Major Tom

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know what it smells of? It smells of victory!"

There will always be a CM forum. Sure, it may change form and location, but, there will always be one. I have never seen a game with a forum this packed and constantly monitored not only by regulars but by an influx of new posters. It will slow down a heck of a lot right once the game is released, as, everyone will be too busy playing to post But, it will pick back up when people are ready to create scenarios, and when the CMMC thing gets going, there will be regular posts by the press (hopefully).

Going to Harold and mine own defences, we were merely arguing in response to what other people have posted. People posted stuff like "A little gore is ok, as it happened historically" basing the fact that they think the purpose for having dead bodies is to merely represent the kool "Bevis and Butthead" (sorry for stealing your like Steve) smashing of skulls. Now that we have been assured that their implementation is solely due to retrieving information about lost units it makes a lot more sense. And knowing that people won't be desecrating this game with gore mods makes it just fine with me. Of course, someone could always make a "Night of the living Dead" mod, where everyone is a corpse to begin with... As Fionn also said, he was against dead bodies until he played it. I am totally sure that they way Steve and Charles designed the game that it was tastefully done. You can't really see too much in the current screenshots anyway. I was just afraid that CM might slip down the Doom44 slope. Now, enough with mocking poor Harold and myself, go pick on an old lady trying to cross the street or something more constructive like that!

It's funny cause it's not me... wait a minute... IT IS ME! Nobody actually caught the reference to Star Trek VIII, or was it IX? You know, when that robot guy contemplated doing something really notty for a microsecond, it was like an eternity for me also. So, lets get off our high horses and quit talking of such nonsense. The body 'issue' is done baby, lets get on with our lives. As Fionn said, we can be assured that there will be no excessive gore, which is all I was afriad of.

Well, I finally did it, I got my computer working again. However, in the process I have lost your PBEM files.... So.... If you could send over the last one you sent me, or, if you don't have it I have the one before that... (Peng, your file is in the mail). Sorry for the inconvenience. On the up side, I haven't played CM in about a month now, and am reeling from withdraw pains. I forgot how cool the game actually was.

Not to harp, but, I remember playing Wolfenstein, way back in the day, and my Dad came down to watch me play. He was truely disgusted, especially at the part where the dogs were killed. Today, he playes Age of Empires, and is pretty disturbed at the corpses left over on that game too, even though they disappear after a while. I guess it was my upbringing, I never really liked playing those bloodbath games. As Steve said, there is a place for everything, and I guess that they decided that having dead bodies (in a respectful pose) was the best way to go about it. In still pictures we can't see too much. But, it will hit you when you are playing a game and noticing that half your troops no longer move, and are staring up at the sky... If only they could see... Maybe it will be a good thing. Make us think twice before we happily send our computer men to their deaths. Hopefully Steve and Charles can make it unhackable to add any gore to the bodies.

This better not get into a censorship thing... I fully agree that the deaths of those who died during any war should be recorded for history. One article I remember goes with the first ever published photograph during WWII of American dead, pictured in New Guinea after taking Buna. Basically, it said if we cannot look upon their sacrifice, then what have they died for. However, this is a game, representative of reality, but, it is NOT reality. The guys you see on the field, didn't die to stop Hitler, or to defend their nation, they died on a computer screen to supplement someone's ego (I'm Guilty as charged). Do they add anything to the game? Not really. They could have used markers, crosses or Rifles stuck into the ground with a helmet on them. Computer games are not arenas to display a societies morality of rememberance, only simulations. Why not have troops exploding when they are hit with artillery? Why not have a few limping around without legs? How about adding constant screeming and crying? Blood trails? Burning corpses? All of these and dead bodies happened during a war, but, I don't feel that they add anything to a strategy game. This ain't Doom folks! I also notice that MOST of those posting supporting the addition are newcomers. And most of their replies DESTROY any semblence of them being added for nothing more than gore factors. The game was just fine without the dead bodies. Don't get me wrong, I love the work BTS put into the game, and I only was reconsidering purchasing the game for 2.4 seconds. But I am still a little disappointed. Never played ASL. I understand what they are needed for. Having them face down would be a little better, not having to look at my poor troops in their lifeless eyes... sob... No, from all of the dead people I have seen I haven't thrown up. Not yet. It was basically supposed to coincide with the "brings a tear to my eye" line. [This message has been edited by Major Tom (edited 05-01-2000).]

For me, seeing dead bodies brings vomit to my throat...

Gee, if this turns out to be true, ie. dead bodies, then I would like the possibility for this being toggled on or off. Personally, I don't like it. Hopefully it is just some graphical modification and won't appear in the full version. Might as well have some blood smeared all over the Sherman, and a severed head sitting on top for all bodies add to the games quality. Otherwize I love what the final version looks like! [This message has been edited by Major Tom (edited 05-01-2000).]

Well, it doesn't have to do with the Quad 0.5 inch, but, the Commonwealth get the Crusader AA, of 2 40mm AA Guns on a Crusader tank. Just imagine the carnage!

