Blue and Gray

[A Canadian Cat]

However, committing them means you draw from reserves that could be potentially required elsewhere in the war, and as such, this incurs a penalty for engaging them in your battle!

A penalty, as in their causalities will effect the size of the force in the next battle? Or penalty as in casualties will give points to your enemy during scorin?

[Crushingleeek]

A penalty, as in their causalities will effect the size of the force in the next battle? Or penalty as in casualties will give points to your enemy during scorin?

the latter, scoring penalty will applied in determining the outcome of the battle.

[Crushingleeek]

StoneAge is very helpful if you get stuck -- just pm him.

His instructions are detailed but very thorough and step by step.

I can also answer questions to a certain extent, since I tested the tool and have used in in maps a bit so far.

and you would describe it as a "must have"?

[Broadsword56]

and you would describe it as a "must have"?

Definitely a must-have. It gives you two things that historical mappers need most:

1. A way to accurately trace your map tiles right over your GE images, aerial photos, maps, or whatever you use as a source.

2. A system for making the maps, 400m x 400m at a time, which allows you to "move" existing maps to other parts of a larger campaign map without re-drawing them every time.

(You don't literally move the submaps, but if you use a 400m x 400m grid and the tool's labeling system, you can then tell CMBN where a particular submap should be drawn on a larger 4km x 4km master map area. So, for example, you could:

a. Take an existing CMBN battle and open it in the editor.

b "Grow" the edges of the existing map outwards to the maximum size (4km x 4km) These new areas will be blank, but the old terrain would now be a smaller area within it.

c. Use the HTML tool to make the new map terrain, in 400m x 400m sections, and it will tell the CMBN editor where this new terrain should be placed in relation to the old terrain. The tool uses an x,y coordinate labeling system to tell CMBN where on the larger map the new terrain should go.

Now you'd have an expanded map, without having to draw it anew every time, and the new terrain would be placed in exactly the right place. You could keep detailing additional areas and cutting other areas out, as your campaign progresses.

One caution: I find it best now to make all my maps with a "top = north" true orientation. And I try to use Google Earth lat-long grids as my reference points for setting my map corners. This is important if you want to "grow" the map later in a particular direction using the HTML tool.

One caution about the (outstanding and accurate) historical maps supplied with the CW module: They have all sorts of different orientations depending on the designer's preferences. So, for example, a map might have been rotated in order to make a railway line or highway run straight (N-S or E-W rows of tiles). That would make it hard to use these maps as starting points with the HTML tool to "grow" the terrain in a particular direction.

In my XIX Corps master map, I rotated the terrain slightly so it would match the orientation of the boardgame I was using as my operational campaign layer. Now I wish I hadn't done that, because now it makes it harder to use the master map with the HTML tool to make new submaps from it. But for your purposes, crushingleek, that wouldn't be an issue -- your scale of battle is small enough that all you'd need to do is cut the master map into smaller pieces for whatever area you need.

[Crushingleeek]

what happens when you come across two roads that lie 30 degrees relative to each other?

You have to deviate from the GE map to some degree since roads can only be laid down in 45 degree increments in the editor.

[Broadsword56]

You're right -- and for that reason you can't be that precise when making historical maps. It's a matter of "eyballing" the overall angle the road takes, and getting it as close as you can using the existing CMBN road tiles. I try to lay in roads first, because they're the least flexible aspect of the terrain. Then the fields and other things can fit around them.

[Crushingleeek]

I just realized - you are chamberlain on matrix games forum for command ops?

I made the St. Lo scenario for BFTB

[Crushingleeek]

BFTB editor was awesome for overlaying maps on your design.

[Crushingleeek]

but its hard to get that kind of detail on the CMBN scale. BFTB was much much bigger scale

[Broadsword56]

Yes, I'm the same person! Haven't played that game in ages though. It's CMBN all the way for me now.

[Crushingleeek]

me too. I was upset when they listed details like "muzzle velocity" for weapons within each unit and found out they contributed in no way to the game algorithms.

but still a great game

[sburke]

Yes, I'm the same person! Haven't played that game in ages though. It's CMBN all the way for me now.

Too funny, Have to admit to having purchased it as well and having mostly dropped it. Very interesting concept, but I am finding my level of interest in any game that only can be played versus the AI has dropped- it is your fault LOL

[Crushingleeek]

Excellent. Grabbed it from the repository and the water (and everything else) is already looking decidely choppy!

As a matter of interest, are you planning on releasing individual maps from the campaign? The only (vaguely serious) attempt I've made at making a historical map myself is Le Carrefour and I'd quite like to compare - but somehow, what with my level of expertise or lack thereof, it's going to take me quite a while to get anywhere near those crossroads!

Many thanks.

Roach are you a 29 vet?

[Lanzfeld]

Are there multiple plans for the AI?

[Crushingleeek]

some missions do, some don't.

since the 29 was mostly on the offensive during this time, you'll find a lot of the strategy required is fire and maneuver. On the flip side, the 352nd was by all means holding on for dear life, and so dynamic defense, hard even for a human player, would be impossible for the AI unless every human had the exact same tactics, let alone the same tactics against each random AI plan.

however, in some instances, the AI will attempt to flank your position if you haven't maneuvered.

***WISHLIST: Triggers will make more intelligent defensive AI plans!!!***

I should make this my signature

[Crushingleeek]

and fyi, Vierville Draw is meant to be on the heavier side of the history:gameplay ratio.

so if you're not familiar with it, this was the exact location portrayed in the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan. However, cinematic liberties were taken, if you recall Cpt Miller (Tom Hanks) and his buddies opening the draw.

That never happened, and it was actually General "Dutch" Cota - assistant commander of the 29ers - and a handful of men from the second mission in Blue and Gray ("Hamel au Pretre") who secured Vierville Draw from behind.

Don't expect a total victory! Actually the threshold for victory from a campaign standpoint is a minor defeat, so if you have that, you did pretty well.

Minor spoiler alert in next post (but who are we kidding, everyone knows there was a crapload of stuff shooting down) --

[Crushingleeek]

I tried to replicate the positions of actual weapons nests on dog green sector.

The 50mm tank turret is substituted with a 50mm pak 38.

[Field Marshal Blücher]

Thanks for your reply, Crushingleeek! I'll give this one a go when I have some time.

[Crushingleeek]

Thanks for your reply, Crushingleeek! I'll give this one a go when I have some time.

I forgot the "88's" mission: two platoons with one platoon reserve

[Holman]

Crushingleeek, this looks terrific. I can't wait to give it a try.

Thanks for all the hard work!

[Crushingleeek]

Crushingleeek, this looks terrific. I can't wait to give it a try.

Thanks for all the hard work!

Much appreciated.

For added immersion, I recommend using with EZ and MJ's normandy uniform mod, and selecting the 29th uniforms!

AARs, whether by scenario or campaign, are welcome; I'd enjoy hearing about it.

[sburke]

Much appreciated.

For added immersion, I recommend using with EZ and MJ's normandy uniform mod, and selecting the 29th uniforms!

AARs, whether by scenario or campaign, are welcome; I'd enjoy hearing about it.

And don't forget Mord/DC's portraits!

[General Jack Ripper]

This campaign sounds awesome. I will add it to my list of 'games to be played'.

[Crushingleeek]

And don't forget Mord/DC's portraits!

of course, too many to name!

[Crushingleeek]

Villiers-Fossard