Bud Backer

OK, I get the idea of supporting guns, that makes sense. But the distances you cite seem... Far? Remember the map dimensions: RU001 If I take you literally, one should have no HMGs on this map except perhaps right along the north end, furthest away from me, and I'm sure you don't mean that. Can you elaborate?

Bil, how do you get topo to be visible in the editor? I somehow missed that.

Still can't believe how good this game looks! Nice shots, MOS!

It was an unpleasant lesson, but I'd never used them before and I hopefully will never repeat the mistakes I made!

I'm delighted you enjoyed it. It's a lot of work but comments like these make it worthwhile

I have experienced this in CMFI and CMBN. In CMFI the problem was a building on very steeply sloped ground. The doors were somewhat "buried" in dirt. Oddly it only prevented egress, not entry. It is reported as a bug internally.

Depends on what type of multiplayer experience you mean. Real time play I have never done so I can't help you there. But if you are talking about play by mail (PBEM) then I can perhaps give you some clarity. To have a PBEM game, you can either select Battle and play a pre-made scenario, or, your can select Quick Battle and make your own custom (or as random as you choose) battle. You have to pick the side you wish to play, and the game will automatically save once you have gone as far as you can. Then you can go to the Outgoing Mail folder and take the file that is there, and send it to your opponent. When they take their turn, and send It back to you, you put it in the incoming Mail folder and then load the game and take your turn. This goes on repeatedly until the game is over. It really sounds a lot more laborious than it is. If you have more questions don't be shy to ask.

@kohlenklau and I have made almost a gaming career together out of tiny battles. Less than a company, more than a platoon, seems to hit a sweet spot of excitement and ease of play.

Your situation is going to be something that likely will need a custom solution, if one is possible, so a generic answer isn't going to be possible. Likely a consideration as to whether to reply publicly or not.

Minutes 35-33 Part 3: On AOA 1, 3/2 squad is ordered to advance to the small woods on the left, bringing them a bit closer to the objective and observation range of the contacts in the town. The IS-2 that brought them moves to the edge of the woods to provide cover. The original IS-2 and armoured car and both sections of 3/3 squad remain where they are, observing and ready to provide cover fire. The two HQ T34s and their infantry arrive at KT 2. RU120 I was worried about 3/2 squad taking fire as it walked over to the copse on the left, but with the IS-2 and a couple of squads of infantry doing nothing but overwatch, it is a reasonably safe bet they would be protected. They reach the trees, and almost immediately, spot an HMG42 position forward of the town. RU121 As the newly arrived Tankodesantniki dismount and advance into KT 2, a second HMG42 is spotted. RU122 I definitely can’t advance with infantry across those open fields of grass without some prep…. As the west-most IS-2 stays alert for newcomers, the other bombards the HMG42, with success. RU123 The HMG42 disappears from view. Now the tricky part comes: seeing what else is here before I advance. I know there is a Marder shifting westward toward this force. Alone, it is no threat, but what else lies in wait here? RU124 Now that both KT 1 and KT 2 are in my hands, I have options, and decisions ahead.

Thank you very much!

Thank you for your comments, Bulletpoint. I'm glad you see an improvement over my first CAAR in Normandy. You learn by doing, and I did a lot in that first comic. I restrained myself from changing in media res, saving alterations in technique or approach to the Russian comic. You are correct about changing the camera angle. It's tricky, because I don't want to always show the same thing - especially when the men or vehicles have not moved since the last time I showed them, only the circumstances around them have. I fear it will be repetitive to show a succession of near-identical shots. While I was aware of the very issue you mention, I wasn't sure how to change my presentation. Something I'm still working on.... Hopefully APACHE will be an improvement over this comic. Yeah, the Nooooo is, IIRC, a graphical element, not a speech bubble. The graphical elements are either something I have to make by hand or came with my software. If they came with the software then they are all universally English. The ending was unfortunately what actually happened in the battle. One of the problems with converting a CM battle into a comic is that it's tragically realistic at times, with moments of action punctuated by longer periods of inaction. I'm still learning how to make that look more interesting. Thank you for reading!

This question is one best asked of the the company itself. This forum is for users, such as you and I, but anything outside the normal sales method would require Battlefront to answer you directly. Best thing is to open a Helpdesk ticket and see what they can do for you. Go to: Helpdesk and click + New Ticket in the upper right corner, and explain your situation and what you'd like to do. You have nothing to lose.

That will be nice to read.

Great topic, I also struggle with wheat fields. Thus far I've either lost crazy amounts of men crossing them openly, or have utterly exhausted squads crawling through them. Neither produced any form of success on the battlefield. I think the replies to this thread really reinforce the need for cover fire in all circumstances, and this is just one where it has a big impact.

