kverdon

Hmm, I'd have to take issue with that. Lets see there was Ark Royal, Wasp, Shokaku and Taiho that come right to mind... Kevin

I ran across a review of a ST. Vith scenario by panzerman but the link on Scenario Depot is broken. Does anyone know where I can find this scenario? thanks much, Kevin

Looking at the forums over at Rage3d it appears that ATI has no intention upon providing 16 bit FSAA support for the 9700. This is what I feared about an ATI product. Lousy Driver support!. ATI seems to be able to make good hardware but they cant write a driver to save their life. Where is 3dfx when you need them. Looks like I'll wait for the NV30. Kevin

Hi, I'm looking at getting a ATI Radeon 9700 Pro. I've heard however that the card only supports FSAA at 32 bit color. If your APP runs at 16 bit you do not get FSAA. What I'm wondering is if FSAA will work with CMBO?. The driver setting you select does not specify 16 or 32 bit color. Is CMBO locked to 16bit color or is it determined on how you have your desktop set? Has anyone tried a 9700 with CMBO and did FSAA work. thanks, Kevin

JM and Jack, As a NVidia owner (in the laptop) I would support your idea for paying for an update to CMBO to fix this problem as I, like you don't have alot of faith that in NVidia's will to fix it. I mean this is the same company that convinced Microsoft to kill 3dfx support in the final release of XP. Kevin

Schrullenhaft, Yes I'm aware of the work arounds out there and that they do work for some. Yes CMBO has been declared a "finished" product and I know that BTS is a small company. However CMBO is currently their only marketable product and even when CMBB is released it will still represent 50% of thier product line. Yes it was completed a year and a half before XP was released but it is a testiment to the quality of the product that it is STILL a top knotch product. I certainly will continue to play CMBO far after CMBB is released as another Western Front product will most likely not be availiable for another 18mo to 2yrs. The problem, as I see it, is that this is going to continue to get worse, not better. Nvidia and XP will continue to grow in prevelence unless someone pops out of the woodwork and knocks Nvidia off the top. If this problem affects CMBB then BTS will be cutting off a good % of their future sales if this problem is not fixed. I'll grant you that I have had limitted experience with Nvidia cards. I've got thier GeForce 2 GO in my laptop and I had a TNT before my V3/V5, however I have followed NVidia fairly closely and do know that they are a PITA when trying to get a driver to work with you program. You wind up needing Vxx.yy to run program x and Vxx.zz to run program y. I cant see why BTS would like to put themselves hostage to that type of a company IF they could avoid it. Ok, I've said my piece. I'm just a bit dissapointed at the way BTS has handled this. I would have been much happier if they would have said that they would look for an internal fix when they had the time instead of "its not our problem, we've informed NVidia, now its up to them to fix it. In the meantime, you are on your own". Ok, sorry I'm off the soapbox now. Kevin

I do see Steve's point in this in that its NOT THEIR FAULT. However, saying that, I do think that it would be in their best interest to consider a work arround if one can be found. It may not be their fault but it IS their problem. There are some problematic facts in the computer world right now. One of them is that Nvidia owns the Lion share of the Video Chipset market. No, as a stalwart 3dfx fan. I don't like it but thats the way it is. The other fact is that anyone buying a new computer will be getting that computer with Windows XP. Thats just life, the computer world is dynamic. CMBO is BTS's only offering right now, I think it would behove them to make it compatible with the current state of affairs, unless such a fix would be prohibitably costly. I have a friend who is currently going to purchase a new PC. This friend has also expressed interrest in CMBO. This new PC will come with an Nvidia Chipset and Windows XP. He either has to live with the quirks of CMBO and XP or skip the purchase of CMBO. The latter is more likely. Nvidia is not the most responsive of companies and their "driver of the week" program is famous. Why rely on the graces of such a company to support your bread and butter? I personally think that BTS has more to loose than gain by just pointing the finger at the other team and not looking at a work around themselves. Maybe Nvidia WILL give a damn and fix this problem in V34.45555555 of thier drivers and MAYBE all the video card manufacturers will eventually get this fix into thier drivers. I would not like to bet the farm on it. Please BTS give this a second thought. Kevin

