Samhain

If you mean the game engine/interface mechanics, I'd recommend reading the manual at least twice cover to cover. After that, try lots of quick battles in varying conditions, and buy different equipment, playing as different countries each time. In each battle, try all the different commands for each unit type to test their effects. You likely won't win by fiddling around this way, but it might be a good learning tool. Check out the articles/tactics sections at Combat Mission HQ, Games of War, and MiNa's Combat Mission Page, among others. ------------------ I rode a tank, held a general's rank When the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank. --Rolling Stones

Just wanted to put in a vote for the GeForce2, which is not only blazingly fast, but also has superb image quality, with or without the FSAA enabled (up to 4x in D3D and 2x in OpenGL with the latest drivers). Based on all the vid card reviews and benchmarks I've read, for CM you couldn't go wrong with either the V5 or GeForce2. For FPS's, it's a different matter. ------------------ I rode a tank, held a general's rank When the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank. --Rolling Stones

I went to try this new approach in a QB this morning, but I was quickly reminded to let the lay of the land dictate tactics. (Good old Sun-Tzu.) Background: 1000-point combined arms forces, medium-quality troops, me as the Germans, AI as the Americans. Daytime meeting engagement, clear weather, moderate tree cover and modest hills, medium-sized village map. I was handed a nearly perfect map with which to use the old rush to set up defenses approach. The one victory flag was in the center of a sizable village in the center of the map. The village had three or four multi-storey buildings, and the village was in the center of a natural depression. In about 1.5 to 2 turns, I was able to rush in mechanized infantry and set up a V-formation defense with one rifle platoon on each arm of the V (each arm facing the oncoming enemy), squads in separate buildings. 1 HMG was on the tip of each flank, roughly, and one in the middle. I got a TD over on the left flank hills, rather far back, in a wheatfield behind a wall. Snipers for buttoning AFV's and my 105 arty spotter were back in the woods on the semicircular hill crest behind the town with LOS over much of the map. HT's (including two with 81mm mortars) were down in the back of the village (i.e., toward my setup zone), set between buildings to cover their flanks, and far enough back from zook fire (with one sad exception ). Since I got to the village first, and correctly guessed a good place call in arty on the first turn (i.e., targeted on turn one, came in 3 minutes later), I had a nearly perfect reverse-slope defense with heavy flanking fire and long-range heavy fire support. The village was the practical equivalent of dug-in positions. A good example of remaining flexible In fairness, the village was a bit closer to me, or at least I set up my troops near the front line of the setup zone, while the AI didn't. Also, I was playing against the AI, which obviously isn't too sharp on the offensive. So, I'm not sure this is a great counter-example, but for what it's worth.... It was certainly fun smashing the AI, with my TD alone taking out two Stuarts and three or four HT's! ------------------ I rode a tank, held a general's rank When the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank. --Rolling Stones [This message has been edited by Samhain (edited 10-28-2000).]

Thanks for the tactics suggestions! I've been compiling what appear to be the most useful or interesting tactics from these forums and various CM sites into a Word doc that I can study. It's been paying off already. I'm pretty new to wargaming (though I've quickly become an ardent CM player) and I've gotten to where I win around 95% of my QB's--time for handicapping, I think! Please keep these ideas coming. I'm going to try these tactics this weekend instead of the rush to set up defenses, though in fairness the latter technique was working against the AI--don't know how it would fare against a good human ------------------ I rode a tank, held a general's rank When the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank. --Rolling Stones [This message has been edited by Samhain (edited 10-28-2000).]