Madmatt

Since you have the German version of the game, just redownload the full patch from our mirror located right here. I have updated the patch with the fixed files. ftp://ftp.battlefront.com/pub/patches/sc2/German_Strategic_Command_2_Patch_v106.exe Madmatt

If you have patched to v1.06 and now see a pink screen or pink graphics all over the map, just download this fix file. Note: This file is ONLY for people that encounter this graphics issue and MUST be applied AFTER you have already installed the v1.06 patch! ftp://ftp.battlefront.com/pub/patches/sc2/Strategic_Command_2_Blitzkrieg_v106_Patch_fixed_bmps.exe FOR THE GERMAN VERSION SEE BELOW!!! If you have the German language version of the game, you will need to redownload and run the full v1.06 patch from this link. I have updated the patch with the fixed bmp files. It doesn't matter if you already ran the earlier German 1.06 patch or not, just download and run this file. ftp://ftp.battlefront.com/pub/patches/sc2/German_Strategic_Command_2_Patch_v106.exe Madmatt [ February 28, 2007, 01:42 PM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

Okay guys, if you get that "Pink Screen" problem, just download and run this fix file. ftp://ftp.battlefront.com/pub/patches/sc2/Strategic_Command_2_Blitzkrieg_v106_Patch_fixed_bmps.exe You MUST have already patched to v.106 though! This file JUST fixes the pink screen issue, it does not have all the other v1.06 improvements and is ONLY for people that got the Pink Screen. If you didn't get the Pink Screen, you don't need this file! FOR THE GERMAN VERSION SEE BELOW!!! If you have the German language version of the game, you will need to redownload and run the full v1.06 patch from this link. I have updated the patch with the fixed bmp files. It doesn't matter if you already ran the earlier German 1.06 patch or not, just download and run this file. ftp://ftp.battlefront.com/pub/patches/sc2/German_Strategic_Command_2_Patch_v106.exe Madmatt [ February 28, 2007, 01:43 PM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

n0kn0k, if you get your host issues worked out and want to be listed on my mirror list, please email and I will add your site. Madmatt

