McAuliffe

How do you explain then, that hiding behind a wall in CM:1, was protecting you more or less from direct fire, while when yo uwere putting your guys on top of the wall, they were dead meat? ...or when you were positioning your squad just close to a bocage hedge, this gave them a better LOS then when they were sitting a couple of meters back? I can as well recall instances where my pixeltruppen, crawling to a ridge, were difficult to hit, while when they were ending up a a couple of meters further, they were obliterated.

Well, I am of same opinion as Gautrek, Lunsku, Guachi, Steiner and Co.... So, maybe he didn't have to add "in my modest opinion" at all. My humble observation shows, that we lost since CM1 series a number of good implementations: - target lines - command lines - one click status report (wounded, killed, deployed, calling arty...) - adjustable waypoints - targeting at precise points instead of 'grid sticking' - ambush ( hide&cover arc) - hunt (move to contact - stop - fire - move on) - scoot and shoot - targeting of higher level floors of buildings (while lower levels where out of LOS) - scenario/map editor that is compatible with 3rd party apps that allow underlying bmp to transpire (not to mention importing DEMs) - free set up or default setup option - execution delay penalties reflecting chain of command lag. - WeGo by TCP/IP (some will add automatic generated quick battle maps, but I rather preferred anyway designed maps that were imported in a QB) For as far as I played the CMBN demo, we won on following: - incredible intense graphics, including 1 to 1 representation. - more realistic terrain due to smaller grid squares. - maybe not relevant in a Normandy setting, but will show a big improvement in later Bulge or Italy games : increased relief height. - scripted scenarios increasing the single player challenge. - maps and pictures in briefings. - I am not the one to judge, but according to general comments, higher accuracy of the degree of lethality of HE etc... - Acquiring ammo of fallen buddies, re-manning equipment /vehices. - I am not too happy about the way they simulated fog of war, unless I am missing out on a help tool to find out who is seeing what, but let's consider its a good attempt. - some will argue RT play, but I rather prefer to play WeGo anyway. ... and I regret , but that 's were my observations about CMBN stop, so feel free to add if I am missing out on something. Personally, I don't have problems with commanding the camera, but I am keyboard shy anyway. NB.: I liked camera positioning in CM:1 series as well. So, what Gautrek is trying to say; that despite all the goodies we won, he is regretting that a lot of aspects of the CM:1 series are missing. I think he is entitled to make that observation and to question how comes, without being branded as an inflexible and stubborn board game grognard. I don't understand how those implementations would affect the IRL simulation, so for my money it is rather due to the limitations of the engine. Why would they throw them otherwise out?

I had to play the demo on my old trusty Dell Latitude D420 (Genuine Intel CPU U2500 @ ...1.20 GHz , 1.5 GB RAM and a Mobile Intel 945 GM Express Chipset.) and guess what? I was able to play it! Okay, I had to be with my nose on top of the action to see what was happening or to appreciate the graphics, but in top view mode it ran rather smooth. The Combat Mission series are probably best you can find in turn based 3D WWII gaming, basically -and correct me if am wrong -because its the only 3D WWII turn based game around. Actually, I should rather say it was, because CMBfN is clearly developed for playing RT. I give example: In the bocage fighting, it is advised that your tanks spray opposite hedge over it's whole length with area fire and put some smoke in the corners. Can anyone explain me how to do this in WeGo and 1 minute turns without wasting half of your ammo in one spot? Same is valid for MG covering fire or mortar fire. You might waste half of your 60 mm mortar ammo in one minute mission on that pesky MG position with one survivor that is clinging to the trigger. So what I am trying to say is, that if you play RT, the game is rather playable, although with some shortcomings (no rewind, no overview of fire patterns or targets for each element. No info on fire missions when in process etc...) but when playing WeGo several commands are missing to allow you to develop same tactics as in RT. What happened to the shoot and scoot command? Why can't you define area fire? How to hide and trigger ambush, etc.. Some other remarks: I am still a bit confused by the floating icons and seem to gamble always on the wrong one to click. I prefer colour bases that are permanently hi-lited. but maybe I need some better hardware to perfection this skill. the 'gridsticking' of the target lines or mov lines works rather distracting as well. Cannot remember this was happening in CM1 series? (and that was a larger grid). Fire missions. Yes, I know that calling fire mission is complex. Guess what, I was a forward observer myself. but why do I have to click all these options in the game? If I want to have an arty FO simulation game, I will buy one. Let the guy at the battery deal with how many tubes and what ammo he has to use or in this particular case the computer. As in real life, in my experience, the FO just indicates type of target and battery will decide what goodies they will drop. Would rather prefer to see in one click, where the units are that are under control of the HQ. Just like in CM1, you should be able to click HQ and to see through connecting red lines or by hi-liting the bases ,the units that are under his command and are in communication range. Fog of war or simulating chaos of the battlefield is all fine, but don't let me pay for it by working harder in front of my screen and do time consuming manipulations of the keyboard. Just punish me with a time penalty or delay of the execution the orders like in CM 1, that was fair enough. Played so far 'road to Berlin' an 'busting the bocage', hence did not see any German hardware yet. I will definitely buy this game, but 11 years after CMBO, I was expecting some more enhancement than just a graphical improvement. Play wise, I mean -interface and commands -I don't know if there is actually an enhancement. That's my first impression .

