What kind of a CM player are you?

[ParaBellum]

OK, this thread is about how you play CM.

Are you using your tanks for fast, dashing flanking moves? Or do you use them as mobile AT guns from hull down positions. Is arty (heavy, and lots of it) the holy grail for you? You won't leave home without SMG squads and quad 20mm flak?

Do you faint if someone is offering you a TCP/IP game with a turn limit of 2 minutes because you are a "wait, I've got to assess this situation VERY carefully?" type of guy?

In a PBEM, do you need a week just to figure out what units to buy?

Or do you think "hell, it worked in Starcraft, so let's try it again!"?

Do you race towards the VLs and defend them or let your opponent take them and then pound hin with all you've got?

Are you cautious, sneaking forward with half-squads or are you dashing through the woods with a whole company?

Do you also get heart problems when you recieve a PBEM turn and your opponent writes something like "Hey! Interesting turn..." or something like that?

Come on, tell me!

[ 08-31-2001: Message edited by: ParaBellum ]

[Dirtweasle]

hehe... Since I think we've played about 6 - 10 battles you probably have a pretty good idea.

In general I try to be unpredictable, though I can see I rely on some old habbits. (...or is that old Hobbits)

On the average I try an play a sneaky kind of game, not a half squad skirmish line, but trying to preserve my troops rather than occupy the V/L's. Though when playing the same opponent again I do try different stratgies. Sometimes just for spice I will try some sort of bold move, occaisonaly it'll work out, other times not. Coordinating overwatch, and group movement, and mutual supporting fire is rewarded in this game, so it is hard to do something foolish and get away with it against a good player.

Seeing comments like, "Gee, that's why they call 'em Ronsons" does not usually go over big with me. Not that I hate to lose my fragile tanks to a good opponent, more so I like the suprise of seeing the movie.

TCP/IP with a short time limit is to nerve racking for me, and also it is difficult to check the terrain.

I do about 4 -6 PBEM games at anyone time, and that's about as many turns as I can crank out after work. Sometimes more now and then....

[Bitter]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ParaBellum:

OK, this thread is about how you play CM.

Are you using your tanks for fast, dashing flanking moves? Or do you use them as mobile AT guns from hull down positions. Is arty (heavy, and lots of it) the holy grail for you? You won't leave home without SMG squads and quad 20mm flak?

Do you faint if someone is offering you a TCP/IP game with a turn limit of 2 minutes because you are a "wait, I've got to assess this situation VERY carefully?" type of guy?

In a PBEM, do you need a week just to figure out what units to buy?

Or do you think "hell, it worked in Starcraft, so let's try it again!"?

Do you race towards the VLs and defend them or let your opponent take them and then pound hin with all you've got?

Are you cautious, sneaking forward with half-squads or are you dashing through the woods with a whole company?

Do you also get heart problems when you recieve a PBEM turn and your opponent writes something like "Hey! Interesting turn..." or something like that?

Come on, tell me!

[ 08-31-2001: Message edited by: ParaBellum ]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Bitter]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ParaBellum:

OK, this thread is about how you play CM.

Are you using your tanks for fast, dashing flanking moves? Or do you use them as mobile AT guns from hull down positions. Is arty (heavy, and lots of it) the holy grail for you? You won't leave home without SMG squads and quad 20mm flak?

Do you faint if someone is offering you a TCP/IP game with a turn limit of 2 minutes because you are a "wait, I've got to assess this situation VERY carefully?" type of guy?

In a PBEM, do you need a week just to figure out what units to buy?

Or do you think "hell, it worked in Starcraft, so let's try it again!"?

Do you race towards the VLs and defend them or let your opponent take them and then pound hin with all you've got?

Are you cautious, sneaking forward with half-squads or are you dashing through the woods with a whole company?

Do you also get heart problems when you recieve a PBEM turn and your opponent writes something like "Hey! Interesting turn..." or something like that?

Come on, tell me!

[ 08-31-2001: Message edited by: ParaBellum ]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>"give me artillery or give me death!"

[ParaBellum]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dirtweasle:

hehe... Since I think we've played about 6 - 10 battles you probably have a pretty good idea...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sure, Now I can read your mind!

Just wait 'till your crack Paras stumble into my ambush...

[MoatnGator]

My pearls of wisdom...

On the offensive....planning is key. Tanks slow and methodical, hull down when possible. Squads searching for AT and guns plus scouting tanks.

Artillery for effect only on targets sighted by others. I'll Artty a tank just for the fun of it if he's dominating a field of fire. AT guns I will not duel with but atry instead. I'm a big fan of flanking positions and a heavy user of smoke on the assault.

