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Snowy Days in September - Let's Play Close Combat: Last Stand Arnhem What is this? The modern(ish) remake of the original 1997 classic, Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far. CC:ABTF is widely considered to be the best of the series, and whilst this remake does offer some good updates, it's essentially the same game. The game consists of a simultaneous (We-Go) turn-based strategic overview layer, where battle groups are moved between different areas of a large map. After all moves have been committed, areas sharing opposing battle groups trigger a real-time battle. The battle scale is individual soldiers and vehicles, and a whole range of different aspects are modelled, including the mental states of soldiers. When is it set? During Operation Market Garden in World War Two, which ran from 17 - 25 September, 1944, where Allied airborne troops attempted to capture several key bridges in the Netherlands, whilst a Commonwealth armoured spearhead tried to link them all together. What format is the LP going to be in? It will be in video format, with vignettes from each individual battle making up the video. I'll also be trying to explain some of what actually happened during the battle as we play through it. We'll be playing as the Allies (Britain, USA and Poland) in this run. Why this game in particular? Operation Market Garden was an absolutely enormous all-or-nothing gamble from the Western Allies, and if it had succeeded it could have caused the collapse of the entire German war effort (theoretically). At 34,000 troops dropped from the air, it is the largest airborne operation the world has ever seen. However, due to poor intelligence and planning, an operation which should have taken four days instead ended in a close defeat after eight days of constant fighting, with heroics on either side, most notably from the British troops in Arnhem, who took a catastrophic 80% casualty rate whilst holding the bridge for four more days than they were meant to against huge numbers of SS units, with basically no supply and no working radios. Opposed river crossings, gliders landing under fire, tank battles, Operation Market Garden had it all. This is maybe one of the most exciting operations in history. The other Close Combat games are pretty universally great, but ABTF/LSA is generally considered the most fun and balanced, and one of the most capable of producing amazing moments of excitement. OK, sounds pretty cool, anything I should do before watching the LP? If you want a little bit of context before we get stuck in, I'd recommend checking out a couple of the following: Band of Brothers has an episode set during Operation Market Garden which gives a good American perspective. Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is set during the same period, although it's a tactical shooter not a strategy game. A Bridge Too Far (1977) is a classic war epic which covers the whole operation from every perspective, and features a veritable tour de force of acting ability, including Sean Connery, Michael Cain, Gene Hackman and Anthony Hopkins. If you only decide to check out one of these, make it this one. Cornelius Ryan, A Bridge Too Far is the book the above film is based on. I haven't read it, but it's meant to be pretty good. Robert Kershaw, It Never Snows in September again I haven't read (but it is the inspiration for the thread title). Covers Operation Market Garden from the German perspective. Between the above, you should have a pretty good idea of what we're in for, but you won't suffer if you don't bother. Viewer Participation Amazingly in Last Stand Arnhem, you can change the name of squads and vehicles to basically anything you want. As such, if you want to be a lone sniper, a powerful tank or just a bunch of random grunts, please reply with the following information: Force: Choices are US Airborne, British/Polish Airborne and XXX Corps (Commonwealth Armoured force) Unit type: There's a list here you can look at to choose, otherwise just pick at random! Not all units will be on the map at the start, but I'll try to bring on named ones quickly. Name: Any name you want within the imposed 24 character limit. Pick a few different names if you want, two or three is fine by me. Our current comrades: (These will be added as soon as I get the chance in-game) Jobbo_Fett - Three Reichs, You're Out! - XXX Corps - Command Cromwell - Alive (Welsh Guards) The Sandman - The Wrath of Connery - BR Airborne - Airlanding Company HQ - Alive (South Staffs.) Galaga Galaxian - Galaga Galaxian - US Airborne - Bazooka - Alive (506th PIR) Arelon - Hackman's Accent - Polish - Para Company HQ - Alive (Polish Airborne) Shadiiw - Smashing! - BR Airborne - Mortar Team - Alive (1st PARA Brigade) Bacarruda - Tanks for the Memories - XXX Corps - Sherman - Alive (Grenadier Guards) Sad King Billy - Mark Clarke = F**ktard - XXX Corps - Scout Group - Alive (Irish Guards) Triple A - Dirty Half Dozen - US Airborne - Rifle Squad - Alive (508th PIR) TehKeen - Mother Deuce - US Airborne - .50 Cal