Attilaforfun

You guys are taking this SOP stuff very seriously. When the Stryker Bdes first stood up there was lots and lots of making it up as you go along. Very few of the their NCOs were former mech. None of their officers were. Let me tell you how hot a metal box gets in 125 degree sunlight. Now add boots, clothes and armor...and for the crewmen the extremely tight CVC helmet. It's fricken hot. Dangerously hot. There's no AC on the standard Stryker. I can't describe how hot. The air guards were more about getting air (while also allowing air to flow inside the stinky filthy infantry Stryker) than providing air guard. The excuse would be more eyes on the environment. They were mostly light infantry and were never comfy with vehicles. I'm not exaggerating. (I was a 19K...M1 armor crewman...but they broke up our armor Bns and sent us to the inf. We were supposed to man the MGS systems but they weren't ready so the tankers manned the Strykers of 4th platoon of each company...ATGMs.)

Air guards are armed with whatever their personal weapon happens to be. Mosul is hardly outside of a built up area.

That's exactly how the infantry rolled in 04. They took no casualties during my year despite exposure during several fights.

BF has survived when the vast majority of it's peers have not. For an extended period of time. I absolutely expect and pray that continues for my personal self interest. Were you (BF) to follow any other's advice in business matters (my own included) and be adversely effected I would feel bad and lose future potential awesome games but that's it. Assuming there isn't a treasure vault with enough that you guys are all taken care of we lose games but you lose livelihood. One is obviously infinitely more important than the other. I have stated what I have stated so far to both acknowledge the realities and consequences of the capitalist system we live in and show I understand it. I am not a programmer so haven't got the foggiest idea of the difficulties in actually producing what you produce, nor upgrading to CMx3 which I fully expect to happen. I am the consumer so let me give you the (unasked for) point of view of your consumer: -Please under no circumstance dumb these games down to appeal to a wider audience. -Marketing. I love you guys but I'll say it like I see it...your marketing is the worst (along with Tiller) I've ever seen. I never heard about CMBO. Maybe I did but at that point I didn't think my PC would run it. I downloaded the demo instantly upon learning about CMBB and have purchased it five times. CMAK twice. CMSF once. Those were different days, there were free PC gaming magazines and the net was not what it is today. 5 of those 8 purchases were physical copies. The first CMx2 purchase I made was CMRT, in 2016. Do you know why it took so long? I didn't know the game (CMxX) or company were in existence anymore. There are still a handful of consumers out there that get the emails from GMT, MMP, CG and purchase every expansion that comes out for ASL, OCS, GBoH ect. They don't know you exist. there is $ to be made if you change that. You have to reach the wargaming community at large (what little remains!) and claim that territory that is rightfully yours. You have no real competition. Advertise. Seriously. -Campaigns. It just isn't optional if you want to reach your potential greatness. Number one complaint from players since CMBB (I'll be honest, I have no idea if this criticism exists today in anyone but myself...but it used to be brought up as an issue) is that the game is ahistorically bloody. This isn't because of more accurate rifle fire, the inability of stone buildings to protect against indirect or problems with penetration values...the problem is because the battles are single and there is no reason (other than meaningless points) for force preservation at all. A fight here ends up with one side mauled and the other destroyed. In actuality when two forces collide the vast majority of the time there will still be two combat capable forces in the field at the end of the battle. Why? Because the force that sees potential destruction will disengage immediately, whether that be a squad, company or brigade. There is no reason for this at all if the game is measured by a single battle so it will never be looked at as realistic because it will never be played realistically. Over any period of time. Force preservation should be number one two and three on every commander's mind. Disengagement needs to be on everyone's mind. I do not mean leave this building and retreat to the hedge line disengagement...I mean leave the field. -I can't believe you guys would even consider anything but a single engine running CMx3. From a consumers point of view this is the one thing you could do to bring unhappiness and general dissatisfaction. One engine. Upgraded as necessary. Allowing the consumer maximum choice in what they want to purchase. I'll get it all regardless of the price, I'm not crying asking to save $...I want to make that clear. It is beyond ridiculous to have to go into 6 different programs to play a different OOB. It should be one. I understand we are where we are and CMx2 is going to be the way it is. If you do that w CMx3 I'll know it was intentional (I am willing to bet I am not in the minority here) and it will piss me off. One engine. Sell all the DLCs you want. Charge what you can get. Charge for everything. Don't split it up. Please. Right now in CMx2, to me, it reeks of amateurism. If it is done again it will appear simply as unprofessionalism. This drastically effects your consumers ease of use and they will know exactly why it is more difficult to use than it needs to be. I love this company and I love these games. Survive. That is my first wish. For those whose comments are go play something else....this is a preemptive Shhh.

