Danny Chung

The thing about opening up with the panzershrecks at their extreme range is that usually it identifies itself as a priority target for any accompanying tanks and infantry. I usually try and fix it so that the panzershreck engages a tank that is alone (or with minimum support), you know funnelling the suckers into defender friendly killing zones and such like. It gets on my nerves when my panzershreck opens up, misses (at close range) and then gets himself offed for his trouble when the building he's in gets blown up. I'll try linking them up with battle bonus HQs as suggested earlier by one you fellows, if that's of any help. I also tend to agree about repeated firing at a target improving the accuracy. But when you only got five rounds firing at extreme range... I guess that's part of the fun for CMBB, the unpredictability. You think it's a sure hit and then he misses (all 5 rounds). Danny

Anyone notice this phenomenon? Whenever I go as Russians against the German AI, the AI always seems to manage to get lucky shots at longer ranges with his panzershrecks. I was playing one of the Seelow Heights battles when one of his panzershreck men managed to knock out my T34/85 at a range of 188m! I may have read read it wrong but it was way over 150m. Whenever I play Germans I always instruct my panszershreck men to wait until the target is within about 80-90m, in order to have greater chance of a hit. Even then they sometimes miss. Exasperating! Danny

I haven't thought of that. Yeah, I'm still on 1.02. I'll patch it up to 1.03 and see what happens Danny

I haven't thought of that. Yeah, I'm still on 1.02. I'll patch it up to 1.03 and see what happens Danny

I've downloaded the Kursk Pack - it's a zipped file so naturally my Zipit program automatically unzips it and a window pops up titled Kursk_Pack_1zip. In this window, you see the names of the 4 scenarios like KP-OpeningMoment.cme for instance. I'm using a Mac by the way. So I do what I always do with other downloaded scenarios, I highlight say KP-OpeningMoment.cme and then drag it straight into the scenarios folder of my CMBB folder with my trusty mouse. The file disappears into the scenarios folder and it looks like it's OK. I do the same with the remaining 3 scenarios. However when I fire up CMBB and try to look for the Kursk Pack scenarios, it does not show up in either the battles or operations menus. However the .cme files exist in the scenarios folders. So what's going on? Is there something I'm doing wrong. Thanks Danny

Congratulations to all the guys at BFC. CMBB is the only game I ever play these days. And besides, it's easier on the eyes. It is with regret that my better half does not share my enthusiam for the game. Danny

I've read that StuG crews frequently stacked more ammo onto the floor. This increased the overall ammo load to about 90 shells, I believe. Unfortunately this is not modelled on CMBB. It would be great though. Danny

The nice thing about CMBB (and CMBO for that matter) is that in order to get a *satisfactory* result, you have to employ a good dose of tactics, common sense and sometimes pray for luck to intervene. Much of it is basic common sense. Keep infantry under cover in woods, scattered trees, use smoke from mortars or tanks or artillery to cover their movements over open ground, have overwatch positions for the heavy machine guns and mortars for suppression fire on enemy positions. Like many things, practice makes perfect and I suggest you keep plugging at it. Try generating small battles on the QB and play as attackers exclusively to get your chops together. Danny

Orthodox deployment principles for StuGs called for inclusion of infantry to protect the StuGs from close-in enemy infantry attacks. However, as usual, there were always exceptions and I gather, from reading a few books on StuGs, that on many occasions, StuG commanders found themselves being rushed to the front in a fire brigade role without supporting infantry. I've read stories of StuGs being deployed to stop a major Soviet tank breakthrough at the front. So they rush off and try and do their best in stemming the attack. Having a combined arms enemy attack on your StuGs will test your ability to command your StuGs and that is what I find extremely challenging (and fun to do).

Hi Biltong Your proposal sounds great. Please send me a copy. Email is in the profile. Thanks Danny

My fellow CM-gamers After a lot of whinging from me on this forum, I am pleased to announce that I have finally received the game! Just look at the facts: Pre-ordered on 7th September Pre-orders shipped on 20th September Arrival of my order today, 4th November! I still haven't opened the packaging yet. After all this time, it won't hurt just to savour the moment for a tiny bit longer. I want add that it would not have been possible without the intervention of Madmatt. Thank you, sir! I want you to marry my daughter when she comes of age, man! At this happy moment, I would like to apply for the distinction of being the last of the pre-orders to receive his game. I can just hear the opening bars of Muddy Water's Hootchie Cootchie Man now....I'm a man, yeah! Now if you would care to excuse me, I've got of lot of catching up to do! Danny

Now that you've got CMBB, you can perfect that Scarface Tony Montana Cuban accent as you start ambushing tanks and stuff: Say hello to my little friend!

Pre-ordered on 7th September. Reply email from sales confirmed sent out on 20th September, final destination Hong Kong. Still waiting as of today, 24th October. The free Panther poster arrived alright, though. If I ever do receive it, and I personally feel that hope is rapidly diminishing, I will apply for the distinction as being the very last customer who pre-ordered on the first day to receive the game. There, nice to get that off my chest....

Well, lads, I'll get straight to the point, I'll be buggered if I knew where my delivery is right now. Pre-ordered on 7 September, sent on 20 September and it's now the 19th October. A more than reasonable time for delivery by anyone's standards. Email replies from Customs & Excise and the Post Office did not shed any new light on my elusive package. Frankly, I'm not optimistic about ever receiving CMBB, so it looks like I'm going have to write off the US$55 that I spent on it. To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement; I'm absolutely furious from all the jumping up and down. Well, jumping and down isn't going to make CMBB magically appear so I'm going have to bite the bullet and make a decision. So how long should I give it before I say f**k it and simply order another CMBB? In fact, should I order another one at all after all this grief?

