JulianJ

Never gets properly dark when you have a burning wicker man to light up those northern nights. Happy Solstice!

I lived in England for several years. We lived in the north, just outside the Lakes District. We had to have room darkening shades. In summer, it never really got full dark. Almost, for a while. Sunset almost 10pm, sunrise at about 4:30am (which means it starts getting light about 3:30.  
Winter was the opposite, sunrise 8:30am, sunset 3:45pm and the sun barely got above the distant treetops.
It took some getting used to. But we loved our time there. Great place to live.

These are two of Kieme's outstanding buildings in HD.
I  hate Kieme so much I burnt and shot them up. :-)

What you get with these buildings in HD:
 
Scorched sides from internal fires
Windows above the ground floor have no glass (still function in game terms)
Lightly-smoked roofs x 2 – a Syrian delicacy – don't knock it if you haven't tried it
Pockmarking from bullet and shell hits
Other damage and battle crap
Pro government and jihadist slogans/iconography
A little easter egg

 
(Yes, I think that sh*t is authentic. They're madder than a barrel of frogs.)
Designer's Notes
You need Kieme's buildings 4 and 5 to make this work. I recommend all his buildings. Because of the limitations of the way the modular buildings work I suggest you only use it as 1, 2, or 3 storeys as the scorching will look a bit odd otherwise. However it still works with taller buildings, particularly if you add balconies.
The pair of buildings aren't too heavily bullet-scarred so they fit in with other structures around. Because of the way the modular buildings work there had to be compromises with the placing of the slogans and decals, but I feel they add a lot of character to the buildings.  PUT IN THE Z FOLDER AS USUAL.

 
You can add wrecked Aircon3 to your flavour objects for that extra bit of damage.
 

 
 
Links to download files:
Bldg 4a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/jq5xx756povzz/4a
Bldg 5a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/a63o9rlf3h78s/5a
Aircon3
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/2b89t2rv51e30/aircon3
Installation: put in the Z folder as usual. I've put them with the relevant Kieme building folders and that works just fine. 
 
Note, I forgot I was using my vanilla modding SF2, so I loaded up Darya Tank Raid which I was halfway through, the semi-finished buildings came up and they looked so good that I had to complete them to play the rest of the scenario.




 

New content from @mjkerner
This mod contains uniforms and gear in MTP camo for the British Forces in Shock Force 2.
 

 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aRyK9Z1sQBxXnZfn9KVxlXR6hOxh-Woi/view?usp=sharing

Latest infantry mod released by @mjkerner 
CMFI/GL/R2V French Force Goumiers Mod
https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/cm-mod-warehouse/combat-mission-fortress-italy/cmfi-infantry/cmfi-gl-r2v-french-force-goumiers-mod/

That was my reaction when I read your post, too.. "We must be playing two different games"
I think it's like seeing faces in the clouds. Where I see random enemy placements, where one team is randomly in a good position, and another randomly placed in a bad position, you might see one position controlling the high ground, while the other team is deliberately placed too far forward as bait.. etc. We humans like to find patterns in chaos.

That static defence custom QB-trick sounds like a nice idea 🙂...
But as for giving the AI greater freedom to act on its own...i'm  not so sure.
If BFC could make it work...yeah that would be great but i fear that features such as you describe might be a bit more complicated...
Simply having LOS/LOF to an action square might not help the AI enough...what kind of enemy unit is comming ? where are the other enemies/friendlies ? What are they doing ? Where should the AI units regroup to ? Why  ?
There are a lot of things the AI will need to considder...not only for each induvidual unit but also as a force as a whole.
I doubt it would be able to do it...
I would prefer that BFC moved in the opposit direction and gave the scenariodesigner MORE tools to 'help' the AI...providing for better scripting...
- more AI groups 
- more trigger options like AI group casualty level higher then, unit killed (friendly or enemy), unit spotted,  AI group ammo level below...etc,etc
- more options for when reinforcements arrive.
- more objective options
- a new AI artillery programing interface that would allow the designer to specify indirect firesupport for the AI mid game among other things.
 
