Erwin

"...may come to grief at the hands of an IED, again this is done to encourage historical behaviour'." Makes sense. But, doesn't the triggerman have to be fairly close? I didn't see anyone nor did there seem anyplace to hide until one got to far-off buildings (about 400m+). However, with such a large force, even though I moved through Red 4 (send me my 50 points plz), it's spread out on the road and to the right in the open desert, not all in column along the road. (It didn't make sense to stay in column.) If I was ordered to stay in column on the road, I would have. (Have had extensive training from wife.) If you do a v2, maybe make staying on the road mandatory and put more IED's (or preferably RPG ambushes) in the desert? The briefing could say: "The road has been just swept and cleared, but offroad there are IED's and ambushes." Re not going over the bridge on the right as the closest route to CIMIC, was there info re enemy ambushes, IED's there? Or, maybe the historical route was chosen to draw out and punish the insurgents? It seems like an awfully powerful assault force for a supply/relief run. I am loving it. It's nice to focus on efficiency and minimizing casualties rather than "fighting for dear life" like many other (esp WW2 CM2) scenarios are like. I fear CMSF has spoiled me for CMBN and CMFI as I really have a problem taking the larger casualties one almost always has to in order to win in those WW2 games.

alt-m desaturates a lot.

Yes, that is what must have happened. How to access? Or, can you e-mail me that license? (It may be on my desktop, but am traveling with laptop.) Thanks... (BTW: I do have "printed license on container" for Marines and Brits which I thought I also bought "d/l + mail".

Need to start chanting etc.

Hi there and thanks again for this scenario. The incident happened way out in the open area away from any buildings where no enemy seems present. I suppose it could have been a very lucky longe range shot since the RPG has a 1K meter range. But, the explosion made a huge crater underneath the Warrior (same diameter as the IFV)- larger than a mine I think... like a massive IED. I was surprised that 2 crew and 5 inf got out ok. That force moved much slower after that for 5-6 minutes, but, KIA a few more single enemy RPG teams, and with the RHS buildings about to be cleared, am moving faster again down the central open area to the right of the main road keepng as far from any buildings as is possible. One tank wasted 3 rounds firing at a MG, with each round going into the ground about halfway. With all this WYSIWYG talk that was irritating. Not realistic to have a tank waste almost 25% of its HE ammo like that. BTW: Why do the tanks have such low HE when it was obvious they would not be facing enemy armor? Can one not adjust ammo loadout in editor?(!!) At 1h 30m to deadline, most of the fun is with the garrison as they fight towards the bridge objective. They have taken the first large green area (that was completely undefended and easy to enter). Have overwhelmed defenders nearby and am crossing the road to the 2nd area. While the Brits do the fighting, the contractors are guarding both CIMIC plus the govt buildings with the HQ IFV's in support. So, far have only needed to commit 2 platoons of Brits with the 3rd in reserve guarding the right flank. 1 IFV KIA by RPG and only about 4-5 inf casualties total from the garrison force so far. 1 (spotter in sniper team) from an arty barrage, and one from unintended movement. Most times, an RPG will only dent the Warrior, maybe degrading the tracks. Or, I get a KO'd Warrior. Nothing in-between so far. I wonder what weakness this IFV has?

And let's keeping asking BF and Steve about CMSF2 that would bring CMSF up to CM2 standards which he said is a possibility if there is demand. (I wish that could also happen for CMA...)

Didn't need a license on my desktop, and it all worked. However, the reinstall on my laptop asked me for licences, and I have em all except for NATO. Maybe the NATO disk came in a case with the license written on it, but the current case has no writing of any kind and the license is not on the disk itself either. What to do...? Thanks...

It was just a simple test to see if Fraps worked as advertised as so many things don't seem to do so on my system and I end up getting IT people to do it... but that's a pain. Nothing was streaming that I am aware of. But, I have learned that with some security software, it's amazing the trouble it can cause, eg ZoneAlarm and AVG on CM exe files. I absolutely hate messing about with computers. Reminds me of when I had an old Jag in the 70's, and I had a toolbox in the trunk/boot as there was literally a 10% chance the car would break down or have (twin Strom) carburator problems every time it went on the road. I wasted huge amounts of time on that car (mostly cleaning/rebuilding and tuning the Stroms) but now cars are reliable and I don't even want (or need) to open the hood thank you very much. Computers and software seem to be still at the level of mid-20th century cars or early 20th century aircraft and people are still expected to be their own "mechanics".

I have FRAPS on my computer, I launch it, I press f10 to test and see if I can get a shot of my desktop and I get nothing in the screenshots directory. I can't waste any more time. I give up.

Allowing the Emperor was smart from a political POV as it helped control the population since all other leaders responsible for the war were imprisoned or executed. Hardly a "concession" when your country becomes a vassal state with no independence for decades.

yeah, you generally only want one type of wound file active at a time. otherwise, they all look like they were just thrown out of a US hospital early (for having inadequate insurance) lol. Still, the mods look good. Thanks for posting. (If only I could figure out FRAPS.)

This is probably the feature I most appreciate about CM2... the sense that one is in, or making one's own WW2 movie/experience. The graphics, esp when well-modded are very photogenic.

"What seems to be key is once you hear the helo blades sound effect or the jet engine noise is to STOP moving forces around and sit quietly until the air assets stop buzzing around." That makes sense when in cover or in alleyways. I thought I was keeping "quiet". But, then again the CAS tends to stick around for several minutes, and once again I may be getting too impatient to just sit there for 5-10 minutes until the air goes away when I am worried about time, or there are easy targets in view. I will try to be more patient.

Don't forget to tell us if you played it RT or WEGO. It can make a big difference and it's confusing if players don't know if the scenario was designed and/or tested for one type of play.