But Piracy is big business for a lot of companies as well. P&I clubs asking excessive insurance premiums. Security companies selling all kind of equipments to be fit aboard ranging from barbed wire to sonic bombs. Contractors putting armed guards on vessels as soon as they pass Columbo or Jemen. You can earn USD 10'000 per day if you're a candidate to travel to Somalia and hand over the ransom and finally, the national governments have some reason to put their expensive navy at use and can offer their fleet for convoy service at rather low risk.

Hi. I will get a new lap top ThinkPad T520 Intel Core i7-2620M-2.7GHz 4GB 500GB 15.6inch (1600x900) blablabla Windows 7 Pro 64 I looked up the model and it says that for Graphics it will have an integrated Controller Intel HD Graphics 3000 Dynamic Video Memory. I was thinking that I would have preferred a separate graphic card, but when reading reviews of this controller it seems to do a got job. Has anyone experience with these integrated controllers and will it do the job for CM/N?

Assembly year 1963 here. The closest I got to board games was Colditz and Stratego. When I bought my first PC in the mid nineties I was looking for WW I & II flight sims, but then I found in a sales rack a french version of Talonsoft's Ardennes 1944. It had already 3D hex maps and I loved the intro movies. When I stumbled into the CMBO demo, I was of course immediately hooked and I admit that CM:1 series consumed more then a healthy proportion of my spare time. The addiction faded away, but just like with all drugs, the urge is still lingering around, probably waiting to strike again when CM:Ardennes comes out. I hope, I will have retired by that time :-)

I was fooling around with the CMSF demo editor over the weekend in order to get a feel of the interface and the potential of making accurate maps and this came immediately to my mind as well. I had so much fun when Mapping Mission was around for the CM:1 series. you could even import digital elevation maps. It would be great if someone could develop a similar application for CM:N

Beer and chocolate?... are you serious, man? That's pure blasphemy!

Was above screen shot an intentional attempt?

OMG, Epic battle I remember well, my graphic card overheated on displaying the smoke plumes of the wrecks littering the battlefield.

If I recall correctly, the event was also subject of the climax in Herman Wouk's book: "The Caine Mutiny". Although not specifically mentioned being Typhoon Cobra. Not bad movie either with Humphrey Bogart acting as the paranoid Captain.

That's okay, as long as you come out with a CM:FIFA module.

aargh...I must be terrorist then.

That's Nothing... When staying in my fav motel in Drenica valley, I am banned for suspicious hacking behaviour. Moon, there is nothing wrong with IP 93.87.53.134, except that provider is most likely run by one of the ex KLA commanders. Can you release this number from your black-list please?

Will you be able to use maps, that are designed for Module 1, in Model 2 or Module 3? #242 and counting

Send me an e-mail and I will forward to you the files.

In this movie excerpt, some interesting shots of reloading with stripper clips as of 1.16: http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=60248

We regret to inform you, that you will only obtain domestic status once you have passed fumigation and submitted phytosanitary certificate.

