CMBN: The Scottish Corridor 02: The Road to Cheux

[@Coddykin]

One thing I've learned about CM is to never play a scenario, unless it's a really short one, all in one sitting. For me it's inevitable that I start getting more and more impatient and start making more and more mistakes and if I spread a scenario over a couple of days I always end up coming up with new ideas on how to tackle the scenario in between play sessions.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yeah. Having a break in the next one definitely helped. Sort of.

[@sullybiker6520]

@@usuallyhapless9481 If memory serves, they calm down a bit after this one (with one exception that you'll get to) and I don't expect you'll have much struggle with your usual standard of play. This one really plays to the things that make CM2 hard: Tight time, close ranges (making the German split MG squads an absolute nightmare) and of course, a honking great tank. I know some people attempted this having no Churchills, having lost both in the previous scenario. I think I'd just give up lol. BTW the heat rounds did pretty well when I played, and I think you can get the tank through the farmyard and around the corner where it can get LOS on the whole orchard.

[@MannyS9000]

This mission was frustratingly difficult so im glad im not the only one who suffered in this mission

[@sullybiker6520]

This was a memorable mission for me, again took me a couple of attempts because with such low numbers you've got no margin for error. The time limit is very harsh too. To paraphrase Paper Tiger from BF Forums - "Anyone can win a scenario with a lot of time on the clock", so he uses the clock as a force multiplier. For the bad guys. Like it or lump it (I am still undecided) it's a very memorable mission.

[@ccccccc95]

Lets rage!! Another episode! I just downloaded CMFI and CMBFN demos. Still trying to figure everything out though. Thanks for getting me into this game man, keep up the videos!

[@andreass2301]

Anti-Tank units' inability to spot in this game is an endless frustration, though if I am honest, I'm not sure if I'd actually spot a damn thing if put in the situation myself. Also, watching this makes me think how fun it'd be if Combat Mission was combined with Close Combat: Gateway to Caen's operational mode.

[@Tomatow]

You might wanna check out graviteam tactics.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

CM is so much better with some kind of operational level.

[@Marth667]

These can't come out fast enough, no really. They cannot come out fast enough, how else am I going to complete this damnable campaign otherwise? Amazing work -happy- hapless, thanks to you I have found the solution to all life's problems, the sufficient application of artillery.

[@TheAdronio]

Yeah, that looked rough, although honestly, considering what you were up against it went pretty well, mistakes and all. Getting an almost even loss ratio like that + knocking out a tank destroyer with such a hasty and weakly supported attack is impressive enough. Punching the clock to get a total (or close to) victory could probably have been possible with a few less mistakes and some more aggressive infantry work with smoke grenades and explosive grenades both, but as you mentioned the British really seem to struggle in this sort of knife fight.

[@Prederick]

Love these. Your videos brought me back to CM, and I've gone from "apocalyptically terrible" to "just bad" thanks to watching and learning from your content. Here's hoping we get to "tries hard, but ultimately disappointing" soon! XD

[@usuallyhapless9481]

It's all about failing forward ;)

[@keithskaggs6719]

I've watched many of your videos. You are a skilled writer/narrator/editor. Thanks for doing the work!

[@brokenglass9814]

This is perhaps the only time I've ever felt your frustration in a script, that bad huh?

[@Ithikialau]

You're first time playing this campaign? One of the most difficult campaigns in a stock release. A good challenge... but good luck.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yep, first time. Definitely a change of pace from the usual stuff.

[@HouseholdDog]

How embarrassing. I let this sit in my notifications for over 20 hours. Unforgivable!

[@Requin87]

Good result in a challenging mission! I definitely found this one of the more frustrating scenarios in the campaign.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Ta very much! ... wait, are you suggesting it gets easier? ;)

[@undaijoubunii-chan586]

excellent editing as always! thanks for your continued posting of your AAR's

[@vinnart]

Well played and presented hapless. Haven't played cnbn in the longest time, but remember it being some of the most challenging scenarios especially since I was playing it as a new cmx2 player back when it first came out.

[@spencersmith4373]

Highly recommend the broken shields campaign from CMRTFR, hope to see it on your channel someday

[@Philhamm]

Is this déjà vu? I have the strangest feeling that I've seen this video before. Oh, it must be because the video was released a whole week early for Hapless' patrons...

[@rayzy4715]

reminder. 40min=40moves love ya context man

[@rorowang7872]

This will be the new road to montebourg

[@renes9966]

6:19 epic little sequence there!! Love these cinematic momebts

[@bmhh123]

I am enjoying this series.

[@TCrag]

Great video.