"I've found that the arty is totally inadequate for knocking out anything on that hill." But, arty will at least suppress (the FO's esp.) and provide dust which is as good as smoke, although maybe not as long-lasting... which is useful. Also, you can get your inf fairly close to the bridge and HIDE them (safely) for a couple turns - so they start "rested" for the final run to the bridge and the defilade offered by the river bank.

I am playing WEGO (Elite) and that is usually tougher. (Don't enjoy RT, and I can't understand how anyone can play a large scenario in RT unless they are a wrist twitch expert or they pause every second to issue new orders.) The great thing about CIMIC is that you get to ride over the open desert in an armored attack force (the supply column) while at the same time, a second powerful force (the garrison) is performing an "urban-style" (small houses) house-house assault. *********SPOILERS*********** The main ammo limit issues (so far) is the relief force main tank ammo. I have started to give the Challengers quite short range arcs while the Warrior IFV's back em up with their more plentiful 30mm. While the garrison forces get into action quite quickly, the relief column progress has quite steady and relatively easy (I won't say boring). I formed all the vehicles up in formation (with appropriate covered arcs), and gave em all SLOW movement orders (with appropriate pauses), and just let the juggernaut rumble along with adjustments for crossing the first bridge etc. This formation moved while rapidly taking out anything that fired at it. Up to 1h 45m left on the clock, all that was encountered was RPG's and maybe snipers. However, at 1h 44m as the formation approached the main town, a Warrior just exploded in the last second on the turn. I was able to have the surviving passengers ACQUIRE everything at the start of the next turn just b4 they bailed out (heh). Usually RPG's only cause minor damage (altho' admittedly one destroyed another IFV from the garrison with no inf casualties thank goodness). I don't recall anything about minefields and I didn't think there are IED's at this location. I did have an Apache attacking a large zone, but the zone edge was at least a hundred meters away. This was a big bang. So, there may be a nasty ATGM someplace. Lost one crew and 3 troops. Only lost 2 guys so far from the garrison, and one of those was an "interface casualty".

Really enjoying CIMIC house so far as one seems to have more than enough force and good CAS. (CIMIC is primarily a mech armored game with 5 Challengers, a bunch of IFV's and dismounts.) 1h 52m to go: The relief force drives SLOW through the touch obj at the top map edge while the CIMIC House defenders have the "contractors" defending the base with 2 HQ IFV's while the rest of the company carefully probes towards their bridge objective. I think the real challenge is how to accomplish the mission with 0 (or close to) casualties. It's a good game to practice coordination and using "Combined Arms" effectively. Am really trying to act like it's my butt gonna get shot and being very careful. Lost one IFV so far from RPG, and a couple others slightly damaged. I would have 0 inf casualties so far, but for a movement orders screw up. Instead of safely transporting inf to a building, the vehicle stayed in line of fire while the inf exited and ran, and a sniper got one. Grrr. I thought I deserved a redo on that one, but I didn't have a saved game close enuff in time.

Have a safe trip and let us know when you get back, Gregory... You know... it would be great to have a tutorial on how best to survive enemy CAS attacks as that has always been where I suffer my heaviest losses in all CMSF games that have enemy air. It can't be as simple as "stay in woods" as I have seen CAS spot and destroy my units in woods cover. I also have heard "stay close to buildings". I thought I was keeping vehicles close, but maybe that means "so close that part of the unit appears inside the building"?? BlackMoria..?

IIRC if smoke conceals a location the AI cannot target it with arty. It's pretty obvious where the enemy spotters must be. Try bombarding and/or smoking that location (and even smoking your advance over the bridge). Also IIRC one doesn't actually need all the units one is given, so keep most back in safe locations until the way over the bridge is open and the enemy has too many targets on their side of the river to bombard everything.

Hope you don't mind an additional suggestion re the briefing. Make the #1 priority for the US Airborne to be stopping/degrading any attacking forces attempting to reach the dam. Seems to me that the US main job is to ensure the Brits can get to the Central LZ and link up with the US there as quickly and easily as possible. #2 would be recon and spotting enemy positions for CAS. arty and the Brits with their extra Javalins to take out. Only after that would they be allowed to probe around and "if they encounter any serious resistance, pull back and avoid engagement until they link up with, and have the extra firepower of the Brits".

Got em. Thanks Saferight. (They go great with the moustache mod.)

Let's just chalk this up as an example of "What You Don't See, You get".

I REALLY like the dull weathered ones. Looks real. Thank you for taking the time to do those so well.

Yes, but I hope you also focus on making your new helmets more faded and worn. The above look too new again.

Always delighted to help out with testing. I fully understand that it must be very hard and time-consuming to make a scenario, let alone a campaign. However, as they say in the movie biz: "Your audience doesn't care about how hard it was to make the movie. All your audience cares about is whether they enjoy the movie." FYI: Brits arrived at 1:55. At 1:53, enemy air strafed the LZ set-up position and immobilized a Challenger and killed a Scimitar. <Aaaargh!> I don't know how to cope with effective enemy air, which can be a real bitch in CM2. (I mentioned earlier in this thread that I had a similar problem in the otherwise excellent "Road To Dinas" which stopped me "dead" in that campaign even after about 20 restarts of that particular mission including cheating by CF-ing to see where all the enemy FO's and ATGM's were!! Even after killing the ATGM's and FO's at the start of the mission, the enemy CAS in that mission decimated my AFV's and inf every bloody time - didn't seem to matter much if they were in woods or not.) With so few AFV's, am not sure I can afford this loss. Was this a fluke, or designed?? Maybe I should abandon the mission at this point? Esp if you'll be doing a v2 at some point.