RockinHarry

What´s your system specs?

Did you do all tests with standard wall/window configurations? Was the tested buildings isolated or part of a larger block? Did the building take damage during game play or was damaged before (CTRL+CLICK, ALT*SHIFT*CLICK)?

During past weeks investigated and tried everything to load the Orlovka map, so currently there´s nothing left to try, unless BFC gives some hints or gets the game patched again. Just out of curiosity, what´s you guys beeing able to load Orlovka and XIX corps center maps, system specs? Me guesses it´s not WinXP (32 bit) and 2 Gigs of Ram...

...just test loaded it and as anticipated, OOM error struck again when trying the 3D preview. Stopped at 43% loading, so it appears it has slightly less memory demands than GeorgeMCs Orlovka/Huge rolling hills map (36% OOM). Hopefully BFC gets the OOM issue fixed anytime soon.

Was about to check all my german TMs and FMs about mortar employment, but figured the link above gives the essentials well enough. Same on russian mortar employment, which is quite similar to german ones in 1944/45: http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ontheway/index.html

When the defending side is assumed or designed to be played by a human player, I usually redeploy units to my taste, unless otherwise beeing advised in the scenario briefing (..but not always). Also depends highly on the to be assumed defenders initial situation. When designing such a scenario I usually aim for both, a "suggested" setup that can be right jumped in for quick start AND a version that just has the setup zones with the defending units ordered nicely, so a player can overview and place units with comfort. The latter is particularly useful for players that do allways redeploy, but find it cumbersome and time consuming to sort out a very large given force. I´d wish for a scenario trigger/flag, that allows a player either to use the "suggested", premade setup, or a "free setup" alternative, with forces nicely ordered, yet restricted to given setup zones.

No change here. CMX1 and CMBN still coexist peacefully on my harddrive and it´s unlikely that CMX1 (..well...CMBB & CMAK) will be "replaced", until CMX2 WW2 went through the same year long evolvement, like CMX1 did. So many CMX1 projects yet in the pipeline and as long as I can´t work with big maps, large forces in CMBN (...OOM), CMX1 will do it for me some time to come. I do not really have any issues with CMBN UI now. Cam control is purely mouse driven, with mostly playing (watching) at 1, 2 , 6-8, TAB locking units and orders given via SPACE unit command menu. Few key commands used is N+Y+G during setup and T+H+G while playing. No attempt yet to remember more, or using the command tabs at the bottom. I´ll stick with WEGO, no matter how many efforts will be put in RT in the future or not. RT is for controlling small number of units and this sector is served to me by ARMA and MOW well enough. Beside "marketing" purposes, I can´t imagine why RT was implemented in CM at all, so I simply keep ignoring it. I love CMBN mainly for what it promises for the (near) future, but I do not expect it to become "advanced CMX1". It´s rather "micro level CMX1", so I try to adapt and stop comparing.

...it´s tree bursts and the guys below in their uncoverd foxholes. There´s already some huertgen forest stuff in the pipeline, as you might guess...

Yep, that´s from my understanding, reading the game manual and personal experience. But even in the setup game phase, I generally need at least 2-3 attempts with the "face" (clicking exactly same map spot) command, to get the desired blue targeting line. There´s still the random factor of crew member reshuffling each time, which yet might create different results than expected. If previous ground scouting with map camera yields a reasonably good place for a unit to move to, then "chances" are high enough that finally one can shoot at desired places with the blue line. From the game manual, p. 85, which is not quite that clear about all that. Just generally tells about "facing", but when reading carefully, it hints to the "absolute" nature of the face command: FACE "Infantry - issuing a Face command will cause the soldiers of the unit to re- evaluate the cover provided by the surrounding terrain in relation to the facing the player has indicated, and, if better cover is available, to move to that cover. For example, the unit might move around a wall, or house cor- ner, to face the new direction while maximizing cover against fire coming from that direction. You can issue a Face Command to a unit in motion as well. If you do so, then the last waypoint will be automatically highlighted so the Face Command will apply to that last waypoint, not the current posi- tion. You are also able to manually select a waypoint (any waypoint, not just the last one) and issue a Face order from there however. Note: the Face command is “absolute” to the point you click on the map, not “relative” to the position of the unit at the time that you click. An example: You issue a Face com- mand to a moving unit by clicking on a house in the distance. When the unit reaches its final waypoint, it will turn to face the house." The GM section s/b be more clear or simple about that and I´d wish for the "Face" command to result in a priority for a teams/squads main weapon (MG...) to get a blue line, after any reshuffling of individual crew/team members.

All of the above + night battle + pouring rain + some nicely burning truck candles, for individual lighting of parts of the map....

