Erik Springelkamp

I think it is important in this scenario to push on hard, because I have seen several of my old positions blasted by enemy artillery. Fortunately all my men were already in the next front line by that time.

I never spotted the AT-gun itself as a unit, but instead, I saw its firing flame, so I knew exactly where it had to be. Then I put the complete load of one mortar team on its position, and fortunately there were some other German forces in the direct neighbourhood that enjoyed the fireworks. It was still strange to see that flame, without any unit attached. I thought in CMSF you don't see the tracers from enemy units you do not spot. But in CM:BN the AT-guns work slightly different apparently. (total victory on iron, didn't see that coming halfway).

Well, I played the tutorial mission (Allies, WEGO, Iron), but until the last minute, I doubted my chances of winning. But the victory conditions were quite forgiving, so it was still called a total victory, but I lost quite a lot of men, and a tank, and my whole force was rattled.

I run Windows Server 2003 R2 (x32) (I don't expect you to support it, ATI didn't either, but I managed to install the drivers anyway).

I think there is an exit problem with the main executable. I did experience the effect that I couldn't start the game again, after having saved a game. Then I discovered that there was still a large process named CombatMissionNormandy or something in memory, that prevented a new instance to start. When I kill that hanging process, I can start the demo again fine. Everything else runs fine, except, like I said, the exit. Might be connected to the nag screen process that is shown afterwards. No firewall or anti-virus here, I do use an ATI card, recent one, but I disabled the ATI fix configuration setting, because the game (CMSF, CMA) runs much better without it. (thoroughly enjoyed the tutorial mission by the way)

But those games sold in Europe are bought in the USA, so a low dollar means a low cost price for the retail in Europe.

That $/€ exchange rate only needs to affect margin for the store, and then tightly coupled to the local wages. On the other hand, retail prices are not based on cost, but on the willingness of the consumer to pay a certain price. Identical products from international companies like IKEA, or major fashion houses, or supermarket chains, are sold at completely different prices - in Euro's - in different countries, depending on the local taste - and thus, perceived worth.

While none of us is very happy at the moment we have to pay taxes, most of us realise that taxes have to be collected one way or another. Generally we all profit from a well organised state, and that costs money - and most of us don't believe you can just borrow that money. Most Europeans don't see taxes as robbery. But then, we generally get something back from our governments, like affordable medical care, and a pension, and a social safety net.

Beautiful map. I am going to play this shortly. After finishing it I can download the CM:BN demo :-)

I am pretty sure that Europeans should (according to the law, not my wish) pay VAT on downloads that they buy outside the EU. The fact that it isn't enforced cannot be used to lower the value of the package. It could only be done if one could show that the VAT on the download was already paid.

But it would only be realistic if your subordinate commanders would be intelligent. In CM you have to double as high command and lower command. So if you are only playing as battalion commander, your company commanders would have to be intelligent, and if you want to play all commanders, you need a set of maps and info for each level. But then you as battalion commander have too much information. The whole idea may sound heroic, but is fundamentally flawed, like most heroic ideas.

If you put it in a zip, I don't see why it couldn't be uploaded. I have seen all kinds of content in the repository: pdf's with information, excell sheets, etc. BF declares with each download that it doesn't take responsibility for the content of those files (although I trust that they would remove any reported malware).

But it isn't the scope of the game. It isn't realism either, because your higher command units will have a whole array of tools like maps and radios and aides that know certain information, that the game provides in the form of the birds eye view.

The cumulative data would become very, very large, but otherwise there is no technical reason why it couldn't be done, except the very long list of more important features to program by the programmer team.

They have binoculars, and so are good at spotting, while being a small team that can hide easily. I notice they often spot the enemy first, even when in the same location as regular infantry. And they have radios with them even in a small team, so they can work in isolated positions and still inform everybody. With the Dutch forces I use them all the time. I give them a panzerfaust when they dismount, but also a small covered arc, so I chose myself when they will take the risk of shooting at enemy armour. They have scored quite a few enemy vehicles over time. But if I make them take a shot, I usually combine it with a run away command, because after the shot they have blown their cover.

I have seen a couple of maps in CMSF where a building was placed on a sunken piece of ground, so the lower floor became effectively a basement. Gives an enemy unit very good cover until you enter the building.

OK, I misunderstood. But if anybody should wish to attach a hot key to the action, he can do so in his own hotkeys.txt. As the snippet from my own file shows, I left it empty as well. Maybe one of the !@#$%^&*() keys, that require the shift key, is an appropriate choice.

Edit: see above

I found a posting by Steve: Originally Posted by Battlefront.com View Post I should probably post something more "permanent" about our plans, but I have actually been very specific about what we're planning on doing when we have conversations like this. Here's another go at it in Forum form CMx2 stuff is divided up into four basic concepts: Epoch (or as we call it, Track) Family Game Module We plan on having three Epochs in development concurrently (i.e. all at the same time). These are: Modern Western Front Eastern Front We can, and already have, add to this depending on various conditions. The example at the moment is Afghanistan, which is a one shot "Epoch" of sorts (i.e. Afghanistan is self contained). Next is what we call a Family. This is a grouping of a base Game and 2-4 Modules. For example, Combat Mission: Shock Force is a Family within the Modern Epoch. This particular Family consists of Marines, British Forces, and NATO. Each Family is a self contained group of products. You can purchase any Module you want and it will work with the base Game and other purchased Modules without any hiccups. You can not, however, mix and match stuff from one Family with another. For example, CM:SF 2 will contain a base Game with 2-4 Modules, none of which will work with CM:SF 1 and vice versa. Normandy is the first Family release for the Western Front Epoch. The second Family will be Bulge. Currently we plan on having 3 Modules for each. Normandy's base game has American forces against core Wehrmacht forces. 1st Module will have Commonwealth on one side, Waffen SS and FJ on the other. 2nd Module will cover Arnhem and will contain the forces necessary to fight those battles. 3rd Module will be a sort of mix-mosh of stuff not covered in the base Game or the first two Modules. By the time the Normandy Family is complete, you should be able to recreate any battle within that timeframe. Well, within reason of course Steve

First a few actions by both players: Passwords are set and setting chosen, then Player 1, plots moves turn 1, sends Player 2, plots moves turn 1, computer computes turn 1, sends Player 1, views turn 1, plots turn 2, sends Player 2, views turn 1, plots turn 2, computer computes turn 2, sends etc.

It is right between dismount and vehicle open up <E>' // dismount <E> // bail out <E>O // vehicle open up

So what is a group of game families like the Western Front called again? I though I remembered that East Front would be in some other group than West Front. But maybe I remember wrongly.

Oh, come on, don't be pompous. Everyone here behaves like a schoolboy. That is why we play wargames. We are well known for it in the outer world.

I think we must blame it on the refresh monkey in his mind. That animal has made many posters of this board say really really dumb things.

But maybe Bulge is in the same family as Normandy (but a different Base Game), and East Front is the next family. Forgot the fine terminology.