c3k

Nice find.

There was one skirmish involving ignited aerosol cans and flushing the roommate from under a bed.

I had a roommate who had giant enemy crabs. Does that count?

As a beta-tester, I'm ready to relate some gaming news: my wife has now totally blocked me out of the Bejeweled high score screen, with over a dozen million point games. My best is half that. "Incredible" Oh, you thought it'd be CM game related? Pesky ND...

There have been a lot of good points made in this thread. They're even better when they're kept at a civil level and the ad hominem vitriol is left out. A game which causes emotional responses is a pretty good game, in my opinion. (Someone mentioned Bejeweled. Yeah, it pisses me off that my wife kicks my ass on that game.) By definition, beta testers are fans of the game. We are tied to a non-disclosure agreement. That causes stress. I'd like to tell you more, but all I can do is play Bejeweled to vent...and that's not going as well as I'd like.

My bold. Yeah, I'd say a lot. No, I won't be pinned down to a percentage! As to the "not at all" (re-pre-order, if that's a word), well, c'mon: this is Combat Mission. You'll do it. You may grumble, but you'll do it. FWIW, I don't commit money to pre-order...ever. But, that's only because I got burned in the past. (See "Trespasser", an early computer game loosely based on Jurassic Park. Yeah...never again will I order after I got that p.o.s.) There's a boardgame company which lets you pre-order, but they do not bill you until the game is about to ship. As in a day or two prior, if that early. However, BFC has an ironclad reputation for delivering... It's just that they also have a reputation of taking longer than a lot of folks would like. This is a case in point.

^^^ Yes. "Guns" were known to be heavier, but longer-ranged, than "Howitzers". They were longer-ranged due to a higher muzzle velocity. The metallurgy and engineering required to achieve that higher muzzle velocity meant that the same-caliber Gun was far heavier than its Howitzer counter-part. In modern armies, the advances in projectile technology (base-bleed and rocket-assist), higher chamber pressures (better metallurgy), longer-wearing barrels (ditto), and other changes have meant that the "Gun" no longer does anything that the "Howitzer" cannot. And, due to the ability to loft rounds higher, the Howitzer can do things that Guns cannot. So, other than a few specialized cases, Howitzers have completely supplanted Guns in modern artillery parks. (Rocket artillery has taken over the traditional role of Guns, as far as that role cannot be done by a Howitzer. Meaning, the far, deep-strike, into the enemy rear-area, and/or counter-battery fire from a long distance. Howitzers can do some of that, but not at the ranges which have become desirable.) A case in point: the standard field howitzer of WWII was 105mm. The US version weighed about 5,000 lbs and had a range of about 10km. (Give or take...) The German version of a 105mm Howitzer had specs which were, for all practical purposes, identical. Now, the standard US towed howitzer is the M777 with a weight of about 8,000 lbs and a range of about 24km for normal rounds and 30km for base-bleed (e.g. Excalibur). (There is an M777ER (a3?) in the works which adds some barrel length, fires a rocket-assisted projectile (rap) and has a rumored range near 70km.) In WWII, the US "Long Tom" 155mm Gun had a range of 24km. The same as the modern howitzer. The drawback was that it weighed 30,000 lbs. Modern howitzers are FAR more capable than their WWII forebears...

That is a wonderful description of how well this game replicates tactical outcomes. Sometimes, it sucks. This obviously impacted you. That is a role of modern entertainment. You'll remember this particular battle for a very long time. The cool thing? That you kept at it...and finally got to the (miserable) end. Not every battle ends in victory. This game produced a memorable event. THAT is impressive.

- There has been a very long wait for v4.0 patch - Pre-orders were made with an expectation that a new game would be available by the end of September - BFC is famous for not communicating about plans and release dates Given the above, yes, I agree that there is plenty of ground for legitimate frustration. In my dream world, some sort of polished PR-type would be posting weekly updates. As to v4.0, Occum's Razor applies: if it were simple, it would've already been released. Is it frustrating to have some egregious TacAI behavior problems in v3.12? Yes. If v4.0 were ready, you'd have it. Or, would you rather have a version which needs another (long-delayed) patch? I don't think substituting a "bad" version with another "bad" version is the way to go. Pre-orders have a bit of a quid pro quo: you pay less, but sooner, with no product in hand. Well, that's still the case. As for BFC's communications, let's look at what has happened. BFC communicated an expected release date...and missed it. Now, expectations are dashed and there is (righteous) anger. If they had never communicated an expected release date, this would not have happened. Hence, why BFC does not communicate plans and release dates.

After about 3 hours of gameplay, you'll have a very good skill set for using the UI. It is different than other games and you'll have a choice of HOW to play: wego or realtime are the biggest choices. Look around at some of the tutorials. A lot of good info is out there...

A lot was for counter-weight to the weapon for overall turret balance. A solid bustle would have been...overkill. They were used to house radios and some other storage. (The US learned the value of this from the Brits. Early M4/M5 US tanks had no bustle. The Brits had them...and used them.) If the weapon recoiled into the bustle, the elevation would be very limited. (The trunnion mount to bustle distance would show the limits.)

