George MC

Hi H Cheers for the comments. The first mission is simply a recon action. I never figured players would get far on the map - could be I give them enough time to work their way through the map? My idea behind playing two maps is the first mission you ID Syrian units, second mission depending on how you do in the first one gives you more/less intel for your full on attack. That way in the first mission you would only move forward a short distance i.e. probe the enemy lines find out where stuff is - blow some of it away with your arty/air then second mission you are attacking through the enemy position (you get lot's of points for reaching the far side of the map in mission 2). As far as I know that's the only scenario this happens. In some respects the old CMX1 operations allowed the player to hold ground whereas the campaign model used in CMX2 is a series of linked scenarios. Not saying the old CMX1 operations system was better - those who play or played ops in CMX1 will all have their own tales of woe of the AI setting up next to your advance units, weirdly drawn front lines in subsequent actions etc. Cheers fur noo George

Check you have assigned an AI group to the units. Then check in the AI Editor that you are a/ setting times for movement b/ paiting areas for the AI Group to occupy. You might find it worth while cracking open a scenario to see what someone else has done.

Juts uploaded version 3 - slight tweaks to the victory conditions for the counter recon scenario and corrected a couple of typos. Also tweaked the vehcile recovery settings so there should be an even greater chance of getting your stuck AFVs back for the next scenario. As always I'd appreciate any feedback. As an aside I noticed when you update the file you lose all your ratings and review comments - all I did was gently tweak the scenario can't I keep em?

Hi Marc Yeah the scoring system in CMSF does allow the scenario designer to crate very varibale victory conditions. In this scenario (counter recon) Red is looking to gain as much info about your force as they can - your job is stop em by taking out their recon assets but trying to keep your main force uncovered. How well you do in this one dictates what version of the next scenario you face. Good luck with it

Hi Marc (just emailed you this). Cheers for the email and the posted feedback. I’ve just gone and checked the points for Scenario 4 – looks like I might have overcooked the Red points a bit. It also struck me that the Red side is conducting a recon mission – their aim is to ID as many of your units as they can. If you unmask all your stuff Red gets point for spotting them. The trick with that scenario is to keep your main stuff hidden as long as you can and take out stuff with ATGMs, artillery and your dismounts. If you use your M1s Red gets lot’s of pints as that is mainly what they are trying to spot. So although as Blue you have lot’s of firepower Red can negate that advantage in this scenario by encouraging you to unmask your main assets to take out their recon in force units. The campaign is designed to be very tough, almost too tough I think J The briefings are key to fighting these scenarios as each mission does give you specific orders. I’ll check out the radio warning – I made a typo in the reinforcement slot and never picked it up (you see what ya want to see when doing these things - why feedback like this is so great) – tac and op map shows em coming from the SW so reckon I just got the message wrong in the reinforcement slot. Doh! Thanks for the feedback and for giving it a whirl. I'll double check all the points and stuff and upload a revised version. Cheers fur noo George

Hi Ken You are correct about the larger maps - once you go large to see the whole map the views you have available don't work. What I do is grid the map of first using the set-up zones (can send you a large blank gridded map if ya like). Then mark the grid on whatever paper copy of the master map I'm using (say from Google) then work of my grid zones. That way I can keep track of what I have done and then check out what it looks like in the 3D view. Soon get used to it. We had the same issue with large maps in CMX1 and this is the same method I used as the workaround then. Cheers fur noo George

Running it on Windows 7 64 bit with aGeForce GTX 260 and 4Gb RAM no problems.

Just noticed the repository is back in operation. Time to get cracking with all these reviews of scenarios you've all got stacking up

http://biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=13744

http://biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=13744

http://biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=13744 Interesting set of images with morphed images from the seige superimposed on present day images.

http://biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=13744 Interesting set of images with morphed images from the seige superimposed on present day images.