HMG - Alive (506th PIR) Triple A - From Somme, with love - BR Airborne - Vickers MG - Alive (4th PARA Brigade) JCDent - Spotted Dick - XXX Corps - Command Cromwell - Alive (Irish Guards) Danger-Pumpkin - The Man from P.U.M.P.K.I.N. -US Airborne - Sniper - Alive (508th PIR) wiegieman - Turrets Syndrome - XXX Corps - Command Cromwell - Not on map Triple A - Gravediggers - BR Airborne - Para RE Bren Group - Alive (4th PARA Brigade) Danger-Pumpkin - From Warsaw, With Love - Polish - Mortar - Alive (Polish Airborne) JcDent - Lobster - XXX Corps - Cromwell - Alive (Welsh Guards) Updates Turn 1, Part 1 - 17 September, 15:00 Turn 1, Part 2 - 17 September, 15:00 Turn 2, Part 1 - 17 September, 18:00 Turn 2, Part 2 - 17 September, 18:00 Turn 3, Part 1 - 18 September, 00:00 Turn 3, Part 2 - 18 September, 00:00 Turn 4, Part 1 - 18 September, 06:00 Turn 4, Part 2 - 18 September, 06:00 Turn 5, Part 1 - 18 September, 09:00 Turn 5, Part 2 - 18 September, 09:00 Turn 6 - 18 September, 12:00 Turn 7 - 18 September, 15:00 Turn 8, Part 1 - 18 September, 18:00 Turn 8, Part 2 - 18 September, 18:00 Turn 9, Part 1 - 19 September, 00:00 Turn 9, Part 2 - 19 September, 00:00 Turn 10, Part 1 - 19 September, 06:00 Turn 10, Part 2 - 19 September, 06:00 Turn 11, Part 1 - 19 September, 09:00 Turn 11, Part 2 - 19 September, 09:00 Turn 12 - 19 September, 12:00 Turn 13 - 19 September, 15:00 Turn 14 - 19 September, 18:00 Turn 15 - 20 September, 00:00 Turn 16 - 20 September, 06:00 Turn 17 - 20 September, 09:00 Turn 18 - 20 September, 12:00 Turn 19 - 20 September, 15:00 Turn 20 - 20 September, 18:00 Turn 21 - 21 September, 00:00 Turn 22 - 21 September, 06:00 Turn 23 - 21 September, 09:00 Turn 24 - 21 September, 12:00 Turn 25 - 21 September, 15:00 Turns 26 and 27 - 21 September, 18:00 - 00:00 Turn 28 - 22 September, 06:00 Turn 29 - 22 September, 09:00 Turn 30 - 22 September, 12:00 Turn 31 - 22 September, 15:00 Turn 32 - 22 September, 18:00 Turns 33 and 34 - 22 September, 00:00 - 23 September, 06:00 INinja132 fucked around with this message at 17:41 on Feb 3, 2016 |
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Aug 11, 2015 21:57
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No Comets?! Gimme a Cromwell CS! Should probably name it. Name it... Three Reichs, You're Out! Jobbo_Fett fucked around with this message at 00:37 on Aug 12, 2015 |
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Aug 12, 2015 00:16
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Also worth checking out is the book from which the game takes it name from and which the film is based on, written by the war reporter Cornelius Ryan. The battle had been a huge gamble witch pretty much hinged on the hopes that maybe, maybe if we want it enough nothing will go wrong. It failed spectacularly and was pretty much never spoken of again until the publishing of the book in the seventies. Montgomery apparently called his brain child, which wasted thousands of men and an enormous amount of resources in a shortage while not being able to come any closer to the goal of ending the war, a partial success. This is a great game though.
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Aug 12, 2015 00:58
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Can I get a 17 pdr AT gun? Name is "VW Refurb Parts Supplier"
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Aug 12, 2015 04:56
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Finally finished the movie on Sunday, it's  The action, the actors, the loving soundtrack, the range of emotions... the panzers might be on the Leopard-y side of things, but God drat, one hell of a movie. Can I get a Cromwell named "Kingskrieg"? EDIT: drat the game looks good and fun. Waiting for EP2. Do wounded soldiers get this red ring around them or something? Because it looks like some doods have redshift when thei move. JcDent fucked around with this message at 11:08 on Aug 12, 2015 |
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Aug 12, 2015 08:34
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Ali Alkali posted:Also worth checking out is the book from which the game takes it name from and which the film is based on, written by the war reporter Cornelius Ryan. The battle had been a huge gamble witch pretty much hinged on the hopes that maybe, maybe if we want it enough nothing will go wrong. It failed spectacularly and was pretty much never spoken of again until the publishing of the book in the seventies. Montgomery apparently called his brain child, which wasted thousands of men and an enormous amount of resources in a shortage while not being able to come any closer to the goal of ending the war, a partial success. Good shout, that would make sense, I'll add it to the OP. JcDent posted:EDIT: drat the game looks good and fun. Waiting for EP2. Do wounded soldiers get this red ring around them or something? Because it looks like some doods have redshift when thei move. I think (and the manual doesn't actually say but I know what you're talking about) it places a little red ring on either squad or platoon leaders. Not too sure though.
