what was available in the feild. Maybe a couple tank rgmts from this division, an motor rifle rgmt from that division, anda motorized rifle rgmt from a completely different division.

Looking at it again, however, I suspect that the GDs were simply using the term in a non-standard manner.

[antillies]

Well that looks more wintery! Which I think fits your theme? I'm guessing the ice wall is the upper left corner.

My Art Historian sweetie pie says your composition is great! I'm not a super good judge, but I'll second that.

Thanks, Meshon, and thanks to your sweetie too! Yes, that's the ice wall in the upper left.

They're ad hoc feild formations, akin tothe German kampfgruppe, US RCT or task force, or Brit's battlegroup,on a larger scale.

Oh, I see where this might be coming from then. It would make sense if, in the need of the moment, a Soviet commander was given a "command" composed of units thrown together, thus the unit is referred to as a "command" unit. I'm sure that may also be the result of a less-than-clear translation somewhere along the line.

Looking at it again, however, I suspect that the GDs were simply using the term in a non-standard manner.

I agree with you. The GDs are using it more as "this is an established unit." So I think I'll probably keep it as being a modernized version of the Guards units.

Apologies in the delay for this update. It was more work than I expected getting the progress of the battle figured out and determining how to represent and organize that visually. I think I struck the best balance that I could. I found a blue-gray color scheme I liked, which ended up being lighter but still gives the map a "cold" feeling. I am wondering if the line thickness for the various military representations (not considering the unit markers themselves) should be a bit less, and whether things are generally understandable and not too cluttered. Other than that, I think I will move on to adding a border and key. I am nearing the end, I think.

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[antillies]

Added the border and key. I decided to decrease the width of all lines and I feel like that had a positive effect and makes it seem a bit less full. I'm going to play around with the colors one last time (I've been fighting against the urge to change the orange/green back to blue/red) but we're nearing the end barring any new discoveries.

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[Tonquani]

This map is really looking excellent Antilles. It'll have my vote for sure!

[antillies]

You’re very sweet to say so, Tonquani! Thank you.

[Ilanthar]

It has the flair of the good old wargame maps . Well done. My only nitpick would be about the top left corner, a bit too distracting. Maybe place something here?