Combat Mission: Shock Force

Game Manual

(c) 2007-2009 battlefront.com, inc. all rights reserved.

v1.20

Revised edition. Major changes relative to v1.01 are highlighted in yellow type

Shock Force

License
This License does not provide you with title to or ownership of the software program Combat Mission: Shock Force (the Software), but only a right of limited use of the Software, and ownership of the media on which a copy of the Software is reproduced. The Software, including its source code, is, and shall remain, the property of Battlefront.com, Inc. You may make a copy of the Software solely for backup purposes, provided that you reproduce all proprietary notices (e.g., copyright, trade secret, trademark) in the same form as in the original and retain possession of such backup copy. The term copy as used in this License means any reproduction of the Software, in whole or in part, in any form whatsoever, including without limitation, printouts on any legible material, duplication in memory devices of any type, and handwritten or oral duplication or reproduction. The manual may not be copied, photographed, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electrical medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent from Battlefront.com, Inc.. All rights not specifically granted in this Agreement are reserved by Battlefront.com, Inc. You shall not, in any way, modify, enhance, decode, or reverse engineer the Software. User-created scenarios and other materials like graphics or other mods may be distributed free of charge, but shall not be sold, licensed, or included as part of any package or product that is sold or licensed, without the prior written consent of Battlefront.com, Inc.. You may not rent or lease the Software or related materials. You may permanently transfer the Software and related written materials if you retain no copies, and the transferee agrees to be bound by the terms of this License. Such a transfer terminates your License to use the Software and related materials. In order to install and run the Software, you acknowledge and agree to the installation of a third party licensing application on your computer.

Limited warranty
Battlefront.com warrants to the original purchaser that the media on which the Software is recorded is free from defects in workmanship and material under normal use and service for 90 days from the date of delivery of the Software. This warranty does not cover material that has been lost, stolen, copied, or damaged by accident, misuse, neglect, or unauthorized modification. Battlefront.coms entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be, at Battlefront.coms option, either return of the price paid, or replacement of the media which does not meet the limited warranty described above. The media must be returned to Battlefront.com with a copy of your purchase receipt. Any replacement Software media shall be subject to this same limited warranty for the remainder of the original warranty period, or thirty days, whichever is longer.

Limitation of liability
BATTLEFRONT.COM MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR ANY WARRANTY ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING, TRADE USAGE, OR TRADE PRACTICE WITH RESPECT TO THE SOFTWARE OR RELATED MATERIALS, THEIR QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. AS A RESULT, THE SOFTWARE AND RELATED MATERIALS ARE LICENSED AS IS. IN NO EVENT WILL BATTLEFRONT.COM BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM POSSESSION, USE, OR MALFUNCTION OF THE SOFTWARE AND RELATED MATERIALS. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION AS TO HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS AND/OR EXCLUSIONS OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND/OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC RIGHTS AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

Combat Mission

The Reality of Reality, A Foreword

Computers are essentially fancy calculators. They like order, simplicity, and predictability. Chaos is not something that a computer handles very easily or very well. Depending on the circumstances, it might even be impossible. A tactical combat simulator, unfortunately, requires the computer to simulate chaos - both natural and manmade. Then, as the simulation is executed in RealTime, the computer must calculate this chaotic environment quickly and efficiently. As if this isnt demanding enough, the gamers using the simulator require that the computer also devote a large amount of its power to push around polygons to make the simulation seem real. Oh, and all of this should work on the average home PC that has been purchased within the last few years. What game developer in their right minds would want to tackle something like this? Us, of course! Strangely enough, we even enjoy it. For a tactical combat simulation to be successful, the developer needs to be realistic about what can and cant be done in a practical sense. In effect, this means very carefully picking what to simulate and how to simulate it. It also means simulating as many elements as abstractly as possible so that resources can be devoted towards those things that are not as easily abstracted. Therefore, as realistic as Combat Mission is, it doesnt mean players wont notice abstractions from time to time. This is unavoidable simply because few gamers have a super computer at home! Why is this important? Because you, the end user, need to know that although Combat Mission appears to simulate the real world and all its chaos down to the last boot heel and rock, there are some fundamental abstractions necessary to make this whole thing work on your PC. The end result is that, as you play CM, sometimes you will see things that dont look quite right. A soldier shooting through solid ground,

Shock Force

perhaps, or a tree branch passing through a passing tank. In a perfect world we would have enough time and computing power to avoid these abstractions. Since we dont, we cant. What we can do is make sure these abstractions do not negatively impact the realism of the overall simulation. The big picture of your experience in CM is, after all, what is most important.

Unlearning Combat Mission

Gamers familiar with the original Combat Mission series will quickly figure out that we havent spent three years simply redoing what we already did. Instead, when we started working on CM:SF we decided, from the start, that nothing was sacred. We set out to build a better game engine and anything we felt holding us back from pushing forward was changed or abandoned completely. Yet, at the same time, we tried very hard to preserve the core of what made the original Combat Mission great. The resulting game probably has, feature for feature, more differences with the earlier Combat Mission games than you might expect to see. Although it will probably take you some time to get used to the differences, we are confident that youll be fine once the surprise wears off. Just like many of you were fine playing Combat Mission for the first time after years of wargames that looked and felt like paper and dice board games. Back then we called the process unlearning, so perhaps now we should call it reunlearning!

Combat Mission

T able of contents
Foreword ................................... 3 Unlearning Combat Mission ..... 4 Table of contents ....................... 5 CM:SF Backstory ........................ 8 A developers conundrum ............. 10 Installation & Licensing ............ 13 Installation from disc ................... 13 Installation for Download version ... 13 License Overview ........................ 13 Licensing .................................. 14 Un-Licensing ............................. 15 E-license support ........................ 16 Keyboard & mouse Controls ..... 18 Camera Navigation ...................... 18 (Mouse) ................................ 18 (Keyboard - defaults) .............. 18 Unit Selection ............................. 18 Commands ................................. 19 Command Keys (defaults) ............ 19 Number Pad ............................... 19 Editor ........................................ 20 3D Map Preview ........................ 20 buildings ............................... 20 Flavor Objects ........................ 20 2D Map Editor ........................... 20 Options ...................................... 20 Customizing hotkeys .................... 21 Options ..................................... 23 Battles & Campaigns ................. 25 Battles ....................................... 25 How to start ............................. 26 Select Combat Force ............... 27 Select Game Options ............... 27 Mission Briefing ...................... 27 Setup Phase ............................. 28 Victory conditions ...................... 29 Terrain based objectives .......... 30 Unit based objectives .............. 30 Force wide objectives .............. 30 Campaigns ................................. 31 Playing A Campaign ................... 32 QuickBattles ............................... 34 Quick Battle Options .................. 34 Environmental Options ............ 34 Units options .......................... 35 Launch the QB .......................... 35 Setup Positions ......................... 35 Victory conditions ...................... 36 Gameplay Styles ....................... 36 Single Player .............................. 36 Real-time ................................. 37 Turn-based ............................... 37 Two-player ................................. 38 Real-time ................................. 38 LAN/Internet ............................ 38 Turn-based ................................. 40 Hotseat .................................... 40 Email ....................................... 40 Multi-player ................................ 41 Skill Levels ............................... 42 Basic Training ............................. 42 Veteran ..................................... 42 Elite .......................................... 43 Basic Screen Layout .................. 44 Game User Interface (GUI) ........... 45 Unit Info Panel .......................... 45 Team Info Panel ........................ 47 Details Panel ............................. 49 Detail Panel Components ............ 50 Profile ................................... 50 Stats .................................... 51 Reports ................................. 51 Command Panel .......................... 53 Menu Options ............................. 54 Command Interface ..................... 55 Number Pad ............................. 56 Keyboard ................................. 56 Mouse ..................................... 57 On-screen menu ....................... 57 Playback Interface ....................... 57 Spotting & Floating Icons ......... 58 Commands ................................ 60 Move Commands ......................... 61 Move ....................................... 63 Quick ...................................... 64 Fast ......................................... 64 Slow ........................................ 65 Hunt ........................................ 65 Assault .................................... 66 Blast ....................................... 66 Mark Mines ............................... 67 Reverse ................................... 67 Combat Commands ..................... 68 Target ...................................... 68 Target Light .............................. 69 Target Arc ................................ 70 Clear Target ............................. 71 Face ........................................ 71 Special Commands ...................... 72 Hide ........................................ 72 Deploy Weapon ......................... 73 Dismount ................................. 74 Bail Out ................................... 75 Acquire .................................... 75 Pop Smoke ............................... 76

Shock Force

Pause ...................................... 76 Open Up .................................. 77 Administrative Commands ............ 78 Split Teams .............................. 78 Assault Team ............................ 79 Anti-Tank Team ......................... 79 Instant Commands ...................... 79 Command & Control (C2) .......... 81 Maintaining C2 Links .................... 82 Information Sharing .................... 83 Leaders ..................................... 85 Air & Artillery Support .............. 86 Requesting Support ..................... 87 Selecting a Spotter ...................... 87 Support Roster ........................... 88 Support Panel ............................. 89 Adjusting or Canceling Support ..... 91 Air Mission Parameters ................. 92 Artillery Mission Parameters .......... 92 Air Assets ................................. 94 Munitions, Spotters and Equipment96 Munitions .............................. 96 Spotters ................................ 98 Equipment ............................. 99 Environmental Considerations . 100 Basic Rules of Thumb ............ 100 Unconventional Warfare ......... 101 Unconventional Forces ............... 103 Specialists ................................ 104 Using IEDs and VBIEDs .............. 105 The Editor ............................... 107 Basic screen layout .................... 107 File Menu ............................... 108 Editor Selector ........................ 108 Mission Editor ........................... 110 Description ............................. 110 Battle Type .......................... 110 Environment ........................ 110 Daylight .............................. 110 Battle Size ........................... 111 Title .................................... 111 Description .......................... 111 Image ................................. 111 Data ...................................... 111 Mission (Blue and Red) ............. 112 Parameters (Blue and Red) ....... 114 Terrain Objectives (Blue and Red)114 Unit Objectives (Blue and Red) .. 115 Map Editor ............................... 116 Map Editor Options .................. 117 Ground #1 .......................... 117 Ground #2 .......................... 117 Brush .................................. 117 Foliage ................................ 117 Roads ................................. 117 Walls/Fences/Trenches .......... 117 Buildings ............................. 118

Flavor Objects ..................... Craters ............................... Elevation ................................ Landmarks ............................. Setup Zones ........................... Map Toolbar ............................ Object Rotation .................... Paintbrush ........................... Map Zoom ........................... Map width & depth ................

118 118 118 120 120 121 121 121 121 121

Units Editor ............................. 122 Purchase Units .......................... 123 Soft factors .............................. 124 typical Setting ......................... 126 Purchasing equipment ................ 126 SBCT Specific Units ................. 127 HBCT Specific Units ................. 128 US Artillery ............................. 128 Syrian Tank Units .................... 128 Syrian AFV/IFV Units ............... 129 Syrian Anti-Tank Units .............. 129 Reinforcements ....................... 130 Earliest Arrival Time .............. 130 Arrival Span ......................... 130 Deploy Units ........................... 131 Deployment Commands ......... 131 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Editor132 AI Elements .............................. 133 Groups .................................. 134 Map Zone ............................... 134 Orders ................................... 135 Order type ........................... 135 Setup Orders ....................... 136 Occupy buildings ..................... 136 Stance ................................... 136 Passenger status ..................... 137 Plans ....................................... 137 Exit Before / Exit After ............. 138 Support Targets (Blue or Red) ..... 139 3D Preview ............................. 140 Editing Buildings ....................... 140 Single Wall ............................. 141 Single Side ............................. 141 Entire Building ........................ 141 Editing Flavor Objects ................ 141 Baking Scenarios .................... 142 Making Campaigns .................. 143 Core Units File .......................... 144 Scenarios (Battles) .................... 145 Campaign Script File .................. 146 Compiling a Campaign ............... 148 Creating Quick Battle Maps ..... 149 Setup Zones ........................... 149 AI Plans ................................. 149 Victory conditions .................... 149 Red and Blue .......................... 150 Units on the map ..................... 150

Combat Mission

Terrain ................................... 150 Battle Type ............................. 150 Mods ....................................... 150 Loading order ........................... 151 Rezexplode .............................. 151 Repack .................................... 152 Mods in Action .......................... 152 Important ................................ 153 Tips for using the Editor ......... 154 Getting to know the terrain ......... 154 Eastern plateau ....................... 155 Water .................................... 155 Climate .................................. 156 Realistic maps ........................... 156 Tactical considerations ............... 159 Towns and cities ........................ 160 Flavor Objects .......................... 161 Keep game performance in mind . 162 Working with Objectives ............. 163 Creating Phase Lines ................. 165 Secret Missions ...................... 165 Programming the AI .................. 166 Plan for the Plans .................... 166 Start simple ........................... 166 What would you do? ................ 167 Do something else ................... 167 The devil is in the details .......... 168 Encyclopedia ........................... 169 Coalition (United States) ............ 169 Basic Tactics ........................... 169 The Stryker Combat Vehicle ........ 172 The Bradley Fighting Vehicle ....... 176 The Abrams Main Battle Tank ...... 177 The Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle 180 U.S. Air Assets ........................ 181 U.S. Artillery Assets ................. 182 U.S. Weapons ......................... 183 Syria ....................................... 186 Basic Tactics ........................... 186 Tanks .................................... 187 Syrian Artillery Assets .............. 195 Syrian Weapons ...................... 196 Branches ................................. 202 Coalition (USA) ......................... 202 Stryker Brigade Combat Team ... 202 Heavy Brigade Combat Team .... 202 Syria ....................................... 203 Republican Guard .................... 203 Special Forces ......................... 203 Regular Army ......................... 204 Reserve Army ......................... 204 Militia .................................... 204 Unconventional Forces (Fighters) 204 Unconventional Forces (Combatants) 205 Icons ...................................... 206 Specialty (MOS) ........................ 206

Threat ..................................... Defensive equipment ................. Ammo ..................................... Comms .................................... Special Equipment ..................... Branches ................................. U.S. Army .............................. Syrian Army ........................... Syrian Uncons ........................ Troubleshooting ........................ Tech Support ............................

206 206 206 207 207 208 208 208 208 209 210

Military Terms Glossary .......... 211 Credits .................................... 212

Shock Force

CM:SF Backstory
History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again. - Kurt Vonnegut

The First Unconventional Conventional War

During the Winter of 2008, a number of inconspicuous pieces of luggage were carried by individuals to different parts of the world. The men were of different ages and nationalities, and none of them knew of the others. They even appeared to have started their trips in different countries - but appearances are often meant to be deceiving. Instead of being random people with random luggage from random nations, they were all, in fact, on the same mission, sent by the same group, residing in the same country; Syria. The Terrorists, for that is what they were, spent months making journeys that would have taken people with nothing to hide a few hours. But of course, they each had something to hide, and that something was in the average looking pieces of luggage. Once inside their target nations they could move around fairly easily, for that is both the benefit and drawback of free societies. Still, they moved cautiously and according to different schedules that were designed to mask their careful coordination. By the Spring of 2008 they were all in place and waiting for the signal. During this time of deployment, the various agencies responsible for uncovering such plots had heard much talk about luggage and their possible contents. Some cells within Syria had been compromised and information was beginning to take shape that something very bad was about to happen. Unfortunately, the plot took such eventualities into consideration, so the information accumulated was largely useless. Security was tightened up, but the sleepers were already in place and in hiding. A few tips or hunches brought authorities close, but not close enough.

Combat Mission

Then, one day, a message was sent. The sleepers awoke and made their way to targets of their own personal choosing within cities not directly chosen by their leaders. Within a few hours, dozens of pounds of radioactive waste uranium were detonated by conventional explosives, polluting major cities of the West for hundreds of years. The leaders of the plot came out of hiding to celebrate, claim credit, taunt, and promise more such attacks. Then they melted back into the population. At the United Nations, the countries suffering from the attacks demanded they be given the mandates necessary to go after those responsible for the attacks. Of course, the demands were met with hardly any opposition from UN members. Although the target had not yet been fully identified, the pieces of intelligence accumulated before and after the attacks pointed to one - and only one - country as the point of origin; Syria. With its long history of state sponsored terrorism, it wasnt difficult to imagine that Syria was responsible.

While further evidence was being sought, the military forces of the West began to deploy to bases within striking range of Syria. The Syrian government denied involvement, but they also denied granting any meaningful assistance to investigators. Instead, they put their military on high alert and mobilized large numbers of reservists. Obviously, such actions did not add credibility to their denials. The smoking gun came in April; a video of the terrorist groups only known leader celebrating the success of our mission. The video showed details that were not known publicly. Therefore, it was concluded that the video was a confession from the man responsible, not someone claiming credit for the deeds of others. Communications surveillance, eyewitnesses, and covert operatives all agreed on one thing: this man and his organization were located in the heart of Syria. The case for war was therefore complete. On June 15th sortie after sortie of Coalition aircraft launched attacks to soften up the Syrian defenses. The air attacks continued for three days. Meanwhile, various nations special forces slipped through Syrias borders to pave the way for a

Shock Force

larger ground offensive. On the morning of the 19th, a large American force, Task Force Thunder, left its jump-off positions and crossed into Syria along the middle section of the border with Iraq. Other forces streamed in from the south and along the Turkish border. Still more forces landed on the Mediterranean coast. Thus, from three sides, the combined weight of the Wests military might bore down on the safe haven for its attackers. Task Force Thunder was assigned the most important task. Led by a full Stryker Brigade Combat Team, backed up by a mixed battalion of Armor, Mechanized Infantry, and support assets, its job was to slice through the center of Syria with the greatest possible speed. Its primary mission was to make it impossible for the defending forces to redeploy from one area to another, to cause maximum confusion of the defense efforts, and to eventually seal off Damascus, the Syrian capital and the toughest objective - from the northeast. Other forces would be responsible for reducing the pockets TF Thunder created so that its advance would not be slowed. As the commander of 2nd Battalion, your mission is to hit the enemy forces hard and keep to TF Thunders time table. The success of the entire military operation rests in no small part on your shoulders. It is better to be a dog in a peaceful time than to be a man in a chaotic period. - Chinese Proverb

A developers conundrum
In mid 2002 we decided, for a number of reasons, that the first game using the new CMx2 engine would be set in the near future instead of the past. More specifically we decided to focus the game on the Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) concept, which was in its infancy at the time. We felt it would be interesting to see what it could do in a conventional ground combat role in the near future. By mid 2004 CM development was at a stage where we had to nail down the region and the specific nation to act as the games setting. From a gaming perspective to get the sort of challenge we required we needed a Red Force (OPFOR) that had a con-

10

Combat Mission

ventional armed force capable of offering more than token resistance. The country also had to be a plausible foe of the so-called Western nations who make up the Blue Force. The resulting list was surprisingly short, even when we looked at the possibility of a setting outside of the Middle East. All things considered, we decided that Middle East and Syria would offer the best elements for CM:SF and therefore we chose Syria for our setting. We based our choice primarily on the desire to provide a tactically rich and interesting modern combat setting. Much less important for us was the likelihood of its actual occurrence. We do not intend this game to be any form of endorsement of actual war between the United States and Syria. The events that followed 2002 caused us to constantly reevaluate CM:SFs designs and to make changes and additions to its combat modeling in order to better reflect what we felt ground warfare would look like in 2008. The drawn-out conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq gave us great insight, but neither offered the mix of conventional and unconventional warfare we suspected would be seen in a setting such as Syria. The short war between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 showed us that we were on the right track as far as the game itself went. However, our back-story for a conflict with Syria was becoming less and less possible, even though, in many ways, it was becoming more plausible. By mid 2006 we found ourselves in a conundrum. Due to the strain on resources from the continuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the ability of the West to wage another large ground war in the Middle East (or anywhere for that matter) became less and less possible with each passing month. Still, we wanted to simulate such an environment and, in fact, were too far along in the development process to back out even if we wanted to. This conflict between needs and reality presented us with quite a design dilemma. On one hand we had to pick a viable place to wage war or we wouldnt have a game at all. On the other hand we could see no country that clearly deserved a virtual invasion. To solve this problem we considered setting CM:SF in a completely fictional country against a completely fictional Red Force. After lengthy discussions internally and on our Forum we decided that a generic, fictional setting would not be as compelling to play as a real-world setting. Therefore, we chose Syria as the Red Force even though there is no indi-

Shock Force

11

cation that war with Syria would be justifiable - or even feasible - any time in the near future. Once we chose the setting we dedicated a considerable amount of effort to ensure that we made a fair and accurate representation of Syrias ability to defend itself militarily. While we would have done this no matter what the setting was (realism is, after all, our hallmark), it does serve a double purpose in this case. Not only does CM:SFs setting make for a challenging tactical wargame, but it also demonstrates Syrias likely realworld ability to inflict significant losses on a foreign invader while at the same time not being able to overcome the awesome lethality of Western military forces. Therefore, it is our opinion that if such a conflict should start to develop a true diplomatic solution would be in the best interests of all parties concerned.

12

Combat Mission

Installation & Licensing

Installation from disc
In order to install the game, insert the game disc. The Combat Mission: Shock Force Installation Menu should appear if you have CD Autostart enabled on your computer. Click on the Install Game option to begin the installation process. If you have CD Autostart disabled, or if the Installation Menu does not appear, please browse the contents of the disc and simply double-click on the file called CMSF_Setup.exe. That will manually launch the game installer.

Installation for Download version

After you have successfully downloaded the Combat Mission: Shock Force download file (filename CMSF_Setup.exe), copy this file to a temporary folder and then double-click on it to launch the installer.

License Overview
Combat Mission: Shock Force is protected by an online activation system called eLicense. eLicense is a tool to restrict the illegal distribution of the software without being annoying or intrusive to the legitimate customer.

Shock Force

13

Unlike so many other activation systems, eLicense requires you to register only once and does not mess with your hardware or OS settings. Yet it does prevent illegal use of the game and therefore ensures that Battlefront.com will be around for a long time to come. That means more games for you to enjoy in the future!

Licensing
When you first run CM:SF, after initial install, you will be prompted to license it . In most cases all you need to do is: a) make sure the computer on which you have installed the game has an active online connection to the internet b) enter your license key into the correct field in the pop-up window c) hit the license button and wait a few seconds while your license authorizes. If you wish to install the game on a computer which has no internet connection, you must perform what is called an Offline License Request. As above, when you first launch the game, after initial install, you will need to do the following when the License Screen appears: a) click on the off-line license button and generate the off-line license request b) save the ENTIRE request file (including the instructions on top all the way down to the encrypted portion of the file) to a disc or other removable media (USB drive, floppy etc...) c) transfer the file you saved in step B to a computer which has internet access d) On a computer that is connected to the internet, go to http://www.license.net and paste the ENTIRE contents of the file into the corresponding window e) generate the license file and copy it to a disk or other removable media (USB Drive, floppy etc...) f) transfer the file from step E, back to the computer where the game was installed and proceed with the off-line licensing procedure by pasting the entire contents of the license file into your licensing window Off-line licensing is also a good workaround for online computers which experience problems with a firewall or proxy settings

14

Combat Mission

since, unlike the direct online activation, off-line licensing only requires a simple non-encrypted internet connection. If you do experience firewall or proxy problems, simply follow the off-line licensing steps on the same computer that is having the problem. eLicense allows you to license, un-license and re-license the game as often as you wish. This allows you to use CM:SF on several computers if you like (up to two at the same time) without reinstallation, and gives you the right to re-sell the game after youve had your fun with it (as long as you un-license your copy).

Un-Licensing
One of the neat features of eLicense is that your license never expires and is never used up, unlike so many other protection systems out there. If you buy a new computer, replace a hard drive, or even give the game to a friend, you can simply unlicense the current activation. This frees up your license key to be re-used elsewhere. There is no limit to how often you are allowed to do this, as long as you un-license first before attempting to re-license elsewhere.

If you want to use the game on your desktop and a laptop, thats possible without having to unlicense a copy, because each license key allows you two concurrent activations. However, if you already have two activations, and would like to run the game on a third computer, you must first un-license one of the active copies before you can activate the game on a third machine.

Shock Force

15

To activate a third computer, without un-installing from an existing computer, you have to manually un-license it. There are several ways to un-license a copy: a) via program group shortcut. The actual shortcut depends on how you installed the game, but the default is: Start->Programs->Battlefront->Combat Mission Shock Force->Unlicense CMSF b) right click on the file youre using to start up the game. This can be a desktop icon or an entry in your program menu. Select un-license from the pop-up menu. c) Open the Windows System Tray and open the eLicense Control Center. Select the game you want to un-license and right-click on it. Select un-license from the pop-up menu. Other ways on how to un-license, as well as solutions to potential problems are explained in the F.A.Q.: http://www.battlefront.com/elicense_faq.html After the Un-license window opens, you must enter your license key and click the Un-license button while your computer is connected to the internet. Un-licensing only works online and is not possible if your computer is not connected to the internet. When unlicensing, make sure that you see a Success message at the end of the process. If you dont, then your game was not properly unlicensed, and your license might still be in use.

E-license support
Battlefront.com prides itself on customer service, and this continues with the implementation of the eLicense system. Please check out our F.A.Q. section which explains how eLicense works, how to license and un-license games, and what to do if you ever run into issues, such as firewall configuration, proxy settings or if you simply lost your license key: http://www.battlefront.com/elicense_faq.html If you ever need specific assistance, or have lost your license key (we recommend printing it and not only saving it electronically), do not hesitate to email us with a description of your problem at elicense@battlefront.com. We usually respond within 1 working day.

16

Combat Mission

Please note: only the original Battlefront.com version of the game is using eLicense. If you have purchased your game elsewhere (e.g. in a store), and if it has the Paradox Interactive logo on it, then you have the retail version of the game, which is NOT using eLicense.

Shock Force

17

Keyboard & mouse Controls

Camera Navigation
(Mouse)
Cursor at screen edges ......... Move Cursor in upper corners ........ Rotate Left-click and drag ............... Move camera Right-click and drag ............. Pivot camera Right-click and hold (when unit selected) ............ Pivot around unit Mouse wheel ....................... Elevate Mouse wheel + SHIFT .......... Elevate + Pitch Mouse Wheel + CTRL ........... Pitch CTRL + Left-click ................. Jump to Map Location

(Keyboard - defaults)
W or Up Arrow ........ Move Forward A or Left Arrow ........ Move Left D or Right Arrow ...... Move Right S or Down Arrow ..... Move Back Q ........................... Rotate Left E ........................... Rotate Right V ........................... Reverse View R ........................... Raise camera F ........................... Lower camera Z ........................... Zoom out X ........................... Zoom in C ........................... Wide Angle View 1 - 9 ...................... Preset Camera Positions Arrow Keys ............. Fine Movement

Unit Selection
Left-click on Unit ................. Selects Unit Right-click on Map ............... Deselects Unit Double-click on Unit ............. Group-select formation SHIFT+Left-click .................. Adds additional units to group SHIFT+Left-click & Drag ....... Drag selection rectangle ................................................ around multiple units
(Note: + and - keys are restricted to next unit within the group when a group is selected)

18

Combat Mission

Commands
ESC ....................... Pause Game TAB ....................... Lock Camera to Unit - ........................... Select Previous Unit + .......................... Select Next Unit F12 ........................ Select Last Unit { and } .................. Adjust 3D Model Quality ` ........................... Talk to Internet Opponent

Command Keys (defaults)

U I O ..................... Top Row of Commands J K L ...................... Middle Row M , . ...................... Bottom Row B ........................... Move Fast Command N ........................... Move Command ............................. Reverse Command H ........................... Target Command Y ........................... Target Light Command G ........................... Face Command / ........................... Deploy Command P ........................... Pause Command H ........................... Hide Command [ ........................... Dismount Command ] ........................... Vehicle Open Up Command ; ........................... Pop Smoke Command F5 F6 F7 F8 ......................... Movement Command Panel ......................... Combat Command Panel ......................... Special Command Panel ......................... Admin Command Panel

DEL ....................... Clear Unit Target BACKSPACE ............ Delete Last Waypoint

Number Pad
/ ........................... Previous Command Panel * ........................... Next Command Panel 7 8 9 ..................... Top Row of Commands 4 5 6 ..................... Middle Row 1 2 3 ..................... Bottom Row

Shock Force

19

- ........................... Select Previous Unit + .......................... Select Next Unit

Editor
3D Map Preview
buildings
CTRL+Left-click on wall .... .................................... changes windows/doors layout ALT+CTRL+Left-click on wall .................................... changes windows/doors layout for .................................... WHOLE side of building (all floors) CTRL+Left-click on roof .... .................................... changes shape/type of roof SHIFT+Left-click on building .................................... changes Facade (texture) of the .................................... whole building CTRL+SHIFT+Left-click .... .................................... cycles through balcony types for .................................... selected floor CTRL+SHIFT+Left-click on ground floor .................................... cycles through balcony types for the .................................... WHOLE side of the building (all floors) ALT+Left-Click ...... changes building details

Flavor Objects
LEFT CLICK ......................... rotate object SHIFT+LEFT CLICK .............. nudge object in the direction ................................................ the camera is facing CTRL+LEFT CLICK ............... delete object

2D Map Editor
CTRL+Right-click ..... changes current tile rotation Left-click ................ place tile/object Left-click & hold ....... paint tile/object (not all tiles/obj.) Right-click .............. delete tile/object (of the same type as .................................... currently selected)

Options
Alt-S ...................... Toggle Alt-W ..................... Toggle Alt-K ...................... Toggle Alt-T ...................... Toggle Sound Shadows Smoke Tree Display

20

Combat Mission

Alt-C ...................... Toggle Alt-I ....................... Toggle Alt-J ....................... Toggle Alt-L ...................... Toggle Alt-P ...................... Toggle Alt-Q ...................... Quit

Camera Shake Floating Icons Show Objectives Show Landmarks Show All Move Paths

Customizing hotkeys
CM:SF allows you to customize the hotkeys to your liking. In order to do so, browse into your game directory and open the Data folder. You will find a file there called hotkeys.txt. Open this file in a text editor program. You will see entries for Camera controls, the base Command keys, and various other controls there. Each language has a different default. A tag indicates the language, e.g. <E> for English, <F> for French, <G> for German etc. In order to change the default hotkey, simply edit this file and save it in the same location. You might want to keep a few things in mind however: It might be a good idea to save the original defaults first before making any changes. For example, rename the original hotkeys.txt file to hotkeys_original.txt. When you change a hotkey, make sure that the same key is not already used / assigned to a different function. The program does not check for double-assignments, and will perform one function, but not both. The game may crash if you assign the various functions to the same key. If youre not using other languages, feel free to remove all other entries. This will help in editing the file. If no language specific entry is found, the <E> keys are used by default.

Here are some further useful tips to keep in mind when customizing your key layout: Combat Mission has two distinctly different approaches for using unit Commands via the keyboard; Relative and Direct. The Relative system involves a set of 9 keys centered around three rows of three consecutive keys each. These 9 keys match the 9 Command Buttons in the user interface's Command Panel. Each hotkey controls the commands RELATIVE to the position on the screen. For example, by default the U key activates the Top Row Left-Most key which would be FAST, TARGET, and SPLIT

Shock Force

21

depending on which Command Group is visible (Movement, Combat, and Special respectively). The Direct system, on the other hand, assigns a unique hotkey for DIRECT access to each Command. No attention is paid to the graphical representation on the screen. For example, if so assigned, F would issue the FAST command. T would issue the TARGET command, H would control the HIDE command etc... no matter which Command Group is visible on the screen. There are pros and cons to each system. The Relative system allows the player to keep one hand stationary on the keyboard and does not require any "hunting and pecking" to find the right hotkey. The downside is that when you wish to use two Commands in a row that are in different Command Groups you have to first switch the proper Command Group (now done using the F5-F8 keys). The Direct system allows you to string Commands together without concern for which Command Group they are in, but does have the drawback of requiring the hand to move and locate a specific key, which may or may not be easily memorized. Which is "better" comes down to personal player preference, therefore both are provided. Whenever possible, the order buttons under the various Command Panels will display the assigned "direct" key in highlighted green text. Note, we recommend that you decide which system you prefer and then assign the keys as you wish by editing the hotkeys.txt file. The default key assignments have all 9 Relative keys assigned (UIOJKLM,.) as well as a selection of the most commonly used commands mapped to new Direct keys (Move Fast, Move Normal, Reverse, Target, Target Light, Face, Deploy, Pause, Hide, Dismount, Vehicle Open Up and Pop Smoke) to give you an idea of how the two systems work. We have found that using one or the other systems exclusively seems to have the best results and do not recommend mixing the two systems together. While it's possible to do, it could mean getting the worst of both systems and not really getting the benefits. Therefore, if you wish to use the Direct system we advise that you edit the hotkeys.txt file to unassign the 9 Relative hotkeys. Also, be aware to not double assign any keys to multiple functions.

22

Combat Mission

Options
The Options menu allows various global game options, mainly with regard to visual and audio quality, to be set prior to playing a game. For the most part these settings require infrequent resetting. Features that need more frequent customization are set within the game using Hotkeys.

The Options are: - Sound: Toggles all in-game sounds on or off. - Display Size: you can select the game to run at the following resolutions: Desktop (the game will run at whatever resolution your desktop is set to), 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x960
Note: If you want to run the game in a resolution and refresh rate not listed, you can manually configure these settings by editing the "display size.txt" file located in your game directory. Simply change the numbers that you see there with the width (in pixels) and height (in pixels) and refresh rate (in Hertz) you wish to run the game. Example: For 1440x900 at 75Hz refresh rate, you would delete the numbers in that file and replace with "1440 900 75" (without quotes).

Shock Force

23

If you put in all zeroes - example: 0 0 0 - the game will revert to using your desktop resolution and refresh rate. Exercise caution and only use a resolution and refresh rate supported by your monitor as damage to your monitor or display adaptor could occur, especially if you use too high a setting.

- Vertical Synchronization: this option optimizes image quality based on your monitor refresh rate. This setting may reduce your framerate, however. - 3D Model Quality: Offers several settings for balancing model details with speed. The choices range from Fastest (lowest quality, highest game speed) to Best (best visual quality but possibly lower game speed). Balanced offers a good compromise between model quality and frame rate speed. - 3D Texture Quality: Same as above, except it balances the quality of the graphics. For computers with video cards with less than 64 MB memory, the Fast and Fastest settings are recommended. - Antialias / Multisample: Allows you to toggle Anti-Alias and Multisample on or off. If switched on, this option improves visual quality but may cost game performance. - High Priority Process: This option instructs Windows to assign "normal" application priority or "high" application priority to the game when it is run. The "normal" setting can fix lagging mouse and/or keyboard input issues for some systems. The "high" setting is recommended if you have not experienced any input lag problems. The "high" priority option allows Combat Mission to use more system resources and may result in better performance. - Language: CM:SF comes in a multi-language configuration. It defaults to the language that your desktop is set to. If you would like to switch to a different language, you can make the choice here. You must exit the game after changing languages, in order to access the correct language scenario folders.
Note: If you would like to disable the intro video playing at game launch, hold down the V key at game startup. The video will no longer play when the game loads and the setting will be saved in the preferences file. On subsequent startups you can press V again to bring the video back.

24

Combat Mission

Battles & Campaigns

CM:SF offers three basic types of scenarios to play: Campaigns, Battles, and QuickBattles.

Battles
As the game title Combat Mission implies, the actual Battle Mission is at the core of the game. This is where player and/or computer-controlled forces clash and their fate is decided. Battles constitute the base for the Campaigns and QuickBattle systems, explained further below. A number of pre-designed and tested battles and campaigns are available with the game, and by using the powerful Editor tools, players can also create an unlimited number of new battles. Battles are missions pre-designed by a scenario designer, and include the map, objectives, forces, reinforcements and AI scripting. As such, Battles can depict a nearly unlimited number of combat situations, forces, and mission types. The Editor section of the Game Manual explains in detail how Battles can be created.

Shock Force

25

How to start
To start a Battle, click on the Battle button on the main menu screen. The battle window opens, listing all available battles from the games Scenarios folder. Clicking on the title of each battle provides additional information to give the player a quick idea of what the Battle is about.

- Image: an optional image associated with the Battle. Could be an in-game shot, or map overview, or anything else that the scenario designer deems worthy of showing. If no image is provided, this area remains black. - Parameter icons: four icons that show the most important parameters for the battle: - Environment: the general type of map the battle takes place on. Options include City, town, village, open, rough, hills, etc. - Weather: the weather setting for the battle. Options include clear, overcast, rain, etc. - Battle Type: the type of battle and which side is the attacker or defender. Options include Assault, Attack, Probe and Meeting Engagement. - Battle Size: indication for the battle size, i.e. the amount of units, size of map, and duration. Options range from Tiny all the way to Huge as shown the by number of soldiers depicted in the icon. - Time of battle: the time of day when the battle starts

26

Combat Mission

- Temperature: the air temperature during the battle - Description: a short one-line description entered by the scenario author to describe what the mission is about The player has the option to click OK or to Cancel. The latter brings the player back to the Battle selection screen. Hitting OK opens the next screen:

Select Combat Force

The player now chooses the side he would like to play - Blue (US) or Red (Syrian)

Select Game Options

In the next screen, the Style of play and number of players is set, as well as the difficulty level for the mission.

Players - options range from single play in real-time or turnbased, or various 2 player options (LAN/Internet, Hotseat and Email) Skill - the difficulty setting including Basic Training, Veteran and Elite settings. Click OK to load the scenario.

Mission Briefing
The mission-briefing screen opens when first entering a battle. The briefing screen shows: - Strategic Map (e.g. the map of Syria or the geographical location of the battle). Uploaded by scenario author and empty if not provided. - Operational Map (e.g. a city map of the neighborhood where the battle takes place). Uploaded by scenario author and empty if not provided. - Briefing Text. Describes the mission orders to the player using a common format.

Shock Force

27

- Button for Tactical Map. Toggles map or briefing view and shows a tactical map to the player, e.g. a birds eye view of the battlefield. Empty if not provided by scenario author. Hitting OK takes the player directly to the 3D battlefield.

Setup Phase
When you first enter the 3D battlefield you start out in the Setup Phase. Gameplay is paused and both sides are able to move their units within the available Setup Zones. The Setup Zones are visible as colored areas (in shades of red for the Syrian player, and shades of blue for the US player) overlaid on the terrain. Each side can have up to three different colored Zones in any configuration (including non-contiguous). Units may be moved within the same colored Zones they start out with, never any place else. Almost all of the regular Commands available to a particular unit while in battle are available during the Setup Phase. However, some Commands only activate once the battle starts. For example, any Combat Command issued to a unit during Setup Phase wont do anything until the combat starts. Movement Commands given to a unit within its Setup Zone will move it

28

Combat Mission

there immediately and without any game effect, such as Fatigue. Movement Commands which are placed outside of a Zone instruct the unit to move to that location as soon as the battle starts, but not before. Other Commands, such as Button/Unbutton, Acquire, Split, have an immediate effect and can be done or undone instantly and without their typical game costs (time delays, Fatigue, etc.).
Note: the Target command is available during the Setup Phase, but ONLY to be able to check lines of sight and distances. No targeting orders are actually saved during the Setup Phase!

