Holien Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Hi, Over the weekend of the 30th April I am hosting a unique CM event in the UK. It is open to all CM players and so far we have 5 players signed up. If you want to know more e-mail me as the more the merrier. By networking some PC's together we will be running a CM event where the players actually get to shout insults across the table rather than having to type it out on an e-mail. We of course could just play some scenarios that can be obtained from the various hosting sites on the WWW. I am looking to do something slightly different. The idea I am kicking around is getting some small scenarios purpose built for the weekend. These can then be played in a semi competitive manner for the enjoyment of the players and spectators. In an ideal world they should be small enough so that they can be completed in around 1 hour of play. Say 5 minute turns at most? If there are any designers out there who might like to talk this through please post here or e-mail me. I will ensure that you get feedback from all the players and we might even be able to do some AAR's. Just kicking this idea around to see what people think. Cheers H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 I might be able to help you out. Drop me an email with your requirements and preferences and I'll see if I can put something together for you. aeg at computer dot net Edit: Go to the Proving Grounds or the Scenario Depot to see examples of my work. Search for the same user name as on Battlefront. [ February 18, 2005, 06:04 AM: Message edited by: Bimmer ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 I have a scenario for you... CMBB OK? Richie 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 18, 2005 Author Share Posted February 18, 2005 Hi, Richie / Bimmer I will E-mail Bimmer when I get home tonight. I was thinking either CMAK or CMBB. As for requirements I just need something that can be played in a reasonable period of time as we will have limited PC's and so some players will be sat out. Being sat out for an hour is OK but much longer gets boring. The feel I want is skirmish type games with small units and perhaps tied into a story line? I.e. Battles along a fictional part of the front line. Mixed forces Inf and light armour nothing that imbalances the play. But I am open to suggestions. Richie thanks for the offer and I will take whatever you can give me. Cheers H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Pollock Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 I'll try to put the finishing touches on a wee CMAK Normandy battle this weekend. Very small...practically a ByteBattle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 Holien, I never got an email from you, but from your description here it sounds like a viable project. How many scenarios do you need? If you really want to pursue the story line continuity angle, perhaps several designers could agree upon (or be provided with) the basic story line and then each design a scenario to fit. This would spread the workload as well as giving players a more varied experience. Let me know if/how you want to proceed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Pollock Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 Holien, I just sent it, along with the briefing files. Hope it meets your needs. Originally posted by Brent Pollock: I'll try to put the finishing touches on a wee CMAK Normandy battle this weekend. Very small...practically a ByteBattle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 20, 2005 Author Share Posted February 20, 2005 Originally posted by Bimmer: Holien, I never got an email from you, but from your description here it sounds like a viable project. How many scenarios do you need? If you really want to pursue the story line continuity angle, perhaps several designers could agree upon (or be provided with) the basic story line and then each design a scenario to fit. This would spread the workload as well as giving players a more varied experience. Let me know if/how you want to proceed. Thanks Bimmer. I am trying to sort out my ideas on this, so bear with me as I am just typing my thoughts to see where it goes. There are a couple of different approaches we could try. 1. Tourney where people play competitive but where we find the best Allied player and best the German player. 2. Team play where battles are interconnected. Now the route I am thinking through is that I run a small tourney along the lines of point 1. Perhaps it would be just as simple as having 3 scenarios. 1st a Meeting engagement. Then an Attack for either side. I.e. I would group the players againts opponents and each pairing would 1st play the meeting engagement. (Same battle for each group of players.) Then depending on who got the most points in that they would become the attacker in the next scenario while the loser would become the defender. This means the designer only has to do two maps (interconnected.) They would have to do three games with forces on those two maps. I know the defence map is a bit of a frig as in reality there should be two different maps but in terms of game play that helps keep it balanced. In fact thinking this through more clearly you could just have two designs and frig it further by having the loser swap sides. I.e. Pre define the script? Hmm I need to think this through and just take this as a brain dump to see if anyone else can feed into my mad musings... More later as I must do some work outside and parents are dropping over today. We have plenty of time on this as it is not until the 30th April. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 20, 2005 Author Share Posted February 20, 2005 Originally posted by Brent Pollock: Holien, I just sent it, along with the briefing files. Hope it meets your needs. </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Brent Pollock: I'll try to put the finishing touches on a wee CMAK Normandy battle this weekend. Very small...practically a ByteBattle. </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 A few thoughts on your thoughts: I would suggest that a pre-defined script is a necessity if you want to run a balanced tournament. Probably Side A attack, meeting engagement, Side B (counter)attack. Locking players into playing Axis or Allied through the entire tourney might be limiting. How players advance, or if you use round robin with aggregate points at the end determining the winner (I would use the latter) needs to be resolved. Maps need not be physically connected to keep continuity of story line. In fact, having different maps keeps things more interesting for the players. You are probably talking about smallish maps (to minimize approach time) and reinforced company size attacking forces. Limited armor is possible, but forces should be primarily infantry, as the loss of a tank or two in such small scenarios can be devastating (unless cheap, early war tanks or light armor are used). The trick is going to be to create scenarios that allow the players some real flexibility rather than just forcing them (especially the defenders) to line up and die. While there is plenty of time, it is advantageous to get the scenarios underway ASAP, as even light testing will eat up time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 20, 2005 Author Share Posted February 20, 