MOS:96B2P

NICE!!! Almost looks like Napalm. Smells like victory.

@wombleonce posted the below information that I'm paraphrasing. It might be applicable to this conversation: You can, if you're picking AI forces yourself, mitigate the "putting units in inappropriate groups" problem by making sure there are enough formations in the force to have "some of everything" in each group. Rather than picking one Battalion "head", then chopping out everything but the AT platoon (4 guns) and a company (3 rifle platoons and a heavy platoon) of infantry, pick four Battalion headers and chop out everything but one AT gun, some Rifle squads and an MG or two from the Heavy Platoon for each Battalion. AFAICT, the AI assigns alternating Formations to the default 2 groups, and will leave one group empty if you just pick the one Formation. Or if you pick a Formation for infantry and another for Armour, you'll have all the Infantry in one setup zone, following one set of orders, and all the Armour elsewhere, operating according to a different timetable which probably won't support your infantry's route.

Hello sPA505. No radio in the middle square means the unit is not in radio C2. However it might be in C2 Voice, C2 close visual or C2 distant visual. Can't tell from the small screenshot. The newer thread, linked below may help some. Below is an updated version of this thread with screenshots that were not vandalized by Photobucket.

I believed you the first time!! I think you just like making videos! This video does show very clearly the T-34 does not fire on the first spotted Panther but only reacts to the second Panther. Thanks!

That's interesting. The T-34 ignored the stationary target but fired on the moving target. In @Bulletpoint first save the PSW 222s did not engage (on their own) until the infantry started running. Then, if they had a spot, they fired 7.92mm. I have to look at the second save and keep experimenting around with it. They prefer the challenge of a moving target??

I'm still playing around with the first one you sent me. And yes your saves only showed spotting. After I gave a Target Briefly order to Otto's crew the 2nd Platoon HQ fired on its own. After the 15 second Target Briefly ran out Otto's crew stopped firing for maybe 30 seconds and then on its own began to fire. But when I don't give the Target Briefly they don't ever engage. Going on four minutes now. Not clear on what this means so far.......

You make some great videos my friend! I noticed that the leader is -1. Also down in the bottom left of the screen, in green print, is the status block where it shows what individual crew members are doing. It shows the T-34 as aiming and then firing. But it gets hit just before it would have presumably fired. I wonder if it was just slower than the panther because of the -1 leadership (don't know what the Panther leadership was). You are actually the Guru at soft factors. Considering that the T-34 was trying to aim and fire but just wasn't fast enough, would that explain it?

Okay. Understood. Generally speaking the game does allow you to area target fortifications etc. Unless you mean to say; You often can't area target fortifications on a reverse slope with direct fire. This would be accurate. I remember reading that other topic thread and at some point lost track of it. PM sent.

This is true. Some SMG's have a hard coded range limit of 200 meters. The US Thompson was 160 meters last time I tested.

I'm probably just missing it in the screenshot. I see troops walking along the tracks. Where do I look for the ones taking casualties? The foliage may have significance if some of the troops in the friendly fire team can't see the OpFor team. A confirmed contact does not mean every troop in the friendly team spots the OpFor team. They might but, since you are having problems here, I suspect they don't. I'm afraid my first paragraph a few posts above might have irritated you so you did not read the other paragraphs. Sorry, if that's the case I'm only trying to be helpful. Some of the remainder was: if you look at the totality of the circumstances: Reverse slope target, nervous troops, 50% incapacitated casualties, one walking wounded, no C2, the foliage making LOS / LOF difficult, possibly the only troop with LOS is the walking wounded troop, etc. its not unreasonable that the AI might not take a shot. And also: it seems the friendly team does not have a lot of ammo <Snip> Especially the way that the SMG will burn it up (maybe another reason the AI is reluctant to fire? not sure on that).

To be fair, in your screenshot, I think you have trees set to "trunks only". So all the foliage that is actually present does not show in the screenshot. If you look at the totality of the circumstances: Reverse slope target, nervous troops, 50% incapacitated casualties, one walking wounded, no C2, the foliage making LOS / LOF difficult, possibly the only troop with LOS is the walking wounded troop, etc. its not unreasonable that the AI might not take a shot. The player can still order the fire team (whats left of it) to target the OpFor using one of the Target commands. But then the OpFor may take cover and the fire team will stop shooting because now they have no confirmed contact. The use of area fire, in front of the OpFor might work better. The friendly team can then maybe get and keep the OpFor suppressed. But it seems the friendly team does not have a lot of ammo to be able to use area fire for very long. Especially the way that SMG will burn it up (maybe another reason the AI is reluctant to fire? not sure on that). Woodland fighting is often difficult and can be frustrating. My woodland drills use a lot of area fire when I have the ammo to do so. When I'm low on ammo I curse more. Not sure if cursing directly helps the in-game situation but it sometimes makes me feel a little better.

+1. Interesting. Thanks.

Double post.

The below is my infantry drill for Pop Smoke which I think pretty much contains what everyone else above said: 1. Check wind direction & strength1. 2. Position throwing team so the 20 meter thrown grenade lands where needed. 3. On the turn of the throw don't move the unit popping the smoke (Team “A”). 4. Give team “A” a Face command in the direction you want the smoke thrown. 5. With team “A” still selected, choose the Pop Smoke command. 6. Next turn, Fast the moving team across area (If Quick they may stop to shoot). Notes: Smoke grenades, thrown by one team, can reliably obscure up to 3 A/S (24 meters). Smoke (not HE) hand grenades are automatically thrown 20 meters by the AI (three action spots). 1) Wind strength not more than medium.

