tooz

Requests? Did you say mod request? Woo-hoo! I have been hoping (and whining) that someone would either whitewash or snow cover (a la Wicky's GREAT snow dusted Allied vehicle set)the German vehicles. With CMAK I either play desert or bulge scenarios. I got all of the desert mods, but...but...I WANT MY WINTER WHITES!!! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :mad: Nope NOT mature at all! Well, you DID ask.

Aristoteles, welcome back! It's been a bit quiet on the CMAK modfront lately.

Frozen, VERY nice links--thanks! :eek:

Bushido, I guess you do NOT know about THE #1 CM site (IMO) (sorry BFC, you guys are like...fourth. ) get thee to the CMMOD Database. Life (and CM) as you know it, will never be the same. Don't forget to mod your vehicles in winter white to match the infantry.

Ropey, Loved 'em all--thanks! If you have any of Anzio and Cassino, I would like to see those also. My email box just got a huge increase in space. Did you ever get to Sicily?

"That's the best laugh I had all week. Well, except for this: This Land..."--Leaky D Hey leaky D! Thanks for this link--hilarious!

I have to say I LOVE the desert battles. Without these desert battles I feel sometimes I am playing CMBOX2! There are a horde of really good desert battles and ops awaiting at the Scenario Depot and Proving Grounds. Check them out. However, to be honest, I find myself drifting back to CMBB more and more lately.

"I lived near Baltimore and we used to go downtown to East Read Street where Avalon Hill had its office in an old row house."--Platehead Good ole' Read St! You also spelled it right! THAT brings back many memories. I was very active with SL/ASL, became a playtester and authored a few scenarios. My TEN large cardboard boxes of my ASL counter trays--loaded to the brim so tight that I need paper clips to affix the lids; mapboards; deluxe boards (although I never really got into this version that much); rulebooks, BIG ringed binder with all(well, of course not ALL) of the scenarios with each page tucked in its protective plastic sleeve; cardboard tubes for all of the HASL maps; and plus all of the "bootleg" (some call it "third party" I call it "pirated")ASL products from various sources; stored in the attic of my good friend's house in New Jersey (Now this is my LONGEST sentence I have ever written! ). It has been sitting there now for almost three years. How much money was spent for all of that? Yes, CM has killed off ASL for me. Actually my new job had a hand in that also (I've traded in ASL for ESL) owing that the system is far from portable. I doubt if I will EVER play a scenario again. The enduring legacy of ASL for me is all of the friendships made just by sitting across the table from my many opponents. These friendships are still strong today, and many of these friends play CM. Friendships are made on "common bonds" and ASL (and now CM) provide this. I do miss ASL Oktoberfest, held every Fall in Ohio. You would walk into a hotel and recognize half of the 200 participants. With CM there are no counters to sort, resort, or worse--pick up from the floor when you "dump a tray", and a small scenario does not take all day to finish. When ASL/SL came out I sold off or stored my other board games. When Talonsoft came out with its "Campaign Series" (East Front, West Front, et al.)I started to play less and less. Now CM has replaced everything, and if I play another game, it is a PC game. Hard to imagine that Squad leader first came out in the Fall of 1977. SL/ASL was a big part of my past, CM is the present, will CMx2 be the future?

Dey, thanks to your mods the "battle"(s) are going just fine. AND the battles are mostly CMBB. Two years old and the game is still as fun as the day I bought it. In a few days check the Proving grounds for my AAR/playtest of your "Bear Mauled Wolfs". Hate to be pedantic bust shouldn't the title be "Bear Mauled WOLVES"? AND, it sure would be MORE enjoyable if SOMEBODY could do a T-70/M43 whitewashed version, along with the German Opel (Gelb). I have also started your "No Goulash for Ivan" battle. I have four PBEMs going right now (two each, BB and AK), and if you want, you can send me a set up for eithe of these two designs of yours. I think "Bear Mauled Wolfs" will be better as a two-player due to the well known inability of the AI to launch a decent attack.

Hey Dey, those revised Hungarian AFVs definitely look better than their predecessors. Did you find that new paint program you were looking for already? One thing that amazes me about CMBB (unlike CMBO), despite its age the mods just keep this game fresh for me--I'm playing more BB than AK. It's the mods, man, it's because of these great new mods. :cool:

Dumb questions: 1) Is the 223 in CMAK? 2)This 223 mod then is NOT compatible with CMAK (do NOT share the same bmps)? Just checking. As always--good work!

