Erwin

I have v1.31 (hence the PzFaust problem). Just to clarify, I copy the entire CMSF 1.31 folder to another folder I can call (say) CMSF130. (Does it matter where this new folder is located?) Then I apply the 1.30 patch, or reinstall NATO. Is that correct?

never mind...

"Duplicate the original...: You mean copy the entire CMSF folder to another location? Then reinstall NATO... or alternatively simply apply the 1.30 patch?

Ah... That would be news to me. (Anyone confirm?) But in any case, how to safely repatch to 1.30 plz? (I don't want to reinstall CMSF just to get back to 1.30.)

Also, re heroes, at some (very distant I know) time in the future it would be great to be able to "promote/award medal" to such a hero in a campaign. But, that would require some way of identifying him. Maybe an in-game button which allows one to select a unit and either make a note to oneself re his accomplishment, or better still, choose from a selection of award criteria.

I have my 2nd copy on a 2nd computer, so...

Erik, assuming one reverts to 1.30 ONLY for the Germans, are there any other bugs or things one would notice (playing the Germans) missing (compared to 1.31)? (Again, I would assume that I would repatch to 1.31 to play any other nationality.) Also, what is the safest way to patch back to 1.30? (I don't want to mess up and have to reinstall and relicense.)

I think we all mostly agree. And in any case it's all academic as we're unlikely to see much, if any, improvement in CMSF, just maybe a few fixes. However, given the existing product, I wonder if the opfor (whichever that is) may have an (AI?) advantage that make opfor snipers more dangerous than blue team's.

Huh? You mean they enjoyed all the hate mail that was generated? I well recall a lot of quite nasty stuff on several forums. It took many patches b4 CMSF started to dispel the disillusionment and win over folks (including myself). I figured they're doing it the smart way now.

Re facing command and covered arcs, would either/both of those have affected the Tiger CO spotting ability in this situation? In the CMSF I thought I read someplace that covered arcs were not as necessary (as in CM1) most of the time, as units did a better job of spotting than in CM1(?) - I interpreted that as implying that arcs in CM2 were more for preventing a unit from firing outside of that arc, and/or to have one's best armor facing in the desired direction. Is that accurate, or do arcs improve spotting within that arc? If an arc increases spotting ability within the arc, presumably, spotting doesn't end at the limits of the arc as fire would, but extends to the limits of visibilty(?)

I am glad that BFC is taking all the time it needs "to get it right" and is not being rushed into premature release. Usually, games are released too early due to financial/contractual issues. We should be thankful that BFC can take the time that is required. Am certain that the blow back from the initial CMSF release was a "never again" moment.

Yes, I do understand the challenges of a small developer. So, how can we, the players, help? I have never tried playing with the editor, but can we go in and add Fenneks where needed? (Is there some reason we would not be allowed to?) Let's face it, by the time the final patch is released, the chances are good that many of us will have played all the errant German scenarios and will no longer care about the German PzFaust issue. And aside from us grogs, no other customers will even notice there was an issue. Problem solved for everyone!

"If the sniper on the other hand is just sitting in the open...? What sort of range we talking about? Presumably, the sniper is at his best/safest around 800m+ from target(?) Also, the sniper would have appropriate camo (the game should assume that), spread a cover on the ground in fromt of his muzzle to mitigate dust etc.

I don't know who all the scenario designers were, but could they plz retrofit the German scenarios and Campaigns with PzFaust loaded Fenneks per the above suggestions. That would allow us to play all the German scens. as originally designed. I hope that has be be a much easier fix than reprogramming etc(?)

This may be of no value whatsoever, but I always increase my virtual memory settings and/or the amount of disk space the system is allowed to use. Getting rid (or stopping them for automatically loading at start-up) of all other non-essential apps.

Re Bernays. Yes, fascinating. Well worth the read. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

"Come out with your hands up!"

Well... if the Fennek fix works as well as they say, that's fine with me. We just have to ensure that scenario designers use that trick. Who cares where the launchers come from, so long as one can get them (at the set-up stage). I'm always putzing with ammo loadouts at set-up, loading and unloading and loading inf units into various vehicles as desired. So, having ANY vehicles with the launchers is fine. If one doesn't want the Fenneks in the game, maybe make them immobilized, fixed in position and unable to be moved anywhere once one presses GO. With that sorted, now the man-hours to fix the launcher problem can now to devoted to something else that isn't so easy to work around...

"you could walk your troops into the same foxhole as them and not spot them..." Well, yes that's what they are (supposedly) trained for. We're not talking about squad shrpshooters, but dedicated snipers, and sniper school is tough and trains especially re concealment. My theory is that the mil establishment doesn't like SpecOps of any type. The dominant mindset (at least as of 5+ years ago) was they wanted to have their masses of AFV speeding across the plains in Cold War era mass battles. They really did not like the idea of small groups of specially trained types making a big difference as it would call into question why spend all that money on Maginot Line -type material (tanks, subs, next gen aircraft etc etc.) Since BFC wants to cozy up to that market, (and look at the demographics on this site) they may have downgraded the abilities of snipers and other "better trained types." (Just a theory.) Just cos the game only gets 95+ right means CMSF is still brilliant. But, it is/was a disappointment to learn from trial and error that some things in CM2 do not work as well as CM1.

Pvt: I am not at my CMSF computer, so can't check... Plz post if this is a map and/or scenario. (It sure reads like a scenario, but...)

Hehe..."Fire and forget..." about your ass lol.

Given there are folks with really powerful machines having this problem when they should not, you may need professional help to debug or something. Not sure what you vidcard is, but may also want to check if you need something better.

You could interprete it as sabotage or corrupt defense contractor faking the test results, and now you have to live with it. Not the first time that's happened.

Certainly snipers in CM1 were actually quite useful. In CM2, it's harder to tell if they are doing much that any other units can or cannot do. Maybe they can shoot more accurately at longer ranges. But, it's the way they can be spotted so easily that is a problem. It's as risky to use em for recon or simply hiding and observing as any other inf. It doesn't break the game, but it is one example of a retrograde step from CM1.

So ETA 2013?