Lethaface

Some people already went into details about the different weapons systems. Some great advice would be to learn about the weapons systems in real life as they seem to work similar in CM.
In CM the biggest notable difference between Mortars and Howitzers is that mortars fire in a more vertical path and that most mortars can be employed both on- and offmap, while howitzers and field guns are usually only available off map. Apart from that they all lob rounds over to the enemy. There are various shells (smoke/airburst/groundburst/precision iirc) and various firing patterns. The accuracy and time to call depends on the unit calling the artillery (their training and communication capabilities) and the artillery piece itself.
How I use them:
60mm mortar -> nice for (direct) support of small units in firefights.
81mm mortar -> suppressing and destroying enemy strongpoints. 
120mm mortar -> like the 81mm but better. It's a great mortar, however munition is usually limited. 
105mm howitzer -> weaker howitzer but usually a lot of rounds. Use it on targets of opportunity or else in a large diameter strike with a lot of rounds over a longer time
122mm howitzer -> stronger than 105, more useful in urban area bombardments.
130mm field gun -> maybe a more lower trajectory that's significant? otherwise it's just a larger 122mm.
155mm howitzer -> This is the goto artillery. It will basically destroy what it finds, even tanks. This is good for almost everything, use it on where you expect important enemy positions. They will suffer. 180mm and 203mm are also great. 
Basically larger calibre is better, however then downside is that larger guns usually have less rounds and or feature a slower rate of fire and response/setup time. In real life there are more relevant factors, but since this is about the game I guess this will suffice.
 

LOL. I  read through one thread over there. Nothing but the GS CM Forum 2.0. Same hate, same bile, same environment of constant negativity. Christ, one guy was even wishing for BF to fail. And low and behold an appearance by everone's favorite toxic stalker-troll to boot (still acting the same cancerous way he always has) which was no surprise considering the atmosphere. Yeah, we may have problems here, arguments and what not but at least it isn't constant. If that's your idea of how "senior wargamers" act and the kind of interactions you enjoy, well that's your business. Me, I'd rather not even be on the internet than to hangout in threads like that. I come to forums for fun and laughs and a little bit of discussion, not to read pages and pages of bitterness and hate. And the hilarious part is most of the guys that were really nasty claim they don't even play the game. Same old #$%^ different year and forum.
I agree with some of what you said in this thread, but that was a bad example of why anyone should care what the outside thinks.
 
Mord.

Breach their word?  When exactly did Steve "give his word" that it would absolutely be out Sept?  What I recall is this.
You guys really need some other interests.  

I'm still kind of hoping that the demo comes out at exactly 11:59 PM on September 30th.🤣 

That's actually what we tried to do with all those screenshots Steve put up on the SF2 page. New vehicle textures, uniforms, terrain (maps are much nicer)..  

The great human wave attack on Hofen! From the scenario "Day of Attrition". This is supposed to be one of the opening German attacks on the first day of the Bulge.


 
In this scenario, the Germans get two battalions of Volksgrenadiers and not much else. I think they have around 700 men in total. They must cross huge areas of open ground and capture two cities with little artillery support and no tank support, and no vehicles except a few trucks. They have some HMG platoons and some mortars, but their greatest asset is their enormous numbers of MP44s. Some squads are outfitted almost entirely with MP44s. So I figured my greatest chance was to attack en masse -- a giant human wave to cross the fields and get within rifle range as quickly as possible, so I can use the superior firepower of the MP44s.


 
To my surprise, the advance goes much more smoothly than expected. Many of the American units are overrun and annihilated, and I take many prisoners.



 
German troops overrun and destroy a battery of AT guns, gunning down the crews with their MP44s:

 
German troops fire at retreating US infantry:

 
About halfway there, some of the Germans halt while they wait for a smoke barrage to come in and cover the final assault on the town. They come under US artillery fire, but for the most part, the Germans are advancing too quickly for the shells to zero in on them.


 
I managed to storm the town and drive the Americans out with ease, but before I could reorganize and move on to the next objective, the game seemed to bug out and it seems I'm unable to finish the scenario. All the movement orders for my whole force stopped working all of a sudden and nobody will move or even fire at the enemy. It's like my army is a bunch of robots and someone hit the killswitch on them, and the whole force shut down all at once. Very strange thing.

Meijel Mayhem

US Paras crest the ridge adjacent to an Waffen SS occupied stone building.
 
The darkness and the smoke screen help with the surprise assault.

