Mosul (Iraq) The small red-headed child of an epic MOUT map!

[Sgt.Squarehead]

@MOS:96B2P  Dude our cups floweth over.....CM:SF1 Core Unit Files can (apparently, tests are ongoing) be edited in CM:SF2! 

It should be possible to edit the raw vehicle/crew combination in CM:SF1 (separating those pesky HQs) and then transfer the file to CM:SF2 to make unit attachments (Specialist Teams & Weapons) and load them up on their new transports in the new editor. 

So much to explore.....Need to see if we can still bounce IEDs around too! 

PS - To clarify, the Core Units appear in CM:SF2 just as they do in CM:SF1, the dismounted platoon HQs show up as dismounted both in the editor and in preview, even though the editor is apparently incapable of creating such a formation. 

Edited December 11, 2018 by Sgt.Squarehead

[Sgt.Squarehead]

CTS receive due respect from Military Times:

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/01/16/inspector-general-to-look-at-whether-us-support-helps-iraqi-special-operations-forces-defeat-insurgents/

Older article with some info on CTS in Mosul:

https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2017/08/11/iraqs-elite-counter-terrorism-force-looks-to-rebuild-after-mosul/

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Decent documentary from RT, showing the 'complexities' of life in post-war Mosul:

 

Edited February 24, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Kudos to @JohnO for finding this article on CTS:

https://warontherocks.com/2017/07/the-best-thing-america-built-in-iraq-iraqs-counter-terrorism-service-and-the-long-war-against-militancy/

Quote

The U.S. effort to develop Iraq’s security forces is widely viewed as a monumental and costly failure, but there is at least one element that has been a smashing success: the Counter-Terrorism Service. Of all the institutions that America birthed in Iraq, the Counter-Terrorism Service has been and could remain the most well-conceived and effectively realized. The Counter-Terrorism Service needs sustained U.S. support if the U.S. wishes it to remain as a lasting, living monument to its hopes and good intentions for Iraq.

Excellent read. 

Edited February 27, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead

[Erwin]

The only concern is that "Counter-Terrorism" orgs (like all govt orgs) want to extend their power and acquire more budget and so keep expanding their purview.  The danger is that they eventually become an instrument of repression of the general population - creating the need for yet more "counter terror" resources etc.

[Combatintman]

@Sgt.Squarehead Presumably you've read the Brookings Study referenced in that article:

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/David-Witty-Paper_Final_Web.pdf

A recent article here:

https://www.iraqincontext.com/single-post/2018/01/23/The-Iraqi-Counter-Terrorism-Service-From-the-War-on-ISIS-to-the-Future

View from the CTS coalface is that they want to get back to more traditional SF type roles rather than be the force of choice for every single crisis that befalls Iraq.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

I will have soon. 

This made me smile:

To say that CTS is popular is an understatement.  It is the subject of songs and music videos, college students wear t-shirts with CTS logos, and some of its leaders have a cult like status and were central figures in the Iraqi ethos in the war against ISIS. One observer noted that they are like “the NASA astronauts in the US in the 1960s.”

 

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead

[LongLeftFlank]

While nobody can doubt the combat skill of motivated Arabs, can this multisectarian force retain its effectiveness without the support of a First World military, with hot and cold running C4I, arty and air on tap?

(been away for a few weeks, work)

[Sgt.Squarehead]

That's a very good question.....I'd like to hope, for the future of Iraq, that the answer is yes. 

[LongLeftFlank]

And if they prove to be the new Qizilbash, shock troops of the Hojjatieh and straighteners of the Way* for the return of the Hidden Imam (al Mahdi, pbuh)? Do they proceed directly to liberate al Makah and the patrimony of the Prophet (pbuh), or first unify the Caliphate of al Sham and strike for the Rock, fulfilling the prophecy as foretold:

1. The Sufyani will come out in revolt;

2. the Hasanid will be killed;

3. the Abbasids will dispute over worldly kingdom;

4. there will be an eclipse of the sun in the middle of the month of Ramadan;

5. there will be an eclipse of the moon at the end of that month in contrast to ordinary happenings;

6. the land will be swallowed up at al-Bayda' (Latakia); it will be swallowed in the east-it will be swallowed up in the west; the sun will stay still from the time of its decline to the middle of the time for the afternoon prayer.

