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[Game on!] Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts - Poliku is the best!

KinderpartyKinderparty Registered User regular
edited October 2008 in Games and Technology
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Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts

What is Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts?

Opposing fronts is a stand-alone expansion for the RTS game, Company of Heroes. Made by Relic Entertainment and THQ, this game adds two new sides to the franchise, the Panzer Elite and the British Commonwealth Forces. Both sides get their own single player campaign: The Panzer Elite take on Operation: Market Garden, whilst the British 2nd Army liberates Caen.

What is a stand-alone expansion?

A stand alone expansion is just that- an expansion that does not need the original game to be played. Opposing Fronts will allow buyers to play the two expansion Campaigns and the two expansion sides online. To unlock the two original sides, Wehrmacht and American armies, players will have to buy the original Company of Heroes.

Panzer Elite and British Commonwealth, eh? Whats makes them so different?

British Commonweath Forces

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Some british quirks:

British Commonwealth Forces rely on a strong chain of command. British forces do not gain veterancy, their officers do. Troops supported by their officers are mighty indeed.

The British base system is based on Command Trucks. Command trucks are mobile buildings that can setup in any territory to increase the supplies coming from that territory.

The British have the strongest defenses in the game and the most powerful artillery to back them.

Panzer Elite Forces

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Panzer Elite quirks:

No defenses -- Only defenses are doctrine specific. The Panzer Elite are a highly mobile force, you'll have to outmaneuver your opponent rather than outgun them with static positions.

Panzer Elite forces are a highly mechanized force. The Panzer Elite have more vehicles types than infantry. With access to over 8 different kinds of half tracks, you can get to the fight with what you need.

Panzer Elite use very specialized forces. Few squads/vehicles are made for all-purpose fighting. Rather, you must use combined arms to overcome the opponent. Once every piece falls into place, your war machine will be unstoppable.


Useful Resources:
www.coh-stats.com
- A website that has accurate and precise information on every unit, and the intricacies of every part of game play. Got a question on how upkeep or suppression work mechanically? Or the actual bonuses you get when you activate abilities like "Inspired Assault" or "For the Fatherland!"? Find it here!


http://www.gamereplays.org/community/-CoH-Section.html
- An excellent site for nearly any RTS, game replays offers a variety of strategies and tips for new players, in addition to detailed replays that show them in action. Having trouble figuring out how to stop a PE armored car rush or other devilish tactic? Watch other players conquer it and learn here!



Our elite core of PA players!
( List is courtesy of TychoCelchuu and Kinderparty. Props to them here. )
All names below are Relic Online names, unless denoted otherwise.

tooler975 (Tim James)
Accualt
Endo (or Arete?)
Enzo
Akane
AlabasterSlim (Steam name AlabasterSlim)
CasinoGhost
Dublo7
Ergandar
GeneralOlaf (Steam name Corp.Shephard)
kunoxs (Steam name FanciestWalnut)
LudwigvonMises (Steam name SteelAngel)
TychoCelchuu (Steam name TychoCelchuuu)
Stormwatcher (Steam name Stormwatcher)
darksteel1989 (Steam/Xfire darksteel1989)
Unknown! (Steam Jekkles)
Rentilius (Otherwise known as Tyrannus, forum name)
The_Scarab (forum name)
DeadOnArrival (forum name)
Pannycakes (forum name Pancake)
PiptheFair (forum name)
Malkor (forum name)
Goomba (forum name)
Kibblesnbits (forum name Kinderparty)
TheLawinator
Spetsnaz (forum name Streltsy)

Kinderparty's Comprehensive Guide to Company of Heroes: Edition 1
.doc http://rapidshare.com/files/119971050/USCOHGUIDE1.doc.html
.odt http://rapidshare.com/files/119971170/USCOHGUIDE.odt.html

We have a new steam group!
We'd like to encourage everyone to join up. Its a easy way to get in contact with people and organize games. The group is a public group, so join at your leisure!
You can find the group here

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Hosted by The_Scarab

Kinderparty on
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Posts

  • FiatilFiatil Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    So I just won 2 matches as the Panzer Elite without using armored cars.

    Am I doing it wrong?

    Fiatil on
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  • KinderpartyKinderparty Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Naw. These days the PE players are shying away from ACs, actually. They were good when they had their surprise value, but now they're too easily handled. So good job for catching on without even knowing it. Stick with what you're doing.

