Combat Mission WW2 - The Road Ahead

[Albe Pavo]

Hello guys,

 

I've been away for a while and started playing again in 2015: every time i fell in love for CM! 

I was wondering what we will see next for WW2 CM games, maybe i missed some news while away (i also remember that there was a post named "The road ahead", but i cannot find it..)..

 

Thank you guys!

Matteo

 

 

 

[domfluff]

Next major WW2 title is the Bulge game.

CMRT is clearly getting a module at some point, and they've talked about more Eastern front modules, working backwards.

Logically this could be one per year, which would mean Kursk and Stalingrad in the next Eastern Front game (!)

CMFI might have a final module, but CMBN is presumably "finished", at least for the most part.

This all might change of course - Steve's been even more hesitant/cautious than normal when talking about the future.

 

[Albe Pavo]

Thank you domfluff, all great stuff!

 

I think that CMFI could have a final module for Gothic line, maybe including partisans also!

 

My dream is to have a Pacific theater CM game, but i know this is not easy..

[kevinkin]

There has also been some community thought to North Africa. E.g battles for and around Tobruk. But continuing with the east

front appears to be almost certain.

Kevin

[domfluff]

Since the goal seems to be to re-use assets as much as possible, it's likely that the 1944-45 WW2 West Front game will share quite a bit with late war Eastern Front. Both need snow, of course.

A lot of the assets needed for North Africa already exist in CMFI, which is great news (since I'd really like a North Africa game).

By this logic, we couldn't expect to see France 1940 before the Eastern Front 1941, and possibly before North Africa as well.

The Pacific is harder to predict. The developers have mentioned either no interest or the lack of engine capability to handle the Pacific, and there are also fewer overlapping assets to use elsewhere. More Combat Mission is better than fewer, but I can see why it wouldn't be a top priority.

 

[kch001]

I could imagine that the Pacific is off the table simply because the Japanese were quite infantry focused, and I guess the main target group for the Combat Mission series enjoy using artillery, armour, aircraft etc. Maybe the Pacific is considered too lob-sided.. i.e. US firepower vs Japanese infantry. 

I think that is why they chose to timing of Red Thunder. It is not a period where the Red Army is getting bled white every time they get into a fight with the Germans. 

[domfluff]

Whilst that's true - CMRT is more symmetric than, say, CMSF - I would have thought the primary reason for setting it in 1944 is that they already had a ton of German vehicles and uniforms from 1944. I'm not sure the infantry focus is really the point, CM does infantry combat really rather well, after all.

 

[kch001]

Yeah you are right in that there is a big cost saving in reusing the German stuff. 

 

What I meant by the infantry comment was that I think a lot of the fan base (included me) enjoy the mixed units in the game. I.e. you can have a platoon of light tanks mixed with a tank destroyer and mortar battery all supporting 2 squads of engineers. It makes for a lot more "bling" than a lot of pixel troops shooting it out. 

[Albe Pavo]

What you say about mixed forces is true, but the Pacific would give a whole new ways of approach to warfare.

Jungle ambushes, underground network, suicidal charges, and so on. And also, even if japanese have not so many tanks, they indeed used them as well. And of course they were plenty of artillery and support.

Of course that one will be the CM more costly to produce because almost all have to be made anew.

[kch001]

:S

 

If the pixel troops are having problems with buildings then I dread to think of underground networks  

[Albe Pavo]

I think they could work it out with some smart solution (somethink like a huge "vehicle" in wich troops enter and disembark to different firing position or exit points). By the way, they are smart designers and i full trust in their skills to do this!

I think that Pacific theater would be something to do also because if you work out the japanes way of fight, you can do also the vietnamese way of fight and both Vietnam and Pacific Combat Mission would be best seller IMHO.

[Michael Emrys]

A lot of the assets needed for North Africa already exist in CMFI, which is great news (since I'd really like a North Africa game).

 

True for Tunisia 1943, but for any period before that—i.e., when the combat was the most interesting from several points of view—they would have to start with almost a blank sheet.

 

Michael

[domfluff]

I imagine that Tunisia would be the starting point though - if only for the fact that the Americans were involved.

But yes, quite right, early war is early war. I do wonder what the path of least resistance is there? Working backwards towards Barbarossa? I'm really interested in seeing France 1940, but I don't think that's coming any time soon (despite the Char B1 being in CMBN now, sort of).

[kevinkin]

I agree with Michael. I am working on a Tunisia campaign and the OOB and terrain is OK for early 43.

However the battles of Tobruk and el alamein would need period specific units. The combat was also heavy in the use of mines and sappers in night fighting. I would be happy with France 40 or North Africa.

Kevin

[Michael Emrys]

However the battles of Tobruk and el alamein would need period specific units.

