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Conscript Bagger

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Posts posted by Conscript Bagger

    Need a sales pitch

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Depends on what your friends like in games - if they're micromanagers and control freaks, show them the QB generator, setup phase, orders, and so forth. If they're impatient with that stuff, show them a replay of a particularly intense turn from one of your games.

    And if all else fails, show them one of the racetrack scenarios.

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    Newbie Questions

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Originally posted by Mattias:

    I was so sure about this that I have not even tried to move a mortar that has been setup for indirect fire from the start, other than to fire directly.

    I apologize to all your PBEM opponents for pointing that out. ;) I'm surprised you didn't know - since you've been a member of this board longer than I have, I thought you'd just misspoken in your post. Makes me wonder how many things I still have to learn about CM! :eek:
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    Newbie Questions

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Originally posted by Mattias:

    On board mortars can't fire without LOS since once you get them moving, it is assumed, there is not enough time in a game to set them up for indirect fire again. If they stay put throughout the game you can use any leader within command radius as spotter by firing at any point within the HQ's field of vision.

    This is potentially confusing, as there are two concepts being discussed at once. With on-board mortars there are two ways to fire out of LOS:

    1. While in command of a HQ unit that can see the target you're firing at. In this case, both the mortar and the HQ are free to move wherever they like before and after the mortar fires (except, IIRC, mortars can't fire from inside a building).

    2. While targeting a Target Reference Point (purchased under the "Fortifications" category, and not available in all scenarios). In this case, it's not necessary so far as I know for the mortar to be in command. However, it cannot have moved from its game-start position before firing on a non-LOS TRP. Once it has moved, the only way to fire out of LOS is using method #1 above.

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    I need a brilliant defensive mind!

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Originally posted by JasonC:

    ...you recommend attacking the superior attacking force with one company - or more - of the defenders, outside their prepared positions, and instantly, without intel. You don't have to call that charging them, but I do. No, you don't have to rush to point blank for it to be charging them. You certainly aren't letting them come to you.

    You can call it the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy if you like, but that won't make it so. The point is to surprise the opponent with the sudden appearance of troops where he isn't looking for them; to do so you'll have to move up fairly quickly, yes - but "quickly" doesn't have to be "recklessly." By doing this, you contact him while his troops are on the move as well, not deployed for attack, which removes some of the attacker's superiority. If he knows what he's doing, he'll be advancing in a formation that is resistant to ambush, but you will still inflict damage, and force him to react to the threat. At any rate, you'll note I made a point of cautioning against being caught in a protracted fight. Maybe all you do is whack his scouts - fine, now he's got to split some squads he'd planned to use in the main attack. You've forced a change to his plan, his timetable, and his mindset, which - while intangible - is still of value in the battle.

    Intel is a byproduct of this tactic, not a prerequisite for it (and there's nothing saying there's no room for recon in such a tactic). You certainly don't get information on his force by sitting in your foxhole on the MLR and letting them come to you, or when you do, it's too late to be of much use.

    I took your suggestion to be based on a notion that a "whole battalion" of defending infantry probably outnumbers the attackers, or at least is far more infantry that the defense
    What I was saying is that with a battalion, you have enough troops to use a significant number (a company) for the maneuver described while still having a strong force for the rest of your defense. Granted, that depends on terrain, number of VL's, troop quality, whatever. If you felt that all you could devote to forward defense was a platoon, I'd suggest a different approach (perhaps recon alone) because they're not going to be as robust as a company for harassing work.

    Perhaps I should have made it more clear that the forward force is not meant as an attack that will break the enemy's combat power, nor is it a blocking force, nor is it a sacrificial lamb. You will need those troops later in the battle, which is why I said don't let them be fixed, overwhelmed, and destroyed. Hit and run once, twice, as many times as you think you can get away with, then pull back before they're trapped.

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    2nd disc

    in Combat Mission - Tech Support

    Posted

    Two things to try:

    1. Make sure there is snow on the ground (yes, it's obvious, and you may kick me for suggesting it).

    2. After applying mods, you'll have to re-enter the scenario. In other words, if you started a battle, minimized CM to apply mods, then maximized CM, you won't see the mods because the game has already loaded the graphics. Save the game (alt-S), then exit the battle (alt-A), then load the saved game from the menu and the new graphics should appear.

