sburke

For 16 posts you are pegging the snide meter pretty well. Good job. And no that is not science, that is simply a premise. Science would require that you actually show something to indicate this is really true and not just a theory. Let's review the OP I play this game a lot, maybe too much. I am always looking to target exposed crewman, the old reward/risk cycle for it seems to me to be worth the effort. When other folks have been asking BFC to tone down firing on them, I go the opposite way and in the Hamel AAR you can see some of the impact. First of all a soldier in an Armored vehicle firing away is pretty obviously going to be drawing a LOT of attention. Not like you have to guess where he is. On the other hand an MG in concealing terrain is not going to be so obvious, you may hear it, and the rounds may be flying around your head, that doesn't mean you can see it, especially if your reaction is going to be seeking cover. Your statement misses one factor. Concealment works for the stationary infanty, not for the Htrk MG gunner. Concealment does nothing for him, he needs COVER. Everybody already knows where he is. A much different subject. As to cover, I'd take a stone wall over the gun screen etc on a halftrack any day. And yes you are going to be asked for some data, plenty of us have not had your experience and would like to actually have something show that is it actually true rather than just accept it at face value.

I think your neighbor needs to replace that fence, which reminds me of one of my chores for the summer...damn you Ken.

LOL okay maybe (though I think it is reaching on that one), but on the other hand every account I have ever read has almost always cited significantly higher losses amongst leaders as they are supposed to "lead". Guess I never felt leader losses being disporportionately higher was an unrealistic phenomenon. My personal feeling was it always seems to hit the guy I am going to need most

