Case White...to be or not to be?

[Orzel Bialy]

Once the Tarawa SC (short campaign) is done I have plans to work on a few scenarios based off the results of the poll I posted a week ago...all the while as I gather up the courage and the data to build a SC covering the 1939 campaign in Poland.
At first I tinkered with the idea of just scenarios (so both sides could be played) but I have to admit the Tarawa SC has got me interested in building short campaigns now...call me crazy I guess
Anyway, what side would my fellow SPWAWer's most enjoy if that campaign were to come into being? Polish or German? Now, being 3/4's Polish and 1/4 German myself...I'm torn between the two ! Personally, I've been leaning towards the Polish side simply because it would be more novel...and outside of Redleg's Black Brigade scenarios, not a side that has had a lot of coverage.
So, what do you think. Should I build it? and if so, which side would be most interesting?
OK, now that I've opened that can of worms, it's back to working on Tarawa.

[Grenadier]

I started on a Polish scenario after seeing the results of the poll. It is about the debut of the Sturmgeschutze. The first battery was the 7/Artillery Lehr Regiment and it was first used in combat ojn Sept 1 when the green German troops got pinned down by the Polish bunker line and could not advance. It will be called Von Manstein's Vindication as the debut proved him right and broke the roadblock in accepting the new weapon with Guderian tacitly agreeing it was a needed weapon for infantry support. Prior to this he fought against the new weapon as it would reduce tank production of PZ III's

[wulfir]

Originally posted by Orzel Bialy
So, what do you think. Should I build it? and if so, which side would be most interesting?

Do it!

Either side would be ok, however I can't deny a Polish campaign would be really cool.

[WhiteRook]

I say do the Polish man! It would indeed be novel that is for sure!

[Christopher]

Juppa. A Polish campaign is what I'm waiting for, too.

[Orzel Bialy]

Very well then. The faithful have spoken! My next SC will be the Polish Campaign of 1939.

Coming Soon: Case White
Theatre of Operations: Central Europe
Dates of Coverage: Sept 1st to Oct 6th.
Player Side: Polish Army
Details: To be Announced upon further development.

Actually, I already built the first node last night.... I was banking that the voting would favor the Polish side!
I've spent a lot of time gathering books and data...ordered a detailed geographic map of 1939 Poland off the net...all to make this project as detailed as possible.
I could still use a bit more information on a couple of the German units though...so you may see a posting or two asking for assistance in finding good sources.
Thanks to you all for answering the call. I'll make sure it's a worthy piece of work!

[m10bob]

Yes,I'd like to see Case White from the Polish side..The game won't let you choose Poland as a campaign and before the war,Poland was considered one of the largest,strongest armies on the continent.(Maybe some of those new Polish pics could make their way into the game this way also??)..I'll stock up on kielbasa now...

[Orzel Bialy]

Actually I am looking into getting permission to use some of the pictures I have gathered from both the books I have on the subject and the two, main websites I've used to collect data.
This way I could try to produce new lbm files for the Polish OoB with photos of Polish men and material, rather than what appears to be some stock "French" photos here and there.
Wow! What have I gotten myself into?!?!? :p
Ahhh, who am I kidding? I LOVE IT!!!!

[Grenadier]

There is a book by Skirmish Campaigns called Poland 1939-The Black Brigade which has a set of scenarios and a campaign for the 10th Mechanized Brigade, It is available from Brookhurst Hobbies or directly from Skirmish Campaigns
http://fisherts.home.mindspring.com/skirmishcampaigns.

I used their book, Into The Ukraine for several of the battles in Lost Victories. The books have not only scenarios for use with 15mm or 1/285 scale minatures but also history and photos of the period illustrated

[Orzel Bialy]

Brent,
Thanks. I saw that one too...and placed an order a couple days ago from a website in Minnesota.
Right now it's a task just gathering up the info on who to e-mail for permission to use the photos these books and websites have within them.?

