BletchleyGeek

If he does try to do so a la Grabner, we're in for some nice fireworks :cool:

And anyone looking close enough on the screenshot will easily appreciate that the tanks are all buttoned, and engaged to their front. @OP: I'd please urge you to open up a ticket under the General Support category here http://www.battlefront.com/helpdesk/index.php providing a more circumspect explanation with links to the images and the movie replay, indicating the timing of the event. I think that's SO much more effective than bringing these issues to the forums. Really.

Very nice indeed. Have you tried to ask BFC to give you HTML posting permissions - I see that this is disabled by default on my forum account. If that's possible you should be able to use the HTML 5.0 embed code provided by youtube <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/J5Rw9ltU8kk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> [/HTML]

Nice to see that the British Cavalry sticks to their traditions, this guy would be proud Very good read, Ken. You really need to turn the battle into a knifefight - and seems to me that you're on closing the engagement range with Bil's fancy pants panzerthings. A different thing is whether Bil will or not allow you to set terms. Good luck!

Amazing job with the AAR, Bil. Nothing like a video to appreciate the details.

Very nice find Jon. It might be nice to link these in the Wikipedia article of Market Garden, in this particular paragraph: (I corrected a typo regarding the date of the ULTRA decrypt). This strikes me as a possible and quite logical chain of events 1) Monty gets the ULTRA report on the 6th, gets concerned 2) Monty checks with Browning, Horrocks and the rest of the crew 3) Browning, Horrocks or both assure Monty that a) the Paras can totally handle two SS Panzer divisions in badly need of refit, 82nd and 101st Airborne won't have a problem keeping the roads open and securing Son and Nijmegen bridges within 24 hours of the drop, and c) the XXX Corps can totally race all the way from Neerpelt to Arnhem in less than two days 4) Monty, the optimist, says 'allright, nothing to worry about' 5) Eisenhower wonders about Monty's lack of reaction and sends Bedell-Smith to check with Monty on the 10th

Yes, the sequence is: 1) Declare the CM combat. 2) "Resolve" the CM combat, determining losses for participating units and retreats/advances. 3) Modify the attributes of the attacking and defending units according to 2) 4) Save the resulting situation into a btl file, so operational play for the phasing player can continue from within PzC. Right now I'm working on a simplistic graphical user interface so one can select units, and apply combat results without having to meddle with the command line. And also, of course, to enforce Stacking and flip Victory locations ownership. Some observations & questions regarding the system: 1) In order to count losses, I think that setting up 'Destroy Unit' objectives for each PzC on-map formation with a value of 100 works quite well, and makes losses assessment painless. The problem comes with Exit Zones. That changes the meaning of the 'Destroy Unit' objectives, making them useless for counting casualties (since if the whole of a force doesn't exit the map, what you get is a 0 or 100 score). In my playtesting with FO, we're using Cease Fire and Surrender to do away with withdrawals through Exit Zones. Cease Fire is for the attacker, and it's overtly declared. The defender has to accept the Cease Fire within 10 minutes. Surrender is for the defender and is unconditional, of course. 2) I see a problem with the way PzC unit attributes are translated into CM attributes. Fatigue level modifies the Quality (displayed as Morale by PzC) rating of units, which is a static value and prescribed by the OOB. Disrupted, Broken, Low Ammo and Low Fuel effects, also affect the displayed morale value. So I find that the current mapping into CM soft levels can be refined, as I find them not to be faithful to the operational PzC model. This would make it more complicated to arrange forces by hand, but it would be quite easy to automate. I don't have an actual proposal yet, but the basic idea would be to map the OOB Morale levels into Experience and 'Maximum' Motivation levels. Fatigue would then erode the 'Maximum' motivation level as well as the typical Fitness and Leadership levels. I'd leave Disrupted and Broken flags out of this, and use them just at the operational level (the penalties conveyed by Disrupted are quite apparent, as they reduce the available MP's and the ability to take part in assaults, and Broken units do not have a ZOC, and are, for all intentions and purposes a mob of fleeing men with no military value). For instance, an US Para Coy is rated in PzC as having Morale B. I'd say that a reasonable mapping would be to consider those forces as Veteran, with High Motivation as their Maximum Motivation level and a Leadership level of +1. A US Para Coy with a Fatigue level of 200 (i.e. two thirds of the Maximum fatigue of 299), would be rated as having Low Motivation, Leadership -1 and Low fitness. Of course, worse units (say, the German Ost Companies, with Morale rating of F, would start with much less brilliant stats). The idea is that units generally start at high levels of readiness and cohesion, but when they go down, they all hit the same bottom (Experience being the exception, as it is an static attribute in this system). 3) The Low Ammo effect is quite important for the operational layer. I'm currently tinkering with a rule that states that if the attacking force spends more than 50% of their ammo, they get flagged as "Low Ammo". This can be easily assessed by having a Friendly Ammo Level objective set to 50%.

