Murx

Hello Germanboy, agreed things can run out of steer if the timeframe gets longer (but intended - evil drives me sometimes, I like to see things go the wrong way ) Sure with 5 in turns it should be scenarios covering 60 - 120 minutes minimum. For the squad moral, I don't meant the individual squad, that I know; but what happens when 2 of 3 squads and the support, maybe even the CO panic to the third squad? Is his chance to panick higher even if he is not under suppresion or other harmful things ? For the tank-positioning - same as for my wish to happen more worse things (I'm evil, did I say that before ?). The TacAI pulls tanks (and other units) back out of AT-guns, so just a little changing and it tries to position it good (but still near the point you designated for them) taking their experience in account. OK, that would be another horror to code (or even think of the algorythm to do that). But it's just a idea ... murx (I don't can really describe why I want more kind of randomness in the game, maybe that would feel more organic...)

I think if the player could set the timeframe everyone will be happy (get PBEM opponents that don't mind or share your opinion on time-frame, and if you disagree you still have the chance to test that option). Two ideas have just come up in my mind: Morale (I have tried to search but with over 100 threads I didn't want to look them all up ): Is the chance of a squad higher if he sees the rest of his platoon fleeing ? (read there is a complete forcemorale that has some effect but this is different). Second: Less enemy information ! How can my troops tell if they are facing a veteran tank crew in that Sherman or a green/untried ? murx

Maybe one of the soldiers dropped his cigarette (smoking endangeres your health ) cause of that unexpected shell frightening him ? *just a joke* But the situation you described happened to me too with a 105mm barrage. And I think it's just the effect of collateral damage those grenades do (hot shrapnel, setting woods on fire etc) murx

The ultimate variant (ultimate in CPU&graphic ressources needed that is) would realtime command & execution. STOP! Don't kill me right on the spot for saying that! As far as I understand the game-engine (I don't know ****, but I think it works that way) the timescale could be set to any value switching the command interface (which is currently ended by the player) and calculating & executing it. So enlengthen is no great deal, but if it would be set to very small timeframes (less 10ms that is) it would be realtime. But don't think of using your current PC for that murx

I agree that that kind of gameplay could be frustrating. And as I wrote just a idea, maybe it could improve the chance of th AI cause the player is under stress. But maybe soeone (me) might find it an interesting challenge. For the tanks You are quit right on maneuvering them properly, but normally a Cpt. would radio his tank leader: "OK, position your tank right of that 2-story building covering the right flank of our advance." No chance for the CO to get him exact in the position he wants him, but if the crew is experienced she'll surely will achieve what the COs command aimed at. For the replay: Would be real cool if one could review the whole battle All I'm writing is just for discussion and not nessessary to be added to CM at once or even ever murx

With 'undercurrency' I don't meant this thread in particular, but after reading lots of statements aiming in that direction I couldn't keep my mouth shut Hopefully I didn't annoy anyone and maybe I misinterpreted some threads/posts. Thanks for your answers then ... murx

I'm not quit sure if this is the right place for this topic, but I hope other ... I think it could be a good option to change the timescale of turns. Thus you give commands for e.g. 5 minute turns, representing that you came with a plan and can't change it immediately (the messengers have to go to and come back from your troops, the radio msgs have to be sighted to weed useful information etc). Another option is to limit the time you can give commands; no, I don't want CM to be a click feast, but to represent the pressure under which a WWII commander had to give his commands. Same had to go with the replay then, you are able to replay it once or up to three times etc. There was a discussion on screenlayout / information ingame. I would find a TOO&E useful (ingame, not only at the start of a scenario that is). Just ideas to talk about murx

Hehe, on the link the part (quote) Interoperable with the Leopard 2 NATO 120mm smoothbore tank cannon sounds like the 120mmm smoothbore is a US-product, in fact it isn't (trying rest on the Germans laurels ?). The APFSDS (in German KE - kinetic energy) round has a 120mm diameter and the projectile itself is 40mm in diameter, weighting something like 3Kg (6 pounds for you non-metrics The problem with these guns (and it's main advantage) is to get it chromed inside evenly. As it's more then 1.5 squaremeter to cover with less then 15 square centimeter not covered it's very hard to produce. But the advantage is that even after 1000! (one-thousand!) rounds there was no notably use on the barrel! So it's practical undestroyable through use! It's even selfcleaning, meaning if you shoot the round will clean the inside. The training ammo is (as we said made of beton) formed in a way that it's instable after 4 Km and will only fly max 12 Kms, the war-rounds (APFSDS) could fly nearly up to 100Km (but that wouldn't be aimed and the projectile will just make a clonk on the ground..) The cartridge(? right word ?) is made of a solid bottom with a electric fuse and a ignition needle that expands through the complete powder section, But the powder itself is hold together bymillboard ( ? Pappe ?). So there is not much left for the loader to get rid off murx [This message has been edited by Murx (edited 06-17-2000).]

