Fizou

Part 2: Combat
For simplicity sake, I'm going to use the scenario I made and showed above to illustrate how combat works across Tiller and CM.
Company A/1/115th Inf Rgt moves down the road until it bumps into an Osttruppen unit (1/Ost.439) however the company no longer has enough movement points to assault.

I end the US turn, and for simplicity sake during the German turn, they decide no one is moving or firing at anything. So the beginning of turn 2 looks like this:

You'll notice that company A now has all of its movement points back and is ready to assault. Company A assaults the Osttruppen, and the battle begins. Before we can dive into the CM side of this, we need to take down some important details. The hex coordinates of the hex being assaulted (shown in the bottom right) the type of terrain (shown in the upper left when the hex is selected, under the unit portrait) the units involved and their status (who they are, how many men do they have, their quality/current state of morale/fatigue) including any fire support that is in range and you decide to commit to this battle. The final bits of info are the time and date (shown in the lower right hand corner) and the weather conditions, which is shown by clicking 'Info' at the top and then 'weather.' Once this information is collected, you can jump into CM. 
In CM the hardest part of this process is finding/creating a map that will work for the battle. If you want you can make the map yourself in the editor, or you can find a QB map that is a close approximation. The latter is the method I would recommend for now. For this battle I chose the QB map called Attk Large Open QB-015. Once you know the map you simply orient it correctly (US attacking from West to East) create the set up zones and place both sides down on the map. For this battle its relatively simple, just a rifle company per side. Remember that Osttruppen were of very poor quality. I set their morale to low and their experience to conscript. Remember, this scenario is not meant to be challenging, its supposed to teach you the ropes. (Note: For Osttruppen I like to use the Grenadier Ersatz, but you need the Market Garden module for these units) One last point, if you decide to commit your howitzer battery to this fight, then go ahead and add 12 105mm howitzers to the US side as well. If you use them in the battle, then they will not be able to be used in another battle this turn. 
Now that you have the battle set up, you finally get to the good part and get to play it out! (Note: I find that its easier to just play the battle in Hotseat against yourself than it is to bother with creating AI plans)
I don't recall the exact numbers off the top of my head, so I'll make up some battle results here: US suffered 8 KIA and 14 WIA - Ost suffered 27 KIA 38 WIA 8 MIA. Again, for simplicity sake we are going to just add up the casualties for each side so we have a simple total to deal with. So company A suffered 22 casualties total and the Osttruppen suffered 73 casualties. 
Note: I would highly recommend using this battlefield career recorder to track casualties for a scenario you play out: http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=2990 Its really cool seeing the data as the scenario plays out. There are other recorder programs you can use but they're more technical. This one is more than adequate. Thanks @Ithikial_AU !
Translating casualties from CM to PzC is a bit technical, but is easy to get the hang of. The first thing you want to do (and should have already been prompted to do) is save the PzC battle. Call it something like "My CMPzC Test Battle" or something else that you will be able to instantly identify. You should now have a save file in your PzC folder called My CMPzC Test Battle.btl. You now need to convert the .btl file to a .scn file. The good news is all you need is Notepad ++ (free for download if you don't have it already) Open the .btl save file with notepad ++ and simply Save As "My CMPzC Battle Test.scn" and you're all set. Now, open up pcedit.exe (the Tiller editor located in the main folder) and scroll all the way to the bottom of the scenario list to find your save file. Open it, and use the editor to subtract casualties from both units involved in the battle, as well as to move the Osttruppen out of the assaulted hex and move the US into the hex. Simply save the file and close the editor, then head back into PzC Normandy and open the battle back up (via the scenario selection menu) and you'll see all of your edits have taken effect and you can continue playing!

 
Hopefully this quick and dirty run-through is enough to get you and others interested acclimated with the basics of the system. Once you get the hang of it it is loads of fun, and you can start making your own house rules to fit your style of play. If you have any questions please feel free to ask! Also just want to give a bit shout-out to Phil (Kohlenklau) for getting me started, and the other forum goers who helped pioneer the system!

It'll be interesting to see how successful this is. Sacrificing CMSF2 to the gaping maw of Moloch might be worth it in increased brand awareness alone.
I can't tell you how many times I've had this conversation:
'What to you do?'
'I work for a game company.'
'That's interesting. What's its name?'
'Battefront.com'
'Oh, I know that game! Star Wars, right?'
'Sigh. No, it isn't Star Wars'.

Will the title have Steam's "Workshop" support, like for mods etc?

Slitherine/Matrix usually provide Steam keys for previous purchases when launched on that platform. So I hope this is not an exception.

Any way to use existing keys to migrate games over to steam? (Once they are there)

Hmm... sounds interesting..
 
What the... ! Checks calendar.. nope, not April 1st...
 
