------------------------------------------------------------------- CMBB Patch Version 1.02 February 11, 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Readme INDEX: > Important Patch Version Note > What Version of CMBB Do I Have? > Version Compatibility Note > In Progress PBEM Game Note > Patch Modifications > Patch Changes > New Models > Bug Fixes > Manual Errata > Troubleshooting Guide IMPORTANT PATCH VERSION NOTE * This v1.02 patch must be applied to a copy of the game that has ALREADY been patched to v1.01. It will not work on v1.0 which is the version that has been shipping on CD up until now. CD's received after February 2003 should already have version 1.02 pre-installed but please review the "WHAT VERSION OF CMBB DO I HAVE" section below to be certain. * You can find the v1.01 patch at www.battlefront.com WHAT VERSION OF CMBB DO I HAVE? * You can check the version # by running the game and looking at the lower right corner of the startup screen. The current version is listed there. VERSION COMPATIBILITY NOTE: * Games saved in v1.02 can't be loaded in by older versions. If you are playing others by email or TCP/IP, make sure you all upgrade to v1.02. Transferring PBEM files from Version 1.0 or Version 1.01 to Version 1.02: 1.. In CMBB version 1.0 or version 1.01, load the pbem file. In an orders phase, save the pbem file as a saved game by clicking on the little "SAVE" button on the command bar at the bottom of the screen. 2.. Exit the battle 3.. Repeat Step 1 for all pbem files you wish to convert. 4.. Install the 1.02 patch 5.. Open CMBB Version 1.02 6.. Open the saved game file from step 1. 7.. Choose Email as the startup option for the saved game. 8.. Place your orders as you normally would in a PBEM, and press "GO" 9.. Congratulations! You have now converted your pbem file. 10.. Repeat as necessary. Once the file has been converted to version 1.02, it cannot be reopened in version 1.0 or version 1.01. --------------------- v1.02 changes --------------------- MODIFICATIONS: * Support weapons are less likely to switch to "sneak" movement when coming under only modest incoming fire. * "Follow Vehicle" command does not apply to bunkers (there's no need for it). * Quick Battles are more likely to have snow on the ground in winter. * The Parameters Briefing for Quick Battles shows what Troop Quality options were selected. * Bog frequency reduced for heavier vehicles. * Previously the QB autopurchaser would strip out ordnance from TO&Es when the force was attacking (or in a meeting engagement). This no longer happens. * TacAI: Vehicles that 'retreat' from a threat will cancel any area fire they have planned. * Quick Battle has a new Force Mix type called Pure Armor, in which *only* armor may be purchased. * Battles saved as Tournaments will automatically be played using Extreme Fog of War. MODELS: * New: Pz 38(t) E, BT-2, SPW 250/11, Valentine III, StuG IV (early and late), German 28mm sPzB 41 antitank gun * Updated: Tiger I (early, mid, and late), M3 Scout Car, PSW 234/1, Puma, PSW 234/3, SPW 250/1 (old), Churchill, Russian 76.2mm M1927/39 Regimental Gun BUG FIXES: * Corrected problems with units becoming excessively exhausted such that recovery took too long. * Ordnance is far less likely to fire a shot just over the top of nearby intervening terrain, only to see it impact into the top of that terrain. * Ampulomets are properly textured. * Quick-battle ammo depletion setting works correctly for computer-purchased forces. * PBEM file sizes are much smaller when ski troops are involved. * Antiaircraft fire is somewhat reduced in effectiveness, and aircraft which are damaged are more likely to retreat before being shot down. * When units follow a vehicle that is a sound contact the game will not inadvertently indicate the vehicle's true position. * Units score points normally when they exit the map as passengers on a vehicle. * Black command lines won't be drawn to HQs that have been captured. * Artillery "Reset Target" command remembers whether you were firing HE or smoke. * Infantry units won't "run in place" underneath a rotating vehicle they're supposed to embark upon. They'll wait for the vehicle to finish rotating. * The presence of enemy foxholes won't be given away by the cursor display when you move the mouse around, attempting to place a unit in the setup phase. * If a vehicle or pillbox/bunker takes a hit and suffers more than 1 casualty the word "casualties" is shown properly, not garbage text. * Option to show all covered arcs (shift-X) is remembered from game to game. * Airplane bombs have a more realistic (smaller) effect radius against upright infantry targets. * Corrected a small misregistration problem between the cross-shaped