Loeffe
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Posts posted by Loeffe
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Just tried clean install, and applying all patches up to 1.04, same problem - Instant crash when pressing the "load email" button...
On both home and work the game is on C: drive, but work being 64-bit the program files folder has another name, like "program files (x86)" or something
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As mentioned, it wont even let me select any file. It crashes AS SOON as I touch the "load email" button (before any file prompts) - But yes, the PBEM loads fine at work.
I will try complete uninstall, and see if it helps.
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I recently purchased the 1.04 Vista patch, and am happy to report CMBB is now running on both my home PC (32bit Vista) and office PC (64bit Vista).
However, on my home PC the game instantly crashes (without any error dialog boxes) when I try to load a PBEM file.
It crashes every time, as soon as I click the "Join Multiplayer -> Load Email" button - before even displaying any prompts to load a file. This makes it impossible to play by email with the 1.04 patch.
As mentioned, I have no problems with loading emails using my work PC which is also pathced to 1.04.
Here are my home PC specs;
Vista Home Premium 32-bit
Inter Core 2 CPU / 6420 @ 2.13ghz
2046 Mb RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS
Any help appreciated!
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The new vista upgrade fixed my problems... Wohooo!
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Battlefront! Thank you soooo much for upgrading CMBB to run on Vista!!!
I couldn't play because of screen tearing (most likely associated with Geforce 8xxx series incompatabilities), but these issues are no longer there after updating. Wohooo.
5 bucks is a very resonable price for the work you put into this, and I'm happy to once again being able to play the greatest strategy game ever!
THANKS!
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I'd pay too... All new computer and I can't play my fave game :-((
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I'm interested.
Haven't played in any of the ROWs but have greatly enjoyed some of the AARs to come out of it.
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I didn't modify anything... Just played it after downloading.
Also the screenshots are from my second go, where I didn't keep initial placement of enemy troops (ie let computer chose setup), as David Chapuis noticed.
This was just to have some variation from my first attempt (where the MG was in the trench). The results were the same even.
I dont know why the MG didn't spot me in any of the games? I try to HIDE my troops on startup and also use MOVE TO CONTACT AND HIDE, when approaching, plus taking the most hidden routes.
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I managed a major victory on my second go (23%-73%. Casualties: 85-25. KIA: 25-6).
Inf setup: 2 platoons to advance up the center, rocky part. One plt towards the house on the right. Tanks positions were one left by the overwatch group and 2 right, carrying men from the rightward platoon towards the house.
Arty: mortars with fireplan on the rockies at turn 3. I think I'd have kept this on call if I'd read JasonC's post above first
122mm guns with fireplan for turn 13 on the woods. This proved to be too early still. Turn 15-16 would have been better.
The ATG took out my left tank at around turn 3, but since I kept the two others advancing on the right, there were able to participate in the entire fight, which really was the deciding factor.
The first flag was secured without problems (as in my first go). Then came the same standstill, where the MG's would pin my men at every attempt at an advance, without giving away their positions. One managed to fire over +10 rounds without giving up its position. Very frustrating.
However, the tanks were a huge help and both racked up a lot of kills (26 and 30 respectively). One of them also managed to creep up over the ridge in front of the wood and take out the ATG (which didn't go down even though I fired 2 50mm mortars in its general direction for two rounds).
The arty came in on turn 13, but on hidden MG kept firing, and making the advance very difficult. This forced my tanks forward around turn 18. They poured HE into the woods and finally spotted. At this time almost all of my inf were still in the rocky area. However a few squads pushed forward and arrived at the flag in turn 24.
After playing again and reading the post above things are a bit more clear, as to how situations like this are dealt with. How important HE support is, how to rally the troops etc. However I can't dismiss that I won simply because I played Scenario 200 before, and so knew a lot about the enemy setup.
either way I'm having great fun playing these and hopefully even learning something
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I played this just once, but I think I'm going to have to replay it. I also have a hard time figuring out exactly what I'm meant to learn from this.
I haven't read the entire main thread about these scenarious (to avoid getting any spoilers), but I'm sure there must be some more thorough discussion about this scenario in there.
I can gather from my own go at this scenario, that is is very important to time your arty's fire plan, to arrive at the correct time, to pin the MGs and troops in the woods when you advance.
I made two fire plans:
- 120 mm mortars fire at the rocky area by the first flag. (2 minut plan)
- The big guns fire at the wooded area by the second flag in 7th minute of the game
The first worked a charm. I also planted mortar smoke in front of the rocky area, to allow my troops to advance directly on it. The arty came down and completely pinned the Germans in there. My inf got close enough to spot them and then a T34 on my right gave them some additional HE. I captured the flag with only 3 casualties.