Guys, I've been looking at this for a while I think I can contribute something valuable. noob's system is indeed the most comprenhensive attempt at integrating CM with an existing operational level wargame with an appropiate scale and granularity in its models. Nonetheless, I saw two big problems in it, that noob had to work around: 1) The effects of CM combats need to be recorded as modifications on the master OOB database. This is a bit unwieldly, since it means that one needs to keep several folders, with the game engine, art assets, for each on-going game, or alternatively, copying back and forth the versions of the OOB master database as they branch. 2) Retreats are very awkward to manage, as they require the opponent to execute retreats and advances get delayed by one turn. This causes diverse kinds of "spacetime anomalies" that require counterintuitive rules such as "Virtual ZOCs" etc. The only way to solve these two problems - and potentially other limitations - was to look more carefully at PzC data model. Specifically, the relationships between OOB databases, scenario files and non-encrypted saved games (.btl files). After looking into that for a while, the solution was quite obvious: write software that is able to "talk" with the PzC engine by modifying saved games files. And hence this very preliminary version of what I hope can be a more comprenhensive effort at interfacing CMx2 (and why not, other tactical games such as Squad Battles, Panzer Command Ostfront or Graviteam Tactics) with PzC https://github.com/miquelramirez/CMPzC So far, what I have managed to accomplish is the following: 1) From a saved game, extract relevant data for noob's CMPzC system and generate a comma-separated value file (CSV) that can be loaded with any spreadsheet application. 2) From a given saved game, and an spreadsheet generated with 1), suitably modifying unit attributes, apply the changes into the original saved game and save the modified saved game in a different file. In this link https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B60Fz61zV5lgcWdyRHlTVHRCM1E&usp=sharing you can find: n44-test.btl - a saved game of the Normandy'44 Intro scenario n44-test.csv - a CSV spreadsheet with the relevant data from the saved game above n44-test-mod.csv - a CSV spreadsheet with the stats and location of one unit changed n44-test-mod.btl - the saved game, modified to reflect the changes in the spreadsheet above In order to use this yourselves you'll need: Python 2.7.5 installed in your system Place the OOB files on the data/Normandy-44 folder To be able to use the Windows command line interface to invoke the programs :-) Usage notes on the programs: extract-to-csv.py This program takes two parameters, the path to the saved game we want to get the data from and the filename of the spreadsheet we want the data to be saved to. For instance: python extract-to-csv.py n44-test.btl n44-test.csv goes through the saved game and creates a spreadsheet called n44-test.csv in the same folder the command was issued. update-battle-from-csv.py This program takes three parameters: the path to the csv spreadsheet where we have the modifications, the path to the original saved game and the path to a new saved game file reflecting the modifications. Disclaimer This is very kludgy, and yes, I do know it'll need some user interface. I'm releasing this into the wilds because, even in this crude state, it's providing a minimal set of features which I think people trying to use noob's system (or a "fork" of noob's system) will find quite useful. What's next? I'm indeed interested in devoting more time to it, and further expand it to accomodate further iterations of noob system. If anybody wants to collaborate with the programming, just drop me a PM and we talk. Obviously, since it's public, anybody can fork it to their hearts' content Why are you doing this? Because I love Combat Mission and this can provide endless joy to fellow enthusiasts of wargaming at the tactical and operational level. I honestly expect that this gesture - and future efforts - will persuade BFC to include two, very minimalistic, features. One, to provide with a detailed casualty summary, not only for the "cool factor", but also that can be easily exported into a text file. Two, and bigger, to be able to import an oob into an scenario from a file (choosing the oob file through a file dialog, please ). This oob format can be as simple as structured plain text, making references to CMx2 formations, and specifying settings such as quality of equipment, fitness, leadership, etc. And of course, I'm more than willing to write myself a self-contained parser in portable (so it compiles with both VC and Apple's fork of GNU g++) C++ code, using as the backend (which would be CMx2 engine) a simple mockup so BFC can hook up their code into it as they see fit and take it off the shelf. The code would be in the public domain, so it wouldn't have any strings attached.

