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CMFB First Impressions


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I just got mine Activated, and I did a quick peek to verify it worked. Loading of the first battle was much faster than either the CMFB Demo or CMBS, but this may well be the result of having a small map and leafless trees. My initial impression is that BFC has once again increased resolution, noticeable in the fine tracery of the branches and in the way the infantry is rendered. Maybe I missed it in earlier games, but I was surprised and pleased to see a railroad track. Very cool. I love the vibe. Also, I have a family connection to the Westwall, in that my Uncle George, who served with Patton in the Navy's little known Boat Two (search forums for info and pics) on LCMs, took pics while going through the breached dragons' teeth. All it takes is one frame in this battle to feel it's fall. Bravo, BFC!

Regards,

John Kettler

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I'm loving this game.

The infantry skins are extremely well done. I think I remember @ChrisND saying the skins were made in part by @Vein They're fantastic! 

When I run the game in WEGO I tend to not have performance issues, even on large maps, and that trend continues in CMFB. No performance issues for me. However I have noticed faster loading times, both when loading a scenario and processing a WEGO turn. 

The textures for buildings and the environment are extremely well done as well, as are the horizons. Its very immersive and really helps it all look real when you get down to eye level. The snow feels cold, the mud looks cold and muddy. Really a good job here. 

The new vehicles are fantastic as well. The modelling and skinning of them are top notch, the best yet in my opinion. Plus playing around with all the late war toys and the German uberweapons is a lot of fun as well. 

Last but certainly not least, the maps. Damn. Extremely well done. From the master maps to the QB maps to the scenario maps, they're all amazing. I personally prefer realistic maps, either directly based off a location and made to be a model of that location as it was, or a realistic representation of a chosen location. CMFB does it all. I especially love the maps of Foy and Noville. Now we can live out scenes from Band of Brothers and other famous films and books in CM in the exact place they happened on a highly realistic recreation of the actual battlefield!

I honestly don't have any gripes with CMFB. I haven't encountered any bugs or issues yet. I think its pretty darn close to perfect. 

In short, its great, I love it and highly recommend it to anyone who may be on the fence about buying it. Go for it, you won't regret it!

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14 minutes ago, Aragorn2002 said:

But not in the Single Vehicles List in the editor. Please go to the editor, choose Units, then Single Vehicles (German Army) and check again (under Available Troops). Do you see them there?

Leaving the date at the default October 1, I found both the Grille and 251/21 (early) when I had Armored Infantry clicked, but not with Armor clicked.

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Just wow!  Playing the first tiny scenario/battle, advancing my German troops with their mix of uniforms quietly through the heavy falling snow, with the wind howling through the trees. Absolutely stunning and immersive!

SPLASH SPLASH as the gunner Frans crosses the tiny stream. "Shuddup" whispers his sergeant hoarsely, stalking warily through the tuffs of grass poking up through the snow.

 

And we haven't even heard or spotted the enemy yet.....

 

 

 

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38 minutes ago, IICptMillerII said:

I'm loving this game.

The infantry skins are extremely well done. I think I remember @ChrisND saying the skins were made in part by @Vein They're fantastic! 

When I run the game in WEGO I tend to not have performance issues, even on large maps, and that trend continues in CMFB. No performance issues for me. However I have noticed faster loading times, both when loading a scenario and processing a WEGO turn. 

The textures for buildings and the environment are extremely well done as well, as are the horizons. Its very immersive and really helps it all look real when you get down to eye level. The snow feels cold, the mud looks cold and muddy. Really a good job here. 

The new vehicles are fantastic as well. The modelling and skinning of them are top notch, the best yet in my opinion. Plus playing around with all the late war toys and the German uberweapons is a lot of fun as well. 

Last but certainly not least, the maps. Damn. Extremely well done. From the master maps to the QB maps to the scenario maps, they're all amazing. I personally prefer realistic maps, either directly based off a location and made to be a model of that location as it was, or a realistic representation of a chosen location. CMFB does it all. I especially love the maps of Foy and Noville. Now we can live out scenes from Band of Brothers and other famous films and books in CM in the exact place they happened on a highly realistic recreation of the actual battlefield!