I don't believe I recall "leader-seeking shrapnel" being an item addressed in 1.10, can't say I recall it even being an issue. The posted notes on patch 1.10 do not list it. Did I miss some other discussion? Personally I haven't noticed any significant difference in British Tank commanders getting hit more than US tank commanders as to H-Trk gunners, none of my opponents typically put their H-Trks at that high level of risk so I have no data to work from. This patch will update your CMBN game to v1.10, which includes many enhancements and improvements. Below is a list of some of the new v1.10 game features. •Soldiers make better use of demo charges against vehicles at close range. •When vehicles bog down, it's now more likely to be temporary. •Corrected a problem where gunners would sometimes aim too low and repeatedly hit intervening ground short of the target. •Computer-player troops automatically take additional stored weapons and ammo with them when dismounting from vehicles. •Halftrack gunners will "sit" when the vehicle buttons up. •Dispersion pattern of mortar shells is more realistic. •Dismount command may be given to multi-unit groups. •In campaigns, units won't go into the next battle without a leader due to a previous casualty. •Enemy mortars are a little easier to spot when they fire. •Corrected a problem where frame rate could affect the cover offered by buildings. •Vehicles are more likely to button up when they take a crew casualty. •Computer player is more effective at breaching walls and bocage. •It's more difficult to suppress the occupants of a bunker. •Targeting an enemy unit by clicking its icon works properly when some LOS is blocked. •Corrected a problem that caused deployed soldiers to move around too frequently, especially inside trenches and buildings. •Corrected some problems with soldiers moving across narrow bridges. •Corrected a problem that caused halftracks sometimes to refuse to move across wall breaches. •Pre-battle intelligence icons don't slowly fade during setup. •Scenarios load faster when 3D Texture Quality option is set to Balanced or any faster option. If you notice any decrease in visual quality, simply increase this option one level higher in quality. •New editor feature lets you move flavor objects around more easily. In map preview, ALT-click on a flavor object (Option-click on the Mac) and the next map click will place the (previously) ALT-clicked object at the location of the second click. •Single barbed wire units remember their facing in the editor. •In the editor, when units are purchased they will try to set up by default inside friendly setup zones if the zones have already been created. •Made changes that should reduce the occurrence of Out of Memory crashes. •Allowed for the use of up to 4GB of RAM, dependent on the user's operating system and settings. •Corrected a problem where units driving near ditches would bog too easily. v1.01 GAME FEATURES Vehicles •Moving vehicles fire their weapons with further reduced accuracy. •Spotting ability of buttoned-up vehicles is further reduced. •Fixed a graphical bug that could cause a Puma crew to rotate outside the vehicle. •Vehicles that lose an unbuttoned crewman to small-arms fire are more likely to pop smoke and/or retreat like they typically do when the vehicle itself takes a hit. •Armor penetrations through a vehicle's main gun mantlet are not reported as hits on other locations. •Hit text for projectiles that enter an open vehicle hatch says "Hit: Opening" rather than turret or hull. •Corrected a rare problem that could cause tank drivers to remember "threat locations" for too long and rotate the vehicle inappropriately. •In a campaign game, if a tank is in working order but its crew is decimated, the tank will not appear in the next battle only to immediately become "knocked out" due to having a decimated crew. •Rhino vehicles are additionally available in August. •Fixed a bug that prevented ricochets off a Panther lower mantlet into the hull top (though this intentionally remains rare). •The glacis/hull-roof armor plate on the Tiger front is thicker. •SPW 250/9, SPW 251/9, and SPW 251/10 halftracks will button up under fire like most other vehicles do. •PSW 222 crew is now commander/loader, gunner, and driver. •PSW 222 and PSW 223 are capable of firing weapons after losing a crewman, and have slightly improved commander's visiblity when buttoned up. Terrain •Troops hiding in trenches or foxholes get better protection from shrapnel. •Concealment in foxholes is increased. •Corrected a problem that protected soldiers when a wall was behind them, but not enough when a wall was in front of them. •The distance between a soldier and bocage where the soldier may see through the bocage is slightly shortened. •Direct hits do more damage to trees. •Trees are less likely to block large projectiles consistently. •Tree placement remains precisely consistent each time you load/play a particular scenario. Quick Battles •Corrected a problem that sometimes switched attacking and defending sides. •The unit auto-purchaser is improved. •Air support may only be purchased during daytime with clear or hazy weather. •The "Random Service" option works properly. Artillery •Artillery is a little less precise. •When a forward observer cannot see where spotting rounds impact, he will usually require another round to be fired rather than skip ahead to fire-for-effect with poor accuracy. •Corrected a problem that sometimes caused artillery missions targeted near a TRP to "prepare" indefinitely. •Pre-planned missions for on-map artillery won't ever use spotting rounds. •Corrected an accuracy problem that could affect the first rounds of pre-planned artillery strikes using the Line pattern. •White phosphorous (smoke) does not cause unrealistically high casualties. Soldier Behavior •Soldiers are less likely to use SMGs at longer ranges. •Soldiers are less likely to fire on exposed tank crew. •Soldiers can spot anti-tank mines (in addition to anti-personnel mines). •Corrected some problems with mortars in direct-fire mode. •Soldiers are less likely to use explosive weapons for area-fire at very short range. •Soldiers won't set up heavy weapons on the precise edge of the map. •The TacAI pays a bit less attention to unarmed vehicle targets. •Soldiers aim better when area-firing into an immediately adjacent building. •Corrected some problems with soldier placement around heavy weapons in foxholes. •Soldiers are quicker to stop attempting to surrender if friendly soldiers are nearby and enemies are not. •HMG assistants can cower under fire like the rest of their team. Grenades •Troops may throw grenades from buildings at open-topped vehicles. •Grenade throwing obeys covered arc orders. •Grenades won't roll through building walls. Bridge Pathfinding •Corrected some minor pathing problems across bridges. •Troops are more willing to move across nearby fords rather than use distant bridges. Anti-tank Guns •Antitank guns won't attach to vehicles that are too small to tow them. •Corrected a problem that potentially allowed an antitank gun team to move the gun into a building. User Interface •Keyboard camera controls are smoother (Windows version). •When placing troops in a building during setup, if you click on a soldier or its icon (instead of the building) to set the destination, it won't cause the moving troops to float in midair. •Trenches and barbed-wires "remember" their rotations if moved to a location that is not adjacent to other trenches or barbed-wire. •When attaching targeting orders to a waypoint, the range display is calculated from the waypoint, not the unit's current location. •Corrected a problem with area-targeting a non-occupiable roof of a building. •Clicking Exit or New in the Editor brings up a confirmation dialog. Miscellaneous •Less framerate is devoted to showing wind blowing through trees. •MP40 ammo pouches display correctly on German soldiers. •Fixed a disappearing "gable" on a couple of barns. •Updated US rank icons. •Fixed some out-of-memory problems. •Adjusted the point values for bunkers. Mac specific v1.01B fixes •The install works properly on Lion •Various Keys work properly. •The install instructions are easier to understand. •Number pads should perform as expected. •Fixed a bug that prevented ricochets off a Panther lower mantlet into the hull top (though this intentionally remains rare).