Hi Daf Hope all is well mate? Cheers for all the comments about the Strachwitz and Baeke scenarios - very much appreciated. Re your tactical question (that's one of my scenarios) so without giving too much away - first off check the briefing to get an idea of what the scoop is - it's key to fighting this one I think. I've actually just finished playing this through myself the other week so pretty fresh on how it will play out. What I did was use the Stugs as my overwatch - they are pretty sturdy wee things when hull down so move em to somewhere they can overwatch a large area (might have to have em jockey about as and when they become targets - but as they become targets you will unmask gun positions which your arty can take out (mind and have your FOOs where they can see lot's). Next trick is to decide where to attack - there are lot's of options for using the ground but here good combined tactics will work well, so you can move up along dead ground leading with panzers and closely supported by infantry. When you get close but not LOS to the Soviet positions dismount your PzGs and have em move in on foot (you also have infantry on-map mortars and if I mind are there not any SPWs with on board mortars. Your dismounts should make contact with any Soviet infantry - again your arty/stugs in overwatch can help blast on ID positions or your close support mortars. PzGs then move up an clear what's left. Panzers are there to provide close support to take out any MGs etc. Might help to think of this operation in phases and be conservative with what you hope to achive in each phase (mind the odd way CMBB re-draws battle lines after each battle). This one is less of s weeping blitzkreig and more a slow and methodical reduction of Soviet opposition. Key thing is dealing with the Soviet PAK, then the Soviet armour which will give you operational flexibility i.e. move about the map. Be keen to hear how you get on with it Cheers fur noo George ps this is based on a RL event see Panzertaktic for the AAR.

Thanks for the responses guys - it's done You can either play the individual scenarios or the campaign. Check out the Forging Steel: The Missions thread.

You can grab ithttp://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=646

Play Notes “Forging Steel: The Missions” Important: You will need the USMC module and your game patched to 1.21 to play these missions. Play Blue/Red AI; H2H only About The Missions This series of missions is taken from the “Forging Steel “campaign. Originally the missions were packaged as a campaign which covered a 12 hour period of intense mechanised combat which followed a US (Blue) balanced company combat team spearheading an attack against Threat (Red) mechanised forces. Each mission has a distinct feel about it reflecting a key mission a mechanised combat team would, or might, be given. The enclosed flow chart shows the campaign flow from the Blue perspective with each action outlined. You can use this to play the appropriate scenario depending on how you get on in the previous one. Please note: The mission re-supply is not included. This was only intended for the player playing the campaign to review the state of their combat team prior to the next series of missions. The basic concept behind the campaign and the associated missions is the same as that behind the training at the US National Training Centre at Fort Irwin. To paraphrase NTC’s mission statement: “The mission of the National Training Center is to provide tough, realistic, joint and combined arms training in multi-national venues across the full spectrum of conflict set in a contemporary operating environment to assist Commanders in developing trained, competent leaders and Soldiers by presenting them with current problem sets to improve the force and prepare for success in future joint battlefields.” As such in the scenarios Syrian forces are used to represent Threat forces. It should be borne in mind that these Syrian forces are not Syrian as such - think of a highly trained and well equipped force such as the Russians. The missions are designed to stretch the abilities and tactics of the Bluefor. Question is - are you as the commander up to it? About the Units These missions can be played from either side against the AI (Although Blue against Red is preferred – given the nature of the missions and limitations of the AI the Blue AI tends not to play all that well, good if you like blowing up Blue stuff!) or even better H2H. The main unit that is tracked through the missions is on the US side and focuses around ‘Hammer Team’. Each battle has several Threat (Red) AI plans so there is a certain amount of re-playability. You should also note if you decide to replay a battle then the AI might adopt a different strategy in it’s operations… Unlike the campaign you might find that the missions strongly favour the Blue side. This was to allow the Blue player to take casualties and still have a chance of winning the campaign further down the line. When playing the missions as standalones Bluefor will be at full strength for every mission thus making the missions feel easier. Map and Battle Size All the battles are on, generally speaking, very large maps – typically around 2.5 x 2.5Km square. Unit sizes on map are generally around a few platoons to at most a reinforced company. No massed battalions here you’ll be relieved to hear! The new BFC patch 1.21 should see these maps load far quicker, in a few minutes on average.

