Visit The Scenario Depot
Newest Scenarios
CMAK
Kampfgruppe Richter in Budel. Dilemma, fight the allies or retreat?
A Very British Civil War
Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme.
Background
England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles)
Weather: overcast, mild, dry
The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more.
In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing.
In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!

Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included:
On the Right (Axis in this scenario
* The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII.
* The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so.
* The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire
* The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda.
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts
On the Left (Allied in this scenario)
* The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne.
* The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War.
* The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia.
* The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine.
* The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian,
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain.
This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already.
Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner.
This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
SCENARIO DESCRIPTION
A meeting engagement played out in the wooded terrain of the Ardennes at the beginning of the Bulge. 60+ turns.

The Germans are trying to seize important territory: bridges, cross-roads, and towns to allow breakthrough armored thrusts. Central to this map is the village of L’Shone and its surrounding road network.

The Americans are trying to occupy the same terrain to prevent its use by the Germans.

Best played as: H2H
Second Best played as: H2H
(Not designed for vs. AI play due to mounted units)

Map edge friendly to Axis: East. Map edge friendly to Allies: West.

It is hard to believe that it was only a week ago when we first heard of “The Outbreak”. Initially it was thought to be a terrorist biological attack, with outbreaks in large cities overwhelming medical facilities. But soon it was apparent it was much more… the more we hear, the more we realize that we know very little – the cause – the prognosis – or the scale of this crisis. All remain unknown – at least to the general populace. What the “government” knows may be something else again.
You are Jack McCann, police chief in the small coastal tourist town of Shady Acres, Maine. Normally by this time of the year, your town is overrun with loud tourists from the cities of the East Coast. If only that were the case.
Four days ago a large staff of the Center for Disease Control showed up at the Town Hall, and brusquely informed the Mayor, Chuck Zeto, that the Federal Government was immediately taking control of “Shady Island”, a favourite picnic spot in the bay. This was all one-way communication, you don’t know much more other than soon thereafter a convoy of sealed trucks arrived and barbed wire was being strung across the access bridge to the island.
The National Guard has been mobilized, and your own police force has been placed under the command of the governor’s office.
And yet even now, you are not sure why. A strange illness has swept the globe, but what little news was initially released was like something from a bad movie. Now that trickle of news has stopped altogether. The official story is that a Chinese cyber attack has shut down the Internet, but this being Small Town America, there are a lot of conspiracy theories floating about.
The Mayor, Chuck Zeto, who also is the local bank manager, has asked that citizens assist in securing the town from whatever threats may arise. Given that the local National Rifle Association sponsored Chuck’s last campaign, their members were eager to show their affinity for the 2nd amendment and reaffirm their ownership of large capacity magazines and assault rifles. With some hesitation, you agreed to deputize these men, but have asked them to stay at home until they may actually be required. Their training and experience doesn’t necessarily match their enthusiasm.
You were at your office all night. You had a call from Doctor Jacobie at the hospital. Dr. Jacobie, a Vietnam war draft dodger who only returned from Canada in the 1990s, is determined to ignore what he considers a “fascist edict” that all patients in suspected cases of the “outbreak” be turned over to the C.D.C. immediately and quarantined on the Island. “It reminds me of the interment of the Japanese in 1942!” Jacobie ranted, and he said he would treat all patients as “patients, not criminals”. At that, you sent two teams of part time deputies to the hospital to deal with any issues that may arise.
The town is an important transportation hub, in that the coastal railway runs through the town. The Railway has deployed their own security at the train station, as if there is an epidemic, it is important to prevent those infected from traveling. Hopefully they have enough staff to do the job.
You remained in your office all night, and it seemed that things may be calming down, but then with a complete news black out, and the mute C.D.C. guards by the island Park, who knows? You did receive several calls from citizens overnight, reporting screams and other noises from the areas near cemeteries last night; typically the local teens will go there to drink and smoke up. Although you usually will send a Deputy to put the run on them, there are more important things to do now.
The sun is coming up, but a heavy thick fog has blankets the town. A convoy of C.D.C. relieve staff are expected in from Bangor any minute; hopefully they have some news. To allow your exhausted staff get some needed rest, two detachments of National Guard troops will be arriving, one is about 5 minutes away and a second convoy from the east in another 5 minutes after that. It will be good to get home and hit the sheets. You are so tired you feel like the walking dead.
Your phone rings. It is the security detail from the train station. Old man Codger, a elderly farmer who lives north east of town, has just shown up at the Rail station, out of breath and terrified. He is rambling about being attacked at his home, and that the only way he could escape is by setting the buildings on fire. You had better send a Deputy to go interview him. It sounds bizarre.
The phone rings again… it is Deputy Boomhauer at the hospital. He sounds quite distraught. Apparently the hospital was overwhelmed with patients overnight, and now he reports the motion detector alarms in the morgue have gone off.
At that second the switch board lights up, and several simultaneous “10-78” calls are received – “officer need assistance!”… What the?????”

This scenario is
1) Meant strictly for play against the AI. Although it one player wants to try playing the Axis/Zombies, please feel free.
2) The scenario is meant to be strictly for fun.
3) Watch you ammo loads. Shoot for the head. You only have the ammo you brought into the fight.
August 12,1944. France. SE of Argentan.
Married platoons of U.S. 5th Armored Division
night out-posts.
France, 1940 - Case Red.

Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
Cassino town was destroyed by Allied Airforces on Wednesday, March 15th, along with the abby known as Monte Cassino. "The town was blown assunder and beaten into heaps of rubble, the official British history reported. Yet hundreds of bombs and thousands of shells failed to pound the town to powder, contrary to Allied expectations, nor were the surviving defenders 'rendered comatose', as planned." --The Day of Battle
CMBB
The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns.
Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)

In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…

After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.

No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?

Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
This is a CMBB scenario, modelling Plan Yellow in France in May 1940.
It is a "dynamic flag" scenario, on a large map that will provide many options in attack and defence.
July 1941, a german advance detachment, composed of motorized infantry with Stug support, attempts to cut off retreating russian forces.
Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
July, 1944. Operation Bagration already going on since one month. The german north front runs danger to be cut off. Setting down of german troops in western direction
runs among constant attacks of soviet armoured shock forces...
43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
October, 1942
In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.

But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.

The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.

Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
CMBO
German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.

VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
Before dawn on D-Day the British airbourne must destroy the gun batteries at Vierville.
Koen - A Town to conquer
*****************************************

a Couple of weeks ago the Allies have conquered one of the major towns in France.

