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Getting back into combat mission. Advice on which to get!


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Hey all,

Used to play CMBO and CMBB. Now after many years I'm rediscovering my love for the games and want to get one of the CMx2 games. I've been reading over the forums and website about the difference between the 3 games and their expansions. I just can't decide which way is the better way to go.

I do prefer the western front so have been looking at CMBN, if I wanted all the bells and whistles then I'd want to get the 2.0 upgrade and the expansions, which would be a little heavy on my pocket book. Or I could get the latest and greatest with CMRT and not have to worry about upgrading etc and it would be easier on my bank roll, just not huge into the eastern front or italy. (did italy get a 2.0 upgrade?) Is there as huge a difference between the 3 games as there was between BO,BB,AK?

I downloaded the CMBN and CMFI demo's and have been enjoying myself. CMTouch gave me the fever to play again, it's fun to have a good tactical touch game.

Personal opinions and advice welcome :)

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Welcome back-

Huge differences between theaters, but if you are more into the NWE theater then by all means get that. You might as well invest what you have towards what you will enjoy the most. There are various bundle deals so it is worth checking those out and determining what you think you can afford. CMRT is at 3.0 and does add a number of really cool items, but CMBN at 2.12 is pretty darn good even without the 3.0 additions.

For CMBN keep in mind what comes with each module as that will affect what user scenarios you can play and what units will be available etc. Even simply getting the Base game and upgrading it to 2.12 should keep you quite happy for a while. There are also more user scenarios/campaigns/mods than for any other WW2 family.

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I've played CM:BN and CM:RT. Personally I greatly prefer CM:RT. The maps seem of higher quality and the introduction of triggers and other game/AI improvements make it the definitive choice for me.

Of course CM:BN and CM:FI will eventually be getting the technical updates, but currently CM:RT is the most advanced game in the series.

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Given the information you have given I would also suggest CM:BN. I have had CM:RT since day one but have been returning to CM:BN regularly. In other words, the improvements and new features of RT are significant and very welcome but the bottom line for me is that RT hasn't rendered BN and FI obsolete or anything close - quite the opposite, as the V3 measures will be ported to these games in time.

What a long-winded way of saying that if the NW Theatre is your thing and buying the entire family is not currently a preferred option, buy CM:BN :)

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The CM:BN original campaigns and scenario's are still well playable with 2.12. However most battles feature Bocage, if you don't like puzzling out bocage terrain I would advise against CM:BN. When upgraded with CW and MG modules CM:BN is also vastly varied and feature a host of battles (apart from many downloadable scenarios and campaigns).

CMFI/GL is indeed updated to the latest version. There is a great variety in campaigns and the terrain is very different from CMBN. Actually I really like the game and played a lot of the different campaigns. After MG attention for CMFI seems to have faded a little, personally I preferred CMFI/GL over CMBN/CW before MG came out.

If budget is of concern the CMFI/GL combo is perhaps the best buy option when you look at content per $. I had no prior interest or knowledge regarding the war in Italy but this hasn't stopped me from liking it! CMFI/FL is currently the only CMx2 game featuring a timespan of more than a year, so all seasons are represented and a wide variety of TO&E because of the changes in the 1943-1944 period.

CM:RT is newer so less content available for now, although still plenty for hundreds of hours. At $55,- you have the latest version of the engine so this is the cheapest option for getting 3.0 features. The soviets make for some interesting changes on the tactical level, if compared to the allies vs germans. However you won't be able to appreciate such a difference if you buy only one :D. So my advice would be to buy CMRT now and save up for future 3.0 bundles of CM:BN/CW/MG and or CM:FI/GL.

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If you can only get one game, I would suggest getting RT first. The new changes really are important, and I also think that you get more variety with RT. While BN was the first wargame that really gave me a good idea of what bocage was like, I got tired of fighting in bocage pretty quickly. This is particularly an issue in QBs.

Once you add Commonwealth Forces and MG to BN, the problem largely goes away, MG allows later fighting in France and has more open maps; CWF gives you different and interesting units.

And I would say the same about FI: by itself, you'll get pretty tired of fighting on the terrain in Sicily, even though there are some very interesting scenarios. With GL, it's more well rounded - but that's two games.

With RT, first of all, you get the newest version of the game, which, mentioned above, is important. You also get varied terrain, with locations in Eastern Europe as well as the USSR. There is a good amount of armor, including light, medium, and heavy tanks, as well as medium and heavy assault gun. Plus Flame! Being able to choose between SMG companies and normal rifle companies also adds a nice piece to the puzzle. Finally, it's fun having opponents with different fighting strategies.

So if you can only get one game (for now), I'd get RT.

But having said that, RT only gives you "German Army" vs. "Soviet Army" or "Red Guards". There's no Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe, or Waffen SS; nor is there Naval Infantry for the USSR. (Although, again, there is a lot of variety in the forces you're given; German Army includes normal rifle units, fusiliers, security companies, stragglers, and probably some I've forgotten).

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Id go for Red Thunder, "there is no front like east front".

If you like campains though, prepare to get butt hurt in both No.1 mission of german "and" russian campain. If you are in the CMx2 boat for some time, it will hurt less and even be enjoyable at times(german mission 1), but you arent it seems :D

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You say you prefer the western front. With that in mind I say: Play the demos until the 3.00 upgrade is available for CMBN, then purchase that - preferably with at least one of the modules. CMBN has enough usermade scenarios to keep you busy for years.

Cheers

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I've decided to go big and get the "BIG Complete Edition Bundle" of CMBN, we're just going to keep this little expense from the wife. One way or another I'd end up wanting to get it and in a month or 2 I'll end up getting RT anyways.

Time to get my PBEM on!

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I've decided to go big and get the "BIG Complete Edition Bundle" of CMBN, we're just going to keep this little expense from the wife. One way or another I'd end up wanting to get it and in a month or 2 I'll end up getting RT anyways.

Time to get my PBEM on!

Great choice - although I'd have said that no matter which game you bought. All are excellent if you like tactical combat or are interested WW2.

One word of advice. Get some or all of the hundreds of mods, scenarios or campaigns available at Battlefront or GreenAsJade. The make an already great experience even better and installing them to the game is simplicity itself.

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I've decided to go big and get the "BIG Complete Edition Bundle" of CMBN, we're just going to keep this little expense from the wife. One way or another I'd end up wanting to get it and in a month or 2 I'll end up getting RT anyways.

Time to get my PBEM on!

Good choice on both. Get CMHelper if you get many games going at once...

Bobo

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