DerKommissar

Games only become obsolete if people stop playing them. People still play OG CM -- it's got a distinctly different set of features. The idea behind modules is that they are easier to make than a full release. So, more content for less time? All this being said some of the more involved maps on CMx2 have stuttering that makes the game nearly unplayable. Sad for a comp that can handle games like Arma 3 and Monster Hunter World on Very High. If they only managed to optimize it somehow... I have no issue with it graphically (non-CM players are usually impressed by the amount of details on the models). Ostfront, though? That's a tough one. I am a fan, and find early Ostfront fascinating. BFC is an American company, every game aside from CM:RT and CM:A has the US Army at launch. Vast majority of their audience are Americans, so you can't blame them. This being said, BFC does a great job including other nations -- Canada got featured in 3 games (most games just treat it as sub-faction). It's an industry thing. I think Battlefront 1 had American soldiers on launch, but not the French. Fancy that? Doing early war (prior to the entry of the USA) or any fronts that don't include the USA isn't gonna sell well. Now, if you're Graviteam or 777 Studios and majority of your audience are easterners -- then the inverse applies (most games are about early war and/or Ostfront).

Aye, but it won't be a drill, this time... But, yeah, I think it may be annoying for some players. Spotting, accuracy and movement would all take a hit. No turning out of tanks, either. But it would definitely create a unique game with unique challenges. Maybe similar to electronic warfare in BS, where you can set intensity or turn it off all-together.

Hot damn, I'm guessing the Russians weren't happy that she wasn't included in the INF treaty. Anyone playing this in Alaska gives the old boys in the Kremlin headaches. Wonder if these guys are taking part: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland_Crisis_Response_Unit

Aye, a dude who was both put in power and deposed by a monarch in the mid 20th century. And when the Germans broke him out, in a bombastic Hollywood fashion, he went to Rome -- against all reason, and got himself hanged. Not the smartest despot, I'll say that much. Italy was one of the many offenders of not heeding the lessons of WW1. Ironically enough, turning themselves into Austro-Hungary 2.0 in the Balkans. Through out the 30s, most of their military aspirations were colonial, in nature. Many generals, like Graziani that would go toe-to-toe with conventional armies, were still thinking in pre-world war colonial concepts. Spreading too thin being one of the consequences. Illustrious battleships on the bottom of Taranto, another. A big number of Mussolini's own Blackshirt buddies opposed getting involved in something they had planned on avoiding. Explains why Italy was so eager to get out of the war -- I remember hearing a story about Italian sentries helping the US invaders of Sicily out of the water. I guess Mussolini started getting high on his own supply and gambled resources (political and material) that a pre-modern Italy did not even aspire to. I always wanted more AFVs for the Italians in CM:FI. However, whenever I read up on the history -- I start to think FI was being generous.

I thought Suvorov died before the Napoleonic wars. Did they res him with defib so he can give commentary on WW2? I think NBC simulation would be a super-cool addition to Combat Mission. Something to put on the box -- a real selling point (especially in our current geopolitical predicament :S). - NBC equipment for material/personnel. - NBC contamination and decon procedures. - Call-ins for tactical NBC weapons (ie. bombs, shells). Anyone played the Cuban Missile Crisis game? That one attempted to do this. Next pack: Mad Max uncons xD! War.. War never changes...

Yeah, I can't find an all inclusive map. It is surprising how many nations are involved in this gig -- including non-NATO nations like Sweden and Finland. I didn't even know Iceland was in NATO, and the naval part (quite sizable, Canada sent like 4+ ships there). They don't even have a military, do they?

Then Taranto happened -- uh-oh, spaghettio!

I wonder if the MG3 will make it to 100 years.

Fantastic video! 5 tankers on a M13/40, the crew actually had 4 -- I was bewildered, thinking that trash can could accommodate 5. I believe manufacturing was a big bottleneck. Italy was a rural nation and did not have the production infrastructure or know-how for good quality AFVs. Notice that these tanks are riveted, and riveted construction requires more kgs of steel than welded armour. This is because armour is riveted onto a frame superstructure inside. I thought the L3/33 had welded construction, the one in the video looks riveted to me. I don't see any problem with this tankette in 1933, most nations at that time fielded similar vehicles. The M13/40 though? A new design that just entered production in 1940? I guess they were expecting their enemy to lack any sort of anti-tank capability -- let alone tanks of their own.

I remember learning a few things over at the Vostok 2018 forum. Any grogheads following this training? Pics and articles are appreciated!

Uh oh, man. Gotta remove that link before you get a spanking. Against one of the rules, I think. Really hyped for that game, though. Edit: realized I quote the link. xD

Not a bad concept. Canada has women serving in combat roles since the late 80s, but I doubt there would be a significant percentage in 2008. I'd think the Syrians are more likely to have women serving, and by extension, the Russians in CM:BS. You can always turn in your vehicle crews and assume their gender. xD

Canada was still a very young country back then. We had massive issues with two conscription crises (1917 and 1944) that divided the country. King even refused the royal call for war with Germany for a week or two (US did so until Pearl Harbor). Even then, a very small number of conscripts were sent outside of Canada -- many men really didn't want to fight a war that didn't concern them (especially Quebecois). Even that was enough to spawn internal divisions and separatism that lingers to this day. We lost a great deal of men in WW1, 1/3rd of our town's male population died, and we got nothing in return. Yeah, that's a good concept for a CM game too. It was too innovative. The only tanks that tried to field a similar concept was Armata and MBT-70. More of a Warsaw Pact deal with big ol' HE and ATGM. Who needs an aiming system when you got a 152mm? xd

OH, and the M60A2 "Starship", hopefully! Considering I'm one of those suckers for CM:A and am sad that it's not getting upgraded to the current engine -- I'd be so glad to have a part of it in a new CM game.