One word: Jelly-fish. Pee away, dear friend, pee away.

This is not a pixeltruppen planning problem. It is, instead, the implementation of the pixeltruppen peeing procedure. See, after a long ride in a halftrack, with bullets pinging off the armor, and poor Hans getting nailed while manning the machinegun, every pixeltruppen was imbued with the need to urgently urinate. So, they hopped out and peed. Of course, with your gridded terrain mod, you've blocked the "yellow snow" terrain change. (This is somewhat related to the "browning of the shorts" mod when your troops' morale plummets.) As soon as their bladders are emptied, they'll charge forth. Give 'em a moment.

And, don't forget, you can MODIFY the (excruciatingly detailed and mind-bogglingly accurate) force structure. How much can you modify it? To your heart's content. This ability is akin to giving the average user some sort of super-power. Like shapeshifting. Or communicating with fish. Or something. Buy the game; become a super-hero. (Or, in sburke's case, a super-villain.)

This (the bolded part). I am still amazed, going through the beta testing process, how much gameplay is contained in CMSF. I will add, scenario/campaign design has come a loooooong way since CMSF.

One word: Star Citizen. As far as CMSF2, well, I know I've been busy. I can't say on what, exactly. But, there is a possibility that I've found a bug...a crushing bug...and that I've nurtured it, sequestered it, and kept it away from BFC's prying eyes. The day Steve announces on the internal private channels that CMSF2 is about to go live the next day...I may reveal this bug. The delay will be...delicious. Bwah. Bwah, hah. Bwah, hah, hah!!!! (These are the things that amuse me. ) C'mon: it -was- kinda funny.

I wanted to...but the first three disappeared too quickly.

I've played the first scenario of Hammer's Flank 3 or 4 times. Never to a finish. (The first time, I found out that a critical FO team was -behind- me (where the camera is at start), and I never noticed it until too late. The benefit of the pre-planned arty was lost... That led to a retry after having played for ~30 turns.) I'm not sure how far along my furthest progression achieved. Pretty far...but not to the end. It is, simply, not my cup of tea. Also, it could be that my abilities fall short. (As well, I my time is stretched in MANY directions and once I put down a campaign, I hesitate to pick it up again due to the loss of currency regarding what has occurred. In short, I forget about "that" machinegun nest or whatnot and too many men die...needlessly.) I understand the criticism of the first battle. Having not played beyond that, I will not offer an opinion on anything past what I have experienced. The first battle is hard. I am not "vested" in a campaign until past the first few battles. Having hit my head against the brick wall which is Hammer's Flank, I did not feel vested, so did not pursue a finish to it. This forum has garnered a reputation in some corners of being unwelcoming to newcomers...especially those with criticisms. No, Hammer's Flank is not easy. No, it should not be the first battle/campaign you attempt. Yes, it does present a HISTORICAL challenge to the Soviet side. Yes, many will become casualties. The big picture? Criticism can lead to improvement. Couching it so as not to be insulting is as important as being open to hear it...even from new forum members. But then, I've just had several good pilsners. Shrug.

Nice. Thanks for the share. (I'm curious if the Stryker could carry MORE gear? Sheesh...some of their suspensions looked pretty beat.)

WeGo is great. I sit there, gnashing my teeth, as that ONE idiot does NOT follow the rest of his squad. Instead of going THROUGH the breach, he goes AROUND. ARRRrrrgggghhh! And I am powerless to do anything but watch...and then sit amazed as his squad gets pinned and it is he who saves them by opening up on the enemy from the flank. In RTS I would've stopped the action and adjusted the squad's orders. Or, I would have never seen it at all.

The cool thing about this game is how so much of the mechanics are hidden. The frustrating thing about this game is how so much of the mechanics are hidden. The only way to tell would be to run 100 to 1,000 tests of a three-walled structure (set it up like that in the editor) vs. the same target and shooter with a structure with the wall demolished. After 1,000 iterations of each (remember, same-same for all tests: shooters and targets), you'll have an idea. Let us know.

A quote to bump up a gentleman who is the epitome of class and civility. And, yeah, what he said.

And looks. Good looks in a smoking jacket are a must. My intern assists with my sartorial forays.

Ian, Congrats! It was thoroughly enjoyable watching how this developed from both sides. Your planning provided the foundation for your victory. By correctly weighing the options you had available, and allocating the correct forces to them, you totally dominated the battlefield. Well done!

Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!! A cease-fire??? Your men's honor demands they be given at least a chance to prove their devotion! Allow them to attack. No more "probing" or "watching" or "peeking": unleash them on a direct line upon the enemy! Even if they do not achieve victory, their blood will fertilize the fields upon which the hopes of future patriots will blossom. THAT will be sufficient victory for them. Trust me, I know what is important in their little lives. Sigh.