As Germanboy said, it's a bit off of most interesting sites. You might want to visit the Panzermuseum in Munster (Niedersachsen). They got several WWII tanks in very good shape. I think they even got a WWI A7V tank. (German, crew 16 or 17, 5Mgs, and a 3.5 or 3.7mm turretgun). And the main military training grounds are located there (some US units were (are?) stationed there too. murx

I can't find anything special in a squad grunts firing in combat in several directions. A man can turn very fast and shoot in a different direction - But don't expect that from tanks, StuGs or even manpower operated sIG s ! murx

For vehicles: the Puma (don't recall what SdKfz it was (SdKfz 234 ? )) For weapons the 'Hitlesäge', MG42 but with improved bolt and reduced ROF. 1800 rounds of 7.92mm should take care of most things. Very good on tanks with 'gegossenen' (build as a single piece in a foundry?) turrets. That makes them ring like a curchbell and could get the crew ear and nose bleeding, thus panicing them murx

I'm not quit sure but I feel a kind of 'undercurrency' pointing that most of the German troops were either, green, wartired & wounded Veterans or undermanned, or, most of the time alltogether. But if that was the fact then, I would like to ask(please don't feel offended), why the hell took it so much time even with massiv air-superiority, outnumbering the German troops with tanks and infantry with 3-1 at least to get Germany surrender ????? I'm surely happy that Germany has lost the war (or I would be guarding the German Chinese border right now ) but it sounds like most of you seem to underestimate the German Wehrmacht and attached units and industry! A population of less then 100 million kept the complete industrial world hold the breath for 5 years! I'm not proud of German atrocies or genocides done - but what they achieved military, industrially and in science was nearly unbelievable. Sure the western Allies and Russia achieved very much in the war but if You disrespect the German achievements You lessen the Allied victory. It's a greator victory to struggle a worthy enemy then to crush a lesser one. Just my opinion, and I hope no one feels offended. murx

Big Time Software, thanks for the answer, additional question arising from minimum ranges would be if the TacAI knows it and uses it (sure veteran squads know of min-range and would run to the tank if they are close, and not away ...) Hopefully a search will give me the answer. murx

The heat-problem may cause th B to supply to little power for the V3. There are several MB that don't complete follow the AGP-specifications and won't give a stable 6Volt powersupply to the card. Normally this effect would show up when the card switches from 2D to 3D mode as then the powerdrain is highest (but drops back). But as a warm (not neccessary overheated) chips drain ore power it could be a 'build-up' problem. I'm using a V3 too, but with a Asus-MB, so I'm quit sure that it's not the game or card either that crashes your pc. murx

Beachheads and the like in CM make only sense when they are on interesting terrain and reasonable forces on both sides. No reason to play a head-on attack over several hundred meters of plain beach. But as LOS wrote, one can think of 'interesting' assaults with realistic chances and tactical maneuvering on both sides (You are THE lucky commander of a force encountering a completely undermanned and armed part of the beach with rough terrain that's not plain - as the German commander you haven't much fortifications but then your remaining forces are movable and can strike at your command Hopefully this makes sense murx

Seems that it'll take some time till I get my pack of CM so I thought a drill might be good. murx

I'm still looking for someone to fight PBEM So if You got some time and not already 193477 games running just send me a setup, any side, any scenario marcus.metzler@schunter.etc.tu-bs.de murx

SM Gettysburg isn't that click feast as one noted. You can select the speed (even set it to pause) and give commands. In fact its a veryveryvery (hope no one is offended) light version of CM. You should give it a chance, it's quit funny Just, Just me, murx, murxmurx -

On the other hand there should be a command to HOLD FIRE for the main gun. Let the tank spray his MGs and turn the turret to a logical degree (that is from 10 O'Clock to 2 O'Clock in real Panzertactics) but don't waste a round. Especially reloading the gun (HE for infantry, AP for tanks) takes lot of time and most of the time my tanks end up facing the enemies tank but still reloading couse they found it nice to see some grunts splattering. As a tanker I learned that in combat you don't unload and reload the gun, you just shoot the type of ammo you loaded and hope your loader gots the right round with the next shot... Just my experience with tanks & ammo (nowadays we tankers aren't allowed to shoot our big gun on grunties, boo murx

On VoT I made a flanking maneuver with a full platoon on the left. Just when they reached the woods near the wall the 150mm sIG openend fire! That was a slaughter, and boy, were those 7 survivors from the original 40 men happy to see the 81mm mortar barrage go down on the gun ... murx

We got fire, we invent wheel, we build server Neandertaler Technology - the one and only ! ugh, murx

Another point on weapons would be underrange! Is that point included. As far as I know Panzerfausts & Schreks had a minimum useful range, as all weapons of tanks have. They just cant shoot at targets closer then 15 m in most cases. the main gun has even a larger dead fire arc ... murx (Just wondering whats in CM I havent discovered yet :")

I like to get the one 105mm spotter from area white in VoT sneak with his commander (preferable one with Stealth+ ) in a position where he can see the complete Plomville ... I love thos buildings crashing down. harrharrharr (btw, crashing buildings & use of weapons don't make smoke/dust ? not even a bit ? booo ) murx

Talked to can mean many things, like talking in a chatroom with only pseodonyms... The main problem with a validation key is, that when the algorythm is in the gamecode itself - then it can easily be found and a keygenerator coded (or completely ripped of). For CDs the Safedisk and ?Laserlook? copyprotections is better but can be hacked too. The best copyprotection I found up to date is the key from Quake3. (Don't shoot me cause I mention this game . I have no way to validate my thoughts on this but I think it works this way: Its a long list of random keys - no algorithm. So when a server checks your key it contacts IDs keyserver and validates it. I think same could be done (OK, its too late for CM1) with CM - PBEM would be played over a 'mail-server' from BTS and in the mail had to be a valid key. But thats impractible I think. murx

When talking on unsure facts I would like to see more incorrect sightings in game. Like the sIG 150mm being disabled (cause they all got their heads and asses in the ground hiding the arty & MGs fire. And the the crew pops up and fires again. Maybe even recrewing abandoned guns/bunkers/vehicles - its safer for a infantry squad to fire from the inside of a bunker even if the build in MGs are defect then to hide in the forrest around it. I would like to see bunkers with better camouflage (not just that grey beton style as they werent like that most of the time) so ambush with the 75mm makes sense. It should be very hard to tell a wooden bunker from a concrete one! Just my opinion murx