Now available for download, the v1.06 Patch for Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg. This 44 meg patch includes hundreds of enhancements, tweaks, and user suggestions over the original release of the game. In addition, there have been sweeping improvements to the Artificial Intelligence to make it much more aware and adaptable to the abilities and special skills of its units. This should provide a greater challenge to the player and allow for far more dynamic battles and campaigns. There have also been wide ranging improvements to the scripting abilities present in the game editor. These will provide much greater flexibility in naval, airborne and defensive operations. Addtionally this patch has been tested and confirmed to work with WIndows Vista. It also add's all new widescreen monitor and laptop display support. Above and beyond all those internal changes, this patch also includes a new player created Map Generator. MapGen.exe is a utility to create tile maps for Strategic Command 2 from a bitmap. This tile map can then be imported into the Strategic Command 2 Editor and used as a starting point for a new scenario. This patch is all inclusive (includes all enhancements and fixed from earlier patches) and can be applied to any previous game version (1.0-1.05a). Please see below for important save game compatibility info before patching. SAVE GAME COMPATABILITY NOTICE The v1.06 patch is NOT compatible with save games from any previous version (1.0-1.05a). If you have a current game in progress, please it them before patching. GERMAN LANGUAGE GAME VERSIONS The patch for the German game version is also included below. NOTE ABOUT CUSTOM CAMPAIGNS AND GAME MODS Prior to installing this patch over your current files, use the Export Data feature to save all of your existing data for a custom campaign(s). We suggest you also zip up all of your custom files just in case so you can go back to them if necessary and rename your custom campaign as campaign_old. You should also rename your templates directory to templates_old so you can check for changes. Once you've followed the steps above apply the patch and then do the following: 1) Open a new campaign using File->New 2) Set the new campaign map size to match the map size of your previous pre-patch campaign. 3) Select File->Import and select the folder for the campaign in which you would like to import data files from. If you do not have the correct map size the Editor will inform you and you can then repeat step 2) 4) At this point, select Save and select the name of the older campaign you wish to update. This assumes you still have the original 'Campaigns' folder intact with the pre patch campaigns and subfolders. for example, let's say you had a file called '1939 Fall Weiss Custom'. Simply select this file when you are going to save. WARNING: It will ask you if you would like to overwrite the scripts. Make sure you click "NO". NOTE: If you click "YES" it will overwrite the existing scripts with the Template scripts. If you click "NO" it will use the existing scripts which is what you want here. v1.06 GAME ENGINE CHANGES (partial list) GAME ENGINE CHANGES - Game now Windows Vista Compatible - Added multiple resolution including widescreen support for widescreen monitors and laptops - Optimized transport and naval combat especially carrier attack algorithms with a noticeable difference in speed - Optimized AI animation and Multiplayer replay routines - Optimized two path finding algorithms with a noticeable difference in land and naval unit movement calculation speeds (up to 40% faster) - Fixed a Saved Game file selection error (BioWizard) - Fixed an interceptor/escort crash error (gravyface1) - Fixed an AI naval combat crash (Fred) - Fixed a Properties dialog bug that revealed partially hidden unit research levels under FoW (Bromley) - Fixed a bug that reduced Battleship/Cruiser attacks across river tiles (Bromley) - Fixed a DEBUGLOGS crash error (Thrawn) - Fixed a SETTINGS dialog error for the German/French patch versions (Thrawn) - Fixed a fortification completion error that caused erroneous completion dates (Terif, Bromley) - Fixed a FoW movement error when moving land units over a Land + Water tile that would cause a hidden naval unit to dissapear (Anders S, Terif) - Fixed a timer countdown error that reset the timer over the stroke of midnight (Terif) - Fixed a bug where HQs, Rockets, AF and Bombers would remain in a threatened city/capital when other units were available to replace them - Fixed a splash message error (Normal Dude) - Fixed a rare AI amphibious transport error (Cosmin) - Fixed an interceptor bug (Terif) - Fixed a Network chat list error (Terif) - Fixed a rare combat error (Christopher, Louie M.) - Fixed a FoW issue with Paratroops during AI/E-mail replay (Anders) - Fixed a cursor flash error for UNIT scripts (Normal Dude) - Fixed a Carrier combat bug that caused the game to hang (Fantomas) - Fixed a customization bug that did not display customized MAIN SCREEN bitmaps under Multiplayer games - Fixed a DEBUG output error for the 'planning.log' (Bill) - Fixed a bug related to controlled movement (Rhino) - Fixed a bug related to Bomber spotting range under FoW (SeaMonkey, Terif) - Fixed a diplomacy hit calculation error (Terif) - Fixed a Paratroop unit error (Bill, Blashy, Steve Rogers) - Added a routine to protect default installation paths due to raised errors with customized games (Terif) - Added a text display in the MAIN SCREEN if you select any of the DEBUG options via the F1, F2 and F3 keys - Added a skip AI Animation DEBUGANIMATION option by using the F3 key to toggle this on or off Note, these DEBUG options are only for AI games and are disabled in game (also removed from the screen) if a non AI game is selected - Changed output directory for the DEBUGLOGS option (F2 Key) from DATALOGS to DEBUGLOGS - Units that are on a second move after combat are now commited to their final position if playing without UNDO MOVES (BioWizard) - Updated the error handling message system to skip shutdown of the game when drawing to the war map buffer if an error is raised. This will enable those players that have systems (rare occurence) that do not support the drawing routines used in the war map buffer. EDITOR RELATED CHANGES - Added multiple resolution including widescreen support for widescreen monitors and laptops - Added the following AI/EVENT scripts for the 1939 Fall Weiss campaign (Edwin P): * USA OFFENSIVE Plan to attack Madrid * USA OFFENSIVE Plan to attack Marseilles * USA OFFENSIVE Plan to attack Paris * 50% for early German OFFENSIVE against Benelux countries * Alternate German OFFENSIVE plan against Yugoslavia * German OFFENSIVE plan to attack Gibraltar if Spain is Axis * 10% French invasion of Rome * 25% USA AMPHBIOUS invasion of Lisbon if Spain is pro-Axis *- 50% USA AMPHBIOUS invades Lisbon if Spain is pro-Allied * 4% UK AMPHBIOUS_MINOR invasion of Norway post Soviet entry * 3% USA AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on Rome * 3% USA AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on Cairo via the Horn of Africa * 2% USSR AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on Bucharest * 3% German AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on London if left unoccupied * 4% German AMPHBIOUS_MINOR invasion of Norway before the surrender of France * 25% German AMPHIBIOUS_MINOR invasion of Norway after the surrender of France * USA PURCHASE script that activates if Lisbon has surrendered to the Allies * 10% for Germany to attempt Diplomacy on Spain * 10% USA Bomber Event * 10% German Submarine Event if Oslo is Axis controlled - Added the following AI/EVENT scripts for the 1939 Fall Weiss campaign (Thrawn): * Alternate USA AMPHIBIOUS/FLEET Vichy Algeria Assault script if Gibraltar is controlled by the Axis * German Portugal OFFENSIVE script if Spain is Axis * UK Tenth Army Allied AI UNIT event - Increased all Turkish units that start in cities to entrenchment=4, Ankara unit to entrenchment=6 (Terif) - Moved eastern Turkish Corps from tile 126,24 to 123,25 (Terif) - Fixed a few Weather Zone land/sea tile errors (Terif) - Fixed an Editor 'Select Map Position' error - Fixed a segmentation fault when setting Carriers to 'Ground' mode (Normal Dude) - Fixed a P/Q error with respect to Neutral Minors (Bill) - Protected file names can no longer be shifted - Added a more intuitive interface - Shifting maps now automatically updates related script files - Updated the WARNING texts as applicable - Added a Bitmaps\Sprite Guidelines folder under the 'Extras' folder. This will help with modding the various game sprites by understanding each individual sprite border (Normal Dude) - Added an SC2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE draft to the 'Extras' folder - Added a "MapData" subfolder for each campaign, when saving - Reduced minimum map width and height from 36x18 to 10x10. This is a result of a fix needed for map sizes less than some newly supported widescreen resolutions Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg Patch Download Page Madmatt [ February 23, 2007, 11:44 AM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

