Howitzer

Hey Steve/Charles, I LOVE my Panther print! And, I am considering ordering the other B&W prints, too. BUT, I wanted to know... Are you guys considering making a print of the "cover art"/splashscreen? That would be a really NEAT print to have, especially with the artists signature and a Charles/Steve signature! Well? Huh? Are ya? Steve C.

Well, it's a good guess, anyway. Knowing Steve & Charles penchant for excellent timing. What better date to release CM2? Howitzer

Ahem.... I would like to quietly announce that this particular Cincinnati-based CM'er... GOT HIS CM V1.00 CD TODAY!!!!!! YYYYAAAAAHHHHHHOOOOOOO! Thank you. Steve C. (PS I did not, however, get my poster. ) [This message has been edited by Howitzer (edited 06-19-2000).] [This message has been edited by Howitzer (edited 06-19-2000).]

Hey, don't forget about me! Another, Cinci-Dayton area CM'ers... Steve C. mailto:carrs@fuse.net

Ron, I certainly agree with you about (1) and (2) , UNLESS the opponent can honestly expect your already on-map troops to be moving through that area. (Nearly impossible in the demo scenarios.) Regarding (3), I disagree completely . Part of the game is maneuver; unless someone tells me (for instance in CMMC) that I have a command control boundary WITHIN the map, the whole area is fair game. In defense, any commander would feel obligated to defend their whole front; any attacker would probe the whole front looking for holes. FWIW, Steve C. [This message has been edited by Howitzer (edited 06-14-2000).]

Ahem...BuddyTool says: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Should probably get a IBM :^)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I say: ...only if he needs a boat anchor! Howitzer [This message has been edited by Howitzer (edited 06-14-2000).]

Q: When did I pre-order? A: Day One. Howitzer

John, I, too, have an original Bondi-blue iMac, and it is still kickin'! Of course, it does have the discontinued, but still findable, Voodoo2 Mezz card. A couple of thoughts... (1) My iMac has the 6MB VRAM, but these machines can only address 4 of the 6MB. It won't help on speed for CM, and probably won't give you 800x600 either. However, it does give you millions of colors at 1024, though, and it's cheap. (2) You can still find the MicroConversions GameWizard Voodoo2 Mezzanine card out there, thought they are getting rare. I am running mine with fairly old 3DFx generic drivers, under OS9.0.4, with tons of extensions, etc. -- no problems, and great for CM; I get translucent smoke and all. But, even with this Voodoo2 card, lots of smoke like that used for covering an attack, can cause a slowdown (the card has only 8MB). Nonetheless, I would recommend getting one if you can. However, be forewarned that you need to get into the guts of the machine to install it. This link is a little dated, but you may still have luck with it... http://dealmac.com/articles/20000405/4/12640.html ...and you can always try a search of some of the mac sites... Good luck, FWIW, Steve C.

Great idea! I'd be interested in a hat/ballcap, t-shirt and possibly some other things. Here's to hoping it happens! Howitzer

100% agreement right here...consider this my "signature" to not copy or distribute CM in any way. Steve C.

(1) BTS...glad to see you continuing your tradition of incredible responsiveness, such as creating this patch...and so many items in it! Wow! (2) MadMatt, thanks for all the POTD's. They keep me going at times while waiting for the game. Howitzer

I thought you were a junior member if you make only 7 visits a day! Howitzer

Matt: PS Winter camo is excellent, too! I love Hetzer's, and that one looks ready to "bushwhack" something! Howitzer

Holy Explosions Batman! I think I need some BatStainRemover for my underwear! Howitzer

Dear BTS, I notice that an intentional "Abandon Vehicle" order is a possibility for future releases/patches. I have a question on the impact this might have on operations. In my first (and only) PBEM game of VoT, I had a Sherman (75mm) become immobilized on the frontage road back at the US startline by the 150mmIG. It soon destroyed the IG, but I knew it was a dead duck should something bigger and badder (and what wasn't!?!) come along. In an operation, I would want to abandon the vehicle at an appropriate point so that my crew (possibly veteran in quality) would be available for the next phase of said operation. Phew...finally the questions... (1) If crews can abandon vehicles (and safely leave the field of battle in the right direction!) will they be available for the next phase of the operation? (2) Similarly, and more generally, are "intact" crews that are forced to leave a damaged/destroyed vehicle available for the next phase of an operation? Thanks, Steve C.

