[Gank]

Most military historians say that Zhukov was extremely competent. And they know what they're talking about.

Originally posted by Mr Carrot
The Germans lost more after El Alamein then they did at Stalingrad, dont fall for the revisionist over glorification of the Russian front.

wtf? German lost 250-300 thousand at Stalingrad, thats roughly the same as the total amount of germans in north afrika 41-43. I think somebodys doing a bit of revision of their own.

[Nico]

Originally posted by aldo_14


IIRc by the time the tide turned (the retaking of Stalingrad), the russians were producing 4 times the number of tanks (etc) the Nazis were, too.

I know that, but I'm talking about Stalingrad. There was no russian tanks not planes during the ( long ) battle of Stalingrad.
There was also the fact that the soldiers who would retreat were killed by russian militaries waiting behind them.
The soldiers were not allowed to retreat, if they did, they died. No martial court, nothing, there were bateries of machinguns waiting not for the nazis but for them.
That sucks, heh?

[Rictor]

Originally posted by Stunaep
Erm, no-one has mentioned the battle of Thermopylae yet? 300 Greeks against ~1 million persians.

Originally posted by Rictor
The battle of Thermopolae (sp?), in which 300 Spartans defended a mountain pass against the the entire Persian army. They were defeated in the end, but the time they bought allowed the Greek city states to marshall their defences and drive back the Persians.

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]Freespace; one guy saves the universe.
[/color]

[Nico]

"Looking at FS1"
"Looking at FS2"
Actually, what is Alpha one really saving, apart from a handful of ships?
He isn't even the one who destroys the Lucifer

[Gank]

Little more complex than what you see in Enemy at the Gates Nico There were Russian tanks in Stalingrad and the Russian 8th army did fly missions around the city. Difficulty in getting tanks across the volga as well as Stavka holding replacements back for the encirclement operation made them scarce though, and the Soviet air force suffered heavy losses due to inexperienced crews and inferior aircraft. As for the gunning retreaters down, did happen but for the most part russians didnt actually retreat.

[Ghostavo]

He isn't even the one who destroys the Lucifer

[an0n]

Methinks someone missed the point of arming yourself with Harbingers in the final mission.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Nico
He isn't even the one who destroys the Lucifer

Speak for yourself. I was the one who fired the death blow

[ChronoReverse]

I blew up the Sathanas myself.  It's amazing what a bug could do for you where the Colossus doesn't fire and you get to fire helios for a long time at the Sathanas.

[kv1at3485]

For those interested in the Battle of Stalingrad, I suggest reading: "Stalingrad - The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943", by Antony Beevor.

And yes, Stalingrad would certainly rank amongst the greatest battles in recorded history.  I would also add the Battle of Kursk (July 1943) to the list.

[phreak]

Midway (WW2)
Leyte Gulf (WW2)
Battle of Bulge (WW2)
Gettysburg (Civil war)
Saratoga (Amer. Rev.)
Waterloo (Napoleanic Wars)
New Orleans (War of 1812)

[Flipside]

LOL Some of these take me back to the days of reading Warhammer Battle Reports in White Dwarf

I'm more a tactics than a Blood and Thunder person....

The Charge of the Heavy Brigade - NOT Light, the Heavy brigade charged, uphill, against 3 times their number of Enemy cavalry that had taken them completely by surprise, and routed them. In fact, had the general of the Infantry not been throwing a tantrum, the damage that could have been done that day was phenomenal.

Hastings - A perfect example of how tactics can win or lose a battle, had the defenders remained where they were and not impetuously followed the fleeing attackers, the day would have ended entirely differently.

Waterloo - An excellent example of tactics, and good strategic decisions by the men in field.

[Nuclear1]

Battle of Medina Ridge. This one single battle that wiped nearly the entire Republican Guard Armor was more than enough to baptize the M1, and was an incredibly impressive show of high-technology by the US.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Flipside
Hastings - A perfect example of how tactics can win or lose a battle, had the defenders remained where they were and not impetuously followed the fleeing attackers, the day would have ended entirely differently.

I prefer the Battle of Stamford Bridge personally. 300 viking ships came over. 24 left.

Harold's forced march up there and then back down to fight at Hastings is the stuff of legends  And as you say they almost won it.

[Geezer]

Cannae, Carrhae, Teutonburger Wald - the three biggest defeats of the Roman Empire.

[Stunaep]

Originally posted by Rictor

stuff about thermopylae
 

I stand corrected.

Also, for interesting insights, on Russian tactics (or the lack thereof), Suvorov's The Shadow of Victory

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by nuclear1
Battle of Medina Ridge. This one single battle that wiped nearly the entire Republican Guard Armor was more than enough to baptize the M1, and was an incredibly impressive show of high-technology by the US.

I'm not sure you can count any battle where a clearly superior side wins as 'great'.  Given that the lethal range of the M1 gun is higher than the Iraqi T-72's, and the M1 has thermal imagin site, it was basically a turkey shoot.

Had the Iraqis won, it would have been a great battle (winning vs a vastly superior foe) - i think the criteria is military genius & heroism here, not overwhelming numerical or technological superiority.

just a thought........

[delta_7890]

What about the Battles of Solomon and A Boa Qu?  >>;;;;

[Flipside]

LOL

Does the Spanish Armada vs The British Weather count as a battle?