Erwin

Very entertaining to watch. Would be useful to explain why you do what you do and what you consider good "technique" for accomplishing specific moves (eg: crossing roads, entering buildings etc.). I know what I do, but it would be great to see what others do and hopefully learn something. (I learned my MOUT lessons in CMSF with "USMC Ramadi - Relief of Joker 3" using the huge size of the full Ramadi map.) For example I saw that you use charges to enter a room even when there are windows and a door in the wall. Personally, I wouldn't waste a charge like that as one's guys can see if there is any enemy in there through the door and windows. My SOP re charges is to only use charges vs walls that are opaque (unless I KNOW there is enemy on the other side that will be stunned). Generally, the worst ambushes are when the enemy is on the other side of the far wall. So, when your engineers run into the room they get cut down by the guys hiding behind a far wall (often in the open). I saw you use only one HUNT waypoint to climb a multiflooor building. I always have a waypoint at each floor with a 5-10 sec pause so they can look around. In terms of crossing an exposed road, yeah you need smoke. But what do you do if you don't have smoke? Do you go a different route, or...? (If I have enuff men and ammo, I use TARGET LIGHT on all possible windows that could fire on the road crossers.) Generally I think it's a bad idea to HUNT across streets. I get better results using QUICK or FAST. Also, never ever put your guys on balconies etc. And so on... Keep the good work up!

Yes, the effect of a Co HQ would also be very interesting. Also, the effect of the XO or 2IC if the Co CO is KIA. So many times we use em as medics or recon and it would be great if there were a meaningful role for them (in the game).

"You also often don't want a 1000lb warhead going off in a dense urban environment (hence the concrete bombs)." Interesting... I always thought they were only for target practice. What sort of "blast" does a concrete bomb cause? Also, wuz chatting to an AF guy and had the impression that the A-10 could withstand 20mm.

Maybe I misinterpreted the intent, but when the first post said: "...some bug squashing, or missing features might instead be fixed or added into CMSF2." My intention was to post about "missing features" that indeed I would like to see "fixed or added" in CMSF2. The UI is a huge issue imo.

Well a big thanks to you and Umlaut. I know Umlaut has dome some amazing stuff.

Ooo.. First use of "Hysteresis" on these forums? We're going up in the world.

Ithikial has also made uniform mods for winter - also at CMMODS IIRC.

Thank you. Very useful info. And well written and explained. Explained so many things in a clear and easy to understand way. You should be writing the manuals.

Yup and then everyone else waits and waits and waits... and then someone else has to stop for a while. And on it goes. It's hard enuff doing multiplayer using PBEM. In RT it could be horrendous. Have already been thru this with CM1. Am aware that "one can't teach anybody anything". So, you'll have to learn the hard way. But, hey, you may get lucky.

I really appreciate that. Thank you... I wuz really worried about expressing an opinion for a minute there. And for the record I would like to say unequivocally that you are also entitled to your opinion as well. "The next turn I give the team a permanent Pause with a short 360o Target Arc. The 360 is for self defense in case an OpFor team enters the building etc. The permanent Pause keeps them away from and off the balcony. They can still spot out the balcony side from the back wall." Lovely...

I would think RT could be even worse. Someone needs a bathroom break? Needs to answer the door? The phone rings...

Ivan - I looked at your Competent Incompetence AAR as that is a great CMA campaign. However, I recommend that folks use the Marco Bergman mod for weapons which give range and caliber for all CMA weapons. It's possible it was originally made for CMSF. So if it's not in a CMA mod section check CMSF. As good as your mod is, I think you will find MB's is even better.

Re spotting... The point I was trying to make is that it's not necessary to go to the trouble of issuing a MOVE command with a PAUSE in order to get in units to kneel for better LOS. Most of the time, some or all are kneeling anyway.

We used to attempt some large battles in CM1 with teams on each side. The problem was that it only takes one person to fail to keep up a satisfactory rate of returning files and everyone is screwed. Maybe better in a situation where everyone is in close physical proximity so you can go kick butts.

I agree with you and am not holding my breath about these. However, from a commercial POV any game has to have the goal of streamlining the gameplay experience to minimize the irritating, boring bits. That is what computers and robots are for. Very few other than grogs will put up with clumsy time-wasting stuff. The CM2 system is very mentally, and time, consuming. It is also aging and needs UI improvements to lessen the irritating bits and make it more enjoyable imo. Otherwise I have a hard time seeing CM2 lasting another 5 years at this rate. (Unless of course they have lucrative govt contracts. The govt doesn't care how user unfriendly a sim is. In fact the more miserable and unfriendly, the better from the govt's POV.)

