v1.04 Update Ready

[The CM Borg]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by HENTZAU:

Just received my copy and love it. The AI is tearing me up! Thats real AI! I see my disk is version 1.2. Do I need to download a version 1.3 or just the 1.4? If I need a 1.3, where is it? Didn't see it in the downloads? Thanks! Finally a great wargame, its been a long wait!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You've been assimilated

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Resistance is Futile

[David Stone]

BTS delivers, as usual...

Okay Charles where is that dang pizza!?!

[Panic]

Just got done checking the crew-targeting problem by playing the tutorial -- appears to be fixed. My M4A3 kept firing its machine gun at the crew (only infantry in sight) but the main gun switched targets smoothly to a new threat revealed in dissipating smoke, and took that tank out as well.

The artillery ammo change makes perfect sense, and works fine. Way to go BTS!

[Airborne]

Thanks for the great (continued) support..

Outstanding!!!!! Chris

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Land Soft--Kill Quiet

[aka_tom_w]

This ROCKS!

when was the last time any software designer or programer fixed SO many thing SO Fast.

Never in the course of video game history has So much been Owed to So Few ("the Charles", the Creator all Hail!) BY so MANY!

(to paraphrase Winston Churchill)

Thanks Charles!

Just look at all the things that have been tweaked since this game was realesed.

Truly immpressive.....

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

v1.04 8/17/2000

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Play-by-email format has changed. Both players must use v1.04 to be compatible. IMPORTANT: Upgrading to v1.04 part way through a scenario or play-by-email is NOT recommended, due to a change in the way artillery ammunition is tracked (see below).

* Scenarios created by v1.04 cannot be loaded by PREVIOUS versions of Combat Mission.

* Artillery Forward Observers (FOs) track their ammunition by individual shells rather than by fire missions. So this will make it look at first like they now have 4 times as much ammo, but they really don't. Spotting rounds now count against ammo usage. Older scenarios are dynamically updated when loaded to account for this change.

* Tanks are less likely to target a new, not-highly-threating unit which, to engage, would require significant turret or hull rotation away from a recent, important threat.

* Tanks with no target do not automatically return turrets to face forward unless they are moving or hull-rotating.

* Enemy units must be closer before full identification can be obtained.

* Mortars now have a more difficult time tracking moving targets.

* TacAI is quicker to move open-top vehicles away from mortar attack, and to recognize .50cal MGs as threats to light armor.

* Armor penetration capability for high-explosive (HE) rounds fired from high-velocity cannon has been toned down.

* Tiger tank now models the varying thickness of its mantlet armor (up to 200mm in places).

* Armor penetrations by MG bullets and small AP shells are somewhat less likely to knock out the target (no change for 75mm and up). And crews of struck vehicles are less likely to bail out when no serious damage has been suffered.

* MG fire against vehicles is now less effective (i.e. less accurate) if the firer or target is moving.

* Large guns like the 88mm AT are allowed to use the rotation order (this was a bug).

* Reinforcements are placed better around entrance locations.

* Small-caliber shells that enter a pillbox's firing slit are less likely to knock out the whole pillbox.

* Vehicles with rear-facing guns (not including mortars) may not 'hunt'.

* Bailed-out crews are never eligible for exit points.

* Units are a little smarter about finding the "right" cover to move to when they come under fire or panic.

* British 2-inch mortar is now able to run for short distances (like Panzerschreck), but ammo load reduced from 22 to 20.

* Vehicles in hunt mode, whose guns are damaged, will stop movement and consider evasive action.

* Very small changes made to vehicle unit point cost based on top armor thickness.

* When one side surrenders, any prisoners it still has on the map are automatically uncaptured.

* Slight modifications made to the firepower ratings for MP44, MP40, Thompson SMG, and Sten SMG.

* Captured units cannot set off mines. And the code that checks for captured units escaping has been extended to allow units to escape (sometimes) even when enemy guards are nearby, provided that nearby friendly forces have a significant local superiority.

* Bug fix makes passengers free to disembark and re-embark on assault boats without problems during battle setup phase and scenario editing.

* Bug fix: there is no longer a problem with quick battles when the starting player chooses "human chosen" units and the other player has "auto pick", with the first player's setup phase being skipped.

* Bocage blocks LOS less severely, provided the spotter or target is adjacent to the bocage (bug fix).

* Sometimes very small reinforcement groups (e.g. one or two units) under computer control had a tendency to sit still and not get involved in the battle. This is fixed.

* The No-Man's-Land Size setting for Operations no longer changes from 0 to 400 when saving/loading the file (bug fix).

* Area fire target lines disappear automatically when a unit is out of ammo.

* Movement paths created by the TacAI don't "hug" road edges so much.

* AI bug fixed so it does a better job 'defending' against an enemy exit edge, even if the AI is the attacking force.

