Oh blast!

[Poor Old Spike]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMcarboom1.jpg



http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMcarboom2.jpg

By the way, it was Ratzki who did it to my halftracks, thanks mate..

[Wolfleader]

I've had inf get suppressed/pinned/panic and take casualties whenever an AFV blew near them but that's the first time I've seen or heard of AFV's close together actually blowing up.

Then again, HT's aren't the most sturdiest things in CM so I suppose I really shouldn't be that surprised that something like that can happen.

Out of curiosity though, there have been cases of AT penetration in real life wherein the round tore clear through one AFV and hit and sometimes even penetrated the other AFV beside/behind it. Does CM actually model this? Could be worthy of a test but the AI always moves it's AFV's around which makes getting a clear shot and an accurate test pretty tricky to pull off.

[Palantir]

I've also blown up a heavy building with tank fire & had the light house next to it go up as well in the final explosion.

[Nemesis Lead]

Out of curiosity though, there have been cases of AT penetration in real life wherein the round tore clear through one AFV and hit and sometimes even penetrated the other AFV beside/behind it. Does CM actually model this? Could be worthy of a test but the AI always moves it's AFV's around which makes getting a clear shot and an accurate test pretty tricky to pull off.

CM does not model shells penetrating and then exiting tanks. HOWEVER, CM does model the ricochets.

A while back I posted a movie file where a T-34 shoots a Panther at close range. The shell bounces off the Panther and strikes another T-34 killing it.

Check it out. It is way cool.

http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37353

[Poor Old Spike]

MEMESIS LEAD QUOTE - It comes from a guy named Walpurgis Nacht (probably the best CM player in the world)..
--------------------------------------------



Funny I've never heard of him, which ladders has he topped? ;)

[Bertram]

POS just Google 'cm player Walpurgis Nacht' and you'll find him.

[jdsu]

He doesn't play on any ladders.

He simply wins every tourney he enters and out performs everyone else by a wide margin (when comparing how everyone did in any given scenario).

ME, atk / defend this guy is one tough hombre. Not sure if he plays QB anymore.

You might be able to find him on the battlefront chat forums.

Warning, don't bother playing him on TCP, he'll drive you bonkers with how long he takes to do a turn.

[Nemesis Lead]

Walpurgis Nacht (WN) is a good guy. He once told me that he takes up to 3 hours to do a single PBEM turn! He is very careful and uses a very scientific approach to the game. I learned a lot from him.

His wins in the ROW tourneys are very impressive. Scores of 95-5 in the championship round are not uncommon.

My all time record vs him......I won 4, lost 4 and tied 1 (although we have only played TCP/IP). Considering that I have won 32, lost 0 and tied 2 in ladder play on SZO and BoB.......I'd say he is damn good.

Graves Registration (GR) is another great player. He is less careful than WN, but he is wildly unpredictable and very unconventional.

I have heard that Fionn used to be very good, but I have never played him.

I played WN and GR on CombatMission.com (Fionn used to play there too). I have said it before and I will say it again.......that website is just about dead now, but it fielded the absolute best CM players I have ever seen.

BTW, JDSU also comes from CombatMission.com and recently fought me to a draw (even though only 40 of his men survived the battle!). Watch out for him!

[Poor Old Spike]

Jdsu quote - He doesn't play on any ladders..
--------------------------------------------


Ah,so the "best player in the world" is just an "amateur" then ;)
Only joking, it's none of my bizness if anybody doesn't care to stalk the ladder jungles like a predator, I only know that for me it's my natural environment, right Arnie?
"Ja you betta believe it"..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Arnie1.jpg

[Nemesis Lead]

Ah,so the "best player in the world" is just an "amateur" then ;)

Hehe--if there is such a thing as a "professional" CM player...WN is probably it since he has won all of the ROW tourney's he has played in.

If you can get a game with him.....you will learn alot. :devious:

[Poor Old Spike]

Nemesis Lead quote - If you can get a game with him.....you will learn a lot
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Yee-haw maybe he can help me become a triple-ladder leader :)
Hey wait a minute I've bin there, dun that... ;)

[Nemesis Lead]

The wise man knows that there is always room for improvement.:devious:

That is the beauty of the CM series. There are more layers to these games than an onion.

