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Krautman

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Everything posted by Krautman

  1. From my limited experience, i think that the CM games are the best trade-off between realism and playability available. Most Sudden Strike/Blitzkrieg/Codename:Panzers etc players will never get to CM, but anyone appreciating detail and realism won't get away from it. The turn system is revolutionary and imho reflects execution of battlefield orders considering difficult communication pretty well. I wouldn't know a way to do it better. Well, i'm no games developer.
  2. I think in CMBB it takes a "flexible" MG mount to be able to fight planes, not a "coaxial" or "forward". The german PSW's "Hängelafette" (~free-hanging mount?) might enable to fight air targets with the 20mm cannon, but i'm not sure whether this is represented in CM. iirc I've seen a WWII photo showing a PSW 222 being refueled, its cannon pointing straight up into the sky.
  3. Thanks for the answers. The idea with the trucks never occured to me... sounds good though; it might be useful, yet not really satisfying. I want to blow up these damn birds, not just distract them! And, in a way, truck "AA Defense" is somehow like truck "recon", isn't it? About the 37mm FlaK- will one be enough to keep an IL-2 away from me?
  4. A Fighter/Bomber can be a real pain in the ass, as i found out lately. In a recent QB defending against the Russians, an enemy IL-2 was responsible for most of my casualties and took out three (!) AT guns and a HMG (hidden in woods). Since then, I try to get at least one or two light AA gun per battle. That, however, doesn't seem enough to keep the bombs away. On one hand, i want a reliable AA defense, on the other hand, i don't want to spend many precious points on AA guns. In your experience, what AA support would you consider sufficient for a, say 1000 or 1500 pt. QB?
  5. That's good to know! Then SC2 will be a priority item on my shopping list. BFC, hurry and get that thing done Did other players also feel SCI tank units grew more + more useless in the course of the game?
  6. Hi all, i liked SCI a lot and would buy SCII at any time. Though there was one thing that annoyed me about SCI: Upgrading your tanks would not raise their anti-infantry-capabilities, so in the course of the game, tanks became more and more useless against infantry due to the inf.'s increasing AT capabilities. Is this problem (as i feel it is) being taken care of in SCII?
  7. Dandelion, are you sure no real "Jäger" units existed? I'd say BFC did quite a bit of research, and they surely wouldn't include a fictional kind of squad (they fear the wrath of the grogs!). Also, i remember reading that at the start of their summer offensive in 1942, the germans had equipped some units with slightly more smgs (iirc, one battalion per regiment?), realizing close combat played an important role in russia. However, that book maybe wasn't too good -there actually was a number of typos and grammatical errors, though maybe due to the translation. About combat distances- In the german military they tell you (well, they told me so in 1999, maybe the G36 has increased effective rifle range) most firefights happen at 200m+ since WWII. Yet CM simulates an assault, not a usual day at the front with soldiers sitting 200-500m apart in trenches firing a few bullets per hour at each other. Thus, the actual CM combat distance decreases.
  8. I'd rather say squad splitting is gamey. Apart from aforementioned reasons: It takes the same amount of ammo to fire a salvo against a half squad as against a full one, and the chance to actually hit someone is lower in CM, because there aren't as much people in the same spot than if it were a full squad. In reality, 10 soldiers firing on 5 soldiers would probably score as many hits (Every half-squad man being targeted by 2 attackers) as if they'd fire on 10 soldiers. Additionally, 2x5 soldiers throw grenades twice as fast as 1x10 soldiers... Wholesale squad splitting is useful, but, as i think, "fools" the game engine.
  9. Does anyone know why the germans held on to their K98 as the standard infantry weapon? Since the MP40 could easily be mass-produced (maybe even easier than the K98; no wooden stock?), and was already fully developed (as opposed to Gewehr 41/StG etc), why didn't they equip squads like the Jäger 44 (quite effective in CM imo) earlier on?
  10. The whole wbs-Sergei discussion looks like a clash between american pride/arrogance and european modesty/politeness/pc. wbs, if you haven't already done so, take a look at anus.com and gain insight about people being as far away from pc as you could ever get. It is actually remarkable how eager some people are to tell everyone that they are NOT pc and provoke reaction to that, then claim not to have intended any negative feedback etc.
