So I was toying around with the idea of using Combat Mission:Shock Force as the basic game engine. Having rounded up some players and putting the scenario together the game finally kicked off. Although only having completed the 1st turn the experience seems to be pretty fun. One disadvantage I have found already though is the large # of screenshots that will be needed to help “tell the story” for the players and interested observers.

In this shot, 2nd Platoon (BMP-1′s) moves to the left around a patch of woods to flank the objective form the northwest.

Here, we have HQ and 1st Platoon moving up to the south of the main objective. Having reached the designated check point, they will be dimounting their scouts and pushing them into the woods with the vehicles providing overwatch.

From the battlefront Website;

Monday, 24 August 2009

The v1.20 patches for COMBAT MISSION SHOCK FORCE as well as CMSF MARINES are finally out now! The list of changes, additions, new features and bux fixes is impressively long as usual, below just a few snapshots of what’s awaiting you in the latest free upgrade to the series:

• “Pop Smoke” can now be aimed using the Face Command or current unit facing.
• Floating icons for friendly units now briefly blink after sustaining a casualty.
• Spotters for indirect support weapons  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.
• 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.
• Campaign players now have an option to switch between RealTime and WeGo Modes in between battles.
• Scenario game time limit has been increased to 4 hours

Here is the link to the battlefront website: v1.20 CMSF and MARINES patches out now!

Hopefully this patch fixes some of the issues players mentioned as having encountered and it has led me to re-install the game and take a second look. There is also a British Forces Module out but at this point I do not have it.  Depending on how my newest play with the game goes i may pick up the British Module.

Information on the British Forces can be found here: CM:SF – British Forces

Well, the 1.06 patch is out and the game seems much better than previous versions. I have only played vs the AI so far but did play 3 small games all the way through without any real issues. Pathfinding seems to be much improved. Once I can coordinate a Pbem game I’ll see how well it plays in that mode and will post my feedback/experience.

You can read the latest patch readme file here: CM:SF Latest Patch ReadMe file

Hopefully we’ll see more news in the near future on the Marines Module and more importantly, the WWII stuff.