Guest Big Time Software Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Post questions for Martin about his game against Fionn. Please remember to not give anything away about German positions/intentions that Martin could not possibly know. Martin thinks he knows everything, but doesn't, so it would be more fun to let him live in fantasy land Steve [This message has been edited by Big Time Software (edited 08-23-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Uh oh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dano6 Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Damn, kick that gunner out of your platoon. Or hell maybe he'll be dead on the next shot and you won't have the honor of doing it yourself. dano6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Heh... I know what you mean. He put four or so shots in the woods to the right. Might have killed some infantry and rabbits, but not much more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Galanti Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 I was curious about what you call the 'fourth Sherman' in your setup. It's the one up north behind the trees, which can see the center and the bottom of the map. I was curious as to it's range to the likely places that the German's will appear? What kind of damage can the 75 mm gun do at that distance? It seemed a little far back to me, but I couldn't get a good feel for the exact distances involved (and I don't know about the effectivness of the gun at various ranges anyway ) [This message has been edited by Ben Galanti (edited 08-23-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 The "fourth" Sherman is indeed pretty far back, maybe 500+ meters from the gap between the two woods. I would have loved to put it closer to the action, but it is pretty much the only spot I could find on the northern part of map within my setup zone. At 500 meters, the 75mm gun is... let's call it, not very effective. It might penetrate one of the "smaller" Panzers, like PzIV or an assault gun at this range, preferably from the flank, too. But my intention is not really to kill anything at this distance - instead, I want to show Fionn some resistance (and make him cautious) and then withdraw. What I forgot to mention is that there is a small dip behind that Sherman's position where it can withdraw into and move out of LOS completely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Galanti Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 One other question I forgot.. How are the Shermans (especially the Jumbo) in the snow? The two tanks in the center have a nice road to retreat on if needed, but what chance is there that the Sherman's on the flanks will get bogged down? Also are most of the forrests on the map impassable to tanks (if I remember right, AFV's can only go through light forrests...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dano6 Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Did you ever consider smoke artilery support for the assault on the town? Any reasons why you wouldn't use it or why you would? Any plans for artillery on the road net that has to be used by the german relief group? Just curious how you plan on using your fire support? dano6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 As the mission orders from Allied HQ (uh... Steve) say, the chance of bogging down in the snow (6 inch deep) is high. Based on the previous try-out games against Fionn, I would say that if the Shermans would need to retreat FAST over the snow, they most likely would bog down earlier or later. I think that going over slopes would also enhance this effect. But besides the risk of bogging down, there is another effect of this snow - the going is VERY slow. You're right about the forests - only light woods are assable for tanks, but with the snow even that will be a very very slow thing to do. BTW - light woods are now called "scattered trees" in CM, because that's what it really is. The woods on the map edges are all impassable, e.g. in the south-east - should I manage to block the road - the vehicles will be stranded and can have a nice BBQ in the clearing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Ben, you bring up a good point about bogging down in snow. Generally, from what I can remember, Shermans were pretty good in snow. But I think the Jumbo was probably more likely to get bogged down because of all that armor. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhet Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Martin, Good Luck! The first step to solving a problem is to define it. You nailed it, the town is the objective...I believe the term all costs was used. The rest is a delaying action. For what its worth, I think you have addressed this situation pretty well. P.S. I like your writing style. ------------------ Rhet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Thanks, Rhet, for the morale boost. Playing against Fionn "Wittman" Kelly himself, I think I can use any bit of help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Beman Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 Well, I'm going to ask a question that nobody else has. Moon, is the game fun? Also, what do you think are your chances? DjB ps Let's the rest of us start a betting pool. Predict who will win, how long it will take, casualties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolColJ Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 Hi Martin you stated you wanted to take the town pretty quickly, which is why I didn't know why you would not use one Sherman to support the advance against the town. The Sherman would supply a mobile fire and suppression base. The 3 remaing Shermans, would still delay The Geramns long enough, while the SHerman supported attack on the town would most likely finish a bit quicker. CCJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 I think Doug asked the most important question, Is it fun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 Tons of fun! It's absolutely amazing to hear the sounds of battle (explosions, shots, MGs) and see the action in 3D and real time. It's like a WWII movie, really, and you can replay the action form any angle (I average about 10-20 replays each turn). You know what I said to Steve the first time I saw the game running? I said that I feel like a young officer who has been playing "fake" games back home, moving little markers on maps and all that - and now, finally, after years of training, I get the taste of my first real battle. One thing that strikes me with CM is the "dynamic" environment... While most traditional hex-based games are rather "static" (work with me here...) everything seems to come to life in CM as soon as you hit the replay button. No screenshot or QT movie (as cool as they are) can really show you how it is to move around the map - that's for sure. And another thing - everything you read about is in the game! The interface is really easy to use, but still gives you all the information you need (while maintaining FOW). The tactical AI of the units is awesome... they act like real soldiers... Oh boy - before I start rambling, I'd better answer the other questions CoolColJ - I do have one Sherman shooting at the town. It's the one hidden all the way north behind the woods. It's hidden from German view but positioned facing west and is firing at the town (quite effectively I might note...) I had to keep it in a distance because otherwise the