The next one arrived much too earliy (turn 7), and was over when I had maeuvered my men to the edge of the rocky, to prepare for attack on the woods. When the attack commenced I was constantly pinned by MG's from the wooded area, without getting visual ID's.
Meanwhile the German ATG took out both my slowly HUNTing T34's on my left flank, with only one shot at each. My T34 on the right (the one that shelled the rocky area earlier) was forced forward to support the inf. The tank commander was shot by a sniper and shortly after it hit a minefield by the small house.
After this, the fight came to a halt on both sides. I tried to break the troops in the woods with long range MG fire and short range rifle fire, but to no avail. There was an aout cease-fire in round 16. (Draw 47% - 53%)
I guess I'll try it again, with these modifications to my plan:
- Delay the arty on the woods to about turn 12-13
- Take more care of my tanks on both sides.
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Approach - Turn 6
<a href="http://img236.imageshack.us/my.php?image=110approach3fr.jpg" target="_blank">
</a>Pinning the MG - Turn 9
<a href="http://img235.imageshack.us/my.php?image=110pin7zp.jpg" target="_blank">
</a>[ January 28, 2006, 03:49 AM: Message edited by: Loeffe ]
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I had no trouble on 110. Played it once more to test my luck, with almost the same result. The MG spotted me a little earlier this time, and I had to wait a few rounds for the paniced squads to rout.
The MG WILL mess up the squad it hits almost instantly, so the trick is to have +3 squads and MG support opening up on it once it reveals it position. Then it will pin, and you can move in on it.
Posted this in the main thread, but since you asked for an AAR, I'll repost it here:
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110
...was a cakewalk. Well for me at least, I'm not sure my men agree
I lined up 2 squads on one side of the road, and the remaining squads plus HQ on the other, and advanced forward along the road using MOVE TO CONTACT and HIDE.
Reached my intended positions without any contact: 2 Squads in the small patch of wood and the building east of the road, last 2 squads and HQ behind the fence. With all the units in place 150-220 meters from the flag, I set up cover arcs around the flag area (where I spotted a trench).
I ADVANCE one squad from over the fence towards the flag. 100 meters from the flag they recieve MG fire and panics INSTANTLY. The men flee towards the trench and recieve a few casualties. Meanwhile an MG is spotted, and all three squads open up on it.
The MG keeps slaughtering the paniced squad that goes from 12 to 5 men, but is finally pinned after 2 rounds of fire. I advance my last fence-squad, while the others keep firing. It closes to hand grenade range and first breaks, then captures the MG, which only has one man standing.
TOTAL VICTORY 87% - 13%
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You may want to check this recent post in tips&tricks.
I tried to give some advice in that thread but got thrumped by more experienced players, and learned a lot about the PzIII's vs. T34's situation myself
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Forgot to add:
I was really lucky to take out the flanking MG with my mortar (wherever he went?!?), since I was only firing on a sound ID, and did not have a visual.
There was not many places for him to hide over there, so it might easily have been harder to guess his location if he had more cover.
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112
In this mission I got all the resitance I lacked in 111 (and then some!)
I set up just as in 111:
- One plt on the right, wich advance thru forrests to the fence.
- One plt on the left to take up support positions in the patch of woods on the left.
- The support hangs back to the right. This time with a 155mm spotter.
I decide to make the spotter call down arty on the big forrest area to the left of the map in turn 5.
The approach goes well up to this point, and I'm thrilled to see german troops come scurring out of the forrest, toward me, after 1 minute of arty. Those guys must be in panic or worse!
I'm just about to advance my first platoon over the fence as they get chewed up by MG fire from the far right of the map (by the fences). They take a HUGE morale hit, and within 40 seconds 3 squads are paniced and 1 routed! My entire attack seems to be smashed to pieces.
Around turn 8 I divert my mortar, from the flag trench to lay some pressure on the MG by the fences. This silences him, but I decide to keep it up (after battle he is nowjhere to be seen, so he must've fled off the map). When no more mortar ronds are left, I lay some smoke in front of this area just to be sure (he did panic an entire platoon!)
I cant ID the MG in the trench on top of the flag, which really annoys me, as he is doing his part to keep my paniced squads under pressure. It is around round 12 before I spot him, and can target him directly with my Maxims. From round 9 and on the germans come to live again in the big forrest area, and shoot it out with my support platoon on the left, that I've had to advance, since the first platoon is still in pieces.
