Bubba883XL

While a poll would be fun, don't be disappointed when it doesn't appear.

Seconded...  

Battlefront,
  Could you create a poll to see what your customers would like to see next in a Battlefront release?  I've heard you guys mainly concentrate on topics that really appeal to you (which makes a lot of sense).  I would like to see if your customer's interests line up with any of your passions. 
I, for one, would love to see a game centered on either the Arab-Israeli wars or Afrika Corps.

Y'all should be very happy with troop behavior now.

I just checked the game. The Russians have a uniform option of 'standard', 'greatcoat' or 'winter' through April. Once you hit May, though, the winter and greatcoat options go away. I did check to see if you can 'cheat', select winter dressed troops in April then change the scenario date afterwards. And yes, you can 'cheat'.

No plans to sorry. DAR's have always been picture and forum post affairs. Some of the magic has to be left for when you get your own hands onto the new content.

There are three Volkssturn uniform types in the module, the greatcoat (seen in the DAR), civilian and military. Civilian uniforms don't go above NCO, any higher rank gets the military uniform. Officer greatcoats are military style with the rank on the collar. Only the senior officer gets a belt because he's carrying a sidearm. Everyone else is entirely free of gear, rather like CMSF2 'combatants', only able to carry as much ammo as they can stuff into their pockets.

Thanks for the extensive and polite response, which I've just found.  I share the frustrations you list with the CM second generation games, but I don't see a viable competitor, perhaps because I don't play or investigate other games very much. Having said that, it was on an online games forum that I first heard about CM and its unique WEGO turn system, and I liked the concept so much I bought Beyond Normandy, more than 21 years ago, and I've been playing constantly since. So I'm not a newcomer to the game, I just don't post very often...
 

I think Ithikial has done very well so far considdering he only has green troops...
His initial agressive moves have been vital i belive...getting into possition first.
But can he hold it ? 😎
Non of the players have been able to employ hand-held AT-weapons so far i belive...
The germans do not seem to have any schrecks...only fausts.
It would have been kind of cool to have seen the odd flamethrower (besides the russian tanks) included in the force mix...

I hope 'ire and rubble' was a deliberate cheeky play on 'fire and rubble' and not a typo. Either way, you should keep it that way.  

Nice shot of the Sherman A4's diesel engine deck.
Tank riding is a good visual but, man, its an iffy tactic, especially in street fighting.

Also don't forget to order Panzers in Berlin 1945. According to Panzerwrecks website its getting a July reprint. Its a beautiful book with tons of pics I never saw and a wreck location map. Its awesome.

I've got permission from BFCElvis to post about something a little to the side of this content.
Fixing the Hedgerow Bug
It's perhaps most prevalent in CMBN given the abundance of hedgerow maps/scenarios but applies across all titles for infantry behind hard cover. You may have noticed my Green troops in this battle have not been running away or into the streets towards the enemy during these firefights with the Soviet infantry.
This whole DAR has been using a version of the F&R beta that includes some tweaks to the TacAI to address infantry bolting from cover when coming under small arms fire. Infantry that come under small arms fire are more likely to seek cover and 'cower' rather than displace, even when pinned/rattled. Infantry are more likely to bolt when under attack from high explosives... (which let's face it makes sense. )
The changes I've noticed:
- It becomes very hard to dislodge infantry already set up in a building or behind a wall. Even when you lose LOS/LOF there's a good chance your opponent is still there. (I've joked it's going to take naval shells to dislodge Veteran troops).
- Getting the jump on the enemy while they are moving / before they are set up and ready to seek cover still causes morale to collapse very quickly. Case in point: like when most of my Pioneer platoon evaporated under SMG fire within 30 seconds.
- Infantry taking persistent casualties will still suffer morale damage over the long term. Like my Volkssturm surrendering after a solid five minutes of constant rifle fire back and forth.
- Expect longer drawn out firefights in urban and hedgerow maps. That also means watching those ammo counters more closely.
- High explosive and flame options just became a lot more valuable in urban combat. Close quarter AVRE or M12 GMC anyone?
 
Still being tested and subject to change but there are positive signs among the beta testers so far.
All for now.

Thanks Steve!  It's going to be a good year for CM.

I don't see why a cold war era game should limit itself to one small area. Its like saying Combat Mission Kursk instead of CM Red Thunder.

I just want to know how the above StuG images actually have nice smooth shadows.

Its the manual that's out of date. BFC had planned to add the DShK for late war then discovered that was a post-war addition so they nixed the idea.

Okay, I lied.  One more picture.  While trying to decide what scenario to do an AAR on, I found I needed to really tweak stuff around to get nighttime looking good.

Video here: https://i.imgur.com/BggbJjX.mp4

OMG. 
This is why am very happy to pay BF for well-developed scenarios and especially campaigns.

Yep. I suuuuuure wish the next module was moving back in time, instead of forward. Early Eastern Front and France 1940 are at the top of my CM wish list. Of course, I'm still excited about the late war module. I wonder what new toys it will have?

Seeing that grey panzer makes me wish for early war CM again.

Okay, guys, I managed to complete Part 1 of the video yesterday. Here it is:
 

Nice! That's some serious street fighting!

Lots more work to do on this, but...
Sneak Peek:

Hmm I got curious for the needs of a Russian mechanized infantry battalion, so I made a spreadsheet with all the weapons and ammo and personnal and vehicles they have kinda like in an orbat.
 
CMBS_BMP-3M_INF_BATT