Now the Germans broke through the American line of defense in the Ardennes and are advancing rapidly towards this town.

Can the Allied commander hold this town?
November 1944, the French 2nd Armored Division is tasked to breach the German fortified line of the Vosges mountains. This battle takes place on the second days of the attack. The different French Task forces are competing with each other in order to be the first to reach the plain of Alsace. The company team Minjonnet (part of the Task Force Massu) blocked close to Voyer in a narrow valley by German remnants of the 708. ID has to bypass quickly this resistance. The French can be sure that their old enemy is not about to ease their action !
An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
Arnhem Bridge battle. British airborne against armoured SS.
Updated Scenarios
CMAK
A Very British Civil War
Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme.
Background
England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles)
Weather: overcast, mild, dry
The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more.
In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing.
In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!

Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included:
On the Right (Axis in this scenario
* The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII.
* The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so.
* The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire
* The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda.
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts
On the Left (Allied in this scenario)
* The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne.
* The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War.
* The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia.
* The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine.
* The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian,
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain.
This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already.
Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner.
This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
France, 1940 - Case Red.

Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
Axis and Allied forces clash for a town and large hill.
This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
Normandy - known for its rolling fields, orchards, stud farms and a good glass of cider. Sheltered from the elements which can pound the coastline this is a landscape is carpeted in apple blossom. It is here, at the heart of one of the best designated cider producing areas that you will find the Chateau les Bruyîres, an Empire period residence and 18th century manor house - run by the Wehrmacht. It is your task to put an end to this inappropriate ownership.
US Army invades an island defended by Italian Troops.

Map is 1200x1200.
Non-Historical.
20 Battles 10 Turns each.

Play HtH (Preferred), or Allied vs. Axis AI.
Allow AI to setup units, there is no pre-planned setup for the defender yet.
Two Reinforced Infantry Companies with Armor Support clash in this typical Meeting Engagement.
engineering company attacks dug in german positions somewhere near monte cassino to capture wine stash for captain hosehead
CMBB
Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns.
Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)

In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…

After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.

No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?

Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
October, 1942
In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.

But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.

The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.

a product of HDCS

3rd SS Totenkopf arrives back at the front after its Hiatus from the front in France and is immediately thrown back into action.

Follow the swift Donet's campaign the IInd SS panzer Korps stands poised for the final push too retake Kharkov and restore the pride of the Waffen SS, but they have too cross the Mzha river first.

Alternative History : Moskow Decision
This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941.
The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
Alternative History : Moskow Decision
This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941.
The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
CMBO
German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.

VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
Newest Maps
CMAK
a fictional Town in North Africa.
Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting
engagement.
Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting
engagement.
Version 2, church size and orientation adjusted to be in village center. Minor adjustments such as villages, small hills and ridges around the wheat fields.
Mixed terrain, woods, open fields, villages, church, river, bridges.
This is a huge (actually 5 x 4 km) map representing a piece of French countryside west of the town of Arras. It is flat (gentle slopes) and moderately populated with villages, forests, orchards and the like. It is suitable for a massive battle of regiment-sized forces (15,000 points or more).
Fictional Map, Crete, An almost compleatly dried up river bed with a ruined bridge across, 2 small hamlets on either side
The axis forces have captured the ridge east of Lieso. It´s been quiet over a month, so they have had enough time to dig deep in the ridge.

Allied forces are attacking with brutal force from east. Tuomari-Laurila has already been taken.
The axis forces are about to assault a little town called Lieso in aim to capture a road that leads through a ridge to deeper east. The allied forces are dug in somewhere around the old elementary school.
A small river splits a large map, with lots of roads and 6 bridges to control and a town also to control. This map is for meeting engagements and no side has a terrain advantage. Hopefully this will boil down to your choice of units and your game play.
CMBB
Beautiful and challenging map perfect for direct or flank approach. Fight in the woods, the streets, the buildings or inside a small factory! Great for infantery with some armor and artillerie support and IDEAL for a quick motorized assault in the middle of a foggy night.
This was a work in progress for the cancelled CM Campaigns. Maps are both operations and battles. Four maps included. One is large version (75% accurate scale) of the entire fortress of Brest Litovsk and immediate area. Others are 2 km x 2 km maps of the north and south portions of the fortress. You are welcome to use these maps as long as your credit "Bannon DC" for map creation.
1600x1600m, middle eastern front,
3 big victory locations in the middle of the map,
4 additional small flags,
medium settlement with surrounding rural areas,
some hills, woods and farmland,
a small river crossing from N to S,
prepared setup-zones for both sides,
therefor I call it battlefield-map.
Germans advance easily untill they find... A speed bump on the road to Leningrad
This Map is designed for Meeting engagements, it is set in a fictional City.
A medium town lying crosswisely to the advance direction. In and around the town gardens and fields, some bush and tree rows.
2 small rivers with some fords.
Only 1 large victory location.
Best used for meeting engagements.
Damaged large town/small city divided by a river. Contains several bridges, an old fortress, stadium, factories, railway station, and an old manor. Flags spread pretty evenly out on the map, made for a QB axis attack. IMPORTANT: ONLY FOR USE WITH UMLAUTS STALINGRAD MODS. You most use the scenario with these three mods found at www.cmmods.com:

FULL_telephonepole_umlaut
rubble_spray_umlaut
stalingrad_buildings_umlaut
Stalingrad-ish map made for Umlaut´s Stalingrad-mods.
29 2x2km maps. Various terrain; city, village, farmland, deep forests ...

They all quite beatuful ;)
I know it was UK and not USSR! but i didnt own CMAK when i made the level and i dont want to do everything over again so USSR must equal UK! its a fun level with the FJ troops in the greatest air invasion prior to D-Day.
CMBO
This CMBO map is built from a topographical map of the little town of Seville, NE of Melbourne, Australia. My idea was to lauch a Brit brigade (3 btns) across it at a German static defence screening mobile reserves.
Desiliens is an ancient Roman town. The map features the ruins of the town, an aquaduct, and the ruins of a villa on a low central hill.

The eastern side of the map is mostly woods, the west is hills and farms. It is most suitable for an assault on the town, but if the focus is shifted to the ruined villa it would be good for a meeting engagement.
Updated Maps
CMAK
Ideal for a QB ME
CMBB
This Map is designed for Meeting engagements, it is set in a fictional City.
axis winterattack on a Russian City
Please feel free to download, use or edit the map.

