Combat Mission Basics: How to Share Ammo

[@HouseholdDog]

Your series should be the official manual.

[@Prederick]

It really, really should.

[@copter2000]

What do you mean vaguely written 100-pqge manual isn't good enough?

[@d.c.6065]

Combat Mission Basics: Hapless Video Sharing

[@evolve117]

i knew ammo sharing was a thing but i always thought a infantry unit had to be inside a vechicle to get more ammo.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Grabbing more from a vehicle is generally a better way, except for ammo bearer teams etc

[@markchorlton60]

So did I!

[@PaulMcElligott]

Note: According to the manual, when you have an ammo bearer for an MG or mortar, the weapon will use the ammo bearer’s supply first (assuming the ammo bearer is nearby). So, when the ammo bearer runs out, he can run back to the vehicle for more while the weapon keeps firing.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yep.

[@larsdejong7396]

This also explains why the squad automatic weapon was introduced; with the advent of intermediate cartridges, it wasn't all that practical for the lmg to remain at squad level, so it climbed up to either a separate, dedicated fire squad, or it became part of the platoon HQ. But, like you showed, having two types of rifle ammo in one squad isn't such a problem when you have an APC or similar.

[@RayLovesToMakeMusic]

I had no idea that ammo was shared automatically when in close proximity. I thought the Acquire command was the only way to resupply.

[@GlorbooFlorbo]

5 videos in 5 weeks?! You are making me a very happy man!

[@StaffordMagnus]

A little addenum to the encumbrance issue of ammunition, this also happens with regular rifle/MG ammo. If you load a squad up with 2000 rounds of ammo from a truck or whatever, it *will* affect their speed and endurance to a significant degree.

[@miksulder]

This and arma 3 are the best, there is something special in combat mission, simulation going on under the hood.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

Once again Hapless provides us with an amazingly useful CM lesson. Thanks!

[@Prederick]

You're so good with these videos explaining the game and its basic mechanics, have you ever considered doing any videos on basic tactical concepts and using them in CM?

[@rudah90]

Well, im not play this game anymore. but your video feels like watching documentary that my taste. keep up bro

[@vinnart]

Always well explained Hap. One thing to add. You can have troops inside a building with the ammo truck behind it, and the game will still abstract them grabbing ammo. Good tactic is to park these behind MG emplacements in buildings.

[@decimated550]

Are you saying that the troops don't have to mount the ammo truck to get ammo from it? And does it only happen in a building?

[@vinnart]

@@decimated550 Correct, the vehicle with the ammo has to be within an action square and it will automatically dole out a magazine worth of ammo to a troop who's out. It doesn't need to be in a building in order to work, however is most practical since the vehicle needs to be behind cover or it'll get shot up. Submachine guns in a building with a truck behind with plenty of ammo is an effective tactic. Keeping a jeep with mortar ammo and radio next to your mortar teams will supply the mortar automatically when out, and give it radio comms for quicker fire missions.

[@IceAxe1940]

A great source of knowledge for the combat mission series, hopefully Hapless can do a future video on the U.S. Army Combined Arms Battalion or Stryker Infantry Battalion in CMSF2 in the future when he gets the chance to, I'm really interested in it's layout great video as always.

[@Lazuli2-6]

Hapless already made a Stryker video in Black Sea for his 8 wheel handicap turn by turn series. I don't think the Stryker battalion changed too much other than infantry small arms update between SF2 and BS with the only real changes to the stryker being in professional edition (Javelin add on and some 40mm cannon?). Video linked below kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ3Zgnd-ba12f68si=3PuaChPzAhR9Lulz

[@IceAxe1940]

@@Lazuli2-6 Thanks for the link I'll take a look.

[@SovietGrazz]

Boring. Why not go for something cool - Like Soviet Naval Infantry i.e. the troops transferred from soviet naval service into the front lines, along with their pretty irregular arms?

[@artemisfowl7191]

Those aren't in Combat Mission @@SovietGrazz

[@artemisfowl7191]

Black Sea Stryker bois lost the MGS platoon per company, Bradley Bois (Combined Arms) lost the two combat engineer platoons in E Coy. Stryker to Bradley is essentially the same but they lose the MG squad in the rifle platoon; maybe something about BFSTs or something idk; the Combined Arms Battalion drops an infantry company but gains two armored companies

[@thathumanhayden2979]

I have played CM for a while now. I'm not good at it, but I have some experience. Regardless, I always learn new things from you basics videos. Great work Hapless!

