Operation Cobra: Normandy Breakout!
Historical Fiction
Courtesy: Sherbrooke Fusiliers advancing on Caen, France, 10 July 1944
Interest Check
In Character
"I'm taking a company of armor into the Bocage country. Who's with me!?" Captain Carpenter gathered the cherries around. "Our tank company consists of 17 M4A3 Shermans and five M18 Hellcats. For those of you heading to our Assault Gun Platoon will enjoy the benefits of the brand new Hellcats. Each vehicle has a maximum speed of over 55MPH on paved surfaces. It is the fastest tank in theater. Its main gun is the same as that on the Sherman, but its speed is its true benefit."
"The company is organized into three tank platoons of five vehicles per platoon and the one assault gun platoon. My vehicle and the Executive Officer's tank make up a two-vehicle section for command and control purposes."
"I don't expect it will be easy," Captain Theodore Carpenter spoke to the group of new recruits. "The Russians have had a terrible time with the newer German tanks; the Panthers and the Tigers. They are large, have very heavy thick armor and pack a huge wallop. The Russians have been able to stop the German Panzers with their T-34 tanks. Even then, they have had their hands full. The M4A3 Shermans you are working with are a new and improved tank over the M5 Light Stuart Tank. The Stuart was beat every time by the Mark III and Mark IV tanks in North Africa. We will have to see how it goes with the Panthers and Tigers."
"From what I hear, the newer, larger tanks have hydraulic and fuel problems and spend more time in Maintenance than they do in action. That is a plus for us, since we should outnumber them in engagements. In order to use this advantage to our favor, we need to establish a base of fire behind covered and concealed locations in order to make it difficult for the Germans to both see our tanks and shoot at them. If cover and concealment is not available, it is safer to put some distance between yourselves and a Tiger or Panther than trying to charge into them. If you establish a base of fire with a platoon, we can maneuver the remaining members of the company on a flank and attempt to attack the newer German tanks from the side or more desirable, from the rear. Attacking German tanks from the rear is the preferred method."
"You can expect our company to be attached to the 53rd Armored Infantry Battalion for combined operations. This will provide the benefits of dismounted infantry with the lightning speed and firepower of armor. So expect to get acquainted with our grunt brothers in the Infantry. Our Direct Support Artillery support will come from the 94th Armored Field Artillery Battalion which uses 105mm Howitzers. We can also expect support from our own mortar platoon which uses 81mm mortars mounted on halftracks."
Out of Character Information
You are the tank commander of an American M4A3 Sherman tank in A Company, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armor Division. The Division is currently assigned to the US VIII Corps under LTG Middleton within General Patton's 3rd Army. Our Battalion commander is LTC Creighton Abrams and the division commander is MG Wood. We arrived in Normandy at Utah beach on 13 July 1944 and have been relieving the US 4th Infantry Division in the Cotentin Peninsula. Something big is about to happen. For this, I am certain. So prepare your platoon or tank crew for action. Make sure you are ready for the tough fight ahead. The Germans aren't going to lay down so easily.
Although I intend to follow an historical timeline of where the unit moves to and engages the enemy, I have no clue what happened to the specific tank crews within A/37 TB. That is where you come in. You will portray either a Lieutenant, Sergeant or Staff Sergeant within the company, in command of a single tank, a tank section or a tank platoon. You say what the vehicles and men of your subordinate unit does. Exercise your creativity as you see fit. I have no intention of telling you what to do. If you wish to ask me a question, send me a PM or post it in the public OOC forum for all to see, I will answer as best I can. Maybe others have the same question?
Your M4A3 Sherman tank is the best the American factories can produce. It is an unreliable machine against stronger German tanks, but it does have its advantages. Most of those are buoyed by the disadvantages of the German Armor. Your tank has a 76mm Main gun firing High Explosive (HE), High Explosive Anti Tank (HEAT), Armor Piercing (AP) or White Phosphorus (WP- Smoke) ammunition. The tank carries 55 tank rounds in the rear of the hull. This armored fighting vehicle is also armed with a Browning M2 .50 caliber Machine gun at the Tank Commander's hatch, a Browning .30 Caliber Machine gun at the Loader's hatch and a second .30 caliber machine gun mounted in the bow in front of the radio operator. The tank has a crew of five; tank commander (TC), gunner, loader, driver and radio operator/bow Machine Gunner. You are responsible for the TC and the other four "Joes" in your crew. Take care of them and they will take care of you. Treat them like family. They are all Privates. Your gunner or radio operator just might be a corporal by now, the most senior member of the crew other than yourself. The driver and loader have recently joined the company from basic training at Ft. Knox, KY.
The German tanks you will face are the Mark three (III), four (IV), five (V) "Panther" and six (VI) "Tiger". Your Sherman can easily go toe to toe with the older mark IIIs and IVs or even the Stug III Support Guns. The Panther and the Tiger are a whole other subject. It takes guile to turn the tide on those newer tanks. The Mark III mounts a 75mm main gun and the Mark IV mounts a long barrel 76mm main gun. The long barrel has a devastating velocity. The Panther mounts that same 76mm Main gun and the Tiger uses an 88mm Main gun. There are no allied tanks on the Western Front with sufficient armor to stop the Tiger's 88mm cannon. If your tank is hit by a Tiger, the chances of you and your crew surviving are slim. You have a better chance of surviving a hit from the other guns, but that 88 is terrible.
