Sgt Schultz

Oh well that's just great. Now I want the Dino D-Day mod. One version of semi-historical is take the TO&E of an actual unit and place it on a well-made map that has little relevance to any place that unit it may have fought in, but "could have" been in their AO. Another is to slightly 'upgrade' the TO&E of an actual battle's particpants to make for more balanced play or prettier explosions.

Ahhh, the days of infantry Flambe' when folks would buy a 'toon or two of flame tanks for a QB. Good times indeed. If you want to make scenarios... you more or less have to WANT to make them. The new engine is a tad more complex than CM1 it seems. The map is as important as the units and plan, so you may want to learn how to make those first. Like they state above, you will get out what you put into it more or less. If you really like what you are doing and spend the time and effort, then even if you have a small audience; they will still be happy. test, test, test.

I must be this Colonel's spirit-brother. That was me in CM1. Pin 'em down with 81s and then swamp 'em with too many teams to counter, while the LMGs/HMGs pop anyone who sticks his nose up. Teams may be fragile, but they do have advantages. Hope it works in CM2. If you can make this work I will be in those hedgerows for months.

It looked to me that all vehicles involved chose the "best/fastest" route... which was the road. In CM1 your units would attempt to obey exact move orders, allowing what Tyr was attempting. But, it looks like the new TacAI is more aggresive in carrying out orders in a timely manner. Hence the case of "after you, no after you" we saw was an unintended consequence of the AI trying to help. Just because they 'could' drive off-road, as long as the road was right there, they chose it. The solution is hopefully we get pause orders to add that 5 seconds and stagger the baby elephant walk. EDIT - I bet it is a function of the FAST command. If it was Hunt or Move they probably would have stayed off-road and on the commanded tracks. FAST means just that ... get your butts there pronto. The road is faster than the side of the road, but the units nearby do not take precedence over the FAST command until they are too close. -

It looks like it will come down to a compromise between number of flavor objects and such vs map size and complexity for GPU usage metrics. Btn vs Btn Meeting Engagement WEGO with minimal/average arty support should hopefully be do-able in CPU land. My timeline of moving beyond maps into scenarios(much less campaigns) moves backward the more I read about the CM2 editor It will be a fun and challenging journey though.

I have been reading as much as possible on the CM2 editor, and it looks like you have your work cut out for you sir. Looking forward to playing it. Orders and zones and groups... oh my! You have experience in the CM2 editor already though, where a lot of us will have to grind on through the learning curve with our single platoon battles. Edit - Make sure you equip the Amis with extra underwear loadout for when they come up on those lines.

Once game is released, I may suffer a 'work-related injury' so that I may worship at Our Lady of the Blessed Compensation, which would coincidentally give me more time to play. *

As long as someone makes a "Hello Kitty" turret decal mod for all armor, I will be fine, http://www.hellokittyzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/hello-kitty-pirate-tattoo.jpg *

I was able to simulate para drops in CMBB by making them constant reinforcements in depleted squads, 'toons and scattered support weapons. They appear all over the map for first half of battle. Yes, even in plain sight of enemy units ... just like it happened. No single group larger than a platoon, minimum of 200 meters distance from a friendly, and almost all were degraded in some way(ammo, fitness,etc). Some get vaporized almost instantly, others run for cover and collect their thoughts and buddies. Dawn, with Fog makes it reasonably survivable for the poor guys singing "Blood on the Risers". *

One I found while rummaging for my CMBB discs... The Panzers and The Battle of Normandy - ISBN 2 84048 135 9 http://www.amazon.com/Panzers-Battle-Normandy-June-July/dp/2840481359/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303604532&sr=1-1 (edit ... found it for sale even) TO&E of every Panzer Dv in the area and detailed accounts of their efforts to get to the battles. Lots of pics, a few good maps, all insignia for every panzer unit and other neat things crammed into a glossy coffee-table sized book.

I promise not to sue if changes occur by release date. Think of all the pre-orders as volunteer grammar and spelling proofreaders. *

That would tide us over until game release. Let all pre-orders download the manual. BF would get more pre-orders. We would get something to do. *

I like the 'bot' edge defenders idea. Probably won't see it for a while, but it does seem to be a more realistic way to abstract the battle boundaries. Random 'bot' off-map mortars land on units too close to edge, HMG fire comes in from off-edge or something. I already have fixes in my designs to stop edging. The "force field" of mines has been done, and yes, gamey to the max. My preference for larger maps in smaller battles is based on the graphic immersion factor more than anti-edging or historical realism. Two short Companies meet at a crossroads, with the roads and terrain stretching out for kilometers... but the objective and the enemy is right there near the center. It's prettier than the postage stamp in the field of green, even if it takes longer to make. Plus, if your artillery is way off you still get to see where it lands. *

Still have all the Advanced Squad Leader map boards and battle sets. Analog gaming at its finest.. when a cat walking across a table could change the course of a war. I have the books and reference materiels in boxes somewhere to make historical scenarios, but there are folks out there that would blow me away at design and implementation. I will let them at it and enjoy the fruits of their labors of love. Maps, maps and more maps for me for now. Already working on sketches and trying to find my CMBB disc so I can look at my old maps. I prefer making larger maps that can then be chopped as needed by the consumer. Once the tools are fully understood I will probably make a full-monty max-size map with various terrains and possible objectives just for fun. Small unit numbers on large maps is nice if the set up zones and objectives are placed intelligently. 4km x 4km map with objectives in the center and the set up zones are 2km+ in from the edges in small boxes at 45 degrees may be fun. Keep the timer short, forces small, and objectives clear. No one will wander off for a "flanking attack". Doing this all but eliminates any calls of gamey bastageness, as the edges are too far away from either setups or objectives to be meaningful. It also helps with the small map visual disadvantage, where everything gets plain and green so close to anywhere that immersion is lost. larger maps just look nicer for the people in the fight. Knowing.. just like a RL commander... that you "could" go off in any direction is not the same as being able to do it with the forces and mission at hand. *