Now available for download, the v1.06 Patch for Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg. This 44 meg patch includes hundreds of enhancements, tweaks, and user suggestions over the original release of the game. In addition, there have been sweeping improvements to the Artificial Intelligence to make it much more aware and adaptable to the abilities and special skills of its units. This should provide a greater challenge to the player and allow for far more dynamic battles and campaigns. There have also been wide ranging improvements to the scripting abilities present in the game editor. These will provide much greater flexibility in naval, airborne and defensive operations. Addtionally this patch has been tested and confirmed to work with WIndows Vista. It also add's all new widescreen monitor and laptop display support. Above and beyond all those internal changes, this patch also includes a new player created Map Generator. MapGen.exe is a utility to create tile maps for Strategic Command 2 from a bitmap. This tile map can then be imported into the Strategic Command 2 Editor and used as a starting point for a new scenario. This patch is all inclusive (includes all enhancements and fixed from earlier patches) and can be applied to any previous game version (1.0-1.05a). Please see below for important save game compatibility info before patching. SAVE GAME COMPATABILITY NOTICE The v1.06 patch is NOT compatible with save games from any previous version (1.0-1.05a). If you have a current game in progress, please it them before patching. GERMAN LANGUAGE GAME VERSIONS The patch for the German game version is also included below. NOTE ABOUT CUSTOM CAMPAIGNS AND GAME MODS Prior to installing this patch over your current files, use the Export Data feature to save all of your existing data for a custom campaign(s). We suggest you also zip up all of your custom files just in case so you can go back to them if necessary and rename your custom campaign as campaign_old. You should also rename your templates directory to templates_old so you can check for changes. Once you've followed the steps above apply the patch and then do the following: 1) Open a new campaign using File->New 2) Set the new campaign map size to match the map size of your previous pre-patch campaign. 3) Select File->Import and select the folder for the campaign in which you would like to import data files from. If you do not have the correct map size the Editor will inform you and you can then repeat step 2) 4) At this point, select Save and select the name of the older campaign you wish to update. This assumes you still have the original 'Campaigns' folder intact with the pre patch campaigns and subfolders. for example, let's say you had a file called '1939 Fall Weiss Custom'. Simply select this file when you are going to save. WARNING: It will ask you if you would like to overwrite the scripts. Make sure you click "NO". NOTE: If you click "YES" it will overwrite the existing scripts with the Template scripts. If you click "NO" it will use the existing scripts which is what you want here. v1.06 GAME ENGINE CHANGES (partial list) GAME ENGINE CHANGES - Game now Windows Vista Compatible - Added multiple resolution including widescreen support for widescreen monitors and laptops - Optimized transport and naval combat especially carrier attack algorithms with a noticeable difference in speed - Optimized AI animation and Multiplayer replay routines - Optimized two path finding algorithms with a noticeable difference in land and naval unit movement calculation speeds (up to 40% faster) - Fixed a Saved Game file selection error (BioWizard) - Fixed an interceptor/escort crash error (gravyface1) - Fixed an AI naval combat crash (Fred) - Fixed a Properties dialog bug that revealed partially hidden unit research levels under FoW (Bromley) - Fixed a bug that reduced Battleship/Cruiser attacks across river tiles (Bromley) - Fixed a DEBUGLOGS crash error (Thrawn) - Fixed a SETTINGS dialog error for the German/French patch versions (Thrawn) - Fixed a fortification completion error that caused erroneous completion dates (Terif, Bromley) - Fixed a FoW movement error when moving land units over a Land + Water tile that would cause a hidden naval unit to dissapear (Anders S, Terif) - Fixed a timer countdown error that reset the timer over the stroke of midnight (Terif) - Fixed a bug where HQs, Rockets, AF and Bombers would remain in a threatened city/capital when other units were available to replace them - Fixed a splash message error (Normal Dude) - Fixed a rare