Screenshots can be found here:

http://worldatwar.eu/index.php?entity_sess=512x00db4fede3b24a34db2c5e9d283f162c&lang=3&location=boardshownode&boardid=51
A town with a river and lake surrounded by grainfields
Map is based on a sketch in the book > Die guten Glaubens waren< the history of the SS Polizei Division and shows a hard-fought area south of Leningrad. The Observatory was not reached by the Germans although they really tried it
This is part of a series of maps on the so-called Ladoga
Front
CMBO
Newest Members
fungf
frankf
Tony1066
EvanMoore
paul maullin

Scenarios  (510)
Maps  (118)
Opponents  (11318)

 

Playtesting Tactics
Quick Jump:

 

Keyword Search:  
NAME MESSAGE
Rampage Tactic
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester

Member #468
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
Post #1   7066 days, 8 hours, 7 minutes, 23 seconds ago           
I think in CM terms there is no such thing as Blitzkrieg. Blitzkrieg is an operational form of combat. Rampage is a tactical one.

Blitzkrieg attempts to avoid combat with the main elements of the enemy force and to just punch a hole in their line and then shoot the mobile forces through that hole. Once beyond the main defense line Blitzkrieg's goal is disruption. Disrupt the command and control system of the army and it will fall apart. You see the results of that in Poland, France and early in Russia.

Rampage, at least for me, entails the absolute destruction of the enemy forces. This is a tactical form of combat.

Another good term for it would be "The Meat Grinder." You start destroying the enemies forces at a given spot on the map. Once that position is destroyed you move into it and on to the next enemy unit you can find.

There are a couple of keys to the tactic.

Keep your forces together in heavy packs. Let numbers work for you. Overwhelm the defender. This doesn't mean that all your forces stay together as a solid mass. It means that you use the German KG idea. Send the forces to do the job. Sometimes you will have a force wiped out. But in most instances you will be the superior force.

For me this normally means two heavy forces. These two forces advance parallel to one anohter. They force the defender to pick who to face and then they are taken out by the other force.

Be very unpredictable, don't let the enemy figure out where you are going to move next. Attack, Attack, Attack!!!

Never stop moving and fighting! If you see that the enemy forces are strong in a location move around them if you can. Always force a situation where the enemy must choose more than one threat to counter. Sometimes they can. More than likely they can't the defense is normally restricted in it's ability to counter manuever tactics.

Good Hunting.

MR
NEVERMIND
Member

Member #36
Joined: Mar 2003
Ratings: 1 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 1
Post #2   7066 days, 1 hour, 28 minutes, 2 seconds ago        
If I hear much more about this "rampage" crap I am going to be sick!

Rampage is load of crap.It will only work consistantly and effectively in smaller scenarios.Typically around 2000 points or less,or about the size of a typical ladder game.

Essentially what this is,is that it allows the attacker in a small scenario to use little to no skill what-so-ever,and still have a chance at winning.

Since the defender in a 2000 point battle typically doesnt have the points for a proper defense(i.e. mobile reserves),it is hard to stop.

The reason I have always viewed this as gamey is because it is akin to the tactic in CMBO assualt battles where the attacker has but to amass his forces on one flank of the map and advance--unstoppable.

Any of you can do whatever you want,but use this gamey sh*t against me and it will be the last time we ever play.Or if I already know you do it,I will never play you Wink

Using this tactic in a small encounter IS gamey.And it is a crutch for those who trully cant play this great game of CM.But hey,do what you gotta do to be competitive,right?No.

Edit to add:

I want to be clear that what I am disputing here is not exactly what MR posted above.What MR posted above,to me atleast,doesnt sound like the POS rampage style at all.What I am disputing is that style,not the one posted above.

(modified 01/13/2005 14:14:45 by nevermind)
--------------------
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester

Member #468
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
Post #3   7065 days, 23 hours, 1 minute, 12 seconds ago        
Whoa there Nevermind!!!

You need to slow down and take a deep breath. Wink

I think you are right. The more I learn about POS's tactic, it doesn't resemble my Rampage much. Except apparently in it's intensity of the attack.

I can't converse with you guys about ladder games becasue I've never played one. I'm am not exactly certain what a ladder is. My impression is. that it is a bunch of guys playing the same scenarios and then comparing the scores. Roll Eyes

Size and duration I haven't a clue. Roll Eyes

I would like to address POS's tactic, and for lack of a better term, gameyness.

As I stated once before to POS, I don't consider anything you can do on a CM map as being gamey. If POS has come up with a tactic that works most of the time, for him, by being very aggressive that works for me. I think the level of competition on these ladder boards, may be a bit suspect compared to the level of competition you will find here at TPG, but I don't know that for sure either.

Would Patton, Guderian, Rommel, Abrams or those guys use gamey tactics if they were to play? They all used unconventional means to achieve the end result. Rommel for instance, using an 88mm AA gun for AT use. That certainly would have been considered gamey by the CM community, if he hadn't done it 60 years ago.

I think that whatever a gamer comes up with, that CM will allow, is pretty standard fare on the battlefield. To be unorthodox can either win you battles or lose them for you. More often than not it will win them for you.

I'm probably about as aggressive a player as any of you will encounter. Some of the guys here at TPG can attest to that, all of the guys at HSG can.

In fact, Warmonger had a scenario that I played and told him it wasn't balanced because I got blown off his map. BUT, I told him it may have been my tactics. He said he had considered that. He went on to get other playtests for the scenario. They proved it was fine. In fact, I regularly see where, it is now considered one of the best CMBB scenarios of all time. Shows what I know.

No tactic works all the time. I too think being overly aggressive, is a sign of tactical weakness, on that gamers part.
My Dad used to tell me, while we were playing pool..."shoot hard, if you can't shoot good"...I think that applies here as well.

Aggressive tactics are costly. Better tactics are less costly and get the same objectives. I spend too much time in the editor to be a very good player. I playtest enough that I am a competent player but not anything to write home about. Frown

Good Hunting.

MR
NEVERMIND
Member

Member #36
Joined: Mar 2003
Ratings: 1 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 1
Post #4   7065 days, 21 hours, 15 minutes, 51 seconds ago        
Sorry if my post came across as angry,or hostile.I was just being forward about my thoughts.

As far as the "I don't consider anything you can do on a CM map as being gamey" comment.To this I have to say that I disagree.