"...running units out onto balconies to potshot at targets of opportunity." Of course you can always give em a covered arc in the opposite direction of the balcony. In WEGO it's slightly risky as they won't react to anyone entering the building from the balcony direction either.

The issue with ACQUIRE is that it requires the player to do a bunch of things that are nothing to do with gameplay but are boring and time-wasting administrative tasks that should be handled by the computer. Taking the crap jobs from humans is what computers are supposed to be for.

"already moving..." Ah, ok. Nevertheless, I found that stationary inf units were either kneeling or lying down based on some sort of AI decision. They were not all lying down - ie: did not all have the same stance.

Thank you for doing all that testing and presenting it in such a clear, easy to understand format. Wish this stuff had been in the manual 7 or so years ago. Very very useful!

That's rather brilliant. We could test a few of those Mother Of All Bombs on the hurricane over Puerto Rico. (We don't really need that "wannabe 51st state" do we?)

Maybe this stance feature is only a feature of the later CM2 titles. I have been playing CMSF at lot recently and experimenting with giving units a MOVE order and a PAUSE - and it doesn't seem to make any difference to their stance. Sometimes units are kneeling even without any move order. Sometimes they are lying down even with a move and pause order. I get the impression their stance is only a function of the current situation as their AI brains see it. I haven't experimented with the WW2 or CMBS titles.

I think the game system is pretty, prettey, purettee good... as is. However, there are issues related to administrative aspects that are boring and have no gameplay value and slow down the actual play of the game. Addressing these would make the play of the game quicker and enable players to spend more time on the FUN aspects of the game rather than fighting the UI to get something done. 1) Revamp the ACQUIRE routine. Problem: It takes many clicks and turns to resupply a company or more of troops from one or more vehicles. Currently, the best method when one has a large number of inf units to resupply is a) Split the squad into teams. b) Have the teams mount vehicles. c) Next Turn have the team ACQUIRE. d) Dismount the troops and have them move to their original squad members. e) Take a turn to reassemble into one squad and thus share the newly acquired ammo. It would be much more efficient to have adjacent units be able to "SHARE" ammo - with restrictions as to amounts and a time penalty during which time units would not obey commands (other than emergency/survival "Take Cover") to account for the time it would take in RL. 2) Bring back "one click" 180 Degree Arcs. Problem: It take more time-wasting clicks to give 180 degree arcs in CM2 when compared to the simple "one click" method of CM1. This is particularly annoying for vehicles. eg: When one wants the turrets of a company or more of turreted armor to face different directions to cover many different directions AND as they move you want the turret facings to change at various waypoints. 3) Make it easier to distinguish the TEAMS from a particular SQUAD. Problem: When one has a company or more split into teams (eg: during the ACQUIRE process) it can be confusing to figure out which teams belong to which squad. Same when moving in force - it is very easy to get teams from different squads confused. One easy method would be to have a colored outline or BG for the teams from one squad. (Yes, I know there may be problems for color blind folks. But, those folks would not be any worse off then they are now. It seems bizarre to not do something that would benefit the majority because a few people won't be able to take advantage of it.) In any case, hopefully, there may be some other method of distinguishing teams from a squad. 4) Improve Campaign Decision Trees Problem: Currently the only choice is binary: You win a mission and go to next Mission A, or you lose and go to Mission B. Some clever designers have been able to provide players with choices by creating dummy missions in which there is only one unit and the player can choose option A by moving the unit to an EXiT zone and CF, or choose option B by doing nothing and CF. It would be wonderful to have the ability of campaigns to offer players more than choice of mission A or B for their next mission. 5) Ability to RESUPPLY the exotic sniper rifles with ammo. Problem: Self evident. AFAIK there is no resupply possible for some exotic ammo. Hopefully, others can come up with other ideas...

Would that be from the "32nd Our Savior Assault Regiment"?

The best/most memorable standalone Brit mission I ever played was "UK Royal Mud Marines". It features a wonderful and large map, lots of interesting Brit units including all their cute light "Landrover" and recon "beach buggy" vehicles. Other recent smaller Brit missions that are also enjoyable: Into The Green; Green 9; and Op BARRAS - set in Africa and benefits from some wonderful Africa mods that are available. Dragonwynn's Heart Of Darkness campaign also features a great first mission with Brits and their light vehicles.

I love these "clever concept" missions. A wonderful change and more entertaining than the historic/realistic genres. Thanks...