I don't believe in VF in unless they meet the requirements of tactics. I also do not believe in an unrealistic mix of troops.

On the defense.... I'm still working on that part. I'm too agressive for defense :confused: Though I find a mix of deep peneatration after arty can win big since you can spot the FOs and any reinforcements. You can also mop up any machineguns still shaken by arty barrages.

I'm still learning in a big way.

Peace and enjoy

[General Panic]

Said in a thick Mike Myers Scottish accent:

"One of a kind!"

[lcm1947]

Hopefully you are asking about us guys that only play the AI too? If so here's my playing habits. I try to go about it as if it was real life. I don't like losing any men and will occasially on letting some of my troops get killed tell them I'm sorry for screwing up and getting them killed. So I am a careful player wanting to take my time and not just go rolling in to a bad situation. This is impossible of course back I do try. I prefer the attack. I hate waiting for the enemy to come to me. I use my tanks only after coming in contact with the enemy as I assume most do. I always buy sharpshooters ( scouts ) to find the enemy then move whatever units forward to deal with it. Since I always play the American's I have to be very careful with my tanks and keep them hidden as best as possible . I try to locate all the enemy tanks I can before even moving mine. Lastly I guess I enjoy picking my units as much as I enjoy playing the game. Well maybe not as much but alot.

[CMplayer]

What kind of a CMplayer am I?

What I do is, I figure out where the bad guys are, move my stuff so the pointy ends of the cannons are facing towards 'em, and then I start pulling lanyards, triggers, pins etc...then I go get the xtra good headphones from the stereo and watch the movie about thirty times. Luckily I have the 'tank girl' interface mod otherwise I probably would have lost interest in CMplaying a long time ago. Just kidding. Actually, on the attack, I prefer to ATC the FOPs which I KIA with OBA or SAF then proceed to the MLR which requires some NTM to OR if it don't go FUBAR or Candy Bar. And I usually win because I only play noobs and I'm a slightly less sucky noob.

[ 08-31-2001: Message edited by: CMplayer ]

[MSBoxer]

What kind of CM player am I?

BAD

[Gen-x87H]

If I am playing Germans I use my armor as modile AT guns until I kill the enemy armor.

I am a true believer in Flak guns. They make quick work of light ATs and hell sometimes the 37flak can get side upper turret penetrations with a little luck I try to get a Stuh42 for close infantry support. That thing just hurts you! Of course the German 105 arty spotters are muder I used to be an armor kind of guy but recently have been using more and more field guns. I like the 105 howitzer. I good cheap infantry killing machine. Oh yeah 1 more thing. Alot of infantry. My opponents usually get sick of me having alot of infantry. You can only shoot so much in 30 mins.

If I am the americans my Tanks are pure infantry killing machines. They work close with my infantry to drive my enemy out of thier positions. Shermans are nice this way. I let my ATGs and TDs take on german armor. Sometimes it is fun to run aroun the map waxing German troops with a Sherman while hiding and moving ever so much so his tanks cant get a shot off on me He spends the whole game running around trying to kill me but sometimes fails. All the while my troops keep advancing and I am stalking him with a TD

Gen

[Richard Morgan]

I am another of those PBEM/TCPIP virgins - have only played scenarios against the AI so far, although that might change.... For each scenario I put my military head on, do a full appreciation and write a set of orders. What my plan is and what actually transpires tend to be two completely different things!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

I always work around my infantry. The object of the exercise is always to put Tommy Atkins and his rifle on the objective. Artillery and armour, generally in that order, are very useful indeed, but at the end of the day, they are only infantry support. Now I have offended someone...

Mea maxima culpa,

Richard.

[Diceman]

All of the above. Why be predictable?

[Redwolf]

The tank (or better: tank hunter) just looking over the edge and killing something doesn't work good enough in CMBO, IMHO. For one, spotting such a vehicle is too easy for my taste (a camourflaged one moving by inches), a question of game parameters. Then, the absolute spotting in CMBO makes the vehicle the target of too much stuff at once, a solution is very hard, as explained by BTS. I prefer to choose a bunch of fast tanks or no tanks at all (that could also mean a Sherman that always stays hidden unless nothing dangerous is out there anymore).

Recon half-squads or moving in force has to be varied, otherwise you get predictable for the opponent. Same for race or let come in MEs.

I don't like SMG squads that much. Usually I don't go out without flamethrower vehicles, though

SMG squads, SdKFz 7/1 and 7/2 and Axis AA guns are mismodeled, and I don't like to use them because they spoil my victory. On the other hand, I don't use the undermodeled units -MGs, tank destroyers (not Axis Tank hunters)- either.

