Bertram

I wonder if that is true. Looking at the updates the Sherman got, the Pz IV got, and the T34 (or the Leopard and the M1 for modern examples) most tanks were (and are) upgraded multiple times. Seems this is more cost effective (and faster) than designing a completely new one. No, I think it more probable that it was both a case of wanting to have it 'bigger and better' then the others, and a desperate hope in superweapons on the German side that got them designing more and more 'superthingies' as the war went on. Bertram

GMT +1 here (the Netherlands) No PBEM's this morning, so send me a setup. I'll be away this evening, reacting tomorrow evening. Bertram

According to the manual it DOES stay on, you need to turn it of again with another ALT-C if you reconsider. Um, re-read it, on page 105 it says you have to choose this option again and select 'NO' to cancel. I understood this to meaning it carried over from one turn to the other, but that might not be true. It should though I think. Bertram

Done

one more for The Netherlands

I had some bugs to with the update, but only in those scenario's/battles that were carried over from version 1.01 to 1.03. Observed bugs: - both sides seeing the flags as 'theirs' - both sides having a 80% victory in a given turn - final scores not matching what really happened during the fight In battles started since the update this hasn't happened. Bertram

There also is already a disadvantage of using the map edge to advance. If your troops get broken (and some of them will, more on the attacker side then on the defender side usually) there is a real change they 'run of the map', and are lost for the remainder of the scenario. So advancing along the map edge can very quickly cost you a complete battlion, especially if they run into some decent artillery fire. Bertram

You could try to get the old Voodoo3 3000, should go for about $100. It has 16 Mb of RAM (I believe). It is the one I use (on a PII/400), and is good for the smaller scenario's (with all options on, res. 1200x1000), a bit stuttering with the large ones. An alternative option is a plain OEM TNT2 card. Should go for even less, and has 32 Mb. Looks not as good (in my opinion) but should be able to handle larger scenario's (and higher framerates if you play Quake or UT). Bertram

40 BR

Hi Zamo, Seems that the head engineer of that one is our friend K. Laumer isn't it? Bertram

I think the house collapsing at one point is a gross oversimplification of the real thing. Most houses don't stand unscratched for a couple of shots, and then, with that one shot to many, collapse like a house of cards. In reality the house just would detoriate more and more. As it is to computer intensive to have multiple images for each house, with more and more damage, this is abstracted. So there would usually not be a point where the shooter would say: 'Ah, that bullet did it, now I can target something else'. (see pictures of the time of the french villages, most houses are standing, allthough the interior might be totally destructed). Bertram

you could check the MOUT homepage on this: /www.geocities.com/Pentagon/6453/ (forgot once again how to hook adresses in posts) Bertram

You need the 1.03 patch. Everything else is extra. But there are some really nice extra's out there. I would recommand the MadMatt's Mods (sp?), both sounds and grafics. Personally I liked the high res grass mod with associated tree modifiers etc. (NOT the dark grass, couldn't see the troops in that one) but that is a heavy 8.8 mb. The winter mods are nice, but not really a must have, especially since I think you are better of starting playing in good weather, to keep things simple. Bertram

The size of PBEM games is mainly one of preference. Right now I am playing several smaller and one big PBEM game. I find I like the smaller ones better, as the large one takes me to much time to plot, and I tend to get interested in a portion of the battle, and to forget to give orders for the other half of the troops. What works best for me is a medium map, defense force up to 1000 points, and about 30 turns (but the issue is mostly decided by turn 25 al last). The big one I am talking about is the scenario near Caen. And as said, while it is tense, it is a bit to big for me. Bertram

Well, I guess that setles it then. Still would like to have the TC use that main gun though (grumble). Bertram [This message has been edited by Bertram (edited 07-29-2000).]

First the situation: the infantery was about 250 mtrs to the front of the tank, and 50 mtrs to the left, and running to a spot 50 mtrs left of the tank. So, while they were not running straight at the tank, they were also not crosswise on its field of fire. Second: as to efficiency and use of weapons. I can buy that it is (to) difficult to hit moving troops with the main gun (although the tank could do it if I specifically ordered it), but even if the troops hit the deck the tank only fired the mg. The mg by the way that hardly killed any troops at all (even post 1.03 patch).(Not surprising really, with the tank buttoned up). No, it felt more like 'Oh, infantery in the open, those we can have with our MG, don't spend those expensive HE rounds on them'. It might even be a correct tactic with just a few squads or when low on HE. But in this case it was 'pence wise and pound foolish'. I certainly think I would be firing HE at anything that moved if I was a tank commander being swamped with infantery and having plenty HE, even if the chances of hitting anything were remote (but then again, I never even have been in the army in real live). Bertram

I don't know about bombers landing in the wrong coutries, but I do know that until recently there was a farm near Winschoten (up in the north of the Netherlands, about 20 miles short of Germany) who had the place name rather big laid ouyt in different colored roof tiles. This was done during the war, as it was in the route of the British planes going to Germany, to prevent 'misunderstandings'. Pilots often had trouble knowing exactly where they were, especially as the country around there is mostly fat farmland without much by the way of specific landmarks. (I think an arrow with 'Germany that way' would have been to obvious) Bertram

