MDF

There are a couple of guys from NY who play with UK armour and Soviet VU. I think its not in your time listings though. I think its around 3pm for them.

Is that 3PM UK time (10AM my time)? And is that during the week, or on the weekend? If the latter, it would work for me.

For some reason, in perusing dozens of old VU threads in the forum, I thought I saw discussion that both UK Armour and Marko's VU both had their regular practices on Monday evenings (European times). I think Marko's VU began it's practice at 5PM my time - which is just a shade early for me, as I am still at work.

Well apart from being miffed at being excluded from your short list I presume we (BG ANZAC) are excluded due to time differentials too (0900 GMT in Thursdays)?

Another "US friendly" option might be the Canadian 1CAD?

My sincere apologies. I should have given a nod to BG ANZAC, but, as you surmised, the time difference is problematic. UK Armour and 1st SGB are the only non-Americas based ones with a chance of being time- and language-suitable. That's why I mentioned them.

I'm looking to join a virtual unit. Ideally, one that favors realistic doctrine and missions, authentic radio procedure, etc. And US east-coast time-friendly, i.e., I'm available during weekday evenings from ~6PM-12AM EST/EDT (GMT 11PM-5AM), and 9AM-12AM EST/EDT (GMT 2PM-5AM).

Perusing prior forum topics, it seems like the US-based VUs are defunct now. Am I correct? GaryOwen's VU seemed to be just the thing I was looking for, but that appears to be dormant as well. I'd give UK Armour a try, but I suspect the time difference will be prohibitive. Likewise Marko's Soviet VU.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Well, I actually don't need the password, if one of those "in the know" would be so kind as to post an edited version of the scenario correcting the time bug.

I would like to edit some of the Instant Action scenarios to fix the bug (feature?) where the mission time is always 12:00AM. The problem is that any time you save a plan and reload it, it is always nighttime. Anyone know the P/W for the M1A1 .sce file?

Aha! Thanks.

What does the battle position icon at the extreme lower right corner of the F6, F7, (F8?) and F9 viewscreens mean? It never seems to change, unlike, e.g., the nearby icon that displays when using off-route movement.

Thanks in advance.

How (if at all) is counterbattery going to be handled against on-map arty units? Would be unrealistic to permit them to blaze away without having to perform a survivability move every so often.

Gibsonm,

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense. I am guilty of the rookie error of largely overlooking the conditional route logic, thinking it was intended for use in scripting AI opponents, rather than for use by players "on the fly" during the course of a mission.

Thank you both for the prompt replies. This gave me additional insight, so that when I went back and re-RTFM'd the "Conditioned Routes" section of the manual, it finally came together for me.

Just two follow-up questions:

(1) the retreat route should be a normal, unconditioned route, which the unit (with Defend/Guard orders) will automatically embark upon if under fire/taking losses? And, the route should probably have a "Retreat" movement speed?

(2) Assume I create (A) a route into an overwatch position, (B) a non-conditioned retreat route out the position (the implicit embark conditions mentioned on p.28 of the manual), and © a route out of the position for the unit's next bound forward. How will the unit decide between routes (B) and © when the implicit embark condition is satisfied? Obviously, one usually wouldn't want the unit to embark on ©, at least when under direct fire.

Thanks again.

Is there a way to give the requesting unit permission to retreat other than by switching to that unit and performing the necessary actions oneself? And, if so, to where will it retreat?

Sincerely,

Overtaxed TC

Ssnake has posted this image, at SimHQ, of an AH-64 Apache helicopter, I believe.

Take THAT, second echelon!

You two on your way?

Sorry, I couldn't get my ports forwarded correctly. I'll have to regroup and try again for next week, although I suspect this is going to require a visit from my ISP techs. I did eavesdrop for a portion of the Blue pregame briefing just to get a sense of the experience. Sounded like a US NTC/Fort Irwin mission.

Why don't you just look at the link I put in Post #91 and look for a town near you - That's why its there.

Thanks. I actually did have a look at that, but it gives a time conflicting with that appearing in the countdown timer on the http://www.steelbeasts.com/Online_Play page. The latter says that the game begins at 11 PM my time, whereas the former says (apparently correctly, as I have learned) 10 PM my time.