Once you have positioned your units to your liking and are ready to start the battle, click on the red blinking button in the lower right hand corner of the screen. This is the End Phase button which quits the Setup Phase and launches the actual battle. The game clock will start ticking and will continue to do so until you pause (RealTime) or until the 60 seconds of the first Action Phase are completed (WeGo). More about this in the following chapter about Gameplay Styles.

Victory conditions
Scenario designers can set a number of specific victory conditions for battles, and mix different objectives and objective types. Each objective can have a different victory point value associated with it. The objectives of the opposing sides do not have to match. In fact, one side can have totally different goals than the other side. Also, objectives are not automatically known to both sides: a mission goal is only known to the side that has to achieve it; or only the other side; or both; or none. The Editor chapter explains objectives in more detail. Here are the basics for the player:

Shock Force

29

For each scenario, there are three main types of objectives for each side: terrain-based objectives, unit-based objectives, and force-wide objectives.

T errain based objectives

The scenario designer can set any number of terrain-based objectives, i.e. areas on the map of some importance to the mission. The available objective types include: - Occupy: player needs to occupy an area, clear it completely of enemy troops, and keep some forces there (until the end of the battle) to gain points - Destroy: player needs to destroy an area (e.g. a building) - Preserve: the opposite of Destroy; the player needs to ensure that an area remains undamaged - Touch: player needs to reach the objective area to gain points, but does not have to remain in position there

Unit based objectives

There can be any number of unit-based objectives in a scenario. The objective can be tied to one single unit (such as a tank or an HQ unit) or to entire formations (such as a platoon or even a company), or to a mix of various units. Unit-based objective options include: - Destroy: you must destroy the designated units. The more damage you cause to those units, the more points you earn. - Destroy all: you must destroy the designated units in order to earn any points. Points are not awarded for damaged units. - Spot: you earn points by spotting and identifying the designated units.

Force wide objectives

These are the main victory parameters for a scenario. The scenario designer assigns victory points to each objective individually. Options include: - Casualties (friendly and enemy): if the player keeps his own casualties under this percentage (relative to the entire force in the scenario) and pushes the enemy above another percentage, he is awarded the respective victory points - Condition (friendly and enemy): if the player keeps his percentage of wounded, incapacitated and routed soldiers below

30

Combat Mission

this percentage and pushes the enemy above another percentage, he is awarded the respective victory points - Ammo (friendly and enemy): if the player retains more than this percentage of ammo and pushes the enemy to expend more than another percentage, he is awarded the respective victory points - Friendly bonus: onetime bonus to the side. A quick fix to balance uneven battles, which can be fun at times. The full range of Victory objectives is available for Battles and Campaigns. QuickBattles use a simplified auto-generated system, which is explained at the end of this chapter.

Campaigns
A Campaign is a single player game that progresses through a series of interconnected Battles stretching over many simu-

Shock Force

31

lated hours, days, weeks, or even months. After completing a Battle, Combat Mission selects the next Battle based on the results of the one just completed. The Battles within a Campaign are all premade, but are adjusted to reflect combat results from the previous Battle. Combat Mission campaigns are what we call semi-dynamic: this means there are some predetermined elements, as well as some based on the players actions. Certain units have their casualties, changes in leadership, ammo usage, damage, and other factors carried over to the next Battle they appear in. Such units are called Core Units and constitute the bulk of the players available force for the Campaign. This does not mean, however, that every Core Unit appears in every battle. On the contrary, very often units seen in one battle might not appear again until several battles later. Some units may only appear a couple of times, while others appear nearly every battle. However, Core Units are always seen at least two times, unlike Auxiliary Units which are seen only once for the whole Campaign. Combat Mission makes no attempt to inform the player about which units are Core or , in order to remove the temptation for players to abuse of Auxiliaries (i.e. treating Auxiliary units as disposable). Depending on conditions before each new Battle, Combat Mission may replace fallen soldiers, repair damaged vehicles, replenish ammo, etc. However, as with any real-life military campaign, replacement, repair, and replenishment are not guaranteed events. A wise player will keep this in mind and avoid wearing out his forces trying to achieve something that, in the larger context of the campaign, is relatively unimportant. Combat Mission chooses which Battle comes next based on the score from the previous Battle. However, the evaluation is based on expectations about how well the player should do. Sometimes expectations are high and sometimes not. This could mean a high score for one Battle keeps the player on the optimal path to victory, while the same exact score for another Battle may mean a detour before getting back on the straight path to the Campaigns end. Generally, however, better results lead to a more direct path to the final Battle.

Playing A Campaign
From the Main Screen, click on the Campaign button to view all available Campaigns. CM:SF includes two Campaigns, both played from the US side; Yakima Training Center (YTC) and Task Force Thunder (TF Thunder).

32

Combat Mission

YTC is a short Campaign designed to familiarize new players with how Combat Mission works. TF Thunder follows a battalionsized combined arms Task Force across the Syrian border, with the ultimate mission of splitting the country into two. It is highly recommended that all players (especially those who have played previous Combat Mission games) play the YTC Campaign before doing anything else.

Once a Campaign is selected, the player receives a special onetime-only Campaign Briefing. It describes the big picture of what is expected of the player and which forces are available to achieve the objective. After absorbing this information, the player moves onto the Mission Briefing to find out the specific details of the coming Battle. At the end of each Battle, the player views an After Action Report (AAR) that scores the players performance for that battle. After viewing the AAR, the next Battles Mission Briefing comes up and the whole process is repeated until the end of the Campaign.

Shock Force

33

After the last Battle, the player sees the Campaign AAR. Unlike previous AARs, which showed results for the just-completed Battle, the Campaign AAR details how the player performed over the entire Campaign. This signifies the end of the Campaign. The individual campaign missions make full use of all Victory Options available for Battles.
Note: Players can create their own campaigns. Please read the Editor Chapter for details on how to link battles.

QuickBattles
QuickBattles offer unlimited replayability in CMSF, and are also a quick way to generate a new battle. Units for both sides, and the map to be played on, are randomly chosen according to a number of parameters set by the player.

Quick Battle Options

Environmental Options
These correspond to the options available for regular scenarios, and define the general setting for the Quick Battle. These options also determine which Map is randomly loaded for the QB from the pool of available maps in the Quick Battle Maps folder. For example, if you set the Environment to Open, only Quick Battle Maps with an Open Environment setting will be considered when choosing which map to load. If more than one map is available, then the choice is made randomly. If no eligible map is available, the QB will be aborted and you will be redirected to the Main Menu screen instead. Battle Type Meeting Engagement, Probe, Attack, Assault, or Random. This setting has an impact of what type of Quick Battle Map will be loaded if you select Meeting Engagement, only maps defined as Meeting Engagement will be considered for loading. If you choose any of the other Battle Types, then only maps which are NOT a Meeting Engagement are considered. Environment sets the general type of terrain to be played on. This setting has a direct impact on what type of Quick Battle Map will be loaded. Battle Size ranging from Tiny to Huge. This has an impact on how many units will be available to both sides. Region & Month sets the date for the scenario

34

Combat Mission

Daylight sets the time for the scenario Weather sets the current weather for the scenario

Units options
These options define the units that both sides will be playing with. Units are assigned randomly based on the parameters chosen by the player. Service choices include: US Army, Syrian Army, Uncons, Random, Random Blue and Random Red. This defines the base pool of units for that side for the QB. Branch depending on the chosen Service, the appropriate Branch can be selected here, e.g. Mech Infantry, or Armor. Type this defines the rough composition of the unit based on the previous choices. For example, for an Infantry Branch, the choice could be Heavy Infantry, Medium Infantry or Light Infantry, defining the TO&E as well as available weapons and formations. Quality ranging from Poor to Excellent, this defines the equipment used as well as soft factors such as morale, leadership etc. Condition sets the physical condition for the sides units Force Adjustment allows playing an unbalanced QB. If set to the default no change, both sides will be roughly equally strong based on abstract purchase points. The options allow you to give the Blue Force an extra 150% of units, or to deduct 60% from the Blue pool.

Launch the QB
After setting the parameters, and if an eligible QB Map is found in the QB Map folder, the player will be asked to select which side they want to play and which style of play they prefer (Real Time, WeGo, 1 player or 2 etc.) just as for a regular scenario. If no eligible map is found, you will simply be returned to the Main Menu screen.

Setup Positions
The randomly purchased units are located in the predetermined setup areas at the beginning of the QB.

Shock Force

35

Victory conditions
Victory conditions for QuickBattles are much more limited than for Campaigns and Battles. Only two types of victory conditions are available: 1 - Terrain objective zones. These are always considered as OCCUPY zones. 2 - An enemy-casualty threshold victory goal for each side is added automatically, which is lowest for meeting engagements, and highest for assaults.

Gameplay Styles
Combat Mission: Shock Force can be played in a number of ways. At its core, its a simultaneous-time ground combat simulation where one second of playing time equals one second of real time. In other words, a 30 minute engagement will also take 30 minutes to play out. Since not everybody has time to play real-time, a number of alternative playing styles are supported. No matter which playing style you choose for a given battle, the underlying simulation engine always runs in real-time. In other words, as far as the game is concerned, turn-based play is nothing else than a game played in 60 second increments of real-time, in between which gameplay is paused to await player input. It doesnt have any effect on the simulation itself.

Single Player
Single-player mode allows one player to fight against the Computer Opponent (often also referred to as Artificial Intelligence, or AI). The Computer opponent consists of three main sub-elements: - the customizable Scenario AI which can be programmed by the Scenario Designer who determines the overall strategic goals as well as possible avenues of approach and is able to script certain behavior; - the hard-coded Operational AI (OpsAI) that coordinates and assigns the orders to sub-units;

36

Combat Mission

- and the hard-coded Tactical AI (TacAI) that controls the individual behavior of units and soldiers based on the assigned orders and the situation that develops after the shooting starts.

Real-time
The Real-time Single Player mode starts with the player entering the battlefield in the Setup Phase. Time is paused, and the player is able to get to know the battlefield, study his orders and units, and place his troops within the designated setup zones. During the setup phase, it is possible to issue orders which will be executed immediately when the battle starts. With setup completed, the player launches the battle, starting the clock. The clock ticks in true real-time (1 second of game time equals 1 second in the real world) and only stops if the game is paused. All actions happen simultaneously. After the allotted Scenario Time expires, the battle ends, and the results screen is shown.

T urn-based
The turn-based single-player mode begins again with the Setup Phase, which works just like for Real-Time play: both players are able to change the deployment of their units, and issue orders which will be executed during the first turn. After the Setup Phase ends, the first game Turn begins. For the first turn (only), the turn begins with the Action Phase, during which the units execute the commands given to them during the Setup Phase. After the Action Phase ends, players can rewind and replay the Action (without being able to issue commands) as often as they like during the Replay Phase. Each following Turn is divided into three phases: a Command Phase during which the player is able to issue orders to his units for the upcoming turn, an Action Phase, during which the units execute these orders, and a Replay Phase, during which the player is able to rewind and watch the action as often as he likes. The Action Phase runs in real-time for 60 seconds and automatically ends after that time. The Player is not able to issue further orders during the Action and Replay Phases but can move the camera freely around the battlefield.

Shock Force

37

T wo-player
The Computer Opponent can be quite formidable when you are just starting to play CM:SF, but it is no match for an experienced human player, because, unlike a human, the AI is not capable of learning from its mistakes or adapting its gameplay to its opponent(s). Although a lot can be done by the Scenario Designer to increase the difficulty of winning against the Computer Opponent by carefully scripting the Scenario AI, sooner or later multi-player games against other humans will provide the only real challenge. Playing against other human players is possible using a variety of methods.

Real-time
Two player Real-time play is possible via two modes: a local area network (LAN) where two computers are connected to each other locally, and internet play where the two players can be anywhere in the world and connect via the internet. Both types of play use the TCP/IP protocol for connection, therefore the steps to set up and play a game are basically identical.

LAN/Internet
CM:SF uses a peer-to-peer connection between the two players. One player assumes the role of the host, while the other player joins as client. The host first creates a new Battle by choosing which scenario he wants to play, and from the Game Start window selects the appropriate game type: 2 Player Internet/ LAN. On the next screen, CM:SF automatically detects and lists all IP numbers associated with the host computer, as well as which port will be used for the connection. It then waits for the client player to join.

38

Combat Mission

Note: Combat Mission Shock Force uses the UDP and TCP port 7023 for all multiplayer games. If you are trying to HOST a TCP-IP game make sure and open port 7023 for both UDP and TCP traffic.

The host now has to communicate this information to the client player by email or chat. The client launches the game and chooses Join Game from the main game menu. Here, he enters the correct IP address and port given to him by the host. After clicking Join, the game will attempt to connect with the host computer and, if the connection was successful, the game will launch. From here on, gameplay resolves exactly the same as in the 1 player Real-Time game mode for each player.

Note that CM:SF lists ALL the IP addresses assigned to a system. If you have multiple modems or network cards, it will list all IP addresses associated with those devices. What it cant do is tell you which one is the correct IP address, because that depends on how your system is configured. If you do not know the correct IP address yourself, your opponent will have to try all of them to find the correct one. Make a note of its place in the list, because even if the IP address itself might change, the order in which the IPs are listed should not.

If either player is behind a firewall (hacker protection) or is using a proxy system, you may need to reconfigure your system by manually opening the necessary port for incoming and outgoing transmissions. You might have to uninstall some firewalls completely (software-based) or disable them (hardware-based). Some firewalls might have to be uninstalled completely. Users with routers need to add the TCP port to the routers forwarding table and match it to the internal IP address of the computer that hosts the game, then use the routers control panel to get the external IP address given out by your ISP. This external IP address is what your opponent will need in order to connect to you as host. People using Internet Connection Sharing on their home LANs cannot host Internet games. They can, however, host locally to systems that are connected on the same home LAN. They can join other hosted games normally, via Internet or LAN. This

Shock Force

39

limitation on hosting affects systems that gain their access to the Internet SOLELY on ICS connection.

T urn-based
Two player turn-based play is possible via two modes - Hotseat, where the two players play on the same computer and take turns plotting their orders for each turn, and Play By Email (PBEM), where the two players save and swap their turn files via email.

Hotseat
Hotseat play is very similar to Turn-Based Single Player games. Each player plots his commands and actions as he would in a Single-Player game and, once done, exchanges the seat in front of the computer with his opponent (hence the term hotseat), who now does the same. This is repeated for each turn.

Email
Play by Email works exactly like Single-Player Turn-based play, except that once a player completes their commands and actions, a special save game file is generated. The player emails this file to their opponent who loads it on their end, executes their commands, watches the results of the previous turn, then saves a file and returns it to the first player. Here is a more detailed explanation of the process: 1. You pick a Game and are prompted to create a password. This creates Game file 01 which is stored as an Outgoing file. You will find this file in CM:SF/Games File/Outgoing Email. You send this to your partner 2. Your Partner gets the 01 file and saves it in his Incoming Email Folder. 3. He starts game and finds file 01 the Saved Game portion of the Opening menu. 4. Partner puts in password and a new file 02 will be generated to be sent to you. By saving and swapping these files via email, the players advance the game from turn to turn at a pace that the players can adjust to their liking. The gameplay itself, i.e. the Action Phase, still takes place in real-time - just like in Turn-Based Single Player mode.

40

Combat Mission

Multi-player
For future modules of Combat Mission, additional multi-player features (i.e. more than 2 players) are already in the works, including co-op play (i.e. several players can join the same side and re-enact a real chain of command).

Shock Force

41

Skill Levels
When you launch a new battle, you can set the skill level, which adjusts the overall difficulty of the game. Unlike other games, the skill level does not simply give an artificial bonus to the computer opponent, but instead has an influence on core game mechanics. The following section describes the differences between the different levels. Only the differences from the previous lower level are described.

Basic T raining
This is the easiest setting. The following special rules apply: - Friendly units are always spotted - Spotting information is instantly shared among teams (aka Borg Spotting) - Troops suffer slightly fewer casualties and are less likely to panic - Treatment of wounded soldiers (buddy aid) is extremely fast - Artillery and air support arrives extremely fast - Enemy units, once spotted, are always fully identified - The life/death status of enemy vehicles is displayed immediately - Enemy weapons and suppression are displayed - You can hear the voices of unspotted enemies

Veteran
Most people familiar with the Combat Mission game system will prefer this setting. It is a fair balance between realism and fun, that does not burden the player with unnecessary details or long waiting times. The following special rules apply: - Friendly units are always spotted - Enemies, once spotted, are not always immediately identified and can appear as generic Enemy contacts (but less often than at Elite level) - Spotting information is distributed among teams using the standard Command & Control rules (See

42

Combat Mission

Command & Control chapter) - Treatment of wounded soldiers is faster than in real life - Artillery and air support arrives faster than in real life - The life/death status of enemy vehicles is hidden until the crew bails out or the vehicle starts to burn - Enemy weapons and suppression are not displayed - You cannot hear unspotted enemies

Elite
Elite is similar to the Veteran setting but introduces more realistic time delays for a number of tasks and events. Hardcore players will favor this setting. The following special rules apply: - Enemies appear as generic Enemy contacts until they are positively identified by your forces on the battlefield - Treating wounded soldiers takes a realistic amount of time - Artillery and air support take a realistic amount of time to arrive

Iron
Iron is an optional setting that goes even one step further than Elite, and introduces special restrictions on what the player can do and when. While even more realistic than the other settings, this option introduces a number of interface limitations which might put off the casual player, so it is strictly an optional choice. - Friendly units need to be spotted just like enemy units. If you have a friendly unit not in line of sight or in contact with another friendly unit, then the only way to find this unit is by either re-establishing contact with another friendly unit or by clicking through the chain of command in the game interface, jumping from unit to unit.

Shock Force

43

Basic Screen Layout

The main screen layout breaks down as follows:

1. Top Navigation/Info Bar - the info bar at the top of the screen provides information about friendly and enemy units located within the viewing cone, even if the units are hidden or obscured by an obstacle. Clicking on one of the triangle-shaped icons instantly switches the player to that unit. 2. Game Area - this is the central display area where all the action takes place. Using mouse and keyboard controls the player can move the camera around the map, as well as access units and info by clicking on them directly and/or on their floating information icons (if enabled). 3. Game User Interface (GUI) - the main interface bar at the bottom of the screen presents the player with all the information and controls necessary to interact with units.
Note: This screen layout is used for all instances where the player interacts with the 3D game world. 2D game elements such as menu screens and the editor use a different GUI layout.

44

Combat Mission

Game User Interface (GUI)

As soon as you enter the 3D game world of CM:SF, the GUI appears at the bottom of the screen. It always consists of the same three main parts, even though some may be empty or unavailable at times. 1. Unit Info Panel 2. Team Info Panel 3. Command Panel

Unit Info Panel

The Unit Info Panel displays the most important information for the currently selected unit. It breaks down as follows:

1. Unit name - standard or customized unit description 2. Unit type - describes the type of unit, such as Stryker Squad 3. Portrait - a picture that represents the current unit type 4. Unit attributes - the central characteristics affecting the units ability to perform: a) leader name (leadership modifier) b) experience level (no modifier) c) physical condition (physical fitness modifier) d) morale (motivational modifier) Modifiers determine, for better or worse, how the unit behaves during the game. Each modifier can have a positive or negative value, as follows: +2 - excellent +1 - good

Shock Force

45

+0 - average -1 - below average -2 - poor 5. Rank - the rank insignia of the highest-ranking leader of the unit. This does not change within a battle - even if the leader becomes a casualty and the next highest ranking member assumes the leadership role. 6. Branch of Service - shows which Branch of Service the unit belongs to.

7. Chain of Command - displays the parent formations of the unit. A green icon indicates that the unit is currently in contact, while a red icon indicates that the unit is out of contact. 8. Ammo panel - the ammo panel displays the available and remaining amount of ammunition that the unit has at its disposal. The display is broken down into four groups: small arms ammunition, MG ammunition, hand grenades, and rifle grenades. 9. C2 Link - the Command and Control (C2) link shows the available means of communication for the selected unit. Up to three of the most effective methods are shown. 10. Suppression Indicator - an inverted color-coded pyramid indicates the amount of suppression the selected unit is enduring at any given time. It also gives the player a rough measurement of the total volume of incoming enemy fire. As the color moves from green to yellow to orange to red, the amount of suppression increases, and the unit will be more likely to go to ground, panic, or break. When units are pinned (i.e. they can shoot but do not respond to movement orders) the word Pinned is shown in the suppression meter display. 11. Artillery and Air Support buttons - allows access to the Artillery and Air Support screen (if such support is available and if the currently selected unit is allowed to request support). 12. Special Equipment - this area consists of 12 slots which display various types of special equipment that a squad, team, or

46

Combat Mission

vehicle might be equipped with (e.g. Javelin missiles, demo charges, extra ammo etc.).
Note: keep an eye out for knocked-out burning vehicles that contain extra ammo and other special equipment. CM:SF is simulating cook-offs, i.e. exploding ammo inside a burning vehicle. After each explosion ammo is crossed off the list, but remaining ammo may still explode later on. You should keep your infantry away from burning vehicles or they could suffer damage.

T eam Info Panel

The Team Info Panel shows all Soldiers assigned to the unit. Depending on the type of unit and the nationality, the Team Info is further subdivided into Teams. Squads show three columns representing up to three Fire Teams, designated A, B and C. All US squads have two Fire Teams and most Syrian squads have none.

Shock Force

47

Each Soldier is represented by his Weapon, his Wounds, and his Speciality. Behind the scenes, the rank, individual ammo count, type of body armor (if any), number and type of grenades, Special Equipment, and spare ammo are also tracked for each Soldier. The Unit Info Panel displays cumulative ammo counts and any Special Equipment. The total weight of everything a Soldier carries is also tracked and has an impact on fatigue from movement. In order to prevent unnecessary information overload, these details are not available to the player. There is a large number of Weapons available, and they generally fall into one of four basic categories: rifle, squad automatic weapon (SAW), sniper rifle, or heavy weapon. CM:SF uses real-world statistics for these Weapons, such as caliber and type of ammo, rate of fire, reloading requirements, chance of jamming, inherent accuracy, weight, etc. The Encyclopedia chapter covers this in detail. In the Game Area, each weapon is accurately and individually represented for each Soldier. The color of the Weapon icon in the panel denotes the general health of the Soldier. Green means the Soldier is in good shape, though perhaps a little banged up. Yellow means that the soldier has sustained a significant would that is likely to impair his ability to fight. Seriously wounded Soldiers are dropped from the Team Info Panel completely. The Soldiers bases within the Game Area also show Green, Yellow, Red (seriously wounded) and Brown (dead) to reflect their Wound status. If you point the cursor at a weapon, the name of the weapon is displayed and that soldiers base is subtly highlighted in the main 3D display. Seriously wounded players (red soldier base) can be given firstaid by their comrades, which is called Buddy Aid. There is no Command for this action, rather it happens automatically when a friendly soldier (regardless if he is from the same squad or not) is moved close to the location of an incapacitated comrade. Depending on the situation (incoming fire etc.) the soldier may decide to treat the wounded man. The word medic is displayed in the status field. The player can abort the treatment at any time by giving the parent unit that the medic belongs to any kind of Command. The medic may decide to abort the treatment himself as well if there is significant incoming fire.

48

Combat Mission

Note: Seriously-wounded (red base) soldiers who have not received buddy aid (i.e. disappeared) by the end of the game have a 25% chance of becoming KIA in the final tally.

Dead soldiers (brown soldier base) can also receive Buddy Aid (by moving a friendly soldier close to the location), but all it does is reclaim their ammo and weapons, if possible. Aid to dead soldiers is pretty quick. Many Soldiers have a special ability due to training and/or weapon assignment. These Specialties (MOS in US Military language) are represented in iconic form next to the Soldiers Weapon (see the Icons chapter). The main purpose of this icon is to inform the player what the particular Soldier is specifically supposed to do. For example, drive a vehicle, command a Team, use AT weapons, etc. If a soldier without a specific MOS tries to perform the same task, he is generally worse at doing it. This is especially true for (but not limited to) firing antitank rockets and missiles because soldiers who are not antitank specialists receive an accuracy or guidance penalty (exception: secondary launchers like the M136/AT4 and the RPG-18 can be fired by anyone without penalty).

Details Panel
All units that are not Squads are simply referred to as Teams and have up to seven Soldiers in the Team A column. In place of columns B and C is the Details Panel, which is where special information about the Team is shown. There are three different types of Details Panels based on Team type: Vehicle, HQ, and Heavy Weapon. The layout for each Detail Panel is essentially the same with Profile, Stats, and Reports sub sections. The Profile shows a silhouette unique to that unit, the Stats give some indication as to what the unit is capable of, and Reports give details relevant to the Teams specialized purpose. Reports are tabbed and can be accessed one at a time. CM:SF remembers which Report was last in view so the next time you select a unit of that type, the same Report shows up by default. The following sections briefly describe the unique features shown for each unit type.

Shock Force

49

Detail Panel Components

The Details Panel is divided up into three conceptual pieces: Profile, Statistics, and Reports. The information for each varies a little depending on if the unit is a Vehicle, HQ, or Heavy Weapon (HW).

Profile
Designation - lower left. Military designation for Vehicles and HW (e.g. M3A2, M240B, etc.). For HW, it is usually a generic name describing the type or function, such as MMG, Sniper, etc. For HQs, it is usually the Formation Name (e.g. 1st PLT, B CO, etc.) Purpose - lower right. Shows the player the purpose of that particular unit. Commonly used designations include IFV, ATGM, MMG, etc. For HQs, its PLT HQ, CO HQ, etc. HQ Button - when a Vehicle or HW is also a HQ, a button appears which toggles the HQ Reports on or off instead of the units Vehicle or HQ Reports. Silhouette - an illustration of what the unit is. For HW this image will change depending on if it is Deployed or not. Crew Positions - a grey dot for each designated crew position, a blue dot for each occupied position, and a gray dot with a black center for WIA. Passenger Positions - works the same as Crew Positions, but uses a green dot instead of blue to represent an occupied position. Vehicle Name - lower left. The common name of the vehicle, if any (e.g. Abrams, Bradley, etc.). Left blank for HQs and HWs.

50

Combat Mission

Stats
Vehicles - Weight, Speed, Power-to-weight ratio, Offroad ability, Turning ability Heavy Weapons - Caliber, Setup Time, Speed, Minimum and /or Maximum ranges HQs - Personnel, Experience, Condition, Morale, Suppression

Reports
Ammo Report - available for Vehicles, HQs, and HWs. Displays the amount of ammo of each type assigned to that unit.

Defenses Report - available for Vehicles only. Shows the vehicles ability to defend against ATGM, Large Caliber, Medium Caliber, and Small Caliber munitions against the Front, Sides, Rear, and Top. The amount of threat posed by the various munitions is shown graphically as Bad (large red X), Poor (small red x), Average (yellow ), Good (thin green +), and Excellent (thick green +).

Shock Force

51

Damage Report - available for Vehicles only. Shows how well each system of the vehicle is functioning. The icons show Excellent (thick green +), Average (yellow ), and Bad (large red X).
Note: The game tracks and applies limitations to what a vehicle can or cant do *precisely* as shown here, so keep an eye on the damage report during combat! If the engine is destroyed then your vehicle wont be able to move. If its engine or running gear are damaged it may be able to move but only slowly, and even more so across difficult terrain or up steep slopes. If the radio is destroyed or damaged, it may lose connection to higher up, resulting in loss of Command & Control, and so forth.

Unit Report - available for HQs only. Shows up to nine units directly attached to the HQ and if they are in C2 contact (thick green +) or out of contact (large red X). Clicking on an entry switches the player to that unit.

52

Combat Mission

Formation Report - Identical to Unit Report, but showing up to nine Formations attached to the HQ (if any).

Command Panel
The Command Panel is a highly interactive area that allows the player to issue Commands to units, to select from various Menu options, and to control the speed of the game. The various component pieces are broken up logically so they can be accessed quickly. The components are numbered according to this picture of the Command Panel: 1. Instant Commands - allow one click change in unit behavior. The left button tells the unit to HALT and retain its Commands. Clicking on the button again tells the unit to RESUME. The middle button instructs the unit to CANCEL all its Commands and to do nothing for the moment. The right button tells the unit to EVADE by abandoning its current Commands and seeking immediate cover and perhaps popping smoke. Although units can Evade on their own initiative, sometimes they try too hard to stick to their Commands and need to be redirected

Shock Force

53

without further delay. Instant Commands work in both RealTime and We-Go styles of play. 2. Command Modes - determines which type of Commands are being used; Movement, Combat, Special and Administrative. When selected, the name of the Command Mode is displayed along the bottom and the appropriate Command Buttons are shown in the Button Screen.

3. Button Interface - shows either Command or Menu Buttons, depending on which is currently selected. Command Buttons display their assigned hotkey and are color-coded to match the Command Lines shown in the Game Area. See section [Commands] for more details about Commands 4. Menu Mode - by clicking on the Button Menu, the Screen displays various special Options the player can use. These Options are detailed below. Clicking again on the Menu button quits the Menu Mode. 5. Playback Interface - used mainly for We-Go style play, this interface allows you to replay, rewind and fast forward through each game turn and phase. The large red button in the middle is used to End Turn (We-Go style) or End Phase (Real-Time and We-Go). The elapsed game time is shown at the bottom.

Menu Options
The Menu Options Panel contains a total of seven buttons, explained below. The Panel is accessed by clicking on the Menu button. Clicking again exits Menu Mode and resumes regular Command Mode for the Panel.

54

Combat Mission

1. Save - opens the Save Game screen, allowing you to save a game in progress.

2. Conditions - opens a pop-up window listing the environmental conditions for the current battle, including: Weather (e.g. Clear, Overcast, Rain...) Temperature Ground Conditions (e.g. Dry, Wet...) Wind Strength and Direction Civilian Population Density

3. Briefing - opens the Briefings Panel with the current Mission Briefings 4. Hotkeys - opens the Hotkeys Panel listing all important in-game hotkeys 5. Cease fire - toggles the call for a Cease Fire on and off. If the opponent selects this option as well, the game ends with a mutually agreed to Cease Fire 6. Surrender - immediately surrenders the battle to the opponent 7. Quit - aborts the current mission immediately, without calculating results

Command Interface
Units are controlled by issuing Commands. The Command Panel is the primary method for viewing and issuing Commands. All Commands are grouped into one of four conceptually similar Command Modes:

Shock Force

55

Movement: Commands to get units from waypoint A to B Combat: Commands to engage enemy targets Special: various special Commands that complement Movement and Combat Commands Administrative: Commands that affect a units basic organization There are several ways to issue a Command during the game, so you can choose whichever suits your style of playing best.

Number Pad
Each key on the Number Pad is hard-wired to the Command Button that is in the same relative position in the currently active Command Panel. For example, with the Move Command Panel open, the top row of Commands (from left to right - Fast, Quick, Move) corresponds to the keys 7, 8, and 9. You can switch Command Panels to access other Commands with the / and * buttons.

Keyboard
You can use the keyboard to issue Commands via Hotkeys. You can customize the hotkeys to your liking and either use a hotkey for each individual command (Direct access) which eliminates the need to bring up the required Command Panel first, or use the Default Keys (Relative access). You can access Command Panels directly with the F5-F8 function keys.

56

Combat Mission

Mouse
You can use your mouse to operate the Command Panel in the Game Interface directly. Simply click on the corresponding buttons to switch Panels and issue Commands.

On-screen menu
A selectable Command Menu popup in the 3D area is also available. The onscreen list of available commands can be viewed by selecting a unit and pressing the SPACE BAR. Simply click on the desired Command and then follow normal procedures for that Command (e.g. clicking a Waypoint or selecting an enemy unit to Target). The menu can be dismissed with another press of the space bar or clicking the mouse anywhere outside the menu. Some Commands are modal, such as Deploy Weapon for Heavy Weapons. These Commands remain lit up to show that the unit is already performing that particular Command. Issuing the Command again has the effect of telling the unit to cease that action. Units whose Morale State is Panic, Broken, or Routed are not capable of receiving any Commands. Units that are heavily Suppressed (Pinned) may accept Commands but may not necessarily act upon them right away.

Playback Interface
For Turn-based We-Go play, this interface is used to playback each turns action. For other play styles such as Real Time, this panel is only used to conclude the Setup Phase at the beginning of each battle and launch the battle. The controls resemble those of a regular VCR or CD player, and include: -play/pause (toggle) -skip to end -rewind -fast forward The large red button in the middle of the Playback Interface is used to advance from one phase to the next, i.e. ending the

Shock Force

57

Setup Phase and starting the game in Real Time mode, or ending the Playback phase and starting the Command Phase of the next turn. Below this is the elapsed game time expressed in minutes.

Spotting & Floating Icons

One of the center pieces of the new CM:SF game engine is the concept of relative spotting, where a number of game elements - from command & control, to skill levels, to individual unit abilities - all come together. A typical battlefield is full of chaos by its very nature: combatants worldwide call this chaos the Fog of War, where no two soldiers see the same thing. To simulate this, CM:SF employs complex calculations and a unique spotting concept which only shows to the player what his currently selected unit can see. This is computed for each unit individually, and is not only based on actual lines of sight, but includes many other factors such as: what the spotter and target are doing, the equipment they have available (day/night scopes, binoculars, thermal imaging sensors), skill levels, visibility based on climatic effects, even sounds and so forth. On top of that, information about spotted units does not pass immediately to other friendly units, but is transmitted using the usual Command & Control channels, and is subject to the same restrictions.
Note: Relative Spotting is turned off for Basic Training Skill level Example: One squad might see an enemy unit that a friendly squad, close to the first, does not see. It only takes a few seconds before the first squad is alerted about the enemy presence by visual signals (e.g. hand signals), but it takes much longer to pass this information to other units in the Chain of Command. Units out of contact might not receive this information until they are in contact again.

The game portrays the effects of relative spottingby using the units Floating Icons, which appear above each visible unit on the battlefield (unless disabled by its hotkey). The floating icons have three states: regular, dimmed and highlighted.

58

Combat Mission

With no unit selected, all icons are in their regular state. This shows the player the combined information from all his units as passed up the Chain of Command. By clicking on a friendly unit, the following happens: - the selected unit is highlighted in a bright unique color - all friendly units within the same formation (e.g. units from the same platoon) are highlighted - enemy units which the selected unit can see are highlighted - all other icons are dimmed When an enemy unit is selected, the following happens: - the enemy unit is highlighted in a bright unique color - friendly units within LOS of the enemy unit are highlighted - all other icons are dimmed Some of the most immediate effects of this system are that units with dimmed icons cannot be directly targeted by the selected unit. The unit TacAI will continue to behave as if no enemy unit was present. It will, for example, continue walking down a road into a possible ambush, unaware of the threat. The icons displayed are nation-specific and unit-type specific. Normally, it is red diamonds for Syrians, blue circles for US. The unit representations show the main type, such as tank, infantry, vehicle, etc., using the silhouette of the most common unit for that nation. If play is Red on Red or Blue on Blue, the colors and shapes remain the same but the black unit representations on the icons change because they are specific to one nations equipment. Most actions which are possible for the player to do by clicking on a unit are also possible when clicking on the units icon instead. This is often easier since the unit icons are stacked automatically for easier access. For example, when embarking a vehicle you can click on the vehicle or on its icon.

Shock Force

59

Commands
At the very core of the CM:SF tactical game lies its system of Commands. Commands are the primary form of interaction between the player and his virtual soldiers on the battlefield. CM:SF uses a structured Commands system which emulates most of the typical orders a squad of soldiers would give or receive on a real battlefield. Similar Commands are categorized into specific Command Groups. The four main Command Groups are: Move Commands - move units from A to B using various methods Combat Commands - instructs the unit to use its weapons in some controlled fashion Special Commands - specific instructions that are nestled in between Move Commands Admin Commands - similar to Specials, except specific to unit organization This structure is more than just for ease of reference. Each unit is able to combine one command from each group and perform it simultaneously. For example, a unit can conduct a Move and Combat Command at the same time, while another might perform a Move and Special command. Not all commands can be combined like this, but many can. Some commands, especially certain Special and Admin Commands, might require full focus by the unit until completed, while everything else is put on hold. Which commands are available to which unit, and at which time, is highly dynamic. Suppression, fitness, unit cohesion, location, the units equipment, and the time of the battle can all have an effect on what types of commands are available at which time. Some commands might be grayed out, indicating that theyre temporarily unavailable, while others might not appear at all because theyre only available to a specific type of unit, or only if a specific type of equipment is carried. Just as in real life, your virtual soldiers are not robots and therefore will not mindlessly execute each and every order from you. There are many situations - usually under heavy enemy fire - in which soldiers may simply refuse to execute a Com-

60

Combat Mission

mand you have given them, or may replace it with what they consider more suitable. For example, you may give a unit a Fast Move Command only to see it changed instantly to a Slow Move Command because the soldiers feel hugging the ground is the better way to stay alive. Units with or without orders will also usually initiate evasive action on their own in the face of extreme danger - for infantry this may including crawling to cover, for vehicles it could mean popping smoke, rotating to face the threat and retreating away from threats. This can happen if you ordered it or not, if you want it or not, as the unit is simply concerned about its own survival at that moment. Keep this in mind when you see that your Commands are not exactly working out as you think they should... The following is a list of ALL available commands. Certain restrictions are mentioned, but not ALL possible combinations are listed. In addition to the above, a special category, Instant Commands, is available. Instant commands do not appear in the usual Commands Panel, but have their own buttons at the left top of the Commands Panel interface. These Instant Commands are emergency commands, allowing a player to quickly instruct a unit to PAUSE, CANCEL ALL, and EVADE. Obviously, this is mainly useful for Real-Time play. Instant Commands are explained in more detail at the end of this chapter.

Move Commands
Move Commands include orders that usually have to do with getting a unit from point A to point B in a certain fashion. Movement commands are generally issued by selecting the desired type

Shock Force

61

of movement and then clicking on the map with the mouse, thus placing a waypoint. A Command Line extends from the units current position to the waypoint. Additionally, when an infantry unit is moving and the waypoint is placed over ground terrain (i.e. not a building or vehicle), the destination action spot is highlighted in yellow. Teams B and C (if any) also have their adjacent destinations highlighted when plotting moves and when giving facing orders attached to a final waypoint. Note that the final facing is important for positioning wing man teams, so you should attach facing orders to final waypoints as needed.
Note: if you need even more granular control over each of your teams, its a good idea to split them and issue individual movement commands.

Infantry soldiers/units automatically try to position themselves smartly around and along buildings, walls, ridgelines and other terrain which provides cover and concealment. When targets present themselves soldiers will try to gain line of fire by repositioning themselves. However, as in real life soldiers are reluctant to reposition themselves in exposed positions when they are currently in good cover. Units do not always follow the exact Command Line drawn on the map, but will choose their movement path independently based on the terrain between the start and end points, including finding their way around impassable obstacles. The chosen route depends on the type of movement command issued, as well as if the unit is being fired on or not. Keep in mind that the longer the distance between the start and ending points, the more the route the unit chooses might deviate from what you had in mind when you gave the order to move out.
Note: one common mistake by new players is to underestimate the space that a vehicle needs to maneuver. Trying to move a wide vehicle down a narrow street may not work at all or result in the vehicle being unable to turn to face a threat... Slow Movement Commands usually lead to better results when maneuvering in difficult terrain with many obstacles (such as densly packed urban areas with narrow streets etc.)