Round 13 and on is a real nightmare. Each time my men rally and try to advance across the fence they recieve more fire from the trench or forrest area. A few of my advancing squads from the support platoon are pinned in open ground and useless. Should have kept them in cover! This goes on for a few more nailbiting rounds, as my rallying men inch closer to the flag. All my efforts are focused on hammering that flag-MG, which pops in and out of pinned.
finally in turn 17 a squad reaches grenade range, and lays a few in the trench. The MG finally decides to call it a day, and I can start to supress the survivors in the forrest.
This one was a real nailbiter, wich literally could have flipped to a loss or tie if the MG had been allowed to fire a few more burst at my advancing squad.
MAJOR VICTORY 79% - 21%
Lessons learned:
I was too careless when advancing my platoon by the fence. When this failed I should have had patience and waited for the rally before stupidly advancing my supporting platoon, which really got me nowhere.
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111
More than double the troops and a support unit (2 maxims, a mortar plus HQ) as well made me expect heavy resistance, so I was surprised only to encounter 2 MG42s.
I advanced my two inf platoons on each side of the map. The right one to detour through the bushes, and end up by the fence, before going for the flag. The left one into the light woods on the left side, to provide cover. The support units hang back to the right, and cover the advance.
No problems advancing on this one either. I get to the fence and the woods on the left without any trouble. The MG near the flag opens up as I advance over the fence, just like 110. It gets pinned much easier as I have mortars and MGs to keep it company. The flag is taken with 0 casualties, and I advance more troops to there.
..But.. then the other MG desidse to hose my 3 flag-hugging squads. This one is much harder to target as it is in-a-foxole-in-a-house on the far left. However I manage to pin it with remaining mortar rounds and MG area fire on the house, and it surrenders when I charge it with troops from the left-side forrest.
I take 3 casualties and capture 2 Germans. A very easy win due to the superior firepower.
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110
...was a cakewalk. Well for me at least, I'm not sure my men agree
I lined up 2 squads on one side of the road, and the remaining squads plus HQ on the other, and advanced forward along the road using MOVE TO CONTACT and HIDE.
Reached my intended positions without any contact: 2 Squads in the small patch of wood and the building east of the road, last 2 squads and HQ behind the fence. With all the units in place 150-220 meters from the flag, I set up cover arcs around the flag area (where I spotted a trench).
I ADVANCE one squad from over the fence towards the flag. 100 meters from the flag they recieve MG fire and panics INSTANTLY. The men flee towards the trench and recieve a few casualties. Meanwhile an MG is spotted, and all three squads open up on it.
The MG keeps slaughtering the paniced squad that goes from 12 to 5 men, but is finally pinned after 2 rounds of fire. I advance my last fence-squad, while the others keep firing. It closes to hand grenade range and first breaks, then captures the MG, which only has one man standing.
TOTAL VICTORY 87% - 13%
..Was a fun challenge though, and hard to keep the men in command, and managing the command delay.
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Geez, I hope you are right about march. I'm finding this one very hard to wait for
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I decided to give these a go, since I'm sure I can learn a lot from these scenarios.
So, I'll post how I did when I've finsihed a scenario. Tonight I only had time for 100 and 101:
100
I almost lost this one. Kept the initial starting position and HUNTed forward towards the first small ridge. Waited half a round on the crest of the smal ridge near the patch of trees before HUNTing further forward.
Got contact in round 3. Was the first to fire and hit, though I got some MG fire in return. PzIII shakes of the shock (no penetration) drops smoke and hits reverse.
A few rounds follow where I get visual again (after unbuttoning), shoot, hit withou penetration, and see a new cloud of smoke.
I unbutton and hunt forward when losing contact.
This goes on untill round 9 where the Pz takes out my tanks commander, and I remain shocked for 30 seconds. Luckily the crew get their act together and in round 10 I'm lucky to force the tank to get abandoned with a few partial pens. I think I did right, but was still lucky to win in the last round.
101
Same recipe, but with more tanks. I hunt toward the area behind the small patch of trees, and get visual before my SMG troops can dismount.
They do so in the next round, and 2 of my T34's open up. On Pz bites the dust and another appears right behind it. I reverse a bit to get all 3 tanks in a hull down, but manage to back up my leading tank a bit too much.
The troops enter the woods, and I try to position the HQ so it can see where the tanks are coming from. I've lost visual on the second tank, due to smoke from the first, but am now in position and aiming with all three T34s.
Next round I decide to advance with 2 sqauds to try and force the tank to reveal itself with mg fire. Before they get very far my tanks spot the remaining Pz and shells it to pieces. Total victory by round 5.