Remind me not to download your sound mods

There was a discussion of this back in March and at least 2 OoBs have been posted to use this way. It is a pretty nifty idea to create OoBs that can be easily imported into any map you want to use. Panzer Lehr by Rocko http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1821 And an SP regt of the RA by JonS http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1806

Not sure what this implies. He suggested the vehicles would delay the game 2 weeks,not that the patch would be available in two weeks. They have never said when the patch would be released. If that wasn't what you meant, I'll go shut up and sit down. Or sit down and shut up...

The term we like to throw around in my industry is Push Here Dummy for all the supposed smart people with degrees who can't figure out how to turn on a light, or adjust the temp in their conference room.

LOL working on it sir!!!

Unfortunately even with some of the tools that have been developed, good map making is a long process as the level of detail for a truly realistic and immersive map is time consuming. Until something else comes along I think we are simply going to have to depend on the community continuing to create and share. Broadsword has a number of good maps and a master 4x4 km map that would need details added, LLF has a similar map in the works of an adjoining 4x4 area in Normandy. George MC has a large recreation of eastern front terrain in "Bridgehead at Soloki" though I forget the full dimensions. I hope to recreate the AO of The Gamers Screaming Eagles in Holland covering a 16x16 km area in at least 4 maps. There are a bunch more. Question is do you really need specific maps or are you just looking to create a larger campaign area? If not then any selection of fairly closely fitting maps should do (and you could edit existing one to conform the map edges. The biggest deciding factor is scale. Something on the order of Noobs campaign may cover a really large area, but the 1km sq areas of Normandy 44 have only general terrain types. This can give you a wider variety of options using the existing map sets and QB maps. Broadsword56 as noted has a base 4x4 km map that if fleshed out is a huge amount of ground. I only opted for a set of large maps for SCiH as that is the size of the actual gamers map. I could probably get away with less. A campaign that covers a 4 hours to a couple days fighting can easily be done on a single 4x4 map and have a very large OoB. Considering CMBN is only a year old it is encouraging to see how much material we already have. One question in the back of my mind is will maps be transferable between CMBN and CM: whatever is next (CM:win). If the bulge it would be nice if they were, but I suspect perhaps not.

LOL yeah good point. I suspect that perhaps many of their maps do not have a counterpart aerial pic to contrast but then you have to assume the map maker had similar material to draw on. As to how you get map scale then without that no idea. Still it is interesting to see the attention to detail that went into those maps. Nice to appreciate.

Yeah he is very dry, but also well researched. I have both volumes of Barbarossa Derailed and am finding it well worth the effort to wade through them to understand the point he is making, however that being said I am not sure they would be all that beneficial for an Op campaign as they do not go into that kind of minute detail. Also the 3 volume Stalingrad series (vol 3 not released yet) is another slog that I found worth the effort. I'll add a +1 for Nash's Hell's Gate. Also George Nipe's Last Victory in Russia

Thanks, we are on temporary hiatus. I am on the road and LLF is swamped. Bummer as it was a blast for me trying CMSF HTH in a very cool scenario and map. Hopefully we will get a chance to get back at it sometime soon.