[@vinnart]

Best way to get good is to experiment and learn from mistakes. Save your turn, try it one way. If it doesn't go so good try it another way. Example - You attacked a position in the woods giving a quick order and didn't go well. Try next time using hunt and see if goes better. Trial and error and watching Hap will get you up to speed. After a while you will no longer feel the need to learn through experimentation and will just play through.

[@sirfanatical8763]

Congrats to us growing to 15'000 subscribers

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Thanks very much! 🎉

[@jonorcutt6030]

Great points on movement with ammo weapons loads. In BS, I use split-squad instead of “anti-tank team” for US squads bec 3-4 guys with 3 javs + launcher can move far more quickly than 2 carrying all that

[@HouseholdDog]

This game is so detailed.

[@chrisdiaz4876]

Lets fucking go new uploads! Im gonna make my whole family watch your videos!

[@HolgerHendel]

This is once again a very good, helpful video. I watched all your videos about cm and learned a lot, thank you for that. I have an idea for you, maybe it will be a suggestion for another video: many tactical considerations in the game are based on distances, range. A video of you about distances in cm. "Does it currently make sense to fire with weapon type xy at a partially covered target at a distance of 350 m? Or is it better to wait/set the target arch until it approaches?". Reconnaissance range at dusk, at night, during the day, etc. Do my tactical considerations make sense or can my scouts not notice anything from this range? I make a lot of decisions based on experience, but it would be really, really cool to have numbers and examples explain how "distance" works as a relevant parameter for many game mechanics. I would be very happy to see a video from you about this. I know that "distance" is a very general term and has been mentioned many times in specific explanatory videos. But so far I haven't been able to find concrete numbers for e.g. maximum reconnaissance visibility during day/night etc. It would be enormously helpful to have some kind of guideline here, ideally in concrete numbers. The manual says: CMx2 employs complex calculations and a unique spotting concept which only shows the player what his currently selected unit can see. That makes sense and is of course a large part of the game's appeal. But something like this: effective combat range Panzerschrek / 150m, that's something solid, something I can work with. ;) Best regards.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Thanks! A video about engagement envelopes might be a good shout actually. It's very situation dependent, but there are factors that go into the decision to open fire

[@pauldangel734]

Good video. Very useful info. How does suppression affect the ability to give or aquire ammo, i.e. must both units be non-suppressed to share ammo?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Haven't tested, but if there is any effect I'd assume it happens much slower

[@carlfromchicago6908]

Thanks!

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Thanks so much man!

[@sproge2142]

Good video but maybe it might be worth clarifying that heavy weapons teams use the ammo from the ammo carriers first, in contrast to other infantry only sharing one unit at a time when totally out of ammo.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yeah, that would have been smart. I can't remember if I covered that in the heavy weapons video.

[@seankong9733]

Yet another Hapless banger! How is the one-a-week schedule holding up for you by the way?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Managing so far thanks!

[@Hy93Ri0n]

I had no idea that vehicles could passively restock ammo, I thought you had to remount and do it manually

[@Basilone45]

For your next CM basics videos can you go over how the new PBEM system works, and what is (in your opinion) the best way to configure the graphics settings. Cheers, love the content.

[@geoffreyquaile4383]

Just thought I should add, at least for Black Sea, units cannot share equipment outside of their immediate command team. I just finished a frustrating round where some units had the Javelin launcher but no missiles, while other units had missiles, but no launcher. These units, under different commands or teams, would not share. And you can only resupply javelins and launchers from ammo carriers of your specific command unit. Now cue the Benny Hill theme music, as I spent most of my time running my units from one team to another and one ammo carrier trying to get my javelins to be equipped with launchers.😖

[@DrewShotsFan]

Informative and well shot video, as always, UH. Thanks

[@fakeangeltr7263]

What about the troops in buildings can they take ammo from the vehicles

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Yes

[@brainfart22]

I have a question regarding the ammo bearer teams. So if I'm keeping my machine gun fed this way, and my ammo bearer team heads to a vehicle to resupply, then my MG team will only have a single belt until the ammo team returns?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

If the MG team is out of ammo then yes. IIRC they will generally take ammo from the ammo bearers first though

[@kyledean4512]

I know you said that the units only share one 'unit' of ammunition. In the WW2 titles does this apply as well? I fell like if your buddy is asking for some ammo for his grand you would give him more than 8 rounds.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

That's a really good question. I have no idea. That said, given the amount of ammo that US rifleman carry and how (compratively) slowly they fire it off, I suspect if they ever need to share clips between one another you have much bigger problems on your hands.

