Splash

This discussion of transport or not to transport squads over hot areas is something I am very interested to know peoples practices. I have not because if you get casualties you really get them but I was replaying one of Bil's scenarios that I had played when I first got the game and I found that I received no casualties in 1/2 tracks and unacceptable losses by moving in tandem with the HT's but on the ground. There are employed AT guns on the far hills and squad with MG's and a zook over the rise in front. I rush 5 HT's and 5 tanks with a stationary barrage standing back with LOS. The HT's never die and I lose at most 2 tanks (well actually mostly none and sometimes one). The squad on defense is entirely destroyed and the flag is mine. In short I have to rethink the transport issue and would like to know other ideas on the subject.

After the interesting talk on the Nashorn I was wondering about the nitty gritty of these panserfaust and their Allied equivalents. I have no idea how they are launched or what is the maximum range. Should you rush the tanks? Can they be fired on the run. In someways I find them as effective as a 'zook. I mean I can't trust a 'zook to stop a tank for sure at 100 metres (altho' as attacker I am paranoid to be that close (without withering suppression fire). So that means ranges where the panserfaust can be employed. Thanks for any comments.

Well a very extended (and interesting exegesis) on my original post. just 2 things on the CM modelling. I guess when the Nashorn was zipped it wasn't firing so the MG's didn't target it -- that's the reason it didn't croak in zipped. When it did get a kill it was at very close range -- the sherman was buttoned and shelling my 20mm Flak position and the Nash popped over the crest at maybe 75 metres -- I'm just wondering if there is modelling conpensation at close range. The computer made my purchase with (as I stated) a med. map - small hills - heavily wooded. As a learner I'm careful to watch what the computer purchases for different terrain. Now admittedly it makes some inopportune choices (flamethrowers when I coulda used mortars kind of thing) I'm assuming the armour and artillery are somewhat conducive to the terrain at hand. I guess I'm asking why would the computer pick the Nashorn for this map?

Cap'n Wacky you are right they did abandoned and it was to a .50 MG -- I'm shocked at their temerity. MikeyD it was med. map small hills heavily wooded so there you go -- it was very hard to deploy. I've been practising defense in heavy woods. Berlichtingen - it wasn't a mortar but one did pop my 1/2 track canon - broke the gun. It was QB but I notice that when you select heavily wooded the game goes infantry heavy (logically) but nontheless gave me the Nashorn also.

Buttoning/zipping Just a play of words I like to do. Altho' I never have developed as far as rhyming slang.

I've been doing a little play with flamethrowers. I've found them expensive and slow and not easy to deploy. Something I've discovered and am trying to play with is creating defensive fires. This is buggy ganeplay (because in real life a fire burns itself out). F'r instance when on defense of a town I flamed various houses as the battle started to disuade a avenue of attack. The FT was on a 20 sec move time so I'd plot his stroll (they do stroll don't they!) and target the building. He lights up by the 14 sec mark (lights everytime) and strolls out with no worry. Lit 7 buildings (heavy ones) would've cost a fortune in shells.' For a fire bug like myself it was beautiful (atho' the sound of the flames in my ears got a bit tiring). But I think it has hugh potential. Haven't tried this but I was thinking to buy a Wasp (what's the german version?) for defense and proceed to torch any copse of woods I don't like. I really like this idea. Whadda ya think?

Could somebody explain what gives with this TK. I got one in a quick battle and it was very handy in dispelling tanks however once finished with that I wanted to unload its h shells on a ground area. Anytime I unzipped it would get knocked out by some infantry or something. As I could never see what had los (no zooks went off -- there were not PIATS in this scenario). It was well back of the action (250 to 325 metres). Seems very fragile. I tried it various ways to see what gives - zipped it was ok but refused to fire shells it would instead put smoke into the area. By the end if I coulda shot it myself I woulda.

Well I'm imagining that if a tank gun gets even the smallest dent it is redendered useless -- Mighty Mouse can fire around 15-20 shells a minute -- but the tracks of the tank always seem to be the first to go. I agree that the gun needs heavy woods cover in order to work its magic but even when it didn't actually kill the tank it made the tank crew move despertately. In the scenario that introduced this thread the tanks always rushed to the bottom (as opposed to retreating under cover) thus allowing the AT guns in the town a few free shots before being located. Let me put this another way -- A sharpshooter cost 18 points, Mostly (or most reliably) you use sshoot's to button tanks. For 3 extra points you get a gun that not only buttons tanks but can kill all light tanks and half tracks and then the bonus of a potential tank incapcitator (it never kills them). No question that if a tank is as near as 75 meters I'd rather have an AT gun but these small artillery pieces are the only thing I've found that can sit on overwatch and never be found. Optimally your troops are well in front of the guns.

Admittedly they are not damaging against infantry but because of that rapid ROF they were useful (until I discovered their armour capabilties) for suppressing fire in order to do a defensive retreat. With them suddenly blazing away you can usually get the troops out with minimum damage. But that was then...

Recently I've played a quick battle where I was a defending German -- the game gave me 3 20mm flak guns. The town was in a valley and both sides cleanly held the valley ridges facing across town. At the outset the flaks had los on all their armour and I let them open up -- they proceeded to destroy everything; even the tanks -- immobilsed them then wrecked their guns so that they were abandoned. For sitting on hill why buy anything else? An AT gun only draws attention to itself. What's your opinion?