  11. Very interesting! Could you provide source notes?
  12. Now there's a guy with a striking lack of humor. I just wonder who would be member of that firing "squad" when that forum anti-comedy brigade is made up only of you. I should take your post as a serious affront, there's not the slightest bit of in it. Yet in any forum there's an old grumpy bear, just crawl back into your cave. I for my part gladly remember Sergei's "Volksstrumpfhoseführerin with Maus" ( ), i laughed my ass off on that one. Or take Phillippe's report on motorcycle assault tactics here in this thread: Even an old grumbler like you should smile sometimes... [ January 15, 2005, 08:08 AM: Message edited by: Krautman ]
  13. On this picture, taken in November 1942 in the secret japanese navy base Kanarunjimakasawa, you can see two Kamikaze-Rakasanbutai (Suicide-Anti-Tank Paratroopers). Out of necessity, because the japanese anti-tank capabilities were rather non-existent, the imperial air force mustered a special elite commando force with the purpose of destroying enemy tanks. Their equipment contained the "supertough-alloy [direct translation] kabuko anti-tank helmet" and the strong "jigansai mega-magneto". The soldiers would be dropped out of a specially re-fitted zero plane and dive head-on onto an enemy tank (their magnet would speed them up and make aiming easier). The helmet had an armour penetration value of 100-2000mm, depending on the drop height, the weight of the tank (more steel-more magnetic force) and weather conditions. Note the aerodynamic shape of helmet and uniform, and the expression of utter determination on the soldier's faces. These two men, members of companies "Northwind" and "Southwind" are just about to depart on their mission. Throughout the whole pacific war, evidence of Kamikaze-Rakasanbutai is scarce. However, among the japanese army, they were always regarded as the secret elite.
  14. Thats a strange thing that occurs among all late-war lMgs (see e.g. german Sturm/assault squads in '45). As you, I don't see any reason for this. Try a pre-45 squad and its DP lMg will have higher firepower at 40m. Big question mark here, maybe someone could explain.
  15. Maybe this is what you're searching for: http://schlepper.hanse.de/redwolf/armorrules.zip But you don't really need that. Just try out yourself, you will quickly get the idea. Good tank duels would be Pz 38(t)A vs BT-7 in 1941, PzIIIJ(long gun/armour 50mm) vs T-34/41 in 1942, Pz IVF2 or Pz IIIL vs T-34/43 in 1942/43, Pz IVH vs. T-34/85 in 1944, and Pz IVH and Panther vs IS-2 in '45. Infantry is difficult due to the superiour and cheaper russian infantry, but german rifle/panzer 41 or Jäger 42 squads vs russian 41 squads are roughly equal. Later, german rifle 44 vs russian rifle 44 are at par (of course, ignoring superiour german AT abilities). russian SMG squads are a tough nut to crack esp in the early war period, if you want an equal game, leave them aside. [ December 10, 2004, 12:14 PM: Message edited by: Krautman ]
  16. I read this thread where one guy said he could achieve total victories in that scen on a regular basis, so i thought 72% wasn't that much... the flag gives you so many victory points that casualties are not that important. But do it again with scen default? Can do! Now you taunted me, Agua... i'll take up the challenge and try again, friday or saturday. Maybe i was pretty lucky before. What would be a decent victory percentage with default setup then? (So i know if i can REALLY brag, and back off if my results are worse...)If you're interested, i'll post my result here again, and i'll be honest. Ceterum censeo collis sepulcreti delendum esse.
  17. The settings were free AI setup and extreme FOW, no AI bonuses of any kind. This was not my first try. The first two times, the AI quickly took out most of my AFVs, and i gave up. The third try was different: My infantry and vehicles were standing ready to advance through the bushes at the far right (all directions from attacker's perspective) corner of the map. Quickly, the SPW 251/10 was shot by a russian atg hidden in the forest ahead of the bushes. The other vehicles shot the atg down and started their advance, sighting a pillbox among the first row of houses. The pillbox was taken out by cmbb's most feared bunker-killer gun, the 20mm l/55, by firing slit penetration within 30 secs. Then the infantry started their advance, covered by the two hmg and the 75mm IG (placed in the left corner of the scattered trees), and were immediately taken under fire by infantry squads hidden in the forest (where the atg was) and mg fire from the heavy buildings. The mot. recon units advanced first, followed by the pionier platoon. My support units and vehicles managed to suppress the defenders more or less, so that the infantry could reach the forest and the first house without too heavy casualties (that means, only two squads were already down to 2 men). Then the infantry continued their advance under heavy fire through the scattered trees alongside the road. At this point, the AI started moving its infantry squads from the left corner of the village to the right, to the side from which i was attacking(I think the AI is reasonably intelligent, it reacts to the situation at hand. Very well done, imho.). The HMGs and the IG kept the enemy maxim(s?) in the heavy building and the tall building down and the PSWs offered good supporting fire, although they were already running out of mg ammo. From the time my first infantry reached the trenches, thing became truly nasty: More and more enemy infantry showed up, a squad trying to storm the heavy building a maxim was in ran into a minefield, and the other atg-close to the church, on its left side-started blasting my infantry. In addition, the other pillbox, situated in the forest surrounding the cemetery, close to the map's edge, spotted a recon squad and opened fire. I couldn't get my PSWs in a good position to kill it, due to the atg, and the infantry couldn't reach it, because the forest was full of ivan. So- i stormed the church. A single remaining rifleman took the lead and was shot down by a squad hidden inside. However, two pionier squads were right behind him. A well-aimed explosive charge blew the ivan out! The pionier squads seized the church and were also able to toss a little present at the last atg (which was positioned, as said above, very close to the church). After that triumphant round, i tried to rush another pionier squad through the forest behind the church to take out that last pillbox. However, they were caught unaware by a hidden russian recon b squad that killed them in seconds. The game ended because both sides agreed on a ceasefire. All units were low on ammo, besides the hmgs, who were at least three times jammed both at the same time. Both russians and germans had heavy losses, but i controlled the victory flag and had taken several russians as prisoners. After all, that was a very tough but also enjoyable scenario, that imho simulates the enormous difficulties the germans already had during the first months of barbarossa. The AI is a good defender, i think.