* Vehicles with limited AP ammo were sometimes overly cautious about using it (e.g. SPW 250/9). This has been remedied.

* Canadians have use of 40mm Bofors AA gun.

* M3A1 scout car has 3 crewmen (driver and 2 gunners).

* M3A1 halftrack, M5 halftrack, and M3A1 scout car can still fire one MG after suffering one crew casualty.

* Two-man vehicles that suffer a crew casualty will only display only one crewman now (bug fix).

* Recoilless rifles are placed better (graphically) upon transporting vehicles (bug fix).

* When a vehicle towing a gun is knocked out, the gun is not visually 'trapped under' the vehicle (bug fix).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

v1.03 7/26/2000

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Play-by-email format has changed. Both players must use v1.03 to be compatible.

* Infantry moving in the open is more vulnerable to casualties than before.

* Small-arms units, especially MGs, fire more rapidly at units that are moving in the open.

* Top-mount MG range increased for: Stuart, T8, PSW 234/3

* Vickers MG is available to British and Polish paratroops.

* Running units spot enemies more poorly.

* Mortar shell top armor penetration capability reduced slightly.

* The 'front line' in Operations does not tend to shift quite as much in the attacker's favor as it did before.

* v1.01 made pillboxes just a little bit too resistant to artillery. This resistance has been toned down slightly.

* Fog of War 'preference' is remembered properly.

* Unit point values have been tweaked, especially small recoilless weapons. Vehicles with veteran or better experience also cost more.

* Quick Battles

- Max length is now 60 turns.

- Troop quality, weather, and time of day can be set to "random".

- The automatic force chooser can now pick Conscript (on Low quality setting), and Crack and Elite troops (on High quality setting).

- Allow a slightly greater portion of points to be spent on artillery.

- In a 2-player Quick Battle, a reminder window appears to both players if there is a handicap in force size.

- Attacker-to-defender ratio in points is slightly reduced.

* TacAI (esp. for tanks) is less 'distracted' by targets of lesser importance.

* Vehicle reinforcements are more likely to be placed on a road, if one is (very) nearby.

* Operations have always been able to end when one side is "pushed off" their own map edge, but the algorithm which determines when this has occurred is more forgiving now, and allows the force to be "squeezed" up closer against that map edge before force-ending the operation.

* FOs are no longer automatically fully resupplied between battles in an operation.

* Foxholes dug in Tall Pines terrain were treated (in part) as if they were dug in the open. This is now fixed.

* Vehicles that button up or turn away are less likely to lose visual contact with their *current* target.

* One can no longer change a rotation waypoint to a movement waypoint, therefore circumventing command delay.

* Computer player is smarter about exiting units for points (when allowed by scenario).

* Grenade and demo charge attacks against armored vehicles can no longer cause collateral damage to friendly units.

* Random map generator no longer creates "spiky" hills.

* Silhouette rating for M24 Chaffee reduced.

* Bailed crews now have poor visual spotting ability.

* When a sound contact to an enemy vehicle is lost, the sound effect of its engine stops too.

* Units out of ammo will never be shown as 'reloading'.

* Pillbox MG ammo no longer 'wraps around' back up to 254 or 255 shots.

* Reinforcements in an operation are no longer sometimes placed in impassable terrain.

* Turret penetrations are likely to cause more crew casualties than before.

* Time penalty for adjusted artillery missions is slightly reduced.

* Captured troops don't stay panicked for unreasonable lengths of time.

* A bug which sometimes caused a unit which had just suffered a casualty, but had not fired, to say "reloading", has been fixed.

* Split squads kept split at the end of a battle during an operation no longer have problems remembering the number of casualties suffered.

* Sometimes in the scenario editor, squads split into teams would be given different squad I.D. numbers. This has been fixed.

* Deleting a split-squad team in the editor simultaneously deletes the other team as well. Also, the point values for split-squad teams are corrected, and correct data is shown for them in the cursor-hotspot info window.

* Sneaking is now more sensitive to incoming fire when it decides to stop (i.e. "advance to contact")

* Occasionally during an Operation, a vehicle knocked out in a previous battle, when hit again, could produce a 'new' crew bailing out. This is fixed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

v1.02 6/21/2000

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Quick Battles can have larger forces.

* Unarmored vehicles and those with rear-facing guns are smarter about when to rotate the whole vehicle (TacAI).

* Woods terrain doesn't "break" over elevation changes.

* UNSPOTTED infantry won't ever fire panzerfausts at enemy infantry.

* Heavy buildings are slightly less likely to catch fire. And firing bazookas and panzerschrecks from inside any type of building is slightly less likely to cause a fire than previously (from backblast).

* Previously, if you canceled out of the password screen and started up a new 1-player game, CM would crash. This is fixed.

* A sharpshooter's data screen lists main weapon as "sniper rifle" (was previously blank).

