Any tips on how I should play CMSF?

[Sivodsi]

HintJ, I have a Logitech MX Revolution, and I use the Logitech software SetPoint to program buttons.

Have you programmed them specifically for CMSF? I have a similar model (performance mx), and I haven't bothered changing anything, so it'd be great to know your setup.

[Vinnart]

@Hintj, I have my mouse programmed for CMSF, and anything I play. For CMSF I have the forward, and back keys for cycling through units. All the other buttons are for the camera views I use most often, usually 1-4, and 6. My model has an extra side wheel that is nice. I have my main 3 camera controls there. Also, I have one that locks camera to unit. All comes in very handy to move around the battlefield with relative ease. I use a similar setup for TOW. Unfortunately I do not see my model mouse on the market anymore. Mine has powerful wireless too, can play lying on couch. I recommend the MX revolution highly to anyone.

[HintJ]

@Hintj, I have my mouse programmed for CMSF, and anything I play. For CMSF I have the forward, and back keys for cycling through units. All the other buttons are for the camera views I use most often, usually 1-4, and 6. My model has an extra side wheel that is nice. I have my main 3 camera controls there. Also, I have one that locks camera to unit. All comes in very handy to move around the battlefield with relative ease. I use a similar setup for TOW. Unfortunately I do not see my model mouse on the market anymore. Mine has powerful wireless too, can play lying on couch. I recommend the MX revolution highly to anyone.

Interesting, especially the 2nd scroll wheel. Using a couple of xtra mouse buttons for shift modes, you could theoritically play the entire game w/just a mouse . . .

[Vinnart]

My suggestion is to experiment with what works, and feels best for you. I will usually come up with a command and control format for my buttons, and experiment, or tweek it from there. It is a liitle upfront work, but once set you can control games much more quicker, and efficiently so you don't have to click as much. For single player this is not as crucial, but for multiplayer it makes a big difference. "He who gets key positions first with the most" usually wins, that is if you are a good strategist to follow through on that edge.

[pazuzusmiles]

Actually Ive always played WEGO but after reading about your method using real time to your advantage and using a gamepad has tempted me to expierment in real time. What I have loved about WEGO is the ability to rewind and study every move, every units perspective, ect. One self imposed rule of mine is rendering buddy aid just like you would do in real life. Not too many modern soldiers/armies leave their comrades dead or injured if theres a chance to save them, even in dirty wars. Another thing I do is, in between games, read everything I can on the subject while listening to Afghani tribal music in surround sound. Ha! The sickness has spread too. Im also building a model of a BMP....

[Vinnart]

If you real time seriously the Nostromo is a must have piece of equipment for speed of control. It improved my game tremendously in competitive league multplayer playing a game called Sudden Strike.

The camera rewind is definitly a plus with WEGO play. I am the same way about analizing the turn from different perspectives. It is one of the features I like best about WEGO. I think CM games shine playing this way, so I usually don't play CM RTS. Besides I think I am just too used to playing it WEGO it is hard to adjust to a RTS mind set with it. I am glad The game has the RTS option. The more options, the more people you can satisfy. In my opinion TOW2 is more if you like RTS ( I would love to see a WEGO option for it). RTS play is the biggest drawback to not being able to do that with the camera. If one could then it would't be RTS, now would it. I think TOW2 has a good system for atleast letting you know what happened via a journal that is kept if you missed seeing something.

[HintJ]

Actually Ive always played WEGO but after reading about your method using real time to your advantage and using a gamepad has tempted me to expierment in real time. What I have loved about WEGO is the ability to rewind and study every move, every units perspective, ect. One self imposed rule of mine is rendering buddy aid just like you would do in real life. Not too many modern soldiers/armies leave their comrades dead or injured if theres a chance to save them, even in dirty wars. Another thing I do is, in between games, read everything I can on the subject while listening to Afghani tribal music in surround sound. Ha! The sickness has spread too. Im also building a model of a BMP....

I really miss the replay in realtime, but a whole minute sucks!

I'm experimenting with 15 second turns in realtime, and during the orders phase, only issuing one order per platoon. If I want more than two squads to move at the same time, I give orders to one and tell that team to pause (that little green button in the bottom right), and on the next break I give the second squad commands and un-pause the first squad. That way it still takes 30 seconds to tell 2 different teams to move in unison.

The trick, it seems, is to be at the right spot when the game is rolling so that I don't miss any important action--sometimes it is just best to let realtime play out from a high overhead view and zoom in to see the individual's point of view in the pause.