Blackcat

Snake Eye, It certainly looks like a good map. I have my copy of Duffers Drift to hand and am ready to roll. How do I get a copy of the scenario?

Snake Eye, I'll happily test the 1st Dream. I'll give it a go this afternoon - my wife is away for the weekend and so I can play too my heart's content. As for Duffer's Drift, I don't think its a well known work these days, (my father gave me my copy when I was doing my infantry training many years ago) but according to the fontispiece in my copy the book was translated into Urdu for use by the Indian army, into Spanish and was used as a training manual by the Unted States Army. So presumably it was quite influential at one time. Anyway best go, as I don't want to be accused of side-tracking TheVulture's thread when he comes back on Monday.

Elmar, "Because if there's still armour while there's no more AP, you are well and truly stuffed." I agree, but it has never happened to me in the game. AP rounds aginst infantry is, in the game, certainly less than effectiive.

I don't know what strange territory we would get into by having loadouts that match the needs of the mission, but never mind. Battlefront went with the best advice they could get and we get a loadout that might have been suitable for the North German Plain facing the Sovs streaming accross the IGB in the 80s, but is patently wrong for combat in Syria in 2008. Well into every life a little rain must fall and nothing we can say will change it now.

Wow, I can do bold and Italics and everything, using the WYSIWYG editor. I can even add smiley faces and pictures Thanks, MeatEtr, I would never have found this without your help.

Ryuin, Maybe you are right and the percentage of games where one's Warriors need 180 rounds of AP is much higher than I think. Having played through the Campaign and most Brit scenarios, I cannot remember one time when I have thought, "Dang! I wish I had some more AP ammo on that warrior". However, in nearly every mission or scenario where I have Warriors I have found myself cursing that they cannot support their dismounts properly because they have insufficient HE. The Rarden will burn through its paltry 45 rounds of HE in less than three minutes. Seven man squads need good supporting fire if they are to remain effective. Warriors in my experience just don't cut the mustard in the game.

MeatEtr, "So now I will accuse of padding your post count" Be fair, I have posted less than 120 times since 2001 (granted most of them have been in the past couple of months). Please keep in mind too that some of us are richer in years and are sometimes technologically challenged. That said I shall take your "Preview Post" advice to heart, if I can find the right button.

Snake Eye, Be nice now. Not only do I admire your scenarios and campaigns enormously (the El-Dejine is excellent, even if the S2 is an incompetent idiot), but I actually have a copy of "The Defence of Duffer's Drift". My edition of Duffer's Drift is the one from 1949 with a foreword by Earl Wavell whch concludes with "If after studying this little work, any offcer decides that he has learnt nothing, I can only recommend him to apply for employment in an Administrative branch of the War Office; for he will certainly be a danger to troops in the field". Maybe your S2 needs to follow Wavell's recommendation!

Steve, I apologise. In my earlier post I was unfair. The problem I have is that in the majority of scenarios where I have been given Warriors the mission is such that the "standard ammo load" is not justfied and would not be carried in real life. This usually leaves me, the player, thinking that I have been short changed. The actual game for the Brits, as delivered, does not simulate the conditions of conventional war with the threat of enemy armour, at least not often. Furthermore when it does having 30mm APFDS ain't a great deal of use - the Challengers will deal with the armour and if they can't the Warriors certainly won't be able to. However, I realise that every game has its limitations and not being able to adjust ammo loads to meet the mission is one in CMSF. The Warrior ammo load is aggravating and I think you called this one wrong, but I accept you made your decision in good faith. So once again, I apologise.

Too right, he does. I told TheVulture to sack his S2 after the second mission but did he listen? Did he heck.

The Rarden is now old but, in real life still pretty damn effective (especially with the lastest sight which almost gurantee a first round hit). In the game the Rarden seems to be ineffective due to Battlefront's decision to make the ammo load conform to some ancient doctrine document, rather than the need sof the operation in which the vehicle is actually engaged.

Trying again

Sorry, I was just trying to be helpful so that you chaps didn't waste your time. My thanks to Clavicula and Elmar, I'll give photobucket a try - though I confess I had been hoping for a simpler solution. Anyway, you can forget the pink elephant and please don't imagine a photograph of a Kangaroo. Especially not one of a kangaroo on a tropical beach wearing a blue waistcoat with white buttons. Instead you might want to think about waves.

Well that failed. Drat

I am just trying out posting a screen shot before starting an AAR thread.

Nice one, Mr. Vulture. I think this mision could go awfully wrong if you pay too much attention to the briefing (rushing off from the start line and so allowing the AI to cross Happy Valley, as you identified), or one is too careless in tacking the Radar Station. Avoid those two errors, and believing the briefing is the easier one to make, and as you demonstrated, it becomes soemthing of a turkey shoot. Thanks for another fine installment, and good luck with the last battle.

*Enters, looks around. No sign of today's installment. Mutters a gentle curse and exits mumbling* Come on, TheVulture. I am getting withdrawl symptoms and am getting desperate to know how you got on with the Radar Station.

MeatEtr, I couldn't work out how to get the snipping tool to work in game either, so I went for the Fraps option. Unfortunately the free version of Fraps is restricted to BMP files, which look horrible. So I forked out the $37. I have to say the full version is rather good.

Great stuff. A thought occurs if the RPG team can land around near a LAV in the valley below, could not said LAV put some fire down on the central tower? With regard to mortars, I have noticed that when trying to clear roofs with them the AI is very quick to duck downstairs. My current theory is that anyhting more than a "Quick" mission is a waste of rounds unless the infantry is moving forward at the same time. Cross fingers that the SMAW team make the wall in one piece. Once insde the compound you should be at less of a disadvantage.

"It's mostly a matter of taking the radar station," That seems to sum up this mission. Again I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow's installment.

I think you are correct in saying that it would be an improvement. However, a road movement command, and its extension, a convoy command (so as to allow a group of vehilces to move down a road in good order), have been requested on these forums for many years (I rased this again only a week ot two ago in a discussion on command delays). We have had neither yet, and I am not holding my breath for the future. I am sure that it is possible to code such commands, but that it would be more difficult than it would appear to us, the players. My guess is that Battlefront have decided the time it would take is not justified by the benefit it would give.

"And then the Syrian's surrender..." I thought they might, do you mind telling us the casualty figures? Thanks again for a great AAR. I am really looking forward to seeing how you do in the next battle of the campaign.

Thank you, I think I understand now some of the results I have had. No big deal from my point of view but it is nice to know.

Para, If you get stuck let me know. I am sure we can work something out between us. Cheers