    Kinderparty on
  • FiatilFiatil Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    It was somewhat of a reference to the "OMG NERF ARMORED CARS"ing from the last thread, but yeah, I'm digging not using them. Thanks.

    Fiatil on
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  • KinderpartyKinderparty Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Really the nerf isn't that devastating at all. I wonder if RO considered that a way of "fixing" them.

    In celebration of the new thread, I have my best game I've ever played here for you. It's quite literally the definition of impossible odds, but somehow I managed to pull away with a strong victory. Me as British against Wehrmacht on Sturzdorf. I'm going to say he was a smurf, judging by the name and skill at which he played at. He even started northside and piospammed, which until today, was unbeatable for the British in my eyes. I don't know if I'll ever explain how I won except that I microed harder than I ever had before and managed to simply outplay the situation. If you have any interest in the Brits or are looking for a good replay, you should watch this. I loved it.

    http://rapidshare.com/files/112329713/temp.rec.html

    Kinderparty on
  • SudsSuds Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    New thread.

    Suds on
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  • FiatilFiatil Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Haha alright, so rapidshare is getting a tad ridiculous now. I have to pick out which letters have cats on them now? This might be impossible.

    Fiatil on
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  • KinderpartyKinderparty Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Yeah the kitties are pretty impossible to see through. However, it's worth it. My most favorite win ever.

    Kinderparty on
  • FiatilFiatil Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    As much as I would love to, after numerous attempts I am unable to solve this feline puzzle. I give up.

    Fiatil on
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  • KinderpartyKinderparty Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    This makes me depressed. Very depressed.

    Kinderparty on
  • VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Fiatil wrote: »
    It was somewhat of a reference to the "OMG NERF ARMORED CARS"ing from the last thread, but yeah, I'm digging not using them. Thanks.

    I dunno. As Americans, I find that using M8 Greyhounds and snipers backed up by riflemen can own PE until late-game.

    VeritasVR on
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    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
  • FiatilFiatil Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    VeritasVR wrote: »
    Fiatil wrote: »
    It was somewhat of a reference to the "OMG NERF ARMORED CARS"ing from the last thread, but yeah, I'm digging not using them. Thanks.

    I dunno. As Americans, I find that using M8 Greyhounds and snipers backed up by riflemen can own PE until late-game.

    I should probably clarify. I don't have any horrible phobia of using armored cars. I was jokingly referencing the pages upon pages of the last thread dedicated to "omg panzer elite are over powered armored cars are unkillable!" that went on. Obviously I sort of failed.

    Fiatil on
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  • Steel-AngelSteel-Angel Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Fuck the goddamn panzer elite and their magic armor type that lets them avoid being pinned.

    Steel-Angel on
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  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Good games to Steel-Angel. I chose PE for Wrecked Train and they are a bit rough in an open map like that.

    We went ahead and got Hinterdam over with, but Steel-Angel had to resign due to some issues at home. I empathize with you, buddy.

    I was going to take British Artillery for fun, but decided to go with PE to try to seal up the game pretty quickly. It was actually a hard-fought and entertaining match on that map, maybe worth watching the replay. My macro skills aren't that great so I had trouble moving things around and making sure I had the right units nearby. Steel-Angel frequently made excellent combined-arms attacks on one side or the other, which is the advantage when you are the attacker, and made me retreat quite a few times. But late game Scorched Earth is hard to deal with: the annoying booby traps, even if you dodge them; the Hummel assaulting machinegun positions, and the sector artillery to slow down big pushes. Not to mention the MP44s, Marders, etc. PE is almost as difficult lategame as Wehrmacht is. I liked the MG, sniper, and M10 use though.

    Well played in all games.

    Tim James on
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  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Just to clarify in case I missed it, who won the entire round Tim? Also, replays forthcoming? your Lyon game was entertaining and had some amazing moments.

    The_Scarab on
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Replay game 2 Wrecked Train

    Replay game 3 Hinterdam - the replay says "circle_wall," not sure if Hinterdam was always like that.

    Tim James on
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  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Since the last patch verrieres ridge for me has shown up in the map list as S938927##

    So yeah, patch bugs are nothing new.