 

George MC,
  Yikes, what a crazy battle this one is.  I enjoyed the heck out of it.  Quite the challenge, as you are screwed if you go too fast, and you'll lose if you go too slowly.
  So, here are my observations and the course I took.
SPOILERS
*
*
*
*
*
Per the briefing, I never considered the left flank (green) route.  The briefing also noted that the red route had a road block, so I didn't work that one either.
I split my forces into two groups, with equal amounts of BMPs to each, but more tank heavy on the far right (yellow) route.  The infantry stayed with the blue route group.  The FO stayed behind and the unmounted infantry did some initial scouting ahead.  I had the arty start dropping on the really high apartment buildings to the right of strongpoint 2 as soon as possible, to try and blunt any attacks on that strongpoint from the right side.  They also had the drone up as soon as possible and covering the right half of the map.
And...one of my tanks bogged and was immobilized within the first 3 minutes.  Great!!!
I left the attached infantry mounted for a while, as I moved the tanks up slowly (but not too slowly) and had the BMPs pretty close behind for covering fire.  I tried to keep the two columns moving at the same pace.  This worked for the most part, except that one column or the other had to stop and address the ambushes.  Some were pretty wicked, and my foot sloggers paid dearly by blundering into them.  I had to move BMPs and tanks in quickly to suppress and then blow the enemy up fast.  I actually found that the BMPs were very good at ripping apart the ambush positions, but I still had to have tanks leading.
Between the red and blue route I pushed three BMPs down that area, which was more of a wide alley.  I stumbled on some more ambush spots and reduced them, but at a price.  But, I managed to uncover some more enemy positions before they could fire on the blue and yellow routes.  So, I guess it was worth the casualties.
Once my columns hit the main cross road, they had to deal with a whole host of enemy troops trying to ambush them.  I had one tank immobilized in the intersection on the yellow route and another took a gun hit that left only the driver and no gun.  But, the enemy paid dearly and the cross street was now controlled.
I did a very poor job of managing the strongpoint troops.  I was so intent on working the columns that I neglected the strongpoints and left them to their own devices until things were really dire there.  Some of the strongpoint 1 survivors fled into nearby buildings so I had lost that position.  Strongpoint 2 was very much reduced but holding on.  This was close to the 1 hour left time.  I decided to take some chances at this point, and the streets were really dusted up badly from my columns blasting the enemy positions, so I started running BMPs through the dust and rushing them into the heart of strongpoint 2.  I rushed three BMPs and the tank with no gun into and around strongpoint 2, and cut up some enemy troops still near it. 
Then I started to rush more BMPs and one of the tanks past strongpoint 2 and out onto the red route to try and clear strongpoint 1.  I took some more casualties but I was finally able to retake strongpoint 1 with the breach teams.  With the time mark at 57 minutes remaining, I had to decide if I should load up the survivors and scamper back to my lines or consolidate my position and hold.  I had two tanks positioned on the yellow route to protect my right flank.  I had a boatload of BMPs and tanks around the two strongpoints.  The enemy didn't seem to be pushing forward any longer.  I chose to stay and hold.  
With a ceasefire at 57 minutes left in the game, I ended up with a Syrian Tactical Victory.  I was very pleased to have eeked that out.
This was a really cool battle.  There were so many nail-biting situations that I lost count and track of all of them.  If I had managed the strongpoints better, I might not have risked rushing the BMPs down the dust-clouded streets when I did.  But, since things were so critical there, I figured I had to take the chance. 
Lots of critical decisions are called for in this battle.  I never felt rushed by the game time, but I did feel rushed by the developments of the battle.  In that respect, George, you make the player change his plans on the fly and sometimes uncomfortable or aggressive decisions are called for.  When I saw my guys bailing out of strongpoint 1 and the guys in strongpoint 2 getting ready to run, I had to rush my columns and take extra risks.  I just couldn't leave them in the lurch - so I ordered the BMP guys to risk all.  
My stomach was already tightening up when I read the briefing, and I just knew things were going to get ugly fast.  I think you did a masterful job of having the AI triggered in such a way as to have the battle rise in pitch and then ease back a little for slight lulls in the action.  This really ratcheted up the tension level.
Clearly this is vintage George MC magic.  A wonderful battle, filled with tension and suspense, and tactical puzzles to be solved without losing too much of your troops blood in the process.  Thanks George for another amazing experience.
Heinrich505