Although infantry won't mount tanks in the earlier two titles so to say they're all 'new and upgraded the same' is a slight exaggeration.

Scenario Depot 3? I got in. If you mean the old one w CMx1 games look below in their forum section....all the scenarios are avail for mass DL here.

Agreed. Italy is done, enough excuses already.

A campaign system is all I really want from this system. Any help I can provide to bring this to fruition is yours.

The campaigns are awesome. No doubt. I play them and enjoy them and enjoyed them in CMx1. They are however finite and static. You can learn them. This is not the case in Steel Panthers circa 1994. It wouldn't be the case with RobO's rules hardcoded either. Were a random campaign generator be introduced (I understand AI would have to be completely reworked...that really should be a priority anyway) it would increase the joy of playing these games to me at least and I can't believe I am alone.

The amount of posts is absolutely an indication of sales. This game is deep and with the varied modules this board should be screaming with activity. It isn't because the customer base is small. The fact that BF is still around when so many gaming companies have gone away in insolvency means they obviously have some clue on how to run a business BUT I believe were the following steps taken their customer base and revenue would skyrocket: -simple campaign system introduced -fix auto buy for AI during QBs -cut prices 50% and sell on Steam w workshop for scenarios -contract the more talented moders/scenario designers (I'm looking at you GeorgeMC) and start knocking out quality product with the BF logo at a rapid rate and sell cheap

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

His first comment...kids these days: I can't figure out how to download I know very boomer of me

Problem solved. I had him register. Then I logged in as him and bought it. It's the big package w the preorder so I imagine he'll be sending an email in about 5 min when he realizes there isn't a link. ETA unless he's the lucky customer who gets the first link as the module is now out? Hey a guy can dream.

How does one purchase a game for someone when they are not registered here?

2004. Bde Cav was holding west of Mosul centered on Tal Afar. To big an area for too few troops and situation got out of control. 1/23 and 2/3 Inf Bns plus Bde in Mosul proper and 5/20 Inf in the towns to the South. 1/23 and Cav switched places for a couple days. Tal Afar reoccupied but Cav took casualties in Mosul while maintaining a show of force. Haven't read this and I'm sure it's massively exaggerated but here's one of the early fights when Iraq changed to a war zone: https://www.amazon.com/City-Fire-Ernesto-Haibi-ebook/dp/B003YCPGGO/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=city+of+fire+mosul&qid=1574678730&sr=8-1

From Alshohada bridge to the clover leaf where MSR 1 cuts east are where most of the gun fights happened. Majority of early IED attacks on occurred on MSR 1 from that clover leaf to the west edge of town. One platoon of Iraqi Inf in Toyotas west bound across the bridge reinforced by a platoon of TOW Strykers + XO Stryker and his team coming from the N side of the agricultural area in the river bend vs a couple of RPG armed insurgent teams located roughly around the clover leaf. There was a Pepsi factory just south of the highway west of the bridge. Was. I drink Coke. A good sized company fight 500 meters south of the Yarmick traffic circle where MSR 1 intersects with that road coming into town from the west. Convoy got hit at the intersection and the company ran out to circle the wagons. Did I mention that was at the same time the TOW Strykers were fighting to the north w the XO trying to get to the rest of the company? Crunchy...My map making skills are...limited but I am learning. Please don't take any of anything I say as criticism. On the contrary. I am in awe at what you all do.

Tal Afar is pretty small and that town had to be surrounded and assaulted more than once...hint hint.

Outstanding...now back to the Eastern Front!

'And No Birds Sang' Farley Mowat.

