Captured vehicles?

[Ithikial_AU]

I for one support any moves to allow for captured equipment/vehicles where it is historically viable to do so. As mentioned above, Bulge is a key time this occurred, not to mention if CMx2 ever went to Africa.

However I'd limit it to just scenarios/campaigns where it can be 'controlled' by the scenario designer. Having the ability to use captured equipment is probably a little too open for abuse for MP quick battles. "Oh look another US force that just happens to have a Panther."

[gnarly]

What about 'fausts @Ithikial? 

[Ithikial_AU]

What about 'fausts @Ithikial? 

Perhaps the ability to 'buddy aid' fausts? Also think picking up fallen enemy weapons if your own pixeltruppen is low on ammo could be interesting if implemented.

[kohlenklau]

[LukeFF]

Umm...no.

[Fizou]

I would love to see Sd.Kfz. variants (5-11) in a vehicle pack or module. We already have some that are the AAA variants so shouldn't be to hard to add those without the gun I guess.  

[GhostRider3/3]

Just speaking of vehicles for a possible vehicle pack and in this case just some the german stuff. Rather like to see some the mentioned trucks and towing vehicles than i.e a Maus, Panther F and other the never built and employed german fantasy toys.  Captured vehicles...okay...would be not a priority on my personal wishlist though.

Not a bad idea as a vehicle pack.  I would not mind seeing the Sdkfz 7, or the sdkfz 10 transport vehicles.   I know, no armor protection, but still think it would be cool.to be added for vehicle pack.  (Transport pack)?

[MikeyD]

Sedans and staff cars would be cool. Not particularly significant, but cool. I wonder if BFC has tried to quantify what proportion of its sales are to dedicated wargamers and what proportion are from the hobby modeling spectrum. If its a high proportion hobbyist base then 'cool vehicles' increase in importance even if they're not tactically significant. The CMFB title (and everything in it) is roughly the price of a single high-end hobby model kit. Not a bad deal hobbyist-wise.

[Michael Emrys]

The CMFB title (and everything in it) is roughly the price of a single high-end hobby model kit.

I was shocked not too long ago to discover how the price of kits had skyrocketed. When I was a kid, even a good kit could be had for about a buck. Yeah, I know; when I was a kid just about everything was radically cheaper. But the price on kits was still pretty inexpensive in the 1980s. Not any more...

Michael

[kohlenklau]

Maybe the new BFC webstore will have a shopping cart system! You add vehicles into your shopping cart and then check out, pay and do your download?

Somebody's wife will see the credit card bill... $299.00 for vehicles!

 

 

Edited February 7, 2016 by kohlenklau

[panzersaurkrautwerfer]

Sedans and staff cars would be cool. Not particularly significant, but cool. I wonder if BFC has tried to quantify what proportion of its sales are to dedicated wargamers and what proportion are from the hobby modeling spectrum. If its a high proportion hobbyist base then 'cool vehicles' increase in importance even if they're not tactically significant. The CMFB title (and everything in it) is roughly the price of a single high-end hobby model kit. Not a bad deal hobbyist-wise.

I kinda have to agree.  I am one of those hobbyists.  It also helps to have some variation when you're modeling rag tag forces, or veteran units that have simply taken anything that was not nailed down.  Adds character.  It might not add enough character to be worth doing, but again if you've got folks that will go nuts to have literally every halftrack in the game, might be worth some effort.

 

I was shocked not too long ago to discover how the price of kits had skyrocketed. When I was a kid, even a good kit could be had for about a buck. Yeah, I know; when I was a kid just about everything was radically cheaper. But the price on kits was still pretty inexpensive in the 1980s. Not any more...

I'm a fair bit younger than a lot of forum members, but same deal. Growing up getting a 1/48 scale fighter plane or something was the kind of thing my parents might do as a reward for not kicking and screaming all the way through shopping.  Now even fairly modest 1:35 tanks compete with video games for unit prices.  I paid something like 70 bucks for the M1A2 SEP v2 I will totally not be building for a few years*

*On the other hand, I wanted to make sure I picked up a model of the exact variant I operated so I could paint it up like my tank.  On the other hand, I'm getting okay at the Tamiya level models, the Dragon ones are pretty scary in terms of complexity right now. 

[nik mond]

 

 

I'm Glad Schwimmwagens aren't  in the game. I would be fool enough to use it as a regimental ferry to cross a river... 4 guys at a time. That would kill game immersion and any sense of appreciation for a time based scenario.

