lassner.1

Is there any news of upcoming vehicle mods by Magua? His U.S. halftracks are some of the best mods out there - and my personal U.S. favorites. Magua: MORE!!!

Just thought I might add that in a recent meeting engagement QB I was playing (me as allies him as axis) he bought two Linxs and one Tiger I (late) and I bought three Chaffees. The result: 2 dead Linxs, 1 dead Tiger, 2 dead Chaffees. Why? I found out where the Tiger was and came at it from three directions. I knocked out the Tiger from the side at c. 200m

Old Dog: Is there more coming out for this mod? I thought Marco was also working on the Stuart. Am I mistaken?

Go to the ASL CM home page. They have a list of the most ballanced scenarios + a plethora of short scenarios.

Quite apart from the issue of of “realism” and “pressure” I feel the TCP/IP option is terrific addition. For me, the game has now assumed the “feel” of war-gaming in the past: meeting the guys on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon and playing all day. To those who feel hurried I would respond by observing that in the days of face-to-face board games one might take one’s time planning a move, but one did not really have the option of taking as long as one wanted. The game had to keep moving – even if it was not expected to finish on the same day. Since it is not necessary to use the timer the TCP/IP option has created an on-line version of “meeting at the game shop” and playing. Personally, I always felt a twinge of excitement in the head-to-head experience that the old board games gave and felt that that excitement had been mostly lost with the PBEM. I will still play PBEM, but it definitely takes a back seat to TCP/IP.

Before we dismiss the Tiger I completely it is important to note that it has two significant advantages over the Panther which make it worthwhile in *certain* situations. First, it has thicker side and rear armor (later top armor as well) and this makes it valuable in when you know there will be bazookas and Sherman 75s creeping around and getting in side shots. Second, the Tiger I's 88L56 is better vs. infantry. I'm not arguing that the Tiger is a better tank than the Panther, but it does have some advantages that can make it worthwhile.

ON THE LADDER: Though my priorities are always initially dependent on terrain and the disposition of the victory flags, I rarely make it an initial priority to take/hold all flargs. I usually design my attack/defense to take/hold the high point flags first and foremost while simultaneously figuring out *what* I am up against and *where* I am up against it. It is always my intention to inflict the most casualties that I can given developments. If I do well enough that a draw seems likely (i.e., if i don't screw up, if my opponent seems vulnerable, and if I still have sufficent forces) I will extend flag/elimination objectives. I venture to suggest that this is how most competent players proceed. ------------ "Gewaltige Naturen mit starker Eigenpersönlichkeit darf man nicht aus der Umgebung reissen, die ihren Rythmus angenommen hat. . . .In diesem Falle besteht die Gefahr, que du sublime au ridicule il n’y a qu’un pas."

Mord, To make the time pass more pleasurably you can begin downloading the *endless* mods that you will want to install as soon as you have the game in your hands.

I must say that i agree emphatically with Tiger and RokSS. Once you have the Voctory Locations you have to *hold* them and this means that you have to have a credible defense to prevent someone grabbing them even at the last miniute. Next time keep some HMG and Bz/Psk in the vicinity maybe some 1/2 squads too. . .

Major Tom: I have been thinking along just the lines that you laid down. Indeed, ASL did something similar to this with their rarity charts: if it was month x year y and one did not roll below z, then the vehicle/weapon in question was not permitted for that DYO scenario. What you note is that this can now be done by the computer automatically when generating a scenario. I think that the allow/disallow system has the advantage of bringing some variety to games without increasing cost and thereby unbalancing a QB scenario. I hope the BTS considers this method seriously. ------------ "Gewaltige Naturen mit starker Eigenpersönlichkeit darf man nicht aus der Umgebung reissen, die ihren Rythmus angenommen hat. . . .In diesem Falle besteht die Gefahr, que du sublime au ridicule il n’y a qu’un pas."

Taking into account cost, firepower, maneuverability, and armor protection: Germans: Tiger I - yes its a bit slow, but that front, side, and rear armor really keeps it going with shermans, bazookas, ACs, etc. running around. 88 packs a punch vs. infantry too . . . U.S. - M36 Jackson - cheaper than a Sherman M4 and with a kick like a mule. Brit. - Challenger - all-around very good tank and its relatively cheap. ------------ "Gewaltige Naturen mit starker Eigenpersönlichkeit darf man nicht aus der Umgebung reissen, die ihren Rythmus angenommen hat. . . .In diesem Falle besteht die Gefahr, que du sublime au ridicule il n’y a qu’un pas."

Mr. Waters is correct, to an extent. I would add that beginning in late 1942, but especially by 1943 the Russian army improved drastically in its operational capabilities and fluency, while the German army stagnated. May I suggest, Mr. Peace, a look at David Glanz's "When Titans Clashed" and "Stumbling Colossus," and Williamson Murray/Allan R. Millett "A War to be Won" (really the latest take on the outstanding scholarship Murray and Millett have produced for years, and especially "Millitary Effectiveness vols. I-III). ---------- Gewaltige Naturen mit starker Eigenpersönlichkeit darf man nicht aus der Umgebung reissen, die ihren Rythmus angenommen hat. . . .In diesem Falle besteht die Gefahr, que du sublime au ridicule il n’y a qu’un pas.

Just a quick question: will we also be able to take the future *.cmm files (mods) that (I assume) will be posted and EXTRACT individual *.bmp from them? This, assuming that we are only interested in one or two mods, or that we are making our own *for our own personal use? In this latter case, for example, I would like to be able to create and update "autumn" "spring" and "summer" mods for my tanks and troops . . . ------------ Gewaltige Naturen mit starker Eigenpersönlichkeit darf man nicht aus der Umbung reissen, die ihren Rythmus angenommen hat. . . .In diesem Falle besteht die Gefahr, que du sublime au ridicule il n’y a qu’un pas

Its depressing and pathetic. SL/ASL was *such* a great game, and I spent decades playing it. Now under the stellar leadership of HASBRO we get to enjoy total crap. -- Gewaltige Naturen mit starker Eigenpersönlichkeit darf man nicht aus der Umbung reissen, die ihren Rythmus angenommen hat. . . .In diesem Falle besteht die Gefahr, que du sublime au ridicule il n’y a qu’un pas ------------------

In fact Jeff is right on target. The Germans became involved in an arms race on the Eastern Front. Expediency pressed them into the rapid development of heavier and heavier armor. One might add that the Germans confronted the T-34 in June 1941 and the first actions fought by Tigers were in, I beleve, August 1942. All things considered, the U.S. did not do poorly in getting the Pershing out onto the battlefield in the time that they did.

I must say, I have found the previous discussion and arguement both interesting and informative. What surprises me is that there has been no official response to the matter under discussion. This is a worthy arguement and deserves a reply and even consideration by the makers of CM.

Thanks for the enlightenment! I am glad the issue was recognized and addressed. Alexander Lassner

Dear Sir, I played ASL for years, and one of the points that the game notes made (a point reflected in game-play rules) was that although Shermans came equipped with gyrostabilizers most troops did not trust/know-how-to-use them. The result, according to the researchers for the ASL game, was that very few Shermans ever employed their gyrostabilizers. Most were disconnected by the crews themselves. CM, on the other hand, allows every Sherman to utilize these mechanisms, and the result is a significant increase in the offensive capabilities of those tanks. My question is whether this is historically accurate. If ASL is indeed correct, then I would be very much in favor of a patch/mod in order to curtail the use of the gyrostabilizer. Many thanks, Alexander Lassner