RobO Q Campaign material version 2.20 for Combat Mission Barbarossa to Berlin!

Started by JasonPratt, February 24, 2023, 04:27:02 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

JasonPratt

Update/addition: here's a link to MKSheppard's thread at Battlefront's forum, where he links to massive archives of CMx1 mods, maps, and scenarios he has collected in May 2021: https://www.grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=26873.0

All the graphic modes, practically all the new or updated units, and practically any map, should be useable within the rules of the campaign generator.

Well, it turns out I do have the last update made by RobO (whose last name I used to know but have forgotten) to his amazing dynamic campaign generators! -- specifically v2.20 for Combat Mission Barbarossa to Berlin! (The CMAK version was naturally later after the release of that game, and didn't need or get as much updating. More about that in a parallel thread which can be found here https://www.grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=26828.0)

This classic and epic campaign generation material for the CMx1 engine (not for Beyond Overlord, mostly because it lacks a random map generator and also because CMAK basically overlaps and improves its functionality), has effectively disappeared from the internet as the sites which hosted its files, up to and including Battlefront, don't seem to have those pages working anymore. (Battlefont's site, yes. The ROQC files, apparently not?? It doesn't help that many, many years ago I tried to upload the campaign generators there but only succeeded in uploading useless pdf versions.  :doh: )

The single zip is a little too large for one attachment, as are some of the (optional) folders, so I've broken the set into portions and zipped those for attachment.

This initial post includes the files necessary to use the campaign generator: a folder for the excel spreadsheets (plus gifs of all the pages needed to run the game manually with a couple of dice and a pencil!); and a folder for how to use the sheets with CMBB (in both doc and pdf formats for convenience).

I have scanned them for viruses as of today, 2/24/23, but as of the same date I have not yet upgraded the excel sheets to a current excel format. The excel sheets DO have macros, so updating may be a good idea for modern systems and software. I'll try to remember to work on that later.

This (and its sister) thread may be more useful in another folder than "Computer Gaming", so I fully welcome migration somewhere more appropriate by ad/mods!

To the best of my knowledge, everything here should be copyright free, with all attribution to RobO and (through him) to some optional ready-made map designs in a folder I'll post soon.

To those not familiar with this now-classic and indeed legendary tool (or app as the kids say nowadays.... I assume the kids still say 'app', I have no idea...) I'll let RobO introduce it from his rulebook!

QuoteIn ROQC you play the role of a Platoon, Company or Battalion commander who leads his force through the whole or parts of the East Front campaign. You can start from Operation Barbarossa on June 22nd 1941 and will randomly roll up battles interspaced with periods of rest and refit. There should be on average one battle per month, amounting to ca. 50 battles to complete the full campaign. You can also play a shorter campaign by starting later and/or finishing earlier.

During this you will lose men and gain replacements, keep track of the experience of your units and upgrade your equipment. You will also earn or lose Favor as you go along. Favor can be used to upgrade your units and to gain favors from your superior commander, e.g. to make a battle less disadvantageous.

Many of the battles you encounter will not be balanced. The aim is not to provide fair fights, but to give you the challenge of surviving and learning through the war. Keep in mind that your opponent is the feeble AI and be glad if you get an easy battle.

The objective of each battle will depend on the operational situation. This operational situation is determined randomly, based on the historical situation at the time and region of the battle. This ensures a certain amount of historical accuracy and, more importantly, adds an element of strategy to the battle that goes beyond that of "yet another quick battle".

This guide provides instructions on how to use this campaign. It is supported by an automated spreadsheet that can be used to easily set up each battle and to keep track of your battles and men. The data sheets are also available as gif files for those who cannot use the spreadsheet.

While this campaign is based on historical facts, it is not historically accurate. A core force of the kind used here did not go through the whole East Front campaign in the fashion portrayed here. The rate of battles used here is obviously not realistic, but it is a design decision to allow you to proceed fairly quickly and try out different campaign forces.

I will add here that, if I remember correctly, you can set up your campaign to run battles more often than around once a month.

