Will Normandy be the same size/scope as CMBB/CMAK

[noxnoctum]

I know getting multiple operations is probably too much to hope for but will Normandy feature larger battles? Most of the missions in CMSF/Marines/Brits are company sized or at most two companies... I really miss the giant regimental battles on epic sized maps of CMBB/CMAK, will we see them?

[Paper Tiger]

It would depend on your computer's ability to run a battle of that magnitude with the new engine. I once accidentally created a mission that had an entire Regiment in RED's OB and it took a-g-e-s to load it. And then I got about 5 seconds per frame. I imported ALL the campaign's core units and opened it before deleting the unnecessary formations. You can certainly run a battle with two Battalions right now if you play WEGo though.

[MikeyD]

I don't recall 'giant regimental battles' in CMBB. There was that one "To the Volga" which my old machine couldn't even open. I suspect CM:Normandy will allow you to create battles so large that you won't be able to open the file, just like in CMBB.

Give a big battle a go in CMAK! You can purchase a battalion with just one click, and a 1.25 x 3km map might be doable without absolutely frying your computer. The recently returned beloved 'blue bar' allows big turn sequences to be thought out then played at a decent framerate. Just because few giant CMSF battles have been attempted doesn't mean they can't be done. It probably won't be any less playable than "To the Volga" was.

[Sergei]

There's no hard limits for that. The main limitation is computing power. When I bought CMBB I could barely run company sized battles on smallish maps, preferably with minimum horizon, trees and doodads. To The Volga was out of question... CMSF can also do larger battles, but the official campaign scenarios, can't be too much of resource hogs or some people can't play them. Meanwhile the increased level of detail in CMx2 means that a platoon battle can have as many factors to consider as a company battle in CMx1.

[noxnoctum]

Well as long as it's not hardcoded that's good to know. I do hope though that some of the included scenarios are at least battalion size.

[MikeyD]

Map size is hardcoded. 4x4km, and don't try for that size with the current generation of PC. CMSF has some 'elbow room' built into it to take advantage of future computer capabilities. Oh, and scenario lengths just got extended to 4 hours.

A primary reason why most CMSF maps and battles are the size that they are is the games have to be playable to most-everyone who purchases the game. That means we can't get too extravagant and risk pi*sing-off a large fraction of purchasers. But there's no rules against 3rd party battles going 'huge' and uploading to Repository - except only a few scenario designers are willing to devote the time building a scenario only a handfull of people will play all the way through.

[phil stanbridge]

I loved the larger battles and operations in CMBB/CMAK because of the immersion factor. Lots of toys and arty to play with too which are out of the scope of smaller scenarios. Makes a big difference over a much smaller company sized engagement, but it is nice to have variety. I am looking forward to the 1:1 representation.

[Secondbrooks]

I like it that if i happen to command something like battalion i just can select couple of my platoons and order them to assault that section of town [in direction of my hand] while i concentrate on something really important like how my sniper is positioned. Can't do that in smaller than company fights. No-no.

[Pvt. Ryan]

I prefer playing real time since it gives me more control, but it only works for smaller battles. I don't know if I want to go back to WEGO to play the huge battles like I did with CMx1.

[Sequoia]

I feel the one to one soldier representation gives the same size unit in CMSF the perception of being bigger than the three man squad abstract in the CMx1 games.

[Pandur]

@noxnoctum

well if you are not totaly put off by REDvsRED setting you possibly want to check out RedStream 120, its my own creation, took ages, is huge and i could play it all the way through with decent frames in WEGO.

also if you dont like RED vs RED that much to play a "operation" of that size maybe you give it a shot just to see how it would run on youre machine, and to see that "its possible", but rarely done.

sorry for shamelessly useing my own scenario for this, but the only scenarios i can think off wich are this size are, "battle of waterloo"...and thats it. the wateloo scenario was on CMMODS but i dont know if it made the transit.

except only a few scenario designers are willing to devote the time building a scenario only a handfull of people will play all the way through.

how true.