Hardware for max performance in large scenarios?

[GeneralVikus]

I have been experimenting recently with some extremely high unit count (theater - scale) scenarios, and this is probably going to be the pacing requirement for my new PC. With that in mind, can anyone give me some recommendations on what sort of hardware to buy? For example, is the CPU the sole limiting factor, or are other components important too? Are there any relevant factors which make one CPU better than the other at a given price point? (Assume that I know nothing about hardware and you will not be far off.)

Also, are there any particular game settings I should look at to maximize performance with high unit counts?

[thewood1]

CPU raw speed. Core count helps somewhat, but fast single core is the best benchmark. Fast RAM is also a factor. Graphics power makes little difference. SSD is good for loading and accessing the database, but is a very small factor in execution.

[GeneralVikus]

CPU raw speed. Core count helps somewhat, but fast single core is the best benchmark. Fast RAM is also a factor. Graphics power makes little difference. SSD is good for loading and accessing the database, but is a very small factor in execution.

Thank you, that helps a lot!

[gennyo]

Some personal experience:

1. Multiple socketed Xeon rigs won't help, even with good single core performance and lots of RAMs (Tried with 2x Xeon Broadwells and Skylake-SPs, both with 128G ram). Inter-socket memory laterncy kills.

Maybe Pro version would be better suited on such kind of machines.

2. Core count matters but single core performance matters more. Get a good fat CPU with best single core performance and most PHYSICAL threads(cores).

I don't think Intel's Big-Little helps but many people reported good performance in the benchmark thread.

I runs a 7945HX now, since it's easier to manage symmetrical cores in Linux and VMware (now I play with a Win 10 VM in linux, performance wise isn't that bad, if you can look away when it hit some hiccups here and there. Proton is somewhat beyond my capability).

RAM speed and cache helps with such a big and stressful scenario too, I think a X3D CPU may help.

3. Having good cooling solution so CPU with tweakable TDP can push the envelope.

4. More RAM is good but I don't think over 64G would help much at this moment. Recent builds (after 1706) seems having a hard cap on some internal data structures, my 48G VM didn't use up all memory before the game can't continue with all target dropped from my sensors.

IMHO, CMO is the most super-computing level program I've ever encountered, and some aspect of it may hit the Amdahl's law now.

[Nikel]

The importance of the GPU, a dedicated GPU is needed unless you want to play the game with only the Borders + Coastlines layer, it is how I play even though my laptop has a dedicated GPU

https://forums.matrixgames.com/viewtopi ... 9#p5123309

[GeneralVikus]

Some personal experience:

1. Multiple socketed Xeon rigs won't help, even with good single core performance and lots of RAMs (Tried with 2x Xeon Broadwells and Skylake-SPs, both with 128G ram). Inter-socket memory laterncy kills.

Maybe Pro version would be better suited on such kind of machines.

2. Core count matters but single core performance matters more. Get a good fat CPU with best single core performance and most PHYSICAL threads(cores).

I don't think Intel's Big-Little helps but many people reported good performance in the benchmark thread.

I runs a 7945HX now, since it's easier to manage symmetrical cores in Linux and VMware (now I play with a Win 10 VM in linux, performance wise isn't that bad, if you can look away when it hit some hiccups here and there. Proton is somewhat beyond my capability).

RAM speed and cache helps with such a big and stressful scenario too, I think a X3D CPU may help.

3. Having good cooling solution so CPU with tweakable TDP can push the envelope.

4. More RAM is good but I don't think over 64G would help much at this moment. Recent builds (after 1706) seems having a hard cap on some internal data structures, my 48G VM didn't use up all memory before the game can't continue with all target dropped from my sensors.

IMHO, CMO is the most super-computing level program I've ever encountered, and some aspect of it may hit the Amdahl's law now.

This is great, much obliged!

The importance of the GPU, a dedicated GPU is needed unless you want to play the game with only the Borders + Coastlines layer, it is how I play even though my laptop has a dedicated GPU

That's no skin off my back, I expect I was probably going to need one anyway (for Sea Power, of course.)

[Eboreg]

In my experience, the main bottleneck in the performance is usually between the keyboard and the chair. I was able to do just fine with a 14-year-old Dell computer that only had moderate upgrades and the times I wasn't, that usually required a report to the Tech Support sub-forum. There are some severe limitations in unit AI that make this software less able to handle more complex scenarios without massive amounts of babysitting and anyone who is able to put up with that enough to require a massive beast of a gaming machine probably needs to check into a psychiatric ward.

All told, a half-decent computer with a half-decent graphics card and a half-decent amount of RAM should be good enough for your needs.

[maverick3320]

In my experience, the main bottleneck in the performance is usually between the keyboard and the chair. I was able to do just fine with a 14-year-old Dell computer that only had moderate upgrades and the times I wasn't, that usually required a report to the Tech Support sub-forum. There are some severe limitations in unit AI that make this software less able to handle more complex scenarios without massive amounts of babysitting and anyone who is able to put up with that enough to require a massive beast of a gaming machine probably needs to check into a psychiatric ward.

All told, a half-decent computer with a half-decent graphics card and a half-decent amount of RAM should be good enough for your needs.

Trying running an extremely large scenario with large numbers of artillery and/or ballistic missiles flying simultaneously.

[Eboreg]

Trying running an extremely large scenario with large numbers of artillery and/or ballistic missiles flying simultaneously.

Even more than in Salvo and Taiwan Blitz?

I still keenly remember when those scenarios used to slow down gameplay to a crawl. That's not the case anymore.