CM experience level question

[noob]

This is the CMBN Manual description of Green, Regular and Veteran troops.

Green: draftees with little training and some combat experience or reservists

with some training and no combat experience. Green can also represent

professional soldiers whose training is substandard in comparison to another

force.

Regular: professional soldiers who went through extensive, quality training

programs, but lack combat experience. Or, Regular can represent troops

that received mediocre training that have a fair amount of combat experience.

Veteran: professional soldiers with standard military training and first hand

combat experience. Alternatively, it can be professional soldiers who have

trained to a slightly higher standard than Regulars, yet lack combat experience.

If a Regular platoon fought one battle, according to the above definition, they would be changed to Veteran, is this realistic ?, or would a Regular platoon have to fight more than one battle to become Veteran ?

Also, in the operation i am playing, the historical record said both sides troops, 3rd Canadian Inf Div and 12th SS PzDiv Jugend, were highly trained, but had no combat experience, so they should be Regular according to the above definitions, would the community agree ?

[Vanir Ausf B]

would the community agree ?

That would be a first.

[noob]

That would be a first.

It doesn't have to be unanimous

[JonS]

Over the course of a day or two? I doubt it.

I'd expect that kind of step-change in performance would require combat experience, yes, but also time out of the line to integrate the inevitable green replacements, train, and consolidate any lessons-learned.

[Erwin]

Probably not realistic to have troops improve in a matter of a day or two. But, time in a CM campaign can be very elastic.

A designer could easily suppose that battles were weeks or longer apart. In terms of gameplay it would be fun to have troops change quality in later battles. Experience could get worse if you lose too many men, or better if you won with few casualties.

Did anyone else enjoy games like the SILENT HUNTER series, where the player had the opportunity to promote his men and award medals?

[Vanir Ausf B]

I remember reading somewhere that combat performance is a bell curve, with the peak typically in the 3-6 month range, after which performance actually decreases. I don't recall if this was limited to WW2.

[JonS]

I remember reading somewhere that combat performance is a bell curve

Not quite a bell curve - it's a little front loaded.

http://www.killology.com/print/print_psychological.htm

And it applies to individuals rather than units.

[Erwin]

Interesting diagram. No wonder we're seeing serious problems with veteran and in-field suicides after being in repeated tours of combat for 10+ years.

[Blazing 88's]

Probably not realistic to have troops improve in a matter of a day or two. But, time in a CM campaign can be very elastic.

A designer could easily suppose that battles were weeks or longer apart. In terms of gameplay it would be fun to have troops change quality in later battles. Experience could get worse if you lose too many men, or better if you won with few casualties.

Did anyone else enjoy games like the SILENT HUNTER series, where the player had the opportunity to promote his men and award medals?

Yes I did, from what I remember of it.

Steel Panthers WaW (free download) series is great for gaining experience and keeping track of kills / units. Loved that game, still do, just do not get around to using it much since CMx1 and CMx2 take up most of my wargame time. It totally reminded me of TOBRUK by Avalon Hill, except for the computer handling all tasks that I deplored doing when playing board games.

Now 'Critical Hit' makes an updated version called ADVANCED TOBRUK 4th edition. For those interested and might not know about this company:

http://www.criticalhit.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_30&products_id=194

I may have to pick this up for the bookshelf, just for nostalgia / reading purposes.

[Michael Emrys]

Oops, commercial link there. Better delete it before the cops show up.

Michael

[Erwin]

It's a boardgame, Mike.

[Doug Williams]

Still Verboten!

Achtung, baby.

[Erwin]

Well, am hoping that BF has more important stuff to worry about than links that simply illustrate a point someone is trying to make. Let's face it, the CM series has no competitors to worry about.

[Blazing 88's]

Guess what? My post is not editable anymore... gosh darn it!1!1

[Michael Emrys]

Guess what? My post is not editable anymore... gosh darn it!1!1

If they haven't penalized you by now, you probably got away with it. But let this be a lesson to you, young Blazing 88's!

Michael

[sburke]

Guess what? My post is not editable anymore... gosh darn it!1!1

You wouldn't be the first to make the mistake. You'll get a demerit, but won't have to stay after class much less be expelled. They might slap your wrist, but it is mostly just to make you are aware of the restriction and after a short bit it is expunged from your record. Yes I do speak from experience.