Vacillator

But, but 😭 how can we assault the Reichstag without the Zoo flak tower 128mm guns blowing the turrets off our IS2's?

frankly I don't see where the problem is
you should maybe question yourself 🙄
good ok this is the first time !!!!
and it was you who gave me the solution
 

At last - a German minor victory. Time for another drink.
 

So, I played this as US when first released. IIRC, I lost. So thanks to Vacillator, I gave it a go as the Germans a couple of days ago. And, I kid you not, my first run through was to do exactly like altipeuri. Rush one to behind the farm and the other two around the edges of the hill. And have a drink or two while watching as  I did manage to nail 3 jeeps and 2 M8’s before all three original Pumas exploded in flames over the course of two turns.  I believe it was around 9 minutes in—the turn when the first reinforcements come, and the one immediately after that. I think more alcohol is needed, frankly.
 

Well that's impressive!
When playtesting this I did, err, not very well!
Hope you liked the wee twist?  
SPOILER ALERT - highlight text below to see
IIRC it was slightly ahistorcial given that from around 30 minutes on the latter part of the action makes the assumption that Bill Cotton from B Squadron managed to find a way through Villers Bocage on it’s southern side. This bit of pathfinding allows the rest of B Squadron to follow and attempt a counterattack against the Germans.
I must admit I shyed away from doing this for a long time thinking this would never work in CM. Its good to see it does and whilst it allows the player to recreate and play about with a famous (infamous?) event it also provides an enjoyable mission.
Thanks for playing it and cheers for the support and positive vibes!
Cheery!
 

Ugh. Major defeat again
And it made me sit through 5 minutes of "extra time" watching the smoke from my vehicles.  Grrr.
 
I got some use from the infantry guns behind the woods firing onto the road in the middle, but they didn't last long.
 
 
 

I aim to please. I meant to show a with and without ReShade (is without ReShade what you mean by 'natural'?), but I must have changed something 'cos ReShade didn't produce a with and without screenshot like I usually get. It's late so these are all with ReShade - mostly sunny plus a couple in the rain - latter are probably a bit closer to the normal colours in game. These all feature four textures except the last which is repeated for @Warts 'n' all's pleasure 🤩
Low bocage ...

Tall bocage ...

More Tall bocage ...

Close up ...

Wet bocage, trees hidden ...

More soggy bocage along a lane ...

 
 
 
Ohh, and Barry Bocage ...

 
Very close my friend!

Okay, so after a brief interlude, I finally finished Villers Bocage.  Probably should be posted somewhere else but anyway...
A fine game @George MC with some unexpected twists and nasty surprises.  Or perhaps not so unexpected after playing a few of your scenarios 😉.    Not played historically of course, and Swoboda and Hantusch were top scorers, not Wittmann, but here's my result:

Things have probably moved on some but there were some nice pics at the start of the thread.  Far better though is to get the mod (there's a link earlier) and have a good look at it in-game.  It's on all the time in my Normandy ❤️.
Rob, I now see that you were in the thread earlier so you may be all over it anyway 😉.
I'm guessing v2 is just around the corner @Lucky_Strike, including lovely new variable bocage?

yep- following this one for sure.  the mod as released has really transformed the look of the game (not to mention my attempts at screenshots) , and i can't wait to see what the new bocage variations look like  in natural color.   when i  look at mods like this and think about how the game looked when i first got it   (not that it was anything to be ashamed of- i know visuals aren't  bf's focus for the game) i'm just floored.  
cheers,
rob

There are a number of games inside the game. QB's, The Editor, Scenarios, Campaigns.  A few things that keep QB's interesting for me, with the inherent randomness of these in mind-
I most often use the "Suggestions" button (top left of the UI) to keep the FoW aspect, but this also allows some control over what the selection is. Click it multiple times until a sensible parent formation appears. The game engine will also assign attachments, so individual tanks, etc. will be added without the player seeing that. I'll sometimes do a hybrid- peeking just enough to strip out hefty amounts of arty/air support, etc.
The player should also be aware of the map sizes of a QB, and choose forces/transport for each side accordingly. Making an infantry formation run 2k to contact isn't likely to yield useful results, regardless of AI plan. A 4k by 4k QB map is possible, but only really useful for wheeled and tracked forces, lots of ammo, and an extended time-period.
I'd also point out that the QB designer can't dictate which plan is used by which force- there are some variables to this that can be planned around, but the entire endeavor is based in randomness. The randomized forces get assigned to an AI plan, but which forces/AI plan is random (attack, meeting, or defense). Add 3+ randomized AI plans (if designed), and that's a lot of randomness to play within.
I tend to pick maps that are based on actual terrain, or close to it. I prefer something random on a historically-derived battlefield, with nearly accurate forces, that extends the game beyond the scenarios and campaigns in an interesting way.
Matching map sizes and forces isn't a bad initial idea, if one wants somewhat expected results. Not necessary, but it helps. People can put Huge forces on Tiny maps, but it's going to get varying degrees of weird. That's CM, though- it does things based in real world data, but it can also get strange, if that's the plan. Not my plan for the game (my stats- realism/experience expected, play at level 1-3 mainly, icons "off" as much as possible, Iron Man when icons "on", embrace chaos as part of the experience side, observe from ground level as much as possible). Huge sized, all-flamethrower forces on tiny maps aren't my thing- but I don't begrudge that method of experimentation a bit. QB's serve all types of play, on the fly- you just need to set some parameters to get the right mix to suit.