All in all, one lucky win, and a very comfortable one. Looking forward to the next scenarios!
PS: Billy Prior, you can download them here
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I found the Combat Misison Anthology with all 3 CM games on it, for the price of one game(!). I got it at my local EB Games shop (Denmark), but I'm sure any good gameshop would be able to order it for you.
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check this quote from WineCapes excelent guide to arty in CM:
"Accurate arty strikes require the following things to happen:
1 The spotter must have LOS to the target point when it is targeted (blue line).
2 The spotter must have LOS at the exact moment the first spotting round is FIRED."
Edit: I just noticed that the author seems to be Treeburst155
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Your FO has to have unhindred LOS to the target, exactly at the moment when the spotting round lands (fired about a minut before the actual barrage).
If he does not have LOS at this moment (due to smoke or whatever) the shells may land off-target. Could that have been the case?
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I always scout with infantry before advancing into unknown territory, and if this cant be done, I at least like some overwatch to cover my butt. That said there are always situatins where its hard to cover the advance and you sometimes have to take chances.
I never use "seek hull down" myself.
If I am trying to get in a hull down position on the crest of a a hill, I try to judge this visually, and place the "shoot" part of the command on the right spot, and then the "scoot" 30-40 meters behind this. Same thing for shoot/scoot out of cover/forests, i just try and place the shoot command about 20 meters out of the cover.
Some players also "zigzag" when doing hull down on a hill, so as to not appear in exactly the same place on the hill each time! Reverse at a slight angle, and drive forward to a new position on the hill for the next shoot/scoot.
Happy "shooting and scooting"
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You will find loads of tips for handling your tanks against other (stronger or weaker) tanks, if you search in these forums...
Here are some off the top of my head:
First, it seems you are already using some sound approaches by flanking and getting up close and behind. When putting PzIII up against T34s this is absolutely crucial if you ever dream of penetrating the armor.
However you will be fighting a loosing battle if you put PzIII's up against a numerically superior force of T34's, as you describe. I can see why you feel forced to do this, as you have lost so many to bogging down, but the only way to win a situation like that is to be lucky and KO them before they can fire back, or try to lure and split the enemy tanks so you can take them on with numerical superiority.
More experienced players than me could properbly provide you with a better number regarding how much numerical superiority you should have when putting PzIIIs agains T34, but I'd say at least 2:1.
Now to the other tips...
Use either fire OR movement:
Moving tanks have a much harder time hitting targets than stationary ones, so move FAST to your intended location and fire WHEN you get there. Even better, only move tanks that have a couple of buddies covering their approach in overwatch positions, so they can deal with any enemy that reveals itself when you approach.
(Please note that FAST movement through forrest could get you more easily bogged down, so take care when not on firm ground.)
Use shoot and scoot against superior tanks:
One of the ways to take out a stronger tank, is to (hopefully) have numerical supriority, and then shoot-and-scoot from a safe location and back, like over the crest of a hill, or behind some dense forrest. Also hull down positions make you harder to hit, so shoot-scoot PLUS hull down is even more effective.
This way you will get several shots in on your opponent, who will have to change target (and thus rotate turret which takes time) many times, since your tanks will back away after having fired their shots.
Button up a tank with infantry before attacking with armor:
A buttoned up tank will have a much harder time spotting and targeting you, so try to button it up with long range MG fire or a sniper etc. Once it is buttoned, you should roll up behind it and fire away.
Loading email battle crashes game (1.04 Vista Patch)
in Combat Mission - Tech Support
Posted
Ok, I fixed this problem.
You guys WON'T believe how:
After re-installing so many times to try and fix this, I noticed something odd. My Program Files/CombatMission2 folder contained only one .exe file before patching ("CombatMission2.exe") but two after patching to 1.04 ("CombatMission2.exe" and "Barbarossa to Berlin.exe" - the latter came from the 1.04 Vista Patch Zip file)
So I would run "Barbarossa To Berlin.exe" to play 1.04, which fixed the VISTA graphics and perfomance issues for me, however that exe would crash hen loading PBEM's.
I could still load PBEM's with my old 1.03 exe ("CombatMission2.exe"), but it would not perform well, and have the graphics bugs etc. adressed in the new exe.
I actually fixed the problem by renaming the NEW "Barbarossa to berlin.exe" to "combatMission2.exe", after making a backup of the existing one.
So it seems loading PBEM's is somehow hard-coded to work only with the "CombatMission2.exe" filename, as I can now, after renaming it, load PBEM's in 1.04 without any problems.
Crazy, eh?