Joachim
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Posts posted by Joachim
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The "gamey" accusation was based on an "if". Your approach on standard battles is mine... if there are no house rules.
...but the idea of having to escort a convoy is rather interesting. I'd like to hear the whole story (scenario, briefing, ...). There must be some house rules so it all makes sense.
Gruß
Joachim
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Guess the problem is that he has to advance fast to reach the board edge in the op. Of course you could advance with the inf and leave the trucks behind. But that would be rather gamey if the mission (house rule) is to get the convoy thru (an unusual but quite interesting objective in CM).
Gruß
Joachim
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Sneak is useful to get your units unspotted into or out of position. But any contact upon getting spotted is usually devastating.
There is no "Sneak to contact" - which would be the only way to go in your case. Somebody suggested doing SOPs.
The order to a human would be "Sneak forward until you can hit that thing. If you can't see it from there or anything happens, crawl back to cover." Or rather "Get that thing". Everything else is added by the brain of the soldier.
No such thing in CM. You can hope nothing bad happens during a turn.
Gruß
Joachim
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Bob,
if you move in two adjacent streets separated by less than 30m or small buildings - yes, your tactic is valid. If you have 2 blocks of large stone bldgs between them they can't support each other. That was my vision when thinking about "heavy city map".
The map is important.... weighing flank security vs the chance that the opponent can bring enough of his forces into contact. You can find lots of pros and cons for both. Probably a gut decision after a look at the map.
Gruß
Joachim
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Adjusting the gun in a moving WW2-tank is so hopeless that you have a better chance for a hit if you fire more often instead of aiming carefully.
Gruß
Joachim
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If he had double the amount of troops I'd consider using 2 convoys. But he has barely enough for one. A single tank (and maybe a HT) plus two squads is an easy target. First attack one column. Have just a feint for the other. If the second arrives to help the first, the first is dead.
Gruß
Joachim
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Nevertheless I'd change the elevation of the adjacent tiles and check if the middle disappears. Then put the tiles to the desired height- one by one. Maybe this way you can find out the "problem tile" and experiment with it.
Gruß
Joachim
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The German 20L55 auto has just 40-50 rounds in an AC or HT. Gone in 8-10 bursts would render them useless after a single "mad minute" turn of intense firing.
Explain that to the masses when....
...The Italian 20L65 has individual shots - it has 200+ rounds in an AC
...the German 20/28mm PzB has 160+ shots in a HT 25x/11 (single shot).
Gruß
Joachim
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Enough troops to defend the city/no overwhelming attacker odds.
German tactics on open ground were superior (in '42). But not in a city.
German overconfidence (...let's take Caucasus and Stalingrad...)
Soviet arty.
Soviet determination - there was only a huge void behind Stalingrad. And it had that special name... no general would survive its loss.
Soviet morale
Supplies for the defenders.
Tanks directly from the assembly line... each soldier knew that defending the factories would increase his odds vs an armorless retreat into the big void behind Stalingrad.
In Aachen and Berlin the war was lost and there was more or less token resistance from 2nd rate units... old men and boys. Most soldiers thought more about surviving a lost war. Fighting rather a delaying action than a determined defense.
Kharkov and Voronezh... surrounded. Unprepared.
Gruß
Joachim
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First, I like the idea of random reinforcements. I even had one try myself.
I tried to balance the scenario. Thinking about it I came to the conclusion that random reinforcements (below 30% probability) need sound statistics to be somewhat balanced.
The trouble is that to achieve balancing, the scenario needs an equal amount of forces on both sides. Tipping the odds in player one's favor will increase losses for the player 2 during a small amount of time. If from then on all is equal, player 1 will have the advantage until the end (considering both players to be equally skilled). To counter this, player 2 would need much more luck.
A small example:
20 plts of Mark IVs vs 20 plt of Shermans (considering them to be equal tanks). Reinforcements due every 4th turn with prob 10%. Starting with 1 plt on board.
No losses till turn 6. A 2nd plt of MarkIVs appears in turn 6. No other reinforcements till turn 14.
In turn 12 the forces meet.
The German player has numbers on his side and will quickly dispatch the 3 of the 5 Shermans, losing just 1.
No German reinforcements till turn 20, but 5 Shermans appear in turn 17. 9-6. Still odds for the Germans which might result in 2:1 or even more lopsided losses. Even if the US gets one reinforcement much earlier, the loss ratio still favors the Germans. The US needs t reinfocements more than the Germans to counter this a bit. But the later in the scen this happens, the less likely it is that 2 M4 plts more will increase the odds as much as they were initially for the Germans.
A balanced scenario would need:
a) balanced forces over the entire game length
balance in AT, AP to destroy (armor, inf and arty)c) balance in armor and infantry to hold/recce ground
Playtesting the balance:
IMHO this is impossible. You'd need an insane amount of tests. Too much luck involved.
