Bud Backer

I find su25 strafing also does a good job of stripping EVERYTHING off my Abrams.

Great idea!!

Just reading your initial post, I can already spot your issue: you must ATTACK!

No doubt your losses to IanL are due to your men feeling morose and forlorn. Can you blame them? A tentative commander, with a loose grasp of battle, hoping that somehow hiding behind earthworks like some sort of prey run to ground, will defeat an offensive force is a mistaken commander.

Let your men know that you're serious. Nothing better displays that kind of fortitude than a gamey first turn flag rush.

Zerg zerg!



This should be intersting. We'll need screenshots, maps with big arrows, and pots of coffee.

Ken

IanL and I are trying a little experiment. We're going to play a CMBN mission with a DAR, but with a little twist: we'll be reading and commenting on each others' post as we're playing, and we invite everyone to post suggestions as well. Feel free to suggest strategies, tactics, orders, whatever you think we should do on our next turn.

Here's a bit of background on how this experiment came about. IanL and I are very good friends in the real world. As the forum regulars will know, IanL is a pretty serious CM player. He's a very active member on these and other boards, he's very knowledgeable about the game, and he's even written software to help players get more out of the game. I, on the other hand, am not that experienced with CMx2. While I own just about every CM game released by Battlefront (even the CMx1 titles), I've probably played less than a dozen CMx2 missions, all of them almost exclusively against IanL. To say that I get regularly pummelled by him would be an understatement.

During our last battle, we were discussing problems I was having as the defender. Clearly, everything was wrong: strategy, tactics, orders, etc. The chat eventually morphed into a broader discussion about how to get new players up to speed faster. Obviously, reading posts on the forums or on blogs (such as Bil Hardenberger's excellent Battle Drill) is a big help. But nothing really teaches something as complex as battle strategies and tactics like a skilled practitioner's experience. So we started comparing CM to other strategically and tactically complex games (like bridge or chess), and started thinking about how they train new players. One method they use is open play: a strong player plays against a newer player, and they talk aloud about what they're thinking and doing, and why. We thought this would be a good idea for CM, and that's how we ended up here.

Here's how we're going to proceed. IanL and I will follow the usual DAR format; we'll each start a thread discussing the mission from our respective sides. We'll provide screenshots and our thoughts on what we're PLANNING on doing and why. But before we actually give orders and send the turns, we'll read, comment and take advice from everyone on the boards, including from each other. We'll normally post our plans, and give forum members 24 hours to provide advice before playing our turns.

As mentioned in the inital paragraph of this post, if you have any questions or suggestions about anything we're doing, feel free to post. The idea here is to learn and get as much insight as possible into CMx2. There are a large number of skilled players, all with different strategies and tactics, tips and tricks, and I'd like to soak up as much as I can.

And remember, this is an experiment, feel free to comment on this idea as well.

This is the thread for my half of the experiment with @Method Gamer. The plan is to have me on the attack against him defending in the scenario Buying the Farm.  The goal is for this to be a good introduction for new players to how to play the game. Clearly my goal will be to execute a well thought out attack and use good tactics but the main purpose is to illuminate "the how" of playing the game.  We want to show how to use the game commands to guide your troops to bring your tactical decisions to life.

I know @Method Gamer in real life and we have worked together in the past but keep in touch now.  We live about a 10 minute drive away from each other.  Between himself and @Dungeon Tiger they introduced me to the CM series.  One day outside @Dungeon Tiger's office I heard them talking about a new version of one of their favorite games that had just been announced.  I'm not a big gammer (I only play CM games and the odd game with my kids but that is it) but I love hearing their stories.  But when I head about Combat Mission I could not believe it. They were describing the game I always wanted to play (I gave up miniature war games long ago due to lack of players and rules that got in the way and never did much for the fog of war).  So we bought the CM1x games CMAK and CMBB and the three of us played them the whole time we waited for CMBN to arrive.  Once CMBN arrived we never looked back.  Except I lost them, a couple of times.  They both gave up and stopped playing and started again.  I think this is due to the steep learning curve with the CM games.  I also think that the changes away from borg spotting were another large issue that @Method Gamer and @Dungeon Tiger had trouble figuring out how to play.  @Method Gamer plays a lot of Eve Online (I totally love to hear stories from that game) where he has been part of the corporation that teaches newcomers to the game how to play.  So, he has put a lot of thought into how to help people to learn to play.  In fact we have been discussing a couple of projects to help people learn.  This is just the first one that we are executing on.  To test the waters so to speak.