[Poor Old Spike]

These are the quotes that helped me more than anything else ;) -

Gen.Patton
1 - "Inflict the maximum amount of wound,death and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."
2 - "Lead me,follow me,or get out of my way"
3 - "May God have mercy on my enemies,because I won't"
4 - "The quicker they're whipped,the sooner we can go home"
5 - "Just drive down that road, until you get blown up"
6 - "There are only three principles of war, - Audacity, Audacity and Audacity "

Gen. Guderian
1 - "Punch with your fist and not with your fingers spread " - (Meaning concentrate your panzers for a knockout blow and not in useless dribs and drabs)
2 - "Boot 'em, don´t spatter 'em" - (Meaning hit hard and don't just tickle them)
3 - "Ticket to the last station!" - He shouted this to his panzers as they roared past him,meaning GO GO GO all the way!
4 - "Once armoured formations are out on the loose they must be given the green light to the very end of the road"
5 - "The engine of a tank is as much a weapon as its gun"

Gen. Rommel
1 - "Concentrate strength at one point,force a breakthrough,roll up the flanks,penetrating like lightning deep into the rear before the enemy has time to react"
2 - "The day goes to the side that is the first to plaster its opponent with fire."

[Poor Old Spike]

WolfLeader quote - that's the first time I've seen or heard of AFV's close together actually blowing up
---------------------------


Apart from the two halftracks the only other time I've seen it happen is when a Marder exploded and the blast killed another Marder at the side of him.
It may also have happened in other actions but went unnoticed because there was so much blasting going on and it was hard to keep track of what's happening..
Re the T-34 killed by a ricochet, I've played and replayed the file countless times frame-by-frame, tracking the shell in flight and am even more mystified because after hitting the Panther it ricos up into the air !
(I can post a screenshot if anybody's interested)
Conclusion - there's either a bug, or else the shell split into 2 after hitting the Panther, one piece flew up into orbit and the other (invisible) fragment got the T-34..

[jdsu]

Yes, screenshot !

When I watched it a long time ago, I thought I saw the ricochet hit the friendly T-34.

[Palantir]

Fionn is very good, I played him & he forced an auto-surrender on me.

[jdsu]

I think Fionn still plays at Tourneyment House.

But it must be about a year since I browsed through that site.

[Poor Old Spike]

Nemesis Lead quote - Walpurgis Nacht (WN) is a good guy. He once told me that he takes up to 3 hours to do a single PBEM turn!<
----------------------------------------------------


I read that and was flat out on the floor for an hour in shock..
But having now regained consciousness let me respond by saying my average file turn-around time is under 10 minutes on average, and as I say to my opponents - "you keep 'em coming and I'll keep sending 'em back"...
I usually get through a total of around 70 pbem files a day..
Hey, 3 hours a turn is a bit unrealistic to say the least, as real-life commanders don't have that luxury of pausing time on the battlefield ;)
Maybe WN is a micro-management junkie and needs lots of time, but personally I just keep it caveman-simple and tell my units "go here, go there, kill, don't kill.."

[Poor Old Spike]

Fionn (I think it was) once replied to a challenge of mine by posting in the BFront forum - "Spike, I will never play you because your style is unrealistic and gamey, and you're obsessed with winning", and several of the other tactical gurus agreed with him.
Huh, obsessed with winning indeed !
I'm currently playing an SZO dood who says he's a bit inexperienced, so I said "no sweat, if I win we won't bother reporting the result on the ladder, but if you win, we'll report it so you get the points"...

[Poor Old Spike]

Okay here's a series of stunning screenshots of that shell ricochetting off a Panther and nobbling a nearby T-34, somebody requested these screenshots so blame him not me if I'm spamming up the forum with too many pics..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/rico1.jpg



http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/rico2.jpg



http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/rico3b.jpg



http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/rico4.jpg

[Lurker]

... I just keep it caveman-simple and tell my units "go here, go there, kill, don't kill..":laugh:
Good response! Do they always listen?

[Poor Old Spike]

POS quote - I just keep it caveman-simple and tell my units "go here, go there, kill, don't kill.."

Lurker quote - Good response! Do they always listen?
---------------------------------------------------



My tanks do, but my infantry tend to crawl for cover as soon as they're shot at like infantry do..
That's why I dislike inf-heavy games because they spend half the game flat on their bellies and there's not a thing you can do with 'em..
Tanks on the other hand don't do that, the only way to stop the monsters is to brutally club them to death, I guess it appeals to the caveman in me, think "ugh" tactics..
Remember, play CM like you make love, violently, brutally, quickly and decisively..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/caveman1.jpg

[Neilm85uk]

Remember, play CM like you make love, violently, brutally, quickly and decisively..



You live alone don't you?

[Poor Old Spike]

Neil quote - You live alone don't you?
-------------------------------------



Yes mate, I don't seem to have much luck with women, I can't understand why..
Mind you most women are boring and don't appeal to a psychotic jungle fighter like me anyway, I sometimes go stalking round town looking for a Red Sonja type, or a Nurse Chappel in Star Trek type. Mind you she's only got eyes for Spock even though he don't want her, huh there's bleddy vulcans for you..
A Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman type would be fine too, I often fantasise about staggering into her surgery with a rattler bite to my calf and she has to suck out the venom and mother and pamper me afterwards..

