greetings

[mbarbaric]

I've recently found out about CM from the article on Polygon. For years i was trying to get the realistic strategy game and recently i've been playing wargame which is really nice to look at but it has nothing to do with tactics or military doctrine or anything.

Luckily, i've stumbled upon this game, tried the demo and it is all i was looking for years, can't believe i haven't seen it before since it is really old.

Anyways, i wanted to ask few questions as whole thing with CM is quite confusing to me with upgrades, patches... whatnot.

which i need to buy and is the price of 60+ $ normal for a game this old? it seems the latest game Red thunderr (is it?) costs the same as BN. I really like BN but there are few expansions (i think) like market garden... so what would i need to buy for a complete experience?

Thanks for all the answers and i'm glad to have found this microcosm.

PS are there any theatres that would cover the operations in the Yugoslavia during the 2WW in CM?

[rocketman]

First of all - welcome - glad you found what your looking for.

Red Thunder is indeed the latest installment, but I would highly recommend all three WWII games. The are quite different (yet the same engine). Try all three demos and pick and choose. They are all worth the money by far. I play the games on a daily basis so a lot of bang for your buck (pun intended).

By all means do post in these forums, most of the time you will get excellent advise. The learning curve of the games are quite steep, but once you get the hang of it, the challenges are endless.

[Jock Tamson]

If you are going to play head to head, it is really a case of deciding which theatre you prefer to start with. If you buy Normandy or Italy, definitely buy Market Garden and Gustav Line as well as they nicely round off those two games and most prospective opponents will have them. Also definitely upgrade them to Version 3.

If you are going to play single player, Red Thunder's scenarios and quick battles are already scripted to take advantage of the additions that Version 3 brings - specifically, AI triggers, which improve the single player experience against the AI. That said, the single player experience is still pretty good in the other games. The other games have these triggers available in the editor if you upgrade them to V3, but there are not as many V3 scenarios available for them - yet; they will come, courtesy of the community.

I have all 3 games, upgraded to V3, and play only single player, and currently my favourite is CMFI with Gustav Line as there is an interesting mix of terrain and units.

[A Canadian Cat]

I've recently found out about CM from the article on Polygon. For years i was trying to get the realistic strategy game and recently i've been playing wargame which is really nice to look at but it has nothing to do with tactics or military doctrine or anything.

Yeah, I only found out about these games once CMBN was announced. I missed 10 years of playing the original version - I still cry myself to sleep over it .

As for what to buy the store is a bit confusing but here is a brief history of what has been released for the three games (there have also been various patches at various time but I am only listing the paid content here - patches are free):

--- CMBN ---

CMBN 1.0 (initial release using the v1 engine)

CMBN Comonwealth Module 1.1

CMBN Upgrade to v2 engine 2.0

CMBN Market Garden 2.0

CMBN Upgrade to v3 engine 2.2

--- CMFI ---

CMFI 1.0 (initial release using the v2 engine)

CMFI Gustav Line Module 1.1

CMFI Upgrade to v3 engine 1.2

--- CMRT ---

CMRT 1.0 (initial release using the v3 engine)

BFC recently removed the ability to purchase the original 1.0 version of CMBN. So, you can buy CMBN 2.0 with one or both modules and then buy the 3.0 upgrade followed by CMFI plus the Gustav Line module and the 3.0 upgrade followed by CMRT and you will have it all.

CMBN is still the same price as CMRT mainly because it may by old by time line but since it is being upgraded with new engine features as new games are released it is actually pretty fresh and new. While some see it a a drag that the price of "old" games are not being discounted I see it as awesome that new features added to the engine for other games are being back ported.

[c3k]

^^^

ian.leslie has laid out the various game chronologies quite well. All I will add is the following key:

CW: CMBN Commonwealth module

MG: CMBN Market Garden module

GL: CMFI Gustav Line module

So, you may see CMBN+CW+MG. That refers to the entire 3 game family concerning Normandy through Market Garden. Or the Northwestern European theater from June through September.

Cost? Well, you can piece your collection together one at a time or you can grab a whole bunch with a discount. As always, the demo is free.

Find the theater you enjoy and start there.

(One last word: the "game engine" has evolved. As mentioned, it is now at v3. Whichever game family you start with, I strongly recommend that you use the v3 engine. It's not absolutely necessary, but it may increase your ability to find opponents and it will allow for better gameplay.)

[Pelican Pal]

Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy is currently $35 for the v2 version of the game.

It is another $10 for the V3 version.

If you buy either CM:Fortress Italy or CM: Battle for Normandy I wouldn't recommend buying the 3.0 patch if you are at all worried about money.

Edit: I will also take this opportunity to point out that the store is in desperate need of a revamp. It is an unreadable mess.

[Ales Dvorak]

Welcome aboard.

PS are there any theatres that would cover the operations in the Yugoslavia during the 2WW in CM?

No.

[Erwin]

It's possible that one of the CM1 games - CMAK (Afrika Korps) or CMBB (Beyond Barbarossa) may be what you want.

CMBB covered the entire East Front from 1939 to 1945 and included many minor Axis and Allied units.

IIRC CMAK did enable one to fight in Crete and Yugoslavia vs the Italians and Germans. But, you'd need to find a mod that turned the Brits into Yugoslavians. Same thing with CMBB. You'd have to find a mod that changed the Russians into Yugos.

[Ales Dvorak]

But, you'd need to find a mod that turned the Brits into Yugoslavians. Same thing with CMBB. You'd have to find a mod that changed the Russians into Yugos.

*The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.*

[sburke]

Luckily, i've stumbled upon this game, tried the demo and it is all i was looking for years, can't believe i haven't seen it before since it is really old.