It is fun vs the AI, and fun to play the PBEM. But the result is not important.
Gruß
Joachim
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The advantage of the Htracked squads is that they can move to danger areas faster and safer (ie give infantry cover to the tanks). But I guess I'd still support fk in using the HTs for the guns.
OTOH if he gets your trucks and eliminates or pins your infantry, you're dead meat in a city.
What about the following plan:
Your enemy will spread out keeping a reserve. In a big city he can't cover every route with his full force.
Stage a mock attack. Let it look like you plan on carefully scouting ahead with infantry. This could force him to concentrate his forces in that area. Your tanks will interdict movement on roads to cut up the city.
Now you have several options:
Scout till your inf reaches an exit from the city. Load up your guns and pass your convoy thru the road you control. It is crucial your opponent thinks you will fight your way thru leaving the guns behind as long as possible. Let the guns fire, then hide them for 1-2 turns. Do this several times. Make sure it looks as if they follow a fire plan to support your infantry advance.
If your opponent moves his force to counter your infantry, try to disrupt his forces. If he has low quality troops, having HQs separated from sqauds will decrease his combat power - he can't deliver a quick unified strike due to long command delays.
If your opponent does not move, you either did not spot him (bad), he has his forces ahead of your inf - or thinks you are bluffing.
Depending on the situation, you will either
a) race your trucks thru town (jeep first) on a different route and unite with the inf behind town. Inf loads on tracks and tanks once the trucks are thru and follow.
Move your convoy thru the scouted area.Whichever version you prefer - try to make it look like you plan on doing the other.
If you think he called your bluff - make your feint the real thing.
Gruß
Joachim
A good example of a similar tactic is "Breakout from Klin":
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/BOOKS/WWII/20234/2.html
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/BOOKS/WWII/20234/map1.JPG
... or Gulf War I
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I want that in CM!Originally posted by arax3:My dad was a WWII combat vet. He fought in N. Africa, Italy and N. Europe. He said the same thing about the 88s from his own first person experience. Also, just sound of an MG42 (like paper tearing) was enough to halt most assaults and produce a call for air support or artillery. He was CO of an artillery battalion. A3
If this is a reply to my sig line - it is from some report on Operation Tiger I stumbled across.
It is meant for all those who accept some veteran stories as the plain truth. Your dad's comment would fit a pattern of "those d*** infantrymen - they can't do anything on their own, always relying on us". Given the lavish use of US arty, this is true to some extent.
OTOH I guess his statements are exagerrated while still true from his perspective:
He probably heard of every assault that requested arty support. Those that did not request support were mostly unknown in the arty btn.
Any infantryman preferred to have some arty dropped and then investigate.
2 reasons for a huge bias.
Gruß
Joachim
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I have area target problems in CMAK... a little bit of dust is enough to reduce LOS during the turn. Once there is no LOS the guns stop firing (or don't fire at all).
Is show fog/smoke on?
Maybe a smoke grenade?
Gruß
Joachim
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Interestingly JonS wants his troops set up just like me.
Even for btn battles on huge maps, it takes only 5 minutes if you do it using "+" to scroll thru units and have the correct setting using the "TAB" key so the view doesn't shift too often.
It helps if the designer offered a unit list (and bought the units so his list corresponds to what is on map) or you remember what you bought.
Hey, I even managed to get approx a Co of Italian Inf on various vehicles and a armored coy in 4 minutes, then had them drop off 1 km further less than 10 minutes later. For a similar German reinforcement I did the same trick in 10 minutes from arrival to deployment, with the first infantry units deploying about 2 km away (on road) 4 turns after entering. It is lots of micro-management... but arranging 20 vehicles in a neat convoy on a single road without having a major traffic jam is really rewarding.... (ok... have to admit there is one traffic jam...) ...
almost as good as winning a PBEM.
Gruß
Joachim
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Horses
Gruß
Joachim
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Which range? Which experience? Mortars get very inaccurate over "long" ranges (500m+).Originally posted by Breakthrough:I emptied the full HE ammo load of two regular mortar teams at two German 76mm in clear terrain not dug in. At the end of the game not only were were neither knocked out but no crew casualties were caused either. Doesnt seem right... :eek:
Mortars work best when there are trees around - air/treebursts increase the effect. Then close does count.
Gruß
Joachim
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Happens often. Might have soemthing to do with the relative weight of the tanks and if the collision happens on the edge of the tanks or in the center.
I've seen it often with hunt.
There are certain occasions when tanks get pushed off bridges... wasn't there a thread on a bug where such an event lead to a huge column of fire?
Gruß
Joachim
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Cory,
personally I don't like the computer deciding when a turn ends. Gameplay is faster, approach march is in the game - but at which price?
The only exception being that moves without contact might take some more time. (IE turn 1 lasts unitl contact is made). But what happens if my plan is bounded overwatch? I'd need pauses triggered by events. I don't want my overwatch to move out at minute 15 - I want them to go once the advance party is in position.
