Set on the Eastern Front -the greatest struggle in history - the game spans the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union through the gates of Moscow, the factory complex of Stalingrad, to the 1945 fall of Berlin. The game features real-time, historically accurate warfare at a squad level along with psychological elements for maximum authenticity. Playing either the German or Soviet side, gamers are challenged to out- think and out-fight their opponent while keeping their troops alive. They start as low-ranking commanders and manage unit upgrade and maintenance as they attempt to advance in rank and acquire more troops and equipment.
The motivation behind Commonwealth Summer grew from my love of the CC3 WF Mod, and a wish for more action involving the Canadian, British, and Polish forces in Normandy in 1944.
INTRODUCTION
The motivation behind Commonwealth Summer grew from my love of the CC3 WF Mod, and a wish for more action involving the Canadian, British, and Polish forces in Normandy in 1944. I have always been fascinated with the Normandy Campaign—the tactical successes and failures that occurred on both sides of the hedgerows. The Germans not only lost the opportunity to possibly drive part, if not all, of the Allied forces back into the English Channel soon after D Day, but Montgomery also made decisions and declarations during and after the stalemate around Caen which will forever generate debate.
It was the British and Canadians that bore the brunt of Germany’s elite Panzer Divisions during the Normandy Campaign. In the 60 days that followed the invasion, the region surrounding the Norman city of Caen was host to some of the most bitter and intensive small unit actions of the entire campaign.
By focusing on the Normandy Campaign, there is the potential to limit availability of units within a narrow timeframe, and consequently play historically accurate operations/campaigns and scenarios with Canadian, British, or Polish units exclusively. I encourage anyone to create new grand campaigns that focus on British and/or Polish units. The campaign included with this release, “Normandy Campaign” is designed for Canadian forces only. The campaign on the German side focuses principally on the 12. SS.
PHILOSOPHY
Commonwealth Summer (CS) has been designed to bring out the feel of fighting in the hedgerows. Some of the differences in tank capabilities between the Germans and Allies will be smoothed out in the close quarters of the hedges and the city streets of Caen, Falaise, etc. The fancy, powerful stuff you remember from WF will be either unavailable, extremely limited, or too expensive to buy in most cases (if you play the camp and ops). This is middle-class fighting in the hedgerows—mostly Shermans 75s vs. Mark IVs, Enfields, Stens and Brens vs. Mausers and MP40s. We have attempted to construct infantry sections (especially for Commonwealth forces) to match their historical counterparts in size and weapons. You will not see an abundance or variety of heavy weapons in Commonwealth infantry sections because this was historically the case. Where the Germans have an edge in infantry weapons or tanks, the Commonwealth forces more than make up for in artillery, air, and naval support.
Mod or sub-mod?
Commonwealth Summer (CS) began as a sub-mod of the Western Front Mod. CS is crafted principally from the data and graphics built by the original WF Mod Team instead of data directly from the original CC3 game. Nonetheless, there have been extensive changes including new graphics, new operations, and a new grand campaign called “Normandy Campaign.”
A. FLAVOUR AND APPEARANCE
B. CHANGES IN WF RUTEAMS FILE
C. CHANGES IN WF GETEAMS FILE
PzIVH rarity was increased to reflect its availability and Shurzen was added. At the time of D-day, the majority of the 748 Mark IVs in Normandy were Ausf H. Production of Ausf J only began in June, 1944. PzIVJ command tank was replaced with PzIVH command tank.
PzVA rarity was generally increased over the PzVG to reflect the relative abundance of this particular model of Panther in Normandy.
Some German tanks were removed entirely with rarity, or simply eliminated from the data. Tanks like the Sturmtiger, Jagdtiger, Hetzer, and Ostwind, for example, post-date the Normandy campaign. Others tanks were very rare in Normandy (like the Königstiger and Jagdpanther), and their rarity has only been included in a couple operations.
The experience of 12th SS Hitlerjugend was increased slightly to reduce the possibility of surrender and to increase performance slightly. These soldiers were young and green, but highly trained. They were also led by some of the most experienced and battle-tested leaders Germany had to offer. Hitlerjugend and other SS units surrendered infrequently during the Normandy campaign. Most SS soldiers came to realize that they stood a good chance of being shot if they surrendered. Unfortunately, the practice of killing prisoners was something that happened on both sides of the hedgerows.
Germans have indirect Wurf observer, as well as 105mm artillery, Hummel self-propelled heavy howitzer battery, and 88mm air burst indirect fire observers.
Wittmann tank unit added with slightly better reload time, accuracy rating, and more AP40 rounds to reflect the very experienced tank crew serving under Germany’s greatest tank ace. The tank and gun characteristics are otherwise IDENTICAL to all other Tiger I tanks.
