Engine 5 Wishlist

[chuckdyke]

41 minutes ago, BornGinger said:

if... then" function code

You need more sophisticated battle plans in other words. Take the MG42 crews in their foxholes all Posthumous Iron Cross candidates. A wonderful feature would be if he gets too many direct contacts he would pop smoke and fall back for example. Instead he waits when pinned for a hand grenade to finish him off. The question is or a code could be written for example if a unit is pinned eg a squad, it would split and use an evasive action drill. 

[Sgt.Squarehead]

There seems to be an expectation that the TacAI should do everything for us.....If you see your MG team is about to get surrounded and pinned, it's your job to get him out of there before it happens, not the TacAI's job to sort out the mess after you let it happen (IMHO).

Edited November 15, 2021 by Sgt.Squarehead

[chuckdyke]

5 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

TacAI

My example was when you play the AI. It is a pity people look for human players too soon or worse they stop playing the game. My apologies @BornGinger talked about the TacAI. 
 

Edited November 15, 2021 by chuckdyke

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Yeah, I'd tend to agree there, one often has to mitigate the AI's limitations by beefing up the AI force or tweaking the terrain to favour its plan.....Nature of the beast to some extent.

[BeondTheGrave]

Its a small wish, but I wish the text editing function for scenario briefings was a bit more robust. I'd like to be able to make things bold, italicize, us an indent or numbered list format, etc. Even just something as basic as whats offered on this forum would be great. I would also like the opportunity to preview a briefing screen without having to save the file, paste it into the scenarios folder, exit the editor, open the new battle file, wait for the entire map to load in, realize I spelled the word battalion wrong, go back to the editor, reimport the revised text, save the file etc etc. Sometimes you dont catch things until you see it in the scenario window, especially when it comes to formatting issues. 

[chuckdyke]

4 minutes ago, BeondTheGrave said:

Its a small wish, but I wish the text editing function for scenario briefings was a bit more robust.

There should be a code to make scenario briefings more to the point. In the manual explain commonly used acronyms and apply it in the briefings. I keep it to acronyms used by the US they are published and accessible to all. So we spent less reading sometimes cryptic scenario briefings. Like civilian considerations of METT-TC engage only contact icons tentative or full contacts for example. Instead you read a two page essay about schools, churches, mosques etc.

[BeondTheGrave]

To be honest I would prefer generally if scenario writers avoided some of that insider jargon and those dreadful acronyms. Like I dont consider myself a total laymen, but I'm also not a vet and I've never worked inside the DoD. A lot of these things dont really penetrate outside of the ranks and I really dont want to have to get my Army dictionary (I really have one!) just so I can play with my virtual troopers. IDK what METT-TC is, for example.

The best scenarios would show why those things are important, not use it to drop under a word count. 

[chuckdyke]

4 minutes ago, BeondTheGrave said:

IDK what METT-TC

Fair point! I just feel a scenario writer should be familiar with them but don't use numerous acronyms in his briefings. It is about communication apply the acronyms in your own words without using them. M stands for mission write the HQ intent For example: 5oo points for objective 'Bridge' 50 points for eliminating enemy forces. So the mission is to occupy the bridge and defend it against enemy forces. You do not hunt for enemy forces all over the map. 

[db_zero]

Take a look at Gravteam and how it portrays the battlefield. IMO probable the best war simulation out there. I'd be very happy to see Combat Mission be presented in a similar manner.

I'm just referring to the actual tactical combat presentation, not the interface or game play. Visually when the combat starts its stunning.

[RMM]

17 hours ago, BeondTheGrave said:

Its a small wish, but I wish the text editing function for scenario briefings was a bit more robust. I'd like to be able to make things bold, italicize, us an indent or numbered list format, etc. Even just something as basic as whats offered on this forum would be great. I would also like the opportunity to preview a briefing screen without having to save the file, paste it into the scenarios folder, exit the editor, open the new battle file, wait for the entire map to load in, realize I spelled the word battalion wrong, go back to the editor, reimport the revised text, save the file etc etc. Sometimes you dont catch things until you see it in the scenario window, especially when it comes to formatting issues. 

Oh, Amen! I like to correct or edit some of the scenario texts and the whole original has to be deleted and the new typed in its entirety. No cut-n-paste or clicking on one place to correct or change a word spelling!

[Redwolf]

I'm going to go ahead and say that unarmed vehicles should have a LOS tool, too.

Right now they do not have a LOS tool since LOS is done via the target command, and without a weapon you don't get a target command.

But that leads to some absurd situations. Not everything unarmed is combat-irrelevant. For example I have a SF2 German Aufklärungs platoon, which comes in Wolf vehicles. The Wolf doesn't have a weapon, it has 3 scout crewmembers (not passengers, crewmembers, big difference). So if you drive your scout vehicle to a certain point on the map you cannot determine LOS (without dismounting). This seems opposite of the scout's purpose.

[RMM]

1 hour ago, Redwolf said:

I'm going to go ahead and say that unarmed vehicles should have a LOS tool, too.

Right now they do not have a LOS tool since LOS is done via the target command, and without a weapon you don't get a target command.

But that leads to some absurd situations. Not everything unarmed is combat-irrelevant. For example I have a SF2 German Aufklärungs platoon, which comes in Wolf vehicles. The Wolf doesn't have a weapon, it has 3 scout crewmembers (not passengers, crewmembers, big difference). So if you drive your scout vehicle to a certain point on the map you cannot determine LOS (without dismounting). This seems opposite of the scout's purpose.

Perhaps through unit classification, so that a recon unit can fulfill that role but not one truck driver!

