JunoReactor

and still drooling.. To tell you the truth, I have not been playing the game for a while, just browsing the forum from time to time. I had put off truly learning the "game", something I had in mind for a long time. Since Sunday morning I have played Fire&Manuever for 3 times, finally gaining some headyway aginst the damned 76 ATs and M10s. Right after that game, I played Chance Encounter. Oh my god! What a beautifully coordinated attack that was! Germans suffered 250+ casualties and 3 StuGs to my 47 and 1 Sherman (pesky lucky 'faust shot!.) Whole thing was over by the 31st turn. <Wipes drool off his face>

"No, Franz, untie me you bastard, no, dont do that, we arent supposed to begin for another 30 seconds!" <Franz shoots Albrecht> Maybe a berserk artillery operator?

but I get a "forbidden" message every time.. is something wrong with my bookmark? www.combat-missions.net ?

What the f*** was that? -Mayor of Hiroshima, '45.

Somewhat OT but... about those graphics, ok I hate it as much as the next guy if the selling point of a game is eye candy rather than gameplay. (form vs function, anyone?) But.. but.. think of CM would be if all those graphics experts worked on a new engine for it for CM2.. After having seen some of the latest games, just the thought of a CM engine using the improvements from them gives me a tingle.. By the way, let me add that I wouldnt care at all if CM2 used the same engine as this one. Its adequate. [This message has been edited by JunoReactor (edited 03-04-2001).]

I am sorry I cant mention sources, its been a long while since I read about these. Someone mentioned that there was plenty of animosity towards communism in Ukraine. Ukraine produces wheat, but when Stalin sold that wheat to the West for cash to build up Russia's industry at an incredible pace, it was the Ukranians that suffered the "great famine". On the opening months of Barbarossa, many saw Germans as liberators. That quickly changed as Germans began to destroy whole villages. This was the fuel that drove the propaganda engine which turned the war into the "Great Patriotic War". "Russian" and "Soviet" were an identities few could assume before the war. Perhaps this explains why during the first months of the war Germans captured much more than they captured later. About troop quality - I believe the Red Army lacked good officers after the purge. This could represented by the scenario designers simply by giving platoon HQs low/no bonuses.

I had the same question with Denizen, now that I have an answer, here comes another question: I can get a LOS from behind light woods through to the other side some of the time. Since it doesnt matter where the sprites are, how can I determine this? How can I know if I am behind cover in a particular position (that I want my tank go, for example) from behind light woods? About the bocage question: Why is there a difference between allies and axis? I would expect a 40 ton Panther speeding at 20 mph towards a bocage to get through it no matter what... but it doesnt.. Well, its true that first concerns for the impact on industry on environment started in Germany, but hey, this is war thanks!

If you have a NVidia card, go to the control panel, display, properties, advanced, directx and find and enable the option to emulate fog tables.

Jaja, the reason 0 degree armor will always be increased is that its the minimum possible!

thanks major.. enjoy

One of the signs of true idiocy is to post nothing, and then smirk about the lack of contribution. this from someone who listens to World Music? I'm not surprised. Why don't you enlighten me with other and false signs of idiocy? But I must not outstay my welcome, thanks Mace, for I die a happy bug.

Oh my god! Not only I had the privilage of posting in the first page of a peng thread, someone actually "took care of me". Will wonders ever cease?

My GOD, Zhukov, you had a huge ego, didn't you?

About air-to-air missiles: Germans actually used them to intercept bombers. They were heavy, had short range and unguided but bould be used on single-seated fighters. More interesting, an aerial bomb. 250lb, I think. It had a short time fuse. Fighters would fly over a bomber formation and drop these on unsuspecting B17 crews. I dont know how efficient it was. And, did anyone see the latest design on the Komet (Me163, I belive)... Since the thing had about 5 minutes worth of fuel, someone had the idea of planting an ejector seat in there. The pilot would guide the plane towards the bomber, and eject. Talk about desperate measures. About the bombing campaign - really, how effective was it? I like to think that Hitler caused more delays in advanced weapons production than bombing campaigns, especially before the second half of 44.