You can issue several Move Commands (from the same type, e.g. Move + Move; or different types, e.g. Move + Fast) one after the other, generating a string of waypoints that the unit will pass through one by one. There is no limit as to how many

62

Combat Mission

waypoints you can place, though more than a handful is hardly practical. Infantry units will usually halt at each waypoint for a few seconds and regroup, maintaining formation etc. Vehicles will simply pass through waypoints if its a string of the same movement types and if they can do so without having to slow down for a hard turn. When you issue a Move Command with the cursor placed over a vehicle capable of transporting soldiers (or over its icon), the unit that is given the Move Command will automatically embark onto the transport vehicle, either as passengers or in some cases as crew. While moving, soldiers will sometimes stop and take a quick shot at nearby/exposed enemy troops, then resume moving. This depends on the Movement Command issued, and is more likely for enemies in front of the unit, and less to the sides and rear. Moving troops that come under heavy fire usually try to move FASTer, except when they are so tired that they could only use walking speed (i.e. not even QUICK). In that case they will switch to SLOW (i.e. crawling), and sometimes they cancel their move altogether to seek nearby cover.

Move
Infantry - This is the standard move from A to B command usually used in situations where enemy contact is not expected or is unlikely. It is fairly slow, maintains unit cohesion, pretty good all-round awareness (but no anticipation of imminent contact), and is not tiring to infantry. Usually units that come under fire while executing a Move Command stop or change their movement order and take evasive action, and there is a high chance that they will return fire and look for cover. Vehicles - this command means slow to medium speed and usually instructs the crew to unbutton to maintain good all-round observation. Restrictions - Move is not available when a vehicle has been knocked out or immobilized (usually by a track, wheel or engine hit, but also if the crew has been incapacitated). For infantry, move might not be available temporarily due to wounded and incapacitated soldiers as well as excessive fatigue (in which case you have to let the soldiers rest a little)

Shock Force

63

Example - use Move to change floors in a friendly occupied and previously cleared building when speed is not important. Use Move to drive down a road not expecting enemy contact.

Quick
Infantry - soldiers move at a jog. This movement type slightly emphasizes speed over cover, cohesion and awareness, but is not a full-out run. It may lead to some bunching up, as its more difficult for soldiers to remain in formation. More tiring than Move but still sustainable for longer periods, at least for fit soldiers. Vehicles - this command means medium to fast speeds, and emphasizes arriving at the waypoint quickly over returning fire. Restrictions - same as for Move, but fitness and fatigue play a bigger role. Example - this command is best used to shift positions quickly when speed is important but when the area to move through is covered and not under immediate enemy view and fire

Fast
Infantry - Fast Movement maximizes speed to get from one place to another at the cost of fatigue, and also decreases awareness and spotting ability, especially to the sides and rear (relative to the units movement direction). Fast makes the unit less likely to return fire or to stop or change its movement direction and objective. Keep in mind that this means that a soldier running FAST will NOT stop to reload, either. Vehicles - Fast means movement near the maximum speed possible for the terrain, and a decreased awareness of what is happening around the vehicle. Restrictions - Fast has the same availability restrictions as Move (immobilization, fatigue, etc.), and, additionally, might be unavailable when certain components of a vehicle are damaged (even if not fully destroyed), or for infantry units, when combat/equipment loads are excessive. Example - use Fast to have a squad sprint across an open road from one building to another, making sure that they do not slow down to return fire. Use Fast to cross a stretch of open

64

Combat Mission

ground with a vehicle in order to reduce the time of exposure to enemy tanks.

Slow
Infantry - Slow is the equivalent of a Crawl command. Soldiers move forward in the prone position, maximizing cover and concealment at the cost of speed and fatigue. Crawling is extremely slow and very tiring and should only be used to move short distances. Crawling soldiers are generally hard for the enemy to spot (depending on terrain). Crawling soldiers tend to pause and return fire at nearby/exposed enemy troops often, then resume moving. After reaching the destination, soldiers who move SLOW (i.e. crawl) will tend to keep their heads down for a little while even if there is no incoming fire and no enemies are spotted. Vehicles - instructs the vehicle to move slowly, at walking speed. Useful when coordinating vehicle movements with infantry. Restrictions - same as for all Movement commands. Example - crawling up the last meters towards a crest or edge of a tree line helps maintain concealment. Slow vehicle movement makes the vehicle less likely to appear as a sound contact to the enemy.

Hunt
Infantry - this command maximizes the units awareness for possible enemy contact. Soldiers advance slowly, weapons ready. Upon seeing an enemy unit, the unit stops immediately. This is a good command to use when enemy contact is imminent. In combination with a Target Arc command, Hunt is restricted to only the area within the arc, and ignores enemy units outside the arc.
Note: when soldiers using HUNT get too tired, they stop and pause for 90 seconds before continuing to HUNT.

Vehicles - orders vehicles to advance slowly and observe the battlefield for enemy contacts. Upon spotting a threat, such as another enemy vehicle or tank, the vehicle stops immediately. In combination with a Target Arc command, Hunt is restricted to only the area within the arc, and ignores enemy units outside the arc.

Shock Force

65

Restrictions - same as all other Movement commands. Example - Hunt is very useful for cleaning out houses which are suspected to have enemy hiding inside.

Assault
This command is available for infantry squads only, and requires a certain minimum headcount (in other words, you cannot use assault if you only have two or three people active). It instructs the squad to conduct a so called leapfrog movement, which is executed by splitting the squad into a movement element and a firing element. The moving element advances at FAST speed (the same limitations apply as with the FAST command) while the firing element remains stationary and provides covering fire. After the movement element stops (ending the first leap), the roles switch, and the movement element (now the firing element) provides covering fire while the firing element (now the moving element) advances, reaches and overtakes the firing element, and arrives at the next leap. This procedure repeats until the squad has reached its designated objective location. Assault is usually executed in the face of enemy fire (usually from the front) and is a good compromise of security and forward movement while maintaining unit cohesion and limiting fatigue. The disadvantages are that it is a fairly slow form of advance, and that it requires a certain minimum unit experience to implement. Restrictions - Since leapfrogging does not make much sense with only a handful of soldiers, it requires a certain minimum headcount. In CM:SF, only the US side is eligible to use Assault and does so with varying degrees of success The Syrian side is not able to use this command due to a different TO&E structure and doctrine. Example - use Assault to cover open ground over long distance while under enemy fire. Use Assault to clean out buildings (only the assault team is exposed to ambushes)

Blast
This command enables an infantry unit with demo charges to blast a manhole through a building wall, exterior or interior, as well as through tall stone or brick walls, allowing units to pass

66

Combat Mission

through the wall. The time it takes to conduct this command varies based on unit experience, and can range from one minute to several minutes per wall. The Blast Command instructs the unit where to move. This makes it no different from any other Movement Command, except that the unit attempts to blow up a section of (nearby!) wall along its path.
Note: It is a good idea to place the Blast Command on the opposite side of the wall you want breached. This ensures that the correct section of wall is breached and that the unit moves through the opening.

Restrictions - only available for infantry units carrying demo charges. Example - moving in a city down an open street can be lethal especially when the enemy has a few well position machineguns in place. A much safer, but more time consuming method, is to blow holes in adjoining buildings, avoiding the open street entirely. Another good use for this command is to enter and storm a building from an angle the enemy isnt expecting.

Mark Mines
This command enables engineer units to detect and mark hidden minefields so that other units are aware of them. Other units can then move through the marked minefield, albeit slowly. Mark Mines is a very slow movement command that takes the units full attention and reduces awareness and returning fire. Restrictions - only Engineers can mark mines. Example - Marking mines under fire is suicidal unless you have other forces suppressing the enemy or call for a large scale smoke screen.

Reverse
Simple back up command, available only to vehicles. Instructs the vehicle to drive backwards without changing its facing (e.g. keeping its gun and stronger front armor forward towards the enemy while retreating). Restrictions - same as for all Movement commands.

Shock Force

67

Example - use Reverse to back up into cover while keeping a tanks front armor directed at the enemy.

Combat Commands
Combat Commands usually have to do with firing ones weapons at a designated target, be it an enemy unit or a general area on the battlefield where enemy units are suspected or known to hide (or to move to). Only one Combat Command can be active at any one time, but it can be combined with commands from other Groups (e.g. movement).
Note: In general, the player cannot determine which weapons exactly are used. This choice is made by the squad/unit leader based on the circumstances (range to target, ammo situation, suppression and so forth).

T arget
This is the standard fire command, instructing a unit to use all of its available weapons to fire at the designated target. The target can be an enemy unit or a piece of terrain (area fire). If the target is an enemy unit, the firing unit will fire only when the enemy target is visible and hold fire (but maintain the target) when it is not. If the target is an area, the firing unit will maintain a constant stream of outgoing fire at the selected area.
Note: Area targets always snap to the underlying action grid in CM:SF

68

Combat Mission

How much and what type of fire (small arms, main gun, anti-tank missile, grenades) is outgoing depends on a number of factors, including the type of firing unit, the distance to the target, target type, and the available ammunition. For smaller targets further away, the firing unit will use aimed fire and single shots or short bursts while it might switch to full auto at targets at close range and when it has enough ammunition available. Targets out of sight are usually displayed to the player through a note hovering near the target mouse cursor. Notes can include a plain out of sight message, or more detailed explanations such as reverse slope - no target point. Usually, the target will still be designated even if out of sight, but the unit will hold fire until the target comes into sight. Additionally, while the target command is being issued, the command line extending from the firing unit to the mouse cursor assumes the function of a Line-of-Sight tool. Different shades of blue and red indicate if a line of sight is free, obscured, or blocked, and where it is blocked (the area out of sight is marked with red). When placing a target command the color denotes how strong the LOS is to the target. If the line to the target is light blue the LOS is clear, part dark blue and part magenta if its blocked, and gray if its mostly clear but not for every soldier in the squad/team.
Note: Virtually each bullet in CMSF is tracked from muzzle to target. This applies to both small arms as well as heavy calibers. The principle of what you see is what you get applies: if only part of a vehicle is visible (e.g. behind a wall or partially concealed by a slope in the terrain) then only that part can be hit by direct fire. The only exception to this is that vehicles are NOT shielded by hiding behind knocked-out armored vehicles (however, infantry does gain cover in this situation).

Restrictions - Target is not available if the unit has no ammo. Example - enemy snipers are firing from a building. Instead of targeting the enemy unit, the player calls for area fire from a tank, which uses high-explosive ammo from its main gun to blow up the whole building.

T arget Light
This is a variation of the Target command and works very much the same, but at a reduced fire output. Usually it limits the firing unit to use small arms and MG fire, while larger calibers,

Shock Force

69

rockets and heavier weapons hold fire. Target Light is useful when you want to put a few MG rounds into a suspected enemy location but not waste a tanks main gun round, or if you want to take a few aimed shots at a far away infantry target without wasting too much ammo. Target light does not prevent the use of hand and rifle grenades, though, at the appropriate ranges. Restrictions - same as for Target Example - for firing at long distances, the game itself already reduces fire output even if you use the Target command, so Target Light is most useful as an ammo preservation tool for targets at medium and close ranges.

T arget Arc
The Target Arc command orders the unit to only fire at enemies within a certain target area. After selecting this command, the player has to click on two points on the game map, and the cone-shaped area between those two points represents the designated target area. Any visible enemy units that are located inside this area, or that move into this area, will be fired upon. Any enemy units outside of this target arc will be ignored (until self-preservation takes over and the Tactical AI decides to override player orders; e.g. if an enemy unit suddenly pops up at extremely short range). When placing a target arc, the distance in meters is displayed. This Command is also useful to keep a units attention focused on a specific part of the game map while it moves. If, for example, you want to keep a close eye on a bunch of buildings (where you suspect enemy activity) while driving down a road, you could assign a target arc to several units covering this area. The target arc increases the chances that units will recognize and engage an enemy threat within the target area quickly. After placing an arc, the unit will rotate its main gun turret - if available - to face the center of the designated target arc, to minimize acquisition delays and maximize spotting abilities. Infantry units will shift their facing accordingly. Restrictions - You cannot mix Target/Target Light and Target Arc commands. The AI will sometimes override Target Arcs in self-

70

Combat Mission

defense, when, for example, an enemy unit suddenly appears at close range. Example - an unidentified enemy vehicle contact is reported near a building. We give a target arc command to one of our Abrams tanks to make sure they engage the enemy vehicle as soon as it pops up from behind cover.
Note: Target Arcs placement is relative, i.e. in relation to the units position and facing, and not tied to an absolute location on the game map. In other words, if you move a unit with a designated Target Arc, that arc will move and turn together with the unit. In this way, you can order a unit to cover the three oclock position. You cannot use a Target Arc to stick to a particular spot on the map. So, if thats what you want, you have to keep the targeting unit stationary or adjust the arc accordingly during the units movement.

Clear T arget
Instructs the currently selected unit to stop focusing on its designated target. A unit without a designated target is then free to engage targets at will, or will follow other player-specified commands. Restrictions - Clear Target is grayed out if the selected unit has not currently designated a target. Example - after area firing at a building and blowing a hole in the wall, no further enemy contact is reported. We abort the area fire command to allow the unit to focus on other targets at will.

Face
Infantry - issuing a Face command will cause the soldiers of the unit to re-evaluate the cover provided by the surrounding terrain in relation to the facing the player has indicated, and, if better cover is available, to move to that cover. For example, the unit might move around a wall, or house corner, to face the new direction while maximizing cover against fire coming from that direction. You can issue a Face Command to a unit in motion as well. If you do so, then the last waypoint will be automatically highlighted so the Face Command will apply to that last waypoint, not the current position. You are also able to manually select a waypoint (any waypoint, not just the last one) and issue a Face order from there however.

Shock Force

71

Note: the Face command is absolute to the point you click on the map, not relative to the position of the unit at the time that you click. An example: You issue a Face command to a moving unit by clicking on a house in the distance. When the unit reaches its final waypoint, it will turn to face the house. Vehicles - The unit will rotate its hull and turret (if applicable) to face the direction the player has designated. Restrictions - vehicles cannot rotate if immobilized. Example - an RPG team is spotted on the flank. We change the facing of our Abrams tank to rotate its stronger front hull towards the threat.

Special Commands

Special Commands include various special tasks not directly related to movement or firing weapons. Many Special Commands deal with specific situations or specific equipment, and therefore are only available to a unit if those conditions are met or if the equipment is available. Popping Smoke, for example, is only possible if the unit has smoke grenades available. Likewise, Deploy Weapon is only an option if the unit carries a heavy weapon which can (or has to be) deployed before firing. Most Special Commands are exclusive, meaning that they are the only command that can be executed at a given time, and cannot be combined with other Command Groups.

72

Combat Mission

Hide
Infantry - soldiers will generally go prone and hold fire and look for nearby terrain offering good concealment, trying hard not to get spotted. Vehicles - vehicles will hold fire and not move, trying to keep a low noise profile. Hiding vehicles that are struck by a projectile, or that spot an enemy vehicle targeting them, will automatically un-hide.
Note: Hiding while facing an enemy takes a lot of nerve, and units might decide to stop hiding if fired upon or if the enemy approaches extremely close, depending on that units experience, morale and leadership.

Restrictions - hiding is no good if the enemy is already firing at you, or if you are trying to hide in open ground in full view of the enemy.
Note: issuing a Hide command to a moving unit is possible. The unit will continue moving and will automatically hide after reaching the FINAL waypoint. If you want a unit to hide immediately you have to first issue a CANCEL ALL Instant Command to clear all waypoints, and then issue the Hide Command.

Example - we hide a Syrian RPG team to let the first few vehicles and US infantry pass by before un-hiding and launching an RPG at the side of an enemy tank

Deploy Weapon
Certain heavy weapons can be deployed before firing to increase their chance of hitting or to increase their fire output, while others cannot be fired at all before being properly deployed. Deploy Weapon instructs the gunner of a heavy weapon (such as a medium or heavy machinegun, a mortar, a recoilless rifle, an ATGM, or other heavy equipment) to deploy his weapon on the appropriate mount, while one or more other soldiers of the same unit are designated as loaders and/or security or lookouts. Some weapons, such as, for example, medium machineguns, can be fired without first being deployed, but will suffer from decreased accuracy and a lower fire output. Other weapons, such as mortars, cannot be fired at all if not properly deployed

Shock Force

73

Deployment takes a specific amount of time for each type of weapon, and also depends on various other factors, such as the units experience and current condition. If you order a unit with a currently active Deploy Weapon command to move, it will automatically first de-activate the Deploy Weapon command, and then execute the movement command. There is a longer command delay in such case. Restrictions - If you issue the Deploy Weapon command to an already moving team, it will deploy its weapon at the end of the movement command. If the movement command consists of several waypoints, the weapon will be deployed after the last waypoint has been reached. If you want the team to deploy immediately, you need to first clear the movement command(s).
Note: Depending on the weapon system, certain restrictions may apply as to where a weapon can be deployed or not. For example, some weapons may not be deployed inside buildings or on balconies or roofs. Others may be deployed, but the Setup Time is increased: for example, heavy MGs may deploy inside buildings, though assembly time is 2+ minutes.

Example - we want to use a heavy machinegun to provide covering fire for an infantry assault. Finding a good position with good field of view and field of fire, we issue the Deploy command to maximize that guns accuracy and fire output.

Dismount
Orders the passengers of a vehicle to leave the vehicle. This command is available to both passengers as well as the vehicle itself. If you select a vehicle and issue the Dismount command, ALL passengers will leave. If you select a Passenger unit and issue the Dismount command, only that unit will disembark and automatically take up a defensive position near the vehicle.
Note: For Passengers, Dismount is not the only way to leave the vehicle. You can also select a passenger unit and issue one of the available Movement Commands. The passenger unit will automatically dismount and then move to the designated waypoint on foot. This is not possible for vehicle crews, since choosing a Movement order while a vehicle is the active unit will order the vehicle to move to the specified waypoint.

74

Combat Mission

Disembarking troops may attach Face, Deploy, and Pop Smoke orders to waypoints. Restrictions - only available to passengers inside vehicles. Otherwise inactive. Example - after the Stryker platoon arrives at the intended dismount point, we group-select all Strykers and issue the Dismount command. All teams dismount immediately.

Bail Out
Available for vehicle crews only, this command instructs the crew to leave the vehicle immediately and seek cover nearby. Restrictions - none. Example - to preserve the crew, we order them to Bail Out of an immobilized tank with a damaged gun sitting in plain view of enemy anti-tank weapons, since its only a matter of seconds before the tank is going to blow up. Bail Out can also be used to dismount the crew and use it for recon, since bailed out crews can re-occupy the abandoned vehicle.

Acquire
The Acquire command allows an infantry unit to pick up equipment, weapons and ammunition from points where such goodies are available. In CM:SF, this usually means from infantry carriers such as the Stryker and BMP-1, for example, which carry additional equipment in storage compartments.
Note: Most notably, Stryker squads start the game by default WITHOUT their allocated Javelin anti-tank missiles (in accordance to standing Army procedures; these things are HEAVY and are going to wear down your squad), so they have to Acquire them first at the beginning of the game if you are expecting to face enemy armor.

In order to use Acquire, the infantry unit has to enter the vehicle first. A pop-up window lists all available equipment that the unit is eligible to choose from. Clicking on an entry removes the equipment or ammo from the list and places it into the inventory of the passenger unit. Restrictions - only active when the infantry unit is inside a valid pickup area, such as inside a Stryker or BMP-1.

Shock Force

75

Example - after nearly an hour of continuous combat, the infantry platoon is running out of ammo. We split the squads into teams and order them into the Strykers one by one to grab fresh ammo.

Pop Smoke
This order is available for both infantry equipped with smoke hand grenades as well as for vehicles equipped with smoke generators or smoke launchers. Pop Smoke instructs such units to place a smoke screen around its current position. Pop Smoke is used usually as a defensive command when the unit runs into overwhelming resistance and is useful to spoil the enemys aim (even if only for a few seconds) and therefore gain time to get into a better and more secure position (or out of an ambush, for instance). The duration and placement of the smoke screen depends on the unit that is executing this order, as well as the weather and wind conditions. Keep in mind that smoke drifts and dissipates rather quickly under certain conditions, and can often become as much of an obstacle to your own forces as to the enemy. Offensive use of smoke (e.g. covering an advance) is usually left to supporting artillery or air assets and not to the individual ground unit. There are various different types of smoke grenades in the game, from special IR-spectrum blocking smoke such as that carried by most Strykers (which is recognizable by its brown color), to simpler vision-blocking smoke only. Restrictions - available only as long as unit has smoke grenades available and the smoke launchers are not damaged. Example - a Stryker platoon needs to dismount under fire. The Strykers are ordered to pop a defensive smoke screen around the dismount point, allowing the infantry to dismount and head for cover, while spoiling the enemy aim.

Pause
Available for all unit types, this command instructs a unit to wait before carrying on with further orders. Pause can have different states, and each click on the Pause Command Button scrolls through the list of available options.

76

Combat Mission

Timed Pause - when you first select the Pause Command, an info text appears next to the selected unit icon, saying Pause 00:15. This means that the unit is going to wait in place (but will continue firing, if applicable) for 15 seconds before continuing with any other orders. Each further click adds 15 seconds to the timed pause, for a maximum amount of 1:30 min (the longest selectable time for timed pause). Pause - The next click sets the Pause Command to a Pause for further orders status. This is identical to the Pause used for Instant Commands, and is additionally indicated by an activated Instant Pause button. The unit will stay in place until the player clicks the Instant Command Pause button again, after which the unit will resume any pending commands. Un-Pause - The next click resets the cycle and clears the Pause command. At this setting, the unit is not going to pause. Restrictions - none. Example - if you want to time it so that one squad crosses a road, using FAST, at a time, you can issue FAST commands to all squads in the platoon in advance, and assign each a different time delay using the Pause command. So, you could have 1st Squad break and cross the street immediately, then Squad 2 thirty seconds later, then Squad 3 after 1 minute, for example.

Open Up
Available for both vehicles and passengers. Open-up is a toggle. When activated (highlighted), it instructs the vehicle passengers or crew to open all available hatches. If the vehicle has none available, nothing happens. When de-activated, it tells the crew or passengers to close all hatches. Restrictions - available only for vehicles and passengers. Example - fighting from an open hatch increases the field of view and battlefield awareness of a vehicle crew tremendously, and even allows passengers to use personal weapons, but it can be very dangerous and lead to casualties, especially if the enemy returns fire from close distance. Use this command to switch between situational awareness and added protection, as the situation demands.

Shock Force

77

Administrative Commands
Administrative commands deal with the organization of squads, teams and crews.

Split T eams
Evenly (more or less) splits a squad into two teams. The Tactical AI tries to keep both teams at roughly the same strength and also distribute special weapons evenly, thereby effectively creating two independent maneuver elements. Splitting teams is often advisable when fighting in urban terrain so as to avoid bunching up of soldiers into too small of an area, where they all can be taken out by a single well-placed hand grenade. Split teams (including the assault and anti-tank detachments created by the two commands explained further below) belonging to the same parent squad automatically re-join when stationary within a few meters next to each other, and form a single squad-sized unit again without requiring the player to give another order. So if you want to split a squad into teams, make sure that you separate the teams shortly after splitting them, or they will reform into a single unit. Restrictions - not available if the headcount of a given squad is too small. Example - we want to send a recon element forward to see if there is an enemy ambush. Splitting the squad minimizes casualties from first contact.

78

Combat Mission

Assault T eam
Splits a squad into two independent teams - a heavily armed security element that usually retains all heavy weapons (such as machineguns and rockets), and a maneuver element with small arms and automatic weapons, handgrenades and other equipment useful for close quarters battle. The game automatically tries to include the soldiers with applicable Specialties (MOS) such as Machinegunner or Sniper - into the correct Teams for their task. Restrictions - same as for Split Teams. Example - we want to clean out a building suspected to be occupied by the enemy. Sending forward the maneuver element with light automatic weapons, while keeping the heavy equipment back with the security element, reduces possible casualties from first contact and provides security for the moving team.

Anti-T ank T eam

Orders the squad to detach an Anti-Tank element, usually consisting of two or more soldiers (including any soldiers with an Anti-Tank Specialty, if available) armed with the best anti-tank weapon(s) that the unit has at its disposal. Restrictions - only available if the squad/unit has anti-tank weaponry available. Example - we split out a two-man RPG team from the main squad and place it in a different location, issuing a Hide command to them to wait for a good shot, while the rest of the squad engages and distracts the enemy by fire.

Instant Commands
Instant commands are mainly used for emergencies, when you need to quickly intervene to prevent a unit from getting into trouble (or to get out of trouble quickly). These commands allow the player to initiate three pre-defined procedures with one click, which, during emergencies, is often about all the time one has. These commands simulate actions soldiers would normally take by themselves on the battlefield when finding themselves in a tight situation.

Shock Force

79

PAUSE - instructs the unit to temporarily halt all active orders and wait. This is the equivalent of yelling Halt. This button is a toggle, and by pressing it again, the unit is ordered to resume what it was doing. This is the equivalent of yelling Carry on! CANCEL ALL - deletes ALL active commands for the unit instantly. If you have plotted a long chain of waypoints, this command allows you to delete all of them with one click without having to delete each waypoint one by one. This is the equivalent of yelling Stop over the radio. EVADE - deletes all active commands and instructs the unit to take immediate evasive action. This may include moving to cover as well as popping smoke, if available. This is the equivalent of yelling take cover over radio.

80

Combat Mission

Command & Control (C2)

The concept of moving and acting on information is called Command and Control, or C2 for short (or, C4ISR in contemporary US specific terminology). Arguably, C2 is the single most important aspect of a combined arms force operating in the field. Its ability to pass information up and down the Chain of Command largely determines that forces opportunities and the options available to it.
Note: the C2 rules applied in CM:SF vary slightly depending on which Skill level youre playing. This chapter assumes the highest, or Elite, skill, with all the rules in full effect. At Veteran level, some of the restrictions imposed by the C2 rules are lifted or at least not as strict, while playing at Basic Training level essentially means C2 is not active at all.

There are two primary components of C2: communication methods and control procedures. Each is enhanced by the other, and each is degraded by the other. In practical terms, this means a break in communications reduces the ability for the force to function properly, but good communications dont matter if the commanders cant leverage the information to achieve an advantage. As a general rule, US forces have excellent communications equipment and procedures. There is a lot of redundancy, which makes it harder for US units to lose C2. The Syrians, on the other hand, generally have poor-quality equipment, rigid procedures, and very little of both. Their C2 is considered brittle even when it is functioning, since it starts out on shaky ground and can only possibly get worse as the battle progresses. This gives the US an inherent advantage, or force multiplier in US military speak, since it allows fewer troops to do more things over a wider area, faster, and with greater unity of purpose compared to the Syrians. This should not be surprising since the US military has spent many billions of dollars over many decades to achieve this advantage. C2 methods are divided up into three different groups and displayed in the Unit Info Panel:

Shock Force

81

The methods, from left to right, are: Visual - Eye Contact (LOS, short- and long-distance) Audio - Voice Contact, Radio Contact (differentiated by type) Satellite - FBCB2 (US vehicle only), RPDA (US infantry only) Like any sort of chain, the Chain of Command is only as strong as its weakest C2 link. Having all three methods available to a unit at the same time allows for the best possible results, while having none at all means a break in the Chain of Command. A break means the higher and lower parts of the chain are no longer connected and therefore unable to communicate with each other. This can have disastrous game results.

Maintaining C2 Links
The more types of C2 links units have, the better chance they have of maintaining connections. Just remember that not all C2 methods are of equal quality. Range is quite important because the farther away units are from each other the greater the chance they will experience breaks in communications. The inherent fragility of the method is also important since some are inherently more robust. All units have the opportunity to establish Eye and Voice Contact, but to do so means keeping units fairly close and in plain sight (LOS) of each other. These are the most reliable, robust forms of C2 possible. Unfortunately, from a tactical standpoint, having units bunched up is generally not a good idea, nor is it even necessarily physically possible. Radio Contact is the most basic technological means of overcoming these problems, however, radios are tricky things to operate effectively as distances increase, and good radios are quite expensive. As a result, the Syrians have few radios at their disposal, while the US have one for every unit. If these methods fail, either due to distance or interference, the Syrians are out of luck, since they dont have a backup system. The US forces, on the other hand, have two very powerful tools at their disposal: the FBCB2 and the RPDA. The vehicle mounted FBCB2 system is connected, via satellite, to a central computer system that takes input from all the other

82

Combat Mission

vehicles with FBCB2. Think of it as a specialized computer connected to the Internet with built in GPS (Blue Force Tracker, aka BFT). Each vehicle with the system is automatically tracked and updated on a digital map shown on all the FBCB2s screens of all the other vehicles. Therefore, not only does the crew of the vehicle know where it is, but also where all of the other vehicles are. Better still, commanders can enter information about enemy units (type, position, heading, current activity, etc.) so everybody using the system can see the same thing. The other significant feature it has is the ability to text message anybody with a FBCB2 system, regardless of where they are in the Chain of Command. This offers a means of communication that is, in some ways, superior to radio contact. Since FBCB2 is satellite-based it is largely immune to the interference factors of Visual and Audio methods.

Dismounted units have an RPDA (Ruggedized Personal Digital Assistant) at their disposal. This is basically the same sort of PDA that people carry around with them all over the world, but with the advantage of being extremely tough. The new models of RPDA are, for game purposes, portable versions of FBCB2, with nearly the same capabilities.

Infor mation Sharing

The better organized and connected a force is, the better able it is to communicate critical pieces of information between units. Though it is not obvious to the player that the information itself is moved around, the results of it are. There are three primary benefits of good organization and communication; spotting of enemy units, calling for support, and maintaining discipline. One of the most important aspects of Combat Mission is its system of revealing information about enemy units, such as position, type, and actions. Unlike most other games, CM:SF uses what we call Relative Spotting instead of Absolute Spotting. In an Absolute Spotting system, when an individual friendly unit senses something, that information is instantly,

Shock Force

83

and perfectly, available to all units on its side. It doesnt matter where the other units are or what sorts of communications capabilities they have. Relative Spotting, on the other hand, keeps the units sensed information from moving to other units unless there is some way of communicating it to them. In other words, when you click on a unit in CM:SF you get to see what it sees relative to what it knows. If the unit is isolated from the Chain of Command it wouldnt be able to target something it didnt spot itself, for example. Good quality C2 between the right units becomes of paramount importance when Air or Artillery Support are required. Not all units are equally capable, or even able, to direct such fire missions. Picture that critical unit, with the ability to possibly change the course of the battle, cut off from the Chain of Command. How can it call in Support if it cant communicate with anybody? Well, it cant! For the Syrians this is a particularly serious concern since the centralized nature of their Artillery Support means very few units are allowed to even request Artillery in the first place. Unit placement and maintenance of C2, therefore, becomes an overriding priority when such assets are available for use. The US forces have it much easier since C2 is usually available and any unit can direct Artillery and Air to some extent. The limitation comes into play with the type of mission being requested or how quickly the mission is needed. Some units can get the job done faster and more accurately than others, which means paying attention to placement and C2 of important units such as the JTAC team. Lastly, maintaining C2 is important for keeping unit cohesion intact. Units tend to get jumpy when they dont know what the friendly units around them are up to, or where their superiors are, or what the enemy might be trying to do at that moment. Without C2, the imagination can run a bit wild, so to speak, and the unit may be imagining the worst scenario. Perhaps all its buddies withdrew and forgot to tell it to pull back? Maybe the HQ was wiped out and nobody higher up knows about those tanks coming down the road, and therefore no help is on the way? Well-disciplined units hold up better under these circumstances, of course, but every unit has its breaking point. If it has contact with its fellow forces and feels supported, things are less stressful.

84

Combat Mission

Leaders
Every unit has someone in charge of its soldiers, though not necessarily the same type of Leader. Leaders provide units with, what else... leadership. They help maintain internal discipline, direct fire to be more effective, and keep contact with other Leaders. The more Leaders you lose, the harder maintaining C2 becomes.

Leadership influence takes the form of a Leadership Modifier represented in the Unit Info Panel. The better the modifier, the more effective the Leader is in keeping things on the straight and narrow. Note that the modifier values are +2, +1, 0, -1, and -2. This means that a Leader can have no special effect on Leadership (0 rating) or even a negative influence (-1 or -2). Anybody that has ever served in the military, or studied it in historical texts, knows that some people should never have been put in charge of anything except washing dishes (and you dont necessarily want to be the one eating from those dishes). CM dutifully simulates these poor Leaders. There are two types of dedicated Leaders; Unit Leader and Assistant Leader. A Unit Leader is a soldier who has the training and rank to command the unit he is assigned to. A Unit Leader is represented by two stars next to his weapon icon. The Assistant Leader has similar training and capabilities as the Unit Leader, but is of a junior rank and may not have all the skills necessary to command a unit over the long term. However, an Assistant Leader generally has the same chance of being a good Leader in a tactical fight, which is good because that is exactly what hell have to do if the Unit Leader becomes a casualty. Assistant Leaders are represented by a single star icon next to their weapon icon. Squad-type units usually have a Squad Leader (Unit Leader) in charge of Team A, and an Assistant Squad Leader (Assistant Leader) in charge of Team B. When Squads are split up, like Weapons Squads normally are, this effectively means that the command responsibilities are split up. If one Leader falls to

Shock Force

85

fire, the other one will not take over his responsibilities, because they are assumed to be physically separate units when split off as Teams. When a battle starts, the name and rank displayed are that of the units current senior Leader. Should that Leader fall in battle the name and rank will change as the replacement assumes command.

Air & Artillery Support

When the going gets tough, the tough call for Support! Combat Mission offers players unprecedented access to this all-important aspect of modern warfare in a way that is both realistic and simple to use. Although Air and Artillery produce quite different results, CM:SF for the most part uses the same interface for both forms of Support. Better still, CM:SF helps walk the player through the various steps needed to complete a Support Request without requiring months of military training. To see if Support is available, and what types, all the player has to do is look at the Support Buttons in the Unit Info Panel, just above the Special Equipment area. If a button is lit up, then Support available; otherwise the button is dimmed and there is no support available for that type (air or artillery). These buttons not only inform the player about availability, but also act as the means of creating new Requests (the act of asking for Support) or viewing existing Missions (a Support Request put into action). A button will also blink when the Mission starts to deliver its munitions, thereby giving the player some warning that something is going to go boom very soon.

Sometimes lots of Support is available, other times none. The availability of Support is always force wide and determined by the designer of the Battle. Unfortunately for the Syrian player, Air Support is never available since their real life small air force would (literally) be wiped out within minutes of the start of the conflict.

86

Combat Mission

Requesting Support
The first step in making a Support Request is to select a unit to be a Spotter, then clicking on either the Air or Artillery Support button in the Unit Info Panel (keeping in mind that if a button is dim Support is not available). Instantly the user interface changes to include two new elements; the Support Roster and Support Panel. The Support Roster shows all available Assets while the Support Panel presents options for making a support fire request.

The following sections explain how to use this new interface to create a Support Request and turn it into a Support Mission.

Selecting a Spotter
The players first task is to identify which unit to give responsibility of both creating a Support Request and managing the resulting Support Mission. Since not all units are equal in this regard, here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a Spotter: Line of Sight (LOS) - quality LOS to the target area always makes for more accurate and effective results Unit Type - specialized observer teams and HQs are better than the average combat unit C2 Links - ideally the Spotter should show green connections to all superior units Stress Level - suppressed or shaky units dont make the best Spotters

Shock Force

87

As a general rule, any US ground unit can theoretically request both types of Support, while only a few specialized Forward Observer units can call in Artillery for the Syrian side. The differences between the two sides are realistic and based on traditional training doctrine as well as the availability of C2 equipment. Depending on how urgently Support is needed, the Responsiveness rating (see below) may or may not be critically important. Responsiveness reflects the difficulty a specific Spotter has in getting in touch with a specific Asset and securing permission to use it. For example, a JTAC (Joint Tactical Air Controller) is typically headed by an officer with time in the cockpit and can really speak the lingo with on station aircraft. On top of that, this is the unit that is organizationally tasked with calling in aircraft, therefore it doesnt have to go through layers of command to access them. Another variable is the JTACs equipment which, in ideal circumstances, is the best available for such work. Compare this to a run of the mill Rifle Squad Leader trying to reach an aircraft via 3 or 4 hops up the Chain of Command. It can be done, but it is obviously more clunky than having the JTAC call in the same Request. Remember, if the Spotter doesnt appear to be up to the task, another Spotter can be selected. To do this, either deselect the current unit or click on the X in the upper left hand corner of the Support Roster. There are no game penalties for checking out how various units pair up with different Assets.

Support Roster
The Support Roster displays all Support Assets available for the current Battle, though only one type (Air or Artillery) at a time. Each Asset is represented by a colored square with these pieces of information:

Silhouette - an image of the piece of equipment

88

Combat Mission

Number of Tubes - count of how many guns are assigned (aircraft are always 1 per Asset) Matchup - directly above the designation (to the right of the number of tubes, if applicable) is a symbol representing how well the Spotter and Support Asset are matched for each other. There are five states with a thick green + as the best match, thick red x for the worst. The better the match the more efficient and effective the results will be. Responsiveness - green/red dots showing how quickly the current unit can call in support from that Asset Designation - military designation, two lines Main Weapon - primary weapons, two lines Mission Status - when an Asset is being used a line of text appears at the bottom of the Asset display. Receiving and Preparing indicate the Asset has what it needs to fulfill the mission and is setting up to carry it out. Artillery show Spotting when firing spotting rounds, Firing when firing for effect, and Empty when all ammo has been expended. Aircraft display Attacking when actively engaging targets, Cant Locate when its failed to find the target, Coming Around when it is preparing for another run, and Landed when it is no longer available. If you see Busy the Asset is being used by another Spotter and cant be interfered with by the current unit. Use the Go To Spotter button to switch to the unit directing that Asset to make changes to the Mission. Up to 5 Support Assets can be shown at one time, which is usually more than enough! However, if more than 5 Assets are available in the Battle, then Left and Right shuffle buttons are displayed to shuffle between the previous or next batch of 1-5 Assets. Clicking on an Asset in the Roster selects it and makes it activate the Support Panel where some additional information about the Asset is shown. To see another Asset simply click on it and it will swap in for the previous one. At this point the player is not committed to do anything with the Asset thereby allowing browsing without any sort of penalty.

Support Panel
Once a Spotter and an Asset are selected, the Support Panel is activated and ready to turn a request for Support into reality:

Shock Force

89

The selected Asset is shown on the right side of the Support Panel and contains the same information as in the Support Roster. Below it, however, is new information which shows the munition types and quantities available to that particular Asset. The combination of the Asset Panel and the Ammo Panel represents all the information there is to see for that particular Asset. The column of labeled buttons in the middle part of the Support Panel are the means of communicating with the Asset. From top to bottom the player clicks on a button, follows the instructions to make a selection, then moves on to the next button. As Parameters are chosen they are displayed to the left in the Parameters Screen. When the last Parameter is set the player is prompted to Confirm the Support Request. This is the players last chance to back out of a Request without penalty, for once Confirmed the Request is off to the Asset for processing. Depending on conditions, it can take a few minutes or many minutes for the resulting Support Mission to commence. If the C2 Link is broken at the wrong time during this process it can temporarily delay the Mission from continuing. If there is an extended lack of communication between Spotter and Asset the Mission will probably be cancelled. The estimated delivery time in the Fire Support Mission Request display initially shows the best possible time (usually what you'd get with a standard mission). If a mission type other than "standard" is selected, the estimated delivery changes accordingly. Starting from the point of Confirmation, the Spotter and Asset communicate with each other to keep the mission on track. These communications are heard by the player in the form of

90

Combat Mission

radio traffic between the two. The exact things said depend on if the Support Mission involves an Air or Artillery Asset, the type of Mission, and what point the Mission is at. The most important thing for the player to keep in mind is that each one of these communications marks the start of the next phase of the Missions execution. In this way the player can keep track of how the Mission is progressing and what stage is next.

