CMBS Shadow of the Motherland Campaign

[dragonwynn]

I am putting the finishing touches on a campaign for CM Black Sea. It is a narrative driven campaign similar to my CMBN In the Fields Where the Poppies Grow and CMRT The Cross of Iron. I am looking for a few playtesters to check it out and report any bugs or make suggestions to improve it before publishing it.

 

It is a infantry driven campaign that dipicts actions by the Ukrainian 79th Air Mobile Brigade under the command of Captain Demitry Koval. Though armor plays a role in the campaign it is centered around 3 companies of this brigade and their actions against pro-russian separatists.

 

As with my previous campaigns it is important to read all the briefs and  designer notes as these drive the story. Also there are modtags and a folder with the needed mods in it in the download.

 

I need a few fellow players to give it a spin and let me know:

 

Is the difficulty level and balance ok

Are there any bugs such as out of place units or units doing idiotic stuff.

Is the immersion level satisfactory to the campaign.

And any other things that need improving.

 

If anyone is interested let me know and I will PM you a drpbox link with the campaign and mods

 

Thanks

Mike

[AttorneyAtWar]

I would love to play test for you dragon, I have thoroughly enjoyed your other campaigns.

[dragonwynn]

Thanks Raptorx7. I will PM you the dropbox link soon.

[TAKODA]

Yes please.

[Chudacabra]

I'll give it a go!

[rocketman]

Sorry, no time to test it - but thanks for making one

[dragonwynn]

Sorry, no time to test it - but thanks for making one

No problem Rocketman. Once it gets tested and I feel it is ready for publishing you can grab it then. Thanks to the other guys for testing it out for me.

[TAKODA]

In my first attempt of the 1st mission I tried to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers, moved my troops in fast with plenty of recon by fire into suspect buildings, but took huge losses. In my second attempt my troops are moving much more cautiously, I don't want to get bogged down but the high density of buildings is making the fighting difficult and slow. I'm really enjoying this first mission, I wish I could give more feedback about the following missions but I don't want to rush my men into the meat grinder again, this battle is going to take me some time.

If I can make one suggestion, and it's only a petty nitpick, perhaps more fences could be added around houses. Overall this is a great map for urban combat and I think the AI is going to give most players a decent arm wrestle.  

[dragonwynn]

Thanks Takoda glad you are enjoying it. Don't rush on feedback just enjoy and let me know of anything else. I still have work to do on the maps such as flavor objects etc for the final release. I will look at adding some fences in.

[dragonwynn]

Thanks Takoda glad you are enjoying it. Don't rush on feedback just enjoy and let me know of anything else. I still have work to do on the maps such as flavor objects etc for the final release. I will look at adding some fences in.

[theforger]

I'd love to play test. Black Sea is an exceptional game.

[dragonwynn]

Here is the link theforger. Keep in mind that some changes to the final release are in process from other player feedback but fill free to throw out any suggestions or thoughts.

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nwavb5pcah18j9m/Campaign.zip?dl=0

Edited April 2, 2015 by dragonwynn

[theforger]

********SPOILERS*******

 

1st Campaign Mission from Shadow of the Motherland.

 

(Iron).

 

MAC 10.10.2, 2.7Ghz 12GB Memory, Radeon HD6770M (512MB)

 

CMBS 1.01

 

Excellent opening battle, achieved a Tactical VIctory. Had got used to using all the bells and whistles (drones, precision Arty) so it was nice to experience different challenges. 

 

As you say a few more flavor objects, forecourt flags etc, to be added maybe some fencing, just cosmetics.

But these sort of things bring some horror and realization that this awful event could be happening on your own doorstep one day, and empathy for the poor people of Ukraine.

 

There were some adjoining buildings that didn’t have connecting doors, which is great as its good to be challenged. Engineers would have made my job easier.

But neither should be included as the object of the scenario is to make you think and adjust, which it does.

 

Love the mods they look fantastic! Took some great screen grabs but can't paste in here directly  .

