Treeburst155

Good points, Leland. The small building packing doesn't bother me as much as the terrain packing although LOS from buildings is greater for the units than in reality. How many buildings have windows in the corners allowing close to 270 degrees visibility for an entire squad? Granted, 400 square meters is plenty of room for 40 guys to take cover but what percentage of those should be able to fire in the same direction at a common unit or two.? I've run into this often (and done it too). Edit: We're talking a three meter by three meter square per man throughout the entire terrain square. These guys are packed in tight. Treeburst155 out. [ 05-24-2001: Message edited by: Treeburst155 ] [ 05-24-2001: Message edited by: Treeburst155 ]

This is something we probably all do that I think may be very unrealistic. Would an entire platoon pack into 20 square meters of cover? It seems to me in such a case they would either be shoulder to shoulder or most of them would be unable to fire for fear of hitting their own men in front of them. Since the game doesn't punish players for this I suggest we are all gamey. LOL!! The game also allows two squads and possibly a platoon leader IIRC to fit into a small building if the units are carefully positioned diagonally at the corners. 20+ guys in a farm house? I live in a two bedroom, one bath house. I have enough window space for ten people to take up firing positions and only a fraction of the ten could fire in any one direction. The other ten and the platoon leader would have to be content raiding the refrigerator and watching TV. Again, since this is not the case in the game I suggest it is gamey to put two full squads in a small building. I just thought I'd throw this out to see if I can stir up some more debate on gaminess. I enjoy being a troublemaker. Treeburst155 out.

Hey there Iron Duke. Is this where we report victories? I won a Tactical with my 13 Cromwells against Cubes. He's a formidable opponent but no match for my gaminess. LOL! Treeburst155 out.

Quite often when I load a PBEM file all the text in the game gets really weird and illegible. It's difficult to describe it. If I reload the file the problem is USUALLY corrected. If I play the game with the corrupted fonts my opponents have no problem with the file I generate. It's a minor issue but it does get to be a pain loading files twice, and sometimes three times. Has anyone else experienced this with PBEM files? I'm using a Duron 800, Geforce2 (Asus 7700), 256 MB RAM, SB Live! Value, Win ME, and all the latest approved drivers. Schrullenhaft, you're the pro around here. What do you think my problem is? Thanks!! Treeburst155 out. [ 05-12-2001: Message edited by: Treeburst155 ]

If you would like to see an OPTIONAL Ironman mode based on Franko's True Combat rules incorporated into a future iteration of CM post here. I just tried it in a small QB and it really is great fun IMO. The AI becomes a formidable opponent and it's spooky too. I'm curious as to how popular this method of play is/will become. BTS may be interested too I hope. If the program could force FTC rules on players, eliminating mistakes and cheating, this could be a great way to do PBEM and TCP/IP. It's a whole new ball game, that's for sure. Treeburst155 out.

At the end of the game, friendly, healthy on map troops and AFVs count for your point total. If you don't purchase the units, or exit them so they don't get killed, you prevent your opponent from scoring points for killing them but you also deprive yourself of points since only on map units count. This all assumes there is no "exit for points" victory condition. Jason Cawley is the real expert on this but I'm 99% sure I'm right based on some of his posts. Treeburst155 out.

How do you get 25 games going immediately? Follow Kiwi's example. He's dead meat now. Treeburst155 out.

I've always thought MGs in CM were not potent enough. I think several contributions to this thread touch on the reasons why this is true. I would like to see BTS take a hard look at MG effectiveness. Treeburst155 out.

Hey, that's great stuff! That's exactly what I wanted to know. This will make the fourth Jason Cawley post I have copied from this forum for future reference. Thanks again! Treeburst155 out.

If I take 500 pts. worth of Victory Locations and lose 500 pts. worth of units doing it do I have a net gain of zero points if I inflicted zero casualties on the enemy? I know this is an impossible situation but I'm trying to get a handle on the scoring calculations. It seems to me that some VLs just aren't worth taking if they are too heavily defended. Does anybody actually know how scoring is calculated? The manual is very vague. Thanks! Treeburst155 out.

Very interesting X-OO. I learned a great deal. As far as the cost of German arty is concerned I think it is cheaper than Allied arty because it takes longer to arrive and there are fewer rounds available compared to Allied arty. Treeburst155 out.

