noob

As mentioned above, I now have to decide whether to use my indirect fire weapons on the spotted enemy units. The CMPzC guide states that artillery and rockets can only be used once during an operational turn. This means I have to decide whether to use it my Priests now, or save them, and use them in an offensive CM battle generated by an Allied assault this turn, or save them, and use them in a defensive CM battle generated by an Axis assault. In this case, I intend to save them to use in a defensive CM battle. However, if the Axis do not assault after their PzC turn, I will have missed an opportunity to use them during my PzC turn. To continue, heavy and medium mortars have no restrictions on when they can be used, therefore, I will fire the SDGH mortar battery against the enemy infantry unit occupying hex E9. To fire, I select the mortar in the artillery dialog menu, then right click on the target unit, this brings up a menu of the enemy units occupying the hex. I then select the target unit, then click ok, and the weapon will fire. This can be repeated if the firing unit has enough movement points. Unfortunately my two volleys of mortr fire had no effect. However, the enemy forces are in trenches so I'm not too surprised.

Now I have spotted some enemy units, I have the option to engage in indirect fire. To see which indirect fire weapons are available, I select the artillery dialog function under Command on the menu bar. When the artillery dialog function is activated, a menu screen appears showing the units that are eligible to fire indirectly. The the info box, and the hex, of the firing unit is highlighted in red, as are the enemy units that are eligible targets. In the examples below, there is one 6 x 81mm mortar battery (2 hex range), and one 24 gun Priest battery (11 hex range) that can fire.

I do have that game, and it is the one I intend to use with Bagration. If you do buy it, we should start playing it without CM, and using VM's rules. That way, you can get a feel for it. The amount of artillery in some scenarios is staggering, it's like a death ray when concentrated on a single hex.

No, Kohlenklau was just messing with the scenario versus the AI. The assault I intend to launch against Buron, like all assaults in CMPzC, will be a CM battle.

That's why i don'y use the PzC assault function, it throws up some daft results compared to the same battle if played in CM. I intend to play around with the assault values in the PzC OOB at some point, and find a way of getting more CM like results, then the assault function could be utilised.

I have decided to keep this attack simple. There are only two victory locations, and they are close, so I can keep a tight formation, and be close to my reserves. I will use the Canadian battalions to capture the villages, and the UK battalions to threaten the Axis right flank. My first move is to send the Recce element of the Stormont, Dundas, & Glengarry Highlanders forward one hex to scout out the village of Buron (hex E9). I am immeadiately met by small arms fire and shots from a small calibre gun. The Recce unit reveals a small infantry force with gun support, fortunately the fire had no effect. The actual amount of men and guns is unknown, but an approximation can be made by the amount of headcount "X"'s in the enemy unit info box. X = 1 - 9, XX = 10 - 99, XXX = 100 - 999. Therefore there can be no more than 99 men, and 9 guns occupying the hex.

Here goes with round one of the new CMPzC Caen operation. This operation is a demonstration of my CMPzC system. CMPzC is a system that demonstrates how to use Combat Mission with Panzer Campaigns, to create operational CM battles without the need for an umpire. I will be playing as the Allied CO, which means I will be processing the operational PzC turns. The scenario I will be using is contained in the PzC Normandy '44 demo at a link in my signature. The CM battles generated by this operation will be played by members of the Allied team. They will be given a briefing by me via the CM scenario briefing screen, or, by a post in this thread. The PzC scenario is 7 turns long (14 real time hours), and covers the fighting on the 7th June 1944 outside the city of Caen. The action starts at 08:00 hours. Visibility is good (5 hexes), and the weather is dry. The Allied objective is to occupy the villages of Buron and Authie at the end of the game. If they only occupy one, the game is a draw. The forces involved are two battalions from the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, two battalions from 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd London Infantry Division, and armoured support provided by the Sherbrooke Fusiliers. Added to this are the 12th Canadian Field Regiment (Artillery), the 16th Canadian Field Company (Eng), the 17th Field Company (Eng), and the Cameron Highlanders HMG Company. Below is a screenshot of the starting positions of the Allied forces, and a unit identification key. I will start posting screenshots of my operational moves later.

I need to add a section at the start of the CM Battle Set Up page, describing how the assaulting player sets the conditions in the CM battle.

I pre set the rules when I created the demo to exactly VM's specifications. When I started using VM's rules I also noticed that defensive fire is conducted as though the ADF box was checked. It's obvious that ADF kicks in automatically when MDF is "not" selected, so having an ADF check box seems superfluous. I will ask Rich from HPS about this, as I have some other issues about PzC I want to talk to him about.

@Kohlenklau - I'm declaring an assault on hex 4, 4. It's the village of Buron, the closest victory point location to my forces. Therefore, could you confirm you have the 2000 x 2000m CM map of Buron I added to the PzC N44 demo. If so, i would like you to put it into the scenario editor, then add any gaps in the walls or hedges you may need in the forthcoming CM battle. The attack will come from the North. Once you have done that, put the map in our DB folder, and I will crop it to size, and add the set up and exit zones.

