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bodkin

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Posts posted by bodkin

    The argument for time limits in single play

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    No Time Constraints

    What does this mean for the human player who is operating under no time pressure? This means that he is free to waltz around in front of the defender's positions gaining valuable intel on its dispositions without committing his force to the battle. This force can skulk quietly out of sight and in absolute safety from any attacks by the AI until he is ready to commit them at a time of his choosing. Then he can deliver his killer blow and claim victory.

    While the designer has some limited ability to control what the AI will do when its forces sees an enemy unit, a lot of the time, the AI is going to open fire on the most blatently obvious draw. No intelligent opponent would give away his positions as readily as this. The more time you give a player to 'scout' the more he can uncover for free and with little risk to his forces.

    The same goes with the AI use of artillery. It is possible to send out one unit to draw some fire causing the AI to fire off any artillery assets it has on a dummy target. This tactic will work almost 100% of the time.

    PT,

    I don't think anyone is seriously asking for no time constraints, it's just that your CW scenario designs seem to have taken a step towards the other extreme. I've played and enjoyed most of your other campaigns right back to Hasrabit but can't remember them ever been this tight for time, making the clock much more of a gameplay factor.

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    The argument for time limits in single play

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    The Time Limit

    If his plan is a good one, he outnumbers the AI and so he has a real chance to win. If his plan fails, there is not enough time for him to pull back, call in another artillery strike and then approach the position from a different angle.

    I"m not so keen on this design method, it means your doomed to failure if your first plan of attack is ineffective. I prefer to have the flexibility to still be able to get a decent result if you have to change your tactics mid battle.

    On the time issue, as a WEGO player I feel I need more time than a RT player, so these tight timeframes really make it hard to use good tactics. There are plenty of turns where you put a unit into action like the hunt command then find they sit idle for 45 seconds because they see a enemy unit on the other side of the map. I've been caught out a couple of times where a banzai charge is needed to get to the objective before the time ends.

    I don't want to turn this into an RT vs WEGO thread but more time for WEGO players would be nice.

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    The Scottish Corridor Thread

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    This is perhaps the first ever variable-difficulty campaign devised. If you are struggling with the difficulty, you will lose levels and play the GREEN version of each mission. The GREEN versions are usually much easier to play and win for most of us regulars ;) If you are winning each mission, you will stay at that experience level, REGULAR, while if you are winning comfortably, you will eventually face a more challenging opponent, VETERAN. So, if you are patient and skip through the first couple of missions, you'll get to play the GREEN versions of the remaining which are more suited for the player who just wants to relax and enjoy a not-too-challenging evening's play. By having variable difficulty, everyone should be able to play the campaign through to the end at their own level of ability.

    Nice to hear you've taken this into account, it's a great idea.

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    Defending in buildings

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    But it's likely they were cowering on the floor. Time for an inf assault?

    I just laid a medium/medium 81mm mortar mission on a three storey building where a MG team were position in the attic. After the bombardment none of the 5 or so crew had so much as a scratch on them. Have the buildings been toughened up or just the way soldiers use them?

    I remember a bug in CMSF where you couldn't kill troops with artillery through the roofs of buildings.

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    Brit Campaign (possible spoilers)

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    The problem I found is the 2nd mission if you lose the use of the tanks and have beat up inf. I had one Churchill left that had a damaged MG and no HE shells. So was effectively useless. A bit surprised that the game system even gives one a tank like that.

    Even though I won Mission 1, I really don't feel like replaying it just to get an even better result. Life's too short. Hope the German campaign is a bit more fun.

    I had to go back and reload mission 1 as I lost both tanks early and found it was going to be very hard to continue mission 2. I don't like to play like that, I hate having to go back and win a mission with hindsight and prefer to roll with the punches and continue on but my chewed up infantry were not going to get the job done in mission 2.

    I don't understand the tight time limits in this campaign.

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    The Scottish Corridor Thread

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    I'm starting to think scenario designers egos are getting in the way of gaming enjoyment. What happened to this being a fun hobby?