@George MC Re spoiler - that's clever!  However I think the enemy forces were unable to carry out the plan, owing to being rather dead. I imagine the ISIS commander chopped a subordinate's head off for that.
On the time factor, I think it's good that there is plenty of time to approach it in a way that is satisfactory for the player. I often find scenarios** are too short and at the end I make mistakes by rushing, which is annoying for me, and not great design. I don't understand why quicker players don't just win and declare victory with time on the clock? Surely that shows superior skill? 
**QBs default is 45 mins I think, I normally extend that to  1 hr 15, it's just too short - I know they are not 'designed' in a way scenarios are, but it takes my enjoyment away slightly if I realise I am unlikely to complete the mission and I wonder whether it is worth continuing to play.
Because I had plenty of time in this scenario, I was able to decide on a retreat plan, and carry it out effectively. For example I assembled the remnants of S1 behind the tall building in the centre (water tower?), and hid them there until I had them covered and had retrieved a router and got him there too. Then I could send 1 BMP to get them all, with overwatch. The escape from S2 was more haphazard and took some fire, but it was in two phases, with the two squads with a few rounds of ammo left covering the rest. That was a very satisfactory end to the game, because I was doing something that you don't generally get in CM, but you do in real military situations - a retreat - and doing it well. Didn't lose a man or a vehicle once the troops reached their exfil positions.

I just finished this.  Great scenario. Recommended.
I liked playing the Syrians v the headchoppers, most satisfying to blow them to crap.
It's the first time I think I have wished for fewer AFVs and more infantry!
I took a decision to add a "House Rule" that as I was the Syrian Army I wouldn't indiscriminately blast houses without enemy indicators as they were possibly sheltering civvies, not to mention wrecking my own city is doing ISIS' work for them.  I did shoot down some walls, which I felt was OK.
I have to recommend my burnt and shot up buildings: Scorched Buildings 4a and 5a  They look good and just replace some other buildings in the scenario without you having to do anything.
As I started quite late one evening, I didn't bother to decide a plan, or change the deployment.  That wasn't a particularly good idea. Rumsfeld would have said: "You fight with the plan you are given, not the plan you would like to have." 🙂
I advanced down basically 4 axes, trying to find a weakness.
Couldn't work out whether leading with tanks, BMPs, or infantry was the right thing to do - tried all three and each method makes you wince.
When the poor holdouts in S1 and S2 were down to harsh language, my nearest troops were about 60M away. It was a very difficult decision but I decided to bug out and abandon the strongpoints. I couldn't see any other option - it was more important to rescue the survivors than get embroiled in more trouble.
Although I lost a couple more men, I managed to get them away, back to the wagons, then folded back through my forces, under covering fire and overwatch. Was quite pleased with my tactical handling of the retreat.
I was surprised to see that I had got a Major Victory, despite losing the Strongpoints - killed lots of the enemy, though I would say my side suffered significant losses inc 1 tank and 3 BMPs.
 
(spoiler)
 
I think in retrospect I should have concentrated on two axes of advance. There is an indirect route through to S1 if you look carefully.
 
 

Wait a little bit longer … 😏
 
Good AAR and some good points but I'm going to disagree about the time thing.
Speaking from a very interested and biased perspective, because I prefer to allow players to have the option to take their time in a scenario and am very aware of threads ad nauseum about scenario designers not giving sufficient time or titled 'why can't I play the scenario until I've killed everybody', I disagree.
If the scenario length is such that both experienced/aggressive or novice/cautious players can complete it without having to crack the editor open or kick off about how cr@p the scenario/game is then I think this is a good point. Why didn't you cease fire when you thought it was all over?
Players come in all shapes and sizes and based on feedback - a scenario that finishes early or does not have enough time for some players to complete creates more frustration than one that gives you the option to click cease fire whenever you choose to do so if you are a competent, experienced player, which based on your posts here, you quite clearly are.

