CMBB QB Settings - what do u use?

[KiwiJoe]

In CMBO the standard QB looked something like this:

1500pt ME Combined arms

Village

Mod hills & trees

Clear weather.

Being new to CMBB I was woundering what settings people are using... there seems to be a lot of them

Rarity? date? (seems to make a big difference) weather? wind? etc

What do you commonly use?

[JPSeiler]

All to random, and allways as attacker, cause the AI isnt that good at attack!

I like it alot when the computer gives me just infantrie and the enemy is coming up with tanks and bunkers ... very good for training, and it makes fun (at least for me).

Also with all random you will play from 1941-1945 as finns as itaielns ... you can play with forces you would never buy, just to give it a trie ... oh i like it

Jean-Pierre

[Vanir Ausf B]

3000 pt attack/defend

combined arms

unrestricted quality

fit

full ammo

sewer movement allowed

no casualties

random date

variable rarity

[Eden Smallwood]

Every Random which can be set, with the one exception that I buy my own stuff.

800pts, or so, really small, almost always play Allies and buy toys with only "no change" Rarity.

With these settings, I've had any number of QBs which could easily have been on the CD they were so... "interesting", or something.

Eden

[Bullethead]

I think it's very important NOT to set everything to random. This is because it's quite possible to get VERY unbalanced games with all settings random. A very significant reason for this is that the amount of cover available on maps varies greatly from north to south across the various regions. Some southern maps are so open that you must give the attacker considerably more, or the defender considerably less, points.

So before starting a QB, you 1st have to make a decision as to what type of battle you want. Do you want something more similar to the CMBO experience, or do you want the vast, open steppes? If you pick the former, you have to set some variables to makes sure you get that. If you pick the latter, you not only have to set the same variables, but a few more to make sure it's a good fight. And while you're setting variables anyway, you might as well set the date.

Here are my recommendations:

1st Screen

1. Date (Optional)

Huge effect on how the game will play due to the different units available at different times. Do you want KVs vs. PzIIs, T34s vs PzIIIs, PzIVs vs T34s, or King Tigers vs. JS2s? But sometimes it's fun to have this be a surprise.

2. Region (mandatory)

This has a great effect on the map. Any given tree setting seems to give more trees the further north you go. So if you don't want the extra hassle of tweaking points balances, set the battle in the north region.

Also, region affects what nationalities are available. Finns, for instance, are only available in Finland. So if playing certain nationalities is important to you, you need to set the region.

2nd Screen

1. Nationality (optional)

Only set if you want to play with or against a specific nationality.

2. Purchase Units (optional)

I usually like to pick my own forces. Among other reasons, how else do you learn when what units become available?

3. Fitness (mandatory)

Fitness has no effect on purchase points but has a HUGE effect on combat effectiveness. Thus, it can't be left to chance and still result in balanced games very often. Having unfit troops SUCKS, especially for the attacker, it's worse in combination with inclement weather, and it's a near death-sentence in snow. So unless you really want to tweak MANY other settings (handicap, cover, weather, game length, etc.) to balance things for the unfit side, set this to fit. Always.

4. Ammo (mandatory)

This also has no effect on cost but a huge effect on effectiveness, so always set it to full at least for the attacker. If you don't want to set which side is the attacker, you have to leave this as full for both sides.

5. Battle Type (dependent on other settings)

A lot of other settings (fitness, ammo load, and map type especially) can combine to make things impossible for the attacker. If you insist on playing with these other settings, or risking them to chance, then you have to handicap the axis or the allies. But before you know which side to give more or less points to, you have to know which side is attacking.

6. Map Size (dependent on other settings)

A bigger map spreads the defender. So if you've got some settings that suck for the attacker, or can suck depending on what comes up randomly, it's a good idea to go for a larger map to help balance things.

7. Points (mandatory)

Always set this to the base size of the battle you want to fight. Not that you have any choice .

8. Handicap (depends on other settings)

Depending on what sort of horrible things the attack must or might face, you need to tweak the point ratio or you'll have an unwinnable battle. Which side (attacker or defender) and how much is a matter of judgment, but should consider what sort of map you're going to have, and you haven't even gotten to that screen yet. This is why you have to decide on this before you start setting up the battle.

9. Rarity (optional)

If you want quasi-historical OOBs, you'd better use rarity. Furthermore, you'd better set it to variable, which is much more interesting than normal rarity .

10. Length (mandatory)

Even in a battle with a fair amount of cover and attackers unencumbered with unfit troops and limited ammo, the game system changes mean it ususally takes more than the CMBO default of 30 turns to get there. So I recommend always setting for at least 40 turns. And if you're attacking with some severe problems (unfit troops, deep snow, etc.) you'd better max this out at 60 turns. And always use the variable ending option to make things a bit uncertain for you.

3rd Screen -- the Map

Always set all the variables, to make sure the map fits in with all the settings previously chosen.

One thing especially to note: damage. This has a big effect on play at the heavy and extreme settings. The damage is concentrated around the objectives, which does 2 things. If you have a village map, most of the buildings will be rubble. This helps the defender because rubble seems to be better cover and he doesn't have to worry about you collapsing the buildings on him. OTOH, all the craters can give cover to the attacker, allowing him to advance in short spurts over what otherwise is open ground. And unlike most other forms of infantry cover, supporting vehicles can move through it.

So use the damage option wisely. It can really sway things one way or the other, but usually it seems to help the attacker more.

[Dschugaschwili]

I'd like to add one thing to Bullethead's post:

If you want to play an "Assault" battle (or you may get one because you set the type to random) you shouldn't use the "unrestricted" force type at least for the defender. If you do, the defender can get around the mandatory buying of a certain amount of fortifications. And yes, you can get "unrestricted" as a result of a random pick, which is probably bad enough even in non-assault battles. I recommend setting the force type by hand.

Dschugaschwili