Forum Fodder...Dan's Haiku Corner Version 3.0

[Dan Caviness]

Hello Blitzers:

Time for another well meant diatribe.
As always feel free to call me on every detail...but be kind...I'm off my meds...

First of all...I log in and this RED DEVIL guy seems to have reincarnated!
I don't believe we've met?...you scare me...you are enthusiastic...
Nice to see you talking up the forums.

Things are quieter on the forums these days, but rest assured a lot of us are head down and killing, with little time for chat.

SO

Why can't I unload my LST's/LCVP's, etc., into DEEP WATER?
Yes...it would be stupid...but the game graciously prevents you from doing this.
This is the same game that will perversely run you into a minefield or a blocked hex to teach you humility.
It would seem the spirit of the CS game (which punishes you for movement errors) would allow idiots to unload in deep water and sink the unit?
Yes, I am that idiot.

AND

Why can't engineers blow LOW stone walls?
(I believe Jason is working on this one as it's effecting his brilliant new scenario depicting Operation Sea Lion)
(It also effects my not so brilliant old saw-nario The Longest Day...and countless other scenarios...but you don't hear me bitching...lol...)
You could really extend this to include bocage.
Seems like a well placed satchel charge could remove some grapevines pretty handily?
And to go off the rails with it...why can't they demolish a pillbox or bunker after it's been taken from the enemy?

FURTHERMORE

Is it possible to eliminate the strength value / transport value for COMMANDERS?
I.E., a commander with a 4 rating on foot requires a 4 strength jeep to be carried.
While commanders seem to gain hubris at an exponential rate as they climb, I don't believe that carries weight?
Patton's ego may have taken an extra jeep to carry...

LASTLY

The KING TIGER still  appears to have a 12 hex hard target range while the TIGER has 16.  We've had this discussion before and this is not any attempt to stir up "what was a realistic shot" debate.  I think everyone is aware the game in general allows longer shots than what was historically accurate.  What is true however, the KING had the superior 88mm main gun and it should get remedied?

I think Jason was going to help fix this, maybe it fell through the cracks?

As always, this is only meant to stir up some nice debate.
I've got another 413 or so topics to talk about but for now...

Keep killing.

Dan

[Jason Petho]

All excellent points, Dan.

Can't argue with many of them, as they are all logical.

[Dan Caviness]

Hey Jason:

Nice to hear from you.

I have some notes for you on the new Sealion but unfortunately my opponent resigned before we got very far into the game. Really enjoyed that one, I'll email the notes.

If anyone hasn't tried it...I recommend it.
Who doesn't love a landing under fire?

Regards,

Dan

[RedDevil]

Hello Blitzers:

Time for another well meant diatribe.
As always feel free to call me on every detail...but be kind...I'm off my meds...

First of all...I log in and this RED DEVIL guy seems to have reincarnated!
I don't believe we've met?...you scare me...you are enthusiastic...
Nice to see you talking up the forums.

Things are quieter on the forums these days, but rest assured a lot of us are head down and killing, with little time for chat.

SO

Why can't I unload my LST's/LCVP's, etc., into DEEP WATER?
Yes...it would be stupid...but the game graciously prevents you from doing this.
This is the same game that will perversely run you into a minefield or a blocked hex to teach you humility.
It would seem the spirit of the CS game (which punishes you for movement errors) would allow idiots to unload in deep water and sink the unit?
Yes, I am that idiot.

AND

Why can't engineers blow LOW stone walls?
(I believe Jason is working on this one as it's effecting his brilliant new scenario depicting Operation Sea Lion)
(It also effects my not so brilliant old saw-nario The Longest Day...and countless other scenarios...but you don't hear me bitching...lol...)
You could really extend this to include bocage.
Seems like a well placed satchel charge could remove some grapevines pretty handily?
And to go off the rails with it...why can't they demolish a pillbox or bunker after it's been taken from the enemy?

FURTHERMORE

Is it possible to eliminate the strength value / transport value for COMMANDERS?
I.E., a commander with a 4 rating on foot requires a 4 strength jeep to be carried.
While commanders seem to gain hubris at an exponential rate as they climb, I don't believe that carries weight?
Patton's ego may have taken an extra jeep to carry...

LASTLY

The KING TIGER still  appears to have a 12 hex hard target range while the TIGER has 16.  We've had this discussion before and this is not any attempt to stir up "what was a realistic shot" debate.  I think everyone is aware the game in general allows longer shots than what was historically accurate.  What is true however, the KING had the superior 88mm main gun and it should get remedied?

I think Jason was going to help fix this, maybe it fell through the cracks?

As always, this is only meant to stir up some nice debate.
I've got another 413 or so topics to talk about but for now...

Keep killing.

Dan

HI Dan, IT's good to meet you.. even if the nom de guerre scares you 
 I like my opponents like I like my "edible pets" in the barnyard... Fear the Hatchet..

Having spewed destruction around here in the past, it's been a good return to the fields, the swords are clashing , the smoke is rolling, and the other guys are killing me..  well some of them are.. mostly I'm doing the killing, but one has to let thy opponent win sometimes to ensure repeated victories are lined up!

I always enjoy the discussions about what the heck things going on in the CS series

 I still cannot find those minefield maps I paid good coin for in that pub over in Munich, that wizard keeps making them invisible to my defenders, and I always find them after a leg or 2 gets tossed into the air.

the AI decision path along the roads, is really pulling teeth, how can they not follow that well paved road right though the forest and everyone is always out picking mushrooms in the woods instead of heading to the battle?
 I know this is Jason's doing.. he always did like 'shrooms.... dang Canucks..

