rocketman

I did some more testing and it seems that crew in MG bunkers never get "pinned". Not even after 25 straight HE hits. Not even when a penetrating shot kills 4 crewmembers. That just doesn't seem right. Since they don't cower either - is this due to the confined graphics of the bunker? Would it be possible to have them in "pinned" status, even though they don't cower. If pinned, it would be easier for the final assault on a bunker with zooks and demo charges.

This is the test I ran. Flat area about 200 m in diameter with water around it, so no one could run away. Two platoons, HQ:s, and snipers from a rifle company - all in all about 80 men distributed over this area. All HQ:s in bunkers so that no unit would be out of command. I had an 81mm mortar on pre-planned, heavy, maximum barrage (100 shells). I then used the exact same map, but substituted grass for marsh and then also with heavy marsh. Units in the exact same spots for all three maps, and barrage called to the exact same spot and the same area range. Ran the test 10 times for each map and it looks like any differences are within the margin of error. The explosions look much smaller on marsh and heavy marsh, but the effect seems to be the same. I wonder if results would be different if units are up and running, that is that shrapnel is dispersed shorter ranges from marsh ground conditions. But I'm not sure how to test it both in a valid and reliable way.

I'm half-way through testing. Should post results later on today.

I hope we see ice, as well as really icy roads. Several accounts of Shermans, with their narrow tracks, actually sliding off the roads.

I will give it a go and see what I come up with.

I ran another short test and it seems MG crews in bunkers do fire even when suppression meter is full. Ran in scenario author mode, not sure if it states "Pinned" in that mode or not.

I might run some tests to find out.

I looked in the manual I found nothing while searching the forum. It is my impression while playing "Eye of the Needle" (which to a large extent is one big marsh), that artillery rounds that land in marsh areas have a much smaller explosion and kicks up much less debris/shrapnel. Also seems harder for FO to spot. Is this modeled in the game? If it is, is that also true for other ground conditions such as deep snow (FI) and mud?

Thanks ASL Veteran for giving a historic background I didn't know of. But in that case, AP rounds shouldn't be fired at all in game, and definitely not knock out the bunker. HE shells should make the crew suppressed. I'm not sure how this is represented in game, because visually no crew member cower, but maybe they act as suppressed, i. e. stop firing. I wonder if crew IRL would bail out of a bunker when under heavy suppression?

True. Looks excactly like that. I'm also thinking if the TacAI considers the target an MG rather than an object/structure, and therefore uses HE too much.

And you will get victory points for getting bogged down

It was a while since I did the test, but if I remember correctly each cluster is all hits from the same tank during one or several consecutive turns.

+1 Also for making even more immersive screenshots of action.

I agree that it would be a nice option. But I suspect that the binoculars belong to the squad leader and that IRL he didn't pass them on to scouts. And since BFC is all about realism, we probably won't see that feature.

It is one big TRP seen from the sky. If you stand on it, the entire Luftwaffe (what's left of it) and all artillery around will blast you to kingdome come. And get an Iron Cross for it.

If you look close, that pattern in the middle makes an ominous formation...

Ha! Kohl, I was going to post that very picture for you but you beat me to the punch. So here you go instread: Go get Gran Turismo 5 and then you can race the Schwimmwagen all day long. Heck, you can even paint it pink, or silver, or whatever floats your boat (pun intended). Great looking roads you're making for the Bulge operation.

OK, fair enough. But just for the sake of argument - let's say a mission is on a 4*4 km map and lasts for 3 hours. Wouldn't that border on being more than a tactical engagement? Maybe Piper Cub spotting could just give visual icons, and not used for artillery spotting?

Since we now hav UAV spotting in CMBS, maybe that feature can be fitted into Bulge as Piper Cub spotting airplanes. What do you think? Possible? Appropriate? Would it make the game more interesting/enjoyable? Just read through Beevor's new book on Bulge and Piper Cubs were mentioned on more than one occation.

Chuck Norris-mod is all we need. One man army.

Great info. The future looks good as I have stuff to look forward to for all games And a new one! Will keep me busy for a long time.

Well, that looks really weird Must be a bug - and a really poor attempt of disguise The outhouse is a flavor object, right?

He did get out of that awkward position and was a valuable spotting unit, harassing some assault guns, venturing forward like a true trooper and happily sacrificed his pixeltruppen life to reveal a hidden T34.