There will most likely be an increase in downloads from the scenario depot and the proving grounds for old maps and scenarios/ops from CM1. There are some classics that may translate well with minor adjustments. Who wants to turn the original in-the-box scenarios from CMBO into CMBN? *

I cannot wait for the "Hello Kitty" mods for all German armor. Right on the front glacis. *

To make a 45 degree map, you still make it in the regular way. Then the objectives and roads/etc are situated to drive all conflict to the center from opposite corners of the map. It is great anti-gamey tactic for map making. My preferred anti-edger method involved placing impassable terrain poking in from the edges. Ponds, rocky ridges, open ground in LOS to the enemy's side, or steep gullies. If the map edge is made too difficult to traverse, then the player will not use it. *

Aye Mikey. Maps first. Then a couple platoons in a smaller map. Then a company. Small scenarios get quick responses. You learn what works and what doesn't and what folks like and what they don't. They don't take as long to find out your doing it wrong. One may also wish to 'reverse-engineer' other scenarios that are similar in concept or execution to what you may want. I am hoping for testers to keep us supplied with new maps and scenarios until we poor unwashed peasants can get up to speed. First order of business is to convert a few of my CMBB maps to CMBN. It will be good practice on the editor and may even result in playable maps. *

I like playing a well-researched and designed historical battle, as long as it is picked with an eye toward CM playability as well as the immersion of 'being there'. Just because I respect the significance of the Alamo doesn't mean I want to play Davy Crockett in a sim. The no-holds-barred uber toy battles are not my cup of tea. The only exception for that would be in a tourney situation like Clash of the Titans. The Sturmmie(buy CMBB) F T W. Personally, my favorite battle type to make and play is semi-historical with what may be called a "Beer & Pretzels" flavor. The what-if, could've-happened types of battles over contrived terrain that may bear little resemblence to a historical place, but have fairly accurate unit types and balance of forces. I like 'em big. This used to mean mostly QBs, since most scenarios were a tad smaller than I liked. In BO/BB/AK PBEM QB( m o u s e ) my fave was defending as Germans in a 3,000(or even 5,000) point Attack/Assault. Epic maps and combined-arms battles with reserves for both sides to keep it going to the end. While I would love to play RT... it came about 10 years too late for my old mouse finger and reduced situational awareness. At 39 I would still be able to think on the fly fast enough to give an opponent a run... now .. not so much. You 20/30-somethings would roll me up like a cheap rug while I was ooohing and aahhing over some neat graphics and looking for the rewind button(and reaching for the wine glass). I may take a stab at some small RT battles once I get the GUI down just to say I did it though. Bring your l33t skillz in RT/CMSF to my house over in PBEM-land though, and we will see. Age and treachery may just overcome youth and skill. While pre-made maps were preferred over randoms, the jury is still obviously out on whether or not the generator will consistantly spit out nice maps for QBs. --- RedvRed and BluevBlue To quote the great Foghorn Leghorn... YEE... I SAY YEE HAW! 'German Army trying to remove "The Leader" while the loyalists(not allowed to call 'em the letter next to A twice) defend his Bunker' scenario. How many of those will pop up? It will be like rain in spring. There will be mutiny, treason and treachery galore in the ranks of the Wehrmacht... and we get to profit from it. Heck, I am going to make a few myself I am sure. I need a few weeks to learn the new engine before attempting serious maps and scenarios, but it looks to be a fun time all the way around. *

No subforum... no release... we got the time. What kind of battles do you plan on making/playing and why? Are you a grog ready to enjoy and critique the exact elevation, structure and force choices for historically accurate battles? Do you want the coolest toys and a map that let's you blow the livin' cr@p out of stuff/people with rarity off and lots 0f points? Maybe somewhere in between? Semi-historical what-if battles maybe? Where is your RT/WEGO line? How big is too big to handle on the fly? I plan on diving into the editor in a big way. It may be nice to make things folks will actually play. Plus it is a fun topic to discuss to see how we all play. I'll chime in on another post to keep the lead-in cleaner.

ARG! Aye it was tripod. LOL Senior moment.

No Assault Boats? One more gamey weapon taken from the arsenal I suppose. -

IIRC there used to a be a red line that appeared if a move order took a unit through unpassable terrain for that unit. What it looks like now is to accomodate the RT aspect of the game, the Tac AI just accepts any movement order and does its best. As stated above, small orders that only take up the next minute's worth of time may tend to work better. Make sure that you learn which terrain is passable by which unit type to keep the "wanderlust" from setting in. --------------------- I would like to be able to switch from PBEM WEGO to live WEGO during a battle myself. Send turns all week, then get together online with your opponent on Friday or Saturday night for a few turns of blitzing WEGO action.

I need only one word to set the old timers off .... BIPOD? ---- necro is so much fun

Excellent footage sir! Thank you. I liked hearing you warm up to WEGO as the battle progressed, even as you contrasted the two game types. I am forced to accuse the crew of the right flank Panther of War Crimes for firing on surrendered prisoners there at the end. Is it possible to order a breach and then send a more expendable unit than the Pioneers through the breach first, or is that a function of the command? That was a valuable asset that got mowed down at the hole. I really liked the way the Germans squeaked past that barrage at the fence. The guy that ate the friendly fire round just before he entered the last building had me rolling. It stood him up and laid him right out. Friendly fire ... isn't. ---