CMplayer, good points. Beside emotional issues, I play *much* better when I care for every single man and am concerned about even a single casuality in my squads. If I don't and concentrate on the "bigger picture" instead, I find myself with too few infantry soon.

[ 08-31-2001: Message edited by: redwolf ]

[mg42 gunner]

My strategy may seem unethical to a few of you but it involes buying tons of greenies and make them run the gauntlet{Human wave = Fun}. Use the undermoddled mg42 for slight cover no tanks they are for weeenies and big arty guns

[MoatnGator]

Hey Pair-o-Dice,

Did you know that Paradise,Co got it's name from it being a gambling outpost early on and not b/c of it's prestine quality.

get in ... pair-o-dice paradise..

...a little bored...yes...definitely

[JasonC]

"Are you using your tanks for fast, dashing flanking moves?"

No. Too many infantry AT weapons in them thar hills, and getting close helps precious little. Sometimes tanks have to move forward to get LOS, but I dislike it intensely when they have to. I'd much rather find some quiet repositioning that just sneaks a LOS to the target I need to hit.

"Or do you use them as mobile AT guns from hull down positions?"

For tank dueling, yes. But I also use armor for another role - methodical blasting or overwatch from relatively long range. When the state of the armor war allows it.

"Is arty (heavy, and lots of it) the holy grail for you?"

I use heavy arty on every attack, and arty ambush zones are critical to every defense. I don't just go for quantity, though - it is more the use I can get out of it. I don't mind lighter stuff defending, but want 105mm and up when attacking. I plan my artillery moves well ahead and fight around them, rather than reacting. But I try to limit fire delivered on anything but a confirmed infantry concentration.

"You won't leave home without SMG squads and quad 20mm flak?"

I'll try to get anything to work, and I often use the less overpowered German infantry types just for realism. I do still love the full overpowered German infantry and gun defense, I just don't use it all the time. It is so good it is almost unsporting. When I do use it I try to keep it within historical limits in terms of things like gun types and numbers, etc.

"Do you faint if someone is offering you a TCP/IP game with a turn limit of 2 minutes"

I won't play TCP/IP with short time limits, and even with long time limits prefer smaller maps and smaller forces for such games. I hate feeling rushed for time when making the moves, and not being able to see the terrain effectively in the time available. I'll still move reasonably quickly, and do respond to the "opponent awaiting your turn" indicator, but I don't want it to be pushed by the clock.

"In a PBEM, do you need a week just to figure out what units to buy?"

No, but I do think about it. I'll figure out the rough force type I want and fill in the details in an hour, sometimes less. I build the force around a historical arm or branch (e.g. German infantry, or US armor division troops), then I try to get the assets of that branch to work in CM terms. I plan the way I will fight with them at the selection stage, to try to bring along the essentials for the method I'll use.

"Do you race towards the VLs and defend them or let your opponent take them and then pound him?"

Both at different times. I have a slight tendency to favor the "let him in, then hit him somewhere I've prepared". But above all, I decide whether to hold or hit at the get-go, and don't switch between them on the fly. Also, in either case I am counting on sitting still somewhere and blasting; it is just sometimes that is an L around an enemy on an objective, and sometimes its a horseshoe on the objective myself.

"Are you cautious, sneaking forward with half-squads"

No. I tend to travel in platoons, with a squad on point. I also regularly use column like formations of platoons - meaning one behind another instead of side by side. A point with an overwatch behind it for example. The main effort is always above platoon strength, usually half a company or more.

"your opponent writes something like "Hey! Interesting turn..."

That is fine. I do prefer it if an opponent doesn't mention things that aren't common intel, like "gee, haven't seen anything yet" or whatever. I want it double blind, so I don't want to know how much the other guy knows from commentary. But my favorite peeve with commentary is the crowing / baiting style of repartee, instead of the deprecating / complimentary / objective analysis style. I find it sophomoric and just don't play such people again. I'm sure there are some who would blanch at the notion, and tell me to open a beer. I suppose if it were over-the-top enough and humorous (a la the Pengsters), it might well grow on me. The worst is when you get a sense the other fellow actually means it.

My favorite types are defending with German infantry, preferably on a shoestring, and attacking with US combined arms. For the former I like elaborate defense prep, ambushes, minefields, traps of every kind, and lots of hiding and slinking around. For the latter I like a methodical firepower attack, heavy on the HE both direct and indirect, that expends lots of ammo rather than lots of lives, and breaks through the defended zone piece by piece.

Dueling souped up tanks holds no interest for me whatever.

A fine question by the way.

