Sensible Toad

As CDIC eloquently put it, no problem. This goes back to the Mark IV, Workhorse or Toast post: http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/013890.html Within this post I bragged about how my 2 Mark IVs were kicking Uncle Sams butt up and down the Maginot Line. This was a scenario against CDIC, and he had just left for the holidays. Well, he came back. The last turn that was in the pipe, floating around in the ether we call INTERNET, had a 1 minute film of horror within it. I watched with a sickening wretchedness: One of my Mark IVs approached his last Stuart, drooling at the mouth, hungry for this final kill. Nope. The Stuart buzzed by, at around 30 mph, and disappeared behind a cabin. The IVs turret trailed him until it got to the house, and then stopped. The Stuart reappears on the other side of the house and draws a bead. The tank crew, realizing their mistake with nearly mock surprise, begins turning the turret again. Stuart says, "Surprise!". Mark IV goes poof. My other Mark IV sits in a road not far away during this exchange. 60mm mortar shells begin raining. The IV commander (Unt Anglen, a wonderful man) thinks,"Hmm, glad I'm buttoned up. Pass me the Saurkraut" After the fourth of fifth DIRECT HIT, poof, goodbye second Mark IV. All in one minute. All in the turn that was awaiting CDIC to return from holiday. Sitting there the whole time I was praising the beautiful machine that is the Mark IV. My new Mark IV assesment: Toast if you brag. Workhorse if you are a humble man. Nice work CDIC!

Oh my God!!!!! Just when I was starting to think the world was a sane, rational place you show me undeniable evidence that we are a crazy, suicidal, homicidal pack of mutant primates eagerly searching for our own destruction. Thanks Chup, and have a nice day. ps. Nuke Land Minds!!!!! Ugh.

Hey Bfam, I haven't heard from Fogman for a couple of days, so our battle has slowed down a bit, although I think we are around 20+ turns in. I sent you the screen shot of my beachhead right? Well the breakout is coming up. I haven't heard from Xscreamist in a while, but I think he is still with us. I know there are other Massachusetts players on the board now, but I haven't had any joiners lately. I wish we could gather some troops, because I would love to get some battles going with the Red Army and the Englanders. -ST

Holy Mackeral! Are you trying to scare me to death Sitting Duck? I went through the links you posted, and now I get cold sweats everytime I go near the elevator. But now, thanks to everyone's advice, I believe I am ready for "THE FALL". When I go to work, or am leaving work, I wait around in the lobby for an obese person. They have to be 300+ for me to ride the elevator. I get in first and then put my back to the wall, directly behind my designated mattress. Sometimes I have to wedge myself behind the person to get them into the position, which has resulted in some embarrassing moments. But of course, safety comes first. Then as the elevator sets in motion, I begin jumping up and down, trying to time the moment when the cable snaps and we begin our plummet. If, and this hasn't happened yet, the elevator goes, I will jump onto my chosen savior's back, and push us both to the floor. Of course, I may just transfer to our office in New Hampshire. There are no buildings with more than two floors there, and I'm betting I could handle that sort of fall. Thanks, ST

Actually I think you need to be a little more thorough in looking for that FO. Do you have any church steeples around your neighborhood? Are there any hills that overlook your house? If you own a kubelwagon, I would drive it around in a one mile radius looking for possible FO locations. The only place I'm sure he isn't is driving around in his own car, because you can't call down arty with a cell phone. Good luck and stay down.

That was beautiful man....sniff. Merry Christmas BTS and all forumgruppen!

I work on the 45th floor, and our elevators are the worst ever. They creak, groan, hiccup, drop sharply every so often, and desparately need repair. So every time I get in one, I try and prepare myself for the fateful drop. I bend my knees so my legs don't lock up and snap like twigs. I also lean up against the wall and hold onto a small rail, but I have been questioning this tactic. Is it better to be leaning forward? Slump against the wall? Hmmm... I figure with all the Geezertruppen on this board, someone must have been in an elevator crash at some point. Any suggestions?

60 bucks!! That isn't small change for a rulebook of a game I won't play. But, I am intrigued. I played SL for years, and loved it, so there would be some sentimental value. And if it did read like a reference manual to Combat Mission, I would be psyched. I often wish that CM came with a men/weapons/equipment/vehicles guide. I hope when the next version comes out there will be some reviews of it on this board to help me make up my mind. Thanks for the tip!

If Greenspan is a CMer, I wonder what other celebrities/public figures are playing CM. Who would be most likely? I bet the author John Keegan takes breaks between chapters for a QB. Was it Clint Eastwood making that Kelly's Heroes mod? Do you think it possible that the cast of West Wing owns the top of the Rugged Defense ladder? Is Peng actually Bob Newhart??? I'm watching all of you very closely... -Ringo Starr

When is the sound mod coming out for "Silent Night" and "Deck the Halls", sung in German by Mark IV commanders?

