The first Battle for Normandy Tournament is ready for signups.

[BFCElvis]

Combat Mission: Battle For Normandy
Grand Tournament

The Tournament will begin Sept, 25, 2023 and you can join now.

This Tournament will feature 3 rounds with 3 different scenarios.

Buying the Farm - Elements of the 29 th Infantry Division advancing near Isigny. Allied attack

Barkman’s Corner – 27 th of July Barkman’s Panther was repaired during the night but before he could
link up with main unit PanzerGrenadiere ask for his help.

No Exit – Fictional Company-level meeting engagement near an Autobahn interchange in Summer ‘45
 
Before joining the tournament, please take a moment
and carefully read these instructions that are specific
to all Combat Mission Tournaments!!!
 
-          Because of the way that Combat Mission’s original “play by email” system works, both game
files have an in-game field for password protection of the file. This field should be left blank. For the
Axis side the password has been selected before the battles were sent and that field is to be
left blank. You can use a password for the Russian side but it isn’t needed because the Tournament
feature handles protection from cheating without using the in game system.
-          The Tournament will have you playing 2 individual battles where you are playing both sides of
the same battle. If you get into the game before your opponent, you will see 1 game turn to play. If
your opponent has gotten there first then you will see 2 turn files and each turn thereafter should
have 2 files.
 - Once a tournament begins you will receive the files in the "Saved Game and PBEM"; drop menu
under Automated PBEM++ In Progress. You will receive email notifications when your opponent has
sent you turns. 
- You will need a Matrix user name and password to play any tournament (or PBEM++ battle). If you
don't have one already you can get one here:

https://www.matrixgames.com/login

Sign up now either through the game or here:

 

https://www.matrixgames.com/tournaments

[BFCElvis]

The Tournament has begun.

 

Matrix did somefink neat for each game in the Grand Tournament. Red Thunder got a Hapless video. Cold War got a Twitch video. And Normandy got this cool write-up:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11955&t=398224&sid=7f6ded4b1596524f74569b7231d53874

[MeatEtr]

LETS ROCK!

[Holien]

Am I being dumb is there a way to see how long each scenario lasts? I have in my mind 30 minutes but not sure where that came from?

[MeatEtr]

Quoting myself from the CMRT tourney:

Quote

Quick reminder, you can’t save a game and return to it later. So for the German defender with lots of fortifications and freedom to make their own defense setup. This can take awhile. So if you need a break, dinners ready, baby’s crying, etc, either leave the game running or alt-tab to minimize the game.

Also completely ignore any tourney files that show up in your saved games & PBEM list. These will not get sent to your opponent. Only play the ones under PBEM ++ in Progress list. 

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by MeatEtr

[Fizou]

Its nice when they alter the setups and do other minor changes to adapt to the mirrored matches format. I hope this will evolve over time so you cant know for sure where the mines are, or that the defender can drop a pre-planned barrage in the attackers small setup zone etc. Without a chat its hard to come to a gentleman's agreement 

[Artkin]

Whoever set up the defenders spawn zones should definitely not be allowed to touch any more scenarios.

[MeatEtr]

I too certainly did not like the axis defender setup zone. It was a pretty confusing puzzle. Three diff zones with some platoons split between them. These should be more open to let defenders make or break their defense. Nobody likes trying to do their setups with one hand tied behind their back.

[Holien]

Yep a bit of thought and a few tweaks on where and how the Germans can set up would be good. Also if anyone did a pre-planned hit on the US set up zone that would be a bit bad and we will never know if that is how they scored the points for a victory - very cheesey and could have been prevented with a bit more thought...

Meanwhile I am travelling and have an inherited laptop with an AMD and Integral Intel card and I managed a few turns but the loading has broken.

I have tried to force the AMD video to be used but it fails.

The 100% load works, I get to the password screen and it then just churns away and does not load. I waited 20+ minutes yesterday and just gave up.

So I am hoping when I get back I can use my desktop to finish the game in the allotted time.

@BFCElvisIn FOG2 Tourneys you are on a chess clock and if the game is not completed you get penalised if you don't do turns fast enough. Is that happening in this tourney? 

[Artkin]

No worries as the americans but my opponent didnt send my axis turn until we were at 007, and then he dropped artillery right on top of my AT gun. Good guy. I'll make sure to return the favor now and in any future games to the best of my ability. 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Artkin

[BFCElvis]

4 hours ago, Holien said:

@BFCElvisIn FOG2 Tourneys you are on a chess clock and if the game is not completed you get penalised if you don't do turns fast enough. Is that happening in this tourney? 

There are point allowances for "no shows" but not is a battle has been played. It will end with whatever current score that you see on the leaderboard, unless you're able to find a way to ceasefire.

[Vacillator]

6 hours ago, Artkin said:

my opponent didnt send my axis turn until we were at 007, and then he dropped artillery right on top of my AT gun

This does not sound good, but perhaps an obvious flaw of playing both sides at the same time? 

Could it not be done such that both sides have to return 003, then 004 etc. before you can go on to the next turn?

I'm not playing the tournament so forgive me if I'm misunderstanding...

