markshot

Just a spotting by a sub isn't really enough. It has to at least come to the surface to send a signal ... it would have been hard enough to survive in the Channel. I don't even know if u-boats needed to come to periscope depth or surface to transmit. Then, when did the allies get radar that could spot just a periscope? I think by then, the allies had already won The Battle of The Atlantic due to decryption and superior technology. (also, transmissions can be triangulated)

Thanks, Bil. Yes, it usually safe to assume that your setup zone is not already in contact with the enemy, and that you have some buffer before contact. The question is, of course, how much? --- More generally I would like to ask. In RL, how were time constraints determined to for teams of soldiers and their given objective (at the CM scale)? It seems to me in the history warfare few things were accomplished in the time frame planned.

I like keeping my scouts if it so happens, hidden, but with a good vantage point upon the battlefield. I think the most valuable commodity in CM is information. Mainly as most CM battles are designed to be winnable, and information is invaluable. With that information, I lack borg spotting, but I can still position my armor to a flanking position. All things being equal, it is still a huge advantage. I can bring up an FO if the situation warrants it; quickly and safely. Also, when enemy MGs and ATGs open up they are more likely to be spotted.

Definitely a graduate of the Patton school of recon. " Just drive down that road until you get blown up."

Yes, that is what I observed. So, it is safest to plot moves for the next turn. As they say, "Die and Learn".

Back in the day of CMBB/CMAK, you could use move to contact interspersed with run to do various things: * Fast recon: sprint ... slow pause look ... sprint slow pause look ... * Conditional dash across open ground: a short move to contact before a run. If something spotted, the move to contact, short circuits the run. Can I use hunt interspersed with fast or quick in the above fashions? Thanks.

How does stacking the above work (for infantry)? Pop Smoke, then wait 30 seconds or Wait 30 seconds, pop smoke --- I want the former. If that is not the default, then how do I get that? Thanks.

Thanks, Ben.

Thank you. I understand. I have participated with game company years. A friend of mine is a CM beta tester, Bil Hardenberger. We met through Panther Games. Actually, the game is quite playable without mods; even Vin's Text. I am just a bit spoiled. I like gridded terrain, but I think it was more necessary for CMx1 than CMx2.

No. I had pre-ordered it, but was trying to decide whether I should just drop mods or the module. Instead, I decided 2 installs, and only R2V without the mods. You can do two installs with junctions.

I don't really understand the details of scoring. (below are all the locations where scoring information is presented; with screenshots) Each OP has little rollover that displays something about scoring. The elements making scoring in the turn get displayed on the OP Map along with other information. Then, there is also scoring in the side bar for the OP Map which covers every turn. Then, there is also Operation Statistics. Then, during the battle itself, it seems values are assigned to certain objectives. All, I know is that so far I am winning big time, and time is running out for the Reds.

Such a small thing. Junction to the rescue! Junction v1.06 - Windows junction creator and reparse point viewer Copyright (C) 2000-2010 Mark Russinovich Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Battlefront\Combat Mission\Fortress Italy: JUNCTION Substitute Name: E:\Games\CMFIrv Data\Fortress Italy

As I already script the execution of my games for many reasons, I think will just add junctions for CMFI (-rv) and CMFI (+rv). Thus, I will only have to play RV modless; I hate giving up my gridded terrain.

What I mean is that before installing and activating, I copied the game and data directories. After activating and taking a quick look, I renamed directories. Why? I am kind of partial to my mods which I have for everything: Aris ... Juju's UI ... (broken) Gridded Terrain ... (broken) Vin's Animated text ... As I have just finished all the training for CMBN/CMFI/CMRT/CMFB without Rome to Victory, I figure I have a lot of stuff to play without that one module, and would wait for the mods to get updated. BUT I THINK MANY MODDERS HAVE LEFT THE COMMUNITY, DO YOU THINK I WILL BE WAITING FOREVER AND SHOULD JUST BITE THE BULLET AND SETTLE FOR CMFI WITH THE BFC STANDARD UI? Thanks.

I hope I have succeeded in answering the following questions people have about the game engine. (1) Are you fighting/wargaming or just spectating? (2) What does one do when regarding a battle? (3) Can one enjoy the visuals or are you too busy clicking? (4) What level information can you get from the game?

I don't think laying down smoke will be half as effective as a T-34 escort. The Red Army has a real problem. Especially, as I now hold the Crossroads. Thus, I turn my armored force to come down this slot and hit the Red infantry in the rear. Can you imagine the terror when they realize that it is not T-34s coming up from behind, and that they at closest a click from any type of cover.

CONTACT! Red Army infantry launches itself out of the woods towards Trushinko. Our field guns open up. The enemy tries to cover their movements with smoke. That's a lot open ground to cover against entrenched defenders. I cannot help but to think that those T-34s we just neutralized were waiting to jump off to help their infantry cross that open ground to Trushinko.

The Bolsheviks are ready to pack it in. We turn back towards our original objective.

Okay, now, we are playing major league ball. There are T-34s out there. Every main gun I have begins to pound away at them. I don't know why these things have a reputation of being indestructible. We are blowing off pieces of armor, and getting track kills.

CONTACT! See that flash off to the right? We are taking fire. It looks like a line of ATGs. No, there seems to be a sprinkling of light tanks as well. I revise more orders and order the force to close, but stand off. I still don't really know what is out there.

Let me show the UI which you use for battles (as I have been taking it out of the shots). There is wealth of information here. More than I fully understand. Right now, I have Blesch's Platoon which ran from Shilovo to Tushinko to defend. As you can see, the squad are exhausted, but in place (green dots). Left is unit state information like ammo amount and type, and modes like fire at will. The top more or less controls various displays such as LOS. The right is your arty fire control queue, and events. Clicking on events will take you to them.

You can view the action from the perspective of a prone soldier or a drone. There is also a tactical 3D map that looks like what she saw for deployment. Here is the eye in the sky. We see Trushinko. To top right is the woods the enemy infantry will attack from. On the distant left, we see the armor advancing.

The armor has shaken itself out and is now advancing broadly.

To be continued after dinner (next up --- contact)

The battle begins (2 hrs) which I think is optimum. Troops sprint for Trushinko to set up defense. A field gun position covering the approach to Trushinko. Infantry deployed ahead of the guns to prevent close assault. Trenches around the outskirts of Trushinko. From the Red Army perspective. Armor forming up.