Holien

Sorry I disagree it takes a great deal of time and effort to play some of the larger scenarios and if either side feel they have no chance then that can seriously dent their enjoyment. So anything we can do to help designers tweak the design to enhance play is a must for me. Playing double blind forces you to be more cautious and is far more realistic play. By playing from both sides the game becomes a different creature. This of course makes the game designers job an impossible one. 1. Design for vs AI. 2. Design for double blind 3. Design for known scenario. All of which play differently and perhaps need a different design to accommodate?

This has been reported on other threads and I hope it gets fixed. Yes have some time delay to sort out confusion but don't take the Arty battery out for the whole game...

Just watched a clip more closely of a German MG Team firing on an American Halftrack directly below them. The MG appeared to be firing through the wall and not through the window. The building was shrugging off SMG fire from an American crew man on path below. What made me smile is the animation of the German buddy smoking while fighting was happening, one cool dude... I have not played enough to see effects of the buildings but in previous game I spent many minutes using MG43 onto buildings with Americans in it and seemed to have little effect on some buildings which does seem to indicate some are better at stopping bullets than others, which has already been noted by others.... Anyway great thread and I hope BTS will indicate which buildings are better as this would be pretty obvious as a soldier on the ground.

Right finally I get to read this thread as it was verbotten when I was playing the scenario vs Jim and me as German. Jim was complaining about how bad a set up he had and in the end he surrendered which was fine as he was on a very sticky wicket and no point if not enjoying the scenario. It ended with him having 4 running Shermans and I had lost one Panther and one stug had thrown a track. I did not have control of the bridgeheads but it was a matter of time and there was plenty of that left on the clock. I can see how Jim got swept along by the design to try and rush and get across the bridges to secure the two zones across the river. This lead him to lead with his tanks in a mad rush for which my three stugs sat in Ambush position behind the bocage had a field day and he could not ID where the shots were coming from. George while I think of it I guess you were under pressure but if you do make any changes give the village / town a name!!!! The recon battle was the key for my success as I managed to get my forces across the river and destroy 2 of the Stus and the 2 M8's for the loss of some halftracks and a 20mm A/C. (Also gave me great info on what and where his reinforcements arrived as I placed an Inf Squad in key positions to spot his forces arriving). I was able to take the ford on the left side (as Americans look at map) and this was a key avenue of attack for my forces when I would take the main bridge head. I did not put any recon into either of the main bridgeheads as I assumed these would have American's in situ and did not want to waste any of my force to find that out. The main attacks would do this in a slow manner supported by tanks.... The Ford on the right side was another key approach and I managed to get my half tracks across and AT teams up to the ridge line. The Shermans tried to stop this but the Panthers had great LOS from the hills on the opposite side. All in all the map really favours the Germans if you look at it they have best lines of approach where the Americans can not see and where they can they have to face of the Panthers at long range front on.... Not going to go well. Jim did make a few mistakes by having a group of four Shermans rush down the road not knowing if the Germans had arrived. A brave and foolish move that cost him 5 tanks (1 was in open fields to left of road and again easy prey for the hidden Stugs) and 3 halftracks for nothing taken off the German force. I did play some nice moves on him by keeping the Puma's hidden in the woods on the American base line top right near where they arrived. I sent a HQ unit to hide and watch the road and waited until his infantry arrived. I did not know that the Tanks would arrive first and then shortly after his half tracks. The tanks I let pass but once I saw half tracks I sent a Puma down to play and stopped the whole force taking out two halftracks and forcing him to unload well away from the bridge heads. This just added to the downward spiral..... Anyway I could go on and might do later but bottom line I can see why Jim has reason to dislike the scenario and if it was to be tweaked I would maybe beef up American recon with some troops in a couple of half tracks and some Zooka's... Apart from that I would maybe not try and get the Americans across the river and give them more points to just hold to obtain a draw? This way you might make it more even? i.e. change the Victory locations / zones. As it stands you are encouraging Americans to cross river and attack yet the Germans should easily be able to hold this off as limited crossings... George it is great to be back and see your designs again and I hope business is good up with the snow if you are still up North? I hope to play plenty more of your designs, great map (bar missing French name!!!). Many thanks for the enjoyment you gave me, if not Jim....