 

[Artkin]

39 minutes ago, Vacillator said:

This does not sound good, but perhaps an obvious flaw of playing both sides at the same time? 

Could it not be done such that both sides have to return 003, then 004 etc. before you can go on to the next turn?

I'm not playing the tournament so forgive me if I'm misunderstanding...

 

I think he would still be able to see the position. My fault for not moving it. 

Still, a total cheeseball move and he will regret it. 

[laurent 22]

My opponent, 7thGalaxy, didn't send the 2nd game where I have to play the other side. On the 1st game, we have already played 15 rounds. I don't know if it's my mistake or his mistake, I started the game by sending the 1st file, so I should have received 2. I only see one file in my folder "PBEM in progress" each turn. I sent him a private message from the beginning, (he is registered here, not on the Matrix forum) but no response, he seems inactive since 2019. 

Despite everything, I like playing this pbem without knowing anything (good scenario, good player), however it will be a little unbalanced in favor of my opponent if he decides to play the 2nd game after the first ...

[Vacillator]

6 hours ago, laurent 22 said:

it will be a little unbalanced in favor of my opponent if he decides to play the 2nd game after the first

Yes, I think the 'games from each side at once' is either misunderstood or ignored.  But if so it needs to be enforced?

Anyway @7thGalaxy has been here just a few hours ago.

Edited October 3, 2023 by Vacillator

[StoneAge]

These are the problems you get when you play a chess style tournament with a wargame.

Works for chess.  every piece for both sides have the same capabilities, setup is also always identical and how to win is known from the start.

Not so much for wargames. uneven force size, uneven setup, uneven capabilities and uneven victory conditions.

Very easy for an unscrupulous player to shop the system in their favour 

 

Bring back the ROW style of tournament

 

[MeatEtr]

2 hours ago, StoneAge said:

These are the problems you get when you play a chess style tournament with a wargame.

Works for chess.  every piece for both sides have the same capabilities, setup is also always identical and how to win is known from the start.

Not so much for wargames. uneven force size, uneven setup, uneven capabilities and uneven victory conditions.

Very easy for an unscrupulous player to shop the system in their favour 

 

Bring back the ROW style of tournament

 

In a mirror tourney any pros or cons from force balance or terrain is somewhat irrelevant. Since both players play both sides. So it’s more about tactical skill. 
What do you mean by “shop the system”? If a player deliberately quits a game or just stops playing. Then he’s losing pts for both himself and his opponent. 

[Holien]

On 10/2/2023 at 7:37 PM, Artkin said:

I think he would still be able to see the position. My fault for not moving it. 

Still, a total cheeseball move and he will regret it. 

You only had two choices on where to put the AT gun so it was always going to be open to a planned hit.

The situation would have been avoided if the Germans had better choice on deployment zones.

But as it's mirrored both sides are affected.

As for delaying turns in game X so you learn for game Y the only advantage is you learn the map, and see what works.

Not really an issue as this scenario has been available for years so you can load it up at will to play test the best approach.

What should have happened was that new unreleased scenarios created with decent set up zones.

This however would require effort that was obviously not available.

So it is what it is.

A long time ago I ran one of the ROW tournaments and we were able to get scenario designers to create specific ones for the tournament. Easier then with the old scenario design tools before CM2 upped the skill levels required.

[Artkin]

>US engineers cant mark mines

>Create test scenario to see what the issue is, buy infantry engineer battalion

>Vehicle pack required

Dude, what the actual **** is wrong with the steam versions of these games.

 

Edit: Just tested it, US engineers sure can mark mines, just not in the tournament game. Does anyone else have this issue? WTF?

Edited October 11, 2023 by Artkin

[MeatEtr]

1 hour ago, Artkin said:

>US engineers cant mark mines

>Create test scenario to see what the issue is, buy infantry engineer battalion

>Vehicle pack required

Dude, what the actual **** is wrong with the steam versions of these games.

 

Edit: Just tested it, US engineers sure can mark mines, just not in the tournament game. Does anyone else have this issue? WTF?

Mine did no problem. Bear in mind it can take several mins to do so. Also depending on the type of mines (mixed, AT, or AP) it can take longer.

[Holien]

From my memory marking mines doesn't disarm them so if you move troops into marked minefield they can still die...

Is the in game chat working and if so what key is it? I can't make it out on text on my computer as too small... And old age...

[BFCElvis]

@Hapless has done it again. We still have a few days left in Round 1 but in preparation for Round 2 he has created a video for the the Round:
 

 

[Vacillator]

1 hour ago, BFCElvis said:

@Hapless has done it again.

Great intro video for what is a great battle.

Slightly off topic but @GhostRider3/3 did an excellent later version of the same battle, called 'Barkmanns Corner Revisited'.  I played it single player as Axis a while ago and it was a tough one but I was ultimately successful.  H2H might be somewhat trickier I'm sure...

[Fizou]

What is going on here? 

[Vacillator]

10 minutes ago, Fizou said:

What is going on here? 

Barkman has engaged the cloaking device?  It was not a widely reported development at the time...