SteveL4

I tested the issue as you asked... the 5 HMGs that were firing at the bunker ceased fire after 3 bursts, using no ammo. The remaining 6-7 HMGs, using area fire in front of the bunker, continue to fire throughout the turn, expending ammo throughout. If you're interested in the save game files to play around with, I'd be happy to send them to you. I understand why you asked me to do this, for testing purposes, but, thinking about it... if the first 5 HMGs cease fire against the bunker after 3 bursts because of "lack of damage", why would the remaining 7 HMGs continue to fire at a spot of dirt on the map when they cannot possible cause any damage? I guess the point here is, can HMGs cause any damage to this bunker or its occupants? If so, this is a bug. If not, then the Tac-AI should let me waste my ammo on the bunker, same as it does against the spot of open terrain in front of it! Thanks for the response. Steve L.

I have never seen this. In every case I have observed, the ammo count goes down by one for very burst. Do you have definite instances of observed fire not using ammo or are you just guessing? Michael</font>

This is what I was attempting to do, I realize that killing people through the slits may have only a slim chance, but... if we're simulating reality, as my squads are advancing across a barren map I would like to at least have the option to keep the bunker busy, whatever the odds. Simply calling it "TAC-AI" is a weak way out. Thanks for the response, at least I know it's possible. Unfortunately, no one responded to my information that the HMGs were firing but not using any ammo. Did this for three turns in a row... AND, they all stopped firing at the same time. I know this may not be exciting as the color of a roadwheel being inaccurate, but, I think this is a problem.

The range to my HMGs was 710m.

To add to my HMG post, LOS was clear, could move over to the bunker and hear the HMG rounds pelting the bunker. Not LOS issue.

I just started a quick battle (v1.01), axis assault, 1000 pts on a small map. The terrain is hilly but has little cover. I positioned 12 HMGs on top of a hill for covering fire over the entire map and hid all units to start the game. On turn 1 an enemy wooden bunker w/mg opened up on a squad of infantry. On my turn 2 plots I had 5 of the HMGs open up on the bunker. They all fired a short 5 second burst and all ceased fire at the same time. The bunker continued to fire at my advancing infantry. Turn 2 I plotted all 12 HMGs to fire at the bunker again. Again, they all fired a short 5 second burst and ceased fire, all at the same time! (One had a jam but the rest were ok.) I also noticed that although I watched them firing at level 1, they used no ammo! I saved the game before turns 2 and 3 and the same thing happened each time I re-ran the turn. Any idea what's going on here? [ November 23, 2002, 12:27 PM: Message edited by: SteveL4 ]

I started a quick battle this weekend and really liked the map I got. Is there a way to just save the map for future use? Thanks.

I started a quick battle this weekend and really liked the map I got. Is there a way to just save the map for future use? Thanks.

I have not been using my mortars properly... when I keep them out of line-of-sight of an intended target and try to use an HQ for spotting purposes, do I have to use any special key-commands to use the HQ for spotting? Or, are my target options (using the HQ) available while I drag the mouse around? Thanks.

Quenaelin, I think you're missing the whole point here... that you are INTENTIONALLY SELECTING this command. You DO have other options. Just for fun, let's say that when you click on a squad, the commands that you could issue were 1) Drink water, 2) eat food, 3) smoke cigarette, 4) take asprin or 5) Drink vodka. If you continually select option 5, drink vodka, you're troops will eventually get drunk (unless you issue options 1, 2, and 4 shortly after). I think that if these were legitimate options, and you kept selecting option 5, your last response would have read: " Originally posted by Quenaelin: [QB]OK, I give up too, I have read the manual only partly, but this drinking is part I have read. Drinking heavily from party to party doesn't make justify to that men get so drunk when drinking in the bars. In casual party I would undestand it, becouse there is no food to reach for, so you might get drunk if you are searching for food. And alcoholics, where in the manual says that soldiers can become alcohoics, sorry, but I haven't read that part yet? " I doubt this comparision will help, but, I'm getting a hangover reading the verbal tennis match!