I was pondering for while -like the whole day - how to react to Steve's comments, but I contemplated that this thread shouldn't go where "The Grog and the Car Designer - a Parable" ended. All in all, I have actually to admit, this is probably an unique game forum, where you get actually answers from the designer Himself... although it might include a rhetoric question with a derogatory remark. I am satisfied for now, that "my more mileage for the gas" request ended somewhere on an internal to do list. It keeps the flame burning, maybe it will fire up again when CMIII comes out. Might well be CM:In search of the Holy Grail or somefink. That, or they can compensate and boost the flame by skipping fooling around in the hedgerows and go directly to the serious business of the Bulge :-)

Congratulations with your choice. Don't know much about the other options, but I lived almost 6 years in Switzerland, 3 years in Lugano and 3 years in Zurich. Obviously every place has its pro and cons, but I think in Basel, the pro's outweigh the cons. Although close to French border, Basel is predominantly German speaking and with that goes also a bit the Swiss German mentality. I don't know to what extend you master the German language, but Swiss German is quite different and it's difficult to mingle with the locals if you don't speak it. I can tell you for sure, that there is even openly an aversion by the Swiss towards everything that is German including Hochdeutsch. So sometimes, better to show right away, that you are coming form the other side of the planet, instead of been taken mistakenly for a German. If you don't have a EU passport, obtaining a L or B-permit can be a bit of pain. Make sure the company organises that you obtain the working permit before you show up at working place. Envious colleagues might inform the police if you are illegally working. If Mrs. Affentitten is joining you, the company should also arrange for her residence permit. Regarding places to live, yes it is expensive, budget minimum 2'000 CHF for a 100 m2 apartment per month + 3 month caution, but the quality is outstanding and kitchen fully equiped. Swiss tradition puts the washing machine in the cellar and you share it with the other inhabitants. Strict rules apply when you want to use it! Real estate agents are looking very professional, but are just the same kind of crooks as everywhere else. Good advice: Go through the inventory in detail and mark every little default you can find. On the other hand, if repairs are needed, they will provide immediately. Try to get the company pay or compensate for medical insurance, since it is quite expensive. Most of the time company will also contribute in a private pension fund. (3rd pillar) besides the obligatory 2nd pillar. You can take this money out of the fund, when you leave the country. Traffic: Behave! Don't speed! Don't drink while driving, it will cost you a fortune if you get caught. Buy a GPS with fixed speed camera warnings, the place is just swamped with these traps. Else a great place to live security wise, breathtaking nature, nice summers. Winter can get a bit depressing in the lower parts, because of the frequent fog conditions that covers most of the time the Unterland. If you can find a place to live on a hill above 700 or 800 meters , you should be safe, but I doubt you will find one nearby Basel.The old town centers are full of trendy bars, you have festivals and lots of international concerts. If I would return, I would rather prefer the French speaking part. I loved as well Lugano in Ticino and would have settled there for life, if the company had not decided to move offices to Zurich. Anyway, I wish you marvelous stay and enjoy the new adventure!

Quite obviously the car fell out of the sky and made the rock topple over.

I am actually little baffled, that you asked for an explanation, wasn't it you that asked for the implementation of this feature yourselves. I digged this one up.... Regarding my ranting, you should always keep in mind that I am bit of sarcastic nature and go overboard in order to make my point. Sometimes it helps, most of the time I get the door slammed in the face unfortunately. I apologise if any personal feelings were hurt.

Sorry, if you didn't understand, but I was referring to one of my old pet peeves dating back to early days of CM. But guess, I am not alone. "The follow the leader" idea consists of appointing one "leader unit" and plot the way points for this individual leader. You then select a bunch of units that will direct themselves in the shortest way to the starting point of the leader unit and from there onwards follows the leader in his foot-steps or tracks for that matter. It would function a bit like the embarking command, but without embarking. A more fine-tuned version would consist of adding an tactical advance menu like: -Advance in column -Advance in line abreast -Advance in W-shape or diamond shape. The introduction of this command would cut input by 2/3 in my opinion, which would make game play much more enjoyable. The current group selection is just too crude and needs the whole time re-adjusting, since changing way points has been omitted this is made in CMSF a real bugger (for as far as I played it) [ranting mode on] The idea was discussed and requested already over and over, but for one reason or another, it seems not to dawn on BF, that this would be one of the most essential changes in order to improve game play and tops the requests-list far beyond top dressings like exchanging ammunition or loose chin straps. [ranting mode off]

That's all very impressive, but does that mean, that there is even more micro-management involved? Do we have to plot waypoints for each and everyone of these teams to make a squad advance in a coherent way or will we have finally some group commands, that will avoid repetitive plotting as of squad level or even better platoon level? Uhm... did I mention follow the leader command?

Must admit, that I was thinking same at first impression. That and the projection of a wide avenue in an average Calvados village don't seem right to me. You would maybe see a wooden gate at the entrance of a bocage patch, but IMHO, in open terrain, boundaries of fields and orchards are rather made up of barbed wire instead. I guess you would see stone walls or iron fences around farms. And.. are that apple trees?