chrisl

Ok, Mr. Beltway Politician it's time to cough up the file in our deathmatch. You can't come in here and offer up a game, continue to post drivel, and then not deliver. This pool isn't just for random abuse (though a bit of that occurs, and Bauhaus and Mace both seem to enjoy it). It's for playing CM. Peterchinesegooseberry is out of town, and he's without him to kick around, I need some files. You too, Snapdragon-- the only thing draggin' about you is your ass. The old "trying to fix extinctflightlessbirdboy's email" excuse isn't going to work while he's off skiing, trying to forget how badly he's being abused. (Btw-- try dropping the ".txt" and the attachments might go through better, if that's the problem). You came in here and asked to be smacked around in the fog-- it's smacking time. I don't care if you saw the map and decided it's unfavorable to you--it's 30 m visibility fog, damn it-- it could be a billiard table without a single tree and it wouldn't matter. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk) [This message has been edited by chrisl (edited 02-02-2001).]

Don't forget knowing the strengths of your various HQ units--it can make an enormous difference in a toe-to-toe firefight, or make the difference whether you sneak around the flank undetected or not. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

With a little bit of practice you can get the troops to rush in right behind a barrage-- you have to time things so that the guys will be up and running before the end of the turn, and just outside the barrage radius just as the turn ends. You then cancel the barrage order and the troops continue in. It's pretty cool to watch when it works right. If they're running in from far out, you just set pauses followed by a run order, estimating where they'll get by the end of the turn. If they're in small arms range at the start of the turn and it's a very short run to the barrage area, you give them pauses, followed by a medium length crawl order, followed by a run into the attack zone. When the turn ends, you change the crawl to a run (now there's no command delay) and they go charging in. If you've timed it right, the enemy is still suppressed. If you have two FOs you can mix smoke and HE as well, but with one it doesn't work as well, since the clouds of smoke don't appear until 30 seconds after the shells hit-- by then your guys are in the thick of things. The 14" stuff is only available for a limited time period, and I suspect they only put it in for fun. I've dropped it pretty close to my own troops, and it's a sight to watch. I had a barrage of it that took out 1.5-2 platoons of enemy troops, and about 10 of my guys. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

I much prefer the angry, rabid, verbally abusive Peng. The pool is getting soft, with all the new blood posting without getting a flavor for what the pool ought to be like. I had to enumerate in great detail the many ways that Peng makes me hurl on the different days of the week in order to get a game out of him (which he subsequently lost after a pretty good, but hopeless fight). Seanachai has never been much for ripping new orifices in people, though he started the thread. Hiram is usually annoyingly nice, but occasionally flashes some large bloody fangs. Meeks can give a good tongue-lashing (sit down Bauhaus!), but has trouble when it has to be restricted to PG-13/mild R. He just doesn't have the same verbal control since the paper-boy botched his lobotomy. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

There was at least one arty professional around during the beta days, and I believe there were more. The current arty is a compromise between coding simplicity, realism, and net result. The arty pros have generally come down as saying that for as much as it's abstracted, it's not too bad. BTS could model all the possible things you could do with arty, and different patterns, and time-on-target, etc, but it wouldn't add that much value to the game (except for a small number of people who would love to sit and spell their girlfriends' names in arty atop the enemy) relative to the coding effort involved. It is after all "Combat Mission," not "Arty Mission". I wouldn't be surprised if it improved a fair bit in CM2, but I don't know that they've made any public statements about it. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

The declination in Paris, France is 1 degree 44 minutes west. I pulled it off a canadian web site: http://www.geolab.nrcan.gc.ca/cgi-bin/geomag/MIRP/run_mirp Do you also want the vector from one place to the other? (edited to note that Paris is at 48 degrees, 49 minutes north, and 2 degrees 29 minutes east. The declination was calculated for 2001-- the model will only calculate back to 1960, when the declination was 6 deg 22 min west. I'll work on getting June 1944, Normandy.) ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk) [This message has been edited by chrisl (edited 02-02-2001).]

I always had 1.05 set to about 80MB, but forgot to do this for 1.1 and just noticed that it was set for about 43MB or so and it's been fine (though I haven't played any really big scenarios). I just increased it since I noticed. I use a PB G3/300 and it can actually run CM pretty reasonably in software rendering mode (I can only use HW rendering for 640x480), but then you don't get transparency effects (high quality smoke, transparent buildings, etc.) I normally use 640x480 so I can get the nice effects, but I get higher resolution (more detail on faces, vehicles etc) in SW render mode. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

Everything's gone wrong since Canada came along... ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

That should be Super King Kamehameha git. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

Well, I hope you are planning to do the honorable thing and send him a grossly unfair setup, in which he gets a bunch of conscripts with cheap german halftracks to attack a veteran combined arms force well supplied with vehicle mounted M2s, arty, and medium armor. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

I get files pretty regularly from Peter. In fact here's a quote from his most recent email. I'd taunt him about it, but it's so pathetic that it really isn't worth the effort: Patience, grasshopper. I'll tell you later. I haven't however received a file back from that little blooming snapdragon. Oh, and Lorak- you overlooked my victory over Seanachai that was mentioned a page or so back. If you would be so kind... ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk) [This message has been edited by chrisl (edited 02-01-2001).]