road-junction graphic and the underlying representation. * MG Carriers properly rotate in order to engage targets with the MG. * Tanks whose crews are bailing out will continue to "influence" victory flags until the tank is fully abandoned or knocked out, so as not to give away the fact that the tank is knocked out by having the flag switch colors too soon. * Units firing small arms won't harm *themselves* at night, though they can still potentially harm other friendly units. * (French version) Exit zone graphics are corrected. UNIT DATA CHANGES/FIXES/ADDITIONS: * Soviet 122mm APBC becomes available February 1945. * T-34, SU-85, SU-122 lower front hull slope is 53 degrees. * KV-I series (except KV-IS) lower front hull slope is 30 degrees. * SU-85, SU-100, SU-122 upper hull side slope is 20 degrees. * Various small changes to armor on IS-2 series. * ZIS-3 gun is L/42. Muzzle velocities are not changed. * Soviet 82mm M-8 and 132mm M-13 rockets first available July 1941. * German 214mm rockets first available February 1943. * German 50mm mortar minimum range decreased to 60m. * Early StuG IV has a top-mounted MG. * Nimrod has 6 crew and carries a greater proportion of anti-tank ammunition. * Zrinyi is called Zrinyi II (there is no Zrinyi I in the game, which was only a prototype). It carries HEAT ammunition. Front armor increased to 75mm, side armor reduced to 25mm. * Hungarian 40mm AT gun, and 20mm cannon mounted in Toldi I and Csaba armored car are single-shot weapons. * Main gun and MG ammo loads increased for Toldi IIA and Toldi III. * Hungarian 40mm AP ammo on or after April 1943 is better than the type used earlier. * Turan I and II side armor is 25mm. * Csaba AC side and rear armor is 9mm. * Hungarians may use captured Soviet 45mm and 76mm guns. * Hungarian tank hunters are more likely to have panzerfausts starting May 1944. * Hungarian Tiger is available through September 1944. * Hungarian Panther is available from September 1944 through February 1945. * Hungarian 47mm AT gun is rarer starting in February 1943. * Hungary uses the Pz IIIM not the early Pz IIIJ. * Hungarian 50mm mortar data adjusted slightly. * Hungarian 81mm mortar minimum range increased to 75m. * Various small changes to Hungarian vehicle rarity values in 1944-45. --------------------- v1.01 changes --------------------- MODIFICATIONS: * Setting up a defending unit (which is prepared to dig a foxhole) on top of a 'shallow' crater (one that does not register as 'crater' with the LOS tool) will not remove the shallow crater. * Tracer graphics are larger at higher camera elevations so they're more visible. * Vehicle bog rates are reduced somewhat, especially in drier conditions. * Mortars have a smoke puff when they fire. * Mortar tubes and bases are textured. * Metallic ricochet sounds won't be played when firing on a unit that's near a metal object if the firer is very close. * Units' colored bases are drawn at more appropriate heights. * Passengers inside a halftrack are more difficult to spot. * The 'split' half of a squad begins with no movement orders even if the original squad had some. * Action computation is about 15% faster. * Crews in immobilized tanks do not bail out so quickly when being struck by harmlessly small shells. * Ski troops moving in a building lose their skis. * Vehicle rotation speeds are lowered when the vehicle's forward speed is very low. * Quick Battles may be set to last up to 120 turns. * The officer-level 'rank' graphic indicating an HQ vehicle is shown for enemy vehicles only at the very highest level of 'identification', so it's now a bit harder to determine which enemy tanks are the HQs. * Ordnance may be moved through a wood fence (slowly). * Late-war Soviets, and mid- and late-war German army units, and all SS units have new 'rank' pictures. * Infantry units are less likely to move out of the way of oncoming vehicles (the vehicles must be heading more directly at them). * Generated maps which have hilliness set to random will never be created totally flat (though you can still choose 'flat' directly if you want). * Finns can be assigned panzerfausts in the editor on or after May 1944 (but note that they should be considered very rare before July, and even then are far less common than they are among German troops). * Finnish StuG III vehicles are now the "early mid" version, not the "early" version (note: 3D model is not changed, however). * Move to Contact stops the moving unit only if a spotted enemy appears in the moving unit's covered arc (if any). * Trenches may be placed over craters and pavement. * Effectiveness of German 37mm AP round is reduced due to manufacturing flaws. Also given large explosive charge. * Slight tweaks made to effectiveness