Mmmm... Just turned the large 4-"Oh!"... Married to my high school sweetheart... Four kids, a boy and three girls ... Convinced CM is the start of a new era in military simulations, and VERY glad it's available on a Mac! Steve C. [This message has been edited by Howitzer (edited 05-24-2000).]

tosmart said: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>The germans build ther best tanks the best cannons, the best airplaens (jet) The only rockets of the war The only thing the Americans had going for them was that they had alot of every thing.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> The US DID have alot of everything, that's just the point. As a country, the US was FAR more industrialized. Industrialization breeds production which breeds "alot" of stuff! Personally, in the case of WWII, that was a VERY GOOD THING. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>???? Driving A 15 years old girl can learn to drive in a day and driving a car and a tank is not the same, it is not the skill of driving that makes a tank driver good it is knowing where and when to drive and where and when not to drive<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> tosmart, I think you are missing the point...the US quickly adapted to a industrialized (re: tractors, etc.) farming system, earlier than any other country...they did this at a time when families live in mostly rural farmland and still had large family sizes (number of children)...when WWII came around, the number of draft/volunteer age young men with signficant, practical, hands on experience in fixing or even making machinery of one sort or another was VERY high. In situation after situation, it was ingenuity drawn from experience that gave the US troops (as a whole) the edge when it came to matters or practical mechanics, and hence, tank repair. And, yes, most of the kids that were in the Army already knew how to drive, and in many instances, drive NON-automobiles, such as tractors, combines, plows, bulldozers, etc. Again, nothing to be scoffed at! I'm glad they did! BTW, I noticed your main interests are yourself...interesting indeed. Also, don't you really want to be toosmart, and not tosmart? Steve C.

Keith wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I opened up two of his [stephen Ambrose's] books on random pages and found two factual erros.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Your obvious dislike for Ambrose aside, Allan's re-statement of Ambrose's "fact"... <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>He quoted the amazing fact that over half of all of the US tanks that were knocked out were back in the line within two days.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> ...IS backed up by others. Have you read "Death Traps : The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II", by Belton Cooper? He LIVED probably the job that probably provides the best perspective on this issue (from the American side). He handled replacement tanks and recovery and repair of damaged tanks, he was at the front and in the service depots. Excellent reading, and supportive of Ambrose's statement. Also, what surprises me most isn't the rate at which US tanks were replaced...it's the great lack of qualified crew in 1945...our armored divisions were scraping up crews straight out of the infantry ranks. Steve C.

TZEENCH...Excellent question. I have read some excellent accounts describing just this tactic, and it would be very appropriate to operations...can't wait to hear the answer! Steve C.

Ahem... <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>For you guys that placed an order a year ago... front of the line All orders go out in the order they were received.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> ...to which I say...Y-E-S! Christmas is coming early this year! Steve C.

Yo! Cheng, ol' boy! I believe I would be the logical first candidate! BTS, please add my name to the long and distinguished list of excellent beta tester applicants for CM2! Steve C.

BTS/Battlefront, Steve, Charles, et al (including Beta Testers)... You have outdone yourselves. The word MASTERPIECE is the only suitable description. Once again, thanks. Wow. Steve C.

Steven & Charles, What can I say? I was absolutely shocked , then amazed and then thrilled when the following happened during my first shot at CE on the Gold Demo... I'm the US, and have occupied the farm houses on the left and woods on the right. The Germans are trying to ease up to the edge of the woods on the "big" hill to place MG's, schrecks, etc. Unfortunately for one compact group of them, they get mercilessly shelled by my 3 remaining Shermans (all Stugs are finished), .30 and .50 caliber MG teams and 60mm mortars and infantry squads, all within about a 20-30m square. And then... ...halfway through the turn...THE FOREST CATCHES ON FIRE! Germans run out of the forest right down the bare slope of the hill for about 20m before turning to find a way back to safety! Unbelievable! I have seen the preview pics of flamethrowers and FT tanks with the ground and buildings on fire, but I have NEVER seen the woods spontaneously ignite from tracers and HE rounds! Awesome! Absolutely awesome! Forgive me if this feature was in the demo, or already widely known, but I think it is simply amazing detail to add to an already amazingly detailed game! Thanks! A (stunned) Steve C.

Sara, Please let Lorak know that I am also wishing him a speedy recovery. I'm thankful it wasn't worse, and hope the recovery time is quick! Sincerely, Steve C. (Howitzer)

To all at BTS and Battlefront, especially Charles and Steve, my hearty thanks for saving me perhaps several hundred dollars! I earlier suspected, but now fully realize, that I will not need to buy another game of any genre...at least, not until CM2! This will save me TONS O' DOUGH! Oh-oh...wait a minute...the above may not be accurate. The likelihood of a divorce has suddenly increase several fold! Divorce=alimony! Boy, are you guys gonna owe me BigTime! You Guys are ABSOLUTELY The BEST! Howitzer