PiggDogg

Agen, I think that sharpshooters target the vehicle commander. Three things can happen: nothing (not too frequent), blow the commander's ears off (sometimes & great), or button vehicle (frequently & good enough). :eek: :eek: Cheers, Richard

Maple, Send prisoners that you caputred to your rear where your enemy will not have active, good order troops. For some reason, these captured soldiers tend to themselves quite well and seem quite willing to go into your prison pens as long as none of their active fellows are nearby. Don't shoot the soldiers that you captured, because, if I am not mistaken, these guys are worth double points toward your victory. I guess that these captured guys are giving intellegence of future benefit to your side. Cheers, Richard

Silvio, Quite interesting use of the 1 meter ambush command. I shall try these in the future whenever I get AT guns (which is seldomly). Thanks Cheers, Richard :cool:

One can well understand why the Great Patriotic War is engrained in the psyche of Russia. No country suffered more in order to defeat the Nazis. However, too bad that Hitler & Stalin could not have destroyed each other and thus, have avoided the Cold War. Cheers, Richard

Jason, Most interesting post and I agree with your observations and assertions. I frequently purchase Psw75s (Ac75). They don't use up valuable armor points, and they are pretty effective against infantry. Of course, StgHs with its 105 is much better against infantry than the Ac75s. However, the Stg105s use up those armor points. Stuarts are irritating gnat like tanks. They certainly have their place in the Allied arsenal in computer choose games. However, I doubt that I would purchase any Stuarts in an human choose game. They can't kill many German tanks (except PzIV and Lynxes) from the front. For near the same price as a Stuart, one can purchase a Hellcat or an M-10 which can whack most German tanks from the front. The Hellcat & M-10 may be eggshells with hammers. However, Stuarts are a very slightly more robust eggshells with eggshells. Keep your articles and research coming. I don't want to sound silly, but I always enjoy your work because it is well thought out, based on facts, well researched, and usually correct or darn near correct. Cheers, Richard :cool:

It is darkest &, by implication, quietest just before dawn. So must be the situation with BTS. The small world of CM awaits with bated breath. :eek: Maybe, the CM world's breath is baited with old fish or something. Cheers, Richard

Jon, Thanks for the informative and entertaining history lesson on VT. Cheers, Richard

Scheer & Redwolf, Depending on how gamey your 3000 pt CM game shall be, if you can mix Brit tanks with American arty & infantry, might I suggest that you buy 3 to 4 regular Ami 155 FOs. They have a 2 minutes targeting time (which, if the FOs don't move, translates to 2 to 3 minutes target time & that is just great). Shoot these sweeties spotted at your friend's Hetzers. As these 155s land nearby to the Hetzers, they should kill a few and definitely button them up. Also, these 155s will for sure slaughter his infantry & guns. Remember, always shoot spotted, never ever unspotted, and parcel the 155 shells our carefully. Redwolf's M8 HMC suggestion might be good. However, if your pal covers his flanks well, these M8 HMC may die. To tell you the truth, I really don't know a for sure counter to hull down Hetzers and PzIV/70s. If well hull down, with additional armor sloping due to up slope positioning, & secure flanks, Hetzers & PzVI/70s will bounce 95Cs & 17 lbers. Someone help me on this one. Cheers, Richard [ June 11, 2002, 10:53 AM: Message edited by: PiggDogg ]

Guys, Maybe I have been under a rock. Maybe I am totally un observant. Maybe something else. However, the first print advertisement for CMBB is in Computer Games Magazine (not Computer Gaming World), July 2002, page 37. :eek: Does this mean anything? :confused: I suspect yes. What does it mean? :confused: CMBB will come out sometime in the future. When in the future is that? :confused: Sometime after this moment and, I suspect, within the next year or two or three. Or maybe sometimes sooner. Cheers, Richard

Break, Embarked spotters in CMBO? No, no, not allowed. Bad, bad, Breakthrough. Cheers, Richard

