Survey: Allied and Axis Combat Mission Players

[Guest Capt_Manieri]

I've notice that there are a lot of CM players at the board with German names (obviously they are German or they like playing as Germans) What my idea is, is to have as many people answer this as I can:

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Do you play as Allied or Axis and why?

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Here, I'll start:

I play as Allied because I liked the history of the American Army at that time. I also am the Grandson of WWII veterans so U think it'd be neat to see a 3% fraction of what they saw, as Americans.

[billcarey]

I play as both Axis and Allied.

I think you are shortchanging yourself if you only play as one side. Because of the difference in units, the game is very different from the German and Allied perspectives. Stugs and Shermans...

I personally like the Germans in CE. Much more interesting.

- Bill

[Guest John Maragoudakis]

My enjoyment comes from winning at either side through good tactics or just raw adrenaline. When both happen at once, I'm in wargame heaven.

[This message has been edited by John Maragoudakis (edited 01-07-2000).]

[Guest Capt_Manieri]

Maybe I should re-phrase:

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What side do you "prefer" playing on?

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[Sergeant Huang]

Hi, Cap. M :

It makes no difference to me for playing

either the German or the Allies. By the

way, I don't have a German name (ID) in CM,

I post messages with my last name.

regards

Sgt. Huang

[Guest coolguy101]

i prefer playing as the germans in defensive rolls as i can use the mg42 as a magic wand an make the enemy dissapear

i enjoy playing both sides though. its a chalenge to try the same tactics with diffrent nationallities thayt have diffrent weapons.

coolguy101

[DaveT]

Cpt,

I too like to play both sides. Both are fun.But the Germans do have better toys to play with.

DaveT

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My front is pushed back.My right gives way.Situation Excellent! I am attacking!

Ferdinand Foch 1916

[Guest kevi]

Put another way ...

If you had a $1000 on an email

game of a scenario you judged equal.

Which side ... axis or allied ...

would you pick? Do we default to

certain selections?

I do ... I pick the side that was the historical underdog in the war at the time of the battle. I think many do the same.

- Kevin

[Fionn]

Well I prefer playing as the Germans but I am quite willing to play as the Allies too of course.

In the meta-campaign though I'll be a German Bn CO.

Why do I like playing the Germans? Well, generally speaking they have very interesting equipment and more specialised equipment which takes more skill to utilise to its full effectiveness due to design quirks etc but then is extremely effective. (Same thing with commanding a Japanese fleet in a naval wargame).

(This paragraph applies to other games... not CM... since on the tactical level either side can achieve local superiority relatively easily.) Also, the Germans were historically outnumbered in most battles and when playing against the AI it is more challening to play as the underdog.

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Fionn Kelly

Manager of Historical Research,

The Gamers Net - Gaming for Gamers

[Boris Balaban]

I to like commanding the Germans as Fionn has responded.

In the good old days when we had no computers only board games and minitures the Germans always was out numbered but not out gunned. As my first board game was from Avalon Hill and it was Afrika Korps.

[Aacooper]

I like to play as the Americans (because I identify), but on the East Front, I like playing as the Germans (outnumbered, scalpel vs bludgeon). I'm looking forward to seeing the Finns in CM2 because I also identify with them (my grandfather defended Finland).

The Americans are easier to play (from a tactical to operational to strategic standpoint) because there were fewer variations of formations. In other words, the squads on your right have the same capabilities as the squads on your left (or the same for infantry divisions). Though it makes playing the Germans more interesting, it was one of their historical disadvantages.

[Guest phoenix]

I too like playing the German side as well. But I think I will likely play both sides equally. Doesn't really matter to me.

I mean, given the choice,what would you rather play with? A boring old Sherman or those massive King Tigers and Panthers?

First thing Im gonna do when I get the game is do a random scenerio where I load up on those babies!

[Bullethead]

In my previous wargaming experience, I've developed the following attitude: if I want to win, I play the Germans. If I want to win and feel good about it later, I play the Allies . This is the result of the Germans being so damn deadly in so many earlier games. CM, however, is forcing me to change my views to a certain extent--the CM Germans ain't quite the Aryan supermen they are in some games. Hell, I've seen German troops (admittedly conscripts, but still German) fleeing in panic from a couple of nearby 60mm treebursts that hadn't hurt anybody .

I must also admit a certain fondness for playing US forces. Why? Because they have the most and best ARTILLERY!!! (even if it's always way too abstract for my tastes ).

