HawkerT Posted November 25, 1999 Share Posted November 25, 1999 I have been lurking around this here fine board for some time now. I have read others confessing their ‘lurker’ status and now I to feel the need to rise from the silent masses and spil a few kind words. So if you get sick when god vibes hit the fan big time, you should probably skip to the miscellaneous section of this post, or just skip it all together (my lingo is bad and my spelling sucks (I’m from Denmark)). Thau be now fairly warned. Love & gratitude: To Big Time Software (BTS), alpha/beta testers & Fioon (an entity all by himself I guess). I was hooked on this game when i booted my first Amstrad 128 13 years ago, I just didn’t know it then and nobody ever got around to making it before now. When i first read about this game it was a case of “say no more” and I preordered before I even downloaded and played the beta. You have been rightly praised for Combat Mission (CM) and your responsiveness at this here fine board many times before so I will just join that squad and turn to what I feel is your greatest achievement. I realize that besides setting a new higher standard for wargaming and answering posts, you always have to address the ekstra issue of “keeping the huns at the gate”, meaning watching out for people with hidden agenda’s (the ‘our industry’ guy) and staying calm when faced with guy’s like the one who interrupted the last live chat with some meaningless advertisement (and guy’s like me writing to long posts). But even this ekstra issue you handle with finesse and humor, and manages to steer this here fine board clear of all the rocks and keeping it a friendly goldmine of information that keeps us all coming back for more. At the same time you have chosen a path, that might differ from the rest of the industry, but that you feel must be taken because it is right. All this put together gives you as individuals and this here fine board a priceless integrity that no one can take away from you. May your bold stand leave you victorious. Miscellaneous: Compendium of tactics, weapons etc. for CM. Here is my ten cents worth ! I find the manual an extremely valuable asset to any game. In fact I think of it as worth half the prize of the game. There is nothing better then a manual that goes beyond the game itself and addresses technical (the men and their weapons) and historical issues. But it is very often neglegted and one of the points where most other games fail. Besides being able to reap higher rewards when playing the game a good (read colossal) manual gives the time pressed player a possibility to live in the virtual universe of the game longer (who said escapism). You can read it when on the toilet, in the car/train/bus and you can actually take the manual to bed and be with your wife at the same time. (though maybe one has to toss the manual once in a while to tend to marital duties !!!). So here’s to the writers of the manual. Hold the flag high, make it big and put it on the disc ! I know I am pushing my luck here, but hey ! who dares win. My feable hope is that the alpha/beta testers, BTS, Fioon (keep up the good work) and ‘senior’ players from this here fine board will keep producing articles, After Action Reports (AAR’s) and posts like the excellent one on artillery last night. Maybe along the way it could all be formed into a holistic compendium embracing whatever the manual does not contain. I know it takes time, drive, knowledge and overview to do this, but having pages left to read in such a compendium would be better then money in the bank. Abbreviations. It is probably a ridiculous request but maybe the contributors to this here fine board could pose upon them selves the “best practice” of using the full text followed by the abbreviation (abb.) rather then the abbreviation itself the first time it is used in a topic. I have not yet figured out what LOL means (and did CE mean Close Encounters ?). My point is this – even abbreviations you think you know can be interpreted wrong, A bad example could be - IMHO - In My Honest/Humble ? Opinion, no big difference there but you get the drift. Another set of abbreviations entirely is the ones used for ranks in the game. It would be nice to se a comprehensive appendix in the manual, if not then it would definetly be a must for the project mentioned above. I know it’s getting out of hand here but how about “The CM players tips & tricks for optimizing amount of time playing and reading CM”. Now that would be usable knowledge for you right there. There must be a dozen or more experts out there willing to share. I have one for you here. Whenever my wife and kids wants to go shopping I drive them, but stay in the car reading the legendary alpha battle. (Took me a day at work to move the thing (nearly 300 pages) to Word for printing (pictures look great though in black and white, enlarged). I even used the CM Head Quarters (HQ) picture as front page and had the thing made in to a book at work) (if anyone is adept at printing pages (that dont fit A4) from the net please feel free to laugh and then help)) Yours truly Frans E. Jensen ------------------ If you can't join'em beat'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkerT Posted November 25, 1999 Author Share Posted November 25, 1999 Fionn - I am very sory and ashamed of my bad spelling. Shame on me :-( Frans E. Jensen ------------------ If you can't join'em beat'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted November 25, 1999 Share Posted November 25, 1999 What bad spelling? If it's the mispelling of my name then it's no big deal . It's a weird name and I'm not likely to take offence at a simple spelling error . If it's anything else than I didn't notice . Anyways, I'm half-Belgian and half-Irish so English is only my third language and I'm quite prone to them myself Ps. Glad you enjoyed the Alpha Battle and AARs. Martin did some great work on those. ------------------ ___________ Fionn Kelly Manager of Historical Research, The Gamers Net - Gaming for Gamers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest L Tankersley Posted November 25, 1999 Share Posted November 25, 1999 Hawker, welcome to the light. Don't worry about your writing; your vocabulary and spelling are at least equal to that of most English-speaking internet users (in my experience, anyway). For your information (FYI), "LOL" = "laughing out loud." "CE" could mean "Chance Encounter," but it's also used (at least by ASL ["Advanced Squad Leader"] players) as an abbreviation for "crew exposed," which means the opposite of buttoned up. This message brought to you as a public service by the JAS foundation. Leland J. Tankersley "Jargon, Acronyms and Symbols" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkerT Posted November 25, 1999 Author Share Posted November 25, 1999 Tank's LT. I'm this very moment LOL about the JAS foundation thing. Thank's again. ------------------ If you can't join'em beat'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Oberst Posted November 25, 1999 Share Posted November 25, 1999 Hey Feeeeeon, nice to know you aren't sensitive about the name... Sorry, just could NOT resist... Hair Oberst [This message has been edited by Herr Oberst (edited 11-24-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted November 25, 1999 Share Posted November 25, 1999 Hawker brings up a good point that has always stuck in my craw- manuals. When I contributed to the TSoft board during the "East Front" Beta I begged them to not skimp on the manual and even suggested that I would be willing to pay an extra couple bucks to have a nice one. But did they listen? Nope! I then got the distinct non-pleasure of on the one hand getting to yell "Told ya so!!" while realizing I was the goat with said crappy manual in-hand! (Waaaaa!) It's enough to make you weep. I KNOW that TS has learned this history lesson guys- here's to hoping you won't have to repeat it yourself (hint, hint). Tanks for listening, Paul West Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mikeman Posted November 25, 1999 Share Posted November 25, 1999 You absolutely cannot overdo a wargame manual. Think thick with small print. Mikeman out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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