 

And formations. 1940-43 was a time of experimentation and rapid evolution of the structure of British divisional organization. There were I think three major configurations of armoured division that fought in NA, plus the mixed division. Although most of those changes were at a higher echelon than CM normally depicts, they would effect what would be available in a CM battle.

 

Michael

[Combatintman]

The next East Front module is going forwards not backwards and anything Pacific has pretty much been ruled out by Steve.

[Rokko]

They also stated each Eastern Front game is going to span about one year, from June to June, since June is when the mud period usually ended which both armies used for reorganizations.

 

So

Red Thunder: June 1944 - May 1945

Kursk Game: June 1943 - May 1944

Stalingrad/Blau/etc: June 1942 - May 1943

Barbarossa: June 1941 - May 1942

[womble]

The next East Front module is going forwards not backwards and anything Pacific has pretty much been ruled out by Steve.

True WRT modules, but that's always been the case, and the Red Thunder Family (and the Bulge-onwards family) will go to the end of the war in Europe, so unless they surprise us with a jaunt into the hypothetical past-history (rather than into a hypothetical near-future-history as BS is), I don't think there will be any later Russian/Western Allies families, and any German involvement will be even more hypothetical.

The next East Front family, as Rokko says is anticipated to cover Kursk - [just before Bagration] (roughly).

[Sequoia]

As I understand things now, there are "generally" two Battlefront teams now. I say generally as there is a lot of overlap and movement between the teams but for example one team worked on the Bulge and the Vehicle Pack for CMBN  after Red Thunder while another worked on Black Sea. With Black Sea done for now (except for another bigger patch) it seems to me the low hanging fruit would be a module for Red Thunder with Lend-lease vehicles and SS and Luftwaffe Field formations (all already done) of which there were a lot of in AGC. Maybe throw in some of the advanced snow terrain they have made for the Bulge and you're set. Anyway that's how I read the tea leaves. All conjecture, no inside info. 

[IICptMillerII]

Has there been any information released concerning the possible Kursk game/module? As in when it can be expected? I just got CMRT recently and I am loving it. Personally I am more interested in the earlier part of the Eastern Front (Barbarossa to Kursk essentially) so I am highly anticipating new modules that explore those battles. Any info could help. 

 

The Battle of the Bulge game sounds fantastic. Could introduce snow as a variable for the first time (as far as I know) to the CM engine. That would be fantastic. I'm sure if they do end up adding a snow mechanic that it will be added to other games, such as the RT modules to further enhance them. Its all sounding great. 

 

If there is any timeline for development for any of these games that anyone knows of, could you direct me to it?

[domfluff]

Nope, no word on timings at all, or even the order of the planned releases at this point.

There is snow in CMFI (technically in CM:Afghanistan as well) - the troops get winter overcoats and the like, and it looks great. Snow will be important on CMRT and the other Eastern front games, of course, so I would guess that you'd see a Bulge game before a CMRT module with snow, but that's complete guesswork.

[kch001]

Do you know whether the snow have any effect apart from cosmetic ones? Does it slow down movement? Lessen the effect of shrapnel? Change visibilty?

[womble]

Has there been any information released concerning the possible Kursk game/module? As in when it can be expected?

As Domfluff said, no, but you can't expect it until after Bulge, which has been heavily hinted will be "next", and the first Red Thunder module, possibly until Red Thunder has had all its modules. Indeed, I'd not expect it until after BS has a module out, either. If it's available before the end of 2016, I'll be surprised.

To reiterate for clarity: Kursk will be a new game Family. Not a module of an extant game family.

The Battle of the Bulge game sounds fantastic. Could introduce snow as a variable for the first time (as far as I know) to the CM engine. That would be fantastic. I'm sure if they do end up adding a snow mechanic that it will be added to other games, such as the RT modules to further enhance them. Its all sounding great. 

If there is any timeline for development for any of these games that anyone knows of, could you direct me to it?

BFC are loath to announce any timescale for releases, because the clamour for a release date is a mere undercurrent of a murmur, compared to the hellstorm of vitriol that would erupt when (not if; they release products "when they're ready", and that's a moveable feast) they miss the stated release date.

[A Canadian Cat]

Could introduce snow as a variable for the first time (as far as I know) to the CM engine.

Check out CM Fortresses Italy it already has snow.

 

If there is any timeline for development for any of these games that anyone knows of, could you direct me to it?

BFC doesn't give specific time line for new titles. Steve pops in from time to time to say what they are working on next and what will likely be next. There is a recently post from Steve if no one else posts a link I'll find it when I get to a real computer later.

Edited February 26, 2015 by IanL

[A Canadian Cat]

Oh man I got beat out there by a horde of people.