Tactical Command

I downloaded the demo over two months ago (on April 18th) and since then I have NOT attempted to install and play it! When I finally do install the demo, I will be making my purchasing decision on how well the demo works for me. [ June 25, 2007, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Tactical Command ]

Hi PFMM, While what you wrote might be true, I think the we-go system suited the Combat Mission game engine just fine. From a revenue point-of-view the problem for Battlefront with Combat Mission has always been "scope of effort". When you cover an entire front with your game there isn't much you can do to make more money from your efforts except to tack on additional features and hope people will pony up the cash for those features. From a revenue/growth perspective Battlefront had no choice but to change direction. With the direction Battlefront is going I guess realtime makes the most sense.

Hi Gface, I believe the primary reason you have been seeing/reading mainly negative type of posts is due to the fact that neither the demo nor the game itself have been released yet. In other words, there really isn't much a person can say about a game until he/she has played with it for a while. Most of the "negative posts" seem to be people politicking for features that they want included in the next version of TOW. [ April 04, 2007, 10:04 PM: Message edited by: Tactical Command ]

Well Jason by your definition Panther Games does have a successful strategy game design! Longevity COTA is the third Airborne Assault game in the series and I believe a fourth AA engine game is due out next year. Fan Following While it appears to me that Airborne Assault does NOT have a huge fan base, the games have sold well enough for Panther Games to justify making more of the same. Now having said this, I too feel the "fun factor" is missing from COTA. Assuming there is a problem with the way AA games have been designed, I am not sure there is a reasonable way to fix the "fun factor" problem. How do you increase the fan base and in the process sales for AA games? I have no clue. I don't believe an Airborne Assault game will ever sell in huge numbers all by itself. I am not convinced a campaign system would be worth the effort and trying the route of working in tandem with another game engine, like Combat Mission Campaigns is trying to do doesn't seem feasible. While I personally think it would be cool to play a $75 Airborne Assault based game that allows you to drop down to Theater of War type of battles, it just ain't going to happen.

onodoken, As McIvan has already stated it is possible for someone to cheat. The good news for you is that it appears that even IF the vast majority of Combat Mission game players were interested in cheating they don't have the knowledge/ability to do so. Below, is a post taken from a CMBB forum thread titled "To the designers of the CMBB - is it possible??" Posted by Madmatt (Member # 332) on March 11, 2005 04:02 PM: Okay, here is the official word. Can the game be hacked? YES We have known for some time that with enough effort someone would eventually be able to hack the data sets. We are actually surprised it took this long for some one to do it (4 years). Just like pirating, there is only so much we can do to prevent such cheating and your best defense in a situation like this is to pick your opponents with caution.

Arjuna, Even though the slice of the wargaming market is and will probably always be very small for games made using the Airborne Assault game engine, I believe that releasing a demo is a must nowadays. My advice to you is to release a demo containing a couple of tutorial scenarios along with the appropriate documentation. One alternative to a demo would be to create and release a whole series of downloadable videos. Some videos would teach a person how the game mechanics work while other videos would sell the sizzle (i.e. try to show me why I should be interested in taking the time to learn how to play this game). Several months ago, I checked out the COTA forum at Matrix Games and the impression I came away with is that COTA is similar to TacOps (but for WWII) and a player fights a series of unconnected tactical battles at the division level of command and below. While I believe I understand the essence of what COTA is all about I haven't been convinced by Matrix Games or Panther Games that COTA is worth my precious time to learn how to play.

Hi gibsonm, Do you know of any software similar to "Comic Life" that runs within the Microsoft Windows operating system?

Hi Cuirassier, I found your first posting to this thread to be confusing (i.e. all over the place). I did a search for "The German tactical system" thread that you mentioned in your post and now I believe I have a better understanding of why you wrote what you did. As earlier posters have already mentioned some of your questions are simply at a higher scale or scope of warfare than what can be represented within CMBB. "German historical methods of annihilation battle" simply cannot be represented in a small unit action game such as CMBB. While the fundamental principle of German offensive doctrine during WW II was to encircle and destroy the enemy, accomplishing this feat generally took weeks of fighting (both offensively and defensively) before a large surrounded Soviet force was eliminated or surrendered. CMBB battles are nothing more than small skirmishes over small pieces of real estate. Finally, I just want to mention that I have read your second post to this thread and I am still confused on EXACTLY what questions you are seeking answers to. Do you want advice on a specific scenario you recently played (i.e. How to attack with the units you were given)? Do you want to know how other forum members generally conduct an attack and if their recipe of tactics differ when they play as the Germans as opposed to the Soviets? Maybe you only know how to attack an opponent ONE WAY and are looking for different/better methods of attacking?

