Warts 'n' all

Thanks as always to Steve for his comments about the role night plays in the game in general. In answer to the good captain, and with regards to this particular mission. I had sent some men off through the second field on the left including some HMGs who were staying close to the hedgerow that divides the two fields. I can't remember the distances but once one half-track was burning on the road out of town, I stopped the HMGs, turned them to face across the field bordering the road and join in the fight until all the Ami vehicles were knocked out. I still lost the mission, but is another story.

I never use the artificial lighting toggle. The men on the ground had to fight in the dark in during winter '44/45, so my men have to as well. And besides, once you have a burning Ami half-track on the map your German troops can see perfectly.

It might be cowardly but as soon as I got the first sound contact I put my infantry in ambush positions, buildings and hedges etc. Backed my AFVs off just a tad then had them open up and waited for the Amis to walk into my trap and die in their burning vehicles.

No. If you finish making with Engine 4 then it will not be playable with v.3.

There is already an Engine 4 campaign for Red Thunder. So hopefully there will be more to follow across all the titles from the community. Whether BFC themselves have plans for more Battle Packs we shall have to wait and see.

I think that the ground getting increasingly churned up makes a lot of sense. Whether it happens in the game "under the hood" is something only Steve and the boys in the band actually know. It would probably be far too complicated to create a "churned up" graphic effect. I do like to have my vehicles follow one another if they are going through obstacles such as fences, so that only the lead vehicle damages it's tracks. But I might have to think about the dangers of bogging a bit more in future.

I have always tended to use "Slow" in muddy conditions, but to be honest I don't know if it makes any difference at all. One thing that has annoyed me recently is when vehicles bog whilst following a route that 3 or 4 other vehicles have already traversed with no problem.

I've had no trouble using "Combine Squad" with JuJu's UI at all. And the way I treat my men I suspect it will get quite a bit of use in the near future.

I might be wrong, but I suspect that if the campaign was finished off using Engine 4 then it won't be playable for people still running Engine 3.

When I say making use of "captured US gear" I'm referring to units such as the Griefkommando. These troops have to be included by the scenario designer. It doesn't mean that the player can run around picking up enemy equipment during the fight.

I have to admit that the red tracers came as a bit of a shock when I first saw them. But they have rapidly grown on me. I particular enjoy the missions where the Germans are making use of captured US gear so that some of your men are firing off different coloured tracers to their regularly equipped colleagues.

Hahahahaa... Great stuff.

Also, I'm not quite sure what you mean by "second row bocage". Are you talking about finding firing positions for your MGs once you have reached the sunken lane?

Haha.. Nice one. After I topped Mr. Charles Stuart it was downhill all the way. Also, I got an old nag to ride around on. Whilst you, and The Fonz got those great Triumphs.

It can't be right to go swanning around southern Germany on a Triumph, but you managed it.

As far as possible I try and find decent firing positions during the Set-up Phase. Rather than fiddle about during a battle.

Also, if you have a youtube account, do a search for "Promabulator". He did an excellent video on map making, and dealt with elevation at some length.

I've had no problem on the mod front either. I think all-in-all BFC have done a great piece of work.

I was just feeling sorry for Yogi. Not only did he get lost and end up on the wrong side of the pond. He also seems to have lost most of his body in the process.

I want giant wicker shopping baskets in my game too.

Downloaded on Christmas Morning and all working well. I look forward to losing in style later.

Many thanks to Steve for taking the time to give us his views re:- "Follow/Convoy". In the meantime Upgrade 4 is going on my shopping list.

I agree that "Iron" is the best way to play the game IF you want to replicate what the men on the ground experienced, and of course, play with the trees full on. With regard to this particular battle. Once a HQ unit had clear LOS on the big cat I gave my tanks "Target" arcs in it's direction and they did the rest.

I can't imagine Bulletpoint got anymore abuse about his L.S.D. remark than Macca and Lenin did in '67. But I was only 5 at the time.

Did someone mention "warts"?