A few easy questions.

[Tashtego]

I own CMBO and CMBB and have played them over the years. I've downloaded the demo for CMBN and I am trying to decide if I should upgrade to this new version. So, a few questions.

1) Do vehicles provide cover if troops are behind them?

2) Do vehicles block LOS?

3) During night combat are there flares?

4) Can troops ride on tanks?

5) Is there a screen showing OOB?

6) Are the light conditions dynamic? If I start a battle at dusk does the light fade to night as time moves along?

Thanks in advance. Mike

[YankeeDog]

To the best of my recollection; apologies for any errors:

1) Do vehicles provide cover if troops are behind them?

Yes, but see answer to (2) below.

2) Do vehicles block LOS?

No. Apparently, too difficult for game engine to track LOS through objects that can move and change position on the map. So vehicles can block bullets, but your units will still be spotted behind them as if in the open.

3) During night combat are there flares?

No flares or other special night illumination.

4) Can troops ride on tanks?

No. Apparently, this is difficult to program with 1:1 soldier representation, so this feature was left out of CMBN. I'm hoping we get this eventually in a future CMx2 game such as CM:Bulge or CM:East Front.

5) Is there a screen showing OOB?

If you mean while you are playing a scenario, no. Some scenario designers list your OOB in the scenario briefing, though. Of course, you can always fire up the scenario editor to see and alter OOB if you like.

6) Are the light conditions dynamic? If I start a battle at dusk does the light fade to night as time moves along?

Yes; light conditions are dynamic and change as time of day progresses.

[Tashtego]

Thanks YankeeDog for the quick response. Still thinking about answers 1 and 2. Apparently invisible tanks that stop bullets. No wonder the Germans lost the war. Mike.

[Michael Emrys]

Apparently invisible tanks that stop bullets.

Well, they aren't invisible nor even transparent. YD's statement offers the clue. A moving vehicle might block both LOF and LOS. The thing is, LOF is calculated while the bullets are flying, but LOS has extended duration. So, if your units become spotted at any time during the turn, they are likely to remain spotted, at least as a ? counter, even if a vehicle moves between them and the spotter.

Michael

[John1966]

Thanks YankeeDog for the quick response. Still thinking about answers 1 and 2. Apparently invisible tanks that stop bullets. No wonder the Germans lost the war. Mike.

BFC are using this apparently.

[Mord]

And a little addendum to YD's number three..."or special night illumination"...I guess one could consider burning vehicles as special illumination in a lose sense. They provide light in darkness but I am not sure how that affects spotting.

@John...wow...that was pretty friggin' cool.

Mord.