surfimp

I'm a brand-new customer and only just heard of Combat Mission thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam. This despite looking for literal years for a realistic tactics simulation of infantry and combined arms combat, and being an avid player of tabletop miniatures wargames like Bolt Action. Suffice to say, Combat Mission is like a gift from the gods, and checks boxes I didn't even know I could wish for. I've become an instant fan.
This news about my Battlefront purchase being honored on Steam is wonderful, and I've shared it with my IRL gaming group friends. I'm hoping a couple of them may take the plunge with me, as Combat Mission is a perfect replacement for tabletop wargaming in the time of Covid.
Sorry if my reply is overly gushing, but I just want to reiterate how happy I am with my purchase, and what looks like the very positive and healthy relationship between Battlefront and its customers. Though it took me too long to find you all, I'm so very glad to be here.

I'm a brand-new customer and only just heard of Combat Mission thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam. This despite looking for literal years for a realistic tactics simulation of infantry and combined arms combat, and being an avid player of tabletop miniatures wargames like Bolt Action. Suffice to say, Combat Mission is like a gift from the gods, and checks boxes I didn't even know I could wish for. I've become an instant fan.
This news about my Battlefront purchase being honored on Steam is wonderful, and I've shared it with my IRL gaming group friends. I'm hoping a couple of them may take the plunge with me, as Combat Mission is a perfect replacement for tabletop wargaming in the time of Covid.
Sorry if my reply is overly gushing, but I just want to reiterate how happy I am with my purchase, and what looks like the very positive and healthy relationship between Battlefront and its customers. Though it took me too long to find you all, I'm so very glad to be here.

Personally, I compared the cost of the investment not against other video games but against tabletop miniatures gaming, since Combat Mission is much more analogous that that experience than most video games.
The $110 of the CMBN Big Bundle would get you a decent sized starter force for a single faction in a wargame like Bolt Action or Flames of War. Of course you'd need to buy terrain and paint and rulebooks and dice and tape measures and whatnot (meaning you'd likely spend more), and then of course you've got to actually put the stuff together and (ideally) paint it if you want to play a game. Which, after setting aside dozens of hours for the hobbying, requires you to either go to a game store or meet up with friends (let's just set aside the whole Covid thing for a moment, because eventually that will be over).
So, in contrast to that, the $110 for the CMBN bundle gets you a lot more. You get dozens of units across the Allied and Axis factions, encompassing regular infantry, airborne infantry, mechanized infantry, armor, artillery, and more. You get historical TO&Es for the date of the scenario you're playing. And you get some of the best rules I've ever experienced in a tactical-level wargame, which feel by all accounts to be very realistic. You get literally 700+ different "tables" to play on, many of which are sizes that would be impossible to play on if they were real life game board, unless you were happy to tromp all over your terrain. And access to a community of players around the world with whom you can play via email, meaning you don't have to go to the game store at all. And of course, the singleplayer content is plenty challenging for new players, and as others have said will likely keep you busy for a long time.
Anyways, we all have to make our own choices in these matters, but thinking of CMBN more as a tabletop miniatures game than a videogame is what helped me make up my mind. Sadly, now I fear that Combat Mission has made my miniatures collection rather obsolete!

Personally, I compared the cost of the investment not against other video games but against tabletop miniatures gaming, since Combat Mission is much more analogous that that experience than most video games.
The $110 of the CMBN Big Bundle would get you a decent sized starter force for a single faction in a wargame like Bolt Action or Flames of War. Of course you'd need to buy terrain and paint and rulebooks and dice and tape measures and whatnot (meaning you'd likely spend more), and then of course you've got to actually put the stuff together and (ideally) paint it if you want to play a game. Which, after setting aside dozens of hours for the hobbying, requires you to either go to a game store or meet up with friends (let's just set aside the whole Covid thing for a moment, because eventually that will be over).
So, in contrast to that, the $110 for the CMBN bundle gets you a lot more. You get dozens of units across the Allied and Axis factions, encompassing regular infantry, airborne infantry, mechanized infantry, armor, artillery, and more. You get historical TO&Es for the date of the scenario you're playing. And you get some of the best rules I've ever experienced in a tactical-level wargame, which feel by all accounts to be very realistic. You get literally 700+ different "tables" to play on, many of which are sizes that would be impossible to play on if they were real life game board, unless you were happy to tromp all over your terrain. And access to a community of players around the world with whom you can play via email, meaning you don't have to go to the game store at all. And of course, the singleplayer content is plenty challenging for new players, and as others have said will likely keep you busy for a long time.
Anyways, we all have to make our own choices in these matters, but thinking of CMBN more as a tabletop miniatures game than a videogame is what helped me make up my mind. Sadly, now I fear that Combat Mission has made my miniatures collection rather obsolete!

