Andreas

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by xerxes: No city fighting in CM? Flamerthrowers are worthless. Pleeese. Play "To the last man" (at the scenario depot) and then tell me flamethrowers are useless. Don't confuse the entirety of CM with QBs. -marc<hr></blockquote> Thanks - I take that as a compliment.

The consequence of this would be that the engineer squad would be horrendously slow though. Which is a bit unrealistic in itself - I guess people would then want to be able to split them off, and you are back to where you are now. Also, for the German engineers this would lead to something very unrealistic, because they were supposed to be more like line-infantry (or at least got used that way), so they would not always have flamethrowers handy. I am not sure what you think is broken that needs fixing? They are slow and become a target for everyone and their second cousin. If you merge them with the squad, the squad becomes slow and becomes a priority target. Also, since CMBO does not model the individual soldier, how would you handle the fact that the two guys manning the FT would be the prime target in the squad?

And if you play any of the scenarios, give it a few minutes to review them. Much appreciated by the authors.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Brian: Most of the Sexton/Priest Regiments in Italy were original converted from towed Field Regiments originally, in the Desert. As Artillery tended to have a much greater chance of aquiring experience and surviving, they'd have been composed of quite a lot of "old timers" who had been taught how to fight tanks and had the chance to practice it for real, against the Afrika Korps. All that combined would I have thought, tended to make 8th Army RA extremely experienced.<hr></blockquote> That sounds sensible, and organisational/behavioural explanations appeal to me, so it must be right

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Slapdragon: Between Redwolf, Wacky, and you, it is pretty obvious quite a bit of material was pulled, to quote Andreas, from a dark smelly place. Andreas, I am home this morbing and will send you a game turn.<hr></blockquote> Good stuff. I think the guy is just a troll. Notice how he does not even bother to reply? I think he does that regularly. Goes to show the tolerance of BTS.

John, von Fauster, I have amended the text. John if you could have a look and let me know if that is alright. If you notice anything else on the pages, your comments would be most welcome.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PeterNZer: lessa<hr></blockquote> Jah, maan, you rappa da way 2 da front next? Jah!

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by MikeyD: I'm a bit curious about the box part of this 'box set'. Are we talking color graphics, screenshots, reviews?<hr></blockquote> [ 01-11-2002: Message edited by: Andreas ]</p>

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Brian: In the British/Commonwealth armies, a similar situation would have ruled - Archer crews obviously had a lot, while Sexton/Priest crews would have only a small amount of training (unless they were in Italy - can you guess why?).<hr></blockquote> Hmm, maybe because fortifications were a lot more important in Italy then they were in NWE (outside the Siegfried line) - also, the lower number of tanks and the particular lay-out of the Italian countryside may increase survivability of Sextons. Finally, a hang-over from the desert times. I believe 8th Army did things differently in some respects. But to be honest, I am just guessing.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Brian: Of course, that will mean you'll need to know what the definition, role and function of a Field Gun is, to understand the point I'm making (hint, what is the secondary role for Field Guns? <hr></blockquote> Hehe - yes. I am not so sure about this for the Wehrmacht though. I would be interested to see the training schedule for a Hummel crew, as opposed to that for a Stug III crew. My suspicion is that they differ markedly, despite both being in the Artillery branch of the service. But I just don't know it.

Thanks John, great stuff.

That's a really good site, although I don't usually have time for Silesians Good work digging it up.

