Ricochet

Howzabout Blue Point Oh sorry wrong coast.

Another note, The petard was a type of mortar and had to be loaded externally. The loader sat to the right of the driver and had a special hatch designed for him to pop up and drop the bomb down the tube. Needless to say it was a very hazardous job.

Ho Ho! Stuka’s lookin’ for the big prize eh? Why if I wasn’t so bored out of my shorts playing in the dark and the fog in the 1st game and if you called the ceasefire when asked, I could’ve had that NSSB-I non-prize. Remember Stook, the second game was a draw but I had the points. It should be me basking in the glory of the possibility of a cold LaBatts Blue in Toronto. I couldah been a contendah. (Tell you the truth though, I really didn’t want to play Fionn and write all those AAR’s.) What happened to playing Fionn anyway? Ted

Elvis, I forgot about waiting for the AAR’s to arrive and loading up the movie files. I would check on a daily basis and be really disappointed when there was none. When there was one I’d load the movie and I remember thinking “looks like the Germans will win” then loaded up the next movie “looks like the Americans are going to win”, back and forth. Then if I remember it right at the last minute the American reinforcements came on to blunt the German attack and it came out something like a draw. Although I lurked for awhile I started out under a different user name (Ted). After playing the game a few times and shooting at some Panthers, I figured I could relate better to this user name J

I was starting to answer a "where did you hear about combat mission?" on another forum when I started to reminisce……. A long long time ago in a galaxy far far away I was a crazed Squad Leader/Advanced Squad Leader player. I’d consider that game, and still do, to be the ultimate board game in tactical combat. The only problem was the massive rule book. I then heard that Avalon Hill (makers of Squad Leader) was working with a company called Big Time Software to make a computerized version. I followed up on it now and again when catastrophe struck. Big Time on it’s web page (which looked extremely crude) said it was no longer working on Squad Leader. It turned out, as we later found out, that Hasbro had bought Avalon Hill and couldn’t get in agreement with Big Time on how to develop the game (thank goodness!). Big Time did decide to create a game called Combat Mission and started a discussion board. Well, Grogs from around the world started to give their input and ideas whenever Steve and Charles asked and the game started to develop. There were some brilliant ideas and ideas that were so controversial it made today’s arguments on the forum look silly. Anyway after about a year or so Big Time put out early screen shots and man did they look mickey mouse, a lot of squares, triangles and circles but the armor looked very cool. By gosh they were on the right track though. And then the Alpha Game came out pitting a guy named Fionn versus a guy named Moon and holy hanna, jaws were dropping, eye’s were bulging and the grogs were agog. It took place in the snow, ambushes on wooded roads, mortar rounds dropping, squads advancing in line across open fields (their legs all moved the same no matter if they walked or ran), MkIV’s in column on the road and the Panther, oh the Panther, popping off the Sherman’s left and right. Then the FB shows up and drops a 500 pounder next to it knocking it out….awesome. It started the cry for the demo. Big Time made a mistake and gave a date that it would be out. Well for one reason or another that date was postponed (and in the end it was well worth it) and Big Time was inundated with “Is it done yet?”, “Is it done yet?” Finally the Demo came out with two scenarios. Well sir, those two scenarios were played every which way over and over again from both sides. I’m talking 10, 20, 30 times and more each, up the middle, down the left side, down the right side, armor first, infantry first, on and on. Big Time were, I believe, extremely impressed with the amount of play and discussion their two scenarios created that they decided to cut everyone some slack and surprised us by creating, unprecedented mind you, a third scenario for the demo! Big Time (and when I say Big Time I mean Steve and Charles, because it was only the two of them) started to take advanced orders and if you were one of the first 100 or so you would also get a pen and ink drawing of a TigerII (that I think you can purchase off of their web site now). That must’ve been over two years ago. When the game came out, they sold out so fast that there was a delay for some people to get their orders filled because Big Time had to rush and get more CD’s burned. Although they never said how many games they’ve sold, they once said it was well beyond their expectations. I have to say it was the last computer game I bought (and before that I was buying one every couple of months) and it probably will be until Combat Mission Barbarrosa to Berlin comes out. I’m sorry to have rambled on so (sniff) but I was feeling a little nostalgic what with the new game coming out soon and all.

The WinZip file you download off the web only last 30 Days now so be prepared to buy it.

HI MATT! (Always wanted to be the 1st to do that)

I'm more of a Hunter than a Gatherer

I believe the quote from Steve was “in the fall of 2001” and “that doesn’t mean the 1st day” and I think it was clarified later as “late fall”. I would think that they have hopes for a release before Christmas.

Rvalle It certainly seems like an effective tactic. But if you were attempting to “funnel” the attacker on a restricted map that does seem a bit gamey to me. After all in real life the attacker could continue to go around a flank but in CM would be forced into what would surely be a killing zone.

