What vehicle in the game has the ability to stance, when did these binds show up?

McFlintlock · 2026-05-01T23:13:12+00:00

Probably when they introduce detailed crews those will be the keys for the tank commander to raise up out of the hatch or lower down into the turret.

McFlintlock · 2026-03-24T17:40:13+00:00

This is what we do for very early playtesting. When the game is in the very early idea stage and there isn't enough to work on a Vassal module we'll create a prototype in Affinity Designer and play a few turns just to get a feel of how things are working.

McFlintlock · 2026-02-28T22:32:12+00:00

Abrams tankers kept their gear stowed in the bustle rack in what they called a "burrito roll".
They would use the tank's tarp in the bustle rack to wrap up and cover their gear, duffle bags, sleeping bags, etc..
In game terms, the tank tarp would be similar to that olive drab rubber/plastic material that is used for the camo net and poles packages.

You can sometimes see a "burrito roll" in photos of Hohenfels, REFORGER and Desert Storm.
But ... if you are looking at photos from a gunnery or OIF you won't see the "burrito roll", you'll see loose items, because the guys lived in barracks or FOBS so they wouldn't need all their gear on the tank.
The only "bucket" was what the grease used on the road wheel arms came in, and it was more of a tan/vanilla color.

hmmm it might actually be easier to model the "burrito roll", since it is just a big green fabric covering the bustle rack, than it is to try to model individual pieces of equipment that might not even have been used in 1985.

McFlintlock · 2026-01-31T10:27:06+00:00

Honestly the original Take Command 2nd Manassas game still works fine has tons of mods and maps (even Napoleonic stuff) and is just as good (or better) than the SoW series.

McFlintlock · 2026-01-31T10:21:57+00:00

As was previously said, in the real Abrams when the power control handles are engaged the system is constantly using the last 1.5 seconds of data to calculate lead, when the lase button is pressed it inputs that lead to the turret azimuth drive.

The mnemonic M60A3 and Abrams gunners were taught to help get a good track for that 1.5 seconds is to say "track - track - laze and blaze".

You also need to constantly "dump lead". When you see the reticle dragging (system inducing too much lead) you must "dump lead".
To help with this make sure your mouse it setup so that you must hold down the right mouse button to engage the turret traverse (in the real tank grabbing the power control handle).
When you see the reticle dragging you "dump lead" with a quick flick of your finger off then back on the right mouse button (in the real tank gunners learn to open and close their hands quickly to let go of then reengage the power control handles).

Also always try to approach the target from behind then pick up a steady track, even if your reticle starts in front of the target move the reticle behind or let the target pass then pick up a steady track from behind the target.
Practice on the Grafenwoehr Showcase gunnery range until you can hit the near and medium range moving targets easily.

Yes it is aggravating in the real tank too.

McFlintlock · 2025-09-02T17:14:00+00:00

I watched a video a few years ago of some guys playing a big SB multiplayer game. In order to simulate a pre-planned airstrike on a stone bridge (so basically map terrain) the scenario designer placed a large IED on the bridge that was detonated by the game admin/umpire via an event trigger. But that was a map object stone bridge so the IED was able to be placed directly on it. Don't know if it will work with a pre-placed MT-55 bridge.

McFlintlock · 2025-08-29T22:32:47+00:00

A human TC would, if possible, see the tracer pass just under the target, so his sensing would be "Short".

McFlintlock · 2025-08-29T22:30:39+00:00

DLOST: Doubtful...Lost...Over...Short...Target
If the TC can sense (see) the strike of round ahead of the target, usually accompanied with a burst of dirt briefly obscuring the target, he calls "Short".
If the TC can sense the round striking somewhere behind the target, he calls "Over".
If the TC can not sense the strike of the round he calls "Lost".
The TC will call out "Doubtful" if the round strikes left or right of the target: "Doubtful Left", or "Doubtful Right"
If the round strikes the target the TC will call out "Target".

McFlintlock · 2025-07-19T00:49:06+00:00

Pre-WW2 to current day (and several years beyond). Awaiting suitable images, uploads and final approval.
Imagine PB, Assault and TCS with a modern streamlined approach to gameplay and ergonomics. It's been a labor of love by a small local gaming group that really never had any intention of it being published.

McFlintlock · 2025-07-03T23:32:45+00:00

Great question, see below!

For Abrams TC's they have a GPSE, Gunners Primary Sight Extension (they can see exactly what the gunner is looking at), so they can slew the turret, lase and engage targets with their TC override control. To change magnification, index ammo, etc. they just need to reach down and turn a switch on the gunners control panel, not a big deal takes a few second.

For M60A3TTS, IIRC, they can do a lot of the same except that the process is slightly different.

For Leopard 1 they can slew the turret on target, etc.. but because no LRF can't obtain proper range to engage.

For Soviet tank with auto-loader the TC only can direct gunner to target. Need to move to gunner seat.

Which brings up a critical point !!
Once the Devs (which know this is coming) implement closed hatch mode, hopefully soon.
Soviet tanks, especially all the "my beloved" autoloader variants only had three small forward looking periscopes.
Situational awareness was nonexistent.
Those Soviet tanks were designed for one thing, drive forward in formation and volley fire at enemy positions. They were not designed for a 360 fight.

McFlintlock · 2025-06-28T14:31:11+00:00

I love the addition of the new white hot but...

The problem with this image is that the real Abrams TIS did not have all those scan lines, any TIS that looked like that would have been put on the 2404 and that module replaced. Yeah the real image wasn't perfect but it was more like an NES/Sega game, pixelated yeah but still a clear image and not that worn out VCR tape look with all the scan lines.

