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JP76er, Regarding the Target/Target Light issue and the special equipment, there's a thread over in the main forum talking about that. Oh, I started it. Regards, Ken

tagging onto hoolaman; The forces could be hand-made: I'm sure a bunch of talented individuals could tweak many different variations of company size forces to come out with a wide selection of possible units. The same for platoon or battalion. Glad you're at least thinking about improving the qb system. Thanks, Ken

Ah, now I understand. When the full up "CM: Invasion of Normandy" comes out, those who have not purchased "CM: The Funnies" will not have access to Crabs, Crocodiles, AVRE's, etc. If you really want to win, you'll HAVE to purchase that... Seriously, it all sounds good. Keep it coming. Regards, Ken

Yeah, my thoughts are that the tank firing its smokescreen will be blinded. When it backs out of the smokescreen, if there's no immediate cover, it's a sitting duck. I'd guess the laser detector is not so much meant to defeat laser guided weapons as it is meant to alert the crew that they are being ranged by an enemy system. Some examples using laser rangefinders would be Apaches and M1's. It's been sooo long since I've targeted anything with a TOW that I have forgotten if there's a laser rangefinder built into the sight system. Regards, Ken

Let's see if I have this right: the Shtora system detects laser beams (.6-1.65 micron wavelengths). When that happens, severa reactions occur: 1. It slews the turret to point in the direction of the detected beam. Is this automatic? I.e., can the crew elect not to have this occur? If so, is it on a case by case basis, or is it done by simply shutting down that mode? 2. With the turret pointing that way, it instantly fires off a smoke screen. How many such screens can be fired? Is it a one-off capability? Or two or three? Obviously the tank will be blinded as well. What does the crew do? Stay? Reverse? Pull the trigger and hope to suppress the enemy? 3. The active spoof-light, or whatever the IR guidance jammer is called, also goes to work. How will that system work if it's inside an opaque smoke screen? If there is a discriminant between firing or not firing the smoke screen, what is it? How effective is the active jammer? That brings me to my next thought: if I'm sitting behind a laser designator and several Shtora equipped tanks are coming at me, I'll lase them all. I'll laugh a bit as they puff out their clouds of smoke. As the smoke disperses, I'll lase 'em again. Finally, when they're tired of false alarms and out of smoke, I'll launch. (Okay, if I could die, I may do it differently, but in my immortal form in CMx2, I'll lase away.) How will adaptive tactics by laser equipped troops deal with Shtora? More importantly, how will the game show this? Heck, I'd issue ALL my troops a laser pointer in the right wavelength, merely deleting the digital encoding for a target designator. If I lase a tank and it billows smoke, I'll move to the next one. Will that be simulated? Thanks, Ken

How did I manage a double post? Sorry.

Ahhh, posted to the wrong thread....Carry on.

Absolutely!!

Gents, With the Marines banging on the door and the Brits just around the corner, I was wondering about the newer ammo types that may see combat in the next year or so (the putative time frame for the CMSF series). Specifically, the M1 right now only has sabot and HEAT rounds. I thought cannister had been, or is just about to be, distributed? If so, is their lack due to BF.C considering that they would not be used? Would this be true of the Marines? Of the Brits? Speaking of the Brits, HESH goes "boom" quite well: is this modelled? Do the Brits have ammo types pending other than sabot and HESH? Thanks, Ken

Hey, isn't this a great opportunity for BF.C? Here's the next module: CM:PN! (Combat Mission: Page Numbering!). "Take control of the manual! Play either side; the angry editor, offensively rushing to get the manual published, or the frustrated consumer, defensively bemoaning your inability to find what you want! Many play options are available. Do you start at the index, or just dive right into the midst of the pages? Perhaps a sneaky endrun flank manuever is called for by starting at the END? You decide! 467 meticulously researched and modelled pages are included. Ballistically accurate numbering system; no one else's manual is so accurate! You'd swear you were there! Buy now!" Regards, Ken

Thanks. The cause of the numbering issue is obvious, but no less irritating. Hmm, index says "p. 67"? That means I select 68. I have no idea how onerous it is to adjust the quick select toolbar (that seems the easier/more logical item to change). I just wanted it pointed out. Regards, Ken

Gents, Looking at the online manual: page 42/43, difficulty levels. Two issues. First, the printed page number in the manual does not correspond to the page number shown on the computer toolbar. Secondly, magnifying the page drops out a lot of the text. It seems that the magnified image is linked to the wrong version. Regards, Ken

The Louch, Hmm, very true that infinite pauses every 60 seconds do not occur in real life. Well, in MOST people's lives. However, in real life, I do NOT need to order every single level of action. For example, if I were a platoon commander in real life, would I tell one of my M240 teams HOW to get to the firing position I want? Would I tell them WHEN and HOW to deploy their weapon? Would I tell the driver of a Stryker which speed to drive? Would I tell that to every driver in the platoon? Do you see where I'm going? In CM, I am EVERY leader; from the team leader up to the Battalion Commander. I must order everything; synchronize everything; prioritize all objectives at every level. I must do all the jobs. Now, if you want to play one squad in RT, then CM with no pauses would be the way to go. IMHO. So, CMx2 RT multiplayer is a hack. It has no more to do with real life than checkers...or CMx2 Wego. Neither system (RT or WeGo) is perfect. I do not think that RT is closer to true simulation than WeGo. Nor vice-versa. Since I must command every unit, I need time to do so. Wego gives me that time, yet keeps me from pausing at any moment if I so desire (which RT lets you do). I think CMx2 RT is too chaotic, too frenzied. It is a click-fest. In that vein, Company of Heroes is very similar, however, CoH is more fun (to me) for that style of play. Your opinion obviously is different. Isn't it great that CMx2 supports BOTH our preferences? Regards, Ken

