John1966

Bit puzzled by an experience I just had regarding the "auto" ceasefire. As far as I understand this happens when both sides morale drops below a certain level but I was under the impression that both sides had to be below (about) 50%. I was playing as the Germans against the Australians (SPOLIER - "Airbourne Assault on Hill A" - END SPOILER). The victory results were at 66/34 in my favour with both sides controlling one flag and one with the "?". As my morale was at 86% and the Aussies were looking a bit desperate with a few turns to go I was confident of taking both remaining flags. And then I get the auto ceasefire. Looking at the map after the AAR, the Aussies morale was 31%. Is it normal to get the auto ceasefire with morale at 86% and 31%? Maybe I drive my men too hard but I thought 86% late in the game was fairly good order. I would have thought that the Aussies surrender (or at least rout of the map) was more likely at this stage. Is there other factors (like ammo levels, for example) that get taken into account before auto surrender gets agreed by the computer? Is there a random factor? Any thoughts apprerciated...

Imagine how it feels to be on the other end of that situation. I didn't want to share this with the world (mainly because I was worried the world wouldn't believe me) but after reading this thread I realsie it could be useful therapy. Too flooky to really need a spoiler but SPOILER it was "Brits at Anzio" END SPOILER My Tiger drives over the bank to give those pesky Shermans a good seeing to at about 1000m. BANG! KO'd first shot. Not possible, but there it was. I tried to tell my wife but she just said "yes dear". But I can tell you... I quit the scenario in disgust. SPOILER Having since replayed this scenario, it was possibly an unseen anti-tank gun but I'm sure it was one of those damn Shermans END SPOILER

I've never really got the hang of the "hull down" command. I think this is because I have no idea how it is supposed to work. As some have said, you are either hull-down or your not. But you aren't necessarily hull-down to everyone. If they're sat two foot behind you then you're not going to be hull-down as far as their concerned (obviously). When you use your eyeball to get hull-down then more than likey you are trying to get into a position that is going to be hull down to where (and what height - it makes a difference) you think the (most important) threat is going to be. I can't really see how the computer does this as it doesn't think like you do. From what I can see, it just waits until it reaches the first crest on its path and stops so that the turrect can just see over the top in one direction (directly forward). Now, I realise that is virtually a definition of hull-down but in practice it just doesn't seem to work; you just end up in terrible firing position with practically zero field of fire. Normally your eyeball can get a much better position (which may only be a couple of meteres different to what the computer chose) that is hull-down as far as the locations you want it to be and lets you fire into those locations. The hull-down command can't seem to work out where you want to be hull-down to/from...? As always, I'm sure I've just put that very badly and someone will say I'm talking rubbish but I know I think I might have a notion of what I'm talking about (probably) :confused: . Someone must know what I mean...

I'm not sure, but I am curious as to how the game (engine/AI - not sure what terminology I should use here) decides when your CAS is going to start dropping bombs on your own troops. Or how it picks its targets at all for that matter. In ASL you actually chose (perhaps unrealistically) the intial target and the system allowed for the pilot to accidentally pick another target neaby which could include your forces if they were nearby. So you could always avoid friendly fire as long as you picked targets that were nowhere near your own units. (Well that's how I remember it - It has been a while) Of course in CM you have no control whatsoever as to what is targetted and this is what causes (perhaps realistically) such frustration. I'm not that experienced a CM player (in fact, I'm a bit rubbish ) but the two scenarios that have caused me the most hair tearing with regard to CAS were... ***SPOILER*** ...."Wittman" in East" (from CMBB) and the one mentioned at the start of this thread: "On the Edge" (CMAK) which I played a couple of days ago. In the former (as the Germans), the CAS support seems to spend most of its time attacking Russian Armor but you usually expect to lose one or two PanzerIV's to it as well. In my experience, they were nowhere near any Russians but I suppose distance is a relative thing on the big old Russian Steppe. However, in "On the Edge" (as the Germans) it would seem that the most effective allied defense is your own CAS. I'm not entirely sure whether they ever targetted anything but my own troops (which maybe unfair as has pointed out, you do tend to notice the friendly fire more than when they're doing it right) and they certainly killed more of my men than the ANZACs did... I lost (as in wiped out) at least two full squads in seperate direct hits from from Stuka bombs (ie they were the targets not just nearby hits) and numerous casualties and major morale drops (panic and broken from good order)from nearby hits and strafings. :mad: Now this is a mainly infantry scenario in quite "close" country so I suppose this is certainly more realistic - In all cases my troops were in close contact with the allies. However, I'd greatly appreciate it if someone could tell me how the game generates these incidents (and how it picks targets altogether for that matter) as there must hopefully be a way for the forces on the ground to try and minimize the number of such incidents. Or perhaps there isn't... Apologies if this is covered elsewhere :eek:

Apologies for coming back to this after such a long interval but by I'm not sure I said what I wanted to say...(If you see what I mean) :confused: ASL had a "system" (ie the rule book) and it had modules for different periods, fronts, vehicles etc. With CMAK we have essentially the same engine as previously but with different vehicles etc in different locations. So essentially the engine is the "rule book" and CMAK is another module. Between the three versions on CM we have a lot lot of the vehicles etc, that fought in the ETO. That's kind of what I meant by the ETO being "our oyster"... It would be nice if eventually there was a system where we could just set up scenarios set whenever, wherever, between whoever without having to concern ourselves with which version of CM we are playing. In other words, all the vehicle and unit types and terrain would be in the editor. And it would be great if PTO stuff was included. Actually, now I've confused myself and I'm not entirely sure what I was trying to say... :confused: Perhaps someone can enlighten me on what on earth I am talking about, but suffice to say that I am well aware that there were vehicles that fought in France (and other places) that did not fight in Italy... But it would be great if we could play, for example, the CMBO scenarios with the engine improvements of the latest CM games. (Was that all I was trying to say all along?) :confused:

Couldn't agree more. I think BFC should go for the money... Part of the joy of ASL was the fact that practically (if not literally) every theatre of WWII was represented. The engine is there (until the next one), so if BFC want to just want to cover all theatres/periods, that would be fine by me. In fact, once we have CMAK along with editor etc, won't we be able to do at least all of the European Theatre? Apologies for not being up on that kind of thing... I assume we'll need a few more vehicles etc, but apart from that is the ETO not our oyster? Love to see the PTO available as I'd grown into adulthood by the time ASL made it to PTO (and North Africa , come to think of it) and did not have the time on my hands to do it justice. CM may occupy some time but it'll never be as stupidly (ie fiddly) time consuming as ASL. CM: Scenario in an evening ASL: Set up in an evening, and your girlfriend has cleared it from the dining table (due to imminent "in-law" arrivals) by turn 4 Now I'm older and married, I have no intention of telling my wife where the saved game files are...