* Several small bugs fixed in how aerial rockets damage armored vehicles.

* U.S. Paratrooper battalion has 9 bazookas in its HQ Company, not 8.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

v1.01 6/14/2000

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Play-by-email (PBEM) fixes:

- Both players MUST upgrade to v1.01. v1.01 cannot play PBEM with the original v1.0. This is due to bug and security fixes which changed the format of PBEM files.

- Barbed wire does not lose its ability to slow down infantry.

- Doing a normal save-game no longer causes the occasional skipping of one player's orders phase.

- Units no longer occasionally target smoke toward the map corner.

- There is no longer the occasional problem of being unable to give orders to a vehicle, seemingly for no reason.

- Reinforcements don't arrive differently upon subsequent reloads of a PBEM file.

- Vehicles no longer sometimes switch from 'destroyed' to 'abandoned'.

- Captured vehicle crew are counted properly when one side surrenders.

* TacAI fixes:

- Less fickle with targeting changes, i.e. targeting 'stickiness' increased slightly.

- Buttoned-up tanks are less likely to target low-visibility targets (like hiding infantry) at longer ranges, even when the target *is* spotted by another friendly unit.

- Less likely to fire smoke at less-important targets, especially ones that are already pinned down or panicked.

- Paths made by TacAI no longer occasionally have visually 'floating' waypoints.

- Judges 'cover' behind stone walls and bocage properly, not prematurely forcing units to abandon these positions as if they're too exposed.

* New explosion graphics (when using "high quality smoke" option)

* Camera can rotate on a 'point' rather than around a circle (SHIFT-J option).

* Units can hide during setup.

* Handicapper unit choice is more logical. Can also go to +200%.

* Player can give the AI an "experience bonus" that raises all AI units from 1 to 3 experience levels.

* Infantry "close combat" versus armored vehicles has been reworked:

- Demo charges and grenades thrown at armored vehicles now have a visible blast wave.

- Tossed demo charges vs. armored vehicles are more accurate.

- Various bug fixes

* Some computer-player tweaks, including no longer moving gun-damaged tanks into the map corner.

* Nonmoving infantry is slightly harder to spot (i.e. max range decreased a bit).

* Pillboxes are slightly harder to spot (if in cover), and can 'hide' (which helps save ammo). Also, they are now far more resistant to artillery.

* In hotseat play, uncontacted enemy vehicles' engine sounds are not audible.

* Flamethrowers stop firing once their AREA target is burning.

* Map elevation algorithm is improved, making roads run more smoothly up/down hill faces, not stair-stepped.

* Gun crews won't abandon their (functioning) guns until they're fully ROUTED (rather than BROKEN) provided they have less than 50% casualties.

* Sneaking units, when fired upon in cover, are more likely to stop and return fire rather than keep moving.

* In the action phase the rewind button would sometimes cause a building-destruction animation to play at the incorrect time. This has been fixed.

* Fanatic units are subject to panic (like normal units) when attacked by flamethrower.

* Captured (or escaped) infantry is allowed to move at run speed, regardless of initial weapon type. However, this can only happen as a result of running for cover when under attack; no captured unit may be given orders to "run".

* Smoke shells leave a small impact crater.

* When a unit kills an enemy armored vehicle, it now (usually) plays the appropriate voice sound effect.

* "Detailed armor hit text" is not shown to the enemy when a vehicle is hit by a mine or artillery outside of enemy observation.

* When repositioning a unit during setup, the colored line always turns red to indicate that a position is not allowed.

* Sound contacts are no longer indicated (to the enemy) as knocked out or destroyed even if they actually are. And if destroyed, they are not shown on the map at all. And they are never shown as being located off the map edge.

* Armored vehicles are slightly less likely to be immobilized or receive gun damage from nearby blasts (e.g. artillery).

* You can give movement orders to bogged vehicles, which they'll execute if they're able to un-bog.

* Split-squads' casualties are tallied correctly in the after-action report.

* 'Target Next' order works for vehicles with machineguns but no main gun.

* 0 vs. 0 final score is reported as a 'draw' not an Axis victory.

* Units 'notice' more quickly that an enemy unit has surrendered, and don't shoot at them just seconds after surrendering.

* Bailed vehicle crews who are less than 'fully' spotted are drawn with generic infantry uniforms.

* Infantry moves more slowly on slopes.

* Automatic force picker for Quick Battles picks fewer defensive fortifications.

* Captured guns and mortars are tallied correctly in the after action report.

* Interior graphic problem with the SPW 251/1 halftrack fixed.

* If a tank became immobilized while rotating its turret, sometimes the turret would keep spinning. This has been fixed.

* If you move a vehicle carrying passengers during setup, its passengers' command and control links are updated immediately and correctly.

* No 'reinforcements have arrived' message is shown if all of them are airplanes.