Well, during the advance into France there wasn't too much coordination between armoured and infantry formations in the German army. Vast gaps appeared in the pincer where entire French divisions were allowed to retreat south. Hitler, and the German High command were extremely afraid of a counter attack in-between their armoured and infantry formations. Also, being on the offensive and defensive are completely different things. The attacker gets so many advantages over the defender. Concentration of force being the primary, and the fact that they are advancing can result in damaged/immobilized vehicles having the chance to be repaired. The Allied forces were very coordinated between infantry and armour, as, most of the armour was left as infantry support. Plus, the morale puch that blitzkrieg tactics throw on the defender add a lot to the victory of the attack. I doubt that in 1940 the German armed forces would have had a much better reaction to an allied blitzkrieg attack than the allies did in 1940. It also must be noted that the focus of the German attack in 1940 was based on the 9th Army, possibly the worst formation in the French Army. If the Blitzkrieg pincer would have hit the 1st French Army, it would probably have been blunted. Any other French or British Army would not have crumbled as fast as the 9th Army either. Where the good quality Allied formations faught, they scored VERY well against the Germans. Unfortunately, by the time the good formations got into the fight the battle was decided. Yes, they were outmanuvered. But, switch sides, with the poorest German formations facing the main allied assault and the situation would probably have been the same. Remember the attack on Arras. A combined German force of 2 Divisions was nearly defeated by only 4 Battalions of British Infantry and Tanks. Rommel thought he was being attacked by 5 Armoured and Infantry Divisions. Imagine the result if he actualy was!

I wouldn't say that allied strategy in 1940 was drastically inferior to that of Germany. In some cases it was much better. The reaction time of the French army after the defeats of May was not short of brilliant. They managed to hold their front line longer, with less of everything, with less quality troops in June 1940 than in May. Most German casualties took place after May. Many Panzer Divisions were mauled during the conflict. The main reason that they survived so well was due to the fact that they were advancing and could repair damaged vehicles. French and British vehicles had to be left where they were, even due to mere engine break downs. The Belgians, French and British faught very well, usually when they were tactically outgunned. The 12th British Division put up a brave fight against Germans trying to cross the Somme. The French Cavalry Corps of 3 Light Mechanized Divisions (actually heavy tank divisions) were extremely successful. The British attack at Arras involved a mere 2 Battalions of Tanks and 2 of Infantry and managed to shatter an SS (Totenkoph, SP) Division (albiet at this time the SS was not the crack fighting force of 1944) and damaged Rommels 7th Panzer. The British had to withdraw due to a lack of mission focus. Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk were all heavily contested by the Allies. The Belgians were a much better army than history allows. I would have to say that a 1940 version of CM will be just as interesting as 1944. There were the versions of the King Tigers in 1940, they were just not German! The level of equipment used is as complex as in 1944, and the terrain would be virtually the same. The Polish army in 1939 actually had 1000 AFV's of varrying quality. Most of the Cavalry Brigades had accompanying tanks. These were just little tankettes with HMG's, but, the Germans were mostly armed with Panzer I and II tanks at this time as well! The Polish Air Force managed to account for around 500 German planes (also due to their AA, of which was very modern). The Poles were rarely engaged on a 1:1 basis. Their quality, just like that of the French, Dutch, Belgians and British in 1940 cannot be measured by German success. The Germans would have been as defeated if the Allies were to have used the same blitzkrieg tactics on them in 1939-40.

Never leave the boat...

So, if a crew manages to escape in an operation, then there is a possibility they can re-equip a slightly damaged AFV, yada, yada... What if the crew's strength is regularly 5 and only 1 make it off the map, will this be taken into account? Or, will the crew be replenished to 5? Or, will the crew have casualties (but, then it could not run efficently)...?

"You know why? Because we got the bombs, that's why. Two words, nuclear f**king weapons, okay! Russia, Germany, Romania, they can have all the democracy they want. They can have a big democracy cake and walk right through the middle of Tiananmen Square and it won’t make a lick of difference, because we got the bombs, okay? John Wayne's not dead, he's frozen, and as soon as we find a cure for cancer we're gonna thaw out the Duke and he's gonna be pretty pissed off, you know why? Have you ever taken a cold shower, well multiply that by 15 million times and that's how pissed off the Duke's gonna be, and I'll get the Duke and John Cassavetes and Lee Marvin and Sam Peckinpah and a crate of whisky and ride down to Texas..." This is the Cold War summed up by Denis Leary in one simple paragraph. [This message has been edited by Major Tom (edited 04-26-2000).]

Hehehe, everytime I see a posting by Mr.Pen.. er, MrHappy, all that is running through my head is the song played in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" when they go into Toon Town. PS. anyone know where I can find an updated version of Direct X? One that works? Direct X 7.? wrecked the communication between my computer and my 3Dfx card. Once I get this, then "Happy and the Gang" can get their long awaited PBEM files. CM needs Direct X, I need CM, therefore I need Direct X.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Zamo: Who polices the police? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> The Coast Guard?

