Re: Back with a question

[timmyc69]

I posted Hate the Game. Regrettable title but as it turned out many, many of you were very helpful. I took all of your various and considerate advice and have been watching the videos, reading the manuals and even jumped into a couple of PBEM games for a baptism of fire. You were all so helpful.

Now I have what I am sure will be another "dumb" question. I fell upon posts referring to H2HH which is clearly some kind of "helper" program and I see it as a prefix in front of some "extra battles" that were sent to me by a friend. It sounds like it allows easier transmission of very large game files among other things.

Perhaps I wasn't patience enough to read all the many posts, so I haven't found out where I would find the "program" or if I need it if I am not playing huge games...at least not yet. It just occurred to me that maybe it is available from the BF website download section and I will check. I did find the FAQs Pdf which is VERY HELPFUL. I think that was also brought to my attention by someone when I was whining about how difficult the game was. Thanks again.

[para]

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=107791&highlight=H2HH

check out this thread

Alternatively, if you let me know what your email is I can link you to my drop box which contains 2.4.3 version

[Ultradave]

Here is also a link to a nice step by step of how to set everything up with H2HH and dropbox. Works great and makes things very easy.

http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/showthread.php?tid=61497

[timmyc69]

I will check out the link...and the question I forgot to ask as well as about H2HH.

I can't figure out how I know that my units are hiding, if I give them a hide command. They don't seem to turn a different color and I don't see anything displayed on their unit info panel? I gotta be missing something simple. The Table of contents of the manual gets you to the overall subject, for example, Command Panel, but then if you can find an elaboration there on something like "hide"...there is no index so that you can search for a key word.

I am sure all the answers are there somewhere but the game seems to be a constant process of looking stuff up in any one of three or four vast places..the manual, the FAQs, the forum posts...I am spending more time looking up stuff than playing:confused:

[Brindlewolf]

Do a close up on screen.When in "Hide" mode your units will be prone/lying down.When not,they'll be standing or kneeling.The AI or your opponent does the same,that's why you get those LOS moments,now you see it now you don't.You might get the odd soldier who pops his head and gives their position away again too.Only game i know where i'm constantly slagging pixels off for being dumb

[Pak40]

I'm pretty sure the Hide button is lit up when the unit is selected.

[womble]

I'm pretty sure the Hide button is lit up when the unit is selected.

This. Though "lit up" is mostly relative. Also, you'll see in the bottom left corner that some of your men of a selected unit are "Hiding" rather than "Spotting".

[A Canadian Cat]

This. Though "lit up" is mostly relative.

Agreed - I cannot tell just by looking at it if it is lit up or not. If I select another unit that I *know* i snot hiding and then switch back I can see the difference then.

Also, you'll see in the bottom left corner that some of your men of a selected unit are "Hiding" rather than "Spotting".

Now that is a good idea.

[SlowMotion]

Agreed - I cannot tell just by looking at it if it is lit up or not. If I select another unit that I *know* i snot hiding and then switch back I can see the difference then.

Those button highlights could be made clearer. I have especially trouble seeing whether some weapon like MG is deployed or not.

[umlaut]

If it is not deployed, it says: "not deployed"

[womble]

If it is not deployed, it says: "not deployed"

However, that doesn't help you tell whether you've given it a "Deploy" order or not, in WeGo, cos even with insta-deploy versions of the engine, it doesn't actually change status until you hit the red button (or reach the waypoint where you putatively gave them a "Deploy" order). Fortunately, "Deploy" isn't one of those "instant" uncancellable orders (like "Dismount", or "Bail") and you can toggle it to your heart's content to be sure you know what state it's in. Similarly with "Open Up".

[umlaut]

that doesn't help you tell whether you've given it a "Deploy" order or not

Yes, I know - and I agree that this can be a problem.

My comment was aimed at this sentence:

I have especially trouble seeing whether some weapon like MG is deployed or not.

And my point was that once the MG has been deployed it is actually rather easy to see.

Semantics, really. I´m sorry if my comment seemed rude, it wasn´t meant that way.

[womble]

And my point was that once the MG has been deployed it is actually rather easy to see.

Semantics, really. I´m sorry if my comment seemed rude, it wasn´t meant that way.

Gotcha. I certainly didn't think your comment seemed rude, was just expanding on some of the "subtleties" of the interface. Apologes for seeming tetchy.

[SlowMotion]

Believe it or not, but I couldn't remember this "not deployed" text.

So I was fooled by this "upside down" logic of CMBN UI.

Usually when things are in their default state this is not shown in the UI.

But when some special case happens, THAT is shown.

Like your email client probably does not show text "no new email".

Instead it may show an envelope icon or something when there IS unread email.

Your phone does not say "nobody calling", but instead when some does call then it shows something in the UI.

[akd]

Usually when things are in their default state this is not shown in the UI.

The default state for a heavy weapon team is deployed.

[sfhand]

and the default state for your rolling units is buttoned... which I think is a change from before - at least it seems that way to me, I don't remember having to unbutton all units at the start of a game.

[SlowMotion]

The default state for a heavy weapon team is deployed.

Maybe so when it has reached a place where the weapon should be used. In the game I try to keep my units ready to move when needed. So it makes no sense to deploy a MG, antitank gun (or antitank missile in CMSF) in some place like forest if I have no intention to use the weapon there. I may tell the unit to stop, but just to let them rest. And once they are Ready or Rested, then continue moving ASAP.

