Der Zeitgeist

Hi not sure what Video Card you have but I was looking for a solution to FOG2 not having a replay function and it was an easy solution I found which puts me on track to becoming a youtuber!!
Alt F9 to start recording and Alt F9 to end recording, free software came bundle with my Nvidia card.
I even have it set up so that if I am not recording and I see an Ohh Wow moment I can just hit record last 5 minutes... Bit like a dashcam working always...
Geoforce Experience is the software.
Shadow Play 
Here let me introduce a young someone using it for something I would (can no longer play)...
 
So for CM to introduce something that is pretty well done already would IMO be a waste of their time which could be spent on the next engine or an Early War module with French Tanks!!!
🙃

Some do and some don't mate - a couple of the team asked me to give their stuff a once over.  As with my previous post in this thread, there is room for improvement and I'm sure mechanisms will be put in place as @The_Capthas said.

I agree. Something about "Operation Unthinkable" might be interesting to a few players, but I suspect it'll be rather niche for most people. Battlefront will have to think about the potential market for each title and potential DLC packages.
I expect CM:CW will sell very well once it hits Steam, because Cold War scenarios set in the 80s are exactly what a lot of the potential playerbase grew up with (also through books, older videogames and movies). Building on top of the base game with DLC set in the same time period might be a good strategy for Battlefront going forward.

This is a good point. I will see if I can get a note added into the game manual to let players know about the limitations of the TOW missiles despite having thermals. 

Another great video of 1980s Cold War porn to put you guys in the mood. 😃
 

I am aware what I just wrote was negative feedback. But it is factual. And I made sure to add constructive advise. Maybe such advise was out place to a game developer. But honestly, from what I saw in CMCW v1.00 it seemed like someone should say it.
So I am wrong you say, because of "techno-wizardry you don't understand" Fine.   (do understand that answer leaves some doubts.)
I really want CM games, and especially CMCW, to be in the best state they possibly can. And I see the quality in the engine and in the missions and TO&E. And I appreciate that people put in personal effort to make CMCW happen, as you said you did, despite Battlefront working on other things as well.
 
 

C2 is quite important too. For a while now ive dedicated some part of my scenario preparation to establishing and making sure all C2 is green. Say for example I set up the recon platoon on a hill overlooking a town where ive got an infantry company set up. If the battalion commander unit isnt in the field AFAIK the intel isnt passed on from the recon platoon to say the infantry coy commander. What I do is I make sure atleast one member/vehicle of the recon platoon is within voice range of the company commander, so anything the recon spots eventually travels down the member/vehicle beside the coy CO, and then down to the infantry squads...and this sure makes a difference.

My idea for an Operation Unthinkable would be to make a standalone module that is just the Allied and Russian TO&E from CMFB and CMRT, grab some QB maps from the same, and throw it all together. I would do a standalone module because to me it makes more sense to do it that way than to tack an Op Unthinkable onto either of the base games. 
It could have something like 4-6 standalone scenarios and maybe a campaign or a mini campaign or two. Basically, anything that could be thrown together quickly. No development overhead for BFC, so it would not cost them much or delay any other projects, and those interested could take it or leave it. 
As much as I would like an Op Unthinkable for the mashup, I think it would be mostly a gimmick. For the most part, I think it would be played a little and then moved on from. 
  
1000% agree.

It would be nice if Battlefront.com did at least a little bit of marketing. There's only so much the players can do via word-of-mouth. I mean, Battlefront doesn't even have a Twitter account or an official YouTube channel.

The missile was designed in a way so that the launcher vehicle could stay completely behind cover while the sights and guidance package would be deployed slightly away from the vehicle (like on a hill). The missile launched upwards at a 45° angle and then came back down into the sightline of the soldier who was guiding it. It could also do horizontal dogleg swings if the launch vehicle and the deployed weapon sight weren't on the same line towards the target.
It's very different from the various ATGM tank hunter vehicles we've seen so far in CM.