I would recommend picking up CMBN with the 2.0 upgrade. Regarding bocage: I would say some of the posters here are overplaying the importance of bocage in order to enjoy CMBN. Indeed, most of the battles and campaigns feature it extensively. It's a Normandy game. Yet there's also plenty of scenarios in the repository - and some scenarios included - which feature much more open terrain. And they're also quite enjoyable

Great to hear that, Steve. I'm really looking forward to Bagration and Arnhem. Just one suggestion, which I'm sure it has been made before but I think it doesn't hurt reinforcing the point I think that keeping some sort of minimalistic dev diary would be very welcome by the community here. It doesn't need to have the "production values" one sees on, say, Paradox video blogs. I'd say that entries shouldn't take more than hour (or less) to compose. Just letting peeps know about new features or how the modeling of units and equipment goes, would help a lot to keep the buzz on your gig, get early feedback and give people things to talk about, in these forums and elsewhere. The signal-to-noise ratio may be high, it always is, but you know, I think there are quite a few very knowledgeable individuals around (I don't include myself to be part of that group, mind you)

More like 33 year old eyes :-) Are the screenshots too dark for you, Erwin?

A quite intense firefight develops here, and I lose the guy covering the house near the bottom of the picture as one of my Greyhounds closes in. Here's the plan for the center I'm moving forward with two squads supported by half of my vehicles... this should impress Fred's troops. If he gets into the buildings he won't be able to use his PanzerFausts, and with the firepower I'm bringing forward I might well be able to fight back his probe. On other news, I just checked and Lt. Schacheri became KIA while defending his position.

27:00 to 26:00 I'm wondering how Fred has been able to spot for those barrages that ravaged my right flank. A TRP perhaps? I'm now realizing that I can't really spot much at all: I have two 81mm batteries on standby, but without a clear idea of Fred's axes of advance and so little visibility, I haven't been able to decide where to use them. Without suffering much more – a couple more casualties from Fred's mortar barrage – a perimeter is being established on the right flank a very thin Army Green line, this one. I don't think I'll be able to do much here other than delay Fred if he comes this way with some strength. Meanwhile, on the left flank, the MG team I had made to advance, stumbles on yet another German Tank Hunter team for now they seem to have the upper hand in this, one of the Germans is down. But the tables are turned on me by a well-placed grenade, that takes out one of the MG crew and a Kompanie HQ team which engages the Ammo Bearers to the left As the replay ends, we end up tied to 3 casualties here I think I should have kept the Greyhound with these guys, rather than pulling it back to the rear... Fred's sending a platoon right towards the northern edge of Lumbres I say a Platoon, because if you see two squads, the third one is probably not far away in reserve. The plan is to try to hold him here as long as possible, while I develop a counterattack on Fred's right flank and I reinforce.

28:00 to 27:00 Fred's stonks – again – my left flank, catching my troops while they were advancing that forward observer team in the inn has become a royal pain in the ass, before being wiped out... not before wiping out a couple of the guys of the rifle team I had sent to do so. The whole business in the left flank is becoming quickly a complete disaster. He seems to be not coming along the flanks, but rather, up front a German Scout team has been exchanging fire with the troops I have on the north edge of the town, and quite a few unknown contacts are creeping forward. This might well be it. So it's time to get the troops I had as a reserve waiting on the south edge of the town to meet Fred's advancing forces.

