2013 Combat Mission Poll

Michael Dorosh · October 16, 2013, 07:32:27 AM

Active link for the poll here - requires registration at BGG/VGG

Links to previous years:

2012 - http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/850101/2012-combat-mission-poll
2011 - http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/700240/2011-combat-mission-poll

undercovergeek · October 16, 2013, 07:35:44 AM

what are you attempting to coallate?

Michael Dorosh · October 16, 2013, 07:56:29 AM

Quote from: undercovergeek on October 16, 2013, 07:35:44 AM
what are you attempting to coallate?

Jay Richardson - the fellow I credit at the top of my posts - did this every year:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/609729/the-asl-survey-2011

The ASL Survey seemed like a neat idea; I thought it would be fun to do the same for the CM community. Interesting that 450 fellows self-identified as still playing ASL in 2011, and less than 1/10 that many registered users of the site could be found that both played CM and chose to participate in the CM survey that year.

GJK · October 16, 2013, 07:58:51 AM

Neat poll. The big shocker for me was to see that CMx1 is being played more than the newer releases, or so it's indicated as such early in this voting. I haven't yet gone to look at the past two polls to see if that was the trend then as well however.

It's good to see that people are still using The Scenario Depot II and The Proving Grounds. I've thought about letting them go over the past few years when renewal for the domain has come up but with (currently) 57% of the scenario downloads coming from them, I'm encouraged to keep them running.

I've actually been getting back in to CMx1 lately. I have a pbem going and have been playing solo on the weekends. I wouldn't mind getting (more) in to the newer engine but I find myself going back to CMx1 each time. Just a comfort level thing I'm sure.

MengJiao · October 16, 2013, 09:23:20 AM

Quote from: GJK on October 16, 2013, 07:58:51 AM
Neat poll.

I'll probably get back into CM2.X when it does the Eastern Front.

SgtRock · October 16, 2013, 09:25:05 AM

Get rid of that god awful DRM, then we can talk!:o

JudgeDredd · October 16, 2013, 10:00:46 AM

I tried to play CM:BfN last night...I opened up a scenario and whilst it looked delicious, I simply could not be arsed. That was made worse by two things

1. Loading up a scenario seeing a wall of units (I prefer smaller engagements) - and coming out and going back in until I find a small unit engagement
2. Seeing my units. no matter how careful you are, get hit by some weapon or other...and there's NO indication whatsoever of where that came from. They can see you but you can't see them. It might be realistic - but boy does that make for an infuriating game.

I really, really don't understand my block with these games. I want to play. I want to learn. But seemingly not enough. I've sat and watched a shed load (half a dozen?) of those Armchair General videos...now they make me want to play...then I open a scenario and see the sea of units...I try to go down to eye level to try and see what they can see - but really? For all of them?

Nah. That's two reasons why I haven't picked up Market Garden - and the other of course is the DRM. I did write and tell BF in my support mail, but they aren't interested...they'll keep it there. So be it.

GJK · October 16, 2013, 10:12:09 AM

Did you ever play the earlier CM games JD (CMBO, CMBB, CMAK)?

Bison · October 16, 2013, 10:16:20 AM

Well with mg you can sort the battles by size now. Also a unit symbol in contact will flash and generally the unit firing is visible to the unit being attacked. Yes I folded and bought mg on Sunday. Install was easy and fuss free for me.

MengJiao · October 16, 2013, 10:20:05 AM

Quote from: JudgeDredd on October 16, 2013, 10:00:46 AM
I tried to play CM:BfN last night...I opened up a scenario and whilst it looked delicious, I simply could not be arsed. That was made worse by two things

1. Loading up a scenario seeing a wall of units (I prefer smaller engagements) - and coming out and going back in until I find a small unit engagement
2. Seeing my units. no matter how careful you are, get hit by some weapon or other...and there's NO indication whatsoever of where that came from. They can see you but you can't see them. It might be realistic - but boy does that make for an infuriating game.

I really, really don't understand my block with these games. I want to play. I want to learn. But seemingly not enough. I've sat and watched a shed load (half a dozen?) of those Armchair General videos...now they make me want to play...then I open a scenario and see the sea of units...I try to go down to eye level to try and see what they can see - but really? For all of them?

Nah. That's two reasons why I haven't picked up Market Garden - and the other of course is the DRM. I did write and tell BF in my support mail, but they aren't interested...they'll keep it there. So be it.

I recommend using the editor to set up small situations and learning as you go on to expand to larger battles. CM2 is a very rewarding game system, well worth learning and putting up with the DRM. I have set CM2 aside for the time being -- I know it is a great system, but since I know that, I'm more interested in looking into other systems (and keeping up with must-haves like Espana and Rome II and trying out new kinds of games -- new for me anyway -- like Sir, You are being hunted.)