 

5 stars from me, Thank You very much from Nigel (theforger)

 

 

 

Extracts from my AAR

19:00 Plan Of Attack

Making initial thrust to the north with the idea of then rolling them up from the flank. Sending 2nd COY with the armor to get established on their flank.

Sending Lieutenant Ishchenko’s Recon platoon to building hop on 2nd Company’s right flank. 1st COY to support Recon once enemy positions identified.

 

 

19:21 North District subdued. All quiet. 

19:22 All hell breaks lose. What a sting in the tail. Previously hidden Separatists in the Southern and Government buildings open up with everything they’ve got.

The APC gets caught in the open and brews up. Advancing 1st COY troops suffer casualties.

 

Within 60 seconds a situation that was under control deteriorated into a near disaster as the BMP that Koval was riding in became the 2nd AFV to fall.  

 

Koval clutched his leg in agony. Blood seeped from Koval’s wounded thigh as he stumbled half deaf, dazed and confused from the burning wreck.

Under a hail of bullets he was dragged into the first building that offered temporary sanctuary. He felt sick, he’d let his people down.  

Ambushed, how stupid, he cursed himself….then drifted out of consciousness.

 

After 15 minutes of intense action, firing ceased. 1st COY had achieved its objectives but at a considerable cost. This was street fighting at its worst.

The defending had been fanatical, maniacal, sometimes suicidal. The Separatists had been nearly wiped out, over half lay dead, the rest captured.

 

Both UKR Companies had taken some serious casualties 28KIA, 44 wounded and had lost both AFV’s. HQ would not be pleased, but Captain Koval lived to fight another day.

Edited April 4, 2015 by theforger

[TAKODA]

Great AAR theforger, please post more when you finish each scenario.

[dragonwynn]

Thanks theforger. Awesome AAR. The additional map work and adjustments made to other missions based on other tester feedback is being worked on so please continue with the great feedback.

[Chudacabra]

I'm about 25 minutes into the first battle and it is tough! So far it's a very challenging, but still fair campaign. I unfortunately lost my BMP-2 (should have paid attention to the briefing!) and have taken moderate casualties. I think it might be a good idea to include a couple of MMG teams with the Ukrainians, but otherwise I think the forces are quite well done.

[pzb39]

So far I have progressed to the forest mission, nicely done. I find the 25 mins time limit is a bit challenging. 

 

For the previous mission, Pro-Russian force is very well positioned. And the AT capabilities are well demonstrated with multiple choke points in this scenario. 

[dragonwynn]

Thanks guys for the feedback. Glad you are enjoying the campaign so far. pzb39 I will check that time limit. If it is 25min for that mission that is an error on my part and will be fixed.

[theforger]

Played Iron.

 

Loved this one. With the mist and terrain it had a flavour of the Ardennes about it, which is great as that is an area I’m most interested in when it comes to war-gaming.  

Again nicely challenging although I took less risks and tried to show more patience to preserve Koval’s forces.

With the number of forces on that size map I was able to use mobility, which I liked.

 

AAR:

Mission 2 A Whisper in the Mist

 

Bulk of 1^st COY to sweep round and attack from the Church in north.

Detached 2^nd Platoon to attack from the South.

1^st Platoon located centrally to provide cover and add pressure from the front.

 

In less than 72 hours Koval found himself back in action.

 

The Captain addressed his men.

“We lost too many brothers in Zhovten from ambush positions. I understand that these are our homes but we need to live to enjoy them.

We are facing well supplied, trained and motivated killers. I want suspect positions recon’d by fire.”

 

06:03

 

The North: 1^st COY arrive in force at the Traviska Church only for the lead BMP to succumb to an AT missile from the town 240m to the SE. Soldat Yurchenko scrambles clear.

 

The Center: 1^st Platoon under Kravchenko with BMP, BRD and grenade launcher support rake the tree-line behind the roadblock to clear out suspect RPG positions.

“Mortar support would be useful”, the veteran Lieutenant thought.

 

The South: Lieutenant’s Babenko’s 2^nd Platoon disembark from the BMP’s and get in position on the reverse slope and await assault orders.