7. It will rise from the west; a pure soul (nafs zakiyya) will be killed in the outskirts of Kufa with seventy righteous men;

8. a Hashimite will be slaughtered between the corner (of the Ka'ba) and the station of Abraham);

9.  the wall of the mosque of Kufa will be destroyed; black standards will advance from Khurasan;

10.  al-Yamani will come out in revolt;

11. al-Maghribi will appear in Egypt and take possession of it from Syria.

12. The Turk will occupy the region of al-Jazira;

13. the Byzantines will occupy Ramla;

14. the star will appear in the east giving light just like the moon gives light; then (the new moon) will bend until its two tips almost meet; a colour will appear in the sky and spread to its horizons; a fire will appear for a long time in the east remaining in the air for three or seven days;

15. the Arabs will throw off the reins and take possession of their land, throwing out the foreign authority;

16. the people of Egypt will kill their ruler and destroy Syria; and three standards will dispute over it (Syria).

17. The standards of Qays and the Arabs will come among the people of Egypt;

18. the standards of Kinda (will go) to Khurasan; horses will come from the west until they are stabled in al-Hira; the black standards will advance towards them from the east;

19. the Euphrates will flood so that the water comes into the alleys of Kufa;

20. sixty liars will come forward, all of them claiming prophethood, and twelve will come forward from the family of Abu Talib, all of them claiming the Imamate;

21. a man of important rank of the supporters of the 'Abbasids will be burnt between Jalula' and Khaniqin.

22. The bridge next to Karkh in the city of Baghdad will be established; a black wind will raise it at the beginning of the day and then an earthquake will occur so that much of it will be swallowed up; fear will cover the people of Iraq and Baghdad; swift death (will occur) there and there will be a loss of property, lives and harvests;

23. locusts will appear at their usual times and at times not usual so that they attack agricultural land and crops and there will be little harvest for what the people planted;

24. two kinds of foreigners will dispute and much blood will be shed in their quarrel.

25. Slaves will rebel against obedience to their masters and kill their masters (mawali);

26. a group of heretics (ahl al-bida) will be transformed until they become monkeys and pigs;

27. slaves will conquer the land of their masters;

28. a cry (will come) from the sky (in such a way) that all the people will hear it in their own languages;

29. a face and a chest will appear in the sky before the people in the centre of the sun;

30. the dead will arise from their graves so that they will return to the world and they will recognize one another and visit one another;

31. that will come to an end with twenty-four continuous rainstorms and the land will be revived by them after being dead and it will recognize its blessings; after that every disease will be taken away from those of the Shia of the Mahdi, peace be on him, who believe in the truth; at that time they will know of his appearance in Mecca and they will go to him to support him.

So get busy on that Al Qiyam campaign series, Ayatollah Squarehead! What locust mod are you using?

*  yes, Twelver Shiism sounds a lot  like Frank Herbert, and that is no accident

[LongLeftFlank]

Here, have a soundtrack while you chew on that lot. 

(I'll be over in le Carillon if you need me)

Edited March 2, 2019 by LongLeftFlank

[Erwin]

34 minutes ago, LongLeftFlank said:

And if they prove to be the new Qizilbash, shock troops of the Hojjatieh and straighteners of the Way* for the return of the Hidden Imam (al Mahdi, pbuh)? Do they proceed directly to liberate al Makah and the patrimony of the Prophet (pbuh), or first unify the Caliphate of al Sham and strike for the Rock, fulfilling the prophecy as foretold:

1. The Sufyani will come out in revolt;

2. the Hasanid will be killed;

3. the Abbasids will dispute over worldly kingdom;

4. there will be an eclipse of the sun in the middle of the month of Ramadan;

5. there will be an eclipse of the moon at the end of that month in contrast to ordinary happenings;

6. the land will be swallowed up at al-Bayda' (Latakia); it will be swallowed in the east-it will be swallowed up in the west; the sun will stay still from the time of its decline to the middle of the time for the afternoon prayer.

7. It will rise from the west; a pure soul (nafs zakiyya) will be killed in the outskirts of Kufa with seventy righteous men;

8. a Hashimite will be slaughtered between the corner (of the Ka'ba) and the station of Abraham);

9.  the wall of the mosque of Kufa will be destroyed; black standards will advance from Khurasan;

10.  al-Yamani will come out in revolt;

11. al-Maghribi will appear in Egypt and take possession of it from Syria.

