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Nice catch. Thanks for the word.

Nice catch! But...do we really want it fixed?

Great job, gents! thanks.

Word is back...the turns will start flowing...like molten lava...it's gonna be a hot one, buzz. How hot? Yeah, that hot. It's Monday afternoon. Look for an update here on Friday evening. (Based on turns, work schedules, etc.) The wheels of the AAR turn slowly, but they grind finely. Or somesuch.

The Baneman lives!!! He's back in the land of the living. Not that his men will be for much longer. Or mine.

Gents, My apologies. Sincerely. I've not heard from Baneman since Tuesday. I don't know what ails him, but I know it's bad enough so that he's unable to post a turn. That's a great misfortune for him and a minor inconvenience for us. I had expected to get a bit faster pace with the turns (and Baneman and I were cracking along for a while), but life has a funny way of messing with the plans of mortals. Let's hope that Baneman heals soon and finds that gaming is a good part of his recovery process. Ken

A plug for Sublime: he and I played a single pbem. He's a truly fun opponent and a great communicator. (My RL commitments have me down to a single pbem in CMBS and the (stopped) AAR on CMFB. My plate is full.) As he mentioned, sometimes you run into someone whose ego is linked to their game performance. They tend to ragequit as soon as a battle goes against them. Don't get mad, just hope that they'll one day recognize the immaturity of that behavior, and perhaps rejoin the community. I've had several such experiences. Once in a tourney. Apparently German tanks were supposed to be impregnable to Soviet weapons in my oppo's world view. Oops... If you and your oppo have different gaming tempos, perspectives on play, or attitudes on the game, just finish the game and move on. Ken

Thanks. It has a bit more to go...we'll see if tomorrow brings more glory to my men's pathetic lives. They yearn for it.

Somebody put that man in charge of a battalion!!!

Don't listen to those cowards! Dismount both tanks, have the crews scrounge some RPGs, and then have them advance, on foot, and flank the T90. They will thank you for giving them the opportunity to cover themselves in gory! Err, "glory". Ken

It is Wednesday. Thor's Day will not see any martial advancement. Sigh. Upon the Saturnalia, there should be some sanguination to appease those who faithfully await...

It will be a couple more days before THIS side of the AAR moves forward. My men breathe a sigh of disappointment...

Agreed. However, in a totally biased and beta-flavenoid manner, what will be released will be very nice, indeed, when it arrives. Again, my bias shows. The Battlepack has a lot of juiciness in it. If you like any of JonS' previous work (or not), this should really add to your enjoyment.

^^^ LOL... yeah, that's about right.

The above commentary is correct: Baneman's body is weak, much like his will. The fight was too much for his nervous disposition and the strain led to a physical collapse. As I've said many times, my pixeltruppen are merely the currency I spend to buy the real reward: defeating the opposing commander's will! Shattered morale is often symptomized by shakes, darting looks, stammers, and having to take to one's bed. Okay, the flu will do that too. Baneman and I have re-established comms. He, unfortunately, does not have an intern. I was going to send him mine, but she would have had to row across the Atlantic and my laundry couldn't wait that long, so I have withheld sending her. He has to tend to his illness on his own, poor sap. "If you can use an IV, you can use a PC!" is what I always say. I've gently prodded him along. If only I could command BOTH sides...ahh, that's a dream for later. Ken out.

Thanks for posting the link.

The three Oplots bring a lot of oomph over the river. Nice hook.

...and to address ATG movement: you have my full concurrence that movement rates seem too slow on level ground. I've seen far too many pieces of footage of ATG's (definitely up to 50/57mm, some of 75/76mm) being rushed out of cover to a firing position and getting a round off in just a few seconds. The game does not support that type of action. As well, the rotation rates do seem neutered as well.

I have not set up a .50, but I have done so with most (all?) other US types...outdoors. And, each setup would be considered, in game terms, Semi-Deployed. Meaning, on a bipod on the ground. To get the full, in-game, benefit of a deployed machinegun means more than just being able to sight an enemy and pull a trigger. It means a STABLE base, a TRIPOD, known RANGE CARD type data, plenty of ready ammo. As well, it means the deployed mg gets the DEFENSIVE BENEFIT of the structure. Stable and Tripod go together: it's harder (in my opinion) to create a stable base for a tripod at an appropriate height and at the appropriate distance from the window/door, than it is to just prop a barrel on a windowsill. That dining room table (and I cried when that 1901 shattered) which was shoved by the window: how did that for muzzle rise after the first burst? Did the tripod slide backwards on the damask tablecloth? (Dear God, don't tell me you wadded that up and tossed in the corner.) Upstairs room? How's that mattress working for Mr. Maxim's invention? How is the range data working? Sure, just walk the tracers onto the target. Deployed machineguns, in-game, are more effective than semi-deployed for a reason. Now, I don't know if a deployed mg in its initial setup location is more accurate than one which has moved. Maybe that should be tested. Defensive benefit of the structure: that means that the setup is NOT just propped on the windowsill. The mg is back. Now, how do you get an mg 6 feet back from a window, elevated enough to fire on the street outside if they're up on the 2nd floor. The mg has to be raised, the gunner has to be raised, and one ammo-feeder needs to have access to the mg. And they need to be stable. It may take more furniture than what's in that one room. "Jenkins, we set up here. Go grab some dressers from the other bedrooms. We'll use those to build a base for our machinegun. I want something solid in front of us. Bring that freezer up from the basement." Here's a question: how long does it take to fire a semi-deployed machinegun from a structure? Is that too long? Should a "deployed" machinegun be considered stable, or should it be considered "better than semi but less than full" deployed? Not saying the game has it right. However, the burden of proof is on the shoulders of those who'd change what's in-game. If it's presented well and shown to be correct, the game WILL get changed. At least, that's been my experience. I have not seen any of the above factors discussed, just how long it takes to drop a tripod on a table top. That's not the same as "deployed" in-game as I consider it. Ken

...and CMBS (Black Sea) simulates a Russian/Ukraine/US conflict in modern times. Try the free demos. The games are improved (bugs squashed, expansions, etc.) when compared to the demos (which are limited on purpose). The learning curve is steep. Be ready to toss out rts behaviors as being inappropriate to battlefield success.

Your screenshots are great. More booms would be better.

... FOR THE AAR YOU SICKOS! THE AAR...not the other stuff that Dutchman alluded to.

I'll send you my paypal number.

My men are gladdened to know that their sacrifices, losses, terror, and pain can bring laughter into your life. I shall allow more to die for your pleasure. And some say that I am the one without a conscience!

It (define "it" however you'd like) will be fixed in the blink of an eye (by whichever galactic timescale you prefer). My NDA prevents me from speaking to the CMFB release. In fact, BFC has sent one of their Black Team members to stand behind me and watch over my shoulder. He's there, watching as I type, right now. This angers my intern, since that's one of her duties. As far as the AAR is concerned, my work schedule, Baneman's work schedule, cross-Atlantic time zones, and some other odds and ends, have all conspired to create a snafu. We going to unsnarl this pup and bring you more mayhem and chaotic fun as soon as we can. Ken