CMx2 and air strikes

[Danny Chung]

Just another 11 months to go (if the latest estimates are anything to go by) before we might get a go or glimpse of CMx2.

This might have been brought up before but would players be able to target airstrikes in the manner of artillery barrages using a target reference point?

I'm thinking about being able to knock out strongpoints using Stukas with the obligatory siren blaring away. You know, the true Blitzkrieg experience.

Or how about having an allied bombing run in Caen in the first minute of action. See your German troops buried in rubble.

It'll be limited of course but it will look exciting.

Good idea or a non-starter?

Danny

[MikeyD]

Well, their latest offering 'Dangerous Waters' gives us the option of jumping into the game's aircraft during a scenario. Though I'd be extremely surprised if CMx2 had that feature, it would be a hoot!

[Paul AU]

Yes, in CMBB air strikes are such a blunt and random instrument, that I don’t use them. I’d like to see more control over them in CMx2, even if it is less realistic.

Is there any place where one can go to hector/beg/suggest what we’d like to see in CMx2? One central wish list-thread, or forum for CMx2 would at least create a venting-place. Or would that not be a good thing?

[MikeyD]

"Is there any place where one can go..."

I believe on the CMAK forum they've started on their twelve thousanth concecutive "CMx2 wishlist" thread. As a matter of fact, its a surprise to occassionally find CMAK mentioned on the CMAK forum! :eek:

By comparison the CMBB forum has stayed commendably CMBB-centric.

[tar]

how about having an allied bombing run in Caen in the first minute of action

Followed by your first troops entering the map as reinforcements 30 minutes later...

[YankeeDog]

Well, if you read up on everything that's been posted, it's pretty obvious that the new engine will have to be capable of player-controlled airstrikes in some way.

BFC has made it very clear that that want the new engine to be capable of handling settings outside of the WWII timeframe that was used in all the CMX1 games. In fact, it is quite possible that the initial release will be a non-WWII setting.

You can't do Vietnam or Gulf War right without controllable, callable air strikes. Whether or not either of these theaters are done for the initial release of CMX2, I think it's clear that BFC wants to be able to do them, and do them right, at some point.

So I am pretty certain the new engine will be capable of player-called airstrikes. Bigger question is with what time periods, theaters and forces should such airstrikes be available.

As far as WWII, I can see an argument for the inclusion of player-controlled airstrikes, but *only* within limited nationality/time-periods (example: by 1944, US Marines in the PTO were *definitely* doing low-level, TacAir support), and probably only a level of control similar to the current "pre-planned" barrages you can do right now with very high level artillery. Targetting should also be less precise -- you should be able to plan an airstrike on a town or an entire hill, but not a specific cluster of buildings, or small patch of trees.

Cheers,

YD

[Paul AU]

Oh. Thanks Mike. (I've only glanced into the CMAK forum once).

And yes, 'Yankee' ...you should be able to plan an airstrike on a town or an entire hill, but not a specific cluster of buildings, or small patch of trees sounds good to me.

Another illustration of the slippery subjective balance between enjoyable 'gameyness' and enjoyable realism.