of German 50mm APC round. * Vehicle passengers may be group-selected with the mouse when vehicles are 'hidden' using the SHIFT-V option. * Tungsten-armed ATRs may fire on unarmored vehicles. * Quick Battles set in northern or Finnish regions in winter are highly likely to have snow on the ground even during non-snowing weather. * Regular Finnish squads may carry demo charges. * All Finnish squads, when equipped with a demo charge, may attempt to clear mines (as Engineers/Pioneers do from other nations, because the Finns have no specific Pioneers in their TO&E). * Finnish 75mm AT gun is first available July 1943. * The Finn PzIV never saw real-life combat, so it's available only in August 1944 at extremely high rarity. * The suppression thresholds for panicking, breaking and routing are a bit higher. * Fatigue rate for sneak movement is moderately reduced. * Troops imported into a quick battle have their ammunition replenished. * HQ units, when hiding, are slightly less likely to open fire on enemy units (i.e. "start" an ambush). * ATRs have some minimal capability against infantry. * Smoke from burning vehicles blocks LOS a bit more. * German Sd Kfz 7 Gun Tractor will not be misidentified as a fully-armored halftrack, or vice-versa. UNIT DATA CHANGES/FIXES/ADDITIONS: * Finnish StuG III becomes available June 1944. * Soviet 50mm mortar is available until war's end (Airborne uses it). * PTRD ATR removed from two TO&Es that had it appear before September 1941. * Valentine IX now carries the Mk. V L/50 6 pdr gun (rather than the Mk. III L/43 version). * Max MG range for M17 halftrack is now 2500m. * M17 halftrack crew may not button up. * Finns have some radio-equipped forward observers. * Slight corrections to armor ratings of captured Panther A, Panzer IIIJ, and T-34 M42. MODELS: * New vehicle models: BT-5 M1933, BT-5A, BT-7 M1937, BT-7M, BT-7A, T-70 M1943, Toldi II, Zrinyi, TACAM R-2, Brummbaer (mid and late), Pz IVG (mid and late), Pz IVH, Pz IVJ, Pz M15/42 738(i), Semovente L40 da 47/32, Csaba, Nimrod, Ansaldo CV-35, R-35, R-1 Tankette. * Lowered crewman in Nimrod. * Small fix to 76mm Sherman. * Lowered crewman in PSW 222. BUG FIXES: * Prisoners cannot be given covered-arc orders. * Corrected a problem where bailed tank crews from a saved game would show graphical problems with their uniforms or crash when clicked on. * Corrected a problem where it was possible to group-select units, and include an enemy unit when giving orders. * T-40 tankette info panel mentions the combination 12.7mm/7.62mm MG mount (it was already in the game data). * Fixed some problems caused when a covered arc is set by clicking on the "sky" at lower camera angles. * Orders delay will update properly when a mid-path waypoint is deleted. * Vehicle TacAI obstacle-avoidance won't remove seek-hull-down orders at the end of a movement path. * Update to torso texture for late-war Soviet Naval infantry platoon HQ. * Corrected a problem with the Play Balance setting, when duplicating tanks they are now given proper HQ links (if any are required). * Corrected a bug that would show a partially-identified Kubelwagen as a "jeep". * Corrected the "gun rack" graphic for the Orita SMG. * Corrected some tank data window display issues relating to which and how many armor penetration data sets (by ammo type) are shown. * Passengers on a bogged-down tank don't hover in midair. * ATR units on skis don't show their ATR set on the ground. * In a TCP/IP game, a squad that begins the scenario split into teams, but during the setup phase is recombined into a single squad, won't "re-split" into an "extra" team upon completion of the setup phase. * Graphically, passengers fit better into halftracks and are placed more accurately on the SU-122. * Armor penetration of the Russian 122mm HE round adjusted down slightly. * Corrected a rare problem where the end turn number was displayed as garbled text. * Corrected a problem that could cause grain, brush, and rough terrain not to affect line of sight properly. * Infantry intending to disembark won't delay doing so when their vehicle is bogged. * Fixed a crash bug that surfaced in the "A Battle of Minors" scenario. * Fixed a bug that sometimes caused units to be (incorrectly) shifted between battles in a "static" operation. * Corrected rarity for the 57mm ZiS-2 AT guns in the Soviet Motorized Rifle Battalion (Tank) '44. * Split-squads won't give victory points to the opponent at the end of the game by counting their men as 'dead'. * Optics quality is not listed in an enemy unit's data window unless the unit is (mostly) identified. * A main gun icon won't be shown in the 'gun rack' display for an enemy unit unless it's (mostly) identified so as not to give away