The Commissar

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Louie the Toad: I think a solution will be found when: There is more room to maneuver, less frontal, attrition attacking. (I mean maneuvering out of sight of the enemy, on flat terrain) There is a meaningful connection to a larger operation making it sensible to retreat, to advance regardless of casualties, to hit and run or hold to the last man. Right now every battle assumes we are going to attack or defend to the last man. And mostly that is what we do. But I still love this game. Toad<hr></blockquote> You forgot to add "and finally, to have a politically-inclined 'casualty limit'". While as I said before, on the East and Pacific front, life was relatively cheap, this wasn't the case in the West. If a commander is tasked with gaining a position in the Western front, and he encountered stiff resistence, he would retire to his original positons and call in backup/arty/air support so as not to lose too many men. On the Eastern front, Soviet HQ would call and ask "Why do you not control position X, as I have commanded you to do? If you do not completely your mission soon, I fear for your healt comrade major." That last bit is true BTW, I've read in a book with interviews of German generals. They said they interecepted many messeges much like that one, which really shocked them initially. As restraining as it would be, I would like to see a "minimum casualty allowance" inserted for games. If you pass it, you could still fight on, but you would be losing penalty points or something. In campaigns, it could stall offensives. Quite an interesting feature for a future remake of the Western front, no? [ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: The Commissar ]</p>

While I don't have the statistics to back it up, I don't think the opposing troop commanders would square off for as long as we do in CM, taking as many casualties, unless it was part of a major assault. Normal meeting engagements and probes really weren't meant to go and knacker the enemy force. They were more like reconnaisance by force patrols, pushed forward to determine where the enemy will fight, where the resistance isn't as strong, etc. The real battles were fought afterwards, when the recon forces came back and reported what the enemy looked like, fought like, what his priorities were, and where it would be best to launch a major assault to knock the enemy out. Of course, this is in refference to the Western front. Land fighting on the Eastern and Pacific fronts were much different in terms of willingness to take casualties and such.

CombatGen, If you have evidence that your opponent likes to use large calibre arty, use former Soviet doctrine on dealing with possible NATO employment of tactical nuclear weapons (and generally any concentration of heavy firepower). Basically, it goes something like this: Keep moving, close with the enemy ASAP, and never stop moving for any lenght of time. If possible, no more then a turn in CM terms. If your opponent likes to employ large arty, he doesn't have much other, more flexible arty in his inventory. If he can't pinpoint your men when their moving, he can't hit them. And when they stop moving while down his throat, he can't hit them either. I rather think that this will be more effective in CMBB, due to more advanced armor targeting dynamics (shame to lose advancing tanks to enemy armor because they were busy blowing up an MG) and such.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by CombatGeneral: Amen. Good men will always die for freedom. Otherwise they would not be free.<hr></blockquote> The object of war is not to die for your country. It is to make the other poor, dumb bastard die for his.

Actually, if anything, arty should be less expensive because it wasn't the king of the battlefield for nothing - there was more of it present (especially before the battle even began) then CM lets on. In any case... The best way to protect yourself against heavy arty attacks is to trick your opponent into using it too quickly. This is an artform in and of itself. One must use as few forces as possible that you can afford to lose, and still have these forces be sufficient enough to beat back any enemy infantry/armor attack. As I said, the trick is to make your opponent think that you have more men in a given area then there really are. Because heavy arty takes a long time to summon and has a small ammount of rounds, players will be reluctant to use it on anything but a large formation of enemy troops. Beware - smart players start targeting their arty spotters in the first turn of the game on locations they think the fighting will develop in. This allows them to have a smaller delay if their prediction comes true, and if not, allows them to move the arty spotter's targeting recticle around the battlefield without as much penalty. As a rule of thumb, spreading out your troops is a good idea if you are certain there can be no enemy contact in the area besides arty. Do not do this unless you are not certain there can be no contact. I sometimes throw a few round of arty at an enemy position to scare my opponent into spreading out, and then cancel the barrage and charge my men in. As for looking out for eveyrthing like flanks and such...one simply answer is to keep a reserve platoon (or company, depending on map size) somewhere behund the middle of your battle line. This way, it can get to either side relatively quickly or shift the balance of strenght in your favour in most engagements.

