Erwin

I think the concept was to start at the end of the war as the units are more "sexy" (and US dominant for the allies) and therefore the products would be more commercially successful. Makes sense. But, one questions whether by the time BF would get to 1941 if the game will still be viable (or obsolete) and if anyone other than the small group of hard core grogs will want to play that era.

Jeez, so now the Russkies are beating us with better recruiting propaganda videos AND music AND acrobatics. The only skill they don't seem to have is ballroom dancing. Made me wanna enlist! Oh wait, no women or minorities... Never mind. The Russkies are screwed after all... BTW: Liked the music in the 2nd video better. Would use that in CMBS is we could get a .wav of it.

As you know I speak from the "fun" perspective. And it's a lot of fun feeling one's way thru old town trying to protect the News Crew and get em to safety. That's more fun than simply hunkering down and trying to hold out. Imagine how boring that video would have been... +1 for making the Sarandoy more capable, or at least no less capable.

PanzerBlitz here. I didn't even realize there were things called wargames until I found that. I think it was mentioned on a Brit TV program in B/W days.

And the correct term SS should have used is "total congenital thyroid deficiency". Tut tut... But, please dear god/steve, let SS finish his current scenarios and campaigns for CMSF and CMA... (Or, announce CMSF II asap.) Thank you...

Well, lots of very long range missile encounters then - like modern naval warfare. Let's see how CM2 copes with that...

Ivan said that he "...had played maybe 2 or 3 turns of the previous version" so he "did know the barrage was coming and that there was not much risk in running like that." I was referring to knowing for sure what was coming and where and how much - so Ivan was confident he could run out in the streets like he did cos he knew pretty exactly what damage the barrage may or may not cause to his guys. I'm just saying that I like to play like I'd forgotten what happened last time, so am just as cautious and careful with my guys' lives as the first time I played. BTW: I have a number of DRA skins eg: dra-summer_body_head 1.bmp But, I just checked and they don't seem to show up in the game. Anyone know what the naming conventions are? (Or is this scenario not in the summer and maybe that's why the mods are not showing up?)

Fabulous weathering on that model. Only the bright new-looking bags give it away.

Now that is featureless boring terrain... and freezing... Please can we go back to the sunny desert?

"I had played maybe 2 or 3 turns of the previous version so I did know the barrage was coming and that there was not much risk in running like that." Well, yeah... But, you are not SUPPOSED to have that fore-warning and pre-knowledge. I always try and play like am the naïve idiot playing for the first time. Otherwise, you may as well be playing a FPS where you endlessly repeat a scenario until you get it right. Hate that enormously. Again, really good job with your Gulf News team clearly filming like the pros they are while trying to escape with their lives. (BTW SS: I had no idea what year this was supposed to be. Is that in the briefing?? Just checked... no it's not...)

That's ok. Am very willing to volunteer you to spend the next year figuring it out, and I have total confidence in you.

Very nice video, and am glad it focused on one platoon and their brave effort to save the Al J news crew. Much better than constantly cutting between what all the other units are up to. Good camerawork - looked like a movie. (Suggest you use CMA mods as the uniforms and faces seems bland.) I was planning to do the same in the earlier version I playtested but with two big differences: 1) Surprised that you ran men out into a mortar barrage. (I woulda waited for it to finish - at least I think that is what real guys woulda done.) 2) Surprised that you ran the men directly out of the building and across the street. I figured that could be a nasty ambush. I went out the back way thru the "car park" for safety. But, as I waited 5 minutes for the barrage to end (in the earlier version), got into a firefight with the uncons coming down the street. Again, am guided by what I think real people would do in that situation (rather than fight the game engine or treat the troops as expendable androids). Looking forward to the next episode!!

