DerKommissar

We won’t really know until final TO&Es are put in but we had planned pretty much the full gambit of UK units - if it was in the BAOR or had a chance to get pulled in, we put it in for submission to the game.  For the Canadians, I basically recreated 4 CMBG from the old ‘76 redesign - beefed it up some and tried to get some cool stuff put in.
Not sure I can post much more than this - BFC has a pretty uptight policy until we get the thing entirely baselined.

I love the smell of space lobsters in the morning...
Smells like Mass Effect

I love the smell of space lobsters in the morning...
Smells like Mass Effect

Opposing fascism is great, the problem is when you deem anything you disagree with as fascism and use violence and vandalism to prove your point you kinda start to smell like a brown shirt.

Just as those that claim anything they disagree with is the work of Satan kinda lose the whole point of Christianity.
 

Those antifa folks are the worst.
I mean, imagine being opposed to fascism. The nerve of some people.
 

This is the transcript from an interview conducted on the CBC Radio program As it Happens. I heard it while out in the field the other evening  working ground. It doesn't offer anything new this group hasn't seen or heard yet but does show how the mainstream media in Canada is covering the story. CH stands for Chris Howden and NK for Nil Koksal, the hosts of the show.
RUSSIA INTERNAL ATTACKS
Guest: Ilya Ponomarev
CH: Yesterday, a group of pro-Ukrainian soldiers took the war home to Russia. The Free Russia Legion is a paramilitary group claiming to be made up of Russian volunteers who have taken up arms for Ukraine. They crossed the border and seized villages in the Belgorod region of Southern Russia. Today, the Russian Ministry of Defence said the forces had been pushed back across the border. But members of the Legion say they're still in Russian territory. And they intend to stay there. Ilya Ponomarev is a former Russian politician who now lives in Ukraine. He says he's the political representative of the Free Russia Legion. We reached him in Kyiv.
NK: Ilya, the Russian government is saying that it has pushed the Free Russia Legion soldiers out of Russian territory. Is that the truth?
ILYA PONOMAREV: No, that's not true. That's not true. It's the other way around. The Legion of Freedom of Russia. And the Russian volunteer corps, they have liberated more territories. Right now, all together, the frontline there in Belgorod region already is wider than 40 kilometres.
NK: What kind of resistance, if any, are they meeting? Can you, can you paint a picture for us of, of what they're doing and what kind of resistance they're facing?
IP: Right now, this resistance looks very much disorganized. Because the original resistance that was put during the initial put was crushed. Right now, there are helicopters, attack helicopters, flying, and they're getting more and more units around. But the question is that police officers and all other, like, internal forces, they are, they are not fighting. They are very, very reluctant. They're afraid. And they rather tend to flee. So, right now, they are mobilizing the 74th Brigade of, of Russian armed forces, which they are relocating from Ukraine. And that, that would be a more serious thing to me. But still, it's equipped with a lot of mobilized troops which are not very efficient in fighting as we saw in Ukraine.
NK: At this stage, so if I'm understanding you correctly, your soldiers are meeting a disorganized group of Russians, is what you're saying? In some cases, they're running away from you?
IP: Yes. So, quite a lot. And the Russian military were all obviously not ready for this attack. They were thinking that because there is international consensus that Ukraine should not attack Russian territory, that they have nothing to fear. And so, all the capable forces, they already relocated to Ukraine. And because right now, it's not Ukrainians who are attacking Russia, it's Russians. And Russians did not make any deals with the West. So, they're liberating its own soil, its own country, and they're off the limits. And that's actually the main military meaning of this attack that Russia would have to relocate forces back from Ukraine. And that would obviously help Ukrainian offensive.
NK: Are you doing this with the permission and support of Ukraine?
IP: I would rather say with awareness of Ukrainian authorities, obviously, because the units are officially part of the international Legion, which is an integral part of Ukrainian army, but they are very much autonomous. And they planned this operation by themselves. They are doing the operation by themselves. And there is not a single Ukrainian soldier which is right now in Russia.
NK: Many people might just be learning about Free Russia Legion as we're speaking, as they're listening to us speak. So, who are its members? Who do you represent?
IP: The members have three different origin. One group, is former Russian military, which were sent to fight in the Ukraine, but which decided to switch sides because they were fooled by the Russian regime. There are POWs which were also captured, and then they realized that, again, Russian propaganda was telling them lies and they decided to join the Legion. So that's one group. The second group is Russians who are living in Ukraine, were married or was working in the Ukraine but didn't have Russian passports. But they wanted to defend Ukraine. And so, they volunteered to go into the army. And so, they were redirected to the Legion. And the third group are Russian political activists who, unlike many of their peers, who were just complaining about Putin, decided to put up a fight, and they went into Ukraine through European countries and joined the Legion. Basically, these are three equal groups.
NK: What's their long-term goal there?
IP: The long-term goal is to change the regime in Russia, to dismantle the empire, to build a new democratic country. But most importantly, it's to get rid of this system because they would not be satisfied if Ukraine would just liberate its territory, but the West would permit for somebody like Prime Minister Mishustin to stay in power. They want fundamental reform, and they want that Russia would never be an empire again.
NK: Are you concerned that the Legion's operations might upset Ukraine's allies in the West and cause them to, to pull their support because they didn't want, you know, incursion into Russia?
IP: First of all, we already heard what Americans are saying in this regard, and everything is fine here. But, at the end of the day, no other nation should prohibit Russians to fight for their own freedom in their own country. It's just not fair that Ukrainians are fighting for, fighting for a free Russia. And that's why I don't expect any of international allies to be able to say something against Russians. Go and fight against them.
NK: What message is the Legion trying to send to Russia?
IP: Join us. The repatriation is near, and we are capable of defeating this regime. It's not as dangerous as it seems. They are weak. They are about to fall. And we're coming.
NK: Ilya, thank you for your time.
IP: Thank you for having me.
CH: Ilya Ponomarev is a former Russian politician who calls himself the political representative of the Free Russia Legion, which launched attacks inside Russia yesterday. He's in Kyiv.