+1 ..as well as for covered arcs. Worked all pretty well in CMX1 IMO.

Working with PSP too, but just for the sake of editing CMN files, I installed Gimp as well. Several weeks ago, I found a similar thread in CMSF forum: http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=84444

yep. "Untere", "Links", "Wanne" are all seperate entries in the file, so what´s missing is code to get the order for german language right. Can´t be modded in the file. Anyway, I always play english language versions of my wargames (makes discussions in forums like this easier), so it´s not a problem for me personally.

LMG teams? Bit tricky, since they can just shoot (halfway) accurate either when the gunner is laying down or can rest the weapon on something. Just did check for LMG34/42, but not for US BAR gunners yet. 1. Check your intended base of fire action spot by moving the camera there at ground level first. Then rotate cam around from this spot, do some X key magnifying the view and if there isn´t any noticable terrain obstructions towards the area to be covered, move in the LMG team at last. 2. A final "face" command, put exactly on an enemy unit, that could be seen in 1., "might" result in getting the team have a blue targeting line. The "face" command not just serves as a general face command, it´s also sort of "seek hull down position" or "seek LOF vs particular action spot" command. So it´s important where EXACTLY you click the map after "face"! Needs some experimentation, but it does not always work though. Best to try in setup phase. Repeatedly clicking exactly the same action spot after "face", oftenly gives different results, due to the random shuffling of individual crew/team members. The game manual, page 85, gives the nessecary details.

The "Normandy V1.00B" brz file contains a folder "text" and within, a "strings" file containing ingame text. This can be changed/modded to your liking I think.

In RL? If the crew thinks it could be an enemy AT team, maybe...but I rather think not. I remember having read some recomendations (by Guderian..could be) concerning tank unit tactics as reported by armor commanders, that more use of a tanks machine guns should be made. If that indicates that tank commanders too lavishly use HE at soft targets, that could be well or better dealt with by MG fire, then there´s some RL relation to what we see in the game. I´ve seen Shermans engaging german infantry at closest of range, in foxholes, buildings and odd gun elevations, which I think isn´t quite that realistic as well.

I can confirm about LLFs test results from some own tests a couple of weeks ago. Sgt Schultz idea might work, as I had tried with adding single spots of low bocage at the forest edges, combined with type c+b bushes, which then blocked LOS/LOF more effectively. Results from another topic test indicate, that +1m rises are not sufficient for many purposes, but +2m will do (at least for infantry). LOS/LOF blockage of all the billboard type terrain (grasses....) appear just to have little effect. Those that actually provide 3D geometry (bocage, trees, ...) are usually more effective.

....about minimum 500m for indirectly, high angle firing 75mm IG18. IF that´s modelled in the game this way.

+1 As said my basic test situation was HMGs supporting an infantry attack at "normal" HMG combat range (500m +) and good field of fire vs. dug in enemy support weapons. In RL and by doctrine it is not assumed to "kill" any such defenders, but rather lay heavy suppressive fire on them, so the to be supported infantry can keep up the advance. "Suppression" effect was rather negligible in this special situation and LMGs did the purpose equally well. Once I set the german HMGs on idle and unleashed the german infantry by removing any covered arcs, they proofed to be pretty self sufficient in dealing with the US HMGs. On the reverse side, the 2 US HMGs were pretty inefficient at stopping or bothering the german infantry company line at ranges of 300-400m. The only "suppressive" fire layed on the US HMGs, was by the 2 german HMGs. The german infantry had short covered arcs, in order to keep them advancing (first hunt, then assault mode) and not shooting back. BUT, ...once a HMG 42 "burst" HIT the defenders, it also caused 1-2 kills instantly. This was a rare occurance though. I´d expected a heavy volume of fire causing a longer lasting suppression effect, but due to the rather low volume of fire, suppression wasn´t enough to get the guys heads down, so they were quite vulnerable for a "burst", when it actually hit the action spot. Burst deviation usually was way off (to the side and oftenly too high). Check the YT videos. Sometimes some of the HMG crew members shortly duck down, but it was mostly the gunner who stayed upright and kept shooting, despite the bullets flying all around (regular or veteran + normal motivation). Rates of fire (of bursts actually) increase with decreasing of range to target. So if range to target is the main variable for burst & fire rates, then no wonder that HMG at certain combat ranges perform so weak and there´s no noticable performance difference between LMG and HMGs.