Adjusting or Canceling Support

Sometimes it is necessary to change a Support Missions target or to cancel it entirely. All modifications to a Support mission must be made via the Spotting unit, since Spotter and Asset are linked until the Mission is over. The easiest way to find the Spotter is to select any unit, click the Support Button for the type of Asset youre looking for, then select the Asset of interest. Assets which are engaged in a support mission are listed as Busy. In the Support Panel the top Parameter button for a busy asset says Goto Spotter. Click on that button and the Spotter instantly becomes the currently selected unit, complete with the Target line/s shown. Now that the Spotter is selected the Mission can be Adjusted or Cancelled in the Support Panel as long as the C2 link to the Asset is still intact! Yes, thats correct... if you have artillery raining down on your own troops and you want to cancel the mission, but suddenly find the Spotter has no C2, youre in trouble. There is no way to manually Adjust or Cancel the mission at this point. Which is yet another example of why it is so very important to select a good Spotter!
Note: Support units (not only artillery but also air and other assets!) in the process of receiving a cease fire command cannot be given further orders until the cease fire occurs. Also, note that missions cannot be adjusted while they are still being received!

It may turn out to be too little too late, but there are two reasons that CM will abort a Support mission on its own. The first happens if friendly fire is encountered and the friendlies have good C2 to the Asset doing the firing. Basically, they will try to get the Asset to cease fire even if the Spotter can not. The second reason is if the Spotter is out of C2 long enough that the Asset wonders if the Spotter is still able to direct fire. In that case it might cease fire on its own simply because its a bad idea to fire blind with no feedback. However, in both cases the player is at the mercy of variables falling into place, so neither should

Shock Force

91

be counted on in place of using a Spotter to cease fire when possible. Clicking on the Adjust button allows the player to redesignate the Target portion of the Support Mission while leaving the rest of the Mission as originally specified. Shifting fire like this is very useful if the target units have moved or more important targets have presented themselves within close proximity to the original Target area. Observed fire should not require Adjustment to stay on Target. That is handled automatically by the Spotter to the degree it can see the Target and has C2 to the Asset.

Air Mission Parameters

These are the Parameters for all Air Missions: Target - sets the size and shape of the area to hit: Point - focuses on a single Action Spot or unit Area - one click for center and another click for perimeter Mission - responsible for establishing the scope of the attack: Light - lighter Munitions Medium - mix of lighter and medium Munitions Heavy - medium Munitions with a smattering of lighter Type - sets the munition mix based on the target type: General - favors unguided HE munitions Armor - weights towards ATGMs Personnel - favors HE munitions Delay - establishes when to start the support, prep time inclusive. The options are: None - no extra delay 5 Min - sets for 5 minutes min 10 Min - sets for 10 minutes min 15 Min - sets for 15 minutes min

Artillery Mission Parameters

These are the Parameters for all Artillery Missions: Target - sets the size and shape of the area to hit: Point Fire - focuses on a single Action Spot or unit

92

Combat Mission

Area -one click for the center and one for the perimeter Line - requires two clicks, one for each end of the line Number - sets the portion of the Asset to use from 1 to the total number in Asset (usually 2 or 3) Mission - responsible for establishing initial Rate of Fire (ROF) and sustained ROF: Emergency - no spotting rounds, otherwise like Heavy (not available for pre-planned artillery strikes) Light - slow ROF, remaining at slow ROF Medium - medium ROF, then going to sustained ROF Heavy - max ROF, then going to heavy sustained ROF Smoke - medium ROF, firing smoke ammunition to create a smoke screen rather than explosive ammo to damage or destroy the target Duration - determines number of rounds to use per mission: Quick - 2-4 rounds Short - 6-12 rounds Medium - 12-18 rounds Long - 20-28 rounds Maximum - exhausts ammo supply Type - sets the munition mix based on the target type: General - generic setting Armor - weights towards anti-armor rounds Personnel - weights in favor of airburst antipersonnel rounds Delay - establishes when to start the support, prep time inclusive. The options are: None - no extra delay 5 Min - sets for 5 minutes min 10 Min - sets for 10 minutes min 15 Min - sets for 15 minutes min

Shock Force

93

Air Assets
The players interaction with Air Assets is similar to Artillery. The differences between the two are explained below, otherwise it should be assumed the same. Since there is no conceivable way that the Syrians could manage Air Support missions beyond the first few minutes of a conflict (that is according to military intelligence estimates) the Syrian side does not have access to Air Support in the game. The player brings up the Air Support Roster by clicking on the Air Support Button in the Interface. Any unit may request Air Support, however the Mission options and results will vary slightly depending on the Air Support Skill level of that unit. The best unit for this is the JTAC (Joint Tactical Air Control) team since it has the highest degree of training and authority of any US unit. FISTs (Fire Support Teams) and other trained Forward Observer (FO) type units (HQs, dedicated FOs, etc.) will get decent results. The remaining unit types can still call in Air Support, though results may be suboptimal. Like Artillery, each Air Asset has specific Munitions in specific quantities to use. Unlike Artillery, these dramatically affect the kinds of missions the Air Asset can perform. An F-16, for example, can be set up to do a small number of specialized bomb missions (like bunker busting) or outfitted to engage a dozen armored vehicles. Same plane, entirely different capabilities. A two word description found in the Air Asset Pane helps identify what its best use is:

The two word description represents the hardcoded arrangement of Munitions. For a given type of plane there might be a half dozen such configurations. The Scenario Designer simply selects the one(s) he wants for the given Scenario and that is

94

Combat Mission

what the player has to deal with. Also, unlike Artillery Assets, the number of planes is always 1 per Asset. When the player selects an Air Asset in the Support Roster, it appears in the Support Panel like so:

The Mission Parameters and Support Buttons reflect the Air Asset options. Setting up a Mission is identical to Artillery, from a user interface standpoint, but different in terms of what options are available and how the Mission is actually carried out. Air Missions require LOS from the plane to the target, possibly the identification of the target, estimate of the target size, and possible customization of the Mission for the scope of the strike. These factors determine if the Mission can be performed at all, how many Attack Runs are made, and which Munitions are used. For example, an F-16 wouldnt drop a 2500 lb bunker buster on a Squad or truck, nor would it make three passes dropping a 500 lb bomb each time. If the Spotter has LOS to the target and is in communication with the Air Asset, it can confirm the target destroyed, or request that more runs are made if it isnt. If there is no communications link, or no LOS, then the Air Asset will have to make this decision on its own. Accuracy is determined in part by the type and quality of the Spotter and his directions to the air unit. Basically the Spotter increases the chance that a target will be seen and also hit. This is particularly important at night. For example, a JTAC with LOS to the target will more than likely get the Air Asset to find and hit the right thing. A Squad without LOS to the target will have to rely on the Air Asset finding the right target on its own.

Shock Force

95

Like Artillery, Air Assets have a chance of Auto Cancelling a Mission based on friendly fire risk. Unlike Artillery, this can sometimes happen before even firing a shot. The chance of a scrubbed Mission depends on the Spotter type, the quality of LOS between Spotter and Target, as well as proximity to friendly units.

Munitions, Spotters and Equipment

Simulating the intricacies of air power was quite a challenge for us. The coordination of ground and air assets is extraordinarily complex and error prone in real life. It is also extremely important to understand those different types of Munitions (the ordinance carried by the Air Asset) and what the limitations are. You also have to understand what each type of Spotter is capable of and what their limitations are. The combination of Munitions and Spotter, not just one or the other, determines how well effective your strike is.

Munitions
The most important component of a Munition isnt how big of a boom it makes, though of course that is quite important. What really counts most is how the Munition is guided to the target. This fundamentally determines how likely it is that you will hit whatever you are aiming at. CM:SFs Munitions are divided into four broad categories: Dumb (Mk 80 series, Hydra, and Cannon) Laser (LGB, Hellfire) GPS (JDAM) Optical (Maverick, one type of SDB) Each has its pluses and minuses expressed in terms of who can call what, time, and accuracy. In general, GPS and Dumb munitions are best used against stationary targets, Laser and Optical against moving targets. In Combat Mission the game takes this into account automatically so you dont have to be bothered with micromanaging this. Dumb is foolproof, but has a large degree of error for Mk 80 series bombs and Hydra rockets, less error for Cannon. Laser is the most accurate, but it requires constant lazing of the target until the Munition strikes. If you dont have someone with a laser designator (JTAC, FO, and FS3 equipped vehicles) keeping LOS on a target the entire time there will be problems. Fortunately, they have a GPS guidance system as a backup in case it cant find the laser scatter to home in on, so they are

96

Combat Mission

not less accurate than GPS and generally far better. GPS requires no constant LOS to the target since it is a fire and forget weapon, however GPS is not as precise as laser and therefore pinpoint hits are not a certainty. The one exception to this is the new GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, which is just about as accurate as laser guided. Generally the bombs are big enough that close enough is good enough. Optically guided munitions are fire and forget and theoretically as accurate as laser guided, however in reality they are more prone to error if the target is moving and/or the air is thick with things like smoke.
Note: Since the release of CM:SF the US has ceased using dumb bombs for Close Air Support missions. Additionally, while it is true that occasionally strafing runs are carried out by fixed wing aircraft, such low flying and usage of self defense ammunition would likely not occur in the sort of high threat environment CM:SF simulates unless the plane is specifically designed for this mission.Therefore as of Version 1.10 US fixed wing aircraft no longer use dumb bombs or engage ground targets using its cannons (exceptions AV-8B Harrier in the Marines Module, and Army A-10).

Bombs come in four different sizes; 250 Pounds, 500 Pounds, 1000 Pounds, and 2000 Pounds. The rest of the Munitions are of a fixed size and type. CM does not simulate a host of special purpose munitions because they are either outside games intended scope or are not generally in use any more. Munition ........................... Type .50 cal M2 .......................... Dumb 20mm M210 HEI ................. Dumb 30mm Cannon .................... Dumb GBU-39 SDB (250#) ............ GPS GBU-40 SDB ....................... Optical Mk82 LD (500#) .................. Dumb GBU-12 LGB (500#) ............ Laser GBU-38 JDAM (500#) .......... GPS Mk83 LD (1000#) ................ Dumb GBU-16 LGB (1000#) ........... Laser GBU-32 JDAM (2000#) ......... GPS Mk84 LD (2000#) ................ Dumb GBU-10 LGB (2000#) ........... Laser GBU-31 JDAM (2000#) ......... GPS Mk66 Hydra ........................ Dumb AGM-114 Hellfire ................. Laser AGM-65A Maverick ............... Optical Accuracy 10m CEP 10m CEP 5m CEP 1.2m CEP 1.2m CEP 110m CEP 1m CEP 10m CEP 110m CEP 1m CEP 10m CEP 110m CEP 1m CEP 10m CEP 30m CEP 1m CEP 1.5m CEP

Shock Force

97

CEP is a standard method for expressing accuracy. It stands for Circular Error Probable, which represents a radius the Munition has a 50% chance of hitting within. For example, a Hellfire missile has a 1m CEP. This means it has a 50% chance of hitting within 1m of the target and a 50% chance it will miss by more than 1m. Since most vehicles are no more than 3m long, if youre firing against the side profile the chances of hitting are extremely good. On the other end of the spectrum, a Dumb bomb that has a 110m CEP is almost sure to miss a specific targeted vehicle. Note this is why it is recommended that you never engage targets with Dumb bombs when friendly units are less than 500m to 300m away (remember a 2000# bomb blast affects a big area compared to cannon fire).

Spotters
Any US unit can call for Air Support, however not all units are created equal. The training a Spotter has, its equipment, and experience are all critically important to determining how long a strike takes to set up and how accurate it will be. The types of Spotters are classified as follows: General (any unit that is not one of the other types) Leader (has some degree of specialized training) FIST/FO (is specifically trained in fire support, but does not specialize in Air Support) JTAC (specifically trained to direct Air Support) Obviously the more someone is trained the more options are available to him, not to mention the confidence and speed of putting in a support call. The type of Spotter is taken into consideration when the call is made and the Air Asset makes a decision as to what Munition to use based on all the factors, including the quality of the Spotter. Additionally, the Spotter may be required to keep LOS on the target if possible. If not possible, often the pilot can fill in, however a less optimal result is quite likely. At the very least it slows down the delivery. Target Tracking: DUMB LASER GPS OPTICAL With LOS Aim Point Unit Aim Point Unit Without LOS Aim Point Aim Point Aim Point Unit

Some Munitions are more capable of hitting a moving target than others. Depending on the Munition type, and the LOS require-

98

Combat Mission

ments being met, the weapon homes in on either the Aim Point or the targeted units current position (if relevant, of course). Spotting during Targeting Dumb Laser GPS Optical Eyeball Both Aircraft Aircraft Aircraft FBCB2 Both Aircraft Either Aircraft LLDR Both Either Either Aircraft FS3 Both Either Either Aircraft This shows who must have LOS to target at time of targeting. Excepting Optical Munitions, a Spotter always attempt to provide LOS, but this may not be possible, in which case it automatically defaults to the Aircraft. Optical Munitions are always the responsibility of the Air Asset performing the mission. Spotting After Release Dumb Eyeball Neither FBCB2 Neither LLDR Neither FS3 Neither Laser Aircraft Aircraft Either Either GPS Neither Neither Neither Neither Optical Munition Munition Munition Munition

Once a Munition is on its way, it may or may not require LOS to be maintained by the designated Spotter. The unit checked is the one that was used for spotting during targeting. If a LOS check is necessary, and it fails, then the Munition will default to trying to hit the aim point using GPS. This probably means a miss if the target is moving since the accuracy is 10 times worse than it otherwise would be.

Equipment
The type of equipment available to the Spotter is also critical. A JTAC in a Fire Support Vehicle has an advantage over a JTAC sitting on a roof top with nothing but a set of binoculars. The categories are: Eyeball (no special equipment) FBCB2 (found in nearly all US vehicles) LLDR (portable laser designator in the hands of some FOs) FS3 (this is the big boxy thing mounted on Stryker RV and FSV, Bradley M7A3, and M707 Scout Humvee) Eyeball is just someone determining all targeting information based on eyes, map, and other low tech items. FBCB2 at

Shock Force

99

least gives the spotter GPS coordinates relative to his own position can usually give fairly accurate GPS coordinates of the target. Target information is also easier to transmit. LLDR puts accurate laser light on the target and generates target GPS coordinates, which have to be manually transmitted. FS3 is the best by far. It can put laser light on the target, identify a units based on their unique heat signatures, get GPS coordinates of the target, track the target at ranges in excess of CMs max map size, has a direct digital uplink to the aircraft to transmit all pertinent data, and it can do this in all weather, day or night. An amazing piece of equipment that also has an equally amazing price tag!

Environmental Considerations
Not all Munitions are equally adept at firing in all lighting, weather, and atmospheric conditions. Some are best used in bright daylight, others are at their best at night. Some are unaffected by all of these things, some are horribly affected. Here is a rough idea of how conditions affect each type of Munition: Weather Modifier Dumb Overcast V Bad Fog V Bad Rain Bad Smoke Average Clear V Good Laser V Good Bad Bad Good V Good GPS V Good V Good V Good V Good V Good Optical Bad V Bad Bad V Good V Good

Basic Rules of Thumb

All of these various factors merely scratch the surface of what real Air Support is like, but its probable that even our boiled down simulation is boggling a few minds reading this. Therefore, well make this simple for you! When you call in Air Support try to use a JTAC in a FS3 equipped vehicle with direct LOS of the target. If you do that, youre going to have the best results regardless of the variables. Next best is probably a FIST/ FO in a FS3 Vehicle. After that, any unit in a Fire Support Vehicle. So on and so forth. Even if it takes some time to maneuver your best spotting unit into position, it generally will yield a better and quicker result than having some random Squad make the call. But if you absolutely have no other choice, the Squad can probably get the job done adequately. Just be aware that you want to allow for a greater degree of error than you would with a better combo.

100

Combat Mission

Unconventional Warfare
The focus of CM:SF is primarily on conventional warfare, between organized military forces, in a new future setting. However, in the theater we chose (the Middle East) there is close to 0% chance that a conflict would be purely conventional. Therefore, for CM:SF to accurately portray a near future conventional conflict in the Middle East it must also simulate unconventional warfare to some extent. Simulating unconventional forces (called Uncons for short) themselves is not very difficult for us to do as game designers. A Human with a weapon is pretty much just like all other Humans with weapons. However, complications arise from specific types of Uncons that are neither armed nor visibly different from an average civilian.

Uncon Specialists (civilian dressed Uncons with no outward appearance of being armed) in real life blend in with the non-combatants civilians until they are ready to strike. In a sense this gives them a stealth capability that armed forces dont have. Yet a direct portrayal of a civilian environment for them to blend into requires simulating such things as cultural habits, economic activity, traffic patterns, daily civilian activities, thousands of autonomous entities (i.e. people), etc. You dont have to be a game designer grasp that this is actually more work than the military side of the simulation! Even if it

Shock Force

101

could be coded, most gamers we know dont have super computers so they wouldnt be able to run it anyway. So what to do? The answer is simple abstraction! Instead of attempting to simulate and display every detail of a Middle Eastern village, town, or city, Combat Mission instead just simulates the ability for Uncon Specialists to avoid detection. Since the effect is what matters in a game, an abstraction that produces the correct feel and outcome is good enough. At the beginning of a battle all Uncon Specialist units are simulated as civilians to the US player. Meaning, the Syrian player can theoretically move them about without the US player being able to spot them, even when in line of sight of US units, since the Uncon Specialists look just like any other civilian. The key part of this statement is in theory. In the real world a civilian must act like a civilian in order to be perceived as a civilian. When a civilian ceases to behave like a civilian the opposing force might notice this and grow suspicious that all is not as it appears to be. Once the suspicion level gets high enough the cover is blown and now the Uncon is no longer protected by civilian anonymity. In game terms this means the Uncon Specialist is now reviled to the US player as an enemy unit and is treated just like any other military target. In other words, the US player will get the green light to fire at will against Uncon Specialists. As in real life, the activities that raise suspicions most are movement and proximity to military forces. The more out of character the movement is, and the closer it is, the greater the chance that more suspicions are raised. The crucial game factors are the terrain the Uncon Specialist moves over, the type of Movement Command used, and the proximity to US units. For example, an Uncon Specialist crawling across the desert is highly suspicious while one walking right down a densely populated city street probably will go unspotted. Obviously the more civilians present, the more difficult it is for the other side to spot suspicious activity. Combat Mission simulates this by allowing scenario designers to specify the Civilian Density to simulate how much cover the Uncon Specialists should have. The Civilian Density is set by the scenario designer and shown as part of the Conditions Menu, accessible during gameplay by clicking on the Menu button at the bottom of the Command panel. The higher the density setting the less likely the unit will be spotted before its too late. The type of

102

Combat Mission

terrain is also important since civilians are only expected in large numbers in urban type terrain. In fact, a large congregation of people out in the middle of nowhere would be suspicious all on its own! The closer an Uncon unit comes to US troops, the higher the chances of being revealed. Normal civilians usually try to avoid combatant forces during battle, so anyone milling around close to the soldiers will invariably make himself suspicious. Therefore, the closer an Uncon Specialist gets to a US unit, the more normal its behavior needs to be to avoid detection.
Note: We do not publish the exact parameters of what behaviour increases the chances to remain unspotted on purpose. There is also quite a bit of randomness and variability based on a number of factors. By keeping the descriptions somewhat vague the chances that this feature will become gamey (unrealistically used) are reduced. Plus, in real life all of this is an art, not a science.

Unconventional Forces
Fighters are regular soldiers, mercenaries and other types of irregular military personnel who operate in small groups and use guerrilla tactics instead of conventional military method. They can be well trained and motivated and occasionally have access to fairly sophisticated and advanced equipment. Some heavy weapons are mounted on civilian vehicles, otherwise known as Technicals. Since they are armed and wear distinctive clothing, the Stealth rules do not apply to Fighters.

Combatants are civilians who pick up weapons and organize themselves in small groups, usually on short notice and in an ad-hoc way. Combatants are usually only lightly armed and untrained, though probably well motivated. Some heavy weapons are mounted in civilian vehicles, otherwise known as Technicals. Since they are always visibly armed, and sometimes carry special clothing, the Stealth rules do not apply to Combatants. Specialists include several groups of special unconventional units with unique features and tasks: Spies, Transports, IEDs (improvised explosive devices aka bombs), and VBIEDs (vehicle

Shock Force

103

based i.e. mobile IEDs). These are discussed in more detail below.

Specialists
Spies: instead of using weapons, Spies use their eyes and ears to pick up information about enemy units and then relay it to armed Uncons. Their primary goal is to remain undetected, therefore remain largely stationary and in good cover. Once revealed, a Spy simply disappears because he is no longer of any use. Transports: civilian vehicles used to quickly relocate groups of unconventional units. The available units include Taxis, Sedans and Pickups. There are literally hundreds of different civilian models to choose from, but effectively there is not much difference between them and boil down to two types:

PICKUP (4x4)
Name: Toyota HiLux Weight: 6000 lbs (2722 kg) Power: 96 hp (72 kW) Top speed: 90 mph (144 kph)

CAR (2x4)
Name: VAZ-21053 Weight: 2200 lbs (998 kg) Power: 71 hp (53 kW) Top speed: 93 mph (150 kph) Price: $2,920 (thats for a new car!) Technicals: the same type of pickup used as a Transport with a full time heavy weapon mounted in back. Combat Mission includes pickups armed with medium machineguns (PK/PKM), heavy machineguns (DShK), and recoilless rifles (SPG-9). Although very fast and mobile, Technicals have no armor protection at all. Once spotted and taken under fire they are easily put out of action. IEDs: Improvised Explosive Devices (i.e. bombs). Three different types, in various sizes, are simulated in the game. The size determines the strength of the explosion and therefore ability to cause damage and casualties. The different types determine reliability as well as the distance at which the triggerman can be positioned.

104

Combat Mission

Wire shortest distance (about 100m), 10% failure chance Radio medium distance (about 300m), requires line of sight, 20% failure rate Cell phone long distance (about 600m), 10% failure chance IEDs typically consist of the bomb itself and the triggerman. The bomb is placed during the setup phase like any other unit. Once placed, it cannot be moved again. The triggerman, however, can be relocated.

VBIEDs: vehicle based IEDs, or in other words, a civilian vehicle stuffed with explosive material. VBIEDs are driven by a suicide bomber with the intention to come close to an enemy unit and detonate the device. A VBIED team typically consists of one driver and one spy. The drivers function is to drive the vehicle and trigger the explosion, while the spy is used to designate the desired target from a safe position outside of the vehicle.

Using IED s and VBIED s

In game terms there is very little difference between operating IEDs (i.e. roadside bombs) and VBIEDs (i.e. vehicle bombs). As you read this section consider everything you read about an

Shock Force

105

IED applies to a VBIED unless specifically noted to the contrary. In order for an IED to detonate it must first be activated, otherwise it remains inert. To activate an IED, select it and choose the Target command from the Combat panel, then click on the map to arm it. If you want the IED to target the first unit that comes near it, click anywhere on the map. If you instead want to target a specific enemy unit, click on that unit and the IED will ignore other possible targets. You can re-designate the target at any time by repeating these steps. Activation is not just a matter of specifying a target, however. For activation to occur the triggerman, at the time the Target command is used, must be in good shape (e.g. not panicked), have an undamaged trigger device in its inventory, be within the maximum range (and/or LOS if required) of the IED, and pass a reliability check. The reliability check determines if the IED itself, or the ability to detonate it, has failed. IEDs that malfunction cant be made to detonate no matter what. If there is a change to one of these factors, such as the triggerman being eliminated, then the IED remains activated but will not detonate until all requirements are fulfilled again. VBIEDs differ from IEDs mostly in terms of mobility. VBIEDs are driven by a suicide bomber with the intention to come close to an enemy unit and detonate the device. A VBIED team typically consists of one driver and one spy. The drivers function is to drive the vehicle, select a target and trigger the explosion, while the spy is used to help the driver find possible targets from a safe position outside of the vehicle. The VBIED automatically detonates once in proximity to the first enemy unit that comes near it. No activation is needed. You can also select a specific target for the VBIED. In order to do this, select the VBIED, and choose the Target command. Next, click on the desired enemy unit to target. However, keep in mind that vehicles are generally viewed with suspicion so going after the first vehicle is generally the only practical thing to do. As long as the Target command remains active, the car will only detonate when the selected target unit comes into proximity. Other enemy units will cause no detonation. Targetting a specific unit allows you to let part of a column pass by and detonate the VBIED later. But keep in mind that this is increasing the chances of the enemy to spot you, as well.

106

Combat Mission

The Editor
CM:SF provides players with the same tools that were used to create the stock battles and campaign, and allows them to create their own maps and missions from scratch. The Editor really combines four separate editors in one: Mission Editor - settings needed to make a scenario, such as weather variables, briefings, victory conditions and more Map Editor - creates realistic 3D combat maps from scratch Unit Editor - purchase, organize, and deploy units AI Editor - tailors higher level parameters for the computer opponent to follow, such as unit behaviour, movement paths, and more

Basic screen layout

The picture below shows the basic layout for the Editor. 1. File Menu - buttons to Save, Load, and create a New scenario or Exit to the main screen. 2. Editor Selector - a pop-up menu to choose the Editor you want to work with. The popup menu also lists three additional important features - 3D Preview, Bake and Make Campaign, explained later in this section. 3. Mode Selector a list of buttons showing the main Modes of each selected Editor. 4. Option Palette - graphical button palette which shows Options specific to the selected Mode 5. Settings List - displays values for the selected Option (if any), some of which may be editable (depending on Option). 6. Toolbar - tool icons for Map Editor 7. Display Area - this is where the 2D overview map is displayed for certain combinations of Editor, Mode and Options.

Shock Force

107

File Menu

Displays buttons for: LOAD - opens dialogue to load an existing scenario file (from the Scenario folder) SAVE - opens dialogue to name and save the currently active scenario to disc. If the scenario has already been saved before, the current name and save location are loaded as default. NEW - erases all settings and creates a blank new scenario file with all settings reset to their default entries. Dont forget to first save any existing scenario youve been working on! EXIT - exits the Editor and jumps back to Main Screen

Editor Selector
This pop-up menu displays all available Editors and main functions. The selection made here has direct influence on which Options and Settings are shown, as well as the options available in the Toolbar and Display areas.

108

Combat Mission

MISSION - used for editing mission parameters such as briefings, objectives, time and date, weather and more. MAP - used to edit terrain features UNITS - used to organize and deploy Blue and Red forces A.I. - used to program custom computer player AI 3D PREVIEW - used to jump to a 3D view of the current game map BAKE - creates a special type of scenario that has pre-programmed Commands baked into it. For example, starting the game off with an artillery barrage, having a column of vehicles snake their way down a road, infantry dashing into new positions, etc. The downside of this process is that the scenario file changes to that of a save game. Meaning, there is no way to edit a baked scenario file directly, making it a good idea to keep the original scenario file to make changes to if needed. Baked scenarios are incompatible with Campaigns. MAKE CAMPAIGN The creation of a campaign file requires several ingredients: (1) The currently loaded scenario will provide the core troops, the mission briefings, and the snapshot data for the scenario choice screen. (2) A campaign script text file that designates the parameters and battle .btt scenario files (not baked) by name. (3) The .btt scenario files for campaigns are created just like any other standalone scenario, but additionally the player imports the core troops from the base scenario mentioned under (1) above. (4) The battle files named in the script must be in the same directory as the script file or the Scenarios directory. The finished

Shock Force

109

campaign .cam file will be saved in the Campaign directory, overwriting any previous file.

Mission Editor
The Mission Editor defines the basic parameters and settings for a given scenario. The various components are: Description Data Mission (Blue and Red) Parameters (Blue and Red) Terrain Objectives (Blue and Red) Unit Objectives (Blue and Red)

Description
When choosing which scenario to play the player can click on it in the scenario list and see a brief overview to the right of the screen. These details help the player determine which scenario to play without needing to load it. None of these settings have any impact on the scenario itself. Just like any product sitting on the shelf, the packaging simply informs the person what is inside, nothing more than that.

Battle T ype
Specifies the general nature of the battle and who is the attacker. Depending on the nature of the scenarios storyline you may wish to be vague, or even inaccurate, so you dont give away surprises. Assault, Attack, Probe, Meeting Engagement

Environment
This setting gives the player a rough idea of the nature of the area being fought over. People specifically seeking an urban battle, for example, will know right away that they want to skip over a scenario that is taking place in a Forest. City, Town, Village, Open, Rough, Forest, Hills

Daylight
Characterizes the average natural lighting conditions. The actual lighting is determined by the time & day settings in the Data section. Dawn, Day, Dusk, Night

110

Combat Mission

Battle Size
The scenarios approximate size, from Tiny to Huge, gives players an idea of the overall scope of the battle. Each scenario author probably has a different idea of what Tiny or Huge is, but as a guideline the amount of units involved as well as map size and battle duration should be factored into the setting here. As a general guideline, a Tiny battle involves platoon sized forces, or smaller, for each side and a very small map. A Huge involves a force of several companies on each side and a very large map. The rest fall somewhere in between. Tine, Small, Medium, Large, Huge

Title
The scenario list is listing scenarios by the text entered here (i.e. the scenario title). Titles should be short and to the point, but catchy, too. When you playtest your game make sure the title looks good in the list.

Description
A short one-line description of what players can expect to find when they decide to play the battle. Be mindful that there is no way to customize the text to match a particular sides perspective, so keep it generic. When you play your scenario you should double check that all your text fits in the box.

Image
Each scenario can have, and should have, a small image file associated with it. Think of this as the slick marketing image found on a packaged product. Make something exciting and dramatic, if possible, that gives the player a small idea of the nature of the battle theyre contemplating to play. The file has to be in BMP format and a maximum of 170 x 170 pixels in size. Three buttons allow the scenario designer to: Import a new image file Export the existing image file Clear the existing image file

Data
The Data section defines a number of parameters which, unlike the Description section, do affect the inner workings of the scenario. These settings control: LENGTH OF BATTLE - the maximum duration of the scenario (in minutes)

Shock Force

111

VARIABLE LENGTH sets a variable (random) ending time for the battle REGION & MONTH - sets the month and year in which the battle takes place. DAY - the day on which the battle takes place HOUR - at which hour the battle starts MINUTE - minute when the battle starts WEATHER - sets the current weather for the battle to Clear, Hazy, Thick Haze, Overcast etc. WIND STRENGTH - sets the wind strength as none, gentle, light, medium or heavy. WIND SOURCE - the direction from which the wind is originating TEMPERATURE - the temperature during the battle GROUND CONDITION - sets the general ground condition. Options include Very Dry, Dry, Damp, Wet, Muddy etc. CIVILIAN DENSITY abstractly represents the amount of non-combatant population as None, Sparse, Light, Moderate, Heavy and Very Heavy. BLUE FRIENDLY DIRECTION - sets the direction into which Blue units would withdraw to join their lines RED FRIENDLY DIRECTION - sets the direction into which Red units would withdraw to join their lines EARLY INTEL - can be set to None, Red Force or Blue Force. INTEL STRENGTH - can be set between No Intel (0%) to Full Intel (100%) and any step between in 10% steps. Force vs Force - this setting allows you to create Blue on Blue and Red on Red missions in addition to the standard Blue vs Red. This setting defines what units are available for purchase and deployment in the Units Editor. You may even mix and match forces in this way.

Mission (Blue and Red)

The Mission Briefings seen by the Blue and Red players at the beginning of the battle are determined/created here. Each sides set is unique to itself, but the method for creating them is identical for both. A full Mission Briefing set consists of a strategic overview map, an operational overview map, a tactical overview map, and the text for the briefing itself. All four files (three image files for the maps and one text file for the briefing text) have to be imported into the scenario file.

112

Combat Mission

Note: Once imported you do not need to include the original files anymore.

The three map images all have to be in BMP (Bitmap) format, but each can have a different maximum size: Strategic Map: 224 x 224 pixels Operational Map: 702 x 224 pixels Tactical Map: 952 x 350 pixels

Note: We recommend using the strategic overview map that ships with the game in order to have some consistency. The map used for the operational briefing map is publicly available online from Wikipedias Syria entry. You can of course simply draw a tactical map by hand, but another good approach is to take a top-down screenshot of the actual map at least as the base; or even a screen capture from the 2D editor map. If you decide to use real maps, please keep in mind any potential copyright infringements (maps are usually copyrighted just like books or photos).

The briefing text itself is a simple text (.txt) file. A template is used as default for the briefing text when you create a new mission from scratch. It might be a good idea to export the template first, fill in your orders into the template, and then import the completed text.
Note: The ^ tags indicate the end of a section, and should not be removed.

The options for the images and briefings are: Import a new file, export an existing file clear (delete) an existing file

Shock Force

113

Parameters (Blue and Red)

Unlike most wargames, Combat Mission allows asymmetric victory conditions where each side has its own unique parameters and is judged based on how well it achieves them. The side that best achieves its goals is declared the winner, even if technically both sides were within specified parameters. This is critically important for simulating asymmetric warfare since rarely are both sides operating under the same or even similar parameters. You can specify the following conditions for each side: CASUALTIES - the number of casualties the side is allowed to endure. CONDITION - the number of units allowed to be panicked, routed, tired, or wounded. AMMO - the amount of total ammunition that side is allowed to expend. For each parameter the scenario designer determines the threshold in % (from 0% to 100%) and the amount of victory points associated with each once the threshold is reached. Specifically, you get the points if: Enemy Casualties > X% Friendly Casualties < X% Enemy Condition < X% Enemy Ammo < X% Friendly Condition > X% Friendly Ammo > X% Casualties is casualties suffered, e.g. 100% means the whole force was wiped out. Both soldiers and vehicles are factored into this and you get partial credit for immobilizing a vehicle. Condition is a combination of (from most important to least) morale, fatigue, suppression, and light wounds (more serious wounds or death are part of casualties, not condition).

T errain Objectives (Blue and Red)

Each side can be assigned up to 8 terrain based objectives. This involves defining where the objective is, what the player is supposed to do with it, and various other details. These parameters allow the designer to simulate a wide range of missions instead of just the usual capture the flag and king of

114

Combat Mission

the hill objectives commonly found in wargames. To start off, click on the corresponding button labelled Obj 1 - 8, and paint the objective area onto the 2D map.
Note: there are no limitations in how you paint the objective area. You can create a single large area, two or more independent ones, or even sprinkle small spots all over the map. Keep in mind that points for a specific objective are only awarded once and that 10 separate spots for a single objective means that the player must pay attention to ALL 10 spots, not just one. If the mission is to destroy these areas, for example, that means all 3 must be destroyed in order for the player to get points. This can be difficult to effectively communicate to the player, so be careful when spreading things out. Therefore, generally it is better to make separate objectives for non-contiguous goals.

After determining the objective area(s) you need to specify what the player must do with the area(s) and who knows about it: OCCUPY - friendly units have to move to the area, clear it completely of enemy troops, and remain there when the battle ends DESTROY - the terrain (e.g. building) has to be destroyed/ damaged PRESERVE - the terrain must be protected from destruction/damage TOUCH - friendly units have to reach the area and are awarded points immediately upon reaching it. They do not have to remain in place KNOWN TO... - player, enemy, both, none
Note: With this last option you can create all sorts of unique, dynamic situations by assigning hidden objectives without telling the player where they are, or even that they exist! More about using this powerful tool can be found in the next section, Tips for using the Editor.

POINTS - assign how many points are awarded to the player who fulfills the objective NAME - assign a name to the Objective for easier reference (its also shown to the player on the 3D map and upon completion)

Unit Objectives (Blue and Red)

In addition - or instead - of terrain based objectives, you can also designate enemy units as objectives. This allows for such things as destroy all enemy tanks as the mission and to judge its success based on tank destruction instead of other things.

Shock Force

115

To designate a unit or formation as a scenario objective, you have to first assign it to a unit objective group in the Unit Editor. To do that, simply select the unit or formation and hold down the SHIFT key while pressing a number key from F1-F7. The selected units will then show a [U] next to its name followed by the corresponding group number you pressed. In order to remove a unit that is already part of a group, select that unit and hold down SHIFT and press F8. Once youve done this, go back to the Mission editor and select the Unit Objectives Option. Click on one of the buttons for Unit 1 through Unit 7 to set the parameters for that group.
Note: keep in mind that only ENEMY units can be assigned as unit objectives. For example, a Red unit assigned to Group 1 will be tied to the Blue sides Group 1 objective, never to the Red sides Group 1 objective.

Unit Objectives can be one of three types Destroy, Destroy All or Spot. DESTROY - the designated target unit has to be knocked out for full points to be awarded, and damaged for partial points. DESTROY ALL - the designated target(s) must be completely eliminated for points to be awarded. SPOT - the designated target unit has to be spotted in order to be awarded target points. KNOWN TO... - player, enemy, both, or none POINTS - assign how many points are awarded to the player who fulfills the objective NAME - assign a name to the Objective for easier reference (its also shown in the After Action Report)

Map Editor
The Map Editor is where you design your own maps from scratch by painting the landscape in a 2-dimensional top-down view. To see the results of your work in 3D, click on the Editor Selector, and select 3D preview from the pop-up menu. After youve explored the 3D world, hit the ESC key to bring you back to the Map Editor. The Map Editor consists of three main tools: the Option Selector on the left allows you to choose which features of the map to edit; the Settings Selector allows you to choose a specific type/

116

Combat Mission

feature of the selected Option; and the Tool icons on top of the screens allow you choose from several editing modes and brushes and change the maps dimensions.

Map Editor Options

Options and Settings are as follows:

Ground #1
The basic set of available ground types. Dirt, Dirt Red, Hard, Hard Red, Grass, Yellow Grass, Tall Grass, Tall Yellow Grass, Rocky, Rocky Red and Sand.

Ground #2
Second set of possible ground types. Pavement 1 and 2, Gravel, Dirt Lot, Grain, Mud, Marsh.

Brush
Brush terrain.

Foliage
Six types of trees and three types of large bushes.

Roads
A number of road types: Dirt Road, Gravel Road, Paved Road 1 and 2, and a multi-lane Highway.

Walls/Fences/T renches
Various types of walls and fences (Stone, Tall Stone, Brick, Tall Brick and Rural Stone), as well as trench lines.

Shock Force

117

Buildings
A large selection of buildings, from 1 to 8 stories high as well as rubbled. After selecting a type, you can then choose the footprint and orientation for each building individually.

Flavor Objects
Flavor Objects are small objects which add atmosphere and eye candy to the scenery but have little or no impact on gameplay. Options include: Street Lights, Telephone Poles, Drums, various Road Signs, and Sacks.

Craters
Allows to place various types and patterns of craters on the map in clusters of 3, 7 or 15 small craters (L); 1, 2 or 4 medium sized craters (M); 1 or 2 large craters (H), and 1 super-size crater (S).

