Apache

Thanks very much. Did wonder if I was missing something LOL!!! I noticed when I installed this mod I actually had no Z folder at all, just the 'Data' folder. I did create a 'Z_AKD Sound Mod' folder, with other mods do/can/should I create ANOTHER similar folder (e.g. 'Z_Scipio Icons') OR would I be better just creating one folder called 'Z' and put all such mods (including the AKD sound one, deleting the Z_AKD Sound Mod folder)?

Currently looking round to see how to install these? Is there a guide or instructions anywhere? I knew how to do graphics mods with CMBO etc but not CMSF? I know with those bundled as brz files they just go in the 'Data' folder but not sure where these icon images go??

Excellent. Must grab these. I am new (as in 1 day) to CMSF (long time CMBO player - remember your work from there too) and knew very well how to install graphic mods for that. No idea for CMSF (just about to have a further hunt round for info), maybe these come with a readme that explains it, some others I have DL don't so am a bit lost.

All installed and (I think/suspect) all working fine as most sounds are much better. Am I correct in assuming that I should (or even could) actually create a folder in the Data folder with the same title (e.g. Z_AKD Sound Mod) and install all the files there? It's mainly so I know what should be there with the vanilla CMSF and what I've added. Also, presumably to go back to originals it's just a case of removing any of the 'far' modules? Out of interest do your 'far' ones overwrite sounds which your own main brz file puts in or do they deal with completely different sounds in separate packages (e.f. if I remove 'small arms far' do I revert to a sound you have created with your main file or the CMSF vanilla?). Sorry for all the questions, modding this is different to that which I am used to. Currently trying to find out how you install graphics mods??? CMBO was easy, .wav and .bmp. I have the NATO icons for instance but can't find where the ones to be replaced live.

Just wondering why this might be before I try editing the relevant command line myself. With the demo I had several display options including 'Desktop'. Last night (despite problems with DVD R/W drive) I installed the Paradox box game doing little between the various patch upgrades other than to check the version had changed (to 1.10 then 1.21). I then installed NATO and then the 1.31 patch. One thing I did notice is that after one of the patches went in (I think!!) the pc desktop seemed to do a flickering adjustment to a lower resolution setting as the game booted up dropping to 1024 x 760 or something like that. Also, unlike in the demo I do not get a 'desktop' display option. IIRC with CMBO etc if issues like this arose you could delete the 'Prefs' file and would then get asked (again IIRC) to choose a setting when the game booted. Is this still possible or is a straight edit to the file the best way to bring the desktop option back?

Hi. Yes it shows up when it chooses to read a CD. Then I have no problem. Other times I put a CD in and zip happens?? I'll have a look at the above tomorrow. I may be barking up the wrong tree on the driver front, it may just be a rubbish or worn out drive. Seems odd that some CDs it runs, some it doesn't.

Well, as if I needed much more prompting to replace my Dell desktop I tried to install CMSF (Paradox retail disc) today and, as has happened with a few CDs on and off of late, I put the CD in the drive, the green read light comes on and after a few seconds it just sits there dormant. I tried a driver check but the Dell driver updater just says same or older firmware. I tried deleting the device and re-booting but no joy. The optical drive is a HL DT ST GWA-4163B and I have to say I've never been that impressed with it's performance. My driver version is 5.1.2535.0 from 7/1/2001!! Regardless of what I try though I cannot seem to get a newer one. Luckily my wife has a netbook with an external USB DVD drive which I used and that worked fine. I later put the Dell driver CD into the GWA and that worked fine??? So I have no idea what the problem is. It just seems temperamental, or maybe it just doesn't read some discs now. When CMSF was in the drive I even tried to get to it via Explorer but it just showed up as a drive with no CD in??? Not sure any driver updates/options will fix this so, short of trying a cleaning CD through it, or replacing the DVD writer complete I think the new PC plans will be brought forward. It WILL NOT however be a Dell!!!!