    I just lost the second scenario with a tactical defeat, I was trying to be conservative with my weak force but the defenders held on despite massive mortar strikes. I didn't loose too many troops but couldn't control the objective against the fanatics when the time ran out.

    Think I'll give up and start again.

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    The Scottish Corridor Thread

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    Glad I reloaded and saved one Churchill as it seems the next mission you don't get reinforced and I've still got one to help out, although now it's bogged and imobilised as the road was blocked with obstacles and it tried to go through a field.

    My weakend platoons from the first mission are battling on bravely but I can see another heavy casualty toll coming.

    From what I've seen so far I agree with Blow56 the time limits are unrealistic and irritating.

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    The Scottish Corridor Thread

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    **Obviously Spoilers Ahead**

    First mission, I was suprised by the the lack of armour although plenty of infantry was on hand.

    I had to reload after a few turns as both of my Churchills got nailed by unseen guns when they just creeped up to the first line of hedgerows.

    In the next attempt one of my Churchills still got drilled by an unseen AT gun early while sitting back on the right flank in the wheat field, yet I continued on.

    My approach was very cautious after the early loss so it was a slow process to silence those pillbox MGs and the frontline defenders. The 25pdrs did a good job but I was probably too careful and found I was soon stretched for time to take the objectives.

    I ended up having to rush forward a bit too fast at the end and those SS were fanatical in there resistance, it was really hard to make progress as the SS would fight to death and take alot of Brits with them.

    I was able to take 'Tatties' but not 'Neeps' as there was a FO still there that my boys didn't see. Anyway ended up with a draw.

    Hope things go a bit better next mission.

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    A BLOODY RIDE campaign feedback *SPOILERS*

    in CM Normandy Maps and Mods

    Posted

    Playing the first mission and thought I was doing quite well until the closing stages.

    *Spoilers*

    Those US mortars are killing me, it feels like they have spotters hidden everywhere. My FO is on the wrong side of the map and I can't really afford to wait 8 minutes for arty to be called in by an officer. I'm thinking it might be better to forget about the final objective rather than lose to many men.

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    Sie Kommen Ii Allies Campaign

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Hi

    I really enjoy your campaign. the beachlanding was really fun and i loved the small but intense third mission.

    Now i was playing mission 4 - the airfield mission

    Spoilers_____________________________________________________________________

    my plan was to use the m20 and one platoon of g company to intercept reinforcements coming from the south east as you mentioned in the briefing. i expected them to come over the bridge. so i scouted forward with the m20 and the platoon followed them in jeeps. in front of the small hill with the "dense" forest i stopped and dismounted while my m20 directed artillery fire on the airfield. my infantry advanced into the forest. then the bluebar was really slow and i knew that their reinforcements will arrive. i thought hmm i am too late for an ambush. but when the replay phase started the german reinforcements spawned all over my infantry in the woods and annihilated them. this experience was a bit disappointing and i quitted.

    maybe you should at least seal of the forest by placing some units in there or spawn the troops further south.

    I had the same experience my platoon had a company spawn on top of them.

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    Taking care of wounded - how important

    in Combat Mission Battle for Normandy

    Posted

    Pg66.

    Seriously-wounded(red-base) soldiers who have NOT received buddy aid(i.e. disappeared) by the end of the game have a 25% chance of becoming KIA in the final tally.

    ---

    With our new penchant for 'destroy' points... every man may count for something.

    With the other 'casualties less than X%' system ... the man you don't treat could be the one that gives a wad of points to the enemy, and/or denies points to you.

    ----

    In other words ... you can leave the "brown base" dead soldiers for Graves Registration(if you don't need their weapons) and not incur possible points penalties.

    Red-base wounded should be attended to if at all possible.

    I will keep tweaking destroy points until you folks take care of your men d@mnit. :)

    I'm not sure about the points benefits of saving the WIA casualties from becoming KIA, aren't they just all counted as casualties in the final tally at the end of a scenario? I don't think you get more points for KIA's or do you?

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