Maybe the ability to have the player issue commands that upon certain events trigger the end of the turn.
Anyway... South of Kharkov is in turn 40+. It is a leisurely stroll across the countryside. Seems the StuKas got one plt one each side. Losses caused by enemy fire are less than 5 until now. 2 MGs are captured, 2 are killed, 1 is panicked and should have taken losses during its continueing dance of death. 1 FO team, 1 Plt HQ, 1 gun killed. (All on the right flank). Given that we play since last year this is quite an impressive score! Andreas and me are grimly determined to continue that fight. Right now there has been no action in the last few turns (except for that panicked MG in the center). A 5-minute turn would speed gameplay. But that MG... it is good to control the MGs firing on it now and then. Just keep it panicked. No need to waste ammo. Would need some SOP to ensure that if the turns last longer.
Gruß
Joachim
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Now to sumfink real...
a) Give the AI a huge bonus,
never play MEs vs the AI (you will reach the flags before him easily)and
c) Play scenarios designed vs for play the AI.
And of course you are not allowed Uber-Tanks vs the AI. Use Marders instead.
Gruß
Joachim
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Somewhere in a recent thread there are some links about the Cholm encirclement. One of them described a relief attack by grenadiers. Their AFVs could not help as they got stuck in the snow. Arty was no help as it sunk in deep before going off. Moving was tough. And the Soviet counterattacks were repulsed by standing up and firing - kind of 18c warfare. MGs were operated by a firer, a loader and a human mount. Guess this is what deep snow means. Snow that can support men is probably depicted as light snow.
Gruß
Joachim
[ July 16, 2004, 05:38 AM: Message edited by: Joachim ]
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Must be the same mushrooms as over here.
Gruß
Joachim
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There are several tricks to enforce a unit does not rotate in the wrong direction. I usually use them when a tank is behind a house and I want to bring him back to cover without rotating.
a) set covered arc with the center of the arc facing the right direction. Does not need a rotate if turretless. Cancel any targets and make sure it is an armor covered arc. Not 100% reliable - see above
rotate. Least reliablec) Issue a covered arc as above and give some reverse or move command (perfectly aligned with the center of the covered arc). Make sure the pause is above 60secs (pause command, several waypoints etc). Still not reliable 100%, but better than a).
d) hide can help the process - doesn't work with c).
e) Incoming small arms vs the TC might persuade the TC to rotate - button up will reduce this but might result in slower spotting. Use what you deem appropriate for the moment. You might have moved the StuG bringing the smoke between you and the inf.
f) Once the inf found the StuG you'll loose surprise anyway. Move the StuG somewhere else.
BTW:
c) Works great for turreted vehicles when you don't want your tank hull to face the enemy cause it peeks out behind a house and has to retreat fast without rotating. For turretless vehicles you can use it, too - but the gun traverse limits it to about 15°. Still 15° less to rotate when reversing out of danger.
Gruß
Joachim
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@tooz:
Is the bridge equipped with some neat wire? Only fully tracked vehicles can cross wire. I had a similar problem when I secured a flank by blocking a bridge with wire. The outpost plt got some transport to retreat after ambushing. Tough luck the bridge was the only way fpr vehicles to my perimeter.
If you want to make sure a unit crosses a bridge - plot 1 or 2 waypoints on it. Either in the middle or at the exits. Usually this does the trick.
If you wan tto learn all about bridges - there is a map in the BCR mappack 5 or 7: "Kiev: Bridges of Blood". Several bridges all several hundred meters wide - and you gotta pass islands in the center of the river where you can only get to by boat. You learn how to handle bridges and how to enforce tight traffic control there!
Gruß
Joachim
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Same feelings over here.
balance in AT, AP to destroy (armor, inf and arty)
Q about testing huge operations
in Combat Mission - Scenario Talk
Posted
I'm testing a scen right now that is 70+ turns and has about 10000+ pts for each side. Playing since beginning of the year, now turn 34.
So guess how long an op would take.... guess TCP is the way to go.
The advantage of a single scen is that I knew several things that needed adjustment rather early. I doubt the 2nd half will influence my decision despite the fact that both lost less than 5% of their total forces and my opponent will receive tons of reinforcements soon. Discussing brought some clues.
Errors or lucks in the beginning can screw the balance so much that any test does not make sense afterwards.
I am one of those people who want an immersive game that is fun to play. That's more important than the score. If you cater these kind of player, you don't have to care much about play balance. Guestimates will do. Then play it at least once to check if your guestimates hold.
Maybe try an "live AAR" like at MZO to discuss tactics and guestimate their outcome - a genius might come up with a tactic that completely unbalances a game while a conservative approach sees a perfectly balanced scen.
Or just play it with KarlXII... and make sure you discuss moves or possible tactics.
Gruß
Joachim