Also, the Deutsch-Russisches Museum Karlshorst did look for pictures from the Great Patriotic War, taken by ordinary soldiers, a while ago. It is a good museum, and well worth supporting. Maybe if you scan them, it would be an idea to send some of the more interesting ones to them.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Phantom Rocker: BTS should publish the used formulas. Then we can see how they interpred stats, which physical models they are based on and which parameters has been ignored. Why are they kept secret?<hr></blockquote> Uh, because BTS has a business, and as such these formulae are their intellectual property, and a good part of the value of their business? They are not a public research laboratory funded by taxes, last time I checked. As for Scipio's point - I would also like to know where the 80%/95% figure comes from? I have my suspicion that it is a dark and smelly place, but I'd be happy to be convinced otherwise.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by redwolf: I would be interested in further discussion why SP arty should be assumed to be more trained in hitting moving targets than CS tankers.<hr></blockquote> Depends on what sort of SP guns you are talking about. In the Commonwealth lingo, anything that is not a tank is an SP gun. This includes the M10, Sexton, Stug III/IV, Nashorn, Jagdpanther, Archer, Hummel, etc. Clearly quite a few of these were expressly AT weapons, some had a dual role, and some were really just howitzers on tracks designed for indirect fire. Which ones did you mean?

I think James is currently busy doing turn resolution - he will get back to you, it can just take a short while. You will make the process faster and easier if you state your prefs regarding: a) Allies or Germans staff or fighting command c) how much time you can/want to committ. The campaign is still going on, very much so, it is quite exciting with a lot of action, and players and GMs are needed.

Puff, you are not running around in a light-green Jersey suit, are you? Inquiring minds want to know

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by wwb_99: The main reason that the handheld AT weapons were so effective is the terrain. Bocage country is made for the panzerfaust.<hr></blockquote> Conversely, this works against the humble PAK. At the distances involved, they would probably be spotted almost immediately after opening up, meaning everyone and their second cousin has a go at them. So if the crew is really brave they take one tank with them. If they have a lot of sense they leave without trying.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Abn_Ranger87: That clears this mystery up... Question though, graphics are one thing but if any new units do find their way into the final copy of the Gold release in the ETO, will US customers have any way to aquire them? Maybe a patch or add-on disk, I would shell out quickly to get my grubby little paws on earlier vehicles such as the M-3 Lee or better yet, some of Col. Darby's boys (I'll even forgive their omission from the original game...) After CMBB is finished is there a chance of say... a 42-43 expansion for CMBO?<hr></blockquote> There is a saying in Germany, about the wish being the father of the thought. I thought multi-turreted vehicles were doubtful for CMBB (that includes the M3). There will be a different game (CM3) with a new engine (CM II) covering the mediterranean, and another one (CM4) covering the early war. BTS has quite categorically ruled out a CMBO add-on CD for sale, b/c of the problems that would create for multiplayer. As for the Europeans being behind on technology, I don't think so. Where they differ is in habits. Which, looking at the mountain of credit card debt in the US, is probably no bad thing either. Germans, as a rule of thumb, don't get into debt on the same scale. Same goes for buying on the internet. Pretty conservative lot in that respect. To tab into the market you have to overcome these behavioural differences. Whether they use the same computers (and they do) is totally irrelevant.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PawBroon: I'll explain why in a further mail, no need to do this in here...<hr></blockquote> Please do, I am intrigued now

I think it is worth remembering that CDV has the distribution rights for Germany (and other countries), i.e. is a business partner of BTS, while Ripoff Publishing had nothing but an attitude and a lack of respect for other people's intellectual property.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PawBroon: The very same that either ask for a specific permission and not to be charged for...<hr></blockquote> Which would not be a problem, if this was cleared with the mod authors.

John, you've got mail. Instead of waiting for von Fauster to scan, I just emailed you a link for my grandfather's pictures, which he says show the same gun.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Warmaker: Because a Stuart crew insisting in going toe to toe with a Tiger always lost that bet? Stuff like that isn't conducive to one's health. <hr></blockquote> Except for the one who knocked out a Kingtiger by firing into the rear point-blank while retreating from St. Vith I believe. Then again, even the commanding officer of the Sergeant TC in question thought the guy was nuts. Made it out okay too.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Iron Chef Sakai: Thats a realy good site! I added it to my favorites. Thanks again. <hr></blockquote> There's another one in my sig, and we also flog free maps to the unwashed masses.