Wish List....

[John Kettler]

Scrummage,

Troops were trained to do this. I've seen it in the FMs myself. The SL designates the end points to be the boundaries, and the squad systematically fires onto that entire stretch. Another good example is from the famous footage of the taking of Paris. Someone takes a potshot from a multistory building, and the reply is a long burst which runs the entire length of the building, hitting every window on that floor in the process.

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Yankee Dog,

I believe your statement's incorrect. Here's why: (Fair Use)

"The Armored Rifle Company – the Company retained a similar format, with a HQ, three Rifle Platoons, and now an Antitank Platoon. Company HQ continued to include both maintenance and service support elements.

Each Rifle Platoon was transported in five M3A1 halftracks, one per Squad, each vehicle mounting a machine gun and carrying a Bazooka. Platoon HQ functioned as a third Rifle Squad, and included a Lieutenant, Platoon Sergeant, Squad Sergeant and nine men. The two Rifle Squads each had a leader, assistant and ten men. Squads were commanded by a Sergeant and Corporal until early 1944, when they were promoted to Staff Sergeant and Sergeant respectively. One man in each squad was a driver, and carried a .45-cal submachine gun. With the exception of the Lieutenant and Platoon Sergeant with carbines, and one man with the M1903A4 Springfield scoped rifle, all other men in the HQ and Rifle Squads carried the M1 Garand. The HQ halftrack mounted a .50-cal machine gun, the Rifle Squads each having a .30-cal heavy machine gun."

Taken from here:

http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/UnitedStates/Armored/united_states_armored_infantry_battalion%201944%20to%201945.htm

Thus, the Armored Rifle Squad is not "pure" as you indicated.

Regards,

John Kettler

[womble]

Yankee Dog,

John, it'd make your references to other peoples' comments much easier to follow if you quoted their post. In an 11 page thread, no one is likely to read back to find out which post you're referring to, especially when the poster is as prolific as YD.

[A Canadian Cat]

A different ( ? ) contact for vehicles as opposed to infantry. <snip>

Another thing I'd like to see implemented at higher difficulty levels, Elite, Iron, is that you don't immediately get complete enemy unit information.<snip>

Information could be drip fed according to the experience of the unit in contact.

<snip>

Same could be done for vehicles, (Halftrack Generic) > Further Observation > Stummel.

<snip>

+1 I would love that too. I have asked for it too.

[dieseltaylor]

A proper! printable/storable results page.

Knowing what squads/tanks did in terms of damage is actually interesting.

I played in CMx1 against humans about 600 games and perhaps 100 scenarios. And do I have any reasonable way of referencing to that? And if anything CMx2 gives less information.

[John Kettler]

womble,

Good point! Will attempt to remember to do that when posting in the wee hours while not completely switched on.

Regards,

John Kettler

[YankeeDog]

Yankee Dog,

I believe your statement's incorrect. Here's why: (Fair Use)

"The Armored Rifle Company – the Company retained a similar format, with a HQ, three Rifle Platoons, and now an Antitank Platoon. Company HQ continued to include both maintenance and service support elements.

Each Rifle Platoon was transported in five M3A1 halftracks, one per Squad, each vehicle mounting a machine gun and carrying a Bazooka. Platoon HQ functioned as a third Rifle Squad, and included a Lieutenant, Platoon Sergeant, Squad Sergeant and nine men. The two Rifle Squads each had a leader, assistant and ten men. Squads were commanded by a Sergeant and Corporal until early 1944, when they were promoted to Staff Sergeant and Sergeant respectively. One man in each squad was a driver, and carried a .45-cal submachine gun. With the exception of the Lieutenant and Platoon Sergeant with carbines, and one man with the M1903A4 Springfield scoped rifle, all other men in the HQ and Rifle Squads carried the M1 Garand. The HQ halftrack mounted a .50-cal machine gun, the Rifle Squads each having a .30-cal heavy machine gun."

Taken from here:

http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/UnitedStates/Armored/united_states_armored_infantry_battalion%201944%20to%201945.htm

Thus, the Armored Rifle Squad is not "pure" as you indicated.

Regards,

John Kettler

No, my statement was not incorrect, you just took it in the wrong context. I wasn't referring to the technical historical paper TOE, but rather how the unit is organized in the game. In the game, the U.S. Armored rifle platoon is organized a as 8-man squads w/rifles only, with separate M1917A4 teams organic to the platoon. There's also a Plt. HQ, and halftracks w/ drivers organic to the platoon. You can check this for yourself in the scenario editor if you'd like to.

