securityguard

This is an unbelievably massive improvement, sounds like a map makers dream come true. Does the new map engine have a limit of tiles?

full movie playback is #1 on my list. I have a feeling I'll be disapointed, because they have said in the past that they would try to get it in but no promises (which probably means it's last on their list). I feel it's a very important feature, right next to having teamplay modes in MP. Variable fogs of war, the ability to view plot lines, the ability to stop on a dime anywhere at any time is EXTREMELY helpful to study strategy. And it's fun!

i've waited 5 years for this *breaks into hives and convulses into uncontrollable sweat*

How is that even possible? HC rounds do not ricochet whatsoever. Shrecks and bazookas are incredibly over modeled in CMBO as well. I remember 180m fantasy shots with shrecks, brewing tanks left and right. They had an insane hit chance ratio which was totally diminished in CMBB, and is probably worse in CMAK. Also, David I your post made me laugh quite a bit. PIATS are ****ty, but yet so awesome.

I at least hope that the minimal of 1:1 will be ammo count, morale status and maybe something like 'current action' similar to CC. IE, 'unjamming', 'can't see enemy', 'confused'. At least I hope for something like that. One thing I loved about CC was all the different things that could happen at any given time. I also hope you can see when someone goes 'bezerk' or 'brave'. In CC it wasn't abusable (unlike CM, where knowing something is fanatical could be abused) becaus you had no direct control of bravery in any shape or form. In CC I've had a sharpshooter go beszerk and melee 5 guys who charged him. You just can't create better drama than that.

I at least hope that the minimal of 1:1 will be ammo count, morale status and maybe something like 'current action' similar to CC. IE, 'unjamming', 'can't see enemy', 'confused'. At least I hope for something like that. One thing I loved about CC was all the different things that could happen at any given time. I also hope you can see when someone goes 'bezerk' or 'brave'. In CC it wasn't abusable (unlike CM, where knowing something is fanatical could be abused) becaus you had no direct control of bravery in any shape or form. In CC I've had a sharpshooter go beszerk and melee 5 guys who charged him. You just can't create better drama than that.

Darn, I forgot the editor doesn't take rarity into account. However, I'd like to point out with various dates / regions the rarity points are different. Late War south the 75mm 1918 gun is nearly 42pts, but early war central it's only 22pts. The 150mm almost never changes prices, and so far I haven't seen it other than 40% rarity, 74/60pts...

And far cheaper? </font>

If you play an 'optimal setting' attack and expect balance, it never works out. There are a trillion variables that either make an attack too easy for attackers, or impossible. The middle ground is rare. Take for example an assault with mod trees, small hills with snow. Attacker has weakend mechanized, 'medium' quality, and defender hs infantry only at 'high' quality. 45+ turns. In this example the attacking force is going to have trouble over whelming the defending. Remove the snow and 'weakened' elements and it may be too easy for attacker, etc. The map layout is also a huge factor. On an assault, you want to use fortifications to their ultimate ability. If the map allows a serious keyhole, your advantage sky rockets. Putting barbwire, mines and trench traps where you know the enemy has to go will pretty much halt him. The staple CM game is combined arms vs combined arms, 1,250 points, ME in a village. Throwing in things like casualties, randomized quality or lower ammo makes the player feel they unbalance things too much so they don't bother. In reality, CM isn't even balanced to begin with. [ August 16, 2005, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: securityguard ]

The GP operations are some of the most solid, balanced 2 player operations ever. They are great!

Does anyone actually move AT or Infantry guns mid QB battle? How does that work? The first turn you fire with the gun, everything sees it. It will almost always be fired at and the gun will abandon, unless your opponent is unlucky and doesn't have mortars. If he doesn't have mortars, then theres no reason to move it - huge waste of time. I'm not saying the 150mm can't be countered, or isn't easily countered - it is. However for 53 points theres almost no reason not to take the risk with one since they are so immensely powerful. Even if you only get a turn of shooting out of them they can change a battle drasticly. Two turns of area fire will almost assuredly result in devestation if it's appropriately placed. Two 75mm Infantry guns are a good purchase but if your opponent is prepared than you end up spending more points for less damage (depending). 150mm gun does nearly 5x the damage of one 75mm in just one shot! 248 blast value VS 47 blast value, for only 25 points more. It is a bargin no matter how you look at it! [ August 14, 2005, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: securityguard ]

It's one reason I don't play PBEM's. They almost never begin, finish, whatever.

