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kipanderson

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Posts posted by kipanderson

    Operational game to go with CMFI?

    in Combat Mission Fortress Italy

    Posted

    Hi,

    “I think noob's sistem is interesting, but for me it is pretty important NOT to have to play every operational battle in CM, so I'm looking at ways to do that."

    I agreed... I have developed such a system. I also think it essential to mix-up an operational game that can be resolved entirely at the operational level if people wish with the option to resolve any particular contact battle at the CM level and then apply the results back to the operational level. A bit of a mouthful but you will understand what I mean ;).

    The system I use is that developed by T N Dupuy. From some people he gets a lot of stick, but I do rate his system. He is the father of all operational wargaming having collected huge amounts of data and then developed formulas to predict outcomes at the operation level of war. Google the guy and you will see what I mean. He uses school boy maths but that is all it takes.

    Anyway.... his method predicts attacker’s casualties, defender’s casualties and distance advanced if any. Because his method is to “predict...” I add a final die roll with the centre of the range of outcomes being his prediction. In a wargame we do not want “prefect prediction...” as in real life there is also a wide range of outcomes. His prediction just being the central point in that range..

    If you are interested I will send you an explanation, with rough tables, of how to do this stuff. If you sit down and read through it carefully, as if reading a badly written text book in your school days, you will be able to follow things just fine ;).

    Anyone interested in the stuff just email me....

    All the best,

    Kip.

    PS. BTW as some of you may know, there “may...” be a guy developing an operational layer for CMX2 as we speak. I mean real operational layer, a commercial companion game. He cropped up on the Mods forum to recruit programmers then disappeared as quickly. Had official permission from Steve.

    PPS. My preferred option is to use Panzer Campaigns to track and manoeuvre units, with operational clashes determined using Dupuy. But until we have a real operational layer... there is no perfect solution.. I use Dupuy because he gives historically accurate outcomes for the operational clashes.

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    Glantz's Books

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Hi,

    I agree that Forgotten Soldier is a great book and due the full the Band of Brothers treatment. But maybe one of Soviet memoirs would do a better job.

    Panzer Destroyer by Vasiliy Krysov, referred to earlier, would make a better blockbuster series. More interesting from the Soviet view.

    All the best,

    Kip.

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    Glantz's Books

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Hi,

    Operational books about the Eastern Front that are also entertaining are rare. I have tens of them, so it does not put me off but I admit they tend to be dry.

    However, there is good news.

    Blood Steel and Myth by George Nipe. It is a very well written book on Kursk. Do not be put off by the fact that it is presented as just another “SS loving book on Kursk”. The SS Corps at Kursk had a couple of teams of photographers “embedded” with them and who’s film has survived. This is why nearly all Kursk books have a huge number of pictures of the SS units in them. I am a firm Russophile but still think it a good book.

    Also on Kursk, Kursk, The Greatest Battle by Lloyd Clark. Superb! In fact so good at Amazon you will find my review on it giving it five stars ;).

    All the best,

    Kip.

    PS. For a personal history, best tankers memoir of all time, better even than Ken Tout’s books is Panzer Destroyer by Vasiliy Krysov. You will learn a lot by reading it, the fact that he is not a professional writer, just very smart, adds to it.

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    The Art of War

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Noob,

    Heavens... that is a scary picture.. ;).

    I agree with rocketman, scary :).

    All the best,

    Kip.

    BTW. Noob if you want the T N Dupuy formulas I have them already extracted from his books in easy to use format. With note on how to use them... just email me. But I know you prefer to go another route.

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    For meta-gaming

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Broadsword, hi,

    That's amazing news about the companion game. Did BFC ever confirm that it was happening or that it had their official blessing/support? Hope it comes to fruition.

    The guy said he was setting out on the task with the official blessing of Battlefront. It is not a mod but a real game that I guess he approached Battlefront with and they said yes, give it a go.

    Time will tell, but I am optimistic.

    Noob, the point about T N Dupuy and his formulas is that they are the real deal. Historically accurate, or as close as one can get.

    All the best,

    Kip.

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    For meta-gaming

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Broadsword,

    Fantastically meaningful and exciting CMBN battles that impact (and are impacted by) the wider situation around them.

    We do agree... operational context with all that brings with it adds massively to CM.

