Sequoia

I think Dan's point is why do you need the T-80 if you have the T-90. From a purely game play point of view there's little reason, but some, like me, just like new toys. I donated $20 to CMMODs over the years just to support my Mod habit. I'd be happy to pay $20 for a module consisting of just 10 new vehicles and nothing else even if half of them were trucks. I'm funny that way. Some people would probably buy a module for just a few new Red vehicles if it had them that otherwise wouldn't.

Do you really want them to delay the British module some more? I'm all for including the T-80 in a "ahistorical section" in the NATO module just like they will presumably have the Maus in a "ahistorical" section of a WWII game, but to lobby for the T-80's inclusion with the Brits at this late date seems like jousting with windmills.

Yep, Steve's talked about including a Maus for WWII for crying out loud. Don't delay the Brits, but consider reviving the "ahistorical section' for the NATO module.

Just out of curiosity what ever happened to this concept?

That's what Stalin kept asking during the war.

I'm seriously curious why a country that has shown such leadership in the console game market seems to have no apparent interest in game companies such as Battlefront. Maybe a large portion of the population would rather forget WWII but there must be some in Japan who have an interest in a war in which their country played such a large roll. If only some one there would take an interest we could see a CM Pacific game just like we're going to have a East Front game thanks to a Russian development team.

Is there NO ONE in Japan that cares about PC wargames or are they all making Pokemon games? Will we ever see the Pacific?

Are baboons like the Mandrills really monkeys? I thought the breakdown of primates went like this: Lemurs, monkeys, baboons, apes (including humans).

No, Steve has said the Eastern Front will laregly be done by a Russian team. The chances of seeing the Romanians again however are almost nil so you'll have a reason to keep that copy of CMBB around.

There was once talk about using a Blue operative to simulate a Special Forces team member reporting in from behind the lines but I guess they decided to not go that route.

I think there may be an irrational association of Soviet kit with nameless masses therefore no personality. It really surprised me even the Russian version cover of CMBB had a King Tiger on it rather than a JS II for instance. That's my two cent psychoanalysis anyway.

Well as I understand it there will be at least 3 teams working on stuff, plus the teething problems will be solved so we'll be getting modules at least twice as fast as we are now (i.e every six months at least rather than a year apart). Thus the team working on the Brits right now will have the CMSF NATO module by years end, around the time the core Battlefront group has the Beyond Overlord II game ready. Then the module team starts working on modules for the WWII game getting us the Commonwealth before next summer while the Battlefront team works on the Bulge. Meanwhile the Russian team that's doing Afganistan 1980s will be leading contenders for doing Bagration, meaning that within two years we will have: CMSF complete with 3 modules. CM Afganistan CM Beyond Overlord II with 3 modules completed. CM Bulge with one module completed (the Commonweath). CM Bagration core game mostly done by third part Russian team. plus any other surprises by third parties. I think it's doable now without burning out Charles' brain in the jar.

My post is only my understanding of the way things will break down based on what I have read, and should not be taken as official Battlefront statements, but the list is not pure guess work either.

The plan as I understand it right now and is still subject to change is: Base Game 1 - CM:SF - Released Module 1 - Marines - Released Module 2 - British - Imminent Release Module 3 - European Union (Germans,Canadians and Dutch) - Release? Base Game 2 - France Summer '44 - (Germans and US) release? 2009? Module 1 - British and Canadians. (Maybe SS will wait till this) Module 2 - Market Garden (Airborne forces of all nations) Module 3 - Rarer vehicles of all sides Base Game 3 - Battle of the Bulge (actually winter '44/'45 Germans and US) Module 1 - British and Canadians. Module 2/3 forces of all sides up till May '05 Base Game 4 - CMSF II modern day in a temperate setting (US and Russia) Modules - ??? British,Germans,Chinese and or North Koreans. Base Game 5 -Bagration- East Front summer '44. modules will include Finns. Base Game A by third party Soviets in Afganistan. Am I close?

Looking at this I assume there are no organic M1078's in a IBCT battalion. Were the trucks added because they are assumed attached vehicles to give the battalion mobility?

No, I know that one is not in the game. Wasn't in CMBO or CMBB either.

Well it may be a long long way down the road, but after the Normandy to the Rhineland game and after the Bulge to End of the War game and After CMSF 2 and after the East Front Bagration game, I could see a East Front Fall 44 to the end of the war game that has as a module or two the Western Allies so one could play Red Star/White Star battles. The work will all have already been done for the Bulge game.

For those without a sarcasm meter we just had a good example. C3K forgot the railraod yard scene from Kelley's Heros however. Anyway, it's certainly not a make or break issue but they had railroad lines in CMX1 and I don't recall them being mentioned yet for Normandy so I was just curious. I'm sure as with everything else it's more work than just doing the graphics and it's probably a low priority, well below water. Personally I'd rather have them leave it out for now and do it right later rather than the mediocre rail lines we had in CMX1.

Will we see railroad lines in CM:Normandy and if so will we have the ability to represent them more realistically than in CMX 1? For example wide turns, cuts, switches.

Nice work as always Mike. I see non military trucks in my town that actually are painted that way.

You're not hinting we might get amphibious vehicles even if we don't get beach landings are you? The M29c is the Water Weasel right? (I hope this doesn't start up the weasel jokes again)

Well,if you're serious, not quite a campaign but a really nice scenario "The King Copper Mines" with mods to go along with it are all available in the repository.

These look really nice. I've never been to Africa, but they look like buildings I've seen in the Carribean. Combatintman when you say rounded buildings what do you mean? Huts and things?

That may be true but Steve has a whole page devoted to his Weasel.

You should know living in the backwoods of Maine as you do . How's the Weasel?