Mannheim Tanker

There are some great sounds in CM...I think my dog is even familiar with CM now. He recognizes the "closing explosions" when I exit the game - he gets all excited when he hears it because he knows that I'll no longer tune him out

Thomasj: which BN were you in while in 1st AD? I was in C/5/77AR (1AD) at Sullivan Barracks in Mannheim from '92-94... Steel Tigers! MT

Mikester: We'll have to agree to disagree on this one... Just because you think it's a trivial matter doesn't mean it's so. I'm arguing that it is not as trivial as other suggestions, in large part because it's caused such a stir. From a programming perspective, a roster would not take much effort at all (from experience). Best, MT

Crap! (Double post) On a side note: that fact that this issue is so heated is a very good argument for including it. There is obviously a LOT of demand for it...as long as there is a toggle feature, everyone can be satisfied by including it. [This message has been edited by Mannheim Tanker (edited 08-07-2000).]

I think it's quite arrogant for many of you anti-roster types to assume what is the best way to learn the game. I'll guarantee that many of the pro-roster people can whip the crap out of the anit-roster supporters (and vice versa). Bottom line: it's irrelevant to the argument. Even if it were, who are you to make the decision for what is best for others...if we don't want to learn to play the game to your high standard then so be it. Just toggle the roster off and you'll never have to worry about it. Sheesh!

YES, YES, YES! I don't see the problem with including one if you also include the ability to toggle it on and off. Those of you that vote "no" can simply ignore it. I can't think of any reason to not allow those of us to have it just because some people think it's X (insert reason here). If you don't like it, don't use it! There, I think I kicked the horse enough times

According to BTS (in the manual), KIA are randomly calculated after the battle is over, based on a proportion of the total casualties. This would mean that even though you might have an entire crew listed as out of action (eg 0 healthy and 4 WIA/KIA), the KIA for that crew are randomly calculated after the battle is over - as part of the overall total. In other words, those soldiers that would obviously be dead (brewed up tanks) don't get any special treatment to be counted as KIA since the numbers aren't cranked out until later. Kind of rambling here, so I'll leave it at that!

jdl: LOL! You think the Pacific NW is sweltering!? Try moving to... Louisiana, USA (originally from Michigan, so this is like a different country to me!)

Definitely gamey, since it's rationalizing the use of the tactic in game terms, and not real-world terms. As long as both parties agree to certain gamey tactics... I prefer real-world tactics, however, so I probably wouldn't play a rematch with your opponent if he pulled that on me

Darwin, I'm not even sure that flaming all of the cover is a gamey tactic. I've played games, vs AI and humans alike, where I've used tanks to level entire streets to push back the defenders lines. After reading accounts of the Battle of Stalingrad, I've concluded that the Germans must have had an SOP for blowing the crap out of buildings! Also, we can't forget about the use of Agent Orange in Nam...

I gotta agree with Babra. An occasional gamey tactic is OK (eg a jeep rush with AT team), as I'm willing to bet some of these things actually occurred. I'm also willing to bet that they didn't happen ten times in one battle! Extreme edge-hugging is assanine, and just shows that your opponent can't win using real tactics. By extreme, I'm talking about having their units sneak in single file up the side of the map. A regular flanking movement, with bounding overwatch is A-OK, as that's the way to do it. In short, just ask yourself, "Would I order my guys to do X in real life?" If the answer is no, then it's probably really gamey. BTW: When I was in armor training, our DI's always told us that we were only one sabot round away of being in the infantry! I have no problems with crews filling the line on the defense (offense is a different story!) [This message has been edited by Mannheim Tanker (edited 08-05-2000).]

It counts as 2 1/2 years of Army BS without pay LOL!

Look at my handle, and need I say more? M1A1 Tanker in 1st AD '91-94 (Mannheim, GE of course) and then a combat engineer from 94-97 in the Guards (Michigan). Miss the work and the folks, but not the BS!