When you load a PBEM game file into PzC, and click Next Turn, it will convert that file into a PBEM file accessible only by your opponent. Therefore, if you don't want to lose that turn forever, you need to back it up before you hit Next Turn. Copying, and renaming it does that. You load in the renamed version, and hit Next Turn, and the file will convert to it's new name and owner, then it's ready to post. It's actually the same as a CM PBEM, once the red button is pressed, the file becomes the opponents. However, poor old PzC cannot change the file name when it converts a file the way CM does. That has to be done manually.

Correct.....

The PzC optional rules (OR's) we are using means that there are no separate move, fire and assault phases. When you start a PzC scenario using the OR's we are using, you can either move, or fire, if there is a valid target. You can move a unit, see something, fire at it, then continue moving if you have enough movement points. The only thing you cannot do that you are allowed to do in a traditional PzC turn, is to use the PzC assault function, as all assaults are to be resolved using CM, and are to be initiated after "all" the PzC moves and fires have been completed. One thing to note. When creating a CM battle, both of us can add a briefing text to the briefing screen, to inform the CM players of our expectations regarding the battle, or just post something in our HQ threads. However, once a CM battle is under way, there can be no communication between the CO's or other team members and the player fighting the battle, until after the battle.

How you write up your PzC AAR is entirely up to you. Mine is going to be quite simple. I have created a zoom in 3D screenshot of the PzC scenario, and added letters and numbers along the x and y axis, like a game of battleships. I have then took a screenshot of my starting positions, along with a unit ID screen, showing the unit info boxes, and hex coordinates of each stack. Then, I have repeated the process for the final dispositions of my forces. I intend to add text to discuss my thinking, and describe any direct or indirect firing that occurred. I will also add some text about my decisions regarding indirect fire usage. Any players that play an operational CM battle are responsible for writing their own AAR's.

I'm making a change about how CM battles are set up. I haven't added it to the guide yet but i will. When the player whose PzC turn it is, initiates an assault, thus creating a CM battle, he loads the 2000 x 2000m master map of the hex being assaulted in the CM scenario editor. There, he crops the map depending on the locations of the assaulting units hexes. How to crop the map in relation to the assaulting PzC units hex locations is explained here:https://sites.google.com/site/cmpzch2hoperations/combat-mission/cm-battle-set-up The assaulting player also has to create both sides set up and exit zones as shown in the above link. Once this is done, the assaulting player saves the modified master map as a scenario file, then sends it to the defender. The defender adds their CM forces to his set up zone and saves the file. The file is then sent to the assaulting player who does the same. Now the assaulting player can start the CM battle as a standard PBEM game.

Delete the Allied Team one.

There is only one DB folder. It's a communal one for all participants. The PzC turns will be encrypted so only you an I will have access to them. The rest of the participants will use the DB folder to send CM files. I will create sub folders for each CM battle.

It doesn't matter now. The PzC demo you downloaded has the new stacking limit applied to it.

@Ian Leslie - I got your PM, but when I treid to reply, it said your inbox is full, so I am posting my reply here. Kohlenklau is taking over as the Axis CO, and I am playing as the Allied CO. I will be processing the Allied PzC Turn 01 again. It will be done today, and there will definitely be a CM battle generated. You will be fighting it, because Strachwitz has gone AWOL.

This is definitely not the place for this sort of behaviour. Get yourself to an Axis HQ thread !

Eavesdropping ?!?!....i've never heard it called that before

You need to click on PBEM or Two Player Hot Seat to get the same new scenario dialog screen. The screen you describe only comes up when you select to play against the AI, then you use that screen to chose your side.

Ok, all change. I am now the Allied CO, and will play the PzC turns. I will post the PzC AAR on this thread, do all the book keeping, and set up the CM battles. The players that have expressed an interest in playing the CM battles will of course play any CM battles the PzC game generates. The three CM players that are on the Allied team list are as follows: 1/ Kensal 2/ Mad Mike 3/ Darknight Canuck Kensal has first refusal on the first CM battle generated, with Mad Mike having the second CM battle if two are generated, or the first if Kensal is unable to play.

I'm sure Oscar Wilde would of said that it's always preferable to be forgotten twice, than once

Agreed, I will rectify it at some point. Correct. Modifying the OOB is essential to make this system more accessible. PzC companies are always larger than CM ones, so they need to be trimmed down, which is a lot neater than tacking on platoons to CM companies to conform to PzC head counts. Therefore, once a CM battle generated by this operation starts, I intend to use the time to edit the whole Normandy'44 OOB, and attach it to a page in the guide. This will allow anyone with the full game to be able to play all the stock scenarios, and even the GC, in CMPzC mode. Unlike Sauron, i'm turning my eye to Bagration. I would like to have this operation almost completed by the time Bag comes out. That way, BFr's will have had plenty of time to digest the rules and gameplay. However, now you have exposed yourself as a "Bulge" boy, there's no reason why two operations cannot run together. Let's see how this runs first. I will process Allied Turn 01 tomorrow, write up an AAR in the Allied HQ thread, (so no peeking), and then inform you of any assaults (CM battles), which there will definitely be at least one of As of now you are the Axis CO, and you should say hello to the Axis CM players that have signed up to the Axis team. Your team is Strachwitz, Ian Leslie, and Tank Hunter. Strachwitz has first pop at the first CM battle, but he is AWOL at the moment, so it will fall to Ian if Strachwitz does not show.