db_zero

I remember that scene.... I would say that would not be classified as a HMG in CMBN terms, but a light/medium MG. The heavy MGs for Americans have a water cooled barrel, and the Vickers if I'm not mistaken had a water cooled barrel too. The German MG34/42 gets a bit more complicated as the type of mount as well as the sighting system dictates whether its in a light, medium or heavy MG role. Firing a heavy Vickers or Browning with a water cooled barrel ala Band of Brothers style from a window still hmmmm. There have been a few exceptions -in Guadalcanal there was a case of someone using a watercooled Browning with their bare hands and no mounts, but that was at close range against charging Japanese soldiers. That was normally not the case and expecting any sort of accuracy at distance was asking the impossible when a HMG was not properly setup. I'm sure there is someone who can go into more detail about all of this. Perhaps for this discussion there needs to be a distinction made between a machine gun in a heavy, medium or light role-not just whether its crewed served or not.

I would also guess that some MG's are easier to setup to fire in an enclosed building than others. MG's with water jackets as well as a heavy MG like a Ma Duce could be an absolute PITA to setup. The German MG42 which could be configured as a light, medium or heavy MG is another story. You could just use it as a LMG and get it into action quickly. I thinks we need someone with some real world experience to settle this

I have no opinion either way. That being said I could easily see how setting up a heavy MG that needs a stable firing platform could take some time. You can't fire bazookas or Panzerfausts from within a building due to back blast. I would also add I would not want to be in an enclosed space when a HMG is going off-especially if it were setup so its barrel was not sticking out the window so as to not be seen as easily-and the blast was being vented away from anyone inside the building. I never had the pleasure of experiencing it nor do I want to. I have been in an enclosed space when someone next to me was firing a AR15 chambered for .308 with a aftermarket barrel with muzzle brake and it was very unpleasant to say the least-and I had ear protection on and the freaking muzzle of his gun was protruding outside the window. I would venture to guess that setting up a HMG inside a building take a lot of time and preparation.

Nice. In the meantime I'll have to watch A Bridge Too Far on DVD. Sometimes I wish they would remake some of the classics like ABTF, Bridge at Remagen, Play Dirty, Tobruk and others, but then again when I see how Hollywood has butchered some of the classics they decided to remake, it may be better to leave them alone.

I clicked on the link and wished I didn't-I couldn't make it through the whole thing.

Another SPI monster game Highway to the Reich had Kreigsmarine units and I'm pretty sure they were in Atlantic Wall too.

Wouldn't be out of place at all. During the Battle of the Buldge cooks and band members were given rifles and sent to the front lines where they were slaughtered, but they served their purpose at the time. I'm also pretty sure that when the vital port of Cherbourg was under siege many 'non combat' German trops were given weapons and manned defensive positions, so no Luftwaffe troops fighting would not be of of place, but their experience and motivation levels should reflect the fact they are not front line troops and their leaders too should be sub par.

IIRC back in the day when I had SPIs monster game Atlantic Wall you had many Luftwaffe ground units to use as cannon fodder. I think a division was moved down from another sector of the AW and got pretty beat up.

Just voted. Great job. One of the most unappreciated games out there.

In some battles I notice when you unload an APC the mounted gun is unmanned. I found myself resorting to enlisting "volunteer drivers" to man the gun or occasionally scouts or other's to play Rambo and man the MG's. Other battles I see that APC's have an organic 2 man grew so when you unload the squad riding the tracks the MG is still manned. Either way you have to always be aware of the extreme vulnerability of the APC's. A lot of Purple Hearts-many of which are posthumous have been earned manning the MGs on APC's.

Italy is like Korea. A forgotten war. As a simulation however I find Itay a little more interesting than Normandy. That could be because Normandy has been done so many times and you've heard the story over and over. On anothet side note, I would like to see Shock Force 2 cover Korea, but I guess its not sexy enough to do it.

yeah, when I first saw Italy and then Gustav Line I though meh. I'd get it eventually. Now that I got it it exceeded my expectations. There is something about it that just clicks. I just got it and I haven't played it extensively, but the terrain and environment works for me. It has that "X" factor that you can't just put into works. I just finished a battle where I used the gullies and ravines to advance infantry while being shielded from observation and fire. The little mini battles and skirmishes around clumps of trees and farms are intense. Far, far different than Normandy. I'm sure the battles around villages and towns in hills and small cities battles are going to be intense. I showed this off to a friend he is dying to play, but the wifey has forbidden him to "not even think about it"...

I played the original CM to Death and got CMBN when it first came out. I also have all of the Shock Force series. It goes without saying that playing against the AI and humans is night and day. I watched all the the Armchair General videos on You Tube to kind of prep myself for online play and being as complex as it is I really have more to learn even with hours of play on hand. I really wish AG would make more videos. IIRC the original CM had a seek hull down command for tanks. Wonder why that didn't make it.

I just got the Italy/Gustav Line and I'm loving it. Thanks to all those who wrote AAR's. It's fun to read and it has enticed me to try my hand at PBEM. Looks like I'll be playing this for years. Its fortunate we have indy developers making games/sims like this. I have a few PBEM games going, but I'm open to 1 or 2 more. I'm starting out small at the moment, but open to medium sized games. If you haven't tried it I would serious recommend you try out PBEM games. I suspect like most I generally play against the computer, but the PBEM system is perfectly geared towards those who work and have other obligations. What I like best is unlike some other online tactical games you don't see spamming of units and bull rushes with Combat Mission. I've tried some other online games and was immediately turned off when you see tank rushes and other gamey behavior.