Illumination Rounds

[cassh]

Do we know whether there will be illumination round capabilities in the CMx2 engine. I really hope this is the case.

I am currently fighting a night battle in the 'The Bridge Too Far' op as the allies and am somewhat frustrated that my forces have sound contacts with German AFV, but I cannot fire illum rounds to let my guns have a pop. This means that the AT guns are restricted to engaging targets using ambient light LOS ranges (about 70m), and my intricately set up kill zones no longer intersect.

Historically night fighting occurred regularly throughout the war, and some units such as the New Zealand 4th Division attained reputations for this type of warfighting.

The present CM engine means when one does fight at night, there is no penalty for ahistorical approach marches and manoeuvring. Without the threat of illumination forces can bimble up to enemy positions at point blank range and put in the final assault.

This means the layered defence of a combined arms infantry battle group's ranged weapons (AT guns, SF MG, mortars, artillery, tanks and assault guns) all poses little or no threat until one is right on top of them.

Surely both offensive and defensive night fighting would be better simulated/gamed in CMx2 if illumination round modelling is adopted (apologies if this has already been confirmed, but a quick search proved fruitless).

[Elmar Bijlsma]

IIRC there has been no confirmation but there will be dynamic lighting so hopes are high that light (illum rounds, burning vehicles/houses will play a part. I sure hope so because except for the St.Edouards ROW scenario I absolutely hated night fighting in CMx1.

[ParaBellum]

I'm pretty sure that I've read some time ago that this feature is planned for CMX2. Since the night fighting in the CM series was IMO one of the weak points in the series I'm pretty sure BFC will try to improve the game in this aspect.