SPOILER****************************************** This scenario is "as advertised", a real involved "in- your- face" fight! Now for the feedback... I am up to Turn 72, Allied Player. What makes this a nail biter is all of those big cats (more Tigers and Panthers in this battle than in most Kursk battles--and ops!). Fortunately for me (unfortunately for the game itself) the AI is doing its usual "scattering cockroaches when the light turns on" (tanks going everywhere without apparant purpose) armored advance, allowing for a few flank shots. My initial M4s succeeded in whacking those five MkIVs that attack along the upper right side allowing me to take that village early--I am still in control now, Turn 72. When the Tigers and Panthers appear my Shermans disappear in a sheet of flame very quickly. What became frustrating was losing all but one of my M4s in the early reinforcement groups, then not getting additional tank reinforcements until Turn 61! That small town of the lower left (I'll write down all of the names before I post again--I cannot do screen shots, try as I may, I can NEVER "bring up the console" during play. :confused: :confused: )was quickly seized by my troops, who kicked the Kraut infantry butt,were subsequently forced out by the big cats. The survivors vacated to the woods to the lower left, hid, then retook the town when the big cats moved on. One Panther was K/Oed by an Engineer demo charge, one Tiger K/Oed by three bazookas firing on it from different angles--rear lower hull shot did the trick, and another Tiger was burnt by a FT team. Cool. For almost 30 turns this was "men against tanks". I still held on to my villages on the right flank. After finally receiving my 76 mm Sherman reinforcement groups I "baited" the AI tanks to move after some M4s, and expose their sides and rears to the other bushwacking Shermans. I lost some armor of my own (natch) in this process, but my strength in numbers (which is historically accurate)are starting to win the day. Now, the right side of the map is completely mine, and now begins the Cat hunt and infantry mop up. The US infantry whacked the German infantry and this is how and why I know I will prevail. The battlefield resembles the screenshots posted above. As mentioned, I cannot send screen shots but have have saved games after different turns if someone wants to follow my progress. Yep, a lot of fun--just as adverised. Once a PBEM version becomes available, I am more than willing to give it a playtest. So, if any of you want to try this as a PBEM, send me an email (found in my profile). This PBEM will probably not end until Christmas! Ok by me. Once this game ends I will repost with the final tallies and provide additional commentary. Then, MAYBE review this battle at the Depot. Maybe. Exciting, frustrating, difficult, and thoroughly entertaining! Good job! Now for the PBEM version!

"i thought you were chinese. my buddies used to bring me meszcal from baja that was preety good."--junk2drive Woke up, where am I...Oh yeah... Nope, actually my father was born in Lithuania and my mother's side is Ukrainian. I've been teaching broken English (sank you wery mush) here for almost three years--and love it! My wife is Chinese, sort of explains things, doesn't it. Speaking of Mezcal, I wonder how many people realize that only Mezcal has the worm in the bottle--not tequila.

See what cheap tequila can do? It makes you use the wrong Graemlin (at the end of my last post). Should have been a smiley. Now excuse me while I pass out. :cool:

"i'm just going to erase it from my mind with this nice bottle of tequila...nice tequila" --Corvidea Don't tell Mom, but can we discuss tequila here? I'm sitting here in China sucking down some strange brands ("El Camina" and "Conquistador"--anyone ever hear of these brands? The latter is better than the former)of tequila. The best brand I can find here in the PRC is Sauza--silver. Man do I long for a bottle of "Hussong's" or Dos Reales Platos"! So, out of curiosity, what ARE your favorite brands of tequila (please DON'T say "Cuervo"--any brand--NONE of my friends south of the border EVER touch that poison)? Now back to the topic: some battles and ops do exist with decent AI. I hate to admit it, but I STILL cannot beat the AI in "The Road to Sevastopol". Sometimes the AI seems to laugh at my HE fire on their guns, bogs--then immobilizes my tanks (usually the HQ), or gives my best tank a "Gun damage" result with frequency! :mad: The main problems I find are that the AI cannot attack well and have a problem setting up well in ops. I do a lot of PBEM but it gets disappointing playing one turn, get excited (or pissed off) then wait a few hours--or the next day for the next turn. I haven't tried TCP/IP yet. So, playing against the AI is still a fun way to kick back, get a buzz, piss off the wife (I guess I'd better watch out, lest I'll be asking you guys for good brands of rubber dolls ), and waste away the whole day, then go to bed with dancing eyeballs from the eyestrain! Life is good. :mad:

Dey, nice Flakpack! Thanks! The mod "wishlist" grows shorter, thanks to you!

