To all you beta testers out there: Question regarding tank manouvres in CM BB ?

[Prinz Eugen]

Ah, can't understand this bitching about CDV. I'll be the first to order my copy when it get's available! But now, to business:

I've read of the way of assigning tanks into platoons and the lack of radios in early Soviet tanks. I'd like to know

a) How far can a tank be of it's platoon leader ? If the contact is by radio, then surely the "Command radius" for tanks is a lot farther than with inf in CM BO?

In my knowledge early Soviet tanks can only be in contact to their platoon leaders when the crew is unbuttoned. Am I correct? When bullets starts flying, leading the crews to button up, does this lead into serious command delays as far as the crews are buttoned, and therefore out of contact with the platoon leader?

Does anyone have info on this issue?

[Mace]

Yep, we have info.

We also have a Non-disclosure agreement so it's best to let Battlefront answer this one.

Mace

[YankeeDog]

OK, first a disclamer: I am NOT a beta-tester, or an employee of BFC, so I can't tell you anything about how command radius for AFV actually works in CMBB.

I can, however, offer a little bit of insight into your question (.

Communication within Soviet tank platoon would certainly be much more difficult once the tanks were buttoned up, but they did have some limited means of communication. IIRC, the platoon commander would use colored flags stuck out of the tank through a small hole (maybe one of the pistol ports??) to communicate with the platoon.

Obviously, only very basic commands or the initiation of prearranged plans of action could be issued in this way, and messages were probably often missed in their entirity in the heat of battle, but I suppose it was better than nothing at all.

Cheers,

YD

[aka_tom_w]

Originally posted by Mace:

Yep, we have info.

We also have a Non-disclosure agreement so it's best to let Battlefront answer this one.

Mace

so basically its:

"I could tell you but then I would have to kill you."

-tom w

[Moon]

a) yes, that's the case indeed. There is a max distance, though, even for tanks with radios, since the platoon leader isn't of much help when the tank is in a different town Can't remember what it is anymore, something like 600 meters?

for tanks without radios, both the Platoon Leader AND the subordinate tank have to unbuttoned. If either is not, the subordinate unit is out of command for all intents and purposes, regardless of distance.

[Andrew H.]

Originally posted by Moon:

a) yes, that's the case indeed. There is a max distance, though, even for tanks with radios, since the platoon leader isn't of much help when the tank is in a different town Can't remember what it is anymore, something like 600 meters?

It makes a lot of sense to have a maximum radio range of about 600 meters; even if the radios had a longer range, they would probably be pretty useless because the terrain would be different. I.e.:

"Move behind that hill"

"What hill?"

"The one with the burned out house."

"I don't see a burned out house"

"Next to the highway?"

"What highway?"

This also suggests the importance of being unbuttoned, even if you have radios.

[Prinz Eugen]

Originally posted by Moon:

a) yes, that's the case indeed. There is a max distance, though, even for tanks with radios, since the platoon leader isn't of much help when the tank is in a different town Can't remember what it is anymore, something like 600 meters?

for tanks without radios, both the Platoon Leader AND the subordinate tank have to unbuttoned. If either is not, the subordinate unit is out of command for all intents and purposes, regardless of distance.

Good point in a) ! And as for , can you give any detail as to how severe penalties there will be to any given tank that is out of contact with it's HQ?

I would suppose that whenever there are German (or even better Finnish ! ) sharpshooters (snipers?) in the vicinity, maneuvring with the early T-34s etc. becomes something of a challenge ? IMO, that really adds to the excitement (in part of the German player) and challenge (Soviet players) in fighting a battle. Something you're unlikely to see in any of the so-called "competition" ...

Damnit, I can't wait for this game ! Currently I'm waiting for both the results for my university entry exams, due to any day now, and then there's the release date for CM BB. Hard to tell which I'm expecting the most, really !

[Prinz Eugen]

Originally posted by Mace:

Yep, we have info.

We also have a Non-disclosure agreement

Mace

Heh, didn't think consider this, sorry !

[karch]

I had a IS152 that lost it's platoon leader take nearly 1 minute to start it's move.. around 45 seconds or so.

I also had a tank platoon leader imobilized but with radio, so he was able to stay in contact with his other tanks... until they were all killed by that hidden 88 and Tigers... for hundreds of meters.

It seems very similar to the platoon leader concept you are used to, but you will really appreciate tanks with radios a LOT once the shells start flying.

[Prinz Eugen]

Originally posted by karch:

It seems very similar to the platoon leader concept you are used to, but you will really appreciate tanks with radios a LOT once the shells start flying.

Enter Cartman from Southpark:

"Kiiiiick ASSS !"

And as to the Soviet tank designers, WHAT were they thinking ? Were they thinking at all ? :eek:

[JohnO]

God, I hope no one will make a joke about Ozzie Osborne when I ask this question

What about Tank formations. When you plot a platoon of tanks to go to this area. Do they go in a formation or just as they are when you plot them as a group? Hope I'm asking this question right :eek:

John

[von shrad]

Originally posted by Mace:

We also have a Non-disclosure agreement....

Lets ask the sheep. I bet Macey talks in his sleep.

[Kilgore]

Never mind...

[ July 11, 2002, 09:27 PM: Message edited by: Kilgore ]

[mike the wino2]

Mace

As you are a beta-tester you must have some special skill set or knowldge that BFC thought would be useful to testing the revamped game. With that established to my question...Has BFC modeled sheep correctly? I don't know if you have as "in depth" knowledge of other livestock, or "lovestock" in your case, but feel free to extrapolate on other animals modeled in CMBB as well.

Thanks in advance.

[ July 11, 2002, 01:07 PM: Message edited by: mike the wino ]

[Tarquelne]

And as to the Soviet tank designers, WHAT were they thinking ? Were they thinking at all ?

I bet they were thinking "I wish we had more radios." I wonder who needed radios more, the tanks or the planes? I'd have given the planes dibs.

As for buttoned tanks being out-of-command no matter what the distance: Is'nt CM:BB going to model the famous lalki razgovora (sp?), or "talking sticks"? The folding metal rods that Soviet tankers would extend from their pistol ports to rap out messages on adjacent tanks? I think the '44 model could reach 4m. I was looking forward to seeing them in CMBB.

[ July 11, 2002, 03:27 PM: Message edited by: Tarqulene ]

[karch]

Originally posted by Ozzie ......When you plot a platoon of tanks to go to this area. Do they go in a formation or just as they are when you plot them as a group? ...

They seem to move the same as they do in CMBO. There were no formation commands... You tell groups of tanks to move exactly as you do in CMBO.

I'd guess if some of the tanks were out of command control when the command was given, they would lag behind by many many seconds.. 20-50.

I didn't get much chance to play with comparing tanks in CC or out of CC.. they died too fast and I only ran through one game quickly to get a feel for the game an units.