🤯

Oookay. I almost fell off the couch when I read about this on The Wargamer and had to check out the Steam page to see it wasn't an elaborate prank.
 
Will you guys be giving Steam keys to those who already have the games?
 
And excited to hear about this, I am positive it will be good for your business!

Congratulations on the deal. Can only mean good things for BFC and the community as a whole. A lot more people will get hooked 👏

This is not correct.
Orders here: http://www.tankarchives.ca/2015/12/aa-mg.html
Example from 62nd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment in Danzig, 1945:

Sorry about that link @BletchleyGeek, I didn't see that shipping was restricted to Sweden from that page.
I'd really recommend you send him an email as per the description below and I'm sure he'll get back to you in a couple of days and explain how international orders are handled.      
"Please ask anyone interested in the Black Cross/Red Star series to just send me a short e-mail with the header ”Want info on Black Cross/Red Star”. The e-mail should be sent to me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com"

Boy oh boy...  That's bad...
...Actually, many have been asking for the recrew ability.  So maybe enjoy playing with the new feature b4 it gets removed...  

New mod uploaded to the Mod Warehouse.
This mod is an addon to the existing JuJu TweakedUI Mod for CMFI and CMBN. It contains all files to update the existing mod content introduced in CM:FI Rome to Victory module – including optional extras.
@Ithikial_AU @Juju

https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/cm-mod-warehouse/combat-mission-fortress-italy/cmfi-other/juju-tweaked-ui-cmfi-vs-r2v-addon/

I'm currently using em in a scenario but struggling to get em to do their flaming job without becoming flaming wrecks. Need to revisit my tactics...

I do like that late war coloring of red primer oversprayed with green, with a little of the old yellow color added on top.

Well, I thought this documents will motivate BF to add some new features in the new module or separate pack and can be useful for players, but looks like this is now have a sense just for historical knowledge, if you want to continue...
So, last time I finished in the place, when a tank was hit with faust. I am skipping translation about half of the page, just retelling that author describes further how 152 mm SP-gun moved to this building on 50 m, but after several shots also was hit with faust, the crew abandoned vehicle [look at this again, 152 mm several times hit the building, but even after this, walls didn't collapse and enemy troopers kept capability to fight]. The author complains that assault group commander  didn't give even though 3-4 SMG-gunners for covering of vehicles. Because of this, that building was assaulted whole day instead to do it faster. 
And now I'm continuing translation:
The guns of 11th and 9th of our brigade were deployed on the open fire position on Zeidelstrasse street. The task to our battalion put the artillety commander of 295th rifle division. He pointed just about the place for gun deployment and the target also just about. It was necessary to communicate with commaners of battaliones and companies of 48th and 38th rifle regiments of 295th rifle division for [correct] target receiving. When the target was received, our guns, of course, without any covering from our infantry side, were set up in firing positions and opened fire. The effect of fire was exclusively large, but the infantry didn't take advantage on this. Jr.lt Malakhov, command platoon leader of 11th battery [spotters is usually appointing from this unit] was sent to the infatry to notice that we will fire at such-and-such target, be ready to attack, but give a sign, when we must to cease fire. But jr.lt was met rudely, nobody was preparing for an attack. The building was ruined, but didn't seiz, because in rubles enemy soldiers settled again. 
With darkness falling, the artillery commander of 295th rifle division col. Zhokhin ordered our 11th battery to change firing position. For escorting he sent a major, who completely unawaring what's going on ahead, ordered to drag the gun. He was warned that there impossible to pass - the tanks interfered - they agglomerated ahead and couldn't drive further because of the faust-shooters influence on them. Thus, the gun standed amid the tanks whole night and up to 12-00 of the next day. Near the tanks, lt Kirichenko had saw the commander of 416th Guard rifle division and ask to give opportunity to move forward. Mayor-general answered: "There is no special need on your gun, so let it stand". Then, lt.Kirichenko appeal to the colonel Zhokhin with similar question and he answered: "For now let the gun stand, if necessary, open fire from where it stands". Subsequently, we was forced to maintain firing position on this place. At the moment, when the gun was prepared to combat, the representative of Zhokhin arrived with demanding to change firing position in the area, where again it was impossible to drive.  The question had to be settled with col.Zhokhin. Thus, we opened fire at 19-30 instead 2-00. 
From the foregoing in must be concluded that for the leadership over direct fire [high-power] guns it is necessary to appoint not the [infantry] battalion commander, which somtimes doesn't imagine what is that 203 mm howitzer and thinks it can be rolled out manually whereever as him see fit, but appoint the artilleryman, who has complete not only grasping, but also and knowledges of how to use one or another system.
To be continued...   

