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.

[Ratzki]

Wow, it is hard to believe that my first game was against you several years ago, "Road to Moscow" I think that it was. I do not believe that you had too many more games under your belt either. What a great post, I will counter your point in several areas as I am on the other side of the coin.
I almost always choose Scenario. Too often the QB's seem to be the same old-same old. There just seems to be certain units that you have to take to be competative, I don't think that you have as much choice as you believe. The scenario always seems to give you a unit or two that you just do not buy with the standard QB. I like the "blind" feeling of when will the reinforcements get here?..., How large is his force?..., I have to take out that KV with pioneers and a 150mm infantry gun somehow!... . Now I will play a QB every now and then but I want to restrict the units bought to try and achieve parity based on the year that you choose.I could go on with why I choose scenarios over QB's but will counter each of your points that you like with the other side of the coin.
Force mix & nationality:I like to know what I am facing and feel that an even battle is easier to get if you retrict both sides to a nationality and mix. I have played several games where after a few turns, both sides realize that this is going to be too lop-sided to continue, plus, when given the chance few people will choose a minor nation over the equivalent German/Russian side. Even with armour they will only ever play a minor role in the mix as they just do not have the stuff to make you say "this toldi has to go into my purchase, as I am gonna kick some a$$ with this".
Quality: Set it to MEDIUM. Nothing, I hate more then to get 1 shot off with a well placed gun, only to get it knocked out by a Vet/Crack mortar team over and over again. I think this adds some variety without affecting play balance.
Fitness/Ammmo:I'll agree with you on this one but sometimes you have to play with it a little to get parity again.
Sewer movement:NO
Battle type:I like the ME but feel that the game has more to offer then to limit yourself to this. You can always play with the flags and objectives to make the defending side move. Variety is the spice of life. I think that I have learned more about attacking from being the defender then anything else. If you can attack well, a ME gets much easier.
Force size: minmum 2000. All your units work better together when you have more of them. I agree, luck starts to play too great a role in smaller games. Plus it is more fun when there is more to blow up. Games start to get interesting when you hit 5000+ points.
Time:Just not the night. for a scenario, this is fine but in a QB, daylight is the way to go.
Weather:No random, but why not have clear skies if both parties are aware of it, you can plan for an plane or two. Again, a little variety, can they be unbalancing, yes, but I have played guys that have a bear of a time with arty and will buy air support in place of the arty. I find that most will not buy it anyhow as the cost factor compared to its effect and flexability are an issue.
Maps: Only import the maps. First you have a chance to plan your force purchase buy looking at the map before you start the game. Second, you will never get a bad map this way. I hate that. Plus it get both parties involved in planning a game. Throw in 3000 points worth of flags for a 3000 point ME and stack multiple flags per location and the game get more interesting. Or just one little flag, or no flags with an objective like one side having to be the only occupants of one building, or blow a bridege, etc. Again, variety with some control to try to ensure a fair and fun game.
And there is the common thread, a fair and fun game where both sides have the chance to win the battle right up to the last turn. Good post Der K.!

[Der Kuenstler]

Nice response, Dallas - I remember that "Road to Moscow" game, too - one of my first - that was fun. That must have been before we were even Blitz members - there's no record of it in my stats. I have played in all the ways you listed and enjoyed them, too. I think we agree variety is the key - but these are the settings I personally have had the most overall enjoyment with...

[Ratzki]

Yes, I did not even know that theBlitz existed then. Fun IS the key to playing this game for a long time. Hmmm... I seem to remember that I eeked out a small victory in our first game to.;) Little did I know then that I would be still be playing this game.

[Combat Wombat]

Hey DK, excellent post. Gives a great 'soldiers 5' on things that would have taken me ( and other newbies ) yonks to work out. thanks ! Wombat

cheers: