Mattias

Long time no post but here is one of the old school... In CM there are currently two versions of the JgPz IV armed with the L48 gun, one with skirts and one without. In my opinion this rather limited distinction (no buy point cost difference) between the models is not really enough to motivate the presence of two distinctive vehicles. Historically skirts were available from the very beginning of the production and all vehicles could easily have them installed in the field. However, this situation makes it very easy for BTS to introduce the late model version of the JgPz IV that in fact has at least one very considerable improvement, namely an additional 20mm of frontal armour (effectively around 31 mm when the angle is taken into consideration) . Beginning with chassis nr. 320301 in May 1944 the production PzJg IV's were fitted with 80mm armour on the superstructure and upper hull. Considering the fact that about 300 were produced with the 60mm armour and about 500 with 80mm armour it was no rare bird either. A very simple solution would be to just change the database regarding this significant detail. If a little more work is put into it would also be a nice touch to remove the muzzle break as it was quickly found out that it to an excessive dust kick up when the gun was fired. They were usually removed in the field and from May onwards they were not fitted on production vehicles either. Perhaps something to visually differentiate the vehicles in the game. Skirts are, as mentioned above, not dependent on the time of production but the Nahverteidigungswaffe on the other hand could definitely be a "late" production vehicle only item, to further differentiate that is. The ultimate "late" production type would also not have any Zimmerit coating as this was not applied to production vehicles after September 1944. Besides not having any real effect it was also rumored that it could cause fires to break out as the armour was hit by AP projectiles. Applying all these suggestion could leave us with two quite a bit more different vehicles, for example: Early: 60mm frontal armour Muzzle break No skirts No Nahwerteidigungswaffe Zimmerit applied Late: 80mm frontal armour No muzzle break Skirts fitted Nahwerteidigungswaffe installed No Zimmerit applied Of these only the armour thickness could be termed a must, as it is now there is a "significant" (everything being relative) vehicle configuration missing in the German OB. Luckily that particular aspect is also the least complicated to change. The rest are nice, more or less cosmetic, differences. All a bit like the differences between Pz IV models G, H and J Then gain, CM is aiming for perfection within reason, right Cheers! M. [This message has been edited by Mattias (edited 09-08-2000).]

Good going! Maybe I don't have to fork out all that money for a new card then Running at 1280x960 and being positively plagued by white outs, or brown outs as they are with older drivers. M.

Sweden

DigDug Is that option available for D3D games too? M.

Exactly this problem with my V3-2000 Using drivers newer then 1.04 makes the textures gradualy but rapidly deteriorate to an all white screen within about three turns(the info at the bottom of the screen still there though). Using 1.04 the textures go yellow or, alternatively, brown/rust red/black. With earlier driver the game runs as it should, only the high quality smoke does not work. Sort of frustrating. Has there been any solution to this? Cel 566 V3 2000 SB Live 128 Mb MS Intellieye Mouse

It took 8 days for it to get to Stockholm. Rest assured though, it is worth it even if it takes the full three weeks. M.

Roland, It took 8 days, from the 22nd to the 30th. Pretty much minimum I guess. M.

Shipped June 22 CM arrived in Stockholm last Friday. Adding up to, what, 8 days in transit. Going back in. M.

Germanboy, Sounds like a smashing scenario! If I wasn't in such a hurry to catch a train I would have told you all about my latest scenario project involving a 15 cm Hochdruckpumpe, a 28 cm Schiffkanone C/34 Drillingsturm (both on-board naturally) plus 200 puppchen and MMG carriers (hell, these thing are so cheap you can get a ton each)! I could mail it to you if you want to rate it? M

8,8 cm R-Werfer 43 When the production was stopped in February 1944 there was 4302 available. It was discontinued as the Panzerschreck was so much lighter and cheaper, while delivering "comparable" range and penetration. Looking forward to see it in action. Definitely an area that sees a lot of conflicting sources though. M.

