Erwin

I was thinking of getting DCS' A10 flight sim. You really played that. How is it?

+1 to that. My only suggestion would be just a little shaded/darkness to better outline the hinges and other features that are raised above the surface of most of the vehicle. Those features tend to get "camouflaged" which is a shame.

I loved your work on the uniforms ez. However, your vehicle camouflage seems to make em stand out from the BG rather than blend in.

This sounds great. I hope you can get the "upgrade" completed. I have the original, but can't recall if I played it. Would definitely give your new version a try. I find myself also getting a bit weary of CMBN and am enjoying getting back to my 11th DINAS mission.

I have no idea how the game simulates ammo already in the gun... But, in RL, IIRC the crew would fire whatever was in the gun (as it was faster than replacing it) and then load AP or whatever.

Funny that no one thought of chemical/napalm-type shells to put the target tank on fire.

Amazing videos. Should be watched by all the folks bitching about "realism" in the CM games.

Unfortunately, I do not recall their exact names. Only that when CM1 was at its peak, there were a number that depicted Wittman's actions.

I don't recall having any problems getting any team into any Jeep so long as it's not larger than available capacity. However, I wonder if what the team is carrying also counts against capacity. I do recall having a problem boarding trucks with a full load of 2+ teams if they were also carrying a lot of ammo and AT weapons even though the head count was within the truck's capacity.

And you can use as many satchel charges as you want (to blow bocage) right next to friendlies with no negative effect at all. I know that no friendly small arms or grenades will wound friendlies. But, I didn't know that they could suppress friendlies. You sure about that?

However, in this instance, moving the driver after he disembarks doesn't really do anything for you and is unnecessary/irrelevant.

Take a look at the fairly well known CM1 versions of Villiers-Bocage (at Scenario Depot 2).

Plus a turn for the driver to reboard, then another to order the kubel to move. So, yes, being able to swap ammo with adjacent units seems right up there as a priority.

Just checking: Can't a Kubel accommodate 5 if you dismount the passengers AND driver?

The problem is the unions... For example, The third ammo bearer of the HMG can see the target, but not the HMG gunner: Young 3rd ammo guy: "Hey Chas, I can see the bleedin target from over here. Let's just move the gun two inches this way." Gunner: "Oh no you don't my son. Movin' tripods is the prerogative of the Amalgamated Tripod Teamsters Union, movin' it could cause a war stoppage! 3rd guy: "Ok chief, 'ere let me take the gun and use the biped mount." Tripod teamster: "Oh yeah, that way management could get around the rules as negotiated by the Brotherhood of Tripod movers. That's my blinkin' job that is!" Sarge/Shop Steward: "Now what we need is a form 234/d-3cv-7 filled out in triplicate so you can get an action item put forward to the committee on whether or not we have LOS to that target, assuming it is a real target and not a figment of your imagination." 3rd Guy: "But, just come here and take look for cryin' out loud." Gunner: "Now son, you're new 'ere so you gotta learn the ropes, pay yer dues. Should take more than a couple hours to get the paperwork rushed through," 3rd: "Oh never mind, the target's moved out of sight, now." Shop Steward: "There we go then. All's well when you follow protocol. Now son, why doncha go brew us all a nice hot cuppa?" NAFFI guy: "Git out of it, mate! That's MY job!"

So, in the first 30 minutes of Battle 4, lots of surprises and challenges (again). What has worked is my SOP tactic of sending out the onmap inf platoons as recon on both flanks, while being very cautious about moving up the primary road. The recon discovered 3 sets (so far) of enemy scouts that I was able to flank and kill with maybe a couple friendly casualties. The real prize has been getting LOS to 5 TD's situated in ambush positions focused on the road. I always start each scenario with preregistered bombardment with my 105mm and 220mm delayed for 15 minutes, since this gives accurate fire on potential enemy locations out of LOS. However, now I cancel or adjust these as I send my two FO's to my scouts' positions to get LOS to the TD's. There are two TD's close together on the left and one gets blowed up good around 20 minutes into the scenario. On the safe assumption that his neighbor is stunned, I send a Panther to a road position that seems safe from the other TD's and it kills the 2nd. However, something KO's its main gun. Replacing with a 2nd PzV it takes out a truck and recon vehicle, but again, gets a gun hit(!) from some unseen weapon. So, two Panthers out of 5 on the map so far with no main gun. On my right flank my 2nd FO is adjusting 220mm fire on a third TD, when a large blast lands nearby and lightly wounds a bunch of guys. I think damn that's a lousy spotting round. But, next turn it's actually enemy FFE on my position, and these seem like big guns. I lose about 8 guys including the FO. That is bad. As the bug in CMBN means I cannot stop the 220mm adjustment and there is no one to spot for it. This one of the times when the game system has screwed me that I consider it justified for a player to redo that turn and having the FO and the other FAST move away from the enemy impact zone. But, so far I have soldiered on... My plan now is to use the surviving FO to KO each TD in turn, but that will mean moving him to different locations and a lot of waiting for FFE. In the meanwhile, my inf will conduct very cautious probing on the flanks to see what else is out there. Again, a wonderfully different scenario from the previous 3, and am enjoying this campaign very much. I don't know if it was a choice re "realism" or what but the tactic of always using preset bombardment for arty available at set-up, seems almost too easy and gamey. I would suggest that (unless it is a deliberate design choice) that arty arrive as a turn 2 reinforcement.