AI amphibious transport error (Cosmin) - Fixed an interceptor bug (Terif) - Fixed a Network chat list error (Terif) - Fixed a rare combat error (Christopher, Louie M.) - Fixed a FoW issue with Paratroops during AI/E-mail replay (Anders) - Fixed a cursor flash error for UNIT scripts (Normal Dude) - Fixed a Carrier combat bug that caused the game to hang (Fantomas) - Fixed a customization bug that did not display customized MAIN SCREEN bitmaps under Multiplayer games - Fixed a DEBUG output error for the 'planning.log' (Bill) - Fixed a bug related to controlled movement (Rhino) - Fixed a bug related to Bomber spotting range under FoW (SeaMonkey, Terif) - Fixed a diplomacy hit calculation error (Terif) - Fixed a Paratroop unit error (Bill, Blashy, Steve Rogers) - Added a routine to protect default installation paths due to raised errors with customized games (Terif) - Added a text display in the MAIN SCREEN if you select any of the DEBUG options via the F1, F2 and F3 keys - Added a skip AI Animation DEBUGANIMATION option by using the F3 key to toggle this on or off Note, these DEBUG options are only for AI games and are disabled in game (also removed from the screen) if a non AI game is selected - Changed output directory for the DEBUGLOGS option (F2 Key) from DATALOGS to DEBUGLOGS - Units that are on a second move after combat are now commited to their final position if playing without UNDO MOVES (BioWizard) - Updated the error handling message system to skip shutdown of the game when drawing to the war map buffer if an error is raised. This will enable those players that have systems (rare occurence) that do not support the drawing routines used in the war map buffer. EDITOR RELATED CHANGES - Added multiple resolution including widescreen support for widescreen monitors and laptops - Added the following AI/EVENT scripts for the 1939 Fall Weiss campaign (Edwin P): * USA OFFENSIVE Plan to attack Madrid * USA OFFENSIVE Plan to attack Marseilles * USA OFFENSIVE Plan to attack Paris * 50% for early German OFFENSIVE against Benelux countries * Alternate German OFFENSIVE plan against Yugoslavia * German OFFENSIVE plan to attack Gibraltar if Spain is Axis * 10% French invasion of Rome * 25% USA AMPHBIOUS invasion of Lisbon if Spain is pro-Axis *- 50% USA AMPHBIOUS invades Lisbon if Spain is pro-Allied * 4% UK AMPHBIOUS_MINOR invasion of Norway post Soviet entry * 3% USA AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on Rome * 3% USA AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on Cairo via the Horn of Africa * 2% USSR AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on Bucharest * 3% German AMPHBIOUS_MINOR raid on London if left unoccupied * 4% German AMPHBIOUS_MINOR invasion of Norway before the surrender of France * 25% German AMPHIBIOUS_MINOR invasion of Norway after the surrender of France * 25% German AMPHBIOUS_MINOR invasion of Norway after the surrender of France * USA PURCHASE script that activates if Lisbon has surrendered to the Allies * 10% for Germany to attempt Diplomacy on Spain * 10% USA Bomber Event * 10% German Submarine Event if Oslo is Axis controlled - Added the following AI/EVENT scripts for the 1939 Fall Weiss campaign (Thrawn): * Alternate USA AMPHIBIOUS/FLEET Vichy Algeria Assault script if Gibraltar is controlled by the Axis * German Portugal OFFENSIVE script if Spain is Axis * UK Tenth Army Allied AI UNIT event - Increased all Turkish units that start in cities to entrenchment=4, Ankara unit to entrenchment=6 (Terif) - Moved eastern Turkish Corps from tile 126,24 to 123,25 (Terif) - Fixed a few Weather Zone land/sea tile errors (Terif) - Fixed an Editor 'Select Map Position' error - Fixed a segmentation fault when setting Carriers to 'Ground' mode (Normal Dude) - Fixed a P/Q error with respect to Neutral Minors (Bill) - Protected file names can no longer be shifted - Added a more intuitive interface - Shifting maps now automatically updates related script files - Updated the WARNING texts as applicable - Added a Bitmaps\Sprite Guidelines folder under the 'Extras' folder. This will help with modding the various game sprites by understanding each individual sprite border (Normal Dude) - Added an SC2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE draft to the 'Extras' folder - Added a "MapData" subfolder for each campaign, when saving - Reduced minimum map width and height from 36x18 to 10x10. This is a result of a fix needed for map sizes less than some newly supported widescreen resolutions Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg Patch Download Page Madmatt