Elevation
By default the map is perfectly flat and all tiles are set to elevation level 20. You can adjust elevation levels to be anywhere between 0 and 999. Each elevation change represents a height difference of 1 meter. CM:SFs approach to elevations might be conceptually difficult to grasp at first (especially if you worked with the earlier CM editors in the past). However, once you get a feel for it youll never want to use another elevation editor again! Instead of setting the height of each individual tile, you simply draw contour lines like you see on a topographical map. CM then logically slopes the terrain between the contours so that the transitions are smooth and natural looking. The mechanics are quite simple. There are four different ways to change the elevation of a tile and you can set multiple tiles to the same height by keeping the left mouse button pressed as you move the cursor around the map. No matter which method you use, or how you use it, the results are the same. The tiles clicked on turn black to signify that you have locked the particular tile to a specific height, which is displayed in white numbers. All others remain in their natural state, showing that they are unlocked. All locked tiles remain at the height you specified, all the unlocked ones dynamically change their heights to conform to the placement of new locked tiles. This way you can specify a crest of a hill and the rest of the terrain will smoothly come up to meet it instead you having to do it manually.

118

Combat Mission

The four choices are in the Options panel on the left: DIRECT- set a specific elevation with one click. First choose the desired elevation by using the + and - keys on the keyboard, then click on the map at the desired location. The elevation of that tile changes to the value you specified. ADJUST - decrease or increase elevations by the amount set using the + and - keys on the keyboard. The default is 5, meaning that if you left-click on a tile with the elevation set to 20, it will be increased to an elevation of 25. Clicking on it again sets it to 30. Left-clicking while holding the SHIFT key decreases elevation by the set amount. You can also set the adjustment value to 0. This locks a tile to whatever its current height is. For example, if an unlocked tile is 23 you can click on it and it will lock in at 23 without having to manually set the height to 23 using the Direct method. This is useful when you want to establish a fixed base to create a steep hill or valley without changing the surrounding heights. ADJUST ALL - this allows you to nudge ALL tiles up or down by one level each time you press the + or - key, respectively. This is useful if, for example, you reached elevation 0 on the map but suddenly notice that you need a few lower elevations to finish a canyon. Increasing all tiles by +5 height gives you the needed room while retaining all your hard work map wide.
Note: this option only works when at least ONE elevation has been set by you on the map (i.e. when there is at least one black dot placed on the map).

CLEAR unlocks a locked tile and adjusts nearby elevations automatically. For example, say you decided to flatten out a section of map that you had previously made hilly. Just clear the locked tiles and it will settle to whatever the surrounding terrain is set to. Elevation numbers are by default only visible in this mode. If you want to see elevations in other map editing modes you can press the E key on your keyboard, which places an elevation overlay over the current 2D map display. Pressing E again removes the overlay.

Shock Force

119

Landmarks
Identifying key terrain features in the Briefing helps the player associate what he is tasked to do with where he is supposed to do it. To help tie these things together you can place text landmarks to indicate, specifically, where something is. For example, identifying a prominent hill as Hill 586 and noting in the Briefing what the player is supposed to do with Hill 586. To place a landmark, first click on the tile you want to label. A pop-up window opens with a text field to enter the name of the landmark. Note that this name is visible to both players, so it is generally a bad idea to make the landmarks too side specific if you intend on the scenario being playable from both sides. If you find you dont like the landmark you put down, or see that it is in the wrong place, click on it in the 2D map to select it and then choose Delete.
Note: if you want only one side to see a map label, use Objectives instead (see Mission Editor as well as the Tips&Tricks section)

Setup Zones
Allows painting of up to three setup zones per nation, labeled Blue 1, 2, 3 and Red 1, 2, 3 respectively. Zones are used to restrict how much the player can customize his starting locations. For example, allowing the attacking player to set up in the same spot as the defender would not be a good idea. Likewise, allowing the defender to put some snipers or AT teams in the middle of the attackers assembly area isnt likely to win you any friends from people who play as the attacker! Setup zones do not have to be adjacent, meaning that you can create one large zone, two or more independent zones, or even sprinkle spots all over the map. Units located within a specific zone during the Setup Phase of a battle can be moved to all spots of that same zone number, no matter where they are. So if you create two Zone 1 spots on the opposite ends of the map, a unit can jump from one spot to the other without restrictions, as long as it is placed on a spot with the same zone number.
Note: units placed by the scenario designer outside of a Setup Zone during deployment cannot be moved at all by the player during the Setup Phase.

120

Combat Mission

Map T oolbar
The Map toolbar at the top of the screen is always visible when the 2D overview map is shown. The tools contained in the bar allow you to quickly access four functions:

Object Rotation
Most objects which can be placed on the map, such as buildings, road tiles, walls etc. can be rotated in one of four directions before placing them on the map. The four arrow buttons indicate the currently selected direction. You can also change the rotation by holding the CTRL key and right-clicking (it doesnt matter where you click). Repeat this until the rotation direction you want is selected (the current selection is always indicated by a depressed button)

Paintbrush
The brush with which you can paint terrain/objects on the 2D map is set to one of four sizes. The smallest size paints only one terrain tile per click, while the biggest level paints a rectangle of 15 by 15 tiles per click. Left-click applies the currently selected terrain to the area covered by the brush, right-click removes it.
Note: not all objects are eligible for different brush sizes. Most terrain types are, but for example Buildings or Flavor Objects are not. Flavor Objects additionally can only be placed in 2D view but not deleted by right-clicking (since they are not visible in 2D view). You have to go to the 3D preview to deleted Flavor Objects.

Map Zoom
The 2D map can be set to any one of five different levels of magnification by clicking on the corresponding button. The left most button is max zoom in, the right max zoom out. The middle zoom level is the default. If the map view is zoomed in, then the view will scroll when you move the cursor to the screen edge.

Map width & depth

Sets the dimensions for the playable area of the current map. Two boxes are available, one for setting the width and the other for setting the height.

Shock Force

121

In order to adjust map sizes, you use one of the four buttons available per box. Obviously the + buttons increase the size, while the - buttons decrease map size. Each click increases the map by 32 meters.
Note: by pressing and holding the SHIFT key while clicking on one of the buttons, the increase (or decrease) is 160 meters.

What might be less obvious, but is logical once you think about it, is that the placement of the buttons also indicates the direction into which (or from which) the map is increased (or decreased). You just have to consider which axis is being lengthened or shortened, and the +/- pairs are then formed to affect each end of that axis.

The plus and minus on the left affect the west side of the map. So pressing the plus on the left adds space to west. Similarly the minus on the right removes space from east.

Here the plus and minus on top affect the northern border of the map, while the plus and minus in the bottom do it for the southern border.

Units Editor
The Units editor provides all the tools to create Order of Battles for both Blue and Red sides. On the left is a list of options arranged logically, from top to bottom, in the order generally used to create an Order of Battle. First you purchase units for a side, then you assign reinforcements, and lastly you deploy those units in the 3D environment. The main screen layout consists of two columns in the main display area. On the left is a list of all the Available Troops that can be purchased for a specific Branch (sub category of a

122

Combat Mission

sides units). On the right is the Activated Troops display that shows all the units youve purchased for inclusion in your battle. At the bottom of the screen are various options to tweak the data for a whole formation or a specific unit. The buttons off to the lower right side are the most important since they control Purchase, Delete or Rename functions.Purchase Units Formations are a very important concept to both gameplay (which is not directly relevant here) and scenario making. Most of Combat Missions formations are based on authentic Tables of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) for the various forces used in the game. Some, like Uncons, arent organized so explicitly in real life so weve simply made approximations of what one might find on the battlefield. No matter what, though, every single individual unit belongs to a single formation, which in turn may (or may not) be a part of another formation. A formation isnt a unit itself, rather just a container for either units or other formations. For example a Rifle Squad is a unit that is typically found in a Platoon formation, which itself usually belongs to a Company formation. When you purchase units for the first time youll quickly discover you are only allowed to purchase formations, generally quite large ones at that. After you purchase a formation you then delete the specific units/formations you dont want. This might seem a backwards way to do things, but really it is quite necessary. If you bought units on their own they would have no formational context. Since such context is very important to gameplay and realism youd then have to go through a complicated process of attaching units to each other, possibly in ways they never would be in real life. Therefore, it is much easier to start with the correct formations attached to each other and simply toss aside the units and formations you dont want.

Purchase Units
All units are organized by Force type (e.g. US Army, Syrian Army, etc.) and then secondarily to a specific Branch of that Force (e.g. US Stryker BCT, Syrian Republican Guard, etc.). Force options for a particular side are presented in icon form in the middle of the left portion of the user interface. When you select a Force a list of the available Branches appears below. Selecting one of these shows what the Available Troops are for that particular Branch. You are allowed to mix and match units from Forces and Branches as much as you like, no matter how unrealistic it may be in real life.

Shock Force

123

Each line in the Available Forces represents a unique, purchasable formation. At first glance there doesnt appear to be many choices since you initially see just the tip of the iceberg. Next to every formation name is a small + icon which allows you to expand it to show attached formations and units. By default all formations start out collapsed in order to minimize the amount of space it uses in the display. To expand a formation all you have to do is click on the + icon. One expanded the icon turns to a icon which, when clicked on, collapses the formation again. Collapsing is rather important since the display can not be scrolled, therefore you can only see one screen heights worth of units at a time. Therefore, if you should find yourself out of room just collapse some of the formations you arent interested in and youll be all set. To purchase a unit, doubleclick on it or, alternatively, singleclick to highlight the formation, then click on the Purchase button in the lower right hand corner. Either way, once a formation is purchased it moves to the Activated Troops column and is immediately available for use in the scenario. However, it is highly unlikely youll need all the units of the formations you purchased. Therefore, youll want to remove formations and units that arent necessary for your battle. Removing units is very easy. In the Activated Troops list simply select the formation or individual unit to remove and then click on the Delete button in the lower right corner of the screen. The units name grays out showing that it is no longer available for your battle. If at any time you change your mind, not a problem. Simply highlight the formation or unit and hit the Delete button to reset them.

Soft factors
Each unit has certain soft data that can be adjusted if desired. Soft factors are those elements that are, more or less, variable from unit to unit regardless of type. Most of these are related to the soldiers themselves, not the equipment they have assigned to them. You can see what the soft factors are by clicking on a unit or formation and looking at the popup options at the bottom section of the screen. When adjusting these factors try to put yourself into the boots of the soldiers in the unit within the context of your scenarios setting. For example, is the unit supposed to represent a dispirited bunch of farmers rounded up one day, given a gun the

124

Combat Mission

next, and put in the front the day after? Or is the unit a highly trained, physically fit, ready for just about anything? Your battles can go from boring to intensely interesting simply by tweaking some of these settings so that they match a story of what the battle is about. EXPERIENCE determines the experience and training level of the soldiers of the formation. Options include: Conscript: draftees with little training and no combat experience whatsoever. Green: draftees with little training and some combat experience or reservists with some training and no combat experience. Green can also represent professional soldiers whose training is substandard in comparison to another force. Regular: professional soldiers who went through extensive, quality training programs, but lack combat experience. Or Regular can represent troops that received mediocre training that have a fair amount of combat experience. Veteran: professional soldiers with standard military training and first hand combat experience. Alternatively, it can be professional soldiers who have trained to a slightly higher standard than Regulars, yet lack combat experience. Crack: exceptional soldiers with more than the average training and plenty of combat experience. Elite: the best of the best. Superb training, frequent combat experience, and generally all around tough guys.

MOTIVATION determines the soldiers will to fight. Options range from Fanatic (soldier will never give up and fight even when facing certain death) all the way to Poor (soldier has little desire to fight and will take the first chance to rout). FITNESS determines the inherent degree of physical readiness of the units soldiers. This influences on how quickly soldiers tire and recover from physical tasks, such as running or being bombarded by enemy fire. Options include: Fit, Weakened, and Unfit. LEADERSHIP the capability and experience of the unit leader does not always correspond with the quality of the unit. This rating allows a unit to range from great soldiers and terrible leaders, or terrible soldiers and great leaders. The values are

Shock Force

125

from -2 to +2, indicating the leaders influence on the unit cohesion and various other capabilities. SUPPLY determines the amount of ammunition and equipment available to the unit at the start of the game. Options include Severe, Scarce, Limited, Adequate and Full. EQUIPMENT the quality of the equipment available to the unit can vary even within a formation. This option is unique in that it behaves differently depending on when you set it. If you set this option for activated units (i.e. already purchased and in the right-hand activated column), the available equipment is simply adjusted in its performance (accuracy, jams etc.). If you set this option BEFORE purchasing a unit, this setting determines what type of weapon or equipment the unit will be equipped with. This is explained in more detailed under Purchasing Equipment below. VEHICLE STATUS changes a Vehicle to be immobilized, knocked out, or burning from the very start of the game.

typical Setting
For all of the above settings except Vehicle Status, the option Typical is also available. This choice randomly sets the value to be a typical value for the selected formation. When you select a Reserve unit you generally get different results (often only conscripts and green units with low leadership values) compared to a Typical Guards Unit (mostly Regulars and Veterans with high Motivation). Typical is the default setting for all options and is a good way for the scenario designer to get some variety for his scenario without having to adjust each and every unit individually.

Purchasing equipment
Most of the units in CM:SF have very specific equipment assigned to them because, in real life, there isnt significant variation to speak of. However, some types of equipment are more variable and therefore are assigned to units semi-randomly. This section explains how you can exercise some control over CM choices for those particular units. BEFORE you purchase a formation you can change the Equipment settings for either entire formations or for specific units. This gives you some influence, more or less, over what CM picks for the units that have variable equipment options (all others will ignore your Equipment setting and go with their assigned equip-

126

Combat Mission

ment). By design your choice is still somewhat randomized so as to ensure a greater variety of equipment is used instead of the same few things being used time after time. Therefore, instead of specifying a particular piece of equipment you generally influence what CM picks to equip the units with. Sometimes, however, there are so few choices for a particular unit type that you actually do have fairly precise control. The Equipments top two picks (Excellent and Good) always choose good equipment, the bottom two choices (Poor and Fair) only choose bad equipment. The choice in the middle (Normal) picks from either list randomly. The chance of selection varies depending what is available for that unit. The fewer items in the list, the more control you have. Also, the better the setting the more likely it is to pick from the first type available, the lower the setting the more likely the pick will come from the last available. One anomaly youll notice is that some of the choices really dont have anything to do with quality. A Stryker ICV with M2 machinegun is not inferior to a Stryker ICV with Mk19 grenade launcher. In this case of tanks, however, there is a definite quality difference between the different types of tanks.
For example, a SBCT Sniper Squad can be armed with either the M110 7.62 Sniper rifle or the M107 .50 Cal Sniper rifle. If you leave Equipment at Normal CM will arm the two teams of the Squad with either M110 or M107 rifles. If you set Equipment to the top two choices one of the Teams will get an M110 and the other is likely to get a M110. The bottom two choices select M107s for both Teams. Neither weapon system is really better than the other, but to be consistent the same qualitative labels are used.

To help guide Equipment selection, the following information shows what equipment options exist for each type of unit with variable equipment options:

SBCT Specific Units

Sniper Squad GOOD ......................................... BAD - M110 ........................................ - M107 - Mix of both M110 and M107 Sniper Team GOOD ......................................... BAD - M110 ........................................ - M107 Scout Team GOOD - M4s only

Shock Force

127

- M4s and M240 MMG Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle GOOD - M1126 ICV with Mk19 - M1126 ICV with M2 Stryker Recon Vehicle GOOD - M1127 RV with Mk19 - M1127 RV with M2

HBCT Specific Units

Sniper Squad GOOD ......................................... BAD - M110 ........................................ - M107 - Mix of both M110 and M107 Scout Team GOOD - M4s only - M4s and M240 MMG Scout Humvee GOOD ......................................... BAD - M1114 with M2 ........................... - M1114 with M240 Abrams Tank GOOD ......................................... BAD - M1A2 SEP .................................. - M1A2 - M1A1 SA ................................... - M1A1 HC Abrams Tank (MOUT) GOOD ......................................... - M1A2 SEP (TUSK) ....................... - M1A2 SA (TUSK) ......................... .................................................. .................................................. BAD - M1A2 SEP - M1A1 SA - M1A2 - M1A1 HC

Bradley Fighting Vehicle GOOD ......................................... BAD - Bradley (any type) with ERA ......... - Bradley (any type) without ERA

US Artillery
Company Mortar Section GOOD ......................................... BAD - M252 81mm Medium Mortar ......... - M224 60mm Light Mortar Battalion Mortar Section GOOD ......................................... BAD - M120 120mm Heavy Mortar ......... - M252 81mm Medium Mortar

Syrian T ank Units

Republican Guards Tank GOOD - T-72M1V TURMS-T - T-72M1V 2001 Regular Tank GOOD ......................................... BAD

128

Combat Mission

- T-72M1V .................................... - T-72M1 - T-62MV ..................................... - T-72M (late) - T-55MV Reserve Tank GOOD ......................................... - T-72M (early) ............................. - T-62M ....................................... .................................................. Static Tank GOOD - T-55 1970 - T-54B BAD - T-62 1975 - T-62 1972 - T-55 1974

Syrian AFV/IFV Units

Regular Mech Infantry (Command BMP-1) GOOD ......................................... BAD - BMP-1PK with AT-4C .................... - BMP-1PK with AT-4A Regular Mech Infantry (Normal BMP-1) GOOD ......................................... BAD - BMP-1P with AT-4C ...................... - BMP-1P with AT-4A Reserve Mech Infantry (Command BMP-1) GOOD ......................................... BAD - BMP-1PK with AT-4A .................... - BMP-1K with AT-3 Reserve Mech Infantry (Normal BMP-1) GOOD ......................................... BAD - BMP-1P with AT-4A ...................... - BMP-1 with AT-3 Regimental ATGM Platoon GOOD ......................................... BAD - BRDM-2 with AT-5 ....................... - BRDM-2 with AT-3

Syrian Anti-T ank Units

Special Forces Anti-Tank Platoon GOOD ......................................... BAD - AT-14 ........................................ - AT-13 Republican Guards Anti-Tank Platoon GOOD ......................................... BAD - AT-13 ........................................ - AT-4C - AT-7 - AT-3D Regular Anti-Tank Platoon GOOD ......................................... BAD - AT-4C ........................................ - AT-4A - AT-3C ........................................ - AT-3B Reserve Anti-Tank Platoon GOOD ......................................... BAD - AT-4C ........................................ - AT-4A - AT-3C ........................................ - AT-3B Reserve Anti-Tank Platoon (Infantry Branch) GOOD ......................................... BAD - AT-4A ........................................ - AT-3B Uncon Fighter AT Team GOOD

Shock Force

129

- RPG-29 - RPG-7V Uncon Fighter ATGM Team GOOD - AT-3B - AT-3D - AT-4C - AT-14

Reinforcements
Up to seven groups of units per side can be designated as Reinforcements from the Available Units list, irrespective of their parent formation. This allows the scenario designer to have units enter the battle at some later (more or less) random point in time. The units of each Group enter the map at the same time, but the entry location is set individually for each unit using the Deploy function. Staggering units can help with early game unit congestion, enhance the plot of the scenario, or simply space things out for varietys sake. The first step is to assign units to one or more Groups by highlighting them in the Available Units column and pressing a key on your keyboard from 1 to 7 (not on a NumPad!). This assigns the unit(s) to the respective Reinforcement Group, and a small [R] followed by the number of the assigned Group appears next to its name. For example, [R1] means the unit is assigned to Reinforcement Group #1. To remove a unit from a Group simply highlight it and press the 8 key and youll see the designation go away. Once you have at least one unit assigned to one Group you can specify when it comes into the game. To do this click on the Group you want in the list on the left side of the screen. For each group, you can set the time of the earliest arrival, and determine a random time span within which the arrival time might deviate.

Earliest Arrival Time

Can be set from 5 minutes after the beginning of the battle up to 60 minutes after the beginning. This specifies the soonest a Group comes into the battle.

Arrival Span
Can be set to be Exact (no deviation, i.e. the unit will always arrive exactly on the time set above) or a value between 5 and 30 minutes in 5 minute intervals. Specifying a time determines a +/- range modification of Earliest Arrival Time.

130

Combat Mission

Note: be careful of what you do here since there is a chance for significant unintended consequences. For example, if a 60 minute battle has Earliest Arrival Time set to 30 minutes and the Arrival Span to 30 minutes, the reinforcement group might arrive anytime between one second after the beginning of the battle and one second before its end. If you set Earliest Arrival Time to 60 minutes and the Arrival Span to 10 minutes, then the reinforcement group might arrive 10 minutes before the end of the battle, and there is a 50% chance that it will never arrive (because the battle might end before the arrival time).

Deploy Units
This feature switches you from the 2D Unit Editor to the 3D preview map so you can position the Available Units in the exact spot, orientation, and stance you want. This applies to Reinforcements as well, no matter when they come into the game. This allows you to do all sorts of things, such as putting units into vehicles, deploying heavy weapons so they can fire immediately, etc. If you created Setup Zones they are shown on the map. A unit in a Setup Zone can be moved freely within that particular Zone during a games Setup phase. Units placed outside of a Setup Zone can not be moved at by the player until after the game starts.
Note: pay extra attention to where Reinforcements are place in order to avoid unrealistic situations, such as units suddenly appearing in the middle of a field or a spot that is likely to be occupied by the other side. It might be a good idea to have Reinforcements appear in a place out of sight of enemy troops in order to allow the other player a chance to move them before getting shot at.

Deployment Commands
During Deployment mode a limited number of Commands are available for each unit type, mainly related to administrative tasks.

Shock Force

131

MOVE, FACE, HIDE, ACQUIRE, DISMOUNT, DEPLOY WEAPON, SPLIT TEAM, ASSAULT TEAM, ANTITANK TEAM
Note: The Commands work the same way they do during a battle. See the Commands section of the manual for more details.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Editor

Most game Artificial Intelligence (Computer Player) systems are based on highly scripted, reactive behavior. The scenario designers program very specific instructions for even the most basic behavior, often to the point of if the enemy moves here, attack, otherwise dont do anything. The game play tends to be quite predictable over time and potentially easy to fight against because the designer has to correctly anticipate what the player will do. Other game AIs, including the one in the previous Combat Mission series, are dynamic AIs that act and react on the fly. Since its behavior patterns are more generic, it is more flexible when playing a specific mission/battle. Unfortunately, the same generic attributes preclude the Computer Player from taking advantages peculiar to the battle being fought. The designer can set up a perfect double pincer envelopment and watch the AI decide to conduct a frontal assault instead. CM:SFs Computer Player is a sort of hybrid of scripted and dynamic systems. The scenario designer has the ability to customize the higher level, and to some extent lower level, behavior specific to the tactical considerations of the battle. However, the AI can improvise, to some extent, within the designers parameters. This greatly reduces predictability over time, but more importantly it allows the AI to conform to the story of the battle. If the battles story revolves around an ambush or a convoy to move along a certain road, such crucial elements can be coded into the scenario to make sure they happen. The scripting aspect of CM:SF is also critical for coaching the Computer Player on how to win. For example, if the defending Computer Player needs to defend a set of buildings inside a city, the designer can specify which key spots should be manned in order to ensure the success of a more abstract victory condition. No matter how good a dynamic AI may be, practically

132

Combat Mission

speaking it will never equal the insight the designer has without some very specific help. Therefore, think of the scripting as the designer helping the AI understand what it needs to do, where, and how.

AI Elements
There are four distinctly different concepts that create a decent Computer Player. Groups - a collection of units (up to 8 Groups per side) Map Zones - areas of the map for Groups to focus on (up to 16 per Plan) Orders - basic instruction sets for a Group (up to 16 per Plan) Plans - overall coordination of Groups, Orders, and Zones (up to 5 Plans per side) Units are assigned to Groups to concentrate on geographical Map Zones using various Orders to direct their behavior. Plans specify which Groups use what Map Zones with which Orders. The Computer Player only ever uses one AI Plan for a scenario, however it can use different Plans (if they exist) each time the scenario is played. Once a Computer Players Group reaches an Orders Map Zone, it begins to look at the next Order (and associated Map Zone) if one exists. The computer player decides when to move on to the next Order by looking at two time points set by the author, and the condition of its troops. These concepts are identical for both Blue and Red sides, however the elements can be used in different ways in order to simulate the different behavior patterns, doctrinal approaches to combat, etc. of each sides simulated force. The importance of each specific element varies from scenario to scenario, side to side. However, generally a good Computer Player comes from equal attention paid to all four elements. A scenario can have a Computer Player for either or both Red and Blue sides. However, if the designer did not specifically create a Computer Player for a side the units for that side will simply sit wherever they start out and do nothing. Therefore, the scenario designer should make sure to mention in the briefing that a scenario is supposed to be played from a specific side only.

Shock Force

133

Group s
A Group is a collection of units (squads, teams, and vehicles) assigned to perform tasks together. Each Group acts independently of other Groups using Orders it receives from a Plan. Because only there is only one Plan in use during a scenario there is no risk of Groups getting contradictory instructions. This means the designer must be quite sure of why various units are in one Group and not another, because if there assignments arent sensible then the Orders are less likely to produce desirable results. All units are assigned to Group 1 unless specifically assigned to Groups 2 through 8. To assign a unit to a Group simply go to the Unit Editors Purchase Units option, select the unit or formation by clicking on it, then use F2-F8 keys to set the Group number to 2-8. Units assigned to Groups 2-8 have their Group number appear to the right of their name as [A2] through [A8]. To reassign a unit to a different Group, simply repeat the process with a different numbered F key. To have an assigned unit return to Group 1, simply highlight it and hit F1.

Map Zone
Map Zones are painted on the map, much like a Setup Zone or a victory Objective area. Each Order can have one, and only one, Map Zone assigned to it. The shape and size can be as regular or irregular, small or large, and you can even generate separate discontinuous areas, but they are still considered part of the same map zone. That doesnt mean it is necessarily a good idea to make huge, crazy shaped Map Zones, just that it is possible. Generally the more creative the Map Zones are, the less likely Groups will behave as desired. Therefore, it is usually better to break up larger concepts into smaller pieces and assign different Groups to each with their own Orders and Map Zones.
Note: Orders do NOT have to have Map Zones assigned with them. If no Map Zone is defined, the unit will simply remain stationary while executing the other options of an order (change in stance, change floors, dismount).

The composition of the Current Group should be kept firmly in mind to make sure that the Map Zone isnt too small or too big for the number of units, the distance too great, the type of terrain unfavorable, etc.

134

Combat Mission

It is very important to keep in mind that the Map Zone is the desired END ZONE and NOT the path. The TacAI determines, based on Plans Orders and tactical Commands, how to get from one Map Zone to another. A Group will NOT follow a long and skinny Map Zone; it will simply move all its units onto it and stop before moving onto the next Orders Map Zone. If you want to influence the path a group of units takes, issue several orders as you would waypoints.

Orders
Each Order consists of a single instruction for a specific Group to follow. The specified Map Zone is the destination and the Order represents the method to get there. This is an important thing to fully grasp since doing the opposite, treating the Map Zone as the start of the Order, will likely doom a Plan to failure. There are a total of four pieces to each Order (not including the Map Zone), except the first Setup Order, which only has three (explained further below).

Order type
Dash basically this is an everyone run for the hills option that should be used very rarely. Make sure that the distances are fairly short or the units are vehicle only, otherwise they will likely exhaust themselves before reaching the specified Map Zone. It is also wise to make sure the Group isnt likely to fight along the way since the units wont be predisposed to doing that. Use Dash for things like getting units to move quickly from one major source of cover to another at maximum speed, such as across a dangerously exposed road or field. Quick emphasizes speed over combat, but to a lesser extent than dash. Units will attempt to get from A to B as quickly as possible but not at all cost, and not at maximum speed. Units may stop and return fire occasionally, but are generally unlikely to do so. Quick is useful when covering medium distances that you want to cross quickly but without completely tiring out the units, and when enemy contact is unlikely but not impossible. Advance this is the happy medium between Dash and Max Assault. This is generally the best Order to use when moving from place to place and not specifically anticipating a big fight. Units instructed to Advance decide what they should do, but generally it is to keep moving after taking some shots at spotted enemy units.

Shock Force

135

Assault this order emphasizes combat over movement. Units ordered to assault will generally interrupt their movement when facing the opportunity to engage the enemy, but will not remain stationary for too long. This is the best order to use for advancing while in contact with the enemy at medium to longer distances. Max Assault the opposite of Dash, Max Assault tells the Group to stop and engage with maximum firepower whenever each unit sees an opportunity to do so. This is generally a poor choice for getting a Group to stay on the move if a lot of enemy is expected in the vicinity. It can also be a bad idea if the area being moved over is a poor place to stop for a firefight. The best use is for short moves where there is good cover and enemy activity is expected.

Setup Orders
The very first order of each plan is a Setup Order. It works exactly as other orders with one big exception: the Map Zone for the Setup Order defines the area where units begin the game, not where they need to move to. As such, the Map Zone is NOT the End Zone as for all other regular orders. Therefore, Setup Orders have no option for Order Type since the units do not have to move anywhere.
Note: the AI does not break the rules. If you paint a Map Zone for a Setup Order outside of a valid Red or Blue Setup Zone (as defined in the Map Editor), the AI will never setup there. Therefore, make sure that your Map Zone for Setup Orders for the AI plan matches a valid Setup Zone in the Map Editor. To make this easier, Setup Zones are always shown on the 2D map when you select a Setup Order in the plan.

Occupy buildings
This option tells the unit which floor to occupy if it enters a building. If a unit is not inside a building, this option has no effect.

Stance
This option defines the basic behavior and combat posture of a unit for a given Order. Cautious shoot only when a clear target presents itself and dont get too worked up when one does. This helps conserve ammo and limits how much the Group makes its presence known to the enemy.

136

Combat Mission

Active shoot early and shoot often. This is generally the best option when the Group is being tasked with assaulting a known enemy position. Ambush instructs the units to only open fire if the enemy closes within a specific distance. Several distance options are available, from 75m to 1000m. Hide just as it sounds! This instructs the Group to avoid doing anything that might attract attention, such as moving or shooting. Units that get shot may return fire, but other units in the Group will try to remain hidden.

Passenger status
This option tells infantry carrying vehicles and bunkers to Dismount its passengers or keep them Mounted. Keep in mind that this option is activated BEFORE the designated Map zone is reached! If you want to dismount after reaching a map zone, you will need to create one Order for getting there mounted, and then a second order (with or without a Map Zone) to dismount on location.
Note: There is no way to instruct the AI to Mount units once Dismounted due to the complications of coordinating vehicles and infantry (real life military units train for months to get this right!). Practically speaking, it would be rare to see infantry units get into and out of vehicles multiple times within the scope of a Combat Mission battle, so it is less of limitation than it may initially appear to be.

Plans
Plans are the glue that holds together Groups, Map Zones, and Orders. They act as scripts for the AI to follow, but not in the traditional FPS/RTS sense in which tactical behavior is tied to trigger points, patrol routes, etc. Instead it is a set of behavioral instructions just like in a real military formation. For example, the script doesnt say Tank 231 goes from this point to this point and then tries to shoot here, rather it says Tank 231 will try to move through this area and shoot at any threats it sees. The actual tactical moves and decisions the unit makes are left up to the TacAI, which means they are context sensitive decisions. When the player starts to play a scenario Combat Mission selects one semi-randomly chosen Plan to be used for the duration of the battle. This allows the Computer Player to be unpredict-

Shock Force

137

able each time a scenario is replayed, yet still follow specific instructions made by the scenario designer. Or not! The Scenario designer may choose to make only a single Plan for a particular side, thereby guaranteeing that one Plan is always the one used. The designer can also skew the chances a Plan is selected, or not. To create a Plan, and the component pieces, select one of the five possible Plans from the list in the user interface to the left. The first popup menu controls how likely the selected Plan is used by CM. The second popup menu designates which Group is considered the Current Group. When selected, existing Orders assigned to that Group can be seen and manipulated, new ones created. The third popup controls the Current Order for the Current Group. The first of the 16 possible Orders is always Setup. New orders can be added by clicking on the Add button, existing orders can be deleted by clicking on Delete.
Note: Plans need to be tested by the designer in order to make sure they work as expected. However, since CM randomly chooses a Plan it is difficult for the designer to be sure of debugging a specific Plan if there is more than one. To overcome this, simply change the chance of the desired Plan happening to Used Frequently and the others down to Not Used. Just remember to change the values back to whatever it is you want before sending the battle off to be played by others!

Exit Before / Exit After

The Exit Before option causes the Group to try very hard to get to the next Order before the specified time is reached. This does not mean the Group will do it, just that it will try. If it has taken excessive casualties, is immobilized or heavily engaged it may blow the set Exit Before time. The Exit After option does the opposite by telling the Group to stay at the current Map Zone until the specified time is reached. With this setting a Group never moves on to the next Order before the Exit After time is reached. These two options allow for some reasonable level of coordination between Groups. You can increase the jumps for the above settings by holding the SHIFT key while you click on the + or - buttons.
Note: all of a Plans Orders are saved into the scenario file even if there are no Groups assigned to it. This allows the designer to move, remove, redo, and otherwise manipulate units and Groups without worrying about wiping out work done on a Plan prior to

138

Combat Mission

the changes. Obviously, if no Groups are assigned to an Order none of the Orders actions are carried out in the game, so there isnt any point of creating Orders that have no Groups, though there is also no problem if unassigned Orders are left in the file since the Computer Player simply ignores them.

Support T argets (Blue or Red)

The scenario designer can specify Support Targets for the Computer Players artillery to use at the beginning of the scenario. Such artillery strikes represent preplanned bombardments for a side controlled by a Computer Player. If a Human player is in control of a side the designers assigned Support Targets are simply ignored. When Support Targets are specified, all Artillery and Air Support Assets allocated to that sides force are considered available for the AI to use. The only requirement is that a valid spotter have line of sight (LOS) to the designated target(s) in order to initiate the strike. All normal support rules apply such as C2 links, delay times, etc. Artillery and Air Support Assets not used against the Support Targets are available for the AI to use during the regular course of the battle. Up to 20 independent Support Targets can be designated. Simply select a target number and paint the zone to be fired at in the 2D map. Zones can be any size, contiguous or disjointed, though practically speaking it is best to keep in mind the actual amount of assets available. If one target zone covers half of the map, but the side only has a battery of two measly 82mm mortars available that are low on ammo, dont expect an earth shattering map-covering artillery strike. Instead, it is more likely that the AI spotter will randomly pick one place out of the entire zone and pound it until the mortars are empty. Thats probably not a good thing for that side! Each target can be assigned one of three possible missions. These determine the intensity and duration of the strike: Destroy heavy intensity, long duration. Issue this type to cause maximum damage. Available assets, ammo, and size of the target area are especially critical here. A couple of 60mm mortars arent going to level a city block, for example, but 4 batteries of 155mm Howitzers certainly can! Damage medium intensity, medium duration. Good for a quick, devastating shock to a particular area. Good balance between ammo conservation and damage.

Shock Force

139

Suppress low intensity, short duration. This is best used for harassing fire or to pin an enemy force down to allow friendly on map units take advantage of the situation. Preplanned strikes arrive at the beginning of a scenario, but not always immediately in the first few seconds. Normal C2 delays apply. Each target is attacked in order, and if multiple assets are available, several targets can be attacked simultaneously. Any support assets that are not used up for the pre-planned bombardments are available for the AI Player to use dynamically during the battle as long as it has what it needs to call in a strike (e.g. proper spotter, adequate communications links, etc.). In other words, the AI Player is bound by the same rules as the Human Player, as explained in various sections of this manual.

3D Preview
The 3D Preview previews the battle in 3D mode, which can be useful for spotting possible issues with terrain, elevations, or the overall look of the map. It is also good for getting a feel for how to set up the AIs Orders and Plans. Additionally, Preview mode allows the direct manipulation and fine-tuning of certain map aspects which cannot be accessed from the 2D Map Editor. This applies mainly to buildings and Flavor Objects.

Editing Buildings
In 2D mode you choose the basic building types and determine their placement on the map. The actual look of the building is determined randomly from a number of options specific to each type of building. However, these automatically assigned attributes can be overridden and customized if desired. For each side and each floor of each building the texture, number of doors, and number of windows can be set. If the wall is exposed it can have a balcony of one sort or another. The type of roof can be changed as well, which not only changes the look of the building quite dramatically, but it also determines how much cover there is for soldiers occupying the roof. One of the more interesting, and powerful, features is the ability to completely remove walls by toggling through the window/ door layouts until the wall disappears. This allows adjacent

140

Combat Mission

buildings to be combined into larger structures, such as a massive warehouse or L shaped house. Since individual walls on individual floors can be removed, it is possible to have a building complex that is open on some levels and closed on others, or 3 stories in one section and only 2 in another section. The tactical possibilities created by this feature should not be overlooked! In general, each of the following clicks and key+click combinations toggles through the available options for each building in succession.

Single Wall
CTRL-CLICK on a side changes window/door layout for floor CTRL-SHIFT-CLICK on a side adds balconies for that floor

Single Side
ALT-CTRL-CLICK on a side changes window/door layout CTRL-SHIFT-CLICK on ground floor adds balconies

Entire Building
ALT-CLICK changes window/door frames for all four sides SHIFT-CLICK changes the buildings texture for all four sides CTRL-CLICK on roof changes shape/type of roof

Editing Flavor Objects

The placement and rotation of Flavor Objects can be finetuned in 3D Preview mode. After placing a Flavor Object in regular 2D mode in the general area where you would like to have it, you can now nudge it into position and also rotate it to achieve realistic placement. This is done through a combination of keys and mouse clicks, as follows: LEFT CLICK - rotate object SHIFT+LEFT CLICK: - nudge object in the direction the camera is facing CTRL+LEFT CLICK - delete object

Shock Force

141

Baking Scenarios
The scenario designer can save his scenario file in a special format (.btb) that enables units to have pre-assigned Commands, which normally is not possible to do. This feature allows a battle to start up right in middle of a firefight, for example, or to have a column of vehicles begin the scenario already in motion. Thus the commands are baked into the file itself. It is very important to note that Baked scenarios use a special file format that can not be edited again. Therefore, it is advisable to bake a scenario only after all edits are complete and to always keep an un-baked (normal) version so you can make changes to it later if need be. Its a good idea to give the unbaked version a different filename to avoid possible confusion since file extensions are not always shown in Windows. To Bake a file go to the Editor, then select Bake from the Editor menu to select the scenario file to Bake. After a valid file is selected CM automatically switches the Editor to Bake Mode, which is similar to the 3D Preview mode. Unlike the normal 3D Preview, Bake Mode shows both sides forces at the same time and activates the Command menus. These are the same menus available during Setup Phase when playing a scenario (except that here you can do it for both sides simultaneously). Commands issued in Bake Mode are executed immediately at the start of the game. After issuing all commands the Baked file must be saved to disk or the commands will be lost. Changes are saved in the same way that you would create a save game in a regular scenario call up the game Menu by clicking on the Menu button in the Command panel and choose Save. When saved the file automatically appears in the Baked directory in Game Files folder. Hit the ESC key to leave Bake Mode and return to the Editor. Baked scenarios can be extra fun and exiting when the player starts out a battle in the thick of things, such as a prepared ambush or moving in a convoy. Baked scenarios are also useful if you want to prevent other people from editing your scenario (e.g. for tournaments or simply to protect your own work). The disadvantage of Baked scenarios is that they cannot be edited and can not be used as part of a campaign.