Russian volunteers on captured during operation BTR-82A. Man, who filming is Ilya Bogdanov - Russian citizen, former border guard, who has been fighting for Ukriane since 2014 in Right Sector and passed Donetsk airport defense. After 2016 probably he retired, but now again in the battle
 

It is organized crime, indeed. Here is a personal conspiracy theory, so please apply salt -- according to taste:
Putin is happy with his disastrous, criminal, war, as it ticked a lot of his crime boss boxes. Such as:
- His capos are at odds with eachother. This disunity makes them easier to divide & conquer.
- He has aggravated NATO, and got it closer to home. Making the populace fear an external threat, 1984-style. Any anti-war sentiment equals to treason. 
- His civil society, elites, and citizens are now complicit in war crimes. Betraying him, will only land them in prison or horrific debt.
- The war provided cassus beli to remove all remaining attempts at a democratic process. Repression and propaganda are at all time high, and new measures get rubber stamped with minimal prorest. 
- A lot of able-bodied men, especially problematic ones (ie. prisoners, mercs, poor people and minorities) are now dead or crippled. Many middle-class skeptics have emigrated.
- The west has severed economic ties, and the east has not. He gets to take over the abandoned businesses and still provide oil to billions. He takes a big cut off of oil, and controls the economy.
Peace sells, but who's buying? Evidently, not Putin, or his goons. They're psychopaths that don't care about human lives or anyone's approval.
I think we better prepare ZSU and NATO to march on Moscow. Otherwise, the best we can hope for is another temporary ceasefire.

Is that a certainty? I don't see anyway anyone would benefit from MAD. How do we know he'll launch nukes then, and not when/after Ukraine joins NATO?
I think going nuclear is a bluff, as Russia would be on the receiving end of such a situation. I do understand why people may be concerned, however. 
Unless the upper level people earn their posts through ignorance and incompetence, which is how this mafia works. When they are not too busy fighting eachother. Anyone with half a brain, already left.
If Putin dies, Putin 2.0 will take his place, followed by obligatory purges. The average IQ will only fall. This is how the Kremlin has been for a long, long, time.
Thanks for the replies, guys. Good to get a reality check.

It is organized crime, indeed. Here is a personal conspiracy theory, so please apply salt -- according to taste:
Putin is happy with his disastrous, criminal, war, as it ticked a lot of his crime boss boxes. Such as:
- His capos are at odds with eachother. This disunity makes them easier to divide & conquer.
- He has aggravated NATO, and got it closer to home. Making the populace fear an external threat, 1984-style. Any anti-war sentiment equals to treason. 
- His civil society, elites, and citizens are now complicit in war crimes. Betraying him, will only land them in prison or horrific debt.
- The war provided cassus beli to remove all remaining attempts at a democratic process. Repression and propaganda are at all time high, and new measures get rubber stamped with minimal prorest. 
- A lot of able-bodied men, especially problematic ones (ie. prisoners, mercs, poor people and minorities) are now dead or crippled. Many middle-class skeptics have emigrated.
- The west has severed economic ties, and the east has not. He gets to take over the abandoned businesses and still provide oil to billions. He takes a big cut off of oil, and controls the economy.
Peace sells, but who's buying? Evidently, not Putin, or his goons. They're psychopaths that don't care about human lives or anyone's approval.
I think we better prepare ZSU and NATO to march on Moscow. Otherwise, the best we can hope for is another temporary ceasefire.