Ohh sorry I did not realise that the engine has had 10 years to improve and that things in the past should no longer be noted as possible in the future... For give me for thinking that it would be a nice for the engine to model pushing vehicles out of the way, ohh the anguish I am feeling.... Ohhh wooo is me.... Anyway on a more serious note I shall see how small a gap a 50 ton tank can get through. FWIIW I have had enough fun watching my vehicles re route to certain death when thinking they could get over the hedge (or should I say low bocage which BTW I think I have found a way to spot the difference in game) to risk trying to get through a gap blocked by a halftrack....

I will watch out for this but from memory CM did allow for vehicles to be pushed along / out of the way. I hope this can be put back if at all possible?

Thxs for the responses I think the gunner must have had blocked LOS as lots of foliage. I would post screen shot but still not downloaded software for this Windows 7 Pro that can't take a print screen shot!!! MY AC was not spotted by the Sherman and slowly pulled back into the woods to fight another day. I just hope Jim has not read this.... Behind you.... It's behind you... Mind you he is about to throw towel in as I am Germans in the Huzzar scenario. We have not read the thread about balance but we will do soon as he is complaining that the Americans have the short end of the stick...

second that a motion.... BTW looked and it could be foliage but it does look like a clear shot to me but when I turn tress on full there is a lot of foliage. I agree if you can't shot why the darn have a fire line that says you can!!!! Oh well I will die when I get the video back and the glorious rear shot will have to wait for another time.... Still trying to get a screen shot but Windows 7 Pro not playing ball....

Just had same problems with Windows 7 Pro not getting screen shots. Will have to try FRAPS or some such program.... Thanks for this thread...

Just trying to get picture to post but looks clear and line bright blue. Will now check foliage

So I have sneaked a German A/C with 20mm Auto Canon behind 3 Shermans who are rear onto me. The turn stops and they are in superb position to unleash hail fire on the rears of those Yanks!!! So next turn I order it to fire on a Sherman and wait for the return file to watch the action unfold..... So the German Crew sit for a full minute and do not fire!!!! Is this a Bug or just that the system thinks that 20mm at 80mtr range will do nothing? Next minute I give it no fire or move orders and a Sherman turns and faces it but does not spot it. Again no fire and clear blue line to all three targets... This turn I have given it orders to pull back but the Sherman facing it will spot it as soon as it moves and good buy wonderful ambush!!! I have Videos and will do screen shots when I get a chance. So questions... Should 20mm be able to penetrate the rear of an American... (wait for it ..... tank) Even if it can not should the crew follow my orders and open up rather than sit there? Is this a bug or feature? From memory 20mm should be able to do a Sherman in the rear easy.... But my memory is going soft...

Just found this post and I am having problems with German Half Tracks going around corners. Some seem to work OK then others just turn to sharply (despite several waypoints plotted to smooth it out) and end up facing the wrong way when looking at the space IRL it should have just gone round the corner easily. I have started to use normal moves but this does not always seem to work, so will try slow. It would be good if this can be improved in any way by BTS?

Not yet tested this but I have been told that vehicles can not be pushed out of the way and hence a Jeep could block an exit from a field for a Tank? I accept that Tanks will block roads as with the tracks and weight very heavy to push away, especially if they are burning. But Jeeps and wheeled vehicles would surely be knocked aside by any larger tank? Anyone had any problems with this?

Childress I have already been in touch with Mark Ezra and it won't be changed... His comments..... "Looked at the map: Yes...the east-west road does have a low bocage tile and was used to allow a bit of infantry protection and mildly constrain vehicles... there is plenty of access along the roads and through the forest." We are at the hands of the designers and I hope by keep raising the issue they might take note and we might get a mod if some one is kind enough to help out...