CM is,afterall,a game.As such,in it there can be gamey things to take place.For example,in real life you couldnt advance up one edge of the map and not have to worry about taking fire from an entire flank(i.e. map edge hugging).Or what about the use or exploit of bugs within the game of CM.Like the unkillable flak truck in CMBO,or what about using the new bug in CMBB where you can manipulate airplanes.Just because these things can be done,it doesnt make them ok to do.In the end,I wouldnt consider his tactics to be gamey,but rather very sloppy and unrealistic,and to me that almost = gamey.

To be honest,I didnt want to get involved with the POS debate.It's just that recent posts made by him about "another forum",got me provoked enough to respond.I like to believe that I had some small part in encouraging him to leave from there,but all that was after he had already been restricted to just one sub-section of the forum.I had nothing to do with the "other" stuff that happened there,just the CM related discussions.

POS,just has a caustic personality,and an unrelenting belief that his way,and only his way,is right.The proof of this is the fact that he has been banned from some CM related forums.You can also look at MZO and dig around and find more info into POS's playing style.Comments like "I just have all my infantry run to the flag",in regard to all meeting engagements.

I guess I just ask that tactics that be used against me,be tactics that would be applicable to something that could/would happen in real life.I offer the same in return.

(modified 01/13/2005 18:00:48 by nevermind)
--------------------
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester

Member #468
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
Post #5   7065 days, 19 hours, 15 minutes, 16 seconds ago        
Nevermind...

I don't play CMBO any longer and I believe that BFC has fixed most of the gamey bugs in CMBB and CMAK. The only one I know of at the moment is the aircraft during PBEM bug that can have an effect on play.

I see map edge running listed all the time as a gamey tactic. I wonder why this is? Do all gamers think that the flanks of every unit in the world is unsecured? I know that at times, there would be interfence from elements on the other side of the map edge, but that is not a given. And as you say, there are limitations to the game. The map edge is a factor in every game that has ever been played on unless they cover the entire battle area at a grand strategic level. So to me that is not an issue.

Yes, I have noticed that POS is loaded with personality.

Yes, it has been, at times, hard not to get more involved in some of the comments he makes. But they are his opinion and I respect that.

I have no history with POS, I take a great deal of what he says with a grain of salt, and I disagree with most of his positions. BUT that's okay. As you said, you can always stay out of the posts.

He appears to have most of his opinions set in stone. That's okay too. Most of mine are too. I try to stay completely in the academic where all of my statements can be backed up with chapter and verse and POS tends to want to use his years of wargaming experience and ladder play to get his points across.

Two different ways of presenting our positions. The gamers here will make their own minds up about what they believe.

Actually, I don't care what POS has done in the past. I only care about my own personal interaction with him here. To my knowledge he hasn't done anything here other than voice his opinion. Often and loudly, yes, but it's his opinion. That is what we do on this site is voice our opinions on others work. As long as he meets the site etiquette rules, Gary has hidden out someplace, I would think he will do just fine here.

Whatever happened on the other sites maybe won't happen here. Let's hope it doesn't. For all the things POS is, I would say for certain that he is fanatic about CM. That can't help but be a good thing for the site.

Good Hunting.

MR



JUNK2DRIVE
Master Tester

Member #1102
SUPPORTER
2005
Joined: Mar 2004
Ratings: 3 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 162
Post #6   7065 days, 17 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds ago        
Just to throw in a comment, Steve and some other good designers use oversize maps that give lots of manouver space. I have seen maps that I could go around the side to attack or defend, but not in the timeframe given, if you get what I mean.

IOW both sides have a chance at the flanks, but time and resources advise against it on a large map. It does, IMO cut out that "gamey" tactic.
--------------------
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #7   7065 days, 9 hours, 37 minutes, 46 seconds ago        
Nevermind quote:- "Any of you can do whatever you want,but use this gamey sh*t against me and it will be the last time we ever play.Or if I already know you do it,I will never play you"
-----------------------------

Well you'll miss out on a lot of FUN!
Why did you buy CM if not to have fun?
(Anyway i'd dispute the Rampage tactic is gamey, although i don't like the name, i prefer to call it "Concentration of Force" myself, which has been a legitimate war tactic since one stone age tribe went up against another!)
I've used C of Force in all my 300+ ladder games and only one persons ever called it gamey, all the rest KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE and i'm never short of opponents because they're made of the right stuff and their attitude is "i'll stop that b------d POS next time!"
And quite often they DO stop me because they learn the only way to stop an irresistible force is with an irresistible force of their own, and the monitor screen almost cracks when those forces collide. THAT'S fun!
Why anybody would want to play CM like a dainty ballet dance i can't imagine, i prefer to rock n'roll anytime!
That's why MR and me say to our opponents "You can do ANYTHING, but stay offa my blue suede shoes.." :)
PS:- Hey MR why not create a new discussion category called "Tactics" as people might miss tac talk if its in this Design section
--------------------
MURPH
Member

Member #1666
Joined: Sep 2004
Ratings: 0 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 17
Post #8   7065 days, 9 hours, 37 minutes, 5 seconds ago        
I'd like to second that point about "taking away" the map-edge element by making the map bigger than the action, but of course that only applies in single battles. In operations the "hugging the flank" tactic still works.

Is CM "gamey"? Certainly less than other wargames, but it isn't reality. For example: an apparently overwhelming infantry assault over a short stretch of open ground is beaten off by sustained defensive fire, as it was at the Overpass in Anzio. This won't happen in CM, because each defensive unit will fire at one and one only attacking unit. This means the attacking units, over and above those fired on, will continue to walk on undamaged. Thus the overwhelming force concept, call it what you will, will always work in CM. Not always in real life.

Just my two Euro-centimes Smile
--------------------
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #9   7065 days, 9 hours, 27 minutes, 8 seconds ago        
MR quote:- "Would Patton, Guderian, Rommel, Abrams or those guys use gamey tactics if they were to play? They all used unconventional means to achieve the end result. Rommel for instance, using an 88mm AA gun for AT use. That certainly would have been considered gamey by the CM community, if he hadn't done it 60 years ago"
-------------------------------

Great point :)
When you're in command, COMMAND!
The great commanders aren't afraid to use whatever tools are available, and aren't afraid to use any tactic. I suppose that's what made them great commanders, the desire to obliterate the enemy by whatever means available, their quotes show their mettle:-

Gen.Patton
1 - "Inflict the maximum amount of wound,death and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."
2 - "Lead me,follow me,or get out of my way"
3 - "May God have mercy on my enemies,because I won't"
4 - "The quicker they're whipped,the sooner we can go home"
5 - "Just drive down that road, until you get blown up"
6 - "There are only three principles of war, - Audacity, Audacity and Audacity "

Gen. Guderian
1 - "Punch with your fist and not with your fingers spread " - (Meaning concentrate your panzers for a knockout blow and not in useless dribs and drabs)
2 - "Boot 'em, don´t spatter 'em" - (Meaning hit hard and don't just tickle them)
3 - "Ticket to the last station!" - He shouted this to his panzers as they roared past him,meaning GO GO GO all the way!