Aloha troops,
I understand the frustration on delays and also the arguments regarding customer service and business practice. But for what it is worth here is how I try to look at it.
BF games are niche.  BF games are boutique.  BF games are possibly the boutique-iest niche-iest boutique niche in the market.  But they are my market niche, our market niche, and we need to recognise how unique and invaluable this product legacy is.
BF are clearly a very small group of dedicated people who develop - and keep alive - a legacy of simulated combat realism that we love.  I feel lucky this still exists in the current retail environment.  I'd suggest it is only through the personal passion and effort of a small number of people that we still have these lovely toys.
So when I get frustrated about delays and perceptions on customer service I recognise that if pure market forces and cold business decisions were at work we'd likely not have anything like the BF games we do have.  Personally, I like to support the BF crew for this reason alone.  Indeed I wonder how else I can help these folks so we have these much loved toys going forward?
So there is one way you might think about it.  And if you agree there is some merit in this possibly overly soppy rant maybe not only stump up your $ to keep the devs alive but also tone back the criticism if only to be a bit nicer to those slaving away on our precious toys?
Now.  Where is that CMSF2 Demo refresh button?!?
.o7
NB: for the record I don't know the devs at all
 
 
 
 

This game has a steep learning curve compared to arcade games. However, compared other complex games it isn't too bad. Knowledge of tactics and weapon system capabilities sure does help.

Screenshot is not edited. 
Mod being used:  http://cmmodsiii.greenasjade.net/?p=7153

So is thisbthread the wargamer equivalent to women fan clubs going to ted bundys trial, or richard ramirez, etc? Lol

That is EVERY major retailer. I have dealt with large companies with Spencer's Gifts being probably the biggest. True, one will make less profit with a heavy hitter with a lot of leverage over dealing with a Mom and Pop shop , BUT you will make it 1000 fold in volume big time which will allow one to develop their product, and the exposure will develop ones brand. Example of volume difference - "I'll take dozen" vs "I'll take 3,000, but i'll pay  #" so I had no problem dealing with them making less profit per unit. It is just another line in the water, and a link is allowed on the store page on Steam to lead someone to buy it direct instead if someone wants. My 2 cents on the whole matter as a business man. Put as many lines in the water as possible and suck it up to catch as many fish both big and small as they all add up. In the end as long I got my CM i'll sleep good at night whether BF ever Steams or not. However, I do think they would make more money in the long run if they did though. Perhaps even enough to develop CM for 6v6 real time multiplayer
Now to the original reason for the thread.
In order to play REAL TIME multiplayer games one needs a message program to get it going unlike WEGO which email is surface. Battlefront does not have this here nor any support really for playing the game in real time, However Steam does. Hence the logic for the thread.
I'll add you Aquilas and perhaps we will get a game sometime. I prefer my CM WEGO in it's present state, but dabble in real time to break it up sometimes and for the different experience. I really only like playing real time with a platoon or two of infantry only . Anything more is just too much to mange in a game like CM compared to other RTS.

Your WSJ article is an opinion piece with the writer freaked out by Muslims in general.  I studied in Leicester and survived and got into curries, and my cricket team in Colchester plays on the Army Garrison cricket pitch with a multicultural inc Muslims  team of players - heck Ismail Mohamed picks up the keys every Sunday from The Parachute Regt guardhouse and hasn't been shot yet.
The surgeon who operated on me a few years back was a Muslim, and the Consultant Anaesthetist was a handy bat / bowler for oppo club.
Yes you get a few crazies but the main problem is with ultra nationists finding folks different to themslves a problem...

I don't think anyone doubted the existence of certain articles (although thesun? seriously? 🙂 ) Anyhow it's still bullocks. Besides; how does 'a growing population' equal to factual tangible pressure to 'include' Sharia law.? Also, like... what laws? Stoning people for 'avin a pint? Come on get yourself a break and go meet a Muslim near to you. He or she probably won't bite. They might invite you for tea though.
Personally I feel the 'politics' line was crossed with your first post about the Muslim subject. I had to reply but I'm happy to steer it back to the more on topic macro geopolitical / military stuff. ---
It will be 'interesting' to see what happens in the region after the, sort of, inevitable regime (Assad) victory over the rebels in Idlib. I hope it's not just the next phase of conflict, but I have some fears. There are a lot of players on the board, with converging interests. Turkey will be among the first with the ball in their court. Will they pull their (proxy) forces out of Syria and how about the Kurds? The Iranian block becomes stronger. Israel is not happy, there is always something about oil, wuddabout US, 😉 etc. 

I'm glad there is no mention of those sorts in the article, for I would have stopped reading them.
I'm not going to debate these subjects, I think it is suffice to say that both ('floodgate muslim immigration from Turkey' and the 'EU Sharia') are populist myths. Also, I miss how those are correlated? Turkey doesn't feature a Sharia law; besides there is no such thing as 'the Sharia law'.
In The Netherlands (and I suspect the UK also) there already is the possibility for mediation, instead of formal courts, when parties want to settle a civil dispute. If they do wish the mediation to follow certain religious rules, that is fine as long as it is within the boundaries of the law (and all parties agree to it). Different religious groups do make use of this freedom and have been doing that for a while. It is nothing new, nor is there any small chance of our constitution being replaced with religious books. 