Paul & Guys, In computer choose troop games, if you have weird guys, chances are that your opponent has even weirder guys, especially the Germans. :eek: As examples in moderate sized ME games (1000-1500 pt), once my opponent had three WhribleWinds. Another time, my opponent had 4 or 5 Hotchkisses. Both battles were peculiar but fun. Rememeber, this is about having fun & making do with whatcha got. :cool: Cheers, Richard

Rex, Here is a real grog comment & I am not, by any means, a real grog. Real grogs please comment. Also, I don't want to be a nit picker, but In Band Of Brothers attack at Carentan, it seemed that the heavily sloped armor TD that the US zook team took out was a PzIV/70. Am I correct? That vehicle did not look like a mere, plain Jane Stg. I don't remember seeing a Jadgpanther in that episode, unless the Jadgpanther is a PzIV/70. (request Grog comment here) Also, wasn't the Jadgpanther built on the PzV chassis and not the PzIV chassis like the PzIV/70. One has to hand it to Spielberg, he certainly tried and succeeded to make his films visually historical. Cheers, Richard

Olle, One suspects that the increased cost of better quality spotters is due to the decreased response time with better spotters. It seems a bit wierd, but seems to also make sense. I'll live with it, but am open to suggestions and opinions on this subject. Cheers, Richard

Knife, Cool picture of the 2 incher. Thanks. Cheers, Richard

Yggdrasill, I have had rifle grenaders take out a Puma, a flame halfie, a half track, & a few other generally lightly armored vehicles, infantry, & armored cars. Those targets were really close, within 50 meters. The rifle gernades are shot whenever the squads decide. I am generally pleased with rifle gernades. They are certainly better than not having them. Cheers, Richard

Great thread. Damn. In CMBB, I won't be able to use 105s, 120s, & 155s like a scalpel. However, I shall make CMBB more accurate. Cheers, Richard :cool: :cool: :cool:

Guys, In human choose troop games, medium qualilty, I almost always choose regular infantry and veteran tanks. I don't seem to have any problems. The regular infantry gives more bulk, numbers, and firepower than vet infantry. The regular infantry is not quite as robust morale-wise as vet infantry. However, if one wins the tank battle, the remaining winning tanks can usually redress any infantry problems. Accordingly, the vet tanks give more chance of hitting first than do regular tanks. Obviously, in tank fights where one hit usually means one kill, then he who hits first usually wins. Cheers, Richard

Guys, I think that I have the record for having played Tactic II before anyone else on this board or anyone else ... anywhere. I first played Tactics II in about 1958 or 60 when I was about 10 or 12 years old and the game first came out from Avalon Hill. :eek: :eek: :eek: I can't remember the exact year. I guess that it must be old age. So, if anyone played T2 before me, then post it here, or I'll lay claim to having played Tactics II first. Cheers, Richard :cool: [ June 03, 2002, 07:01 PM: Message edited by: PiggDogg ]

Red, You are certainly quite correct about the PzIV/70 not being the proper weapon against those pesky HMC/M8-75s. One does need (or at least wish that they would have) something with a turret (like a PzIV) to counter those HMC pests (which I certainly use with great glee. ) The PzIVs is certainly a better all round, workman's tank. However, I just 'think' that they are 'so' fragile. However, those PzIVs, like the 70s & Hetzers, can kill most all Allied tanks. In many and most tournament games (which are usually somewhat short, 20 - 30 turns), the 70's (and Hetzer's) defects usually don't become apparent or terminal. However, the 70's (and, for that matter, the Hetzer's) strengths come to the fore, and that is the ability to kill most everything and have shells bounce. :eek: In tournaments or in human choose troops games, I don't think that I have ever seen a PzIV. Does that mean that PzIVs are bad? No. But, I 'think', that this may indicate that most players 'feel' (and they may be wrong) that PzIVs are not as good a buy for the point as Hetzers and possibly 70s. Certainly, PzIVs are not worthless, and, if I get one, I shall dance on eggs and use it to the best of my ability. However, I fear that the PzIV will probably assume ground temperature. Red, it is always a pleasure. Cheers, Richard