Based on a quick scan of the TOE you referenced, it would appear that BFC chose to represent the MMGs in the Armored Rifle Platoon as independent teams, and reduced the squad headcounts accordingly, even though from a technical TOE viewpoint these weapons were actually organic to the squads.

Further, it looks like BFC chose to represent the bulk of the HQ unit as a third squad, rather than saddling the player with an unwieldy, 12-man platoon HQ.

It would also appear that BFC chose to represent the halftrack drivers as independent units so that the player can leave the drivers with the vehicles and deploy the rest of the squad, even though the drivers were technically part of the squad headcounts as well.

So the game TOE isn't necessarily in conflict with the historical TOE; it just has some practical adjustments to allow for more realistic deployment and use. Seems fine to me.

[poesel]

What:

a switch to toggle between 'see what the current chosen unit sees' (current behaviour) and 'always see everything no matter which unit is chosen'

Why:

If you want to move a unit into LOS of an enemy unit which the moving unit currently cannot see you always have to switch forth and back between the views.

E.g.: select unit, set waypoint, move camera to waypoint, deselect unit, check LOS, turn/swivel back, select unit, turn/swivel, remove waypoint, set waypoint, move to waypoint, etc...

With the switch a lot of turning and (de-)selecting would be unnecessary.

What can go wrong:

- its an additional button

- one could forget having switched and all units would suddenly spot everything -> solution: automatically switch back to current bahviour when you unselect the unit

[womble]

What:

a switch to toggle between 'see what the current chosen unit sees' (current behaviour) and 'always see everything no matter which unit is chosen'

Why:

If you want to move a unit into LOS of an enemy unit which the moving unit currently cannot see you always have to switch forth and back between the views.

E.g.: select unit, set waypoint, move camera to waypoint, deselect unit, check LOS, turn/swivel back, select unit, turn/swivel, remove waypoint, set waypoint, move to waypoint, etc...

With the switch a lot of turning and (de-)selecting would be unnecessary.

What can go wrong:

- its an additional button

- one could forget having switched and all units would suddenly spot everything -> solution: automatically switch back to current bahviour when you unselect the unit

I think the best way to do this would be to have it be an "active" button, i.e. a mode that is on when you are holding a given key down, rather than one that toggles.

Or you could make "what other units can see" be "ghost icons" a shade or two more transparent than what the selected unit can see (and have that mode toggleable)

[Mord]

My wishlist...that BFC would tell us what's going on.

Mord.

[poesel]

Or you could make "what other units can see" be "ghost icons" a shade or two more transparent than what the selected unit can see (and have that mode toggleable)

I like the ghost icon idea. The icons are already in the game (own suppressed units). Also its inobtrusive and needs no explaining.

[Erwin]

+1 to Mord's wish...

Too much vagueness masquerading as "complex realism" but which is looking more and more as "it's all fudged, but if we don't tell anyone, the grogs and milpros will fight to the death defending CM2 as the most realistic sim since the actual war" - or an "Emperor's Clothes" phenomenon maybe.

Of course that doesn't mean CMBN isn't a terrific game. But, one needs to keep repeating "it is just a game."

[chas_in_mlb]

I'd like a battle recorder that shows the visible and hidden unit movements throughout the battle. I'd like to see where I'm doing well and where I'm getting lit up.

[Glubokii Boy]

Hello...

One thing i would like to see would be a TOGGLE BUTTON to highlight IMPASSABLE TERRAIN and GAPS IN BOCCAGE...This would make it alot easier to plan your moves when the map is zoomed out and also not get disapointed when your troops can't move through a piece of terrain that LOOKS very much PASSABLE but is not...

Maybe highlight the impassable terrain in red and the gaps in the boccage in yellow..

[Vinnart]

All of these were in Cmx1:

Autosave for single player.

The ability for infantry to ride on tanks.

Passenger, What floor on, and open/buttoned unit information displayed in the GUI.

[Baneman]

Passenger, What floor on, and open/buttoned unit information displayed in the GUI.

This.

This is definitely on my wishlist.

[Vinnart]

This.

This is definitely on my wishlist.