These are two of Kieme's outstanding buildings in HD.
I  hate Kieme so much I burnt and shot them up. :-)

What you get with these buildings in HD:
 
Scorched sides from internal fires
Windows above the ground floor have no glass (still function in game terms)
Lightly-smoked roofs x 2 – a Syrian delicacy – don't knock it if you haven't tried it
Pockmarking from bullet and shell hits
Other damage and battle crap
Pro government and jihadist slogans/iconography
A little easter egg

 
(Yes, I think that sh*t is authentic. They're madder than a barrel of frogs.)
Designer's Notes
You need Kieme's buildings 4 and 5 to make this work. I recommend all his buildings. Because of the limitations of the way the modular buildings work I suggest you only use it as 1, 2, or 3 storeys as the scorching will look a bit odd otherwise. However it still works with taller buildings, particularly if you add balconies.
The pair of buildings aren't too heavily bullet-scarred so they fit in with other structures around. Because of the way the modular buildings work there had to be compromises with the placing of the slogans and decals, but I feel they add a lot of character to the buildings.  PUT IN THE Z FOLDER AS USUAL.

 
You can add wrecked Aircon3 to your flavour objects for that extra bit of damage.
 

 
 
Links to download files:
Bldg 4a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/jq5xx756povzz/4a
Bldg 5a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/a63o9rlf3h78s/5a
Aircon3
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/2b89t2rv51e30/aircon3
Installation: put in the Z folder as usual. I've put them with the relevant Kieme building folders and that works just fine. 
 
Note, I forgot I was using my vanilla modding SF2, so I loaded up Darya Tank Raid which I was halfway through, the semi-finished buildings came up and they looked so good that I had to complete them to play the rest of the scenario.




 

You're worse than me, lol.  These look fantastic to me.

These are two of Kieme's outstanding buildings in HD.
I  hate Kieme so much I burnt and shot them up. :-)

What you get with these buildings in HD:
 
Scorched sides from internal fires
Windows above the ground floor have no glass (still function in game terms)
Lightly-smoked roofs x 2 – a Syrian delicacy – don't knock it if you haven't tried it
Pockmarking from bullet and shell hits
Other damage and battle crap
Pro government and jihadist slogans/iconography
A little easter egg

 
(Yes, I think that sh*t is authentic. They're madder than a barrel of frogs.)
Designer's Notes
You need Kieme's buildings 4 and 5 to make this work. I recommend all his buildings. Because of the limitations of the way the modular buildings work I suggest you only use it as 1, 2, or 3 storeys as the scorching will look a bit odd otherwise. However it still works with taller buildings, particularly if you add balconies.
The pair of buildings aren't too heavily bullet-scarred so they fit in with other structures around. Because of the way the modular buildings work there had to be compromises with the placing of the slogans and decals, but I feel they add a lot of character to the buildings.  PUT IN THE Z FOLDER AS USUAL.

 
You can add wrecked Aircon3 to your flavour objects for that extra bit of damage.
 

 
 
Links to download files:
Bldg 4a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/jq5xx756povzz/4a
Bldg 5a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/a63o9rlf3h78s/5a
Aircon3
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/2b89t2rv51e30/aircon3
Installation: put in the Z folder as usual. I've put them with the relevant Kieme building folders and that works just fine. 
 
Note, I forgot I was using my vanilla modding SF2, so I loaded up Darya Tank Raid which I was halfway through, the semi-finished buildings came up and they looked so good that I had to complete them to play the rest of the scenario.




 

Sweet!  Works for me.
 

LOL!

No, thank you, for a great scenario. Just had to stop for a breather now.  My poor Syrian grunts are down to harsh language and am having to exfiltrate them.