LOL you really need to consider writing novels! I used to charge with tanks a lot in the past - and largely stopped because I kept finding smoking wrecks... Grrrr. It was refreshing to be aggressive in a good way finally. That FO... ugh, I don't know what hit it. I could go looking but at this point, dead is dead, and it wasn't some German mystery weapon I need to identify...

I was just kidding!

Minutes 35-33 Part Two: As 3/1 squad runs toward the last two farmhouses, they pause and spot a German Marder III as it moves westward, no doubt in response to my presence on AOA 1 to the west. This is good, as what I have on AOA 1 is more than a match for a Marder. RU112 The 2nd Tank Platoon HQ fires at the HMG behind farmhouse #4. The shot hits the HMG team and kills one man. RU113 The survivors do not last long as the 1st Platoon HQ tank moves between the houses and is joined by 3/1 squad in the adjacent house. Together they kill the remaining HQ and HMG team members. RU114 2/2 Tank fires on and destroys what is left of a German HQ - likely part of the HMG platoon that was entrenched behind the farmhouses. RU115 In the eastern corner, I wanted to deal with the armour contact. I gave 2/1 tank orders to remain unbuttoned to hopefully spot the German vehicle, and second, I ordered the T34 to area fire using Target Briefly where I saw the contact. I wanted to either spook the enemy into withdrawing, or opening fire where I had plenty of eyes to see it. I’m not sure if this is a valid tactic in the game, so please tell me! RU116 A couple of shots and what was just a contact becomes another Marder. The first shot is a very near miss. I watch anxiously as my crew reloads, and the subsequent shot kills it. RU117 A few individual soldiers are visible running away, or even more distantly, moving among the buildings on the objective proper. RU118 In effect, I own KT 1. RU119 On a side note, I can't fire my remaining rocket artillery. In the fray for the farmhouses, somehow the Forward Observer, though in woods and in Hide mode and well back, got hit. The radioman is left unscathed but with nothing to do.

No, it's not new. If you go back a page you will see it's mentioned and shown in two screenshots RU099 RU100 Your analysis may be quite right. Certainly the spotting of the armour contact was worrisome for me and you will see what I do about that in the next 2 posts.

Yes, I'm finally feeling like my ideas are working. Not cheaply in terms of manpower losses, but I'm getting somewhere at last! Yes, the panzerschrek could have been trouble. It's good that I have moved a fair bit of infantry into the woods behind the farmhouses, and it was spotted quickly. I was lucky, to be sure. My guess is that my opponent bought an HMG platoon - hence the HQ. In the farmhouses I don't think I ran into any actual squads, those were in the woods in my initial advance. Driving up to that building was a calculated risk - less crazy - I hope! - than it may seem from a screenshot. The two last buildings were under almost continuous fire from other tanks for suppression; my charge was just to put some close range HE right in their bellies.

Minutes 35-33: With the first two houses on KT 1 under my control, and a good part of the woods as well, I’m finally picking up some momentum. I think the third house is now empty as well, but the last two had men firing on mine. I spot a German HQ in the second to last building. RU105 The plan is to: -Bring 1st and 2nd squads more north via the woods to investigate the armour contact, and to move behind the German lines concentrated on the farmhouses on KT 1. -Bring armour support to 1st and 2nd squads, and to have 1 tank engage with area fire on the armour contact and see if it can trick my opponent into thinking I have spotted a clear target. -Bring tanks west along the front of the farmhouses, and blast the infantry in the last two houses with HE. -Stop using 3rd squad for supporting 1st and second, and send it west to support my armour around the last two farmhouses. With the two tank rider squads that were shot off their transports each down to 1-3 men, I need more eyes and rifles westward. RU106 2B/1 covers while 2A/1 and both sections of 1/1 squad move north in the woods. 2A/1 runs afoul of mines in the woods, losing two men of the five-man section. RU107 While that is happening, the two tanks behind the farmhouses advance to be able to engage what is in and beyond the woods. RU108 One immediately takes out the panzershreck team that fired earlier. RU109 The 1st Platoon HQ tank charges at full speed toward the second to last farmhouse. Its first shot hits the house, driving the German HQ out of it. The second kills part of the German HQ, and then a third shot back at the house drives out another HMG42. RU110 I back off that T34 to move it behind the farmhouses, while 3/1 squad trots up past the front yards, heading to the house I just cleared to cover my tank and get ready for the final house assault. 2/2 Tank moves between the other two farmhouses, while 2nd Tank Platoons HQ takes aim at the evicted HMG team. RU111 More to come!

Hey! I resemble that remark!

Nice AAR, Rinaldi. I enjoyed your commentary and explanations, and it's great to see it complete with a nice summary/analysis at the end. Congratulations on your victory, I think you did great!

The top one seems notably more saturated than the other three. I wonder why. I like the others, they look very nice, but the top looks less real - to me. Nice job with the mod. :)

I can't find out how to use UBB code either. And any HTML I use gets treated like ordinary text.