Louie the Toad

Hi AcePilot, Haven't talked with you in awhile. I didn't read anyone's reply, just cut to my own answer. Since BOTH of you know the end of game is 5 turns away that is a given. You cannot pretend it away, you can only explain it. For instance, a big storm is coming and you won't be able to fight; your orders said hold on until xx hours and that's 5 minutes away but after that you can bug out; its getting too dark to fight; huge amounts of reinforcements are just out of sight and it won't matter after 5 minutes what you do. Smoke is used for concealment. You have the capability to make a smoke screen to the best of your ability, where you want it. You could drop HE all over the enemy instead, but you need concealment. This action may mystify and confuse the enemy per Stonewall Jackson. I don't think it is gamey. How it is any different from a last minute flag rush .... I will have to consider for a bit more but the last minute flag rush is tainted by suicidal tactics. This use of smoke is not. Now I will see how far I stuck my neck out. I am one who feels you can use dis mounted tank crews to look over the next hill. Smoke em if you got em...... Toad

Hey, I posted a reply on the other forum. Toad

Sorry, no cigar. Maybe a cigarette. BUT a great picture. What interface are you using? Where did you get it? Are those the 'in game' trees? "They came at us in the same old way, and we beat them back in the same old way.... Toad

I have a question about splash screens in general. I downloaded a splash screen mod for BB. No problem. Looks great. But now the original BB splash screen, with the movement arrows on the globe comes up as the splash screen for BO !! How can that happen? Splashing Toad

Capt. Spaulding, my frequent PBEM opponent, and I often play on the same team vs the AI. In fact we are playing 21st Panzer Operation right now. After deciding who controls what units we each make our moves. The last to move pushes GO. That player watches the movie then plots his moves. Then sends the turn back. Along with the turn we communicate by Email or telephone, the player who viewed the movie describing the how and why things happen. Then the player receiving the half plotted turn makes his moves and pushes GO and the cycle continues. When situations merit we may go out of turn such has when one player is in the thick of it and the other is in a quiet sector, the one in the fight will get to watch the movie. It works for us...... Toad

When my units get that close they start smacking each other around. You can hear a lot of rifle butts or fisticuffs. I like the sound of that... fisticuffs.... it sounds so ... polite. gentile Toad

Ha haaa. I found it. Scott Fisher Skirmish Campaigns (which seems to be an oxymoron) email : fisherts@mindspring.com

There is a small, probably home based, company that puts out tactical battles from the Eastern Front in booklet form. They were originally printed for miniatures. Sorry but I cannot recall the name of the booklets or the company. I discovered them over the summer at my favorite war game store. I decided to postpone my purchase until BB came out. I emailed the author the same day however and asked several questions to which he replied. I think he reads this forum and at the time owned a copy of CMBB because we discussed it briefly. Now is the time sir, to speak up. Players are asking for your product. I believe I changed my email service since communicating with him so I can't check my sent emails for more information. Sorry. Maybe I will stop at the store in the next few days. If so, I will put the info on the forum. If anyone knows what I am talking about, feel free to jump in....... Toad

I think this has come up before and it is related to the topic ..... How much micromanagement do you like? and how does it work out for you? For instance, I know some have said they only maneuver and then let the AI take over sighting and shooting. Sometimes I think the AI is less smart when it runs my units than when it runs its own ! Appreciating the choices in this game..... Toad

Better than Armor Attack by John Antal. Quite a melodramatic piece of work but enjoyable in that it is interactive. Modern Armored warfare. Gave some insight into the armored platoon leader's preparations for battle. However I think there were flaws in the flow charting of decision making. Often unwittingly humorous in an overdone and propagandistic sort of way. Anyway, is there anything else interactive out there for tactical or operational combat? Twirling his moustache and tying the damsel to the tank track...... Toad

