sfhand

Amazingly funny in way too many ways to count...!

I will defer to you guys (for the time being... looking forward to a discussion after we've reached the end of battle #1) that said, the Allied player is (should be) under a tremendous amount of pressure to take the northern bank in 45 minutes.

Engagement range? In our earlier light tank duel (this game) at longer ranges the PIII was unable to knock out any of your Stuarts, IIRC (it did manage to get one crew to bail though). In the earlier engagement both types of tanks were getting penetration with your superior numbers eventually winning the day. I don't really remember the combat outcomes of when you were German, it seems like a long time ago.

Heh... one intuitive stonk on a tree line that, gasp, turns out has an AT gun in it is now considered artying all the treelines? The other treeline has a confirmed AT gun in it. Lol, propaganda is good! I'm thinking of letting the Allied player know what he/she is up against in this first battle, i.e., a Pz Div Escort Co reinforced with light tanks and a Kriegsmarine Co. and urging them to familiarize themselves with the units. I know in the battle with Baneman I will be able to push harder once I know all his AT guns are KO'ed. My goal against Baneman is to secure the northern bank with as many Shermans battle ready as possible. The Kriegsmarine troops have no AT capabilities while the Pz Div guys have some bite (3 ATG's, 3 schreck teams, and faust carrying infantry squads). If I play my hand right I won't have to go driving tanks through the woods. The latest duel in the woods with Ken was exciting and my guys far exceeded my expectations - after a rocky start! The P3 matches up nicely with Stuarts and schrecks and fausts do the job on Shermans...

I'm scratching my head about this... this is the 2nd time your moving vehicles have spotted first in the woods. I would have thought the smaller stationary unit (people) would have a spotting advantage in this situation. This does not bode well for my plan (I don't actually have a plan, but it sounds better this way) edit: I just realized this is the 2nd time my side has benefited from an extremely lucky grenade

Even though the thread Ian linked is labeled for one pair of play testers it would be great to have more... interested parties should post there interest there and we can get you set up.

Send me a turn and you will see... Seriously, the terrain is steeper in real life than in game due to rounding errors in my metric conversion. Due to the way CM models elevation changes there are a lot of "cliffs" on the map that aren't present. in real life (which is why I am okay with the metric rounding errors). As a result, there are spots on the map in which a unit can be "trapped" because they are surrounded by cliffs. "Baneman's peak" - yes that label will be inserted ingame, was one such area. I have now added a footpath for access (I haven't tested it though). edit: footpath tested, Baneman's Bluff now accessible!

Out of curiosity, have you tried saving and reloading? It works with disappeared AT guns in CMBN...

I could not duplicate this...

Ken, if you didn't like losing the M8 you aren't going to like the next turn... Baneman, excellent use of short range arty (from the gamey as hell position ) coupled with reverse slope defense. I cringed when that turn unfolded.

CMBS is on my hard drive. I have only messed around with it a little due to my obsession with a scenario for CMBN. But what I have seen is not only great but way beyond my level of familiarity (I haven't played CMSF in a few years so I don't even have and edge there). This has been true with every Battlefront game I've had the pleasure of playing. I look forward to learning about and enjoying this new game while I continue to explore the others. None of this very enjoyable experience would be possible without the vision, hard work, dedication, love of craft, attention to detail, and, maybe most importantly, thick skin of the people who comprise Battlefront and those who volunteer countless hours as beta testers. Much respect, admiration, and awe to you all.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Larkspur,+CA/@37.9380616,-122.5357554,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80859a70473bfe45:0xc9c005f06cdd6957 Gamey? I think saying your mortar team got up there because they are Tyrolean mountaineers is the gamey sin here... IIRC, they are Panzer Escort Division NOT Gebirgsjager!

An epic traffic jam? Heh... you should check out rush hour traffic in these parts (real life version of the map), this was nothing, cleared in less than a minute. Have you considered doing one of Bil's bloodboards? You have definitely slowed my advance on all fronts, so kudos for that. I especially like that you're using some of the PII's in the role of the removed AA guns; I wish I thought of that! In my mind's eye the Allied player must be prepared to trade equipment for land. I'm going to tweak the map and put a footpath to the area your mortar is firing from so the next guy who puts units there will be able to extract them. Your guys are gonna die there... redrum!

You don't think the Brits will be smart enough to stay out of this mess?

I'm emailing you the scenario and poesel's email addy... plus giving him a head's up. I believe he wants to play as Axis.

Not sure why you volunteered and then immediately backed out of the playtester thread. poesel has expressed interest and we're waiting for someone to step up and give him a run for his money. Plus, you would be helping this fledgling scenario. So, why not reconsider and give it a go? The force size is close to your sweet spot for most of the 5 battles... and it is realistic, in an alternate universe kind of way

I have no problems with anyone reacting to earlier games. Heck, I'm reacting to earlier games because you (and the others) have shown me a small slice of the error in my ways. I like that we are tweaking setups and strategies. I agree about the choice between the roads and the woods with the caveat being in the woods infantry "should" have advantages tanks don't have due to short LOS. Yeah, I know it didn't play out that way in our last, but I think I ran my guys too hard and fast right into your Stuart (because I didn't realize it was going to be there). Either way, as you said earlier, probing with overwatch is definitely a good way to go: it's just difficult to do in the woods.

Thanks, Keep it up!

I have my doubts about using US mech infantry in this scenario... I think I've fought with them before, but I don't recall them feeling so "undermanned" compared to regular infantry. Maybe we should start over with regular units... Just kidding. I will definitely want your feedback on the reinforcement setups (I think c3k approved of the first Axis reinforcement position before we restarted). c3k: I always thought hiding was a part of ambushing... but I have different plans this time. As the defender, one of the beauties of the map is the variety of choices presented to the defender. Baneman: I freely admit to lifting some ideas from our brief encounter; it's time to see if Ken can hit the curve. As the attacker, one of the beauties of the map is the lack of choices presented to the defender.

It was quite a while ago so I don't rightly remember... assume a mixture of the largest at my disposal

Well, the most gamey thing I've done started in the editor... there was a minor tiff between a member and c3k, who challenged the member to any battle any time. I stepped in as a second and this was the result.

I'm currently playing 3 instances of this scenario. I have also made some tweaks to it. No more fixed AA guns for the Axis and no more foxholes. In the games where I was Allied I couldn't spot the fixed AA guns (which didn't seem right given the amount of fire they were generating and the amount of eyes I had on their location. What I could spot was their foxholes. So, in order to remove the lure of decoy foxholes I got rid of both. I may still have to nerf the Axis side a little more, time will tell. My ongoing games were restarted with the modifications and it is too early to tell how things are balancing out. In our orginal game Ken was defending and did a masterful job of denying my force control of the north side of the waterway (with the default deployment scheme). We have switched sides and I am hopeful he will be able to take the north bank in the first 45 minute battle - even though I am going to do my best to deny him. In the games where I am defending I am not sticking to the default deployment either... poesel, I'm stretched a little thin right now, but don't give up hope! If/when we do another reset you can go against one of my oppo's or maybe you can lure some unsuspecting type into the fight of their lives...

First reinforcement wave has arrived in my battle with c3k... we now move into the second phase. Even though Ken had a lesser force in the first phase he has successfully held ground which is preventing me from crossing the bridge at this point in time. He also still holds key terrain on "my" side and is in a very good position in my estimation. He is also using knocked out tank crews (also one roaming schreck team that I know of) as a guerrilla force to good effect. I had intended the Allied task in the first battle to be a little easier in an effort to move the battle across the map. Time for a big push...

I am still hoping some people will be interested in taking this out for a spin...