BaM CyberBoard Tutorial

BaM & Cyberboard

A Small Tutorial and Some Tips for Cyberboard BaM

The Files

You will need to download the following files to your PC

Starting Your Game

Before you are able to start playing, you will need a 'Game File' from one of the BaM Managers (George Fagin, Garry Haggerty or myself). The basic file name will be the two players involved with either French or Austrian appended to the name. For example, if George was playing the French pieces against Haggerty's Austrians, George would receive a file named 'Haggerty_Fagin_French.gam' and Garry would receive a file named 'Haggerty_Fagin_Austrian.gam'

At this point, the pieces should be randomized on the board for both players, and the Austrian player can start the game.

'Game' files and 'Move' files

Your game file (a file ending with .gam) is what you use to play save your current game. You would not normally need to use any file other then the one sent to you by a Game Manager. Do NOT send this file to your opponent.

For convenience, we recommend creating a new folder in which to place your .gam file.

The move file (a file ending with .gmv) is used to record your current move. This is the file you send to your opponent; each move file will have a different name.

There are several different methods of naming move files. The easiest is just to name the first file '001' (your move file will now be '001.gmv'). The second move (regardless of whether it is you or your opponent moving) will be '002', and so on. This is a simple and elegant system, and we probably won't run out of numbers for any given game.

A second method is to incorporate the Turn Number into the file name. The Austrian first turn would be 'A01'; the French would respond with 'F01'. If you have more than one move per turn, you would use 'A01', 'A01b', 'A01c', etc. Responses to a specific move would normally include the original file name plus some added info such as 'A01-French Response'.

Which system you use is entirely a matter of preference; just make sure you and your opponent use the same system. :)

Starting the Game

You can open a .gam file by 'double-clicking' it. The 'File'-'Open' procedure below is done within in the CBPlay.exe program or from the .gsn file.

1. Run the latest version of Cyberboard.
2. Load the game file using 'File' - 'Open' - in our example, Garry would select 'Haggerty_Fagin_Austrian.gam' and George would select 'Haggerty_Fagin_French.gam'. The first time you open the .gam file, you wil be prompted to find and select the .gbx file you previously downloaded.

Creating the Move File

A move file will record all changes (moving pieces, placing markers, etc.) that you make to your game files since you last saved it.

1. You move a unit by selecting it (click on it), and then 'Action' - 'Begin Plotted Move'.
2. Click on various areas of the move to see the path; you can always abort the move by clicking 'Action' - 'Discard Plotted Move'. If you like your move, you click on 'Action' - 'Accept Plotted Move'. Then go on to your next move.
3. After you have done all your moves, you click on 'File' - 'Send Recorded Moves to File' which prompts you for a file name, and then creates a move file (such as 001.gmv). You then send me the 001.gmv file to your opponent.
4. Save your game by clicking on 'File' - 'Save'.

Note: there are icons on the toolbar for most File, Action, and Edit menu functions. Also, 'right-clicking' on the gameboard will bring up the available Actios and Edit functions in a pop-up window.

Loading the Move File

1. To load the your opponent's move file you, use 'File' - 'Load Recorded Move File'.
2. Step through my moves using the '>' on the menu bar (alternatively, press the F3 key); when complete, click on 'Playback' - 'Accept Move File Playback'.
3. Save your game.

You are now ready to do your own move. See 'Creating a Move File' above.

Tips for using CyberBoard shortcuts

1. Remember that all Actions and Edit menu functions can be accessed by right-clicking the gameboard (unit Actions are only enabled when pieces have been selected). The most common Actions (and File) menu functions appear on the toolbars.

2. F8 key (Spectator View): allows you to see the "ownership" status of all pieces on the board (see 'Fog of War' below). If you can see the strength and type of your pieces after hitting F8, so can your opponent. Before you can change the ownership status of your pieces, you'll have to hit F8 again.

3. F9 key (Hide Pieces): removes all pieces and markers from view (hit this key when you need to see terrain penalty symbols on approaches).

4. To quickly remove Command and Road markers from the board at the end of your turn, choose 'Select All Markers From' in the Edit menu, then click on 'Orders' from the flyout menu. Hit Delete (then confirm the delete).

5. To restore a rotated piece to its normal orientation, hit Ctrl+Shift+ Z.

6. 'Discard Current Move Recording' (in the File menu and on the toolbar) undoes everything you've done in your current move file so you can start over. Use this option if you revealed a critical piece in error or made a lot of move corrections/changes.

Basic concepts and guidelines for using CyberBoard to play BaM

The Fog of War

Although your own pieces will normally appear "face-up" (unit strength and type visible) to you, they will still appear "face-down" (only the blank side visible) to your opponent. It's NOT necessary to actually invert your pieces for them to appear face-down to your opponent. Face-up and face-down status is handled by "ownership".

When the game requires you to reveal your pieces to your opponent (e.g., a cavalry piece performing a maneuver attack by road), you must select the piece and use the 'Release Ownership' Action. To restore your piece's face-down status, select it and use the 'Take Ownership' Action.

Note that neither player's unit Step tray is "owned", so pieces removed from those trays (to reflect casualties) will always be face-up when placed on the board. This is an intentional design feature. You will have to use the 'Take Ownership' Action to turn such pieces face-down. To mix previously revealed pieces with unrevealed pieces in the same location, select all pieces in the location and choose the 'Shuffle Objects' Action then the 'Auto Stack' Action.

Markers

There are seven "sets" of markers to help track various game actions and states throughout a player turn (which may require several .gmv file exchanges to complete). Most markers are self-explantory. Some suggestions for use are mentioned below.

Orders

This marker set has the Command Point (CP) and Road markers. Both types of markers should remain on the board throughout a player's Turn. Use the star-shaped CP marker to designate a command spent to make an assault. Use the square CP marker to designate a command spent for movement. CP markers should be placed on or near the pieces using the command (and be moved with them). There are three sets of road markers -- simply use the color/shape you prefer. Road markers should be placed on the road being used where it crosses an approach.

Maneuver Attack

Place the appropriately colored arrow on the piece(s) making the maneuver attack (MA) then rotate it to point toward the target locale. If more than one piece is participating in the same MA, make sure this is obvious to your opponent (either by auto-stacking the participating pieces or with an in-game message).

Assault

Place the "shell burst" marker on pieces that are participating in an assault when some pieces in the approach are NOT participating.

Inactive Units

All twelve starting French pieces will have this marker when you receive your game file. When a French piece becomes active, the marker is simply deleted.

Game State Non-Match Warning

If, after accepting and saving a move file, you or your opponent make any changes to your respective .gam files (and save the changes without creating a move file), the next time you open a move file you will get a message "The move files game state doesn't match the current position. Choose one of the following". It is usually safe and correct to select the default choice: "Use the State Information in the move file as the start point".