* Vehicles in 'hunt' mode are a little more likely to stop before shooting.

* Sometimes the 'hide roofs' and 'transparent buildings' options would interfere with one another. This has been fixed.

* When loading or saving a file in the editor, the dialog 'default' directory is the Saved Games directory.

* Slight problem of diagonal bocage and walls not quite matching 3D placement on map is fixed.

* No prisoner will ever be shown as "reloading".

* Some open-top armored vehicles were suffering crew casualties from nearby explosions, even when buttoned-up. This has been fixed.

* Unit editor allows U.S. Paratroops to carry up to 3 rifle grenades (was 2).

* Bazookas, panzerschrecks, and PIATs display caliber and muzzle velocity in data window.

* Sometimes reloading a 1-player game would have the wrong fog of war setting (it wasn't being reloaded properly). This is fixed.

* Sometimes shells were passing through buildings when firing at the top story. Fixed.

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<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> "Remember that no dumb bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

G. S. Patton

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[19 Echo]

Just thought I'd comment....

Two patches now, each covering a wide variety of issues, almost all of which are related to gameplay. Thus showing the advantage of doing it right the first time. Instead of having to patch the game just to get it to run without crashing (like so many on the market), BTS can spend their time fine-tuning it. The game has been absolutely stable for me, and my 8 mb Guillemot Phoenix2 runs all the graphics bells and whistles flawlessly (if a little slow). Way to go, BTS!

-- Mike Zeares

[dNorwood]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Grognerd_Fogman:

by the way, will this patch allow me to kill the Tiger mantle with a crewman? You know, a weak spot?...

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

But how would you launch the crewman?

[Guest ACTOR]

Thanks BTS! Enough said.

[Thomas Norton]

Just ran the first battle of one of the operations. The front line at the second battle did not do the mighty jump, but was more along the lines of where the troops were last positioned.

Thanks guys for the fix. I can stop shaking now.

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"The Legitimate object of war is a more perfect peace."

[sbg2112]

Okay folks, there's something that absolutely has to be pointed out.

CM is a brilliantly designed game and it's implementation was well executed. On top of that, we've had a nice series of improvements.

So what's the point? The point is that BTS's practices are clearly anti-competitive: How could anyone else compete with this?

Wargames are dead; long live CM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(All '!' brought to you by the Peng International Ban on Emoticons.)

[Runyan99]

Patches are great, but when do they start work on CM2?

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"Artillery is a terrible thing. God, I hate it."

Pvt. David Webster

101st airborne 1942-45

[Mark IV]

I would just like to add my "THANKS!" to the list.

Almost the whole list is in the realm of voluntary improvements, not "fixes". Truly remarkable and unique.

All hail: Wargame of the Millenium!

[Guest HENTZAU]

Hey BTS,

This is a great game! Please buy the rights to Red Baron 3D (my other favorite game). I'd love to see you guys supporting that game with patches. My only problem then would be how to tear myself away from the computer in order to sleep and work. Once again, great game!!!!!!!

[Juardis]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Madmatt:

Now you can make as many adjustments as you want throughout the game but every shell that hits the board, be it a spotting round or FFE is now subtracted from your grand total.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fantastic. That's what I thought would be the best solution as well. Thanks Charles, Steve, and all you testers

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Jeff Abbott

[Guest Germanboy]

Charles and Steve, thanks for all the improvements. I much appreciate your work and customer service. Keep up the good work.

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Andreas

[Wolfe]

Wow! I'm at a loss for words as to how fast you guys got that patch out. I really didn't expect to see it for a couple or three weeks. Great job!

The number of fixes and tweaks is very impressive. It fixes the remainder of the probs I had with a scenario I made, so now I can release it! Yay!

And with the change in Tiger armor and turret AI, I'm gonna have to give Villers Bocage another shot!

But of course, what would a post be without some complaint.

The infamous 'clown car' (sorry, I don't know what else to call it) prob is back with a vengeance. This time, I'm getting it when a killed vehicle rolls off the map. The crew(s) then appear *on* map over and over and over again. Pic of lots of crews (actually from 2 different vehicles that did this):

http://users.erols.com/chare/cm/crews.jpg

What the score looks like because of this:

http://users.erols.com/chare/cm/crews2.jpg

- Chris

[Joe Shaw]

Thanks guys, not only did you provide a game that was great out of the box, but you continue to provide improvments and fixing issues brought up by your consumers. Excellent work.

Joe

[jgdpzr]

Ya know, you leave for a few days to go watch a golf tournament, and presto! there's another patch.

When I opened the conversation about the 14-inch spotting rounds from hell, I never dreamed that a fix would be out a week later. We didn't even ask for it, and it was still fixed. And with a remarkably simple but efficient solution that should please all. Now that's service!

Thanks Charles!