Gun Dog, I just re read your post about level 1 gameyness. True. Driving ahead of where you can see, to scout with the mouse, is gamey. But certainly not following units and then viewing from their location. Referring to my previous post: Isn't flying above the units like superman gamey too? (Just trying to cause trouble) Capeless Toad

GunDog, Have you tried fighting and staying at level 1 except for occupying 2 story buildings and maybe a level 7 map view? I have decided to do as much BB as I can at this level. Unless the commander had an airplane this is how he and everyone else operated. FTCR Toad

Then there is the W.C.Fields: "I'd rather be here than in Philadelphia." post script.......Toad

How about some epitaphs? My favorite from the Old West is: "He was right and we were wrong. But we strung him up and now he's gone. " Have I started something ??...... Toad

Looking forward to it. Toad

I used the grenade bundle to great effect in, of all things, the Iron Road Block scenario. None of the axis tanks did anything but confuse the KV. BUT that allowed the Panzer Grenadiers to get close enough to use the grenade bundle to knock it out. They used it automatically when within 20m or so. Sling the Sack... Toad

Oops! Sorry, didn't realize it was for PBEM testers. Those I PBEM with don't have the game. I would be willing, if you are interested in getting feedback from this perspective, to play vs the AI using Franko's Rules Sounds interesting and fun. Toad in the Grass.

VJ, How many turns? 3000pts is = # ? Russians approx Toad

Markshot, This combination worked well for me in a dense woods fight I had a few months ago. Pinned the enemy at the edge of the woods then began a slow advance. Pounded the enemy located deep in the woods at the VL with mortar fire. Flanked the pinned enemy and those located deeper in the woods ____/ with a strong force that was closely knit and had lots of depth so that in the 30 to 40m range in the woods, lots of firepower could be put on discovered enemy units. Plus follow up units were only about 20 m behind the first line. Follow up units had the flame throwers. A combination of your #2 and #3 Reminded me of the Wilderness Campaign... Robert E. Toad.

Colonel, In my previous post I wanted to add: My main point is that I have decided to play as many CMBB scenarios as possible using Franko's Rules with some playability modifications. This will eliminate some of the player problems I have with the game, such as scale and camera level. Although it brings a whole new set of challenges I hope to be able to overcome them. My goal is to be able to enjoy BB from ground level. After all thats from where it was fought. grassy toad...

I am playing both. But when I insert the BO disk I still get the original BB splash screen (I believe that's what its called) even though I am in BO AND I replaced the original BB splash screen with one of the mods ! Don't see the BO screen with the advancing tank and infantry at all now. Curiously..... Toad.

BTS has listed "The Early Years 38 to 42 " as the 3rd game scheduled to be released. With the rewrite coming up too, plus the variety of different early war units, and the experimentation with unit organization and combined arms during this period, it could actually be the best game yet. I know its a few years off, but anticipation is exciting. Hopping and hoping .... Toad

Is anyone experiencing this: Two infantry units, regardless of size have trouble staying in a single level building. It seems that the AI keeps booting someone out into the cold. homeless..... Toad

Running Voodoo 3 16 mb 450 Mhz. Pentium II Using the 1024 resolution The problems I have encountered: 1.Barrel blast and HE smoke is polygonical whereas all other smoke appears ok. 2. Flames of burning tanks at 100m or less, freeze up and get rectangular. Look like light orange panes of glass. Beyond 100m or from a higher camera level appear normally burning. 3. Possibly lengthy graphics download at the beginning of a scenario. 4. Possibly lengthy wait for blue line game resolution. I say possibly because I havent tried really big scenarios, but the 'thinking' process of the computer does seem to take longer than CMBO. 5. Not sure what kind of a problem this is but at higher camera levels, where one can see the battlefield I can't differentiate between my units: all AFVs look alike and all infantry looks alike. Haven't played any huge battles yet... so I am wondering what fresh hell is waiting. Keeping cool.... Toad

Hi res or Low res ? That is the Question. Toad in the grass..