Jump to content
Special Upgrade 4 Tech Tips

phil stanbridge

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    2,431

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by phil stanbridge

    Downloaded demo,now what?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    Yeah I agree with what you are saying Bodkin, but I guess it's pretty authentic at the end of the day. It does make for a rather frustrating experience in some cases however, like getting booted out of the campaign because you hit the max limit of casualties, deemed appropriate by the designer. It doesn't really make for a fluid game in that respect. Although on the plus side it does make you try and take extra care. Is that a plus in a simulation? I don't really know.

    I also feel the scenarios in NATO have gone up several levels of difficulty. Not only do you have to watch carefully the casualty stats (moreso than before IMHO) but I am now more likely to run out of time because I am having to take extra care treading on those eggshells. It's all things that can be changed in the editor mind you, so at least it's not a permament flaw. I haven't even touched the Canadian or Dutch forces either!

    I'm really enjoying NATO, and the other modules but I am beginning to feel a little 'burnt out' by the whole modern warfare experience. I am also really looking forward to that fix bayonets chhhaaaaaarge, to hell with the casualties, in Normandy. :)

    0

    NATO germany on the march (hilfe)

    in CMSF Strategy and Tactics Forum

    Posted

    I'm playing this mission now. I'm about half hour in, and so far I've only detected an RPG team which I killed and a single enemy squad plus a sniper team (possibly anyway) who must be hidden in the woods on the far left. It's eerily quiet! I've managed to get a platoon including Marders over on the left side without casualties. I've got snipers and platoon leaders on over watch on the hills out of harms way scanning the whole battlefield. But I guessed I would run into something heavy along the way, it's just when and where. I haven't discovered the ATGM's yet. There's no way I am going to stick my armour on the line when I haven't been able to recon the area properly. Patience rewards you!

    I moved nearly all of my company (first set of reinforcements) over to the left flank, and am trying to advance under cover of the trees. I am keeping most of my armour back, but for a single Leopard which is hull-down and a platoon of Marders up front, but not overly exposed in case I need urgent backup. I've also got two Wiesels nearby but until I know what I'm up against I'm not going to risk anything. The briefing specified less than 30% casualties so this is a slow and drawn out mission for the infantry.

    0

    Weather

    in CMSF Scenario and Mod Design Forum

    Posted

    Might have more relevance if the campaign time included all the months of the year rather than just May June and July! Bits of Normandy design? Its not as if the games are compatible, so it seems a pointless waste to have included it in NATO, unless they have future plans for modern combat.

    Normandy will be using the same engine as Shock Force so it's not a pointless waste at all. I presume by adding the functionality now rather than later (even if it is disabled) it will save them a job.

    0

    Bier und Brezel - how did you get on?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    It was a brutal nightmare :)

    The first hour as the Germans is difficult in the extreme. Like Sergei says you have to use the lay of the land as best as possible, but even then it's the luck of the draw due to enemy air support. There's a LOT of ordnance thrown your way and there's sweet fa you can do about it. I would say it is reasonably balanced after the first hour but before that, forget it :D

    0

    Bier und Brezel - how did you get on?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    I've just finished playing this epic scenario. I was awarded a blue Total Victory which I am amazed at considering the chaos and losses inflicted on both sides. Just to add, I normally detest playing defensive missions, but certainly here, you can see how the designers have got round the problems. It was certainly the biggest mission I've played using the Shock Force engine. I really want to replay it as red, but it was so time consuming. I think I might have a quick look in the scenario editor to see what was going on there. Great fun, and thoroughly recommended, providing your pc can handle it!

    5139603457_5fa01eb5cf_b_d.jpg

    0

    A couple more Air Asset questions.

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    It's interesting you mention 'deployment' because I decided to play this slightly differently. I don't want to spoil it for others, but let's just say it didn't work quite as I intended, although my eagerness in the early stages of the mission may just have helped out latterly. I tried to get everything out of the hot zone as quickly as I could. But it didn't work. It's a 2 hour + mission by the way. Epic on several levels. I just can't get over that red air support though. I'm going to delve into the editor once I have finished this because it's crazy. Like every 10 minutes or so I'm being attacked by various red air assets, and not just one aircraft either! It puts a really different angle on a scenario.

    What I have established so far - tree coverage definitely helps, thicker the better, but urban areas less so it would seem. Unless you advance your heavy stuff immediately you are aware of an air attack you are going to pay for it - generally though, I am not aware of an attack until it's too late so there's not much you can do. Keep stuff hidden as much as possible, and try to keep infantry deployed in buildings, rather than outside. And by god spread your stuff out :D I discovered the hard way not to bunch up.

    0

    A couple more Air Asset questions.

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    Yeah it's a single mission as the Germans (Bier und Brezel). It's battalion sized and enormous. Fantastic huge open map. It's a really difficult scenario believe me. It took me an hour just in the setup phase. I'm on a knife edge here and might not win this one. Without spoiling it for others, I lost a full platoon and support weapons/vehicles to a twin air attack in just 3 minutes. :D It's a bit surreal because it *feels* like one of the old huge missions in CMBO or CMAK just with modern forces.

