Combat Mission: Shock Force AAR

[Trash]

<strong>[ Article ]</strong>

<p align="left">Trash lets little men murder each other in this <a href="http://www.tacticularcancer.com/content.php?id=59">Combat Mission Shockforce AAR</a>.</p><blockquote><p align="left">I've been given two battalions of infantry with Strykers and a battery of mortars as backup with some snipers and machineguns for good measure. There are also supposed to be two Abrahms tanks that will show up later. Three of the Strykers have grenade launchers besides their machineguns.

The probability is large that I outgun the insurgents, especially with the Strykers. That means that the open space around the town favors me. However, once I enter the town that advantage will soon evaporate. I mostly worry about RPGs and IEDs. </p></blockquote><p><a href="http://www.tacticularcancer.com/gallery.php?dir=Combat%20Mission%20Shock%20Force&file=16.jpg" target="_blank"><div style="text-align: center"><img src="http://www.tacticularcancer.com/screenshots/Combat%20Mission%20Shock%20Force/thumbs/16_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="16.jpg" width="200" height="125" /></div></a></p><br/><br/><strong>Read: </strong><a href="http://www.tacticularcancer.com/content.php?id=59">Combat Mission: Shock Force AAR</a>

 

[GarfunkeL]

Nice AAR. Is the UI improved from first Combat Missions? I remember it was very clunky (when compared to Close Combat and Steel Panthers) - if its better now I should give this a try.

Do the missions include civilians? Is there any penalty for destroying a village completely? Also, can you play as insurgents?

 

[Trash]

The interface is a lot smoother but doesn't approach the smoothness of something like the CC games. It is however imo the only of the new tactical wargames really worth playing. The Battlefront website has a demo if you want to give it a try.

http://www.battlefront.com/

Some missions do include civilians. Mostly however they are around as an abstraction. Which means that insurgents and suicide vehicles may or may not stand out immediately. Wether you get a penalty for destroying a town depends on the scenario. The campaign is based around Coalition forces, the stand alone missions can often be played from both sides and often focus on one or the other. There are also many user made missions and even campaigns out there, some putting the original ones to shame.

 

[Chinese Jetpilot]

I've been out of the loop for quite awhile regarding real strategy games. Now that I've recovered from my PTSD and MAD, I'm intrigued by CMSF, as I always wanted to conduct regime change against an ophthalmologist. I want little to do with faggot Marines and crooked-tooth limeys, for obvious reasons, so how is the original game (a detailed review isn't necessary, general pros/cons would be fine)? I see a few summaries of the add-on modules on here, but not the original game itself, though I may have missed it. Can't try the demo because I'm on dial-up.

Also, does it intensively utilize the CPU? I plan on playing on a laptop while on battery power (dual core CPU).

 

[Trash]

Pro: Fun, lots of gear to play with, purrdy, lots of user made missions, both in TB and RT.

Con: Shit AI (which is most often negated by mission design), learning curve.

If you enjoyed any of the previous CM games chances are that you'll like this. Wouldn't know if its particularly CPU intensive.

 

[Chinese Jetpilot]

Con: Shit AI

Maybe that's an accurate portrayal of the Syrians.

/imperial hubris.

Anyway, you cut that pretty thin, but good enough for me. Thanks. I'll be sure to pick this up, and we'll see if Shinseki was right about these Stryker brigades.