Erwin

+1 The problem right now is that BF's strategy of small incremental improvements to the game over many years means that each game product is very similar to the previous products. CM2 is getting repetitive and, dare I say it, boring... All the "euro-centric" games are very similar in terms of gameplay to each other. That's a major reason that I wish CM2 would go back to the desert with Afrika Korps or a modern CMSF-like product. I envy newcomers who have the wonderful experience of playing the pretty much fully realized CM2 games. However, for those of us who have been loyally playing CM games for the past 17 years(!)...

It looks like a good scenario and it motivates me to play it and see if slightly different tactics would work better. (My impression is that too much was expected of the initial "recon" forces.)

Perhaps we need a SLOW HUNT type of command? In all the newsreels on the current conflicts in the ME, vehicles entering a combat are all seem to move slow (exception are patrols down major roads where they move FAST). The advancing vehicles immediately stop when fired upon and bring on airpower or arty.

IIRC only engineer or sapper units can mark minefields. Those units also usually (not always) have demo charges. Breach units have demo charges but I don't think they have other skills.

Trying to play thru the new CMSF campaign - which is pretty good so far. Then yours.

LOS has always been a huge issue with this game. SO many examples of LOS issues in the game that make little sense in RL. It is very much appreciated that BF continues to do patches and updates. But, these updates tend to all address extremely minor issues that frankly are barely noticeable. The huge elephantine problems like LOS henomena and non-ergonomic UI issues are ignored. Am assuming that they would require a rewrite of code and so may not see these issues addressed until CM3 (Inshallah).

Thanks. I didn't have that scenario.

"...keeping track of a core force, Kills, promotions, etc, the Mega Campaigns... " Yes, that would be a wonderful innovation for CM series. That would greatly encourage players to think of their troops as real people and identify with at least a few - taking a "god-like" interest in certain men re promotions, wounds, medals etc.

Yes, it's quite amazing how the tech has advanced from when I used to work in the biz. Sometimes I wish I were born 20 year later. One the other hand I think life seems a lot tougher for younger folks these days and I feel sorry for most.

Re EW: Are there any scenarios in which there is max EW. I would guess that EW would be much more prevalent than what we see in the current CM scenarios or campaigns. (Can one vary EW effects between the missions of a campaign??)

Am loving this report. Re discussion, my take is that these are supposed to be the recon element - designed to spot enemy positions for when the main force arrives. However, it is so easy to get carried away with enthusiasm and start using the initial forces for assault. Is that what is happening here?

**********SPOILERS************ 20 mins done, 50 minutes to go: Sent two squads to the left flank and one to the right each backed up with one 7.62mm and one 50 cal vehicle. The other vehicles in reserve or in rear if transports. On left flank, took 4 or 5 casualties from mines in the irrigation ditches(!) + two to enemy fire in the walled village (after making 2 demo holes in the walls for entry. However, have eliminated three sets of enemy there and have two squads (minus 6) plus the HQ (minus 1) and the 2IC team there. On right flank had success. No friendly losses (only 1 lightly WIA crew member) with several enemy squads/teams eliminated - probably the whole enemy flank killed. Entering that village in next turn or two. No IED's as yet, but mines are a bitch.

The first part of the invasion of Greece by Italy was not one-sided. Well, the Italians mostly got their butts kicked - also in early NA actions of course. Then there are the paradrops on Crete that were a close run thing. Surely there was some opposition by the Brits and Greeks on the mainland as well?

Don't have time to play right now, but was so intrigued by your campaign that I had to do my opening set-up. I really like the Mission 1 situation. The Brits are fascinating to play with their "weird" recon vehicles. My only disappointment was that there is no sniper unit (I thought the Brits would always have those) and no Grenade launcher-equipped vehicle. IIRC the Grenade Launcher is one of the only one or two support weapons in CMSF that can be dismounted from a vehicle and carried by foot. Those two units would make the Mission 1 situation even more fun. Also, one gets an FO but I didn't see any off map arty/mortars or aircraft promised in the briefing. If there is such reinforcements, the briefing should give some mention of them. If not, I would remove the FO.

Wow. Sounds great. Will check it out. Thanks!

Yes, WOTP is what SH4 is called. I would post a list of the SH4 mods I have. But, is it possible to copy the name and paste all of them here in one go?

Am curious re "Due to the potential of conflicts with earlier game Mods, we strongly advise uninstalling any mods prior to installing this patch." What determines if a mod is incompatible, and can one safely put back the mod folder after patch install?

BTW: I found that I had downloaded about 62 SH4 mods back in 2007(!!) Would Real Fleet Boat + Run Silent Run Deep, Fall of the Rising Sun etc. or alternatively the Trigger Maru Mod include a bunch of mods that make the 2007 individual ones I have obsolete. Or, should one install those new mods plus the 62 individual ones that I have? Also, a noob question: Where in the WOTP folder does one install mods? It's not obvious.

One really has to clarify what is the point in terms of the scenario objectives of the unexpected reinforcement. Am not sure why unexpected reinforcements that are specifically not mentioned in the briefing would enhance the scenario. Better to design a campaign in which one can choose via the binary method already established what level of reinforcements are available for the next mission.

I propose a caption contest: "Huh? Didn't we exterminate you yesterday??"

Yup Marco Bergman did a wonderful job and I miss his work in CMFB and CMBS. Thanks to you guys for reminding us of his work.

Am happy to never be 100% sure whether reinforcements or resupply will occur. However, designers should make that uncertainty clear so that players don't screw themselves up. And of course each mission of a campaign should be winnable (perhaps at a lower level) even if resupply or reinforcements do not arrive as promised. At all costs, players should not have to back up one or more missions just to replay them to ensure that they have enuff ammo etc. The surprises of a mission is 90% of what makes it interesting and fun. Replaying a mission is usually 90% guaranteed to be a major PITA.

The other CM2 titles had a mod that gave valuable info like range, caliber as well as defensive data on every vehicle. For, some reason the mod maker did not do this mod for CMBS or CMFB. He may have disappeared from the forums. It's possible you can use the mods for CMBN, CMFI and CMRT to get something that could work.

"Erwin speed up time is a must in the SH games..it's not an arcade game..you have to keep submersing to see if you get any contacts using sonar etc. If you want a realistic experience then get it..if you want instant action stay away. " I agree with your sentiments and loved playing SH3 and SH4 years ago. Am happy to rediscover it. (I didn't even realize there was a SH5, and there is a SH6 that comes up when I Google.) However, in the SH4 U-Boat campaign I would get to a location that was ordered, and then sit there with max time compression on for several game days before anything appeared (other than enemy aircraft) - and most of the time it was a friendly ship(!). That's plain poor design. Your other games also sound good. Some I never heard of. I have to check em out.

I think onmap arty resupply is handled separately from offmap arty supply. Maybe one item was forgotten?