Boom!
 

It is organized crime, indeed. Here is a personal conspiracy theory, so please apply salt -- according to taste:
Putin is happy with his disastrous, criminal, war, as it ticked a lot of his crime boss boxes. Such as:
- His capos are at odds with eachother. This disunity makes them easier to divide & conquer.
- He has aggravated NATO, and got it closer to home. Making the populace fear an external threat, 1984-style. Any anti-war sentiment equals to treason. 
- His civil society, elites, and citizens are now complicit in war crimes. Betraying him, will only land them in prison or horrific debt.
- The war provided cassus beli to remove all remaining attempts at a democratic process. Repression and propaganda are at all time high, and new measures get rubber stamped with minimal prorest. 
- A lot of able-bodied men, especially problematic ones (ie. prisoners, mercs, poor people and minorities) are now dead or crippled. Many middle-class skeptics have emigrated.
- The west has severed economic ties, and the east has not. He gets to take over the abandoned businesses and still provide oil to billions. He takes a big cut off of oil, and controls the economy.
Peace sells, but who's buying? Evidently, not Putin, or his goons. They're psychopaths that don't care about human lives or anyone's approval.
I think we better prepare ZSU and NATO to march on Moscow. Otherwise, the best we can hope for is another temporary ceasefire.

Don't know if it is because it is Friday or because of all the F-16 related news but I'm in a really good mood.
Time to post a meme.🙂

This was forwarded to me I and decided to post it here for wider distribution:
https://secure.braintumor.org/site/TR?fr_id=3783&pg=team&syclid=cheq0auf216rlb1pbau0&team_id=91439&utm_campaign=emailmarketing_148425113754&utm_medium=email&utm_source=shopify_email

Too bad James Gandolfini passed away.  He'd be the prime guy to play Prig.  Wallace Shawn from "the Princess bride" could play the master strategist Putin.
 

Ok, pre-Alpha disclaimer so details are subject to change but this is the first map in the Canadian campaign "On the Weser" - got big plans for this one. A Pete Wenman original:

Just southwest of a little town called Boffzen and south of Hoxter (From Google Earth):

Blow up of Canadian AO with rough zone of this map:

I'm waiting for Bilingual Maple-Flavoured Political Yabbida Day, myself...

Several kilomiters from Bakhmut. Stabilization point. Medics are working 24/7. This guy was returned back to life after his heart stopped.
 
 
 

I decided to create a new topic for this because "tool to set elevation in the editor" is no longer really a good description. Finally (from my perspective 😉) I managed to release version 2.0.0 of CMAutoEditor.

https://github.com/DerButschi/CMAutoEditor
Woah, Butschi, wait a minute CMAutoWhat? What the hell are you talking about? CMAutoEditor is a tool that takes "external" data, like elevation, and automates clicking in the CM scenario editor. This way it kind of works around "missing features" in the editor. Wouldn't it be nice to import something like a heat map instead of clicking elevations in the editor? Of course I can't change the editor but by letting CMAutoEditor do the clicking it does something similar.

 
Version 2 is really a major update as it now includes importing data from OpenStreetMap. This way you can basically use CMAutoEditor to create a whole map for you.
Still, feature creep and being overly ambitious is certain to kill such a small project so I had to triage what makes it into this release and what (maybe, provided there is enough interest on your side and enough time on my side) gets postponed to a later update.

The cut affecting most of you is that for this release only CMCW is really supported. The reason is that there are differences in what is in the scenario editor for each CM title. That means not only are there buttons at different positions but there are also different buildings, roads, flavour objects etc. which need to be programmed as a "profile". I intend to modify CMAutoEditor in a way that the community can help with that but I am not yet sure how best to do it. So, for now CMCW only. CMBS should work for everything but flavour objects.

Another thing I had to cut is support for Windows version older than Windows 10. I know, there are quite a few of you around who still field Windows 7. However, python is only supported up to version 3.7 on Windows 7 and a few of the libraries CMAutoEditor depends on require python 3.10. In addition, I don't have a farm of PCs idling at home where I can test different Windows version so I can really only develop for Windows 10. Sorry for that but maybe this doubles as a friendly reminder that nowadays Windows 7 is a security liability and you should upgrade to Windows 10 or 11. 😉
There is of course a long list of things I'd like to improve eventually and given that this is a rather complex piece of code the chances that it is free of bugs is close to zero. So, feel free to contact me here or on github if you find something!

