Vanir Ausf B

If I may, I think the reason human wave attacks are so sucessfull in CM can be summed up in two points made here: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by X-00: What is Grazing Fire? The DOD definition of Grazing fire is "Fire approximately parallel to the ground where the center of the cone of fire does not rise above one meter from the ground." For Machine Guns in WWII this would extend out to at least 400m and in some instances 600m. Grazing Fire is the primary reason for the Machine Gun's existence. It is terrifically effective. The inspiration for CM, Squad Leader simulated this very well. CM, though a fantastic game, does not. Now a couple of side points. -When rushing through areas covered with Grazing Fire it doesn't matter if you weeve and bob. The machine gunner isn't aiming at individual soldiers.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> And: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Pillar: Perhaps the rate of speed for the "Run" command should be dropped a little? Currently it is at around 3.4 meters a second. All this speed AND they are using cover, "leaping bounding and zigzagging"?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> As Steve said, the current Run order is an abstraction. It combines "run" with an "assault" order. It gives the running unit the best of both worlds; the movement rate of an all out run, plus the cover of Assault. This would be the easiest problem to fix. Dividing Run and Assault into 2 seperate orders would be best. As I understand it, the grazing fire problem is most likely a hardware limitation. The way CM simulates "bullets", they basicaly disappear when they are fired and reappear in an area centered on the target unit. Therefore, they cannot effect anything between. Modeling this correctly would also make friendly fire a real concern for the CM commander, which would encourage real world tactics even more. I don't know how much this would add to the CPU load, and I am sure we will see it eventually, but I would rather see it sooner than later, if feasable. [ 04-09-2001: Message edited by: Vanir Ausf B ]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bullethead: I think WW2 only became WW2 when folks forgot that the Seven Years War (aka the French and Indian War over here) was actually WW1 <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Excellent point, and one I would agree with. It could also be argued that the Napoleanic Wars were actually WW2. The only problem there is that they were a series of several wars with brief pauses in between instead of one long continous war, but that's a small technicality. For all intents and purposes, it was a World War. Does anyone think the 30 Year War would count as a world war? I would guess not, but I don't know enough about it to say for sure. [ 04-08-2001: Message edited by: Vanir Ausf B ]

I too would like to see the spellcheck back. It only worked half the time before, but it was better than nothing.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Juju: Not surprising. Smoke is supposed to be fired at terrain, not at units. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Perhaps I should have been a little more precise. I was indeed refering to targeting terrain in front of an enemy unit, not directly targeting the unit itself. If it is not a bug, it should be a bug. If tank smoke rounds were as unless in RL as they are in the game they wouldn't have bothered with them. I'm not demanding that BTS release a patch to make it work properly, I'm just hoping they make it work better in CM2.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Maastrictian: Now I don't know much about halftracks but IIRC the M3A1 has a bow mounted MG as well as a pintle mounted MG. The bow MG can be fired even when buttoned. As for crews that have taken a casualty unbuttoning -- this is impossible (in the game). It will never happen. --Chris<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> From the 1.1 patch Readme: * M3A1 Halftrack, M3A1 Scout Car, and M5A1 Halftrack are not forced to remain buttoned up after suffering only one crew casualty.

This actually was discussed at length in another thread a few weeks back. What a few people (Jason Cawley and maybe a few others) said was that it was not unusual for German troops to use PF against infantry, even though they weren't supposed to. So it's not unrealistic (according to them). EDIT: I found the discussion. Enjoy ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve [This message has been edited by Vanir Ausf B (edited 04-04-2001).]

Yes, this is rather annoying. What I and some other people do is have your tanks and on-board mortars fire off their smoke rounds at the earliest opportunity. Tank smoke rounds are totally useless in CM anyway because even if you order your tank to fire smoke at an enemy unit it will often change your orders and fire HE or AP instead. So the TacAI will use smoke when you don't want it and will often not let you use it when you do want it, so it's just better to shoot it into some nearby hillside at the beginning of the game and be rid of it before the TacAI screws you with it. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve [This message has been edited by Vanir Ausf B (edited 04-04-2001).]

