PanzerMike

The biggest issue I encounter right now is not making a nice looking map. This is quite doable, even though CMBN was not designed for beach landings. The main issue is the lack of proper fortifications. There are only two types op pillboxes in CMBN and both are quite useless. They do not represent the sturdy bunkers as often found on Omaha. They seem to be lesser quality small pillboxes that can be taken out even by small arms fire from hundres of meters. I have tested my battle many times and the bunkers just don't last very long. They are too feeble. There are also no bunkers for AT guns or Infantry guns. Putting them on a cliff behind sand bags just is not good enough. They last only a short time before they are knocked out. Also no flamethrowers of any kind is sorely missed. Also, the troops on the beach are not being suppressed enough by the machine gun fire as modeled in CMBN at the moment. What are your experiences so far in trying to create a viable beach landing within the current constraints of CMBN?

I too had a problem with the bridge in Huzzar. A Stuart tank got stuck. It was glued to the bridge (more precise to the low wall attached to the bridge. The Stuart was undamaged but ceased to respond to any movement order. Weird. It also blocked the bridge so the Shermans could not cross.

Yes, this has been discussed before. I also argued in that thread that Norman houses were quite sturdy with pretty thick walls. They should be able to take quite some punishment by small arms fire unlike more modern houses. A bit more than is now the case IMHO. Also bunkers in CMBN are pretty vulnerable to small arms fire. I have seen the US army instruction films in which small pillboxes are penetrated by small arms fire. These are the kind of bunkers represented in CMBN I guess. I am making a Omaha beach battle currently and have been doing a lot of playtesting accordingly. I have created a German strongpoint (WN62) with 5 concrete bunkers with HMG42 teams. The Americans start on the beach some 400 metres from the bunkers. I get messages that the bunkers are penetrated very regularly, pinning and eventually panicking the MG crew. I have been to WN62 many times in Normandy (last time 4 weeks ago!) and read many reports (including the book by Hein Severloh). The bunkers at WN62 were not penetrable by small arms fire, these were very strong bunkers indeed. Even tanks only chipped them. Only lucky hits through the firing slit would knock out the crew. These kind of bunkers it seems are currently not available in CMBN.

Messing around myself with editor to create a beach environment. I find that flavor object Pole 2 makes a perfect mined obstacle lookalike. Also if you place farm 3 object in shallow water it resembles a Belgian gate :-) All in all, i find it quite easy to make a believable omaha beach. Shame we don't have Higgins boats. By the way, for a REALLY detailed description including VERY detailed maps, you could try the book Omaha Beach by Geroge Bernage (ISBN: 2-84048-154-5). It is translated out of French and the translation is a bit 'wooden', but the maps and drawings of the beach and each and every bunker is really good. And there there is D-Day by Stephen Ambrose. I love that one.

Wego only. Would not miss the replay action for the world.

Fiddling around with the editor. I purchased some barbed wire and deployed it on the map. But... how do I get the wire to face in the direction I want? Probably a dumb question, but I just can not figure it out. Placing a bunker, you have the Face command. Not so for wire. Enlighten me please :-)

Houses in Normandy are indeed quite sturdy with thick walls. Mostly built out of stone. Small arms fire should not do much damage to such buildings. Perhaps Ma Deuce, but not smaller calibres.

The independent buildings are indeed better than the modular buildings. The detached houses look a bit like houses in Normandy, but the modular buildings do not. More like Northern France, I agree. I don't think they look particularly Dutch though. Dutch houses in 1944 are mostly evenly shaped bricks (reddish/brownish) and red/orange clay tiled roofs. Dutch Churches also look quite differently. It is quite hard to lay out realistic built up areas, it is impossible to recreate the French (and Dutch for that matter) villages and towns in CMBN. Everything is too straight and evenly spaced. Can't be helped I'm afraid, engine limitatations. But what an engine :-)

Yes the shapes are a bit too perfect :-) I don't think much can be done about that though.