[@TheLimbo365]

Have you done any testing re: Morale or formation? In the past I've tried to get "Broken" units to share their ammo with another element from a different platoon but they refused to do so, I'm not sure if it was because it was a different element or because they were broken

[@michaeljenkins1375]

During a resupply, how much ammo should you take? I try to get close to the default loadout, but sometimes the increments don't line up exactly. Also, I know the games models the affect of having extra weight for AT weapons with reduced movement speed, but does it do it with too much ammo too?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

The game will slow your troops down if they carry too much ammo. How much to take is really a judgement call.

[@fancynaeser9154]

Hey im new to Combat mission. Do you actually play turn-based or real-time? And how is your performance in large campaigns? I Just get like 30-20 fps in a campaign.... really painful when it goes down to 20fps ^^ .....is it normal for that old engine?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

I play turn-based. Real-time doesn't have a replay function, so chances are you're going to miss something important. Performance wise, CM is a bit of a black box. Some people really struggle with it, other people can run it fine. I can definitely get down to 20-30 fps if there's a lot going on.

[@tschingta]

This is what I always wondered: How does grabbing weapons and/or ammo from the dead work exactly? Sometimes soldiers do it, other times they don't 🤷‍♂

[@PEB14]

Thank you for this excellent tutorial - as usual!👍 You didn't mention something though. If I'm not mistaken, ammo sharing does not work with any friendly troops. At least in WW2 games, only pixeltruppen from the same platoon can share ammo. Is it correct?

[@Mechanized85]

Surely does

[@dienkhungtung]

I maybe sound dumb since I'm new to this, so in CM, the ammo can be replenish but the MG gunners say the top gunner for the M113 can't be re-crew right?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

On something like an M113, IIRC passengers will take over the .50 if the gunner is out of action.

[@dienkhungtung]

@@usuallyhapless9481 I was playing the Cold War one and it didn’t I may had missed something tho

[@dukal856]

Where did you find the Vin's icons mod for CMCW ?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Hmm. Looks like I originally got it from the Battlefront forums, but the link is gone.

[@michaelhansen5662]

The most annoying part of combat mission is all the nuance. I love Usually Hapless making tutorials for the smaller details, but there should be mention of it in the game itself. Yes there is a manual but most people who get intro’d into this game don’t come to read a manual, it isn’t till later that you realize you might really need it.

[@llerco]

does it work when the infantry is inside a tall building?

[@Cpt_Flatbird]

Great stuff ! How does ammo sharing work in buildings ?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

I haven't actually tested. Up and down I think it works like this, not sure whether troops can teleport mags through exterior walls though.

[@Imperator3838]

It should work. Many times I had placed javelin teams inside buildings on a second floor and they have access to additional missiles in a stryker near the building.

[@Cpt_Flatbird]

@@usuallyhapless9481 thank you for this answer, and again for all your work regarding Combat Mission

[@Cpt_Flatbird]

@@Imperator3838 thank you.

[@bradleypurvis3179]

Which is the best combat mission game to play? Shockforce ect

[@usuallyhapless9481]

They all have broadly the same features, differences between games are 99% due to theatre. So pick whatever interests you the most: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmeulnSml7RmeLs

[@billybutcher357]

Is there any way to record the game to watch later?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

Sort of. Playing in the turn-based mode, you can save each turn and load them up again, but there isn't a whole game replay

[@simracing9718]

Wish there were ways for infantry to acquire machine gun ammos from tanks. Each Sherman carries thousands of rifle rounds.

[@usuallyhapless9481]

That would be helpful. Clearly the pixel-tankers refuse to share though.

[@SSFhighcommandJOHN]

Is the official name, pixeltruppen? Or is it just something you came up with?

[@usuallyhapless9481]

The term emerged on the Battlefront forums many decades ago

[@toddbashi404]

💃 P R O M O S M