The Quintessential Combat Mission battle

[Der Kuenstler]

One definition of “quintessential” is “the most perfect embodiment of something.” This will be different for everyone I suppose, but to me the quintessential Combat Mission battle minimizes luck, maximizes fun, and offers the most opportunity for both players to make various command decisions that will effect the outcome of the battle.

We’ll open CM and begin with the “Start Game” button. The first choice after that is “scenario” or “quick battle.” I usually choose “Quick battle” because this allows me to make more command decisions. (Scenarios hand you all preset parameters - you are not allowed to choose.)

Next screen - Date and region: The most enjoyable battles are during balanced times of the war. The more you make the date and region favor your side, the less enjoyment and satisfaction you will get out of your victory. Victory has a bitter taste when you know you’ve treated your opponent unfairly.

Force mix and nationality: unrestricted. This allows the most variety of kit choices and allows each player to use his wits and his own combined arms balance.

Quality: unrestricted. Again - this allows more options - you can go with the “many troops, poor quality” approach or the “few but elite” approach.

Fitness/casualties/ammunition: Fit/none/full. Why not start out full on everything? Your men will tire, get killed, and run low on ammo as the battle proceeds anyway, allowing you to make decisions for them based on their changing status.

Sewer movement: NO. Not unless you enjoy blind luck deciding which building your men pop up into, if they don’t get lost, and determining the battle results. You want YOUR decisions to primarily sway the battle, not luck, if you want the most satisfaction out of it.

Battle type: MEETING ENGAGEMENT. Probes, attacks, and assaults are all interesting, but for fluid decision making, Meeting Engagements rule! In probes, attacks, and assaults almost all the fun for the defender is in the setup. After that he’s mainly pushing “go” turn after turn while the attacker is tediously advancing half-squads from tree to tree. The defender falls asleep while the attacker is getting finger cramps from clicking the mouse. In meeting engagements both players are actively moving and adjusting from start to finish.

Force size: 3000 points, 2000 minimum. Anything smaller and luck begins to play more and more of a factor. I’ve looked at battle results here and thought “Wow - how did that great player lose to that guy?” Then looked and saw “1000 point ME” and thought “Oh that’s why.” In battles that small you may only get one or two AFVs - do you really want the whole battle riding on your one AFV killing his one AFV first? What if your one AFV bogs at the beginning? 3000 points allows a good commander to overcome a lot of bad luck and still win. That way if you still lose, you can at least know it was your own fault and not blind luck.

Map Size: ignore this - imported is best.

Handicap and rarity: NONE and STANDARD. Variable rarity takes control out of your hands - you don’t know what bargains your opponent will get - it’s a gamble. No rarity you are going to have to deal with a bunch of odd units that you might not be familiar with or prepared for.

Time: Mid day - allows adequate light for long range spotting

Temperature: keep it mild (warm or cool) or else you are going to have to deal with exhausted men and jammed guns.

Weather: Overcast, still. Overcast eliminates airplanes. I prefer to eliminate them because they arrive and strike randomly - how they perform often decides the game and I’d rather have actual command decisions determine the game and not luck. Still setting - no worry about wind currents and how the artillery will fall.

Game length - on a medium sized map 27+ to 30+ turns will decide most MEs.

Map - now we get to the map screen. This is what really makes a battle fun or not in my opinion. To me the best maps offer the widest variety of command decisions. You want places on the map where you can see far and also where you can only see close. You want water and fields, hills and bridges, buildings and woods. The best variety offers the most varied opportunities. That’s why I prefer imported maps. Computer made maps do not have water or bridges. When examining premade maps, always look for variety. There are several kinds of cover and trees - why fight on a boring map with only one kind? Why fight in a plain city without damage? Put a few shellholes in there for the men to hide in. Set a few buildings on fire. Make it interesting. I like modest sized hills for AFVs to zip around behind and such. LOS changes a lot with hills and it makes for more strategy. Often premade maps can present a “puzzle” of how to approach a flag where just rushing straight there is not an option. Also you can look at premade maps ahead of time and not be screwed when your opponent gets a computer made straight road to the flags and you get nothing but brush and rocky ground.

I’ve played every kind of CM battle, but these settings for me are the most enjoyable and keep me coming back. I know others’ opinions will vary, but would like to hear what others enjoy the most.