Kalar

Yes, Matt. The strangest part of the problem is that it only occurs *sometimes*. For example, this morning I could view the maps for several scenarios--every single player scenario I opened in fact. But my opponents last email move (in CMBO) produced the dreaded "cream of wheat" effect, as did the email game I tried to start in CMBB's "The Haunted Hill". No matter how many times I tried to load the PBEM file or start the new game, all I got was an unviewable map. I could view the map when I loaded the Haunted Hill's single player variant, but no dice when I tried to play email on the regular version. Tonight when I get home I'll try to load the regular version in single player mode. It's like the map portion of the data is corrupted ONLY in an email game--and its not just transmission errors, (OT--didja ever read 'Timeline'?) because the problems exists in a fresh start too. Color me perplexed.

I am having a strange display problem. When I load a scenario everything works great until actually looking at the map for the first time--and more often than not, the map is absolutely "whited" out like thick fog. I can only see the yellow landmark names. The interface shows wells, and I can access my units by utilizing + and -. I just can't see them or anything else! Problem doesn't seem connected to AA, I have run it OFF or at 4x and there seems no connection. Weirdest part is that sometimes the game loads 100% properly, and the problem is most likely (not statistically valid) when I am trying to start or play an email game. Please advise!! Win XP, 2.53 P4 w/ TI 4600, 30.82 drivers, 8.1 DX installed, dxdiag says all good.

I will miss Professor Ambrose. I am not a grog, just a casual student of military history. Ambrose's "D-Day" got me back into reading about Normandy and is the book I lend out when people are looking to get the 'feel' of the fight w/o getting into a serious history tome. I travel a lot for work, and his books made excellent airplane reading--just right in size and scope for both ends of a round trip. And better yet, what other military history reads can you can pick up at a WH Smith?? (not counting Clive Cussler...!) 'Band of Brothers' was exceedingly well done on HBO, and will be released on DVD November 5th. I will certainly own a copy (Merry Christmas to myself! ) I visited the D-Day museum just last Thursday, and the emphasis on veteran's verbalized memoirs is priceless. I understand that Stephen Ambrose arranged the recording of thousand's of veteran's memories--and that is legacy worth leaving. RIP Professor; you left us too soon.

Please mod the trenches!

-E- Unless my eyes deceive me, that's the "Kampfgruppe" mod! I played that game tons in the 80's. Do you have a copy that'll play on Win2000? I'd play that on my "beige work machine"!!

Ok, I tried it again. I don't like to replay scenarios because of the prior knowledge...HAHAHA! I lost again, 5-95. A complete repeat of the first effort. (Berlichtingen, I will email you my pics. In fact, I believe we are nearly neighbors, maybe I'll invite myself over to your house and you can give me the winning tour of this scenario.) A short rehash: (I'd post the pics but I don't know how and don't have a website to upload them to.) 1. I made an effort to be extra cautious and patient. 2. I split the squads and gave each half a sneak/closing turn and a resting turn, aiming to cut down the exhaustion. I know the assualt half should have done all the closing, while the support half hung back, but the fatigue factor is just to overwhelming. 3. My intent was to roll up the position, foxhole by foxhole, fairly standard conquer by applying all of my firepower to just a fraction of the defenders. All went well until first contact. A defender just popped up, capped a split squad completely, and caused every other attacking unit to grovel face down in the snow, and begin to sneak outrageous distances while forgetting any attempt to smother the opposing position with fire. The behavior of the 'veterans' was actually cowardly. This was repeated at all three strongpoints. I tried to rally the troops, to give suppressive fire orders, to get grenades, flames or explosive bundles in the foxholes. I succeeded in driving the Soviets from exactly 2 foxholes. In return, each platoon broke, panicked, became exhausted, and generally refused to mount any coordinated attack. When the battle was over, and I lost by the same humiliating margin as the first try, I decided to look over the map to see what I was really up against. Much to my surprise, I never engaged any more than 25% of the defenders. My men were too busy crawling in the snow, panicked like schoolgirls. Cameroon's challenge stands: Show us an Axis Victory with scenario default's in play.

This scenario is a poster child for my "Probes shouldn't have VLs" thought. Assualts take fortified positions, probes examine the terrain and defenses PRIOR to an actual assualt. The object shouldn't be to take the flag (unless the awed defenders just skedaddle ), the objective is to find stuff out!

Berlichtingen, I'll give the split squads a try. I considered that tactic as my previous platoons' blood turned into ice on the frozen steppe... The biggest problem I had wasn't firing on the Soviets, it was the movement in the snow leading to *quick* exhaustion. I'll try it again sometime before the weekend and I'll post back.

I love the minefield placement--you just knew the AI would send panicked or routed troops to the nearest cover, irrespective of the mines...

GREAT job!

Just ordered a couple of Hogg's volumes. Thanks for the tip.

A self serving *bump*!

Cameroon and I are still waiting to read a victorious German AAR on this one...Anyone? Bueller? It took a lot of guts for me to post my 5-95 *shellacking*

http://www.nic.fi/~fuerte/pbem.htm Give this a whirl.

I have had no luck trying to find an online site that has detailed information on guns: Infanty guns, Flak, AT's, etc. All kinds of printed volumes on tanks, and even plenty on infanty weapons, but where's the gun information? I'd even spend my coin on a good reference book if I could find something worthwhile. Thanks in advance!