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    I need a brilliant defensive mind!

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Since you've got an entire battalion at your disposal, place part of your force (up to a company, maybe more if you're aggressive?) well forward, and immediately move them toward the enemy - with so much wooded terrain you should be able to do this without being spotted right away. If his lead elements are suddenly in contact with an unknown number of your troops long before he expects it, he might panic a little bit. Bloody his nose for a turn or two, then pull back into the woods before he brings up enough units to pin you down (use the Withdraw command if necessary). Shift to the left or right and repeat; flank him if you can. He'll be forced to break off part of his attack or bring up the reserves to deal with these guys, and you'll probably delay him as well. Just don't allow him to decisively engage you, because he'll have the advantage in numbers. There's an old AAR (with screenshots) of "The Sunken Lane" at CMHQ (I think) that shows this tactic.

    If it's a QB map, there are usually enough openings that you can get decent LOS to the VL's, so that might be a way to use your arty spotters (preceding a counterattack if he took a VL.)

    Whatever you do, be sure to let us know what happens!

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    CMBB the Anti Tank Rifle and the Molotov

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Originally posted by Mattias:

    Early on there are only German AT rifles. These did not play a very significant role, firstly because they were not very effective and secondly because the Germans were attacking. In CM they will most probably be available from the start and could play some roles as ultra light anti tank defence (since every conceivable unit setup will be played in QB ME's) .

    I'm looking forward to scenario designers providing us with "Russian counterattack" opportunities; they didn't just sit there after being encircled, I hope.

    "death by a thousand needles"
    ...or take a shower in Bill's bathroom?

    (apologies if you don't watch King of the Hill; just ignore it and keep moving) :D

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    On-Map arty & FOs

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Originally posted by Puff the Magic Dragon:

    Indeed I think that direct fire by mortars was not the common way to use them - maybe except the real small 50/60mm thingys. It's IMO just stupid - why build an inderect fire weapon and use it for direct fire? In my military service (in a 120mm mortar platoon) this was told be an emergency measure only.

    Right - that's exactly why I suggested leaving them off the board to begin with. Or placing them without ammunition and using the corresponding spotter.

    You missunderstood the range thing. Why should I fire blind? I can move the FO in LOS, or any other unit, so I have at least an idea where the enemy is.
    True... although I suspect it's usually going to be more trouble than it's worth. But with clear LOS on the Russian steppes, I'll concede the point.

    Bigger maps the necessary should not provide bigger areas to fight, but bigger areas to maneuver smile.gif
    I take your point here too; I think you're saying the same thing I was (but from a different perspective): a scenario designer should carefully consider what size map is most appropriate to the action he wants to depict.

    TRPs are not available in QBs, except to defenders.
    But preparatory bombardments will be available to the attacker.

    It doesn't sound like I'm convincing you, which is fine, since I'd like to see the changes you suggest in CMBB too (I'm just explaining why I think the value of making the changes wouldn't justify the time it would most likely take). I do disagree that these issues are quite as crippling as you're presenting them right now; after all, just because gamey shelling is possible doesn't mean you're obligated to do it. smile.gif

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    On-Map arty & FOs

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Originally posted by Puff the Magic Dragon:

    Offwhite Take a map of 4 km length. Place an on-map 81mm at the border: it has a range of ~2500m. If the same mortar is off-map, let's imagine 5m behind the visible border, represented by an FO only, it can reach every place on the map. Even over 4 km. So it isn't an additional feature to place them on-map, in princip it's a must for a realistic simulation. The next step must then be to change the way of guiding indirect on-map artillery fire, or the system don't works.

    4 km is a pretty long map in CM.

    I ask again what is the chance that on-board mortars will ever play any part in the battle except indirect fire? In other words, how likely are they to be spotted and fired on by the enemy? It's not going to happen very often, so leave them off the map in the first place.