Gen. Rommel
1 - "Concentrate strength at one point,force a breakthrough,roll up the flanks,penetrating like lightning deep into the rear before the enemy has time to react"
2 - "The day goes to the side that is the first to plaster its opponent with fire."



--------------------
CHRIS "FERROUS"
Junior Tester

Member #424
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 4 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 68
Post #10   7065 days, 9 hours, 26 minutes, 3 seconds ago        
Hi Murph

I've certainly seen MGs, for instance, rapidly switching targets if the enemy are in a covered arc and the MG is allowed to pick its own target. As an attacking unit is supressed and dives for cover, another unit is likely to become more exposed and the MG will pick its best target again, but now a different unit.

It does seem though that if you order the MG to fire at a specific unit then that's what it'll do as long as it can see it.

That's how it seems to work anyway.

POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #11   7065 days, 8 hours, 50 minutes, 17 seconds ago        
Nevermind quote:- "POS just has a caustic personality,and an unrelenting belief that his way,and only his way,is right"
--------------------------

Well i've topped 3 ladders so i must be doing something right ;)
I think my caustic reputation comes from the fact i try to forcibly get the message across that if you pussyfoot around in CM you'll lose, so i'm hoping my tough-talking advice will rub off on people.
Likewise Guderian, Patton,Rommel,Monty etc could all be called caustic too because of their desire to encourage their troops adopt a rock n' roll mindset.

As i've said before, i'm never short of opponents because anybody who's played me knows they'll get a square deal from me,and that beneath my caustic exterior there's honour and decency and fair play.
For example you'll never see my loose tank crews running for flags, i always run them into cover near their wrecked tank and leave them there for the duration of the game.
And if my opponent is a noob, i'll help him out by suggesting a good force mix to buy,and i'll advise him what to do every step of the way during the game itself.
Sometimes if a player loses heavily i'll say lets just forget the game, no need to register it on the ladder. In fact I said that to a ladder leader (Crazycraeh) just before Christmas, boy am i one weird s.o.b!
Oh, and in the ladders i make a point of only challenging high-ranked players because i want no easy wins, although i will play noobs or anybody else if they challenge me.
(PS:- I think my caustic reputation stems from my time in the political/religious discussion areas of a couple of CM forums where my strong patriotic and Christian views didn't go down well with a loud minority who've been bad-mouthing me ever since, but thats history)

--------------------
JUNK2DRIVE
Master Tester

Member #1102
SUPPORTER
2005
Joined: Mar 2004
Ratings: 3 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 162
Post #12   7065 days, 8 hours, 21 minutes, 32 seconds ago        
Murph, you're not playing the right operations.
If the map is big enough, you won't get to the edge before the battle is over, and the battle is in the middle anyway.
--------------------
BRITISH TOMMY
Novice Tester

Member #290
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2004
Joined: Aug 2003
Ratings: 6 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 39
Post #13   7065 days, 6 hours, 33 minutes, 26 seconds ago        
Great disscussion going on here! Big Grin

Chris is right, in BB or AK you try sending your infantry across open ground towards a flag when the enemy has at least one machine gun unit then your boys will be eating dirt next turn! Razz Combine a machine gun unit with a mortar unit, backed up with some rifle units and your advance across open ground will see your infantry crawling back to cover Frown

Gamey tactics in BB or AK? no such thing!! Whatever tactic a player thinks up, another player will think up a counter move. Tank crews moving towards the flags? go ahead, easy pickings ( and points ) for my boys Smile

Only thing I don't understand is this aircraft thing in a PBEM. Can someone explain this? Confused
--------------------
success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #14   7065 days, 5 hours, 58 minutes, 54 seconds ago        
British Tommy quote:-"Only thing I don't understand is this aircraft thing in a PBEM. Can someone explain this?"
-------------------------
What aircraft thing?
Fredkors knows a lot about a possible aircraft ammo bug, he's discussed it in the CM forum, i suggest you drop him a mail here at TPG for more.
I rarely use a/c myself (too unreliable) and can't remember seeing any bugs..
--------------------
LARRY THORNE
Junior Tester

Member #1117
Joined: Mar 2004
Ratings: 3 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 59
Post #15   7065 days, 5 hours, 43 minutes, 44 seconds ago        
I second to BT: Great discussion going on!
I think POS is making a good point about making a Tactics discussion area Thisone is definetly great discussion is probably slipping away from the new members....though this is mostly ment to be a playtesting site I don´t think that would harm. That way Designers can get hints and PT their scenarios for different tactics before releasing them. Everyone has a unique way to play. And sometimes some strategies work way too easy but sometimes might cost the life...DFST-Emptyness for example will destroy every single German commander going on a rampage...but favors the commander who has patience to attack in phases, first spot the defences positions and take them out with mortars, which are exellent against entrenched units. Dividing forces to different advancing ground overwhelms the defence same way against tanks and infantry, just the way Murph pointed out. Then after the biggest threats are out of the game launch the assault "rampage". DEY also makes scenarios like this and they are a lot of fun.