Thanks. Will have a play tomorrow. I suspect I'll try out the main collection first. Don't have the file to hand on the PC but assume they all go in the same place as you put the main .brz file but you just pick and choose the 'extra' (I think that's what they are called) for any specific situations/missions you may get.

AKD: Just checking (plan to install your mod today) does 1.2 mod a whole range of sounds? Reason I ask is I downloaded it to my Mac and had a look in the folders but there did not seem to be that many files?? Perhaps the sound works different on this game as I'm used to seeing a gazillion .wav files in CMBO etc. One stock sound I really dislike (and for all I know about modern weaponry it might actually be accurate) is the sound of the Marder 20mm firing. Almost sounds like a robot woodpecker or even someone drumming their fingers on a car roof. I can never work out if it's one of mine (or an enemy) gun firing or my IFVs getting raked by MG fire. It may of course just be a demo thing (which until about an hour's time is all I have access too).

Being snowed in here, and the Paradox boxed game arriving yesterday (thank God!!!), it seems a fine time to install, patch and then load up NATO!! Can't wait, demo scenario "Die Festung" was top notch, looking forward to accessing the complete range of kit. And I now know how to use Milans on Marders!!

Thanks for that. This comes with Windows 7 so that fog issue has got be a bit worried!! I'll monitor the situation I think and might consider going for an ATI option. This system is supposed to be geared towards gaming so I'm hoping the sound will be OK. I'll research it some more.

Thanks. I might look at upping the spec with a different card, I'll post details after Xmas when I will know more about what it will be (hoping for some kind of sale). Only thing I was a little surprised about is the onboard sound? I'm not sure of the current state of PC sound delivery but I always thought a separate sound card was preferable?? That said, I won't be using 5.1 or anything like that. IIRC wasn't there an issue years ago with ATI cards and fog? Is that still a problem.

Just about to replace my ageing desktop and on the gaming front it will be used mainly for CM albeit I do like the Total War series sometimes. As I'd REALLY like to ensure I get no CM issues I'd be grateful fro any views on the spec. It's a Chillblast Fusion machine which have had some good reviews in the UK: Intel Core i7 870 Processor overclocked to 3.6GHz Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Cooler Asus P7P55D-E LX Motherboard with USB 3.0 GeForce GTX 460 768MB Graphics Card EZCool A200D ATX Case 4GB PC3-10666 DDR3 Memory Samsung Blu Ray ROM / DVD-RW Combo Drive 1000GB SATA 7200rpm Hard Disk 500watt FSP PSU Onboard High Definition Audio Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM Included Peripherals: Samsung B2430L Logitech Cordless Keyboard & Mouse Logitech S220 Speakers Ports on rear of system: * 4 x USB 2.0 ports 2 x USB 3.0 ports 1 x PS/2 for keyboard Audio outputs 1 x 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet for network 1 x DVI output 1 x HDMI output 1 x DisplayPort 1 x S-Video * May vary if configuration is altered! Ports on case: 2 x USB 2.0 ports