LOL! This reminds of some night infantry training that I did while in the Guards. You'd come up on a silliouette in the dark and ask "Blue team?", and you could just imagine the other guy trying to decide what the right answer was...and then you'd both fire at each other just to be on the safe side!

I was playing the Nijmegen river crossing scenario as a PBEM (with me as the Amis). I had finally pushed most of my tanks up to the near river bank, so my opponent must have decided it was time for his remaining armor (a few halftracks and an AC) to make a beeline across the bridge to the safety of the far bank. It looked like the Indy 500 with those HT's racing across the bridge - I've never seen vehicles move so fast in CM, and neither had my tankers, apparently. They fired shot after shot at the high speed parade on the bridge, but couldn't get a hit! Finally, the last halftrack got nailed about midway across the bridge. It had so much momentum, however, that it continued to sail across the bridge, PAST several buildings, and finally planted itself in a building over one street into the town on the far bank. I seem to remember the crew bailing out in the town when it came to rest in the building...I watched that movie about a dozen times

Loki: Ever play Campaign in Europe on the C64? Great game...lots of wasted - ahem - fun hours on that game!

Regarding the Tigers: You have to remember that the scenario you are playing (if it's the one I'm thinking of) took place near the end of the war. The Tiger was pretty bad-ass when first introduced, but Allied tanks were beginning to match the capabilities of the German tanks (Tigers at least) by February of '45. A Tiger can't stand up to much close-range pounding from 90mm guns

28 - but I have a 22-year old girlfriend so I feel 18 [This message has been edited by Mannheim Tanker (edited 08-03-2000).]

Good point, Fox. Our motto (meaning M1 crews in Germany) was that our biggest enemy wasn't Russian tanks - it was Russian helicopters (THERE'S a frickin' smiley for you, M2K. Now how about a Hot Pocket?) [This message has been edited by Mannheim Tanker (edited 08-02-2000).]

IIRC, the fragile optical systems required for a ATGM system were quickly knocked out by the recoil of the main gun. I wouldn't put too much stock in new Russian tanks yet, as we've heard it all before. The T-72 was supposed to be the end-all of tanks when it was introduced, but it was a piece of junk IMHO. The auto-loader was just one misguided idea among several. A 19-year old's arm is always faster, cheaper, and more reliable than a gadget Not to mention the extra set of eyes to cover the rear, and the extra body to help with maintenance (one point that is often overlooked in comparing tanks). I haven't looked at a Leo lately, but I'd still hedge my bets on the M1A2 (the Leo has got to be close, though!). The additional comm interfaces tend to act as a force multiplier with the M1A2... Just my $.02 (and I'm probably biased, as a former American tanker!)

***Mannheim Tanker shudders as he thinks back to armored MOUT training for the Balkans***

Don't forget "Road Rules: CM". A Motorized Rifle platoon travels far and wide, from Fran ce to the Eastern Front in search of their ultimate goal: A 100 to 0 point victory.

And that's just the demo Kiss ALL of your free time goodbye when the real thing arrives!

(Feeding the troll...) Lewis: Do you have an inferiority complex that compels you to knock anyone with less military, civil, sexual, (insert adverb of choice here) experience? As a fellow veteran, I find it offensive that you somehow feel that your opinion is somehow more valuable than a non-veteran's. In case you have forgotten, the US military IS under civilian control, and for good reason You occasionally have some good insight into the models in CM, but your condescending attitude often detracts from any sympathy I might otherwise have for your views. Please keep your "opinions" to yourself, and you might find that you have a lot more support for your CM-related ideas. Best, MT EDIT: typing a bit too fast (need to get back to work!) [This message has been edited by Mannheim Tanker (edited 07-31-2000).]

Another trick is to use a few sharpshooters to disrupt portions of an attack (this was a real tactic, often used by the Germans). When the battle begins, sneak a few snipers up the flanks to where they can snipe away from BEHIND the enemy lines (at some distance). I've seen more than a few AT teams, mortars, tank commanders and spotters get knocked down this way