Bridge work

[PoorOldSpike]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMbridges.jpg

BLOWING BRIDGES TEST RESULTS
(Note CM's inbuilt randomness means figures may vary slightly from game to game)

TEST 1 - HEAVY BRIDGE(high pointed arch graphics)
150mm shells from Hummels/ Brummbars/ Grilles = 128 shells needed to drop bridge
75mm shells from PzIVH's = 522 shells to drop bridge
Pioneer demo charges = 66 charges to drop bridge

TEST 2 - MEDIUM BRIDGE(gentle low arch graphics)
150mm = 5 shells needed
75mm = 22 shells needed
Demos = 3 charges needed

TEST 3 - LIGHT BRIDGE(Trestle graphics)
150mm = 3 shells needed
75mm = 13 shells needed
Demos = 2 charges needed

Note:- Don't spread the shells/charges along the length of the bridge or it'll take more to drop it, so concentrate on one spot.
Note:-Don't shoot at the road at the ends of the bridge even though the targetting cursor says "bridge" or it'll take longer to drop; so target the dark grey bridge surface itself. And it doesn't matter whether you target a spot above an arch or not, it's no tougher or weaker there.
Note:- You can monitor the "damage asterisks" at the end of each turn via the "look" cursor to see how you're doing; 1 asterisk means light damage, 2 asts mean medium damage, 3 mean about to drop.
Note:- When throwing demo charges, 30metres is max range, watch for "use explosives" confirmation message when targetting.
Note:- Flamethrowers have no effect against bridges,not even the light bridge.

[PoorOldSpike]

GRENADE BUNDLES CAN BLOW BRIDGES (but you'll need a lot more than demo charges)

PIC 1 -In this test each squad has 3x bundles so I order them to throw them onto the medium bridge to blow it and stop the Russian column getting across. (max throwing range is 30m)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/bundles1.png



PIC 2 - A total of 5 bundles sailed through the air like this and exploded on the bridge during the first turn but it's still standing..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/bundle2.png




PIC 3 - No sweat, it finally blows near the end of turn 2 when the 9th bundle explodes on it..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/bundle3.png


TAC NOTES-Better count whether your men have got enough bundles before you think about bridge-blowing, the bridge was a medium, note 9 bundles were needed to blow it, but the figure varies slightly in each game, (and a light one would blow much quicker)
But forget about blowing a heavy bridge with bundles, you'd need dozens.
Incidentally demo charges are much better at blowing bridges, only about 3 are needed to drop a med bridge, see them in action earlier in this thread.

[PoorOldSpike]

BLOWING BRIDGES TO HALT ENEMY ADVANCE

PIC 1- Pioneers in cover near the medium bridge see an enemy armoured column approaching down the road,so i order them to target the bridge (note the 'use explosives' tag). Max throwing distance for demos is 30m..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/bridge1.jpg




PIC 2- The demos begin flying and explode on the bridge..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/bridge2.jpg

[PoorOldSpike]

PIC 3- Boom, down she goes as the third demo explodes, and you've probably won the game if there are no other bridges or ordinary fords for his tanks to cross the river.. (All units in CM can cross ordinary fords, but only infantry can cross deep fords)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/bridge3.jpg




PIC 4- ALTERNATIVELY you can drop the bridge with tank area-fire like this..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/bridge4.jpg




PIC 5- and down she goes..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/bridgex.jpg

[PoorOldSpike]

BLOWN BRIDGE GRAPHIC APPEARS ON MAP EVEN WITHOUT LOS

This cmbb test shows that when a bridge is blown, it's replaced by a blown graphic seen by all units even if they have no LOS.
Makes sense to me, as in real life I'm sure an attacker would make recce flights (abstracted in CM) to get vital intelligence about which bridges are up or down before launching an attack..


TURN 1 - At the start of the game before any action the Germans at bottom can't see the bridge and it appears normal..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/BridgeA.png



TURN 2 - The Russians then blow the bridge..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/BridgeB.png



TURN 3 - At the start of the German turn the bridge shows as blown even though they can't see it...
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub3/BridgeC.png

[PoorOldSpike]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Kwai.jpg