With regards a full squad covered by a half squad -- this reminds me of the complaint that when you have a squad in a building and you split it sometimes 1/2 appears next to the building and outside it -- it probably is the same -- if your wondering sometimes that your men are taking extra hits in a building -- this could be the reason. Somwtimes I've split a defending squad in the set up phase producing two foxholes; when it came to turn 1 they joined but B squad moved over into A squad's hole -- does this means I now have a trench? I doubt it but those boys will not stay separate!

Title sez it all -- My manual makes no mention of this hot key -- I would dearly love a 45 degree key while staying locked to the unit. I realize this may not be the answer but I'm hoping it would allow a rotate while locked kind of thing. Short of all this how do I use it on a Mac? Thanx

I made the mistake of sending a half track out to do some terrorizing while zipped -- I targeted and it accepted but neglected to mention that he could not fire due to being zipped. What vechiles are incapable of firing while zipped. It's rather laborious to try this one and then that in order to figure things out. Thanx

I was noticing that smoke coming from all its different sources has quite a variable as to how long it sticks. Are there any tables on what smoke from said equipement lasts for how long. Thanx

I dunno -- I find the AI is a good oppenent on any scenario I haven't played. On ones I have played I won't stop until a get at least a Major victory off the beast. I always have a sneaking hunch that the AI knows exactly where to find the keyhole shot for it's tanks -- in otherwords it has perfect vision. This brings up question for me on the AI's sense of LOS. I've noticed it passing thru a keyhole shot and then pin pointing it exactly for the next move and showing up in that exact spot. Now this is only the times I can positively identify (by being targeted on by my man targeting on his own) Does the AI remember all keyhole shots as it passes thru them? Say your entering some scattered trees and you want to be just far enough in to gain LOS but not so far to reveal yourself until you pop off your shot. Does the AI know this exact spot for itself? I grew up playing in bush and am very good (not professional quality I'm sure) at the sneak and concealment. I am starting to get a feel for it in CM but I would say it takes a long time and I cannot approach it with the same degree of assuredness that I can in reality. Mind you I've never tried to hide with eleven other men around me!

Louie the Toad Yes, levels 7 and 8 I use all the time. But when theres alot of generic markers you have get down close and click each one to see if an arty spotter (or anything equally interesting is in the bunch) Further, I just discovered that a marker with the "Infantry?" does not necessaryily mean you don't know the make up of that particular unit -- it may have been fully identified before(and just lost contact with for now) and if you open the info screen for that unit all the details will be revealed. So now I find myself going for the info screen on all generic's just in case. Again it seems to be punishment for careless viewing and would not happen (hopefully!) on a regular basis on any real HQ map.

Gremlin i went to your boot camp but when I would go to the articles the text would 'overload' or something. I'd see the text and then it would flip to black leaving only the pics. Just to let you know.

Louie the Toad I think I'll hold off for a bit --- I'm still working up my courage to challenge a human.(I'm sounding Ferrengi here) I recently played All or Nothing from both sides and I'm still working out the cramps my shoulders got from all that road work -- I couldn't imagine sorting out those #$@^& traffic jams - altho' I did enjoy watching the AI on attack pushing all those vehicles across the fields -- very impressive-- I wished I could hire it for background work. i.e. Get that tank out of that ditch and I don't care what it takes just don't make me go down there and drive the thing! As you say each squad is a special firefight situation and I'm still working and platoon formations to attack efficently. Not to mention a better feel for when to reveal what asset at what point for maximum effect. But one feature I think the game could add that would make IM rules easier to use is to have an equivalent flip thru with the plus and minus key for the opponents forces that have been seen. It seems to me that you are supposed to be punished for careless viewing but when in fact I would expect somebody on my staff to point out important viewings and give me appropriately insistant updates

Recently I had a lowly platoon commander which I sent scouting and placed the squad under company command. I saw that PHQ as the most expendable and in as much as they ran into the AI's main flanking attack it was a lucky thing for me. (they were MUCH closer than I would have thought) I was dismayed to seem them put up a fight and get wiped-- I really felt guilty.

I was wondering how everyone approaches the movie watching. I find my biggest mistake is that when I take a beating on a particular turn -- i panic a turn the movie off much too soon without carefully reviewing the evidence. I am curious about locating sound. Has anyone successfully located a reasonably close unseen firing position just by using level 1 and hunting the area for where the sound is loudest? Is the sound space in CM mission that detailed?

Now hold on here-- me being grubbily ignorant-- this conversation sez nothing about viewing the game battle -- I can't imagine watching the 1 minute unfold without first observing from a height. I figure I have to check everything that is seen and what my men target -- if I was to watch at level one I'd have to watch it 20 30 x's! So if everyone admits to doing that it becomes just a matter of who has the better memory of the exact situation -- which while being commendable is hardly a reason for being a better tactician.

David, That pretty well sums it up --- well worth the time finishing off the enenmies entire HQ. Not being of military background I never understood how anyone could show up to a war armed with only a handgun. Seems insane to me but then you just wait for your partner to die and take his rifle!

Thanx there Combined Arms. Yes, it was very simple just went to Netscape and searched and up came MaxZip which does the trick quite nicely Thanx again

Hi I was wondering if there is any reduction in quality of command when the HQ is reduced by injuries. I've noticed that even with the HQ reduced to one (and that one not the lead man) it still retains functionality. Is this basically the case? And how does this (if true) fit in with the reality features of gameplay? Thanx

Hi all I've been trying to translate some scenarios from PC to Mac and just can't seem to work it out. Can somebody get me some hand holding advice? Thanx