I think, perhaps, there’s a limit to setting things on fire. Treeburst was referring to someone buying a nest of Wasps and going around setting the whole map on fire. Gamey or just weird I don’t know. It certainly would seem to be a little outside the realm of reality. Now a flamethrower team sitting on a reverse slope setting fire to an adjacent two story building which would give the enemy a line of sight to it’s position, well, been there done that. That seems within that realm. Actually, it seems like a waist of resources if my opponent decided to waist Wasps by burning down the woods instead of me

Don't forget the Cease Fire option. I know when my opponent asks for a cease fire he's at the point of withdrawal, leaving me the field and victory. ( This doesn't happen as often as I'd like of course ) This also leaves the end map at the break point and you can see exactly the condition of all the troops without the captured status. I would hope my opponents would feel the same. (otherwise I'd just surrender ) Tournament games would be different. They would have to end either in a complete withdrawal, elimination or surrender. [ 08-12-2001: Message edited by: Ricochet ]

Read the last page of the tourney of the stars thread. Looks like some of the "stars" were dim bulbs and treeburst bailed out of all tournament play. Guess he should've stuck with the little people. Bummer.

um, what just happened here?

I hate to hassle you but….. Is it possible to get a little more detail on the size of the scenarios? How many small, medium, equivalent in points, map sizes, turns etc. Will you be trying to set up competitionon between people in or near the same time zone?

If it's not giving anything away, about how many turns will each game be?

WHAT ARE YOU NUTS!! Just foolin. I don't believe a commander would know his opposing forces in such detail if you played the AI in advance. Another distinct advantage would be knowing when and where your opponents reinforcements would arrive. I'm sure this would change the balance of a play tested scenario too.

Yeah, like he said. And if your opponent doesn't play it out against the AI it would give you a distinct advantage. Von Shrad, 7min's left in the NSB and I'm sure it's going the distance. It's been almost a year no? Another game down to wire. It seems like all the games I've played go the distance. The pressure, the pressure, I can'ts takes it no mo'.

PL- I just sent you an email, The file you sent me is at turn 8. Do you want me to continue from there or start fresh.

Thanks for the input. It's a game I want to play PBEM. Ron I tried to find L'Elle but the link in the scenario archive doesn't show that one. If you still have it could you email it to me at tramos1@optonline.com Elvis, I can't seem to get your profile up for an email, I'd play against the AI (which I've had some success) so if you could please email that to me also. Mike, sounds good. I tried getting it off the scenario archive but it's not ready for downloading would you send that one to me too. PL I'll start it tonight as the allies against the AI I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is a great forum

I'm looking for a scenario that is an assault across a river. Does anybody know of or has played one? Along the same lines does anyone know of a good river map I could use to setup my own assault. Thanks in advance.

Well put Red Wolf and Pvt Tom you hit the nail on the head. With the latest CM rev level the Germans, I find, must choose support vehicles to try and stay on an even keel with the allied armor. I think the 75mm is effective against the thinner skinned Allied TD’s and at close range against Sherman’s. With the few armor points in the smaller QB’s (e.g. 1000pt game, Germans only get 200pts armor but 250 support vehicle) I like to buy a couple of TD’s. Now it’s necessary to have infantry support guns like the 75. These can be used in the dual purpose of protecting the flanks of the TD’s and at a later point in support of the infantry. The heavy armored car with the 75 is not as susceptible to .50’s as the 251/9 and is about the same price. The Puma although great against allied halftracks is not effective against the Sherman’s frontal armor and not terribly effective against infantry and his high end in points. The 251/16 is fun but you have to get close to use it and one grenade and it’s history. I’ve only used mortar vehicles in premade scenarios and would rather have a 250/8 with it’s 75mm. If they get a good position though they are very discouraging to the enemy. I think the next game I play I’ll get a passel full of 250/8’s and see what’s left in the end. I usually use all my armor and support vehicle points before choosing anything else.

The discussion about the differences between the 250/8 and the 251/9 halftracks brought up another school of thought. If you had enough points to choose a few support vehicles what would you choose, what do you stay away from? It seems the Puma is a favorite choice of my opponents. I never purchased 81mm ‘tracks. Has anybody had success with these? How about the smaller caliber halftracks like the 20mm and 37mm. Finally do you find yourself using all your support vehicle points or would you spend these points on infantry and/or their support weapons. (armor or artillery not an option)

Does anybody have a feel for the difference in playing with the 250/8 or the 251/9 half-tracks? They both have the same gun (75mm). The 251 is slightly better armored but slightly slower. The 250 has a smaller silhouette. You can purchase three 250's for 140pts or two 251's for 120pts. I lean toward 3 250/8's. What do you think?

I’m going to start an 800pt, combined arms game where I’m the Germans. I have only 160pts of armor to choose with. I figured I’d go with a Hetzer and a Murder as opposed to a Stag and a Lynx or one Mike. I figure I’ll need something to watch the sides and rear of the Hetzer. I have 75mm halftracks that can take care of infantry. On that note which do you consider better 3x 250/8 (75mm) or 2x 251/9 (75mm)