AslakH

probably just the crater decals, etc.

The first thing I thought when seeing the german models in CMBN was "Airfix". I can live with that, I thought they looked like that when I was a kid. I grew up with british and american war flicks from the fifties and sixties when hordes of cellulose-germans sporting gloss "SS" decals on their helmets (even though they have WH uniforms) get cut down. But when the SS guys are in, and without smocks (maybe only erbsenmuster?) I'll be disappointed. Seems like a lot of effort went in to the Amis, not so much the germans. In the end it's just a game. When it is finished and released I will consider buying it based on user feedback. I too collect uniforms.

Old people shouldn't play RTS. Too much going on. Also, they shouldn't watch the commercials. They'll bust a nut just looking at all the colors. I digress. "WeGo" is so 1993. I don't get the "if it ain't realistic, I don't play it! Click fest!", and then playing WeGo because they can't react quickly enough or just want to cheat (you old'uns know what I mean! Following the rocket to find the source, etc). RTS is the future. ToW was OK. ToW2 was also OK. ToW2: Kursk was the straw that broke the camels back for me. Too many spotting issues, snag-bugs and the gameplay was sub-par. CM is the only RTS/TBS game I play right now. It simply is the best of its kind. And the only, apart from APK1943 (which isn't nearly as good and is only similar to CMx2).

gibsonm, well, I rather enjoy having the visuals. After reading about the "ever changing" CMx2 engine for the past two years, I'd expect something like decals. BUT, and it's a big "but", CMSF kicked ass without. CMx1 kicked ass without. It'll take much to be a gamebreaker when it comes to CMx2. The negative/positive thing is just a mindtrick I do when I am too excited! I'm just too damn pumped from the DAR. All giggling and skipping around.

So no penetration decals then. That's a step backwards. Revamped CMSF. But it'll be so AWESOME!

I can't find any info on decals (penetration decals, random numberplates, etc) on the forum. It's not listed with the features. Is this in? No penetration decals was fine 10 years ago. Every tank having the same tactical number was fine back when CMBO was released (after the skin had been modded by someone). I don't intend to be negative, but as of now, there's too much positive going on about this game. It frightens me, and I have to bring it down! Can't wait for it to come out! The DAR's got me all pumped.

Would be awesome to have longer bursts, or at least more frequent short bursts. Could it possibly be done with a "sustained fire" and "harassing fire" ("target" and "target light") command? Or something to that effect. I just woke up.

Well, I was talking about pre-1914 French. Don't know how it worked out in practise. Sometimes you get a really good idea, but it turns out it's not all that great. Might be the case with that gun?

Relining would cost more, and take more resources AFAIK. Drilling it up to 77mm would take less time and money. I don't know what kind of facilities the French had during the Great War, so I can't be 100% sure. I also can't comment on the tolerances regarding the barrels (thickness, etc) that may have contributed to not modifying the captured guns. Perhaps it was mere pre-war "good ideas".

The German 77mm cannon (FK96n/A) got its calibre from the idea that once captured, the enemy could not use it with minor alterations, since the closest French gun was 75mm. Us that make furniture say that it's easier to take something off, than to put something on. You can't make a 77mm barrel into a 75mm barrel. But the 75mm could be made into the 77 rather easily. Kinda nifty.

I never noticed the flashing. Just thought it was supposed to be like that. I've seen worse, so it didn't bother me. I was amazed to find it wasn't supposed to be like that. Now it bothers me even less. It's only during night. It doesn't(shouldn't) piss you off.

Yes, it was unbuttoned. I can't see the modern "digital battleground" in this. Seems like WW2, just with some fancy rockets and choppers. Fun, none the less.

I've noticed the same thing. It can't see a damned thing. Once a BMP drove into LOS, but it didn't see it till after it had missed (barely) two times on the 707. I just bail out the crew and use them for reserve security forces.

Haha! I love that movie. "The UNN" versus Charlie Chaplin and his evil nazis. It's really a grim future indeed.

First I played a series of night battles (5-6 maybe) where the APCs and tanks couldn't see anything. They were blind. The infantry on the other hand saw random, stationary enemies at a range of 300-400m. Then I did some tests at night and with smoke. The heat shouldn't be a problem at night. I also play with the european mod, so I never use the max heat options, always cool and hazy. Abstracted cover? I thought it was 1:1 no matter what. Selective 1:1, then. Well, I don't know and I don't care anymore. They have IR, somewhere, etc, etc.

The attitude thing was a joke. Don't get all pissy about it. I'm not saying CMSF doesn't model IR optics, but to what degree and how much. It crossed my mind while playing a series of night battles, and the infantry saw much more than the APCs, at the same range. I do not think it's a bug. Thanks for your help, Phillip. I am not sure I said it before.

Why do you want that? I want a WW2 game + all modules before December 22nd. But agreed, an IDF module would be cool.

Phillip, what's up with the attitude, man? I'm not saying it is a problem for me, and it still won't be a problem in CM:N (for obvious reasons). But I'm not talking from PR experience, I'm talking about real world experience. PR is something I play with some friends once in a while. It is a mere FPS game. And I know CMSF vehicles have all kinds of stuff "under the hood". It just baffled me how close you'd have to be to see enemies in the open. IR optics isn't a mastubatory fantasy for me. BUT, on a side note: I wouldn't move in the armour first, so the infantry can get the "?s" for me.

hoolaman, to give a more specific test answer: Range approx. 100m out. Population density: None. Terrain: Open Ground. Units: Various Bluefor APCs and Tanks Either combatant or fighter as enemy, can't remember. And no smoke involved. I still think the contact should be marked, as it is rather suspect having random civilians in the open during an engagement. But as I said, I'm just curious. As far as I know, western powers have the upper hand by far, even in the fictional 2008 setting. Oh, and I can't wait till I get some WWII night battling! No fancy doohickeys to help the yanks out when my MG42s churn them up.

Phillip, good points. But I wasn't talking about CM vs. PR. I was talking from what experience I have. And the tests I've made with CMSF tells me that they don't have IR or thermal. Unable to spot enemies in the open at night, flat ground. Blue vs. UNCON. But heck, it doesn't bother me that much, it's just a game. It's not like I'm actually inside the M1 or Leo. Just curious.

Project Reality (BF2), yep. Love it when the infantry pop smoke, and your APC/tank/helicopter has IR optics and a good position. Whole squads go down. Which brings me to my initial question: Where's the optics in CMSF?

During large-scale exercises, some of my buddies would joke around and say "the prisoners tried to escape", because they didn't want the job of escorting them 10km by foot. They felt it easier to "shoot them". I'm happy as long as there's prisoners to take in CM:N.

Hehe, no. She doesn't play computer games, and I've been all like "CM:N!!!" for a while. "What's that, dear?", then I have to explain that it isn't actually available, etc. and she gets pissy because she doesn't care about "things that don't exist". So, as soon as it is announced, I'll show her. And when the pre-order is online... hellz yeah. let's go, BFC!

I was wondering about the exact same thing. Would be cool if we'd get an "?" at some point on the map, and like in vegas, there might be contacts there or there might not be.. Too much stuff going on to make that happen, I'd rather just have the game announced so I can show the wife what I want for christmas. She says I'm not allowed to wish for "intangible stuff", like air-castle games or happiness. It's like being in a Dickens novel!

I thought western IR optics could see through smoke? Seems like my tanks and IFVs never use what they have available. Like night battles - tanks can't see ****. What happened to the optics!? I'll play PR and get my optics fill, then play some CMx2