Didn't I see a message from someone who said that they had fixed this problem by taking the offending fonts into Photoshop and giving them a slight Orange tinge? Perhaps this could be made into a bandaid mod?? I'd be interested if this works as I'm about to convert my laptop with Nvidia GeForce2 Go to XP and I play a fair share of CMBO on it. thanks Kevin

I have a V5 5500 on my desktop and love it. CM looks fantastic. I have the Geforce2go chipset on my laptop and, well, there is no comparison, CMBO look much better on the V5 5500. At least I can play CMBO on the laptop so that is def. a plus. What this means however is that I definately will not be moving to Windows XP until something comes along to make me want to replace my V5 5500. NVIDIA cut a deal with Microsoft and support for V5's and all 3dfx cards was dropped in the release candiate for Windows XP. NVIDIA refused to give MS the source code for the drivers and requested that MS not support 3dfx cards in XP. V5's worked in XP up to the last revision and then suddenly they no longer worked. Well you can get 2d video with a V5 in XP but not Direct 3d or Glide. Looks MS just lost some $$$ from me. Kevin

Thanks Mickey, FWIW I've got a Toshiba 3005-S303 with a P3850 and GeForce2go Video. It should play CMBO fairly well. I did a quick install and copied my desktop install over it and it works ok as long as I do not enable Anti Alisaing (Oh how I miss my Voodoo5 4xFSAA). Looks fine with the Highres Stuff I had on my desktop install. What I want to do is re-install fresh and do a good mod update that is much cleaner than on my Desktop System. I'd planned on taking this on my 15hour flight to Europe in 3 weeks but some airlines are now banning Laptops from being brought on planes (some even books!!) so it may be a LONG flight. thanks, Kevin

Hi, I'm going to instal CMBO on my laptop. What I'm wondering is there a "recomended" set of mods that people would say are "Must Haves". My desktop CMBO setup is ,errr, rather messy and I'd like to do the laptop setup from scratch so it would be manageable. I''ve heard of some mod managers out there would one of these help? thanks much, Kevin

Franko, Taking a road trip tomorrow, would love to take these with me. Thanks, Kevin k.verdon@verizon.net

Berli, No, he's not kidding, you just missed what he was talking about. MacArthur was the commander of the forces in the Philipines at the start of the war. Even after learining about the attack on Pearl Harbor, his inactivity allowed the Japanese to destroy most of his airforce in the Phillipines on the ground. He knew that Pearl had been attacked and that he was likely to be next on the Japanese agenda but when into a bit of shock and didn't take the actions necessary to defend his command. Kevin

Hmmm, I may be wrong but along time ago I seem to remember BTS saying that the CM games would be kept up to date. ie. that CM1 would be updated to CM2 after CM2 was released etc. I could be wrong or this could have changed but I would certainly like BTS to chime in on this one. Kevin

Gonzo, Well at least now I don't feel so bad. I did pretty much what you said in splittng squads down for scouts and in using the engineers to clear the mines on the start side of the river and then clear the mines on the bridge. I put down a massive smoke screen and charged across at two points. The biggest problem is that there simply isn't enough time to do this and get a force across the river in time to make an assault on the hill VL's. You need about another 5-10 turns for to have a real chance. The other problem I have with the scanario is the placement of the re-inforcements, especially the first group. They just "beam-in" on the right flank of the start hill, in the open. Now the problem is that either 1). their sudden appearance in the open triggers the German AI to drop arty on them, disrupting them and anyone else in the area or 2). They arrive in the middle of a current German Barrage. The only way to avoid this is to time a smoke screen as to their arrival. This works and gives you a nice force to dash across the right hand fords but this seems "gamey" and, of course, would not be an option to a first time player. It would be better to deploy the re-inforcements further to the rear and leave their move to the front up to the player. This would mean extending the scenario out about 3 turns but would feel better. I might like to try this scenario again in a while when you make your tweeks to it. I can't in the meantime as I deleted the scenario in frustration. Thanks, Kevin [ 05-07-2001: Message edited by: kverdon ]

