Mark IV

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Olduvai: As a newbie (and someone doing his best to flatten that curve) I appreciate the fact that many of the "old-timers" have gone out of their way to welcome all comers... but any discussion of How It Was Before is bound to make anyone new at least a little uncomfortable. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> It's worth noting that most of the harsh words are between old-timers with emotional baggage, NOT the newcomers. The only problem the "newcomers" have caused is that the board is now impossible to keep up with 100%, but that is only an embarassment of riches... I don't think this thread is really about newcomers. The occasional troll (very few here, so far)or unsearched one millionth question doesn't drive people away. That isn't a "direction" that would cause anyone concern. And the more folks here genuinely interested in WWII and wargames, the more diluted the negatives become. There really isn't a "direction" to a public forum consisting of hundreds of more or less anonymous, free-thinking individuals, anyway. Attempts to impose one (other than civility) will be resisted, as usual. Interesting nick, BTW. If you're an australopithecus, I believe that would be a first for the board.

I have tried to think of clever things to say but this is a very troubling thread to me and I wish it were closed. It has led some folks I respect to make unwarranted attacks on people I also respect, and y'all can take that however you like. I like the news, the Op-Ed page, and the funny page, and I've been buying the whole "paper" for some time now. I don't think it's good for newcomers or the Game to see any kind of holier-than-thou flamey junk. From anybody. A little polemicism is fine with me, too (spice in the soup). But sustained personal attacks and religious zeal about a GAME are stupid. I wish M. Pelz would stay around, but I'm sure he's a big boy and has decided it isn't worth it, for him... I've had those thoughts from time to time, but there are idiots that need representation.... Final advice: read ALL the words, objectively, before responding.

This is a cool idea, but intermittent travel prevents my reliable participation right now (don't wanna hold a group back). I would be interested later this summer. You should definitely maintain and publish an AAR. I know many of us would be extremely interested, especially in the management element (differing views from HQs on the same side, etc.). You may wish to publish it posthumously- errr, afterwards.

Try http://www.warlinks.com/memories/index.html The story of Les Dyer has an account and map of The Battle of Fontenay, June 25, 1944. There are many other British war stories at this site.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Erickson: I don't think you are talking about Sturmkompanies. They come with 3 sturm platoons, 2 mg42 hmgs, and 2 81mm mortars<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I don't have the game here, but I'll check when I get home. Perhaps it depends on the timeframe (Sep-Dec 44)? There is definitely a Wehrmacht Sturmkompanie configuration with flamethrowers.

I don't mind the whole company, but I could live without the flamethrowers. If that's the way it was, then it was (I have no idea). They don't seem to bring much to the party for the points expended, however.

Thanks again for CM and the continued support! I was curious- I'm not where I can download right now, but I didn't see anything dealing with area fire in the list posted (I guess from the Readme) on the other 1.03 thread. Anyone know if there are tweaks to this (timing, or other means of controlling the amount of ammo expended on an area fire target)? Won't make or break anything for me, but it was said that "something" was going to be added in this regard.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Zamo: Tracers are beautiful in real life. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I have always thought so. A couple times in Germany I was around for an evening "mad minute" on the tank range (Graf, I think), when a platoon of tanks would fire off all the unexpended munitions of the day. The .50, the coax, and of course the main gun all had different tracers. They "float" downrange like long strings of christmas lights, and you don't understand the terrific velocities until they ricochet after hitting something, and they suddenly become comets streaking off at odd angles. Beautiful, terrifying, and LOUD.

One thought: Be sure to download and install the version 1.03 patch after you have installed the full game. "Most" of the people here will have done so, and you need it to be compatible.

I have whined piteously about similar issues, and someone (?) assured me this was addressed in 1.03, one way or another. Like when you tell the doctor "it hurts when I do that" and he says "don't do that"... I rest patiently and easily in anticipation. It just keeps getting better!

Paint Shop Pro 6 has a free 60-day try-and-die, and includes thumbnail browsing. It's still one of the best values in PC graphics packages. www.jasc.com .

I plan on enjoying weekend TCP/IP, though it wouldn't fit my regular schedule well. Questions: how do these things handle a mutual break? Like, you get in 20 turns of a 40 game scenario, and both sides have to break to restore their non-CM lives. Can you pause the whole thing for resumption later? Can you continue the marathon by PBEM, say during the week, once started in TCP/IP? I like the timer idea, but I still think it's going to be tough to finish much of a game in a day. What happens if the thing times out while you're still in the middle of plotting a turn? Does it just send itself from that point? And could the game automatically suggest unique file names, and offer a choice of folders into which they're saved (so you can keep different "turn 4s" separate)? Could it track separate opponents/battles a little? Huh? (And we wonder why it wasn't done in a couple weeks!)

Once again reviving one of the best threads ever, I need to mention that tonight I had a Talisker, and then (clearing the palate properly with a water and a ciggie), for the first time, the 18-year-old Macallan. Wow. I was missing something. Smokey as a Sherman by turn 8, and smooth as a Panther G with hull-down. I recommend it without qualification, and a nice "bargain" stop on your way to the 25. A real find.