Hi all you modders. Anyone working on the buildings yet? I think the buildings look too good. Too pristine and neat. I have been to Normandy many times and it just does not look this way. Houses in Normandy look 'old' and weathered. In the villages you don't see much brickwork, mostly quarried stones (grayish, yellowish) or plastered walls (with cracks in the plaster and such). It gives the villages a uniform look. So buildings could use a more realistic look IMHO. The church building in CMBN is more like the real thing. Only the bell tower looks nothing like the towers I have seen. Towers are usually much higher. I have also not seen anything in CMBN resembling the 'manoirs' (manor houses). Normandy is dotted with them, these grand houses sometimes almost looking like small castles. What are your opinions on these matters? What do you think of the buildings in CMBN?

He he he, we almost simultaneously posted a similar thread about this battle. I destroyed all the shermans in the end, some with the panzerschrecks but most with Barkmanns Panther. Great battle! Most fun I've had since CM:BO eleven years ago. Yeeha!

Played this battle for the first time as the Germans. I had a blast. This game is outstanding. Congratulations BFC! CMBN is top notch. And it is only going to get better. Wow. Simply wow.

I was at Pointe du Hoc a few weeks ago. It looks just like the real thing. Now we just needs some boats :-)

Just fiddled around with the game for a few hours. It's great. Excellent work. Bring on the grassmods

No no no, it was my plan to buy CMSF as an investment in CMBN. Really.

I guess I am a lurker too. Played CMBO in the early days in 1999, but lost my account along the way somewhere. Played CMBB but skipped CMAK. I have CMSF and Marines, but frankly hardly played it. Setting just wasn't my cup of tea. But now with CMBN coming soon... I am going to Normandy on vacation in 3 weeks time. Hopefully BFC will not release during my vacation :-)

WeGo for me dudes!

Pre order placed. Some time ago I vowed never to pre-order again. But I am weak :-) I have confidence in you after the great patching job you guys did on CMSF.

CMSF 1.08 is very good. Give it a shot.

Much to look forward too. Great stuff. You don't talk about the timetable for all this glorious new stuff. I understand you won't go in too much detail, but how about a very rough estimate? Like, will the ww2 game be out this year or next year? I really, really like the prospect of returning to Normandy with the new engine (by the way, I return to Normandy on vacation almost every year on a campsite at Omaha beach). Yes it has been done before, but not with a great engine like this. Sure customer here! Oh, and I will buy the marines module too, just too keep me (and you)happy in the meanwhile

I fully agree with Hauser

Welcome back It took BFC about 6 months, but CMSF now really rocks. I too am looking forward to the next installemnt in this series! I have not played any user made scenarios yet, so can't help you there. Have you played the 'Wilcox' scenario included in the game? I love that one. Play it as Blue first a couple of times, than as Red. I play it WeGo so I can take the time to see what is going on down on level 1 in gorgeous 3D. It's also quite a big scenario, so RT is out of the question IMO. I highly recommend that one.

Well it's quite easy, you use too few corps in your scenario according to the historical figures.. So map is too small to make a coherent frontline work. You should look in my Battle for Russia scenario for a more realistic corps-sized scenario. Not saying it's perfect but it works well with the historical figures of ww2. I think Normal Dude came really close with his Mediterranean experiment a while ago. </font>

Wasn't that actually Luke Skywalkers reply to Darth Vader saying "I am your Father Luke" </font>

* Darth Vader mode on * NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! * Darth Vader mode off * I really, really, really want to see this engine at work in NW Europe 1944. I will gladly pay a princely sum of money for it, so that BFC will live long and prosper. I will even buy the modern modules, if only to ensure the WWII game will see the light of day. * Fanboy mode on * So, quit the bitchin y'all and chip in. Otherwise we will indeed end up playing the Sims . BFC is your friend * Fanboy mode off *