Matrix Games Forums

Okay, I've just bought this game, and offer some mixed reviews -- or am I missing something?

First off a general complaint -- the AI that drives the vehicles is atrocious. Aside from the fact that when the computer is playing the enemy it makes its own vehicles circle aimlessly, when its driving my vehicles it is consistently unable to move them unless the way is wide wide open. Getting vehicles over bridges and around corners (even when not under fire) is maddening. I find that I have to devote inordinate amounts of time litterally "leading them by the nose" to coax them along; inevitably therefore at the expense of supervising the battle.

But more fundamentally -- is there no way to withdraw off a map? If fighting defensively, one needs to be able to do this, or it makes a mockery of the "strategic" map. Am I missing something?

The vehicle AI is terrible. I usually make a 4 point route for them (for some reason 4 points seems to make them act the smartest). When crossing bridges always have a point right before and right after crossing that way the vehicle is forced to line up straight on them. For corners, make 3 points, just be ready to fire when the time comes.

You can't. When morale breaks, the game produces results for how things settle. If time runs out it the map is carved by where your units controlled. In Cross of Iron (which is basically CC3) you are able to withdraw by telling your units to go to the edge of the map.

I don't think it is documented why back in 1999 it was coded so you could not withdraw off the map.

But

The decision to withdraw should have been made on the preceding strategic turn... if you find you need to with draw during the battle phase you are in effect being punished for your poor strategic level decision.

That's a poor excuse -- what you are saying is that its all or nothing, ie one cannot fight a delaying action then.

Yes you can... withdraw from the map on the preceding strat turn... if you decide to stay and fight in an untenable position your men die....  as they did in WWII when the cammanders made such terrible decisions.

You may be lucky enough to trigger a retreat if your morale fails and you control a map to escape to.

I know that people's hands are tied in the re-releases, but please tell me they are not going to keep this system in Close Combat 6!