142

Combat Mission

Making Campaigns
New Campaigns for Combat Mission are technically quite easy to make, however since they require many custom made battles it can be somewhat time consuming to put together because each battle takes a fair amount of effort to make. A Campaign is a semi-dynamic string of individual battles linked together. Each battle for a Campaign is just like every other scenario made in the Editor, save one major feature; a common pool of units imported from a central core units file. This allows Combat Mission to track individual units from battle to battle, which in turn allows the results of a previous battle to have a direct effect on those that come later. At the heart of a Campaign are two sorts of battles; primary and branches. Primary battles are those that represent the optimal path from start to finish. If a player wins each battle these are the only ones that are played. Branches are those battles that the player is diverted to after failing to win the previous battle. There is a great deal of flexibility as to how these features are used, enabling campaign designers to customize the structure of a Campaign to conform to a particular plot. In fact, the campaign doesnt have to branch at all if that is what the designer wishes to do.
Note: in theory you can create loops in the branching structure, by directing the player to a scenario he played previously, e.g. after a loss. While this is possible, please keep in mind that any damages and changes to the map from the previous fight are not saved. This means destroyed buildings from the first time through are magically rebuilt, craters filled in, burning vehicles removed, etc. Therefore it might be a good idea to avoid such loops for the most part.

It is possible to have units tracked from battle to battle on both sides. However, this is not recommended in general since it means the same two forces face each other battle after battle. Thats not very interesting! Plus, with the high casualty rate for the Syrian side, it is unlikely that a significant portion of the Core Units would survive more than a few battles. Still, its a feature and players are welcome to experiment with it if they want.

Shock Force

143

It is also possible to have a Campaign played from the Red players perspective. Again, there is a problem with high casualty rates, even for good troops, and the lack of realism since it is likely that once engaged a Syrian unit would be hit where it was until destroyed. In other words, Blue forces make excellent subjects for a realistic Campaign, Red forces much less so. Again, the tool is there to be used as the player sees fit. There is no rule that says a Campaign has to be realistic, after all!

Core Units File

This is a scenario file, just like any other, that does nothing more than provide a common pool of units to draw from and certain elements needed to present the Campaign to the player. Its as simple as purchasing some units and setting up the mission information (briefings, title, etc.). Combat Mission ignores everything else so dont worry about the map, unit placement, etc. Battles within a Campaign can use units that are not in the Core Units File, therefore it is only important to put units in here that are central to the story. For example, if the Campaign revolves around a single Rifle Company and a Tank Platoon, you dont need to put in an Engineer Platoon or a Scout Platoon that are only used once. Such auxiliary units which dont make an appearance in more than one battle can be added into any scenario normally using the Unit Editor as one would for a stand alone battle. One very important thing to keep in mind is how CM tracks units from battle to battle. When a formation is put into the Activated Units column of the Unit Editor (i.e. purchased) unique identification numbers are assigned to all the units within it. This allows CM to know that Tank 1234 in Battle #1 is the same Tank 1234 in Battle #2. After a units appear in the Activated Units column it can be manipulated, such as having a units Experience changed or deleting a formation so it isnt available, just like in a normal scenario. These changes can be undone or redone as often as desired. However, these changes are not automatically incorporated into existing battles for the Campaign. To have such changes registered each existing scenario file must be synchronized with the Core Units File in order to bring those changes into existing battles (see below).

144

Combat Mission

Scenarios (Battles)
There is nothing inherently different between scenarios made for a Campaign and those made for stand alone use. Maps, AIs, Mission Parameters, etc. all have to be created just like any other stand alone battle. The only significant difference is that some (or all) of the units from one (or both) sides can be imported into a scenario so that they carry through from battle to battle. Also, it isnt necessary to make the small 170x170 picture that represents the scenario in the Battle selection dialog because it is ignored. Importing units is quite easy. Create a new scenario in the Editor, choose the Units Editor, and then select the Import Campaign Units option. An open dialog appears so the Core Units File can be located and selected. Once confirmed all the units in the Core Units File are imported into the current scenario file. The next step is to whittle down the Core Units to those needed for the current battle only. Often this is a small subset of the total units found in the Core Units File. Select the Purchase Units option and look in the Activated Units column. All Core Units are there with a notation that they are, indeed, Core Units. To remove unwanted units simply do what is done for any other scenario; select the unit, or formation, and select the Delete button in the lower left corner. This toggles the unit off so it wont appear in the battle at all. It can be toggled back on at any time, like a normal scenario, by repeating these steps. Additional, non-core, units can be purchases at any time as in any other scenario. From time to time changes may be made to the Core Units File that require synchronization with existing Campaign battles. This is generally an extremely easy and painless thing to do. Just open up the scenario file and Import Campaign Units again. Core Units already in the scenario retain almost all of their customization, such as placement, Group assignments, Orders, etc. Therefore, synchronizing with the Core Units File does not wipe out hard work! What it does do is remove units no longer in the Core Units File, imports newly added units, and updates attributes (such as names, experience, etc.). The latter is probably the only potential drawback of synchronizing since customized settings like that must be redone.
Note: any formations completely removed from the Activated Troops list in the scenario will reappear and must be deleted again (if that is

Shock Force

145

still desired). This is to make sure deleted formations can be brought back in if the designer changes his mind after removing them. Its very important to know this since reintroduced formations appear in default positions in the 3D environment automatically, which can create a rather interesting game experience until it is fixed in the Editor.

Campaign Script File

A group of completed scenarios are just that until you use the Compile Campaign feature. In order to do that, though, a Campaign Script File must exist. This is a TXT file which Combat Mission uses to understand which battles are fought when, what the conditions are for going to the next one, and how much the units should be refreshed between battles. The script is quite simple. The first part is the Campaign Header to help CM set up the Campaign as a whole. The first variable specifies which side the Campaign is played from (Blue or Red), if a Human Opponent is allowed (No or Yes), the text shown to the Blue player after the last battle (Victory and Defeat), and the text shown to the Red player after the last battle (Victory and Defeat). What follows are a variable number of Battle Entries, one for each Battle in the Campaign. Within the first section of the Battle Entry is the scenario file name, the minimum victory level needed to win, the scenario file name to go to after a win (blank signals end of Campaign), and the scenario file name to go to after a loss (blank signals end of Campaign). The next section in the Battle Entry percentage chance an individual unit has of being completely replaced if lost, repaired if damaged (vehicle only), topped off with full ammo, and brought back to a fully rested sate. If the Campaign contains no Core Units for a particular side, there is no need to fill in that sides variables.
Note: the very beginning of a Campaign starts out with a special one time Campaign Briefing. This is identical to a normal battles briefing, complete with Operational Order (OPORD) and maps. CM looks for this information in the Core Units File, which should be loaded when the Campaign is compiled (see next section).

Here is a sample of a two battle Campaign Script with dummy values inserted:

146

Combat Mission

/* Note the characters before and after this text. They allow designer to put in comments, or notes, such as why something was done a certain way. Anything between these characters is ignored by Combat Mission. Otherwise an error will occur when the Campaign is compiled. */ // Alternatively two back slashes can be entered to create a comment. Theres no functional difference between this method and the previous mentioned method. /* Campaign Header*/ [PLAYER FORCE] blue [HUMAN OPPONENT ALLOWED] no [BLUE VICTORY TEXT] You won! [BLUE DEFEAT TEXT] You lost! [RED VICTORY TEXT] You won! [RED DEFEAT TEXT] You lost! /*Battle #1*/ [BATTLE NAME] My First Little Battle [WIN THRESHOLD] tactical victory // note, do not include .btt, just the file name // total defeat, major defeat, tactical defeat, minor defeat, draw, minor victory, tactical victory, major victory, total victory // options are: blue/red // no/yes

[NEXT BATTLE IF WIN] My Second Little Battle [NEXT BATTLE IF LOSE] // a blank signals an end of the campaign [BLUE REFIT %] [BLUE REPAIR VEHICLE %] [BLUE RESUPPLY %] [BLUE REST %] [RED [RED [RED [RED REFIT %] REPAIR VEHICLE %] RESUPPLY %] REST %] 20 40 70 80 10 10 50 60 //always express this a number between 0 and 100

/*Battle #2*/ [BATTLE NAME] My Second Little Battle [WIN THRESHOLD] minor defeat [NEXT BATTLE IF WIN] [NEXT BATTLE IF LOSE] [BLUE [BLUE [BLUE [BLUE [RED [RED [RED [RED REFIT %] REPAIR VEHICLE %] RESUPPLY %] REST %] 20 40 70 80 10 10 50 60

// end campaign // end campaign

REFIT %] REPAIR VEHICLE %] RESUPPLY %] REST %]

Shock Force

147

Compiling a Campaign
Unlike some games, a Combat Mission Campaign consists of a single file (with the extension .CAM) that contains all the information the game needs to play a Campaign from start to finish. The single file format ensures that it can be transported from person to person without missing pieces. It also ensures that players cant cheat by opening up individual battles in the Editor to peek or alter elements to make it easier to win. This means the person making the Campaign must keep the individual battles or forever lose the ability to make changes to the Campaign. Compiling a Campaign is technically quite easy, however mistakes made in the Script File are easy to make and that probably means a couple of failed attempts are likely. Not to worry, though, since Combat Mission gives useful feedback about what the mistake is that is preventing a compile from happening. Before starting, put all the files for the Campaign into a single directory. The Core Units File doesnt have to be in the same directory, though it does help keep things tidy. Once this is done, do the following things in this order: 1. Enter the Editor 2. Load the Core Units File 3. Click on the Editor selection popup menu and choose Make Campaign, which is the last option 4. A dialog comes up that gives some reminders of what is about to happen. 5. When you click on Make Campaign an Open Dialog comes up and asks for the Campaign Script File 6. Select the Campaign Script File and click Open. 7. If the Script File contains no errors a new file, with the .CAM, extension appears in the Campaigns directory. The file name is taken from the currently open scenario, which should be the Core Units File.
Note: if there are errors a dialog pops up and says what the problem is. Simply make the correction needed and repeat the steps above. Since CM stops and reports the very first error it detects, each error requires a fix and another compile attempt.

148

Combat Mission

Once a Campaign is successfully compiled it must be located in the Campaign directory, in the Game Files folder, in order for Combat Mission to offer it as a choice in the Campaign option within the game. Campaign files received from other people also need to go into the Campaign directory in order to be available for play. The size of a Campaign file is directly related to the size of the combined scenario files that are compiled. Therefore, Campaigns tend to be several megabytes in size.

Creating Quick Battle Map s

Any regular scenario can be turned into a Quick Battle Map. In order to be picked for a Quick Battle, the .btt file needs to be placed in the Quick Battle Maps folder in the game directory. Theoretically you can simply copy an existing scenario into that folder and see what happens. Unused settings or features (such as any units on the map) are simply ignored. Practically there are a number of additional points to consider when copying maps or when creating them from scratch.

Setup Zones
Quick Battle Maps MUST have valid Setup Zones for Red and Blue sides. Without valid Setup Zones units of both sides will probably end up right on top of each other. Not fun!

AI Plans
Quick Battle Maps MUST have an AI plan for BOTH sides. You can use more than one plan and you can use as many groups in each plan as you like. The AI player will randomly assign units into groups.
Note: Since nobody knows which units will be taking part in a given Quick Battle it makes sense to create AI plans in a much more generic way than for regular scenarios.

Victory conditions
Only terrain objectives are considered for determining victory conditions in a QB. All other objective types and parameters are ignored. All terrain objectives are converted to OCCUPY objectives automatically. The code automatically adds an enemy-casualty threshold victory goal for each side is added

Shock Force

149

automatically, which is lowest for meeting engagements, and highest for assaults.

Red and Blue

Sides are interchangeable in QBs. A Red Attack scenario can be picked for a Blue attack QB, and the game will automatically switch sides for the players.

Units on the map

Any units placed on a QB map are simply ignored and deleted, and will not appear in the QB.

T errain
The type of terrain you set for a map determines when it will be available for a QB. If a player wants to play a city map QB, only maps defined as city maps will be available for him.

Battle T ype
Probe, Attack and Assault maps are selected for either of these options is selected for a QB. Meeting Engagement maps are only selected when the player chooses to play a Meeting Engagement scenario.

Mods
Two new Mod Tools (RezExplode and RezPack) are included in the Mod Tools directory. Both programs work with ".brz" files, which are "packed" data files containing the individual sounds and graphics used by Combat Mission. For simplicity we'll refer to the contents of a ".brz" file - the sounds and graphics - as "resources". These contents are not normally visible, but can be extracted using RezExplode. RezExplode takes a ".brz" file and "explodes" it into its individual resources (like ".wav" files for sounds and ".bmp" for graphics). These individual resources can then be edited or replaced by you. RezPack takes the resources that you have modded, and "packs" them back into a single ".brz" file. This is not only convenient, but allows users to (de)activate a "mod pack" easily by moving a single ".brz" file into or out of the CMSF "Data" folder.

150

Combat Mission

In the main Combat Mission Shock Force folder is a folder called "Data". Here is where all the sounds and graphics for the game are stored. You'll see files with names like "Version 100.brz", "Version 101.brz" and possibly others. To mod CMSF, you'll use RezExplode to access the contents (resources) of the ".brz" files that ship with the game (like "Version 100.brz"), then edit the ones you want, and then use RezPack to recombine your modded versions of the sounds and graphics into a new ".brz" file that you will name.

Loading order
When Combat Mission starts up, it loads all the .brz files it finds in the Data folder. However, it's possible that a given sound or graphic (say, "tank texture.bmp") might be contained in more than one .brz file, and the two files might be different despite having the same name. Combat Mission has a method to ensure that the "latest" version of a sound or graphic is always the one used by the game: the .brz file name that is LATER in alphabetical order is given priority. For example, if "tank texture.jpg" is contained in both "A.brz" and "B.brz", the version contained in "B.brz" will be used, and the one inside "A.brz" will be ignored. Similarly, "Version 101.brz" takes priority over "Version 100.brz" because it comes later alphabetically. As you explode the .brz files that come with the game, you'll notice some duplicates of various texture graphics and such. The reverse-alphabetical loading order allows later-version .brz files to take priority over the earlier ones. This is important because you want to make sure that your mods get priority over the sounds and graphics that ship with the game. See below for details.

Rezexplode
To access the contents of a .brz file, COPY it into the "input" folder inside the RezExplode folder. Now run RezExplode by doubleclicking it. There is no user interface. Just wait a few moments until an "exploded" folder appears. Inside there you'll find the contents of the .brz file you just exploded. The files inside the "exploded" folder are the ones you'll want to consider modding, and later repacking using RezPack.

Shock Force

151

Repack
When you've finished modding the sounds or graphics you want, you can package them back up as a new .brz file. Copy your modded files into the "input" folder inside the RezPack folder. It's OK to copy nested folders here - RezPack will dig down into the folder hierarchy to find all your modded files. Run RezPack. There is no user interface. Wait a few moments until a "packed.brz" file appears. You should rename this file as you wish. It is ready to be moved into Combat Mission's "Data" folder (see section below for details). RezPack also creates a file called "log.txt" or "log error.txt". Inside this file you'll see some useful information. If the file is called "log error.txt" it means that you accidentally packed two or more resource files with the same name (inside different nested folders) and the log file will list these "conflicts" at the top of the file. You will likely want to remove all but one of the conflicting files and run RezPack again. Also contained in the log.txt file is a list of all the resource files you packed, and the nested folder hierarchy (if any) they came from.

Mods in Action
Now that you've created your mods as .brz file(s), it's time to see them work inside Combat Mission. Here is the easiest way to be sure that your mod files get loading priority over the files that ship standard with Combat Mission. First, note that any enclosing folder names are included with file names in the alphabetical priority comparison for loading. Now go inside the Data folder and create a new folder called "Z". Because "Z" comes after the names of the standard game files ("Version XXX") you are guaranteed that any mods you put into the "Z" folder will be loaded and used by Combat Mission. Second, note that among the .brz mod files you create and put into this "Z" folder, the alphabetical rule still applies within that folder. So if you have "MyMod1.brz" and "MyMod2.brz" files both inside the "Z" folder, data from "MyMod2.brz" will take priority over "MyMod1.brz" for any duplicate contents. You may also place single *non-brz* files into the Data folder (like individual WAV or BMP files). Combat Mission can recognize individual BMP or WAV files even when not packed into a BRZ file. This is not recommended when creating a "mod pack" for

152

Combat Mission

use by others because dozens or hundreds of individual files are difficult to manage, but it can be useful while you are creating your mod, and want to test out small edits. Individual files are given loading priority over ALL .brz files regardless of how they are named.

Important
Don't remove the "Version XXX.brz" files from the Data folder. The loading-priority system will ensure that your mods are used when present. Don't monkey with the contents of Combat Mission's Data folder while Combat Mission is running. To get a "clean" reload of mods, quit Combat Mission, move the .brz files around as you wish, then restart Combat Mission. Mods you create and pack as .brz files do NOT have to replace (or include) all the contents of whatever .brz files you originally "exploded". You should RezPack ONLY the resources you modded, and Combat Mission will locate the others in their original .brz files.

Shock Force

153

Tip s for using the Editor

The Editor included with CM:SF represent extremely powerful tools, which you rarely see included in other games, that allow players to extend their enjoyment of the game almost indefinitely. While the basic concept of how the Editor works is easy to understand, the difference between making a good scenario and a great one requires some experience. This section of the manual presents a number of tips collected from the team that created the stock maps and scenarios. These tips should help get you up to speed quickly... or if you are already an experienced map maker, simply provide a few fresh ideas.

Getting to know the terrain

To make a map that fits in with the character of the CM:SF setting it is quite helpful to know a little bit about the topography, vegetation, climate, etc. of Syria. The following is a nearly verbatim reproduction of the Wikipedia article Geography of Syria: The area includes about 185,180 square kilometers of deserts, plains, and mountains. It is divided into a coastal zonewith a narrow, double mountain belt enclosing a depression in the west and a much larger eastern plateau. The climate is predominantly dry. Along the Mediterranean, a narrow coastal plain stretches south from the Turkish border to Lebanon. The Jabal an Nusayriyah mountains, a range paralleling the coastal plain, has an average elevation of just over 1,212 meters. The western slopes catch moisture-laden western sea winds and are thus more fertile and more heavily populated than the eastern slopes, which receive only hot, dry winds blowing across the desert. Before reaching the Lebanese border and the AntiLebanon Mountains, the Jabal an Nusayriyah range terminates, leaving a corridorthe Homs Gapthrough which run the highway and railroad from Homs to the Lebanese port of Tripoli. For centuries the Homs Gap has been a favorite trade and invasion route from the coast to the countrys interior and to other parts of Asia. Eastward, the line of the Jabal an Nusayriyah is separated from the Jabal az Zawiyah range and the plateau

154

Combat Mission

region by the Al Ghab depression, a fertile, irrigated trench crossed by the meandering Orontes River. Inland and farther south, the Anti-Lebanon Mountains rise to peaks of over 2,700 meters on the Syrian-Lebanese frontier and spread in spurs eastward toward the plateau region. The eastern slopes have little rainfall and vegetation and merge eventually with the desert. In the southwest the Hawran Plateaufrequently referred to as the Hawran receives rain-bearing winds from the Mediterranean. Volcanic cones, some of which reach over 900 meters, intersperse the open, rolling, once-fertile Hawran Plateau south of Damascus and east of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Southwest of the Hawran lies the high volcanic region of the Jabal Druze range (renamed Jabal al Arab), home of the countrys Druze population.

Eastern plateau
The entire eastern plateau region is intersected by a low chain of mountains, the Jabal ar Ruwaq, the Jabal Abu Rujmayn, and the Jabal Bishri, extending northeastward from the Jabal Al Arab to the Euphrates River. South of these mountains lies a barren desert region known as the Hamad. North of the Jabal ar Ruwaq and east of the city of Homs is another barren area known as the Homs Desert, which has a hard-packed dirt surface. Northeast of the Euphrates River, which originates in the mountains of Turkey and flows diagonally across Syria into Iraq, is the fertile Jazirah region that is watered by the tributaries of the Euphrates. The area provides substantial cereal and cotton crops while oil and natural gas production can be found in the extreme northeastern portion of the Jazirah.

Water
The longest and most important river is the Euphrates, which represents more than 80 percent of Syrias water resources. Its main left-bank tributaries, the Balikh and the Khabur, are both major rivers and also rise in Turkey. The right-bank tributaries of the Euphrates, however, are small seasonal streams called wadis. Throughout the arid plateau region east of Damascus, oases, streams, and a few interior rivers that empty into swamps and small lakes provide water for local irrigation.

Shock Force

155

Climate
The most striking feature of the climate is the contrast of sea and desert. Between the humid Mediterranean coast and the arid desert regions lies a semiarid steppe zone extending across three-fourths of the country. In the northern coastal area, by the Turkish mountain region, rainfall is fairly abundant. Most of the rain falls between November and May with an annual mean temperature range from 7.2 C in January to 26.6 C in August. Farther south, rain-bearing clouds from the Mediterranean reach the area of Homs and, sometimes, the steppe region east of that city. Still farther to the south, however, the Anti-Lebanon Mountains bar the rains from the Mediterranean. This area, which includes the capital city of Damascus, is part of the semiarid climatic zone of the steppe, with precipitation averaging less than 20 centimeters a year and experiences temperatures from 4.4 C in January to 37.7 C in July and August. The vicinity of the capital is, nevertheless, cultivable because of irrigation from the Barada River by aqueducts built during Roman times. In the southeast, the humidity decreases and annual precipitation falls below 10 centimeters. The scant rainfall is highly variable from year to year, causing periodic droughts. In the barren stony desert south temperatures in July often exceed 43.3 C and sandstorms are common during February and May. North of the desert ranges and east of the Al Ghab depression lie the vast steppes of the plateau, where cloudless skies and high daytime temperatures prevail during the summer. In contrast, severe frosts are common from November to March. Precipitation averages 25 centimeters a year but falls below 20 centimeters in a large belt along the southern desert area. In this belt, only the Euphrates and Khabur rivers provide sufficient water for settlement and cultivation.
Note: This article contains material from the Library of Congress Country Studies, which are United States government publications in the public domain. This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.

Realistic map s
The highly detailed environment simulated in CM:SF is only as good as the terrain played on. An eye for detail, and a bit of creativity, can make all the difference between a boring en-

156

Combat Mission

gagement and an exciting battle. Of course its easy to simply put a few map features here and there and use a large brush to mass-paint some underlying ground types, but the result will most likely feel empty and unrealistic. To avoid this, our testers have come up with a bunch of hints to help ensure that your maps look and play like real terrain. 1. Do your homework! Taking a little bit of time to research the area youre simulating can make the process go a lot easier and the end product much better than it otherwise would have been. If you have topographic maps of the area thats perfect, but even a quick look on Google Earth (and other similar tools freely available online) is a great help to familiarize yourself with the surrounding terrain, the lay of the land, the size and structure of settlements, roadnets and so forth. Even if you do not plan to base your map on any particular real world location a look at areas with the general type of climate and topography can lead to some great ideas, and help improve your mapmaking skills a great deal. Try to get an idea of the terrain you want to depict and see how the people living there use it (if at all). This conceptual walk through before you start making your map can generate countless ideas about basic topography, where to place man made objects, which terrain types are found near each other, etc. Ask yourself, is that big grassy field there farmland or unattended pasture? If it is farmland, perhaps there is a shack to store farm equipment nearby and a dirt road connecting it to a larger road. Or if it is just unattended land, is there a hard man made divider (like a wall or road) between it and something that is actively used by people? If you decide there is a small village near by, remind yourself that the people living there need to shop, work, relax, etc. Ask yourself what type of village is this, rural or a more dense town? How do people get from here to there? There are countless questions to ask yourself and at least as many answers. Few geographic areas in the world are completely untouched by Humans, as even the most remote locations usually serve one purpose or another. Trying to figure out what an area is like before making your map is a big help towards creating a realistic environment. 2. Dont get lazy! Just because you put down a bunch of elevation contour lines, nicely spaced out terrain features, and a nice little village dont assume every bit of it is exactly as you expect it to be in the 3D environment. Instead, assume the opposite since youre bound to make some mistakes or be sur-

Shock Force

157

prised how Combat Mission handles a particular request of yours. Doublecheck your topography (elevation, hills, ravines, roads) in 3D preview mode to make sure that it makes sense. Roads in real life rarely lead up steep slopes or cliffs and tend to be relatively flat (paved roads are usually perfectly flat) so that vehicles can actually travel on them. Make sure yours are the same. Nature is less symmetric and predictable, so make sure your hills are rarely have irregular shapes and that ravines dont travel perfectly straight for too long at a stretch. Settlements tend to be built on fairly even ground or, at most, on a gently sloping hillside. Farmland and fields tend to be located on flat terrain to allow for easier harvesting. If you feel an are is too open, dont hesitate to put in some terrain undulations. The Adjust tool is perfect for this, as with a few clicks (a few with the Shift key press which cases the adjustment to be negative) you can create some variation in elevation height. But dont be afraid to go extreme sometimes a steep difference in tile elevation of several levels creates the impression of large stones or boulders for example. In short, use the 3D preview option extensively, and from view levels 1 or 2 to get a good idea of the land and spot any problematic areas early. 3. Dont be boring! If you make a large grass field, dont just use the big brush and paint the same grass type across half of the map. The editor gives you dozens of different terrain combinations to work with use them! A simple grass field can still have different types of grass (yellow, tall, short, green), different types of soil, perhaps some brush, a smattering of trees, or a stretch of bare dirt. The same is true when creating a desert environment. Even a sand desert does not contain sand alone. Sprinkle some regular dirt or rocky tiles here and there. The subtle variation creates a much more natural look, as well as an interesting one. Moreover, when adding things like trenches and vegetation, keep in mind that these types of terrain are rarely found in sand, so pick some sort of dirt terrain for them to go with. If you do create large stretches of sand terrain, use elevations to create some sand dunes and avoid a billiard table look for your map. Variety is key to creating a natural looking and interesting environments to battle in. 4. Urban areas need a plan! Making a town or village is much more than simply plunking down a few buildings. CM:SF gives you the ability to customize each building by choosing different textures, layouts, building details, roofs, and balconies. Think for a second about what a building is supposed to be a

158

Combat Mission

hotel, hospital, government building, what? If it is a hotel, it should probably have a lot of balconies and not be adjacent to other tall buildings. Perhaps you want a building with a large footprint but not much in the way of height, so what would that building likely be? A hospital might work, and perhaps it was built over many years by adding addition after addition. So dont make it too uniform looking. Or maybe it is a warehouse complex, in which case the buildings should be very uniform in shape and have few interior walls. 5. Where there are people, there is clutter! You can populate a street with roadsigns, streetlights, traffic lights and many other flavor objects which are found in every city of the world. Take the time to properly position them. A flavor object partially sticking through a wall might not cause the game any problems, but trust us it detracts from the players emersion in the battle, which is never a good thing. Keep in mind that street lights are usually placed in a spot to provide light for cars or pedestrians. They should point in useful directions and tend to be grouped around intersections. If you place junk objects, keep in mind that people tend leave such things in areas that they dont move through or live in. On the other hand, things like storage boxes or sacks would rarely be left out in the open where they could be damaged by weather or stolen. Instead they should be in storage areas, warehouses, or other controlled environments. Since you know what the function is of the buildings youve put down (right?), you should know exactly where these things should or shouldnt be. 6. Its all in the details! Take the time to get the little details right and youll be rewarded with an environment which is as fun to play in as the battle itself.

T actical considerations
Realistic looking terrain alone does not necessarily make for an interesting battle. Terrain details that present the player with intriguing tactical challenges is crucial. This should be kept in mind when creating maps since even small features can have a big impact on how a scenario plays out. There is plenty of room for creativity even when recreating a real place, but there is obviously far more freedom when creating a fictional map from scratch. Through clever placement of hills, ravines, forests, impassable terrain such as marshes, towns and other terrain features you can purposefully determine the best places to advance, ambush, snipe, etc. These decisions, in turn,

Shock Force

159

present the players on both sides with tactical problems to solve. What you have to do is imagine how each player sees the map from his perspective given the mission you intend to give each side. Generally players should have at least two options to choose from and still wind up winning. Leaving no choice makes the player feel like hes following a script, and that isnt very fun. On the other hand, on some maps you may want to restrict certain options and/or throw some additional obstacles into the path of the player. Impassable terrain can make the direct approach to an objective difficult or even impossible. This forces the player to adapt and look for alternatives. For a largely open map, with little to break up line of sight, you can add subtle elevation changes and undulations to turn even the most open map into tactically interesting terrain. A whole infantry battalion can literally disappear in the desert in a few gullies and behind some flat slopes. All it takes are a meter or two in elevation change at just the right place. Sometimes you can achieve this by pure coincidence when creating a map, but a good map designer will deliberately add such features to make a battle into something memorable.

T owns and cities

When creating towns and cities, do some research first; browse the internet for pictures, tourist maps, etc. Towns in the Middle East are often very old and grown over centuries, resulting in a much less tidy look of straight streets and carefully arranged building blocks than many Western towns. Buildings are often aligned inconsistently even on one street, tiny alleys might lead to nowhere, and roof tops can be so jumbled together that it seems no two buildings are the same height. Tall stonewalls are very often used to create enclosed spaces and paths between buildings. Roads are often not paved at all but rather hardpacked dirt. On the other hand, many areas were created fairly recently and are exactly the opposite as the older sections. In the bigger cities, or more recently settled suburbs, there can be a lot more uniformity and planning. The same wide multi-lane highways, commercial buildings, shopping areas and wealthy suburbs found in the West can be found in the Middle East. Cultivated parks and large paved marketplaces here, a big villa

160

Combat Mission

surrounded by high walls there, a major commercial section abutting both, etc. The more attention you pay to what it is that youre trying to represent on the map, the more your map is going to look like the Middle East and the less like downtown Manhattan.

Flavor Objects
Flavor objects are the key to turning a map into a work of art. It does take some time to get used to how to handle them, but the time spent figuring out how to best use them is time well spent. Some objects are easier to place randomly here and there (rocks, stomps, etc.), many others call for precise spacing on their own (traffic lights, road signs, etc.) or in relation to each other (telephone poles, street lamps, etc.). Others are also important to position exactly in relation to other types of terrain (ATMs next to walls, air conditioners on roofs, etc.). The main point of difficulty is the fact that Flavor Objects are not shown in the 2D map. This is because they are too detailed to display in such a small amount of space. Therefore, when you place an object in the 2D map you get no visual reference that it is there. This can be somewhat confusing if youre trying to place a series of objects or one in a very specific spot. And thats why were letting you in on a couple of tricks! Use objectives as temporary markers in both 2D and 3D maps. From the mission menu, select the terrain objective tool. Click on any one obj button in the sub menu. Make sure its set to known to both, otherwise it wont load on the 3D map preview. Now paint the map where you want the objects to line up. When viewing the map in 3D youll see the terrain you painted over highlighted. Use it to put manipulate the objects and then wipe the objective clean when done. To place objects in a very specific spot, use the objectives trick again, but in a different way. Instead of painting a path, just paint a single tile at a time. Say for example you want to put a traffic light at a particular intersection. Just mark that one tile and put the traffic light object there. Then switch over to 3D Preview and nudge it into the exact spot. Orientate it the way you want by left clicking on it and thats that. When its where you want it to be, go back to the 2D map and erase the objective from that area so you wont be confused by it or accidentally leave it in your completed scenario. Some other useful tips to get the most out of flavor objects:

Shock Force

161

try to avoid using the same object in the same location too often. There is a vast variety of objects available, including various sub-types from the same category, so use them. Seeing a dozen identical drums next to each other is going to look odd. If you do have to re-use the same object, make sure that you rotate the objects at various angles. Even drums can be rotated to present a different part of its texture to the player from any given camera position, helping to avoid repetitive looks. Even if you spend only one second thinking about why youre placing the object where you are placing it is better then spending none. Putting one cardboard box in the middle of a road is going to look odd in most cases. What is it doing out on the street? Wouldnt it be better to add a few more and stack them against a building wall? Above all make use of the 3D preview as much as you can. It will really pay off in presenting a detailed and visually appealing environment to your players that makes the mission and map come alive, rather than look like a rush job.

Keep game perfor mance in mind

As much as we hate to say it, we have to remind you that everything you add into your scenarios requires some sort of hardware effort. The more things you do, the more the hardware has to work. Thats a fundamental rule of the universe that we simply cant get around through clever programming. This is not to say you should be stingy with features, rather you should try to balance the pig features so they dont turn an otherwise great scenario into a slideshow. Here are some tips on what to look out for: Trenches/Gullies. These things require an inordinate number of polygons to look good and there are fewer tricks that can be applied to them. Dense forests. Avoid the three-tree tiles unless they are truly necessary. Avoid sharp elevation changes (a high elevation very near a low elevation). Having some cliffs in here or there, when they add to the gameplay, shouldnt be a problem. Adding them just because they look cool is not the best use of polygons.

162

Combat Mission

Unnecessary urban density. Large numbers of buildings all clumped together can cause a moderate frame rate issue, but its not too bad and generally buildings are placed like that for a good reason (e.g. a town). What would be good, though, is for scenarios that have dense urban areas you should avoid, or tone down, other possible speed killers. For example, its not a good idea to have a dense urban environment with lots of trenches and thick forests. Youre just asking for a bad framerate if you do that! Variety should have a purpose. Putting in lots of variety of units and terrain means a lot of chewing up of VRAM. The more VRAM taken up by duplicative or largely unnecessary units and/or terrain, the more likely there will be an overall decline in visual look (depending on VRAM available, of course!) since CM will be forced to downsample textures in order to get them all loaded. Remember, a 1024x1024 texture takes up just as much memory if it is used for one model or 100. So if you are going to use something, you might as well use it a lot. This is especially true for buildings, which have multiple choices for textures. In a dense urban area you probably do want to use most of the textures available, but for a small village perhaps it is best to use fewer variations.

Remember that there is no magic formula for keeping a scenarios framerate up in the playable range. Keep this information in mind as you test and if you see the framerate drop to an unacceptable level, think of what might be responsible and then think of how to trim it back. It is wise to make these changes to a copy of your current scenario file just in case you dont notice any improvement. If thats the case, toss out the newly created duplicate and then try something else. If you work off of one file you will definitely regret it when you find deleting a whole bunch of stuff didnt do anything and now you want to put it back in!

Working with Objectives

The ability to mix three types of objectives (Terrain, Units, and Parameters) with three states (known to one side, both sides, or neither) and combine this with individual victory points for each creates a staggering amount of possible combinations and scenario ideas. Thats great, of course, but it can be a bit daunting at first. This is especially true for older CM scenario makers who are used to two types of flags and a more simplistic points system.

Shock Force

163

Fear not, though, as the options are quite logical and you do not need to use all of them at once. In fact, it is advisable to start with relatively simple objectives. Start with maps with one or two simple terrain objectives and vary the Parameters to get a feel for how it all balances out. Then make a couple of missions entirely focused on Unit objectives to learn what works and what doesnt. Only then should you consider mixing different objective types within a single mission. It might be very helpful to have a concrete idea of what the mission is about before you even start making the map. This helps you focus on the editor tools you need and ignore those that you dont. Remember, there are a ton of options available to you, but they are all in fact optional. Dont feel that you have to use everything in every scenario. In fact, that probably isnt a good idea anyway since the lack of design focus will likely show itself to the player. In fact, really great missions are usually that way because they do focus on a few objectives and therefore give the player a crystal clear idea what is needed to win. If the player has to first spend 15 minutes just trying to understand what hes supposed to do then the player will likely get it wrong, lose the scenario, and be frustrated by the experience. One really good way to present the player with a simple, yet precise, idea of what is expected of him is putting in a well worded commanders intent in the Briefing. The military uses commanders intent to explain things in plain language so that subordinate commanders can think on their own and yet still go about things the right way. Dont just tell the player they have to get to x location by y time, tell them why. There is an enemy column of tanks coming down the road and you need to be in your ambush places on time or youll be caught out in the open. If you manage to destroy some or all of the enemy armor, fantastic. However, that is of secondary importance to holding your positions. In two short sentences the player knows he needs to get into position quickly and to not worry so much about destroying the enemy as preventing it from advancing. With objectives to match, everything should go well. Adding secondary goals sparingly spices things up, sure enough. However, be careful that the total number of victory points be proportioned correctly so the main goals communicated to the player are the ones with the most points assigned to them.

164

Combat Mission

Keep in mind also that the more goals you assign, the less freedom of action you leave the player. This might be desirable or even realistic in some cases, but if done too often it will make your scenarios more work than fun.

Creating Phase Lines

Objectives can be used to simulate Phase Lines (PL), Rally Points (RP), etc. All you need to do is select one of the 8 Terrain Objectives and paint the line, or point, on the map. Give the objective a name, like Phase Line Eagle and set the point value to zero, unless the PL, RP, etc. is part of the mission and not just a reference point on the way to achieving the mission. Also use this technique to identify key terrain or to supply some limited intelligence to the player, such as marking a place where the other side sets up as Enemy Assembly Area.

Secret Missions
Objectives that are unknown to one or both players should be used sparingly. They can be fun to play, but can get frustrating quickly if every other mission the player experiences involves guessing what needs to be done and then being punished if the guess is wrong. Having said that, there are many fun ideas rooted in hidden objectives and you should experiment with them. Just use them sparingly. If you base the main idea for a scenario on a hidden objective, you might also reduce the replayability of that mission. Even without cheating and looking up the other sides objectives in the editor (which some people will do!), once the player finishes the scenario he will usually find out what the hidden objective is... and it wont be a secret anymore. Therefore, if you do choose to use a hidden objective, it is probably a good idea to make it a secondary goal and one that is still fun even if known (through replay or peeking). A good example for the latter is a hidden territorial objective known only to one side but explained in the Briefing to the other side. That means the objective, as a concept, is known to both sides, but only one side knows exactly where it is. Even after the exact location is know, the mission should still be fun for both sides.

Shock Force

165

Programming the AI
The AI Editor is an extremely powerful tool that takes some time to understand it and be able to utilize its full power. Creating good AI plans is an art, and until youve learned the basics it is difficult to make a masterpiece. Dont be frustrated by this fact since the strength of the system is its complexity and variety of choices. Have faith that the reward for your perseverance is superior scenario for people to play. This manual can not possible touch upon all the intricate details of programming a specific scenario AI, but well try to highlight a few basic concepts:

Plan for the Plans

It can be very easy to lose track of which plan is which and what it is supposed to do, especially when working with lager scenarios. What works well is to outline, on a sheet of paper, what the missions are, which plans are assigned to them, which each AI Groups are assigned to which plans, and roughly what is expected of them. This makes you more sure of what youre doing as your implementing your plans as well as making you less prone to accidentally tweaking the wrong Plan after play testing.

Start simple
No matter how much planning you do, only through careful and repeated playtesting will you be able to ensure that your AI plan works as intended. There is no way around it. No plan survives first contact with the enemy is more true than ever in this regard. Therefore it makes sense to start with a simple plan and progressively add more detail, since this makes playtesting your AI plan much easier. Starting out with a complex plan, before any play testing, is likely to make it difficult to identify specific problem areas because everything is all jumbled together. A good approach is to first assign bigger formations to your AI groups than you intend on using, then break away individual units or formations for complimentary plans not yet made. Alternatively, dont be afraid to simply leave some units idle and without any orders and focus on only part of the force during your playtesting. As you go through rounds of testing you can make the plans more complex by adding orders and coordinating plans with each other.

