CMx2 tactical notes and observations

[PoorOldSpike]

The T-34 flamethrower has got a pretty impressive range, here it hoses down a halftrack at 90 metres-

[PoorOldSpike]

EXPERIENCE, LEADERSHIP and FIRING ON THE MOVE TESTS

I set up 6 x PzIVH's(late) on a sunny day..


and 6 x T-3485 1944(early) facing each other, and then ordered both sides to move up their slopes, stop and choose their own targets-


Both sides were buttoned, their Ratings were-
Experience: Regular
Motivation: Normal
Fitness: Fit
Leader: 0

Result- 6 x PzIVH's destroyed, 3 x T-3485's destroyed.
Conclusion- in a straight faceoff the T-3485's are best, I think their bigger calibre shots swung it their way.
Screenshot from the height of the action-


Next test: I unbuttoned the Germans to see if it'd help them spot the Russkis quicker, and it seemed to help slightly-
Result: 6 x PzIVH's destroyed, 4 x T-3485's destroyed.

Next test: I buttoned the panzers back up and ordered the T-34's to charge the static German line on 'Fast' to see how moving affected accuracy.
Result: 5 x Panzers destroyed, 2 x T-34's destroyed.

I ran it again but this time ordered the Germans to charge on 'Fast' against the static Russian line.
Result: 6 x panzers destroyed, 0 T-34's destroyed (although 2 T-34's Dismounted and another was immobd)
Conclusion- moving definitely degrades accuracy. This screenshot sums it up, the panzer is charging at top speed and firing on the move, but his shot slams into the ground (circled)


Next test: I upped the German Experience level from Regular to Elite and set up another static faceoff shootout.
Result: 4 x panzers destroyed, 4 x T-34's destroyed.
Conclusion: Elite level definitely gives a boost

Final test: I reset the Ger experience back to 'Regular', and gave them a +2 Leadership rating and did another faceoff shootout.
Result: 2 x panzers destroyed, 6 x T-34's destroyed, the panzers win at last! (below is a screenshot from the action)


SUMMARY
Normally the PzIVH is outclassed by the T-3485, but if we make the panzer crews 'Elite', the two tanks become equal.
And if the German crews are 'Regular', we can boost their performance by giving them a +2 Leadership rating to make them outclass the T-3485 in combat, and of course the two Experience/Leadership ratings also hold good for all other units in the game.
Firing while moving reduces the accuracy of the tank gunner, but on the other hand it also seems to make the mover slightly harder to hit.
Unbuttoning slightly reduces the time it takes to spot the enemy.

[A Canadian Cat]

I have two comments on the style of testing you just did:

1) many on many battles like these tend to exaggerate the winner.

This happens because after the first kill one side has more tanks and it just goes down hill from there. What this means is that a test setup that would normally be pretty even can end up a lopsided win for one side. Consider if these were all one v one battles against two very evenly matched forces after running the tests you would probably see a trend towards three kills each. But you will not likely see that in many v many tests.

2) one run does not a definitive answer make.

There is a lot of variation built into both spotting and targeting which means that you will get surprises from time to time. So if you do a test and you think the results are strange it could just be that you saw an unusual outcome due to those variables.

My suggestion would be to conduct testing like this in lanes of one v one action. And if you want to see how training and motivation effect things do that testing with the same tank. So T34s vs T34s or PzIVs vs PzIVs and then vary the soft factors only. Then you are really testing just the crews and not the tanks too.

[PoorOldSpike]

Yes mate there are a zillion variables and if I tested them all it'd take til doomsday, so instead my testing style is to keep it simple and let people draw their own conclusions like you've done..:)

[A Canadian Cat]

Ah OK. I would argue that testing multiple variables at once makes it complicated and not simple. Mind you it is fun to just have a bunch of tanks go at it.

[Toblakai]

At first thanks for your tests!

I made the same experiences that the leadership will boost units.

Motivation is not very important if your units have a higher skill (older test of you).

If you have the time and motivation it would be interesting how elite and high leadership infantry units would fight behind bocages against attacking units with fire support from mortars and tanks.

[enigma6584]

2) one run does not a definitive answer make.

The most important and true sentence in this whole thread.

[Toblakai]

Maybe a CM Beta Tester is willing to explain us how the black box of Combat Mission does work ...

[PoorOldSpike]

...If you have the time and motivation it would be interesting how elite and high leadership infantry units would fight behind bocages against attacking units with fire support from mortars and tanks.
.....Maybe a CM Beta Tester is willing to explain us how the black box of Combat Mission does work ...

We can be pretty sure that Elite/high leadership units perform better than lower quality ones in general small-arms combat so there's no real need for tests to prove it.
I tend to concentrate my tests on aspects of the game that I'm not sure about, and usually just one test run is enough to confirm what I already suspected..:)

We can also be sure that Elite/high leadership units won't have any benefit if they're taking a tremendous overwhelming pounding from tanks and artillery and bombing, they'll be hurt just as bad as lower-qual units.
Field Marshall von Kluge said the same thing in a letter to Hitler dated July 22nd 1944 as German units took a terrible hammering from the air in Normandy-
"The psychological effect of such a mass of bombs coming down with all the power of elemental nature upon the fighting troops, especially the infantry, is a factor which must be given serious consideration.
It is immaterial whether such a bomb-carpet catches good troops or bad, they are more or less annihilated" (von Kluge quoted in 'The Struggle for Europe' by Chester Wilmot, page 364)

As regards CMx2 game mechanics a good thing to remember is that the units usually behave just like real humans, so treat 'em right and they'll love you to bits..:)
"Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys.
Look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death!"- Sun Tzu, 600 BC

[A Canadian Cat]

Maybe a CM Beta Tester is willing to explain us how the black box of Combat Mission does work ...

Well I do not have any special inside knowledge they don't show us the inside of the black box. I have what I read on the forums, what I experience in play and the answer to the odd question I might ask. But I am happy to sit in the sun under my sombrero and chat but really you probably know as much as I do.