too much information about, for example, a howitzer-armed halftrack. * In a two-player Quick Battle, the results of map-generation parameters set to 'random' are not shown to the second player before he purchases units. * Corrected problems with MG rotation/elevation graphics on M17 halftrack. * Sometimes, enemy troops 'imported' from a previous battle map into a Quick Battle would not be spotted immediately at the end of the setup phase when they should have been. This is corrected. * Crews won't abandon MG-pillboxes/bunkers that run out of ammo. * Infantry movement speed reduced in woods. * German 75mm recoilless rifle shows gray camo in early war and yellow in late war (instead of vice-versa). * Backspace/delete key works to delete a waypoint *during* the giving of movement orders as well. * SPW 250/1 and 251/1 don't automatically button up to use their MG. * Corrected a swapped-bitmap graphic problem in the 45mm Model 42 gun model. * R-1 Tankette data window lists both MGs correctly. * German 75mm and 105mm hollow-charge rounds don't skip December 1942 for availability. * Quick Battle-imported troops are not subject to further random experience variations. * Corrected some problems where the mouse pointer would give away too much information about unspotted trenches, roadblocks, and barbed wire. * Quick battles played in other than the southern region do not always have "damp" ground in clear weather. * Corrected a graphical glitch where occasionally a sound contact would show an infantryman carrying a "blank" weapon. * Corrected a problem where a tank, abandoned between battles in an operation, sometimes continued to move under its original momentum in the first game turn. * Corrected MG texture problem with Sd Kfz 250/8 * Correction to a unit's name in the Italian TO&E. * Corrected a problem where a planned movement path would sometimes turn red if placed over an unspotted enemy tank. * Fixed a bug that sometimes caused very small quick battles to have no forces for one side. * Captured units will not be imported into a new Quick Battle which loads in an existing game map. * Kubelwagen's horsepower and top speed ratings are corrected. * Italian ski troops use proper Italian 'icon' in scenario list. * Finnish 76mm artillery spotter correctly listed as 76mm. * Corrected a problem where soft vehicles could take too much damage from ordnance weapons. * Fixed an unhandled exception error at 0x004829BE. * Automatic force builder in Quick Battles is less likely to pick Pioneers/Engineers, especially for the defender. * If a TCP/IP game is saved during setup phase and reloaded as a PBEM, setup will not be skipped for the second player. * Romanian BA-10 shows the correct 'icon' side view. * Hiding units with covered arcs won't be triggered to stop hiding by a dead unit inside the covered arc. * Troops carrying molotovs or magnetic mines are not prohibited from using grenades against pillbox rear doors. * Ordnance and good-order units are less likely to be 'bumped' out of an area that becomes overcrowded. * Soviet pistols don't look like German pistols in the gun rack interface after loading a saved game. * Corrected a problem that caused pillboxes sometimes to cancel their covered arcs. * (French version) Exit-zone graphics are in French text. * (French version) The +/- editor buttons for setting the number of flags in a battle appear normally. * (German version) Minor text corrections for grammar and screen placement. --------------------------------------- Game manual errata v1.01 *** page 9 - CHANGE Getting started - computers running windows 1. Insert the CD-ROM into your computer's CD-ROM drive. 2. The CD does not Autoplay. Browse to your CD-ROM drive from the 'My Computer' icon on your desktop. You will see a single file called "CMBB Installer.exe". 3. Double-click "CMBB Installer.exe" to begin the games installation. Default install location is C:\Program Files\CMBB *** page 9 - CHANGE Starting up the game - Computers running windows 1. Make sure your Combat Mission CD-ROM is in your drive. 2. Click on the Start Button 3. Select "Programs" 4. Select the "Combat Mission Barbarossa to Berlin" Program Group. 