2005 Originally posted by Bimmer: A few thoughts on your thoughts: I would suggest that a pre-defined script is a necessity if you want to run a balanced tournament. Probably Side A attack, meeting engagement, Side B (counter)attack.Ok so lets work on three small scenarios as described above, an attack, meeting engagement (probe) and then counter attack. So three maps required and three scenarios with a connected story line. Locking players into playing Axis or Allied through the entire tourney might be limiting. How players advance, or if you use round robin with aggregate points at the end determining the winner (I would use the latter) needs to be resolved. I am going to lock the players into one side. The way I want to balance and get the best player in the final is to find the best Allied Player and the Best Axis player. By having three types of scenarios each player will get to attack defend and meet. That should test their skills. To remove the imbalance of the scenarios the best Allied player will play the best Axis player in the final. That scenario will be played from both sides and be viewable before being played. It removes fog of war but gives each player a chance to choose how to play the game. Maps need not be physically connected to keep continuity of story line. In fact, having different maps keeps things more interesting for the players. Yes fair point they need to have a reason for being in the same area and perhaps a river or feature will provide the connection. certainly not jump between Desert and Jungle.. I.e. Same region. You are probably talking about smallish maps (to minimize approach time) and reinforced company size attacking forces. Limited armor is possible, but forces should be primarily infantry, as the loss of a tank or two in such small scenarios can be devastating (unless cheap, early war tanks or light armor are used). The trick is going to be to create scenarios that allow the players some real flexibility rather than just forcing them (especially the defenders) to line up and die. Balance would be great but not essential as we will be getting the best Allied and Axis player. I realise that we might have the stronger players all playing the Axis but I shall try and smooth that out by knowledge of the players and discussions before hand. It is not a ROW where players will be up in arms if there is no balance. As for the size that is spot on the scenarios must be playable in around an hour to an hour and half max. The units have to be managable and the action fast. Yet as you say there must be choices to be made. That is the hardest part of any design? While there is plenty of time, it is advantageous to get the scenarios underway ASAP, as even light testing will eat up time. Fair point and if we can agree the framework we can get started. Next is the game BB or AK? Then the scenario background. I would suggest that once this is decided we can get three designers each to work on a scenario that slots into the overall framework as decided here. I can then playtest as I guess I will not be allowed to play the tourney but have the fun of watching the guys play it. I prefer early war where light tanks can be used without massive imbalance. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 20, 2005 Author Share Posted February 20, 2005 There have been a few designers e-mail me directly, what do you think of the above? Would you be happy to design something to a central theme as described in the framework once agreed? Which game do you prefer, I am open on either BB or AK. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 Either game is fine with me. Are you planning to work up the storyline or do you want to leave that to the designers? General similarity between maps should be fairly easy to achieve. Agree on the point of having some interesting feature (bridge, town, crossroads, etc.) on map or nearby to give reason for fighting over the area. Related point on forces - some degree of continuity will be required. Designers must work together within storyline to make sure there is consistency between scenarios. Maybe designers could participate in playtesting phase to speed things up. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 21, 2005 Author Share Posted February 21, 2005 Originally posted by Bimmer: Either game is fine with me. Are you planning to work up the storyline or do you want to leave that to the designers? Yes Storyline to you. Ok so lets go with CMBB and say early war. How about something near the start of the Russian Invasion? As you and I are the only ones discussing at the moment that makes me lead tester and you lead designer. Can you come up with the scenario over view and general lines of approach. I will e-mail (tonight) the designers who have been in touch and see if they would do one of the battles. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 OK, I will work up a basic storyline and some guidelines for forces and maps. If you want me to design one of the scenarios, I'm happy to do it; if you have enough other designers who want to participate I can just coordinate the design and testing. Drop me an email and I'll send along the outline in the next day or two. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 21, 2005 Author Share Posted February 21, 2005 Hi Bimmer, Yes if you can design one of the scenarios that would be great. The storyline would be excellent. We need I guess a fourth scenario for the final. Not sure how that will fit into the scenario overview? I shall e-mail the other designers now and include you on the maiil to see if they want to take part? If not we might be back at the drawing baord? Many thanks for this and I hope this can be used by other groups out there who want some mini tourney material. Cheers H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 21, 2005 Author Share Posted February 21, 2005 Hi Bimmer, Thanks for the framework. I guess we might want to keep it off air from now on. We need three designers to join the enterprize. Anyone out there who has not been in touch please do e-mail and get involved if you are interested? Cheers H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 An idea I did earlier for CMBB but did not complete A Russian defense of a Soviet military base with airfield in 1941 with a another battle set on the same terrain in 1944 with the Germans defending. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 Hi Hans, Sounds an interesting Idea and you should complete it. The design process is well underway at the moment with several great maps complete already. I am just starting to play again after a laspe of well over a year and I shall dig out your mini battles around the Calais area as these were one of the things I wanted to have a crack at. Especially after doing a War Walk in Calais last year. Cheers for the suggestion. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Welcome back, I've been busy at work for a month and haven't been doing much except dropping in here on occasion. Those Calais one's are: Small Battles 3RTR at Calais, 1940 Small Battles Les Attaques 1940 Small Battles Row at Coulogne 1940 There are also a number of French vs German ones set in 1940 too, the above are all historical Brits vs Germans 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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