BloodyBucket

I posted a review at VideoGameGeek that is more my thoughts on this game vs. CMBO than a by the book review. Bottom line: Yup, I'm enjoying this!

It's kind of reassuring to read that somebody else is flummoxed by the amount of weapons that share the same sound. I was beginning to think I was the only one who cared! Yes, I'm enjoying this game immensely. As much as the "you'll never forget your first girl/CMBO" comparison makes me profoundly uncomfortable, it rings true. CMBO blew my socks off, and the CMBN experience doesn't have the same wowee! factor. That said, I find CMBN to be amazingly addictive. It's got that Wide World of Sports thing going...the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. There are a hundred stories in almost every turn. It's dramatic, it feels stimulative, it looks good. Artillery and mortars too powerful? As much as I curse when that barrage hits me, or fails to hit him, the radio operator in me nods in approval. Great stuff. Looking forward to more.

.22 carbine? Was that the Parachute Plinking Corps? I'm with Normal Dude. I think that on average, the Airborne should have better motivation and leadership than the "leg" infantry units with similar combat time, but that's not an ironclad rule. Perhaps there is a tendency that creeps in from popular culture to expect every action involving Airborne units to at least equal the exploits of Easy Company as seen in HBO's BoB and several FPS video games. In my reading up on the 28th infantry Division, about as un-elite as you can get, they performed poorly as a division when first committed, got much better after the initial baptism of fire and a command change, floundered when poorly used in a bad situation in the Hurtgen forest and on the whole performed heroically in a bad situation during the Ardennes offensive. Same unit, different levels of experience, different leadership and different levels of motivation depending on the situation and state of exhaustion. Motivation levels as portrayed in CMBN could and should vary depending on a host of factors, and training shouldn't trump all.

Nothing to back this up other than casual observation, but it seems to me that a MG with an area fire order puts out more lead than one with a specific unit targeted. It's almost like they don't spend as much time aiming and spotting, they just point and pull the trigger.

Is it damaged? IIRC somebody said that you can get LOS from behind a shot-up wall.

Nathan Brittles would not approve, sir.

Notice the sunny weather and the high initial speed, causing the tires to overheat and become sticky. Yeah, that's the the ticket.

IIRC, .30 M2 Ball uses a 152gr flat based bullet, and the .30 M1 used a heavier 174gr boat tail bullet to give better long range performance to machineguns, when MG barrages were still considered a player on the battlefield. They started out with a flat based bullet, "upgraded" to a boat tail, then went back to a flat base because the heavier bullet overshot the safety zone of a lot of NG ranges and probably kicked like a mule in the 1903 Springfield. M2 was issued for rifle, BAR and MG use in WWII, and the M1 ball was pretty much obsolete, but since it tended to be more accurate it saw limited use by snipers, although it was probably more common for them to use the M2 AP ammo that had a reputation for better accuracy.

The game is my current crack habit. It's great.

Any good sources for aerial photos from the 1940s? I'm interested in the Sourdeval -Percy-Gathemo-St. Sever Calvados region.

I dunno if it's Star Trek terminology. "XO" was certainly a term that was in use in the USMC, circa 1980-2007. In essence, he takes on the administrative and logistical aspects of command at the company, regimental and battalion level so the commander can focus on commanding. It was kind of a running joke that the XO got all the dirty details and none of the glory. I use my XO teams as medics, but also as scouts or FOs, and when enemy armor shows up the bazooka in the vehicle can make the XO team an AT team. I'm glad to see the XO in the game, as well as the HQ support teams. They add historical flavor, some flexibility and can be pretty useful in a pinch. I mostly favor company sized battles, so I can understand how all the extra teams could seem like too many cats and dogs to the virtual battalion commander.

The patch is the patch. What can be done?

The US HQ support units don't contain the XO, or at least there is a seperate XO unit for most formations. I think it contains the First Shirt and various clerks, RTOs and runners. I've used them as an extra AT team with a Bazooka acquired from a Jeep, in trail behind the advance to administer buddy aid and salvage key weapons, a large scout team, and even as FO's in a pinch.

I'd like to see an in-game gamma adjustment. The idea of a T/O and E page in the briefing that showed current C2 and was clickable back to the map would be nice. Oh, and a listing for casualties caused by off map support at the end of a game.

Over-acted narration. Latrine breaks. Having to write letters home to the mothers of all the pixel guys you lost. PowerPoint Rangers. Rick Rolling.

Even if there is a concern about file size, if they had "slots" for a separate sounds for those weapons, but used the same sound in the stock game, it would be up to the modders and the crazy sound grogs to choose to fatten up the game by introducing separate .wav files. There is something about scrolling about a map, and hearing that unwelcome, unexpected sound of a distinctive enemy weapon that is delightful and disturbing at the same time.

I'm pretty sure that units would "grenade up" if they expected to be in a situation where they'd likely need more. Besides vehicle or stockpile resupply, another option might be to have the option to boost the number of grenades carried for a few points when shopping for forces.

I have a feeling that most guys who did real world head on shot tests versus Panthers and Tigers didn't last long enough to record the results in a proper academic fashion.

Perhaps veteran troops should be less likely to line up and bunch up as they move.

It's a nice look for the jeep.

I've had a few situations where squads are lined up after exiting doorway or hedgerow gap, or moving along a wall and a MG42 gets to play "Bowling for GIs" and it scores a strike. :eek:

Well, if you want to find out, better send a runner.

I've "blasted" tanks before. IIRC, I had some issues with bunkers being KO'd but the occupants being impervious to everything my infantry squad could throw at them...You'd think that a demo charge or two would mess up the occupants pretty good, or at least make them think about surrendering. My father told me he had a "secret weapon" against pillboxes and bunkers...a captured flare pistol. Apparently launching a flare into an aperture at close range always caused the occupants to give up, when small arms fire or even grenades wouldn't. Try to imagine steeling yourself against the inevitable end, and all of a sudden this crazy ball of fire is bouncing around your ears. Apparently, it was unnerving and violent enough for the occupants to decide that honor was satisfied and it was time to call it quits. The fear of being burned out by flamethrowers was never out of mind, either, so that might of had something to do with it. He said that the surviving German prisoners were always very incredulous but somewhat relieved when shown the flare pistol.

That's an interesting catch. I know the guide was supposed to stay at the rear of the platoon to watch for stragglers and distribute ammo. Here's a link to a 1943 bulletin on the duties of the platoon members and the employment of the platoon in the approach, at least for the USA. There's no mention of a radio operator.

I've had pretty good luck with a demo charge and the blast command. But, it doesn't seem to work all the time.