Inf. against inf. in defence one good way to suppress more advancing enemies is to split squads to teams. Well the firepower is not as great, but more attackers will hit the dirt slowing the advance down. Especially if the defender is in trenches,

Good stuff!
-LT
--------------------
hoping to get back to CM
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #16   7065 days, 5 hours, 29 minutes, 13 seconds ago        
MR quote:- "I see map edge running listed all the time as a gamey tactic. I wonder why this is?"
----------------------------

Right on :)
Map edges occur all the time historically in the form of rivers, swamps,forests, cliffs,rough etc, and even as the weaker "seams" between two regiments etc.
So i have no beef if an opponent runs along a map edge, as its just another avenue that has to be covered.
(Hey scen designers can put areas of impassable terrain there to discourage it anyway)
One historical "edge run" springs to mind:- A Japanese line in Burma ran down through the jungle and ended in the treeline just above the beach, so the British decided to try to hook around the end of the line by sending a force of infanty in Bren Carriers along the beach.
But the clever Japs had got AT-guns in the trees to cover just such a manoeuvre and the Brens were cut to pieces and stopped dead..
(Incidentally an Indian soldier won the VC in the action for calmly attaching a tow-line to one of the shot-up Bren C's with wounded aboard and towing it to safety with a serviceable Bren C while under fire.
A watching Brit high-ranker said to his staff - "Gentlemen, there's a man winning the Victoria Cross)
--------------------
BRITISH TOMMY
Novice Tester

Member #290
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2004
Joined: Aug 2003
Ratings: 6 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 39
Post #17   7064 days, 22 hours, 56 minutes, 44 seconds ago        
Quote:
Originally posted by: Poor Old Spike:
British Tommy quote:-"Only thing I don't understand is this aircraft thing in a PBEM. Can someone explain this?"
-------------------------
What aircraft thing?
Fredkors knows a lot about a possible aircraft ammo bug, he's discussed it in the CM forum, i suggest you drop him a mail here at TPG for more.
I rarely use a/c myself (too unreliable) and can't remember seeing any bugs..



Ah! I know what your talking about now! Big Grin I discovered that you can have aircraft in a scenario with bad weather. I accidently stumbled across this when making changes to a scenario I'm working on.
--------------------
success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill
BRITISH TOMMY
Novice Tester

Member #290
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2004
Joined: Aug 2003
Ratings: 6 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 39
Post #18   7064 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes, 31 seconds ago        
Nevermind,
You take the Combat Missions games very seriously then.
I may not agree with your style of play or how you use your units but I wouldn't turn around and say they were crap or gamey.
It's great to hear you win a lot of your battles, well done mate. Hopefully you will do well in the tourney trying to get ' the flaggies ' to win the battle.
--------------------
success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester

Member #468
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
Post #19   7064 days, 22 hours, 12 minutes, 52 seconds ago        
Nevermind...I for one am glad that you got involved and hope you stay that way. Whether or not I agree with your position it's yours and your entitled to it. You are very passionate about the game and that puts you high on my list, as I too am passionate about it.

I share BF.C's opinion of how this game was made and was meant to be played. The vast mojority of you do not play this way.

Since I am a newcomer to CM, less than 2 years, I'm not sure what that means. I would think that BFC can be proud of how the game is played. For the most part, it seems covers all the tactics of WWII, and yet is flexible enough to allow players to come up with their own answers.

I'm at a loss as to how BFC wants me to play the game. I have used almost all of the WWII tactics that I know, that isn't as many as it should be, and when the time comes I throw away the book and come up with my own answer. That is for the most part historical. Commanders are constantly coming up against problems that aren't "in the book". Then and now. The game recreates that very well for me.

What kind of a numbering system? How would that work?

I just dont get it.I take pride in taking as few loses as possible.I dont attack,defend,or engage in ME's where I do all this crazy,extreme,ridicullous crap,and I win alot.And I mean alot.Of course those games are just friendly competition,and they can be anything from a medium sized scenario to a huge 10 battle operation.

That is just the point I was making. We each play the game differently for different reasons and all get the same enjoyment out of it. The game system is so great that it allows a wide variety of tactics to be used that can be successful.

Hmmm,apparently you have to take as many casualties as you give,but as long as you capture all the little flagies thats all that matters.Oh well,guess I suck.I guess good luck to me in round two of the tourney,I guess i will need it.

There are a myriad of ways to be successful in the game. Nothing works all the time. Your tried and true method may not work against my Rampage, or whatever it is that POS runs, but who cares? You lose this time you win next time because I can assure you my Rampage doesn't work all the time.

My stance that there are no gamey tactics stems from my belief that soldiers the world over are creative. Just like Rommel and the 88. But what about airborne operations, sea invasions, tanks, night attacks, and almost anything else you can think of. They have all been done before. So what can I come up with that hasn't been done? Nothing. How does that make anything I do gamey?

Nevermind, this is not an attack, on either you or your position, in any way. I'm not trying to be smart or cute...don't even think about it... and I don't want you to take it that way. I am just trying to understand your position better is all.

Good Hunting.

MR
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #20   7064 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes, 37 seconds ago        
There's only one way to play CM, the COMMONSENSE WAY!
MR has already said as much.
We look at a given game setup and decide in our own minds the best way to play it.
We don't wonder (as many do) "Now, how am i supposed to play it; how am i expected to play it; how would so-and-so play it; how do the history books say i should play it?"

Nah, we just do our own thing based on how our commonsense dictates we should play it.
As i said before, when you're in command, COMMAND!
Lifes so much simpler that way :)

--------------------
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester

Member #468
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
Post #21   7064 days, 21 hours, 39 minutes, 7 seconds ago        
Quote:
Originally posted by: Poor Old Spike:
Nevermind quote:- "POS just has a caustic personality,and an unrelenting belief that his way,and only his way,is right"
--------------------------

(PS:- I think my caustic reputation stems from my time in the political/religious discussion areas of a couple of CM forums where my strong patriotic and Christian views didn't go down well with a loud minority who've been bad-mouthing me ever since, but thats history)



POS this is all warm and fuzzy and wonderful, BUT you don't need to be caustic just because you can.

Just because you are a Christian, which I am as well, doesn't give you the right to ram things down other peoples throats, when the opportunity presents itself.

I have a terrible time of just being straight forward. That got me in trouble over at BFC. I am often taken for being hard, uncaring, or just a plain ass. I work hard at trying to keep that from happening.

I came over here to get some scenarios playtested. After a bit, I was asked to do some articles on how to make scenarios. Now the whole site is filled up with MR memorabilia... Eek! Soon they will ask me to leave, just so they can get their site back... Mad

This site will be very forgiving of your past website sins. They don't care what you were before. Only what you are now. This site is all about helping and not negativity. Sometimes the PT'ers don't want to say things that are bad about a scenario even when they are true.

For me personally, that is taking it a bit far. How can I fix it if you won't tell me it's bad? But the criticism is given softly. Not with a dose of salt but with a dose of honey. We like each other and are for the most part friends. One big happy family if you will. We pray for each other, we give up our free time to help each other, we work for hours to support each other. We try to leave caustic at the door.

There has to my knowledge only been one incident that I can remember in the 15 months I've been here. It was between me and Fredrock and I caused it. I poked at Freddie and he responded. It was my own fault. I apologized to him and we are friends today. That is the way this site works.