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Aug 12, 2015 11:22
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Ground floor! I loved CCABTF so much -that game was my introduction to modding and spreadsheets, I remember using this little purpose-built program called Quibble to edit it and make SMGs shoot tank shells when I was a kid. Its predecessor, the original Close Combat, was one of the very first games that I ever played as it came as a demo on the Windows 95 CD along with some awesome Monster Truck game.  I'll take the American sniper unit (even though I remember snipers being horrifically useless in this game), named Tacocat. INinja, if snipers actually ~are~ useless, I'll take the US Scout team instead.
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Aug 12, 2015 11:47
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I played this a long time ago but never saw a campaign all the way through. Kind of grinds on after playing it too much so good call with keeping battles edited to the more important parts. Not sure how much editing you want to put it, but some basic still images of the map with a few arrows to indicate troop movements and/or enemies spotted between jump cuts would be a good improvement if I may suggest it. Oh, and can I get a tank named after me. Preferably which ever one killed the Stug in the first fight?
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Aug 12, 2015 11:49
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TehKeen posted:I'll take the American sniper unit (even though I remember snipers being horrifically useless in this game), named Tacocat. INinja, if snipers actually ~are~ useless, I'll take the US Scout team instead. Funnily enough I just recorded the next part wherein a sniper actually gets a kill! It is extremely rare though, I must admit. Jade Star posted:I played this a long time ago but never saw a campaign all the way through. Kind of grinds on after playing it too much so good call with keeping battles edited to the more important parts. Not sure how much editing you want to put it, but some basic still images of the map with a few arrows to indicate troop movements and/or enemies spotted between jump cuts would be a good improvement if I may suggest it. Good idea, I'll make sure to do that for next turn. And yes, you may have the hero tank.
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Aug 12, 2015 13:41
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I'd like to take the British Airborne HQ for the paradrop at Arnhem. Nickname it "The Wrath of Connery". Also, the movie has (in my opinion) one of the most memorable bits of theme music in cinema.
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Aug 12, 2015 14:58
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I used to think snipers were useless too, but they're actually super useful for suppressing basically an entire flank by themselves. And because they can do it at long range they can remain hidden enough to not get blown to bits by mortars unlike a normal MG team. Of course, that assumes you don't stick them in the front line... Also, can I have any Polish infantry unit, name it "Hackman's Accent"
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Aug 12, 2015 15:08
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I would like to be a british mortar team! name them "smashing!"
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Aug 12, 2015 17:59
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Put me in as an airborne squad, or some kind of halftrack. Danger Pumpkin squad is not for the weak or fearful!
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Aug 12, 2015 22:12
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Sound levels are much nicer now. Looking forward to seeing this in action. I picked up Close Combat: Gateway to Caen a while back but never got around to trying it out. Maybe this thread will motivate me too. Also, shameful as it might be, I only just recently realized Combat Mission and Close Combat were separate game series. They seem so similar. Anyways Dwarf Me. I have no preferences besides an obvious desire to stay alive. 
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Aug 13, 2015 02:53
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Oh man, a Close Combat lp? The original ABTF was what got me into wargames way back when. Sign me up for a Stuart going by Matchbox!
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Aug 13, 2015 03:19
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I'll take a firefly, because fireflies are rad. Nickname, Knock-Out
Usual Barb fucked around with this message at 03:37 on Aug 13, 2015 |
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Aug 13, 2015 03:34
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I loved the old bridge too far, especially the grand campaign. I still think it's one of the best matches between squad combat and strategic play ever. Name me a Brit airborne bren team "Ordinary Air Service", and a Rifle Team in the same group " Who shears, trims" :iamafag:
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Aug 13, 2015 07:55
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As far as literature on the battle, I can't recommend It never snows in September by Krenshaw enough. It is an excellent account of the fight from the German side of things.