Re engineers, you have to FIND the minefields and you cannot crawl across a whole map. Once marked however, there should be a safe route thru a minefield. CNBN has many abstractions that are necessary to make the game playable, and this should be one that is considered. Yes, it takes time to clear and mark a safe route, but we only have an hour or two in a scenario, not days like in RL. For a game company in the business of creating entertainment, the mantra should be "real life sucks" even when you are designing the most "realistic" COTS product available.

Re Anti-Aliasing... is that correct that CM games don't support it? I have AA on right now, so is that having a detrimental effect if the game doesn't support it?? I have asked a couple times before for what are the ideal nVidia or video card settings, but have never seen such a recommended list.

Probably most of us understand how the current system work, Hoolaman. The problem is that (in his instance at least) it's silly. It leads to much frustration to the player. Once someone actually has eyes on a target, it would be better if the "system" would automatically get the primary weapon to the LOS position (if possible) so that it could take a shot. Maybe a Command that says (paraphrasing): "Find a way to shoot at this target."

Time to get back to ROAD TO DINAS.

One of the aspects of ABR I am really enjoying is that inf recon really pays off. My inf have foiled cunning inf and ATG ambushes, and have also managed to spot enemy TD's that are also cleverly placed. I usually get a FO to where recon inf has LOS to them and use arty to damage/button em up. Either the arty does em in or they don't spot the Panthers when they sneak up and prang them. Actually, I have been so successful at spoiling the US ambushes and keeping my own armor alive and well in this campaign, that I even start to wonder if maybe the US TD's etc. are not positioned cleverly enuff. Like, is this too easy? However, I do feel as a piece of entertainment, ABR is perhaps the best so far as I feel (so far) that I have comfortably sufficient forces to accomplish the missions. Fighting desperately with inadequate forces and/or getting massacred by enemy arty as experienced in COURAGE AND FORTITUDE is great for learning how to play. But, it's not as much fun as campaigns like HOFFNUNG and ABR.

Well currently, I find this scenario follows an uninspiring pattern: 1) Move recon a few meters; 2) Sit and spot (or get shot at); 3) Suppress enemy fire/units with direct fire, and/or; 4) Wait for arty. and/or; 4a) Wait even longer for air; 5) Move recon a few meters; 6) Follow with convoy. I know I'm flogging a dead horse here, but ROAF would greatly benefit as an entertaining GAME SCENARIO if there were "side missions" etc. to get us through the repeated 10-20 minutes of waiting for air or arty. At the moment am getting through the xnt A BLOODY RIDE CMBN campaign. But, I find myself getting bored with CMBN (I think it's the small maps and lack of maneuver opportunities), and am really enjoying playing CMSF and CMA again.

Most comments are items copied from WeBoB and BFC forums: 1. Covered armour arc 2. Ambush command (your squad/team hides except for one guy who is a lookout, esp critical for successful AT ambushes) 3. Enter building command (grenades get thrown in, rooms sprayed with bullets...) 4. Easier to see Bocage gaps, and the difference between bocage and hedges. 5. Toggle to reduce/get rid of underbrush (like the one for trees) so one can see more easily what is going on and find hidden WIA guys to aid them. 6. Flamethrower capability 7. Inf passengers on AFV's 8. "Follow" command that can be given to a formation or road convoy. 9. Click anywhere on a waypoint to select a unit. 10. Share ammo from neighboring units like from vehicles (also without having to waste a WEGO turn to embark). 11. Ability to recrew abandoned guns. 12. Any tank crew to be able to recrew a similar model tank. 13. More info in the initial scenario choice screen re whether it's suitable for H2H, vs AI (and which side(s), Designer name etc etc. 14. The game tells us the LOS from the gun itself re shooting capability. (Currently it could be from the 3rd loader or some other non-essential spotter, while the gun itself can't fire at the target.) 15. Vehicles to carry StG44 ammo for resupply (currently only available in bunkers for some reason). 16. Being able to have different icons to ID specialized troops like Engineers etc. 17. Successful Buddy Aid being rewarded by it counting for something like points in victory level calculations. 18. Engineers can locate mines "safely" (ie: not by being blown up by them) 19. Inf and vehicles can safely navigate marked minefields without getting blown up. 20. Reduce bogging/immobilization probabilities 21. In-game BRIGHTNESS control so one can actually see something in night scenarios without having to mess with videocard settings. 22. Pioneers able to blow up bridges 23. The game recognizes you and talks to you in a sexy female voice explaining what you are doing wrong every turn. 24. Buildings labelled by "type": Light; Medium; Heavy etc (like in CM1) so one can judge their suitability re cover and protection, and how much HE to destroy em 25. Plz add your own...

OMG that is FUNNY! Oh... I guess, not really... Well, it is funny, so there...

Of course in RL the guy who has LOS can call over his buddy with the sniper rifle or whatever, and that guy can prang the target. That is not possible in CMBN. Therefore it would be much more sensible and a better simulation of RL if the LOS is from the Primary Weapon rather than the 3rd gunlayer or the guy with the pistol.