[Grenadier]

That was one of the most time consuming elements of creating Lost Victories. Dr Klaus Mueller-Buschbaum and I wrote to each one in a letter or e-mail asking for permission to use material from their publications. I waited for up to 4 months before getting replies of approval and in between I had to describe in detail what the project was and for the German publishers how there is no pro Nazi bias. The 2 guys at Skirmish Campaigns were easy, I just gave them an autographed copy of Lost Victories.

Mentioning my name to Scot or Nathan might help you get permission to use their material. They play SPWaW as well as minatures.

[Redleg]

I made a series of 5 Black Brigade scenarios some time ago.
These are all relatively quick-play.

They are posted at Avanti Samoia

The text at this site is Italian but look for SPWAW and Scenari and you should be able to find them ok.

I hope this URL works ok.

[ivantheterrible]

I'd definitely play a polish campaign! Please do it and I appreciate all your time and effort. I did play the original polish campaign (which is the German side) that came with SP I ...

As you can tell I'm a long time fan

[RussianSteelDar]

Just to be devilish....

Please do the Case White scenario...

and consider some associated campaigns:

Poles in the Mediterranean (NAfr, Italy)

Poles in France

Liberation of Poland by Soviet-sponsored Polish Army in 1944-1945...

A fictional character or characters could be created that would start in 1939 and go to the end via these campaigns...thus these would be standalone campaigns but linked by a common theme...

Good Luck no matter what you decide!

BD

[Orzel Bialy]

RSD,
I thought about making a SC that sequal SC's could be added to....but it seemed like such a monster idea that I put it aside. Mind you it isn't hard to create a storyboard to allow for that...but such an endevour would be a lot of follow up work.
However, you're re-hashing the idea again does makes it seem very appealling. I would really like to "tell the story" of the Polish armed forces in WW2 from start to finish...but there this the question of which avenues to choose from....just as you hinted.
Would it be told from the point of view of the forces that escaped to the west and fought in France, North Africa and Italy? Or those who were organized within Russia and fought along side the Red Army all the way to Berlin? ( and don't anyone go and post "do both" )
Anyway...I like the idea and will most likely build the SC to accomodate the possibility of story "add-on's", the real question is can I do it without my wife killing me for the extra time it would require?

[Orzel Bialy]

Just to update those of you who are interested in the Polish Campaign....
I have begun work on it...storyboard is almost done...a couple rough draft versions of maps...but the serious work will have to wait until Tarawa is finished...hopefully within 2 weeks. ( I will be gone this coming week on a job-related trip...so email but no SPWAW for four days! Don't know if I'll make it!
Anyway, the campaign will be as detailed as possible...because that's how I am and it will cover the entire stretch of the campaign. I already know which unit it will portray, but I'm going to keep that to myself right now.
And for those of you who inquired on whether it would be formatted in a way to allow expansion short campaigns to be added so that, if linked together, it would cover the Polish military from 1939 - 1945....you will happy to know it will be part of the overall plan.
So, now that the next two years of my life have been planned out I guess I'll get back to doing a little more testing on Tarawa.

[AbsntMndedProf]

I would be interested in either side. I must admit, though, that playing the Poles would be very interesting!

Eric Maietta

[Orzel Bialy]

AMP,
Thanks for your input.
To be honest, I have been surprised by the amount of interest the Polish Campaign has generated. It has intensified my resolve to tackle the topic and produce something novel.
I guess a lot of people other than me are interested to see things from the "other side" i.e. other than through the eyes of the Big Four...the US / UK / USSR /Germany...who tend to get a lot of coverage.
Not that these four aren't great topics and fun to play...but there's just a certain "element" to imagine having to command what have been called "Minor Nations" armies like Poland, Greece, Norway, etc. against what were "Long Odds" at best.
Ok, back to the forum...then some building...before I take the wife and kids to Brunch for Mom's Big Day.