    The_Scarab on
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    The_Scarab wrote: »
    Just to clarify in case I missed it, who won the entire round Tim? Also, replays forthcoming? your Lyon game was entertaining and had some amazing moments.
    I won the entire round, unless Steel-Angel wants to ask for a rematch on Hinterdam since he was kind of forced to leave the match early. I was ahead on VPs and points and was floating some resources, but I could entertain a rematch. Not sure either of us really wants to play that map again though.

    Glad you enjoyed the Lyon game. I guess there was some excitement between the boredom. Just wish there was a little more room to maneuver..

    Tim James on
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  • FiatilFiatil Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Fuck the goddamn panzer elite and their magic armor type that lets them avoid being pinned.

    See? That's more like it.

    And I finally beat the damn cats. This better be worth it.

    Fiatil on
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  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    As I told Steel Angel, you kinda forced the downtime on yourselves. Watching the replay there are so many moments for both of you where you could have rolled across to the other side and set up shop, but decided to hang back. I guess thats just habit from so many 2v2 Lyon games, but I kept saying 1v1 Lyon is a lot more open than people think. If you break through the blockade the other guy cant seal their entire half of the map on their own, allowing for a lot of flanking. You just kept sealing the gap and shelling the shit out of each other (which in itself was entertaining)

    The_Scarab on
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    The_Scarab wrote: »
    As I told Steel Angel, you kinda forced the downtime on yourselves. Watching the replay there are so many moments for both of you where you could have rolled across to the other side and set up shop, but decided to hang back.
    Yeah I would have to watch it to see what his side was like. On my side I kept telling him he could roll over me. A few times I had a couple squads, a couple tanks, and a 17 pounder to one side.

    Steel was floating so much more manpower than me I think that it's kind of academic. If we had agreed to keep all bridges open it would've been more entertaining, but still the same result I believe.

    Tim James on
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  • ZsetrekZsetrek Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Who's up for a game now?

    Zsetrek on
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I think I've gone US and Wehr once, PE 3 times, and Brits twice. I'll probably do US and Wehrmacht in the final.

    Tim James on
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Fiatil wrote: »
    As much as I would love to, after numerous attempts I am unable to solve this feline puzzle. I give up.

    You got defeated by the catcha. Harrr.

    I almost never go WSC against PE 1v1 because I want my grayhounds quickly and I don't feel like sparing the fuel; is this a bad idea? I figure grenades are a good enough stopgap if they spam infantry really badly.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I almost never go WSC against PE 1v1 because I want my grayhounds quickly and I don't feel like sparing the fuel; is this a bad idea? I figure grenades are a good enough stopgap if they spam infantry really badly.
    Kinderparty can probably answer better about what gives him trouble, but consider back teching to a sinper for the midgame when you have good combined arms and support. They are a real nuisance, even against Wehrmacht 4-man squads.

    As PE the only way I've been able to deal with them is to slow them and run them down with a car. But yeah, kite around with an M8 and watch out for an AT-HT. Make sure you have skirts in case of AT nades or schrecks.

    Tim James on
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Actually I should have clarified: i never go WSC before I get a grayhound out.

    And Kinder, can't really say those 4 nebels did your opponent much good until the very end where you stopped caring. I wonder how things would have gone if he had spent that manpower on storms.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • KinderpartyKinderparty Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    The nebels were the right idea. You're supposed to use them to suppress the infantry blobs while your pumas and stugs mop up. Basically negate the infantry game so you can focus on the armored. Pumas can run rings while stugs soak the cromwell shots, allowing himself not to care about tommies because they're stuck on their bellies. Also viable counter v Emplacements and very good pressure.

    Kinderparty on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    So I played like my second Wehrmacht game in like a year, the first being when I played Wehrmacht completely on accident when I meant to select Panzer Elite and went into an automatch like an idiot.

    It was against DeadOnArrival, who is better than me. I think this is the right replay, but it's not very good. Still, I didn't get completely stomped throughout the whole thing so I'm vaguely proud.

    http://rapidshare.com/files/112372581/2p_angoville_farms.2008-05-03.14-37-24.rec.html

    Pancake on
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  • darksteeldarksteel Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I'm trying to learn how to play the British 2nd Army right now and wow, they are real different from the American Army paradigm I'm used to. My friend is actually laughing at me for queuing point cap orders for my Infantry Sections instead of ordering them to build emplacements. This seems to be my major problem: I don't know when to stop capping and start building emplacements. Is there some sort of standard number of points you should cap before you start building prepared positions or is it largely map dependent?

    darksteel on
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  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    darksteel wrote: »
    I'm trying to learn how to play the British 2nd Army right now and wow, they are real different from the American Army paradigm I'm used to. My friend is actually laughing at me for queuing point cap orders for my Infantry Sections instead of ordering them to build emplacements. This seems to be my major problem: I don't know when to stop capping and start building emplacements. Is there some sort of standard number of points you should cap before you start building prepared positions or is it largely map dependent?

