DoodleDangWang

Reinstall with clear of document files seemed to do the trick.  Only clue I noticed is some of the UI that GenTool adds shows up now where it didn't before.  Thanks again!

Thanks, I'll go ahead and reinstall, clear out users folder and make sure there's nothing fiddly left behind.  It'll be a bit for my buddy so I'll chime back in at a later date with results...

He was available so we tried it both with and without DMZ router settings, same problem.  To be honest though, the only reason we were messing with DMZ the other day was for a substitute game that uses direct connection.  We aren't connecting to each other so a DMZ or proper port forwarding has never been needed for CNC ZH connections through the cnc-online setup.  We are leaning towards 8.5 being the issue as that was coincidentally the only thing that changed between a working game and a non-working game.  

Admittedly, we have not tried a full game reinstall, just a GenTool reinstall.  We can both do that if there is logic in doing so, but that strikes me as a "we're out of ideas" action.  But truthfully, I'm totally out of valid ideas.  I appreciate any further suggestions.

I can't speak for my friend, but I was in the DMZ on my router both with normal operation on GenTool 8.4, and after the update to GenTool 8.5 when the issue began.  I normally host the games, but we did swap to test during this issue.  No VPNs are involved and no settings were changed on networking equipment on my side.  When we swapped hosting between the two of us, he still got stuck at the loading screen and I with the Vote-Kick menu.  I was expecting a swap in symptoms so not sure if that's a clue to the issue or irrelevant.  I doubt his settings have changed, but I will ask him when I'm able about router settings.  It's unlikely he changed something between 8.4 and 8.5.

Both my buddy and I have playing GenZH off of an Origin bundle.  From GenTool 8.4 and back, there had been no problem (other than the originally stated occasional mismatch error).  Other details:  the game itself is fine in single player for both of us, when getting to the main lobby, we both can see other players and sessions...