[Redwolf]

21 minutes ago, RMM said:

Perhaps through unit classification, so that a recon unit can fulfill that role but not one truck driver!

Yeah. I mean the troops can actually shoot out of the vehicle, so why not let them spot?

[AlexUK]

Would really like to see better modelling of smoke grenades (more immediate smoke cover through detonation), see for example 17':50 in video. Not sure what ww2 era grenades (and rounds) would do but presumably something similar. 

 

 

[amadeupname]

It might be a bit outside the scope of cm but I would also like to see Illumination munitions modeled in game. It'd probably be more practical in the ww2 games or for armies that don't have much in the way of night vision.

After playing the South African campaign in FI, I'd like to select an afv and have the option to select how many rounds I'm going to shoot at a particular target, (in addition to regular target commands) and what kind of ammunition I'm going to use. Obviously this wouldn't be too practical for vehicles equipped with autocannons and mg's, but it would be useful for tanks, assault guns, howitzers, mortars etc. I understand that "target briefly" is a thing but sometimes I don't want to shoot a target with my coax, and I only want to shoot it once. Just a to have a bit more control over ammunition consumption and ration it out in situations where you have to make your supplies last.

I'd also like to see the addition of formation orders for infantry squads as well as vehicles. I think Moving vehicles in column formation is a bit tedious as it is, and when I'm playing with a lot of units on the map a traffic jam or infantry blob is going to be inevitable unless I meticulously give every single unit in the battalion pause commands and waypoint orders. Just a small QoL improvement to help you get to the fight a bit quicker. 

[chuckdyke]

5 minutes ago, amadeupname said:

I meticulously give every single unit in the battalion pause commands and waypoint orders.

'Meticulously' It may great more problems, experience is the best teacher when it comes to pathfinding. I like to see a record and save option for vehicles. All you need to do for vehicles A,B,C ...... Is to replay the movements of the first vehicle. Infantry is no problem they find there way anywhere. 

[Probus]

On 11/16/2021 at 11:09 AM, Redwolf said:

Yeah. I mean the troops can actually shoot out of the vehicle, so why not let them spot?

They can't spot?

[amadeupname]

1 hour ago, chuckdyke said:

All you need to do for vehicles A,B,C ...... Is to replay the movements of the first vehicle. Infantry is no problem they find there way anywhere. 

oh I know how to do it. I'd just like to see the process be streamlined and I think BFC has the ability to do that. I remember hearing about a convoy command that would move vehicles in column formation automatically. As for the infantry, it's not really pathfinding problem. My issue is with the spacing of the individual soldiers. Like I said earlier, I find that Infantry has a tendancy to blob up when you move them over long distances. The first mission in the Road to Nijmegen campaign in BN, where you have to send your paratroopers across big open fields is a good example of what I'm talking about. I've seen spotting rounds and MG's devastate entire squads or platoons because they weren't keeping their intervals. 

It's just a small quality of life improvement is all.

Edited November 22, 2021 by amadeupname

[Lethaface]

5 hours ago, Probus said:

They can't spot?

They can.

[chuckdyke]

6 hours ago, amadeupname said:

oh I know how to do it.

So do I but this would make it easier. Like making a Photoshop action. 

 

7 hours ago, amadeupname said:

I find that Infantry has a tendancy to blob up when you move them over long distances.

You need to split them up, the corn fields in that mission are the approach routes. @LongLeftFlank had a suggestion to make a Company size formation to advance like we do with an artillery mission. Paint an area linear or otherwise and every unit of his company would advance to that area using the correct formation. 

[BornGinger]

Every time there's an abandoned anti-tank gun in the game, belonging to either my troops or the enemy, I wonder what the reason is for this rule which says that a gun crew that are leaving a gun to avoid getting killed aren't allowed to man the gun again.

 

If it is for so called "reasons of game balance" the question is what the game balance is in a situation where: A tank is approaching a house where an anti-tank gun is hiding in the corner of it. The gun crew shoots at the tank but misses. Almost immediately after that, and at the same time, the tank is shooting at the gun and the gun is shooting at the tank. The gun hits the tank and the tank crew gets scared and leaves the tank although it isn't destroyed. The tank hits the corner of the house and the gun crew gets scared and leaves the gun although it isn't destroyed. In the next few minutes both the tank crew and the gun crew feel brave enough to continue fighting. The tank crew is allowed to climb into their tank and continue the attack but the gun crew isn't allowed to climb onto their gun and continue their defense.

 

Where is the game balance when a gun with more than two wheels, and which also is much quicker and more mobile, is of more importance than a gun with only two wheels?

 

I hope there will be a change to this behaviour so that gun crew can man and use their gun again although they have left it for a few seconds or minutes.

Edited November 27, 2021 by BornGinger

[Redwolf]

2 minutes ago, BornGinger said:

Every time there's an abandoned anti-tank gun in the game, belonging to either my troops or the enemy, I wonder what the reason is for this rule which says that a gun crew that are leaving a gun to avoid getting killed aren't allowed to man the gun again.

Steve said this is just a matter of not having done the programming that they did for the vehicles.

There's probably hope that this comes in the future.

[chuckdyke]

Abandoned AT guns are deemed to be disabled. There should be a split up option for the unit.

[chuckdyke]

How do you blow up bridges in game? Otherwise I would like to see it in the new Engine 5.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

10 minutes ago, chuckdyke said:

How do you blow up bridges in game?

It can be (fairly) reliably done in CM:SF2.....Guess what I use? 

Hint:

Apparently @kohlenklau has come up with some means to do it in CM:RT, I'm rather intrigued to know how, because I wouldn't have a scooby? 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Sgt.Squarehead