grunt_GI

I find the QB AI had gotten steadily better as the CM2 series has developed. I think the CMFB AI is really good...in both defense, offense, and meeting engagement. @user1000 Are you having this crash problem in CMBN? I just loaded a US/Ger Army Armor Only QB automatic selection with an automatic map and it loaded just fine...are you using CMBN 3.12? I remember this bug and I thought 3.12 fixed it....

Mike Okay, just started playing Valley of the Wolves (Mission 2)...really, really outstanding...the map and weather makes FULL use of the CMBS Winter Mods and are very well done. Another HUGE battle to manage..and lots of toys to play with... Great chance to exercise Russian combined arms...I have a new appreciation for the BMP...what an awesome weapon to wipe out terrorists! I haven't had to dismount my infantry...yet, and am enjoying the relaxed ROE to just blast hell out of everything in my path with those T-90s. Seriously though, the OOB for this is really great to showoff what a well managed Russian force can do...I am smart enough to know that nasty surprises await in the towns, but now that I have my mortars in place, should have enough indirect fire support to win this one. I am ALWAYS leary of taking MBTs into urban terrain...now will have to figure out when to dismount my infantry and how best to support them. Definitely will need EVERY minute of this scenario. REALLY, really well done fun scenario....

Oh, man...can't wait...

So apparently Booty also pillaged (more officially than me) the old Repository...I PM'd him and he is still uploading CMSF to the new Depot. I am also happy to see CMSF content getting kicked around and used a little more.

No problem...

I would be happy to submit, although I am not the creator...

No problem...I tried to vacuum the old Repository of CMSF Campaigns and Scenarios before it went down...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z1ba57b1m7eeid5/Operation Sandstorm.cam?dl=0 Try that....

Ok, thanks, yea, there is a lot of history to read there. Yea, I am really worn out from this week...totally missed that in the briefing... Yea well I understand the fall weather in 1944 did pretty much suck...so....

Ok, downloaded very zippily...very nice. Just my $.02, but after having some major mod conflicts between Stalingrad and Last Panzer, I scrapped my usual Zmod and just put these mods in...with of course JuJu's excellent UI mod and everything loaded just fine. Of course my CMBN seemed a little rusty, haven't played it in weeks. So, quick question, the very first battle is for what purpose? I uploaded the screenshot as I cannot figure out what the heck I was supposed to do besides blast the truck with my Sherman tanks? It's been a long crappy week, so I reread the brief, but can't figure this one out...so went to cease-fire, got a tactical victory (?) and then loaded the first scenario. NOW this scenario was classic dragonwynn...outstanding and very treacherous looking map, huge ORBAT for both sides and of course, crappy weather and night combat. C'mon man, can't we get some sunny weather and hard ground? I cannot even begin to wrap my brain around this battle...just looking at those Flail tanks makes my head hurt as I have never played with those...excellent use of all the modules though...I can tell there's gonna be some fun toys to play with. Your campaign briefing and first scenario briefing, were, as always, detailed and full of good information. SO, depending on how the rest of my week goes, may have a chance to dive into the first scenario. YOU KNOW, of course that I have three of your campaigns going at once...LAST PANZER, MOUNTAINS OF ALLAH, and this one...DAMN, man, you're taking up all my CM time. Cheers, Jerry

Hi Mike, So, I can handle a 500MB download without TOO much problem. I would be happy to blunder through a few scenarios, HOWEVER, to be honest, it won't be for a couple weeks when the wife is out of town and I can grab my beer and pretzels. I am of course, STILL trying to play your CMBS Russian campaign 2nd mission, I am so far behind the CM playing curve it may take until Xmas to catch up. A campaign that uses ALL the CMBN content would be awesome..I know there isn't a lot of content that uses all the modules. Cheers

Ok, finally finished the first mission with a TACTICAL VICTORY...oyyy, took too many casualties (as usual) but secured all the hill top objectives. Did not secure village or go on any further search and destroy missions. Figured would cause more casualties than I inflicted. POST AAR. Overall Mission: Very doable. Of course, it would be awesome to be the Americans and just pound the crap out of everything with artillery and air, but that's just not realistic. I think overall the mission objectives were manageable and realistic. Force balance: Clearly the furthest hills had the most firepower. However, I couldn't tell how well the OPFOR used their mortars and ATGMs. Clearly they used their damn machine guns pretty well. I was endless frustrated at how freakin' long it too to call down my awesome mortars and air support, and actually felt the ATK HELOs didn't do a whole lot. But overall, with enough fire, maneuver, and more fire, I was able to sweep the hills. Overall playability: A very fun scenario. Like I said I never play the Russians, but this is pretty darn good. I almost felt like I needed vodka to celebrate my victory. I am now heading into the Valley of the Wolves....hmmm tanks and APCs...fun...

