Centurian52

Good graphics are nice to have, but they have never been a priority for me. I am finding that the classic Combat Mission games to be a lot of fun.

Good graphics are nice to have, but they have never been a priority for me. I am finding that the classic Combat Mission games to be a lot of fun.

I used to own these games but playing now the newer ones. People still complain about the graphics but CM is for me good enough. 

I am currently playing through all of my realistic tactical and operational games in chronological order(so mostly Combat Mission and Command Ops). I'm not entirely sure how many scenarios and Campaigns I have since I did bulk downloads of custom scenarios/campaigns/operations so I have a lot of duplicates and H2H only scenarios. But it is somewhere north of 2,000 total scenarios between CMAK, CMBB, CMFI, CMBN, CMRT, CMCW, CMA, CMSF, & CMBS. I have spent the last couple years just sorting all of them (renaming each with the date at the front of the filename in YYYY-MM-DD format so that they order themselves in chronological order when sorted alphabetically) and haven't actually been playing them during that time (to minimize spoilers) so I am very rusty now. But at long last sorting is finished, and playing has now commenced.
I have just finished uploading the first CMAK scenario of the playthrough, this one set in France in 1940, to youtube and I thought I might share it here in case anyone is interested.
 
 
 
 
 

Well, I still haven't figured out the unreadable text issue with the Battlefront version (which is the latest version, 1.04). But I managed to get the GOG version working fine by setting my display resolution to match the best resolution offered by the game (2048 x 1536). Which with the benefit of hindsight probably should have been the first thing I tried.

How did you purchase? If the game is on your account, it may be possible to download the latest version. Unfortunately, I bought mine at the time in a computershop on Windows XP. If your installation number is on your account uninstall, download and reinstall may solve the problem. 

I just sent all those "North Afrika" music and BG desert sound files plus a few more to Koh.  Am sure if you ask nicely he can forward the folder to your dropbox.  

Yep, that is the updated version. Unfortunately, the original mod description got lost, when Bootie migrated the stuff from GaJ‘s site to the FGM site.
If it is of interested: There should be another „splash mod“ with the overture from „A bridge too far“ on the FGM site. Fit‘s nicely to MG scenarios. If you don‘t find, drop me a line.

And finally I found the time to convert and upload some songs, including Lili Marleen, D-Day Dodgers, Erika, It's a long way to Tipperary and some others.

Due to the file size they are at Green As Jade's place:

http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods/4950/details

Guys, of course there weren't T-72s in GSFG, but units equipped with these tanks deployed in the border military districts of USSR. Of course, these units could be moved to Germany after beginning of warfare as reinforcements. Also T-72 had Central Group of Forces in Chekhoslovakia, closest to the theater.  

I don't have anything in the current period of the game (1979-1982). But I found a wonderful document giving the OOBs of the Warsaw Pact forces in Europe in June 1989: http://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1377961541351.pdf
As of 1989 it seems all formations are equipped either with T80s or T64Bs. I wasn't quite satisfied with this and wanted to know what type of T80 each unit had (who had T80Us and who had T80BVs), and got this answer on Quora: https://www.quora.com/Where-were-the-Soviet-T80Us-stationed-in-1989-What-kind-of-T80s-were-stationed-in-East-Germany-in-1989?q=t80u
The relevant excerpt:
"Divisions of 8th guards army: 27th: T80U, 57th: T80?, 79th: T80?, 39th: mixed, one regiment of T80BV (1987), and two regiments of T80U (1989).
Divisions of 1st guards tank army: 9th: T80BV, 11th: T80BV *, 20th: T80BV.
Divisions of 3rd shock tank army: 7th: T80U, 10th: T80?, 12th: T80?, 47th: T80?.
Divisions of 2nd guards tank army:
16th: T80?,
21st: T80U (1991, differs with your OOB),
207th: T80? (1991, differs with your OOB),
94th: T64B (1991, differs with your OOB).
There are also 20th guards army (presented in your OOB but omitted in your list):
6th separate motorized rifle brigade: T64B (omitted in your OOB),
25th tank division (disbanded in 1989): T64B,
32nd guards tank division: T64B,
35th motorized rifle division: T64B,
90th guards tank division : T80? (1990, differs with your OOB)."
Again, unfortunately this information applies to 1989, which is currently outside of the scope of the game (although could be useful in designing scenarios in Armored Brigade, which is what I initially wanted the information for since CMCW hadn't even been announced at the time). Anyway, still no T72s in Germany (plenty waiting back in the USSR though, and I'm sure it wouldn't take long for them to join the fighting).

From what I understand, they did some thinking-outside-the-box and labeled the extended tube a 'bipod' so so when the weapon is deployed the 'bipod' (e.g. extended tube) appears. One of those things that's obvious only after someone first thinks of it.