29:00 to 28:00 The ammo bearers I had sent to flank the PzSchreck team on the field on my left flank get to their position, only to see that lonely German back but he can't ran faster than bullets good shot, guys. Near the inn something bad happens to the Bazooka team I had overlooking the road looked to me as a grenade... I wonder why I didn't spot anyone. There's a rifle team just 15 meters behind, and I haven't seen them to take much notice. More failure by the inn, the team I had issued orders to clear the building seems to have all but forget about them staying one full minute not doing anything at all. Obviously something is moving along the road, so while the building is cleared this turn – I hope – it's time to get ready my guys to welcome any incoming German troops.

First thing I do, it try to handle this quite weird situation as best as possible although the Greyhound commander is aiming his .50 cal MG for some reason I think he won't open up on time, so I have the Greyhound to go back, while the Ammo carebear team goes forward... which should have been perhaps what I should have been doing from the start. Here's the plan for clearing the inn I don't think I've left any loose ends here.

30:00 to 29:00 I'm determined to eliminate that Tank Hunter team that has been giving so much trouble on my right flank I had one of the M8's on the road rush here, and start pumping area fire on the Germans position, while the guys I had in its front fixed it – hopefully - with area fire. The first shell frags one guy I had approaching from the flank... not a good start. The M8 puts several shells into the area really quickly, which I think should have made short work of the Germans on the hedge. I'll keep hammering the area for 30 seconds, and then have the infantry in front to advance and check if there are any survivors. The operation to clear the inn starts after I have my guys watching the building for a little while so I make sure nobody is peeking out of the windows, etc. By the end of the replay Garvey has more or less managed to negotiate the telephone pole and offers a less exposed aspect to the Germans in the inn. The mortar team I've allocated to the right flank arrives into the scene. I think I'll have them to bunker down to avoid unfortunate coincidences, such as they stumbling on the Forward Observer team trying to slip out of the inn building. On the extreme left, the unknown German unit frags yet another member of the HQ support team, while the Ammo Bearers, rather than shooting into their general direction, prefer to cower... 40 seconds into the replay a Greyhound arrives something that doesn't amuse me one bit. The Germans were supposed to be suppressed by infantry fires... something that hasn't happened. Fortunately, the Fred's pixeltruppen don't seem to be using the right tool for the job but the Greyhound crew decides not to do the area fire I had ordered. After taking a couple shots with his Luger at the nearest GI, he gets hold of his Panzerschrek and the replay ends...

31:00 to 30:00 I find the owners of the Kübelwagen perching on the top floor of the inn building who pepper Garvey's Greyhound with light weapons fire. Time clear that building with the troops I've around the building. On the extreme left I discover that the MMG team I have there has neighbours and really close neighbours. They manage to nail one of the guys I had here moving into position. And I'm certainly not handling well the guys who destroyed one of 3rd Platoons squad I'm beating an already dead horse here... the heaps – literally – of dead GI's are witness to my failure – again – to solve this problem properly.

That. Attacking is as hard as the defender makes him work for it. No more, no less.

33:00 to 32:00 Fred delivers another important blow this turn in form of a mortar stonk, at the right time and at the right place which basically sends my plans to the dustbin... The worst is that the stonk is falling right on top of the area I was assembling 1st Platoon, which suffers one casualty from what I can see. Nonetheless I think I got the guys in charge of this mischief or at least a whiff. The Kübelwagen seems to have been already knocked out before my guys here started to shoot at it. The scout team 2nd Platoon stumbled into had just two members since the guys I sent there to clear the passageway and the Greyhound that came in afterwards, do not see anybody alive there. After the events this turn 3rd Platoon is no longer existing... just 8 guys are still in action this is going to be a huge thing. Fred's stonk seems to have stopped more or less at the same time my guys near the inn found the Kübelwagen. Or it's just coincidence, perhaps. In any case, I'll use two 1st Platoon squads to cover the right flank. 1 Squad, plus a MMG and a LMG team will be my reserve... a very scarce one, actually. On the other hand 2nd Platoon has more or least reached its intended position, cover the left flank. Some of the contacts have moved, and a new contact appeared near the two houses on the left. I'm expecting Fred's attack to come in force on me really soon.

