tc237

No, the tank has a smoke screen generating system similar to m60, fuel is sprayed onto the engine exhaust to create smoke. Because of the fuel type and higher engine temp it would start fires. The system was disconnected in The 1980's. I've never seen it connected, but it could be if fuel type was straight diesel. (although we would use it to drain fuel tanks for maintenance) Another cause was overheating NBC filters, by the late 90's most tanks had original or very old filters that were wornout/clogged (IIRC, they hadn't been used/changed since Desert Storm and the Army budget in the late 90's was rock bottom). A NBC filter fire killed a soldier at Hood during gunnery training, he was a driver, the filters are just to his left. It was a HUGE incident in the armor community, every unit was ordered to change filters and stop using the system untill the eventual repairs/changes were made. (IIRC, they changed the way air flowed through the system so that it would not heat-up) Don't remember to many other causes of fires, I'll let you know when I get to 500 :cool:

that is correct

It that pic? That happened during the "Thunder Run" in April 2003. I know the TC, they got hit in the right-rear by a 23mm AA round (something like that) that cut a fuel line, the fuel soaked into the air filters that eventually caught fire. I had a tank that had to be a "write off", it hit a mine that blew off one of the roadwheel arms and damaged the shock housing to bad for unit mechanics to fix. Because there were no Depot repair facilities at the time in theater it had to be sent back to the States. Search online for numbers of tanks knocked out, should find it fairly easily. (remember to look for USMC too.)

hmm...might be able to change the alpha channel around the icon, it usually handles the transparent portion of an image file.

Looks very good, especially like the mud on the slats and track.

I guess that's what MOD is gonna write home to a troopers parents: "...enemy contact was thought to be unlikely....the vehicle was firing in self-defense..."

Exactly. Anyway, I stayed cool by being soaked to the knees in sweat, so that's a technique too.... Better animation is not better realism, it is better "game immersion". Better animations may make someone think the game is more "real" or accurate when in fact the underlying engine could have the most simple and trivial physics or combat model that it makes "Pole Position" look like a million dollar F1 simulator. Kind of like boasting about a 1-1 bullet simulator for 2 years then telling us every PC game is abstracted.

In extreme heat and sun, you stay cooler with long sleeves.

what's that old joke?: "What is the easiest way to make E-4....."

That should work out better, thanks. The trick here is that in RL a CPL is considered a leadership rank and not just another E-4 member of the squad/platoon. So a CPL is filling the same position that an E-5 would fill. For every CPL in a squad/platoon there would be one less SGT. The reason we don't see many CPL's in today's Army is because the points for promotion are probably still at a minimum (at least in most combat arms branches). In "the old days" when the points were maxed out and promotions were slow, you would give a high speed Specialist his Corporal stripes so that he could assume a leadership position while he waited for his promotion to come through. Today, any decent, high speed SPC is gonna get promoted faster and if deployed will probably get conditionaly promoted so that he can pin on SGT stripes right away. Also, back then there were many more CPL's in Armor than in Infantry branch, we needed that extra NCO to man the tank while the TC was away.

Don't see it happening but it would be a cool thing to have, maybe abstracted similar to medical aid. Good vehicle stops next to bogged vehicle, after a few minutes bogged vehicle is pulled out. Guess you might need to add a new button to the GUI. By the way, I've had to do it once and my buddies a few times during a mission while in contact. Of course, we waited untill things moved away a few blocks before dismounting and calling an M88 forward, but the mechanics still didn't look to pleased

It is: 1BCT 1ID, 1BCT 1AD, 1BCT 1CAV, 2BCT 3ID, 3BCT 4ID, etc.. You don't really need the "H" because it is assumed you know what type of unit it is. You would know that the 1st Infantry, 1st Cav and 1st Armored Divisions have HBCT's, so they are simply BCT's. You would know that the 82nd is airborne, so it is just: 1BCT 82AB "Non-Standard" brigades like the Strykers are noted as SBCT, etc.. cause they like to be special IIRC some brigades are straight leg, like 4BCT 1ID. If the next question is "..well, what if you don't know what type the brigade is" then I think the Army's answer would be "go find out for yourself" When StrykerPSG first wrote "5-2 SBCT" I initially thought he was refering to the infantry battalions because I am used to seeing a brigade along with the division: 5 SBCT 2ID I thought 5-2 was 5th Battalion 2nd Infantry Regiment in a SBCT. (my knowledge is from about 4 years ago...maybe now-a-days they use HBCT more often then before the combined arms battalion era)

try ALT+Print Screen or CTRL+Print Screen

It's 1ID, 1CAV, 1AD, that's the difference, those letters. 1-1ID, 1-1CAV, 1-1AD

Yes, each vehicle has it's own call sign. For Tank and Bradley units Platoons are color coded: Red, White, Blue The 1st Platoon leader would not be Checkmate 1 but instead Red 1 2nd Plt: White 1, 3rd Plt: Blue 1 Platoon Sergeants are 4, wingmen are 2,3: If the 1st Plt leader is talking on radio net above company level he would be Checkmate Red 1 If the Company call sign is Checkmate, only company HQ elements use that call sign: Checkmate 6, 5, 7 = CO, XO, 1SG. On the company net or lower the company HQ should be Black, but sometimes they just go with Checkmate. Individual vehicles in the 1st Plt are: 11 = LT (Red 1), 12=wingman (Red 2), 14=plt sergeant (Red 4), 13=wingman (Red 3) 2nd plt is 21,22,24,23, 3rd is 31,32,34,33 CO, XO are 66, 65

