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In CMx2, the skill level of a battle is a general control which adjusts the overall difficulty and the degree of realism displayed by the user interface.

When you launch a new battle, you can set the skill level on the Select Game Options screen. Once it is set, the skill level cannot be changed during that battle or campaign.

There are six skill levels, from easiest to hardest: Scenario Author Test, Basic Training, Veteran, Warrior, Elite, and Iron. The following sections describe each skill level in more detail.

Scenario Author Test[]

Scenario Author Test may be selected as a skill level in one-player games only. It was created to be used by scenario authors (duh!) when testing their battles. The user interface is similar to that in Basic Training skill level, with the following exceptions:

  • All enemy units are fully displayed to the player (but not to the player's troops unless spotted normally). Computer controlled units show their movement paths when selected.
  • The +/- keys function ("jump to the next unit") also works with enemy units.

Basic Training[]

Basic Training is the easiest setting. The following rules apply:

  • Friendly units are always spotted.
  • The normal command and control related spotting rules do not apply. Instead, spotting information is instantly shared among all units on each side (aka “Borg Spotting”)
  • Troops suffer slightly fewer casualties and are less likely to panic.
  • Buddy aid is very fast.
  • Artillery and air support arrive very quickly.
  • Enemy units, once spotted, are always fully identified.
  • The life/death status of enemy vehicles is displayed immediately.
  • Enemy weapons and suppression are displayed.
  • The player can hear the voices of unspotted enemies.

Veteran[]

Veteran is a moderately hard setting.

  • Friendly units are always spotted.
  • Spotting information is distributed among teams using the standard command and control rules.
  • Once spotted, enemy units are sometimes not immediately identified. When a unit is spotted but not identified, it are shown as a generic "enemy contact" on the user interface.
  • Buddy aid is faster than is historically accurate.
  • Artillery and air support arrive faster than is historically accurate.
  • The life/death status of enemy vehicles is hidden until the crew bails out or the vehicle starts to burn.
  • The player cannot hear unspotted enemies.

Warrior[]

Warrior is similar to the Veteran setting but with historically accurate time delays for a number of tasks and events. Experienced players who want a more realistic simulation will favor this setting. The rules are the same as to veteran level, with these changes:

  • Once spotted, enemy units always appear as generic "enemy contact" icons until they are positively identified by friendly forces.
  • Buddy aid takes a realistic amount of time.
  • Artillery and air support take a realistic amount of time to arrive.

Elite[]

Elite is similar to Warrior with only one difference:

  • All enemy infantry units are always displayed using the plain "soldier" icon. Strangely, you can still click on the enemy unit and see some information about it.

Iron[]

Iron is similar to Elite, with one difference:

  • Friendly units must be spotted, just like enemy units.
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