Moronic Max Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 So, I finally got around to picking up CMBO (and CMBB and CMAK, but whatever). I had a vague memory of reading about the villers-bocage scenario in the PCG review of the game, and decided to start with that. Anyway, playing as the Axis, I find myself getting my butt kicked. Over and over again. What usually happens is I drive my Tiger up, start butchering HTs and dismounts, then get surrounded by tanks and suffer a side penetration. Still, even when I try to play a bit more cautiously I find myself getting flanked and knocked out.I have two questions. A: any specific advice for playing as the Axis in this scenario? B: Any advice on the use of unsupported armor (Tigers in particular) in general? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_d Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 Don't send your armour in unsupported. Ever. Schoolboy error- we've all done it at some point. Make sure you have a few units covering the flanks, if only so you can see what's coming. All tanks are vulnerable from the sides- even the uber-tanks like the Tiger and the KT. As a general rule of thumb, avoid leading with tanks generally. Use infantry to expose enemy positions and then use the tanks to blast them from afar. The infantry can take quite alot of punishment, so don't be afraid to push them a bit (especially in CMBO). The only time you should lead with tanks is when you are fairly confident that the enemy only has limited AT capabilities and/or you are certain that you outnumber the enemy massively (although this only really applies to the Russians) If this is your first time playing the CM series, I strongly suggest you start on the tutorial levels, or download the demos and play those missions first. And read anything on this website by JasonC. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moronic Max Posted December 7, 2005 Author Share Posted December 7, 2005 Appreciate the advice. I've played all three demos and done decently in them--at least, by my standards. JasonC's posts are indeed quite helpful as well. However, in the scenario I mentioned the axis player is provided with a Tiger, and nothing else. The problem isn't so much infantry--they're easy to rout in the first few turns. The problem is the eight or so Allied tanks. Half Stuarts and half Cromwell IIIs (I believe). I'm finding it impossible to avold being surrounded and subsequently destroyed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_d Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 Hmmmm, I'll have a look myself. Don't remember the scenario, but its been a while since I've played CMBO 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slysniper Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 I had never played it, so did last night, first thing to do is to stay alive until your reinforcements come. Learn to use the reverse in them tanks, forget about the flags at first, reverse, find a spot that protects you from flanking fire and position yourself to take on the enemy as they come into view. Hopefully in a position that will only allow one or two to show up and be able to return fire. Behind your starting position there is locations that this works just great. When the reinforcement come I found them placed on the flag location which was already being overrun with some british infantry. They were repulsed easaly and so I quickly moved into the woods on the left and tried to set up a defensive zone there with my infantry. The tanks were tigers except for a mkIV which did not last past the entree turn since about 4 enemy tanks could see him immediatly and one being a firefly, it was doomed without a chance. (I consider that a poor scenario design when units pop into a battle like this normally - a few exceptions, but not this time - poor). Anyway, with the added tanks I now had 4 tigers, again the new tanks found reverse, one found a position to cover the left flank where the rocks are at. I sent my original tiger w/ Wittman in it up the Right flank to protect it and see if I could create my own flanking shots. That left two to guard the center access which the AI will over use. A close battle, fun and wish I could declare was a victory for me but watch out because with all them target I'm afraid that the British still have enough tanks that have the ability to take a Tiger out even against front armour if given the chance and get hits quickly. I am afraid that for me I saw multible first shots hit the front steel of my Tigers and get kills after the Tiger had missed the shooter himself. That is why it if fun to play this game. [ December 07, 2005, 07:29 AM: Message edited by: slysniper ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slysniper Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 Hopefully this will help in some way, I might have to play this once again and see if I can get a win with hopefully a little less luck by the enemy AI. [ December 07, 2005, 07:32 AM: Message edited by: slysniper ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moronic Max Posted December 7, 2005 Author Share Posted December 7, 2005 *blink* There're reinforcements? Oh. I suppose I should pay more attention to the briefings. Yes, that's quite helpful. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moronic Max Posted December 8, 2005 Author Share Posted December 8, 2005 Bleh. Well, that was completely unsatisfying. For whatever reason, the AI proved utterly unable to cope with being flanked. I took my initial tiger on a move-fast blitz down a side street in the village, and started poking my nose out in each of the cross streets, destroying a few tanks each time. Of course, that was made easier by the AI's stubborn refusal to acknowledge I was behind its tanks. After knocking out three, I noticed the remainder were facing away from me, towards the Axis start location...and never tried turning until they were engaged, by which time, of course, it was too late. So I took out virtually all the Allied tanks with my starting Tiger due to an AI glitch. Meh. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slysniper Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 Thus a good reason not to play against the AI much, real opponents are much more challenging. Or if you cannot handle that, try hotseat and play both sides, lets see you do well when there is no surprises and you have to win with firepower supremacy. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD82 Posted December 19, 2005 Share Posted December 19, 2005 Originally posted by Moronic Max: Bleh. Well, that was completely unsatisfying. For whatever reason, the AI proved utterly unable to cope with being flanked. I took my initial tiger on a move-fast blitz down a side street in the village, and started poking my nose out in each of the cross streets, destroying a few tanks each time. Of course, that was made easier by the AI's stubborn refusal to acknowledge I was behind its tanks. After knocking out three, I noticed the remainder were facing away from me, towards the Axis start location...and never tried turning until they were engaged, by which time, of course, it was too late. So I took out virtually all the Allied tanks with my starting Tiger due to an AI glitch. Meh. Actually this is pretty much what happened at the original event. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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