5. Select the "Combat Mission Barbarossa to Berlin" entry to launch the game. *** page 53 - ADDITION The environment - terrain A description of craters and cemeteries terrain is missing from the manual. CRATERS Craters are similar to foxholes in their game effect (in fact they share the same textures) and the concealment and cover they provide to troops, but unlike foxholes they come in various shapes and forms. First of all, craters can be placed by the scenario designer on the map, or randomly for a computer generated map by setting the "damage" value in the preferences to "light, medium, heavy or excessive". Craters can also appear on the map as a result of combat, specifically upon impact of high explosive and other gun rounds and other heavy ordnance, like artillery. However, not all craters which are seen on the map are useful for cover purposes (i.e.. deep and large enough). Some craters are considered "shallow" (you will notice that they are a tad lighter than "deep" craters", and do not provide any additional cover. If in doubt, you can find out which type of crater you are facing by using the LOS tool. If the word "crater" appears above the mouse cursor, the crater is "deep" enough to provide cover. Craters also slow down movement for both vehicles and infantry, and they also vary in size, with large caliber shells sometimes creating impact craters large enough to fit an entire infantry platoon inside. CEMETERIES Cemeteries provide acceptable cover and fair concealment for infantry units against small arms fire, similar to rocky and rough terrain. *** page 63 - CLARIFICATION Antipersonnel Mines The manual says that units will refuse to enter a minefield once it is known, however, in the next paragraph it says that Mines that are known are less likely to go off because the troops are paying more attention. That seems unclear. What is meant is that a unit current moving THROUGH a minefield is less likely to set off subsequent mines as they try to get out of the mined area. *** Page 190 - ADDITION Joining a Game Host Minimizing Game While Awaiting For Client To Join Some video cards will not properly initialize their graphics if the host has the game minimized when the client joins. To prevent this from occurring we recommend that the host does NOT minimize the game while awaiting for the client to connect. This is only an issue when the client is attempting to join the game. *** page 242 - CHANGE/CLARIFICATION Troubleshooting - Manual Game Installation procedure The manual game installation procedure specified on page 242 is not valid, and the entire paragraph should be deleted. In order to fit the whole game data on one CD, we had to compress the game data heavily, so that a manual installation procedure is not possible by copying individual files. Unfortunately the manual was already in print when this decision was made, so please disregard this section of the manual. *** page 252 Support email - CHANGE Please note that all support requests should be sent to support@battlefront.com. The old feedback@bigtimesoftware.com email address will no longer be functional. *** page 3 Game Credits Additional Foley Work - Patrick Zimmerling (sorry for the typo, Patrick!) Voice Talent - Marco Germani (Italian Voice Talent) Historical Research - Michael Rausch (providing original Wehrmacht documents, especially on optics) Additional help - Chris Jenkins (providing a huge database for names for many nations in the game) Sorry to all of the above for leaving you guys out! --------------------------------------- TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE LATEST NVIDIA DRIVERS (40.xx) AND FULL SCREEN ANTI-ALIASING (FSAA) Nvidia has recently released a new set of Detonator drivers (version 41.09 released Decemeber 3, 2002). Testing has shown that the implementation of Full Screen Anti-Aliasing in these drivers once again has a fault in it which will cause issues in Combat Mission. The most common problem reported is invisible text in all 2D portions of the game interface including all game menu's. There are several current workarounds for this problem. A). If you wish to use these new drivers AND also have FSAA enabled you can minimize (alt-Tab) and then maximize the game. That should make the hidden text reappear. B). If you disable FSAA with these drivers you should not have any problems with in-game text. C). The last official driver release (30.82 and 30.87) was both stable, good performing and did not have this FSAA bug. Currently version 30.82 and 30.87 of the Detonator Drivers are the only ones we can recommend for all Nvidia based video cards. Those earlier drivers can be found at: http://www.guru3d.com *** RADEON VIDEO CARDS AND SLUGGISH GAME PERFORMANCE If you have a Radeon video card and are noticing sluggish or stuttering game performance you may want to try and disable the Z-Mask setting on your card. Many people have reported substantial performance improvements when they disabled the Z-Mask. This is a setting that is accessible using a Radeon Tweak Program which you can find here: http://www.rage3d.com/r3dtweak/ *** For the latest info and Tech Support Info be sure and login to our Combat Mission Tech Support Forum located at: http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=8