Now I understand. You are wanting a random campaign generator. Sounds like a cool idea. I also hope it is on Battlefront's list.

Hmmm, not sure this is true. Why do you think that? Or more importantly what do you base this on? Some would argue that if the product was flawed the forum would be very busy with complaints since a "problem" is a motivator to make people post. There is a campaign system. All the titles have multiple campaigns both BF produced and community made campaigns. Maybe you mean something else? This can be improved and I hope it is. Don't think its broke. Players, including myself, use it all the time. There are multiple threads on this topic many that ended up locked. They have said they are not interested in STEAM at this time. I like STEAM also but their company their reasons. I just want the next game. Good idea but already cheap IMO. I think George does make stock scenarios in addition to his independent releases. Now seriously, I have to go eat turkey! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Welcome back @Pascucci I remember you from a thread in Fortress Italy. Also some good news for you. Battlefront does not charge for patches. Patches are completely FREE!!! Sorry if someone mislead you or maybe you just mis-remembered. Also Battlefront has the new all in one installer now that greatly improves downloading and installing a game with multiple modules etc. The hassle of installing multiple games and modules and packs on a new computer was a valid complaint back in the day. But as Battlefront continues to be responsive to the community and make improvements they have taken care of that problem. So when you buy CMFI R2V it should install very easily. IMO there is some validity to this point. I think the reason we are disappointed with late releases is because we like the games so much we can't wait to get our hands on them. There are probably many reasons for later than anticipated releases of some games, modules & packs. I like to think one of the main reasons is that Battlefront is trying to get the best product they can out the door. I am also frustrated with the wait at times and think there is room for improvement here. More good news for you on this front. @BFCElvis is now assisting with communications with the community. So this has also improved. He also works the help desk and continues to keep BFC as one of the best product support companies in PC gaming. In fact there is a thread around here about Elvis providing customer support on his laptop from a hospital room. Not to mention on holidays. So while your eating turkey on Thanksgiving Battlefront will be there to support you holiday missions................ I hope you didn't take my reply in anyway as being hostile because it was only meant to be friendly and informative. And in the interest of being friendly I'll completely ignore when you told me where I should not stick my head . Now that you are better informed on a few of your concerns I hope you will eagerly follow developments for CMFI R2V. This is looking to be a really great release with new nationalities, TOE, equipment etc. It will take the CMFI game from July 1943 to the end of the war. Very cool game. I look forward to playing a PBEM with you after the release, my friend. +1. Don't be annoyed my friend. Look on it as an opportunity to point out all the positive aspects of the game. You are always at an advantage in this regard because the positives out way the negatives by a significant amount. +1 Hold my beer .............. Now I have to go eat turkey while @BFCElvis handles the support desk .

I think a contributing factor to this situation may be the use of un-split squads instead of fire teams. I noticed a few posts up you also referred to squads but thought you probably intended to type "teams" so I did not comment. If you are actually using full squads in urban terrain I would suggest you try fire teams instead (unless you are playing with some Italian units). The use of fire teams will help to prevent pathing problems, facing problems, mass casualties, etc. Admittedly it does take more time / effort to place the additional waypoints needed with the teams. In my experience it is well worth it and is my SOP. I guess a counter point could be made that the AI should be smart enough to move, position, face, etc. full squads in urban terrain. But for the sake of your blood pressure and gaming enjoyment I respectfully recommend fire teams in urban terrain (or any close terrain to include bocage).

A lot of possibilities so a lot of questions to try and figure it out. What is the HQ unit (Company HQ, Platoon HQ, Weapon Company HQ, etc.)? What are the indirect fire assets and are they on or off map (off map 105mm, on map 60mm mortars etc.) ? What does it say on the support panel of the indirect fire asset (Denied, Out of Contact, etc.)? Are you able to plot the green target area for the indirect fire anywhere else on the map? I know you can't get it where you want it but can you at least plot it next to your requesting HQ unit or somewhere else?

This is somewhat true of a Target Arc order but not so much for a Facing order. They Tac AI will turn to shoot an OpFor unit it has spotted even if it was ordered to Face a different direction. If a unit was ordered by the player to only shoot east, with the use of a Target Arc, and the OpFor approach outside the arc the unit will attempt to follow orders and not react. This is sometimes what is needed for ambush situations OP/LP teams, FO teams, etc. Depending on the soft factors the AI will sometimes override the Target Arc order and engage anyways (often after taking a casualty). IMO this is fairly reasonable AI behavior.

CM is very flexible in this regard. Any building (or group of buildings) can be made a preserve objective. This is probably most often done with Mosques in CMSF2 but can be done with any building in any CM title. So all a scenario designer has to do is say in the briefing that the ROE does not allow for the destruction of the apartment buildings on the north edge of town and assign them as preserve objectives. The player can ignore the ROE and shoot them up but will suffer the loss of VP points.

It was an excellent idea. You're a good uncle.

SHhhhhhhhhhhh....... But he didn't know that... Thanks for the lead......... looks like they can be bought on Amazon ........... for the kids.

+1. Cool video. Now, where can I buy those action figures?............ asking for my kids.

Only the dead have seen the end of war. I read that somewhere.....