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Aug 13, 2015 10:02
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New update now available! In the second part of Turn 1, we capture some bridges, lose some footage and see the British in action. Keep those names coming in!
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Aug 13, 2015 20:13
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INinja132 posted:
I wondered what would happen if we/you faced mortars. Poor brits!
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Aug 14, 2015 12:05
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Good to see that somebody's doing a Close Combat game LP here. Have a Sherman Firefly named "Lion Tamer", what with them being useful taming all kinds of big cats.
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Aug 14, 2015 13:38
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Gimme a Sherman troop. Call 'em "Tanks a Lot," "Tank You," and "Tanks for the Memories"
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Aug 14, 2015 13:51
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Very interesting LP. Could you speak a little louder, though?
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Aug 14, 2015 14:10
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Bacarruda posted:Gimme a Sherman troop. Call 'em "Tanks a Lot," "Tank You," and "Tanks for the Memories" I'm still sorry that I didn't ask my Cromwell to be named "Britskrieg".
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Aug 14, 2015 14:34
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JcDent posted:I'm still sorry that I didn't ask my Cromwell to be named "Britskrieg". Don't worry, I've got your back, have a free Cromwell on me. Tevery Best posted:Very interesting LP. Could you speak a little louder, though? Yes, sorry, I tend to mumble when I'm thinking hard. I'll boost the mic a bit further next time as well, should help.
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Aug 14, 2015 18:26
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Maybe record the missions first and overlay the commentary later? That way you can focus on one thing at a time and illustrate things better with the benefit of hindsight.
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Aug 14, 2015 19:07
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Tevery Best posted:Maybe record the missions first and overlay the commentary later? That way you can focus on one thing at a time and illustrate things better with the benefit of hindsight. I'll consider it, but I think maybe the LP would lose something if I did it like that, I think the real-time commentary might work a bit better. I'll just make sure to speak louder, shouldn't be too tough to get used to it.
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Aug 14, 2015 20:01
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Depending on what audio editing software you have you could try auto-ducking as well.
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Aug 14, 2015 22:02
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I can just blanket boost the mic. I did it to an extent this time, but I'll step it up a bit for the next episode.
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Aug 14, 2015 22:18
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Hey INinja132 I think you forgot adding me to the roster! I'm really eager to see how things turn out when we have to engage proper units.
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Aug 15, 2015 00:40
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Mortars seem uncannily good at murdering gun crews (theirs and ours).
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Aug 15, 2015 07:58
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That has been true of every Close Combat game that I've ever played.
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Aug 15, 2015 08:13
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I personally think your commentary so far has been just right.
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Aug 15, 2015 08:45
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Hamilcar posted:Hey INinja132 I think you forgot adding me to the roster! Oops, sorry about that, fixed it now. Usual Barb posted:Mortars seem uncannily good at murdering gun crews (theirs and ours). Yes, get used to hearing explosions followed by screams when you're watching the British missions. wiegieman posted:I personally think your commentary so far has been just right. Thank you, it's nice to hear.
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Aug 15, 2015 09:34
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Give me a wolverine tank destroyer, call it the "Mighty Manstrong!"
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Aug 15, 2015 14:59
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For nostalgic reasons i request a British tank called "We're stuck!"
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Aug 15, 2015 17:25
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Could you rename an airborne squard to Berlin by christmas, then we'll see if you can make good on that promise.
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Aug 17, 2015 18:42
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The only problem with the LP that I have is that updates don't come soon enough. I appreciate the poo poo out of your avatar
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Aug 19, 2015 08:06
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New update now available! Ask and you shall receive! (Not really, this just happens to be when I finished uploading the next update.) In Turn 2, Part 1, the Americans clear the remaining resistance from the Southern half of the map, as we crack through a wealth of boring, easy missions. Also, for some reason the resolution continues to switch on a whim (although theories are posited in this very video!)
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Aug 20, 2015 00:48
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It struck me just now but despite my name rather being from the father of Hasdrubal and Hannbibal our dear comrade VW Refurb Parts Supplier (INTJ Mastermind) might not be here but for my help.
Hamilcar fucked around with this message at 02:30 on Aug 20, 2015 |
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Aug 20, 2015 02:11
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