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

Just want to say again - the built-in scenarios and campaigns are great, but if you really want to focus on smaller stuff, the editor is really not hard at all to pick up. You can just make literally whatever you want! Use one of hundreds of existing maps, or create your own. The AI is dead simple to "program", you're really just painting some squares on the map to tell them where to go, for the most part (and sure, it can get more complex than that, but it doesn't have to at first).
And of course, there's all the free user-created scenarios to dive into, as well.
I would just strongly recommend you go with whichever edition gave you the "stuff" you're interested in playing with / simulating... i.e. the theater of war that interests you most. The campaigns and scenarios and whatnot are plentiful, just make sure you've got the units you want to play with, and you should be good to go.

Just want to say again - the built-in scenarios and campaigns are great, but if you really want to focus on smaller stuff, the editor is really not hard at all to pick up. You can just make literally whatever you want! Use one of hundreds of existing maps, or create your own. The AI is dead simple to "program", you're really just painting some squares on the map to tell them where to go, for the most part (and sure, it can get more complex than that, but it doesn't have to at first).
And of course, there's all the free user-created scenarios to dive into, as well.
I would just strongly recommend you go with whichever edition gave you the "stuff" you're interested in playing with / simulating... i.e. the theater of war that interests you most. The campaigns and scenarios and whatnot are plentiful, just make sure you've got the units you want to play with, and you should be good to go.

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

It's so true! I'm having a literal blast (pardon the pun) just cooking up my own small, simple scenarios and messing around with them.
This evening, I threw together a King Tiger vs four Sherman scenario. Let's just say... it's not going well for the Americans, lol! I should probably try using actual tactics, haha.
Last night, I made a scenario to help me learn the mechanics for assaulting houses. I setup a German rifle squad in the house, with their mandatory HQ unit along, and the LMG in one of the upper windows. An American Glider squad with their HQ was outside, and I had to practice splitting the squad, using covering fire, and then running the assault unit up - but just outside, so they could fire in through the windows and throw grenades.
Very good way to learn how the game works, when you take it in tiny bite-sized pieces like that. And you can just create endless variations, it's tons of fun for someone like me, who enjoys the kind of tinkering that sandboxes like this provide.

It's so true! I'm having a literal blast (pardon the pun) just cooking up my own small, simple scenarios and messing around with them.
This evening, I threw together a King Tiger vs four Sherman scenario. Let's just say... it's not going well for the Americans, lol! I should probably try using actual tactics, haha.
Last night, I made a scenario to help me learn the mechanics for assaulting houses. I setup a German rifle squad in the house, with their mandatory HQ unit along, and the LMG in one of the upper windows. An American Glider squad with their HQ was outside, and I had to practice splitting the squad, using covering fire, and then running the assault unit up - but just outside, so they could fire in through the windows and throw grenades.
Very good way to learn how the game works, when you take it in tiny bite-sized pieces like that. And you can just create endless variations, it's tons of fun for someone like me, who enjoys the kind of tinkering that sandboxes like this provide.

Personally, I compared the cost of the investment not against other video games but against tabletop miniatures gaming, since Combat Mission is much more analogous that that experience than most video games.
The $110 of the CMBN Big Bundle would get you a decent sized starter force for a single faction in a wargame like Bolt Action or Flames of War. Of course you'd need to buy terrain and paint and rulebooks and dice and tape measures and whatnot (meaning you'd likely spend more), and then of course you've got to actually put the stuff together and (ideally) paint it if you want to play a game. Which, after setting aside dozens of hours for the hobbying, requires you to either go to a game store or meet up with friends (let's just set aside the whole Covid thing for a moment, because eventually that will be over).
So, in contrast to that, the $110 for the CMBN bundle gets you a lot more. You get dozens of units across the Allied and Axis factions, encompassing regular infantry, airborne infantry, mechanized infantry, armor, artillery, and more. You get historical TO&Es for the date of the scenario you're playing. And you get some of the best rules I've ever experienced in a tactical-level wargame, which feel by all accounts to be very realistic. You get literally 700+ different "tables" to play on, many of which are sizes that would be impossible to play on if they were real life game board, unless you were happy to tromp all over your terrain. And access to a community of players around the world with whom you can play via email, meaning you don't have to go to the game store at all. And of course, the singleplayer content is plenty challenging for new players, and as others have said will likely keep you busy for a long time.
Anyways, we all have to make our own choices in these matters, but thinking of CMBN more as a tabletop miniatures game than a videogame is what helped me make up my mind. Sadly, now I fear that Combat Mission has made my miniatures collection rather obsolete!