Over the last few weeks with the three of us playing against each other they hit problems and I shared solutions which is when @Method Gamer came up with first the idea that we should play an open game - like when you teach a new player poker by playing with everyone's hands exposed.  That quickly evolved into this concept.  Why play an open game between two of us and talk amongst our selves when we could do it with all of you?   More is better right.

So, here is the plan for this thread.  Both @Method Gamer and I will be posting and commenting in here (and his thread too).  This will be the place I post the AAR portions from my side of the battle but I want  you guys to join in with you tips and comments.  By all means talk tactics but more importantly talk execution share your tips on how to make the tactics happen.  Read both threads spill the beans - cause we are going to be reading both sides anyway.  Hopefully this will be a little different and helpful for future players.

The last sunset among the flowers.
 

hehe I love using minefields. Sorry you had trouble, but they can be a truly irritating surprise to an opponent. Good screenshot! 

Thanks for the effort and screenshots. Iron as described in the manual definitely seemed to much hassle to be worth it. I may yet try it. And it will be entirely your fault!

Some elaboration and enlargement on points already answered:
 
Welcome to the forums, and an infinite well of combined arms tactical sim game goodness!
 
I recommend starting off in turn-based mode, often called "WeGo", while you learn what handles to pull to make the game work. As you say, trying to figure out what's going on while the bullets are flying real time can be even more daunting. With turn-based you get as much time as you feel you need to carefully consider the options available to you and find out how to execute them. And you get to watch a replay of things you'd miss playing real-time, so you can learn more about the effects of what you're telling your pixelTruppen to do.
 
During the setup phase, you too can plot support missions anywhere on the map, same as the AI. You don't need to be able to spot the target area. You and the AI always work under the same rules; indeed, the AI has more restrictions than you (it can't use Target Area, its ability to use Target Arcs is very restricted, for example). Just try it during the setup phase: any unit will be able to call any of the support assets that it is eligible to use and which is eligible to be controlled by that spotter to any point that asset can reach. As has been said, this is considered to be "pre-planned" bombardment, with ranging in done carefully beforehand so no setup time or spotting rounds are necessary. You can also achieve the same sort of effect over a limited area later in the game by using "Target Reference Points". It's probably worth noting that calling preplanned strikes on your opponent's setup area can in some circumstances be considered unsportsmanlike: often the attacker's setup area is unrealistically crowded, and a heavy bombardment in turn one before they can disperse would pretty much end the game. When you graduate to playing vs another human, it's worth discussing with them any conditions they expect to be applied.
 
 
Previous posters have mentioned Target Arcs (TAs). Those are the primary means of enforcing fire discipline on your troops. It can be a good idea to start your setup by shift-dragging a box over your entire force and giving them all a short (say 100m) circular (by holding shift down when you click to set the range) arc. It is important to understand that TAs (and Armour Target Arcs, ATAs) are explicitly limitations on where your units will fire. They don't, in and of themselves, confer any spotting or aiming benefits, and it takes a serious threat for a unit to consider firing at a target that isn't in the area covered by the TA. They just tell your troops "Don't fire on anything further away than this, or outside of this arc." They do also imply a "Face" command, so your infantry will orient themselves in that direction when considering where to take cover and firing positions, and your turretted AFVs will rotate their turret to the midpoint of the arc they're given. This tends to mean more eyes and vision systems are pointed in the general direction of the axis of the arc.
 
Hide has also been mentioned. While it has its uses, it isn't something that you should just slap on any unit you don't want seen. It prioritises staying unseen over everything else, and your troops will spend more time "Hiding" than "Spotting", so the number of "eyeball-spotting cycles" will be greatly reduced for an element that is Hiding. They will be reluctant to open fire even on very nearby enemies, if they do spot them, which can be very unhealthy. Most of the time, the inherent behaviour of your pTruppen is to seek the best-covered firing positions that allow them to engage targets in the rough direction they're facing while remaining as concealed as possible. Static infantry in good concealment are already difficult to see with the unaided eye; most of the time, Hide isn't necessary, and a restricted Target Arc will take care of fire discipline.
 