During a quick battle aganst the AI last night I ran into a TacAI problem regarding tanks versus infantery. In this game I was, as US, defending. My troops consisted, for the relevant part, of infantery with a M5A1 Stuart as support. There was a snow cover on the ground, visibility was good. The infantery was dug in in a line in the centre, the Stuart was guarding the left flank. Terrain was woods in the centre (with my infantery), open on the left flank, with a victory flag in the middle and in the left corner behind my lines in some woods. The enemy appeared to consist of some halftracks, arty and lots of infantery. The halftracks got killed by the Stuart, so the infantery was left. The AI suppressed my troops by arty, and charged all his infantery across the open field on my left flank, to get to the victory flag there. To do this they had to cross the field of fire of that Stuart. Now comes the problem: the Stuart refused to use his main gun on that infantery. The Stuart was buttoned up by that time (range was about 250 mtr, and there were at least 20 infantery squads, HQ, AT-teams, mg's and flamethrowers charging across the field). The Stuart saw the infantery fine, and even chose the logical targets (running infantery, close before distant, AT teams before 'plain' infantery) but engaged them only with his MG. He usually would target a unit until it hit the deck (often without casualties) and then target the next one. As there were just to many enemy units the first would be running again before the tank had stopped all the other ones. This slowed the advance down, but didn't really hurt the enemy. So after three turns (during which I had to back up to keep a save distance) I ordered the tank to target a specific unit, and when asked gave order to use the main gun. The next turn the Stuart proceeded to blast this unit, keeping it targeted even after it broke and ran, until it was totally destroyed. It did use the main gun. Unfortunatly this gave the other units the change to advance unhindered, so I was forced to let the TacAI pick its own targets the next turn. It, once again, only used the MG. So I was stuck with either blasting one unit the entire turn, giving the others the opportunity to advance unopposed, or letting the TacAI choose targets, using only the mg. This in effect did slow down the advance, but didn't kill any enemies. At the end of the game the infantery had passed the Stuart, almost without casualties, and the Stuart hadn't used his main gun, apart from the turn I told him to concentrate on one target, and once on an infanterist who was stupid enough to consider a wooden building saver than the open. Now if that Stuart had been a TD, with only 10 HE rounds this would have been acceptable, as I can understand that the TC would have wanted to save those shells for a special occasion. But this was a Stuart, and it had 85 (or 86?) HE shells to start with. At games end it stil had 76 HE shells left. It had caused only 14 infantery casualties, among those the 8 I forced it to use its main gun on. And this while during 12 turns about 100 infanterist in the open sat (and ran) at about 250 mtrs. So, to finish: I think the TacAI should be tweaked so that tanks with plenty HE should use this more often on infantery in the open. Bertram [This message has been edited by Bertram (edited 07-29-2000).]

If and when online playing is available I will at least try it out. But I don't know how often I will have the time to play an entire game (sure hope there will be a save feature). I like the pbem just fine, doing two turns a day (morning and evening) with multiple opponents. You can put this in your scedule when it fits, and in as small increments as necessairy. Bertram

Actually you can work something out. You will have to play an e-mail game with two sides, one the Germans, the other the British/Canadians (or whatever other combo of Allied troops). The German plays his turn normally, and send it to the first Allied player. This player givers orders to his troops, and saves the game using Alt-S. This saved game is send to the second Allied player, who opens it as a normal saved game (choose game type 'e-mail') and gives his units orders. After hitting 'Go he sends the turn to the German player. For the movie the German player should send the PBEM turn to both Allied players (who should coordinate who gives orders first, and sends the turn to the other Allied player). The Allied players should share the password of course. Disadvantages: - the second Allied player can see the orders of the first Allied player, so coordinating is easier for them. (might want to switch who goes first between the Allied players). - the Allied players have less FoW then they should, as they can see all units of their Allies, AND those German units spotted by their Ally. - it will take even longer to run a game. Bertram [This message has been edited by Bertram (edited 07-28-2000).]

I agree, I was stumped on that one as well.

Most scenario's should, with al options turned on. The bigger ones will be a bit chunky. Bertram (got a P2/400, voodoo3, 128 Mbb intern, for reference).

German engineers are called 'Pioniere', or 'Pioneer' units. Bertram

Jaako, I got about the same system (with 128 kb intern memory) and I get the same problems when running to much programs in the background (virus scanner, cordless mouse, e-mail, crashguard, soundmixer, etc.). When I close down as much as possible usually no crashes or weird things happen, but sometimes I get strange tiles after switching from CM to e-mail and back, even if I closed the e-mail program after sending the mail. Bertram

I like the operations, but have the same problems with them as mentioned before: lack of insight in the objective in some (how far do I have to advance to do good?) the retreating of my troops due to the battles end. I understand the need to disengage, but having taken a key feature (like a hill with nice cover) and having it reinforced with most of my troops, it is very irritating to find that you have to start next battle by taking it again. In my opinion the algorith which decides the frontline (preferable not straight) should use some method of weighting spots on the map according to defensability (woods, hills, buildings) and troops employed. Troops in good positions should not be forced to withdraw, while troops in the open should withdraw at least to the next cover. Nb.: In my opinion an not straight version of the front line is a must if you want to get the city fighting on the East Front right.