I am going to see Das Bootleg tomorrow night. From what I have heard, they ripped off much of Das Boot, Americanize it, and use good special effects. Sure, it will lack historical accuracy, but, it is portrayed more of an action adventure film than a historical representation. I don't really understand the premise. Historically a US DE managed to fight a sub to the surface (or caught it on the surface) and used keen initiative to board it, capture it, and tow it back to the US. It is still in Chicago today. I don't understand how they would manage to trick a German sub into meeting an American sub disguised as a German sub (as, don't you need to have already deciphered their code to figure out where the meeting is in the first place to get the code to decipher it?). Hopefully they will explain this. Possibly using something deciphered through a Luftwaffe code (cracked before the naval code). If not, it will make for an interesting flick to see, whatever the historical innacuracy.

Do you think 600 MB is too much of a download for an update to a cool game? I have downloaded demos of 70 MB before, so, a game of 600 MB would not be too much of a stretch for me! Pacific War has been 'cancelled' for the same reasons SPW@W is going through troubles. The main problem is distribution. Matrix games can't sell the game, so, the CD is out. They say nobody would download 600 MB, so, they are cancelling the game. However, I see Pacific War and War in Russia as totally different from SP. SP was a relatively new game compared to these two, plus it had two sequals to update the program. WIR and PacWar are both 8 or so years old, and there aren't any replacement games, or games that come even close to representing them on the market. Cancelling them would leave a vaccum, as, there would be no other option than to play an 8 year old game if you wanted a good Pacific War game (encomassing the entire war), or a high quality Eastern War game. I understand the frustration that they are going through, but, to cancel them (they are offering patches and upgrades for the DOS versions, but, only fixing bugs) is a bit extreme. I understand that they feel their work will go to waste, as, nobody would download it (by going on the poll for SP), but, seeing that it is a high demand game (no other option for a game of this genre!) I would assume many WIR and PacWar gamers would not worry about the 24 hours of downloading required and get the thing in droves. If the original game still has a message list with constant updates for a game that is 8 years old, I am sure that they will get loads of downloads for the updated version.

No worries, OB&G, I find the same things wierd about Americans and their "customs" as well traveling through. I guess it is just differences in nations, nothing bad or good, just different.

Peng, don't know if you managed to see my other posts regarding my lack of PBEM reply. Well, my e-mail was down for almost a month. I could receive e-mails, but, couldn't send it out (wrong STMP server!) It is fixed now, but, I am home for Easter. So, starting Monday all you lucky bastards will be getting your long delayed PBEMs. Sorry for the inconvenience. OB&G, I don't think Steve backed up 'your' idea of Canadians and Canada either...

It's time for the REAL Major Tom to sort out the situation! (just kidding major_tom!) Try as I might, I cannot get my golbal morale to be less than one digit. I have been close, but, not there yet:) Well, I do have to say that having the feature in the game is a good counter agent against a poor loser. I know that Panzerleader is expressing his distain because it surrenders before the game is actually up (ie. he had just recieved reinforcements of troops and tanks, then surrenders them, kind of like at Singapore!) and I am not calling him a poor loser, as he is winning our PBEM game, so, he couldn't be the loser:). But, it has already been said that this bug has been fixed. My understanding of the Auto Surrender, is, that it actually represents the commander instead of the troops. It takes control of the situation, kind of like a computerized conscience, (The General Percival in all of us!) and realizes all hope is up, and surrenders the troops to lessen further casualties. Without this feature people could defend multiple victory points and cheat individuals out of the total victory that they deserve. It would suck to have a Marginal victory where you killed 70% of your enemy with only slight damage to yourself as he manages to hold out in deep woods with the remnants of his force around VP. Given extra time (ie 10 extra turns) this force would have been easily demolished by overwealming numbers, but, CM cannot take this into account. I don't see how this would really be unfair in a LADDER game. If you lose horribly, you lose horribly. It affects everyone. I am sure ladder games will not be using the same scenario over and over. When everyone started playing LD for the first time (no matter what side), I am pretty sure you were in for a few nasty suprises, and your victories weren't total. LD, CE, and RB are all ingrained in our minds. It is like playing a game of chess, you know what moves to start out with, and you know what to do to counter an enemy move as you have seen it 100 times. Also, I am getting my bro over here tonight, to fix my e-mail so I can finish the remainder of my games.

Hehehe! Anyone actually see "She-devils of the SS"? Yeah, well, it is a real movie... if you can call it a movie... (No, it wasn't in the back room of the Video store...)

Just to keep my PBEM opponents from lynching me, my computer is just about back to working order... However, I can't seem to get my outgoing e-mail to work. I can receive e-mail (MrPeng, if you are still out there I got your last e-mail!) but I can't send it out. Something with my STMP server designation, although, I use only a POP. This will teach me to format my computer without recording my e-mail preferences!!! Don't worry, just about everyone has kicked my ass and is waiting for the end results (Berli, Knaust, SS). I would like to appologise for the LONG delay, it is not intentional, and not a halfassed attempt at avoiding massive defeat

Gee, sorry man, just trying to make a connection between Canadians and Americans. That we all aren't too different, eh?