False alarm, lads. So I get up this morning, full of confidence, decided to go to work late just so that I could get the package as soon as the Post Office doors open at 9:00. As soon as the Post Office worker brought me the cylindrical drawing holder, my heart just fell. It pretty much ruined the rest of the working day for me. So here I am sitting here looking at the free Panther tank poster BFC handed out to those guys who contributed to the model contest. It's nice to be acknowledged in this way but it's still a bit disappointing that I still haven't received the game. And the worst thing was that they sent it on 8th October and it arrived on 16th October. BFC have advised my pre-order was sent on 20th September. The Post Office has told me that without registration there is no way of tracing the package the game was sent in. So there we have it, the US postman could nicked it, or the HK postman could have nicked, or one of my neighbours could have nicked it.I don't know which one. I might have to throw myself at the feet of HK Customs & Excise and see if they are doing a thorough inspection of my package. It could have been all different today. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. Back to waiting then...

It had to happen today, of all days. On the day I go out and buy a diamond ring in readiness for my old lady's birthday, I finally get news of what I've been waiting for since Sept 20. Yep, that's right, man, a Notification of Mail Collection card issued today by Hong Kong Post informing to go and collect the offending package. So now, I'm sitting here by my iMac just looking at the card and what it represents. How long can it take to deliver, for f&*%'s sake? Still, it could be totally different delivery. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry... Wish me luck, guys.

Hi Guys It's great to be following you guys rattle about CMBB. Unfortunately I haven't got mine yet despite pre-ordering on 7 September(?). I've sent an email to BFC sales informing them of my circumstances.Is there a common policy that mail order companies adopt with regard to missing deliveries? I'm beginning to suspect the postman did a runner with my package. Before pre-ordering CMBB, I also ordered 2 books from Osprey Publishing. One got through OK, the other is still missing. So very suspicious. Since my letter box is kinda small, any big packages have to picked up personally at the post office. The postman would leave a card informing me to do so. Since I haven't even go the card yet, all fingers seem to point to the postman. Can any of you guys give me a detailed description of the package that CMBB came in so that I can have something to complain about with the post office. All details please, its length, width, height, type of packaging, colour of packaging, whether it was cardboard or whatever, whether there was padding, did the CD come in plastic box, etc. Thanks in advance and I hope to join you guys soon. Meantime, it'll have to be CMBB demo and good old CMBO. By the way, know anything about firebombing?

Again referring to my StuG books, I see that StuG crews frequently removed the purpose made ammo holders and simply stored the rounds on the floor thereby increasing the ammo load to over 80 rounds. Of course it made the vehicle heavier but at least it could remain in action longer. Nothing worse than running out of ammo when you need it especially in CMBO and CMBB operations. I was hoping BTS would incorporate this feature in CMBB but it appears not to be (I haven't received the game yet). Still I'm looking forward to testing the StuGs once Hong Kong Post finally deliver CMBB to me.

This thread reminds of the time (pre-CMBB) when I started a thread regarding the 20,000 kills by assault guns by May 44(?). During the course of the thread, somebody (I forget who) mentioned that since the Germans by the end of 42 were going on the defensive, this meant that whenever StuGs were deployed, they came up against target rich situations. StuGs were killing 3 tanks for every StuG lost. Lots of bang per buck. I recently got an Osprey Publishing Book, Sturmgeschutz III & IV 1942 - 1945, great book by the way, and it quotes German field reports in saying that StuGs were ideal for defensive operations and for operating with panzer grenadier. Not so when on the attack. This quote from the same book: A high-placed commander was heard to say:"I would rather have one Sturmgeshutz-Abteilung than an entire Panzer Division." Another book I have, the Combat History of Sturmgeschutz Brigade 276, by JJ Fedorowicz Publishing, says that StuGs were often deployed without infantry support in violation of the established principles for deployment of StuGs.

At least you guys are near enough to BFC's offices. I'm still waiting for mine here in Hong Kong and I pre-ordered! Had a look in my letter box today, zilch. I feel like fire-bombing Hong Kong Post soon or later, preferably sooner.

Well, it's National Day today in the HKSAR and I'm sitting here in front of my iMac writing this message when I should playing CMBB simply 'cos I ain't got it yet! Maybe Hong Kong customs have just embarked on a rapid learning curve of Mainland customs inspection procedures. Right, that's it, enough humiliation, back to CMBO!

Looked in my letter box today after getting home from work and the mother-in-law's, still no CMBB! Help!I need somebody, help! not just anybody......

Sheesh, I'm so jealous of you guys. I'm in Hong Kong and I still haven't got mine. I've sent a follow-up email to BFC sales but I havent' got a reply yet. I'm beginning to think, is there a god...?

Griffin That is certainly most strange. My order number is 80551 and I pre-ordered on 7 September. So where has it gone? Maybe they decided, ah well, surface mail, man.

Griffin How in hell can you get yours first in HK? BFC must have sent them all out at the same time on 20th September but I still haven't received mine and I live in HK. HK isn't that big in size. So if you've received yours I must also have received my copy about the same time. I checked my letter box today and there was nothing not even a note from the PO to go to the PO and pick it up in person. Just the CMBB blues I guess...