Good Idea the loading times are sloooooowwww... And I supposedly have a fast system!! i7 2.67GHz 6GB Ram and 64 bit Windows 7... But maybe things have moved on and I need a new system?

Please Please Please can any modder do something to help? Maybe make the low berm stand out more in a bright brown colour... S*d the looks I just need to be able to tell gaps and low bocage from hedge.... Too many loses of vehicles and infantry as we play HtH via PBEM. A minute is a long time to watch a vehicle go the wrong way when you think it should be able to drive through a hedge.....

Anyone got any Mods or tricks to spot the difference I am old and getting confused and plotting orders through what I think are hedges and then the orders get moved as I guess it must be bocage? I hope BTS will take heed of the suggestion to see if they can re-plot moves to show the path the unit will take if impassible terrain is found. Until then I need an easy way to tell the difference. I am hoping someone has a way or a mod to make it easier on the eyes to spot gaps and hedge vs low bocage...

I have raised this issue of dead FAOs on another thread and I do hope it gets tweaked by BTS. I shall see if I can find the thread....

Excellent looking forward to some intense action...

BTW I live in the countryside and have worked in hedges cutting chunks out of Ivy which has been throttling the hedge Oaks. Something I wish other landowners would do to stop the ivy from eventually killing the tree. In days gone by trees were better looked after but that is another bug bear of mine... So lets just say I know hedges.

Hi until it is changed (unlikely) then I will have to live with this view and hope designers like JonS do good work with bocage to allow infantry through. JonS sterling explanation I hope all designers will take note.... A good thread and lots of interesting views and information.

Absolutely will do that just a few things to add to make it a true like for like test. 1. I will need some military training say the same number of years the soldiers got in WW2. 2. I will need to be a bit younger when there are no obstacles you can't climb as a 19 year old. 3. To be part of a squad of soldiers working together to get over an obstacle. 4. A hamster to keep me company... If you can arrange that I am there. It really all boils down to why do soldiers practise over obstacle courses!!! Yes it will take time, yes you will choose your spot and yes the game is an abstraction. Last version of the game the abstraction allowed infantry to cross and be very very vulnerable. This version infantry can not pass unless the scenario / map designer makes some allowances. A simple point... If BTS want to leave it that way that is their choice, if by offering another opinion we can get change then this is where I and others are offering another POV. The whole issue of Tanks I have no problem with not allowing them to cross unless they are Churchills or have Cullin devices. Infantry get through hedges (and bocage) that is their job....

Any decision made by BTS can be said to be a valid design decision. In the last version it was a valid decision to allow infantry the ability to cross but at a penalty. If you are saying infantry in the real world need tools and material to cross I disagree, they have everything they need with what they are equipped. This hocus about "Tools and Material" is Hamster food... Real World Infantry can get through / under / over bocage in a timely manner that would fit within what is modelled in the game. (they might choose not to do this if being fired at and would pay a price). In game this can only be done with either a tank or explosives. This is not IMO a true representation of the real world. I accept that it is the route the game has chosen to use but in this instance it is not a full real world picture... Just my view and happy to agree to disagree.

Fair enough then it is down to the scenario designer to factor those points into a scenario design, which correct me if I am wrong can be done with the new way of constructing scenarios? So the game covers it, just depends on how the designer designs the game?

I think there are two different things being discussed here. I am saying that unopposed infantry will be able to get through (over or under) ANY hedge or bocage. The time taken to do that can be discussed but it would certainly in a timeframe that would fall within the game. Getting over / under / through a hedge that has Germans covering it is another matter and I think from memory CM modelled this by making the men dead easy to hit and hence modelling it, Now bocage is an obstacle which is modelled as non passable. If you found a section of undefended bocage I am sure WW2 troops would have got through it!!! I am sure modern troops would get through it as long as health and safety has not gone too mad in this modern world!!! I think we need to go back to a different way of modelling bocage for infantry. Tanks I can live with high bocage not allowing them through low bocage any tank should be able to get through IMO...