I have been pitching this one for a while. Here is a rough graphic of the thought of minimizing the experience level into the un-used square opening up space for such text. Also shown are added color indicators for quick glance ammo info. Currently an ammo type will disappear from the ammo selection even if the weapon type is still being held by a troop I.E. Mr. Thompson machine gun dude. I would rather it read for example 45 cal ammo = 0 with a red indicator to catch the eye that a unit is out of ammo.

Below is more refined of how I could see this working out. The good thing is if one prefers either a letter, or number value representing an experience level either can be easily changed to ones preference with simple modding. In either case flyover text when the curser is over the box could spell out the word Veteran for the slow who can not remember Yellow, and the number 3, or the letter V = Veteran. The color code used is the same that the game uses now so all should be familiar with color representations.

CONSCRIPT: White number 0, or no letter inside a WHITE outline square.

GREEN: White number 1, or letter G inside a RED outline square.

REGULAR: White number 2, or letter R inside an ORANGE outline square.

VETERAN: White number 3, or letter V inside a YELLOW outline square.

CRACK: White number 4, or letter C inside a DARK GREEN outline square.

ELITE: White number 5, or letter E inside a BRIGHT GREEN outline square.

AMMO Color indicators:

GREEN = Good

YELLOW= Low

RED= out

[Hister]

OMG, definitely +1 for Vinnart's and RepsolCBR's ideas!

[Erwin]

Yes, good suggestions. +1

[GerryCMBB]

+1 also.

My favorite part of this is the floor location in buildings. Right now in a fairly built-up area it can be hard to see where they are at.

Gerry

[Mord]

One of Vinnart's best ideas was that C2 chain graphic. Something BFC should definitely consider.

Mord.

[Hister]

Option to toggle the objective highlighted area (fluorescent green) on and off in-game. It ruins the immersion and is ugly to look at.

[c3k]

Hister,

You are correct. After reading your post, I cracked into your online profile. Using a keylogging algorithm I made using a combination of toothpicks and firm baked goods, I was able to get into your computer. I've created a modified exe to run your CM games. The only change I inserted was to enable you to turn of the objectives, just as you requested. I gave it the ALT-J key combination.

(Okay, funny time over: the listed HOTKEYS are overlooked, frequently. Bottom right UI, select MENUS, then select HOTKEYS. You'll see ALT-J listed among many other helpful shortcuts.)

Ken

[poesel]

I want to have one feature less: being able to run CM twice.

Sometimes that happens by accident. Then funky things happen like having no save games or the generated turn vanishes.

Or is there any use in running two CMs in parallel?

[Vinnart]

One of Vinnart's best ideas was that C2 chain graphic. Something BFC should definitely consider.

Mord.

Thanks Mord, but I am sure it was ClarkWGriswald who presented that graphic originally to this community. Ironically I presented a similar concept to the developers of Sudden Strike, and CM about 5 years ago that goes a bit further in the information given to the player beyond just C2. I agree that what you are referring to is probably one of the best concepts for the player to get the overall situation of the overall force at a glance. For those who are not familiar to this it was a drop down graphic that gave the following status C2 , Fatigue, Morale, Contact, and Ammo. Hitting the roaster button expands/collapses the graphic. Clicking on a unit selects that unit, and centers the camera on the selected unit. For the inch and a half the player would lose of the battlefield the gain is worth it I feel. Again the Roaster can be minimized, and has a scroll bar.

Below is a sample that uses some of the old icons from Cmx1. Color code is Green, Yellow, Red, and Dark Red. The end product may not have to look just like this, but here is the general idea that solves many problems of maintaining situational awareness especially for the RTS player.

The circle represents C2. Green = good C2 either close voice, radio, or close visual. Yellow = Far away visual. Red = out of contact.

Fatigue is represented by the figure. Green = good (rested, ready, tiring). Yellow = Tired. Red = exhausted. For tanks this would refer to mobility status.

The heart represents morale. Green = good. Yellow = Rattled. Red = Panic.

Lightning bolt represents contact. Green = No enemy contact. Yellow = Visual enemy contact, or engaged giving, or taking fire, or both. Red = Pinned, taking lots of fire.

Ammo is represented by bullet, and is based on the overall main ammo of the unit. Green = good, Yellow = low. Red = out of main ammo.

Dark red = Unit is destroyed.

This allows the player to get key information about all units at a glance without having to actually select the unit. Given the explanation above can you tell at a glance which units are in a panic, are fatigued, out of contact, and destroyed?