DrJim

I don't follow the conversations much, but am wondering what the status of the two cover arc commands are now that the v/1.01 patch is out. There is only small reference to them in the readme.

I have to agree that it seems simplest to create a new (but already in CMBO) command that allows slower movement which is more attentive to dangers. I would hope the first CMBB patch would have the "Crawl" and "Sneak" commands, which would be a great augmentation to Move, Fast, Advance, & Assault.

I think the CM battle engine & supporting code - although a fantastic game in its own right - would also offer an excellent foundation for just such a linked strategic/tactical game. The Total War games offer an excellent, playable, and fun strategic level, and the later Close Combat games did the same, although at a cruder level. I'd think - and I guess I'm colouring with my own interests and prejudices - that a well constructed game linking strategic (or even operational) level decisions to the the CMBB battle simulator covering the eastern front would create great interest within the community. Just as a note.... Can one ingest tabulat/ASCII data into the CMBB scenario editor to create a scenario in a highly automated way? I would think linking Strategic Game Output to CMBB Input could be done in this way, but I think linking CMBB battle output back into the Strategic level would be tough at present. However, a relatively straightforward ASCII dump of output results could achieve this.

I'm just wondering if anybody else sees potential utility to the implementation of some organizational support tools within CMBB (and CMBO)? Such tools might more easily allow the player to 1) identify HQs (Company & Batallion) & subordinate units, 2) see unit status more efficiently, 3) identify units under fire etc. This could speed the players battlefield awareness and allow for better informed gameplay. I could see several methods of implementation, the easiest would be tabular displays, where units would be listed in an organizationally intuitive manner, with listing for useful info (e.g. moral, fatigue). One could then use the tabular info to select units and issue orders. Also, the ability to sort tables by heading types is often useful. Uncommon Valor has a host of extremely useful and intuitive tabular tools as an example. Another method (as with Close Combat) would be on-screen indicators (e.g. colored bars or outlines). Maybe there are other ideas, some easier than others to implement. Anyway, for large, or huge scenarios and operations such readily accessible organization tools might be really helpful.