csh, sorry for the late reply, but make sure your video drivers are all up to date. Madmatt

Are you guys still seeing slow performance? While we may have to rebuild the server, I just did a bunch of work on it that will hopefully keep that from occuring but I am curious to what everyone is seeing right now (as of Friday). Madmatt

What Martin said about a games design is correct but the obivious answer with regards to why CM:SF has PBEM and ToW doesn't is that CM:SF only supports PBEM in Turn Based mode, a mode that ToW doesn't have. Madmatt

Depends on the battle. Sometimes you have to drive off an enemy assualt or counter-attack, sometimes its based on securing a specific area or some other defined objective. Usually within a given scenario, there are several objectives which are assinged while you are playing, for example your primary objective might have to take position of a small village. Once you have done that, you might be tasked to then prepare for a concentrated counter-attack, and then maybe get reinforced and go on the offensive for yourself. Madmatt

To answer the other questions here: Yes, pillboxes can be entered and exited. No, full building occupation will not be in the initial build but we are looking at *patching it in* at some point. And lastly, if pillboxes can be occupied, why cant they do that will all buildings? Probably because pillboxes have static weapons and the game handles infantry inside as *crewing* a specific weapon. Meaning they aren't using their small arms, grenades, panzerfausts etc... while inside. That approach obviously wouldn't work for a regular building because it has no set weapon mount, so if infantry were inside, they wouldnt be allowed to fire outside. There is also the fact that buildings are multistoried and pillboxes aren't and other specific placement issues. Rest assured, we do want to at some point allow infantry into buildings in a workable, playable way, but its not going to be with the initial release. Madmatt

We certainly appreciate your overall confidence in us, but I don't want you to have unrealistic expectations with regards to multiplay. Right now, we are focused on stabilty with regards to multiplay but core changes to the multiplayer gameplay are simply not possible at this time. That means that multiplay in ToW is by and large, still ahistoric, non-mission based, or what you might think of as Deathmatch Kill-Them-All type play. While I am sure there are those of you that will be disapointed to hear that, it should be offset some with the fact that ToW is designed to support up to 8 players in multiplayer and those types of fragathons are still a helluva lot of fun and can be very challenging. Our hope is to be able to at some point roll out mission based multiplay, still with up to 8 players, but that won't be in the initial release. Madmatt

Hehehe, competition? There hasn't been a game yet that was any serious competition to CMBO, let alone what we are doing in CMSF. We aren't worried about that. Madmatt

Looks like Steve left out one little tidbit about the Plans. He mentioned how the AI will select at semi-random one of the Plans. That's true, but what he forgot to mention is that the scenario designer can create up to five seperate plans for each side, per scenario. Madmatt

Since the announcement of this game we have gotten a lot of requests in email and the forum for our "Best Picks" of books that we think will help gain a deeper appreciation for both modern combat and the types of operations that we will be modeling in Combat Mission: Shock Force. It took us a little while to compile such a list, and get links to purchase them, but we have just posted a brand new Bibliography Page which lists 18 essential reads. My personal recommendation, Thunder Run, by David Zucchino. I can't say enough good things about this one! Every page is packed full of exciting combat between men and machines and presented in a very mature and in-depth way. Combat Mission: Shock Force Bibliography Page Madmatt

