Cameroon

Yes, cheaper just like it is for buying higher levels of organization of infantry. And as Michael mentioned, the command bonuses are worth it. Assuming you get some Morale (+1 & +2) and Command (+1 & +2) (the only you can get) both make your AFVs more useful. [Edit] And to answer roodboy's question, if you're letting the AI pick, then you can end up with platoons and/or independent AFVs. You've got no control of it. If you're doing the purchase yourself, the toggle mentioned will allow you to buy platoon or individual. [Edit again: Damn I must be tired...] [ October 24, 2002, 11:47 PM: Message edited by: Cameroon ]

Regarding hexes... I've been playing with the dimensions -- which sucks in Photshop, no vector tools -- and I haven't been able to get equal distances between sides. In the shot above, one direction is 40 m and the other two are 45 m. Is that what people expect, or were the CMBO hexes perfect? Oh, and for those of you wondering, I wasn't expecting distances of 40m. The ground tiles in the editor are 20x20, but it appears that the tiles used in the game are, graphically, 40x40. It could be my 32 meg card, but in any case I was surprised.

Did someone ask for a hex grid? There might be more tweaking involved, mostly because hexes are PITAs

It sounds like you want to have everything random, but an equal opportunity for the computer to pick ANY type of equipment it wants. Is this correct? If so, then there is one setting you cannot leave to random, and that is Nationality. For instance, Partisans have no vehicles, so no matter how you COULD spend points, you cannot buy a vehicle. You could also set the nationality to Unrestricted, but I'm pretty sure that means the computer could mix nationalities, which probably isn't what you want. Once you do set the Nationality, just set the Division to Infantry. With the unrestricted force type, you'll still have access to all the equipment.

Well, lemme make sure I'm reading what you're writing So you picked Unrestricted as the force type (which is not the Random selection, which is what WWB was talking about), right? Given that, yes you can end up with Infantry only vs CA or something else. Once the force type is choosen (in this case, Unrestricted), you could still end up with a Nationality and/or Division that do not have vehicles available for selection. [Edit] Oh, and in CMBO Unrestricted force type means you can spend all (or almost all) your points in any category, thus it didn't give both sides the same force mix. It actually meant that there was no force type restriction In CMBB, if you get a Nationality or Division with no AFVs in its TO&E, well it doesn't matter how many points you COULD spend in it since they've got nothing you can purchase [ October 24, 2002, 12:32 AM: Message edited by: Cameroon ]

I thought the logic might be more likely that it didn't hit any of the crew. There's a lot of open non-vital space in the back of a half-track. I'm not saying what you saw was right or wrong, just offering a possibility

Yup, the patch info (before they Madmatt said there were some new things that were delaying the patch) stated that now neither host nor "client" can see the terrain info until after unit purchase.

I had the same thoughts Sarge, and was disappointed. The real problem is that the KV has such bad vision that, even if there IS a target, it might not see it. At least it won't just ignore an area target, but you can't have an area target and flame it. Frustrating

I do it like so. Turn on covered-arc display (shift-x). Using two squads, I give them covered arcs that cover the same terrain. This can be done almost to the pixel IF you really stretch those arcs around. These two squads will end up covering a rather small section of ground (but wide enough to cover the "entrance" to the ambush). With the remaining squad(s) and the HQ, plot cover arcs that cover the "interior"; that is, the space not covered, or only partially covered, by the other two squads. That should get you through the springing of the ambush. Once it's sprung, turn the arcs off. The ambush should cause enough havoc, but if you leave the cover arcs alone after that turn, you'll probably find yourself in a world of hurt Hope that is of some assistance. I've used that technique often with ATGs, when I want them to open up in tandem. I have to make some crazy "arcs", but it's worked.

Actually, I find infantry to be stronger than in CMBO. They supress more easily, but they seem to be more resilient with regards to morale. For instance, often times I'll have a vehicle knocked out or abandoned, and the crew will pop out only pinned (though they still "broke" in the effort to get out ). No, infantry are definitely not weaker. They just aren't willing to be as suicidal. Actually, outside of large, open areas, I've not had a single problem with CMBB infantry.

I actually have quite a number of close-fought battles, but against the AI. Many of them come out to be tactical victory/defeat rather than major or total (though I get totals and majors too). So far I haven't played anyone in BB (haven't played many people in BO either). One thing that really can tip the balance is playing totally random QBs. That is, a QB where everything (or almost everything) that can be set to random is. For instance, in most of my QBs (against the AI so far) I at least set the terrain parameters, since they can have a such a large impact on the tactical possibilities.

Regarding the game on Macs... I've got a B&W G3/350 and CMBB runs fine (minus some of the real nasty ones ). I've got a ATI Radeon 7000, I'm not experiencing problems. Play BB all the time. Couldn't tell you what the framerate is, but its not that different from my highly MODed CMBO. And, I know it's personal opinion here, but I am routinely stunned that shockwaves are a game breaker. As for the engine, well I'm thrilled with the changes. Things work now. So much so, in fact, that I wish they had the time and interest to quickly (heh! ) do the western front with the BB engine. I've still got a PBEM in CMBO going on, but I'm not sure I'll play much BO after it's finished. So I guess that's my 2 cents on whether or not I'll be sticking with CMBO.

*bump* wow things move down the topics quickly

Added the latest AAR from CMBB (that I've seen) to my wee CMBB AAR page. CMBB AARs

Actually, this has come up and basically a tank trying to drive through a house was likely to fall into the basement, throw a track or suffer other mechanical problems. Maybe there's no basement in a hut, but from my reading on this forum, I gather that tanks driving through houses was not a great idea.