The best type of infantry are the ones that follow orders. I'll take vet troops no matter what they carry! But if you're going by raw fire power, 560 FP at close range is pretty much unbeatable. However, over range, check out a Sturmkompanie in later years. They only have 283 FP at close range, but their fire power remains very steady over longer ranges. At long range their FP is around 87, while an airborne company (due to SMG only) has about 25 or so. Airborne company is WAAAAY more practical than a Sturmkompanie, however. Much less expensive. I'd like to see one of those Airborne Platoons get up close to a normal rifle platoon, it would be a massacre. Are there any other infantry units that have more than 560FP at close range? Not even most SMG squads are even close to that...!

About vertical roll problem: I found if you use a vertical roll on a wingman, but don't change altitude, then use another, it gives you the same bug. There are no buttons and you lose the roll.

I think during a JAM, since they aren't firing, they turn into an icon in most situation anyways. Hiding them would be cool for a suprise attack though. I've had one dude hide his MG42's after my gun shelled it, then when I got a little closer he unloaded on me through an arc.

150 IG has been under priced for every version of CM, for sure. Anyone who says otherwise has no idea how the game works or doesn't use them right. I think they're priced at 53 pts (rarity depending) and can easily destroy 100pts+, more if not countered. An 81MM spotter cost slightly more than that and doesn't have nearly the same effect. Infact, one reason I couldn't play CMBO online anymore was due to 150mm whoring. SMG squads and 150mm guns, man that sucked for online quick battles. Carl Puppchen, you're right. Most of the time people pick those in competitive play which is why I don't do competitive games. I mostly play online campaigns with friends (using the Robo Campaign Generator) or scenarios / ops. QB's are just too predictable, even with variable rarity + casualties.

...can you not use defensive cards? It seems like when someone dives up to me, he can use maneuver cards with impunity. Are scissor cards only used on the offensive? In other words, can I only use scissor cards when I target something, and not when I'm being targeted (unless he uses scissors first)? I haven't really noticed, but it also seems like tight turns don't work when they dive on you. Maybe it's a figment of my imagination.

No wonder my pilots XP slowly dwindled on the gain. Now I feel a lot less bad about losing my best pilot!

What does 100xp limit do? Is that culmative or current? How come I see some demo players on the board have exp beyond 100xp (including a few of my pilots)?

I made a huge thread on 150mm tactics awhile back, do a search on it. Has some countering info, but you mostly hit the nail on the head. Yeah, 150mm is a risky buy but in general it's so cheap it doesn't really matter. It can do almost quadruple its point value in the right situation. A lot of people think the KV-1 is over powered in early war, and it probably is. I think the Panzer IIIJ can counter it but just barely. If you fight early war you can pretty much expect a KV-1 in your fight, so it's just best to examine the tank and find the right gun for it.

It's a little confusing, but what happens is it 'spawns' an one man crew. All those shots seem to be in the same time frame for sure, since all the HMG positions are in their exact spot. From what I understand, the HMG team 'dies' as 0/6, but then spawns a 1 man crew at 1/5. They are automaticly low ammo.

See! I told you guys, neener neener! It seems they will only abandon at 1 guy though, unless someone can get a higher number. It's still amazing I've played so long and I've only seen it happen once. I suppose the odds of it happening are slim since it's a really spontaneous situation which usually ends in death to the HMG crew anyways...

That makes quite a bit of sense. Infact, I'd wager that's exactly what happened - the building didn't catch fire, but the remaining man tried to flee the heavily destroyed building by ditching his MG42. I've personally NEVER seen that happen, however. Typically they die with the gun no matter what the situation. I've seen a fair share of immobile HMG crews go up in flames.

I just saw something totally absurd - a crew left it's HMG behind! Night battle, just outside Berlin, a few conscript Volkssturm squads hold up against an all armored force. Needless to say they get ripped to shreds and fall back into this church, including a routed HMG crew. The church takes one too many 120mm rounds and collapses, killing everyone inside except one person. 1/5 HMG Crew, armed with pistol, low ammo! A few things to be noted: 1) It was definitely an HMG crew, I had no AT guns or anything that was crewable. 2) He did NOT surrender. He had a pistol - surrendered men drop their weapons immediately. If they come back to your side they are 'unarmed'. I always thought HMG crews were stuck with their gun no matter what. Is it intended that they can 'lose' their HMG due to confusion of casualties? I've never seen it happen in 5 years of playing!

I have no idea about CMAK, but in CMBO they definitely did. I distinctly recall my Nahverteidigungswaffe firing in the Wittman operation. Also, in CMBB, I know the Sturmtiger has one so I don't doubt the other Tiger varients carry it as well. They almost always use them in infantry assault situations, but they aren't really effective and have very limited ammo(from what I remember).