Germans coming from the east "could" track a LOS to the Sherman (there is a little hill in the east). Besides - I certainly don't want to move the Sherman too close to the town too early, since the Krauts have those friggin' Panzerfaust.... And what are my chances? Well, I think it will be tough to hold the Germans in the east. I don't have much in terms of anti-tank capability and the setup zones didn't allow me to set up really strong ambushes in the woods. The town is a totally different story and I am confident that I can take it. So I guess that the decision will be made around the town - can I take the town quickly enough and then repulse the German counterattack? As it is now, I'd say my chance is 50-50... [This message has been edited by Moon (edited 08-24-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolColJ Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 Martin Do you know how many Shermans are arriving as reinforcements, or is this part of the FOW? CCJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 HQ promised me "several Shermans"... that's all I know. But you know what - they promised us Shermans down on Omaha, too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Smith Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 I had two questions about setting the Shermans. In one, you mention that it is easy to set a tank to be hull down-you get behind the hill/wall whatever, and tell the tank to 'sneak' or 'lurk' or 'hunt' or something and the tank will inch its way forward until it can just fire at an opposing target. But what if there is no opposing target? What if you want to set up a tank to be hull down in the initial setup, or move it into position during the game? Second question. There was one shot in which a tank was set so that it could just see past a building (and the shot showed the tank's LOS just skirt the right edge of the building). I assume you had the tank selected, then selected a spot on the ground 'out there' and the computer gave you a 'green line' indicating a clear LOS. Is there also a command to create a whole fan from a friendly unit showing all its LOS? What if I don't want to know whether a specific point is in LOS, but rather want to know how clear the entire 180 degrees in front of a given position is/is not in LOS (to id blind spots, dead spots, etc) Third question: You mention that one Sherman is oriented towards the town, the others are oreinted towards the east. Are tanks subject to the same command and control rules that infantry is? (I would guess that splitting an infantry platoon in this manner would leave one half of the platoon out of command and control range.) Thanks, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>In one, you mention that it is easy to set a tank to be hull down-you get behind the hill/wall whatever, and tell the tank to 'sneak' or 'lurk' or 'hunt' or something and the tank will inch its way forward until it can just fire at an opposing target.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Actually, you don't need to use any specific command to put your tank into a hull-down position. The 3D environment makes such "artificial" commands unnecessary. You can simply look at the map, move the camera to ground level and "judge" where you think good hull-down positions are - just like the WW2 tankers had to do it In other words, when you see a stone wall, you can assume that the tank will be hull-down to targets on the other side. It works similar for a hill. If you want to make sure that you are not too low (i.e. too much of the tank is hidden behind the hill), you can simply use the LOS tool and check LOS. If the LOS is obstructed by the hill, then obviously you're too "low"... It does take some "judging" and guesstimates before you find a good hull-down position during setup. But this is not only realistic, it will allow more experienced players to show their talent. But what if there is no opposing target? What if you want to set up a tank to be hull down in the initial setup, or move it into position during the game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Smith Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 A followup to my last question. Each squad is a member of a platoon, and must stay within command range of the platoon leader to really fight well. Is each platoon also a member of a company, with similar command restrictions, or are platoons able to operate independently? Are companies able to operate independently? Are any level of command able to do so? In this scenario, I can see it playing a part-you have soldiers fighting on different sides of your battlefield, and if no level of organization is independent, then almost by definition, one of the two halves of the battlefield is out of command and control range? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 Yep, you're right - I have several units out there that are out of command. The outpost near the clearing in the south-eastern woods, for example. Also a few bazookas which are strewn everywhere. The best example probably is the MG team that surrendered in turn 2 on the northern hill by the town... had it been in command, it most likely would still be mine. Command works fairly easy in CM. The platoon HQ unit can keep all units in his platoon in command, but not units that belong to other platoons. The company HQ unit can keep units from all three platoons in his company in command. The battalion HQ exercises C&C for the whole battalion. So as long as you do not lose your platoon HQ, a platoon can operate independently. Only when the platoon HQ is gone you will start looking for the Captain... I am not sure, however, if there are any differences in the quality of command between the different levels (e.g. if a battalion HQ has a bigger command radius etc.) - that one would be for Steve or Charles to answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Crowley Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 Martin, a question of smoke was brought up in an earlier post and not responded to as I could see. So, is there arty smoke ability in CM? And if so, do you have any ordinance at your disposal? Secondly, any idea when the next turn update will be posted? I read that you are past turn 5 but only 2 turns posted. (Maybe we could get em emailed?) Finally, and I hate to say this, but as good as you are, you won't beat the Irish...we love to fight - been doing it for years. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 Yes - artillery has smoke capabilities. Not all of them - the 60mm mortars don't - but I think the 81mm mortars and 105mm artillery can lay smoke screens. BTW - that's also what I have at disposal, three 60mm teams, two 81mm FOs and one 105mm FO. Yep, we are past turn 5 in the meantime. I think that there will be roughly 2 turns per day uploaded to TGN - certainly you should see turns 3-4 up very soon. I know that Irish are a tough breed indeed, but that doesn't impress me much - I'm born in Poland... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatherof4 Posted August 24, 1999 Share Posted August 24, 1999 In your Turn 2 update, you wrote: "In the south-east clearing, I hope to damage some halftracks and their accompanying Grenadiers [with 81mm mortar fire]." What kind of effect will mortar fire have on halftracks? Is a direct hit on one necessary to take it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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