Should You Buy Combat Mission Shock Force 2 - A wargamers buyers guide

[@TacticsWithJoe]

www.patreon.com/jozu Twitter: twitter.com/JoeJNewYork Twitch: twitch.tv/joseph66hole

[@cesarmonaco7093]

I recently discovered the Combat Mission series. Together with the Graviteam Tactics series they form the excellence of sophisticated wargames. Congratulations to the channel for the initiative and courage to bring titles that will never be popular but that have an absurd quality. It would be cool if you made a video comparing the two series! Hugs!

[@TacticsWithJoe]

I will look into it. I think both games are fun to play and but they are not equal. Gt is a fun Sim but can be difficult to play. Combat mission is simple to pick up and learn.

[@stumpusMaximus]

GT series was made by a genius, the UI was made by his assistant who went insane watching him make the sim in the first place!

[@macrosss]

Hey Joe! old video but got a question, nato side doesnt really interest me, does combat mission (any) have a huge nato bias? Or is it still fair play playing the other side? Hows your overall experience playing combat mission with the other side?

[@TacticsWithJoe]

@macrosss SF2 has a fair amount of bias, but it's M1s taking on T-55s/72s. Red Thunder probably has the least amount of bias. Black Sea can be pretty bad in pvp. The bias is their, but devs compensate by adding tons Warsaw units.

[@macrosss]

@@TacticsWithJoe I see ok ok, well thanks for taking time for answering. keep it up with the good content. cheers

[@VampiroGaming]

Really cool video, left a sub, thanks.

[@TacticsWithJoe]

Thank you!

[@jeckek9936]

Does the game provide a tutorial or do I need to have some sort basic understanding/intuition before playing. Can I find or create a solution to the scenarios or is there simply one way to play the game as is often with AAA gaming?

[@TacticsWithJoe]

There is no tutorial at all. The game expects you to have a foundational understanding of RTS games, which really isn't super useful beyond the ability to use the controls. The basic mechanics are easy to learn but the real fun comes in learning the weapon systems and the strategies used to employ those. There is really no 1 solution for the scenarios as there are different "scripted" trigger points and different scripts. "Tac AI" is the only AI in the game but it doesn't path units. The Combat Mission series is over 20 years old so there is literally hundreds of scenarios to download. You can also create your own in the mission and map editor.

[@dalecooper4769]

Thank you for this short introduction to the series. Is there a turn limit or can I take my time with the maps? Thanks.

[@TacticsWithJoe]

A timelimit is a feature in the game. It's never felt overly restrictive and matches tend to end far before time expires. Each is 1 minute or you can play it as an rts.

[@dalecooper4769]

@@TacticsWithJoe Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! I assume there is no option to turn it off?

[@TacticsWithJoe]

@@dalecooper4769 While it is a core mechanic, I don't think it is something that puts you under pressure. Most people play the turnbased mode, which means they have essentially 15-90 turns. The timer only plays during turns. So you can spend all the time in the world setting up and planning out your turn. You hit play and 1 minute or turn passes. Then you setup your next turn with no restrictions. The feature cannot be turned off. I believe you can go past your timelimit but games usually end far before that happens.

[@dalecooper4769]

@@TacticsWithJoe Thank you for clarifying. It sounds like a soft cap then. I'll buy it and try it out!

[@alg7115]

​@@dalecooper4769 it ls a bizzare system that works. It's both an rts and turn based you can play it as you like

[@WysteriaGuitar]

Which Combat Mission game would you get if you could only buy one? Combat Mission Black Sea? Other?

[@TacticsWithJoe]

Buy the one from the Era that interests you.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

@@TacticsWithJoe Good advice I got CM Black Sea

[@Goldenfightinglink]

Here to check it out while it's on sale, total package is 60$, worth? Or is the company not worth supporting?

[@TacticsWithJoe]

A WW2 version is coming to steam tomorrow. I have no issues with the company, but I haven't interacted with them much.

[@BunialskiTrip]

I strongly recommend downloading mod packs for this series. I think that You have not the best resolution setup here.

[@TacticsWithJoe]

I will take a look at my settings. I have not modded combat mission

[@BunialskiTrip]

@@TacticsWithJoe set: "display size desktop" in options. That should help.

[@atencaogamer]

Canyou generate random maps in this game?

[@TacticsWithJoe]

No, there is not a random map generator but you can create your own maps, which is fairly simple and fun.

[@Demy1970]

Crappy company to deal with and games are rarely on sale, 59.99 still for a ten year old game and then to many engines to run the game and keep up to date

[@TacticsWithJoe]

The steam titles are on sale fairly frequently.

[@alg7115]

​@@TacticsWithJoe annoying half the combat mission games aren't on steam

[@TacticsWithJoe]

@@alg7115 the next one should arrive next quarter

The graphics look bland, dull and brown. Sorry but other war games shine on the realistic graphics -- they do matter.

[@TacticsWithJoe]

Graphics are important

[@joekrebs964]

Can, almost as good as Graviteam mius

[@TacticsWithJoe]

I should play the WW2 CMs more. Normandy is so much fun.

[@purpheart23]

Clunky, bad pathing, ugly, unoptimised, 20+ year old engine needs serious overhaul, not worth the current price point. Was supposed to be an optimization patch last y ear and now this year and probably next year, dev team is tiny and tied up with govt contract and most of the dev team spend their time in the forum pontificating over the war in Ukraine while the game becomes increasingly stale. Bought most of their products but refuse to purchase anything else until the game is brought up to date ish.

[@Mechanized85]

No, you should forget about it, I will surely tell you, they won’t, so go to war thunder, they much worth to free to play and pay to win game, Battlefront wasn’t for you, in frankly.

[@purpheart23]

@@Mechanized85 Cute, I've played since CMBO, anyways, everything I said was accurate. Seems you like your products stale and delivered for full price.

[@francescomolina]

Play "Graviteam Tactics: Mius Front" that's the most immersiv game

[@Thornik2012]

Worse than this boring game is boring presenter, which makes me sleep. Exemplary anti-advert!

[@TacticsWithJoe]

I wish you luck on your journey to find a creator you enjoy!

[@ДушманКакдела]

Too much micro

[@TacticsWithJoe]

It feels that way sometimes

[@ДушманКакдела]

@@TacticsWithJoe I wish Graviteam would break into the modern scene with a campaign. Would absolutely love to see T-72's. I think they're the only ones who could do it right.

[@TacticsWithJoe]

@@ДушманКакдела They released and iran/iraq war dlc

[@ДушманКакдела]

@@TacticsWithJoe yeah it was fun, but really short and the terrain is really limiting.

[@TacticsWithJoe]

@@ДушманКакдела I think Italy and Black Sea have the best variety of terrain. SF2/Cold War battlefields are boring.