[Ratzki]

I thought that opening screenshot looked familiar POS.

A professional is someone who gets better and better at fewer and fewer skills until he is the best at nothing at all.:)

[Poor Old Spike]

Ratzki quote - I thought that opening screenshot looked familiar POS
-----------------------------------------------------------------



Yes mate you're making mincemeat of my halftracks and armoured cars in our pair of battles,so much for my comeback to the SZO ladder after 2 years, guess I just don't have what it takes any more (sniffle)..
I'd have done better switching off my PC and gone to watch the film on channel 4 instead, "The Trouble With Angels"(1966)
("Lashings of fun in this convent comedy starring Rosalind Russell as the Mother Superior")
Hmm sounds good..
No sweat, I'll cheer myself up with "The Culpepper Cattle Company" at 11:20 pm..

CULPEPPER - "We're lookin' fer some horses"..
HORSE THIEF - "I got some horses I might be willin' ter sell yer"..
CULPEPPER - "I didn't say we wanted ter buy some horses, I said we wuz lookin' fer some horses"...

[Ratzki]

Well don't tune out just yet, it is just about time for my mandatory implosion. That's where after playing a pretty good game, I make a bad move, and not seeing how bad the move is I continue down that dark dusty road of poor moves, shortly followed by absolute blunders and then there is the closing act where i pull of an amazing loss despite all best efforts. A masterpiece, for sure, way better then the tv.

[Poor Old Spike]

Ratzski quote - it is just about time for my mandatory implosion..
-------------------------------------------------------------


Sounds nasty mate, try dabbing Calamine Lotion on it..

[walpurgis_nacht]

MEMESIS LEAD QUOTE - It comes from a guy named Walpurgis Nacht (probably the best CM player in the world)..
--------------------------------------------



Funny I've never heard of him, which ladders has he topped? ;)

I've played you spike. You sought me out. We fought. I do believe you quit after I slaughtered your armor not 12 turns into the ME.

whipping newbies on ladders is a joke. silly limey.

Listen to Nemesis . . . he knows what he's doing ;)

[2054172]

You live alone don't you?

No wonder he has women problems, and tansvestites and goats and birds:laugh: :laugh:

[Poor Old Spike]

Walpurgis Nacht quote - I've played you spike. You sought me out. We fought. I do believe you quit after I slaughtered your armor not 12 turns into the ME
--------------------------------------------------------------------



Ah yes mate I remember that game, although I forgot it was you I challenged, that's the problem of not being a household name like me, people quickly forget you ;)
It was a non-ladder game just for fun, hence I didn't take it too seriously, and it went very strangely -
Before the start you said to me "I know more about CM now than you'll ever know in 10 years"..
I thought that was a pretty odd thing to say but I let it go. I think you also mentioned you were a beta-tester or something?
And even though you were on top most of the game,you suddenly began playing very badly, almost as if you were trying to kill yourself and I began to scent a draw at least, but we agreed that the game was pretty much played out so we mutually agreed to quit..
A very bizarre game..
PS -As for what you call "whipping newbies on ladders is a joke, silly limey",
thats why I never register my wins if my opponent is a noob :)
We limeys invented the knightly virtues of gallantry and chivalry, and as a recipient of the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves from the Wargames Player Club, I'm honour-bound to uphold them ;)
Now go downtown and enjoy a hot dawg, it's about the best thing the Yanks ever invented ;)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/aaaCMPOSWPC.jpg

[Nemesis Lead]

I've played you spike. You sought me out. We fought. I do believe you quit after I slaughtered your armor not 12 turns into the ME.

whipping newbies on ladders is a joke. silly limey.

Listen to Nemesis . . . he knows what he's doing ;)


Holy Moly! Is that you Jesse? How is NY treating you?

[Nemesis Lead]

Really Poor Old Spike.....some of your arrogance in talking about "Topping Ladders" and "Being a Terminator" is over the top.

I love your implication that Walpurgis Nacht cheated in your game (and I noticed you edited your post and removed that language). The people who are REALLY good at CM hear that crap all the time. Guys like you who win 75% of their games automatically assume that anytime they get beat, there must be foul play involved.

I hate to break it to you.....but there is a WORLD of difference in skill between you and someone who wins 90%+ of their games.