[Sequoia]

Sedans and staff cars would be cool. Not particularly significant, but cool. I wonder if BFC has tried to quantify what proportion of its sales are to dedicated wargamers and what proportion are from the hobby modeling spectrum. If its a high proportion hobbyist base then 'cool vehicles' increase in importance even if they're not tactically significant. The CMFB title (and everything in it) is roughly the price of a single high-end hobby model kit. Not a bad deal hobbyist-wise.

First of all to Nik, you have to have willpower my friend.

As far as sedans and staff cars, if by that you mean Horschs etc for the Germans, I'm curious if they were really that much rarer than Kubelwagens? They certainly could transport a larger group, though of course less than a truck, say a half squad. It seems this middle ground could have some tactical significance. I wonder if they're in the TO&E's of frontline units below the regimental level and the Kubelwagen is used as a replacement in the game?

The Allied equivalent would be the Dodge 3/4 ton "beep" . Again I wonder if these too were part of the TO&E of frontline units.

[GhostRider3/3]

I was shocked not too long ago to discover how the price of kits had skyrocketed. When I was a kid, even a good kit could be had for about a buck. Yeah, I know; when I was a kid just about everything was radically cheaper. But the price on kits was still pretty inexpensive in the 1980s. Not any more...

Michael

Very expensive now yes.  I have 3 boxes of unfinished models.  1 Box contains everything for my Africa Korps Diorama.  Sdkfz 9 "Famo" ($110.00), an 88mm Flak Gun ($35.00),  X2 SPW 222& 223, ($50.00) X1 Pz IV (Short Barrel 75mm $38.00) x 2 Pz III short barrel 50mm @‌ $35-38each), and 1 Opel Truck $10.00).  Some building, troops, and some other stuff for a make shift field fueling depot.   Not sure how much worth is in the box, all I know is the "Famo" was the most costly piece.  I air brush everything and then go back and add bloody hell hours of detail.

I do think as a Vehicle pack though, different transports make for more realistic encounters, especially from the German perspective, as they had transports from all over.  I believe they were still running the Ford Plant from France throughout the war, and many reenactment groups have gotten their hands on them.

 

As far as I know, the Schwerer geländegängiger PKW was the only successful version.  The other two were used in the rear with the gear.  I believe from Artillery and Luftwaffe units.  I guess they sorta sucked, with the exception of the PKW, which would be a great addition in a vehicle pack.

Edited February 9, 2016 by GhostRider3/3

[RockinHarry]

There´s yet one point not to forget when speaking of the german SdKfz type vehicles. Most of them had their particular role when it comes to carrying or towing stuff, like the 7 model to tow the 88 Flak i.e (which is immobile in the game!). Others tow guns for we do not have onboard versions in the game (lFH18, Nebelwerfer...). So beside just having more variations, some the guns actually need to be included as onboard versions as well.

[MikeyD]

I believe their logic quite literally was 'If we include Sdkfz 7 in the game they'll expect to be able to tow 88s around'. So adding Sdkfz 7 would open a whole can of worms they didn't want to deal with. A limbered/unlimbered 88 model, special animations. Expensive and time-consuming 1-use coding. As it is, we see surprisingly little 88 use in the game, though its such an 'iconic' gun. It's just so damned big and inconvenient to use. That being said, when CM moves to Russia 1943, and perhaps North Africa someday a towed/deployable 88 with hauler sounds more tactically viable.

[Sequoia]

That makes sense. You're probably right about the sdkfz 7. I was surprised when they announced the Möbelwagen. I thought it would be too much trouble to animate/code properly. Same with flail mineclearing tanks.

[MikeyD]

I think this is a function of them having got most of the 'heavy lifting' (game engine debugging) out of the way and can turn their attention to 'fun stuff'. I was the guy who suggested they try a 3-D textured flying Sturmtiger round, thinking the chance of it actually making in was like 10%. Damn if they didn't add it to the game next Beta build!

[Bulletpoint]

Wouldn't carrying around a scavenged panzerschreck or panzerfaust make you a likely target for friendly fire?

[Sublime]

^ this at least I know is a true point with a lot of infantry units in Vietnam. Veterans would often scoff at the idea of US soldiers picking up and using AKs because it.d draw fire, and several novels of veterans based on their experiences ( Like Webbs Fields of Fire ) make derisive comments about REMFs with AKs and bullet bandoliers crossed over their chests..

