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Total beginner - first tips?


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Hi

I want to play this game. My favourite computer games are Steel Panthers World At War and Flashpoint (the original not tried Arma because I'm on a mac). I even played the Squad Leader table top game. So I'm pretty sure I'll like this.

But where to begin? Buy Battle for Normandy 3.0? Do the training missions? Read the manual first?

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All of the above in time but perhaps start with downloading the demo if you have not already done so. Not available in V3.0 with all the current tweaks and improvements but very useful to begin getting into the game. There is a great deal to learn and put into practice and there is no real substitute for some hands on experience. 

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Welcome to the forum. I recommend trying out the demo of Comabt Mission Battle for Normandy. It's just a single battle, but it has a bit of infantry, support weapons, tanks, and nice terrain.

 

If you find it dificult, remember to think of the bocage hedges as basically castle walls. About 80 percent of the Normandy game is figuring out how to use that to your advantage.

Edited by Bulletpoint
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And if you want to see the engine at its current state (or at least nearly so) you can grab the Red Thunder demo.

 

I'd also recommend reading the manuals (the one for the engine and the one for the specific setting you're using) and paying particular attention to the tutorial. I don't think the tutorial missions are actually available in the demo, but just reading through might at least give you some idea of how to use the tools available, or at least a good overview of the tools that are there to be used... I know some people don't learn best by reading, but if you do, the manual(s) are rewarding.

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Welcome to the forum and to Combat Mission. I started with Normandy in 2012 and watched the game evolve. It was good when I bought it and has improved in subtle but important increments. If you like WWII I doubt you'll be disappointed. If you find it difficult to get used to (not saying you will, but if you do), be patient. Play more, use the quick battles to experiment with small forces and see how things work.

Don't be shy to ask questions here. The community is quite helpful. :)

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Tips you say!  This is some of what I enjoy doing... 

Always attack and attack again if you can, even if you are suppose to be the defender.

When on defense, think offensive instead right off the bat.  Hit 'em on the nose and then mop up the remanents. 

Always have a reserve for use as a fire brigade.

:)

 

Hi
I want to play this game. My favourite computer games are Steel Panthers World At War and Flashpoint (the original not tried Arma because I'm on a mac). I even played the Squad Leader table top game. So I'm pretty sure I'll like this.
But where to begin? Buy Battle for Normandy 3.0? Do the training missions? Read the manual first?

 

Steel Panthers World At War...  a true gem and free.  I still have it on my HD on my old Win XP desktop.  I haven't used it in years however.  Jumped on board the CM machine in 2002 and didn't go back.  I keep checking out what is going on with it though. 

 

Loved the Mega Campaign's Africa Korps and the Lost Battles aspect.  Also I really liked how your core force kept track of promotions, kills, etc, during any campaigns.  Would love that in CM.

Edited by Blazing 88's
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The game has a very steep learning curve. Once you get past that, it is very intuitive. ;)

 

The best tactical approach to use would be to try to be as realistic as possible. If you wouldn't risk crossing an open field in real life, don't order your pixeltruppen to do so. (Unless they beg you to allow them to prove their bravery. Then a simple nod of assent should suffice.)

 

Find one SMALL battle (demo is fine, or the first "Training" battle in the CMBN game), and play it REPEATEDLY. Focus on fundementals; unit orders, coordination, stacked orders, etc.

 

Good luck!

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Playing the demo now, most of my men have died pointless deaths. Not sure if I've killed a single enemy.

I can't figure out how to fire the mortars.

This is the game I was looking for. It is magnificent. Is their pvp? Not for today, but once I've got the basics, in 2020 or so.

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Yes, H2H is possible some people have found players here and there are several gaming clubs around too. Just ask when you are ready or do a search.

There is difficulty connecting with people who want to play real-time because there is no player lobby. But again if that is how you want to play just ask here there are some keeners around.

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I can't figure out how to fire the mortars.

 

It's in the manual. There are two modes (if the mortars are on the board): either you move them to somewhere they can see a target and let 'er rip, or you use the support menu (little silhouette of a howitzer above the middle). If you want to call them indirect, using another unit (HQ or FO) as a spotter, you need to keep some comms with the mortars; their HQ has a radio.

