I got Combat Mission for Christmas, and have been rabid about it ever since! It is more than I had ever hoped an interpretation of the great tactical boardgames to computer could be. I have never been so sucked into a computer game!
I do have a few ideas for add on modules to add differing types of gameplay, without fundamentally changing the engine. They are as follows:
a) Some sort of utility that imports USGS DES (digital elevation survey) information into the scenario editor. That way you could download the elevation info for anyplace on Earth. You could then have a satellite picture of that area to provide the quick-battle map generator basic info on woods, roads, buildings and forests. In this way, we could play Combat Mission in our own neighborhood!! Would that be cool?
add the option to impose a timer for the orders phase of a turn. While I am one of the gladdest to see the "we go" system, and hate the twitch-monkey games, it would also add an optional level of realism. What commander has all the time in the world to issue orders to his troops? You could have the timer be scalable, so that you could set it for 3 min per 1 min combat, or 2/1, or even 30 sec/1min. Whatever. This would be a way to test command under stress. It would also speed up those who take FOREVER to do their turns. It should definitely be optional, and mutually agreeable to those playing against each other, to impose a time limit.
c) Though this could change the nature of the game, it would be a good option for those who really wanted a "you were there" level. In essence, at the beginning of the battle, you would pick who you wanted to be; Squad leader, tank commander, platoon headquarters, company headquarters, or battalion headquarters. Depending on who you picked, that would limit what level of view you could have of the battle field. So, a squad leader could only command their squad, and could only view the battlefield from where he was, at level 1 or 2. A company commander could view the battlefield from where they were located, but at a level 2 or 3. A battalion headquarters could view the battle field at only a level 3 or 4. Anyone could look at the battlefield map. However, your information about enemy units would be limited by what level of command you were at. Detailed info on what you could see, and only vague, general info on what you couldn't see but was passed down to you from above. While this seems drastic, again I think it should only be an option. It would also give a real first person view to the battle field. Lower level headquarters would only be able to see the immediate battle, but could easily see the lay of the land. Higher level headquarters would have good general situational awareness, but would be unable to check out detailed terrain up close and personal. The AI would have to run the higher level headquarters if you chose to be a lower level unit, but it may be possible to implement multiplayer play with many people commanding the many different units. Again, this would just be optional, buy could help make the game appeal to the first-person shooter crowd. It would also add a single "viewpoint" to the battle.
I wouldn't want what is already in CM to change at all; These are just ideas to add options to what is already the best computer game ever made. I only want to see CM continue to grow and excel.