Mein Gott... where have I been during this thread? (Answer, Telluride, business, with no CM, sniff...). PzIV is my first love and a great buy for the money, errr, points. Its heyday had passed by CMBO but it's still a must-have. It is a little thin-skinned for long-range dueling in 44-45. I'm liking Stug III and IV. I'm still experimenting with StuH but they have a future with me. I'm not too big on uber-tanks because I don't think that many were used (compared to how we gamers tend to employ them), and I like the challenge of using "normal" vehicles. I agree also with the opinion that for their cost, one lucky hit can ruin your whole day, except in monster battles. I just don't have the time for many of those. The biggest pleasant surprise for me has been the armored cars- the Puma, and the Spw with the 75mm as an infantry support vehicle. They are cheap with veteran crews and can pay huge dividends on the attack, if used properly. I think the crew makes the difference, because Regulars bail from the latter very easily, even where there doesn't seem to be much threat to their not-insubstantial 30mm of frontal armor. Get them in close and you'll lose them, but as an intermediate-range follow-up and breakthrough kind of helper they seem like a good value. Those weird little Brit T8-Bren carrier-family of runaround things (I don't deal with Brits much as of yet, preferring to kill them from afar) are a really different kind of threat on the battlefield and are kind of amazing. Have to experiment with them someday. They drive on the wrong side of the screen, of course, but I can see when they'd be right handy...

So, the existence of two deeper camps is revealed. Beneath the grid non-grid controversy are the Groglodytes pitted against the Uber-achievers. Groglodytes see CM as primarily combat sim, and emphasize immersion, realism, and strict historicity, regardless of outcomes. Uber-achievers see CM primarily as a game, and will use the rules and tools they are given to maximize their kills (and ladder standing). Most of us probably fall between the two camps, but have "leanings" one way or another. Personally, I would like to kill as many of my opponents as possible within the context of historical accuracy. What a great game, to appeal to both mindsets!

A serious suggestion (which has probably been made before): After CMs 2, 3, and 4 and their respective mods and patches are done... ...why not a generic DYO CM, so that other theater/war freaks can make their own armies, units, and battles? The many plaintive threads on PTO, Korea, ACW, and other conflicts show the demand for something like this. Personally, I'd enjoy filling out fields in a unit data base that identified their movement and combat values, "painting" little polygonal figures in the appropriate period garb, and making my own CM for whatever war I wanted. Some folks will get carried away or make hopelessly unrealistic armies- so what? They do that with scenarios now, and no harm done. Instead of a DYO scenario editor, a DYO war editor. This probably isn't very realistic for the CM we have today but could certainly be a long-term project. The versions wouldn't interact with the "real" CM games, so you couldn't hack another 100mm of armor and an 88 onto your Sherman and whop your legitimate PBEM opponent. Thus the dream of "CM: Beyond Fort Sumter" could be realized, and many more credit cards would our coffers fill. Cool, or what?

I just went back and took another look at the grid pix on CMHQ... it's really nicer than I first gave it credit for (once I got past the "ick... hexes" stage). I don't like the look of unit bases, but they're handy on occasion (and GOT is no gamier than bases, LOS tool, etc.). I guess I'm a neutral on it. I like innovation and applaud the effort. But since GOT can't be toggled, it's not for me.

Peng: the Anti-Icon.* If he did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him . Lawyer, the first few replies pointed out right away that the "pool of blood" notion isn't as helpful as it seems, demonstrated this, and suggested alternatives. Pools of blood and other gore-related topics have been discussed ad infinitum. A quick Search should reveal the precedent arguments; if you have new insights, post away. If it's gore you want, the best blood there is oozes from between the emailed lines of the stricken. Otherwise, Shift-B finds the live units. *All rights reserved.

1. I will see almost any war movie, including this one (TRL almost cured me, however). 2. Ridiculously extravagant special effects would be a real plus. 3. Kostner is almost reason enough not to go, except for 2 above. I will ignore bad acting, poor directing, obligatory love scenes, misplaced and anachronistic social commentary, and even bad history for the excellent reason that Zamo gave: "I can never see too many Zekes in the sky at one time." 4. I loved LOR but will wait for reviews on that one. Unless there's an air raid scene... 5. Prove it.

Isn't that at least partly due to the handy scaling feature? If you don't have your unit size set to "realistic", the graphic is occupying a much larger space than the actual vehicle. They only appear to merge, because the graphics overlap. Realistic is too damn small for me, and I don't like to play with bases on, except when necessary (forest melees).

Yes, some of you are into some pretty risky approaches ("I was going to chase other women"). In my experience, a crime suggested is a crime committed. That could lead (at best) directly to a conversation about what "everbody" wants from the relationship. I would rather bayonet charge a platoon of Flammpanzers. I say, stick to a) stealth, and bribery. If ya wanna play ya gotta pay.

The base trick can be helpful. M. Seanachai-the-Canuck-hugger and I had a little meeting engagement within a meeting engagement (CE) where 2 rifle companies met head on in deep woods, and there was neither yielding nor maneuver. The resulting carnage could only be sorted out in view 5 with tree coverage reduced and bases on. The line of gray and khaki bodies and unit remnants looked more like Antietam than WWII.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dumbo: I dont think many folks will enjoy playing in "ironman" mode<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I'm almost done with it now (only got a few minutes a day for this one) and it has been a total blast. I have had... trouble. My biggest problem now is lack of ammo! Amazing how much more urgency a few shots from a distant, but unexpected, location can give you! Other than resisting the urge to automatically punch 4, I have had very little trouble getting used to the perspective. I would sure take a long, lingering look at the map before starting one of these again! Maybe printing the view 8 out could be the platoon leaders "topo" for reference during the mission. I'm not much of a designer, but I could sure see putting together little scenarios just for Level 1-only play... I will look forward to further experiments.

Hostile?