Combat Mission - Battle for Normandy (CM:BN) faithfully recreates the experience of tactical land warfare in Western France during World War Two. At the player's fingertips are a large array of carefully researched US and German Army formations, equipment, and vehicles in what is probably the most versatile, genuine and powerful battlefield simulation to date. CM:BN depicts the 1944 Normandy landscape, both rural and urban, with an authentic atmosphere and, more importantly, tactical fidelity. Barns, churches, houses with sloped roofs, and many other styles of buildings are included in addition to revamped "modular" style buildings for building larger blocks, towns and even entire cities. Many new terrain types such as heavy forest ground, railroads, crops, (animated) water and fords, bridges (with weight limits) and of course the infamous Norman "bocage" hedgerows allow for a distinct and realistic look and feel of both rural and urban environments. As one should expect, the terrain isn't there for looks alone - the detailed 1 meter by 1 meter terrain mesh allows for stunningly realistic maps that go far beyond visuals. Dynamic lighting, deformable terrain including partial and complete destruction of buildings, a wide range of weather types and environmental effects including rain, fog, heavy winds (with ballistic effects), realistic ground conditions, many new 'Flavor Objects' such as gravestones, haystacks, sheds or woodpiles and graphic special effects only help to further accentuate and intensify the playable environments. Each soldier is modeled individually, including independent spotting and combat/weapon capabilities. The new context sensitive equipment loadout for individual soldiers means that you will see a Panzergrenadier firing his MP40 machinepistol with a Panzerschreck on his back. When the Panzerfaust is fired you see it visually and then it disappears. A large variety of completely new animations, stances and positions adds to the immersion. Soldiers can surrender and be "rescued", administer "buddy aid" to wounded comrades, share ammo with nearby troops and vehicles, fire from open topped vehicles or open hatches and much more. Vehicles are also simulated in greater fidelity in CM:BN than what was possible before. The new system allows not only for exponentially greater data modeling, but also the best visuals provided yet with the extremely detailed hi-polygon 3D vehicle models with articulated suspensions, animated hatches, MG and weapon mounts and smoke launchers. From the extensive damage modeling individually for each sub-system including the most realistic ballistics, armor and post-armor effects available to date, to the randomly individualized vehicle models (including external equipment like sandbags or ammo boxes, wheels and tracks, damaged fenders and more. Additionally, gone are the old CMBO days when US tanks magically moved through hedgerows without leaving an actual breach. Now you can watch a Sherman with Rhino attachment plow through bocage, leaving a gap for infantry to follow. Unlike many other games, CM:BN offers far more than a limited handful of maps and missions. In fact, CM:BN delivers endless replayability, just like the first Combat Mission games did. Besides two semi-dynamic campaigns, one from each side's perspective, you will find dozens of standalone missions, full two-player capability for both online play as well as Play-By-Email (PBEM), and an innovative and almost entirely overhauled QuickBattles system including troops purchase, "cherry picking" and map selection and preview.
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