I get that. But, on most CM2 maps which are relatively small, support elements are always going to be "close enough to intervene with minimal delay". Am simply trying to avoid the situation that tends to happen in scenarios where one puts all units are in the line all the time, cos the player knows where the map edges/flanks are, knows how long the mission is, can calculate how much ammo he can afford to burn thru etc. and generally doesn't have to keep a reserve. Scenarios and campaign missions where you have to end with a % of ammo, men and equipment in good enuff shape to continue operations are the best imo. Loved the huge battles possible in CM1 where not only is the map huge, but one can have a regiment or more per side, so one experiences an quasi-operational level, and it becomes prudent and realistic to keep a reserve.

Useful. Thanks...

Had to Google nugatory: worthless, unimportant, inconsequential, valueless, trifling, trivial, insignificant, meaningless So the statement is not wrong, but slightly... huh? You speak in riddles grasshopper. (Am also not a fan of that stooped green StarWars character whatsitsname...) I figured that after overcoming the obstacle, the Support element is put back in reserve again. Otherwise wouldn't it simply become part of the Assault Group? Am just trying to create a SOP for myself when playing the Brits in particular.

The challenge is that one has to cross the road with enemy fire from the right flank as well as from the village. I tried smoke on the right and left of my troops' advance, but the smoke dissipated in 2-3 minutes when I was expecting at least 5 mins. Also, even though I sent two TOWs into the buildings immediately across the road that the US has to take first, there were enuff defenders surviving to hurt my guys badly. I vaguely recall threads about CMSF HE being less effective than it should have been. But, yes, I tend to avoid area firing at targets when there is no evidence that the enemy is there. (Esp with the Brits who often seem to have less ammo.) So, in those cases, the enemy's ambushes hurt.

",,,that is *exactly* the real life conundrum..." That's why we bump heads on the "realism often being NOT fun, vs playability and fun, even if less realistic", dichotomy. That's also why I have low confidence that Mosul can be liberated by the Iraqis without massive US involvement (even if downplayed).

Well no wonder I didn't get it. Since everything else in CM2 is so complex, I assumed that this would also be too complex to worry about.

I recall playing a couple of scenarios where the offboard arty only reached part way across the map. I wondered is that range be set in the editor? I thought offmap arty would easily cover an entire CM2 map.

So Steel Beasts is way better than either of the two Steel Armor tank sim games from GTeam? Does SB have good AI in that you can play vs AI or is SB primary for multiplayer games online? Anyone ever play MS Tank Platoon btw?

Ok thanks... that explains things more. I guess I am being too literal in my understanding of the descriptions. Based on what you said, would you say that this definition works: "SUPPORT refers to specialized units that are brought into action for the specific purpose of supporting the ASSAULT group when it encounters an obstacle that it needs help with. But after overcoming the obstacle, the SUPPORT element is taken out of danger while the ASSAULT group moves onwards."

"...see just how trying it can be at times." You crazy man. I KNOW how trying it must be to design a CM2 scenario. That's why I LOVE you dedicated guys who enjoy hitting your heads against a brick wall repeatedly... for months... and months... I am merely a gamer hobbyist who enjoys playing the game, mate. Cheers...

Am trying to get thru a CMSF scenario, and moving house this weekend(!). Maybe later next week.

I wasn't thinking of an AI "don't go there" - altho' it would be great to stop troops blindly advancing into a known ambush/mine/IED "situation". Given the current game's limitation, it's the designer's responsibility to create a situation where that can be avoided. Hence my earlier remarks about the briefing telling players that there will be an immediate barrage on Turn one (ie: with no warning shots) and they need to get units in cover "immediately". Literally marking minefields or approx. IED locations is also important in games like CMSF where keeping casualties to absolute minimum (if any) is vital. It's easy to lose an entire team or more in one blast, and that can effectively end the mission when one may only have a platoon or two to start with. On the other hand if one makes a dumb move knowing there are mines or IED's nearby, then yes, one should lose.

I vaguely recall that the PE people ended up making a World of Tanks type multiplayer game using the PE name. (The horror.) So no one has played their tank simulator spinoff - Steel Armor: Blaze of War or Basra 86? Those look interesting if one liked what Panzer Elite was trying to do. Was wondering if one could use some of the CM2 scenarios to create a Graviteam scenario. So, one could actually man a tank etc.