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Stacheldraht

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Posts posted by Stacheldraht

    Infantry experience ratings and reactions to fire [LONG]

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Stacheldraht, where exactly do you think the infantry does currently not conform to historical reality, within the boundaries of what can be done?

    I didn't say it doesn't conform to historical reality. I wasn't in WWII, nor am I a qualified expert on this particular subject of combat psychology/infantry behavior in WWII. I've heard some of the same points about combat stress described in this thread in various documentaries and books, though, which leads me to wonder about how it's modeled in CM.

    I'm asking a) how accurate is the modeling? and B) what specific scientific research has BTS relied on to recreate the historical realities of troop behavior in WWII insofar as they are documented and understood?

    The material in the first post of this thread (and some of the source material alluded to throughought this thread) leads me to wonder how accurate the modelling in the game is and how it might be improved upon.

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    Infantry experience ratings and reactions to fire [LONG]

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Good point Tarq... nigh on impossible...just a series of anecdotal evidence really...
    I've long found it interesting that the CM games are apparently extensively researched in terms of the OOB, armor penetration values, etc., but what sort of research did BTS do into the sorts of vital issues being discussed in this thread? Have they ever listed any sources or data? Have they discussed how they went about interpreting it? That could be quite illuminating.

    If CM is supposed to be the pinnacle of realism in the field of WWII tactical combat simulation, then you have to wonder how much BTS is relying on expert evidence and interpretations in the realm of combat psychology. Before I see a tank's side turret armor angle correct, I'd rather see the infantry of the game acting in accordance with historical reality--insofar as one can ever implement programmed rules about human behavior and derive a realistic simulation.

    [ November 05, 2002, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: Stacheldraht ]

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    NIght Battle - Brightness Problem - HELP!!

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    This probably isn't the answer you want to hear, but a new monitor might make all the difference. I used to always have to crank the gamma/brightness of my vid card and/or game settings way up to see things clearly. When I bought a new, higher-quality monitor, everything was vastly brighter at the default settings. No more fiddling with gamma settings or ending up with an ugly, washed-out looking screen.

    Since the monitor is the main way you interact with your computer, buy the best one you can. You won't regret it.

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    So far I don't like CMBB...

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Fwiw, I find I enjoy CMBB even more than CMBO, if that's possible smile.gif Yes, the modeling of fatigue and panic might well need some tweaking, but I generally see avoiding the associated tactical problems as new--and fun--challenges to overcome.

    Just as we can't expect people who liked Sudden Strike and Medle of Honor to like CM of any flavor, past, present or future.
    Frankly, that's a downright silly expectation. I've been an ardent CM fan for a couple years now, and I also think Medal of Honor: Allied Assault was one of the best PC games released this year. Many gamers (myself and all the gamers I know, as well as many others I've observed in forums like this one) regularly play all sorts of games on different platforms.

    It's patently incorrect to assume that all, or even most, gamers only like one sort of game. You can just as easily enjoy a hardcore wargame like CMBB as a Hollywood-style shooter like MOH--or some cartoony GBA platformer, for that matter. Not every gamer is monomaniacal, thank goodness. The ones that are--well, that's their prerogative, of course, but they sure are missing a lot of great games because of their provincialism.

    BTW I'm curious if I'm the lone on the forum having this problem.
    Unlike you, most people I know who've been turned off by CM have been turned off not because of the inclusion of German troops, but because the games are too (seemingly) complex and confusing and/or look dated and even amateurish compared to most professional games (that's particularly true of unmodded CMBO, less so of CMBB).

    Then again, your profile says you live in France, and I'd think the wounds of WWII would tend to run rather deeper there than in America, and I would imagine that anti-German sentiment probably runs a lot higher there, understandably.

    As for people assuming grogs/wargamers/WWII buffs are Nazis, that's just silly on the face of it. However, it's no secret that among those communities "Wehrmacht penis envy" is a relatively common malady. Fascination with and/or adulation of the Wehrmacht (or more to the point, the Waffen SS) can indeed be more than a little creepy. The Wehrmacht, after all, (whatever the beliefs of its individual memebers) was one of the chief instruments of the Nazi party's destructive policies that ruined or simply snuffed out so many lives.

