tgra

I am using Netscape but it's been fine in the past. I'm linking from your COMBAT MISSION HQ link from your posts and arrive at... http://combathq.thegamers.net/ Instead of the funky page with POTD etc I get one yellow line with... News Articles Forums Game_Depots etc I'll try IE but if anybody can think what I doind stupid I'll officially announce myself a muppet. Cheers Tony

I can't seem to get to the Combat Mission HQ to download MadMatt's Mod. Can it be sent directly to me or is there somewhere else I can get it? Cheers Tony

This isn't a 'scale' issue is it? If it's not already on 'real' scale perhaps there's a gap between the houses?

I'm actually looking forward to it. I'm not that fussed about historical accuracy and WWII XCOM sounds good to me. As long as it doesn't turn out like 101st Airborne... Cheers Tony

I emailed a new UK magazine called PC Strategy Games (http://www.pcstrategygames.co.uk/) suggesting they contact BTS or check-out the WEB site and haven't received anything back yet. The magazine is pretty good, dedicated to strategy games (the definition of which they admit they stretch) and would be ideal for CM. Althought the BETA demo was good I wouldn't release that version on a cover-disk (I'm sure BTS are well aware anyway). Cheers Tony

It's not the 'jerking' when taking casualties but the complete resurrected back somersault when rewinding the playback by 10 seconds at a point where somebody has 'disappeared'.I'm pretty certain it's caused by the jerking but it's a full 360. Please somebody else have seen it.

Bit of a light-hearted question. Are the death throe back-flips still in the game. If not then I'll miss the jolly little acrobats when rewinding. If they're still in.. can we have an elite squad of circus performers. One could juggle hand grenades before lobbing them neatly into the back of a half-track. One could be a fire-eater who's impermeable to the flame-throwers. One could have a clown car bouncing around until he's close enough to squirt the gunner in the eye with a plastic flower or mistakenly whacking somebody on the head with a plank. I had a look around and couldn't find anybody who's mentioned the somersaulting. Cheers Tony P.S errr... I hope everybody else has noticed or I'm going to look extremely stupid.

I checked last night and there does seem to be directional sound in the demo but things tend to hot up very quickly which adds to the noise confusion. I was probably expecting too much as BTS have already said they're pushing the available sound channels to the max. Thanks everybody for checking it out. Tony

Thanks Fionn, I actually used the speakers for weeks thinking 'bloody hell, this is an improvement over the Amiga' until I realised I hadn't even turned surround sound on. I'm pretty sure everything is set-up OK and the speakers are well positioned. Replaying games like Driver and Rally Championship have the desired 3D effect. Maybe the amount of simultaneous sounds in the demo as engagement is pretty universal is making it hard to pick out individual sounds and directions. I'll try it again setting up an MG behind me and shooting at something non-descript and see what happens. Cheers Tony

Hi BTS, Some time ago I posted whether CM would use my super-duper surround sound enviromental speaker system. From playing the demo the sounds are already absolutely amazing but I'm not getting a 3d effect (i.e. placing my camera in the middle of a barrage and hearing shells explode behind me). At the time I first asked it wasn't sure whether 3D sounds were in but it was being worked on. Any new on this? Any of the Beta testers noticed a change in the sound effects from the available demo to the level of code they now have? Happy New Year to everybody Cheers Tony P.s. My reason for wanting the game ASAP (apart from I can't wait to play it)... My Missus keeps nagging me when the game with 'her name' is going to be available. No answer needed just wanted to let you know the hassle I'm getting and that even people who won't be playing the game are waiting on tenterhooks.

Reminds me of the best response to the 100's of letters of complaint to the BBC and newspapers after 'Tumbledown' showed squaddies behaving badly... "Who do you think we send to wars? Nigels???" (no offense meant to any Nigels). If it doesn't make sense then a 'Nigel' is a more 'refined' member of the British (or more likely English) public.

Hi JonS, Not moving tanks within 100m of buildings before they have been checked is my SOP and, unless there was no infantry available, MUST have been SOP during WWII... surely!!??!! The possibility of anti-tank doesn't make me change tactics.

Yep.. without much need for debate I agree. The MGs have proved themselves pretty deadly on both sides. Perhaps it's the AI tending to make a silly error by moving armour too close to buildings without checking them out (even when Infantry is available). I'm just trying to think of why I'm more effective at anti-tank tactics than the AI when I am a pretty inexperienced wargamer.

I'm beginning to think that Bazookas for the AI are a waste of time. I'm not going to be stupid enough to move armour within 100M of a house without checking it out first although it seems the AI is a bit more open to doing this. Just when I thought they were useless I was watching a 60 seconder and heard the 'donk' sound. "Bollocks" I thought "what was that?" It seems my Sherman had run straight into a bloke with a Panzerfaust hidden in a hollow.My infantry team had missed him (them) as they were concentrating on an MG. However, in about 10 plays (OK I know FOW is lost after the first play) I have only lost one tank to hand-held weapons. Is this normal? Is this historically correct? Some people have said that MG fire is not as effective as they thought. Perhaps this is why I can lead with infantry so often and then bring in the heavy-stuff.

You should get an emailed reply with all the details for you to check.