Well, in my experience, some games work fine without proper installation on an OS -- just need the game files located in the directory. Others not so much, because they require data that was on the old OS. Windows has this silly Registry concept, where the OS keeps information (like activation keys, directory addresses). Some games' DRMs use the Registry to store required information. So, I was half expecting the game to not boot because of this problem. Now, this thread is changing my mind. I did not think of this: When doing a clean install of Windows 7 (10? Screw that noise!), My Documents directory was nullified. Indeed, it's more probable that my games were well activated -- but all the campaigns, scenarios were not there anymore. That makes much more sense because an un-activated game won't launch and will ask you to enter your keys. Yep, unless you can restore the files to that folder -- or DL and put them in the correct directory. Apologies for the confusion.

I've had this problem before with newer CM games. I reinstalled windows on an SSD, and kept most of my games on an HDD. I launch CM:BS (also applies for RT, BN and FI -- I didn't own FB then) and the game launches -- except no campaigns or scenarios. As the registry was deleted and now replaced with a fresh one -- it didn't have the keys in registry. Bummer, I had to re-DL, re-install and re-validate the games -- but then they worked like a charm. I suggest this. I believe the hard limit is on how many computers concurrently have the software. I've reinstalled them a bunch of times (I like to mess with my OS(s)), and never had problems with validation.

Yeah, I think FB needs more allies (Britain, Canada, Poland). I'd love to see Scheldt -- but that'd be a prequel. I guess the asymmetric warfare of the last few months could be fun. Not too enthused about beating a dead horse. Feels like you'd spend more time securing POWs rather than anything else.

Considering the amount of historical research (TO&Es, battle plans, wargames) on the Fulda Gap scenario, I think it's a much more believable scenario than either BS or the two SF games. It's ripe for all sorts of DLC. From all the various nations in the Warsaw Pact/NATO to additional theaters like Scandinavia and Balkans -- even if they stick to one time period. Heart. All this being said, I do think that BFC has plenty on their plate before making a completely new CM with a completely new setting. From what I gathered their most immediate focus is on new modules for existing games. Frankly, I'd love to see all the CM games get the CM:Normandy treatment. New Fortress Italy Module in production... New Red Thunder Module in production... New Black Sea Module? CMSF 2's like a new CM game -- new SF2 Module? I doubt we'll get any more love for Final Blitzkrieg though -- it is aptly named "Final" after all.

RIP CM:A

Are you sure you're not refering to the paratrooper 75mm recoilless rifle? This one is listed in the TO&E in Gustav Line.

I love it when you evaluate the map and you sneak a potent AT asset (Javelin, 6-pounder) into a nice ambush position. Baddie AFVs roll into the killzone like dummies -- PENETRATION THIS, PENETRATION THAT! Wrecked tin cans smolder and explode. Some lucky crewmen/passengers survive -- they either cower or run away. Those that stay maybe be disintegrated by a nearby explosion, others run only to be cut down by small arms fire. LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS! Bonus: Huns holed up in a fortified building take pot shots at a turned-out ISU commander. He scowls, turns in and blows the house of cards away with a 152mm.

I don't really see any cons to keeping your mortars mounted in WW2 setting. A hanomag is a very safe place for a mortar team. It's immune to small arms, resistant to artillery fragments and can get out of a hairy situation -- with all the ammo intact. The only con comes in on the logistical side -- halftracks being in-demand for moving troops and supplies. Considering IL-2 or HS-129 strikes are rare, they are pretty safe from bullet strafing from the air. I even found myself using mortar halftracks in a direct fire mode, they were safe from MG fire and could deliver surgical mortar barrages on occupied buildings. In BS, the widespread use of RPGs, ATGMs, autocannons, optics (TI especially) and airborne assets makes APCs very vulnerable, indeed. I tried using an M113 mortar in direct fire and ended up with a melted can. I hid another behind a building, but it was spotted by a rolling BMP3 and easily toasted with a Bastion. This being said, the vast use of air-burst munitions is a big reason not to leave any personnel stuck outside when its raining shrapnel on their heads.

I got massive toy envy now.

I've always been confused regarding the SU-76's coax DT. So only the '44 versions feature it? Does it apply for all the various manufacturers of the vehicle -- different Soviet factories often introduced their own modifications for mass produced vehicles? Was this MG used as coax, or did it often get passed to more desirable roles -- like the P. 3's MG? Yeah, most AFVs in WW2 featured a bunch of pistol ports. Never saw them used in-game (very rarely used IRL too). I've never seen 'nades tossed by the crew from hatches either. Which was a real thing. Yeah, I have yet to see infantry shooting out of BTR firing ports. Strange.

It's true. Obsidian always got a raw deal from publishers (worked on an Aliens game that got cancelled), good thing they do crowdfunding now. I aspire to not buying games that support that nonsense. My wallet is still sore from that Mass Effect Andromeda. Phewww... what a stinker... How about deliberately falsified trailers and promotional material? PREORDER NOW! Damn, indeed. I can imagine how ridiculous a lot of commonly accepted modern practices must seem. Buy a Ubisoft game on Steam and get ANOTHER piece of DRM software for which you have to register, with its own annoying online store promotions. Don't like it? Too bad, the game won't launch without it.