Long time player of CO2 (and 1, which was just CO). Better than OK, it's an outstanding game. I suppose you could use it for scenario creation, keeping in mind that in pretty much any CO2 scenario, you'd have to play to some point and then pick an interesting section of the overall battlefield and slice it to be a CM scenario, due to the map and unit sizes of CO2. There is plenty of detail under the hood listing all the equipment and personnel of every unit  and their casualty state, which you could take and apply to force selection in CM.
What you'd be doing is taking an existing historical battle/mini-campaign, playing it out partway using your own methods, and then at some point stopping to select part for a semi-historical/what-if scenario for CM. Getting all that info from CO2 to CM would be kind of tedious, but you could do it. Plus you'd have to create your own map based on what you sliced from CO2. The fidelity of the maps in CO2 is nice, but not the level of granularity of CM.
Anyway, CO2 is a lot of fun. Different level, but a pretty capable AI, and there are many scenario sets available. Also if you check the LnL forums there are some user made battles that are excellent. There's a 3 or 4 scenario Caen campaign that's really great (and huge!).
 
Dave

Thanks! I've been a big fan of your tactical icons mods since I first discovered them (I think the first one I came across was the one for CMSF, but it's been a couple years). I now have a Cat Tactical Icons mod sitting in all of my z folders.

Thanks! I've been a big fan of your tactical icons mods since I first discovered them (I think the first one I came across was the one for CMSF, but it's been a couple years). I now have a Cat Tactical Icons mod sitting in all of my z folders.

Nice @Centurian52!

Hi folks, this morning Ithikial has created an update to his CM Career Tracker.  Fid it at the link below.  An absolute must have for stat nerds. 
https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/cm-mod-warehouse/uncategorized/ithikials-combat-mission-career-record-system-ww2-and-modern-era/
 

Hi folks... latest mod upload is IanL's CMCW icons mod modified by @Centurian52 to work in CM Afghanistan.
https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/cm-mod-warehouse/combat-mission-afghanistan/combat-mission-afghanistan-other/cma-cat-tactical-icons/

A quick and dirty summary of the tanks present in the various divisions of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, I compiled this from the data available on the excellent Cold War Soviet Army OoB site by Michael Holm. These are only ballpark figures (and some smaller units are missing, namely a few independent tank regiments) but this should be useful to get the overall picture.

It's possible the name gives a hint as to the vest's purpose.  

Hi,
A few folks were asking for this. I have the 2004  annual "Military Balance" periodical by the Institute of Strategic Study. It lists the Syrian Armed Forces as consisting of the following in 2004:
 
Army c. 280,000
 
3 Corps HQ
7 Armored divisions (3 armored, 1 mech brigade, 1 artillery regiment each).
3 Mech divisions (2 armored, 2 mech brigades, 1 artillery regiment each).
1 Republican Guard division, ( 3 armored, 1 mech brigade, 1 artillery regiment).
1 Special Forces division (3 SF regiments.)
4 independent infantry brigades.
1 Border Guard brigade.
2 independent artillery brigades.
2 independent anti-tank brigades.
10 independent Special Forces regiments.
3 surface to surface to service missile brigades each of 3 battalions.
1 coastal surface to surface missile brigade.
 
Reserves
1 Armored division HQ
4 Armored brigades.
2 Armored regiments.
31 infantry regiments.
3 artillery regiments.
 
Navy c. 4000
 
2 Petya III class fast frigates.
18 patrol and coastal craft.
 
Air Force c. 40,000
 
Fighter/Ground Attack
5 Sqds with 50 Su-22s
2 Sqds with 60 MiG 23s
2 Sqds with 20 Su-24s
 
Fighter
8 Sqds with 160 MiG 21
5 Sqds with 60 MiG 23
2 Sqds with 30 MiG 25
1 Sqd with 42 MiG 29
8 Su 27 reported
 
Recce Aircraft
5 MiG 25
40 MiG 21
 
Attack Helicopter
36 Mi 25 and SA 342 L
 
Air Defense Command c. 60,000
2 AD divisions, 25 AD brigades with c. 150 SAM batteries, 23mm, 130 mm.
c. 472 SA-2/-3 , 100 SA-6, and 4000 AD artillery pieces.
2 SAM regiments with c. 48 SA-5.
Actually the map that came with the physical copies of Shock Force  reflects the OOB above pretty well.
 
 
I have more detail but it's mostly derived from research forum member SDP compiled for the meta campaign he was going to run back in 2010. He came up with a quite detailed Order of Battle which I discovered I still have on my harddrive. Some of it is fictional but he identifies what's fictional and what's not in his document. If you are interested in the document, I don't think he would mind me sharing it. Just send me a pm. SDP if you are still around and would rather I not share your OOB please let me know.
 
 
 

I'm thinkin either tomorrow or sometime next week. Most likely next week though, as a general rule launching software on a friday is a no go.

Friday, April 30th 23:59 GMT-12

Norway.  They would be joined by UK and French commandos and para.  Now, THAT would make for an excellent expansion for CMCW.  (hint, hint)