Sorry, couldnt resist the temptation of writing in the first page of a peng thread. Free the trolls!

ok, ok.. I apologize for my earlier remarks about hostility towards trolls... Maybe its time BTS published a CM:Lite to go along with Quake 3?

MajorH, could you keep us posted on the development of the CGW issue? I would not mind them doing this personally if it was the CGW I knew from just 5 years ago but they changed so much now that I feel like its time that they should really be chased after for what they have done. I mean, you pay $10 for the magazine (or whatever, its still overpriced) to see half of the articles that had already appeared or going to appear on Gamespot. Ziff Davis, anyone?

I think "gamey" detracts from the CM experience. Not being "gamey" is, for me, where CM shines. While it is just a collection of mathematical functions that interact with each other, these rules are so perfectly melded into the game engine that they are not readily visible. This allows the player to suspend his disbelief and begin to think not like a mathematician but like a commander. Yet, there are some things that cannot be abstracted on computer either for utility or impossiblity. Looking deep enough, you can see mathematics in action and if you choose to do so, these mathematics become your basic units to replace that battered Tiger which you pray will fire the first shot or that platoon which is running through an artillery barrage to take cover. Similarly, choosing the mathematically "best" units to fit your 600 points detracts from your enjoyment of things by making you realize further that this is, after all, nothing but a computer game. This is a personal choice, but you should realize that your opponent will also see those units. So, at least try to understand why some people prefer to play without gamey elements in the game.

The point, as I had mentioned, is to understand. What I am after here, and excuse me if the pharsing out of this offends you, is to find out how closed comminities form and how elitism develops within these. See this as a first step of my way of finding this out. ---Quote I don't think many newbie are not trying to show themselves off here and we don't label "newbies" simply as "trolls" so long as they understand and practise proper social manners.. ---- My observation is that the "social manners" that the trolls must practise so as not to be labbeled as such are elitist. They preclude most of the casual would-be participitants from the board. The motive? Self satisfaction, most probably. Curiosity developed, and I want to satisfy it. But isn't it why we are all here? Maybe in the process of me communicating myself, others will enjoy themselves too. A disclaimer - I am in no way writing this in an offensive mood.

The duality of man, as shown in the great allegory known as CMBO. Dante would be proud.

My post was a simple teaser, to etch out how my understanding of the board and its users actually fitted the reality created and maintained by them. Judging from the replies that came, looks like I was right in many respects. So, here comes my real conclusions. This time it's not a teaser. So far, 1) The vast majority of you are intelligent and mature people. 2) On average, your grasp on history, and especially military history is excellent. 3) You derive great pleasure from discussing these things with people you know that you are able to communicate such issues with. 4) You feel a part of a closely knit group, a community, and the initial reaction to outsiders is generally hostile. (the troll, as an insider way of saying "worthless" newbie) A "newbie" to the community has to prove himself (Boru's recent post as an example - he must have observed the same things to compose so intricate an introduction of himself) to be worthy of attention. Note that I do not say this in a offensive or judging way, it is simply an observation. Of course, the first three observations were obvious enough. The last one was the one I was having doubts about and wanted to confirm. The very act of me writing this structurally defines my thoughts on the matter, and with your replies they will evolve from there. My simple aim is to understand. I find the game itself as very enjoyable and in many respects it is a dream come true for me. Yet, the gathering of minds that the game has created is much more interesting.

Ok, after browsing through the board for the last 4-5 months or so at least three times a week, I can offer my conclusions about the inhabitants of this virtual community... All of you are plainly nuts, obsessed with CM, know far too much about WWII, have very little life outside of here or the game, sometimes very funny people. Oh, and I did a search but came up with nothing. Take a vacation. By the way, I will not accept any of these qualities I mentioned or whatever anyone comes up with in replies... ding-a-ling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <-- And that is a mad smiley....

At least the AI is ready for CM IV: the PTO. At least for the Japanese side. Or for malaria stricken Yanks with fever

I dont understand why a AFV would get its LOS blocked by wheat, especially a few meters beyond the field since the gunner/commander in the AFV looks from a elevated POV..

believe it or not, I had the same thoughts.. but hey, others are talking about the "brinell armor hardness index" or whatever and the quality of ammo, so I guess little things like the UI can be safely ignored..