Hide does have its uses, though. Just don't think you want or need to hit Hide at the end of every movement order.

Yes!! Another volume to add to my comic book collection!!  And for 10 cents how can you go wrong?  

I had a company of infantry advancing through bocage type terrain.  They came up on some open fields with the objective on the far side.  I suspected the OpFor had the fields covered by fire.  The wind was light out of the northwest.  I know how to solve this problem.  Called for two out of three tubes of 105mm arty to fire light.  This will give me about 5 minutes to cross the danger area.  They were making good time and then just as the first fire teams started to reach the far side ......................... mine field............  As my plan begins to unravel.  It started off so well .........      
 

I think there is some confusion reference skill level Iron which may be aggravated by the description for it in the game manual.  The below was taken from page 29 of the CMBN, CMFI, CMRT, CMBS manuals and page 43 of the CMSF manual.  All the manuals read the same for skill level Iron.  I bolded the last part of the description that I think is confusing and probably incorrect.  Judging from comments on the forum I think this bolded part puts off a lot of people who might use skill level Iron and benefit from the more detailed portrayal it provides of a units C2 status during the action/playback phase in WEGO.
 
From the manuals:
Iron is an optional setting that goes even one step further than Elite, and introduces special restrictions on what the player can do and when. While even more realistic than the other settings, this option introduces a number of interface limitations which might put off the casual player, so it is strictly an optional choice.
- Friendly units need to be spotted just like enemy units. If you have a friendly unit not in line of sight or in contact with another friendly unit, then the only way to find this unit is by either re-establishing contact with another friendly unit or by clicking through the chain of command in the game interface, jumping from unit to unit.
 
I admit I am not aware of any special restrictions on the player.  AFAIK with the exception of the action/playback phase Iron plays just like Elite.  You do not have to click through the chain of command, jumping from unit to unit to find the out of contact unit.  When you have no unit selected (highlighted) all your units are displayed, whether they are in or out of C2, just like in the other skill levels.  The difference between Elite and Iron is when you are in action/playback phase and you have a friendly unit selected.  In this situation you can only see what the selected friendly unit is aware of to include other friendly units.  This aids in the understanding of C2 and how C2, or the lack of it, plays a role in how this unit may react to different situations.  When you unselect the unit all your units are again displayed along with what information you have on OpFor units.  When you are in orders phase and you select a friendly unit all other friendly units remained displayed, just like in Elite.       
 
This screenshot is from orders phase with no friendly unit selected.  Same as Elite skill level.

 
This screenshot is from orders phase with a friendly team selected & no C2.  Same as Elite skill level.  
 
Action/playback phase with a friendly unit selected & no C2.  This is the difference from Elite. (As I understand it)

 
In screenshot #3 Iron mode displays how A Team/3rd Squad perceives their situation.  They can hear the shooting from two friendly tanks and one friendly fire team that are in contact along the road on their left flank.  They also have some limited knowledge that there might be some friendly teams between themselves and the friendlies along the road.  They have no knowledge of any OpFor units.  (Actually there are OpFor units across the field but with no C2 the info is not reaching A Team/3rd Squad)  A Team/3rd Squad is green experience with okay morale.  IMO Iron mode makes it easier to recognize and predict what may happen if this team of green troops makes contact with OpFor units in its current C2 situation.   
 
Maybe this confusion comes from the difference between WEGO and Real Time?  I don't play real time but maybe a real time player would have to click through his units to find one that was out of C2?  If anybody has any information to add or maybe understands the manual directions better than I do please post a clarification. 
 
Anyways, for WEGO players if you like Elite you would probably like Iron and should consider it. 
 

My first CAAR (Comic After Action Report) was in the format of a DAR presented as a comic. To introduce some variety and also make this one a bit more like a comic, it will be presented less as an AAR and more as a story, following the actions and adventures of one man, a Russian soldier called Dmitry ("Dima") Ivanov. Of course this is also going to present the battles as well, so the AAR aspect is still included, just not the sole objective.
 