    This raises the range issue you mentioned. Sure, the abstraction makes unrealistic shelling of the far reaches of the map possible, but how often will you have any reason to do so? The fact that my opponent can call down a blind bombardment anywhere he likes is more than offset by the sheer size of the map; if he wants to waste his ammunition, I don't care if it's at a realistic range or not. ;)

    I have a suspicion that a lot of us, myself included, use bigger maps than necessary. Why have, say, an 8 sq. km map if the fighting's only happening in a 4 sq. km area? Just so we can put mortars on-board and watch them shoot?

    If you do put them on the board anyway, there is already a way to direct their fire, like I said earlier - lots of TRPs.

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    CMBO on sale in a bookstore ???

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    And why did amazon give it an "11" rating?

    11+: This means the game or software is unsuitable for anyone younger than 11. It may include one or more of the following: cartoon violence; blood or gore; bad language; derogatory stereotypes; offensive gestures.
    I'm still trying to figure out which of these are in the game. We all know there's no Blood or Gore... despite all the noise about it in the early days. :rolleyes: Cartoon Violence is the most likely, although you can bet I'll be spending more time at view level 1 looking for Offensive Gestures. :D
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    On-Map arty & FOs

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    I like to make and play on large maps, so I have sometimes thought it would be cool to see an FO's battery on the map. However, as I've read this thread and one or two previous ones discussing the same issue, I've reluctantly come to believe that in the vast majority of cases, there's really no reason to depict on-map indirect fire (more than it already is).

    Consider a map that is 2 km wide and 5 km long(and thus one of the hotly-anticipated "10 km maps"), with the line of battle about in the middle of the map. How much of your artillery support would even be close enough to the extreme front line (within 2.5 km) to be shown on the map in the first place? Mortars, yes. Tube artillery, much less likely.

    If the map were instead 1 km wide and 10 km long, you might be in the window for placing more types of artillery on the map, although 1000m is a fairly narrow slice of land. But assuming for the moment that there are one or two batteries of artillery directly east (or west, etc.) of your position to fall within that 1000m slice, how likely are they to ever play a part in the battle except through indirect fire? If the enemy starts 3500m away and has to fight your defensive line in the first place, chances are he'll never get within sight of your artillery (if he's even trying). It's much more likely that he'll never even realize your guns were on the map to begin with, so if all they're going to do is fulfill an OBA role, why bother putting them on the map? "The attacker might destroy my defenses and advance unopposed" you say... okay, maybe, but if that happens do you want to sit around for thirty turns while he comes to find your helpless guns? No thanks. Alt-U and challenge him to a rematch.

    A scenario may be representing some rear-area raid where artillery is itself the main defensive force, but in that case you shouldn't be making such a large map that indirect fire would even be possible, since the whole point is that the artillery were surprised by a nearby enemy before they had a chance to limber up and retreat.

    And as for a 10 km long map, how many of those do you want to see in the first place? "Oh boy, another chance to develop my waypoint placement skills." The only reason I can think of for a map that long is for a delaying action, during which your artillery would be scrambling to get off the map before the enemy reached them anyway, not taking calls for indirect fire missions.

    Another thing - I've probably spent upwards of 30 hours creating a 2 x 2 km map, and it's still not done. I don't even want to think about how long it would take to make a map more than twice that size - yet another reason I think 10 km maps will be rare.

    I mentioned mortars earlier, and they can of course fire indirect at TRPs. This works fine, as long as the scenario designer gives the defender enough TRPs to cover the battlefield sufficiently. If you really want to represent onboard mortars being directed by an FO, then buy a normal spotter, place a battery of mortars of corresponding size on the map with no ammunition, and if they get destroyed or forced to retreat, don't fire your spotter anymore.

    Sorry for the long post; I'm not usually so effusive. Anyway, like I said at the beginning, I don't think it's a bad or dumb idea to have enhanced on-board indirect fire, in fact I'd love to see it too. I'm just not at all convinced it's necessary.

    [ March 01, 2002, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: Offwhite ]

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    Hey BTS, what about the price of CM?

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Originally posted by wwb_99:

    VJ: you already own 2 licenses, but only have one set of media. But you could copy the media and give him a licensed copy without buying a new one.

    WWB

    Oooh, somebody's thinking today (more than I can claim after a late night of CM). And Vader, the EULA also states you can make a backup copy of the game, in case little Janey decides to see what Daddy's CD-ROM does when you put it in the microwave.
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