Ah, that explains why the scrooges wouldn't let them have the rounds. I would have thought the same with the Milan on the Marder too but in the online manual on p.18 there is a 'Note' indicating the 'Open' command has to be given first: http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_flippingbook&book_id=17&Itemid=427 I did try the 'target' command with the deployed ATGM but found it less effective than when they had acquired the target themselves (e.g. IIRC the target survived on top the tower but dies when they shot it themselves). Good point re giving the infantry area targets as they assault. I would normally supress heavily with HE and then switch to 'target light' as the infantry got closer but in the scenario building preservation was required to a degree. Probably my description was out but I didn't rush the Marders up as such. They just closed so they could target more effectively and provide closer support. I put no infantry on the ground anywhere near them while there were threats and even then got a team half wiped out (the squads are only 6 in number!!!) as an MG sprang out of nowhere. Playing on WeGo can be a little more tricky with switching from IFV HE to light though so I will need to get timings right!!! Should probably ask a mod to edit the thread title to 'NATO module - getting the best from German units?' or something similar!! Yes I've come to regard the snipers as place and forget really but as you say they do provide eyes on certain areas. In this mission a sniper on the hill was quite effective at calling down mortar fire on two towers and on woods near to the objective. In what context are you referring to C2? The added benefits of the extra radios? I've gone through the change log and that seems to be the main benefit (albeit quite significant) that will help me, just trying to figure if it is worth losing the infantry fausts until such stage as the 1.32 patch (in which BF state the glitch will be fixed and launchers will be on the Marders again) is released. Great game though and better than I thought it'd be (e.g. with too much modern tech and 'fire and forget' about) albeit I'm not sure I'll play it THAT often once Normandy is released. It will provide a refreshing break now and then mind. One thing I'm not sure about is some of the game sounds. I'm not familiar with modern weaponry but the 20mm auto-cannon and MGs sound more like robot woodpeckers to me than anything I'd associate with gun fire! I've seen a lot of reference to AKDs sound mod and have downloaded v 1.2 from the Repository to try when the game comes, hopefully that will deal with some issues (there just doesn't seem to be THAT many files in the folder though so I hope I've got the right one. I also downloaded the NATO symbols mod but not sure whether I'll just leave the game defaults in. I should probably ask a mod to change the thread title to 'NATO Module - using German units effectively?' !!!

Yes i suppose the units will be parcelled out more to reflect RL in the campaign. Nice work with the Walkthroughs by the way. Watched a couple already and plan to watch the lot but not until I've played each mission (spoilers etc). In fact I think it's watching the two I did that pushed me towards getting CMSF and NATO. I planned to get the Brit module but something about the German kit just appealed more. Also, it's the newest module with all the 'bells and whistles' I thought :-) On a completely different note when I patch the full game after I load it on I think I will hold off on the 1.31 patch until 1.32 comes out. It seems infantry access to P/fausts has been reduced BUT in addition to taking them off the teams there are also no launchers on the Marders so no section AT at all until it's fixed.

Hmmmm. I've got NATO but not the game yet!! Tomorrow hopefully!!! Yes the Auf/K units are in Fenek AFVs IIRC. I actually found them a lot more useful than I originally thought as I played the demo more (I just keep playing the scenario over and over to get better at it rather than spoiling the NATO module ones on practice). They do have some quite good fire power for their size but are clearly best out of the main line!! I plan to try and use them more for spotting etc too now. The Marders I find very useful (doubtless I'd have found them more so if I'd seen the manual entry about giving them an 'open' command for the Milan to be used!!!). The 20mm auto cannon packs a punch. I did try one thing which did not work (unless i just don't know how to do it yet) but one time I played I had one of the mobile ATGM (Milan) teams on a building roof. It did really well and took out two separate MGs on top of towers when they opened up. As it had done so well I sent the team towards a nearby Marder to see if they could pinch some Milan rounds (the jeep team had only the 3 and the Marders carry 6). No sir. Wouldn't let them 'acquire' :-( I may need to explore this more or maybe its not possible. I also could not quite figure why this Milan team did so well this time around when, on other tries at the mission, despite being on the same roof they never shot at anything despite targets arising in similar locations??? Maybe those times they just could not see or acquire them. Or......maybe I'd done something with the team, command wise, that I now can't remember to make them more effective. The infantry I find though are VERY fragile indeed, as the manual says. Yet to perfect how to use them well, especially with regard to assaulting buildings etc. ATM I'm inclined towards blowing the blazes out of everything with armour/arty and even 20mm before the infantry get anywhere near them because if the buildings have live defenders in an infantry team can be wiped out really fast!!! With the demo mission I found I did better running the infantry up close to the buildings in Marders (once the enemy AT threats had been dealt with) and clobbering the buildings with 20mm. Even then an MG all but wiped out a squad that disembarked because I THOUGHT I'd dealt with or suppressed all the defenders. Not really got the handle on sniper use yet. I tend to find them better as observers and spotters than the use that their name implies. They may well come into their own in the full module/missions. The Leo is top notch though, and I think it's just the A4 in the demo!!! I remember the pre-planned arty strikes from CMBB/CMAK now, thanks for reminding me. Must admit though I do like to keep a lot back for known targets later in the mission as I think it's not too difficult to run out! Air strikes I am REALLY judicious with and only ever use the JDS to call in.

