Combat Mission Operational Play

[Hartwich]

Hello all, 

Been a long time CMBB and CMAK player with a tight group of friends.  One of my favorite play styles is the Operational style battles where players fight over the same map for multiple battles.  I've been trying to do research if this option was available on the newer combat missions?  I've definitely been considering upgrading across the board to the newer 3.0 engine of combat mission games.  I was just wondering if this feature is now called "campaign" mode of play.... been doing some research on that but it seems like that is more geared toward multiple maps per campaign rather than focusing on one map with a dynamic front line.   The movable front line and pre-battle resets of positions is what I love the most with the operational style play in the older series.  Is any of this still possible in the newer iterations of the game?   Thanks!

[womble]

You could write a campaign that just reused the same map sequentially. Some campaigns do in fact have successive scenarios on the same map on some of their branches. But the "front lines" at each step of the campaign would only be able to be set at the points the scenario designer estimates they'd be at given the result that led to the map being chosen. So if "Game 1" had each side starting 2/5 of the way onto the map, the campaign would branch into 2a (where Red won) and 2b (where Blue won). In 2a Red would start at 1/2 way and Blue only 1/5 of the way on (because that's where the scenario designer thought a "victory" for Red would leave the lines) and in 2b the front lines would be mirrored (for converse reasons). And Campaigns can only be fought vs the AI (with the possible exception of hotseat... did we find that format works?).

There are, however a few Operational scenarios going on that are umpired and mapped using an adaptation of Panzer Command,which also is used to help deal with the Operational constraints of the situation. This is the Allied HQ for one being run for Red Thunder.

 

Edit: That said, scenarios can be quite long and maps and forces very large indeed if your rig can handle them. Considering the "time compression" we see in CM games (for many factors, but the General's God's Eye View and his ability to perfectly coordinate at a moment's notice are probably the largest), a 4 hour game on a really big map with reinforcements could feel very operational.

Edited September 18, 2015 by womble

[ASL Veteran]

The short answer to your question is: No, there is no operational style battles in the way CMx1 did them available in CMx2 nor is there any plan to include them at any future date.  BTW, how does one gain ten reputation points when you have only one post and that post hasn't been upvoted?    Can you get reputation points that aren't associated with a post somehow?  Curious.

[A Canadian Cat]

how does one gain ten reputation points when you have only one post and that post hasn't been upvoted?    Can you get reputation points that aren't associated with a post somehow?  Curious.

My guess is forum default.  When we moved to this from the old form all existing members started with 10 any one new started with 0.  My guess is the default is 10 and one on put it back to 0.  That's just a guess.

[Bud Backer]

My guess is forum default.  When we moved to this from the old form all existing members started with 10 any one new started with 0.  My guess is the default is 10 and one on put it back to 0.  That's just a guess.

Correctamundo... it's the default amount. 

Frivolous waste of time idea:

Shall we start complaining that new members get a +10 bonus over existing members and that's not right and we should all get +10 bonus rep?  ... Kidding...

Edited September 18, 2015 by Bud_B

[kevinkin]

Whatever special rules like supply and reinforcements you and your friends use should be OK with CMx2. But the devil is in the details. You may not get exactly what you have been simulating. It should not stop you from migrating to the new engine however. 

Kevin

This sort of reminds me of the massive Panzerblitz battles we played using two boxes They never ended until finals week.

[Hartwich]

Thanks for your reply guys!  I think that it is time to give it the old upgrade

And not sure what the deal is with the points... Maybe because I Joined 1 December 2009 and never posted anything until now, hehe

[Bud Backer]

Thanks for your reply guys!  I think that it is time to give it the old upgrade

And not sure what the deal is with the points... Maybe because I Joined 1 December 2009 and never posted anything until now, hehe

Hey, dude, I was just kidding with the guys; the points really are irrelevant.  

if you're looking at operational battles, you really should look up the campaigns that Kohlenklau set up in CMFI, CMRT, CMBN. Several members here play in them. Perhaps that's what you are looking for. 

 

[Hartwich]

Thanks Bud_B,  I'm looking at downloading CMRT tonight!  Played the Demos with the newer engine and I am impressed and very thankful that they kept the old turn based system as an option.  Will take a look at the campaigns suggested!  Thank you!  The John Tiller Campaign that Womble suggested also looked like an amazing idea.  I guess if all else fails we can always go back to the classics  

 

[Bud Backer]

Thanks Bud_B,  I'm looking at downloading CMRT tonight!  Played the Demos with the newer engine and I am impressed and very thankful that they kept the old turn based system as an option.  Will take a look at the campaigns suggested!  Thank you!  The John Tiller Campaign that Womble suggested also looked like an amazing idea.  I guess if all else fails we can always go back to the classics  

 

I really doubt you'll want to go back. I never played CMx1 but I am quite certain the CMx2 experience will convince you to stick with it.  And remember you have a lot of knowledgeable players here who can help you if you ask the right questions, and potential PBEM partners too. Good luck and have fun! 