Don't worry about it, redowolf. If anyone asks, I suck EDIT: OK, I looked over the post again, and you're right, I made it too detailed. Edit on forementioned post now in progress. [ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: The Commissar ]</p>

And now, "In Case Anyone Gave a Damn" presents... My status: Me -vs- Lopake: Gah! Minor defeat! Evil, evil Green troops and poop throwing monkeys! Me -vs- Carrot: Gah! About to get something like a major defeat! Evil, evil Green troops and Unt Dork! Me -vs- Warhammer: I killed lots of his guys, but he did give me a major beating too. The game is about to end. Computer tells me he's winning big time despite the fact that I have knocked out most of his AFV's and butchered a fair share of his troops. *shrug* Me -vs- Kannonier Reichman: Me - Chaaaaarge! Recihman's armor: Dieeeee! Me: OK, I oblige. Battlefield is a smoking wreck. Reichman's a good defender, but things might still go my way. Me -vs- Wreck: Evil, evil poop throwing monkey! Can't even throw me a PBEM file. [ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: The Commissar ]</p>

Hitman, DOWNLOAD THE DEMO FIRST! In your previous posts, you seemed to be sort of confused as to how this game really played. So I suggest that you download the demo before you go throwing away money on a game that might not be up your alley. Mind you, this game is excellent. If you have any interest in managing anything from a platoon to a reinforced battalion of men in a 3d setting on the Western front of the Second World War, you will like this game. Maybe love it, like many on these boards (myself included) do. Still, to be safe (and to get used to the game controls while waiting for the game), download the demo here: http://www.battlefront.com/cmdemo.html

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Dogface21: Reloads and Russian drinking songs. When a squad of Russian infantry is unmolested for maybe five minutes, they break out the vodka rations and get loose. [ 12-02-2001: Message edited by: Dogface21 ]<hr></blockquote> East Front fun fact: Before a major assault, when supplies permited, Soviet troops would be given a ration of 500ml ( :eek: ) of vodka. My grandfather said he never drank his because those who did would often get overly 'brave' and do stupid things which got them killed.

The engine re-write will most probably support this. The engine we have now really was not made for such fantastic displays because BTS was aiming this game at people who probably have slower computers (ie: old time wargamers). However, now that BTS has seen how many fans they really have, and that many of them would actually upgrade just to play the game, coupled with advances in computer technology, the new engine rewrite will be able to support all sorts of cool stuff we usually expect from modern games. Personally, I could do without the snazzy light effects. Explosions and ravaged tanks you have to have!

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Nabla: I remember that this guy gave us quite a shiver here up north when he started to imply that Finland should be a part of Russia again. This was at a time when the political situation in Russia seemed quite unstable. <hr></blockquote> Oh, he has quite the good number of, how shall I put this, "unique" political agendas. For one, he feels Russia should be on the Islamic/Arabic side because, and I quote, "They have all the oil". I'm surprised he has any sort of support at all. Mostly from uninformed people I suspect, and there are unfortunately many of them in every country.

Good work, swamp!

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Kanonier Reichmann: BTW, do you think such a show will take off in your homeland? <hr></blockquote> While we don't have a Russian version of Jerry Springer, we have the next best thing - a certain fellow named Zherenovskie. You may have seen him on American "World's stupidest - " shows of somesort. He's the guy who takes off his shoes to beat people with when he can't make a descent argument, and throws glasses of water at people when he's angry. Quite the laugh riot if you momentarily forget that this is what passes for a respected politician here.

Here's a question for Matt (a serious one!): Who is doing the Russian voices? Im wondering if we're going to have the "Hollywood" Russian voice, or normal Russian voice. The Hollywood one results from an American trying to babble something in Russian. While to a fellow American it must sound authentic (like I think the German voices in the game sound authentic right now, but do they sound good to a German speaker?), to anyone who speaks Russian it is laughable. If you're not doing so already, I really suggest getting a real Russian to do the voices. [hint] I speak Russian fluently, btw [/hint]

When I asked this same question over a year ago, some guys told me that the main reason the man portable FT's didn't explode was because the FT fueld had two components. Each liquid was in one of the two cylinders, and only came together and ignited in the FT tube to be propelled outwards. Thus, the only way the FT would explode was if by some freak accident a bullet (or serious of bullets/shrapnel) actually pierced both tanks, somehow managed to mix the liquids together, and then ignited them. If this was truly the way it was done, as you can well imagine the risk of an explosion for almost none existent. However, maybe the old timers were just pulling my leg cause I was an SSN at the time