****SPOILERS**** BELOW I've been playing a scenario named Vosges1. I've played a number of scenarios/opperations before this one and in my humble opinion this one is impossible for the allied player. You have about a Battatlion of Green infantry and Engineers 5 TD's and a M4 105. You also have 2 105 and 2 81mm mortars Arty spotters. Now the bad news. You are attacking accross a wooded valley and river. The Germans have the whole map mined, about 1 dozen road-blocks and some AT assets not to mention numerous pillboxes both on your and the far side of the river. The terrain and road blocks makes your armor fairly worthless. Just getting accross the single brigde across the river is an accomplishment given the German Arty and your green troops which will break at a twig snap. I've tried this about a dozen times. The first third had me wiped out by the German Arty before I even got across the river. The second third saw me getting shot apart getting across the river. The last third got me across the river but in no shape to face the defense in depth near the victory flags, which are at the complete rear of the map. I've laid down massive smoke screens to cover the river crossing but once across, your green troops are no match for the green/conscript defenders as your armor support is not able to move with you due to the terrain and roadblocks. Only once was I able to get about 2 1/2 platoons up the far hill to the Victory Flags but this still got me an Minor Axis Victory. This scenario is BRUTAL. It may be historically accurate but is quite painful for the Allied player to try. Actually its no fun at all. If anyone has gotten even so much as a draw out of this as the Allied player I'd like to hear from you. thanks, Kevin

Ryna, "The plane will be at Santa Barbara next, but I won't be able to take off from work to go. " I've got three words for you CALL IN SICK Tell them you've got a case of the Schweinfurt Flu. Anyone savvy enough to figure it out, shouldn't care Kevin

We have all admired and supported the BTS manifesto of independant publishing. However, a recent discussion over on CDMAG's website has prompted me to do some investigation and further thinking. The truth is we've been had BIG TIME. Reviewing my Quicken account since the release of BTS's Combat Mission I can see hundred's of $$$$ that have been paid out to Amazon.com to cover book purchases covering historical opperations and units covering in CM. It is now obvious to me that BTS is really a black opps, secret subsidiary of Amazon.com. Steve and Charlie have really been getting commission on all book purchases at Amazon.com by customers that also purchased Combat Mission. THis is REALLY why CM is only available by the WEB, your CM and Amazon.com accounts are joined in a secret database. THE TRUTH IS OUT!!! Now BTS admitt that my dwindling bank account since the release of CM has been a evil plot between you and your corporate masters. <G> Damn!!! its those guys with the white coats again...... Kevin

Oh man, a bunny gun that shot rabbit pelets... YEW!! sure would supress me Kevin

Small Groggy note: IIRC, the reason the French 75mm fuses fitted the 75mm shells for the Grant/Lee is the the 75mm gun used on the Grant/Lee was not the 75mm used on the Sherman, but an earlier 75mm gun that was based upon the famous French 75 but built under license in the US. Kevin

Crockett, I think that a draw is about the best you can expect from this scenario is you play it anywhere near realistically. I deployed two of my platoons across the field, mostly as half squads with the third intact platoon as a reserve. The Germans attatcked first on the left but were stopped by the platoon there. The major German push came on the right and it took both my other platoon and reserve platoon to stop it. I do not believe any of their troops got thru my lines though I got shot up a bit stopping them. I also took out 2 or 3 of their tracks. I received a draw just like you did. I accepted that warmly as that battle came the closest I've seen to re-creating what I've read about night actions. Sometimes the arbitray rules the game lays down for victory conditions do not reflect the situtaion portrayed. You accomplished your mission. YOU know that. You don't need some 2 bit (err 32bit) computer to afirm that. Kevin [This message has been edited by kverdon (edited 02-13-2001).]

Wildman, I have to disagree with you in your statement that the attrition of the Japanese began after the introduction of the F6F. Study the conflict in detail and you will find there was major attrition of the Japanese Airforce during the Solomons and New Guiniea Campaigns. These two campaigns running from May '42 to Late '43, bled the Japanese Naval and Army Airforces white and killed of most of their experienced pilots. They stipped whole carrier Airwings and threw them into that meatgrinder. The attition of the IJN/IJA Airforces occurred in the Solomons and New Guinea, what happened later was the slaughter of the remainder. Kevin [This message has been edited by kverdon (edited 02-13-2001).]

Thanks to all who sent me these wonderful scenario packs. I'm into the second battle of the first pack and I'm hooked! Thanks, Kevin

Could some kind soul email me this op? CMHQ is on the blink again for the Scenario Depot. Thanks, Kevin kverdon@teleport.com

Anybody have any luck in getting into the Scenario Depot at CMHQ?. I've tried for the last two nights and keep getting a "Cannot connect to db? error. Thanks, Kevin