Andreas

Hehehe - it was not my intention to be evil in this one. I guess switching the Germans from 38(t) tanks to PSW222 did not do a lot to help them... Having said that, one of the beta-testers complained it was 'too easy' for the Germans. You just do X and then Y, and roll up the defense

I think that this is one of these things, like tracers, that is annoying at first (and permanently to some, maybe). Yesterday evening I tried to figure out for a long time where a strike was going in. Biggish map. I got a bit annoyed at having to look for it a few times. Then I thought about it, and I see this as a measure of reducing the effects of borg spotting. I do not know if it was intended, but it certainly has that effect. As do smaller tracers that make it more difficult for me to see HMGs firing. It takes control away, but that should ultimately be the aim of the game - reduce the borg abilities that players have. YMMV. (and I am sure it will)

That's really your fault for using an inferior product from Oxford (aren't they all?). My online source from Cambridge gives the usual form in Britain and Oz as '-cised'. These Oxford tossers need to get off their backsides and start contributing something else, apart from being the first university in the realm.

Happy birthday you rightwing nutter. Now where's my fecking turn. Your in-laws being British gits, I am sure they won't mind having a cup of tepid tea while we get down to business.

Petain??? I'm not disputing this, for I do not know, but I confess that it surprises the heck out of me. Can you cite a title? I think deGaul wrote one at some point, perhaps right before hostilities broke out... Michael</font>

It is quite important to understand that before the war Rommel was an obscure Colonel. He became Hitler's protege because Hitler had read 'Infanterie greift an' and loved it. He commanded Hitler's bodyguard in 1939 and Poland. He was then given command of 7th Panzer (the 'Ghost Division') in Feb. 1940. I think it is extremely unlikely that he would have been known to the British before his actions as GOC 7. PD in the May/June campaign made him known. Montgomery was then commanding 3rd Infantry Division, the 'Iron Division', the oldest division formation in the British Army, IIRC. Here is Rommel's biography from Britannica

Busboy, you use some appalling sources A look on Amazon would tell you who wrote what Rommel to my knowledge did not write on mechanised warfare as far as I know - he wrote 'Infantry Attacks' (aka 'Attack'). I doubt von Rundstedt wrote anything. Guderian wrote on mech warfare, as did Fuller and Lidell-Hart in the UK, and de Gaulle in France (thanks to Michael for pointing that slip out - goes to show that you should not post from memory). I am absolutely certain however that while 'Patton' has great scenes of He111 bombing the **** out of the Americans, I would not trust a single thing they say or do in the movie without independent corroboration. I think Michael is spot on, and I am convinced that the Monty quote is from the time after he took over 8th Army, before Alam Halfa and El Alamein. That silly book of quotations just got it wrong. [ October 09, 2002, 09:06 AM: Message edited by: Andreas ]

Ampulomets are for weenies and cricket players. Real Heroes of the Soviet Union (posthumous) and wearers of the Order of Lenin (posthumous) drop Molotov Cocktails down the tank hatch by hand while shouting 'Die Hitlerite Twats in Tanks' and singing the words of 'It's my party and I cry if I want to' to the tune of the Soviet national anthem (try it - thanks John ) with the voice of Jeremy Hardy. You all know nothing about the Eastern Front!

Came across this by accident - very good read. Note especially how the GOC was posted away (sacked?) after conducting very wasteful attacks in the Orel sector. 16th Lithuanian Rifle Division

The SU85 is available from October 43 at 113 +40%. The common Stug then costs 114 or somefink. The SU85 then drops to 30% extra by December. That is fairly reasonable and affordable if you are that worried about the Stugs. You can always buy a few light tanks to try to get flank shots and then use the SU86 for ambush. You can check rarity best in the scenario editor, BTW.

Talenn - one thing you really have not mentioned regarding the Stug IIIF (late) is its own rarity. In June 1942 100%. It is actually cheaper for the Soviet player to get a captured Stug IIIF (lesser armour, but 75L43 gun) that is able to defeat the IIIF (late) for 77 points (+150%). Or two T34obr43 at 111pts (-5%). Which is still pretty good. In July rarity for the Stug drops to 50% - still steep. In December that changes to 10% for the Stug IIIF8. That is crunch time for the Soviets, since they have little then to oppose it. In April 1943 the Germans get Stug IIIG for 112pts at 0% and the Soviets get Valentine IX with the 57mm gun for less than the stug (67 +30%). The Valentine IX comes in in January with 100% rarity, dropping off rapidly to 30% by April. So your window is really at most reaching from July 1942 to December 1942, and not any longer than that, if you play with rarity on. If not, you are just asking for gamey force selection anyway. What I am basically saying is that claims a la 'there is nothing up to 1944 that can touch them' are panic mongering, not to put too fine a point on it. The Valentine has a marginal chance to defeat 80mm vertical front armour out to 1,000m. It is a very realistic tank to use for the Soviets, who preferred to use it in forward detachments, i.e. where you had a high chance of encountering equal resistance.

You should be safe with the Valentine then - it certainly saw more action in the East than it ever did in the west (only as FOO/command tank, AA tank, bridge-layer and SP conversion Archer), or in Africa (lower numbers, shorter time-frame).

Applause is the artist's bacon, in English. Meaning that you bloody well will not get any other reward and have to go hungry.

The T34 is only mildly more expensive than a Stug. It is more expensive than a T70, but for that you get: </font> survivability against ATGs that the T-70 does not have (37mm useless, 50mm marginal)</font> much more effective HE/Cannister against infantry</font> much better gun against any tank but Stug (e.g. PzIV 50mm turret front)</font> survives loss of TC/single crew member which makes T70 useless</font> better survivability against artillery</font> more machine guns </font>I'd take that any day. To expect BTS to be able to design a game system that is safe against abuses is just not realistic. If you are seriously concerned about the abuse of Stugs in QBs, either play scenarios, or play people who share your interest in historical playing. Regarding the correct modelling - I trust BTS and their work over any other wargame. There simply is no comparison - unless someone brings Real Life data telling us of frontal defeats of 80mm armoured Stugs by the 76.2mm gun (and remember - 80mm armour was not an accident, it was purposefully chosen because it would defeat the 76.2mm round - see also Tiger side armour) I'd go with Charles equations over anything else. BTW - Valentine 6-pdr should be able to defeat the Stug frontally at short ranges, I am not sure about that though, and can not check on the availability since I am at work.

Que? Who is Manstein? Why is the scenario unwinnable if he has won? What is unrealistic about the Germans losing? Answers on a postcard (since I will be in Rome).

Poor bastard. How can he survive in sunny Italy after making his den in the dreary home of the English? Steve</font>

Unhide the HQs, and they'll fire.

Yes, this is basically a bug due to an oversight on my part. And problems in getting this one tested properly. There is nothing I can do but apologise, and fix it (or somefink) at the earliest opportunity following my holiday this week. Sorry about that.

Andreas is off to Rome tomorrow, so I have it on good authority that he won't produce anything new for about another two weeks. so there...

Yes, I'd be interested as well - please remember to put spoiler warnings up. You can also discuss it in this thread. Cheers, Andreas

Unsurprisingly, there is a Scandinavian connection to the name... (natsch natsch, wink wink, say no more...) Scandinavians have more fun, obviously...

In the German version it is just a '76mm gun bunker' - so the English version says 'AT bunker'? Funny. The L17 is the regimental infantry howitzer, like the German 75mm IG18. Just bigger and heavier, i.e. not as well suited for the job.

ISTR that gamey abuse was only part of the reason why motor-cycles are not in. The other was the difficulty to model squads broken into sub-teams.