*Cue "Jerry Springer Show" theme music* Jerry: Hello and welcome to the Jerry Springer show, the Nordic Wanabe Tournament edition! Today we have a very special program for you, and as always, there will be fighting a plenty! Please welcome our first guest Commissar to the show, everyone! *Applause as Commissar walks into the studio and sits down in his chair* Jerry: Commissar is mad at Nabla, the designer of the dreaded 'unbalanced' scenarios in the Nordic Wanabe tournament. Commissar claims that Nabla is a 'no good dirty scum-sucking -beeeeeeep-* Commissar, why are you so mad? Commissar: Well Jerry, I have this game going in the NWT (Nordic Wanabe Tournament). And in this game, that no good bastard Nabla gave me all green troops, see? I just wanna confront him about his decision of giving me green troops to work with. Jerry: So tell us, what is so wrong with your Green troops? Commissar: Well you see Jerry, they're basically no good, low down, sons of bitches just like the -beep- Nabla. All they do is ruin my plans by doing really stupid things like revealing their hiden positions and getting blown to bits. Its really making me -beep-ing mad. Jerry: Any examples you would like to give the audience? Commissar: Oh, Ive got plenty! There was this one time when my green Stug was getting shot at by a Brit Sherman. The Sherman's shots weren't going through the Stug's armor because it was at an unusual angle. So I told it to back up into nearby cover. You know what that Stug did, Jerry? Jerry: No, Commissar, why don't you tell us? Commissar: Instead of reversing like I told him, the Stug actually turned 180 degrees around, and tried to fast move in the direction I ordered him to reverse into. Jerry: So I assume that Sherman penetrated the Stug's weak rear armor and killed it, right? Commissar: That is correct. And I know its all Nabla's fault for making him a stupid Greenie. Jerry: Well, let's bring Nabla into the studio. Nabla, come on out! *Audience boos as Nabla walks into studio and walks toward Commissar* Nabla: Hey, -beep- you mother -beep-er, you're just too -beep-ing stupid to use Green troops correctly! Commissar: I'll show you -beeeeeeeeep- *Commissar leaps out of his seat, grabs a nearby chair, and launges at Nabla with it. Before he can get into reach, the security grab him and try to hold him back. Cussing and screaming, Commissar manages to toss the chair at Nabla* Nabla: Owww! My -beep-ing foot you goddamn -beep-! *Nabla picks up the chair previously thrown at him and attempts to clobber Commissar over the head with it. A security guard gets into the way and recieves a face full of hard plastic. After the security manages to subdue both of them, the guests take their seats on opposite sides of the stuido, glaring at one another* Jerry: OK, Nabla, tell us your side of the story. Nabla: Well, you know that saying "Play Green troops. The key to realism in CM"? Jerry: No, I dont. Nabla: Well its in some guys signature. Anyway, these scenarios were supposed to be unbalanced. This Commissar guy is just flipping out like some -beep- for no -beep-ing reason. Commissar: Hey -beep- you man! I have a -beep-ing reason! Nabla: No you don't, you're just a -beep-ing whino! Commissar: Why you - *Commissar makes a dash for Nabla, but the security manages to tackle him on the way* Nabla: *standing up*Yeah, and what, and what?! Jerry: OK, let's all just calm down. We have a secret guest here with us today! Please welcome Unt Dork, the TC of Commissar's Stug! *Applause as Unt Dork enters the studio, proceeds to stumble over a chair sitting plainly in his way, and thumps face first into the floor. Laughter rocks the walls of the studio while Commissar covers his eyes with his hands and mumbles something uninteligeble* Jerry: Heheh, *cough*, alright Unt Dork - you ok? - what happent back there on the battlefield? Unt Dork: Well, Jirry - Jerry: It's Jerry. Unt Dork: Uh, sorry, Jerry. I was like...driving, right? Jerry: Right. Unt Dork: OK, so I was driving and then, uh, there was this tank shooting at me, right? So I was like - whoa! There's a -beep-ing tank shooting at me! Jerry: And what happent afterwards? Unt Dork: So like I was saying, I was like Whoa! So I get a radio messege from my commander *unt Dork looks at the Commissar, who is glaring at him now* to get the -beep- out of there. So I was like, hey man, my commander says I's gotta leave, so I better do it as fast as possible! Everyone knows that the "move Fast" command is the fastest way to get outta somewhere. Jerry: So you ordered your driver to turn all the way around so you could move faster?! Wouldn't it make more sence to back up and expose only your strong frontal armor? Unt Dork: The front armor, is like, stronger? I didn't know that. I like, did a lot of LSD back in the academy... Commissar: Look, he's obviously a goddamn moron! The only person who could have put him in charge of a tank is that dumb sack of -beep- across the room! Nabla: Hey, you're the dumb sack of -beep- who expected him to get results! If you were any smarter you woulda kept him hidden where he could ambush the enemy! Commissar: Hey, -beep- that and -beep- you! I'm so tired of your -beep-! You shalda done this, you shoulda done that - here's a tactic for you! You better -beep-ing duck! *Commissar takes off one of his steel toed boots and hurls it at Nabla. Everyone sees it coming but Unt Dork, who catches the boot toe first straight in the kisser* Unt Dork: OOOwwww! Mah -beep-in mooth! Uou nockth mah feef out uou -beep-! Nabla: Oh yeah?! Take THIS! *Nabla rips a fire extinguisher from the wall and swinging it around by the hose, goes for the Commissar. Misjudging his aim, the extinguisher catches Unt Dork in the back of the head at full swing.* Unt Dork: Gaahh...ugghhh...gurk Jerry: My goodness! It looks like Nabla just cracked Unt Dork's skull! He's not moving - HEY, CHECK HIS PULSE! - yes, YES ladies and gentlemen, it finally happent! ONE OF OUR GUESTS HAS BEEN KILLED ON THE STAGE! My ratings will be through thr roof!! Commissar: Hey, that wasn't a bad swing. Nabla: Thanks, Ive had a lot of practice. Fending off guys like you every day takes a lot of work. Commissar: Listen, I have a few other troops leaders that I'm not too happy with. You figure you could - Nabla: Oh yeah, yeah, no problem. Here's my business card. *The two guests walk out of the studio, in peace at the moment* Jerry: Well folks, for once we seem to have a happy ending to our program. Everything is once again laid to rest, and our two guests seem to be on friendly terms for now. What the Commissar doesn't know however is that the next turn he gets in his Inbox will feature the destruction of yet another component of his well laid scheme. Tune in tommorow for more Nordic Wanabe Tournament violence! *cue "Jerry Springer" theme music, credits* [ 12-02-2001: Message edited by: The Commissar ]</p>