Well, I played the demo for the first time over the last few days to get familiar with the engine etc in anticipation of Normandy next year and found it to be very enjoyable and much improved over the first time I played a couple of years ago. The boxed game should arrive soon and I have NATO downloaded and ready to install. Playing CMBO etc to death for several years has paid a few dividends as with the missions on the demo I seem to be doing quite well with most forces surviving quite well, if not fully in tact. The combat abilities of the Leopard and Abrams help!! One problem I have come across though is effectively using units such as the isolated Aufklarungs sections in "Die Festung" for instance. In the CMBO games I would generally use infantry to probe the terrain I was putting tanks into to at least identify if not clear AT defences etc. In this mission though the terrain is so vast that I found that I didn't really have the time to use the infantry to push in front of the Leopards that I wanted to get to the hill to the right of the deployment area on the opposite side of the map as they needed to make their way to the main objective. The long range abilities of ATGMs mean that infantry can only really be used to spot/clear close quarter positions but it's still something I'd rather do, especially if the terrain is dense/urban. One option would have been to use bounds to advance the tanks with the stationary Leopard providing overwatch and this is largely what I did but the bounds were longer than I'd perhaps have liked (some unfamiliarity with the vehicle speed here and the bounds need not have been that long really). Given the length of the bounds I thought I'd need I thought I'd use one Auf/K unit to dash ahead in their vehicle and scout out any positions. Bad move! Bit rash and a bit dumb as it died PDQ from fire from the fortress itself. Not concentrating as much as I should have (this time) I lost a Leopard to an ATGM I think. Later in the mission I also tried rapidly driving the JDM FO to a building and again, their vehicle was KO on the way, luckily they still got there. The two ATGM (Milans IIRC) jeeps (Wolf?) are also very susceptible and I have yet to find more effective ways of using these foot/light vehicle mounted ATGM teams. Their vehicles are very vulnerable also and have a good target profile if they placed in a good overwatch position so i tend to dismount the teams low down, 'Move' them whilst in cover and then 'Slow' to get to a high point so they can see and use their weapons effectively. They attract fire quickly when they fire but that's life for ATGM users I suppose. Got me thinking really as to what i might realistically look to use such units as Auf/K for, particularly when they are stragglers of one or two? Their vehicles are very vulnerable and they provide not too much help on the firefight front so to a degree I figured that out of the way until everything is cleared is the best way to go with them, using them to support the infantry as they go in when most major battlefield threats have been KOd. Not a very proactive use of them though. I could have used them for spotting from the hill but once the tanks were there they provided it and they got there more safely and of course provide much needed heavy firepower overwatch. One thing that did occur is that the Auf/K could have been used on the hill to the right flank of the tanks to provide some flank security from sneaking ATGM armed infantry or even as spotters lower down the hill to watch for anything creeping up the valley while the tanks remained on the crest giving overwatch on the fortress (I wouldn't just leave tanks 'crested' normally but most AFVs had been KO'd and there were 3 of them so anything popping its head up didn't last long). The only other thing I thought of was to use them to occupy one or two of the buildings scattered on the battlefield to scan from rooftops for any infantry or even concealed vehicle contacts I may have missed (I did get a Marder immobilised by a vehicle from somewhere and judging by the shredding sound and multiple line tracer it must be a Shilka). Any other thoughts on these straggler type units which despite their high mobility seem very fragile in any kind of offensive task? One other query, does the effectiveness of FOOs improve (time or accuracy) for instance the closer they are to the target or is LOS all they need? Not toyed with getting them closer yet as the dedicated FOO seems to get most missions in within a minute if needed so it seems better to keep them way back.

