Newby needs some direction / advice getting started

[BarryAmazin]

I make a great General (strategic) but lousy Lt. (tactical) and don't know how to win the tutorial! :confused: Is there something I can read up on, (maybe buy if I have to), to get going on this game? Otherwise, I'll have to erase it and move on.

Help me Obi-Wan Kanobi, you're my only hope...

[SuperTed]

BA,

Try these:

http://www.combatmission.com/articles/articles.asp

http://www.combat-missions.net/bootcamp/bootcamp.htm

There is a lot of information to be found at both locations.

Good luck!

[Mr. Johnson--]

Sure send your credit card information to my email.

First, there are some problems with the demo.

They latest versions have made the battlefield much more deadly, and heince easier to inflict damage on your enemy (and reciving too)

2nd, try concentrating your firepower, if your talking about the Valley scenario try coming out the village from your right. And flood in, have all your guys coming at once so those bad guys can't kill all of you. But attack smart too. Hold your tanks back and unload all of your HE on the enemy.

[tiborhead]

If you're looking for a book, I think German Squad tactics of WWII seems good. I can't give a full review though as I had to order it through my library and didn't have a chance to really read it.

Here's the publishing info if you're interested.

German Squad tactics in WWII.

Gajkowski, Matthew

Nafziger, 1995

I think it retails around $20 US.

Hope it helps

[ 07-07-2001: Message edited by: tiborhead ]

[Pzman]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mr. Johnson-<THC>-:

Sure send your credit card information to my email.

First, there are some problems with the demo.

They latest versions have made the battlefield much more deadly, and heince easier to inflict damage on your enemy (and reciving too)

2nd, try concentrating your firepower, if your talking about the Valley scenario try coming out the village from your right. And flood in, have all your guys coming at once so those bad guys can't kill all of you. But attack smart too. Hold your tanks back and unload all of your HE on the enemy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mr.J he said he was playing the tutorial not the demo.

[abuhabib]

send in the infantry first. then apply arty. use the sherms as heavy duty snipers!

[dfgardner]

Don't give up yet!

Remember, you're having to learn tactics not strategy. As such consider the basics:

Mission: what exactly are you being asked to do (if an attack expect heavy fighting, etc)?

Enemy: what do you expect to face (running Shermans up roads covered by 88mm or Tigers/Panthers tends to litter the highway with wrecked and buring vehicles).

Terrain: what are the best avenues of approach that offer the best concealment and field of fire. Consider this from both the enemy and your point of view. Lead with infantry if the fields of fire are short.

Troops: what kind of troops and leaders do you have. Use the leaders with the best attack ratings to lead an attack (keep your units 'in command'.

Time: if you've got 30 turns, there's a reason. Be 'agressive-cautious': press the attack when you can, but use the time to position your forces.

This game will hook you...it does not allow for easy victories...however, when you get your first one, you'll be very satisfied.

Also, consider PBEM, there's nothing like a live opponent.

[Gremlin]

Just keep this little formula in mind to get you started: locate, suppress, eliminate.

Move infantry forward carefully, perhaps with one squad of a platoon leading while the other two and the HQ unit follow back a bit for cover ("overwatch"). Once you spot an enemy and identify what type of threat it is (infantry, tank, bunker, etc.), hit it with artillery, machine gun or mortar fire, and/or roll up a tank to blast them.

These all injure the enemy, but just as importantly, they supress them, by forcing them to keep their heads down and not fire back. Then rush them (after you've stopped mortar or arty fire) with your infantry.

[Von Fauster]

Keep with it!

This game is worth the effort.

I think Gremlin got it right in a nutshell. The only thing I would add is be aware of the flanks, both as an area of opportunity for you to catch the enemy flat-footed, and as an area of vulnerability for yourself. Unless I have an overwhelming force, I almost never attack an enemy head-on: usually that is the way his defenses are oriented. Grab 'em by the nose and kick 'em in the arse as Patton use to say.

Good Hunting!

[Gremlin]

Also, when you locate a relatively weak portion of the enemy forces, hit them hard and fast with overwhelming firepower. Use strength against weakness to pick your enemy's forces apart.

[PVLLVS MAXIMVS]

My biggest problem when I started this game was information overload without having a clear idea of what any of it meant or how all the numbers and symbols related to each other.

I suggest doing this to get started :

Set up a QB where you are going to win no mater what. Give yourself overwhelming numerical superiority, turn down the AI skill, and use no Fog of War. Play that kind of battle a couple of times and if you pay attention to what's going on you'll go from trouncing the AI soundly in the begging to spanking the AI like a red-headed stepchild later.

Now make things a little harder on you're self and take away one of you're advantages.

Just repeat this untill you're taking out entrenched elite AI forces with half their troops.

Then find a PBEM partner, and prepare to get you're butt kicked all over again, unless you find someone just as squeaky as you.

There's my two denarii's worth.