Good post Captain! Remind my never to play you however. Treeburst155

A hush fills The Pool as Grandmaster Treeburst approaches the computer. What words of wisdom will he bestow upon the Pool? Let's listen closely. Okay you nose pickin' booger eaters, I know you all hoped that I had Died A Lot and would not be bothering The Pool anymore. Well, guess what? Just like a bad case of jock itch I have reappeared. If it wasn't for work, something you scumbags know nothing about, I would bless you with my presence more often. I've got StevietheRunt on the run having crushed a tank platoon with a lone 75mm halftrack (with a bit of help from a Hetzer). In a desperate attempt to salvage the game he is trying a foolhardy flanking manuever with his remaining clanking contraptions. As soon as he comes around the bend he will find himself totally without armor support. Poor Stevie, if only he knew the game was over already. Germyboy, that gamey bastage, chose not to purchase any armor to aid him in his assault on MY town. I, in my infinite wisdom, have not exposed my armor to his beady bloodshot eyes as I haven't felt the need. The game is very interesting as a result of this. My 60mm mortars rule the field of battle having hammered to jelly at least one platoon attempting to advance through some woods. His remaining sissies are confronted with the formidable task of digging veteran American infantry out of heavy buildings and foxholes in wooded areas. To make matters worse for the poor old sod he's got very little cover to aid him in his advance. His arty barrages did little more than cause my guys to spill their beer. (We always fight drunk. It's good for morale). If only he knew the game was over already. Mark IV, Get your head out of that glue bag and send me a setup you bellicose bag of barf. I can see you smirking now as you ponder your insulting refusal of my demand. Don't write. Let's fight! Go ahead and give yourself a 3:1 force advantage like you do in your other games so I will be at least a little bit challenged. BTW, I thought of you yesterday while I was performing my quinquennial chore of cleaning out the refrigerator. Why was that, I wonder? May you all Die A Lot now. Treeburst155, CM Grandmaster Edit: Cruddy Croda's eyes must be giving out on him. Read his post below. [This message has been edited by Treeburst155 (edited 03-13-2001).]

Right On Bullethead! You've just summed up the whole gamey recon debate in one clear, concise post. People just don't understand that recon is over before you even start the battle at the scale of CM (with a few exceptions). Treeburst155

I'm not talking about manual targetting. I'm talking about mid turn AI targetting. The AI will target vets before regulars even if the vets are only identified as "infantry?" and are less likely to be hit than Regulars that are also visible. Edit: Here's an example. If you have a Regular M4 Sherman and a Veteran M4 Sherman as possible targets for an 88, and neither Sherman has seen the 88, and the chance to hit the Vet is 12% less than the chance to hit the Regular, and the tanks are NOT positively IDed by the gun ("?") then the gun will still ALWAYS fire on the Vet first. The gun crew is not sure what kind of vehicle it is up against but DEFINITELY knows a vet from a regular all the time. Treeburst155 out. Edit 2: I'm partially wrong above. My armor test showed the 88s as having positively identified the tanks as M4s complete with experience levels. The infantry test still stands. The AI will fire on a vet even when the unit is not identified as such and even if there are other troops significantly closer. [This message has been edited by Treeburst155 (edited 03-12-2001).] [This message has been edited by Treeburst155 (edited 03-12-2001).]

The enemy AI will target your experienced troops and vehicles before the rest even if the chance to hit the vet units is appreciably less. Even if none of your units has seen the enemy (no targetting to draw attention)and there is no positive ID ("Infantry ?") by the enemy your Vets will fall first, unless you have Crack or Elite, then they will be the first to come under fire. The AI doesn't know exactly what type of unit it's seeing but it can tell a Vet from a Regular instantly at long range when deciding what to fire at. This applies to all types of units. Occasionally a Vet will be targetted before a Crack or Elite, but you can bet the Cracker will be next. Treeburst155 out.

Bump

If I have no hope of winning the game I try to minimize how badly I lose. What I do to achieve this is totally dependent on the scenario/situation involved. Every game is different. If this means withdrawing until the program surrenders me then so be it. There's no sense in sticking around if your people are going to get slaughtered with little hope of doing likewise to the enemy. If my CO relieves me of my command for saving the lives of my men then so be it. Who is to say I wouldn't get relieved of command if all my guys get slaughtered needlessly? Either way my CO is unhappy. If in a PBEM game I have spent several weeks building an attack and my opponent surrenders before I launch it then I'm thrilled. I just accomplished my mission, took prisoners, and minimized my casualties. Surely my attack would have been beautiful since my opponent didn't even want to endure it. If an opponent consistently surrenders prematurely from my point of view then I would probably quit playing him as he is no challenge. As a CO he has no stomach for a fight. He should be relieved of command. When one player is no longer enjoying the game (he's losing bad) he may surrender. The winner should be a sport about it and accept the victory. Time is valuable. There's no sense in wasting it if you are no longer having fun. Being a good winner is just as important as losing gracefully. Treeburst155

Mark IV, Your posts are utterly hilarious. When I need a good laugh all I have to do is search for your stuff. Thanks!