12. The Turk will occupy the region of al-Jazira;

13. the Byzantines will occupy Ramla;

14. the star will appear in the east giving light just like the moon gives light; then (the new moon) will bend until its two tips almost meet; a colour will appear in the sky and spread to its horizons; a fire will appear for a long time in the east remaining in the air for three or seven days;

15. the Arabs will throw off the reins and take possession of their land, throwing out the foreign authority;

16. the people of Egypt will kill their ruler and destroy Syria; and three standards will dispute over it (Syria).

17. The standards of Qays and the Arabs will come among the people of Egypt;

18. the standards of Kinda (will go) to Khurasan; horses will come from the west until they are stabled in al-Hira; the black standards will advance towards them from the east;

19. the Euphrates will flood so that the water comes into the alleys of Kufa;

20. sixty liars will come forward, all of them claiming prophethood, and twelve will come forward from the family of Abu Talib, all of them claiming the Imamate;

21. a man of important rank of the supporters of the 'Abbasids will be burnt between Jalula' and Khaniqin.

22. The bridge next to Karkh in the city of Baghdad will be established; a black wind will raise it at the beginning of the day and then an earthquake will occur so that much of it will be swallowed up; fear will cover the people of Iraq and Baghdad; swift death (will occur) there and there will be a loss of property, lives and harvests;

23. locusts will appear at their usual times and at times not usual so that they attack agricultural land and crops and there will be little harvest for what the people planted;

24. two kinds of foreigners will dispute and much blood will be shed in their quarrel.

25. Slaves will rebel against obedience to their masters and kill their masters (mawali);

26. a group of heretics (ahl al-bida) will be transformed until they become monkeys and pigs;

27. slaves will conquer the land of their masters;

28. a cry (will come) from the sky (in such a way) that all the people will hear it in their own languages;

29. a face and a chest will appear in the sky before the people in the centre of the sun;

30. the dead will arise from their graves so that they will return to the world and they will recognize one another and visit one another;

31. that will come to an end with twenty-four continuous rainstorms and the land will be revived by them after being dead and it will recognize its blessings; after that every disease will be taken away from those of the Shia of the Mahdi, peace be on him, who believe in the truth; at that time they will know of his appearance in Mecca and they will go to him to support him.

So get busy on that Al Qiyam campaign series, Ayatollah Squarehead! What locust mod are you using?

*  yes, Twelver Shiism sounds a lot  like Frank Herbert, and that is no accident

How did you get the plot points for the final "Game Of Thrones" series? 

[LongLeftFlank]

You really had to requote my wall of  text in full for a 1 liner?  

One day the interwebz will run out of space and YOU (and 100 million mousy Asian girls each uploading thousands of selfies) will be to blame!

EDIT: (oh hey look, it folds up. Kewl) 

FURTHER EDIT: Second thought, Head², maybe ixnay on the Mahdi campaignray. Given BFC's scary record of predicting actual conflicts, you may bring on the End Times (Shia variant).

Edited March 2, 2019 by LongLeftFlank

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Combat Missions Eschatology.....I love you guys! 

So the Mehdi already needs to be in Mecca at the time he announces himself?  I shall have to think on that a bit. 

Edited March 2, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead

[Sgt.Squarehead]

 

Couple of thoughts, just picking at the obvious:

3. the Abbasids will dispute over worldly kingdom;  [Saddam's Quarrel with Kuwait/SaudiArabia?]

9.  the wall of the mosque of Kufa will be destroyed; black standards will advance from Khurasan;  [Rise of Jihadism in Afghanistan 1979 onward and it's spread to the wider Islamic world (Baghdad)?

10.  al-Yamani will come out in revolt;  [Yemen, with a strong implication that a Mehdi like figure will rise from that conflict/revolt]

 

Edited March 2, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead

[LongLeftFlank]

I wonder if ISIS, or the Badr Brigades et al., have their  own Johnny Cash?

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by LongLeftFlank

[Combatintman]

@LongLeftFlank that ISIS lot liked dressing in black so I guess they had a Mr Cash or two in their ranks.

[LongLeftFlank]

On 11/19/2018 at 12:57 PM, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Soon(ish). 

S²H, did you ever formally release Al Hutamah, in either iteration of CMSF? Just curious. 

Since we're on eschatology, here is the source of the name, for those interested... 

