c3k

If it ain't a hovercraft with 40mm Bushmaster IV sponsons, it ain't craaaaaaap! Think of the benefits: self-producing continuous smoke screen; easy to cross any terrain; no IED worries (if it blows, a bit of skirt goes); no more lawn-mowing details; etc., etc. Ken

Yeah, that's why it's nerfed. The results are the same: in game, it means that close guys are safer than in real life. Overall, casualties are right. The mechanism that produces those results ends up with some outliers. Obviously, it there are outliers, there should be a way to adjust for them and correct them. I have not seen, prior to what you wrote, any report of men standing firm beneath exploding rounds; nor was there any statement that a round went off at someone's feet and they weren't wounded. If you have saves or screenies, please post. Otherwise, the "feel" that it is off needs to be distilled into something far more quantifiable. Once it is quantified, it can be analyzed to see IF there is an issue, and then what the results should be. Ken

Are these ATG's in the same location as their setup spot? There -may- be a bonus. (I think the only bonus is regarding how hard they are to spot, not being dug-in.) Most mortar/artillery shells have an impact pattern more like a butterfly than an ellipse. Also, HE is (admittedly) nerfed in the game to makeup for the density of infantry. The nerfing is slight, but noticable. ATG's may highlight that ineffectiveness because irl atg crews crowd around the gun (usually) just like we see in-game. Of course, all this is ymmv, imho. However, before drawing ANY conclusions, you'd need many more runs to test your supposition. A control test would need to be performed, then one variable changed and an equivalent number of runs to check the test condition. Ken

Good news on the ATG! With just one man left, you won't be distracted by their spotting or relocation issues anymore.

"Mommy, tell me again why Daddy is never coming home?" "Well, mein-leiber Klaus, ven all zee men had to get commanders, he got put into GaJ's unit." "Ach! Mommy, no! Not him!" "Ja, ist true. Und dat ist vy Mommy must date udder men."

Okay...I laughed! First, that's a pretty close arty call. Secondly, NEVER bunch up like that. But, yeah, that's happened to me, as well. It hurts when it does. I mean, it hurts when it happens to me: it's funny when it happens to someone else. The occasional short has to be expected. So...tell the truth...did you rage quit, press on with the battle/campaign, or restart from a previous savegame? Ken

As a (dis)interested observer, I can understand the frustration a player can have, as well as what the arbitrater/designer can have. There was obviously a misunderstanding and there is also, obviously, a bit of pride at stake...on both sides. Pride for the player because ALL of these games, public and private, showcase our abilities. Pride for the designer, because this is his "baby", and all that entails. PhilM, for whatever it's worth, I sincerely hope you recognize that Kohlenklau did not mean to slight you. These undertakings are very complex for the umpire. I would ascribe this to Clausewitzian "friction". Hopefully, all commanders will remain at their posts. Regards, Ken

Norway? Humph....probably researching some minutiae for the next module. Oops, did I just say something I shoudn't have? The Shermans have a slight chance (IMHO) of KO'ing the Panthers. Doug needs to get the Panthers up high and overwatch. I haven't tested anything, nor have I opened the map to see if there's any terrain like that. But, it seems like Doug can achieve long range superiority if he keeps his two panthers up and ready. I also think that Doug was lucky with that mob forward move! Gadzooks.... My .02.

Great stuff!

Slim, you made me choke on my drink! A literal LOL. Thanks.

Fizou gave you a good link to Marco's mod. That mod gives you everything you asked for. You're going to miss out on a great game. Shrug. (Download and unzip the mod, then insert the new file into the "data" folder in a folder you create called "z". "data/z/ (mod file)" The game goes to the data folder and loads the data alphabetically. The last thing loaded is from the "z" folder. That will overwrite the game default files with any mod files.)

Each waypoint creates a game-mandated pause until all the teams are present, then the inchworm goes to the next one. Fewer waypoints mean fewer delays. Fewer sub-elements mean shorter delays. So, for the shortest possible delay use one team, one waypoint. This means the most heavily laden guy may be some distance behind. (Yes, every item is allocated to specific individual and weight carries a penalty.) (A three-team squad waits for all 3 teams to arrive/congregate at each waypoint. That can be frustrating...) I tend to split my squads and use Quick as my default move order. All subject to variability as conditions warrant. Panther: it is a MEDIUM tank, not some sort of uber monster. They are tough, especially if they have a height advantage and frontal aspect towards the enemy. Otherwise, like other tanks, they can be destroyed by the right weapon. Sub-system damage can render them irrelevant to the fight.