The faust thing perhaps but there is proof the 82nd AB at the least captured a large stock and used them until wars end.

[fivefivesix]

I am doing some research at my university on a couple medical detachments that served in ETO. I've read over lots of morning reports and after action reports, looking for information regarding individual casualties that received care at the medical units in my research. I stumbled across some evidence of American units undergoing panzerfaust training in March '45. Specifically the 331st Infantry Regiment, 83rd infantry division, near Neuss, Germany. So FWIW, there is at least one instance of regiment-wide instruction of use of the panzerfaust during the late war period. 

http://83rdinfdivdocs.org/documents/331st/AAR/AAR_331_MAR1945.pdf for those interested. 

Edited February 18, 2016 by fivefivesix

[panzersaurkrautwerfer]

Wouldn't carrying around a scavenged panzerschreck or panzerfaust make you a likely target for friendly fire?

^ this at least I know is a true point with a lot of infantry units in Vietnam. Veterans would often scoff at the idea of US soldiers picking up and using AKs because it.d draw fire, and several novels of veterans based on their experiences ( Like Webbs Fields of Fire ) make derisive comments about REMFs with AKs and bullet bandoliers crossed over their chests..

The faust thing perhaps but there is proof the 82nd AB at the least captured a large stock and used them until wars end.

It really depends on the time, the place, and all sorts of other variables.  AK-47s were quite popular with US troops in Iraq in the early days not because it was superior to yankee bad gun M16, but a lot of folks who normally drove tanks, or trucks that were assigned pistols suddenly found themselves being asked to man checkpoints.  There were a lot of AKs laying around with rounds, so therein more than few folks solved their rifle problem until additional US rifles could be sent.  I also knew of a tanker who'd use an AK as a "door knocker" and would spray suspicious buildings with it, as usually it'd trigger whatever ambush was waiting for them as the ambushers would assume they were "made" and had to do it now or not at all.

I also heard of some limited RPG-7 use, but that tapered off largely because of the accuracy issues, quality of Iraqi captured rounds, and increasing availability of AT4s and such.

There's no real uniform nature to use of non-standard weapons beyond that it certainly occurred sometimes, sometimes more than others.  With the Germans in World War Two towards the end, it simply because almost a requirement given the lack of German equipment to fill the gap.  Some Allied and Soviet units certainly employed German weapons where it filled a gap (I once read a book written by a Soviet Assault gun commander, and he made it pretty clear having and MG-42 and pile of stick grenades was likely why he survived on a few occasions).  As long as it can be kept reasonable or as a neat surprise (hey one of my rifle squads has an MP-40!) I don't think it'll be too annoying, but if it goes overboard (doing a QB and facing a German opponent with a Sherman Company) it'll wear out its welcome fast.  

[MikeyD]

...American units undergoing panzerfaust training in March '45

Feb/Mar/April '45 American units in the ETO did start gettin' weird. All of a sudden they started to try out oddball stuff like welding grab rails and ladders onto Sherman engine decks, adding tons of additional armor, adding chickenwire screens for attaching foliage. Even contracting with a French steel mill to manufacture 1 inch armor plate to uparmor M4A1 Shermans with. So Panzerfaust training in March doesn't come as a big surprise. Panzerfaust training in Nov-Dec would be a surprise, though.

Edited February 18, 2016 by MikeyD

[pad152]

Why can't Allied units be selected with a new (German Markings/paint) skin something like how White Wash is going to work in CMFB ? It seems some changes with the Editor (1. Allow Axis to buy Allied equipment without crew ,  2. Select Mod paint job for unit, 3. Buy a Axis crew).  No Mod for unit use default allied skin.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by pad152

[Sublime]

Pz the AK thing in Iraq makes more sense than Vietnam also because in Iraq 'our' Iraqis used AKs and old regime equipment often. Also contractors were probably using whatever they wanted (?)

In Vietnam of course we largely equipped ARVN with Garands, carbines then m16s. But of course especially in a ww2 era fight where there was a lot less uniformity at squad and platoon level with personal weapons - m16/m60 - AK/PK vs Thompson, Garand, and BAR  or whatever - I could see combat units picking up whatever they feĺt was necessary.

I wonder with the US 3rd Army reputation under Patton for chickensh't if guys got in trouble using German equipment or if it even came up...?

Edited February 19, 2016 by Sublime