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Ardennes campaign


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I understand that with Mapping Mission it's possible to make huge maps - up to 20k by 20k - which can be broken down into smaller battle maps - say 3k by 3k for importation into the CMBB editor. I'm familiar with Pyewacket's Map Converter to bring CMBB maps into CMAK.

My question: are there tools available to build an Ardennes campaign in CMAK using a huge map in Mapping Mission to piece together a series of continuous battles like an operation - say following KG Peiper for several days - from taking the Stavelot bridge to Stoumont Station to the US counterattacks and ultimate defeat of KG Peiper?

OR would such a thing only be possible in CMBB pending CM Campaigns?

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I've read about making the maps but is there a way to string them into a campaign? For example - playing a battle say in Stavelot and then transfering the surviving German units onto the next battle map say Trois Ponts - and then being able to go back to the same Stavelot map with battle damage for US counterattacks against German reinforcements from different directions???

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Originally posted by Kingfish:

Only in Ops can you do that, and as far as I know you can only go back if the entire map was visible to begin with. In other words, once the map shifts forward it can't shift back, no matter how successful the counterattack.

That's news to me, didn't know that actually.

I guess, that what Samuraiman means, that if we can integrate the mapping mission editor in a macro that automatically makes you jump from one portion of a 'mother' map to another one depending on the outcome of a CM battle?

e.g.: Imagine, you create X number of blank 2 x 2 km maps in CM editor, no landscape!

For each (empty map) you add OoB's for both sides and save these maps in the QB folder. The input of the OoB's depends on the situations that could result from the outcome of the first battle.

e.g.: First battle shows 'major victory' for Germans.

You are then directed to a blank map with the OoB for german side pretty much intact, while the allied part shows some depleted forces + maybe some ad hoc reinforcments.

The map is filled in, by exporting from CMMM portion of the 'mother' map into the blank map. What portion is imported, is determined by the winner of the previous battle, but it should be adjacent to the previous battlefield. (e.g. Winning player is allowed to click available quadrant from a topographic overview map.)

If you lose, you are directed to a blank map with - although some re-inforcements - a handicapped OoB, while the enemy shows up with his forces intact and at the place of his choice, which is again imported from CMMM, according to the same restrictions as described above.

I am thinking in big lines now, but since I know, that there are people able to write converter and editor programs and write progs in order to randomise turn numbers, I have the impression that in CM, the parameters, editor screen and unit selection can be made programmable by external macro's. But I guess, that still some data have to put in manually in a basic interface. i.e. results of the consecutive battles.

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It is certainly possible to do it as you describe, but the downside is the battles are less 'connected' as those on an Op.

Another thing is you would need a great many maps and OOB selections in order to cover most of the possible outcomes from the previous battles, and which each new outcome the possibilities grow further.

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Bravo McAuliffe. So I'm gathering that such software tools don't already exist? I believe I read somewhere in these forums of some campaign tools made for CMBB (besides Battlefront's CMC currently in design), I don't know about CMAK.

So if one were to make a gigantic map in Mapping Mission (MM) of the Ambleve area - Stavelot to Trois Ponts to Stoumont Station to Oufni etc... Could one currently track a campaign - importing the appropriate map sections from MM as the campaign warrents? Or would such a thing still require new software?

Ops are limmited to 4 X 8km maps and basically East/West confrontation - while a campaign can have a whole battlegroup advancing 15k then getting cut off and attacked from all sides, etc...

[ February 22, 2006, 09:39 AM: Message edited by: samurai man ]

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Unfortunately, I don't have the skills or the time to write such a script. So I guess, we have to wait for the more talented people, that get bored with waiting for CMC, to make such a proggie. Although, I must admit, I have been googling for a compiler in order to write your own basic 2-dimensional boardgame.

Does anybody know if such a thing exists and if you could apply it in order to integrate the launching of a CM battle as a condition to move from one e.g. hex to another?

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I didn't do it with any sophisticated scripts, and as a result it took serious time for a campaign referee (me), but it is possible to run such campaigns using just the editor.

I made a "strategic map" at 10 times the scale of CM proper in the editor, and then used that as a "virtual sand table" to track unit positions and such. With units representing one echelon larger than in CM (squad->platoon, vehicle->platoon, etc). I called in CMx10.

For the tactical maps, fully pre-generated ones would of course be best. I just used QB maps with appropriate terrain type for the "strategic terrain", with minor edits from me.

I'd love to have the sort of script and map juggling capabilities being describe here. In the meantime, you can do an awful lot with a human referee willing to put in some time. Does take time though.

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Originally posted by samurai man:

Anyone who likes making maps want to make the giant map of the Stavelot - Trois Ponts - La Gleize - Stoumont - Targnon - Oufni area in Mapping Mission?

My vote would be for McAuliffe...

His Ardenne's map work is some of the best you'll find IMO!

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Originally posted by Richie:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by samurai man:

Anyone who likes making maps want to make the giant map of the Stavelot - Trois Ponts - La Gleize - Stoumont - Targnon - Oufni area in Mapping Mission?

My vote would be for McAuliffe...

His Ardenne's map work is some of the best you'll find IMO! </font>

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Hey, thanks for the comments, although my work get's a bit dated, I guess.

I still remember Samurai Man's epic piece of work. He combined not only seamingless my KGP maps together in one giant region map, but added quite accurately the surrounding terrain. Unfortunately, my poor laptop choked on the calculations in order to process a first turn. Were you able to play Pied Peiper against a human player?

I am putting together a set of 16 2x2 km maps covering the NE side of the Bastogne perimeter. In other words, including the outskirst of Bastogne, Noville, Foy and Bourcy to the north, Weiswampach, Benonchamps, Longvilly, Michamps, Arloncourt, Mageret, Neffe and Mont, to the East. I have so far designed 4 maps and will post them on the new Scenario Depot.

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McAulife, regarding Pied Peiper, I started a game against a friend and made it only into the second battle before his computer crashed. I've revised the OP somewhat and will propably give it another go sometime. I'm frustrated with the reinforcements - that it's a painstaking task to place them all and they can only be placed behind the AI - designated frontline.

I look forward to seeing your new maps.

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