totally new and tons of questions

Rhodan · Post by **Rhodan** » Fri Mar 02, 2001 9:47 pm

Hi,

Well what can I say? I downloaded the game, installed it, I have no idea of the concept of sleep, my wife ..well...I knew I had one before I started to play this game.

Anyway, I have two short questions:

1. Where can I downloaded additional campaigns?

2. This is more for the history buffs among you, why was there a need for assault guns and other 'tank hybrids' as I call them? More often then not the calibre of the main gun is roughly the same as that of the available tanks in the same era.

Where they cheaper to produce, perhaps a higher armor rating ( which was achieved by sacrificing the weight of the turret and machineguns?(( That thought just hit me and I'll go check on it)).

Anyway, nice meeting you all and thanks in advance to anyone bothering to reply to these questions.

BIG thank you to the guys that were responsible for the creation and continuation of this game, directly and indirectly. I think you have set a shining example of dedication to a product that put's many a commercial software developer to shame.

lnp4668 · Post by **lnp4668** » Fri Mar 02, 2001 10:47 pm

Tankhead's website is down, but there are some campaigns available at: http://www.fprado.com/armorsite/sp_waw.htm

And you are correct about the assault guns.

lnp4668 · Post by **lnp4668** » Fri Mar 02, 2001 10:49 pm

Sorry, just found the link to Tankhead's site: http://www.tankheadcentral.com

Flashfyre · Post by **Flashfyre** » Fri Mar 02, 2001 10:53 pm

Welcome ta the war, 'cruit!
Things ain't gonna be the same fer ya ever again.

Let me take a stab at yer second question first.
Assault guns were, in the main, a stop-gap response to the expense and engineering of tanks. Most early models were tractor carriages or truck/haltrack chassis with a mounted field gun. They were designed to support infantry assaults against defensive, hardened positions. This accounts for their large caliber high-explosive armament. Eventually, amor-piercing rounds were developed. Some nations, Germany in particular, adapted these howitzers to a mobile armored "box" with limited traverse of the gun. Without the need to engineer mechanical turret systems, the cost of the vehicle was reduced. Also, in these early days of mechanized warfare, tanks were in short supply. Assault guns gave the "foot sloggers" a mobile artillery support at lower cost. Most assault gun formations were held as brigade or division forces, and parcelled out to those units on an as-needed basis. Not until later did the true "mechanized infantry" force, with organic tank troops, become the standard.

As to yer first question.....check out the various links. The Old Man himself, Wild Bill, can probably steer ya in the right direction.

Now, keep them treads clean, and mebbe you'll see yer family when this war is over.

------------------
The Motor Pool
http://www.geocities.com/aurion_eq/index.html?976419304550
kmcferren@cvn.net

Gallo Rojo · Post by **Gallo Rojo** » Fri Mar 02, 2001 11:27 pm

Hi Rodhan,
Welcome to the Forum!

Some answers!

New campaigns:

You can download them from Fabio’s Prado ( http://www.fprado.com/armorsite/main.htmlor )as well as in Tankahead's

The need for assault guns and others:

Yes they was cheaper to produce than turreted tanks.

They had biggest guns than the Turreted Tank version of the same weapon (may be not biggest than other tanks on the same era, but yes biggest than the Turreted Tank version)
Examples:
Panther Tank had 75mm gun while JadPanther (turretless version) had a 88mm gun
Tiger Tank had an 88mm gun while JadTiger had a 128mm one
Soviet T-38/85 had an 85mm gun while there was a SU-100 (turretless tank made on the same chassis than T-34) that had a 100mm gun.
And so on...

There’re other reasons that has relation with the armored doctrine on each army. So depends on each country why they had or not turreted less tanks, and the nature of such vehicles. The concept also had changed during the war. So turreted less tanks had not the same propose at the earlier years than at the later ones.
But the main reason in may opinion was that they were cheaper to produce and admitted a biggest gun than the turreted version.

There were other Tanks such a mine clear, bride tanks, sapper tanks, etc. that were used for specific works.

Grumble · Post by **Grumble** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 1:06 am

...also, in the upcoming upgrade, 5.0 there will be new campaigns as well.
Another reason to build "assault guns" is economic. As the war progressed, lighter tanks became obsolescent because their turret rings could not accomodate heavier armament. By removing the turret, and cutting down the superstructure, one can up-armor the chassis, reduce silhouette, and install a larger main gun, albeit one with a limited traverse. A cheap way to get more use of an old chassis.

Don · Post by **Don** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 2:25 am

Welcome, Rhodan!

You will like 5.0 - new campaigns, and new tutorials to help the new guys. One tutorial I do not have, however, is how to handle the wife that you never see anymore. I know of no one how is expert enough to write it!

BIG thank you to the guys that were responsible for the creation and continuation of this game, directly and indirectly. I think you have set a shining example of dedication to a product that put's many a commercial software developer to shame.