166

Combat Mission

However, dont go too wild with the details. Unless you have a very good reason for it, and unless you are sure that the player will be able to notice a difference, dont split individual units away from larger formations. Doing that only multiplies your workload when creating and testing an AI plan, while not making the AIs overall behavior appreciably different to the Human player.

What would you do?

A good approach to creating AI plans is to ask yourself what would I do if I was playing the scenario? In a way this resembles the normal planning process each player (and battlefield commander) goes through when tasked with a mission. Think of what youre expected to do, where youre to do it, with what forces, and against what likely enemy? Moreover, you need to think about what the other player might do in given situations, since if you anticipate the wrong enemy action your plan is likely to crumble. Therefore this approach is more likely to produce a realistic and sensible AI strategy than would come from simply winging it. That being said, try to avoid scripting the plan too much because the Human opponents can not be easily pegged to one specific approach to their mission. If you expect the player to do things the smartest way, and rigidly plan for that possibility, you might find that the dumbest player out there can easily beat your scenario simply because he showed up in the wrong place and the right time in a way you never expected. Then youre carefully laid plans fall apart, just like they would in the real world. Try to create a tactically sound plan for the AI no matter what the enemy player decides to do, and you will find that your AI plan will tend to be robust regardless of what actual course of action the player takes.

Do something else
The best scenario is going to grow boring quickly without some variation built in. Human players tend to learn from their mistakes and will adapt their course of action quickly, and will be able to counter even the most effective AI plan after a few attempts at the latest. Luckily, you can create a number of AI plans for each scenario and set different probabilities for the AI to pick one plan or another, thereby keeping the human player off-balance because he cant assume the AI will react the same way as the previous time. The challenge, however, is

Shock Force

167

to come up with noticeably different AI plans. Dont hesitate to create some suboptimal plans with bold or even reckless moves. Another good way to keep things unpredictable is to emphasize different objectives with each plan. A good mission often has multiple goals, primary or secondary, and by creating different plans to emphasize or de-emphasize some of the objectives you can create winning AI plans that are entirely different from each other.

The devil is in the details

The best plan is worth nothing if its not playtested thoroughly. Often the devil is in the details a Passenger Dismount option set wrong and the intended lightning assault turns into a marathon. One Exit Before or Exit After time stamp set wrong, and the entire well coordinated plan is shot. Another frequent mistake is accidentally selecting the wrong group or even side when making a plan. A plan for Red doesnt do much good if it is assigned to the Blue side! Accidentally drawing an objective zone somewhere on the map, or forgetting to remove a spot from an earlier idea, can cause the AI to send forces to a place you rather them not go. This is why playtesting is critical to making a good AI. Playtesting is important not only to iron out the little errors, but to also finetune a plan. For example, the AI usually attempts to occupy an entire objective, so changing the size and location of an objective can produce radically different outcomes even if you make no changes to the AI.

168

Combat Mission

Enc yclopedia
The following section is a quick reference for the main vehicles and weapon systems available in the game. It is by no means exhaustive and should be seen as a starting point for research for interested players only, who will find countless and much more detailed materials available in printed and online media.

Coalition (United States)

Basic T actics
While it is true that the US Army fields the most powerful conventional land combat force of the world, and certainly the most modern, it is far from invincible in a tactical engagement. Dont be fooled into thinking otherwise, or you will quickly find your virtual tanks burning and your infantry shattered. The current military capabilities and tactics of Americas potential adversaries may not be enough to win wars, but they are certainly good enough to deal your forces a serious defeat if you fail to lead them skillfully. The real strength of the US Army forces is its superior ability to shape the battlefield to its advantage. This is done through a combination of elements, such as accurate firepower, sensors to know where the enemy is, GPS systems to know where friendly forces are, superior training standards, flexible tactical doctrine, etc. The more time and distance available, the more effectively these elements can be combined and directed to achieve positive results. However, the enemy is fully aware that the opposite is also true; the less time and distance the US forces have to react, the less effective and more vulnerable they become. The enemy commander knows, as well as you do, that an Abrams tank can hit and kill anything it sees at 3000m without a significant risk to itself. Hopefully you also know, as well as the other side does, that at 300m the offensive capability of the Abrams may be the same, but its vulnerability goes up dramatically. The same is even truer for the lighter armored vehicles, such as the Bradley, Stryker, and Humvees under your command. Putting yourself in the enemy commanders shoes for a minute, which fight would you rather take up with the US forces? The short ranged one, of course. Which is why

Shock Force

169

you should expect the enemy to do everything it can to engage your forces at close range where it has some chance of causing harm. While it is true that the billions of Dollars worth of sensors your forces have give you much better, quicker, and more flexible communications and intel, these advantages are degraded when the engagement ranges are short. If one of your soldiers can see the white of the enemys eyes, what sort of advantage does a red colored icon on his handheld Ruggedized Personal Digital Assistant (RPDA) give him an edge at that moment? Obviously, none. No matter how good your comms and weapons, it is your training, experience and tactical skill that will win battles, not expensive gadgets. A rifle kills just as easily in the hands of a capable shooter with no education and nothing more high-tech than a wristwatch as it does in the hands of one of the best trained, best equipped soldiers in the world. Forget that and there will be less best trained best equipped soldiers in the world. What the sensors and communications equipment do give you is superior information about the battlefield than the enemy has available to him. This allows you to formulate and execute plans much faster, with greater confidence, and greater accuracy than the enemy could ever hope to achieve. Having said that, a bad plan is still a bad plan. If you dont have what it takes to lead your forces successfully, no amount of gadgetry will get you out of the tough spot you find yourself in. You need to remember, and remember well, that although the enemys inventory is outdated and outmatched by whatever you have at your disposal, an outdated system that hits its target is still likely to turn a good day into a bad one. More importantly, you cannot assume that the weapons pointed at you are inferior. Several modernization programs and recent foreign shopping trips to Russia have put rather capable combat systems into the hands of certain enemy units. Republican Guards and Special Forces, in particular, have plenty of ways of turning your forces into Swiss cheese. A T-72 TURMS-T, RPG-29, or AT-14 Kornet-E can effectively destroy anything in you have at our disposal. Not only do these weapons have a good chance of hitting what they aim at, they have an excellent chance of killing whatever they hit! There is, however, one area that the US is unmatched; support fire from air and artillery assets. The Syrian player has no ac-

170

Combat Mission

cess to air support at all thanks to the US ability to smash the tiny and poorly equipped Syrian Air Force to pieces within the first few hours of the conflict. For artillery, the sum of the Syrian capability is largely a paper tiger. Meaning, on paper it is formidable, but in reality is likely to be far less threatening. The equipment is generally quite old and the doctrine for its use even more so. It is basically the same centralized, inflexible Soviet doctrine developed during WW2. It could be effective if used against an equally equipped and trained force. However, when used in an environment where the skies are hostile and incoming counter battery fire is both quick and accurate, the chances of Syrian artillery being employed effectively (by US standards, at least) is quite limited. Having said that, this is small comfort for a US Rifle Platoon that is pinned down by 120mm mortars or 122mm Howitzers. Sure, the chances are those guns will be put out of action very quickly, but until then the platoon has to endure the fire and hope it doesnt do more than rattle the fillings in their teeth. The US forces, on the other hand, have a large selection of fire support options available all the way down to the lowliest squad and team can call in support. US training and doctrine allows just about everybody with a radio, RPDA, or access to FBCB2 to call for support. That being said, your forces have dedicated FIST and JTAC teams with specialized equipment that can call in artillery and air support far more effectively than anybody else. They also have the ability to use the support platforms to their best effect, such as directing laser guided bombs onto targets instead of hoping the pilot has selected and maintained the correct target himself. With all that in mind, remember the old saying no plan survives first contact with the enemy. Fortunately for you, your forces have a very good chance of surviving first contact long enough to come up with a revised plan. The same is generally not true for the enemys forces, which is the big weakness of their up close battle plan. In an ambush situation, the force that can project power faster and more effectively is the one that is likely to win. Therefore, if they hit you first your best immediate option is to hit back as hard as you can with everything you have. When engaged in an unexpected close range fight (ambush), generally it is best to hit back as hard as you can without delay. Unleashing your forces massive firepower helps disrupts the enemys capacity to cause further harm and gives you a chance

Shock Force

171

to reshape the engagement to your advantage. Get your forces out kill zones, fix spotted enemy units to where they are, put down area fire where you suspect other forces are, then redirect and concentrate your heaviest systems to systematically eliminate the threats while you maneuver other forces to seize key terrain. Remember that hitting hard is not the same as lashing out. The latter does not keep in mind the consequences of your actions, which can have deadly consequences for your own forces if not directed properly. If enemy targets are within 300-500m of your units think twice before calling in support fire. An errant 155 fire mission or 2000 pound JDAM strike can ruin your day just as much as the enemys. You will likely regret forgetting this, do dont.

The Stryker Combat Vehicle Family

The Stryker eight-wheeled all wheel drive vehicle is a highly modified version of the LAV III design. The design offers impressive speed, mobility, sustainability, and advanced communications capabilities. There are 10 specialized variants, 7 of which are included in Combat Mission. All Strykers are capable of withstanding small arms fire up to 14.5mm in caliber and are fitted with slat armor to offer varying degrees of protection against RPGs. Top speed is about 60mph (96.5kph) on roads, significantly lower off-road depending on terrain. The Stryker can also operate reasonably well with 2-4 flat tires due to the run flat core that is in each. Short distances can be traveled even with all 8 tires flat. Each vehicle is equipped with a FBCB2 and radio communications systems, allowing all vehicles to see where each other is and to share information about their actions and those of the enemys. Most Stryker variants now have a Remote Weapons Station (RWS) capable of mounting either a M2 .50 Cal heavy machine gun or an Mk.19 40mm grenade launcher. It is stabilized so it can fire on the move and can be rotated 360 degrees. The weapon is fired from within the vehicle using either a daytime camera or night-time thermal imager for viewing targets and a laser range finder for better direction of fire. Unfortunately, reloading requires the commander to pop up through his hatch and feed in more ammunition. Smoke grenade launchers attached to the RWS can be fired to interfere with various enemy threats. The thermal imager allows the Stryker crew to see through the smoke it generates. Stryker IR-blocking smoke is colored brown. Vehicles without a RWS have a simple pintle mounted machine gun or Mk.19 that must be fired directly by the commander. Smoke launchers are also present, but they are in fixed positions. Some variants have no substitute for the RWS camera and thermal-imager since their job does not include actively supporting infantry with direct fire.

M1126 Stryker ICV (Infantry Combat Vehicle)

The most numerous of all the Strykers is the Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV). It provides armored protection for 9-10 fully equipped soldiers, 3-4 more than the M2 Bradley can carry. It is most commonly found in the Stryker Rifle Platoons, but is also found here and there throughout a Stryker Infantry Battalion.

172

Combat Mission

An ICV is crewed by a driver and a combination gunner/vehicle commander. When passengers are present, the most senior sits to the left of the commander. At this station is a display that allows the soldier to see what the commander sees and to use FBCB2 functions. In order to better see what is going on around the Stryker, and to better protect it from threats, two passengers usually stand up through two rear air guard hatches with their weapons. Each is assigned to cover one side and rear of the vehicle, though both might engage the same target together if possible. To better protect these soldiers, and the vehicle commander, extra armor was added around the top outer edge of the Stryker.

M1127 Stryker RV (Reconnaissance Vehicle)

The Reconnaissance Vehicle is tasked with seeking out and identifying enemy units and their positions, as well as observing their activities. This capability is achieved through use of the RVs Fire Support Sensor System (FS3), located where the RWS usually is found.

The FS3 system includes a second-generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) imager, day TV, laser designator, laser rangefinder, and special software that automatically identifies the type of unit being observed. All this information is fed directly into FBCB2, which means that if a Stryker RV spots something it knows where it is and therefore so does everybody else with access to FBCB2. This is particularly useful for calling in artillery or air support since those assets know exactly what they are to attack and where. There is no RWS on the RV, which means there is no remote controlled weapons system on the vehicle. Instead, a manually fired M2 or Mk.19 is located on a skate rail next to the FS3. The skate rail allows each system to be rotated 360 degrees. The lack of a RWS also means there is no remote day or night viewing via camera or thermal imager. Instead, the RV is equipped with a commanders cupola that offers 360 degree vision from within the vehicle superior to other Stryker variants.

M1128 Stryker MGS (Mobile Gun System)

One of the last variants to enter production was the main direct fire support version, the

Shock Force

173

Mobile Gun System. The main weapon is a 105mm cannon, similar to the one used on the original M1 Abrams. The MGS purpose is to provide dismounted infantry with direct fire against hardened targets, such as bunkers. It is NOT intended as an antiarmor vehicle, though in an emergency it can be used for that purpose. It took longer than expected to work the kinks out of the MGS, but they were and it has already seen use in combat.

The entire weapon system can rotate 306 degrees and fire while on the move, day or night. A sophisticated fire control system ensures extremely good accuracy and proper ammo selection from the automatic loader. A total of 18 rounds of 105mm ammunition are carried, including HE against infantry and light targets and HEAT and APFSDS against light-armor and armored targets. Besides the main gun, a modified M240 7.62mm medium machinegun, mounted coaxially, is fully integrated into the fire control systems, making it an excellent means of engaging exposed enemy infantry. A pintle mounted M2 .50 Cal heavy machinegun is available too, though the commander must be unbuttoned to use it. Two M6 smoke grenade launchers are also fitted to the gun system.

M1130 Stryker CV (Command Vehicle)

The M1130 Command Vehicle is essentially the same as the M1126 ICV version but with added communications equipment and aerials. It is found only at the Battalion HQ level.

M1131 Stryker FSV (Fire Support Vehicle)

The FSV provides Stryker units with first round fire-for-effect capability. It uses the same FS3 system found in the Stryker RV to spot, identify, and target enemy units for engagement by artillery and air support assets. Extra communications equipment allows the commander the additional advantage of having direct voice communication with the supporting assets.

174

Combat Mission

M1132 Stryker ESV

The Engineer Squad Vehicle (ESV) is essentially the same as the Stryker ICV in Combat Mission. The specialized engineering capabilities of the vehicle are currently not simulated.

M1134 Stryker A TGM (Anti T ank Guided Missile)

The ATGM variant is designed primarily to engage and destroy any armored vehicle threat to the Stryker Infantry Battalion. To do this it has a remote controlled TOW ATGM turret with two missile tubes. It can be rotated 360 degrees, elevated, and tilted by the commander from within the vehicle. The targeting systems allow various types of TOW missiles to be fired in day or nighttime conditions. Like all TOW systems, the Stryker ATGM must have direct line of sight contact with the enemy in order to engage it.

Just as the MGS has a secondary ability to engage armor, the Stryker ATGM has secondary capability of engaging infantry. In fact, due to the development delays of the MGS, the ATGM variant was used in its place. However, it is not the vehicles main mission and therefore it is not as good at taking on enemy infantry as the MGS is.

Shock Force

175

The Bradley Fighting Vehicle Family

M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)
The Bradley IFV is a heavily armed and well armored tracked vehicle designed to bring infantry into the thick of the fight and stay there to offer direct support. It is capable of protecting its passengers from light to medium fire and can destroy nearly any threat it encounters. Standard practice is to pair Bradley IFVs with Abrams tanks so each can watch out for the other, because while a Bradley is capable of defeating heavy enemy armor it is far more vulnerable to them than an Abrams is. The M2A3 carries a crew of three (Commander, Gunner, and Driver) and seven passengers. This is less than the size of a single Rifle Squad, so in real life there is a convoluted cross loading of personnel within the platoon. This is not something Combat Mission can simulate since the possible game and user interface complications of splitting mounting and dismounting would be a nightmare for everybody. Therefore, the game capacity of a Bradley IFV is 9 passengers instead of 7. The Bradleys main armament is the single barreled M242 25mm Bushmaster Chain Gun with coaxial 7.62mm M240C machine gun (mounted to the right of the Bushmaster). With its integrated dual-feed ammunition supply it can switch between firing AP and HE with the flip of a switch. The maximum rate of fire is 200 rounds per minute and it has a range of 2,000 meters. Its AP ammo is capable of penetrating the armor of all light and medium vehicles as well as the sides and flanks of most tanks. In fact, in both Gulf Wars Bradleys were credited with knocking out more Abrams tanks through accidental fire than the enemy. When a target appears to be stronger than the Bushmaster can handle, the Bradley has two powerful TOW-2 Anti-Tank Guided Missiles at the ready in an armored launch rack on the left of the turret. This allows the Bradley to engage and destroy almost any tank it is likely to encounter at ranges of up to 4,000m. However, the TOWs are not nearly as versatile as the Bushmaster and therefore are not the preferred choice of weapon. The main drawback to the TOW is the vehicle has to be at a complete stop when the missile is fired and continue to remain stopped until the missile strikes its target. The second problem is reloading the Bradleys two tubes requires the vehicle to be at a complete stop for at least 5 minutes with the turret stationary as well. Because the mission of the Bradley is to directly support its infantry, reloading in battlefield conditions is difficult, if not impossible. Some M2A3 IFVs can be equipped with explosive reactive armor (ERA).

M3A3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV)

The M3A3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle is identical to the M2A3 Bradley IFV in terms of its outward appearance, weaponry, and armor. However, its mission is to gather information and to provide support for specialized M707 Scout Humvees, not get into the thick of fighting with tanks and infantry. The primary difference of the CFV is its reduced passenger capacity due to the inclusion of extra communications equipment and supplies. Each Bradley carries a small Scout Team of 4 men to provide the Scout Platoon with its dismounted infantry force. Normally only 2 Scouts are carried in the CFV and the other 2 Scouts in two separate

176

Combat Mission

Humvees. Imagine the nightmare of having to manually combine three 2 man sections and six 1 man sections together to form three 4 man Scout Teams! Some M3A3 CFVs can be equipped with explosive reactive armor (ERA).

M7A3 Bradley Fire Support (B-FIST) Vehicle

The most specialized version of Bradley in Combat Mission is the M7A3 B-FIST. Its role is to provide the Mechanized Infantry and Armored Companies with advanced fire support capabilities. This is achieved by cramming the Bradley full of advanced communications and fire control systems without sacrificing its basic ability to operate alongside other Bradleys and Abrams units. A quick glance at the exterior of a B-FIST shows no major visual differences to tell it apart from either the M2A3 or M3A3 Bradleys. However, internally major changes were made to customize it to the task of fire support. The most significant is the loss of the TOW capability. The pod is still there, but instead of it housing two TOW-2 launch tubes it instead houses sensors and lasers to give the Fire Support Team (FIST) the capability to identify and target to a degree the other Bradleys cant match. Although different from a Stryker FSVs FS3 sensor system in construction, in terms of functionality it is about the same. Passenger capacity is extremely low with room for only a single 2 man Forward Observation Team. Normally the team remains mounted in the Bradley, thus maximizing their ability to direct support quickly and accurately. However, the FO Team can dismount in the event that it proves tactically wise to do so. Some M7A3 FISTs can be equipped with exposive reactive armor (ERA).

The Abrams Main Battle T ank Family

M1A1HC (Heavy Common) Abrams
The Abrams Heavy Common standard is the designation for M1A1s that have a series of upgrade packages installed. This was the militarys attempt to bring together various improvements implemented separately on Army and Marine tanks. This is the most basic model of Abrams included in Combat Mission. The M1A1, itself a major production level upgrade of the basic M1, combines a deadly accurate 120mm smoothbore cannon with advanced fire control systems to give it superior one-shot one kill capability against most contemporary threats it is likely to

Shock Force

177

meet. A coax 7.62mm M240C machinegun and remote controlled commanders .50cal MG allow the Abrams to engage unarmored and lightly armored targets without as much risk of damaging buildings or friendly forces. Additionally, the gunners station has a pintle mounted M240B machinegun which he can used when unbuttoned. Its composite Chobham and Depleted Uranium armor allow it to survive hits that would tear apart other tanks. It can survive direct hits from most RPGs, ATGMs, and Tank rounds, though not necessarily remain functional. The Abrams rear armor, however, is vulnerable to most threats greater than a heavy machinegun. The Abrams powerful gas turbine engine gives it the speed and acceleration needed on todays modern battlefield. It can keep up with its Bradley counterpart and out maneuver many of the threats it faces. Combined with the excellent fire on the move capability of its main gun, the M1A1 HC is able to shoot up enemy targets while running circles around them.

M1A1HC SA Abrams (Situational Awareness Upgrade)

This is a M1A1HC with various Situational Awareness equipment upgrades added on. These enhancements include an upgrade to 2nd Generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sights (increasing maximum engagement range and lethality), fully integrated FBCB2 digital system, thermal sight for the loader, thermal Sight for the Commanders .50 cal machinegun, externally mounted tank-infantry phone, a Laser Ranger Finder, and various vision enhancements for the driver. The combination of these improvements put it almost on a par with the M1A2 SEP Abrams, and therefore in some ways slightly superior to the standard M1A2 production model. Another modification available is the TUSK (tank urban survival kit) with enhanced allround protection and armor upgrades.

M1A2 Abrams
The M1A2 offers many improvements over the basic M1A1 model, though the majority of them are not relevant to Combat Mission. The major improvements include improved turret and hull armor, 2 additional 120mm rounds of ammo, more integration of digital systems, and the Commanders Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV). The

178

Combat Mission

CITV allows the commander to seek out and identify targets independently of the gunner, then pass the new targeting information onto the gunner digitally. This offers the M1A2 superior targeting and overall lethality compared to earlier M1A1 models. One feature removed is the commanders remote .50cal M2 weapons station. Instead the commander has to unbutton to use the machinegun, whereas the M1A1s allow him to fire fully buttoned.

M1A2 SEP Abrams (Systems Enhancement Package)

At the present time the most advanced tank in the US militarys arsenal, and arguably any nations arsenal, is the M1A2 SEP. As with previous upgrades, the SEP program brings a number of major changes to a standard production model Abrams, the most significant of which is the addition of a 2nd Gen Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system for the commander. This allows the SEP model to acquire targets faster, more accurately, and at greater ranges than the M1A2 or M1A1HC. Another relevant improvement is the fully integrated digital systems within the vehicle and interfacing with FBCB2 system. This gives the M1A2 SEP a greater understanding of what is going on within the tank as well as outside of it. The full integration with FBCB2 allows this knowledge to pass with greater speed and accuracy to other units tied into the digital network. M1A1 SA description reads a lot like this one, which is not accidental. The original plan was to upgrade a large number of M1A1s to M1A2 SEP standards, however financially this was simply not practical. Therefore, the military focused on upgrading the most important components instead. Not surprisingly, those are the same things that concern a simulation such as Combat Mission. Things like 2nd Gen FLIR have a major impact on the performance of the Abrams in combat, while the reconfiguration of the drivers control dials dont. Therefore, in many ways the M1A1HC SA and M1A2 SEP are comparable. Another modification available is the TUSK (tank urban survival kit) with enhanced allround protection and armor upgrades.

Shock Force

179

The Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle Family

M1114 HMMWV
The M1114 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee) is a four wheel drive armored truck designed to meet a number of different military roles. It is protected against most small arms ammunition of 7.62 mm size or smaller, 155 mm artillery air bursts, and 12 lb. anti-tank mine blasts to the side. The vehicles in the game are equipped with the FRAG-5 up armor kit, which further increases protection for the crew from small arms fire, IEDs, and fragmentation hit. The basic model of M1114, which is the most common in Combat Mission, is not armed. Such vehicles are mostly dedicated to moving around specialized support teams and are not meant to get into the thick of fighting. Two armed versions, armed with either the .50cal M2 or 7.62mm M240b machinegun, are found in the HBCTs Scout units. The presence of the weapons station means it is more vulnerable to fire from above, especially artillery, since the roof is mostly open and therefore not armored.

M707 Scout HMMWV

This is the base M1114A1 HMMWV model fitted with the same FS3 system found on the Stryker RV and FSV vehicles. M707s are found only in the Scout Platoons of HBCT, three vehicles per platoon. The FS3 system gives the Scout Platoon an amazing intelligence gathering capacity and ability to call in support assets quickly and accurately. However, because the FS3 system uses the weapon stations mount, the M707 is unarmed and obviously just as vulnerable to enemy attacks as all other Humvees. When used correctly in combination with the Scout Platoons armed M1114 Humvees and M3A3 Bradley CAV vehicles the M707s have all the protection they need while they perform their scouting mission.

180

Combat Mission

U.S. Air Assets

AH-64D Longbow Apache
The AH-64D Longbow Apache is the US Armys premier attack helicopter and has been in active service since 1984. The AH-64D variant is equipped with new Longbow millimeter wave fire control radar and upgraded weaponry over previous models. Armed with an integrated 30mm chain gun, it also can carry Hellfire II Missiles and 2.75 inch (70mm) Rocket Pods.

OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is an armed version of the earlier OH-58D Kiowa Advanced Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP) aircraft, which itself was a highly modified version of the original OH-58A/C Kiowa scout helo. The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior mounts a dedicated weapon pylon on each side of the fuselage and in the game these stations can be equipped with 70mm Rocket pods and a .50 cal machine gun.

F-16CJ Fighting Falcon

The F-16CJ Block 50/52 is the current production version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon and first began to appear in the late 1990s. Able to be armed with a staggering combination of anti-air and air to ground (precision guided and unguided) munitions, the F-16CJ has repeatedly proven itself to be an extremely capable and adaptable weapons platform. In the game, depending on the type of mission, support weaponry includes various types and sizes of bombs and the AGM-65G Maverick Missile in addition to the F-16s internal 20mm PGU-28/B cannon.

F-15E Strike Eagle

Equipped with the low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night (LANTIRN) system, the two seat F-15E Strike Eagle is a potent dual role fighter/fighter-bomber in the US Air Force arsenal. The F-15E can carry a weapons payload up to 23,000lbs. In the game the Strike Eagle can carry various sizes of bombs. The F-15E also wields an internally mounted 20mm M61A-1 Gatling Gun.

A-10 Thunderbolt II
The workhorse and durable A-10 (affectionately nicknamed the Warthog or simply Hog by pilots and enthusiasts alike) has been in service since 1977. Designed around the awesome GAU-8/A 30mm Avenger Gatling Gun, the A-10 was born and breed to conduct close air support (CAS) tasks. The A-10 can carry up to 16,000lbs pounds of mixed ordinance including various sizes of bombs and AGM-65 Maverick Missiles.

Shock Force

181

U.S. Artillery Assets

M777 Howitzer
The towed 155mm howitzer provides artillery support for the Stryker BCTs. It has a digital fire control system which allows it to respond quickly and accurately to support calls from frontline infantry. Maximum rate of fire is 4 rounds per minute, 1 rounds per minute sustained.

M109A6 Paladin
Self-propelled 155 mm howitzer in use with the US Armys Heavy BCT artillery battalions. The advanced fire control and communications equipment allows the Paladin to halt from the move and fire within 30 seconds. This improves the survivability by allowing the battery to operate dispersed by pairs across the countryside and to relocate between salvos. Maxium rate of fire is 4 rounds per minute, 2 rounds per minute sustained.

M224 Light Mortar

Used by Stryker BCTs for quick, light suppressive fire. Although smaller than the other US mortars, the M224 has the advantage of a faster and more sustainable rate of fire than the larger and heavier M252 and M120. Maxium rate of fire is 30 rounds per minute, 20 rounds per minute sustained.

M252 Medium Mortar

Standard 81mm medium mortar used for long-range indirect fire support for Stryker BCT infantry formations. It is found at both the company and battalion levels of command, thereby providing quick response to support calls. Maxium rate of fire is 20 rounds per minute, 15 rounds per minute sustained.

M120 Heavy Mortar

The 120mm M120 provides Stryker and Heavy BCTs with heavy indirect fire. Generally used at the company level, the M120 allows infantry commanders to have powerful support within easy reach. Maxium rate of fire is 16 rounds per minute, 4 rounds per minute sustained.

182

Combat Mission

U.S. Weapons
M4A1
The M4 Carbine is tracing its roots back to the famous M16 Assault Rifle, and is essentially a shorter and lighter version of the M16A2 Assault Rifle, sharing 80% of its parts. The M4A1 can be fired semi or full-auto, unlike the M4 which could only fire semi and 3 round bursts. It fires 5.56 x 45mm NATO ammunition and is a gasoperated, air-cooled, magazine-fed, selective fire firearm with a telescopic stock. It is effective to about 150m with a maximum range of about 400m.

M4A1 w/M203
This is a standard M4A1 carbine fitted with a M203 40mm single-shot grenade launcher attached under the barrel. The trigger is just forward of the rifle magazine, which functions as a hand grip when firing the M203. A separate sighting system is added to rifles fitted with the M203, as the rifles standard sights are not matched to the launcher. The M203 is capable of firing 5-7 rounds per minute at an effective distance of 150m, and maximum range of 400m.

M249
The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) is an air-cooled, fully-automatic-only firearm which belongs to a sub-family of the Belgian FN Minimi squad automatic weapon. It fires 5.56 x 45mm NATO ammunition through the top mounted feed tray or M16type magazines through the side-mounted port. Linked ammunition is the standard means of fire, with the ammo being fed from either a loose belt or from a plastic box (or cloth pouch), containing 200 rounds, clipped under the receiver. The M249 SAW features a built-in bipod and a quick change barrel that helps prevent overheating during sustained fire. United States military doctrine states the effective ranges are 600m for a point target, 800m for an area target, 1000m for suppression, and 3600m as the maximum range.

M110
The M110 SASS (semi-automatic sniper system) is the newest long range precision sniper rifle system in the US Army arsenal. Developed by Knights Armament Company it replaces the older bolt action, single shot M21 and M24 systems. The M110 uses 3 different types of ammunition, including military standard 7.62 x 51mm caliber ammunition, M118LR long range open tipped ammunition, and the M993 armor piercing (AP) ammunition. The greater choices available give the operators more options and flexibility for different target types. Military requirements specified that the weapon able to provide accurate fire with ranges up to and exceeding 1000m in order to increase the survivability of the operators while increasing the kill probability over previous systems.

M107
The M107 Long Range Sniper Rifle is a semi-automatic .50 BMG sniper rifle adopted by the U.S. Army in the early 2000s. The M107 is used for traditional sniper tasks, but is especially useful for long-range, counter-sniper, and anti-materiel roles compared to more traditional smaller bore sniper rifles. It has a magazine capacity of 10 rounds and a maximum effective range of 2000m.

M136 A T-4
The M136 AT4 is the US Armys light, multi-purpose shoulder fired rocket. The M136

Shock Force

183

AT4 is a single shot, disposable recoilless rifle originally intended for use by Infantry Forces to defeat light armor. More often it is used to defeat hardened infantry fighting positions. The recoilless rifle design permits accurate delivery of an 84mm High Explosive Anti-Armor warhead with negligible recoil. The M136 AT4 is a self-contained weapon consisting of a free-flight, fin-stabilized, rocket-type cartridge packed in an expendable, one-piece, fiberglass-wrapped tube. Though the M136 AT4 can be employed in limited visibility, the firer must be able to see and identify the target and estimate the range to it. The systems tactical engagement range is 250m and can only be fired from the right shoulder.

Demo Charge
The M322 Demolition Kit, Rapid Wall Breach, is a man-portable demolition kit that rapidly creates a man sized hole in triple brick and reinforced concrete walls. M322 Kit includes: 3.3m Flexible Linear Shaped Charge, 61m shock tube initiation system, an attachment device to the target, and a carrying bag.

Fragmentation M67
The body of the M-67 hand grenade is a 63.5mm diameter steel sphere designed to burst into numerous fragments when detonated. The grenade body contains 184g of high explosive. Each grenade is fitted with a fuse that activates the explosive charge and is capable of effectively causing casualties within a range of 15m.

Smoke AN M8 HC White Smoke

This grenade is used to produce dense clouds of white smoke for signaling and screening.

40mm HE M406 Rifle Grenade

This round has an olive drab aluminum skirt with a steel projectile attached, gold markings, and a yellow band. It arms between 14 and 27m, and it produces a ground burst that causes casualties within a 5m radius.

40mm HEDP M433 Rifle Grenade

High-explosive dual purpose (HEDP) round. This round has an olive drab aluminum skirt with a steel cup attached, white markings, and a gold band; it penetrates at least 5cm when fired straight at steel armor. It arms between 14 and 27m and can cause casualties within a 5m radius.

Javelin Anti-T ank missile system

The Javelin is a manportable, fire-and-forget, antitank missile employed by dismounted infantry to defeat current and future threat armored combat vehicles. It is the only AT missile in use with ground troops that does not require tracking of the target after missile launch. The Javelins range of approximately 2500m is more than twice that of its predecessor, the Dragon, and has secondary capabilities against helicopters and ground-fighting positions. It is equipped with an infrared imaging (I2R) system and a fire-and-forget guided missile. The Javelins normal engagement mode is topattack to penetrate the tanks most vulnerable armor, though it can also fire in direct-attack mode to engage targets with overhead cover or with greater vertical vulnerability. Its soft launch allows employment from within buildings and enclosed fighting positions. The soft launch signature limits the gunners exposure to the enemy, thus increasing survivability. The Javelin consists of a missile in a disposable launch tube and a reusable Command Launch Unit (CLU). The CLU houses the trigger mechanism, an integrated day/night sighting device for surveillance and target acquisition, built-in test capabilities, and associated electronics. The CLU, powered by a disposable battery, provides the capability for battlefield surveillance, target acquisition, missile launch, and damage

184

Combat Mission

assessment. The round consists of a disposable launch tube assembly, battery coolant unit (BCU), and the missile. Missile range is generally considered to be around 2000 to 2500m, though the missile is capable of hitting targets much farther way than that. The limiting factor is the CLUs screen resolution which makes it difficult to discern targets at ranges greater than 2500m. The missile locks on to the target before launch using an infrared focal plane array and on-board processing, which also maintains target track and guides the missile to the target after launch. A full-up system weighs 22.5kg.

M240B MG w/tripod
The M240B is a ground or vehicle mounted, gas-operated, crew-served machinegun. This 7.62mm machine gun delivers more energy to the target than the smaller caliber M249 SAW. It is the standard medium weight machinegun of US military forces. It has an effective range of 1800m for area targets and 800m against point targets.

Shock Force

185

Syria
Basic T actics
With some notable exceptions, Syrias arsenal of weapons is largely outdated and not an equal match for the Western counterparts. Militia and Reserve units largely use equipment from the 1960s, with some mild upgrades for their tanks. Regular units primarily rely on technology that is 20 years old and have some tanks with more recent (though modest) upgrades. Only the elite Republican Guards Division and Special Forces have truly modern equipment at their disposal, with the Guards TURMST upgrade for the T-72 main battle tank being the best armored vehicle in Syrias arsenal. Special Forces (and in some cases also Guards) also have the AT-14 Kornet-E anti-tank guided missile in significant quantities, and the Special Forces also the RPG-29, either of which can destroy any tank in the world. The Unconventional forces have a mix of old and new equipment with no consistency from one group to the next. They do, however, have access to deadly homemade weapons that the other forces dont. As the Syrian player, your tactics need to reflect the limitations of your equipment, soldiers, and organization. Bravado and machismo are more likely to hand the US forces a stunning victory than even a mild defeat. Your forces generally stand no chance of success in a straight fight along traditional conventional warfare terms. Recognize this and accept it, otherwise expect to suffer casualties 10 to 1 (or worse!) even with superior numbers. Conventional engagements are the Wests strength, after all! The West is weakest when the use of its high-tech weaponry is most limited. Ambush tactics minimize reaction time and distance advantages inherent in Western forces. Try to focus on a few key units in order to cause maximum damage before your ambush sites are located and rendered ineffective. Save your best units for the most difficult assignments, dont fritter them away on targets that lower quality units might actually have a chance against. Above all, dont get cocky when things appear to be going well. The margin for error is so small that the situation can easily turn around completely without warning. Being cleverly cautious is more likely to produce results than attempting to be cleverly bold (or worse, bold without being clever!).

186

Combat Mission

T anks
T-54B
Original T-55 series with 100mm gun, coax and AAMG. Used in static positions in the hundreds around the Golan Heights and other strategically important key points. Several hundred have been moved to positions along the Iraqi border.

T-55-1970
Upgraded version of the original T-55. It has a more powerful type of 100mm gun, stabilization system, and slightly more powerful engine. Probably 300-400 of these exist as static or bottom of the barrel Reserve tanks.

T-55-1974
A further upgrade to the T-55, it has the improvements of the 1970 model with the addition of new fire control systems, including the KTD-2 laser range finder. Hundreds are still in active inventory, filling out the bulk of the Reserve units.

T-55MV
In 1983 a major upgrade was started to bring some of the oldest tanks in Syrias inventory up to contemporary standards. This involved adding the Volna fire control

Shock Force

187

system, ability to fire Bastion ATGMs, a more powerful engine, skirt armor (10mm rubber/steel combo), smoke launchers, improved night vision system, Kontakt ERA, and other small improvements. A fair number of these rebuilds were completed and are, believe it or not, better than most of the T-62 and T-72 models in inventory. This is one of the best tanks found in the Regular armored forces.

T-62-1972
The base T-62 model, slightly upgraded since its introduction. It is similar to the T-55 with a longer hull to add the larger 115mm gun and ammo. This model also offers an improved fire control system, main gun stabilization, and night vision out to a range of approx. 600-800m. This model is found in the Reserves only, though not in great numbers. Perhaps less than 100 exist in running condition.

T-62-1975
Similar to the 1972 version but with KTD laser range finder and a few additional fire control system improvements. Like the previous model this one is found in the Reserves only and probably not in very large numbers.

T-62M
Very similar to the T-55MV except having appliqu armor panels instead of ERA. 200 or so found in the Reserve units.

188

Combat Mission

T-62MV
The best of the T-62 family, this model is a T-62M upgraded to have Kontakt ERA. About 150 found in Regular units.

T-72M (early)
The base T-72 model for the Syrians has a number of improvements over the T-62, including a 125mm gun and more sophisticated fire control systems. This model has a few additional upgrades, such as the KTD-1 laser range finder used on the T-72A. Found only in Reserves as the best tank for them. Probably less than 100 are still functional.

T-72M
A slight upgrade of the earlier version. It adds appliqu armor to front of hull, skirt armor, and smoke dischargers. This is found at the bottom end of the Regular tank units roster with few still in running condition.

Shock Force

189

T-72M1
This Czecoslovakian export model combines all the improvements of earlier models with additional armor and other minor improvements. Many of the T-72M1s purchased were in turn upgraded (see below), therefore not many remain in service in their original state. The few that have remained running and not upgraded are found towards the bottom end of the Reserves tank roster.