Wego because of what Mike Churchmoor just wrote. He hit each of the reasons quite well. If I want an RTS, there are a lot out there. If I want a carefully researched, high fidelity combat simulation game, there's CM. Regards, Ken

Just checked: it is, indeed, a question of reinforcements teleporting into position. Not a good effect.

D'oh! The immediate ceasefire is a good check for the initial placement. I'm not sure how checking everything 15 minutes would show reinforcements appearing. (Unless you mean ceasefiring every 15 minutes? Hmmm, I may try that.) I tend to save every single turn. Too many little things pop up which cannot be explained. Most of the time they are explained, but once in a while you catch a bug. It's for those rare occurrences that my hard-drive sacrifices its magnetic field. Thanks, Ken

Gents, First, thanks for those of you who take the time to create new scenarios. Your efforts are what will make this game last. Thank you. Second, I have a comment about improving the scenarios. I'm playing through the TF Thunder campaign. In the 14th battle, I've got to clear a city center, including a mosque complex and some highways. Please, for the love of all that's important, DO NOT have reinforcements appear IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLEFIELD!!! Why? Well, I've taken some buildings and held them, after clearing, for about 10-15 minutes. Then, suddenly, the enemy (red) magically teleports into the midst of my defensive position. I mean, right in the same friggin' room. Now, my guys, knowing the place has been cleared, are looking out the windows towards other buildings. Every building behind them has been cleared. When enemy squads teleport into existance just meters away, general slaughter ensues. I'm fine with slaughter; not with MAGIC slaughter. If you want enemy to spring an ambush, place them there first and order HIDE with a cover arc. Or something. Or, enter them at a board edge. Grrr. Am I totally mistaken and somehow my guys could not discover the enemy? If so, how can I dig into that and check to see whether the enemy was exceptionally good at HIDING? The corollary question is, "How can I check the setup for the battle and verify that the enemy has received reinforcements?" Any thoughts? Thanks, Ken

As long as the tree damage model continues to be updated, I will not despair... Ken

Will I be able to import my T-90's into Bagration? If not, why not? I'd missed the Bagration reference as well. The sooner, the better. Regards, Ken

No problem. I enjoy digging into these problems. My troops hate me: I cheerfully sacrifice their puny and insignificant lives to satisfy my curiosity. As well, any problems I find can have the added bonus of delaying v1.1 and thus increases the angst and gnashing of teeth on this forum, which needs that extra energy. You're welcome, and thanks for responding. Regards, Ken

Wow. The upper image is what I'm seeing, but he DEPLOY WEAPON toggle is dimmed. This is true for 3 different MMG teams in 2 different buildings on 2 separate floors of each building. We are seeing something different. Why? Thanks, Ken

Gents, Like the title says, the tab to deploy the MMG on its tripod is unable to be used when the MMG team is in a rubbled building - the type with broken walls. It seems like that would present a lot of opportunities to set up a tripod, rather than hinder it. Was this done on purpose? Thoughts? Thanks, Ken

Okay, some more thoughts. If I select TARGET, or TARGET LIGHT, sometimes I forget about it. Too true. I may have half a dozen or so units area firing at a building in order to suppress the defender while my manuever unit assaults it. Then I go back and click on all my suppressing units and cancel their TARGET/LIGHT orders. Sometimes I miss a few. Usually it's a unit far back or at an extreme oblique angle. How helpful it would be if the unit icon had a thin colored edge added to it if they were TARGETING? For example, add a yellow border: that means it's under a player ordered Combat command, be it TARGET, TARGET LIGHT, or COVERED ARC. Just a little reminder. That could be an option to toggle on or off at the player's discretion. As an added benefit, it wouldn't interfere with any of the proferred ideas about notifying the player about the unit being fired upon. Regards, Ken

Would anyone like to BUMP this thread so it doesn't appear as if I am? Ken

I don't think a UAV will ever, in the foreseeable future, carry anything other than guided ordnance. Guns on UAV's don't make much sense. Although, as you postulate, if the USAF can change how UAV's are operated, I'm sure the Army would be happy. As it is, USAF runs the UAV's from Nevada and in-theater, but far removed. (At an ops center in a country 100's of miles from the action.) I don't know of any platoon getting real-time data feeds. I'd love to be proven wrong. The technology should be driven down to support the small unit, not to let the HQ guys have a say in who should shoot at what. But if we DID have shooting UAV's in CMx2, I'd make a plea to be allowed to DETERMINE THEIR ATTACK AXIS. Regards, Ken