Why not change the "Advance" command to something like -- "Get up from behind the tree, sprint 10 yards (or meters), get down behind the rock, motion to the squad to move ahead, cover them while they advance 10 yeards (or meters) and wait for them to get behind the small clump of bushes. Then, once they motion to you, you will sprint from tree to tree making sure you don't get shot and then dive for cover behind the log, advancing about 20 yards (or meters). Oh, yeah, take a shot of vodka before you start 'cause you're gonna be pooped out if you do this for very long". You could change to "Move" command to something like -- "Walk at a gingerly pace, make small talk with the soldier next to you (in a quiet voice of course) and you may smoke a cigarette if you'd like. Make sure your weapon is on 'safe' as we don't expect enemy contact. Take your time, and maybe have a sip of water from your canteen so you don't tire/get tired/get exhausted". You could then change the "Movement to Contact" command to something like -- "Take your weapon off 'safe' and keep a close eye out as we advance 'cause the bad guys are just ahead. Take your time though so you don't get tired". Do you think this would work?

I too have been primarly interested in the eastern front. At the risk of getting blasted by a bunch of people... I've always felt the war was decided here. (I know, of course, that there are many different opinions on this.) I used to be primarily interested in strategic and/or operational level books, games, etc. But, over the past couple years I've been more interested in individual accounts. I read a book recently entitled "Through Hell for Hitler" by Henry Metelmann. It thought it was an excellent book. Only 200 pages, very smooth reading. Had 20 or so pages at the end describing his capture by the Americans after a transfer to the western front and his subsequent experiences in U.S. POW camps. I highly recommend it. I also recently read "The Volga Rises In Europe" by Curzia Malaparte, an Italian war correspondant. The book was a little slow in a couple of places, but, he gives a very good account of the initial advance into Russia from Rumania. What I found most interesting about the book was his account of the war in Finland and especially the siege of Leningrad. He has a very good description of the Russian fleet locked in the ice around Kronstadt (sp?) and the role it (the fleet) played in the defense of the city. Very rarely was I so fascinated by something in a book that I read a section of 20-30 pages 2-3 times. I know that most people who play this game started with the western front version. I played it and enjoyed it, but, as I was most interested in the eastern front, I didn't play it as much as I've already played this one. I have enjoyed this game a great deal and will put up with all the little odd things that happen because I know that battlefront will take care of them. If anyone else can recommend good first hand accounts I would also be interested (I have already read "The Forgotten Solder" by Guy Sager). Thanks.

Speaking of these old classics... does anyone still play these games? I have stacks of them at home and I sometimes get the urge to drag one out and give it a whirl, but, then I remember that I have a computer, 2 cats and a wife!

This is my first post here, hope it's relevant! In response to the flame-thrower targeting issue... last night I played a QB and set everything to random. I played the Germans, random result was a city assault, in January 1942. I had never used flame-throwers before but thought they might come in handy on this one. As I advance up the left side of a large city (with my random GREEN engineer troops) I unexpectedly ran into a T-34 that was prowling the streets. The tank caught several engineer squads, along with an HQ, crossing a wide street and shot them up pretty good, causing most of them to take cover and/or sneak in reverse back where they came from. The tank continued to wreak havoc within the city block that I had advanced to, and was chewing up the follow-on infantry as well. My whole attack was halted by this one marauding tank! (Of course, my tank hunter squads were a couple blocks away). I had one flamethrower squad that had survived the carnage and plotted him to run a short distance and round the corner of a small building and take a shot at the tank. As the turn progressed he strolled around the corner, the T-34 showing it's rear to him and machine-gunning more infantry, he calmly knelt down on one knee and shot one long burst at the T-34 and it burst into flames! I screamed out "YES" when it exploded and my wife ran into the room to see what was wrong. She didn't get it! Awesome game!