    You no doubt know this... but there is a guy building a “companion...” game for CMX2. With the approval of Battlefront. Am hoping it will be an operational layer but have no inside info on it.

    All the best,

    Kip.

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    For meta-gaming

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Hi,

    Quick add on....

    Building CMX2 maps is hard work... This is the time consuming bit. Will be far easier when we move East as Eastern Front terrain is far quicker to build. A catalogue of generic maps that are then edited may be the way to go.

    But quality maps matter.

    All the best,

    Kip.

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    For meta-gaming

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Broadsword, Noob, hi,

    The way I go about things is may be a little different. Clearly I could cover pages explaining the detail, but a very quick explanation goes like this.

    PCs is used solely to track the position of the units. There are two master files. One for Allies, one for German. In the German one all the German units are correctly positioned with their strengths, whether digging in and the rest, accurately given. But in the German file the Allied units have been edited for FOW. If in contact, may not be at the correct strength, if behind the lines may not even be shown., and so on.

    The actual CM strengths of the units on the PCs map are recorded/tracked in Excel tables in the usual way. You can use Word or paper and pen.

    The players issue orders after examining their respective files for that turn. I then implement their orders on my master files and determine where battles will occur in that turn.

    Now the players have a choice, they can resolve a battle either at the operational level or at the CM level. This allows CM battles to happen within far lager PCs scale games. If a battle is to be resolved at the operational level it is done using the formulas from T N Dupuy. (Just whack his name in Google and Amazon and you will find his work.) This gives three results. Defenders casualties, attacker’s casualties and distance advanced if any. As his work is all about “predicting..” outcomes I add a roll of the dice at the end with the predicted result set to seven and increasing or decreasing if another number comes up. I don’t want the formulas giving perfect predictions.

    If the players choose to resolve at the CM level they play the games and generate a result.

    The results of the battles are then recorded on the relevant units Excel files/tables and the units moved by me on my master files in PCs as needed.

    A German file from PCs is then sent to the German players, Allied file to the Allied players and then next turn begins.

    PCs really a is wonder for this. They come with OOB and maps all ready to go, well ready to be very easily edited. But PCs are used as just one tool in a mix to tools.

    The one big disadvantage of my system is that all players need the relevant PCs game. To view the files I send them in its editor.

    BTW.. I think the key is using a method other than PCs or CM to resolve battles at the operational level as well as resolving some at the CM level. It allows very small numbers of players to play within this far larger operational environment.

    All interesting stuff....

    All the best,

    Kip.

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    WEGO vs RT-Is it age related?

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Hi,

    From Moon...

    “When playing RT next time, simply slow down a little. Allow your guys to rest and do nothing occasionally for a few minutes. “

    Agreed... I play H2H RT, which a year ago I would not have thought within my grasp to enjoy. I and my opponent started with very small games with very long game length. Reinforced platoon v reduced platoon over a two hour game. Now up to two companies v one company over a two and a half hour game.

    As Moon made clear, if you slowdown and set the game length to something along the lines such a task may have taken in the real world, with all the time to rest and re-organise between surges of action within a two hour plus assault on a village, you will be fine. You will surprise yourselves.

    And H2H, live is certainly a gripping way to play. Time just disappears.

    Solo, with one of these huge, magnificent scenarios that shipped with the CW module, I still play WEGO... but not human v human.

    Lucky to have CM :),

    All the best,

    Kip.

    PS am 54.

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    HTML Mapping Tool

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    Hi,

    Goodness.. I am amazed such a thing is possible.

    Will for sure give it a go this weekend. I agree with all others, it’s exactly what is needed. Map making truly is the hard work in building scenarios.

    An important and hugely impressive addition to CMBN.

    Congratulations.... :).

    All the best,

    Kip.

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    US 90mm AA gun

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Hi,

    It would have to be really rare, anyway, as Germans didn't mount too many successful Panzer offensives against the US, and the US Army wasn't short on AT assets.

    That is scary... ;). I was going to post the exact same thing reading down the thread. My spin would be if the US had needed to, it would have used the 90mm AA the way the 88 was.

    BTW... when you look at the pictures from Stoumont the 90mmm was a huge gun. The AA mount was massive.

    All the best,

    Kip.

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