Combat Command- Matrix Edition

Started by -budd-, December 04, 2016, 08:35:27 PM

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-budd-

Since the Matrix holiday sale is going on thought i would show case my one my favorite wargames in a small AAR. Combat Command is a combination of Danger Forward and Desert Rats in one package. I never played those games but some of you may know them. Combat Command contains 40+ scenarios of all sizes with some from each theater, west, east, pacific. 500 meter hexes with company sized elements, artillery units are battalion in size, 2 hour daylight turns, 4 hour night turns. if you need fancy graphics you wont find them here, basic graphics with phased game play and a pretty good AI. The game is currently on sale for $7.99, here's the info page ... http://www.matrixgames.com/products/404/details/Combat.Command:.The.Matrix.Edition I believe those screen shots are with the old graphics, i believe the game come stock with Jmass redone map graphics which you'll see in the screen shots. Its a very small download at about 24 megs, size on disk for me is 223 megs.i'm running it fine on Win10 home 64, the only trouble i had was i originally installed on the D drive and my scenarios didnt show up, installing on the C drive fixed this for me. So lets get started.

Here's the screen at start, you can see the variety of the scenarios.



I'll just be playing at the defaults but there are things you can adjust for the AI.The attack strength modifier adjust from -2 weaker to +2 stronger regarding column shifts for the AI. Attack Tactics goes from normal to spread out to concentrated. normal means the AI will try to get 4 to 1 odds when attacking, spread out is 2 to 1 and concentrated is 6 to 1. Command check is how easy or difficult the AI units stay in command. Aggressiveness settings are as follows, very defensive prone, defensive prone, midway, attack prone. So there are a few settings you can adjust to get the game you like from the AI, its a basic game so the AI holds up pretty good. Did i mention its only $7.99



I'll be playing the San Pietro scenario here's the scoop


I'll be showing screens of how to do things are i need them.
Here's the opening screen of the scenario with my forces and my starting plan. This is the second highest zoom,there are 4 zoom levels. The victory box is open and you can see there are 6 VP's and 225 points of VP's on the map with San Pietro's VP coming in at 100 points, the rest 25 each. So San Peitro will be the priority. The 36th infantry division HQ is the map boss with the forces under his command showing on map. I also have 3 tank battalions attached directly to the 36th HQ, 2 of these i will immediately attach to the 141st to assist in the attack on San Pietro, i''l keep one is reserve. Its a 3 day scenario so judging by my distance from the VP's i should have plenty of time. i did notice the scenario designer started my forces in attack posture so the action might not be far away.




This screen is one zoom closer, there's one more zoom in level. i have the terrain labeled, mountainous, rough, high ground, clear and forest. The blue lines are streams, no major rivers on this map there all streams. The black lines are major roads and the brown lines are secondary roads. That big german cross is an unidentified unit. I've already attached my 2 tank battlions and i have one selected and am preparing to move them forward, the green numbers show how many points left after moving there and green indicates i would still be able to make a posture change after the move, the red numbers indicate i would not be able to change posture when moving there.The info box for the unit is on the left, the unit is in attack posture, not disrupted,and in full supply. You can see the other postures i can change the unit to, travel which means you can move longer distances but you fight at a very reduced rate if you run into the enemy, only use when no enemy around.Reserve posture i generally use when i withdraw a unit that taken losses and/or disrupted and becoming ineffective, reserve helps the unit recover faster. defensive posture is pretty self explanatory except for the fact that its the only posture you can direct fire from, so attacking take some planning, moving your units into position, flipping some into defensive for your base of fire for your assaulting troops. Also the move dialog box is open, you select units with this box all, some or one. The mini map is a must for jumping around when zoomed in, the boxes are movable.



artillery range highlight, all shaded red so my unit is good to go. Notice its emplaced, must be emplaced to shoot, move mode to travel.


HQ subunits highlighted and command range.i've moved the 141st toward San Peitro .



Cropped shot of the closest zoom after the 141st moves. i took a hit and 2 disruptions and one unit ran into a mine field. You can see the red square on the hit unit, one more hit and its toast.units can have a max of 3 hits, each hit is approx. a platoon.



Supply trace, as long as you can trace a clear line back to a supply source free of enemy units and enemy units ZOC your good to go, no distance limitations.


End of turn one. Only shots fired were around San Peitro.








Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

End of my second movement phase 0800 12/15/43
The AI finished turn one got the initiative and started turn 2. I lose K company south of San Peitro[skull on map], we exchange arty fire, i have to displace my HQ and arty[green star]. We move forward toward are assault positions. Early intelligence identifies german infantry companies at VP's[blue squares] north to south-Hill 687, Mt. Summucro, Hill 343. At San Pietro[yellow square] so far a german assault gun platoon, geman infantry have been identified and there is also an unidentified unit in San Pietro. At San Pietro i move my MG's into position and change them to defend status so they can direct fire in support[south, red squares.] Up at hill 687 i keep moving the 504th into position, i change posture on the companies G,H,I to defend until everyone else gets into position[north red square].
The plan is to keep moving into assault positions, then i may switch the units around the VP's to defend and put some fire on the VP's and also hammer with arty for a few cycles , then assault.



Here's a couple of screens showing unit disruption 0-4 [top] and unit posture A=assault, D= defend, T=travel, E= Emplaced, there's also W= withdraw

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

JasonPratt

Oh, that's a rather nice little system! -- haven't played Combat Command before (Matrix edition or otherwise).
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!

-budd-

It really is a nice system. It's simple enough the AI can play a good game and you can get up and running after 5 minutes in the manual. I haven't used the editor but people on the forums says it's the easiest editor to use. The postures force you to plan ahead, you can't direct or OP fire in assault posture, only in defend. Have to flip to withdrawal posture to pull back during the withdrawal phase  and you might take damage when withdrawing. Once your next to an enemy unit you can only use the infiltrate move, one square max and you may fail the check and be stuck while taking disruption and OP fire.  The game plays fast, the computer handles all OP fire so things move along.
Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

This is a nice little feature, set what your counter shows per unit type.


Back to the battle.
12/15/1943-1200 hours
After  dropping some arty and laying down some suppressing fire i decide to assault. I probably hurried this a bit but noticed some units working there way toward San Pietro, going in and out of FOW.
I assault everywhere except San Pietro, just dont think i have the odds in my favor, turns out the odds didnt work for me anywhere :pullhair:

Assault locations and results....grim... I have the Mt.Sammucro assault designation box open, i have 5 under strength companies with arty assaulting, with 2 companies in reserve.


I dont lose any units during the assaults, just a lot of hits, disruptions and withdrawals. I did lose G company of 141st south of San Pietro to direct fire and E company of 504th got wiped out south of hill 687 VP trying to withdraw after the failed assault.

12/15/1943 - 1600- current
I plan to pull back from San Pietro for the time being, im not strong enough to assault and my units are getting the worst of the fire[yellow arrows]. I withdraw the disrupted units[red squares] and put them in reserve posture to recover and start bringing the second line of units up to assault locations. I had to pull back one battalion of tanks, they were disrupted from the fire from San Pietro. I'm bringing up my last reserve tank battalion[ blue square]. Im planning to concentrate my arty on the 2 north objectives to help the 504th and 143rd take there objectives. Enemy units from the north appear an infantry company and towed anti-tank unit[white square] i'll flip some units from the 142nd into defend and put those enemy units under fire to prevent them or at least slow them down if there headed for San Pietro.


here's the OOB screen, i have few units out of command[more if i scroll down]. Besides distance there is a random factor at play here.
Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

12/15/43-1800 hours

Well what the assaults didnt acomplish direct fire and arty did. enemy vacates 2 VP's- Mt. Lungo in the south and Hill 687 in the north :bd:. I'll occupy Mt. Lungo VP[#1] and then push some units south to help the Italians deal with the armored infantry at VP Hill 343, then attack the recon infantry and destroy them or make them withdraw. At Hill 687 [#2] i'll have the 504th occupy the objective then go on the defensive at the indicated lines, pull back any disrupted units. I'll concentrate my arty  and some direct fire on VP Mt. Summucro[blue circle] and assault again if needed with the 143rd, i lost F company of the 143rd, it got disrupted and died trying to withdraw. On a happier note i eliminated the enemies towed AT[skull]. New enemy units appeared around San Pietro and Hill 687.