QuoteROQC consists of a series of quick battles, interspaced with a bit of bookkeeping. Your core force participates in all battles, and is supported by (or supports, if you prefer) varying troops from your side. This is basically what you will do:

1. Pick a nationality, time and place
2. Select (if this is the first battle) or update your core force.
3. Set up and play a quick battle following these rules.
4. Record data from the battle
5. Advance the time of the battle and go to 2.

Repeat until finished. That's all, really. You will be using both the editor and the QB generator, but it's all explained in detail later. Don't worry; you can accomplish this even if you have never opened the editor before. Note that the quick battles aren't just ordinary quick battles. They are part of a context and have a larger goal than just the standard CMBB victory criterion. And they are quite varied.

I have strived to make this campaign easy to use with simple rules, while providing variety and challenge. Several design decisions have been guided by this principle. The aim is to provide enjoyment and perhaps teach a bit of history along the way. It is not to provide meticulous historical accuracy.

The campaign is not set in stone. Feel free to modify it to suit your own preferences.

In other words, once (if ever) you understand the spreadsheet coding, modify it as you like!

Enough introduction to the main material -- you should see the three main zips posted below.
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

JasonPratt

The second part of the files, as shown below in four zips, includes some sample maps designed by the original fans of the ROQC (or RobO Q Campaign) system. They are not in any way necessary to play campaigns (even the premade ones); they are only intended to save some optional time if you don't feel like smoothing over some jankiness inherent in the quick-battle map generator in the game. By the same token, feel free to use any other pre-made maps for CMBB as appropriate.

There are also two folders of premade campaigns, which include pre-adjusted and partially generated spreadsheets plus (very important) a starting "cme" file which helps CMBB to set up the first mission. As the rules will show, another cme file will also be necessary, for porting over and back your core force, but this will be generated in the campaign spreadsheet. Naturally if you use these, make copies first and leave these alone so you don't overwrite and lose them! (Same is true for the main spreadsheets in the first post, for generating and following your own campaign.)

Rob's rules, toward the end, include references to all the pre-made campaigns included below.
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

ArizonaTank

Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Boggit

I wonder if it could be applied to the CMx2 series of games?

I remember back in the day that Battlefront had a developer working on a campaign overlay, but it fell through after the developer had financial and family issues. I feel for the developer, and it would have been an interesting project if completed. Don't know if RoBO was involved in that?

Nice to see the mod though and must think about reinstalling CMBB back onto the PC.

@Jason
Thanks for the Topic and the links.  :ThumbsUp:
The most shocking fact about war is that its victims and its instruments are individual human beings, and that these individual beings are condemned by the monstrous conventions of politics to murder or be murdered in quarrels not their own. Aldous Huxley

Foul Temptress! (Mirth replying to Gus) ;)

On a good day, our legislature has the prestige of a drunk urinating on a wall at 4am and getting most of it on his shoe. On a good day  ::) Steelgrave

It's kind of silly to investigate whether or not a Clinton is lying. That's sort of like investigating why the sky is blue. Banzai_Cat

JasonPratt

Since the whole thing is a set of paper rules (macro'd by an Excel sheet for convenience), theoretically it could work with CMx2. I don't think CMx2 system has a random map generator to help with map variety; I do think it can generate quick battles against an enemy force however...?

The point system on paper would have to be adjusted, but the paperwork does NOT require knowing all the different unit types in a game. It MIGHT require knowing all the parent-division types in the game, but I haven't gotten far enough in re-studying the ROQC system to see how that works. If I recall correctly, the system simply makes some division-types available or unavailable based on region and dates, and thus (in effect) locks or unlocks the TOAs of those divisions in the game's custom scenario editor.
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

DesertFox

Thank you so much for posting these!!  I can't count the number of battles I fought in these campaigns back in the good old days, and I couldn't find them anywhere on the internet!
"Information, the first principle of warfare, must form the foundation of all your efforts. Know, of course, thine enemy. But in knowing him do not forget above all to know thyself. The commander who embraces this totality of battle shall win, even with the inferior force."
-- Spartan Battle Manual