Sura 104 of the Holy Quran, Al Hamazah (the Slanderer):

1. Wai lul-li kulli hu mazatil-lumaza
2. Al-lazi jama'a maalaw wa'addadah
3. Yahsabu anna maalahu akhladah
4. Kalla layum ba zanna fil hutamah
5. Wa maa adraaka mal-hutamah
6. Narul laahil-mooqada
7. Al latee tat tali'u 'alalafidah
8. Innaha 'alaihim moosada
9. Fee 'amadim-mu mad dadah

 

1. Woe to every scorner and mocker, 
2. Who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it.
3. He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.
4. No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher.
5. And what can make you know what is the Crusher?
6. It is the fire of Allah, [eternally] fueled,
7. Which mounts directed at the hearts.
8. Indeed, Hellfire will be closed down upon them
9. In extended columns.

Edited March 4, 2019 by LongLeftFlank

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Nope.....I got a bit distracted when CM:SF2 came out TBH. 

[LongLeftFlank]

On 2/11/2018 at 9:24 AM, General Jack Ripper said:

Great. Now I'm glad I saved all of that artillery ammo.

Needless to say, SPOILERS AHEAD!

You've been warned...
 

 

At the risk of taking your thread even farther afield (apologies), I am presently spending a little quality time in Normandy on my Carillon Nose series (after which I will, RL permitting, move back to the Ramadi sequence).

As noted over there, I am trying to puzzle out how to replicate the actual tempo of a systematic battalion assault on prepared positions, in that case a town. 

Coincidentally, I also finally browsed the excellent Ashd al Dababir videos of Gen Ripper, and suddenly, a great... fatigue came over me I realized that he was facing the same problem, trading pixel-lives for time in a race to clear objectives on the game clock.

[Erwin]

Nice video...  but, presumably the troopers wouldn't run out in front of the M1 as it was firing in RL(?)

[Sgt.Squarehead]

6 hours ago, LongLeftFlank said:

 I realized that he was facing the same problem, trading pixel-lives for time in a race to clear objectives on the game clock.

MAJOR SPOILER - (Highlight to reveal text):  Slightly different, situation.....In Hornets' Nest as the player pushes towards the various Phase-Lines, they will almost inevitably discover Hidden Objectives marked as 'Tunnel-Entrance'.  As you can imagine ISIS reinforcements will be popping out of those at some point.  The good general decided to push full-steam-ahead for the objectives and go for a ceasefire, alternatively the player could divide their force and attempt to ambush the tunnel rats.

The advice from @MOS:96B2P in your Carrillon thread looks good to me, couldn't think of anything to add.....Investigating the 'No-LOS Mortaring Technique' might prove useful to simulate mid battle artillery, don't think it will work for 88s, but beyond a certain point, HE is HE. 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead

[LongLeftFlank]

Curious how your bloodbath looks and plays out with the new engine. Anybody do any vids yet?

Relevant to my Normandy thread, as you know better than anyone here (except @Combatintman), the RL fight to clear Al Karama alone took freekin weeks: 

http://www.daeshdaily.com/2016/11/page/2/

• 8 Nov. Apaches to hunt VBIEDs, a sign they're hurting
• 9 Nov. CTS troops surrounded Al-Karama, Malayin 3, Shuquq Al-Khadra, Al-Zahra, Karkukli, Aden, and Al-Dhahabi on Wednesday, the Mosul operation commander announced. Later the Al-Zahra, Malayin 3, and Al-Samah neighborhoods of east Mosul were announced to have been cleared of Daesh militants, according to the IWMC.
• 10 Nov.  The Counter Terrorism Service commander says there is a delay in the Mosul liberation because of the huge numbers of civilians trapped by Daesh. He says Iraqi forces will use new military tactics. He also says Daesh has used 150 vehicle bombs in east Mosul so far. 
• CTS troops destroyed three vehicle bombs and two motorcycle bombs that were targeting Iraqi troops in the Al-Karama neighborhood. 
• 23 Nov. CTS says it liberated 80 residential buildings in the Al-Karama complex

So the harrowing end-to-end sweep of the Hornets Nest map chronicled so well by our beloved General Ripper must be understood to represent the collective action of at least 7-10 days of block clearing heavy combat, plus mop ups in the shattered ruins.