Marked IV Death, You continue to sin against me. I gave you only one Commandment; that being, "Thou shalt stay in your box". Surely even the gelatinous matter that passes for your brain can comprehend that. Do not persist upon this impudent path my little one, for it is the path to torment and anguish. I shall be forced to chain you to Rob/1, and make you teach him to spell his name correctly. I will demand from you a CM setup with Rob/1 to choose your forces. Should you actually threaten to win I will have Rob/1 move into your housing project and take your turns for you. Once so ensconced he will be your guardian, your "angel of light", and your mommy; exercising full control over your food stamps and welfare check. You will no longer get away with ripping out the copper pipes of the tenement for your next bottle of Thunderbird. The heady days of sniffing glue will be forever in your past. Tread upon the path of obedience, that I may continue to bless you with a world of light and warmth (and cheap wine and glue) until the city hauls your rotting corpse to the local landfill. You have been warned. Treeburst155 CM Grandmaster

Ah, Mark IV.... you have indeed eskaped from your litle box. Are you trying to gode me into a serius respons? I dont think The Thread is the apropriute plase. It would be like trying to convirs on a rooler coster ride. I was unawhere Rob/1 declard war aginst The Thread awhile bak. For that he shuold be strung up bye his tows and beeten to within an inch of his life. Atempting to stifle The Thread is akin to book berning IMO. However, after the beeting he shud be alowed to post to the other threads in piece. His giberish is know werse than 50% of the rest of the crap out thier. Now I am off to bild a stronger box in wich to house you. It will be a cold and dreery box, just like yur world. Injoy yor fredom wile you can. Perhaps you can put it to good use by volunterring to teech a adult literasy clas. Hehe... Your Master, Treeburst155

You guys should give Rob/1 a break. It's obvious he has a disability. If the world revolved around art and music instead of language and the written word think about how many of us would be totally disabled. Hang in there, Rob. You get your meaning across. Treeburst155

STAND UP, BAUHAUS!! I just thought I'd make sure he's getting his calisthenics in. Now SIT DOWN, Bauhaus! OK, here's the scoop on my two Pool games. Now I know you Pumpernickels (SIT DOWN, Bauhaus!!) don't care so pay attention closely anyway, ya doorknobs. StevieTheRunt and that Germanboy lamer have both watched the first movie at this point. I'm expecting both to capitulate with their next files. Why? I am the very essence of the Blitzkrieg, that's why. Even my foxholes are highly mobile. Now keep this paroxysmal, orgiastic synergy (JD, I believe) going; and SAW IT OFF COMPLETELY THIS TIME!! Your Master, Treeburst155

I think that's the best bocage yet! Do we have a host? Treeburst155

Hello Gentlearses! In hopes of boring you all to tears, fueling the fires of hatred for myself, and ruining your day too, I've decided to post. Let it be known that I, Treeburst155, the purulent lesion festering upon the body of The Thread stubbornly persist. The disease that has spawned me grows stronger by the hour and is even now nesting comfortably in the spinal cord of this unholy body. In time, the mental acuity of all who post here will erode, allowing my witless drivel to shine forth as the noonday sun. The pus that is my lifeblood is mustering, soon to burst forth onto the already psoriatic skin of The Thread, propagating new Treeburst155 lesions. The immune system of The Thread will suffer total supression under the barrage of my siblings in a fashion not unlike a 155mm treeburst. Once suppressed my father the disease will assault The Thread, taking his toll on the minds of the members. Eventually, instead of wit, culture, and CM the knights and squires of The Thread will be reduced to Pokemon, comic books, and dry discussions outlining the pros and cons of various denture adhesives available at Walmart. Did I forget to mention your teeth will fall out? There is only one way to avoid the catastrophic final stages of the Treeburst155 disease. You must all gather your wives, children, and pet hamsters and partake of the communal Kool-Aid. You will rest peacefully in purgatory (No Penger has a chance at heaven) with full knowledge that you have not only avoided a degrading demise but that you have, in the end, FINALLY done something beneficial to humanity. Hopefully at this point I've accomplished my goals for this post as I have no more time to waste on you pedantic pederasts. NOW, SAW IT OFF!! Oh, one more thing I'm sure no one cares about. I'm presently doing battle with StevietheRunt in addition to Squirmygirl. If they don't post regular updates I most certainly will as I enjoy boring you all. Keep in mind pitiful Stevie is not to blame for the fact we are playing. Like any self respecting member of The Thread he loathes having to do so much as exchange email with me. His knight PeeterVD is to blame for his predicament. As for Spermygirl, I do believe I actually insulted him. NOW, SAW IT OFF CORRECTLY THIS TIME!! Treeburst 155