[dragonwagon]

Sorry, but , I cannot divulge that information in the possibility that it may be used against me in a game of CM.

[BFCElvis]

On the attack I tend to move to contact and attempt to write down my enemy a bit and then provide covering fire to advance further. Alsoon the attack I try to time my advance to arrive at the VLs on the second to last turn or the last turn most of the time. This is not to be confused with a gamey flag rush (which I hve ben accused of) but a methodical advance while taking advantage of all the time I have.

[StellarRat]

Find 'em, blast'em, move forward, repeat as needed...

[Louie the Toad]

Whether on offense or defence, I study the terrain as much as possible and look for the "good ground". I attempt to identify the avenues of sheltered approach and where the killing fields might be located. Invariably I ask myself, what would Erwin do, or how would Stonewall react to this situation.

When I do purchase units I try to stay with historic TO&E.

TOE Toad

[Brian]

"Up the guts with bags o'smoke!" - no, thats not me but its the usual flippant answer to that sort of question one used to hear on TEWTs (Tactical Exercise Without Troops).

I play it as it comes. I tend to be methodical - I tend when British, to remember the Number One lesson of the NW Frontier - clear the heights and then advance down the centre. I utilise the climbing ability of the Churchill to support my infantry whereever they are. When on the defensive, I tend to utilise lots of AT guns and keep a mobile reserve.

When German, I tend to plan my defences thoroughly, checking out fields of fire, alternative locations and withdrawal routes (yes, I do withdraw troops, I don't let them fight to the last man). When on the offensive, I try and maintain the momentuum of the attack, always looking and searching for the flanks of any defensive positions I encounter and moving past them and eliminating them as quickly as possible.

I don't play Americans.

[ParaBellum]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dragonwagon:

Sorry, but , I cannot divulge that information in the possibility that it may be used against me in a game of CM. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Damned!

And I thought I could sell these information to all PBEM'ers.

BTW Could you now please tell me your credit card number and expiration date?

[Col Deadmarsh]

Playing this game has caused me to realize just how anal...I mean meticulous I really am.

For starters, I only play PBEM because it allows me the time I need to examine every crack and crevice of the battlefield. I played one TCP game and was so rushed that I vowed never to do it again.

When I get my setup file, the first thing I do is go into view 4 and see if I got any good hills in my zone. If I don't and my opponent has wall-to-wall mountains in his back lines with tree coverage to boot, I get nervous and start to sweat.

After looking for hills, I check my platoon leaders and pray for double command bonuses. I figure that if they don't have good morale or good combat bonuses, I can overcome my bad luck with good tactics but the command I can't do anything about since you can't buy platoon or company leaders a la carte in the CM store.

After viewing their strengths and weaknesses, I check out my other units starting with my infantry support tanks which have limited amounts of HEAT rounds or tanks which get Tungsten and see how much the CM gods gave me this time. Usually it's about 1 or 2 for each in which case I let out a groan.

After checking my units I get down to level 1 and look over the map for...oh around an hour. I'm not exaggerating here either. I will look that thing over for a bunch of things: where I have cover as I march towards the flags, where I can stage a trap if my opponent decides to flank me, where I can get my tank destroyers to high ground AND behind foilage of some kind, where I can make runs to the back of his lines and do it with the utmost safety, etc, etc. All in all, it will take me about 2-3 hours to do a setup which is about the same time I take for choosing my units in the CM store.

As for what tatics I use or what units I buy, I am withholding that information because it is too valuable to my opponents. I do though try to mix things up and as a new player, I'm still trying new units and new strategies to see what works best.

During games, my pet peeve is when someone mails me a turn where I'm watching film and they reveal what happened by some oblique comment which they think won't give anything away but always does. For this reason, I only make comments when I know the other guy has already seen the turn so I don't ruin the surprise.

I admit though, I am one of those who when they receive a film turn, will drop whatever I'm doing at that moment to watch the thing because I can't stand to be put into suspense. If I know that I moved up my Hetzer to try to take out his 76, I can't wait till later on that night to see what happened. Every infantry man lost in this game is a blow. If it's a halftrack or AC my pain is doubled. If I lose a tank, I will be depressed for the remainder of the day. I try to tell myself it's just a game but then that little voice inside me says, "No, it's a ladder game" and so I go back to sulking. Yes, I only play ladder or at least have so far because I like the extra challenge. It's like playing poker with money instead of chips. It seems as if there's more to lose which makes the game more fun for me.

One day I'd like to try a campaign just for fun or maybe a battle where I can buy a 14" naval battery of arty to unload on my opponent and see the carnage but until then, I'll stick with my PBEM ladder games and my anal way of playing them...