Not sure when you chaps in the US have you're next holiday that includes fireworks. We had our 'Guy Fawkes' night in the UK last weekend. Talk about playing CM to sounds effects. I know they're probably not realistic (but I wouldn't know) but it was superb playing CM with a full-scale firework display going on in the neigbours back garden especially the aerial 'fire-crackers' and big 'boomers'

Best moment was a failed ambush come good. First ever game and I wasn't too bright with the HIDE command. Basically my ambush was set-up with everybody peering out of the window. Anyway, Stugs, Tiger and MGs open up pinning everybody down. Gradually they get worn down. To make matters worse mortar fire starts coming down. I've got an HQ unit and a Bazooka team in a house that has got a 3% chance on a Stug (is that REALLY 3%? They tend to hit quite a bit). Anyway, the bazooka team was shaken and the HQ pinned. The Stug advances and, as I watch the reply, the Bazooka 'man' stands up and aims at the Stug... Brilliant I thought. Then KABOOOMMM the house explodes and catches fire. Bollocks... However, out of the fire comes a little black square and knocks out the Stug. Brave chap. MG fire, mortar fire, shelling from the Tiger and then the bloody house blows up YET STILL he does the job. Please, BTS, give me a way of giving that bloke a medal. At least a summary at the end to mention him in dispatches.

Hi Chaps, Playing a game that has 'pixel' LOS is very strange. I programmed quite a bit in my Amiga days and LOS was pretty easy using hexes (or tiles in my case). However, hiding behind a house in CM does not mean you are hidden which is superb. I spent ages setting up an ambush only to be flanked and slaughtered because I did not consider elevation from that hill on the left (from US perspective). I am currently playing the Last Defence again as the Germans. I had to save last night but 'think' I am in a great situation. Trying to get to sleep I started thinking... "Bugger, I've got no cover on that building to the left" and had to reboot to sort it out there and then. As if the little chaps were going to carry on without me!!! Anyway, I creeping along the right flank to that hillside with Infantry and Machine gun with a Stug covering the wall line. The troop carriers are waiting in the start-up positions as 'semi-reserve' and to move on the row of houses on the left. The Tiger and other Stug are on the central road covering troop movements through the woods before the treeline. I've played 5 turns AND.... Not seen a single Yank and not been fired on at all..... very spooky!!! Can they see my 'creeping' troops... I don't think so... I don't know... I'm worried.

My knowledge of WWII units is pretty much nil. I know Bazookas take out armoured vehicles, MG take out infantry, infantry take out bazookas etc. I was very worried that this lack of knowledge would ruin Combat Mission for me. Having played the demo I have found... It doesn't really matter. The feedback from LOS (or is it target?) shows me everything I need. Obviously I might be limited slightly when making plans but, due to FOW, I have no idea what units will discover anyway so have to plan for each possibility. Anybody in the same position found areas of the game where their lack of knowledge has caused problems? Now the gloat. I have played Last Defence 4 times. 2 axis and 2 allies. Currently 2-2 winning and losing with both sides..... I have not even LOADED the second scenario yet.So BTS... no hurry. I'm taken care of for another week or so. Everybody else... you should really save some sweets for later rather than scoffing them all at once....

Fist, Oscar... you there? What do you think now the BETA demo is out? Second, concerning the suicide charge. I was convinced this had happened to me. The last I has seen of an SS squad was entering the first house in the Last Defence scenario and shooting my Zookman. On my left flank I had an MG plus 2 depleted squads plus HQ with loads of Ammo in 2 loors. Everybody but the HQ was on HIDE as the were low on Ammo so only the HQ was firing at some assaulting infantry. From, seemingly nowhere, the SS appeared and tried to storm this position when, like something out of Butch and Sundance, EVERYBODY opened up on them. "SS prats" I thought. Until I realised they must only have known about the 4-man HQ in the house. I did have a German HQ unit assault an M18 with the equivalent of a balloon on a stick though... that can't be right!

First, It's 1-1 between me and the AI on 'Last Defence' playing Allies both times. So... my concerned I wasn't wargaming enough are unfounded. Second, I'm having problems with 2nd Floor sighting and moving. It seems a lot harder to rotate correctly when connected to a unit on the top floor. I'm using Camera 2 but don't seem to 'stick' to the unit selected as I do on the Ground. Alos, LOS and targetting lines seem to bend and drop out of the sky at certain times. Finally, I can't seem to make HQs move around in a building except run up and down the stairs. Other units says 'Move' and then I can select a new position. HQ's say 'MOVE' then 'Which floor' and immediately places the move cube. However, really enjoying it.Like my paintballing I use a hell of a lot of ammo.

and....it also shows that the -AI-, even though a computer can make the wrong (or unlucky) decisions like a human. This was mentioned in another thread but here's a great example were mistakes aren't hardcoded but occur due to certain situations. Absolutely brilliant. BTW, Steve, thanks for sharing the beta-testers 'review'.

Hmmm... good point. I'm not too fussed about that though (arrghhh heresy) 'cos I'll make some excuse for myself that they got delayed a few years by bad weather. BTW... if there are any other UK people.. Did you catch the BBC2 series about the German campaign in Russia (4 episodes?) Lots of archive footage, lots of interview with survivors and LOTS of horror stories. Only last night I thought.. I should be taping this.

I believe one of the first custom scenarios I make will be... 'Germans have won the Battle of Britain and landed forces in Kent or East Anglia'. Historically East Anglia is a pretty good starting point for invading Britain (or more specifically England). The countryside is pretty similar to France and the ordinance survey maps are all available. I was born in London but grew up in Kent so not entirely sure I want the place ravaged. East Anglia is pretty open ground (just right for tanks) with a few small towns dotted about. I'm sure I can find an OS map that has just about everything I need. So...beware Ipswich. Anybody else got a specific (perhaps non-historical) scenario in mind?

Fionn... You're right about me having timescale problems. It just seems very strange not to have to 'rush' when there are only 60 turns (60 minutes) to advance, batter, get battered, defend etc. To have a unit move for a minute then not advance for 5 minutes takes a tenth of their combat time. I'm sure it works out OK but, again 'cos CM is a new 'breed' (to me) it's hard to visualise (and, by god, I've tried to visualise playing this game countless bloody times you lucky goit). Cheers Tony