Does a KV-I by a 50mm ATG count? It is somewhat unfortunate that the AI so quickly forgets that troops were in a particular area, as that is how I got a feint to work against the AI (mmm... hiding is good...). When the KV wasn't looking, my 50mm unhide and killed it (surprisingly -- then I realized the AI had turned the KV around... whoops).

[spoilers] . . . . . . . . I either got a tactial or major victory on this, can't recall which with any clarity My strategy was to scout carefully, moving the bulk of my force up behind the scouts until contact was made. The follow on forces (which were providing overwatch) beat the crap out of anything that peaked its head up. I also sent a force up the left wood line (facing as Germans). This force started as a platoon plus the FO (and either the Coy HQ or another platoon HQ), but later was reinforced by an un-depleted platoon. I think this force actually accounted for a large portion of my success, since it threatened the AI and caused it to try and shift forces. These forces were caught by the other aspects of my force and suppressed and pinned or routed. At this point my vehicles came into play. My PzIIIs raced to the dirt road to support the infantry and the PzIVs were going to move around the right side of the lake. The halftracks had been providing support for the main thrust from the beginning. The IVs exchanged a few rounds with the T-34s to no effect near the end of a turn. I pulled them back, wait for a bit and then gave them covered arcs and had them hunt carefully around the corner of those thick woods. They easily took out all the T-34s, no losses to themselves. This continued and I had the Primate House and Aviary under my control. My FO climbed into the Primate House and called fire down along wherever I wished My attack bogged due mostly to lack of ammo (for the infantry), but I had mauled the enemy and taken enough flags to get a decent victory. In fact, the AI had to divert so much of its force to try and stem my left flank that I don't believe it had control of its main flag.

Greg, regarding 1) above, IMHO I do not expect this since it would be a dramatic shift in gameplay. CM's gameplay has been about controlling the tactical aspect down to the squad/team/vehicle level. If something like this were implemented, I feel it more likely -- based on current gameplay -- that it would be restricted to elements such as "move to contact, use cover". That removes much of the grunt work associated with large, bulky movements without drastically changing how the game is played at its core. Guess we'll have to see what turns up, in a couple years

I definitely believe it's not an easy problem to solve and without the code I couldn't even begin to formulate a good approach. I'm not expecting to see this addressed, even the most straight-forward sounding (hard stop @60 and track the shells) is likely a big enough change to just not be worth it. Which is unfortunate since this coupled with wind really diminishes the ability of small smoke FOs.

buckshyesh, yes I've noticed what you're talking about. I even ran a test and had written up my conclusions, but realized something else (its below). This is a problem with the clock running after 60 seconds. We're losing time off of the smoke round's lifespan because the clock keeps ticking past 60. So at the start of each turn, some of those rounds are dead before they would otherwise be. This leaves an open window (of probably 20-25 seconds) where there is too little smoke to be effective (note that this is probably only really apparent with small FOs as larger modules hide the lost time in their longer lifespans). What I realized, however, is that we've been living with equally (possibly) devestating effects of the clock running past 60 for artillery only. Let's say you've got a platoon moving through some trees and in 5 seconds they will be inside houses, but the turn ends. Except for those artillery rounds. Now let's say they don't hit near your troops, except for that last one. Let's say it took it ten seconds to land after the 60 second mark and it lands right amongst your time-frozen soldiers. Had your troops been moving all during that time, they would have been safe (or safer anyway) from that shell. But because time stopped for everything but the shells, your troops were hit. The only way that I see to fix these problems is to either have a firm stop at 60 or let all the action continue until the last shell hits. I don't think either solution is going to happen though [ October 21, 2002, 04:24 PM: Message edited by: Cameroon ]

I mean no disrespect, I'm simply surprised that you feel this way. I, for one, have been thrilled with the improvements. My gameplay in CMBB does not feel much like my gameplay in CMBO.

Not if it doesn't have support from SOMETHING that can see. If you drive a T-34 into a swarm of infantry, it'll get buttoned (if it isn't already) and if the player isn't the AI, then shortly thereafter that swarm of infantry will slaughter the T-34. I tried exactly this tactic on the Yelnia Stare scenario. The only thing that kept them from just being massacred was that I had infantry that could help (via the Borg effect) spot units for them. Even then I lost one of the four I sent (and against the AI). Had I sent a lone T-34, it would not have done anything much. Maybe one squad. When I played a game vs my brother (13, and his first CMBB game, he played the Germans), I lost 2 or three of my T-34s by overrunning infantry that I literally COULD NOT see. The T-34 is blind As for the comments about what it would do to the barrel, I think the "canister" part gives us the answer. If it were in a canister (as its name implies ) then I don't see it doing anything to the barrel since it would be encased until exiting at the muzzle. Though if it isn't so encased, I'd be wondering about what it would do to the barrel as well.

Well, the good news is that bunker crews no longer abandon their bunkers just because they ran out of ammo. Which is fortunate since the crews abandoning their bunkers counted as victory points for the opposite side.

I definitely like the idea of a distributed hosting, but central listing. I happened to mention something similar somewhere, when someone was asking about creating another mod site (maybe it was Gary's original thread, not sure). It's just impractical for all the mods to be hosted at one place. But one mod here and there on a site, but all those sites listed centrally would hopefully not be too much of a strain. And if a mod was particularly popular, a mirror for that particular mod could be done. I think if we had an enterprising DB and web front end developer who wanted to do the main site creation with the ability for mod hosters to list the mods they are hosting (whether it be via direct d/l link or more likely via a link to the page where one can find the mod(s)), we'd have a good start. Then allow the mod-seeker to search and organize that list and we'd get some sweet mod action Even baring the flashiness of the second part, the first would be fairly straightforward, but require promotion so mod-hosters would post their list of mods. Anyway, here's hoping some good solution can be found.

You don't even need to click it, just mouse-over