Good, thanks. Must admit I plan to buy Normandy direct from BF for the manuals reason alone, regardless of whoever may or may not be chosen as a distribution partner. I do prefer manuals to PDFs :-(

I can find a link which opens open a kind of interactive manual for both SMSF and NATO on the BF site but I find it too small to read on the laptop. Can't find PDF versions at all. Doubtless NATO has one in its install 'exe' file and (I hope) the v 1.10/1.21 will also update the Paradox base game manual to the relevant version in PDF. No great worries as I should get the boxed game tomorrow and I have the NATO module as a DL ready to be installed. Shame about the unit stats/profile screen. Found that very useful in CMBO.

No problem, I did get a bit confused mind, even when my plan was to get the Brit module but I think with going through it time after time with the NATO module it got clearer. Maybe it was late also :-) Might be worth updating the link when you select the 1.10 patch also as this states you do not need the patch if you have any other module, which some might, understandably, take to include the NATO module.

Ah, thanks. Bit of a rushed start to the demo. I was wondering what the acquire command was for, thought it may be something to do with target acquisition. Doubtless the full game will have the PDF manual so all will become clearer. Will have to leave most ammo choices to them!! Aside from APFDS, HEAT and 7.62 etc etc most will get lost on me. I draw the line on them leaving the javelin in the back though!! Can you pull up unit/vehicle profiles at all now or is it just what is at the bottom of the screen now?

Just a quick message wondering if anyone can help here. Waiting for CMSF and Nato to arrive so only have access to demo at moment. Had to go out just after this issue arose so I'm not sure if it's controllable. Was playing the US 'Steel' mission and got to a point where I wanted a dismounted infantry section to K/O a Syrian MBT with a Javelin. Much to my surprise they left the Javelins they had on the Stryker when they dismounted!! Messed around with the menus etc but couldn't find any way to 'force' a certain weapon load out? Is this possible at all? Wondering if it may just not be possible with the demo?? Also, IIRC, there was an option in CMBO/CMBB to hit 'Enter' when the cursor was on a unit to bring up a unit info screen. Is this still somewhere in SF? Modern warfare is not my thing really (will enjoy SF and NATO forces but mainly playing to familiarise myself with CMX2 pending the Normandy release) and it would be nice to be able to look up some of the detail around certain vehicles etc, some of which are very new to me, to say the least.

Yep, 6 June maybe?

Thanks Schrullenhaft - very helpful as always :-) Figured it was likely down to further module releases combined with understandably outdated (in some respects) guidance pertaining to the patches. Was pulling my hair out out one point when I though I was on the right track only to find "you do not need this patch if............"!!!!! LOL. To be honest the death by ATGM nature of modern warfare has zero appeal for me so am only buying into SF to get up to speed with engine changes and C&C etc. pending the Normandy release. So the plan is: 1) Patch to Paradox 1.10 2) Patch with Paradox 'paid for' 1.21 3) Install NATO 4) Patch to 1.31 (BF)

I have to say the site is VERY VERY confusing about all this and there is some contradictory information. Essentially i wonder what would happen if you just bought the 'out the box' Paradox version and installed NATO? Would that work OK? Would the NATO module install and/or what would it patch the game to? Or would it just not load? Main problem is: 1) NATO module says game must be patched to 1.21 2) Page provides a link to 1.21 which takes you to full version history 3) Selecting CMSF takes you to the list of patch versions 4) Going to the Paradox section shows it seems to be OK to install the 1.10 update provided you don't have the Marine Mod. 5) Selecting then patch 1.21, again under Paradox (and this is where it gets confusing), suggests that you don't need this patch if you have ANY module. The site says such as Marines or British but maybe this should actually read ONLY Marines or British as it SEEMS you are prompted to use the free 1.21 if you have a module. The information guide goes on to stress that if you even plan to buy and install a module you do not need this 'paid for' patch as the module automatically upgrades the game, but then you come back to the guidance that NATO module cannot be installed until you get to 1.21. Kind of a Catch 22. I tend to think that maybe the guidance has been written incrementally (understandably) and doesn't take into account people who MAY just buy (now) a Paradox boxed version and just the NATO module. That's the position I'm in and it gets very confusing to be honest.