T-72M1V
This is a base T-72M1 with Kontakt ERA added for greater protection. Maybe 100 or so of these exist and they constitute the top end of the Reserve tank formations. (NOTE adding the V designation is our idea since there is no specific designation for this upgrade)

T-72M1V (2001)
A Russian upgrade package was added to some base T-72M1 models to give them greater offensive and defensive capabilities. The package adds 3rd generation Kontakt5 reactive armor, upgraded suspension, more powerful engine, improved 125mm gun capable of firing ATGMs, remotely operated AAMG, combined gunner/commander thermal imaging system (night vision range is approx 3000 to 3500m), new fire control computer and stabilization system and GPS. The new Kontakt-5 was, at the

190

Combat Mission

time, able to defeat M1A1 Abrams depleted uranium (DU) rounds apparently, however the current Abrams SABOT rounds have largely overcome this problem. Perhaps as many as 100 or so of these upgraded vehicles are still in service with the Republican Guards Division. (NOTE adding the V and 2001 designations are our idea since there is no specific designation for this upgrade)

T-72M1V TURMS-T
This is the top of the line Syrian tank and it is a very capable vehicle indeed. It combines the improvements of the 2001 upgrade with the Italian TURMS-T fire control system. The end result is a tank most similar to the Czech produced T-72M4. It includes a day/night stabilized commanders panoramic periscope sight, gunners stabilized sight with thermal imager and laser rangefinder and digital fire control computer. The digital fire control computer downloads data from the tanks meteorological and wind sensors, together with the tank attitude, barrel wear characteristics, ammunition and target data. The computer calculates the fire control algorithms and is used to control the gun, the sighting systems and the laser rangefinder. Not surprisingly, this highly sophisticated tank is only found in the Republican Guards Division. The number in service could be as high as 200.

Command T anks
The Company Commander of a Tank Company has extra radio equipment that allows it to communicate with its platoons and the Battalion Commander. From a performance standpoint the vehicles are all identical to the tanks under their command, except for the extra radio antennas mounted on them. However, from a practical standpoint when a command tank is lost communications between platoons suffers, communications with battalion are lost completely.

BRDM-2
The BRDM-2 (Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina, literally Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle) is an armoured scout car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. It was intended to replace the earlier BRDM-1 with a vehicle that had improved amphibious capabilities and better armament. The armament is the same as the BTR-60 armored personnel carrier, a 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine gun with a

Shock Force

191

7.62 mm machine gun as a secondary weapon. The armor on the vehicle protects against small arms fire and artillery shell fragments. The BRDM-2-series tires are vulnerable to puncture from fire of all kinds.

BRDM-2 atgm
The BRDM-2 ATGM launcher vehicle mounts launch rails for the AT-3 Sagger or AT-5 anti-tank guided missile in place of the turret, and are found in the Regimental ATGM Platoon only.

BRDM-2U
The BRDM-2U adds extra radio equipment for Company and higher communications, but otherwise is the same as a standard BRDM-2. The only external difference is extra radio antenna. The loss of a command BRDM hurts command and control. There is a turret-less version of the BRDM-2U which is not found in CM:SF because it is used by Regimental and higher HQ units not simulated in the game.

BMP-1/BMP-1P
The BMP-1was first introduced in the early 1960s as the first true Infantry Fighting Vehicle, as opposed to an Armored Personnel Carrier (i.e. battlefield taxi). The steeply-sloped front armor is proofed against .50-calibre machine guns and light cannon fire, but armor quality varies greatly with factory and year of manufacture. It is armed with an unstabilized 73 mm smoothbore gun which fires a low velocity HEAT round, and as such the main gun is unreliable in windy conditions. The standard BMP-1 has an AT-3 Sagger ATGM launcher is mounted above the gun, the BMP-1P has an AT-4 Spigot. The launchers have to be loaded by hand through a small loading hatch. This combination of armament and armor made it a formidable vehicle in the 1970s, but by todays standard it is highly vulnerable to enemy IFVs and tanks of all types. The gun has only primitive fire control systems and the vehicle must be at a dead stop to fire and guide its ATGM. Nevertheless, the BMP-1 is still a threat to light AFVs or dismounted infantry and the Syrians have loads of them. Perhaps as many as 2000 are still in service.

192

Combat Mission

BMP-2
The BMP-2 is an improved version of the BMP-1 introduced in the early 1980s. The major difference is a smaller turret with a 30 mm cannon and externally-mounted AT-5 Spandrel ATGM. The cannon is quite accurate (it is also used on the Mi-28 attack helicopter) and its antipersonnel capability is a quite good. Some BMP-1s shortcomings remain, such as the poor quality of vision equipment, unstabilized weapons, the requirement to remain stationary while firing an ATGM, and a lack of computer controlled fire control systems. These deficiencies make it difficult to successfully engage targets while on the move. The Republican Guards use Syrias entire inventory of about 200 as their main form of armored transport.

BMP-1K/BMP-1PK/BMP-2K
These are the command versions of the standard BMP models. These vehicles are used by Company HQs and are identifiable by the extra radio antennas on the top hull. A reduction of 2 passenger spaces was necessary to accommodate the extra equipment. In other respects the K versions are the same as their non-command counterparts. Loss of these vehicles degrades communications between formations.

Shock Force

193

BTR-60PB
The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s and was mass produced in the 1960s through mid 1970s. The welded steel boat-shaped hull protects against small arms fire and shrapnel. The BTR-60PB is the last modification of the BTR-60 series, featuring a small turret fitted with an unstabilized KPVT 14.5 mm heavy machine gun with an improved sighting system. Syria has around 600 in use with Regular and Reserve formations.

BTR-60PBK
The command version of the standard BTR-60PB is the BTR-60PBK. It is identifiable by the extra radio antennas mounted on the top hull. Otherwise, it is no different than a standard BTR-60PB.

UAZ-469B
The UAZ-469 is an all-terrain vehicle manufactured by UAZ starting in 1973. It is a sturdy, but not-so-comfortable, light truck that is able to drive in virtually any terrain. As many as 9 men can cram themselves into it.

194

Combat Mission

Syrian Artillery Assets

M-46 Field Gun
Standard medium 130mm towed artillery. Though phased out of service in favor of more modern guns, the M-46 still remains in service with the Syrian Armys higher echelon artillery batteries. Maxium rate of fire is 8 rounds per minute, 5 rounds per minute sustained.

D-30 Medium Howitzer

A 122mm towed howitzer which entered service in the late 1960s. Although phased out of many militaries, the D-30 continues to provide Syrian regiments with the bulk of their artillery support. Maxium rate of fire is 8 rounds per minute, 4 rounds per minute sustained.

2S1 M-1974 Gvodzika

A 122mm self-propelled howitzer commonly found in former Soviet equipped militaries. The 2S1 is found in the howitzer battalion of BMP equipped regiments. Maxium rate of fire is 5 rounds per minute, 2 rounds per minute sustained.

T ype 63 Rocket Artillery

A small, mobile 107mm multiple-launch rocket launch system dating from the 1960s. It has 12 tubes that can be fired all at once or one at a time. It is not an accurate weapon, rather it is designed to put a lot of fire down on a section of front very quickly. It can fire all 12 of its rockets in just 9 seconds, which gives it a theoretical maximum rate of fire of nearly 110 rounds per minute. This is just theoretical since after it fires 12 rounds it takes 5 minutes to reload.

BM-21 Rocket Artillery

122mm multiple-launch rocket system dating from the 1960s and is unquestionably the worlds most widely-used rocket artillery system. What it lacks in accuracy it makes up for in volume. It can fire 40 rockets in 20 seconds, which gives it a theoretical maximum rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute. However, when its 40 tubes are expended it takes about 10 minutes to completely reload, therefore its practical rate of fire is limited to 40 rockets per 20 seconds. It can also fire one tube at a time.

M1937 Medium Mortar

Although this 82mm mortar has largely been replaced by the larger M1943, it can still be found in Syrian Reserve battalions and companies. One advantage it has over the larger 120mm mortar is the ability to fire faster and for longer. Maxium rate of fire is 25 rounds per minute, 12 rounds per minute sustained.

M1943 Heavy Mortar

This is essentially the same 120mm heavy mortar used by Soviet, and Soviet equipped, forces since WW2. It is a reliable design that provides good fire support for infantry battalions and companies. Maxium rate of fire is 9 rounds per minute, 4 rounds per minute sustained.

Shock Force

195

Syrian Weapons
PM Pistol
The Makarov PM (Pistolet Makarova) is a semi-automatic pistol which was designed in the late 1940s by Russian firearms designer Nikolai Fyodorovich Makarov. For many years, it was the Soviet Unions standard military side arm.

AKM
The AKM was introduced in 1959 as a lighter and cheaper version of the AK-47 with an effective range of between 300m to 400m. It fires the standard Soviet era 7.62 x 39mm round. The AKM was an improvement over the original AK-47 through its use of steel stampings instead of milled steel, which made it lighter and easier to produce. It is not a sophisticated weapon, having only crude sights, no bolt hold open device, and an inconveniently located safety/selector. Despite of these problems it gained a strong and wide reputation for ruggedness and reliability. Tens of millions were sold to former Soviet aligned nations, making it one of the most common weapons on the battlefield today despite its age and obsolescence.

AKMS
This is a standard AKM with a folding stock.

AK-74
The AK-74 is basically an AKM rechambered and rebored to fire a 5.45 x 39mm cartridge. It offers few innovations over the earlier AKM, though it is lighter, has less recoil, and a slightly longer effective maximum range (500m). Like its predecessor, it uses a 30-rd detachable box magazine. Originally the stock and hand grips were made of wood or reddish brown plastic, but in the 1980s black plastic became the standard.

AKS-74
Folding-stock version of the AK-74 with a Y-shaped, tubular stock.

AKS-74U
A modified AKS-74 with a much shorter barrel (207mm) and a conical flash suppressor instead of a muzzle brake. With an overall length of 492mm (with stock folded) and weight of 2.7kg, it is a very compact and light firearm. Technically the AKS-74U is an assault rifle due to its cartridge size, however its compactness and intended purpose make it more akin to a submachinegun. It is primarily used for purposes where space or weight is at a premium and there is little need to engage targets with accurate fire beyond a limited range (200m, less than half that of an AKS-74).

AKS-74 w/GP30
Standard AKS-74 rifle fitted with the Under-barrel Grenade Launcher GP-30. The GP-30 Obuvka is a 40mm muzzle-loaded, single-shot, detachable, under-barrel grenade launcher. It is the successor to the earlier GP-15 and GP-25, though its performance is roughly similar. The advantages of the GP-30 design are in the areas of weight, ease of use, and production costs. It can use two types of ammo, both of which are used by the crew served AGS-17 grenade launcher; the VOG-25 (High Explosive) or the VOG-25P (Delayed Fuze High Explosive). Only recently has this weapon come into widespread use within Russia and it is slowly making its way to other nations.

196

Combat Mission

RPD
The RPD (Ruchnoy Pulemyot Degtyareva) is a 7.62 x 39mm belt-fed machine gun designed to fulfill the role of squad automatic weapon. It was made in the 1950s and 1960s, though it is still found in large numbers in second line troops and unconventional fighters. The RPD can be fired from a prone position with the built-in bipod, or from the hip with the aid of a sling. It is fed by refillable non-disintegrating links held in a 100-rd detachable drum magazine. It is a heavy, though robust, weapon with an effective range of 800m. Its major limitation is the lack of an interchangeable barrel, which means the weapon has to be allowed to cool when used heavily. The 100-rd ammo capacity was specifically formulated to limit the possibility of problems and damage due to over heating by way of notifying the gunner that he needs to give the weapon a rest.

RPK
This is a long barreled version of the AK-47 designed for use as a squad automatic weapon. It fires full-auto only and uses the same 7.62 x 39mm ammunition as the AKM. Its major drawback is its lack of an interchangeable barrel, which means that it can not sustain prolonged fire without risking a reduction in accuracy, misfires, misfeeds, and even damage to the weapon itself. While it is generally considered a reliable and effective weapon, its drawbacks are significant and therefore the RPK is a less effective squad automatic weapon than many others found on the battlefield. It can use 40-rd detachable magazines, but in the case of Syria is most often found with the 75-rd detachable drum magazine (similar to the RPD).

RPK-74
The RPK-74 is an updated version of the RPK, along with all its limitations, and uses the same 5.45 x 39mm ammunition as the AK-74. Instead of the prominent muzzle brake used on the AK-74, the machinegun is longer and has an attached bipod. Unlike the RPK it only uses 40-rd (standard) or 30-rd detachable magazines, not a drum magazine.

DShKM
Originally developed during the 1930s for anti-aircraft and anti-armor purposes, the DShK became a standard fixture on tank turrets during WW2 and for many decades after with slight improvements (DShKM). It became a popular weapon due to its large caliber (12.7mm) and multi- purpose functionality, being deployed in the ground roll on a two wheeled mount. It has a 600 rpm sustained rate of fire and is effective up to about 2000m. Due to the weight of the weapon and its large caliber ammo supply the DShKM is effectively a static defensive weapon. It is generally found as part of lower quality, static Syrian Reserve Infantry Battalions.

SVD
The Dragunov Sniper Rifle (Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova, abbreviated SVD), is a semiautomatic rifle designed by Evgeniy Fedorovich Dragunov in the Soviet Union between 1958 and 1963. The SVD was the worlds first purpose-built military precision marksmans rifle, and is common (along with several variants) throughout all former Soviet client states. It chambers a special 7.62 x 54mm rimmed cartridge, with a muzzle velocity of about 830m per second, which makes it lethal at ranges above 1000m. However, its effective range is far shorter at around 600m with standard ammunition. The weapon handles easily for its size and is very durable.

Shock Force

197

RPG-18
The RPG-18 Mukha (Fly) is a light, single shot, short-range disposable multi-purpose rocket launcher. The RPG-18 fires a 64 mm PG-18 HEAT capable of 6 seconds of flight after launch (about 200m) before self-destructing. The round can penetrate up to 375 mm of conventional armor, with significantly poorer performance against HEAT resistant ERA or composite armor (as found on the Abrams). It can also be used against hardened infantry targets, such as bunkers. The RPG-18 is similar in both appearance and in functionality to the United States LAW rocket, the predecessor to the M136 AT-4. The RPG-18 is carried with part of the launch tube collapsed making the weapon much more compact. When preparing to fire, the soldier using the RPG18 extends the tube, places it on his shoulder, and uses the iron sights on the top to aim at the target. Once extended the RPG-18 is armed and can not be reset to a disarmed state.

Demo Charge
This piece of equipment simulates various types of explosives bundles used to breach walls and other obstacles. Usually the main explosive component is TNT.

Fragmentation RDG-5
RDG-5 (Ruchnaya Granata Degtyareva) is an egg shaped Blast & Fragmentation hand grenade that produces around 350 steel fragments. The effective radius is around 15-20m resulting in a 43 square meter kill zone.

Smoke RDG-1
A cheap stick type grenade made of cardboard and sometimes a wooden handle. It is ignited using a method common to a road flare. On one end there is a cap which is removed and struck against an igniter. The resulting smoke screen lasts for about 60-90 sec and covers an area of roughly 35m.

PK w/tripod
The PK is a gas operated, rotary locked, full-auto only machine gun that is fed from linked sections of non-disintegrating metallic belts of 7.62 x 54R mm ammunition. A detachable steel box secured directly under the breech provides 100 rds of ammunition at the ready. This makes the PK extremely portable and capable of being fired from the hip as well as prone or on a tripod. It has a rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute and is effective out to about 1000m. One drawback is a slower barrel changing procedure compared to some other nations general purpose machineguns.

PKM w/tripod
The PKM is little more than a simplified PK design meant to facilitate faster and less expensive production. The barrel is a bit shorter and the total weight a bit less, but performance is nearly identical.

NVS
The NVS is a 12.7mm caliber heavy machinegun most comparable to the US M2 .50cal machinegun. Like the M2 it is normally mounted on armored vehicles for use against ground or air targets. It is also used on a tripod for defense of fortified positions out to a maximum effective range of about 2000m. It is fed from non-disintegrating belts of 50-rds each and has a rate of fire between 700 and 800 rounds per minute.

198

Combat Mission

The heavy caliber ammo allows it to penetrate as much as 20mm armor at 500m.

SPG-9
The SPG-9 is a 73mm caliber recoilless, smooth-bore, breach loaded antitank weapon that fires both antiarmor and antipersonnel ammunition. It is man portable, though usually it is transported by truck or APC and remains relatively local thereafter. It can be carried fully assembled over short distances, however usually it is broken down and carried in its component pieces due to weight. The SPG-9 has a rate of fire of 6 rounds per minute and can fire either HE against soft targets or HEAT against hard/ armored targets. The HE round has an effective range of about 2500m, though it can theoretically be used at much greater distances. The HEAT round can achieve 400mm armor penetration at any range up to about 800m, at which point a hit becomes doubtful.

AGS-17
The AGS-17 Automatic Grenade Launcher fires 30mm grenades in either full auto or semi auto modes. Ammo is fed from non-disintegrating steel belts and a rate of fire of 350 to 400 rounds per minute can be achieved in full auto mode. The weapon is one of the primary means for defenders to suppress an oncoming attacking infantry force. Its effective range is about 1200m for area suppression, but only about 800m for precision targeting. The kill radius of each round is about 6m, which can be combined to produce a 70 square meter kill zone with a well aimed barrage. The fully assembled weapon is man portable over short distances, though disassembly is required for longer distances.

RPG-7V1
When someone thinks of a threat to an armored vehicle, the RPG-7V is usually the one that comes to mind first. This is the quintessential shoulder shoulder-fired, reloadable anti-tank rocket launch. Its light weight allows a single person carry it and a few grenades with little difficulty. However, standard practice is to have an assistant grenadier who carries additional ammo, protects the gunner, and reloads after firing. There are many different types of grenades for both anti-armor and anti-personnel purposes. Although very simple to operate and shoot at short distances, the RPG-7V quickly becomes increasingly inaccurate as range increases. For example, a mild 11kmh crosswind can reduce first-round hit probability by 50% at ranges beyond 180 meters. Hitting moving targets at anything but point blank range usually comes down to pure luck. On top of the accuracy problems, many of the rounds commonly found around the world are duds, either due to poor manufacturing standards of export rounds or degradation due to age. Inexperienced users are also said to sometimes forget to arm the round before loading, thereby assuring the round wont detonate. Still, with all its negatives the RPG-7V is a serious threat because it only takes one hit, lucky or otherwise, to cause massive damage to a vehicle or death to exposed infantrymen.

RPG-29
The RPG-29 is a thoroughly modern 105mm anti-tank grenade launcher. Known as Vampire, the RPG-29 shares very little in common with the RPG-7V. It is much longer and therefore can be broken down into two parts in seconds for one soldier can carry more easily. It is loaded from the rear, fires a much larger grenade, and thanks to the design is quite accurate. It has almost double the effective range of the RPG-7V, posing a significant threat to enemy armor out to 500m. With its tandem warhead grenade it can effectively counter ERA (reactive) armor by detonating the explosive blocks with its first charge and penetrating the base armor with the second. It can also penetrate over 1.5m of reinforced concrete and still have enough power remain-

Shock Force

199

ing to cause casualties beyond. The anti-personnel round is the controversial thermobaric type which kills by using over pressure instead of fragmentation or explosive effect. The RPG-29 may not be as sophisticated and powerful as the US Javelin, yet it is extremely lethal to even the heaviest armored vehicles.

A T-3B
The AT-3 Sagger B (NATO designation) is a wire-guided anti-tank missile of the Soviet Union first produced in the 1960s, then improved in the early 1970s. It was the first man-portable Soviet anti-tank missile and was produced in huge numbers. The AT3B can be fired from a portable fiberglass suitcase launcher or from certain vehicles (BMP-1, BRDM-2). Setup time for the man portable version is about 5 minutes. Once fired the missile is guided by line of sight to its target up to 3000m. The gunner tracks both the missile and the target, adjusting the missiles direction via a joystick through wires spooled out from the missile as it travels towards the target. Tracking both the missile and target simultaneously requires some skill and concentration on the part of the operator. Hundreds of hours of constant training are needed to achieve these skills and maintain them. It is simply too expensive to train gunners to this level of proficiency, so most go into battle to learn on the job. Being a generally slow missile with a big smoke signature means that the gunner might come under effective fire from the enemy before the missile has reached its target. It also gives the target warning, which allows it to do evasive maneuvers that make a hit even less likely. Another major drawback is the inability to track the missile until it is at least 500m from the gunner, which effectively means targets closer than 500m can not be engaged at all. Which is why estimates of the missile hitting the target range from 2%-25% depending on the situation and gunner skill.

A T-3C
AT-3C Sagger C consists of a slightly improved AT-3B missile (greater penetration) and a different guidance system, semi-automatic command line of sight (SACLOS). Instead of having to track both the target and the missile the gunner only has to track the target. This vastly improves the chance of hitting the target from 2%-25% to perhaps 90%.

A T-3D
AT-3D Sagger D is a further improvement of the AT-3C system by introducing three new warheads and a faster missile. The first is a HEAT warhead that offers almost double the penetration power of the original AT-3. The second is a tandem HEAT warhead designed to overcome ERA (reactive) defenses. The third new warhead type is thermobaric for use against soft targets. A fully equipped AT-3D team should be expected to have a mix of these new missile types.

A T-4A
The AT-4 Spigot is using a semi-automatic command line of sight (SACLOS) system similar to that found on the AT-3C. The system consists of a launcher and a disposable tube with one missile. Technically it is man portable, but it is quite heavy and therefore practically speaking can only be moved a short distance. The gunner lies prone while firing and must keep the target lined up until missile impact. The AT-4 missile is more powerful than the AT-3 and is able to get up to speed much faster, thus reducing the dead space for targeting down to 70m from 500m. A target moving faster than 60km/h (37mph) is unlikely to be hit, which for most circumstances is an acceptable limitation since few vehicles travel faster than that on the battlefield. Penetration power, however, is no better than the original AT-3 and its range is shorter, with a maximum of 2000m.

200

Combat Mission

A T-4C
A slight improvement over the AT-4A is the AT-4C Spigot C. It retains the same tracking system but boosts the missiles range to 2500m. A new tandem HEAT warhead increases penetration over the AT-4A by almost 50%.

A T-7
The AT-7 Saxhorn is a significant departure from the AT-3 and AT-4 systems. It uses an improved AT-4 type targeting system and a small, lightweight launch platform. Additionally, the missiles themselves are much lighter than earlier ones. This makes the system much more portable and capable of being fired from the shoulder (though this is difficult to do). The downside is that the lighter weight of the missile came at the expense of range with a maximum range of just 1000m. It can be used from within a moderately enclosed space at any target further away than 40m and traveling 60km/h (37mph) or slower. Penetration is similar to the AT-3B and AT-4A systems, though it is much faster due to its light weight.

A T-13
The AT-13 Metis-M (confusingly NATO also refers to this at the Saxhorn) is an improved version of the AT-7 by combining the same launch system with a superior missile. It is slightly slower than the AT-7, but its tandem HEAT warhead can penetrate nearly twice the amount of armor and is designed to defeat ERA. There is also a thermobaric warhead for use against soft targets.

A T-14
The Kornet-E is the most current and capable ATGM threat faced by Western forces. It is similar in appearance to the AT-7 and AT-13 systems, but only superficially. Unlike previous systems the AT-14 comes standard with a thermal sight and uses a laser for guidance. This makes tracking targets much easier and less vulnerable to interference, though the gunner must still remain stationary until the target is hit. With these new tools in his hands, a decent gunner is almost assured of hitting whatever he aims at up to 5000m. And if he hits, the target is probably knocked out. The tandem HEAT warhead has nearly three times the penetration power of the early AT3 systems, AT-4, and AT-5 systems and 50% more punch than the AT-13. It can also fire a powerful thermobaric missile against soft targets. This is the weapon every tanker, Western or otherwise, fears coming up against.

Shock Force

201

Branches
Coalition (USA)
Stryker Brigade Combat T eam (SBCT)

The Styker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) is a medium force with a high tech, infantry-centric organization built around the 8 wheeled Stryker family of medium weight armoured vehicles. The Stryker Infantry Battalion gives commanders more boots on the ground and firepower than the infantry forces in either the Heavy or Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (HBCT and IBCT). SBCTs are capable of conducting the full spectrum of combat operations, though they are best suited for missions that emphasize mobility over firepower, infantry over armor. Though SBCT formations are capable of standing up to a heavy force, and defeating it, by design this is not what they are best at. Such combat is the primary mission type for HBCTs. An important aspect of the SBCT concept is the full integration of advanced command and control systems. Centered on the satellite based FBCB2 (Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below), these systems allow all units to see the entire battlefield and exchange information about enemy and friendly forces. All of this information is distributed directly to each Stryker unit without having to filter up and down the chain of command. Better still, the system cant be jammed or lose its signal like radios can. When combined it means that when a Stryker unit sees something it can report it, and when it reports it the others can receive that report. In short, what one unit sees ALL units see regardless of the tactical circumstances.

Heavy Brigade Combat T eam (HBCT)

The Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) is the US Armys heaviest combat formation. Its main element, the Combined Arms Battalion (CAB), contains Abrams tanks and Bradley IFV

202

Combat Mission

mounted infantry companies in equal proportions. Although an HBCT has significantly less infantry and infantry support systems than a SBCT, it has enormous firepower and strong protection from enemy fire. The HBCTs main mission is breaking through enemy positions and smash any counter attacks that may materialize. The US Army is in the middle of upgrading HBCTs to have the same level of command and control capability the SBCTs have enjoyed since their creation. This is being done on a Brigade by Brigade basis. Because of this, Combat Mission simulates digitized (upgraded) HBCTs, giving them almost identical command and control benefits as the SBCT.

Syria
Republican Guard

The Republican Guard is the most important force protecting the regime from external and domestic threats. It consists of a single oversized Mechanized Division that generally has first pick of equipment and personnel. The training standards are higher and the leadership is promoted based on merit, not political favorism.

Special Forces

The Special Forces of Syria are considerable both in terms of numbers and capabilities. Their standard of training is very high and they are equipped with the best weapons available. Seven independent SF Regiments (basically large battalions) are spread over the whole of Syria, tasked with protecting key areas from threat. Four other SF Regiments are equipped more heavily and organized as the 14th Special Forces Division for operations in the Golan Heights. The Special Forces give Syrian commanders a rapid, flexible force capable of both offensive and defensive operations. Recent rumors indicate that many of the independent SF Regiments are dispersed, in company strength, throughout the country to prepare for an systemic response to any invading force.

Shock Force

203

Regular Ar my

By far the biggest arm of the full time Syrian Armed Forces are the Regular Army forces, consisting of seven Armored and three Mechanized Divisions. Equipment, training, and leadership is generally good, but definitely a qualitative step down from the Republican Guard. While competent, these forces are of mediocre quality by Western standards.

Reserve Ar my
In time of war Syria has the ability to more than double its Armed Forces by calling upon previously trained conscripts and retired professional soldiers. A significant portion of these are filtered into an Armored and two Motorized Divisions, the rest go to various independent (and largely static) Brigade and smaller formations. They have the worst armored vehicles (when present at all) and in general the hand-me-downs from the other units. Additionally, the Reserves are not kept in a high state of military readiness and unit cohesion is quite low. In theory the divisional units are capable of offensive action, but it is doubtful they would be much good at it. The rest do not have much in the way of motorized transport, therefore they are limited to defensive operations only.

Militia
A large amount of the Syrian Reserves are called up to form independent units tasked with defending their local areas from attack. They lack most everything one expects from a combined arms force in terms of equipment, training, and leadership. The equipment they do receive is the worst in Syrias inventory. As a result, the Militias combat capabilities are quite limited. Their fate is to be situated in fixed positions and hope for the best.

Unconventional Forces (Fighters)

Combat Mission simulates two different classes of unconventional forces (Uncons for short); Fighters and Combatants. Fighters consist of terrorists, foreign trained fighters, and local fanatics

204

Combat Mission

with some semblance of military organization, including a distinguishable uniform. They fight in small, unevenly distributed forces using all means of warfare at their disposal such as IEDs, technicals (armed civilian vehicles), and the latest in anti-tank weaponry. What they lack in skill they attempt to make up for in determination.

Unconventional Forces (Combatants)

Combatants are little more than armed civilians with some sort of motivation to fight. Unlike Fighters, these units are ad-hoc in nature. Therefore, they lack the proper uniform, command structure, and organization of even Fighters, not to mention a unit in the Armed Forces. They rely on hit and run tactics using light weapons, IEDs, technicals, and simple AT weapons.

Shock Force

205

Icons
CM:SF is making extensive use of various Icons to allow the player to spot vital information in the game user interface at a glance. Below is a list of the most important icons used in the game and their description.

Specialty (MOS)
Air Controller Antitank Artillery Controller Commander Assistant Leader Driver Engineer Forward Observer Gunner Loader Designated Marksman Radioman

Defensive equipment
Slat armor Smoke Launcher Active Defense ECM Laser Destroy Laser Diffuse Reactive Armor

Ammo
Hand grenades Small arms ammo MG ammo

Threat
Anti-tank missile Small caliber Medium caliber Large caliber

Rifle Grenades

206

Combat Mission

Comms
FBCB2

Special Equipment
AT4 Binoculars Nightvision Goggles Demo Charge

PDA

Radio

GPS IED detonator

Visual (Close) Javelin Command Launch Unit Javelin missile RPG 7 RPG 18 RPG rocket /anti-tank ./anti-personnel ./thermobaric

Visual (Distant)

Voice

Shock Force

207

Branches
U.S. Ar my
Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT)

Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT)

Syrian Ar my
Armor

Syrian Uncons
Combatant

Infantry

Fighter

Mech Infantry

Specialist

Republican Guard

Special Forces

208

Combat Mission

T roublesho oting
While were taking utmost care in preparation of this software to avoid bugs, todays myriad of available systems, software and hardware configurations makes it impossible to guarantee 100% compatibility. Below you will find a few known issues as well as a list of contacts available to help out. An up-to-date Troubleshooting Guide is also available at our webpage: http://www.battlefront.com/helpdesk

Multi-GPU
On certain systems with multiple video cards a known bug prevents players to select units occasionally. Turn off the additional video card(s) to solve this problem.

Intro video
If you have a problem with launching the game, try disabling the intro video. You can do this by holding down the V key while the game launches. This setting is remembered, so you wont have to hold down the key on subsequent launches.

Multiple Video Cards (SLI) very Slow

If you are running multiple nVidia video cards running in SLI mode, download the latest Forceware drivers (169.21 at least).

Units disappear with Shadows on

This problem seems to affect people with certain combination of newer (8000 series) GeForce cards and various OS and video driver combinations. Until Nvidia releases a new set of Forceware drivers that specifically address this problem, simply play the game with shadows disabled (use Alt-W to toggle shadows on or off).

Level of detail
CM:SF tries hard to keep up framerates and will automatically downsample textures, and adjust model quality, and level of detail calculations if it detects performance limits (VRAM used up etc.) This may lead to a subpar graphics quality during gameplay. Often it is a better idea to manually adjust the model and textures quality downward in the Game Options Menu, leading to better overall look and faster framerates.

Shock Force

209

T ech Support
Bugs
If you run into a bug, or have problems in running or installing the game, please visit our Tech Support forum at: .............. http://www.battlefront.com/community If you do not find a solution to your problem there, please post a support ticket at .............. http://www.battlefront.com/helpdesk

Patches
Please also do not forget to check regularly for the latest patches to the game at: .............. http://www.battlefront.com/patches Your can also do an auto-check to find out if your version of the game is up to date. In your Start>Program Group you will find a link within the Combat Mission Shock Force sub-group called Check for latest version. Clicking the link will automatically compare your currently installed version of the game with the latest version available for download, and the results will be displayed in your browser.

Licensing
For problems with licensing or unlicensing the game, please refer first to the Knowledge Base at: .............. http://www.battlefront.com/helpdesk If you do not find a solution to your problem there, please post a support ticket at .............. http://www.battlefront.com/helpdesk

210

Combat Mission

Military T er ms Glossary
AFV .......................... Armored Fighting Vehicle AT ............................ Anti-Tank ATGM ....................... Anti-Tank Guided Missile BFT .......................... Blue Force Tracker BN ........................... Battalion C&C ......................... see C2 C2 ........................... Command & Control C4ISR ...................... Command, Control, Communications, ............................ Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance ............................ and Reconnaissance CO ........................... Company, and also: Commanding Officer CPL .......................... Corporal ECM ......................... Electronic Counter Measures ETD .......................... Estimated Time of Delivery FBCB2 ...................... Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade............................ and-Below (communications system) FAC .......................... Forward Air Controller (outdated, see JTAC) FIST ......................... Fire Support Team FO ........................... Forward Observer GPS ......................... Global Positioning System HE ........................... High Explosive HMG ......................... Heavy Machinegun HQ ........................... Headquarters HW .......................... Heavy Weapons ICM .......................... Improved Conventional Munition IED .......................... Improvised Explosive Device IFV .......................... Infantry Fighting Vehicle JTAC ......................... Joint Tactical Air Controller KIA .......................... Killed in Action LGB .......................... Laser Guided Bomb LOS .......................... Line of Sight MBT ......................... Main Battle Tank MCLOS ..................... Manual Command Line of Sight ............................... (First-generation missile guidance system) MMG ........................ Medium Machinegun MOS ......................... Military Operation Specialties MOUT ....................... Military Operations in Urban Terrain OOB ......................... Order of Battle PDA ......................... see RPDA PLT .......................... Platoon ROF ......................... Rate of Fire RPDA ........................ Ruggedized Personal Digital Assistant RPG ......................... Rocket Propelled Grenade SACLOS .................... Semi-Automatic Command Line of Sight ............................... (Second-generation missile guidance system) SGT ......................... Sergeant TO&E ........................ Table of Organization & Equipment TRP .......................... Target Reference Point VBIED ...................... Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive ............................ Device. Also VBIED WIA ......................... Wounded in Action WP ........................... White Phosphorus XO ........................... Executive Officer

Shock Force

211

Credits
Game Design Charles Moylan Stephen Grammont The Battlefront Team Charles Moylan Stephen Grammont Dan Olding Matt Faller Fernando J. Carrera Buil Tim Orosz Martin van Balkom Programming Charles Moylan User Interface Design Stephen Grammont Charles Moylan Jean-Vincent Roy Character Animation Bil Hardenberger 3D Models Dan Olding X-trusion 3D products 2D Artwork Dan Olding Fernando Carrera Bruil Jean-Vincent Roy Marco Bergman Mike Duplessis Gordon Molek Still Images US Army, edited by Jean-Vincent Roy Game Music Daniel Sadowski Matt Faller Sound Design Matt Faller Mike Patti Beta Testing Greg Anderson Kip Anderson Raymond Ardry Marco Bergman Elmar Bijlsma David Blakey Chris Carnes Robert Carpenter John Costello

Charles Crail Phillip Culliton Thomas Daxner Rudel Dietrich Michael A. Dorosh Mike Duplessis Mark Ezra Matt Faller Andy Farley Mark Gibson James Goodman Stephen Grammont Jean-Charles Hare Jeff Hoolihan Mark Jarvis Bil Hardenberger Craig Harvey Philip Hedegard Rob Knight Cassio Lima George McEwan Matthew Merrell Jari Mikkonen Gordon Molek Brent Morrow Chris Orosz Tim Orosz John Osborne Jean-Vincent Roy Wayne Rutledge Jon Sowden Mike Steiger Dmytro Stepanchuk Martin van Balkom Thomas C. West Thomas C. Wilcox Scenario Design Raymond Ardry Charles Crail Michael A. Dorosh Rudel Dietrich Bil Hardenberger George McEwan Jari Mikkonen Chris Orosz Tim Orosz Wayne Rutledge Jon Sowden Martin van Balkom James Allen Cover Art Jean-Vincent Roy Game Manual

Stephen Grammont Martin van Balkom Blaine Whitney Tips & Glossary Mark Gibson George McEwan Jean-Vincent Roy Jon Sowden Martin van Balkom Translations Thophile Monnier Jean-Vincent Roy Martin van Balkom

(c) 2009, Battlefront.com, Inc. All Rights reserved. Published and developed by Battlefront.com, Inc.

212

Combat Mission

Addendum
The features below are some of the most important improvements/ new features that have been added as part of the v1.20 free patch/upgrade (which is a spin-off of the CMSF: British Forces Module just released). They are available to all users who own the base game of CMSF and have downloaded and installed the latest v1.20 patch. 1. "Pop Smoke" can be aimed using the Face Command or current unit facing. The smoke will not fire until an existing Face Command is executed. 2. Floating icons for friendly units briefly blink after sustaining a casualty. 3. Some units (currently only Challenger 2 MBT and 51mm Light mortar, available only as part of the British Forces module and not included in the v1.20 free patch) are capable of firing smoke ammunition. This is achieved by use of the new Target Smoke command or hotkey. 4. Spotters for indirect support weapons as well as on-map mortars (currently only the 51mm Light mortar available only as part of the British Forces module) are now able to target areas slightly outside of direct LOS under certain circumstances, such as when firing indirectly over a tall wall or just behind the crest of a hill. 5. Commanding Officers (CO) and Executive Officers (XO) are now represented by large star icons 6. Vehicle Crews may now "Bailout" when in the Editor or during Setup. 7. Soldiers are automatically boarded onto their vehicles in Quick Battles or the Editor when first purchased. Once the Setup Phase (Quick Battle) or Deploy Units (Editor) mode you may unload and reload as before. 8. Muzzle flame, smoke, dust, and other effects directly attached to enemy unit behavior are no longer shown unless the unit is already spotted by at least one friendly soldier.

Shock Force

213

9. Campaigns started using an earlier version of a Campaign can be continued with newer versions once the current battle being played has been completed. The way to do this is: a. Save your current campaign in between battles just after you dismiss the After Action Report and exit to the main screen. b. From the main screen select the New Campaign option and then highlight the updated Campaign you wish to play. Hold down the SHIFT key and then click the OK button. c. An "Import" screen will appear and you'll see your save game in the list of files. Select it, click OK, and the Campaign will start up again normally. The game does its best to reconcile changes to such things as Core Units, but there is only so much the game can do successfully. In the event it can't make sense of new and old it simply defaults to the new information, which may cause some of the battle history to change. Therefore, this new feature works best when the Campaign designer is making minor corrections instead of major overhauls.
NOTE - this feature only works with Campaign saves created in v1.20. If you are upgrading from an earlier version you must first open your save in v1.20 and then save it back out again as described in the first step.

10. Campaign players now have an option to switch between RealTime and WeGo Modes in between battles. To do this save the game inbetween battles, exit to the main screen, then start up your Campaign save game normally. Before the battle starts an option is presented to switch Modes. This is useful for those people who prefer to play in RealTime for smaller battles and WeGo in larger battles. 11. Campaign scripts can specify a minimum and maximum overall campaign victory level based for any battle that ends the campaign. Normally, to signal the end of a campaign, the [NEXT BATTLE IF WIN] and/or the [NEXT BATTLE IF LOSE] fields are left empty. However, any of the following list of keywords can optionally be entered there instead, signalling both the end of the campaign and either a minimum required overall campaign victory (if following [NEXT BATTLE IF WIN]) or a maximum allowed victory (if following [NEXT BATTLE IF LOSE]). This is most useful for "early ends" to campaigns where you want the final score to reflect the fact the early end of the campaign more than the success or failure of each battle along the way. Note that each keyword must start with an underscore.

214

Combat Mission

_total defeat _major defeat _tactical defeat _minor defeat _draw _minor victory _tactical victory _major victory _total victory 12. Scenario game time limit has been increased to 4 hours, and reinforcement times have been adjusted accordingly. 13. AI Editor: landmines assigned to AI unit number 2 and higher move into the AI units painted setup zone.

Shock Force

215

216

Combat Mission