From page 62 of the CM manual: Small arms fire from a unit (simulating sometimes the firing of a dozen rifles and machineguns at a time) is NOT directed at one pinpoint area only. Instead, each "shot" affects and area around the unit target or zone, in which it can cause casualties or suppression. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Actually, I think you can get it while targeting infantry also now (added in a patch). This was done so you would know if your hull MG could fire or not. It's all or nothing. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Yeah that's him. Haven't seen him around in months. Last I remember he was getting a new computer as a present. Maybe it didn't work. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Actually, the fewer the units the greater the role luck plays. But, whatever. I prefer 3000 pt battalion slugfests myself but it's all personal taste. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

If you mean the one that puts the Swastikas on the German flags (and in other parts of the game as well) I think there is more than one, but I got mine from CMHQ. It's by some one name Angela Deth or something like that. It's been around forever. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

!?!? I would think that whether or not a tank gets penetrated by an AT round would have rather major consequences with crew casualties. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

If you play at high resolution (I'm at 1280x960) Deanco's Gunmetal mod is difficult to read because words are quite small and there is less contrast between the lettering and the background than with the stock. And my eyesight is crap to begin with. Also, at that resolution the "!" symbol for broken units is half cut off (at least it was a few months ago. Maybe he fixed it). The Grog interface doesn't show "Alerted" status for units which bothers me. Which is all a shame because they look very nice. BTW Heinz, is that 2x or 4x AA? I ask because there are still some jaggies on the roof of that house in the second pic. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve [This message has been edited by Vanir Ausf B (edited 04-01-2001).]

Ah, ok. Thanks for the pointer Ben. Ground conditions independant of weather in QBs is on my personal wishlist for CM2 as well. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Yeah, that's the beauty of CM. The whole thing can hinge on one event. Like at First Bull Run when the tide turned when a single Union unit mistook an advancing Confederate unit for one of it's own and held fire. If the Reb unit had been wearing grey instead of blue the Union likely would have won. Of course this is little solace to the unlucky general. Suicide is the only answer ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

First of all Ben, let me say that these mods are amazing. Just incredible. However, for some reason the "Reddawn" sky never shows up. "Falldawn" shows up for Sept-Nov, but "Summerdawn" shows up for all the other months including winter months. What setting do you need to get the Reddawn? I actually had the same problem with Tiger's recent sky mod. The summer skys show up in winter. It seems to ignore bmps # 1410, 1412 and 1442. I'm on a PC. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve [This message has been edited by Vanir Ausf B (edited 04-01-2001).]

Actually, analysis of statistical probability has conclusively shown that (contrary to what it says in the manual) the speed of the vehicle has no effect on the chance of bogging at all and you are actually more likely to be bogged moving over open grass than in scattered trees/brush/wheat. We never did get a response from BTS if this was a bug or not. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Final word is that there is nothing you can do to make them more likely to unbog. Some people will tell you that putting them in reverse will help, but it's all superstition. The chance is the same regardless of the unit's orders. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Here was Claymore's last update posted here on 3/1. Anyway...I know that the AAR is lagging but Fionn and I have had our turn rate slow to a dribble. ISP problems and work getting in the way of fun mostly, but we are trying to speed it up. I posted to Fionn two days ago that if he had time stream posts to Yahoogroups he had time to post to me. [right Fionn? waiting.... ] Long and short of it...we are at turn 26. I voluntarily withdrew my two 155VT spotters in round 10 after expending 6 rounds total. They were just too devastating to make this or mostly any game interesting. Fionn then promptly put a mortar shell on top of a 105 spotter, leaving me just a single spotter for any arty support OUCH! Fionn also put the touch on a M4(105)which is smoking nicely THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I of course could not let the Beast better me so I retaliated by immobilizing his PzIV(70) with a 60mm mortar shell...and yes, I did go out and buy a lottery ticket after that little piece of luck. We both have had our moments but he is going down in a big way. He seems thin in most places and his center and right flanks are collapsing fast. Cheers Murray ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

I'm with MrSpkr; Pz III J for Germans and T-35 for Soviets (although I'm not holding my breath for the T-35 making it in). And just how many chicks have you asked about this ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

What Bruno and Stellar said. Ladder play is what you make it. If I can't select it as random in the setup I'll roll dice for it. I even choose which side I play randomly. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Hmm... Well, I play mostly ladder, only QBs and never computer pick. Yet... I hate cherry picking, and am annoyed by players who will only play with certain units/certain setting/one side only. I like playing with random weather, time of day and terrain. I'll play any side and prefer attack/defence to MEs. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

I'm with Hombra on this one. Shorter pauses and being able to put them between move orders would not introduce a level of micromanagement not already in the game. All it does is give you the same flexability that real world commanders would have. I really don't see why people think this game is supposed to put you in the position of a company or platoon leader and that's it. If that were the case you would just give general orders to your companies and platoons and let the TacAI figure out how to implement them. Yes, you are a company commander and and platoon leader, but you're also a squad leader and a tank commander. Having a tank pop up, take a shot or 2 then back down is a real world tactic. Having to wait until the end of your turn to have the tank move up is not realistic, it's just annoying. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve

Soviets had 50mm mortars too? Damn. I thought maybe I'd finally be rid of those pieces of junk when CM2 came out. *Sigh* ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve