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Buzz

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    Monte Cassino

    in Combat Mission Fortress Italy

    Posted

    It is possible to model the elevation changes for this area in the editor. I just made a quick prototype map of the eastern slope to see what it would look like, and it is definitely workable, although it will require a very large amount of fiddling with the elevations and winding roads to get it to look right. After all, the extremely steep slopes in this area are a bit of an outlier for the battlefields that CM is designed to depict!

    A huge map covering both the monastery and the Cassino town is doable, but will be quite difficult when you factor in the saturation of combat units, the size of the town, the distances involved, and the elevation changes. It's probably better to make smaller maps focused on the important battlefields.

    The heights to the northwest of the monastery are definitely doable. I know because the map for it has already been made. ;) One of the four module campaigns, the Polish campaign, will cover this map for the fourth battle of Monte Cassino. This map is about 2kmx2km large and is centered on Phantom Ridge, Cavendish Road, Snakeshead Ridge, and the Albaneta Farm. At least, the master map is that large. Actual scenario maps will be smaller chunks of it.

    We have no plans to make a special building structure for the Cassino monastery. It's huge, geometrically complex for a CM building, initially intact and then mostly rubbled after February, and not actually the scene of any major Combat Mission-scale battles itself. It'd be a tremendous waste of artist and programming resources to make. Modular buildings butted together will suffice and still present one heck of an intimidating structure.

    Thanks for the Monte Cassino map info Normal Dude. Actual scenario maps in smaller chunks in a campaign would IMO not only be more easily played on moderate CPUs but more in keeping with the multiple battles over 4 months.

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    Incredible Footage

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    Syria's "Stalingrad"?

    Wicky, "All-in-all quite harrowing to watch, especially when a tank gun barrel points directly at the camera …" A tank gun barrel should get your attention if you plan to survive. I had a similar gut reaction.

    I was surprised at how much tank gun barrel swinging was happening in such confined space and the lack of any visible infantry support.

    I am using Aris Dust & Smoke, Flames, HD Explosion, Tank Muzzle Fire and Muzzle Fire Tracers in CMSF MAC. They are great at enhancing the game experience.

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    Are new modules more about adding new equipment than features ?

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    It is just you Scottie. Consider yourself stricken. ;)

    Just joking Scottie. :)

    I have the entire repast for CMFI,CMBN/CW & CMSF MAC. Added a helping helping of Repository & GAJ CMMW's MOD specials. My issue is I don't have enough time to play in my vital toy box.

    Wodin is right that a new east front series and Shock Force 2 are going to be very successful and sought after games but keep your eye on CMFI when we hit the mainland. I think folks are going to be pleasantly surprised.

    Phil is correct as well. "You might dig playing around in the scenario editor." There is plenty of game enjoyment in making scenarios and then playing them out. I might add fighting "Little Wars" in Real Time can be very exciting and hardly tedious. Want to up the game excitement then play RT w/o pauses.

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    I See a Big Potential Problem with Gustav Module

    in Combat Mission Fortress Italy

    Posted

    "It sounds like you guys have been eating too much saturated fats. Your arteries have become clogged. You'll just have to pace yourselves and only experience the thrills a little at a time. Fellows your age need to take it easy."

    Michael

    ----------

    Believe me, we are conscious of the fact that there's only so much stuff you guys can absorb within a given space of time. The good news for you is that if you don't have time/money to buy something today, it will be waiting for you when you do. Right now we've got a lot of stuff announced, however it still takes us time to put them out.

    The gap between Normandy Upgrade 2.0 and Gustav Line, for example, is probably going to be about 4 months. And those are for two separate Families. If you look at the gap of time between Fortress Italy's first release and Gustav Line it's about 7 months. Which means for someone only interested in Italy there's a pretty good sized gap between the two. Likewise, Normandy customers will probably have around 5-6 months between when Upgrade 2.0 and Market Garden come out.

    The gamers that are hit the hardest are ones like me. I love all this stuff and so, yeah, there's going to be quite a pile of things to choose from! Which is never a bad thing IMHO

    Steve

    ---------

    One thing I've been noticing are the number of posters who have held back then purchased 2-3 items at a time. Held back on CMBN but snapped-up CMBN/commonwealth. Have held back on CMFI but will snap up CMFI/Gustav Line. Its as though the title reaches a critical mass like a fission reaction then you can't NOT purchase it!

    Mikey D

    ====================

    The comments above are from those who know.

    My humble notes / opinions would include:

    1 Saturated fats fortify one for a full day & night of wargaming (along with liberal lubricants of liquid emulsifiers) & regular exercise.

    Stabilize Yourself! Get a Grip soldier! :)

    2 Having wargaming resources a click away (digital down load) "is a good thing" for you, me and BFC. If you want to eat a good meal you have to assure the farmer grows the crops. Relative to what we most all spend on … phones, cable, entertainment, etc. BFC gaming costs are minor.