Now, with all the caveats out of the way let's move on to the more pleasant stuff. 🙂 What's new in version 2? Well, of course OpenStreetMap data. You can import forests, rivers, roads, streams, railways, farmland, grassland, bushes, buildings and even bus stops, wayside crosses and much more. I improved the tools to import DGM data so that now arbitrary rectangles can be extracted. The information from this can be loaded into the OSM data converter so that you don't have to manually enter bounding boxes. (The geotiff tool is unfortunately among the things that didn't make it for this release so you are left with the previous capabilites). CMAutoEditor itself is now also much faster. Please note, that it may be too fast for what your PC can handle. If you experience "holes", e.g. when setting the elevation, that means the CM Editor is not responsive enough. I will make the parameters that determines the rate of clicking selectable from the GUI in a later update. Last but certainly not least there is a GUI for all the tools, so no more going to that evil shell, typing commands - kudos to @Dawntaker for supporting me with GUI making!

One more thing. I won't repeat the mistake and not have a manual or tutorial video ready at release: Since my previous tutorial video is now totally deprecated I am doing a new one. This time, instead of just telling you what the different features do, I'll do a step-by-step tutorial in four parts where I will create an actual map. This way I will certainly miss a few features but you should get a better feeling of how to actually use the tools in reality. Part 1 is finished already and it covers "installing" (i.e. downloading the .exe files) CMAutoEditor, installing other necessary tools, selecting a location for the map in map.army, finding and downloading elevation data, downloading OpenStreetMap data and getting historical aerial imagery and working with it. So, basically the boring stuff, some of you might say, but possibly the most important part. 😉
In the future I'd like to adapt CMAutoEditor to one of the WW2 titles, I think CMFB or CMRT would be best. Obviously present-day OpenStreetMap won't do for that. So, instead I'd like to make another tutorial showing how to use and old map or aerial image to make "OpenStreetMap data" from scratch and feed it into the CM scenario editor. Drawing polygons and tagging them is still - in my view - much more comfortable than clicking in the editor with some semi transparent overlay. So, if you have good material, go ahead and make a suggestion here. 😉
I hope you enjoy this new version of CMAutoEditor and the tutorial video(s)!

https://youtu.be/Ai5bvbwqDU8
 
A Combat Mission Fortress Italy story, using Bil Hardenberger's excellent C2 Hard Cat Rules v2I.
 
For those of you who like to take game accuracy/authenticity to the next level, I highly recommend you give Bil's rules a run out. They make the game far more challenging by, amongst other things, removing the player's ability to react to situations that the troops on the ground would be unaware of.
 
I will be producing these DARs as I play the game, so I'm as unaware of the outcome as you will be!
 
Feedback appreciated, as always
 
Drew

Here's another picture of "The Man with the Big Cigar" in Mote Park, I think that the officer with the swagger stick is saying "There's nothing to worry about Prime Minister, I'm sure it can take the weight of your drinks cabinet".
 

I've needed to create unit files for each of the regiments involved in the fighting including the various strong points along the beach. Realised these, coupled with the master maps is probably all the multiplayer crowd would need to tinker and create their own running series of linked battles over this time period rather than follow the prescribed scenarios. They'll have to work out house rules amongst themselves. Probably on a fraction of buyers will be interested but there is always the odd one out there.
Big reason the BP won't creep that far north is the excellent community work he's put in over the years. The other is if you look at the base game release it really followed the exploits north of Utah Beach already so didn't want to tread over old ground. There is only a slight crossover with the Utah Breach map that showed up in a CMBN Road to Montebourg but this was more a generic beach map given at the time of CM2 v1.0 there was no map overlay function in the editor and map size limits were much smaller. Now we can sit there with photos and BIGOT maps and go for more detail and also much larger areas. There is another crossover in scenarios that will occur but that's a secret and I don't think players will mind given it's small and popular.
As for that road, that's a small section of Purple Heart Lane. It's quite deceptive looking at the photos and maps just to see how long a road and open space it was for the 502nd PIR to get across. Everyone is going to hate my guts and another beta member who will remain nameless for the moment to protect his good standing in the community. No secret back doors to avoid the bridges.
A fictional PzIV? There were no PzIV's in the 12SS PzGren Div in Normandy. Not 100% what you are asking here but the short answer anyway will be: Nope. Only what is currently available in the CMBN family formation and equipment wise will be included in the pack. Might as well get this out of the way as someone will realise this eventually. That also means a bit of proxying for the 17SS in terms of their StuGs. Sadly they won't be StuGIV's but StuGIII's as the former is not part of the CMBN vehicle roster. Battle Packs are purely scenarios and campaigns, they do not add in new units/formations/nations to the game family etc.
And more importantly when is the next Ashes series on? Over your side of the world in 6 months or so?
Update: Getting late here. Off to bed but see what I can answer in the coming days.

