Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg news & patch notes

We welcome you to join the 25th Anniversary Tournament with Combat Mission Final Blitzkrieg. To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Matrix Games, players will fight for a coupon prize pool. The amount of money will be given based on your final placement:

• Top 1: $60 Coupon

• Top 2: $50 Coupon

• Top 3: $40 Coupon

• Top 4: $30 Coupon

• Top 5-7: $20 Coupon (each position)

• Top 8-10: $10 Coupon (each position)

Round 1 - Breaking the Line

9 January, 1945

The 42nd, 63rd, and 70th Divisions had recently arrived in Marseilles from the United States after being cannibalized in the spring and summer of 1944 for replacements to be assigned to divisions currently in theater.  The intent was to leave these three divisions in reserve until July of 1945 when they could finish absorbing replacements for the troops previously stripped from the divisions and to complete the standard twelve-week large scale maneuver phase of training.  

When Patton's Third Army was redeployed to help in the fighting during the Battle of the Bulge, General Dever's Seventh Army was forced to cover parts of the front that the Third Army had previously held.  As a result of this shift the Seventh Army was forced to deploy the 42nd, 63rd, and 70th divisions into the front line, but because the divions were not ready to fight as fully formed formations yet the individual regiments of these divisions were parceled out to serve under the command of the various veteran divisions who were already in the line.

The 242nd Infantry Regiment of the 42nd Infantry Division has been assigned the task of defending Maginot Line fortifications in the areas north of the Hagenau Forest with the 1st Battalion being deployed east of the town of Hatten.  A German attack began in the pre dawn hours this morning.  A and B companies are defending Maginot Line positions located just to the east of town while C Company is being held in reserve in the town itself.

Round 2 -  Die Patrouille  

0735hrs 18 December 1944

Two days ago the Germans mounted a surprise attack, and have pushed swiftly westwards. Out forces at St Vith are in danger of being outflanked to the north and south.

Round 3 - Lanzerath Ridge

The early morning shelling finally stopped at 0700.  The artillery started before dawn and kept going for several hours. Most of the shells exploded in the tree tops.  Between that and the reinforced foxholes with overhead cover meant that the shelling caused no casualties.  However during the shelling, the forward telephone lines were severed. Now the only communication with the 394th regimental headquarters is by radio.  Lt Bouck, Private James, Sargent Slape and Corporal Creger went back into the village of Lanzerath to setup an observation post so they would know when the Germans arrived.  It did not take long to spot the lead elements of a German attack approaching the village.  The village observation post was abandoned right away – our fight will be along the ridge line. Shortly after returning to the platoon’s dug in positions, bringing along the artillery observer Lt. Springer and his men the Germans were seen in the town.

PLEASE NOTE - DO NOT ABANDON OR SURRENDER OR CEASEFIRE DURING A ROUND OR ELSE THE SCORING BECOMES INACCURATE.

Special instructions:

Before joining the tournament, please take a moment and carefully read these instructions that are specific to all Combat Mission Tournaments.

Something has been added since the last tournament. There is now a feature that can be added to a tournament called "Use Turn Reminder". Hopefully this will help is a player falls behind in their turns.

• Please do not sign up for this tournament if you are not sure that you will be able to play all of the battles.

• Because of the way that Combat Mission’s original “play by email” system works, both game files have an in-game field for password protection of the file. This field should be left blank. For the US side the password has been selected before the battles were sent and that field is to be left blank. You can use a password for the Soviet side but it isn’t needed because the Tournament feature handles protection from cheating without using the in game system.

• The Tournament will have you playing 2 individual battles where you are playing both sides of the same battle. If you get into the game before your opponent, you will see 1 game turn to play. If your opponent has gotten there first then you will see 2 turn files and each turn thereafter should have 2 files.

• Once a tournament begins you will receive the files in the "Saved Game and PBEM"; drop menu under Automated PBEM++ In Progress. You will receive email notifications when your opponent has sent you turns.

• You will need a Matrix user name and password to play any tournament (or PBEM++ battle). If you don't have one already you can get one here: https://www.matrixgames.com/login

Sign up now either through the game or here: https://www.matrixgames.com/tournaments

Hi everyone, We are excited to announce the acquisition of Battlefront, the renowned developers behind the Combat Mission series.

ELEVATING COMBAT MISSION'S LEGACY

This strategic move underscores our commitment to the wargaming community and the legacy of Combat Mission—a franchise celebrated for its unmatched tactical and strategic depth. With over 1 million copies sold worldwide, Combat Mission remains a defining force in the genre, setting the standard for authentic warfare simulations.

LOOKING FORWARD

This acquisition marks a new chapter for Combat Mission, as we plan to enhance the series with cutting-edge technology and innovative gameplay, all while preserving the core elements that have made it a favorite among wargamers for over 25 years. Battlefront's entire team, including the original creators, will be joining Slitherine, ensuring the continuity and quality that fans have come to expect. This partnership makes a milestone in wargaming, with Slitherine and Battlefront committed to delivering the best possible experience and ensuring the continued growth and success of the Combat Mission franchise.