  18. Just yesterday, i played the "Cemetery Hill" Scenario from the CMBB CD. After a tough and thrilling fight, i (germans) achieved a 72% victory (just showing off here. That's quite an achievement concerning my rather unspectacular CM skills) by finally taking the church. Those units that did arrive there first-the recon platoons-had heavy losses, two squads were down to one man ,the others had 2-4 left. The following Pionier platoon suffered maybe 30-40% casualties. I wondered whether an infantry squad taking such heavy losses would continue fighting or rather try caring for the wounded, stopping its advance. A squad in a fixed position could maybe do both, rendering first aid and keeping up the fire. An advancing squad, however, could leave one or two wounded behind for the following medics. But when 7 out of eight men are hit? Don't get me wrong, i'm totally fine with the way CM simulates the infantry, just wanted to ask as i saw the last man of a recon squad storming the church on his own.
  19. "Cemetary Hill", that's a tough one, i tried it once... I like "Totenkopf"/"Death's Head" and "Verlassenes Land"/"Desolated? Land"(Luftwaffe Infantry+StuGs vs Soviet mech.~1943/44) In general though, i prefer the early war "grey" period- so many stylish vehicles! Later on, most tanks are multi-purpose vehicles, earlier, you have such cool specialists like PzJg I, sIG33B and my all-time favourite: that russian ugly duckling with the twin mgs... winner of my personal Frankenstein beauty award... Also, BT-7 and BT-7A in combination are much more fun to play than simply T-34's, you just blow up enemy infantry and tanks alike with later tanks. Early war tanks enforce more tactical use, and it is not that deceisive if you lose the armor duel.
  20. As i don't have internet at home, i have to stick mostly with the cmbb cd scenarios. There are some really well-designed ones, e.g. the "Hill 312" german attack, which i found quite challenging because of the limited amount of time you have. It took me a few tries, but now i usually win by russian surrender (with my own troops totally exhausted though), sending all my infantry through the forest to the russian far left flank, and then up the hill. One of the few downloaded scen.s i have is also quite enjoyable; csdt's "Eisen-Faust", great map and good balance of forces. I lost both my 88's to enemy mortar fire and the halftracks were crushed, but finally my infantry took out most T-34's, the last one got his gun destroyed by a PzJg I. Can you recommend any great scenarios and where can i get them? Also, what are your favourite cmbb cd scenarios?
  21. I read that one reason german troops liked the 81mm GrW, besides its durability + simple and sturdy design, was that they could use "most captured ammunition" with it ("most captured" grenades should, as land warfare was mostly fought in the ussr, include russian 82mm?). I personally doubt that a 82mm grenade would fit in a 81mm tube, but maybe they could modify the grenades anyhow.
  22. I'm afraid of the Danes and those who bring gifts??? I wish Romulus and Remus had drowned in that river they were put in as babies-i don't quite see in which way my generation deserves their romans and greeks, and their strange tongues.
  23. So mortar grenades are actually self-propelled, they contain the charge that blows them out of the tube? And how do you aim with it? Tube angle for the range(since propellant is always the same?), i guess, but what about the facing (azimuth you call that iirc)? Is there some device that exactly tells you which direction the tube is facing to, so you could re-adjust after changing the target?
  24. There's one at cmmods for cmak with a slightly different name, that's the one i was talking about... could anyone answer my question? IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE BOLT ACTION RIFLE SOUND WAVS IN CMAK??? [ November 17, 2004, 12:12 PM: Message edited by: Krautman ]
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