In real life 1V14 equipped with laser range finder, viewfinder, night vision device (allows to spot up to 1200 m in conditions - stars+1/3 of moon) - all this equipment mounted in the turret, stereo-rangefinder, artllery compass. Almost all this equipmnet can be moved outside 1V14 hull and set up nearby. Usually 1V14 has own position near the command post of battalion commander, to which this battery is attached, so 1V14 in this case should locate in 2-2,5 km from forward positions of battalion and maintain proper observation of battlefield. This names "main observation post" (MOP). Important remark - in real life 1V14 was "zero point" for artillery. For more precise own position coordinates determination it had to use own gyroscope during 40 min after deployment. Or to use more simplified device, but in this case coordinates error was much significant. 
In defense 1V14 crew mostly worked outside vehicle and dug special trenches for own work near it. If need battery commander could to establish one or two other observation posts - "forward observation post" (FOP) and "side observation post" (SOP). Usually forward observation post was composed from battery's command platton leader (only officer could be a spotter) and two soldiers-artilery recons, which just operated with optical devices and radio. In the game such FOP represented like "spotter team" in BMP/BTR task forces or in "specialist teams". This post have mostly only binocular and artillery compass, sometime stereo-range finder and operates in forward lines of infantry, transmitting target's data to 1V14 via wire phone or radio. After this battery commander processed its and transmitted to 1V15 vehicle of senior battery officer (off-map), there this data processed again and transmitted to the main gun, relatively which other guns made adjustments. 
SOP could be esteblished from other personnel of battery's command platoon, but usually it was PRP-3 tracked vehicle from artillery battalion, which could be attached to motor-rifle battalion too if this battelion operated on some important direction. PRP-3 isn't represente yet in base game, but can appear in the module.

I kinda like this idea but to be honest it would be more of a mash-up between Final Blitz and Red Thunder, as opposed to a CW module. If they were to go this way, it probably would be the RT team to pull it together into a DCL for those other titles.  If Unthinkable happened the Cold War would have started later (if at all), this is really an extension of WWII.
If/when we move out on a DLC it is gong to remain in the 70s/80s context, I can say that much.

I'd much rather see other countries in the time period that CMCW is about rather than backtracking all the way to WW2 again. It seems like a huge waste of potential doing that.

I get a feeling that one generic problem with CMx2 is that the LOF is rather "picky", one second you have it - one second not... I try to roll with all my 10 M60 tanks in line / wedge whatnot formation and even though the landscape is very flat and open it is almost always ends up in a one on one engagement when a Soviet tank is detected. Sometimes two of my M60s engage a T-72 together but it is very hard to get the expected result where a T-72 is spotted and 3-4 tanks target it together that should turn the tables? Sure - we do not want any cheating, if there is no LOF it should not be possible to shoot - but to some extent a commander that notice that the target is getting a bit obscured by a rock / tree / gully would reverse 5 meters or similar instead of just staying where they are - almost with LOF? And if you notice that the tank next to you starts firing at some target to the left you would probably have noticed the dust plume and notified the rest of the platoon that would have "micro positioned" their tanks so that no small ridge ends up obscuring the LOF to that target? Try playing a first person tank game firing at a distant target where you do NOT move a bit forward when a ridge just obscures your target etc. When you are hull down and the target gets out of sight you roll forward 2 meters to be able to fire... Not in CMx2 where the LOF and LOS is lost and that tank spends the rest of the 60 seconds doing nothing?
So - in a scenario like this where 10 M60 tanks are rolling in a flat landscape and know the general location of the enemy they would not spend 60 seconds where 1 tank is exchanging rounds with a T-72 finally getting punctured and the other tanks around it just stand still doing nothing to help... And they are in both close visual range with their platoon members, radio link etc...

Yup. Doing some quick tests. An FO with off-map mortars only gets the benefit of the radio, and nothing more (this typically seems to shave a minute off, with Regular factors) - there doesn't seem to be a difference in sitting in the artillery observation vehicle over a BMP or Zil-131.

The Steel Beasts community should have some people able to help with OoB & equipment details in the different time periods of the game.

Huh? Fulda has a lot of high-rise apartment blocks.

Yes, I was wondering about that myself during the first Soviet campaign mission. A combat reconnaissance patrol with hardly any binoculars. Seems fishy.

Yes, IF it is possible rather easily to restrict the ability of ATGM vehicles to use their weapon not on the trigger "Waypoint exist" but Driver is "Driving" that would be great. Because this information exist in the game, you can see what individual soldiers are doing right now.

No, the vehicle will never fire on a pause right now. Not 20 seconds, and not a string of 10 waypoints with 90 seconds pauses. Which would be 15 minutes, or half the scenario on the standard setting of a 30 minutes scenario. It is not a question of time, it is a question if waypoints still exist.

Are you sure? I just tested it on an open field, using a M151A2 TOW and an enemy Abrams as a target.
I FAST FORWARD forwards, 1:30 minute PAUSE. Then REVERSE.
The TOW vehicle only fired after it reached the reversed position. So yes, this tactic is no longer possible, but I doubt you remeber it correctly, because I assume it was never possible. Why would Battlefront change the vehicle behaviour to something worse?

