Preventing Early Cease Fire

[Sivodsi]

**Spoiler alert**

Have been playing Gefechtsaufklaerung as the Germans. Its a small 800 point scenario on a tiny map in which the Germans must advance up a hill across open fields where the Russians lie in wait in trees and a church.

... after being slaughtered a couple of times because I moved my infantry across the plain too early, I decided to really let fly with the support. But now I reach the point where my infantry are advancing across the open plain the flamin' AI calls a cease fire!!! It seems I have a choice: either move in early and have my infantry slaughtered, or move in late and it becomes a 'tactical defeat'.

How do I avoid the early ceasefire?

cheers

[Redwolf]

You can open the scenario in the editor and give your self some more units in a no-go zone, full of ammo. That will prevent the low-ammo auto-ceasefire.

The negative side effect is that global morale will also stay up longer.

So, you would need to figure out the exact condition for the low-ammo cheasefire. In special, you need to know whether it is a condition of average ammo per unit or overall ammo on the map. If it's the latter, a few fully loaded MG teams might do and wouldn't bump global morale too much.

[Sivodsi]

Thanks for the answer,

It seems a drastic measure... it must be possible to do it without triggering a ceasefire.

Is this a common problem with small point scenarios?

[Redwolf]

It is not limited to small scenarios.

In CMBB, you can basically not attack and shoot all your ammo, because the defender can end the game by issuing a ceasefire request. Best of all, he can time this reasonably precisely, rush the flags and then terminate the game.

It would be very well worth figuring out the exact conditions for the low-ammo ceasefire, especialy whether it is based on average ammo per unit or overall ammo in the force.

Of course, BFC could just tell us. You might want to mail Moon and ask him to post to this thread, he's often willing to shed some light but he doesn't scan all threads.

[Moon]

To be honest, I don't know off the top of my head how "low ammo" ceasefires are calculated exactly. It does, however, depend on the scenario type - probes, for example, will lead to a ceasefire WAY quicker than assaults, and attacks are in the middle (I'm willing to bet this is in the manual).

Now I am not sure what type of battle "Gefechtsaufklärung" is, but the name (which means "combat recon") implies that it's a probe most likely, so it wouldn't be surprising that the game ends early.

Redwolf, your statement that "you basically cannot attack and shoot all your ammo in CMBB" is generalized. You can in assault scenarios (simulating deliberate attacks with clearly defined objectives and, in real life, usually enough relief forces and supply in the rear to not having to worry about ammo levels). You have to be more careful in probes and attacks, but that is by design, a feature intended to introduce a certain "post-battle" element even for scenarios (btw, CMBO has no "low ammo ceasefire" feature, only global morale counts).

Overall, I wouldn't blame the game (it sounds like you do, Redwolf, sorry if I misunderstood) - scenario designers should take those conditions in consideration when making battles. The game as such leads to realistic results.

Martin

[Elmo]

Sivodsi

Played that scenario quite a while ago. However IIRC you do have some smoke to use. Judicious placement of smoke rounds and taking advantage of every gully, dip, and low spot, on the map should allow you to make a careful advance without getting shot up or going low ammo. I won as the Germans so I know it can be done.

Also, it is one of the scenarios discussed in the Strategy Guide.

Elmo

[ June 27, 2003, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: Elmo ]

[Redwolf]

Originally posted by Moon:

Redwolf, your statement that "you basically cannot attack and shoot all your ammo in CMBB" is generalized. You can in assault scenarios (simulating deliberate attacks with clearly defined objectives and, in real life, usually enough relief forces and supply in the rear to not having to worry about ammo levels). You have to be more careful in probes and attacks, but that is by design, a feature intended to introduce a certain "post-battle" element even for scenarios (btw, CMBO has no "low ammo ceasefire" feature, only global morale counts).

Overall, I wouldn't blame the game (it sounds like you do, Redwolf, sorry if I misunderstood) - scenario designers should take those conditions in consideration when making battles. The game as such leads to realistic results.

Ah. If it depends on the kind of scenario that would actually be a nice feature. Sorry if I overlooked this.

It seems a round of explanations to scenario designers would be in order, and the designers should include that in the briefing ("don't enage so heavily that you blow all your ammo, because counterattacks will come soon" or something like that).

Martin, can you figure out some more detail, in special whether the low ammo condition is based on a "average ammo per unit" or "overall ammo on map"? That would influence play by a lot, because if it is the latter then it would be sufficient to hold back a reserve with all its ammo (which would be pretty realistic).