This is the overall situation indeed it looks like that something is in motion along both of the roads on either side of Lumbres. E Coy's 1st Platoon is taking some time to get into position, perhaps a bit too long. 2nd Platoon is almost where I wanted it to be, I just need to finish securing its rear, before deploying it covering the western approach. More of a concern is the eastern approach... 3rd Platoon has lost two thirds of its strength, and it's going now to be hard to set up my defenses there. I need to take out that PzSchreck in order to secure Lumbres eastern approach and this is my plan. The big team on the left is the one ear marked for this important mission, while the Jeep crew and the recon team (to the right) will provide covering fire the whole time. After a little pause, the Greyhounds will come forward really fast. I think I really need to get these into the tree line along with the bazooka team really fast. Barring any surprise on this flank, I expect that by the end of the next minute my troops will be covering the following positions the idea is to cover the roads, and to have room to fall back to the tree line nearest to the objective on the right of the image.

34:00 to 33:00 The operation by the road meets success without me incurring in any further losses taking out 2 soldiers out of the 3 forming the Scout team that was hiding here. I think I perhaps overcommitted a little into clearing out the rear of 2nd Platoon, but better safe than sorry. Further up the road, I see the unknown enemy contact markers to do some weird juggling, and by the end of the replay it becomes apparent that one of them got closer to my troops while the other one remained stationary. There were as well some sounds of a vehicle trampling a fence or similar. I need to proceed with caution. The scouts that met some of Fred's troops north of Lumbres tell me that I've come across part of a German infantry squad Since I've just spotted two guys, one likely possibility is that this was a recon team. After exchanging a few shots, the lone survivor of my scouts is eliminated. This is the overall situation northeast of Lumbres at the end of the replay the contact I got a whiff of to the northeast of the town has been moving at a rate of about 30m per minute along the road. It could certainly be infantry, but my intuition tells me it's some kind of vehicle. Southeast of Lumbres 3rd Platoon is pulling back together its act after last turn disaster seems that PzSchreck team has lingered for too long on the hedge, so I think I've got it more or less boxed. On the other hand, the scout team that wiped out the other squad seems to be falling back. This is a clear sign, together with the mystery thing coming along the road that something is being set into motion.

While AP UI suffers from lack of documentation - you have to figure things by trial and error - and some pieces of Engrish placed in strategic places to increase the WTF factor, it also has quite a few very good ideas: * The HUD overlay idea works really well. * It has a Minimap. * The event filtering and map hotspots (this I discovered by myself). For instance, you have the option to set the game so it autopauses when an enemy is spotted and then to either just have its location highlighted in the minimap/main display or have the camera zoom into the action. * The ability to browse your force OOB and displaying stats or zoom into it directly by clicking on its icon. * The ability to hide any of its components to suit the convenience or taste of the user. But it has indeed a lot of warts - or bleeding cuts maybe - which make it a mixed experience at best. Its physics engine is impressive, but really what Phil said. I also think it was one the main reasons for battles involving so few troops. And to be honest, spending so much resources in such eye candy is debatable, when one spends a lot of time keeping track of the action from a distance where such details can't be appreciated at all. And even more in a purely RT game, where you can't really distract yourself by admiring the decals on the tanks. Nor the AI, which has frustrated me to no end. Regarding to competition, I think Battlefront would do well to take note. Give these guys some more time - and sales in the west - so they get rid of some crazy ideas in it and the mortgage of using a tank sim engine, and there'll be some serious competition.

Not really underwhelming stoex This is that kind of moment you feel everything is under control and then something pops out of the blue - typically heavy German armor when you're playing the US, a massive US artillery barrage when you play German - and you realize you just made a major blunder. Don't lower your guard!

You welcome, sburke. I you feel like discussing the book - and the portrayal of the battle in computer or board-based wargaming - I just started a discussion over at comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical about it. I hope you aren't dissapointed by it If so I'll gladly get a copy of the CW module for you to compensate