While version 2 of Close Combat is the game that "turned me on" to computer wargames, I have no interest in purchasing CC3 or any other version of the Close Combat series that Matrix decides to re-release. From what I have read, there won't be any major enhancements or fixes made to the original product(s). The purpose of this and future releases is to squeeze some profit out of a series that sold very well in the past. The only promise that Matrix has made is that CC3 will be updated so that it will run on modern PC systems which are running under Windows XP. Annoyances such as faulty "tank pathfinding" are only going to be looked at and if possible enhanced as best as can be done within a short period of time. The games that I am anxiously waiting for are the following: * Combat Mission Campaigns * Theatre of War (A.K.A. Close Combat 3D) Imo, Combat Mission Campaigns should be on every CMBB player's wish list simply because bugs in CMBB that affect CMC specifically (i.e. the "fortification points" bug) have to be fixed for CMC to work properly. All CMBB players (not just people who purchase CMC) will most likely be allowed to download whatever patch is made available.

How is the combo working out for you? Once he says "go ahead" and you have uploaded them to cmmods please post on this forum to let people know they can download them if they want them. Thanks for sharing (and saving me the time of trying to do it myself).

I just read the thread titled Terrain Mods and was wondering if it is possible for a modder to create a contrast mod that also has grid lines on it? My guess is the answer is no. I am sure someone would have done this if it was possible.

Here are a two other sites you should visit: Combat Mission MOD Database --http://www.cmmods.com/ -- Someone archived and uploaded most of the scenarios that existed on the "original Scenario Depot" website (before it crashed). Boots & Tracks -- http://3dwargamer.net/bootsandtracks

The following is everything I know about Panzerfaust use within Combat Mission. A panzerfaust is a throw-away shaped charge (rocket-propelled grenade launcher) weapon that the German infantry (Soviets don't get any within CM) is armed with from 1943 onward. Note: You cannot command your units to fire a Panzerfaust (the Tactical AI will decide whether or not to use the weapon). Also, you can't buy them, you have to hope the computer (or scenario designer) will randomly issue them to your squads. There are three varieties: • 30 meter range • 60 meter range • 100 meter range Types available in the game: Panzerfaust 30 (klein) Panzerfaust 30 Panzerfaust 60 Panzerfaust 100 Date First Available: Jul43 (PF-30K), Sep43 (PF-30), and Oct44 (PF-60 and PF-100) Maximum Range: Depends on type Effective Range: About 2/3 the distance of maximum range. The Panzerfaust's EFFECTIVE range is very different from it's MAXIMUM range maybe about 2/3 the distance. For a Panzerfaust 60 to be accurate, you should try to be at 40 meters or less distance. Penetration: 200mm (7.87in) A panzerfaust can take out any tank, even a JS II, although odds obviously decrease as armor gets thicker. German Tank hunters become "extra dangerous" during 1944-1945 as they MAY have 2-3 Panzerfausts and are able to "target" armor, unlike squad infantry. In my experience, Panzerfausts are not fired by the TacAI as often as I would like it to. I place a greater reliance on Panzershrecks to take out enemy armor. Often the German infantry are busy with Russian infantry and do not choose to shoot their Panzerfausts at the Russian tanks. Panzerfausts create a back blast, so you should use them in the open such as woods or from a foxhole, or in urban terrain, in rubble.

Is hotseat an option? If you have the knowledge you could make some tutorial movies (with voice narration). Is this person familiar with WW II weapons, tactics, etc.?

Well, if you are interested in playing CMC when it gets released then I suggest you spend most of your time playing CM:BB. CMC was designed to work with CM:BB only.