HMMM, "Gonna Rock it from the Hindu Kush to they Khyber Pass!" This looks outstanding...glad to see CMSF ain't dead yet.

Mike, Looking good....still playing your awesome CMBS campaign....

Ha,excellent, good to know. I have encountered some weird VP situations playing the Stalingrad Mod (which is also AWESOME) where I occupied, most but not ALL the parts of an objective and got no points. So, touch VP works very well for this scenario I think. Really enjoying this...

So, is it now playable as UKR vs RUS AI?

OK, FINALLY had a chance to start playing this. So I am about 20 minutes into the first scenario. May be some minor spoilers, but certainly don't look to me for any brilliant tactical insights. Map: Awesome map. Love the little fortified hills which makes LOS, defilades, and such definitely a factor. OH, and I have to say, I don't know if you intended to make the wolf howl, but very nice touch. OUTSTANDING use of Mods. And of course, you love that stinkin' night combat. Not sure if it favors the Russians or not, but always a challenge. Interesting it appears these are TOUCH objectives? If so, that doesn't mean much as you pretty much have to overrun those positions and kill all the terrorists in them anyways...but I guess it does help on VPs. Balance: The play seems very well balanced. In regard to the mortars, yea, they help, but with the Russian (and UKR) military, you could have an entire BN of mortars and you are still limited to the fact that only FO can call mortars. I used all my FOs to loose an opening barrage before I hit GO to pound hill B and E, but once that happens your FOs are limited by mobility and LOS and you will inevitably have to use your infantry to seize the hilltop positions. Which will suck for casualties. I secured Hill A and am working on B, C, and E. Not pretty but by using fire, maneuver and a LOT of suppressing fire I should be able to secure my objectives. AND of course, once you get your guys going up the hills, mortars become of less use as you don't want to drop them on your own guys (something I have some experience at ) Overall, I am liking this a lot. With the size of the battle and the map, of course battle management is a problem as I love to watch the battle develop on a hill (seeing my brave Russian lads overrun the heinous terrorists) and tend to forget everything else. Very nicely done, waiting to see how things go.

Finally got a chance to play dragonwynns Mountains of Allah with your UI.....it is awesome. Very nicely done. All the buttons are fairly easy to see, even with night battles. Very clean and simple UI. Thanks very much for continuing to tweak this.

Outstanding...I also get Modern War Magazine...great publication!

Yea shoulda recommended a copy. I have an old paperback I found at a used bookstore

Oops, sorry, I just looked up KERN in the index and that was all I found..my bad..should have checked the date. Don't know it would make much of a scenario..the American's got the ass handed to them. Have you got a copy of Martin Blumenson's Kasserine Pass? That is probably the best single volume study of the battle.

Outstanding picture... In Rick Atkinson's "An Army at Dawn" it describes an attack by the 10th Panzer Div, specifically saying Kern's Bn and Battery C of the 27th Armored Field Arty Bat...apparently with half-track mounted guns (I assume the 75s mounted on half-tracks) were also involved in a fight with about 20 panzers and German paratroopers (pg 227)..sorry doesn't give strength on the paras. it does mention motorcycles as well...again no OOB. It also mentions that a combined force of General Lee tanks, reinforced by five Shermans counterattacked to support Kern and were pretty much wiped out. Sorry, no specific OOB for the battle...surprised the Green Books didn't have more detail.

Those screenshots are awesome...BTW, just so you know, I have all the CMBN modules, including the vehicle pack, if you need a tester. Just saying'. Your stuff is always awesome...still playing Last Panzer and hoping to get to The Mountains of Allah.

Thanks. Cheers.