The beauty of CM is that there are so many layers to it. NO ONE has it all figured out yet. I can tell you that you are not even close....:laugh:

[walpurgis_nacht]

Walpurgis Nacht quote - I've played you spike. You sought me out. We fought. I do believe you quit after I slaughtered your armor not 12 turns into the ME
--------------------------------------------------------------------



Ah yes mate I remember that game, although I forgot it was you I challenged, that's the problem of not being a household name like me, people quickly forget you ;)
It was a non-ladder game just for fun, hence I didn't take it too seriously, and it went very strangely -
Before the start you said to me "I know more about CM now than you'll ever know in 10 years"..
I thought that was a pretty odd thing to say but I let it go. I think you also mentioned you were a beta-tester or something?
Anyway we began playing but I noticed odd things were happening, as if your tanks were materialising behind me out of nowhere like de-cloaking Klingon Birds of Prey even though I had spotters watching that approach.
I even half-jokingly asked you if you'd fitted your tanks with Klingon cloaking devices..
And even though you were on top up to that point, you suddenly began playing very badly, almost as if you were trying to kill yourself and I began to scent a draw at least, but we agreed that the game was pretty much played out so we mutually agreed to quit..
A very bizarre game..
Right Mr Worf?
"Affirmative captain"..

PS -As for what you call "whipping newbies on ladders is a joke, silly limey",
thats why I never register my wins if the opponent is a noob :)
We limeys invented the knightly virtues of gallantry and chivalry, and as a recipient of the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves from the Wargames Player Club, I'm honour-bound to uphold them ;)
Now go downtown and enjoy a hot dawg, its the greatest thing the Yanks ever invented ;)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/aaaCMPOSWPC.jpg

This reminds me of how surreal I found your ability to distort reality. It's good to know you haven't changed.

all your panzers=kaput, all flags=mine, . . . .this was not a draw young man, and we did not agree to cease fire. You quit, 'cause you got slaughtered.

Your armor tactics were middle-of-the road in quality---though much better than your infantry skills.

Having 5 of panzers together in tight formation is dangerous over-kill. . . . you're screaming to get raped by arty. Alas, I had none, but you conviently drove the mob straight up the middle of a very flank-happy map. My t34s flanked from opposing sides, arriving into your LOS precisely at the same time. Turkey shoot.

And I won't even bother to scold you at length for bunching up hordes of infantry and rushing them together into unscouted enemy territory. Piles and piles of wasted dead enemy infantry I would have rather taken down in a more honorable way.

[Palantir]

Once again, POS is not hiding the way he plays his games: thats the way he likes to play CM. He's a boisterous guy thats just him, & a few others. As long as he (or anyone else) doesn't become rude, offensive, slanderous etc then it's just how they are.

Now, it's up to other players to not play those type of players, or take them on, play & beat them showing them the error of their ways (or not).

Some players play the game & others play the system, thats just reality.

[Poor Old Spike]

Walp Nacht quote - You quit, 'cause you got slaughtered
------------------------------------------------------


I've never told you this before mate but I went easy on you because I honestly thought you were a noob, but as soon as I saw you weren't, I began fighting back and your tanks were going down like ninepins..
So I suggested ending it and calling it a draw to save you further punishment and you agreed.
I'd have done the same if it was a ladder game, I'm not in the business of taking candy from babies ;)
I've played getting on for 500 assorted ladder/ nonladder CM battles over the past 4 years and I'm never short of opponents because they know they'll get a square deal from their old uncle POS ;)
I've currently got 19 WPC/SZO ladder games going, plus a playtest case load at TPG..
Yeah, I'm kewl :)

[walpurgis_nacht]

Holy Moly! Is that you Jesse? How is NY treating you?

Heya Nem. Thriving. you? we should fight soon.

[Nemesis Lead]

Always Game Jesse.

I saw you a couple times on CombatMission.com but you had always been idle for something like 60,000 seconds......

[walpurgis_nacht]

Always Game Jesse.

I saw you a couple times on CombatMission.com but you had always been idle for something like 60,000 seconds......

How about at 7PM EST tonight? :) I'm at CMHQ

[Nemesis Lead]

How about at 7PM EST tonight? :) I'm at CMHQ

Am entertaining the wife....how about Monday evening? You know my email--give me a shout.

[Geordie]

He doesn't play on any ladders.

He simply wins every tourney he enters and out performs everyone else by a wide margin (when comparing how everyone did in any given scenario).

ME, atk / defend this guy is one tough hombre. Not sure if he plays QB anymore.

You might be able to find him on the battlefront chat forums.

Warning, don't bother playing him on TCP, he'll drive you bonkers with how long he takes to do a turn.

Then I'm afraid in a real situation he will always lose. IP should be played with a time limit. I would never play anyone IP without it and am highly suspicious of playing guys who will take 3 hours to do a turn, thats just weird I'm afraid.

IP is on the fly and should be played for maximum heart rate.