Zels77

This reply from a "senior member" makes my point for me and outlines where the CM series is headed: all-action, no substance and appealing to kids.

Great reply Glenn! Points well made and taken on board. I grew up playing SL and then ASL, and I was STOKED when I discovered Battlefront, and blown away by CMBO and CMBB. I'm not denying any of your valid points about how much work goes into making what is, by default, the ONLY game that makes a credible stab at being a strategy wargame (that isn't on a one-hex-equals-one-galaxy scale). And it's for exactly this reason that I hold CM to THAT standard. Tank commander vulnerability is one of several major issues with the game that alter its fundamental purpose - conducting a battle along historical lines. My guess is that a good chunk of the blokes on this forum would be thrilled with having Zombie-driven T34's firing lazer-guided muffins at Jabba the Hut. I'm after a simulation of WWII infantry combat as it actually happened. So when an LMG hiding 400m from unbuttoned tank can hit the commander with a snap shot (frequently), I lose interest. I don't expect everything to be perfect, but I do expect the desire for real-world physics and historical accuracy to trump the quest for superior graphics, and flamethrowers. Thanks again for your reply and happy hunting!

After spending countless hours playing CMBO and CMBB it turned out that the best part about CMBN was uninstalling it, which I did early last year. In a fit of blind optimism I downloaded the CMFI demo this week to see whether any of the many fundamental flaws had been addressed. It's still laughable how vulnerable unbuttoned tank commanders are to small arms fire from 100s of metres away. The Madden series will never come close to realising its potential because EA Sports are quite content selling gallons of "snake oil" to 12 year olds who don't know any better - Red Thunder will be a glorified "roster update" with 95% of resources wasted on visual appeal. Thanks for the demo chaps, you saved me the cash and time I would have wasted on Fortress Italy, Gustav Line and Red Thunder. (cue the BF Denial Drones!)

Mate I queried the issue ages ago and was told it was on the agenda to be fixed. I resumed playing when the patch came out and since then I've had very few issues with the same problem. Not doubting that the game would cease to exist without your input, just putting two and two together. On the list of fixes was something along the lines of: "more realistic dispersion from mortar shells".

I think there are a few blokes who might disagree with you!

1. Same as you bud - pulled back behind front line providing covering fire or ferrying troops to better positions on the flanks. 2. There most certainly was a propensity for leaders to get hit from exploding HE that had nothing to do with they "but they're usually at the front of the charge" argument. It has improved a lot since patch.

Message received, thanks for the response.

Cheers, I haven't played CW mate so I can't give any opinion on that.

Point taken, but then do you agree that there should be a similar (if not higher) rate of casualty for stationary troops firing from behind a wall? A wall is obviously thicker than armour, but the gunner is in a moving vehicle and - though it's not depicted graphically - he would be doing everything possible to limit his exposure?

Thanks for the reply Yankee. I'm not disputing any of the above, all I'm saying is that if there's one guy on a gun in a moving halftrack, it seems odd to me that almost EVERY time the HT - which is moving - takes fire, the gunner gets tagged. I'm not surprised the HT gets hit, or that it draws fire, what I'm questioning is how it's possible that enemy troops, themselves under fire, are able to hit the gunner in a moving (lightly armoured) vehicle with such precision?

I did the opposite - caused a stalemate in the middle with infantry and used the HTs to cover the Germans exit routes. Also used HTs to ferry platoon to woods on right in a bid to outflank German positions. Throughout, HTs at various ranges, at various speeds etc would come under fire and either suffer gunner casualty in first or second instance - pretty much if an HT got hit by small arms, the gunner copped it.

Spot on mate - seems like everyone except the unit with the perfect covered arc knows the enemy is there.

Yep agreed, that's what I'm talking about. Buildings are better, but at times they're a kill zone, imo.

Fair enough.

Play A Strange Awakening as US. Empty the HTs, split the squads, and load the teams into the vacant HTs. Play around with the HTs in your assault in fire support of the main infantry force. Good luck keeping those boys alive!