Ok guys, just did a trial test and in a couple of turns I caused seven (!) teleportations from under a bridge to its top. Just like that. First observation that causes it is road under a bridge with a clearing that comes close to the tank to get through. The other is if a vehicle drives to close to a pillar and with the waypoint line through it. So I'm optimistic about this type of test getting somewhere. Will release in the coming days for those who want to participate.
Here is the basic test area. Will explain more later on.

Well said, agreed.

If you ever find your self out in the Northwest--Seattle to be exact--IM me and we'll see what the local breweries have on tap. COVID permitting, of course. Stay healthy, amigo.

Well said, agreed.

You would of course be welcome any time, circumstances allowing.  We could meet up for a Lynton and Lynmouth walk, and include the Valley of Rocks, followed by cider or beer.  Oh happy times ❤️ hopefully to return soon...

My dad went to Somerset once. Kent had a great morning, he drank too much at lunchtime, and they got stuffed by Viv and the boys in the afternoon.

Oh and, Vacilllator, to off-topicalify this thread further I want you to know my wife and I visited your neck of the woods two summers ago. A walking tour to be exact, roughly around Taunton to Lynton. It was probably one of the best trips I've taken ever. First trip to England even. What I'd do for a real pasty now. Enjoy your little piece of paradise, sir.

I took that from an actual WWII photo on the Russian front. Must have been Summer '41 even. Sad when you actually see it. The tank in the picture is wrecked and abandoned. That's not a person at the top but a hatch left open.

At the grave risk of going off-topic, is that a sunflower mod in your profile picture or is it a 'real' photo?  It has bearing on some recent discussions, plus I have oddly experienced the joys of growing sunflowers this summer.  Yes, in Somerset, in the UK - odd, at least for me.
As for the delay, my response as usual is 'I'm playing the wonderful CMBN in the meantime anyway'.  I am fairly new to the game so it has much more to offer than I have time for, and it's a great experience nearly every time I play it.  Except for those times I make bad decisions 😉.

Friday afternoon and finally off video conference calls.  Gawd I both love Zoom and hate it.
There are lots of reasons for delay and for those of us who have been around a while it is a constant joke on Steve's ability to wildly overestimate when a product will be out.  We love ya steve but I always double or triple your estimates.    Covid has impacted all of us and I really appreciate Combatintman's concerns.  My wife and I both have aging mother's that are very vulnerable.  In my case I can't visit her because of the risk, my wife is unable to even assume risk, she is simply prohibited.  Despite all the fluff from the orange man, a vaccine is a ways off and even then we are looking at manufacturing and distribution - and a possible mutation.  From a work perspective my job has gotten extremely time consuming and difficult and I barely even have time to play CM much less beta test it. For Steve etal sure they had requirements for their other contracts as well as trying to patch all the titles for various issues continue work on modules and deal with their personal lives.  Right now if anything we should all be giving each other leeway to deal with a difficult time.  Freakin sky is at least not yellow here today with smoke forcing everyone indoors.  I have a bottle of wine, some sashimi grade seafood was just delivered, my wife is healthy and it is the weekend.  I'll take it.

It's always worrying to notice grown men watching children's movies.

Thanks George, that's pretty much what I thought.  I am sadly an editor virgin but I'm tempted.
Also, sat there (or rather stood after I'd opened up 😉) once more as Wittmann I felt like doing it all again, but of course it would be different knowing what to expect.
Plus I still have to finish Villers Bocage, which is where I'm going now ❤️.

Okay, @Falaise out of curiosity I have replayed the first turn with no re-positioning and no movement orders, and with the camera behind Wittmann's head as you described.  For me, there was some incoming artillery to the right (near to other Tigers but no damage done).  There were no spotted contacts shown and no direct fire that I could see, so I think you were indeed my friend very unlucky 😮.
Unless of course @George MC says there are various alternative starting positions for the Allies if you are playing as Axis?  I'm not even sure you can do this, but my fumbling in the editor neither confirmed nor denied it.  I suspect not.
I would say go again, assuming the inhabitants of your home are suitably positioned 😁.

Lol I'm good. Just helping myself to some friday evening beer banter. 😉