I don't think anyone doubted the existence of certain articles (although thesun? seriously? 🙂 ) Anyhow it's still bullocks. Besides; how does 'a growing population' equal to factual tangible pressure to 'include' Sharia law.? Also, like... what laws? Stoning people for 'avin a pint? Come on get yourself a break and go meet a Muslim near to you. He or she probably won't bite. They might invite you for tea though.
Personally I feel the 'politics' line was crossed with your first post about the Muslim subject. I had to reply but I'm happy to steer it back to the more on topic macro geopolitical / military stuff. ---
It will be 'interesting' to see what happens in the region after the, sort of, inevitable regime (Assad) victory over the rebels in Idlib. I hope it's not just the next phase of conflict, but I have some fears. There are a lot of players on the board, with converging interests. Turkey will be among the first with the ball in their court. Will they pull their (proxy) forces out of Syria and how about the Kurds? The Iranian block becomes stronger. Israel is not happy, there is always something about oil, wuddabout US, 😉 etc. 

I don't think anyone doubted the existence of certain articles (although thesun? seriously? 🙂 ) Anyhow it's still bullocks. Besides; how does 'a growing population' equal to factual tangible pressure to 'include' Sharia law.? Also, like... what laws? Stoning people for 'avin a pint? Come on get yourself a break and go meet a Muslim near to you. He or she probably won't bite. They might invite you for tea though.
Personally I feel the 'politics' line was crossed with your first post about the Muslim subject. I had to reply but I'm happy to steer it back to the more on topic macro geopolitical / military stuff. ---
It will be 'interesting' to see what happens in the region after the, sort of, inevitable regime (Assad) victory over the rebels in Idlib. I hope it's not just the next phase of conflict, but I have some fears. There are a lot of players on the board, with converging interests. Turkey will be among the first with the ball in their court. Will they pull their (proxy) forces out of Syria and how about the Kurds? The Iranian block becomes stronger. Israel is not happy, there is always something about oil, wuddabout US, 😉 etc. 

Yes, unfortunately I fear the battle for Idlib will also feature more of those brutalities. One can hope one day Assad will see trial for his crimes, not holding my breath though. 

I don't think anyone doubted the existence of certain articles (although thesun? seriously? 🙂 ) Anyhow it's still bullocks. Besides; how does 'a growing population' equal to factual tangible pressure to 'include' Sharia law.? Also, like... what laws? Stoning people for 'avin a pint? Come on get yourself a break and go meet a Muslim near to you. He or she probably won't bite. They might invite you for tea though.
Personally I feel the 'politics' line was crossed with your first post about the Muslim subject. I had to reply but I'm happy to steer it back to the more on topic macro geopolitical / military stuff. ---
It will be 'interesting' to see what happens in the region after the, sort of, inevitable regime (Assad) victory over the rebels in Idlib. I hope it's not just the next phase of conflict, but I have some fears. There are a lot of players on the board, with converging interests. Turkey will be among the first with the ball in their court. Will they pull their (proxy) forces out of Syria and how about the Kurds? The Iranian block becomes stronger. Israel is not happy, there is always something about oil, wuddabout US, 😉 etc. 

Dead Cells, Terraria, Undertale, Unturned, Stardew Valley, Stanley Parable, Player Unknowns Battle Grounds (Which is pretty crap but successful nonetheless), Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight, Insurgency, Guns of Icarus (Pretty old now with a dwindling playerbase but it was great back in the day), Don't Starve, FTL: Faster then light, Door Kickers, Cold Waters, Atlantic Fleet, Mount and Blade Series.
All of those games are just from my Steam, and I do think countless is a good word for what I was talking about. All of these games were extremely popular due to the exposure/availability they have on Steam, if you asked them what the primary cause of there success was it would probably be that there game was fun to play in the first place and Steam allowed them to promote/sell it. Especially games like Cold Waters which is a niche submarine combat game benefited from the exposure it got on Steam, people who have never played sub games gave it a shot and liked it and it was financially beneficial to the guys who made it. You can tell because they released free updated for a year and an entire new campaign in the South China Sea with new units and the like.
I'm well aware there's plenty of crap on Steam and they do a god awful job of managing all of it but the fact of the matter is that Steam helps way more then it hurts in a lot of cases. The phobia of Steam on this website is frankly hilarious and the world zips on by as all of you laugh into the wind at a service that millions of people benefit from and enjoy.
We're way off topic now, I hope the OP actually got what he wanted from this thread even after it was derailed right off the bat by a useless, toxic comment.

Steam is the reason why PC gaming has lived as long as it has. It is THE digital distribution platform for PC for which all others strive to be.

It has done so well that Valve doesn't need to produce games anymore. Valve's bread and butter, Half-Life, has been all but tossed to the wayside because they don't need it to survive anymore. In the age of the $60USD AAA console game title Steam is the reigns king by providing it's users with a plethora of indy and AAA title games.
I will support small developers that release solid games like our beloved Battlefront, but there is a reason why Steam is one of the first programs installed on my PC on a new build or re-install.

Huge fan of steam. Gone are the days of having to search for patches... oh wait... 🤔 😋
 
I understand the argument made by the developers against Steam but from a customer standpoint, I see nothing but value. 

Yes, we hates it, yes we do. It steals our Precious, yes it does.

Lots of us is old and we hates it forever.
 
😉