@BFCElvis - For pinning please.
 
Steve has let me off the proverbial leash to release some bones for CMBN in 2023.
 
Relive the opening days of the Normandy Campaign from the perspective of American and German forces fighting for control of the Cotentin Peninsula of France. From D-Day through to the 13th of June, take command of forces from the 4th Infantry, 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, as they fight for a foothold on the western edge of Operation Overlord. Alternatively, take command of German formations in the area, including the 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment as it tries to hold back the Allied Invasion.
A Taster of Included Content
 
-          Three Campaigns
o   We Start Here – Follow the exploits of the 101st Airborne and 4th Infantry on D-Day. Follow the first paratroopers to hit the ground just after midnight, through to the evening of June 6th. Get off the beach.
o   Purple Heart Lane – Command the 101st Airborne from the Battle of Ste Come du Mont through to the Battle of Carentan.
§  A slight experiment in campaign design, allowing the player to fight a rolling battle at their own pace over several in game days. Can you keep pace with history or will the 17SS Panzer Grenadier Division arrive in time to make your task more difficult?
Current count, 110 scenario variants so that is quite a long campaign script.
§  A recreation of the Carentan Operation from Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord.
o   Fist of Iron – Take control of the 17SS Panzer Grenadier Division on the 13th of June as they launch their counterattack to retake Carentan. Can you defy history?
-          Scenarios (purposefully incomplete to leave some surprises)
o   La Madeleine / Tare Green – The 4th Infantry Division head north along the beach to clear the German Strongpoints.


o   Clash of Eagles – 101st Airborne and 6 Fallschirmjäger Regiment elements clash around Vierville.
o   Hill 30 – 101st Airborne try to hold the line southwest of Carentan against a determined 17SS Counter Attack.
-          Master Maps
o   Seven maps covering just over 70 square kilometres of now famous battlefields, recreated from Allied aerial photographs and D-Day planning maps from 1944.
-          (Possibly) Master Unit Files. In combination with the Master Maps will allow players to easily put together fight their own linked multiplayer campaign battles. [Let me know views on this one].
Requirements
 
Players will be required to own:
-          Combat Mission Battle for Normandy Base Game;
-          Commonwealth Forces Module;
-          Market Garden Module; and
-          Vehicle Pack.
 
Likely Questions
 
Why are we going back to D-Day?


When the CMBN base game was designed there was a conscious decision to focus on the US Army and German Heer forces only. This meant that key German formations that were fighting around the 101st Airborne area were not available. With Waffen SS and Fallschirmjäger formations now part of the game family we are able to recreate these famous engagements inside the CM2 engine. It's also a chance to present a number of different tactical scenario situations rarely used in previously in stock scenarios such as the use of naval gunfire, extensive fortifications, spotting victory point allocations etc.
Why the focus on the 101st Airborne? No love for the 82nd Airborne?


There are already a number of community made scenarios and maps available for players focusing on the exploits of the 82nd Airborne to the north of the location depicted in this Battle Pack. We didn’t want to crossover too heavily with the work the community had already undertaken.
Will any new formations or units be added to the CMBN family with this release?


No. Like other Battle Packs the focus is on campaigns and scenarios. Unlike Modules which focus on the new units and formations introduced, Battle Packs provide us the opportunity to mix and match all the content available in a game family.
What’s the release date?


When it is ready. This will be sometime after the CMBN Steam release. This pack has also been a bit different when compared to others to date. When this was announced at the start of the year the actual work had only just commenced rather than being in development for some time already. Saying that, the mapping is virtually complete and scenarios are being built.
How will I be able to get my hands on it?


From all the existing places you can currently buy Combat Mission products.
In the promotional photos that bush is 0.764 meters away from where it was historically!


Everything is a work in progress. Also, I suggest you may want another glass of a fermented vegetable drink.
Wait a minute who the hell are you?
One of the volunteer beta team. Like GeorgeMC and JonS before me, one of us generally leads a Battle Pack development though this time I've been lucky enough for a number of other betas to help out and get all that mapping done. Also dabbled in some modding and YouTube in previous years.
Can we see some pictures?
Oh alright.