Some changes in infantry: 716th Infantry Division (Coastal Defense). This infantry was typically of lower morale, and many of them were not native Germans. Anti-Stalinist Russians were among the many national and ethnic groups that served in the German Army and helped garrison the Atlantic Wall. There were even some Korean soldiers serving in the Werchmat in Normandy! Specific Panzergrenadier regiments added, 16th Luftwaffe Division, remnant units, etc.
Panzerfaust 30 is the only panzerfaust available. Production of Pf 60 did not begin until September, 1944, after the Normandy Campaign. Pf 100 was not available until November, 1944.
Panzerschreck teams were expanded by adding two additional soldiers, one armed with a panzerfaust. This is a partial Panzerzerstörergruppen unit. The original Panzerschreck team was retained as well.
German air observers were limited (Ju 88 HE observer was eliminated) due to the infrequent and random appearance of the Luftwaffe during the Normandy campaign.
German tanks crews are now armed with either an MP40 or Walther P38 instead of a Mauser rifle.
D. CHANGES IN GAMEPLAY
E. RARITY
The 16 rarity columns for Commonwealth Summer are as follows:
Green denotes rarity column used in campaign play
These dates follow significant operations or phases of the Normandy campaign from D-Day until the liberation of Paris on August 25th. Individual unit’s rarity has been adjusted to these time frames, but their occurrence is not necessary limited to within their respective dates. British 6th Airborne units only appear in the June 8th rarity column, however, they were present before and after. Rarity was only used to restrict units in operation and campaign gameplay. With rarity “off” all units will show up and players can design their own scenarios.
For those who wish to design scenarios/ops for almost infantry only the dates of D+6 have been edited so that there are only 2-3 tanks available and they are left as extremely rare. A few halftracks for each side have been included at minimum rarity also. This column roughly represents the British 50th Division’s offensive in the Seulles Valley against Panzer Lehr.
The 16 historical operations run the spectrum from mostly infantry to mostly tanks. They all have researched operational briefings, and attempt to capture the spirit, and in some cases, historical reality of the actual battle.
F. CONSIDERATIONS FOR FUTURE UPDATES
FINAL NOTES:
Anyone is welcome to edit the CS files for their own enjoyment/mod releases and, if desired, send the changes along for consideration as an official update or add-on. Editing rarity for new operations and/or campaigns is encouraged. There are a lot of possibilities!
This will probably not be the final version of Commonwealth Summer. If you have questions or comments contact Cathartes at gaviota@qnet.com
Credits:
Atomic Games
WF Mod Team. The Commonwealth Summer Mod is based on a substantial amount of data and graphics that the WF Mod Team created.
Commonwealth Summer Mod Team (in alphabetical order):
Cathartes—data editing, game interface, gadget and vehicle graphics (unless otherwise noted below), historical operations,Villers-Bocage map (available for download separately), playtesting.
GS_Marcks—Tetrarch, RAM APC, Sexton, and Priest APC graphics/gadgets, Commonwealth voice file, music sfx, and Lingevres map (available separately), playtesting, CS plugin.
Sabot edited rarity for, and designed grand campaign: Normandy Campaign, as well as the ‘Maczuga’ operation, playtesting.
Pz_Weisse—RUNames file, music sfx, playtesting, and provided important historical information on names and composition of British Infantry units, ranks, armour units, and others.
Zonbie---in addition to all his work with the WF Mod that laid the groundwork for this one, provided valuable input, guidance, and helped specifically with vehicle shadows and edited the cc3.exe for the Monty touch, playtesting, and made a comfy home for Commonwealth Summer on the West Front web site.
AND…
Atilla—Caen map (available separately)
FUTURE—suggestions and information provided for Otter armoured car and Challenger tank.
Schrecken—submitted vehicle/teams/weapons data on Centaur, Tetrarch, Sexton, and RAM APC armoured vehicles.
Tim from the Dugout—title suggestion and info on medals/ranks.
Web sites
Books
Decision in Normandy, Carlo D’este, Harper Perennial, NY, NY, 1994.
Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, Arms and Armour, London, 1999.
Gold Beach, Christopher Dunphie and Garry Johnson, Combined Publishing, Conshohocken, PA, 1999.
Invasion! They’re Coming!, Paul Carell, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, PA, 1995.
Normandy 1944 The Canadian Summer, Bill McAndrew, Donald E. Graves, Michael Whitby, Art Global, Montreal, Quebec, 1994.
Panzer Commander, Hans Von Luck, Dell Publishing, NY, NY, 1989.
Six Armies in Normandy, John Keegan, Penguin Books, NY, NY, 1994.
Other
Canadian Veterans Services
Close Combat Net Forum
Various issues of AFV News