Missed the first 5 minutes... CCTT: Close Combat Tactical Trainer, with LT's at Ft Knox (could you tell?), used to train Platoons and above (not really for gunnery training) To bad the host did not get to fire live rounds (or did he?) They had him breaking track at Ft Knox, too cool (although that particular track was servicable) this episode is tanker approved :cool:

I have not played this campaign but those look like Cold War acronyms used by NATO to describe Warsaw Pact/Red forces: CSOP: Combat Security Observation Post; a sort of beefed up OP used in the defense. DRT: refered to as "Dirt" Teams, used to recon well forward/deep into enemy lines MRT: hmm... Motorized Rifle Team?

I wasn't an Infantryman so maybe they can give a better answer but from all the grunts I talked to and worked with, in a mounted unit: Either the LT or PSG stays with the vehicles while the other moves with the dismounts. Sometimes both can go/stay and a senior/experienced Section Sergeant will go/stay. IIRC it is dependent on unit SOP or training, experience and confidence of the LT. Don't know how this would work in the game, is the PSG (PLT XO in the game) capable of maintaining C2? Regarding mounted officers, of course PLT leaders vehicles are right in the thick of things and are expected to lead from the front. Company level Commanders are usually just behind the lead Plt or so, their duty is to run the battle but also to communicate wth higher HQ, they want to be close enough to see and "feel' the fight and be able to relay what they are seeing to HQ but also remain far enough back to stay safe.

Lukmak5 you are wrong here, it was not the exception, it was a rule and was expected to happen as soon as possible. Commanders absolutely did swap vehicles during combat and while under fire. I am speaking with over a dozen years worth of active duty training and combat experience on tanks. akd nails it dead on with this statement. The Commanders primary duty is to stay on the radio, if his tank/radio gets knocked out he must get to another radio as soon as possible, even under fire. The Commander, or anyone that has knowledge that the Commander needs a new "ride", absolutley will order another vehicle back to pick him up. The Commander is the most important person in the unit and keeping him on the radio is vital. In my time as a tanker a CO jumping to another tank was almost a rehearesd drill, and every TC and crewman knew what to do if the PLT/Co/BN CO needed to "jump" tanks. (in training Co/BN CO's almost never get "killed" they are allowed to "jump" tanks numerous times) Usually the CO takes the loader's position, not the TC position. (the Loader jumps off and catches a ride with the 1SG or stays with the CO's crew.) It is easier for the CO to run the battle from the loader's position on an M1 because, there is more room for maps, the radios are located there, the CO doesn't have to worry about guiding the vehicle. (when I was a young CO gunner we used to do this anyway, I would TC and my loader moved to the gunners seat) Luckly this never happened to any of my commanders in Iraq but I would bet that if it did he would have a new "ride" in minutes. Now, on the topic of swaping an entire crew? I highly doubt that would happen (not today anyway), and would not recommend it be inculded in the game. (unless they were cheating on a gunnery range )

Is the height map used in CM:SF a grayscale heightmap like other games?

Games like TC2M (American Civil War) have road following commands. It works fairly well. The problem is that units can overlap each other. You can have 2-3 regiments marching along the road all in the exact same space. IIRC, TC2M fans didn't mind it much because it doesn't really effect the game. It is a visually bug. But I can see that being a problem with CMSF because of 1:1 for vehicles.

Yeah that is a simple solution. Is there a way to randomly determine casualties to reinforcements? Could be an interesting way to have an airborne assault without having to simulate the entire process. Use a sort of random "die roll" to assess casulties to the reinforcements. IIRC some boardgames do this.

I'm fairly certain that a physically fit infantryman can quickly crawl backwards just as fast as forwards. Especially if he is getting shot at. I can and I'm an old tanker. The question was about a Soldier in the prone peeking over a ridgeline and being able to back away instead of turning 180. Sounds like a good idea to me but BFC probably won't bother.

You would of had the Blue Bar

You've mentioned that twice now, what "recent ops" specifically? (other than "blackhawk down") Anyway, regarding the Camelbak, the weight is negligible and does not impact soldier performance. Same for a set of NVG's. I do not think that hydration is simulated in the game. If it is, the Camelbak really shouldn't provide a substantial benefit over the usual 2 Canteens, other then maybe "drinking on the move". Camelbak = 3L of water 2 Canteens = 2L of water