Your FAC is calling in the arty? Well, that's probably the issue. A FAC calls in air. An FO calls in arty. Your FAC is telling the air coordination center what he wants. The guy back there has to tell his supervisor what the FAC just said. THAT guy, then runs to the next track and relays to the XO what was just said. The XO uses his cell-phone to text his buddy from the Frunze Academy (who is the XO of the arty regiment) what his FAC wants. The arty XO tells the sergeant what to do. The arty sergeant relays that on the radio to the battery fire control center. That FCC translates plain english (or Russian ) into digital commands and sends it the half-battery assigned to fire. After asking for verification. It's not that it takes your FAC a long time to scream into the microphone that he wants arty, it's that the radio net/command structure is not in place to do so very responsively.

DItto. And, as mentioned, that only applies against units which are assumed entering from off-map (meeting engagement, or vs. the attacker). I think any defender should be ready for incoming prep bombardment. Long rules lists prior to the game means, to me, that my opponent has a far more structured approach (meant to gain his desired outcome) than I have. I'm up for any kind of game; fast and loose or slow and tight. I get more fun from fast and loose. (That's why I sent a piat team, armed only with grenades, in a jeep chasing after Bil's JgPzIv. ) I've NEVER tried to "template" my oppo's forces. I don't care to do so. Yes, it'd give me some information and, hence, some leverage. Bah. "I fights mitt Siegel." Find the enemy, kill the enemy. Rejoice in the victory. But, I certainly don't denigrate those who do so. They are utilizing every piece of information available. If I capture a knight in chess, I know that the enemy only has one left. If I see a spaehwagen XiV ausf u crest the ridge, then I could "know" that I'm facing the "Gerbilmeister Sturmkompanie, Late, mitt autogewehr". But that takes some of the mystery out of the thing, doesn't it? Or, maybe my oppo bought a one-off vehicle to spoof me. Shrug. I just try to kill it. Back in CMx1, there was a list of "accepted" rules. Something to do with 80mm armor vs. 50mm. (German bolt-on stuff, and how the game simulated it.) I never look for a "fair" fight. If my oppo wants some sort of rules, I'll try to comply, but I'll never impose any, myself. (That 80mm/50mm was meant to make the game more like chess, or rock-paper-scissors. Shrug.) Winning or losing is not as important as the fight itself. In the end, it's a game. If you have a set of rules you want to impose on the fight, then, by all means, try to do so.

Bah! There is Pixel-life and then there is distraction! Your men, mortar shells impacting arounding them, Amis pouring toward them, machineguns pelting their dugouts, peer over their shoulders for you...and note your absence. Only a furious counterattack will restore their confidence.

Egads! Platoon, mob: Forward! I don't want to turn this into a "this is what I'd do" thread, so I'll refrain from any further infantry commentary. If you're concerned about a Panther immob, why not let it get immob'ed where it can fire all game and have an effect?

Hah! His s.o. will be sooooo p.o.'ed. Bil's gonna spend the entire time researching the best angle for plunging fire from a Sherman to kill a Panther! Hah. He'll have to go on a SECOND vacation after this one is over.

Jentz, in "Panther" books talks about role of Panther schuerzen to protect from ATR rounds. No page numbers at hand. Away, atm.

A good read for modern air assaults is "Operation Anaconda". All sorts of beautiful powerpoint slides were created for that op. Not too much HE came in, but, damn, did it brief really well. /sarcasm Great book. An air assault against a wily opponent. Choppers came in...because they let them. Then the door got slammed shut. Here's the book: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Good-Day-Die-Operation/dp/0425207870/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433399576&sr=1-1&keywords=operation+anaconda

Save the pbem turns prior, and during, this happening. I'll ask to look at them in a few days. It'd be nice to squash this bug. Meantime, cancel the movement orders of the vehicle and squad. The loose guy should return. If not, then give the squad a short move order and see if that gets him moving. Otherwise, have one of your HE units area target the bastard. Ken

If you don't know the basic chances of penetration, then it was a help in CMx1. But with the higher fidelity armor/penetration model in CMx2, that info could've caused a lot of unnecessary whinging. (Sometimes a penetration COULD happen but the table wouldn't show it. Or vice versa.) It'd be nice to have a pdf of that stuff... Anyone do that?

Ditto. Photogenic or somesuch. The Sherman did well to land a hit.

Try the training battle first. Then play it again. Then again. Who cares they you'll know where the Germans are after the first play. You're there to learn. Do it until you can beat the Germans with no casualties. THEN try your next game. The blood your men spill is the price they pay for your knowledge. Mine spill a lot.

Immediate action! Excellent... I seem to've missed the part where your men fired back.

Vulcan gatling gun on an IFV? Hmm... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M163_VADS