    When you should build emplacements, which emplacements, and how many emplacements is more of a playstyle thing.

    Some people turtle up to an extreme degree from the outset, others don't build a single emplacement until late game and keep it at just one or two (and it's usually 17 pounders for AT). Just watch a bunch of British replays and play as the British a lot and see what suits you best.

    Pancake on
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  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    darksteel wrote: »
    I'm trying to learn how to play the British 2nd Army right now and wow, they are real different from the American Army paradigm I'm used to. My friend is actually laughing at me for queuing point cap orders for my Infantry Sections instead of ordering them to build emplacements. This seems to be my major problem: I don't know when to stop capping and start building emplacements. Is there some sort of standard number of points you should cap before you start building prepared positions or is it largely map dependent?
    GR.org has a general emplacement guide that I linked to in the old thread. Or just go look in the British strategy section.

    About the only early emplacements you want to build are maybe a mortar pit after you have 2 or 3 total infantry squads on the field. They are nice on hedgerow maps or to cover an important point or to dislodge machineguns. Rarely I'll build a machinegun nest early; mostly in 2v2s. Then lately I've liked to get a 17 pdr out near my base or near a strategic location (well defended against infantry!) because I'm not confident with my PIAT use.

    Trenches are nice if you think you're about to get rushed by infantry with no grenades, or to put your lieutenant in near the rear lines. Bofors I mostly use for shock and surprise value. Not many people get a 25 pounder either unless you need to take out some medic bunkers, flak88, or dug-in position. Better to save the fuel for a Cromwell these days to kite and snipe grenadiers.

    Tim James on
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  • VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Tim James wrote: »
    darksteel wrote: »
    I'm trying to learn how to play the British 2nd Army right now and wow, they are real different from the American Army paradigm I'm used to. My friend is actually laughing at me for queuing point cap orders for my Infantry Sections instead of ordering them to build emplacements. This seems to be my major problem: I don't know when to stop capping and start building emplacements. Is there some sort of standard number of points you should cap before you start building prepared positions or is it largely map dependent?
    GR.org has a general emplacement guide that I linked to in the old thread. Or just go look in the British strategy section.

    About the only early emplacements you want to build are maybe a mortar pit after you have 2 or 3 total infantry squads on the field. They are nice on hedgerow maps or to cover an important point or to dislodge machineguns. Rarely I'll build a machinegun nest early; mostly in 2v2s. Then lately I've liked to get a 17 pdr out near my base or near a strategic location (well defended against infantry!) because I'm not confident with my PIAT use.

    Trenches are nice if you think you're about to get rushed by infantry with no grenades, or to put your lieutenant in near the rear lines. Bofors I mostly use for shock and surprise value. Not many people get a 25 pounder either unless you need to take out some medic bunkers, flak88, or dug-in position. Better to save the fuel for a Cromwell these days to kite and snipe grenadiers.

    Any value for the Bofors besides shock and surprise? It's like a Flakverling, right?

    VeritasVR on
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    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    VeritasVR wrote: »
    Tim James wrote: »
    darksteel wrote: »
    I'm trying to learn how to play the British 2nd Army right now and wow, they are real different from the American Army paradigm I'm used to. My friend is actually laughing at me for queuing point cap orders for my Infantry Sections instead of ordering them to build emplacements. This seems to be my major problem: I don't know when to stop capping and start building emplacements. Is there some sort of standard number of points you should cap before you start building prepared positions or is it largely map dependent?
    GR.org has a general emplacement guide that I linked to in the old thread. Or just go look in the British strategy section.

    About the only early emplacements you want to build are maybe a mortar pit after you have 2 or 3 total infantry squads on the field. They are nice on hedgerow maps or to cover an important point or to dislodge machineguns. Rarely I'll build a machinegun nest early; mostly in 2v2s. Then lately I've liked to get a 17 pdr out near my base or near a strategic location (well defended against infantry!) because I'm not confident with my PIAT use.