I think the real issue here is not so much that he cannot do that particular experimental scenario, as much that ATGM vehicles are deprived of doing shoot and scoot tactics in CM games, which is basically the lifeblood of such kind of vehicles in real life (and as such, they should also be in the game).
This actually explains some till now unexplained situations where i tried using this tactic in SF2 to not avail. I think the coding team should look into this, hopefully for the 5 version update; as one of the main ways of use of ATGM vehicles is impossible to replicate in the engine (specially now with the release of Cold War, where ATGM vehicles were so predominant)

Is there a reason why Soviet rifle platoons have a single set of binoculars? Seems a bit short sighted (pun intended) to not issue them to the squad leads and BMP crew. The soviets in RT are much better furnished.

Hi there,

I try to make a scenario in which you play as one company within a Battalion sized battle. The Idea is, that you will not load the game the usual way, but you will load a savegame, in which the waypoints of all other units within the Battalion are already plotted, so you don´t play them.

I noticed a strange behaviour with an M901 TOW vehicle. I have two of them in a hull down defense position behind a hedgerow, while a soviet tank battalion is advancing.
Without waypoints, they shoot their two TOW missiles, then pop smoke and reverse. I want to avoid that behaviour, so I plotted advanced waypoints for them. First I let them "reverse" to a hidden position behind the slope until the soviet tanks come into sight, then I "quick" forward into the hull down position. If I only do it like that, the M901 then will shot its two TOW missiles, pop smoke and reverse.

IF I give this hull down position some "Pause" time (I tried for 15,20,30,45,60 Seconds), with an reverse waypoint afterwards, the M901 will not fire or even try to aim. It will spot enemy tanks, but not engage them. I gave it a "Target Armor Arch", but this doesn´t change its behaviour. When the "Pause" is over, the M901 will "reverse" into it's hidden position, and then "Quick" forward again into the hull down position. Only if no following Waypoint is lined up, it will shoot. Even if the "Pause" timer is still running.

I also tried to "Stack" waypoints together to add "Pause" times. But I noticed, the pause is ignored then.
Example: "Quick" waypoint into the Hull down position with Armor Arc and 30 Seconds "Pause", then sliding another "Quick" waypoint onto the same spot with a 5 Seconds "pause" to add them up to a 35 Seconds Pause does not work. If the vehicle is at the spot of the waypoint already, the waypoint will be "Checked" regardless of the "Pause". It takes about 4 Seconds to reach the next waypoint. so the 30 Seconds Waypoint will count down to about 26 Seconds, and then jump to the next one, counting down the 5 seconds regulary.

I guess the reason for the M901 TOW not fireing from a paused waypoint might be a programmed workaround for the AI to not shoot the TOW while the vehicle is moving, but it prevents elaborate waypoint plotting, in which vehicles would shoot, then reverse to a save position, and continue this in a circle.

The M901 TOW does not pop smoke and reverse from the position, even if it comes under fire. I assume, the AI recognizes it is quite safe in its position, and still does have two TOW missiles to shoot, so it stays in combat, while it reverses as soon as it is empty, because in this case, it only is an unneccary target.

I will check if all ATGM vehicles, including Soviet ones behave in the same way. If yes, it is unfortunately not possible to continue with my idea as planned.

Another challenge is, that it is not possible, to move vehicles after infantery has disembarked. Because Infantery will disembark at the last waypoint. This is fine for a Battletaxi vehicle like the M113, which will move into a save position behind the enemy lines, unload the infantry which will get into combat position, while the M113 just waits in the save position.
Another option might be (not tested yet) to use more "Hunt" orders for the M113. So the vehicle will just drive until it spots an enemy, then it will stop and delete all following waypoint, and the infantry will boot out and follow their preplotted waypoints, while the M113 will support them from its position. But thats another story...
first... how do I get the ATGMs to fire at tanks on a paused waypoint if there are still further waypoints available?
 

I'll just leave these here. ☺️
Today we’re talking to Neil Gussman who trained on the M60A1 tank in the 1970s. This was the standard main battle tank of the US Army from the 1960s through to the 1980s.
Today we talk again with Neil Gussman who was an M60A1 tank commander in West Germany tasked with defending the Fulda Gap which was a key likely Warsaw Pact attack route. We talk about his rushed initial deployment where he faced Warsaw Pact tanks across the border, details of various exercises he was in and how the US troops interacted with the West German population.