Joachim

I guess you wont be buying it then, Laffertytig. But contrary to Blanar's post, I dont see how a campaign would 'ruin' the other 'mods/rules'. They would still be usable... no? It would not negate them methinks. </font>

Paperwork is automated for me and 12 battles git on 2 pages (Battlegroup and rules). Dice rolls are done in excel sheet. Nevertheless I think BCR needs either an Excel-sheet or Biltaid for most people. I don't know about Java, never got it to run on my machine. Have to ask somebody to put the new rules into Biltaid, and I will assist in putting them into Biltaid. Just can't do it myself What I will do (with OBJ) is to create an Excel sheet where the user just has to push buttons and insert changes in his battlegroup. Me, too. That's why I took over from Biltong Yes, I liked Kiev. But too create beautiful maps, I need help or a lot of time. It adds to the historic context. Nice additions, but you can get them all across the internet. I guess there are several sites where major events from WW2 are listed. Once you roll a new date, search the net for yourself. If you find some good sites, please share with us. "No project ever faltered because it was to small" Close air support was scarce from what I read. Using CAS in CM is a big gamble, many people don't like it. Getting it every 10th battle (if no city and clear weather) should be enough. In '42, you'll probably get more from that as the new rules change the weather parameters (less rain, fog or snow...) Thank you, Biltong will like that. 2nd your wish. Gruß Joachim

Checked this. Weather impact on spotting and hearing ist in the general "weather" section. Listed for each weather, but no mentioning of wind. @Andreas: Translation of the manual is not bad, really not bad (I'm from Southern Germany ). "Biggest" flaw found yet was "Pacht&Leih" - even my GE history book says lend&lease. Fixed expression, just like rock'n'roll (never heard a translation of that ) First Amendment or Bill of Rights. Gruß Joachim

Hehe... time to update some of the infos what is going on with BCR. Beginning on Friday, I have some 16 days hard earned rest (emergency may lead to work on Monday ) During these days, I plan to do the following Check my changes for BCR '42 (South '42 v1.3) Add first half of '43 to BCR based on South '42 v1.3. With Jim's (OBJ) kind permission, I will use his auto-parameter sheet and fit it to South '42 v1.3, later to South '43 v1.0. What I need are a few playtesters to check South '42 v1.3. v1.3 Can be used from Jan to Dec '42. Playing one or two games and reporting on the ideas/changes would be appreciated. Mail me via the board function and I'll send you the rules as zipped Excel and Word files. Gruß Joachim

Based on this evidence, I want BFC to class the optics for SU76's with regular or above crew as "Eyeball". Gruß Joachim

Hey, if you did translate it, I have to re-read it and enjoy . Somewhere in my head I recall some errors. But as I encounter so many errors during my life, I can't say where I encountered them anymore - except for those serious ones I made myself . Must be the age - or the time on this board. Or both. PS: Mail nach Hause mit Prüfauftrag geschrieben! Gruß Joachim

The manual is the same in both versions, it's just partly in .pdf in the CDV version. I don't know who did the German translation though, I only have the English version </font>

The problem is... once you know AI behaviour, you assault just one flag, take it, slaughter the counter and continue the rest of the game at 5:1 odds. Only restriction is time&ammo. This is about the only reason I think a time limit vs the AI does make sense -at least if one flag is close to the attacker. AI attacking flags is very dumb. I set up a ME. Lined up 10 big flags in the middle, parallel to the fronts. I spread 10 small flags. 5 on each side of the big ones. When the battle ended, the AI forces were in the traditional setup. 2 pincers. First attacking the flag closest to the AI. 2nd pincer moving in that general direction. Flag taken. 2nd closest flag is attacked. I was there, stopped the AI and rolled him back. I held 3 big and 3 small flags, little casualties, AI held less flags - some only with recce elments. Most flags were totally abandoned. The AI never considered the time limit - he would have barely reached the 2nd flag he was after ( a small one...). From battling the AI and experimenting with pre-made qb maps (no full scale scenario desing), I'd suggest trying the following (as they don't allow for the standard anti-AI tactics) If designing scenarios for AI attacks, keep the flags together or use dynamic flags. On the AI defense if you want to make the best out of the AI counterattack, - keep all flags together so the human can't grab an outlier, dig in for a few turns and wait for the counter (my favourite anti AI tactic). - keep all flags to the rear so the human can't take a forward one to trigger the AI counter - use a deep map with flags along the axis of attack instead of a wide one. Some static units securing the flanks so the human pl can't outflank at the board edge. - use flags spread in two or three separated clusters on a very wide map. - use dynamic flags - or a time limit forcing the human player to spread his forces. But make sure he has the time to achieve his goals using realisitc tactics. E.g. with two clusters of flags, he has enough time to attack across 1000m to both flags. But he has not enough time to grab flag one with all of his forces and then move 2000m laterally to take the 2nd. Gruß Joachim