[@theidiot9085]

Funnily enough, this was by far the easiest mission for me when I played this campaign (which I never finished, got too frustrated after making it to like the 7th mission as the difficulty never lets up). Ended up taking only around 5 casualties and knocking out the Jagdpanzer with the PIAT from the 2nd floor of a building easily. I ended up crossing the open field on the left-hand side of the map as I knew that the SS with their dreaded MG 42 spam would mow my men down quickly if I went into the village. My entire force ended up behind the enemy and I had my Churchill (which had a lot of ammo left, luckily) obliterate all of the enemy positions before moving infantry up. The trick with this campaign seems to be to just totally avoid the enemy if you can!

[@TopHatHat]

Just took this mission having both of my Churchill's immobilized by mines in the last mission, needless to say this one was very rough.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

That's always reassuring to hear. You might the bonus mission interesting ;)

[@masonm9316]

The next mission I remember will in fact be worse than this, especially when it comes to spotting…

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yes. The next mission is... let's say messy? ;)

[@Vkhani12345]

That damn jagdpanzer!

[@Gunnery2]

Played the campaign a few years ago and this one was painful for the same reasons you found.

[@mymneisadj]

LOL!!!!! "This mission definitely sucked " is exactly what i said both times i played it......

[@markraffety3246]

The problems that the small teams presented here is interesting. I started relying more on teams after I played German a few times on the eastern front. I started splitting teams off from larger infantry units but I didn't find this as effective. The more MGs and shrecks on the field the better. I found the same tactics don't work as well against the US as M1 garands snuff small teams pretty fast. Point of curiosity: did the British army regard a Bren as a full LMG or was it used more like the US BAR? Excellent video as always UH. Point of note: 'Germans in the Attic ' would be a pretty good name for a band.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

It depends a lot on the German unit in question. Panzergrenadiers have 2 MGs per squad, so much more effective to split them up. But yeah: the Americans have more low level firepower than pretty much anyone except Soviet SMG troops; and the British did regard the bren as a full on LMG rather than an automatic rifle like how the US saw the BAR.

[@wheneggsdrop1701]

Suddenly a bad day doesn't seem so bad 🤔

[@JuergenGDB]

Another great batrep Hapless. Say where do you get maps like at :12 in the video. Just asking, I have tons of books but was just curious. Great for map making in CM series.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Aggressive image searching, usually.

[@SimpleWineChannel]

Cool. What are B&W shots in the end of the video? Are they alternative scenarios replays?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yep. Ways it could have panned out differently

[@aaronjones2117]

If you were a sad muppet like me, and lost the first mission, you would face a Stug III instead of a Jagdpanzer. Do you think that would have made a difference?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Not much- I think the problem was at the PIAT end, rather than the tank end. The Stugs are about the same height IIRC, which was waht was probably contributing most to the spotting issues.

[@wartsnall7332]

This mission is certainly easier when you fight it with both tanks and a decent ammo count. You did well under the circumstances.

[@System-Update]

This mission is a mega frustration. I hated it. And you are correct about Watney; total tool.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yet one of his ancestors gets to Mars. Weird.

[@System-Update]

@@usuallyhapless9481 took me a minute! 🤣

[@wartsnall7332]

The worst thing about Watney, was Red Barrel.

[@YourRulerSkeletos]

Haven't ever seen a tank run out of MG ammo before, really shows how bad these back to back scenarios where the tanks are leaned on so heavily for suppression are unsustainable without resupply. Always surprised to never see the Bren carrier or any other light armor used in this role in CM videos, considering its the only thing they can really do.

[@jakeman52]

The piat soldiers made me laugh. Thickest bush in france.

[@clintdiamond9145]

Love your videos Hapless. I've got a question for you. How the hell are you getting CMBN to run so smoothly? I reinstalled for the first time in years this past week and to my horror the game becomes unplayable when moving the map, selecting units, or issuing orders. I'm talking one frame every third or fourth second kind of bad. I've got a solid rig and able to play much more graphic and CPU intensive games and programs. But for some reason CMBN is so poorly optimized I can't even get through a single battle, while ten years ago I was able to play without any problems on my older laptops. I also reinstalled CMFI as a comparison and that one ran just fine, without any problems. What gives? Is there some sort of optimization mod or patch I need to get it into a playable state? Appreciate any response in advance!

[@clintdiamond9145]

I'll add that performance is poor even on lowest settings, shaders off, low detailed trees, and regardless of resolution. I've tried just about everything at this point!

[@ghostbirdlary]

0:58 why are 2 of the rifle men in the overview yellow?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

They've been lightly wounded. Not enough for them to be incapacitated, but they're not 100%

[@calumlittle9828]

Great stuff. Note to talentless noobs: You can always play turn based