 

06:06

 

The North: Separatist forces bug out under the fire-power from ½ a dozen BMPs.

(PIC1)

 

06:08

 

The North: No discernable movement from Traviska, looks like the Separatists have relocated to deeper into the village. Recon team sent in.

 

The Center: Struggling to get good firing positions without exposing the AFV’s to RPG’s.

“Patience boys”, Kravchenko barked, “even if we have to wait for The Captain or Babenko, from the flanks.”

 

The South: Bakenko’s assault goes like clock work.

The 4 BMP’s in line abreast drive over the crest of the hill and simultaneously unleash their destructive force on the enemy position as the infantry go in and mop up the stunned survivors.

 

The North: A 2^nd BMP gets hit from a well hidden RPG team as it inches its way through North Traviska.

 

The South: Buoyed by their success Babenko’s BMP’s now turn their attention to the tree line, the next stage of their assault before they take on the crossroads.

 

06:12

 

The North: The Recon team come under rocket and small arms fire from Central Traviska and suffer the loss of yet another BMP.

 

06:18

 

The North: Resistance in North Traviska has stopped. Getting in position to fire from hull down into Central Traviska.

 

The Center: Still observing the ambush positions behind the roadblock.

 

The South: Rather than tackle the forest  Babenko loads up his troops and sweeps around to attack the Crossroads first, to link up with Captain Koval’s thrust from the North.

The center of the village is leveled in the assault by BMP fire from the North and South.

[PIC3]

 

All firing around Traviska has stopped. Koval sets up his HQ in North Traviska.

Time for the Center group with support from the forces in the village to wipe out the road block from front and rear.

 

06:30

 

Total Victory for UKR comes swiftly though at a high price in AFV’s, 7 destroyed or immobilized.

 

20KIA and 11 wounded, relatively light number of casualties for the tough task and small number of UKR forces available.

 

For a second time in 72 hours Koval had faced and beaten a determined enemy. Their dead numbered 83, with 66 wounded and captured.

 

[TAKODA]

Another sweet AAR mate, I really want to have a crack at this mission soon.

[dragonwynn]

Thanks theforger for another great AAR.

[theforger]

Mission 3. Played Iron.

 

Felt uneasy about this one. Not done well on the defense with CMBS scenarios.  Fortunately the lack of enemy Tanks and BMP’s made this a relatively simple task. Dig in and hang on.

 

AAR:

 

Koval was nervous, there had been so little time to prepare against a counter attack. With the initiative he felt confident and self-assured. On the defensive he had a sense of foreboding.

 

The Captain deployed an AT section to the Church with a BMP in support.

He thought it could offer a good strongpoint with a good field of fire down the valley. It could also offer some cover in case of hasty withdraw.

 

The ever reliable, increasingly inspirational Babenko’s 2^nd Platoon was given the task of holding on to the exposed Northern area of Traviska with BMP and Grenade Launcher sections, though they were very low on ammo.

 

Kravchenko’s 1^st platoon and Kolisnyk with 3^rd platoon in the center, supported by AT units.

 

HQ and Recon elements in the woods to the South along with 4 x BMPs.

 

11:00 a.m. Artillery shells began to fall harmlessly to the rear of their positions. Thank god, an accurate artillery stonk could have caused serious dissruption.

 

The attack began in earnest as shadowy figures were spotted at 460m distant.

Babenko’s teams opened up. The assault didn’t look particularly subtle but with that many troops maybe they didn’t have to be.

It certainly looked like 3 companies.

Babenko needed to inflict as many casualties as possible from long range. Koval’s Company were too few in number if it became a close quarter fight.

 

Babenko came under deadly grenade launcher attack and so sent his two BMPs forward to deal with the threat.

Kolisnyk in the centre did likewise. They had to beat up the assault whilst it still had to cover the open ground.

PIC1

 

11:10 The hard pressed Separatists had started to close. 1 BMP was immobilized a 2^nd brewed up.

Artillery had begun to fall a few metres in front of Babenko, in a matter of moments they will have zero’d in.