It looks like it's moot, because the port-forwarding is not going well.:Crash:

Good luck MDF.

You can learn a lot from watching some of the more experienced players In action

Try not to get target fixated. And depending on the mission remember shoot and Scoot.

Very difficult to get target-fixated when you're stuck between two trees.:redface:

But I know what you mean. I've been trying to get up to speed using the "Camp Hornfelt" scenarios. After about fifteen failed attempts of the "Conduct a Tactical Movement" mission, I finally achieved a "GO" last night. It was an ugly win: one destroyed vehicle and two mobility kills short of the objective (not enough time to repair the road wheels before mission duration ended). Only one undamaged vehicle able to reach the objective -- after a liberal application of ICM on likely (read: "previously encountered during numerous prior playthroughs") enemy BPs.

That said, I learned during these missions, as well as "Tanks," not to linger on a single target, especially when you temporarily lose LOS and wait for it to appear.

If you're in the Eastern Daylight Savings Time zone, you're with me. I'm about three hours north of the New York border. We start at 10:00 PM, so I'd recommend joining Teamspeak by no later than 9:30 PM to check your settings.

"TGIF is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you'll get!" Tanks of some sort, plus other vehicles. Can't assume that either the M1 or Leo will definitely be on tap, but there is a fair probability.

That said, I can't make the game tonight! Have a great time! :biggrin:

Thanks. For some reason, I suspected the start time would be 10PM local time, not 11.

Well, hopefully we'll meet online at a future date.

Hello all,

I will be trying my first online SBProPE session tonight at the Friday Night Game. Huzzahhhh!:biggrin:

I will attempt to have my port-forwarding sh*t squared away in advance.

I currently am moderately competent at switchology for the M1A1 and Leo2A4 (and, by extension, I suppose, for the Leo2A5) -- but no other vehicles. (Tactical acumen....ehhh, not so much.) Is it safe to assume that one of these vehicles will be available to me, or should I take a crash course in one or more other vehicles?

Also, I am trying, as hard as my feeble brain will allow, to figure out the starting time. I live in the US Eastern time zone, where daylight savings time is in effect. The posted start time -- 9:00 (US) CST (not central daylight savings time) -- would be 11:00 Eastern Daylight Savings Time, correct? That is what the countdown timer on the SB.com online play page shows. Just want to confirm that we are starting at 11:00 EDST, not 10:00 EDST.

Thanks in advance.

-- Marc

For some reason I cannot get mods of Blue vehicles to work. I have successfully installed mods for Red, but I can't get dpabrams M1A1 MERC mod (or other M1A1 mods) to show up in-game. Could this have something to do with the M1abrams_decals.dds file (which I do not have in my Mods\textures\TIS folder and, therefore, cannot use to replace the M1abrams_decals.dds file in the Woodlands folder as stated in dpabrams' instructions file). Or, is there supposed to be a M1A1.bmp file somewhere? Any help would be appreciated.

***edit*** I now see the problem. This mod is for the M1, not the M1A1.

Actually you can edit the scenario, just copy it from the protected "C:Users/All Users/eSim Games/Steel Beasts/Scenarios/z_Reserved" folder to a more appropriate place, edit it, then copy it back. Be sure to back up the original file first!

I will try that. Thanks.

I think this was mentioned before...

Is it an old scenario or one created after the release of 2.640?

Edit: This thread might be relevant.

You're correct, that thread appears to address the same problem. I was actually playing the "Instant Action" mission, so I'm not sure when it was created, but I gather that I am unable to open it in mission editor so as to change the mission time (the apparent solution in the cited thread)?

Thanks.

Another possible bug for the powers that be to ponder:

When I load a saved plan, unaided vision (i.e., day GPS sight, GAS, unbuttoned) is very dark. Thermals and TCdr's night vision work properly. So, either the non-thermal/NVG graphics are somehow being corrupted or, more likely, the scenario clock is somehow reset to hours of darkness (e.g., 12:00 AM).

Anyone else experience this?

Marc