I also love the retreating shots..  any transport should simply be nuked from a shot, not retreated 60 miles back to their jump off points, I have had motorcycles disrupted and they still even kill my cheapy panzers when Assaulted without the extreme assault rule checked. I shot an entire company at transports only to get a disrupt and 9 retreats.. sorry guys but that's just some serious issues in the results chart.. maybe they need a special one that has destroyed in the chart more than once..

more to come..  once the shock of having Outlaw josey wales beat me up wears off

Dev

[Dan Caviness]

A kindred spirit!
Great to meet you as well.

I also love to note the little things that might make the game better and keep a word doc to track them.
Your point on "invisible" minefields or previously scouted and found ones that subsequently disappear is well made.

IMO, once you've uncovered an enemy minefield it should remain visible, but unless you leave a unit to spot it, as you say, that map you paid for was a ripoff!  And, as I believe you also say, your minefields should always be spotted.  After all...you put them there right?

It's a real bugger on beach landings where all your boys have moved in from the first wave and the second wave comes it to blow themselves up all over again on the enemy blocks/mines/etc, that usually litter the landing beaches.

Endless retreats also seem a bit silly, I agree.
If it was possible to charge the movement points for the retreat and stop at zero that could remedy the issue?  Still...it's often easy to note these and come up with ideas...and often a real pain in arse for Jason to fix in the code.

So I cut our Canuck a little slack on that one...;O)
That Jason guy...;O)

The other issue he has to deal with is a seemingly good/harmless mod that accidentally undoes an old scenario from time to time.  I.E., if you allow engineers to blow low stone walls (and I think they should), some old scenario may be out there that was using low stone walls to isolate an area or something like that.

Jason's dilemma...with great power...comes great responsibility...

HI Dan, IT's good to meet you.. even if the nom de guerre scares you 
 I like my opponents like I like my "edible pets" in the barnyard... Fear the Hatchet..

Having spewed destruction around here in the past, it's been a good return to the fields, the swords are clashing , the smoke is rolling, and the other guys are killing me..  well some of them are.. mostly I'm doing the killing, but one has to let thy opponent win sometimes to ensure repeated victories are lined up!

I always enjoy the discussions about what the heck things going on in the CS series

 I still cannot find those minefield maps I paid good coin for in that pub over in Munich, that wizard keeps making them invisible to my defenders, and I always find them after a leg or 2 gets tossed into the air.

the AI decision path along the roads, is really pulling teeth, how can they not follow that well paved road right though the forest and everyone is always out picking mushrooms in the woods instead of heading to the battle?
 I know this is Jason's doing.. he always did like 'shrooms.... dang Canucks..

I also love the retreating shots..  any transport should simply be nuked from a shot, not retreated 60 miles back to their jump off points, I have had motorcycles disrupted and they still even kill my cheapy panzers when Assaulted without the extreme assault rule checked. I shot an entire company at transports only to get a disrupt and 9 retreats.. sorry guys but that's just some serious issues in the results chart.. maybe they need a special one that has destroyed in the chart more than once..

more to come..  once the shock of having Outlaw josey wales beat me up wears off

Dev

[Herr Straße Laufer]

To your point Dan, I played a scenario where the designer put victory hexes behind non passable rivers. The defenders had fewer forces with which to control crossing points.
All was good until the bridge building feature was added to regular engineers. The attacker had plenty of engineers and plenty more troops. Build the bridges and eliminate the need to cross where it was originally intended.
Oops! There goes a well thought out and decently balanced scenario.


Randy, I have often had my eyes pop wide when I saw the results of fire or assaults. I once had a platoon of scout cars eliminated when overrunning transports on the road.
The transports just laughed at the crushed and burning combat vehicles and moved off in the next turn. Those drivers must have been Terminators? I'm sure I heard "I'll be back" before the turn ended.




HSL

[Dan Caviness]

Nothing better than unloading your Panthers for no effect or reduce by one on trucks...the "new" super-truck is a beast. It's actually made it a toss up on whether to load up your boys in trucks or halftracks. No matter where a truck lands on anyone's scale I'd say halftracks should inherently provide better protection.

But...it's a minor vagary of the game in the end...I'd much rather get my ass chapped over EA...;O)

Terminators indeed!
When it comes to Arnold...for me it's all about Conan...
"To crush your enemies...drive them before you...and hear the lamentations of the WOMEN"...;O)

[Herr Straße Laufer]

Maybe they are the new "Black Ball Express"?  
Why round up all the trucks you can find to transport supplies to the combat troops on the front lines?
Just line the trucks on the road and let the drivers kick some a$$!



HSL

[Crossroads]

I checked the unit stats on some WF German units using Arkady's Unit Viewer that comes with the game, and there indeed seems to be an issues with Motorcycles. They've got a Defence value of 3, while it should be probably 1 as the value is set for all the Trucks that I checked. And for most other transports as well.

Most halftracks were 2, so if you guys wanna be safe while on transport, better ride a bike!

Unfortunately, I don't believe there's UPDATEs on their way for JTCS anymore (and not that there'd be one for fixing motorcycles solely anyway), but I will take a note of this in any case.

[Scud]

Unfortunately, I don't believe there's UPDATEs on their way for JTCS anymore.

Are you saying the game is dead now? That's disturbing news. Why?

Dave