kohlenklau Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 It looks like we are on our own lads. I gave my best case (others did too) in the CMRT forum F&R thread to Steve/BFC to give us some "war gamer kits" and I can hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. FROM HERE ON OUT, I THINK CMFI CAN BE THE BEST ARENA FOR EARLY WAR MODS EVEN IF SET IN USSR, FRANCE, etc. Reason 1: Since you can set the scenario date to July 1943, there is a certain lower availability of panzerfausts. I have to test that to see how true that is. No MP44. Reason 2: There are multiple axis nations so you can have around 6 uniform choices on the map. CMRT has only 2 uniform choices for Allies. But that will change with F&R. You can have at least 2 voice files in use at once in a scenario. You can have at least 2 names files in use in a scenario. Think of Germans and Italians at El Alamein or Romanians and Germans near Stalingrad. Reason 3: There are multiple allied nations. This allows somewhat more uniform choices on the map vs just 2. Some allied nations use the same uniforms as US it seems. You can have multiple voice files in use at once in a scenario. You can have multiple names files in use in a scenario. A North Afrika Tunisia scenario with Free French, British and US all fighting against Axis. Reason 4: we have all the seasons The modding of CMFI to become a new early war CMRT is a great project. CMFI BARBAROSSA will not start until after F&R comes out. The modding of CMFI to become a new early war CMBN is a great project. CMFI FALL GELB will not start until after F&R comes out. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Phil, with what will be available in F&R, we might even be able to move North Afrika a bit further back as well. Inquiring minds would like to know more about what background workup (and mock-ups of vehicles and stuff??) The Capt and Bil H. did in order to convince BFC to Green Light CMCW. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 23, 2021 Author Share Posted April 23, 2021 If you set CMFI at July 1943, it seems (with a test of 5 minutes or so in the scenario editor) that your German infantry squads do not get panzerfausts. There is still a mix of HMG/LMG42 and HMG/LMG43 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Good to know. FJs too? I will check it out myself today. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 23, 2021 Author Share Posted April 23, 2021 Dang. Even playing the switch the dates trick, the FJ's still have panzerfaust-30 and panzerfaust-kleine. I can easily imagine as a non-programmer that it is a super quick fix of 5 minutes to solve ALL my editor concerns! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Dang! I thought we were going to get around the Faust problem. But you are correct that us non-programmers would have that fixed in a jiffy, lol! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Thank you or starting this "early war fans" forum. It's certainly what many of us were supporting BF for - buying products that we were not that interested in so as to fund BF until they finally got around to Early War (or Afrika Korps). But it's understandable that BF is going after the lowest common denominator products. One can't blame em for wanting to cash out. If only we'd made as much noise as those who wanted Cold War... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 23, 2021 Author Share Posted April 23, 2021 HOLD THE PHONE BABY! I must have goofed up somehow on my previous test. Darting in and out of months and years... In July 1943, purchasing a 1943 FJ Battalion and also German Motorized Infantry NO PANZERFAUSTS! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 23, 2021 Author Share Posted April 23, 2021 36 minutes ago, Erwin said: Thank you or starting this "early war fans" forum. It is "EARLY WAR ORPHANS"...! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 23, 2021 Author Share Posted April 23, 2021 (edited) This is where I will design it all, my mad scientist laboratory. CMFI Barbarossa. CMFI Fall Gelb. For those who will snub their nose over some of the shortcomings of our "adjustments"...don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out!!! Edited April 23, 2021 by kohlenklau 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanSA Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Big yes to this. 37mm and the crew have shown the way with Heaven & Earth so it can be done. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Great Phil, that will help the smoke and mirror show! PS: looks like F&I has a schwimwagen... just for you! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 26, 2021 Author Share Posted April 26, 2021 If you can't or don't want to mod/write scenarios then can you do some analysis?If this sounds of interest, please PM me or just have at it and post your thoughts and opinions here in this thread...The Issues for Analysis:A. When we re-create an early Barbarossa portrayal using CMFI, what are the limitations/pluses/minuses to each of the below...?1. A generic German infantry squad/platoon of CMFI July 1943 trying to be its best June 1941 generic German inf. squad/platoon.2. (Kind of the opposite direction) A generic Soviet infantry squad/platoon of June 1941 CMRT portrayed from CMFI assets (US, British, French, etc.).B. When we re-create a 1940 Fall Gelb portrayal using CMFI, what are the limitations/pluses/minuses to each of the below...?1. A generic German infantry squad/platoon of CMFI July 1943 trying to be its best May 1940 generic German inf. squad/platoon.2. (Kind of the opposite direction) A generic French or British infantry squad/platoon of May 1940 portrayed from CMFI assets (US, British, French, etc.).Example: Look at fire power of the squad, magazine capacity, rate of fire, numbers of troops. We cannot go INSIDE the game code to tweak rate of fire of the SMG's. In a CMFI Barbarossa, we can mod to see a Soviet rifle squad with the Russian voices, Russian names, Soviet uniforms, helmets, UI ranks, a LOT of changes to the eye of the player. But the PPsH1941 will deep down be a different SMG. I have said before, the purists will snub their nose and not want to play this. But for many others, it might be a fine/fun substitute for the game that BFC will PROBABLY NEVER make. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted April 26, 2021 Share Posted April 26, 2021 Hey Phil, waaaaay back, before RT was released, I used the Italians for Soviets to make a Russian Front mod. Just uniforms and maybe swapped skeletons for a gun or two. Turned out reasonably okay, IIRC. Was gonna throw it out when RT came along, but I I still have the files! I'll send 'em your way by DB. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 26, 2021 Author Share Posted April 26, 2021 8 hours ago, mjkerner said: Hey Phil, waaaaay back, before RT was released, I used the Italians for Soviets to make a Russian Front mod. Just uniforms and maybe swapped skeletons for a gun or two. Turned out reasonably okay, IIRC. Was gonna throw it out when RT came along, but I I still have the files! I'll send 'em your way by DB. Thanks Mark. I saw the files coming in and was very curious what it was from. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George MC Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 If you muck about with the unit equipment quality how does that impact on types of weapons the unit has e.g. use the lowest setting for equipment quality? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 3 hours ago, George MC said: If you muck about with the unit equipment quality how does that impact on types of weapons the unit has e.g. use the lowest setting for equipment quality? I had HOPED that was the key to dialing down and out the MG42 and panzerfausts. I did some tests and the "mucking" did NOT seem to provide that type tweaking. I purchased an excellent quality and a poor quality FJ battalion in July 43. Very subtle differences in equipment. I purchased an excellent quality and a poor quality FJ battalion in July 44. Very subtle differences in equipment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted May 22, 2021 Author Share Posted May 22, 2021 I had some inspirational thoughts and wished to capture them here in this thread... I need and therefore I am going to create a chart to match up certain aspects of vehicles to do mdr renames. The mdr rename is the displayed exterior LAYED OVER the game engine intended interior. I can plot armor thickness and gun caliber and crew size and try to see intersections or parallels at least. I hope to do a mod to have a small CMFI scenario where the French fight the Italians in a tank battle. What if i had the exteriors? I then look for the BEST interior to ride it on. The charts could help guide me to select the best interior. PLEASE POST HERE IF YOU HAVE A DOG IN THIS FIGHT 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck21 Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 I'll be talking to you about this fairly shortly . I think I can do some scenarios for this, and I have one that I'm going to fire off to you tomorrow for evaluation. It's not done and the forces will be adjusted, and it is for North Africa, but it just might work. It will need a lot of input from you on that however. Will be in touch. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted May 25, 2021 Author Share Posted May 25, 2021 On 5/22/2021 at 3:48 PM, Canuck21 said: I'll be talking to you about this fairly shortly . I think I can do some scenarios for this, and I have one that I'm going to fire off to you tomorrow for evaluation. It's not done and the forces will be adjusted, and it is for North Africa, but it just might work. It will need a lot of input from you on that however. Will be in touch. I played the rough, unfinished scenario you emailed. The map had a decent desert feel to it +/- for the 1940-1942 North Afrika genre but the idea of the scenario was not my cup of tea. With that said, I do remember it was part of your scenario making experiments with the AI back a few weeks ago or so. As feedback to you and as part of a good discussion here, the tanks you selected (PzIV's and Shermans) COULD fit perfectly for an early 1943 battle in the Tunisian Bridgehead versus your references to Tobruk. And you did state that you had no idea or less knowledge if they were proper for earlier timelines. Glenn, you kicked at an ant hill getting those ASL scenario files! Similarly, @Blazing 88's has been "scenario harvesting" or "scenario mining" in his Steel Panthers WaW game and copies of old war gaming digest. He and I "translated" a SPWaW scenario called "Jock Column" to CMFI and we played it H2H. We gathered a bunch of lessons learned from that on dialing down unit size and arrival of reinforcements. We are now eyeballing to "translate" another SPWaW scenario for the 1941 battle of El Mechilli, a scenario called "Gardner's Horse"... Going back to your scenario...I think that once you get into scenario writing it is very enjoyable to then see what you can make happen in a scenario. My thoughts are to take your basic idea but eliminate the "round the bend, bump into each other" and make it more of a chance meeting engagement with proper scouts in the lead for both sides, the 2 forces on opposite sides of the map, the map bigger!, then the human has to find his hull down positions before all his tanks are "brewed up" <<you just GOTTA use the North African battle vernacular!>>. The AI plan would attempt to have the AI side do the same. Have a good one! Phil 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing 88's Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 (edited) Hi all, I saw that Canuck21 has found or was directed to "the Trove" for ASL scenarios. Here is a site that offers ATS scenarios (Advanced Tobruk System) for every theatre:ATS ON THE TABLEhttp://www3.telus.net/public/larsent/Scenarios.htm Cheers! Edited May 25, 2021 by Blazing 88's 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 20 hours ago, Blazing 88's said: Hi all, I saw that Canuck21 has found or was directed to "the Trove" for ASL scenarios. Here is a site that offers ATS scenarios (Advanced Tobruk System) for every theatre:ATS ON THE TABLEhttp://www3.telus.net/public/larsent/Scenarios.htm Cheers! That is awesome. Thanks. But I gave it a quick look and did not see any NORTH AFRIKA scenarios! Do you? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 Re early war, PanzerBlitz/Leader have some: http://gregpanzerblitz.com/scenarios.htm Re Afrika Korps scenarios , what about CMAK itself? Also: https://panzercorps.fandom.com/wiki/Afrika_Korps_campaign_tree http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=75185 https://www.desperationmorale.com/products/afrika-korps-el-alamein/ lots more... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 It is good to have a giant supply of scenarios to look at... But to finally get moving towards making the map and the units and the AI in CM is work. Fun and easy is just to look at these ASL and ATS scenarios. That is why a "scenario factory" with multiple people can be a good thing. I have tried several times to gather a group and have had limited results. Now, @Blazing 88's and I are getting some momentum going toward "translating" some scenarios as a team. To eliminate 1 big hassle is to decide to neglect the AI plans and design it for H2H use only. That drops a ton of work. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 4 minutes ago, kohlenklau said: That drops a ton of work. True. But, IIRC most players still play vs the AI. Am helping test out the Radzy team game right now. And doing PBEM H2H is veeeery slow. It's hard to remember what the hell one was planning to do a week ago by the time one gets a file back. CM1 was much easier so I played that exclusively H2H as the CM1 AI was not that great. However, the CM2 AI is much better and can be programmed to act very "cleverly". But, yes, that must be a lot of work. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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