I've been swithering as to wether to release the individual missions from this campaign. I did Red and Blue AI Plans so they are good to go just need repackaging. What I was wondering is wether these is an interest and whether to release em as a campaign pack i.e. titled "Forging Steel: The Missions" say with the campaign flow chart so players can see where they fit in the overall campaign structure, or just release em as stand alones with no hint as to where they fit in. Appreciate any feedback as to this Cheers fur noo George

Hi Bardosy I did enjoy the missions I fought in the campaign - just I did not particularly enjoy the SF one. I had thought the campaign was based around a Warrior unit, and as I keen on mech heavy actions thought great. The SF one I just got a bit bored with as. I'm not all that keen on playing it again I must admit as it's not the sort of action I find either interesting or challenging. As a suggestion - rather than have players play the same action again why not give them a differant mission to play - failure to win that one boots em out or win that they go back into the main campaign? Glad you find the comments useful - feedback in the past from players has been of great help in sorting these things out. Anwyas good luck with your scenarios - look forward to some more mech based ones Cheers fur noo George

Hi Blackcat re all the command units - one of the patches (can't mind which one) sorted out the C and C issue. You can have command units of map and not affect the C and C. What I do is allocate the unneeded HQ units a reinforcement slot and give em a time of arrival after the scenario finishes. That way you keep the C and C but you don't have them all on map. Must admit all those HQ units did irritate me as they just cluttered up my battle plan - look towards my rear lines and I just saw stacks of icons sitting there. Good luck with the next mission. I'm with you on this - light infantry and light vehicles, in an urban environment at night is not my cup of tea. Still caught in the loop and I can't work up the motivation to re-play it in the hope of getting a win, so looks like the end of the campaign for me. Shame as I did enjoy the mechanised side of it. This scenario did seem a bit out of keeping with the main ethos of the campaign. Designer's call Possible spoilers for Mission 4 # # # # # #Yeah I took one look at Stalingrad on the left flank and thought "bugger that!" My attack around the flank seemed to catch the Syrian defence off guard.

Hi Handihoc Are you playing the UK version or the USMC version? I think there could be an issue in the campaign txt file which is why I seem caught in a loop.

Just finished the Aleppo by night scenario (got a draw here). Only used the first group of dismounts and pressed on, stormed the embassy with ten minutes to go. However got the draw as I said but I'm right back at the start of the same scenario. I thought I might have gone onto the next one? Or do I have to get a win in this to move on?

Yup had the tanks come on and shoot up a platoon of Warriors and their dismounts that were moving through that small building complex to the left of the canal. Took em in the rear. So no not a great fan of stuff being beamed in like that. I appreciate sometimes that the designer can be caught out with this thinking players might not advance as far - done it myself when desiging stuff - but from a play POV it's a bit of a deal breaker. Despite this pulled a major victory. As to my plan - after taking the small hill and clearing the minaret compound below it I pretty much just attacked along the right bank of the canal, cleared the house on the other side of that main road on the embankment, cleared the houses on the left side, then drove my armour and a platoon of Warriors straight down the road and into the exit zone. Lost one tank and had a Warrior immobilised in this. Pretty chuffed my Thunder Run worked though Other than that pretty much wellied everything that popped into view with arty, air and Javellins. I'd still loads of stuff piled back at my rear lines - all those HQ units and other junk, came in handy for holding stuff though. Bet all these Ruperts never thought they'd be defending stuff

Just onto the Aleppo mission now. So far the fighting has been very challenging so overall the missions are fun to play. Just a couple of wee design issues that are becoming a tad irrittaing. I've had two occasions where enemy reinforcements have beamed into the midst of my units. One in the earlier mission where a garrison I had left to cover my flank had enemy beame right into their midst - scratch several sections. Now in the Aleppo mission I've had a clutch of BMPs beam into LOF of two of my recce scimiters who I had sent down the canal to keep an eye out. There were happily sitting there for several minutes when the next thing I know there is clutch of BMPs appearing in the canal - scratch two scimiters... Might be worth checking the set-up zones for enemy reinforcements. Still as I said the tactical challenges are very good, and I like playing very large scenarios - so well done for creating this

Uploaded a zip file that explains what I am on about. British Army Battlegroups and Company Teams.zip

I'd expand the map size to the west - that way you can have the reinforcemnts come in without em being on top of each other. I've carried on with the battle but I'm now very confused as to what task organised company group I have here - I seem to have heaps of HQs dotting around and some very odd task groupings. I'd have thought for this action the company group would be organised around the armoured infantry company (minus a platoon) you would have say several platoons of armoured infantry, a supporting pioneer platoon, matbe a troop of armour or even a half troop plus maybe an AT detachment. I would have thought that would all be under the armoured company CO for this type of mission. As is I have the battalion HQ, two company HQs, and now the regimental HQ tank from the armoured boys. I'd suggest when you sort out the OOB that you remove the extra HQs. No way would you have two company HQs and the batllion HQ all darting about in the same action, plus all their 2ICs - too many Chiefs here