AVAILABILITY & DISTRIBUTION

Combat Mission titles will continue to be available on all current platforms, including Matrix Games and Steam. To help both new and existing players, we have updated our FAQ and "How to Download My Games" sections, making it easier than ever to access and enjoy the series.

A DAY OF CELEBRATION

To celebrate this exciting milestone, we're thrilled to offer discounts of up to 60% on all Combat Mission titles. This is a limited-time sale, available until September 3rd, so don't miss out: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/combatmissionfranchisesale Additionally, we have organized a full day of streaming on our Twitch channel. The schedule includes a variety of Combat Mission titles, showcasing gameplay and strategies. Join us to experience our streamers in action and engage with our community. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43772341/81576c3109a93360acd451e5856c3d135c4091e5.jpg We are also pleased to announce the opening of subscriptions for a new Battle for Normandy tournament featuring three brand new maps. These maps have been meticulously crafted, all starting from the master map of the Battle Pack 2. Enjoy this Combat Mission milestone and celebration and don’t miss this perfect opportunity to expand your collection and dive into the acclaimed tactical warfare series at an unbeatable price.

Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our community as we launch our very first community activity on Discord. Starting today, every three days we will conduct a poll featuring various questions that will shape the design and creation of the next three fictional multiplayer maps for Combat Mission. These new maps will be brought to life by the talented Usually Hapless, who will use the community's responses from the polls to guide his creative process. But that's not all – Usually Hapless will also create a video tutorial, providing an in-depth look at how he crafts these maps using the game's editor. Once the maps are completed, we are thrilled to announce that there will be a special tournament featuring these community-inspired maps. This tournament will give players a chance to showcase their skills on the new battlegrounds and compete for a prize pool filled with coupon rewards. Join us on Discord today and help shape the future of Combat Mission maps. Your input is crucial, and we can't wait to see the incredible maps and intense battles that will come from this collaborative effort.

Combat Mission Final Blitzkrieg and its DLC Downfall, are now available. Combat Mission Final Blitzkrieg follows the Western Allies through the battles along Germany's border and into the heart of the Reich itself. The game covers the October 1944 through January 1945 timeframe with a focus on the American sector of the Battle of the Bulge. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2676000/Combat_Mission_Final_Blitzkrieg/ Join the assault into Germany! Command the late-war British, Canadian, and Polish forces through to VE Day, 8 May 1945, or take charge of desperate ad-hoc German forces and Volkssturm. In this DLC you can wield Comets, Pershings,and other late-war equipment through three campaigns (totaling twenty-four missions), ten standalone scenarios, and dozens of new Quick Battle maps. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2736420/Combat_Mission_Final_Blitzkrieg__Downfall/ To celebrate the launch on Steam and Matrix Games, the base game will be discounted by 30%, while the Combat Mission Final Blitzkrieg Complete Bundle will be discounted at 10% off for a limited time. https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/37950/Combat_Mission_Final_Blitzkrieg_Complete/ Anyone with a copy of the game purchased on Battlefront.com will also be able to redeem a Steam key HERE using their original game code. If you want to know how to do it, all details can be found here Last but not least, we are excited to announce the opening of sign-ups for a new tournament. The Tournament will begin February 5, 2024. This Tournament will feature 3 rounds with a different scenario each one. The round time is 50 days. Last Man Out- Remnants of 17th Armored Infantry Battalion attempt escape from Herrlisheim. Axis probe Trouble with Siegfried- Forward US elements meet the Westwall. Allied attack. Cutline to Grosshaw – Opposing infantry platoons clash during a fighting patrol into the Hurtgen Forrest. Meeting engagement   Before joining the tournament, please take a moment and carefully read these instructions that are specific to all Combat Mission Tournaments.   - Because of the way that Combat Mission’s original “play by email” system works, both game files have an in-game field for password protection of the file. This field should be left blank. For the Allied side the password has been selected before the battles were sent and that field is to be left blank. You can use a password for the Axis side but it isn’t needed because the Tournament feature handles protection from cheating without using the in game system. - The Tournament will have you playing 2 individual battles where you are playing both sides of the same battle. If you get into the game before your opponent, you will see 1 game turn to play. If your opponent has gotten there first then you will see 2 turn files and each turn thereafter should have 2 files.  - Once a tournament begins you will receive the files in the "Saved Game and PBEM"; drop menu under Automated PBEM++ In Progress. You will receive email notifications when your opponent has sent you turns.  - When logging in you MUST use the email address associated with your Martix account  - You will need a Matrix user name and password to play any tournament (or PBEM++ battle). You can sign up here. Don't miss it.