“INCOMING!” he screamed, but it was too late as a barrage fell directly overhead.

At least a dozen were injured or killed. His AT team hurried to the reverse slope to get some cover. Babenko himself was wounded by the artillery shelling, fortunately not seriously.

 

11:17 With no armor support and with a lot of open terrain to cover the attack petered out.  It had been an absolute slaughter, another Total victory for The Captain.

 

Koval’s 1^ST COY had suffered 13 KIA and 7 wounded.

The Separatists had lost over 200 killed and wounded with 58 surviving unharmed.

The Separatist artillery and grenade launchers had done the most damage but the rest of the forces had been squandered by poor leadership.

The Captain was pleased and extremely relieved 

Edited April 6, 2015 by theforger

[theforger]

Pic from mission 3

[dragonwynn]

Thanks theforger for another great AAR. Just as a side note based on other testers thoughts on this battle it has been revised with the attack plans slightly altered for the separatists as well some additional "assets" to make it a bit more challenging. On another note on the forest mission mentioned in a early post the mission time limit was set to 25min, a mistake on my part. This to will be fixed.

[theforger]

Mission 4, Helping Hand.

 

Played Iron. Quite tough, think it was in the balance for a while. Achieved a Total Victory after 43 minutes.

 

AAR:

 

The UKR troops were extremely confident after their run of successes against the Separatists and although tired were equally keen to prove themselves again and keep their foot on the throat of the enemy.

 

The mood was optimistic and the troops had belief in the leadership team.

 

07:00

 

The COY reached the edge of Orikhove just in time to see the Separatists begin their assault on the beleaguered pinned Recon troops. 1^st COY spilled out of their vehicles and the BMPs rumbled into action.

 

The initial plan was to get a foothold in the town and over watch positions to ascertain the enemy strength. The main offensive move was 2^nd Platoon on the right flank, to advance through the woodland and put some suppressive fire on the Separatists flank as they moved against the trapped Recon troops.

 

All thoughts of pushing the Separatists back were soon put on hold. A direct frontal attack by an Infantry Company fell on 2^nd Platoon’s woodland position and they grimly held on with support of an ever reducing number of BMPs.

 

1st Company’s position was soon becoming precarious as 2 tanks rolled in and began reducing the Recon troops in detail.

 

After 20 minutes our friends from 2^nd COY arrived with 2 xT64BV. But these only evened up the forces, as at least 1 more Company of Separatists joined in the fight in the North on the Recon forces.

 

2^nd COY, with the armor swept around 2^nd Platoons position to relieve the pressure on Babenko’s men.

 

07:28

 

Was a crucial period in the battle. Captain Yurchenko’s T64 got bogged down, it became an instant target for a hull down AFV on the northern edge of town.

Within seconds its main gun and optics were disabled reducing it to a large machine gun platform.

This was bad news for the UKR as the Separatists still had two very active tanks causing problems for Recon.

 

It was now or never for Levchenko in the 2^nd T64.

 

His tank moved swiftly forward and slammed a 125mm shell into the first of the enemy tanks.

He then quickly re-positioned to get a shooting angle on the 2^nd  tank. With relief, two shots 2 kills in under 2 minutes. That was a close call.

 

Although the battle had swung in the favour of UKR, Koval, knew they needed caution when switching to the offensive.

 

They were being given a spectacular light show. Rockets, missiles, and bullets, smashing into buildings on both sides over a 500m front.

 

The next task was to get rid of that troublesome APC from its hull down position in the north. 3 x BMPs were destroyed in the attempt, the fourth managed to get the vehicle under its guns, the APC’s spotting capability was incredible.

 

The 2 UKR Companies now closed in on the Separatist positions. The Separatists although on the back foot, still had plenty of fight.

 

Just prior to the Separatist withdraw Captain Yurchenko’s T64 was caught by combined APC fire as it entered the warehouse complex and exploded in a ball of flame.

 

The butchers bill for the battle was 11 x UKR AFVs, 50 KIA and 39 wounded. The Separatists lost 3 x AFV’s, 188 KIA, 150 wounded and captured.