Personally, I compared the cost of the investment not against other video games but against tabletop miniatures gaming, since Combat Mission is much more analogous that that experience than most video games.
The $110 of the CMBN Big Bundle would get you a decent sized starter force for a single faction in a wargame like Bolt Action or Flames of War. Of course you'd need to buy terrain and paint and rulebooks and dice and tape measures and whatnot (meaning you'd likely spend more), and then of course you've got to actually put the stuff together and (ideally) paint it if you want to play a game. Which, after setting aside dozens of hours for the hobbying, requires you to either go to a game store or meet up with friends (let's just set aside the whole Covid thing for a moment, because eventually that will be over).
So, in contrast to that, the $110 for the CMBN bundle gets you a lot more. You get dozens of units across the Allied and Axis factions, encompassing regular infantry, airborne infantry, mechanized infantry, armor, artillery, and more. You get historical TO&Es for the date of the scenario you're playing. And you get some of the best rules I've ever experienced in a tactical-level wargame, which feel by all accounts to be very realistic. You get literally 700+ different "tables" to play on, many of which are sizes that would be impossible to play on if they were real life game board, unless you were happy to tromp all over your terrain. And access to a community of players around the world with whom you can play via email, meaning you don't have to go to the game store at all. And of course, the singleplayer content is plenty challenging for new players, and as others have said will likely keep you busy for a long time.
Anyways, we all have to make our own choices in these matters, but thinking of CMBN more as a tabletop miniatures game than a videogame is what helped me make up my mind. Sadly, now I fear that Combat Mission has made my miniatures collection rather obsolete!

PS - My main advice.....Do not be afraid of the editor.  Your $110 will go many, many times futher once you are designing stuff for yourself (& us too, hopefully).
PPS - Welcome to the war! 

For what you spend compared to the amount of time you'll be playing it comes out to less than a few pennies (or Euro cents) per hour.

I'm a brand-new customer and only just heard of Combat Mission thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam. This despite looking for literal years for a realistic tactics simulation of infantry and combined arms combat, and being an avid player of tabletop miniatures wargames like Bolt Action. Suffice to say, Combat Mission is like a gift from the gods, and checks boxes I didn't even know I could wish for. I've become an instant fan.
This news about my Battlefront purchase being honored on Steam is wonderful, and I've shared it with my IRL gaming group friends. I'm hoping a couple of them may take the plunge with me, as Combat Mission is a perfect replacement for tabletop wargaming in the time of Covid.
Sorry if my reply is overly gushing, but I just want to reiterate how happy I am with my purchase, and what looks like the very positive and healthy relationship between Battlefront and its customers. Though it took me too long to find you all, I'm so very glad to be here.

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

@surfimp I hope that this works...   
Busting The Bocage_v1.btt

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

I'm a brand-new customer and only just heard of Combat Mission thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam. This despite looking for literal years for a realistic tactics simulation of infantry and combined arms combat, and being an avid player of tabletop miniatures wargames like Bolt Action. Suffice to say, Combat Mission is like a gift from the gods, and checks boxes I didn't even know I could wish for. I've become an instant fan.
This news about my Battlefront purchase being honored on Steam is wonderful, and I've shared it with my IRL gaming group friends. I'm hoping a couple of them may take the plunge with me, as Combat Mission is a perfect replacement for tabletop wargaming in the time of Covid.
Sorry if my reply is overly gushing, but I just want to reiterate how happy I am with my purchase, and what looks like the very positive and healthy relationship between Battlefront and its customers. Though it took me too long to find you all, I'm so very glad to be here.