Probably but not necessarily. What's being crunched is the number of separate actions by each unit and their interactions. If the fighting suddenly heats up between the units already on the map, that could account for longer computation times. Michael </font>

Sorry, read this a bit late. Which kind of enlightenment do you like to hear? Yes, weather impacts hearing and spotting (according to the manuals as well as in RL and my gaming experience). Wind is not mentioned explicitly in that regard. I do not know if CDV (european distributor) consider wind as a part of weather. I do. Gaming (and RL) experience supports that wind influences hearing. No tests, just a feeling. Gruß Joachim

OK so how did British Guardsmen (Grenadiers, Coldstream, etc) end up with bearskins? </font>

Open up from a range where the Schreck can hide again. Give a run/advance command out of LOS. Increase the command delay so the Schreck gets of 1 or 2 shots. Make sure LOS breaks after 1 or 2 m of running. Maybe even issue a "sneak" command for those 1-2 m. If he's in a building, retreat out of it after say 30secs - preferably into other cover or the foxhole the Schreck started in behind the house. This tactic keeps 2-3 shots for close range fighting - seems you don't gett off more than that before the Schreck gets wasted anyway. The HQ bonus is effective. Just a few percent for hitting (there was a thread in the forum - try a search for details). For each bonus level, a squad acts like a squad one experience level higher: A regular squad with a combat bonus will fight (and hit) like a vet, a double combat bonus increases that to crack. Same goes for hiding - hiding like a crack squad can make the difference in getting spotted. Gruß Joachim

Returning to the topic of the thread, then, the following table is taken from PRO document WO 291/1186 "The comparative performance of German anti-tank weapons during WWII", dated 24 May 1950, detailing the causes of loss of British tanks in three different theatres. The percentage of tank losses, by cause, is given as follows: Theatre (tks)____Mines__ATk guns_Tanks__SP guns_Bazooka_Other___Total NW Eur (1305)___22.1%___22.7%___14.5%___24.4%___14.2%___2.1%___100% Italy (671)_____30%_____16%_____12%_____26%______9%_____7%_____100% N Afr. (1734)___19.5%___40.3%___38.2%___nil_____nil_____2%_____100% Mean values_____22.3%___29.4%___25.3%___13.5%____6.1%___3%_____100% of which destryd_20.3%___29%_____24.4%___12.7%____5.4%___—_______91.8% of which dmgd___2%______0.8%____0.9%____0.8%____0.7%___—________5.2% The "damaged" figures should be treated with caution because of variability in reporting. It is stated that tanks and SP guns should be considered together, as war diaries often show doubt over what exactly caused a tank loss. This seems to have been done for the North Africa figures. Clearly, mines are important, but caused nowhere near 50% of tank losses; nor is the "Bazooka" category (Panzerschreck and Panzerfaust) a contender for the top position, but they make a very respectable contribution. Personally, I doubt whether the information exists anywhere to estimate the relative contributions of different tank or gun types. All the best, John. </font>

Units (or turrets in the case of turreted AFVs) always face the center of their covered arc once they have had time to align themselves. I haven't checked to see if they turn to face an attack coming from outside their CAs. Michael </font>

Depending on terrain, I prefer two sIGs over a 150mm spotter. They are just lovely. In the back of my brain there is an idea to enable the player to choose a sIg instead of a 7,5cm lIG as outlined by Biltong in the 2nd half of '42. Upgrade will likely cost a lot of favor... OTOH I'd like to keep the original idea to teach the player about several neglected weapons. Really have to think about that... Gruß Joachim