-Bullethead

[Berlichtingen]

I'll play any side, but prefer the Germans. I find both the German and Russian armies to be facinating. The British army is boring to me, and I loath the US Army. BTW I'm an American. I have never cared for the US Army's reliance on quantity of support fire over quality of troops... of course, it might just be that as an former Jarhead, I just don't like the Army

[Major Tom]

I too enjoy the underdogs. Having a tough situation and trying to get out from under it. However, being a Canadian, and this game actually having Canadian units and such, I cannot evade from stating them as my favorites.

Equipment wize, the British/Canadian/Polish have less diversity than the Germans, but, I would see that they have more diversity than the Americans. The Commonwealth use every single American tank, say for the Stuart, in 1944, but, the American's don't use some of the really nead UK stuff. Firefly, Churchill, Cromwell, Valentine, Crusader AA, Universal Carriers, and a host of other neat equipment. I love the Germans for their ad-hoc collection of vehilces. An allied battle group is fairly uniform, a troop or two of Shermans. But, the Germans can and usually do have a battlegroup of many different types of AFV's.

There are just so many different German squads to suit about every situation. Rifle squads and Heavy SMG squads for long range and SMG squads for assaults to name the few we have seen. If you choose to play only one side, you are only using 50% of the game which you paid 100% for. However, everyone does have favorites!

Go Canada!

[MarkEzra]

I really prefer playing the US. The challange of weaker armor, troops subject sudden burst of panic and the absolute need to follow combined arms tactics to win make for a real challange. I play the German side in PBEM games. I think John M.'s point is correct; one should learn both side/capabilities/weaknesses, ect. It something I need to work on.

[Mark IV]

Either side is fine, but for the $1000 I'd like a peek at the map and OOB before committing. All other things being equal, the Germans are more fun.

Of course, I really prefer playing Japanese. Your infantry does what they're told, they never surrender, and they shoot Marines .

[CoolColJ]

You know what

CM is the first game that I actually enjoy playing on the Allied side as well, hell its fun playing from any sides! I think my preference ffor the Axis side, stems from the fact that in other games, the Axis armour is way better - we'll it still is in CM, but the Allied tanks have a lot more realistic Panzer killing ability

I remeber the firts time I played Last Defence, I though my Tiger was invincilble ...

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CCJ

BLITZ_Force

My HomePage -----> www.geocities.com/coolcolj/

[Berlichtingen]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>...and they shoot Marines<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As soon as CM PTO comes out, I give you a chance... small, but a chance

[Rick]

I prefer Germans, because of cooler toys, but regularly play either side.

How on Earth are the rotating smilie faces done?

[RobVarak]

Berlichtigen wrote:

I'll play any side, but prefer the Germans. I find both the German and Russian armies to be facinating. The British army is boring to me, and I loath the US Army. BTW I'm an American. I have never cared for the US Army's reliance on quantity of support fire over quality of troops... of course, it might just be that as an former Jarhead, I just don't like the Army

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Have you read Doubler's CLOSING WITH THE ENEMY? He directly addresses the fallacy that GI's in the ETO relied on firepower over troop quality. I highly recommend it. There's not too many pix though, so it won't be like a Marine publication

Rob

[Andy Brown]

As usual, I've got to be different and express a preference for playing the Russians. My reason is exactly the same one that prompted the massive Sov TO&E rewrites during Barbarossa: I like to keep things simple. At CM's level, the Russian artillery superiority is not really relevant, the infantry force mix is usually just rifles and MGs and the armoured steamroller is a style of play that I intuitively dislike and therefore learn the most from.

Another force I'm very interested in is 14th Army British in Burma. It's interesting to examine the Brits away from the strong American influence they operated under in the ETO and Med.

Andy

[Guest Lokesa]

hmmm I used to always want to play german's at whatever wargame we were playing at the time. Now I like playing both.

[PanzerLeader]

I prefer playing as Germans 'cos I know their equipment better, and therefore know exactly what to do with each specific weapon.

I've never really cared about the US army. Russkies and Germans are my favourites.

[Xavier]

I like playing any side. I think I prefer german (more funny toys...)but it's not always true. I don't like playing with big game (kingtiger, jagdpanther, jagdtiger). These weapons are too powerful in term on game balance. I prefer playing with a few tanks, not too strong.

It's off topic but I think I prefer any side on east front in 1941 with these strange soviet tanks like the T35 (5 turrets !)or the

fast BT series.

I like french in 1940 too because it's a challenge (not so bad armor but poor organization or morale)...