Hilts

Milk? I assumed it was a latrine bucket......

I have to commend the design guys at Battlefront for the tremendous detail on all the vehicles in CMBN. I like the way they look and move, the way the suspension works when they stop and I've just noticed that one of my Panthers even has a bucket hanging on the back of it between the exhausts. How cool is that?

It was 283 metres from HQ to trees. When I toggle trees full on there is a line of trees along a road between the HQ and the clump of trees. Actually, when I see it with trees at full toggle (I usually plot my moves with trees at half toggle) I am amazed that the HQ could see the clump at all! I suppose this would make spotting difficult. Do you think that's why the spotting rounds were all over the place and the mortar refused to fire? Sorry, no saved game.

Hi all, Has anyone got a logical explanation for this or is it a bug? There was a small isolated clump of trees in which I suspected there were some enemy troops. My HQ unit had direct LOS to the trees. The mortar unit was about twenty yards away from the HQ and in full C&C. Both units were regular and the HQ had a +1 leader rating. Neither were under fire nor even observed. I issued the indirect fire order and waited the four minutes. The first spotting round landed right on target. Next GT I waited in excited anticipation for the bombardment to begin. I was surprised to see another spotting round fired which landed about 200 yards beyond the target! The third round landed about two hundred yards to the left of the target. I let this go on for about four GT's with spotting rounds well frankly landing all over the place. Eventually after wasting 8 rounds I had to cancel the mission and move the mortar to direct fire on the wood, which was carried out with great success......

Hi all, I've got a two man tank hunter team hiding behind a low hedge. They have used up their fausts but still have two demo charges left. At the other side of the hedge is a Sherman. I want to take it out with a demo charge. If I issue a target order on the tank will they lob the demo charges automatically or will they open up with their MP40's to no avail? Also, does anyone know what the maximum range is to throw a demo charge? In CM1 it used to be about 30metres but the "use explosive" instruction seems to have disappeared in CMBN.

Check out The Eagle Has Landed scenario. That has a nice (English) church in it with tower and even Michael Caine!

My tank is on a reverse slope. I want to move up to the crest hull down, pause for 30 seconds to check for targets and then reverse. I issue a move order then a slow move to hull down, click on the waypoint and pause for 30 seconds and then issue a reverse order. I notice that the reverse order will only take me back to the preceeding waypoint. (I had intended to reverse back much further) This seemed odd so I redid it and the same thing happened. I decided to proceed anyway. To my horror the tank moved to the first waypoint and then instead of slow moving to hull down it turned through 180 degrees and proceeded to the hull down position in reverse and then paused like a sitting duck for the rest of the turn with it's arse nicely presented to all and sundry...... I half expected my crew to dismount and bend over as well! WTF?

I'm looking for a new opponent and would be happy to play you and show you the ropes. If you wish, you can contact me at: csgowland-cmbn@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks for your answers. It sounds like the most logical explanation is terrain blocking the trajectory of the shell. If this is the case though wouldn't the gun fire anyway and simply hit the terrain (being on the reverse slope prevents the gunners from seeing the terrain) or does the AI take over and prevent the gun from firing and wasting ammunition? Just out of interest, do we know what the minimum range is for the gun in indirect fire?

Are 75mm on map infantry guns designed for indirect fire? I've got the gun dug in on a reverse slope with it's Co HQ alongside (with radio). Trying to instigate indirect fire from an observer is almost impossible. Whole areas that are clearly in LOS of the observer are not eligible for indirect fire from this gun. I just get the red circle with the line through when trying to plot area or point fire. I don't think it's a minimum range thing.

Hmmm, you might have a point. I can't remember. I had assumed the explosives had gone inside. I'm not sure that the occupants (if they heard an explosion going off to the rear of the bunker) would necessarily decide to run out the back door! In any case I shot all four of them as they ran out.

This is a very valid point and I agree with it. If neither the mortar nor anyone within shouting distance can see the TRP then it would be unrealistic for the mortar to suddenly start pounding the TRP when enemy troops appear. I'm all in favour of making the game as realistic as possible.

Well, in the particular scenario I was playing, I had neither armour, artillery or mortars and the guy carrying the bazooka was shot within LOS of the bunker, which would have made trying to pick it up, suicidal. I did some tests and managed to lob a demo charge in the back in one and in another, a grenade. Both had the same effect i.e the bunker was destroyed (or rather abandoned) because in both cases none of the four occupants were killed. They just ran out the back! Wouldn't you have expected a demo charge or even a grenade going off in such a confined space to have killed or wounded the whole lot of them?

Thanks, mate!

Can mortars direct fire on or in the vicinity of a TRP if they do not have a LOS to it? If so, up to what radius from the TRP is possible?

I agree. Guns should have been given a reverse capability. It would have been more realistic. To sum up it sounds like it's going to take at least ten minutes from start to finish to move my gun eight metres! That's not worth it so I will leave it where it is and make damn sure I position it right next time....

My guys didn't but then I may have been more to the side than the rear. Anyway it's good to know that demo charges are still effective against pillboxes. Cheers.

What's the best way of infantry taking out a wooden pillbox? I sneaked up behind one with three guys carrying two demo charges but was unable to throw one in, like in the old days. I ordered it to land as close as I could but of course it had no effect. Then to make things worse the three guys charged after it, out into the open presumably as if they had made a breach in a wall/hedge. Somehow they managed to dive back into cover unharmed, under a hail of bullets from the four occupants of the pillbox!

Excellent..... thanks mate.

Just issuing it with a movement order will make it pack up automatically, won't it? I don't have to also click on the deploy button.... right?

It's a Pak40 with a veteran crew and a +2 leader rating. It is however out of command. I didn't realise it could take so long to pack up. I waited 3 minutes on one occasion and assumed this would be enough. I will try it again, for a longer period. Cheers

I've got an AT gun hidden behind a hedge. I want to move it a few yards further down to get a different field of fire. Over a number of game turns I've issued it with loads of movement orders via the hotkey but it refuses to budge. It is not pinned nor even observed by the enemy. Anyone get any likely explanations? Thanks.....

Good point. I hadn't thought of that. However, if my men do get shot to pieces when my opponent finally comes into view, I'll be bloody annoyed!

Yeah, I have set a face order. I can confirm that my men are at least facing the right way!