kohlenklau

I just found out I should have been using DIN 1451 Mittelschrift and NOT the previously mentioned Breistschrift... Live and learn!

Here is a great website with lots of DIN 1451 info... https://fontsarena.com/blog/free-din-font-and-alternatives/

Here is a cool one for German roadsigns. In use since 1931! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_1451 Though it seems you must scale it a bit for best appearance...and a few characters need tweaked. So not 100% the font used by BFC above.

For my computer, my fonts are in Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Fonts

This is a great tutorial for outlining text as you might need for some German tank numerals. https://itsfoss.com/gimp-text-outline/

Over the years I have developed a good appreciation for the fonts out there, free ones!, that help make CM modding so fun. I have usually written them down but that is the "Chili Recipe Story" if you lose the location of your notes. So, I decided I would take a short bit of time in this thread to document the names of these great fonts and also mention some of my favorite text tricks in GiMP. Probably available in other software as well. It will be a work in progress as I go through my fonts folder and link them to previous projects (roadsigns, building signs, vehicle numbers for various nations, etc.). Please anybody go ahead and feel free to post the names of your favorite fonts and show a screenshot of what they helped you mod...

You got me Tony! They always seemed iconic and so I took some time and made it happen...

This is a Blender modded PzIVE with custom jerrycan rack made in Tripoli and then some GiMP texture modding to the stub barrel and the vehicle markings: Balkenkreuz, "DAK" palm and "808"

Here is a nugget or 2 I have gathered over the years... I think you get 8 U groups U1-U8 (?) I never went up that high...might be +/- If you create a distinct U group, say U1 and it can be set to be 3 equal units, let say 3 blue tanks that the red side must destroy. You can set 50 points per tank for the 3 tanks, but U1 is equal to 150 and the computer works out the points assigned. Partial of 50 for immobilized. KO all three U1 tanks and you get 150. This ties back to your scenario briefing and maybe (your call) on if knocking out the 3 tanks was critical and clearly described, etc Exit objectives tied to the U group points value and how it is evaluated always messes with my mind. If those 3 blue tanks was also supposed to exit off the map edge for 50 points each...then stopping them adds to red sides total? Or subtracts? I always get it confused.

I gotta get some vehicle markings on her one of these days...

1941 Ost Front Scenario Hamburger Helper Quick Recipe: "FROZEN MEAT" Set time as January 45? Location in Eastern Europe I suppose. Cold. Snow on the ground. The new F&R winter uniforms really help. Set appearance as just greatcoats for Germans. If possible. Set Soviets to appropriate winter garb. Just have German "landsers" with HMG34 and maybe an infantry gun or Pak38 in some fortifications and trenches. Purchase the security troops "Sicherungs"(?) at 50% manning. Try to delete any squad with an MG42 or STG44. The Soviets can have some light tanks and armoured cars in winter camo. Sounds fun to me.

@Double Deuce This was an effort from many years back... A battle from the 1941/1942 timeframe when German forces had to hold fast.

YES. I enjoy them on my own hard drive. I have a prototype of earlier Soviet style uniforms with the collar and rank badges. German equipment in dunkelgrau. Tanks substituted in as needed using mdr shenanigans. Just for me against the AI. Other guys do this too...make mods for personal consumption and use. Skipping the greater effort to achieve the refinement required to release it to the forum is such a wonderful feeling to be honest. Or the opposite, you see the great effort required and just say nope, keep it rough sawn. :-)

??? I have no idea what you are talking about Spike. EDIT: Oh, got you now.

I used colorize on Italians with Hue-Saturation (Yellow) Lightness+21, Saturation +54. Hue-Saturation (Green) Saturation -66. White layer softlight mode 57% opacity. Trying to make these guys. Looking for the Pith helmet in a FREE stl file I can use Blender on.

It aint! I will press forward with other stuff. :-) I think it looks AOK for my personal use purposes. I am heading in to a "make mods/maps and scenarios just for my own usage" mode that takes away all the hassle and stress. :-) EDIT: for my own documentation purposes, I made a blending layer of all white, softlight mode, 10% opacity for all 3 bmp's.

Here she is. Just the weathering to do...

@Canuck21 Normally me no speaky Greeky. I checked and for all 3 files it was the same Color Profile. GiMP built-in sRGB. Should I convert to another Color Profile? E Pluribus Unum? Damn, that is Latin! I don't even know fake Greek...

I took a dropper of this color down below but got the above. I blame me. I just don't know what the f I am doing. But here is the Tamiya art work. Whatever. well, you got me. I will call it adequate for the color. Moving on for some final insignia and weathering and send it to battle!

I am gonna close the tent on this thread. I have tried to spend some of my time to show the forum that even a numb nut like me can do a few Blender projects to meld CM into what he wants. Nobody decided to PM me about this effort. No worry. Maybe folks will tinker on their own? GO FOR IT GUYS! Meanwhile I am gonna be doing more projects for my own use. I think it is actually best to enjoy them on my own hard drive and not worry to upload them or even discuss them. Crazy stuff that most would not understand. Making a certain tank out of another tank if it was "similar enough" for playing a computer game and having fun. Thanks for reading and take care! :-)

Thank you @John Kettler No, I do not have that particular book. I am inundated with numerous other books. In fact I have so many WW2 books that I told my wife that in a few years it will be my new mission to create an Ebay site and sell them all off before I kick the bucket. I have been to estate sales and seen the sad vestiges of a ww2 history buffs cherished books sold for pennies on the dollar. My 2 sons do know of my love for ww2 history but I do not expect them to bow and pray to the books after my demise. The process of selling them will involve a last read or at least a skim and appreciation of what I once held so dear. OK, still hold dear!

It is a new tank to CMX2 introduced with the recent CMRT F&R module... It was built in Canada, that is why it looks a tad green, still seasick from the voyage over...

Thanks Mark. I see things I need to do. I just need a checklist and will knock them out. 1. rust up the muffler 2. look to see what are tools or tool boxes and should be a different color. 3. use the [muddy] version of the original CMRT images to select and fill with a different color/texture to bring in some "sandy encrustations"...? As you know, it is my opinion, rightfully to have as a paying customer in an impersonal way, that BFC has flat out abandoned fans of the early war. Steve said in that F&R thread "...we'll never do Crete..." and all those type comments. I made a few beggings and pleadings for a set of "war gamers kits" type modules for CMFI or CMRT. Ready to pay $$$ for their efforts! I do not hold any hope that my fantasy will come true. Like when Farrah Fawcett did not emerge nude from my bedroom closet back when I was 13. Best wishes to them as a company. I now must try my best to see what I can do to fulfill my own desires using the CMX2 engine and its moddability with GiMP and Blender and Notepad++. Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the mods of war!

I used the Tamiya decals to guide me in selecting a font for the vehicle code T.47242 and found a decent enough match... They go on the turret sides. In the turret GiMP file you make a layer for each side of the turret. Do the text with the font and the font size. Position as desired. Then duplicate the layer. The first vehicle number layer is normal and the duplicate is reversed horizontally and then positioned on the image as desired. If you get it correct the first time, you are a lucky dog. You have to view in the game to know 100% for sure. Sometimes you can study the turret structure and see clues to know you'll get it right. That red "3" will be for next time. I will first try to make hull skirts in Blender. If I can't after a few valiant tries, then I will claim "vehicle modder's poetic license" and do something else. Put the number somewhere else or use an entirely different vehicle marking scheme. But I have also asked for some help on reducing what I call the "shimmer"..."brightness"..."luminence"... Standby.