The other thing to note about the Sherman and the German tanks are the Sherman runs on regular gasoline and will burst into flames if struck in the engine or the fuel tank. The German tanks run on diesel fuel and will burst into flames only under remote conditions, maybe a 10% chance. During this time period between D-day (June 6, 1944) and Operation Wacht am Rhein (Battle of the Bulge (Dec 16, 1944), the Sherman acquired the nickname of "Ronson", "Ronson Lighter" or "Ronson Burner" because it lit up so quickly. The word Ronson comes from the type of Lighters most GIs carried during the 1940s. The Ronson was a pre-Zippo metallic butane lighter used to fire up a cigarette or cigar. Most GIs smoked filterless cigarettes like Lucky Strikes, Chesterfields, and Camels. Both Camel and Lucky Strike produced Olive Drab packaging to help the GIs subdue the look of their product in combat. Smoking was a popular past time during the 1940s. The few people who did not smoke, generally gave in and started after their first fire fight.
Combat Resolutions Rules
Rules
I am an easy going person. I tend to be friendly and positive, but passionate about military history. It is what I know best. I do not expect any of you to possess the same amount of knowledge as I, but that is not necessary. I just expect you to know how to write well.
This Role play is not your standard RP where you write up a character sheet on one person and then write about their actions and conversations only. This is a Team Centered RP where you control the behaviors and conversations of several characters. A WWII Tank had a crew of five. If you choose to be a Tank Commander (TC), you will also control the driver, radio operator, gunner and loader. If you choose to take on the role of Section Leader or Platoon Leader, then you control all the people in two or more vehicles.
1. GM is Gunther, who will write for Captain Carpenter and his crew.
2. Do not get attached to any one character. Your characters may die at any time. There is a set of rules above including dice rolls to determine the outcome of encounters with enemy armor. If your character dies, report your losses up the chain of command, in character and when replacements arrive, you will receive them according to any vacancies you have.
3. No Godmodding. Since you are encouraged to converse amongst your crew and from TC to TC, this should not be an issue.
4. Please write a minimum of two paragraphs.
5. Use the dice rules to determine outcomes. Remember, that just because your tank is destroyed, it does not necessarily mean your crew is. They may have the opportunity to escape from the burning wreck and make their way back to friendly lines. You won't be asked to prove your rolls. The honor system is in effect.
6. Females are allowed. Since some of our best writers in this community are female, I would not want to deprive us of their participation in this fine role play. You are not restricted to writing for only male characters. If you wish write for female characters, that is fine with me. I realize there no female tankers in the Army during WWII, but we don't have to follow convention on every issue. I am flexible.
7. Posting frequency will be a minimum of one post per week. If everyone can get a post in, in a 2-4 days, the frequency may be increased. We should be flexible on this point.
8. Please communicate with me and the others so we know what you are up to.
I do have military experience. I will answer any question you have. If you do not want to RP as a Tank Commander, but would rather participate as an Infantry Squad or Platoon Leader, please let me know. If so, your characters will be drawn from A Company, 1st Battalion, 53rd Armored Infantry Regiment.
Vacant Positions include:
1. Executive Officer - 1LT, Captain Carpenter's Wingman
2. Assault Gun Platoon Leader - 1LT
3. 3x Platoon Leader - 1LT (x1) & 2LT (x2)
4. 4x Platoon Sergeant - Staff Sergeant (SSG)
5. 4x Section Sergeant - Sergeant (SGT)
6. 9x Tank Commander - Sergeant (SGT)
Those positions not taken, will become NPCs. Due to the volatility of the activities these characters are involved in, feel free to kill off a character in combat and then write a new one to either take his place or back fill some other lost position. This should be a dynamic RP with high rate of turnovers. Please use lower ranks when replacing lost unit members. If the unit needs a tank commander, don't create a sergeant, use a Corporal. That way he becomes promotable. If we use a 1LT, create a 2LT or take over a SSG Platoon Sergeant and make him an acting PL until a new Lieutenant can be brought into the company. If, God forbid, the Captain is eliminated, the XO takes over his job and I get to come back, not as a Captain, but as a Corporal.
Tank Sheet (CS)
Tank's Name: (Come up with an interesting name)
Tank Commander: (Main Character)
Gunner: (NPC)
Loader: (NPC)
Driver: (NPC)
Radio Operator/Bow Machine gunner: (NPC)
Main Character's position in the Company:
Appearance: (written preferred, photos optional)
Biography/History: (Optional)
Personality Profile:
Every Tank Commander (TC) carries the same personal weapons: M1911A1 and M3 Grease Gun, both chambered in .45 cal ACP, as well as a bayonet.