It can be worth it to accept a cease fire if you appear to be ahead but have suffered severe casualties. Once the casualties get pretty high, it sometimes doesn't matter if you hold the flags or not-- if your losses are heavy, you can still lose. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

Lorak! Lorak! Be a nice elf or whatever you are and mark a victory for me over Seniletea. Mr. Seniletea is quite a remarkable player, as he managed to snatch a 61-39 (or something like that) defeat from the jaws of waiting victory. His irritating british or canadian or whatever commonwealth gits moved in quickly to occupy both flags in force, doing quite a bit of damage to my forces. When the decrepit old men started marching in his direction, his troops started dropping dead with fear-- he rapidly lost the large flag, and would have lost the small one had I not shown mercy and put in a cease-fire as well. In other news, Petertheflightlessbirdorchinesegooseberry is getting a bit of a bloody nose as he tries to advance on my positions in some light fog. One platoon has been kicked around pretty hard, two more are starting to feel some pain, and a fourth will soon be on the run. I've lost about a dozen men scattered through a number of squads in return. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

Hey Politician, I mean Lawyer, I really only have two things to say: 1) Wow-- I'm amazed that you were willing to post your own picture after your previous analysis. You're even more frightening than Morse, and don't look so much like a lawyer as a (previously mentioned) politician, or even worse, a lobbyist. I can't believe I agreed to a game with you. The horror. 2) Send me a damn file. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

I give it about a 3 out of 10, but it's a start. I suppose that means I have to leave the fusiliers home, too. rats. Sure, I'll do it with just SMGs and bayonets. Send me the file. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

I like to play at night in the fog (sit DOWN, Bauhaus!! not like that!) but you'll have to taunt me good if you want me to play. I'll play either side. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

Alright Peter, back in the pool. If you've got time to post this stuff you've got time to send me the file I wished I had this morning so I could deal you a little death and destruction. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

At that distance they can sit behind a rock and toss grenades until they get lucky (or the other guy gets lucky). If they're in proper cover, it doesn't matter how close the MG42 is or what its ROF. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

My impression of the version I played (Ramelle, by Wild Bill Wilder) was that it was intended as a 1 player (Amis) against the heavily armed AI. It's certainly winnable as the Ami's against the AI, and the AI germans aren't as tactically stupid as the movie ones. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

It should be pretty straightforward to find out the firepower--target them manually with the LOS tool at the beginning of the turn. I don't think that firepower is linear with range. I recall a post from BTS (I think it was Charles) a while back describing how it varied with range in quite a bit of detail. The machinepistols aren't going to be terribly accurate, but they'll keep heads down so that the riflemen can keep theirs up and pick away. As for maintaining contact at 9 m (approx 30 ft) -- imagine they're pinned behind some rocks or logs or a shallow depression in the ground-- it may be just as hard to back out of that as it is to go forward. If you watch the movie from view #1 you ought to see a lot of grenades going back and forth. Edited to add this URL to the discussion of MP40 vs. MP44 firepower, which provides a lot of information about how firepower varies with distance and what goes into those variations. http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/008696.html ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk) [This message has been edited by chrisl (edited 01-28-2001).] [This message has been edited by chrisl (edited 01-28-2001).]

Bah. I was kicking the snot out of Peng (except for his StuGs, but they were next) when he was forced to surrender due to excessive pus buildup. He'll get his turn in the mill. Doesn't matter--I blew it up this turn anyway. As the rocket left the shreck someone managed to ID it as a white scout car. Now it's an abandoned white scout car with a big hole in the side. I was waiting for you to flank the StuG--I had a schreck hanging around for a long time. He got bored and hiked up to the little bunch of trees where he is now. You know, the one who killed the MG carrier and the scout car. The StuG crew is so bored that I made them start unloading AP into the infantry-did I hit any of those guys (to my left of the rubbled building)? You can tell which ones the StuG hit because they have a 7.5 cm hole clean through. Blah blah. I set the turns long because I hate it when it ends before things are really settled. I never intend them to go that long. If you really want, a cease fire might be entertained, but given what your squad by the little flag was doing in this last movie, I might hold out for a surrender. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

I have to agree with that statement as well--not terribly exciting, but quite long. And if you're going to analyze their photos, I hope to see one of you up as well. As for me, I don't appear in pictures due to some bites I suffered in college. That's kind of like "if a tree falls on Seanachai but nobody's there to see, etc.."--If you find me first, but all your troops die, have you really found me? I've noted a sound contact of something somewhere, but it might just be a flock of ducks. I don't think that CAS that I bought will be of much use... Meanwhile, Seanachai is losing badly. He boldly grabbed both flags early in our game, and gave my armor a beating. Things were starting to look pretty bad--like I might lose to someone who lost to Peng, but then I counterattacked a while back with two toothless old men and their blind seeing-eye dogs (and a little bit of 105 mm arty), and his forces have withered under the onslaught. He's got an apparently immobilized Stuart that is just out of LOS of my bogged StuG, and neither has done much of use since the StuG took out the building separating them. Seanatea continues to struggle, but I think he's about to be routed from the little flag. He has no chance left at all of getting near the big one. Oh, and one of the dogs was slightly injured in my counterattack, but otherwise it's been pretty smooth. I expect him to surrender soon. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk) [This message has been edited by chrisl (edited 01-27-2001).]

Or else they knew they were shooting at a tank so they broke out the solid AP instead of HE. The solid AP shell probably weighs almost as much as the tank turret and is longer than the turret is tall... ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

They can be "shocked" and not do anything aggressive if they lose a guy, and they also don't perform as well after they recover from the shock, but I don't think they suffer from morale states the same as infantry. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)

Some of them may even be perfectly healthy or very lightly wounded but carrying the seriously wounded from their squad out. The actual status of guys removed from combat is very abstracted. ------------------ "If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk." (stolen from some web page about lutefisk)