on second thought

yeah that is the second time that rumor has been tossed out here recently. Not sure of it's origins, but I have yet to have seen anything to give it any substance. Frankly I think BFC has enough with all of us always breathing down their neck to ever consider contracting to the gov't. As to the "massive lists and charts", damn I don't want to go back to tables and charts and all that from boardgames. I want to use tactics not odds modifiers. That I think is more BFC's goal and overall I'd say they have done really well at it. CMSF didn't "nerf" LOS. If anything CMx1 nerfed it by applying one standard to all units and all terrain in a given action square. You could try to recreate those lists, but frankly the variables now simply make it not worth your while. LOL traveling doesn't get you away from the forum Erwin, just the game as I am learning...sigh

This one is killing me, I have visions of a driver walking out into the vehicle park hitting the button on his key ring and waiting for the headlights to flash...now where did we park? (as he looks at several hundred nearly identical vehicles in the dark...LOL

LOL I don't think you'll get much disagreement about prefering regular troops. I would advise trying green units though just to appreciate the variations. It really makes you think about your style of play and what you think you can achieve realistically which in the long run helps you learn how far you can push your troops. I think it can also give you some new ideas about how to deploy etc that you can apply to other experience levels as well. With green units and lower fitness levels you have to plan further ahead and pace your decisions.

No not particularly. Just to throw another scale into the mix, I am still tinkering with the Gamers TCS stuff. I prefer the platoon/individual tank and gun scale and 125 yard hexes/20 minute turns and the command and control variables for being able to implement orders add an element to the game that really appeals. They also have a couple modules up on vassal as well. (unfortunately not Bloody Omaha however). What I really like though is you can just use the rules, your own map and your own OoB and no need to buy a game. If you run a campaign for others, you just have them fill out their op sheets and then apply them to the reinforcement schedule. All that of course being said w/o having actually tried it yet.... ahh to be back in front of my pc and able to launch the game....sigh.

Personally I prefer to have BFC focus on things that are strictly engine oriented rather than worry about things that can be controlled simply by player agreement. Not that your suggestions don't have merit, I just prioritze items based on different criteria. My PBEM partners generally aren't gonna go buy a ton of rockets unless the scenario in question specifically calls for it. If you are playing strangers then it may be worth your while to set some basic ground rules. I am going out on a limb here as I don't generally play QB games, but I thought there were some penalties for cherry picking and that units were cheaper if purchased in a formation. I could be absolutely wrong though.

Here's a good read on the period, talk about an easy start for a Hot war scenario for 1961. Berlin 1961 Frederick Kempe http://www.amazon.com/Berlin-1961-Frederick-Kempe/dp/0399157298 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704816604576335594159928256.html

Dang it was a long time ago I posted that..... It wouldn't help much, we do not get to chose the ammo load to fire on a target so even if we had WP, we couldn't use it to target an opposing armored vehicle. Would be cool, but then we'd use it far more than I think it was ever really used at the front.

I think they were waiting for you to get back....and the announcement is.... futon river crossing is back.

Ahh but see you aren't looking closely enough. See an MG team has LOF AND LOS to Mrs Nelson's door. Now the milkman knowing how action spots work, realized she was a sitting duck for the MG team if he placed the milk at the door. Smart thinking man that he is, he found a covered route (using smoke from the diesel truck he drives) to the window allowing Mrs Nelson to retrieve her milk out of LOS of the MG team. Now that is detail. On the other hand, you sir are avoiding the Queen right after the release of CMCW. Very unpatriotic of you. Mrs Nelson and the Milkman will be informed.

Again w/o a replay I am just spouting hypotheticals. I also don't know what a damaged unit will show if the crew is killed. I haven't had too many abandon them. Those few times I have had a Jpz IV they have seemed to be able to take a lot of punishment. I also play wego though so I watch every dang thing that happens to them. Missing scenes like this is probably one of the reasons I am willing to accept losing control for 60 seconds. At least I know what happened and why to my units. Situations like this one could drive you nuts where if you had the replay you might be slapping your forehead and saying "oh yeah dang why didn't I see that" or in some cases seeing something you would never catch w/o the replay.

That has been my experience. The higher the discipline, the less likelihood they will countermand your orders.