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The game has a very steep learning curve. Once you get past that, it is very intuitive. ;)

 

The best tactical approach to use would be to try to be as realistic as possible. If you wouldn't risk crossing an open field in real life, don't order your pixeltruppen to do so. (Unless they beg you to allow them to prove their bravery. Then a simple nod of assent should suffice.)

 

Find one SMALL battle (demo is fine, or the first "Training" battle in the CMBN game), and play it REPEATEDLY. Focus on fundementals; unit orders, coordination, stacked orders, etc.

 

Good luck!

Really?  You spelled fundamentals wrong?  Did you get the ladder back as you really need your intern to get back to spell checking your work.  :D

Edited by sburke
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Really?  You spelled fundamentals wrong?  Did you get the ladder back as you really need your intern to get back to spell checking your work.  :D

 

I am...embarrassed. My intern distracted me (that ladder again), and I was trying NOT to spend my time looking down at my phone and typing with my thumbs. I'll reprimand her in an appropriate manner. Or inappropriate, as may be. :)

 

Back OT: Don't sweat mortars or on-call support until later. Focus on moving men, breaking squads down as needed, and fire and movement. FundAmentals. :)

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Fund a mental institution today! (see what I did there?)

 

Back to OT again: If you're in need of lessons in tactics I can highly recommend watching the entirety of this video series here:

I can also recommend reading up on the tactical toolbox on Bil Hardenberger's excellent website. It can be found here.

Since the game is designed to represent real warfare as close as possible, real tactics apply. Just get over that initial hump and you'll have a game that rewards you in spades for the time you put into learning it.

 

Cheers!

Edited by Humbug
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Yes, download the demo.  Fiddle with it, futz with it.  Make it dance with you and it will. 

 

I've been playing these games since Barbarossa to Berlin (what's that...2002?) and these series of games have been scratching an itch I never knew I had for these many years.  Now. CMBB seems like that crazy Russian girlfriend that I hardly see anymore but still have a deep fondness for.  I think I did give CMBB a Russian girl's name but I forget it now.  I loved her, but she made me drink and I had to give both of them up.

 

Short story:  You will not regret taking this path.  It is so worth it.

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Azintus, also search YouTube for some instructional videos, use "Combat Mission tutorial" search string.

 

Read the manual, if you love all the games  you've listed then you're probably the type that doesn't mind sinking into a good manual to read when you're on the john. :)

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Back to OT again: If you're in need of lessons in tactics I can highly recommend watching the entirety of this video series here:

I can also recommend reading up on the tactical toolbox on Bil Hardenberger's excellent website. It can be found here.

 

This is excellent advice.  Also reading the manual as womble and Pak40 suggested. 

 

I like to use the search box (top right of page) to search the forum for combat mission topics I am trying to figure out or topics I am just interested in. Example: Type mortars into the search box and hit search.  That will get you lots of information, probably entire threads on the use of mortars.         

 

Good luck and have fun.     

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yes,  keep playing that same battle until you can smear the enemy units in it.

 

No need to move on until you do it because you have not learned the mechanics of the game if you keep losing badly.

 

when you are able to win in that battle,  then you can go on and get a better experience trying other battles and at least you know it is now your choices messing you up. Not the inability to put in basic commands correctly to get the game to work.

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yes,  keep playing that same battle until you can smear the enemy units in it.

 

No need to move on until you do it because you have not learned the mechanics of the game if you keep losing badly.

 

when you are able to win in that battle,  then you can go on and get a better experience trying other battles and at least you know it is now your choices messing you up. Not the inability to put in basic commands correctly to get the game to work.

 

In taking that approach, QBs are the best fodder for learning how to manipulate the game controls, IMO. You can develop your SOPs without worrying about eroding the FoW for any scenarios you'll want to play (and FoW is, for me, one of the biggest features of having the "computer umpire").