Very nice! I especially like the green camo-unique. Good to see you back into modding. :cool:

I haven't seen vehicles exit but I have had shaken infantry exit (routed and broken I can understand, but shaken units run away?). I am in the middle of playing the Benghazi op (very good, by the way) and I have a problem with armored cars and halftracks refusing to cross the large bridge at the bottom left of the map. Instead of following my plotted move-they fast move the completely opposite direction! :confused: I have to keep sending them on the right way until they give in and follow my orders. At first I was thinking that the cars and halftracks are afraid to cross the bridge because they are in LOS of a faraway ATG, but their direction actually brings them into LOS of more enemy units. Consequently, a few of these wayward vehicles get picked off. :mad: This has been the only time that I havenoticed this. Curious.

Get the combo pack. Then say goodbye to your girl (before she dumps you), your job (called in sick too often)and your waistline (you'll be pounding beers and drinking Tequila shots like water). Ah, life is good! Oh yeah, make sure you have a good PC. OK, seriously, welcome to CM! IMHO CMBB is STILL as enjoyable in 2004 as it was when first released in 2002. CMAK is more finely tuned game but the Western Front battles are not (IMO) as compelling as the Russian Front. So, enjoy the variety. Personally I like switching between desert battles in North Africa and winter battles in Russia--an interesting contrast. Once hooked, you MUST check with these four sites every day of your life: BFC Forum (natch!), Scenario Depot, The Proving Grounds, and CMMOD database. There are also many fine sites (they are all good) and you will fine an ample--even excessive, supply of opponents for PBEM and online play in the many "Opponents wanted" sections. Life, as you know it, will never be the same.

"Hi guys. I have about 1000 so you are going to have to be quite specific."--Ropey Ropey, did you make it down to the Amalfi Coast? I would love to peruse and save any from this area (Salerno)--especially Battapaglia. Also, if you went to Gela, Sicily, send me as many as you can. Thanks--I too want to go within the next few years--God willing.

Yep, I'm always up for a new mod. Once a modslut, always a modslut.

OK! The light finally went on (now I understand, thanks for the detailed instructions). Thanks for the heads up. I'll check that out later today.

"I'm too busy crawling around looking for game manuals to copy for you!!!!!! Cheeky sod!"--Lord Harmes. Oh, okay! Sorry to be such an ingrate. "Whimper whimper". Regarding horses, I agree that these are a must for the next engine. This has been discussed many, many times before--along with the need for motorcycles. I have often wondered if the inability to insert both horses and motorcycles prevented BFC from designing a Blitzkrieg CM. It would be difficult to recreate the invasion of Poland in '39 and the sweep throw the Low Countries and France without either. Come to think of it, I haven't seen any screenshots of horses or motorcycles in the pending new PC game Wartime Command. Hmmm, if they don't include either how good will THAT game be? They have the French and Polish forces in that game. Must be a bitch to code for the engine. About being Cheeky, let me quote Mae West: "Nothing succeeds like excess!"

"I already told ya about the ot-134, I suggest ya look back to page one...take more control of the game and start using the SCENARIO EDITOR."--Dey Hmmm, I must have missed what you said about the OT (what post did you mention this?). I'll try the CMAK Brummbar as you suggest. Scenario Editor? Yeah, I have not dipped into this yet. Now that I am on summer vacation I will try to get some playtest reports to the Proving Grounds (Including your two submissions)and probably won't dip into editing--there are so many scenarios available now that I have stopped making QBs. The only way I can contribute something to the CM community is via playtesting (I should do something to help, and not just ask for more mods all of the time). Maybe review a few scenario for the Depot also. Mrs Tooz is none too fond of my gaming habit and I have to budget my time or else I'll have distress from my mistress! :eek: Regardless, thanks for all you have done. I'll keep surfing the 'base and download and use all the work you submit. :cool:

"The beauty of my situation is this: I am at work, yet magically, I am able to sit on the internet all day! Hurrah! I have hours on end to ponder my moves, and plan your next humiliation in exact detail!"--Lord Harmes Hey, quit horsing around and send me MY next turn also! Lol!