explanation of units?

[Gollum]

I think my major obstacle towards mastering CMBO is the total confusion I have about the strengths of various units, mainly infantry. I click on my infantry guys, they fall into so many categories... this isnt like chess where you know what a rook does or a bishop. I think there are hundreds of kinds of infantry, to name a few grenadier, rifle, squad, machine gun, demo, sharpshooter, actually the list is much more confusing then this because you have names like panziergrenadier, stuh42, pioneer squad, fallschingagen etc... Im not a WW II historian so I dont get it, because often and what makes it tough is they all basically just move and fire. So it is really hard to tell one unit from the next. In a Tom Clancy game, your demo has satchel charges, your sniper has a scope gun, etc... Here I dont get the sense of their equipment.. Im having a hard time getting a feel for the units. Is there an explanation somewhere?

Gollum

[Moon]

Hello Gollum,

not really. And there is a good reason for it. CM simulates the real thing, with historical real world units, formations and equipment. Unlike other games there are no artifical restrictions or specialized units that only can do certain things. This is the strength of CM in a way, making it more of a combat simulator than "just a game" (though some people here might argue about it).

There is no list of units and what they do, simply because such a list would be thousands of pages long. Grab some historical books about WW2 combat and units, that might be the best way to ease your way into the available options in the game. We offer some books on the website on our Battlefront Bookshelf - Military Book Collection and in fact, now that I think about it, there is a list of units in the CMBB Strategy Guide. It is not directly applicable to CMBO, however.

Martin

[flamingknives]

Hitting 'enter' when you have a unit selected gives you the properties, such as firepower for small arms, blast and armour penetration for guns, armour for tanks etc.

Engineers and pioneers carry demo charges that can clear mines and make big explosions. Other than that, all infantry is equal, save their equipment. The different unit types have different equipment and organisation.

[junk2drive]

take a look at this

cmak db

it is for cmak, but german unit names should be the same. ie click germany, infantry, pick something from the list, it will show you the weapons.

part of the cm hobby is learning more about history.

[Locksley]

Quite a while ago there was a really good post by Jason C about what to use the different German units for. I can't remember what the post was called but if you have a search I espect you will find it.

Tom

[Locksley]

had a quick look and found it. The post is called 'Heer Infantry...Which to Choose' or something near that. I would put a link but not sure how to do it and don't have the time to work it out at the moment.

T

[junk2drive]

here ya go heer infantry

[Gollum]

Thanks for the advice? So is there a specific way to plant a demo charge, or do they just do it when they feel appropriate? Do sharpshooters fire at single targets like a sniper, or do they direct general fire into an area. Can they see beyond 400m? Are you saying none of the infantry have specific commands to allow you to use their equipment? Last question, what is the ideal place to put a spotter, on a hill?

[flamingknives]

All special equipment is used at the discretion of the TacAI that controls the unit. So stuff like demo charges, panzerfausts and rifle grenades are used when the unit feels is appropriate -no special commands.

Sharpshooters engage single targets. They are useful for targetting exposed tank commanders but are also good at getting at gun crews and will dramatically reduce morale of any infantry type unit they shoot at.

The best place for a spotter is somewhere that he can see what you want to hit with artillery and can't be seen himself. Single buildings or small patches of cover with good lines of sight are very obvious, so a human opponent may well direct some fire that way if they think and spotter might be in there.

[markshot]

Gollum,

Try this tutorial which I did for the basics:

http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=001377

[Gollum]

Thanks, I read your tutorial, it is excellent. Im puzzled why you put your HQ unit on a tank, since tanks often have to remain at a distance from the front, and this would cut off command with other units. Also, your tanks are very likely to come under attack in that tutorial. I find using HQ very tricky, cause they need to stay with their troops and yet also must stay out of danger.

I like your idea of putting heavy machine guns on tanks... by the way, I tried to load a MG on a halftrack recently and drive it through the grass but it froze. Do all vehicles require roads? Is there a way to know what surface you cant drive on?

Thanks, Im done with my silly questions!

[flamingknives]

You can drive on all surfaces except: Woods, tall pines, Rough, water, rubble and houses. Slopes and cliffs also stop vehicles.

Driving over other terrain can still lead to the vehicle being bogged and sometimes immobilised.

[markshot]

It seems that it's been almost two years, since I have played CMBO as I have been playing mainly CMBB and some CMAK.

Generally, you will use tanks and trucks to move slow moving units through areas which you believe are safe to save time. For the most part, you don't know where safe areas are until some time has gone by. So, you are most likely to have an opportunity to do this later in a scenario when reinforcements (tanks and infantry) are arriving or you have held trucks out of sight and you want to move forward some reserves.

In this scenario, all units were dismounted before things went hot.

You generally you want to keep HQ units out of the shooting, but in command range. You accomplish this by moving them forward with their platoons, but keeping the squads out front. When you hide HQs in cover, they pretty much dissappear and their risk from direct enemy fire goes way down.

In CMBB/CMAK hiding HQs reduces their spotting abilities (they are better spotters than infantry, since they have binoculars). Instead you can simulate hiding, by giving them a covered arc out to 10 meters. This keeps them from firing at things and so they remain fairly hidden and don't draw enemy fire. With clear conditions and good LOS, they provide additional help by being your eyes on the battlefield.