The AI usually does not restrict its range - and it seems to pay. If the AI has 5 Schrecks it has 25 shots. If each has a only low 4% chance, this will lead to one expected hit. If you don't take these chances, you can't compare it to "human player" data. Try to do the same, add some good combat bonus HQ and see how it works. Maybe Schrecks get the same bonus as guns for consecutive shots at the same target. Try that influence, too. If this has different results on a big enough sample, you can complain about the AIs luck. Gruß Joachim

finally, somebody giving a less spectacular reason... You don't have several units selected, do you? E.g. by double-clicking HQs or selecting units in a rectangle drawn across the map with the mouse. Then several units have the blue "selected" rim and one has the yellow rim. If you have selected several units, you cycle only thru the selected units. Commands are given to all of them, though depending on your "show path" option it may only show one path. Gruß Joachim

finally, somebody giving a less spectacular reason... You don't have several units selected, do you? E.g. by double-clicking HQs or selecting units in a rectangle drawn across the map with the mouse. Then several units have the blue "selected" rim and one has the yellow rim. If you have selected several units, you cycle only thru the selected units. Commands are given to all of them, though depending on your "show path" option it may only show one path. Gruß Joachim

Yes. The 251/1 is no problem. Guess many people use it and in 42 you get it in your core. IIRC the sIG (150m InfGun) has a rarity of 40%. That allows you to pick it. A rule in that context: Only equipment above 40% is restricted. IIRC the rules say aux forces must have rarity of 40% or less, unless you rolled a large arty or air. Then you can buy anything. For attachments, I use units below 40% (rarity when I buy it - if it goes up later, I don't mind) - except if the battle before had large arty or air. Then I don't restrict my force. Gruß Joachim PS: I used exactly the same, plus an armored car or a plt of inf. And I just like it. Try to position your gun in good cover, preferably with a ridge at 65m distance in LOS. Aim at the ridge. See the shots go wide. Now try to set up so the shells land where the enemy probably is. PPS: Another use in low viz is to stop the enemy recce a few metres ahead of your forward positions by units a bit to the side (not your forward units - keep them hidden) See the enemy retreat to the next stretch of cover - preferably a small stretch. Let the first wave come at you. Open up with small arms. As sonn as you receive incoming from that cover, pound the edge of it from 66m distance (sIG has to be on the edge of cover or outside any tree cover (eg in rough, trench..) to have viz at max, aim 1 m before the cover). Include your mortars in the barrage - one at a time. The huge explosions will probably break most of the enemy in cover so there won't be anybody to fire back. PPS: The sIG is an easy target for the AI. He will target it with mortars or arty.

Because they don't need to. I contacted the ATI support, and they told me that FOG table emulation is not included anymore, because fog tables are already supported by DirectX.. Allow me to point you to the articel at the Microsoft Developers Network So what??? </font>

Glad my memory fails fromtime to time... I second this. Though it takes very long to play these maps, the possibility of maneuvering is very important. Large scenarios avoid several problems - units out of ammo can be taken out of the line, you can concentrate your Schwerpunkt, have a wider array of available different units for different tasks and the loss of a single unit does not mean the loss of the whold battle. Gruß Joachim

If inf was hinding behind the forest or the house, the ATGs protect the space between the reverse slope. It is a perfect example how to set up heavy weapons to cover the gaps in a reverse slope defence. Gruß Joachim

Using Armored PzGrdr as scouts means you lose squad heavy wpns earlier. 8 men with 2 LMGs are too valuable. Their firepower is not much less than the motorized 10-men variant. The motorized PzGrdr can sustain more losses and keep their LMGs than the Armored ones. The armored PzGrdrs are better suited for overwatch, where they get less incoming and their low number is a lesser drawback than up front. Gruß Joachim

Using wider turns may help, too. Set several waypoints in a reasonable arc instead of one 90° turn. Make sure all the way is thru passable areas. Especially the "road in woods" tiles are often overlooked when the road runs across otherwise open areas. Those alley trees themselves are impassable. Gruß Joachim

Me wants her to . Somewhere back in my brain I remember those days when we lived in the same town... Thoughts are out, mail sent yesterday. Gruß Joachim