Oh, I say it could definitely be used as an on-board weapon! I mean, the 47.000 meter maximum range doesn't mean it could be used at less, with a little inventive thinking that is. All BTS need to do is to implement working tracks, double in this case, and some kind of vehicle able to pull the 1350 ton load up the high hill we have put in the scenario. "Hanging" from the side of the hill the gun could actually be pointed into a town or out over a field. Just imagine how much fun it would be! 9000 lbs. projectile, what more could one want? I wonder how much time it would take to limber and unlimber it though, could be a minor problem in this case. M.

It's a real pleasure to see things going so well for you now I for one was very happy with CM even it's beta demo state, but your pushing ahead with improving the graphics and refining the engine was no doubt the right thing to do. The more the merrier it seems! Looking forward to the years to come with new versions of CM sitting on my hard disk, holo-memory, bubble-memory, protein-memory or whatever tech will be in vogue in the years to come. M. [This message has been edited by Mattias (edited 06-26-2000).]

So, will it be an on-board or off-board weapon? M.

Ugh! That was unzipped I hope? So far Winzip has reduced the size 24% on an average for me but with the 100-500k movies produced by the demo it hasn't been much of a concern so far. Then again, not a surprising file size really. M.

Well, we have different opinions on the matter, nothing new there. However, and indeed nothing new here either, you have the privilege of being able to consider the other point of view, whereas the other side can do nothing more than hope that you will show such consideration. Over and out. M.

As always in the case of bugs like this, please refrain from posting them on the forum. Just quietly inform BTS and let them sort things out in the next patch. No one really gains from this knowledge after all. Just a friendly pointer Buck. M.

Fionn, In response to the "wish list" thread I presume? Interesting! What happened? Any source I could look into? Judging by the poor price/performance ratio of the Jagdtiger I would guess that the Maus was something of a disaster. M. [This message has been edited by Mattias (edited 06-24-2000).]

Being armed with howitzers they have minimum ranges of, what, several kilometres. Way beyond the scale of CM. Check the Hummer thread for more thoughts on this. M.

Andy, If memory serves me right you won't find any Bison around Normandy in 1944. The 12 vehicles that were ever used were all lost fighting in the desert. However, of the later vehicles of the same type (SP sIG33 L/12) you will find both the Grille "H" and the Grille "K". Both were based on the PzKw 38 (t) chassis but with different superstructures. 91 were produced of the former (at least 12 in service in Normandy) and 282 of the latter, of which at least 173 where still in combat in February 1945. I don't remember if BTS has done the Marder III, but if they have it would be a, relatively, simple job to mount the sIG on it instead of the 75mm PAK. In any even, definitely a vehicle I would like to see added for use in all those none "breakthrough threatening artillery position" scenarios where you want a heavy SPG. M.

Eh... Rommel what is your source on the four Mouse's (Mice?) being used? Curious as I have never heard or read anything that indicates something like that. As for game suggestions: How about a "fire slow" order for on-board mortars. A lot of the time I just want my mortars to "gently" suppress and impede the enemies movement in a patch of trees or a wood line. This could be as effective with 5 rounds a minute as it is with 10 and would double the endurance for this kind of "interdiction" fire. Considering the limited ammo supply available to the mortars it would at least increase their flexibility further. M.

My guess is that the Hummel and the Wespe were included because the Nashorn and the Marder had already made "most of" the vehicle available. Just mounting a different gun is probably not much work. Because, for the job you guys are describing (i.e. almost anything in CM scale) these SP artillery pieces were only used when absolutely nothing else was available, and preferably not even then. It was the Brummbär or some kind of Grille that was really used for this kind of extra heavy (here, not StuG or StuH) close support. In the end more vehicles means more freedom, no matter the reason for their inclusion M.

How about Moon's site: http://www.gamesofwar.de/ M.

Pig, Tanks and crew weapons can't be re-manned within a scenario. To prevent the enemy from salvaging it during an operation you have to hold the ground where it stands. M.

Go Jeff! I have been following the Wargamer site since it started up and have been mighty pleased with it's service in most cases. For some peculiar reason though everything that has had to do with CM has been more or less a complete disaster, not least the CM page. So, you can do a lot of good to change that unfortunate situation. Good luck! M

dano6, It will be increased in the 1.02 patch. M.