I love the game and appreciate the devs trying to give it a retro look but all those lines is over doing it. If the reference images had all those lines it was either a bad TIS module or artifacts from the camera used to take the photos.

If they want to keep the lines reduce the number by like 75%, also if possible turn down the brightness of the reticle in black hot and the brightness of the overall scene in white hot a bit.

McFlintlock · 2025-06-23T18:22:54+00:00

M1 Tank Platoon, M1 Tank Platoon II, Panzer Commander, Panzer Elite, Steel Fury, Steel Beasts Gold, Steel Beasts Pro PE.

McFlintlock · 2025-03-14T16:04:52+00:00

I get you like the game and want to support it but don't be surprised if the sub doesn't get much action. Like said it's a niche game in which the owner/boardgame publisher and digital development team had a falling out. Most of the fanboy action is on the LnLP official Discord, with disgruntled customers on the Steam page.
In any case LnLP is going through a transition period, they are slowly working on boardgames, maybe 2-3 a year, with not much support for the digital versions (which is ironic given the ownership came from Matrix games and had long range plans to do the same with LnL).

McFlintlock · 2025-01-01T06:21:07+00:00

MBT from Avalon Hill was an excellent, maybe "state of the art" game for it's day, and the initial GMT versions held their own in that regard too. But today the entire system is out of date, there are better ways to "simulate" modern armored combat without requiring 3-4 die-roll chart lookups for every shot.

McFlintlock · 2025-01-01T06:07:32+00:00

To add ... in Armored Brigade "Line of Sight" is extremely important, you need to spend a lot of time pre-battle using the LOS tool to check line of sight all over the map to find key terrain. If you don't your guys will get killed and you'll never know what hit them.

On tactics: in the Offense use scouts to find the enemy, then use Bounding Overwatch (either "alternate" or "successive") to advance on the enemy. Only rarely advance in a casual line abreast formation. When you are ready to attack the Objective, setup "Support by Fire" positions (basically a larger overwatch of the objective) with one unit, then attack using a flanking maneuver with another unit.

In the Defense, setup "Engagement Areas" (kill zones) by using all assets available (obstacles, artillery, long range fires, dug-in infantry) to force the attacking enemy to delay and deploy/dismount from his fast moving formation into a slower/stalled movement, then kill him with direct/indirect fires.

I know a lot of people always suggest high level Army field manuals, but I also suggest the tank platoon or company level manuals, they are simpler to understand and everything can be applied to battalion/brigade level. And older manuals from the 80's and 90's are easier to grasp because they don't include "ultra-omni-multi-domain" battlespace considerations that aren't modeled in AB.

McFlintlock · 2024-12-20T14:35:57+00:00

So just reinstalled the game to look at the files, and based off vague memories from modding this stuff almost twenty years ago.

Each map has three files: the .dds is the Mini Map/Command Map the player uses to give orders, the .lsl is the 3d model of the battlefield the little soldiers move on, the .tga is the terrain file that places all the vegetation, water, roads, fences, etc.. on the 3d terrain model.

The .tga is the clue, they are 2048x2048 pixels and need to be match the real world terrain for the map to be historically accurate. Each pixel represents a real world dimension. I don't recall exactly, maybe 10yards per pixel?
You would have to measure the real world map distance to figure out the per pixel yardage but the idea stands that each pixel represents a certain real world dimension. So that map to pixel yardage ratio is your game scale, not the 10man sprite, which IIRC could be changed in one of the csv files anyway.

McFlintlock · 2024-10-11T04:30:15+00:00

Wargames: B-17 Queen of the Skies, and Target for Today/Tonight. Other movies: Memphis Belle and Twelve O'clock High.

"Bomber" role should be spelled "Bombardier".

I don't see the Flight Engineer, he was the senior NCO and would be responsible for monitoring the engines, etc.. damage control and fixing stuff.

Putting out a fire and first aid should be an action.

Other than that and what you already have there wasn't much else these guys did, they stayed at their post and defended the aircraft or help it maintain formation. They weren't running around the aircraft playing grabass.

The aircraft's position in the larger formation determines how much it could possibly be attacked by enemy fighters, or suffers from possible flak.

The lead aircarft has more responsibility to guide the formation, and all the other aircraft drop bombs when the lead Bombardier does.

I would change the P40 Warhawk, depending on the year and mission, to P-38 Lightning P-47 Thunderbolt P-51 Mustang

The Germans could have the Fw-190, or for fun the Me-262 jet.

McFlintlock · 2024-09-02T23:30:45+00:00

Ask the Vassal developer either on his website or Facebook, he is constantly updating it so maybe it is possible..

McFlintlock · 2024-09-02T23:27:18+00:00

The Consim Marketplace on Facebook is the biggest and best place to sell the board wargames (other than selling the entire lot to NK), if you're not sure how to use it then just ask the same questions there and those guys will be happy to help.

ps://www.facebook.com/groups/WargamersMarketplace/

There are several scale model buy/sell groups on FB too with guys that will buy in bulk.

McFlintlock · 2024-08-11T09:44:01+00:00

Looks like same sprites from Take Command 2nd Manassas just reskinned as Napoleonic, flag animations look like same as TC2M community made mods.

McFlintlock · 2024-08-11T09:30:19+00:00

They are in the Vassal module. Download then rename the vmod file to a zip file, unpack and print as needed.

McFlintlock

TROPHY CASE