Childress

Yet the author mentions that unhorsed crews would remount available tanks, sometimes several times, in the course of a battle.

Thanks, John. Both the article and the video were gruesome! I think I'll skip lunch today....

I meant they look funky (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=funky) in a graphical way. Like, as some allege, the rendition of the King Tiger in CMBN

As were jeeps & trucks (to discourage gamey maneuvers). The pressing question is: are these penalties operative in CM2? There appear to be some 'eminences grises' with an interest in maintaining the opacity of the final results screen. I suspect some Islamist splinter group. Or maybe the Bilderbergers.

They may seem like a good idea but, yes, give those suckers a wide berth. Unless you dig grapes. On offense or defense.

How did he know that he killed the pilot?

Maybe we'll get them in the next module. Speaking of Italian arms BF might consider revisiting some of the Italian tankette models. Apart from the Renault they seem very low poly.

Hey! Not cool! Some of us were born with that condition. I've decided to not 'ignore' you given your past contributions but I did alert the NAAHP.

I expect a high level of simulation from CM which, imo, it provides. But not a perfect one. Also we need, perhaps, to accept that Wego CM and RT CM are similar but not identical games. It's simpler to execute a precise ambush in RT. And it's easier to get your troops to bug out of a Mortar attack in RT when the spotting rounds fall. Or to reverse your tank out of range of a AT gun discovered in mid-turn. Different strokes...

You're right, of course. But this rates as just an anecdote.

Everybody's discounting the suppression effect of pistol fire. Even if no one's hit the effect of bullets whistling through the foliage a few meters away will concentrate the mind wonderfully. You will slow down or cower.

But not the German MG 42 with its notorious buzz saw signature.

Because MGs possess a distinctive sound that differentiate them from rifles. They would be readily identified on the battlefield. At least, once they've opened up. My principal objection is the game providing the unit affiliation, e.g., '3 Squad'.

It can work, yes, you're right. But I find it sub-optimal since, as you admitted, it requires manual input; one's at the mercy of the clock intervals. I recall it was automatic in CM1, but I'm sure BF had their reasons for adjusting the mechanism.

So, no go in wego....

Are you sure about that, Jon? Unless this is something new with CMFI. I tried this technique in CMBN to no avail; namely an HQ overlooking from the 2nd floor a CA endowed squad hiding behind a wall below . Mind, This wasn't tested thoroughly. But if true, it really opens up the tactical options.

You're right. Especially being shown the squad #. E.g., 'Mortar Ammo Bearer team 3'. Now we know the enemy as at least 'three' of those weapons: 'Men, disperse!'. Actually, now that I think about, if they just removed that info I'd be OK with the entire system. But there's likely some coding stumbling block otherwise BF would have removed it by now.

OK, 'banzai'. Should have known you'd catch that, Mr Spelling Nazi, what with your vast, immaculately tended and, I daresay, poignant collection of chokkans and moyogis. (Yes, JonS has a feminine side)

Well, that wouldn't have helped Wittmann's cause at V-B. I believe, with others, that there might be more of 'shock' if one of the crew goes down than presently. Especially the commander. Now they may or not reverse a bit and show 'cautious' but they seem to get back in the swing of things awfully quickly. And I've never witnessed the Bonzai crew phenomenon. But it must happen since many have reported it.

I demand tripflares! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripflare (Sorry about the 'sic', John. Couldn't resist )

Frankly I don't see the downside. As the de facto leader I'd appreciate the option to move our Ace crew or unhorsed platoon commander into any AFV available. Certainly tankers should be restricted to the vehicles they've trained in, e.g., the Tiger with it's special demands and unique steering system. Getting the AI to perform such calculated transfers is another story. A bit O/T: I wish BF would consider modelling Fatigue for vehicle crews engaged in intense and prolonged action.

Yet that is precisely what Michael Wittmann and his crew did at Villers-Bocage.

From Sicily Today: 'Much of the wild vegetation, like the papyrus, palm trees and stone pines, is typically Mediterranean, but certain fir trees are similar to species found in much cooler climates' It mentions, however, that from Sicily in the south to the Italian Riviera in the north, tens of thousands of palm trees are dead or dying as a result of the insatiable appetite of an army of red palm weevils. Annoying little buggers. As far as CMFI is concerned it all comes down to chrome anyway.

Yeah, I considered that. From the photo it's clear why the vines provide little concealment in game.

I understand that palm trees were pretty common in Sicily particularly in the Southwest, near the beach fronts and around Mt Aetna. Roman coins found on the island show palm trees on the obverse. They appear to be absent from the game. Vineyards: they're arduous for infantry to cross, unless it's with the grain. They provide next to zero concealment. And a vehicle attempting to traverse them ends up immobilized immediately. What's their function in game? Avoidance? This stock photo doesn't suggest a formidable barrier for grunts, though it may not be typical.