Maybe default state was a bad way to say it. Idle state could be better.

You know, like a VCR may show a red "Recording" indicator when recording a program. It does not show "not recording".

[Doug Williams]

I think the OP's question has been adequately answered, but I did just want to make one comment regarding the Hide command. I haven't found much use for it. When your men are Hiding, their ability to spot enemy units is greatly reduced. Far better, IMO, is to give your troops a small target arc so they don't give themselves away by firing before you want them to. They are probably easier to spot in this condition than when they have been given the Hide command, but at least they can see.

Oh, and regarding H2H Helper, great program! Makes PBEMing much easier. You'll need to setup a Dropbox account to get the full use of it. Dropbox+H2H Helper = PBEM nirvana. And PBEM is, after all, the real way to play CM. Everything else is just practice for your PBEM games. :-)

[akd]

and the default state for your rolling units is buttoned... which I think is a change from before - at least it seems that way to me, I don't remember having to unbutton all units at the start of a game.

Yes, this changed.

[womble]

I think the OP's question has been adequately answered, but I did just want to make one comment regarding the Hide command. I haven't found much use for it. When your men are Hiding, their ability to spot enemy units is greatly reduced. Far better, IMO, is to give your troops a small target arc so they don't give themselves away by firing before you want them to. They are probably easier to spot in this condition than when they have been given the Hide command, but at least they can see.

Generally true, but Hide does have its uses. I'm particularly finding this so in FI, for a couple of reasons.

It's much more open, so having your pTruppen lying down (as they pretty much always are while Hiding) allows you to remain unspotted more in the lesser concealment, while not gimping your Spotting too much, for the same reasons; in BN there's a lot more "waist high" visual obstructions that a Hiding pTruppe can't see over.

Because Hide makes them lie down, it's a way of keeping troops facing uphill from standing up.

But even in BN Hide has at least two uses.

Keeping troops lying down to weather incoming fire, especially HE.

Keeping troops behind a wall from being seen at all, so you can manually unhide them to spring an ambush (since you have troops in better concealment who can see approaching enemy and you know when to shout "Now, lads!"

Oh, and regarding H2H Helper, great program! Makes PBEMing much easier. You'll need to setup a Dropbox account to get the full use of it. Dropbox+H2H Helper = PBEM nirvana. And PBEM is, after all, the real way to play CM. Everything else is just practice for your PBEM games. :-)

Truth.

[Macisle]

Oh, and regarding H2H Helper, great program! Makes PBEMing much easier. You'll need to setup a Dropbox account to get the full use of it. Dropbox+H2H Helper = PBEM nirvana. And PBEM is, after all, the real way to play CM. Everything else is just practice for your PBEM games. :-)

Once the 2.1 patch comes out, my CM New Year's resolution is to swear off QBs against the AI and only play PBEM, campaigns, and designer-made AI battles. I'll be doing the H2HH+Dropbox set up.

Lookin' forward to it!

[bisu]

I think the OP's question has been adequately answered, but I did just want to make one comment regarding the Hide command. I haven't found much use for it. When your men are Hiding, their ability to spot enemy units is greatly reduced. Far better, IMO, is to give your troops a small target arc so they don't give themselves away by firing before you want them to. They are probably easier to spot in this condition than when they have been given the Hide command, but at least they can see.

Is there any use for HIDE plus small Cover arc for setting up ambushes? Is it superior or inferior to just a small cover arc? I have noticed that even while hidden, some members of the team spot from time to time so they can react to the enemy entering the cover arc at the same time profiting from the better concealement due to HIDE command..What do you guys think?

[womble]

Is there any use for HIDE plus small Cover arc for setting up ambushes? Is it superior or inferior to just a small cover arc? I have noticed that even while hidden, some members of the team spot from time to time so they can react to the enemy entering the cover arc at the same time profiting from the better concealement due to HIDE command..What do you guys think?

In WeGo, a very small and risky use. There have been many tales of Hidden troops not noticing advancing enemy until it is too late and becoming the ambushees rather than the ambushers. My impression is that this is particularly so when Hide is used to keep heads down behind entirely LOS-blocking features such as walls or bocage berms, but personally, I wouldn't risk it as a primary means of creating an intentional ambush.

[mjkerner]

In WeGo, a very small and risky use. There have been many tales of Hidden troops not noticing advancing enemy until it is too late and becoming the ambushees rather than the ambushers. My impression is that this is particularly so when Hide is used to keep heads down behind entirely LOS-blocking features such as walls or bocage berms, but personally, I wouldn't risk it as a primary means of creating an intentional ambush.

Yeah, don't use hide. One AS away from the place you want your troops to be, SLOW(crawl) them into it with a cover arc out to where you want them to open fire. May not work well with walls (not sure), but works great behind bocage.

[Macisle]

I once had an AT crew hiding (gun manned) behind bocage when a team of enemy infantry approached across open ground about 4-5 action squares away. One of my other teams (not engaging) had vis on them, so I knew they were there. Well, they immediately saw the gun and started pumping lead into its position. Playback revealed that the hiding AT crew never saw them, despite them all standing and firing in open ground from a 4-5 AS distance for about half a turn.

Like others have said, it seems that hide is not best for ambush. It's useful for keeping troops hidden at a distance when you really don't want them engaged at all and/or to minimize damage from artillery. But of course, hiding AT guns, depending on size and cover may be seen while a crew/team alone in the same place might not.