You, and especially the veterans, won't believe the effort that David and the gang are making to make 5.0 by far the best version yet. They are adding stuff left and right, and literally trying to fix everything that we ask for. To see this in action is truly unbelieveable!

------------------
Don "Sapper" Llewellyn, Coordinator
SPWAW Tactical Training Center
EMAIL: egcwman@mindspring.com

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 2:38 am

An official welcome to you Rhodan, and another to your lovely first lady as she becomes the newest member of the "War Widow" club

.

Your questions have already been adequately answered. I would say that a couple of new campaigns along with a revision of all old SPWAW scenarios will be accompanying the new version 5.0.

And other goodies. Plus so many new improvements that you'll think we started all over again.

They include for designers waypoints and objective settings that no longer disappear, new types of combat (Melee and overruns), better weather, a smarter than ever AI, well memory fails me.

But it is going to be quite worth the wait...Wild Bill

------------------
In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Spike · Post by **Spike** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 4:04 am

Quick question which is somewhat related to one of Rhodan's questions - what 'in-game' differences are there between a turreted tank and one that doesn't have a turret? As far as I can tell you don't get penalized for turning inside a hex, so what does having a turret do for me?
I'm pretty new to the game, incase this is pointed out in an obvious place! (didn't see it in the manual though..)

Warhorse · Post by **Warhorse** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 4:54 am

Spike, the turret speed vs. non-turreted has been addressed by the numbers entered in the Targeting field in the editor. Although you don't actually see the penalty, behind the scenes, the to hit is being modified by the numbers. Hope this helps!

------------------
Mike Amos
Meine Ehre Heisst Treue

PerryC · Post by **PerryC** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 5:00 am

Welcome to the war. Just a friendly word of advice, watch out for nasty, er I mean interesting surprises when playing anything created by WIld Bill. He alone is responsible for my premature hair loss (the wife and kids have nothing to do with it.)

But seriously, have fun. For some real intresting time go to Combat Command and play a few games by email/online.

Enjoy
PerryC
pro patria

Alby · Post by **Alby** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 5:47 am

Hey you the rhodan that used to play sp3 online???
"SteeliiiAlby" here heheh

Rhodan · Post by **Rhodan** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 8:20 am

Alby..yeah I was afraid it was you when I saw your name scroll by.."Hasta la Vista Alby" right?...'now you see your batallion, now you don't muhaha'...good to see you around friend

PerryC: Yeah I found that one out allready, it has gotten to the point where I am poking with a needle in a voodoo doll that has a striking resemblance to WB. Everytime I poke it with that needle it says "oh lemme make a campaign for that"

Alby · Post by **Alby** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 9:12 am

Originally posted by Rhodan:
Alby..yeah I was afraid it was you when I saw your name scroll by.."Hasta la Vista Alby" right?...'now you see your batallion, now you don't muhaha'...good to see you around friend

PerryC: Yeah I found that one out allready, it has gotten to the point where I am poking with a needle in a voodoo doll that has a striking resemblance to WB. Everytime I poke it with that needle it says "oh lemme make a campaign for that"

Allright Pal!! Might as well put that sp3 CD away coz this game will make you forget it!! and Welcome!!! Hope to whup(oops i mean play) ya sometime!
WUHAHAHHAHA!!!
Alby

[This message has been edited by Alby (edited March 02, 2001).]

kao16 · Post by **kao16** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 11:00 am

Originally posted by Spike:
Quick question which is somewhat related to one of Rhodan's questions - what 'in-game' differences are there between a turreted tank and one that doesn't have a turret? As far as I can tell you don't get penalized for turning inside a hex, so what does having a turret do for me?
I'm pretty new to the game, incase this is pointed out in an obvious place! (didn't see it in the manual though..)

Typically, ROF is less for non-turreted
compared with turreted.

Ability to turn. Ever had a tank immobilized? A turret means you can still turn the gun to point at other targets. You can't turn the gun in non-turreted weapons - meaning you can "safely" flank an immobilized TD (e.g., Jagd Tiger) to hit it on the side or rear, whereas a turreted tank can keep shooting at you

Spike · Post by **Spike** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 8:46 pm

Thanks for the replies, I had no doubt this was handled somehow in the game, but wasn't sure on the details (ROF, to-hits) You guys sure are fountains of info on this game!

Good point about being immobilized, that is a definate advantage for the turreted tanks. (though is there a 'firing arc' that the turretless tanks still get? think I need to do a search and maybe some testing on that)

Kharan · Post by **Kharan** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 8:51 pm

Originally posted by Spike:
(though is there a 'firing arc' that the turretless tanks still get? think I need to do a search and maybe some testing on that)

I just did that a few days ago, and it's 90 degrees.

Paul Vebber · Post by **Paul Vebber** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 11:03 pm

The arc is teh same foa everything, 90. The other thing is that turretless vehicles have imparired "targeting" (the old stab rating juked around a bit) to respresent that it is not as able to target on the movce as a turreted vehicel, making it much more efficient fring and THEN moving.