I agree too - this sort of fascinating miscellany is what keeps me coming back to this forum.
(Well, that and @Bud Backer's comics...)

Haiduk I find these translations of the documents extremely interesting. Whether or not BF decides to include the big guns or not. shouldn't stop you from posting in this thread. This is great stuff man please continue!

I know about 203 mm and higher сalibers as off-map, but this is not the same that you have a gun on the street. Also, as you read above, indirect fire suport in conditions of urban combat was very difficult or even impossible  and caused severe friendly fire effect.  
How it is possible to make the module about Visla-Oder and Berlin operations without "siege warfare"? This was major component and culmination of these operations! Red Army, moving to Berlin, was forced to nibble heavy Germans defense. 60 km of distance between Oder river and Berlin Soviet troops was overcoming about three months! I always respected BF for attention to historical details, but in this case, making the module about this period of war the same like previous periodes, where warfare conducted mostly on wide open terrains and resistance of the enemy in the cities (except some cases) was not so rugged, you are making big mistake. Special assault units and equipment vs. new heavy fortifications could be new interest feature of the new module and reflect historical reality. Instead you will issue next usual "tankfight" sandbox Germans vs. USSR ver.1945 with some other toys, but in this time almost devoid of the sense.  But if your conception of the game is just "meeting engagement", well I'm finishing to post next translated episodes about heavy guns and assault groups usage, this is havn't any sense and just wasting my time... 
 

The fragment of book "Artillery in Great Patriotic War". Chapter 14. The last assault
So, on one of the streets of Berlin, the enemy fortified himself in the round form building with the walls up to 1,5 m thick. During a long time 152 mm guns fired at this building, but couldn't destroy it. But this building it was necessary to destroy as quick as possible, because MG- and SMG-shooters of the enemy, who were settled in it, delayed the advance of the whole battalion with their fire. For the destruction of this building, turned by the enemy in strong point, it was decided to attract a battery of 203 mm guns. With ten shots of 203 mm howitzers, brought to the target at a distance 250 m, the building was partially ruined and set on fire. The assault group burst into the burning building and completely destroyed the enemy that strenghtened in it.     
This module, which reflects last stage of the war, where huge amount of assaults of heavy fortified positions took place, needs new heavy fortified buildings, much more stronger than this "new large independent factory building". Else very important layer of developments and warfare will be thrown out. 

Here is report of 120th high-power artillery brigade commander about actions of brigade's batteries during 29-30th April during Berlin assault. Short translation:
29th April.
Our units came to the line of Potsdam railroad station.
The brigade was condicting fire for elimination of the enemy weapon emplacemants (WE) in Tiergarten and Reichstag areas.
Commander of 5th battery sen.lt. Pavlovskyi fired directly for elimination of enemy WE in stone buildings. 39 shells have wasted, 30 direct hits fixed. 5 WE destroyed.
Commander of 6th battery cpt. Marchenko fired for elimination of enemy WE in stone buildings. The fire has conducted by spotting of explosions. Two stone buildings destroyed, under ruines about 20 enemy soldiers burried.  
Total destroyed by brigade: 11 WE, 17 buildings with WE, eliminated 70 soldiers and officers of the enemy.
According to the order of the commander of 18th artillery breakthrough division, two batteries of the brigade were deployed for direct fire.
Losses: heavy wounded and moved to medical sanitary battlion - 1 sergeant, 5 privates. Light wounded and stayed in service: 2 sergeants, 5 privates. Losses in technic: no.
 
30th April
Our units seized Reichstag. The brigade conducted fire for elimination of the enemy WE in the area of Potsdam railroad station
Commander of 5th battery sen.lt. Pavlovskyi fired directly for elimination of enemy WE in stone buildings. 60 shells have wasted. 9 WE destroyed.
Commander of 9th battery lt. Morgunov fired for elimination of enemy WE in stone buildings. The fire has conducted by spotting of explosions. 10 shells wasted, 4 direct hits fixed.
Total destroyed by brigade: 20 WE (among them 13 with direct fire), 3 trucks, 23 buildings with WE, eliminated 40 soldiers and officers of the enemy.
Losses: after artillery shelling of firing positions of the guns, deployed for direct fire 1 private KIA, 1 sergeant and 3 privates WIA, 3 guns taken out of service 
 

I would absolutely support @Haiduk's call for these weapons to be included in the module.

I imagine they will. It's basically a tradition at this point and a good way to drum up hype pending release.
 
Mord.

Will there be a Beta DAR for the next CMRT module to celebrate with joyful anticipation the next coming release?
I have read the Beta DAR's with greatest pleasure and also I experienced while reading great education about Combat Mission and WW2 tactics.
Cheers!
 

Lets hope so

I miss tankriders for BN and FI too. I hope this will be added at a later stage. I'll pay for it.