For what horrors went on in the interim I'll paraphrase a bit from our offline discussion thread of last year:

• H-day. Having sealed off al Karama, relatively unbombarded, you set ambitious phase lines and move in, with leg infantry clustered around their humvee-mounted base of fire.
• Local residents welcome you at first, assure you that there are only a few Daesh holed up. Where? Smiles fade, vague hand wave into the silent interior.
• After the first dozen RPG, IED and VBIED hits, reality sets in together with the noonday heat. A general halt is called for a rethink. This is far worse than Ramadi. Several subunit COs have visible head trauma from huge near miss explosions. Water is short already. Snipers are everywhere, they are extremely hard to spot and eliminate.
• Smaller block clearing combat groups are formed, built around vehicle weapons, with other units detailed to shield the flanks from the terrifying armoured VBIEDs.
• There are no Daesh infantry  counterattacks as such, but constant 360 security is required as groups of 2-3 fighters keep popping up in spots previously thought cleared. The mine clearing groups must constantly beware of mortars and RPG potshots.
• By 4pm the exhausted, dehydrated attackers need to start thinking about resupply and securing defensible positions for the night, or else giving up their 'gains' and doing it all again tomorrow.
• Night brings no relief; NV equipped scout snipers report Daesh is moving, probably minelaying. The darkness is periodically rent by huge explosions as building facades are collapsed into many streets to block them. Other streets are, ominously, left open....

(I hope this is interesting to the commentariat, and not hijacking your OT)

Edited March 5, 2019 by LongLeftFlank

[Sgt.Squarehead]

6 hours ago, LongLeftFlank said:

Curious how your bloodbath looks and plays out with the new engine. Anybody do any vids yet?

@JohnO Is having a look at a minimally updated version I believe.....Basically just a few tweaks to account for minor engine differences.

6 hours ago, LongLeftFlank said:

So the harrowing end-to-end sweep of the Hornets Nest map chronicled so well by our beloved General Ripper must be understood to represent the collective action of at least 7-10 days of block clearing heavy combat, plus mop ups in the shattered ruins.

That's a decent summary. 

Edited March 5, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead

[General Jack Ripper]

On ‎3‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 9:04 AM, LongLeftFlank said:

Coincidentally, I also finally browsed the excellent Ashd al Dababir videos of Gen Ripper, and suddenly, a great... fatigue came over me I realized that he was facing the same problem, trading pixel-lives for time in a race to clear objectives on the game clock.

I know I'm just not very entertaining. Sorry. I try my best, but I just don't have the "Hollywood movie director" gene.

At some point to maintain momentum you might just have to throw some guys into enemy positions, and just hope they manage to shoot the bad guys in the face, preferably before the bad guys can do the same. Most of my casualties came from the last ten turns or so, as I simply threw bodies into the fire.

 

On ‎3‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 9:04 AM, LongLeftFlank said:

As noted over there, I am trying to puzzle out how to replicate the actual tempo of a systematic battalion assault on prepared positions, in that case a town.

I think Ithikial was the one with the answer to that, with his special project to simulate a battalion engagement as a full-fledged mini campaign. I dunno if he's still working on it or not.

 

13 hours ago, LongLeftFlank said:

• 10 Nov.  The Counter Terrorism Service commander says there is a delay in the Mosul liberation because of the huge numbers of civilians trapped by Daesh. He says Iraqi forces will use new military tactics. He also says Daesh has used 150 vehicle bombs in east Mosul so far.
• Local residents welcome you at first, assure you that there are only a few Daesh holed up. Where? Smiles fade, vague hand wave into the silent interior.

There's a big difference between steamrolling a largely unoccupied map, and fighting in the midst of a populated city. Civilian considerations are completely absent from Combat Mission, so I could carry out my operation without having to worry about public opinion, kicking down doors of private residences, or leaving dead bodies stacked up in the streets.

I could also act completely disaffected by my own casualties.

None of these considerations can be discounted in real life. Every casualty you suffer must be answered for, private property must be respected as a general rule (if you're the "good guys" anyway), and when you secure a location you typically have to spend time sanitizing it so the news media don't have a field day snapping photos of headshot wounds. I suppose if some completely ruthless and uncaring commander was told to achieve victory at all costs and with no expense spared, they could do what I did, but that would simply never happen in real life.

 

On ‎3‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 9:47 AM, Erwin said:

Nice video...  but, presumably the troopers wouldn't run out in front of the M1 as it was firing in RL(?)

Most likely, no. Not without some ruptured eardrums at the very least.