This Looks Very Promising...

[Peter Panzer]

As one of the folks who have been banging on about various issues within the game post v1.11 I wanted to say thank you to all of the BFC boys and the Beta Testers who have put what certainly appears to be a tremendous deal of effort and responsiveness into v1.20.

The bulk of the points I have raised over the last several months appear to have been addressed...

• Infantry on rooftops are easier to spot.
  
• Mine marking works properly.
  
• US M240 gunner does not ignore facing orders when using the bipod.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause a quick burst of unrealistically high rate of fire from a weapon mounted on a moving vehicle.
  
• Vehicle crew "up top" as gunners or in open hatches have a more natural pose.
  
• These vehicles no longer automatically button up even when under heavy fire: MTVR trucks, Humvees, and pickup trucks. (THANK YOU!)
  
• IED Mines are more likely to explode.
  
• Small model fix for M16 with mounted M203.
  
• Syrian Unconventional forces add a Forward Observer Spy.

I really can't wait to try the demo over the weekend as it seems like v1.20 may finally be the point at which CMSF turns the corner for me. Again, my thanks to all for listening and implementing these changes - you very likely just picked up another customer for the UK Module!

[Peter Panzer]

After spending some time playing WEGO/Hotseat with v1.20/UK Module, here are some quick impressions and hopes for the future...

• V1.20 has the game to such a workable state that I find myself playing for hours on end for the first time since it was launched. At last, it seems I can finally concentrate on exploring tactical puzzles and having fun instead of fighting the game.
  
• The TO&E's and force doctrines depicted in the game are represented well enough to encourage a player to retool his tactics when switching from the varying service arms. This is a real credit to BFC and certainly makes the modules worth taking a look at.
  
• The Brits appear to be leaner on overall firepower, protection and infantry dismounts compared to their Yankee cousins. They do, however, sport a great deal of mobility. That's good, because you will be hauling ass and working the GPMG's a lot. Obfuscation, manuever and "tactical patience" carry the day.
  
• UK forces need those L16's online damn fast to suppress likely ATGM and spotting positions in order to develop an engagement. The lack of stabilzed guns and low HE loadout on their IFV's and CVRT's is difficult to overlook.
  
• The FV107's throw smoke like nobody's business. In fact, the CVRT's are a real hoot all-around.
  
• The lack of ERA over the frontal arc of the FV510 (WRAP2) makes strongpointing with them a risky venture. Aggressive recon needs to reliably define the MLR or they will swing in the breeze with your infantry sections in tow.
  
• The USMC truly applies a preposterous amount of ways to kill. Even LAR platoons start breaking all manner of nasty things, including MBT's, when they gain momentum.
  
• Syrian forces of all grades can make affairs difficult by ceeding ground and forcing Blue to draw close. Getting the right "push/pull" is key. Hang tight too long and Blue will leverage their firepower, put too much space between you and them and CAS will butter your buns. Mines, IED's, obstacles and terrain used in concert to strip away AFV's and channel infantry are your best tools.

Also, here are some odds and ends I have noticed recently and a few I have been singing about since day one. Hopefully, most or all can be dealt with in v1.21, which I am guessing will be the last push to apply fixes and polish to CMSF, yes?

Visuals:

• When dismounting and moving onto a low slope, infantry will sink into the terrain (see image below).
  
  
  
• Infantry will, on very rare occasion, levitate vertically when approaching a slope and then float across the air until they reach its top rather than climbing up the grade of the rise with their boots on the ground (see image below). Additionally, the soldier model will "slingshot" through the air as if the game is retracing the models last steps before the animation and model positioning will correct itself and the soldiers boots retouch the ground. I have only seen this happen in v1.20 once thus far.
  
  
• Syrian AFV crews lack their own unit portrait in the UI. Instead, they share the Mechanized Infantry Portrait.
  
• UK 51mm mortar operator lacks in-game idle animation

Gameplay:

• M707 lacks in-game "Target" and "Cover Arc" functions. Will the woe begotten Recon Humvee ever get some love?
  
• Infantry deploy light AT assets (M72, AT4, etc.) very quickly. Fire Teams can transition from their primary arms to light AT weapons in a second or two. Shouldn't time to prep the AT weapon be factored in?
  
• Allow units to exit the map edge

TO&E:

• M-WMIK (Jackal) GMG variant is missing (already noted?)
  
• US IBCT TOW crew team leaders are equipped with an SA80 (already noted?)

[MikeyD]

•Syrian forces of all grades can make affairs difficult by ceeding ground and forcing Blue to draw close.

One thing I've been experimenting with is dropping the Red side's motivation in an effort to get them to bugger out the back door more often. Highly motivated means they'll stand their ground and fight to the last man, low motivation means they may live to fight another day, and make your job that much harder in the process. Cowardice has its utility. At least that's my theory.

[__Yossarian0815[jby]]

After spending some time playing WEGO/Hotseat with

[*]The lack of ERA over the frontal arc of the FV510 (WRAP2) makes strongpointing with them a risky venture.

Ah, so it isn´t just my imagination. (RTFM, I know, I know). I was wondering why my warriors were being killed so easilly from the front, but were practically invulnerable to RPGs from the side. In one instance my Pixeltruppen got so scared by their own ERA going off that they jumped out of the (unharmed) vehicle

[lomir]

Peter Panzer, you forgot one of the visual odds:

The PM pistol that is used by some Syrian officers appears as an AKM.

I know that you'd hardly see that side arm in the game (in fact, someone knows if it's modeled to shoot at all?), but IMHO I'd prefer to see these officers as if they were un-armed (but still keeping their PMs) than with an assault rifle, that they doesn't have, on their hands... Just an opinion.

Cheers,

Lomir

[Peter Panzer]

Also, another TO&E point, will the US forces receive the short barreled version of the SAW in v1.21? I was rather surprised this was not already done after the weapon was added in the UK Module.

[Peter Panzer]

This version of the M240 can fire without the need for an operator with the feed tray cover up. Leave it to those crafty Belgians to come up with a truly novel design.

I cannot determine what precipitates this error in-game. I have also seen the issue with the feed tray cover appear when the '240 model is placed in correct relation to the crew. This is another good example of the type of odds and ends that could be cleaned up in v1.21.

[theFightingSeabee]

It's either a bug, or it's cooking off.