    3 If you "love all this stuff.." you don't have to "choose". Exercise your virility and buy all you want. You WILL find time to play with your stuff. If you do not find time to play with your stuff… move it along to light the fire on some wanna be war game guy or gal who just has not seen the Light of the Bren Stuns yet….. ;)

    4 "…the number of posters who have held back then purchased 2-3 items at a time…Its as though the title reaches a critical mass like a fission reaction then you can't NOT purchase it! "

    You KNOW you are gonna get it all so why not get it all and ENJOY it all?:)

    5 We could get DRONEs in SF2!:D

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    Gustav Line.

    in Combat Mission Fortress Italy

    Posted

    "Gustav line is going to be big. I mean physically, really really big."

    Yes…. really really big!… "Michael Emrys seems to have nailed it."

    :)

    And then we move North cause it ain't over there.

    "The problem with Italy is there were SO MANY different forces fighting all at the same time. It was probably the single largest mix of international forces until modern times."

    Monte Cassino from what I was told … the 1st hand World War II experiences from those veterans who (now passed) actually FOUGHT… literally from North Africa to the top of Italy … Monte Cassino was a VERY eclectic group of participants, equipment and very, very BRUTAL fighting in very unforgiving terrain. Their description of the fighting ferocity of various units (especially the Polish and Indians) was petrifying to me decades removed from the conflict.

    Italy (with all it's warts and mistakes) is IMO often a very under appreciated yet significant part of WWII.

    Bring on the Modules and Packs…. (and maybe DRONES for SF2):D

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    Gustav Line.

    in Combat Mission Fortress Italy

    Posted

    Packs...Modules... Free French! Indians (Gurkhas?), South Africans, Waffen SS, Italian Fascist forces...

    Party Time:)

    "Packs are designed to fill in the gaps that a single Module can't plug. It's a good system given development realities."

    Good business as well, IMO.

    "our artists have been picking away at Bagration and Shock Force 2 for the last year or so. Now that Gustav Line is done (on that score) and Market Garden is nearly finished (again, speaking of artwork), the team will soon switch over full time to finish up the mountain of work both of those new theaters require."

    Shock Force 2 and for a MAC! Fire up the hot ones.... when the game arrives that is :D

    *Drones... Hmmm.. Drones...*

    And as I type the clouds separate, the warmth of the sun fills my war room as the news of the next round of FUN.

    Thanks,

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    What Uniform Mods?

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    Thanks Tashtego

    EZ uniforms look very nice

    "The really good modders might have a list, but I just opened the file and looked in and saw what the file naming protocol was and went from there."

    Just set up some separate folders in my Z folder for the different groups with appropriate icons on the folders for me to keep it visually simple for me. mac_modtools-1.0 should come in handy for opening the uniform mods.

    "Regarding uniform research, you should post your questions on the main forum. There are guys here that can tell you how many buttons a shirt had, what they were made of, and how many stitches it took to hold them on."

    That is some serious Uniform Grog knowledge! I will check the main forum.

    "So no TWO 101st Airborne mod sets in the Z folder at the same time?"

    On your last question, I'm not sure. Somebody might have a clever work around for it. I don't. But somebody might.

    Thanks again helping me get the right uniforms on the right units.

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    What Uniform Mods?

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    Thanks for all the information and links guys.

    Tashtego, Who's US uniform mod did you rename?

    Is there a available renaming guide for CMBN 2.0 Upgrade?

    I guess opening the uniform .BRZs and separating them in folders is currently the best way to know what you have?

    Did a search to try and educate myself on uniforms. Still confused but that could be from 1960s-70s flashbacks ... :D... just kidding!

    What would be the best concise authentic uniform resource besides Steve's closet?

    It would seem you should not have TWO different .BRZz of the same uniform options in the Z folder at one time?

    Appearance Options

    Standard

    Mixed Camo

    Panzergrenadier

    Mixed Camo

    Full Camo

    82nd Airborne

    101st Airborne

    No Camo

    Armored Engineer

    So no TWO 101st Airborne mod sets in the Z folder at the same time?

    Is that corrcect?

    0

    New file at the Repository: Habibollah Kalay (2013-01-13)

    in CMSF Scenario and Mod Design Forum

    Posted

    "Reference the offensive support, I have also found that you need a mix of offensive support and suppressive fire to keep the Taliban down. Mortars I tend to use on point targets with lots of short or quick missions right on top of identified enemy units in the irrigation ditches/tree lines. "

    I think I am going to restart using this advice. I too thought I had decimated the enemy with some serious pounding from the sky but I was wrong. I probably didn't use enough suppressive fire to keep the Taliban down and I got chewed up.

    Good challenge Combatintman.

    Thanks,

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