These are two of Kieme's outstanding buildings in HD.
I  hate Kieme so much I burnt and shot them up. :-)

What you get with these buildings in HD:
 
Scorched sides from internal fires
Windows above the ground floor have no glass (still function in game terms)
Lightly-smoked roofs x 2 – a Syrian delicacy – don't knock it if you haven't tried it
Pockmarking from bullet and shell hits
Other damage and battle crap
Pro government and jihadist slogans/iconography
A little easter egg

 
(Yes, I think that sh*t is authentic. They're madder than a barrel of frogs.)
Designer's Notes
You need Kieme's buildings 4 and 5 to make this work. I recommend all his buildings. Because of the limitations of the way the modular buildings work I suggest you only use it as 1, 2, or 3 storeys as the scorching will look a bit odd otherwise. However it still works with taller buildings, particularly if you add balconies.
The pair of buildings aren't too heavily bullet-scarred so they fit in with other structures around. Because of the way the modular buildings work there had to be compromises with the placing of the slogans and decals, but I feel they add a lot of character to the buildings.  PUT IN THE Z FOLDER AS USUAL.

 
You can add wrecked Aircon3 to your flavour objects for that extra bit of damage.
 

 
 
Links to download files:
Bldg 4a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/jq5xx756povzz/4a
Bldg 5a
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/a63o9rlf3h78s/5a
Aircon3
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/2b89t2rv51e30/aircon3
Installation: put in the Z folder as usual. I've put them with the relevant Kieme building folders and that works just fine. 
 
Note, I forgot I was using my vanilla modding SF2, so I loaded up Darya Tank Raid which I was halfway through, the semi-finished buildings came up and they looked so good that I had to complete them to play the rest of the scenario.




 

Reading  all this I am already excited to try this one.

one suggestion for immersion.  Pick an actual unit and name it such in the editor.  One of the only issues with campaigns is you can't edit them to add stuff like mod tags etc so whatever is put in by the creator is it.  Whenever I mess with something I typically try to actually assign a real BN in the editor versus a generic "1st Battalion".

I just wanted to add my congratulations to Mord. I just downloaded this Leviathan of modding, and am very happy with the improved visuals. When I saw the guy in the coca-cola tee shirt it brought a smile to my face. We have seen some pretty strange stuff on irregulars in battlezones! Personally, if I suddenly found myself in the Peckham Peoples' Militia, I wouldn't be wearing anything red, pink, orange or white just to look stylish in urban combat....ouch!  Or is the theory like dazzle camouflage for ships - the brightness puts off aiming?

This is a great account by a vet who had quite a few jobs in the Red Army but ultimately wound up as driver-mechanic in an SU-76 and worked his way up from there. His account gives a superb picture of serving in them, operating them, life in the crew, including combat, killing the foe and being killed by the foe, too. He was wounded, became a Su-76 commander and had quite the unexpected end to his war, too. One of the things which really stands out is how stealthy the critter was in first gear--practically noiseless, whereas he says the clattering T-34s could be heard from 3 kilometers away. Battery frontage in the defense was a kilometer.

http://english.battlefield.ru/memoirs/65-rem-ulanov-su-76m-commander.html

Regards,

John Kettler

I created sound files for vehicle hits that cause burning, slight damage, and no effect, which previously didn't exist for the Syrians (see link to thread above). Instead of random allahu akbars being screamed all over the place you will only hear them (with various intensity) when targets are hit (which was my original desire back when I first created this circa 2009).
 
Mord.

Awhile ago I noted the economy seemed to be transitioning from a 'goods and services' model to what I derisively call a 'parasite' model. The ideal business type these days is one that interposes itself between the product and the consumer and siphons off the profit. The producer is obliged to participate or risk being left out of the market, the consumer is obliged to participate or risk losing access to the goods. An example of the 'parasite' model at its most benign would be credit card transactions, I suppose (they siphon off a small % of every transaction for themselves). The 'parasite' model at its most pernicious would be... what? The US health insurance industry? If you're going to place yourself into a position where a parasite entity is between you and your customers you had better damn well make sure the result going to be a net benefit instead of a net liability.