Building Types: Modular vs. Non Modular

[Col Deadmarsh]

The handbook doesn't give you a lot of info about these two different types of buildings. Can someone give me some answers to these questions:

1. Are non-modular buildings the "independent buildings" on p. 123 of the manual?

2. What is the difference in construction between modular and non-modular?

3. How can you tell which is which in the game, especially between a modular house or a non-modular one?

4. Which provides better defense? A modular house or a non-modular one?

5. Does a stone/brick wall provide a better defense than either of these buildings?

[kensal]

The handbook doesn't give you a lot of info about these two different types of buildings. Can someone give me some answers to these questions:

1. Are non-modular buildings the "independent buildings" on p. 123 of the manual?

2. What is the difference in construction between modular and non-modular?

3. How can you tell which is which in the game, especially between a modular house or a non-modular one?

4. Which provides better defense? A modular house or a non-modular one?

5. Does a stone/brick wall provide a better defense than either of these buildings?

1. I believe so

2. If you mean in terms of game mechanics, modular buildings are designed so that they can be adapted in the editor by adding or removing doorways, walls and windows on each face, so that they can be placed next to another modular building in a row or block. If you mean in terms of the materials within the game, I suppose the same. I dont know whether the game models different building materials for buildings like brick or stone.

3. Independent buildings tend to be barns, or single buildings

4. No idea - I would suspect the same. I cannot see any reason why they would be different unless the game models different strengths to brick, stone etc.

5. My experience is that the protection provided by buildings and walls is there but it is limited. Troops in buildings once spotted draw a lot of fire. Even worse troops in buildings are more vulnerable to being hit by cannon / tank gun fire because the building provides a solid face against which the rounds can detonate. Troops in the open might see the same HE round sail close by them but only hit the ground and detonate tens of metres behind, without effect. I would normally move troops from a building quite quickly to another location once they have engaged and been spotted, if they are in a defensive situation, as they might quickly otherwise become subject to enemy fire superiority.

[Erwin]

Hasn't it been established for some time, that barns etc provide much less protection? It would be helpful if there was an indication (like we had in CM1) as to which buildings were "heavy" or "light" at least.

[JyriErik]

Yes, seeing as how they're a frame with wooden slats, barns provide minimal (if any) protection. They're good mainly for concealment purposes.

Now if there were only some way to hide armour in them....

Jyri

[agusto]

Hasn't it been established for some time, that barns etc provide much less protection? It would be helpful if there was an indication (like we had in CM1) as to which buildings were "heavy" or "light" at least.

.50 cal and bigger will reliably produce casualties, no matter what type of building the enemy is in. 7,62 and smaller will only cause surpression. At least that has been my experience.

[Michael Emrys]

7,62 and smaller will only cause surpression. At least that has been my experience.

I wouldn't count on that. Once I moved some troops into a barn only to find that the previous occupiers had moved outside and were waiting in ambush. They opened fire with their personal weapons through the sides of the barn and wiped out my team. Possibly firing from a greater range—say >100 m—would have only produced suppression, but virtually point blank was deadly.

Michael

[MikeyD]

A VERY general rule of thumb is 'bigger is better'. Those indi building catherals seem to be made of solid granite. The smaller the building the higher likelihood of penetrations and casualties. And of course anyone can get shot through a window no matter how resistant the walls. The initial release small indi cottages gave as much protection as papier mache, but player complaints caused their protection levels to be upped. In Normandy even tiny cottages have stone walls.

[Vanir Ausf B]

That may be true in some cases, but could also mislead you terribly. The smallest modular building shares the same set of textures with the largest.

The best guide is simply larger is tougher than smaller, modulars seem to be tougher than independent buildings (given same size), and independents have a broad hierarchy of strength, with the caveat that size still matters to some degree:

Churches > houses >/= commercial > barns (I believe houses are generally stronger than commercials, but that might be worth testing further).

Also note there are likely some bugs lurking in the independents. If you note a solid, undamaged wall porous to small arms fires, or allowing units to observe / be observed, you might have found one. (Any help identifying these with repeatable tests would be most appreciated).

.............

[agusto]

I wouldn't count on that. Once I moved some troops into a barn only to find that the previous occupiers had moved outside and were waiting in ambush. They opened fire with their personal weapons through the sides of the barn and wiped out my team. Possibly firing from a greater range—say >100 m—would have only produced suppression, but virtually point blank was deadly.

Michael

That was probably aimed fire, the enemy team could see your team and fire on them. I was talking about area fire on a building where your toops cant see who is inside. I should have made that clear..

[Michael Emrys]

That was probably aimed fire, the enemy team could see your team and fire on them.

I am sure that was so.

Michael