    0

    What should I play first?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    There were some great missions in the USMC campaign. Top notch stuff and hard as nails even with the quality and size of your attacking forces. But another vote for playing as the British. It's an initiation by fire and you learn quickly. If you can win playing as the British then you should do okay with the other forces. The British campaign is superb.

    0

    A teeny weeny little bug thread for NATO

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    Yeah Fuchs are fuching useless most of the time. They move quite quick compared to tracked vehicles but they don't have much in the way of defense. Even an AAV is better than this. The MG doesn't help much, and they only have one smoke launcher so they're just waiting to be hit. Scenario I am playing at the moment really highlights their problems. I have to unload the infantry almost at the back of the map so they don't get smoked. I've never had as much difficulty with troop carriers :D

    0

    Sab Abar

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    MAJOR SPOILERS:

    I think you only need to get a handful of trucks into the safe zone for it to be classed a victory. I've won it several times now. Don't go down the middle or the left. The British campaign is excellent on the whole. Far more challenging that the USMC and US Army campaigns.

    Use warriors/Schims as over watch at distance - and get the trucks and other stuff over to the far right. Use the far right path and advance cautiously - there are recoiless rifles (one hiding behind the buildings) and at least one ATGM as well as dug in troops with RPGs. There's also a couple of HMG in the buildings that can cause some pain. I tend to keep the trucks out of harms way in a defilade that is nicely positioned on the right, because there will be some ambushes to contend with. Rear and out at the flanks. Leave the trucks there for most of the mission and then within the last 10 minutes advance them as fast as you can up the right side. You will probably lose a few, or at least take some damage, but you should escape most of the hassle. Like I said, I've won that mission several times now, and I'm pretty sure I wont it last time with only a handful of trucks at the exit zone.

    0

    NATO scenarios more difficult?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    I actually am enjoying the challenge,and Love the Leopard.I believe Imho it may be the best tank in the World.These things don't die.I had one take 3 hits from ATGM'S and the thing kept on shooting.

    I beg to differ! I've had several die on me and quite easily from T-62s although I haven't had any hit from ATGM yet. I must admit they've taken a few RPG rounds quite well. They seem to be lower profile than the US/British tanks? Could just be me.

    Have not tried the Dutch or Canadian campaigns yet,gonna fire them up tonight.I am actually getting ready to clear all my saved games,and start all 6 campaigns at the same time.Gonna do the whole war from all Allied sides simultaneously and see how we fare against the Syrians.

    Good luck with that! Campaigns are hugely time consuming but I love them all the same. Best aspect of the CM series in my opinion. I'm going to focus more on single scenarios for the time being until a patch appears (some of them are HUGE!) - there's a few little niggles that need to be sorted before I invest my time on one of the campaigns. Either that, or I'll get to work on my first campaign in Afghanistan now the 1.02 patch is out..

    0

    NATO scenarios more difficult?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    Your lack of casualties is what allowed you to still get a win in that scenario, despite you not moving fast enough. One way to speed up your advance is as a platoon is clearing a tier, have another mount up, and rush to the next tier, with generous supporting fires. Smoke is your friend in making fast mounted rushes to the next "tier" of buildings. Of course, that also requires planning ahead so as to not be waiting around on the fire mission...

    I absolutely tried this - without offering any spoilers I tried to use platoon clearing to the best of my ability, but the natural defenses and positioning of walls made the particular areas so darn hard to clear (without explosives). I eventually got my own way, but not until there was less than 30 minutes left on the clock and a significant area still to advance, with lots of fields of fire. It was only then it dawned on me how 'impossible' this scenario felt to me - I actually 'feared' progression. I'm amazed I got a tactical victory all things considered. I had a lot of my vehicles damaged and I had a lot of my men injured but amazingly low casualties all the same. Smoke works a treat, but only if the conditions are right. A stiff wind blows it away rather quickly.

    0

    NATO scenarios more difficult?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    Yup, I had vehicles immobilized all over the place, also, I like to advance caustiously with infantry, which was perhaps a mistake. Takes too long! You'd think an hour would be sufficient, well, maybe if I replay it it will be, but I got bogged down in several places. Food for thought. I've started a new battle today, and it's erm.. Massive! Looks like a whole battalion either side.. lol

    Ohhh.. and it's Stanbridge, not Standbridge, or Standonabridge, or Van Stanbrigge, or Stumblebridge, or Sandwich. :D

    0

    NATO scenarios more difficult?

    in Combat Mission Shock Force 1

    Posted

    I'm loving the new NATO stuff but the difficulty level has definitely gone up a couple of notches too. Is that what people are finding?

    I've just completed 'All flights are delayed' and without giving away spoilers, I couldn't even get near the primary objective within the time limit! I was awarded a tactical victory surprisingly but I found this a real pig of a mission - I had 3 KIA and 7 WIA in the end which was far less than I anticipated considering the action taking place. I hear the German campaign is tricky too, well I haven't even started that yet.

    0
×
×
  • Create New...