Which is why you guys have to remember that everything your seeing (and we aren't showing much compared to what is still secret!) is all still in flux and basically placeholder textures. Our final version towns and cities have plenty of visual upgrades planed for them which will make them far more gritty. Madmatt

I have to admit as well that I have often wondered some of the "max" range numbers I have seen in ToW seem to be higher than what I would have thought. As suggested above, it does seem that when 1c listed the max range in those tables, they quoted the max theoritical range. Why did they do this and not list the max effective range, probably because "effective range" is very subjective and changes constantly depending on battlefeild conditions. Madmatt

At this time there is no Shift-C type unit scaling in the game. I dont know if thats on the list to add again at some point or not, probably not as it's not really needed anymore and actually causes more problems (with regards to visual abstractions) than it ever solved. Madmatt

What size would you like? Making up a webkit that fan sites could use is definitely something I could see doing, just tell me the types of stuff you might want and I will see what I can put together. Madmatt

Good questions all, and since I just got a new patch build tpday with multiplayer tweaks and fixes added I will let you know as soon as Rune gets back online so I can play against him! Madmatt

I *think* the penetration values you are seeing in the first picture is actually showing the values not for the Ml3 1937 shell, but for the coax Machinegun. When you switch weapons, it takes a second for display of some of the stats to switch over and that pic might have been taking while someone was clicking the different weapons and ammo types, hence the discrepancy... Madmatt

I tried out the Distant Guns demo recently myself and although the game looks and plays impressively, the camera interface is about the most bassawkwards mess I have seen in a long time. I DON'T like how you have to select a ship to see it in its proper brightness and also don't understand why they keep the camera from being able to get down to wake level. More freedom in camera control is a hallmark in CMSF and the CMx2 engine. Its just another area that we have worked with Charles closely to get just right. I don't know why so many game designers can't appreciate how people really do want to be able zoom right up into stuff and see every bolt and rivet as well as pull back to near lunar orbit levels. This is important to get right in CMSF because we now only use "true" sizes of object. Things aren't scaled down like they were in CMx1 games, so allowing the user to better tailor the camera view so they can quickly see what and where they need to is critical. I think we got it pretty good right now though. Madmatt

You guys need to read more carefully... From the CMSF Features page, right under the first screenshot: Red vs. Blue (Syrian vs. NATO), Blue vs. Blue, and Red vs. Red play options Madmatt

Cool video but could they have stood any CLOSER to that truck?!? Madmatt

If you guys only knew how much research I did on smoke grenades for the M1 and how hard that info was to find! That was a HUGE issue for me (yeah, I always champion one minutia type thing!) but I think I finally got the answers we are looking for, although is anyone has better info, PLEASE let me know in email! First off, there are usually two types of grenades you will see in the 6 tube M250 smoke dischargers (Marine M1's use the 8 tube M257 discharger) and as Kwazy said above, those discharger models ingame are currently ugly and will get redone. There is the red phosphorus L8A1 and L8A3 grenade (actually that's two types but they are essentially the same grenade). As the active smoke generating compound in them is Red Phosphorus, they don't really burn hot enough to block Thermal Imagine Systems totally. Those grenades, from what I have been able to determine are the ones you used to normally see and have a very dark green, almost black appearance and extend out of the discharger tubes only a few inches (see below for pic on a M257 launcher). More recently, we have begun to see M1's equipped with the M76 Multispectral IR smoke grenades. These stick out of the discharger tubes a few more inches than the L8A3's and are light green in color. These grenades burn at much higher temperatures and apparently also include bits of metal flaking which can block TIS totally because they cause issues with those systems to be able to discern differences in temperatures. In a TIS view scope, you would just see a totally black area when looking at a area covered in M76 generated smoke. (see below for screenshot of those) I believe that in CMSF, we are making the assumption that by the time of the conflict in Syria, most US units would have upgraded to the newer, more effective M76 (or similar multispectral smoke grenades) and that's what you are seeing in the current models. I agree though, I think in the current models that they are sticking out too far, but Dan has said he will be working on them again down the road, before the game is released. I have dozens of reference pics taken from Iraq and to be honest, it seems sometimes the M76 are sticking out further than in others, but I would prefer that for aesthetics, we show them sticking out LESS rather than more. So yeah, we are spending just as much time on the little details in CMSF, as the big ones! Madmatt