I'm a brand-new customer and only just heard of Combat Mission thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam. This despite looking for literal years for a realistic tactics simulation of infantry and combined arms combat, and being an avid player of tabletop miniatures wargames like Bolt Action. Suffice to say, Combat Mission is like a gift from the gods, and checks boxes I didn't even know I could wish for. I've become an instant fan.
This news about my Battlefront purchase being honored on Steam is wonderful, and I've shared it with my IRL gaming group friends. I'm hoping a couple of them may take the plunge with me, as Combat Mission is a perfect replacement for tabletop wargaming in the time of Covid.
Sorry if my reply is overly gushing, but I just want to reiterate how happy I am with my purchase, and what looks like the very positive and healthy relationship between Battlefront and its customers. Though it took me too long to find you all, I'm so very glad to be here.

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!

Oh buddy, you're in the right place.
I am new to Combat Mission as well, but oh my god, am I ever glad to have found it.  Never been able to get into RTS games, they often look kind of neat, but the base building and whatnot are just not compelling for me. They may be good games, but realism takes a very, very distant backseat to creating an intense gaming experience, and honestly I'm neither good at them nor enjoy them.
I'm much more of a combat flight sim and FPS guy, and what I enjoy most in a game is its ability to allow me to use real life tactics as realistically as possible and achieve success with them. Whether or not it's a "game" matters almost nothing to me, and my ideal situation is a simulator that has as realistic of features as possible, and presents a sort of sandbox or toolkit you can use to create or at least experience a simulated vision of reality.
Well, after literal years of searching, I believe Combat Mission is exactly that, in terms of battalion level and smaller infantry and combined arms engagements.
I only found CM thanks to the Shock Force 2 listing on Steam, and stumbled across it pretty randomly. I was immediately captivated by the mechanics of the game engine, even though the modern setting wasn't really my thing. Like you, I prefer the WWII setting. Curious, I searched Battlefront, and realized that, in addition to Shock Force 2, they had a whole WWII line. I immediately downloaded the Battle for Normandy demo and was super impressed.
Granted, the price is not inexpensive, and the graphics are serviceable though obviously dated. But I really got impressed when I tried out the Roadblock scenario - I was amazed. It was like everything I'd been looking for in a tactical combat simulation, but had never been able to find. While CM veterans probably find that scenario to be a dawdle, I was really pushed to learn the mechanics, and I really got immersed and invested in the engagement. When I ultimately prevailed - with relatively modest casualties - I was so pleased. What an incredible sim this is!
Then I found the Assault on Brecourt Manor scenario and oh man... talk about wish fulfillment! Getting to assault those gun positions was amazing. I got inspired and downloaded some free mods from TheFewGoodMen.com to get proper 101st Airborne uniforms and Lucky Strike's very nice "Hedgerow Hell" scenery upgrades. This lead me to getting under the hood in the Scenario Editor (so I could apply the correct uniforms to the units), and checking out not only the preset scenarios and campaigns, but also the Quick Battles and Map Editor, and I really fell in love. There's also a very comprehensive manual that ships with the game and reminds me of game manuals of yore - it's got tons of great info, and explains very clearly how to use the tool to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Over the past couple days, I got inspired to recreate the "German Hedgerow Defense" diagram from Captain Doubler's famous "Busting the Bocage" essay about hedgerow fighting in Normandy. From a cold start, I was able to use the Scenario Editor - with minimal confusion or pain - to setup a roughly 200 x 200 meter field, with German machinegun emplacements, some farmhouses, and similar. I created a US infantry company with a two rifle platoons, a weapons platoon (with MMGs and medium mortars) and attached a couple Sherman M4s for support. Wow! What fun I've had learning how to move across a large open field.
This, to me, is what makes Combat Mission so great. There are a wide range of settings depicted across the various offerings, and your ability to customize the experience you want is nearly unlimited. Want to simulate a single rifle squad taking on clearing a building? You can do it. Want to simulate a battalion or large engagement? You can do that, too. It's really up to you, and the editor is *so easy* to use, it makes it relatively simple - and FUN!
I haven't even dipped my toe into multiplayer yet, either - but oh gosh, Combat Mission is like the ultimate replacement for my miniature wargaming collection. It's much cheaper, has much more accurate rules, and doesn't require any assembly or painting or physical storage.
I'm just over the moon with this find, and I'm so glad it exists. I hope you give it a shot, because despite the high price relative to other video games, this is the real deal! It's probably my favorite software purchase of 2020.
Anyways, wishing you the best of luck!