You rely heavily on your years of experience and ladder play to get your points across. That doesn't hold much water here. There are guys here that I'm sure have played as much as you have that have never brought it up. I have a pretty extensive background myself but rarely bring it up. Why? Because it doesn't mean anything here. I don't care what you have done. I just want to know about my scenario and what is wrong and right with it.

You have done extensive playtesting since you got here. Thank you! We appreciate that. What is less appreciated is the position that you sometimes take, that the designer should make your changes, above all else, and then all will be well.

You yourself said you don't make scenarios. These guys do. At the end of the day when that scenario goes to the Scenario Depot it has their name on it. Not yours, or mine or Gary's...I know that 'cause Gary don't make scenarios either... Razz

That means that they decide what is right for their work. Telling somebody once what you think is a needed modification, is enough. They got the message the first time. Any more than that and you start to be caustic.

No need for that to happen here. Let all that experience work to these guys advantage, but, let them decide what is right for their work.

Thanks for the playtesting and sharing that you do. You don't hold back, and that's good, we need the help. Toning it down just a notch or two wouldn't hurt though.

These are my own personal observations, they are not the position of the management or the ownership of this website... Mad Eek! Razz Big Grin

Good Hunting.

MR
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #22   7064 days, 19 hours, 38 minutes, 24 seconds ago        
MR quote to POS:- "This site will be very forgiving of your past website sins...
You rely heavily on your years of experience and ladder play to get your points across. That doesn't hold much water here"
----------------------------------

Needless to say i committed no sins in other forums except answer the unpatriotic unchristian leftwing posts of others, they were the sinners not me :)
As for my experience not holding much water here, yes i'd noticed, it sometimes seems i'm being contradicted every time i speak..
Luckily there are plenty other sites who would welcome having a living god (a triple ladder leader) walking among them ;)


--------------------
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester

Member #468
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
Post #23   7064 days, 19 hours, 18 minutes, 25 seconds ago        
Quote:
Originally posted by: Poor Old Spike:
MR quote to POS:- "This site will be very forgiving of your past website sins...
You rely heavily on your years of experience and ladder play to get your points across. That doesn't hold much water here"
----------------------------------

Needless to say i committed no sins in other forums except answer the unpatriotic unchristian leftwing posts of others, they were the sinners not me :)
As for my experience not holding much water here, yes i'd noticed, it sometimes seems i'm being contradicted every time i speak..
Luckily there are plenty other sites who would welcome having a living god (a triple ladder leader) walking among them ;)




I'm not sure why that is.

Well, I'm sure that you just commited a sin trying to move yourself to god status as a mere mortal...however, I'm sure that there are sites that would welcome your experience. This is one of them. We can use your experience as well.

Matter of fact, I have a scenario that I want you to try to break. I need an aggressive commander to see if this scenario can be won by the Russians.

If you're not afraid to go to Kharkov in 1942 I'll send you a setup. You do know that I've been playing wargames for over 32 years, got all these scenarios posted to the Scenario Depot and have played hundreds of CM games and started HSG and... Big Grin

Of course you do, and you're not intimidated in the least I would think!! Big Grin

Good Hunting.

MR
BRITISH TOMMY
Novice Tester

Member #290
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2004
Joined: Aug 2003
Ratings: 6 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 39
Post #24   7064 days, 10 hours, 49 minutes, 44 seconds ago        
quote by Nevermind.
" what about using the new bug in CMBB where you can manipulate airplanes"

This bug(?) can ONLY be inserted into a scenario by the SCENARIO DESIGNER
and NOT by the player. Gamey? HELL NO!!!!!!! Mad

Battlefront has been informed of what I discovered.
--------------------
success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #25   7060 days, 8 hours, 26 minutes, 13 seconds ago        
Nevermind quote:-"Hmmm,apparently you have to take as many casualties as you give,but as long as you capture all the little flagies thats all that matters"
------------------------------
To hell with the flags!
For example in my current Bubnov's Rescue playtest against MR, he's telling me to be aggressive and go for the flag, but this was my reply:-
"Aggressive - yes
Reckless - no..
I can move or i can fight, not both.
If i move on Fast my tanks won't be able to hit a barn door and will just be putting their heads in a noose and you'll cut them to pieces..
So logic dictates i chew up the 23rd pz first, and THEN go for real estate.
If time runs out, it runs out.."
--------------------
JUNK2DRIVE
Master Tester

Member #1102
SUPPORTER
2005
Joined: Mar 2004
Ratings: 3 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 162
Post #26   7060 days, 7 hours, 20 minutes, 39 seconds ago        
I tend to play as POS says, to hell with the flags.
Why lose 100 points of units to take a 100 point flag?
If possible I try to uncontrol the flag, no points for either side.
If I happen to control the flag later, fine.
Make the enemy lose points trying to take it back.
--------------------
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester

Member #468
SUPPORTER
2010
2009
2008
2007
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
Post #27   7060 days, 5 hours, 5 minutes, 5 seconds ago        
The game actually runs off of morale. If your morale goes too low the computer will auto surrender for you. The flags have no affect on a sides morale.

So, kill units! KILL UNITS!!! KILL UNITS!!!!

In some odd cases that flag may be worth as many as 2000 points, so you can't just discount it altogether. It should be determinant on how important that flag is. Is it a daily objective to straighten the line or is that the intersection that we get out of the pocket alive with? Sometimes capturing that flag can be THE difference in winning or losing.

BUT it's easier to get the flag if all the defenders are dead.

Good Hunting.

MR
NEVERMIND
Member

Member #36
Joined: Mar 2003
Ratings: 1 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 1
Post #28   7059 days, 5 hours, 24 minutes, 37 seconds ago        
Quote:
Originally posted by: Poor Old Spike:
Nevermind quote:-"Hmmm,apparently you have to take as many casualties as you give,but as long as you capture all the little flagies thats all that matters"
------------------------------
To hell with the flags!
For example in my current Bubnov's Rescue playtest against MR, he's telling me to be aggressive and go for the flag, but this was my reply:-
"Aggressive - yes
Reckless - no..
I can move or i can fight, not both.
If i move on Fast my tanks won't be able to hit a barn door and will just be putting their heads in a noose and you'll cut them to pieces..
So logic dictates i chew up the 23rd pz first, and THEN go for real estate.
If time runs out, it runs out.."