Anyways, i wanted to ask few questions as whole thing with CM is quite confusing to me with upgrades, patches... whatnot.

which i need to buy and is the price of 60+ $ normal for a game this old? it seems the latest game Red thunderr (is it?) costs the same as BN. I really like BN but there are few expansions (i think) like market garden... so what would i need to buy for a complete experience?

Thanks for all the answers and i'm glad to have found this microcosm.

What you should buy is completely dependent on what theater interests you most. CMBN is the oldest family and has two modules and a lot of available scenarios (note age has little to do with game play as BF is keeping each family current as they enhance the game engine). If you like the Western Front 1944 I'd say get the whole bundle (CMBN with both modules) and the v3 upgrade. It'll keep you busy for a very very long time.

I personally really like CMFI. Hard to explain as I didn't think I would, but it does have fewer scenarios available now than CMBN.

Whatever you buy will continue to be kept current so you can't really make a bad decision. I would go for the full bundle on if you but CMBN or CMFI as you are more likely to have access to updated installers than if you buy piecemeal.

[Erwin]

These mods may well exist, but they will be over 5 years old now, so a PITA to find.

QUOTE]

[Sequoia]

I made some Yugoslav Partisan and Royal Army mods for CM:BB that are available at Green of Jade's website. I think the main problem will be finding scenarios for them,

[Ales Dvorak]

Erwin & Sequoia thanks for info. I'm mac user and CMBB needs OS 9 (15 years old OS), so no party for me.

Changing Russians into Yugos in CMRT wouldn't be the same I think. Different mod, same processing "under the hood". And partisans equipment was American, Brit, Russian and German mixture. But it's the only option, since I don't believe BF will ever cover YU WWII history.... but I can dream (Hi Steve).

[mbarbaric]

thank you all for your advices. Too bad there is no proper Yugo mod for newer games. i think i will go with normandy but there is one thing i've noticed after installing the demo for red thunder. the graphics are so much better in that game than in BN. i appreciate the engine being upgraded, but selling the game for same price that looks 10 yrs old really doesn't seem fair.

another thing, how is it possible my squad can not identify enemy bunker from 50 meters? i went running in it with whole squad and saw too late what they were up to as i was busy with other part of the front

[sburke]

Not sure what you mean as graphics in CMBN to me are not significantly different than CMRT other than Eastern Front specific items.

[mbarbaric]

don't know, it is much better in the latest game on my 5 yrs old pc. anyways, i've decided to go with normandy and fortress italy when i get bored of bocage.

[sburke]

don't know, it is much better in the latest game on my 5 yrs old pc. anyways, i've decided to go with normandy and fortress italy when i get bored of bocage.

That could be due to 3.0 work on CMRT. It does have some graphical improvements, but I am at 3.0 on my CMBN as well. Also could just be a matter of the art work itself. Everything gets better with experience...well most things...okay SOME things.

[hobo]

another thing, how is it possible my squad can not identify enemy bunker from 50 meters? i went running in it with whole squad and saw too late what they were up to as i was busy with other part of the front

Was your squad hunting, walking, running, or sitting tight looking around? Give a squad some time to look around and you can usually spot items realistically. Walk or god forbid run you will hit an ambush and get slaughtered. Go for a walk in the woods and you will quickly see that it is very hard to spot items 50 meters away if they are hidden.

[Michael Emrys]

Not sure what you mean as graphics in CMBN to me are not significantly different than CMRT other than Eastern Front specific items.

I'm not sure what mbarbaric intends, but if he is talking about the maps in BN, quite a few of those that originally came with the game are—to put it as charitably as possible—not up to the standards of the later games/modules. They do indeed look to my eyes at least as if they date back a decade or more. Things have gotten better since then, and the user created maps available at various locations do look better and more convincing. The same is true for the most recent module of BN.

Michael

[ASL Veteran]

That could be due to 3.0 work on CMRT. It does have some graphical improvements, but I am at 3.0 on my CMBN as well. Also could just be a matter of the art work itself. Everything gets better with experience...well most things...okay SOME things.

He could be looking at the demo for CMBN and I'm not sure that has been upgraded from the original.

[mbarbaric]

He could be looking at the demo for CMBN and I'm not sure that has been upgraded from the original.

indeed, it is the demo.

regarding not spotting the bunker, my squad was behind medium size bocage for about 10 minutes while the position (marked with a question mark) on next bocage was surpressed with light targeting by a sherman.

after i didn't see it returning fire anymore i have ordered my squad to assault that position when the guy inside suddenly woke up and started spraying mg fire on them. should have approached with smoke i guess.

[ASL Veteran]

indeed, it is the demo.

regarding not spotting the bunker, my squad was behind medium size bocage for about 10 minutes while the position (marked with a question mark) on next bocage was surpressed with light targeting by a sherman.

after i didn't see it returning fire anymore i have ordered my squad to assault that position when the guy inside suddenly woke up and started spraying mg fire on them. should have approached with smoke i guess.

In order to have infantry attack bunkers you just need to get them to within grenade range and leave them sitting there without any commands. They will throw grenades at the bunker on their own and take care of it.

[mbarbaric]

In order to have infantry attack bunkers you just need to get them to within grenade range and leave them sitting there without any commands. They will throw grenades at the bunker on their own and take care of it.

hm, how would i know when am i at the granade range?

[A Canadian Cat]

hm, how would i know when am i at the granade range?

Experience - I am not really even sure what range your guys will start throwing. Just get them close and they will start pitching.

Re attacking bunkers - there was a long post a few days about about it... searching...

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showpost.php?p=1549335&postcount=3

[mbarbaric]

thanks mate, i really appreciate the small sudios and the fanbase that is around such games. it is a unique place in the world of mega studios, mega sales, mega profits, that do mega ****ty things to people.

haven't felt this good about giving my money to someone for very looong time.