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    How smart is the AI??

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    Unfortunately, the very weak operational AI of CMBO remains in CMBB. It more or less just sends all its units in a big jumble right towards the major flags. I doesn't maneuver or coordinate units intelligently, be they infantry or armor (armor in particular), doesn't take decent (any?) advantage of overwatch/supporting fire, makes units casually walk towards the flags instead of running when getting there first could provide a big advantage, etc. Hopefully the next CM will put more emphasis on the AI.

    [ October 31, 2002, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: Stacheldraht ]

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    GameSpot Review Out (Take 2)

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    I clearly remember the manual stating the oposit, that German optics are poor in low-light conditions.
    From p. 216 of the US version manual:

    "Good magnification allows for better spotting and gunfire accuracy at long range, except in low-light conditions where the greater need for light of high-magnification optics becomes a hindrance, reducing their effectiveness relative to [a] lower-power lens."

    [ October 31, 2002, 06:48 AM: Message edited by: Stacheldraht ]

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    Are Sturmtigers a joke?

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    So, are Sturmtigers BTS jokey response to the “please fix or do somefink” crowd? I think we deserve an answer…
    Point taken, but I'd highly recommend basing your argument on hard data about the vehicle and its weapon system, not your (patently incorrect, alas) suppositions. Your post will get more mileage that way and perhaps make a useful contribution to the game. BTS seems open to correction when people can provide them with accurate data that contradicts something in the game.
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    CMBB RATINGS?

    in Combat Mission Archive #4 (2002)

    Posted

    You will not find one proven tactic that you can defeat the AI with in every situation.

    Sure, just wait for them all to casually walk in a big crowd towards the biggest victory flags while their tanks aimlessly ride around in circles smile.gif

    Seriously, the strategic/operational-level AI is still generally weak in CMBB, particularly against experienced players, and particularly on the offensive (meeting engagements, probes, attacks, assaults). It's often pitiful in user-generated quick battles--a CMBO vet should be able to inflict ten times as many casualties as received in nearly any balanced game--i.e., one without a huge force size bonus for the AI enemy. The AI still more than holds its own against newbies, where it's a great way to have fun learning the game.

    The tactical AI generally seems to be even better than before (i.e., the AI determines how units react during each action phase to current circumstances--when to hit the dirt or continue moving, deciding which target to fire at with what ammo, etc.)

    Overall, the game looks like a heavily modded version of CMBO with some cool added effects like muzzle recoil and big smoke puffs as heavy guns fire. In other words, CMBB looks decent overall--great for a wargame, but bland and dated, frankly, compared to most professional 3D strategy games (or 3D games of any type, really). The sounds are even more realistic and immersive than in CMBO.

    The subject matter of CMBB is both more expansive and more limited. It's more limited in that it's just the Germans versus the Soviets with a few relatively minor allies (no flames from our Finnish friends, please smile.gif ). It's more expansive in that it's the Germans versus the Soviets from June '41 to the end of the war in Europe across a gigantic geographical area--that's a vastly bigger temporal and spatial scale than CMBO. You get a massively larger number of units in CMBB, which can be hard for noobs to get a handle on, but great for WWII buffs to experiment and have fun with.

    Overall, CMBB is bigger and even better than CMBO, as long as you don't mind a somewhat steeper learning curve because of the new orders, huge number of new units, and so forth. You'll also need to adjust the way you play to account for the increased effectiveness of machine guns, the changes to artillery spotting, and all the other minor and not-so-minor differences from CMBO's gameplay. For WWII buffs/grogs/wargamers/CMBO fans, I imagine that all these differences and extra challenges just add up to more fun. I know they do for me.

    In a nutshell: great game, buy it!

    PS Hell yes, it deserves better than a 6.8. Like any game, it's not for everyone, but if you're into WWII or wargames, CMBB is top notch overall.

    [ October 27, 2002, 07:05 AM: Message edited by: Stacheldraht ]

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