Combat Mission: Black Sea

General
1

Hey, I was wondering if there are any fans of “hardcore” tactical RTS games like Combat Mission ?

This is not your average unit spam game like Wargame or C&C. The graphic is not as impressive as in AAA titles but the game makes up for it and more with realistic combat and engaging gameplay. This is by far my favourite RTS.

For interested in it check the demo, there are 2 mission + training which can be played online 1v1: battlefront.com/index.php?op … Itemid=584

2

Hey,

I’ve played CM2: Barbarossa to Berlin since about 2006 and I still love it. The newer versions have more content, but they are just ridiculously expensive (around $60-$70)!

3

Price was holding me from buying too. I guess I somehow felt that no other game gives me this level of challenge.(I always try to bring every man back home alive, and its hard. :laughing:)

Black Sea is about 2017 conflict in Ukr between Russia and NATO. It uses CM3 engine. It’s 55$ for where I live and to be honest I have already sunk 150+ hours in to that game… that’s even less than half a dollar for a hour of entertainment.

I just can’t play less complicated RTS any more. Feels boring without units limited ammo, realistic field of vision or com link and morale etc etc.

Demo has two fixed missions, one for inf and other with mechanized inf, you might think of giving it a try :unamused: …although quick missions where you build your own battle group are probably most fun.

4

Have you guys tried RUSE or Wargame?

5

Yeah, I know those games. I find them a bit arcadey compared to CM. I mean they look nicer and have more chaotic explosions going around but CM has things like;

Individual units handling equipment, so you see exactly what soldier carry, AR or light AT and if he goes down, and you want your AT back, have to go and pick it up.
Or that every soldier aims independently, and units don’t share field of vision but rather exchange intel via com link.
I guess the major thing for me is, there are no health bars. Penetration on the armoured vehicle will knock it out, maybe even kill crew member or two. Projectiles fallow ballistic trajectory and can be combated by reactive armour if it hits the block. There is range of ATGM’s, precision guided artillery or active protection systems, and you can call CAS air-strikes, but CAS have no physical model in game.
The time to kill is very realistic and smallest mistake can cost you whole section of infantry or few vehicles… things go shit in seconds.

  • If the sq ldr dies, the second in command will take control and you will see this have effect on units morale, can make them nervous or cautious, they even have different names and call signs. Sometimes the second guy might do better job than the first guy. Because of that attention to detail every death feels so personal. I love that.
    You might win a match but if costs were to great you don’t feel like a victor at all. I just look at the battlefield laid with corpses and think that losing so many skilled soldier would be a true tragedy. Or when I lose APC/IFV with squad inside to a single ATGM that I didn’t anticipated… I feel like I want to go home. :laughing:
    But ending match with only wounded and no deaths, (yeah units have few states like; alive, wounded, incapacitated and dead.) feels good.

Btw. Have you played any of Theatre of War games?