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Azinctus,

 

Welcome aboard,

 

Suggest you carefully read my thread John Kettler vs CMBN, then, having read about my near vertical learning curve and various combat outcomes, oft disastrous, learn from my numerous failures, have fun and make new mistakes of your own. Plenty for everyone! Also, unless I'm badly mistaken, please understand the CMBN Demo v 1.10 is way behind the current state of the game, which is vastly more capable than what you'll be playing: 1.10 vs 3.12. You can do far more in the latest version in terms of weapon modeling (major changes to better reflect MG usage and effectiveness), weapon control measures (Cover Armor Arc, for one), reining in onboard mortars which are devastating in the CMBN Demo and many, many more, to include, through some sort of BFC cyber magic possibly involving sacrificing a virgin, a significant speedup of game load and turn processing, coupled with greatly improved in-game image rendering--all with the exact same rigs as before. Huge difference.

 

Regards,

 

John Kettler

Edited by John Kettler
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Thanks for all the advice and links. I've read the tactical toolbox and bought the full game and am out of England and into the Raff series of training missions. I had two goes at the mission in the demo. In the first I got everyone killed. In the 2nd I had the mortars firing and used suppressing fire, isolated his flanks and won a victory, albeit with heavy casualties. In the full game mock battle in England I tried some of the tactical toolbox reconnaissance and followed the instructions, victory but with a dozen or so casualties. I tried again, same result.

My "Base of fire" comes under heavy counter fire and can't target much of the enemy position. Creeping through the woods and assaulting up the hill is painful. People die. My question is: is this normal? Should I be looking for zero casualties? 

 

keep playing that same battle until you can smear the enemy units in it.

 

No need to move on until you do it because you have not learned the mechanics of the game if you keep losing badly.

 

I am winning, everyone in the enemy force is captured or killed. But are they "smeared?"

 

Another issue I'm struggling with is line of sight and targeting. In the demo mission I was instructed to use a targeting arc for the MG and mortar, but they didn't start shooting. When I told them to shoot at a particular spot they did. I'm very bad a predicting who can shoot what and why. In the first Raff mission the observers in the 2nd floor of the manor building could not see (couldn't draw a targeting line) over the hedgerows to the crossroads, despite the manual implying they would be able to.

 

So, to sum up, I'm finding it hard to keep all my people alive and kill all the other side's guys. "Ain't war hell?"

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My "Base of fire" comes under heavy counter fire and can't target much of the enemy position. Creeping through the woods and assaulting up the hill is painful. People die. My question is: is this normal? Should I be looking for zero casualties? 

 

Zero casualties isn't often attainable. WW2 commanders were a lot less casualty-averse than modern ones, though CM's casualty rates are at the very extreme end of the scale, and compressed-in-time (because we force tempo a lot) to boot. If your base of fire is taking enough incoming to suppress it, it's probably in the wrong place, or too spread out. Try and find ways of minimising the incoming while maximising the concentration of outgoing fire.

 

 

I am winning, everyone in the enemy force is captured or killed. But are they "smeared?"

 

Only you can answer that... Do you think you made any stupid errors? If not, dial up another enemy and see if you can do it again.

 

 

Another issue I'm struggling with is line of sight and targeting. In the demo mission I was instructed to use a targeting arc for the MG and mortar, but they didn't start shooting. When I told them to shoot at a particular spot they did. I'm very bad a predicting who can shoot what and why.

The Target tool assesses LOS from the current posture of the selected unit to a point in the centre of the Action Spot you're assessing, at 1m height (IIRC). If your team is Cowering or even simply lying down behind (but not adjacent to; they'd likely kneel up if they were adjacent) a linear obstacle they won't be able to see. Targeting arcs are different to the Target order, in that they are explicitly instructions to hold their fire until a target enters the area of the TA. Of course, they still need LOS to the target, and I can't offer any possible explanation as to why they couldn't see, without more data. Note also that LOS doesn't automatically mean successful spotting of the enemy at that location. And that LOF sometimes differs from LOS (though most of the time, the Target order compensates for that). If your troops could "Area fire" (a Target order at the ground) then they had LOS to that point.

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