I honestly don't have any gripes with CMFB. I haven't encountered any bugs or issues yet. I think its pretty darn close to perfect. 

In short, its great, I love it and highly recommend it to anyone who may be on the fence about buying it. Go for it, you won't regret it!

I agree. It has been a bloody long wait, but the game looks very polished.

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Thanks all for the voices (and credit cards) of support!  I can say that we feel this is a fantastic title and a very polished one at that.  Still, there's little things here and there that we know need to be addressed.  As always, we are paying attention and making notes for the first patch.

In particular I wanted to highlight this...

12 hours ago, sttp said:

Something else worth mentioning: Battlefront has done a really great job at capturing that subjective "feel" of the Ardennes region at this time of year. Very authentic and convincing. We all spend so much time talking about the logic and mechanics of the game that it's easy to overlook the accomplishments in the art department.

And I'll say this again, too: these maps are phenomenal. Open the master maps up in the editor and your first thought may very well be "holy crap!" I know mine was. I'm really looking forward to seeing what 3rd party scenario designers can do with these.

I have to say that "feel" is really important for any game, but personally I think it's most important for winter settings because it's so hard to get it right compared to summer.  Winter has some intangible quality to it that's tough to pin down, however it's easy to know when it's missing.  I live in a northern climate and to me there's a completely different feel to the winter months compared to summer that goes way beyond simple things like color and temperature.  It's an intangible thing and I also feel that CMFB does a really good job hitting that mark.

As with all our games, our success is the result of a combination of a lot of people, paid and volunteer, putting their hearts into what they do.  We can code the best game out there, we can put the best artwork into it, but if the scenario designers make crap maps and poor scenario designs then it really doesn't matter.  Fortunately we have a great bunch of guys who really know how to bring out the best the game has to offer. 

Steve

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1 hour ago, Aragorn2002 said:

Ah yes, I see. Thank you. Perhaps that can be solved in the first patch.


I'm not sure what you mean. The vehicles in question are only listed in the Single Vehicle list within the Armored Infantry tab because their parent formations only exist in that category. That is how it works for all units.

 

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33 minutes ago, Vanir Ausf B said:


I'm not sure what you mean. The vehicles in question are only listed in the Single Vehicle list within the Armored Infantry tab because their parent formations only exist in that category. That is how it works for all units.

 

I see. In that case the world is as it should be. Thanks for clarifying.

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5 hours ago, Aragorn2002 said:

But not in the Single Vehicles List in the editor. Please go to the editor, choose Units, then Single Vehicles (German Army) and check again (under Available Troops). Do you see them there?

 

9 hours ago, Wicky said:

Can you remember the name of the scenario?

 

9 hours ago, Buzz said:

Baraque de Fraiture

Buzz

 

7 hours ago, J Bennett said:

Yep I just loaded it again and theres definitely some Germans clad is US uniforms. In a captured US truck there are two soldiers in the front seat, one is in German and one is in US uniform

Some extracts from the briefing and designer 's notes will explain why there are some US vehicles and or tank mounted with German in US uniforms

"This scenario, will put you, I hope so, in a situation not too different from what could be found at the time.Don't be surprised, the Germans will use some US vehicles and or tanks commandeered, most of the time, to replace their losses. They found quite a few left in units park in working order. I am sure that you will like the Sherman flail tank doing marvel with the mines that could have been buried by the US Engineers."

"Spearheading our Kampfgruppe, we have been lent a small detachment from Panzer Brigade 150 (Brandenburger) detached from its original Greif Operation to help us reaching the vital bridge of Lierneux.

They wear US uniforms, some of them speak good American and they use captured US vehicles.