I did say it was opinion! Actually I would guess most players agree with you and that most meeting engagements turn into intense fights around the objective relatively quickly. That furthers the advantage of the delay. You will be focusing on getting to the objective safely and into positions where you can hold it. I'll be focusing on you. That rapid advance both tells me what the enemy has and where they are while giving none of this information away. Now the enemy is tied to a fixed location and must defend it from all directions. I have freedom of mobility, information and the ability to mass more firepower at a particular spot than the defender. Rinse and repeat and the defense is picked apart (in theory).

First look to the left of my response and look at my total posts...now take this advice for what it's worth! Below exists opinion not fact. There are three types of general battles...attack, defend and meeting engagement (specialized scenarios exist but they are...specialized). Attack Screen/Recon: How much time do you have and how fast is your force. In the vast majority of CM battles time is not a factor in determining victory...there is generally plenty of time. Assuming this to be the case DO NOT RUSH. As stated by Josey Wales use a portion of your force as a screen/scouting force to determine the location of enemy forces. Your screen is NOT the attacking element. The main body of your force can move into position but do not move it into potential contact (don't move them anywhere you think it would be possible to be fired at) until you know what you are facing and where they are. In my opinion this is the most important part of the battle. Control your desire to rush forward and start fighting until you have actionable intelligence which allows you to employ your limited forces intelligently. Assemble and mass main attack force: Keep your attack force concealed as long as possible. This will hide what you have and what your plan of attack is (admittedly the AI doesn't care but play like you are playing another human at all times and you'll have less to unlearn when you do!). Once you know where the bad guys are you look at your objectives and terrain. Determine where you want to advance (down that road, through those trees ect. Ensure the terrain offers maximum protection for your flanks. At this point you should have an idea about where the initial enemy line of resistance is and what it has. Decide at this time whether you are better off engaging at long range or short. You have Tigers and he has 45mm AT guns? Start the fight as far away as possible. He has hvy MGs and you only have infantry? Get close. Use terrain and limit exposure. Reserves: Ensure you keep a reserve force in place. At the height of the battle there will be times where you realize there is an opening where if you just had one more platoon to go left you could roll his whole line...often you don't have that platoon. Keep a reserve force. This gives you options once your main attack is underway which you will not have if all of your forces are committed. Defense Look at the above...the attacker will be doing that. How to counter it? First and foremost limit the enemies intelligence. Create a screen of your own. If you can get the enemy to deploy his forces in such a manner that he makes his main attack on that screen you will have an advantage. Why? He doesn't know where your main line of resistance is nor what it consists of...meaning mistakes are more likely and opportunities to destroy the enemy from a location he doesn't expect will frustrate his plans. Defend in depth. The defender will generally start with a smaller force. If you try to cover your front with a single strong line the attacker will be able to choose where and when to mass his force and he will break through and roll your defensive position. Screen - Main Line of Resistance - Reserves. Reserves. If you are completely static the enemy will be able to take his time, locate your positions one by one and eliminate them with massed fire and indirect. Keep him guessing and remember time is on your side. You want the attacker to lose patience and make hasty decisions. That's how you generally win as the defender. Keep a force which has some mobility as a reserve. They can plug holes in the line and counter attack unexpectedly from the flank. Meeting Engagement Treat it as an attack. Let the enemy race forward and occupy those positions. There are no points awarded for getting there first. Let him expose his forces and plan. Your screen is taking notes of the composition of his force and their location. The initiative is now yours. Keep it. Focus on his forces NOT the objective...you'll have time for that when his forces are degraded later in the game. He is generally less well situated in defensive positions because he hasn't had the opportunity to view lines of sight from all the prospective positions. IOW he is not set up as well as he would be in a defense mission. Take advantage of that. See where he is, decide the best way to approach and engage and KEEP YOUR RESERVES READY. Hey I was bored and felt like talking.

Wow! Thank you! Downloaded.

Know this...smoke dischargers cause fires in training areas. They are thus simulated and rarely actually used in training events. Result? When engaged in gunfights with insurgents armed with RPGs the troops do what they've been trained to do...not use the smoke. Ask me how I know. Think of all the Iraq footage you've seen. How often do you see clouds of manufactured smoke? Hint...you don't. Looking back it should have been SOP at contact...we have thermal sights. This is something near and dear to my heart. Should any of you have any influence with those in training command DEMAND they use smoke at all training events. The Mech soldiers here know what I'm talking about. This is a real deficiency.

That's what they say, after RtV.

I approve of your logic.