Some of you wanted to hear more about Lt. Warner, Cpl. Dietrich, and Sgt. Hirsch from my first CAAR; they will be back in another CAAR. At the time of this one, Warner and his boys are in Normandy, and later, in Holland during Market-Garden.
 
Once again, Kohlenklau is my partner in this, and I thank him for being a fun opponent in the battles and a patient friend in the delays doing these sometimes introduces.

And here is proof. Wow, just fantastic maps!

Well Red Thunder puts you in the unique position to do that a few times. "Hunting for the Bug" is a good example mission, you only start with a few tank rider units but with a plethora of armor on the field, including T-70s. Alot of treelines overlooking a km+ of rolling wheatfields made me think it was wiser to scout dismounted than risk exposing the full tank. It paid off as a few turns of observing showed me a 88 a ways out.
 
I will be making my own topic for the video soonish, so I won't muck up the screenshot thread with text posts any further. I'll be open to critique and questioning then.

Hi everybody,
 
a first attempt at map making. 
 
Kieme's Highway
 
A few statements to describe this map: 
-Main theme of this map is a highway running east-west with an interesction in the middle going South and two overpass bridges.
-map size is 2000x2000 meters roughly.
-it is practically flat, the main elevation is 19, while depressions go down to 18 (17 in the corners) and up to 21/22/23 in wooded areas, highway is at 20.
-the buildings are mainly of 1 level or 2 levels. Few exceptions for some buildings at 3 or even 4, but these have no Windows and/or unusable rooftops, so there is no key building dominating the map.
-large open areas, with few complexes sorrounded by walls (such as an industrial area, a residential area, some farms).
-wooded areas are small, vehicle passable, slightly elevated and with not too thick trees.
-there are many ditches between fields.
-it has few flavor objects.
-there are no landmarks names.
-this map is made up and does not represent a real world location.
 
Notes: this map works best with my previous Modular Buildings mod and Modular Buildings Add-on. Moreover, it makes use of the Optional Highway mod (tagged version).
HD terrain mod is best suited but not mandatory.
 
Map only download: https://app.box.com/s/5xz78s9xrvgbvslcc1cwdhq4p8vi1jv6
 
Intall: put the .btt file in your game files folder (under documents).
 
Feel free to use this map for your needs, crop, cut, expand, change whatever you need for your scenarios.
 
Previews:





 
I decided to start with a concept for PvP (player versus player) coming in form of a basic pack where you can find 3 versions (same map, size, etc.), but with different objectives layout. These are intended only for player versus player and contain no AI plans.
A preview and download of such "quick battle pack" is coming within this thread shortly.

Bud,
  Thanks to you for the CAAR and Kohl for being your opponent once again.  Looks excellent.  Always a pleasure seeing these.
 
Heinrich505

Thank you!

My first CAAR (Comic After Action Report) was in the format of a DAR presented as a comic. To introduce some variety and also make this one a bit more like a comic, it will be presented less as an AAR and more as a story, following the actions and adventures of one man, a Russian soldier called Dmitry ("Dima") Ivanov. Of course this is also going to present the battles as well, so the AAR aspect is still included, just not the sole objective.
 
Some of you wanted to hear more about Lt. Warner, Cpl. Dietrich, and Sgt. Hirsch from my first CAAR; they will be back in another CAAR. At the time of this one, Warner and his boys are in Normandy, and later, in Holland during Market-Garden.
 
Once again, Kohlenklau is my partner in this, and I thank him for being a fun opponent in the battles and a patient friend in the delays doing these sometimes introduces.

My first CAAR (Comic After Action Report) was in the format of a DAR presented as a comic. To introduce some variety and also make this one a bit more like a comic, it will be presented less as an AAR and more as a story, following the actions and adventures of one man, a Russian soldier called Dmitry ("Dima") Ivanov. Of course this is also going to present the battles as well, so the AAR aspect is still included, just not the sole objective.
 
Some of you wanted to hear more about Lt. Warner, Cpl. Dietrich, and Sgt. Hirsch from my first CAAR; they will be back in another CAAR. At the time of this one, Warner and his boys are in Normandy, and later, in Holland during Market-Garden.
 
Once again, Kohlenklau is my partner in this, and I thank him for being a fun opponent in the battles and a patient friend in the delays doing these sometimes introduces.