Did another test, substituting the HMG teams with two LMG42 teams and placed them in the same spot, subordinated to the same MG platoon HQ. With "Face" command I got them to a crested position, laying down and have clear LOF to the US HMG positions, still 600m away. During test play, I figured the LMG42 teams to be equally effective, or even better, than their HMG comrades formerly. Beside beeing cheaper, offering less of a target for return fire, only disadvantages I figured yet, was finding a good shooting position, so they can lay down and fire accurately, having less ammo than their HMG brothers and lacking binocs. The latter wasn´t a problem, if the superior is close for C2 purposes and can provide the necessary targeting information and observation. Really thinking about, what HMGs in CMN are currently good for... Also wondering, that US MG teams seperate to gunner and ammo bearer teams and the german can not...which I find a big disadvantage. Edit: looks like the division treshold for a squad/team to divide is 7-8? So a full strength german HMG team of 6 men can´t be divided, due to this treshold?

It´s not just looking like it, they´re truely firing from the hip or shoulder! It comes from LOF issues, if the gunner can´t go prone and has the LMG properly setupped with bipod on the ground, in order to shoot at the selected targets. Or in other words, there´s some terrain obstacles, that the shooter has to shoot over. Try a crest or raised shooting action spot and "face" the LMG (or team) directly on desired target. The LMG/team might then position in way, that it can go prone and shoot from lay down position. Then you´ll also have the "accurate" fire, you would expect. There´s also issues, that the LMG can´t be "rested" on something (wall, berm, ect.) and the resulting fire mode, again is "assault" fire from the shoulder and thus very inaccurate.

So here´s some videos showing the support role configuration for elite HMG42, engaging dug in US HMG at 600m range. Nicely shows the burst deviations. 10x magnified view from the german position, also showing its situational awareness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKux4VCkyJw And the broad, normal view, picture. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIHwZ4YZFFo View from the US HMG position during the same ~30 second engagement. Take notice of the german TRP in the middle of US foxholes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egyevu1i37E

Thus the HMG crew was lucky and yet able to pull back from that situation. For the sake of realism, ...don´t have that many frontline HMG at those limited LOF and ranges below 100-200m. Germans are already overarmed in CMN and the few HMG that could be expected in any given defense would rather cover longer range objectives, if available (and pull back to a switch position, once the enemy comes too close). Squad or single team LMG would perform equally in that situation and germans can´t afford to employ their scarce heavy weapons right at the MLR. US accounts (St-Lo, ect.) most frequently report about "heavy machine gun fire", similar to reporting Tigers and 88s everywhere. Think "heavy machine gun fire" can better be interpreted as "heavy fire from machine guns" and not "fire from heavy machine guns". Fire from MG34/42..can be always considered "heavy", due to the large volume of bullets delivered from the bipod versions too. So most US accounts probably report about engagements vs the squad LMGs.

Well..ok...for a HMG at almost close combat range in dense terrain. Would have achieved more, quicker and with greater effect, when just pulling the trigger for 2-3 seconds (or more) and do a short sweep on targets yet standing upright. As for the tactical situation,...normally the HMG would´ve failed, as it should´ve pulled back way before, but now it´s too late. Few pineapples thrown at the HMG should´ve settled the matter in shortest time. What´s the experience, motivation levels for the US btw? Not a usual situation for a HMG...

Artificial deviation of individual bursts, for what ever reason or not, might work for SMG, ARs and light machine guns, but not quite so for HMGs, due to the small bullet count for each burst (5-7 at max) and comparatively long intervals between. "Fire for effect" is achieved by continuous bursts and in case of tripod HMG34/42, fire commands measure in "belts" (of 50 rounds or more) and by concentration of fire by usually at least a section (2 guns), squad (4 guns) or the whole company, if terrain and combat situation allows. For singled out, subordinated HMG´s or terrain, that does not allow concentration of more than one gun, still the basic fire unit is measured in "belts" or a set number of rounds as ordered by the team leader. The basic "fire unit" for each "burst" in CMN appears to be 5-7 rounds, unless there is an unknown abstraction in the game, that counts rounds as bursts internally (5-7 burst units of X rounds). But then given ammo count for each team & squad is misleading (for MG/small arms ammo). Range to target also shouldn´t matter. Shooting at a point target at normal HMG combat ranges with just 5-7 bullets a burst, would hardly achieve a harassing effect. Same goes for any larger targets at any range. Currently, HMG crews behave like rookies. "Hey...there´s some enemy guys over there! Lets do some shooting for the sake of fun. Don´t care for combat tasks, optical sights, tripod settings or proper range measuring, that´s just for earnest shooters. Also ammo is expensive, so just lets spray few bullets over there and see if a single guy ducks down. If not and who cares observing anyway, repeat or bother other bad guys showing up. Free fire and have fun!"