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Wreck: If y'all (other than Commissar, who I am still tormenting) do not hear from me today, then it is because I think *you* have the turn, and you should resend it. <hr></blockquote> Wreck, I told you, send me a PBEM. I don't want a TCP game anymore.

LOL, LGMB Though you seem to forget Matt is a bouncer, while Fionn is just some dude from somewhere. My $20 is on Matt! [ 12-01-2001: Message edited by: The Commissar ]</p>

Make sure to open the BTS forums in a new window/ If you open it straight from the BTS website, you have the menu to the left of the screen taking up a lot of space, causing many forum messeges to not fit on the screen. I have the BTS forums, in a seperate webpage to maximize room, as my homepage

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by CombatGeneral: some of you people make me sick, have you no compasion at all? Damn you for saying that.<hr></blockquote> I hope you'll forigve me if I believe this as much as your glorious tour of duty in Harvard Law, which just in case you didn't notice, I disproved. [ 11-30-2001: Message edited by: The Commissar ]</p>

Is that a black version of Madmatt?!

It was happening to me, as well. Then I joined the Nordic Wanabe Tourney! The great gameplay and infuriatingly unbalanced scenarios reminded me what I loved (and occasionally hated) about this game Try it by joining up the next competition that comes along, it'll be fun!

To dispell a rather obvious myth: I knew that whole Harvard thing sounded a bit fishy coming from someone who's siganture states "Call me Sexy!", so I did a little search. This messege is supposedly from CombatGeneral's dad, posted in the "New CD? For the love of God help!" thread: "My son is going off to college and he has his own copy, he has made the post, I dont know what mustard has to do with chinese food, but yes I am the one with a destroyed cd. It is being taken care of. Madmatt, you can go back to not being confused, its all taken care of now. My sone is a tad bit crazy sometimes. But hey, arnt we all?" Notice the bold text. Hey, I thought you graduated, CG? What happent, bro, Harvard wasn't good enough for you?

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Kanonier Reichmann: As for the other guys in Section 3, my email system appears to now be fixed so we should be able to get underway again without too many hitches (he says with his fingers crossed). Regards Jim R.<hr></blockquote> Just to clarify Reichmann, you do have a file from me, right? I hope I don't owe you anything so we can get to the gaming faster

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Gen-x87H: It was a whole bloody mess. We can be thankful Hitler as usual interfered with the front causing many divisions to head south when Moscow was ripe for the picking. Gen<hr></blockquote> Due to the lack of anything else to do...I'll pick on this. The last time someone took Moscow, a certain general named Kutusov said something that I believe applied to WW2, or in fact, any war. "Moscow is not Russia." Kutusov willingly abandoned Moscow, bid his time, let his army rebuild and rest, and when Napoleon ran out of patience (and supplies), Kutusov was ready for him. I always though that if Hitler didn't mess this particular order up, the taking of Moscow wouldn't be as groundbreaking as everyone seems to believe. Moscow, despite having capital status, is still only a city. So Stalin and the staff would have to move their HQ to another town. And didn't Leningrad hold against German siege for months on end? What makes Moscow different (if anything, the people would fight even harder to defend it.)? Yep, bored, looking for contrasting opinions.