CM: Black Sea Strategy Discussion Thread

[JudgeDredd]

Good write up. I enjoyed the read and got some good info. Thanks boggit.  O0

[Nefaro]

This series could do with a "follow" order. Quite often I want my infantry to follow a tank or an APC providing cover for each other and I want to keep them close - not really possible with the speed options.

It's much more difficult in turn-based mode.  That's why I often just went back to real-time.  Trying to get APCs and infantry un/loaded and moving in a decent amount of time was a crap shoot.  I would sometimes end up with APCs moving out with the infantry running along behind them, attempting to load up, if I didn't get the time delays just right.  Or they would unload too early/late.  Was a mess.  Far easier to just pause and do it when you want in real-time, although you miss watching what's going on without the replay.  No happy middle ground there.

[JudgeDredd]

This series could do with a "follow" order. Quite often I want my infantry to follow a tank or an APC providing cover for each other and I want to keep them close - not really possible with the speed options.

It's much more difficult in turn-based mode.  That's why I often just went back to real-time.  Trying to get APCs and infantry un/loaded and moving in a decent amount of time was a crap shoot.  I would sometimes end up with APCs moving out with the infantry running along behind them, attempting to load up, if I didn't get the time delays just right.  Or they would unload too early/late.  Was a mess.  Far easier to just pause and do it when you want in real-time, although you miss watching what's going on without the replay.  No happy middle ground there.

That is indeed still an issue. What I've learned to do is just give the load order and leave the APC at station for the duration of the minute.

Of course - that does compound my other main gripe with the game - the time aspect. You're constantly clock watching and all the while wasting time with things like this.

I would love them to fix these things

• Vehicles moving off even though troops have a load order...just leave the unit their for as long as the troops are loading and then off it goes! (sounds simple)
• This "can't see the base of the unit firing on me and so I can't fire" crap...does my head in. It's not a mahoosive issue - but when it does show up, your troops are decimated

Apart from that, I'm loving Black Sea.  O0

[Nefaro]

This series could do with a "follow" order. Quite often I want my infantry to follow a tank or an APC providing cover for each other and I want to keep them close - not really possible with the speed options.

It's much more difficult in turn-based mode.  That's why I often just went back to real-time.  Trying to get APCs and infantry un/loaded and moving in a decent amount of time was a crap shoot.  I would sometimes end up with APCs moving out with the infantry running along behind them, attempting to load up, if I didn't get the time delays just right.  Or they would unload too early/late.  Was a mess.  Far easier to just pause and do it when you want in real-time, although you miss watching what's going on without the replay.  No happy middle ground there.

That is indeed still an issue. What I've learned to do is just give the load order and leave the APC at station for the duration of the minute.

Of course - that does compound my other main gripe with the game - the time aspect. You're constantly clock watching and all the while wasting time with things like this.

I would love them to fix these things

• Vehicles moving off even though troops have a load order...just leave the unit their for as long as the troops are loading and then off it goes! (sounds simple)
• This "can't see the base of the unit firing on me and so I can't fire" crap...does my head in. It's not a mahoosive issue - but when it does show up, your troops are decimated

Apart from that, I'm loving Black Sea.  O0

Yeah.  Being on a timer means that leaving your APCs sit, loaded, for a whole minute is a lot of extra wasted precious time.  Same could be said for coordinating anything in turn-based mode.

[JudgeDredd]

I have managed, for the most part, to deal with the time issue damage free...for the most part. In Black Sea, however, I have had troops running after my APC's. Often, when that has happened, they've just ran into trouble and died. Also, a compounding issue is that even more time is wasted because you have to get the motor vehicle back to where the troops are and load them THEN move the vehicle. It can end up wasting 3 or 4 minutes of game time - just getting troops loaded.

And all you are doing is being smart with the time...but the game doesn't let you. Vehicles that are the target of a load order need to hold until the troops are loaded. A lot of pain and dead pixel troops will be saved  :P

[Boggit]

Good write up. I enjoyed the read and got some good info. Thanks boggit.  O0

Thanks for that, I appreciate it. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It makes the whole thing worthwhile. :)

BTW, I think your idea for the 'Follow' order a good one. I know 'Slow' is supposed to move vehicles at the speed of infantry, but I find they don't always manage to keep up.

[Cyrano]

There have been requests for a "follow" command since the traffic cluster-screws of CMx1.

We continue to wait.

Game's truly awesome, though...

Best,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

[Boggit]

• Vehicles moving off even though troops have a load order...just leave the unit their for as long as the troops are loading and then off it goes! (sounds simple)
  

FWIW I find I can generally get around this by giving the vehicle a pause order followed by a move order. It's a bit hit or miss, so I tend to err slightly on the generous side - maybe an extra 5/10 seconds to get the troops on board then continue moving within the turn. I don't know what I'd do playing real-time, as I prefer playing the game turn based.

I hope that is some help for you. :)

[Yskonyn]

I use the pause order too.
Still I do find it strange that after all this time they still have not implemented some sort of awareness for vehicles to know when infantry want to board...


.

[undercovergeek]

well now im confused........

i have played CM meticulously for the last 8 years, WEGO, carefully plotting every step and carefully micro-ing every avenue of approach

i have been playing Wargame ALB non stop for the last  few weeks and decided to do some you-tubing for a rest and came across a Black Sea lets play - the guy was playing it like i play ALB, not so much the perfectionist, not so anal - and it looked awesome, he certainly seemed to enjoy it more than i do with my approach

i may splash the cash and play it like he does

[jomni]

well now im confused........

i have played CM meticulously for the last 8 years, WEGO, carefully plotting every step and carefully micro-ing every avenue of approach

i have been playing Wargame ALB non stop for the last  few weeks and decided to do some you-tubing for a rest and came across a Black Sea lets play - the guy was playing it like i play ALB, not so much the perfectionist, not so anal - and it looked awesome, he certainly seemed to enjoy it more than i do with my approach

i may splash the cash and play it like he does

Well playing RT does have its perks. But it does become really confusing in large battles as you can't watch the whole battlefield at the same time.  I used to play RT since the beginning (first campaign mission) but moved to do TB eventually so that I can watch what everyone is doing at all times and give them the appropriate orders.  This game needs more micromanagement than ALB.

[undercovergeek]

i think id still play WEGO, the guy hears tanks exploding and has no idea why or where the fire came from - its more his, im going to send some of these over..............here, and these.......... there, and these over here and lets see what happens approach that i find refreshing

[Con]

It will make IMO for a short game in CMBS.

The firepower and lethality of modern combat is breathtaking

Con

[undercovergeek]

you ready for some PBEM action when its bought?

[Con]

Playing my second PBEM game on CMBS right now.  The first one was Ambush where I had to get some trucks across a river through a Russian ambush.  Weird scoring I thought I did a lot better (got all the trucks off which was not easy) but it came out as a draw.  Now I am playing US side on Bridgehead at Karyalak.  Its a beautiful map but I had to stay hunkered down first 15 minutes as his attack helicopters pounded the forest that was my setup zone and his Arty kept my troops bottled up in their Bradleys.  It was a very frustrating start if I un-loaded them to try and get the MANPADS to work I would be fragged by the arty so I had to just endure.  Thats what makes the game great having to live with the real world consequences.

Now I am rolling forward but have lost a Bradley (that had all its laser warnings and smoke dischargers scoured off by a Hind gun run) so it was blind to a BMP tracking it and lighting it up.  One of my M1A12 SEP Abrams cooked the BMP in the same turn and now all my pixel troops are looking at each other and saying this crap is about to get real.

I have room for another battle when you get the game

Con