    Trenches are nice if you think you're about to get rushed by infantry with no grenades, or to put your lieutenant in near the rear lines. Bofors I mostly use for shock and surprise value. Not many people get a 25 pounder either unless you need to take out some medic bunkers, flak88, or dug-in position. Better to save the fuel for a Cromwell these days to kite and snipe grenadiers.

    Any value for the Bofors besides shock and surprise? It's like a Flakverling, right?

    The bofors is one of my favorites, personally. It might not put a dent in a tank, but an early bofors can keep your base safe for quite some time as it chews through infantry at a decent clip and will very quickly demolish vehicles.

    I've also found a bofors can be decent defense for your 17 pounders as some axis players are wary of opening fire on a 17 pounder if it means getting too close to a bofors or two.

    They aren't game winners by any means, but they're solid early and mid game defense.

    Pancake on
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  • darksteeldarksteel Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Wow, that emplacement guide in GR.org is actually really helpful, as is the accompanying guide on how to place officers. Really well explained and with diagrams too! Thanks both of you.

    Also, I'm really surprised that no one builds 25-pdrs anymore, since in the LAN games I have with my friend, he builds batteries of them and uses them to devastating effect, especially Overwatch, which I think has the best graphical effects in CoH. I mean, just look at that shrapnel!

    darksteel on
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  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    The Bofors is nice but I just rarely buy it. Probably pretty awesome at lower levels but I just feel like it always dies. Maybe not my style either. If you use it, put it toward the back of your base. If any infantry get too close, usually to try to take out a 17-pdr with flamethrowers or schrecks, they will get eaten alive. I believe it has a longer attack range than sight range too. Definitely do not make it your front line of defense. I usually put the 17 pdr out there so Marders can't outrange me and blow up other emplacements and trucks.

    Overwatch is only available in the Royal Canadian Artillery tree. If you take that, which is not a bad doctrine, then you obviously want some 25 pounders! Otherwise, it's pretty inaccurate when firing into the fog of war and has a 90 second recharge. Definitely get one during a stalemate but don't make it your goal; get a Cromwell out instead most times.

    Tim James on
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  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I forgot to post this before, but did anyone else get a weird trench in Tim James' and Steel-Angel's game on Lyon?

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    Pancake on
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  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I just watched the Wrecked Train game between Tim James and Steel-Angel and...

    Is there ever a bad time to whine about how bullshit PE are?

    Pancake on
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  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Are people actually watching that Lyon game? I'm not sure if I want to spend another minute thinking about it. ;-)

    I think the Wrecked Train game was lopsided because I had that scout car on lockdown on the fuel. Teched up pretty fast. It is wide open as well so it's easy to move the armored cars and MP44 squads around. The map might be a little unbalanced toward PE now that they cleaned it out [EDIT] and because a ketten can get the high fuel now.

    They didn't show as much bullshit on Hinterdam because it's divided and half and I wasn't able to support with the rest of my units. Lately I've felt that the key to Panzer Elite is preserving your grenadiers. I know I get in trouble in games when they get cut down, but if you keep them alive the veterancy is brutal.

    Tim James on
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  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Tim James wrote: »
    Are people actually watching that Lyon game? I'm not sure if I want to spend another minute thinking about it. ;-)

    Well, I watched about 20 minutes of it. And then I realized I was less than a quarter of the way through it.

    I don't know how you two managed to keep it going so long.

    Pancake on
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  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Pancake wrote: »
    I don't know how you two managed to keep it going so long.
    Related to that, I'm wondering what compelled me to just throw my entire force across the bridge at the end. I don't remember snapping and thinking, "okay, screw this, let's force it to be over with."

    I was pissed after my big attack at the end too because I didn't have my lieutenant in the fight. I wonder if some extra PIAT hits would have made a difference. Keeping in mind that Steel-Angel was floating much more manpower than me and still would've won. :) But I would've been happy if I had killed that King Tiger.

    Tim James on
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  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    By the way, I couldn't put munitions halftrack mines on top of teller mines. Has it always been that way? I read that you can make a big boom by doing that, but maybe only in 2v2 with a Wehrmacht teammate..?

    Tim James on
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