Hey good job!Good to see that you are finally coming on board with the rest of us.I have tried to explain this to you many,many times in the past,but you didnt share this same view back then.Glad you changed your mind Smile

Oh,and don't try and say that you have always played this way,I have read post after post by you elsewhere,and I know better Wink
--------------------
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #29   7058 days, 20 hours, 8 minutes, 9 seconds ago        
Nevermind to Pos:- "Oh,and don't try and say that you have always played this way,I have read post after post by you elsewhere,and I know better"
--------------------------------

Your name rings a bell mate but i can't place you..
Not sure i know what you mean when you say i haven't always played this way.
All i know is i've use the same play style since my first ladder pbem over 2 years ago, i call it the WINNING style.
It's no secret, use your tank groups like tightly-clenched fists,moving and fighting together so tightly that they sometimes scrape the paint off each other.
Use either one big fist of a dozen or more tanks or several smaller fists as the situation changes, but try not to have less than 3 tanks in any one fist.
Do that and you'll always win more than you lose, i guarantee it.
If the other guy operates his tanks in dispersed dribs and drabs you'll have him for breakfast..

--------------------
FREDROCK1957
Novice Tester

Member #245
SUPPORTER
2011
2010
2009
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Joined: Aug 2003
Ratings: 15 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 43
Post #30   7058 days, 7 hours, 58 minutes, 13 seconds ago        
Quote:
Originally posted by: junk2drive:
I tend to play as POS says, to hell with the flags.
Why lose 100 points of units to take a 100 point flag?
If possible I try to uncontrol the flag, no points for either side.
If I happen to control the flag later, fine.
Make the enemy lose points trying to take it back.

OK... my two cents again... Wink on the Flags... from the designer side of this... I always questioned the lack of ability to have flags worth whatever pts the designer wants... example to take a small village or church as a VL (lets say for a future Outpost beyond the scope of the battle...) I wish I could give that VL 2500pts... Well I bitched about this for a long time and low and behold the answer was easy (I apologize for not remembering who told me) but if you have a VL that needs to be 'advertised' then put as many 300pt flags on it in one spot as you want.... hmmmmm.... So then that will force the commander to at least try to take the VL or else... Big Grin

As far as 'Rampage' or 'Concentration of Force', etc... All commanders play the game different... I havent played more then 150 PBEM's so my knowledge may be lacking but I have a small group of oponents that I enjoying playing against (one for they are good people, but also because our style of play fits and makes it enjoyable to both of us I hope Wink ...)... I think whatever game or gaming experience you are looking to find takes sometime and effort and I have played some battle where I will never play that opponent again (and its got nothing to do with win or lose)... but that is just human nature... at least we have a community where everyone can enjoy and find what they are looking for...(except for that damn Airplane in the Fog... Big Grin Tommy (The British Version) and 'Yes' I have got that to work)

In designing scenarios sometimes it is interesting to build in some 'sneaky' items to stop some of the gamey stuff or maybe to enhance some fo the gamey play... that can be a challange... Especially if one is designing an Attack or a Probe...

One of my favorite PBEM opponents that I play on a regular basis (we play mostly ME Quickbattles on maps I have made.... before I make a real battle on them) is the only guy I will play quickbattles with... If you want gamey, play a QB - ME... then anything goes... but I think you will find that there is ways to stop those tactics cold in designing scenarios... A lot can be accomplished with FOW (in both briefings and on the map) like troops popping out of the woods behind your assault force based upon a subtle line in the briefing stating that your troops are surrounded and trying to break out via a specific highway... Big Grin etc...

Well enough 'rambling' on my part... oh and by the way... this was a great thread... everyone has expressed excellent points... Cool

That is all...

FR
--------------------
That is all...
-FR
"Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." -Theodore Roosevelt
FredRocker's Combat Mission Site
POOR OLD SPIKE
Novice Tester

Member #2282
Joined: Jul 2005
Ratings: 9 / 1 / 10
Discussions: 36
Post #31   7058 days, 5 hours, 9 minutes, 2 seconds ago        
Fredrock quote:-"but if you have a VL that needs to be 'advertised' then put as many 300pt flags on it in one spot as you want... So then that will force the commander to at least try to take the VL or else"

POS reply:- Great thinking! I've just played a scen where the victory flag was just a single big one and i assumed it was only worth 300, but my oppo later told me it was worth 1500!
If i'd known that, i'd have busted a gut going for it! How the hell was i to know it was worth 1500,the brief never mentioned it!
I'd have preferred to see a cluster of 300-pt flags there so i'd have known where i stood..
-------------------------------

Fredrock quote:-"I have a small group of oponents that I enjoying playing against.... and I have played some battle where I will never play that opponent again"

POS reply:- Hmm.. sticking in a small group can lead to an inbred outlook and predictable play style. I prefer the broader approach for wider variety myself. In my 300+ ladder pbems i've played people from all over the world such as a 9/11 NYC fireman, a Filipino war photographer who once had his camera shot out of his hands, a Belgian ex-Leopard tank commander, a German grandson of a Stuka pilot, a Washington DC cop, a gun magazine article writer, a Russian guy in Irkutsk etc..
Oh and never - but never - do i refuse to play anybody again, i'll take on anybody :)
----------------------------

Fredrock quote:- "If you want gamey, play a QB - ME... then anything goes... but I think you will find that there is ways to stop those tactics cold in designing scenarios"

POS reply:- I'm a QB ME fan myself on random maps with random flag placement and human unit-purchase, and so are the majority of all the players i've ever met because it guarantees fast explosive action!
Its as if our commander jabs his finger on a map in the command tent and says "TAKE THAT GROUND!"
Simple, violent and FUN!
Sure, the maps can look bland sometimes, buy HEY real battlefields were often bland too! ("We go to gain a small patch of ground that has no value in it but the name" - Hamlet)
But with scenarios the map has been artificially-contrived and prettied up to look good, with carefully-placed terrain to route the attacker etc. Thats the big drawback of scens to me, they often have a contrived feeling to them..

--------------------

Quick Jump:

Home :: Join :: Author's Login :: Modfy Your Profile :: Who's Who? :: Chat :: Help/About :: Reference Material :: VL Planner :: Contact
Opponent Finder :: Scenario Finder :: Scenario Upload :: Scenario Design Tips :: Research Area :: Scenario Discussion :: Map Finder :: Map Upload

Combat Mission - Beyond Overlord/Barbarossa To Berlin/Afrika Korps is a registered trademark of Battlefront.com
Advanced Squad Leader is a trademark of Avalon Hill Games, Inc., a Hasbro affiliate
Additional Material, Copyright ©2024 Gary Krockover

Log In