A Canadian Cat

It is that third thing that is confusing me. I understand there is a tactical plan as laid out by the scenario designer and the Tac AI that controls each individual unit. A third thing I don't get. And I still don't. @Paper Tiger could you elaborate? Which name are you using for the scenario's AI plan? What is the third thing you are referring to? Does @sburke have the definition correct? Is it about the scenario designer's choice of unit separation between AI groups?

Oh yes. It is not your imagination. I am not sure if it is a side effect of the SOP of the Tac AI that shoots for a while longer at a known enemy location after they loose sight of the enemy or if it is intentionally coded. I remember seeing a British solider with a Sten gun part of a team that finally subdued the last German soldier in a house. He finished emptying his clip into the guy after he went down. Must have just finished off the last 10 rounds before he ran out. It was like running out of amo snapped him out of his daze.

OK, sure. How do you pronounce that?

Can you expand on your use of words here. Specifically what do you mean by "Strategic" and "Operational". I do not use these words in the context of a CM battle because we are really way down at the tactical level when playing CM. That leads me to believe that we are not using those words the same way Sounds excellent. Just what I am struggling with - the AI.

Agreed very nice. I think the comic strip presentation works better than the animated GIFs. Those guys do not play well on any of my computers. Improvement suggestion - <alt>J turns off the bright green objective paint.

Are you saying we resolved the assault without a CM battle?

Super thanks @Kohlenklau.

What I meant to quote: LOL oops not intentional I assure you. Nothing to admire here:D

I wonder if that story was where the American's 3rd constitutional amendment came from? After all if they had not commandeered her house for billets she would not have overheard their plans and I would not know the words to God Save The Queen.

Now that would be good. Rifle men that pick up an LMG keep their rifle. I have not seen them use it after getting the LMG but it is there on their back. Picking up the SMG and swapping to it when they are close to the enemy would be a good thing .

Oh, that could be my mistake. I looked at it at one point but did not actually sign up. I was trying to include alternatives instead of just the one I use. I was sure I saw them mentioned by others on the forum. My bad if they don't actually have CM listed. Anyone who is a member care to chime in?

No beavers involved but I had heard a version of the story that did involve a cow (used as a cover story for being out) but I don't think that was really true.

She was the wife of a Canadian militia officer and later a spy / informant for the British. Her home was in territory occupied by the American forces and soldiers were billeted at her home. Some how she found out about secret plans for surprise attack they were planning and she managed to slip away and walk many miles to warn the British commander who organized a combined British Mohawk defense that decisively defeated the American attack.

But please give the eastern front fans their first game before going to N Africa. That way the *might* stop whining and wingeing

That is excellent news - well done BFC. As a developer by trade I know how challenging it is to manage multiple versions of a product - working on multiple branches and merging changes across them is a major time sink. I usually only have to deal with two at a time. The more you add the more time gets used up just shuttling fixes around. That would be awesome. CMAK is my favorite of the CM1 games I have (no CM overlord for me:-(

Well people sometimes post here asking for a game. I think, however that most people play with a club or a ladder. I am on The Blitz as A Canadian Cat. I chose them because they keep track of the elo score (similar to chess ranking) which helps find an opponent that is a good match to your skill level. There is also We Band of Brothers and The Few Good Men which are popular here as well.

I really hope I have not given that impression - cause I don't want to. I would agree that improving the AI would be a good thing. Right now I very rarely play against the AI and I often give up on games because they just are not as fun as the ones I am playing against other humans. So, improving the AI would be great. Indeed this game is great for that - no more carving out entire days trying to get everyone together in person. Frankly it really never worked when I was younger and now with a family - it is not even worth trying. So this game has defiantly been great. I only wish I knew about its existence 10 years ago I would have been playing this whole time. Yeah ASL was advocating for just what you want. He was the one telling us that we should consider ourselves a failure for not creating a scenario that was playable both H2H and against the AI from both sides. Yes, I am exaggerating - just a little. I was the one that was dismissing that idea - sorry man. I cannot say that it will change what I do in the future. I have one scenario that has been stalled for ages due to challenges programming the AI and for that one the plan all along was for it to be playable only one way against the AI. So, no promises but your post goes remind us all that the majority of players play against the AI exclusively.

Awesome job explaining it. Just one correction. If you want a single platoon you *can* delete the company HQ. Just first delete all the single vehicles in the HQ formation. In this case delete the "1 Heavy Tank" under the "HQ Heavy Tank": for the Company formation. Then you will be able to delete the "HQ Heavy Tank".

Jon, this great stuff. Thank you for doing this. I wonder if you have though about turning your posts into a stand alone PDF document? I am thinking about what George MC has done with his CMSF scenario creation manual http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1194 Your posts edited together would make a very useful stand along document (and could include blank worksheets for example).

Nope it is a desert pastry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeaverTails Note the picture of Obama getting his snack on a recent visit to Ottawa. For me they are linked to skating on the canal because they were one of the first food items you could buy from venders along the skate way and as a kid and then a teenager that is what we did skate and eat beaver tails.

Awesome information. I have only read to the point where you describe the possible outcomes with the two big ticket objectives and already this is great to see. I am already starting to think about objectives differently. I can see parameters being used to control the maximum victory level by managing the % of pool values. Is that a real coffee / bear stain on your work sheet or a clever graphic?

I do not believe that the AI has any specific knowledge about my units' location / condition / intention. I could be wrong but I don't think I am.

In the town the infantry work on flanking the Achilles. Squads will clear the buildings on its flank and a Shrek team will get into position between them. Meanwhile another squad had the job of distracting the TD. Operational Panthers have arrived and will move along the safe side of town. I have to do this because the main road is blocked by a Stug and a Panther. Once they get into position they can start to plan how to best support the infantry. The show down near the farm that started as three Churchill tanks vs. two Stugs is now one on one. It is time to hide in the trees and hope for a better opportunity.

Unfortunately the second Stug is not facing the rear of the third Churchill tank. He has to settle for a solid side hit… Followed by a useless turret hit… Followed by dying to a one shot one kill hit from the opposing Churchill tank. Near the farm a Shrek team gets return fire while they are reloading.

Another mad minute in the town: Unfortunately it is my infantry that come off worse this time. Because of this guy in the middle of the town: And this guy: My infantry managed to get in some licks but basically they were the subject of a lot of MG fire. Over one the town’s right flank a Shrek team scored a direct hit on the apparent Immobilized Churchill. As is par for the course this battle it had no effect. On the other hand my Stug near the farm is now 2 – 0 against the flanking Churchill tanks. They brew up nicely when you get them from behind.