Louie the Toad

Ok, I understand that part. But given a 12 man squad that is depicted by 3 figures, and one figure is eliminated: does that convert to 1 casualty or 4 on the firing unit's kills stats?

When referencing a unit's kills, does the number indicate figures eliminated from the scenario or men eliminated?

Playing Red Devils at Arnhem. Ammo is in short supply but units keep on firing even after I cancel their targets. Also can hear the officers yelling "save your ammo, lads". I find that the mortars are the worst offenders. They seem to fire until they are out of ammo. I thought Pause might be useful in reducing the amount of time that firing could happen, for instance pausing for 30 seconds should reduce the time to fire and therefore if it was 10 rounds per minute before, it should only be 5 in a half minute. Well, the mortar team didnt pause and began the turn firing about every 10 seconds, but ended the turn firing faster so that 10 rounds were used up.

Contemplating trying (buying) a voice command feature to play CM. Any experiences pro or con would be appreciated. Now that I write this, Panzer Commander might be a better application.

Is there any way to order vehicle units with smoke dischargers or smoke mortars to use these defensive weapons?

Napoleon. Captain Spaulding and I (or at least I) would be glad to help out. Between us there is about 85 years of wargaming experience mostly WWII and some modern. In one of my first CM experiences using the battle generator, my infantry demonstrated in front of a Panther parked between two buildings. This allowed my Stuart to drive up behind the Panther, which tried to turn in the narrow space but could not. Stuart took out the Panther at close range from the rear.

My counterpart, Captain Spaulding, and I are both playing the Americans vs the AI I have the right side of town including middle hill and he has the left side of town. What a great scenario. We play by email: each does their own unit plots, then one player does the GO !. We communicate by phone or email as to the action for the non viewing player. Although we both plot our own moves we switch off as to who sees the Go! execution. We have experienced a lot of the action outcomes that I read about in other Wiltz after battle commentaries. AT gun had some kills, but got knocked out. One Sherman knocked out. Bazookas knocked out some enemy armor. Our mortars were too much for the german APCs We are still fighting with 3 turns to go. German armor except for the Panther kayoed but there are lots of German squads moving up in the woods to attack middle hill. I dont know how it will end but having great fun. When I expect my favorite theater: Early Western Desert?

Using the Quick Battle set up. I pick February and get green grass!!. When I select snow I get snow on the ground but also falling snow which I dont want. So how in Quick Battle can I get just snow on the ground?

In other games (SPWAW) my cousin and I have been able to both play on the same side vs the AI. This is a pleasant change from battling against each other. Now that we both own CM is it possible to play the game this same way, either PBEM or on line?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> "Were Real Battles This Short?" Michael<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I would like to read your conversation. How can I find it?

Have you found that the AI does a good job of having your units sneak if they need to. If you order them to move from point A to B will they move for a distance then sneak if they would benefit from sneaking? <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The Commissar: Hola fellow CM'ers! Just made a few observations from several of my PBEM games about how to makes your troops sneak better through low-visibility terrain like forests without getting bushwacked by the enemy. So here goes: more waypoints is the key! The way I figure the AI does it is it sneaks along its given path. If it encounters an enemy, it will actually continues moving to its next closest waypoints EVEN WHILE SNEAKING before opening fire. The only way it will fire itself without getting to the next waypoint is if it is A) Veteran and above experience level Fired upon and suppressed where it has no choice but to return fire So, what do you do for lower then high experience troops? Set closer waypoints for sneaking! This way, if the AI spots the enemy half way to the next waypoint, it won't have much walking to do before reaching it, and will thus stop and fire back quicker. Setting more waypoints does not slow the movement speed down and it's only drawbacks are clutter and hassle when you're setting them up. I think it's a good trade if it means the well being of your men! I don't know if any of you already knew this, but just in case you didn't thought I'd share it with you since this sorta thing annoyed the heck out of me when my men wouldn't fire back at the enemy despite being told to sneak. Good luck in your games! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Choices are good. I enjoy some real time or near real time games and my computer has more hours on it with the versions of Steel Panthers than anything els. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Michael emrys: I would most emphatically reject this approach. I am a slow, deliberate player and this would completely obliterate my pleasure in the game. I simply would not play it. Maybe including something along these lines at some point as an *option* for those who want it would be all right, but I would hate to see it become the only way to play. Michael<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In a word, yes. For an expanded explanation: If all I did as company co was to order platoons and watch whatI could see from level 1 or 2 I dont think this would be an interesting game. We want to see the action and the results of our moves, even if that information might be unrealistic due to blocked lines of sight to the command post. So we have a game that is more interesting. This is fine. But now because the game is made more interesting we have the ability in the game system to move each soldier or squad using information that the soldier or squad should not really have had. If we take advantage of this information how can we say the game is realistic? Therefore I see the solution to be: giving orders to the platoon leader or as the platoon leader, giving orders to the squad. As I said earlier some micromanagement at the platoon level might be allowed. How long does the average player take to "plot" his 1 minute turn? Half an hour, 1 hour? Another solution would be to have a turn timer based on a function of the number of units under a player's command.

At the Company and Platoon level, mico managing is making individual men do something. That I agree is necessary at times. Among those times would be the setting up of an ambush or placing a certain weapon in a particular spot. Definitely the job of a platoon leader and at times a company commander. But if someone's idea of reality is to direct each individual unit when they are simulating a company commander then they should think again or go back and play boardgames. How often do we all use view setting 3 or higher to get the god's eye board game view? What if we were forced to play at view level 1 maybe 2 if we rode on a tank and that was it. There is reality!. (The only other view being that of a topographic map that didnt automatically show where units were located) What more could you do than say " move up the north side of hill 234". Yes then swithching to the platoon leader's view you would make use of or react to what you saw from his view point and then maybe,just maybe, you would be able to designate to the bazooka team that they should hide behind this tree rather than that one. At the 1 and 2 view level of reality as company commander you would have to trust those platoon leaders to indeed follow and order, and you most likey would not get to see much of what is going on. Gaming wise I dont think a program like I described would be much fun. Ignorance is not bliss. But I dont think CM is to be treated like a board game or a First Person Shooter. You can tell the men to sneak over the hill but you should not be able to make them stop behind each tree.

This is exactly what I needed to know !!!! Thanks. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DmanTblad: If you hold down the shift key and then click on the units that you don't want to move, they will become unselected. You also can use the shift key to add units in this manner. Hope this helps<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jeez, I thought one of the "best" features of this game was going to be the fuzzy logic which to me means that units would take orders but also take care of themselves so I didnt have to micro manage. If the game does not really play that way (I have only done a few battles and scenarios)and I must micro manage then I see no big difference from SPWAW in terms of command. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Michael emrys: Yep. Second that. If you don't have the patience to do that, you don't deserve to win. Michael<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I want my rifle squads to move forward and my squad support units (mortar and piat) to hold back and wait or to move somewhere else. If I select the leader, everyone moves forward. If I deselect the piat or mortar to wait or move somewhere else, the rifle squads become deselected. A corollary to this situation. If I order a platoon to move forward, will the AI move the rifle squads ahead of the leader so he doesnt take first fire? Not sure how to do this so it works out right, except by moving individual units.

Any tips on the best way to get scattered units to consolidate with their leader w/o making the leader move somewhere. The only way I use now is to order the squads to move individually