startup crashes - no errors

Hi
Yesterday the game ran fine. no install issues, no router, anti virus, firewall. no issues at all. Like I said the game ran fine and I played for hours.
Today, the launch screen starts up, i select "start game" and it closes. no error to screen and no error log in the /log directory.
When the screen launches and I select start game, I see a process called "patcher_cf.exe" launch at that point. there is a long pause then the screen launch closes and patcher_cf remains in use.
Sometimes when I repeat the process the "HGWC" screen pops up and then the xtrap launches, hangs, then all closes.

Please don't say that I need to change my firewall or virus exclusions when this all worked the previous day "out of the box".

thanks!