[c3k]

Campaigns are very flexible tools for anyone wanting to design them. Units carry over from the previous battle with, at the designer's choice, no rest/refit all the way up to full refit. However, each map for each battle has to be created anew. For a mobile series of battles, this works great. For a series of battles of the same ground, it needs some designer flair. Map damage is not persistent. So, Battle for the Church 1 sees a bridge get demo'ed. In Battle for the Church 2, that bridge will be whole. (Unless the designer purposely rubbled the bridge as part of Battle for the Church 2. If so, then it'll be rubbled even if it had been undamaged at the end of Battle for the Church 1. Capiche? This lack of carry-over map-state is the ONLY shortfall I see in the campaigns in CMx2. (Again, skilled design can make the map look more and more degraded/damaged over the ensuing battles if the designer has them occurring on the same piece of real estate.)

 

Ken

[Macisle]

Thanks Bud_B,  I'm looking at downloading CMRT tonight!  Played the Demos with the newer engine and I am impressed and very thankful that they kept the old turn based system as an option.  Will take a look at the campaigns suggested!  Thank you!  The John Tiller Campaign that Womble suggested also looked like an amazing idea.  I guess if all else fails we can always go back to the classics  

 

Hartwich,

Welcome to CMx2! Here are some helpful links for you:

Controls (May sometimes refer to outdated info, due to game feature upgrades)

·         Tutorial on Basic Controls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEADCORhMu8
 

·         Big Combat Mission Tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbE8795rt2s

Tactics

·         Armchair General presents Combat Mission Normandy Tactics Episode I:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ6dDlqye9Q 

·         Armchair General presents Combat Mission Normandy Tactics Episode II:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHm6FDh1738

·         Armchair General presents Combat Mission Normandy Tactics Episode III:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI4MNt-BtBM

·         Armchair General presents Combat Mission Normandy Tactics Episode IV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQgFnIW3VtE

·         Armchair General presents Combat Mission Normandy Tactics Episode V:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFc6ge53jZQ

·         Armchair General presents Combat Mission Normandy Tactics Episode VI:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvoKNVDNtVI
 

Map Making

·         Map Making Tutorial:

·         http://www.twitch.tv/chrisnd/c/5628262
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MygoJ4KQlSk

 

Mods for CMRT

·         (Juju) http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods?author_id=351&game_type=7

·         (Vein) http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods?author_id=336&game_type=7

·         (Aris) http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods?author_id=355&game_type=7

·         (Kieme) http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods?author_id=492&game_type=7

·         (Tanksalot) http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods?author_id=408&game_type=7

Enjoy!

Macisle

[Bud Backer]

Great reference posts, Macisle.  I liked those Armchair General vids so much I saved them so I can watch them even when offline in my iPad. Lots of good materials in your links! 

[Hartwich]

Wow you guys are great!  Thanks for all of the references and links.  I really appreciate it, very much so! 

[Bud Backer]

Hartwich, I can also suggest looking at @Bil Hardenberger's Beta AAR for CMRT. I think it illustrates good tactics, as well as just how plausibly the game simulates WWII combat.

BETA AAR

It's also an entertaining read. 

[Hartwich]

Thanks Bud_B!  Much appreciated, a really warm welcome to the community, Thanks guys!

[RockinHarry]

Would be nice if BFC would allow to extract map data from saved games to be reused for campaign battles, so that at least map damage would be preserved for the next battle on the same map. For campaign scripting this off course must be an automatic procedure. The mission designer would set up the campaign battle on the original, undamaged map, while from within the campaign structure, map data would be drawn from the end save game of the previous battle. There could be some problems though. Assuming the fresh map has an infantry unit set up in the 2nd story of an undamaged building, but the building is damaged/destroyed in the save game. The infantry unit then would be placed automatically in the 1st story, or the rubble tile, if the building was completely destroyed before.

Other use would be for normal (non campaign) battles, so that some the dynamically created damage during game plays, would add to a new map. Some stuff can´t be added in the map editor, like broken walls and crushed trees, which would nicely add to a war torn map looks. Adding an additional functionality to the crater tile in 2D editor could do the same purpose. Place trees/foliage, add craters (clicking repeatedly) on the same AS and get the trees some damage, by removing leaves/branches, just like it works during game play, when tree bursts occur. Alternatively in 3D editor, add key-click funtionality on trees, to cycle through various grades of damage, like one can do on buildings.

[A Canadian Cat]

I like that idea @RockinHarry. 

[Hartwich]

I agree that would be very cool RockinHarry!

Unfortunately downloaded the demo for CMRT last night on my laptop, it looks like my laptop has the dreaded Intel HD graphics bug (blurry text bug) that cannot be fixed because there is no option to turn off FXAA on the integrated card options.  Game played well besides that but would be better to have the text all there  Anyway I'll have to wait until my desktop can get delivered to me sometime next year....noooo!  

[womble]

Maps. Forces. Either on their own or both at once, from a started game or just the editor/force selector. It would be great to be able to export those elements, and then import them to the relevant places. It's been asked for for a long time.

[kevinkin]

Macisle

Thanks for those links. We need a page of links to tactics and tutorials. I know mine tend to get scattered over time. Your post could be a start.

Kevin