With dark coming i hope to occupy Hill 343 in the south,clear that recon unit and start moving towards San Pietro during the night. I'll probably pull back my MG units south of San Pietro as there taking fire from the assault guns in San Pietro, at least until dark. I'm hoping the 143rd came take Mt. Summucro shortly and then start helping with the San Pietro problem, hoping to envelope San Pietro from 3 sides.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

12/16/43- 0200-night has fall
After some arty and an assault by 4 companies from 143rd the enemy at VP Mt. Sammucro is destroyed and we advance forward[yellow circle]. I have the 504th set in a defensive posture, fire is being exchanged with enemy units. I've shifted arty priority to San Pietro and Hill 343[blue circles], the italians will assault soon. I've pushed units from the 142nd forward and cut the road to San Pietro.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

12/16/43- 0600-daybreak
I send the Italians to assault VP Hill343, it does not go well, 2 companies destroyed, the assault fails. I push units across the stream toward San Pietro, i lose another unit to direct fire. I'm beginning to think the dice are against me, My 3 armor battalions and one infantry unit has been firing from the forest at one unit[blue circle, arrow] and nada, zilch, zippo...no damage. The Italians might be on their own, i need to start squeezing San Pietro. My arty will start dropping on San Pietro and i'll start shifting units around, i might have to use arty up north as the 504th is under heavy fire. Disruption level shown lower map.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

panzerde

Man, this is a great little game. I haven't played it since we talked about it last year. Might be time to dust it off!

"This damned Bonaparte is going to get us all killed" - Jean Lannes, 1809

Castellan -  La Fraternite des Boutons Carres

-budd-

Thats one thing about this game, no matter how long your gone you can just jump back in and play. There's a few scenarios for download over at Matrix, ones a 16 day Siapan scenario. I've been on a war game craze lately, playing CSME pbem, bought and am playing LNL HOS(got my ass kicked), COH since they released it on steam and lastly the new strategic command.
I'd like to mod the counters but no idea how with them all on one sheet, the rectangle shape bugs me a bit. Jmass made some square counters but the map graphics that go with aren't to my liking and there only zoom1. Don't suppose you know how to mod the graphic sheets?  Everything I've tried hasn't worked.

I realize I've ways been the attacker when I've played this game, next scenario ill go on defense and crank up the AI aggressiveness and see how it does. I think I mentioned this game every holiday sale, I think $7.99 is the cheapest it's ever been.
Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

12/16/43 -1200
I assault San Pietro[yellow square], i get rejected, pull battered units back, shift fresh forces in and assault again...mix in some arty pounding.......I think i'm wearing them down  :knuppel2:
Found out what that FOW unit was in San Pietro....damn AT gun.....Lost 2 battalions of my tanks and had to withdraw the third back to recover. i did take out that AT-gun with some arty and damaged the armored infantry unit in San Pietro, wearing them down. i took out that infantry recon company[skull] and will start shifting the 142nd to San Pietro. That armored infantry unit directly north of San Pietro looks weak and is about to go down, i'm little worried about that stack by San Pietro, 2 full strength infantry companies and a recon company, hoping they dont move into San Pietro. Up north the 504th is still holding the line, dug in. Looks like the Italians might just take hill 343, german unit is down to one platoon left and disrupted, might chance an assault by the Italians. Anymore assaults on San Pietro are going to have to wait for the 142nd to arrive, going to be tough if those full strength companies move into San Pietro.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

Tightening the noose on San Pietro, but its costly, i lose a company to that fat stack of germans and 2 other companies take hits and im going to have to withdraw them. The Italian assault of Hill 343 is a success and i move the Italians north to help out. dont think that fat german stack will want to move and give up there fort level which judging by there DV is fort level 3.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

12/17/43 -0600
San Pietro Falls after repeated arty and assaults <:-) ...can i hold, looks like that german stack has flipped to assault posture, also some some units from the north come down. The Ai is also making a move up north.....here comes the counter attack.....my units in/ around San Pietro are in bad shape.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

-budd-

12/17/43 - 0800
COUNTERATTACKS...... [blue squares]After 2 assaults at hill 687 im pushed out. Going to push whatever units i can back in.F company[ southern blue square] has been holding up the german reinforcements from the north in a heroic effort :clap:...but looks like there toast now......medals all around....probably posthumously. San Pietro holds on against an assault and a couple arty bombardments, but the troops are in bad shape...i have to get some more units in there[yellow square]. I've been pounding the German stack by San Pietro with arty and direct fire, since there out of there holes they been taking more damage. must hold San Pietro for the MV.
Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

JudgeDredd

Great AAR - thanks budd.   :clap:

I was play testing this for a short period in BETA and whilst I was never a fan of the look, the game had interesting mechanics, a good scale and, even back then, a fairly solid AI iirc.
Alba gu' brath