I have a question: From recommendations on this forum, I am reading Stalingrad by Beevor. It is quite good (although not as gripping as a Bridge Too Far) and conjurs up some incredible gameplay: 8 man Russian submachinegun assault squads Sappers throwing AT mines in front of tanks Super elite sniper battles Rubble to rubble battles with ambushes everywhere Sewer movement (like the old SL boards) Etc, etc The above type of game, I think, is remarkably different from the type of game that would represent long range tank battles on the Steppe (equally enjoyable I'm sure). My question: Is BTS concentrating on one of these two "themes"? Or are they going for broke and covering both (please say yes!). I tip my hat to BTS whatever the answer for being an incredible company. Thanks, Rob ST

Yes!!!!!! Now CM Borg, what can you do about a date with Elizabeth Hurley? Will "resistance is futile" work with her?

Yes! It is a great scenario, my favorite so far. I didn't want to give away any spoilers, but I guess I was vague enough. "Move it or lose it" is white-hot-action from the get go.

I want to be assimilated by the CM Borg. Would the CM Borg fit down my chimney?

My opinion on Mark IVs and Stuarts has swung around drastically. I am playing a scenario PBEM as the germans, and from the beginning the Stuarts and M10s decimated my armored cars, broke my Stugs gun and after 10 Stuart richocets destroyed it, and pinned all my infantry down so the US grunts could dig them out of their locations. I quicky began to loath and fear these little US tanks, and the M10s just made things worse. But then my three Mark IVs made it to the scene, and although one was lost to a zook at close range, the other two have turned the tide. One Mark IV smoked two M10s and a Stuart, and bounced numerous zook rounds off the front armor. It is like my Mark IV commanders are going beserk! I have two bridges to protect, with one Mark IV each, and they are like Cerberous at the gates of hell. My opponent is down to one Stuart mobile and one Stuart immobile, and in the next turn I plan to put his mortar carrier out of action. My infantry is down to a squad or two, and one HMG. My opponent rushed 40 or 50 infantry across one bridge last turn (it looked like the Boston Marathon) and now they are taking cover on the river bank. My defenses are paper thin, but if they rush my tank I might just break their morale and send them packing. Three cheers for the scrappy beast that is the Mark IV! -Rob

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Scrogdog: Rob, I'll be happy to play you and learn. Right now though, I have the pressures of fiscal year-end at work. Probably in mid-January or so I'll be ready. [This message has been edited by Scrogdog (edited 12-19-2000).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Have a good holiday. Drop me an email when you have the time. Truthfully, one of my favorite things about CMBO is the flexibility of PBEM. I haven't played anything else since the first week I got it. Even when work is terrible, I usually manage to d/l the files, and bang out a turn.

If our number of posts is any guide, than I think we are all relative newbies. I am working on my second round of pbems, with mixed results. If you are interested in a pbem, send me a file. It would be cool to play someone in my time zone. Big Dog (California) is always sending me angry messages in the middle of the night wanting a new turn (joke!) and forget about CapDogInChina. When he isn't gallavanting around the Pacific Rim, our turns are never rapid fire (although we almost always get a turn a day). -Rob

Golden Grognards Wargaming Lifers Fully Mature Wargamers Wise Old Veterans Old Faithfuls Keepers of the Flame Old Soldiers Who Never Die Living Monuments of Wargaming Well, you get the idea...

I'll be 31 in ten days. I don't expect it will be as painful as thirty. My girlfriend uses my computer gaming addiction to control me at parties (she threatens to tell the "cool" people - dirty bastards). At least she has some control. I feel like Dr Jeckel and Mr Hyde. I can't believe Jutland is that old. I thought it was cutting edge in 1984. "Gaming since 1980 - D&D's golden year" -ST

*bump*

Thanks!

I always liked the Bridge at Remagen, but I have a question: was there a bridge at Remagen? Or was it fictional, and based on the bridge at Nijmeghan (I know I blew the spelling), which was one of the Market Garden bridges. Just curious. Did anyone ever play Flattop? The map was HUGE, and you played the entire Pacific Naval Campaign. The concept was beautiful, but the reality was laughable. I think you had to write your moves on a piece of paper, and then move your units (all chits of course), and at the same time move dummy chits, so you could simulate the guesswork that made Midway so interesting. As I remember, the game was just an exercise in PBY movement plotting.

Done. I actually heard about Combat Mission when the board heard about Strategy Gaming Online's best new game poll, and literally voted Combat Mission into orbit. There I was, innocently voting for my fave game Ground Control, when I saw this unknown game trample it into the ground. I hope we educate a few people the same way I was.

Rob, I'm sure you have heard this before, but I thought I would add my 2 cents. I don't have the time available to play in your campaign, but I would if I could. I admire your enthusiasm and optimism in running your campaign. Although the general technology is a bit behind you, I think you have had a very creative idea, and it is heartening to see you try and bring that to life. Your acceptance of criticism has always been with grace. I kid you not, but you probably have a future as a top notch consultant. Rob/1 - you are a rainmaker. -Rob/2