PZ 150 (Brandenberger) detachment:

                                     1 x M8 Greyhound

                                     1 x Jeep .30 Cal

                                     1 x Flail Sherman tank

 

*******************************************SPOILERS*****************************************SPOILERS*******************************

 

 

 

German crewed US Half track moving toward the bridge

 

 

captured HT assault.jpg

german us HF.jpg

Edited by snake_eye
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One thing I have noticed is that the AI for Quick Battles seems so much more aggressive than previous titles...and smarter too...just played a Tiny ME as the Americans, and the Germans were certainly relentless in pushing for the objectives and seemed to coordinate their MGs with attacking infantry quite well when attacking my flanks.  

Having so many options for terrain/weather and location for QB is really gonna make the replayability of this game great.  And you get quite a few more units for both sides to start than some previous games...Wehrmacht, Waffen SS and Fallschirmjager for the Germans and Infantry, Paratroopers, Mech Inf for the Americans...lots of possibilities.  

Very, very well done.

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I think the AI is indeed a bit better.

I had a Panther that refused to die.  I set up a QB with one platoon minus of Panthers, one platoon+ company HQ of Panzer IVs just for fun in a meeting engagement.  The first platoon I contacted was the Panthers, and in a hail of 76 and 75 MM gunfire they went down, one after the other.  Then the last tank pops off one more shot disabling one of my Shermans before popping smoke and backing up.  

Then the remainder of the company comes into contact, and I'm shooting them up too, and then the Panther shows up again, shooting and forcing my company commander to bail from his tank (which I had remount, the shot killed the assistant driver and walking wounded the commander and gunner).  Then as shots starting striking home again, smoke and the Panther withdrew.  

I finally assaulted to finish the battle, and as I rolled out the Panther opted to make itself known and the Panther did indeed go down hit from several different directions, but I can't recall any other CM that had a tank disengage several times, and then recommit elsewhere.  Was surprisingly human behavior for sure.  

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I setup a quick battle - small, Achen Map - urban mayhem. Automatic force selection, Waffen SS vs US random mix.

Aside from a Sherman and SP artillery piece the rest of the forces I go were infantry and 2 60mm mortars, 2 HMGS and 2 MMGs

The AI Germans have a mix of Panthers, AA guns in infantry.

I'm seeing the AI use the flanks, breaching walls with charges and from what I've seen so far some decent armor and infantry coordination in attacks. The SP AA guns are providing fire support. I setup some QBs in urban setting in Red Thunder and was less than impressed. I won't make any judgements yet, but looks promising. If an AI QB can provide a decent challenge in a urban setting, that's a big improvement.

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On 4/8/2016 at 3:47 AM, snake_eye said:

 

 

 

Some extracts from the briefing and designer 's notes will explain why there are some US vehicles and or tank mounted with German in US uniforms

"This scenario, will put you, I hope so, in a situation not too different from what could be found at the time.Don't be surprised, the Germans will use some US vehicles and or tanks commandeered, most of the time, to replace their losses. They found quite a few left in units park in working order. I am sure that you will like the Sherman flail tank doing marvel with the mines that could have been buried by the US Engineers."

"Spearheading our Kampfgruppe, we have been lent a small detachment from Panzer Brigade 150 (Brandenburger) detached from its original Greif Operation to help us reaching the vital bridge of Lierneux.

They wear US uniforms, some of them speak good American and they use captured US vehicles.

PZ 150 (Brandenberger) detachment:

                                     1 x M8 Greyhound

                                     1 x Jeep .30 Cal

                                     1 x Flail Sherman tank

 

*******************************************SPOILERS*****************************************SPOILERS*******************************

 

 

 

German crewed US Half track moving toward the bridge

 

 

captured HT assault.jpg

german us HF.jpg

I would like to see a mod come out that paints the iron cross on these vehicles =D if at all possible (i dont know if they share the same data as american side).

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On 4/7/2016 at 11:40 AM, PanzerMike said:

Playing the American in a muddy affair? Let me know how you fare. The American don't have it Easy in that one, hehehe.

 

Played it till about 30min left and had lost 90% of my infantry had 2 shermans immobilized due to bogging and 3 others destroyed then i gave up. Very nice scenario though!

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