Harry, Your footer has Marengo. Is that "chicken Marengo"? (Btw, I do know about the history of Marengo and the chickens. We just need a laugh or two or three. ) Cheers, Richard

Guy, I don't think that rockets care if they are spotted or not. They scatter about 10 miles (or so it seems) in all directions no matter what one does. :eek :eek So, stay far away from the spotted or unspotted aim point. Cheers, Richard

Tarqulene, Good points. I have to agree that German halfies can certainly be of good use in the support role. However, one must be exceedingly careful with German halfies (and Allied halfies for that matter) because too many things can kill them. I agree that your careful, stand back, and pack use of German halfies is right on. However, such use is pretty difficult, but by no means impossible. Also, I do get irritated with well used halfies shooting up my infantry. Indeed, those halfies are easily countered. However, it does take time and resources to counter well used halfies, and those resources could be used elsewhere. Also, in the definition of well used halfies is the premise that those halfies do their irritating job and live to do it again. Certainly, in tournament, human choose troops CM games, almost no one with an eye toward getting value for the point spent will buy German or Allied halfies. If one is in a computer choose CM game, the computer frequently and graciously bestows halfies upon both sides. That is wonderfully great, & I love it. However, if I were forced to have halfies, I would take Allied halfies before German halfies. At least the Allied halfies have a much better chance of killing German halfies than the other way around. In all cases, I would prefer not to have any halfies and at least get an eggshell with a hammer instead of an eggshell with an eggshell which is what halfies are. Indeed, I don't like either side's halfies. However, if I am given halfies, I will use them with the best (I hope). Cheers, Richard

Red, On almost all days (but not all days) and in short games, I will take a PzIV/70 over a PzIV tank. From the front, even Damlier 40s will sometimes toast PzIVs. Anything larger hitting a PzIV is a gimme. From the front, a 70 will probably have vanilla Sherman 75s and smaller shots bounce sweetly into outer space. If hull down, from the front, a 70 will sometimes have 76s bounce into the Twilight Zone. Not bad at all. Also, PzIVs can kill most Allied vehicles, but generally PzIVs can't kill Churchies & Jumbos. 70s generally can kill both. Jumbos and especially Churchies are frequent in tournament play. Yes, from the side, pretty much everything kills everything and the PzIVs turret certainly help with side threats. Also, PzIVs have a sweet larger load of HE than 70s. So certainly, PzIV are by no means worthless. PzIVs certainly have a place, but in most tournament games, 70s are better. However, I may buy a very few PzIvs under correct circumstances. Also, as you said, STGIIIs do suck. Cheers, Richard

Will, CM is a game (and, for that matter, real combat) where the massive application of overwhelming firepower wins the day. Generally, when one attacks, advance scout troops (half squads) on the point should lead the way with the main assualt troops watching and overwatching from good cover (woods, tall trees, buildings). When the scouts trigger enemy defensive fire (and, thus, probably suffer large casualties or die), the main assault troops use their numerical and firepower superioity to overwhelm the defenders with small arms, direct fire HE, and, if required, precious and hopefully medium (105s - 120s) or large caliber (4.5s - 155s) off board arty. Good cover with sufficient LOSs to the defender's positions is paramount for the main assault troops. In CM, infiltrating at night is probably not going to succeed against a competent opponent. Cheers, Richard

Guys, In short, German halfies - keep them from any area where they can take 50 cal or larger fire or they will die. Allied halfies - keep them from any area where they can take 20 mm or larger fire or they will die. When I get German halfies, I feel that they are of limited (to very limited) usefulness as support. I don't like them. When I get Allied halfies, I feel that they are of fair, but very careful usefulness as support. I tolerate them. Cheers, Richard