Combat Mission Command Maps

[George MC]

One of the issues that players in CM tend to have long discussions, about concerns the side specific briefings in the scenarios.

A commonly held view is that some sort of map - either an actual printed surveyed map, or a sketch map - would be used in a real life briefing.

Given that the briefings in CM can only be loaded using text the use of a map within the briefing in CM would appear to be a non-starter.

RockinHarry over at The Proving Grounds, who has tested many of my larger scenarios, emailed me to explain how he used a map to help him interpret the brief, and to keep control of his units.

Basically you take screenshots of your map, one a standard shot, the other of your map after all the terrain types have been removed (leaving only the ground). You manipulate the images in Paintshop, merge them together and you have a topographical (i.e. with contours) map of your CM scenario. I've attached a link to an example from one of my scenarios (It's at the bottom of the page under command maps).

What I would like to do is create such maps for all the bigger scenarios and I was looking to see what info people would like to see on them.

My view was the map should be a basic map as the example shows. The player can then mark on as they wish, their set-up, known enemy positions etc. Maybe people would like a briefing pack which would have all the briefings attached etc?

Good to hear your thoughts.

cheers fur noo

George Mc

[dieseltaylor]

Brilliant idea. A scale would be very useful on the map as the grid system seems too faint ---- and inany event on large maps 20m squares does not cut it : )

[Larry Thorne]

This commander map thing is one of the add on things included in Sie Kommen 18Battles campaign too. Out soon..

[George MC]

Originally posted by Larry Thorne:

This commander map thing is one of the add on things included in Sie Kommen 18Battles campaign too. Out soon..

Just the idea! That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind - theses look great

Cheers fur noo

George

[Aragorn2002]

A briefing pack would be very useful. Personally I would love to see a (seperate?) spoiler briefing with tips with the best way of fighting the scenario, some sort of tutorial so to speak. The player can decide to use it directly or to use it after his own attempts have failed, have been too costly or in case he is just curious what would have been the best approach.

[junk2drive]

Long ago I had a CMBO battle zip that contained the cmb, txt of the battle (French and English), map, photos.

I liked it. IIRC it was over the 100kb limit of TSD. Don't remember where I got it.

[Larry Thorne]

Originally posted by Aragorn2002:

A briefing pack would be very useful. Personally I would love to see a (seperate?) spoiler briefing with tips with the best way of fighting the scenario, some sort of tutorial so to speak. The player can decide to use it directly or to use it after his own attempts have failed, have been too costly or in case he is just curious what would have been the best approach.

This is something amongst many other add-ons you´ll find in Sie Kommen Campaign. Plans and maps hidden behind passwords for each side. Check out the site for more information. You can also join the forum to ask questions discuss etc. Links on the signature.

Cheers

LT

[RockinHarry]

Anybody interested in a more detailed description how to make those command maps and how to make best use of them? :confused:

[Renaud]

A map of the actual CM battlefield could be a real help in large/complex scenarios...hmm. I would probably screenshot all of it with elevation off, then hand draw topo-style elevations lines and other intelligence and scan it back in. All you would need is MS-Paint for the computer part of the work.

I like including extra stuff in scenarios as well, like little maps I draw or scan, unit histories, pics of some units in the battle, etc. Just hoping to give the scenarios some flavor and you-are-there feeling.

Just a little teaser...a link to a bonus map i am working on for battle #3 in the 22nd PZD series: TrappenJagd

It is based on a map published by the Russian military topography corps in Moscow, 1920.

EDIT: LT, hats off to you guys. Nice! Puts my little efforts to shame. The command map example at Sie Kommen is fantastic.

[ November 02, 2005, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: Renaud ]

[RockinHarry]

Originally posted by dieseltaylor:

Brilliant idea. A scale would be very useful on the map as the grid system seems too faint ---- and inany event on large maps 20m squares does not cut it : )

I usually make my screenshots either in "9" or "8" zoom out view, dependent upon map size. Once loaded and set up as command map in Paintshop Pro, I set the "Grid Properties" for a 100m spacing as follows:

For "9" zoom out screenshots: Units=Pixel and Horizontal/Vertical spacing=26

For "8" zoom out screenshots: Units=Pixel and Horizontal/Vertical spacing=65

Now only "Display Grid" needs to be enabled and you have a nice (in this case) 100m Grid that always adapts nicely for each zoom level in PSP.

These are figures for a 800x600 screen resolution, when doing the screen capture from within CM.

Related stuff also included in my command map: A simple Compass Rose.

Hopefully any future CMx application will have stuff like that included. :cool:

[RockinHarry]

Here´s an excellent article from M.Dorosh´s website that describes what it´s all good for:

http://www.deutschesoldaten.com/procedures/opsorder.htm

Just speaking of the "command map", I developed something that is created and maintained in Paintshop Pro (other paint application may work just as well). Basically I make map screenshots in either "8" or "9" zoom out view and then paste the stuff together. The Basic map layer would be just the map with flags, units ect. disabled (ALT-Q, SHIFT-F, ect.), while the second layer would be a specific grey scale contour map that is created from a barren version (all grassy) of the same map.

The original map would be loaded in the CM editor and every terrain feature erased with "grass". "Height" keeps untouched as the various shades of the grass terrain are needed to make a "contour map" in PSP (with a tool called "Topography" from "Artistic Effects" sub menu).

The finished "Contour" map then can be combined with the basic map layer in various ways, but the most useful are "Normal", "Overlay" or "Hard Light" (Layer blend mode).

Now any additional layers can be added on top that may contain anything that you might find useful for your game. Personally I add a layer that contains the Victory Flags with point value added, the initial frontline (usually only friendly is known) and map text like names of locations and terrain features (river, hill..). I usually add another layer that I include info from the briefings (if one is added from the scenario maker).

Now further things become optional: A layer that contains attack/defense plans (mark with arrows, symbols ect.), boundary lines for Cpy. or Plt. sized units, observable or non observable areas, tank proof country and more.

Last but not least I add friendly and (spotted) enemy units and maintain their locations on seperate layers for each game turn. I also include movement vectors for any moving units. Now it´s a matter of taste (and time) if you mark units on the map with simple map text (in example I like to use differently colored "*" for infantry ect.) or use specialized military symbols. The latter makes more sense if you just want to "fix" the bigger picture (Plt. size units and up).

Off course this is a whole lot of stuff and maintaining a single layer can take more time than playing the particular CM game turn that is "captured". However, I find it quite useful when testing scenarios and to keep track of multiple ongoing PBEM games. It also reveals you much about your enemies tactics, both human and AI.

Example command map and screenshots can be requested at: harizan@web.de (add CMBB to topic or email will be filtered out)

EDIT: or downloaded from TPG here:

http://the-proving-grounds.com/scenario_details.html?command=search&db=scenarios.db&eqskudatarq=962

[ November 07, 2005, 07:44 AM: Message edited by: RockinHarry ]