Game Mechanics

[Colonel Talvela]

i study the rules carefully. But i dont micromanage to the meter hardly ever. For example, probably one of the most important mechanical rules is to keep 20m of spacing between units. I know that, and I try to space my units, but I cant remember actually doing that in a game. For armor fights I just look at the color of the penetration tables - or put some units in an editor and see how they do against each other.

I have heard of extreme examples of number guys - F amount of firepower for S seconds to break a regular unit in woods. Cross reference map grids to find location of sound contacts. I dont even get close to that.


So i consider myself an instinct player, who knows the rules very well.


That being said, I probably do the most 'mechanics' during defense setups - looking at spacing of foxholes, etc.

Now I do study the map and look for terrain advantages there. But I consider that somewhat different then what bootie was talking about.

[The Coil]

[Copper]

Surprised I missed that.... I can hear a gnat sneeze from 200 ft.

:)

[McIvan]

[The Coil]

Surprised I missed that.... I can hear a gnat sneeze from 200 ft.

:)

I usually keep my gnats 201 ft away from you...

[Copper]

Ability in CM is the function of five things:

Capacity (to learn and apply the mechanics and unit abilities)
Intuition (to know thy enemy and make good decisions)
Time (the more time you can apply to evaluating your turns the better)
Codified knowledge (in military tactics at the squad level)
Commitment (if you do things half arsed, expect half arsed results)

The above is an ordinal weighting of each functions importance from top to bottom. Capacity and Intuition are the two things that separate the best players from the average and IMHO separate the boys from the men, so to speak.

This in no way reflects upon how much fun is derived from playing the game for one or both players, only on winning. If that is not the case, the entire post above is moot.

If you wish to be the best you can be and generate the most fun for both yourself and your opponent, apply the following:

1) pick opponents who have similar functional outcomes from the above formula
2) practice humility
3) drink beer.

It's amazing how #3 seems to make the world a better place for everyone involved.

Lastly, the above 5 point formula for CM ability can be completely subsumed in the case that you are anointed by God to be a destroyer of men. This anointment is often only temporary, and is purposed to strike down with furious and righteous anger, those who bear hubris and arrogance in their breasts.

To this last point, I wholeheartedly encourage more efficacious application, as it's heavenly function keeps us all humble... and doubly works to expose those who are diseased with the affliction of arrogance, pride and hubris to be cast down into the fires of hell to writhe and burn in agony for all time.

So sayeth the Shephard.

; )

Cheers!

Leto

[Ratzki]

I like to think that I am marching on the middle ground somewhere. I have no idea all the penetration values for every cal. in every weather condition at all ranges. I know that bigger is generally better with AP ammunition, but studying every aspect of every unit is not my style. I consider myself moderately "in the know" with most units out there. I think with some rules, the playing field can be made more even for both styles of players. Turn the detailed armor hits off, select enemy units with the next button only and never select an enemy unit, to name a few. This way you get the unknown and both sides are happy.

[Mad Russian]

The realtime pressure is not modeled.

It is if you play my scenarios. I make scenarios that are time sensitive.

I playtest them with designers God Knowledge and see how long it takes me to win. Then I give you a few extra turns. It gets playtested and when it can be won but players are still wanting more time it's finished.

My thoughts are these:

1) We can't come close to the stress a field commander has, sitting in front of my monitor, in a nice comfortable chair.

2) No matter how many times I get told, a field commander has all the time he needs to perform his mission, I know better. I was there and saw time constraints on orders assigned to company commanders.

3) Outside influences are not taken into account by the game. There are other things that happen in real life that aren't modeled in the game. Like counterattacks that hit you before you got to the objective on time. Storms. Air attacks. Night falling. A commander getting killed and his men falling back. None of which is in the game. Making a game tight on turns is.

4) A commander has to make difficult decisions; sometimes on a second by second basis, in combat. Not so in CM.

So, to work all that into the game, in a single action, I make my scenarios a bit tight on time. You will have time to finish the battle/operation but you won't be able to take all the time in the world to do it. That just isn't realistic. I try to make my scenarios as realistic as possible for you CM addicts.

To those that play my scenarios, thank you. I appreciate your support.

Good Hunting.

MR

[ATCS]

[kineas]

MR,

I know, I played 3 of your scenarios already :)

What I meant was a limit for orders issued per minute.