Learning how spotting and visibility works is essential. The game system is somewhat tricky, but pretty intuitive once you see what it is trying to show you. I only play in real time vs the AI so as things go wrong, I can stop units and send up some scouts or something. WEGo must be frustrating indeed. I can't see how or why anyone plays WEGO vs the AI. I haven't played anything but RT since Shockforce in 2007.

JudgeDredd · October 16, 2013, 10:37:00 AM

Quote from: Bison on October 16, 2013, 10:16:20 AM
Well with mg you can sort the battles by size now. Also a unit symbol in contact will flash and generally the unit firing is visible to the unit being attacked. Yes I folded and bought mg on Sunday. Install was easy and fuss free for me.

It can be. But when one version says you have to unregister it and another you cannot - but you only read the instructions for the latest one (which says you can't unregister) and you uninstall them all thinking that's the case for them all so you can build your new PC - you end up in a bit of a bind and waiting until their tech support get back to you (which was reasonably quick - but that is not ideal and not a situation I would like to repeat - so I'm not).

JudgeDredd · October 16, 2013, 10:39:32 AM

Quote from: MengJiao on October 16, 2013, 10:20:05 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on October 16, 2013, 10:00:46 AM
I tried to play CM:BfN last night...I opened up a scenario and whilst it looked delicious, I simply could not be arsed. That was made worse by two things

1. Loading up a scenario seeing a wall of units (I prefer smaller engagements) - and coming out and going back in until I find a small unit engagement
2. Seeing my units. no matter how careful you are, get hit by some weapon or other...and there's NO indication whatsoever of where that came from. They can see you but you can't see them. It might be realistic - but boy does that make for an infuriating game.

I really, really don't understand my block with these games. I want to play. I want to learn. But seemingly not enough. I've sat and watched a shed load (half a dozen?) of those Armchair General videos...now they make me want to play...then I open a scenario and see the sea of units...I try to go down to eye level to try and see what they can see - but really? For all of them?

Nah. That's two reasons why I haven't picked up Market Garden - and the other of course is the DRM. I did write and tell BF in my support mail, but they aren't interested...they'll keep it there. So be it.

I recommend using the editor to set up small situations and learning as you go on to expand to larger battles. CM2 is a very rewarding game system, well worth learning and putting up with the DRM. I have set CM2 aside for the time being -- I know it is a great system, but since I know that, I'm more interested in looking into other systems (and keeping up with must-haves like Espana and Rome II and trying out new kinds of games -- new for me anyway -- like Sir, You are being hunted.)

Learning how spotting and visibility works is essential. The game system is somewhat tricky, but pretty intuitive once you see what it is trying to show you. I only play in real time vs the AI so as things go wrong, I can stop units and send up some scouts or something. WEGo must be frustrating indeed. I can't see how or why anyone plays WEGO vs the AI. I haven't played anything but RT since Shockforce in 2007.

The editor is a pita...having to select an entire force and removing units...and quick battles always seemed rubbish in setup and playout to me.

Real time for me since Shock Force also.

Bison · October 16, 2013, 10:44:23 AM

Which game? Cmbn has never had the option to unlicense, which ill agree is stupid. However I've installed it on numerous systems without much hassle beyond having to request an additional key once. That was annoying, but it was a quick process to get.

MengJiao · October 16, 2013, 10:47:26 AM

Quote from: JudgeDredd on October 16, 2013, 10:39:32 AM
The editor is a pita...having to select an entire force and removing units...and quick battles always seemed rubbish in setup and playout to me.

Real time for me since Shock Force also.

The editor isn't that bad. If you want small battles and want to vary them to learn the game, the editor is the only way to go.

JudgeDredd · October 16, 2013, 10:50:09 AM

Quote from: GJK on October 16, 2013, 10:12:09 AM
Did you ever play the earlier CM games JD (CMBO, CMBB, CMAK)?

Yes. Enjoyed quite a few battles on them.

I certainly don't remember them being as unforgiving as the new system.

I started with 3x4 scout cars last night - nothing else. I checked the ground from ground level and saw where I wanted to place my scout cars so they could oversee the objective (it was my objective to recce) and BAM! BAM! - 2 down in flames within a short space of time...and not a SINGLE indication of where the fire came from. Not even a guess! Just 2 flaming heaps. When the first one was hit, I was hoping for some kind of indication as to direction of fire from the other two...but nope. Then the second got hit. I was lucky enough to reverse the 3rd out of there, moved him along the ridge and creep back up - and soon after - BAM! down he goes!

If I can't find the enemy without suffering 100% losses I don't really know what the game is trying to get me to achieve. I don't see what I could've done different given the AG video about OCOKA

Anyway - as per the norm, got bored, came out and moved on. Harder grogs might have stayed - but I try and game for fun. When it's a chore (and I don't mean losing...I mean when the gameplay seems to be missing) then I just move on. No doubt I'll fire it up in a month or two again.

Strangely enough I never found Shock Force as infuriating. Maybe I should just stick to that.