CMFDR

Vein's sounds mod changes the loading bar to the ammo box.

The individual files in question are:

load progress bar dim.bmp
load progress screen red bar.bmp

Took me a while to find after a reinstall as well! Didn't think I'd miss it so much

This scenario depicts a semi-historical engagement between Ukrainian forces (Blue) and Russian-backed Separatists (Red) during February of 2016. It is a infantry only action as there were no AFV's or tanks involved at the time of the engagement. The scenario is best played with the winter mod installed but it can be played without but with the loss of the immersion.
 
Scenario Requirements:
CMBS v4
Scenario Specifics:
Blue Side Only
Length - 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Map Size - Medium
Semi-historical
3 AI Plans for replayability
Reinforcements have random arrival times for both sides to add replay variety.
Mods - Tagged mods are included with the scenario
 
1. Winter Mod - by the Winter Modification Team
2. Separatists Mod - by Blimey
3. DPR and Ukrainian Winterized Uniforms- by dragonwynn
4. Map - by dragonwynn ( The map is a compressed representation of the actual area. It is not historical accurate but was done at this scale to balance the smaller unit compositions in the scenario.)
Special Note:
My special thanks to Haiduk for his input and guidance for this scenario and map design. Though this is not historically perfect by any standard (the forces involved were smaller groups than depicted here but for playability I used approximately  partial company size units for each) but I hope it will give a good impression of the types of combat that is currently happening in those areas.
Possible Conflicts:
If you have downloaded my CMBS Russian Campaign: The Mountains of Allah there could be some possible conflicts between those mods and this pack. Both use the Winter Mod with the same tags so it should not be any conflict with terrain but if it does just remove the Allah Mod folder out of the dataz and return when finished with this scenario.
The uniform mod uses the stock Ukrainian uniforms with some snow effects applied by me and is tagged to this scenario only. The Separatist Mod by Blimey (awesome work) is also tagged to this scenario only with some applied snow effects and it uses the Russian uniform slot so it should not interfere with any of my previous CMBS stuff (The Eagle and the Bear and The Shadow of the Motherland Campaigns). But if so just remove those mod packs and return when finished. Sorry in advance if anything arises.
 
Download Options:
Recommended: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lqtpj7cg20fsn7e/Avdiivka Project.zip?dl=0
This link includes all the mods for winter play. Uniform snow effects, vehicle snow effects and terrain. This is how the scenario was ment to be played as it reflects the actual timelines of the real engagements. But it is a hefty download for one scenario.
Optional: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l5rk8u75mjk5t1r/Avdiivka Project 2.zip?dl=0
This link is if you have already downloaded my Mountains of Allah Russian campaign. That campaign has the winter mod attached and the tags are the same so the senario should pick them up (this is untested). The uniforms and vehicle mods are included with this download but it is much smaller in size.
Optional 2: Download the second version, trash the mods and just play the scenario in summer terrain. Drawback is your seperatists will look like Russians.
Download your choice and place the mod folder in the dataz directory and the .btt into the scenario folder.
 

Here is the latest updated .cam file for this campaign. It adds or corrects the following:
1. Mission 1: Added additional support assets such as a heavy arty section and some fixed wing assets for support. Missing mortars, FO's and Air Controllers previously missing have also been added.
2. Added the missing Air Controller Team to mission 4.
3. Added a few more support assets to some of the missions.
Hopefully this will make the campaign more enjoyable.
For new downloaders download the main files here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4vrkcpcr3q5tkei/The Mountains of Allah.zip?dl=0
Place the mod folder into your dataz and delete the .cam file.
Download the updated .cam file here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bwopzmdouzml3cz/The Mountains of Allah.cam?dl=0
Place the new .cam file into your campaign directory.
Michael

Ok I think its time to release this beast for public consumption. Below are the recent adjustments and fixes based on playtester suggestions.
1. I have found the save game issue and fixed. I had  some " : " in the file name it did not like. The " : " has been destroyed and you should be able to save in the middle of a mission.
2. Added additional time to all missions as requested.
3. The troops of SRY have been corrected and now include Lille Fiskerby's beloved Sherman Fireflies. (Thank you Lillie for pointing that out.)
4. Also added a few more historical names to CO's of various units. Still could not find enough info to name all of them.
5. Corrected briefings where changes were made.
6. Made force adjustments in some missions based on tester suggestions. Some additions and some reductions. But the OOB is still historically accurate for all the missions based on my research.
7. Added setup zone to one mission that was omitted.
8. Made a few terrain adjustments to improve LOS in some missions.
9. Adjusted some VP parameters in a few missions.
Thank you to all the playtesters who helped me with this campaign.
If any other issues come to light please let me know through this thread or PM and I will correct. Hopefully most everything is right now. This was a huge undertaking and my first truely historical campaign so I hope it proves enjoyable.
IMPORTANT: Before downloading please reread the opening section of this thread for the campaign details. This will not be for everyone. Its big, maps are big, everything is big so it may task older systems. It will require patience and management. But if you stick with it you will play through a little known but important battle of WW2.
Here is the link to the main download
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2qw0u84mojuz40v/Operation Clipper.zip?dl=0
Put the modfolder into your dataz and delete the .cam file.
Here is the link to the updated .cam file
https://www.dropbox.com/s/884hj2mo7ullzgy/Operation Clipper.cam?dl=0
Place this into your campaign directory
I hope you enjoy.
Michael

While working on a spreadsheet over the British units in CMFI I have stumbled on a few irregularities that look a bit off. I will try to explain them below, I think that at least some of them are mistakes, and I will give a link to my spreadsheet that most definitely will contain mistakes.

Here is the spreadsheet

1. There is no I in TEAM, and no team in a section.

Overall I must say that Battlefront has made an excellent job with the British, there are sections, detachments and so on instead of the usual squads and teams of the other nations. There are a few mistakes though with som remaining teams here and there.

The heavy antitank sections in the independent antitank battery has only teams instead of detachments.

All machinegun platoons have a 2IC team and each section has a HQ team, they should both be sections.

The pack howitzer troop has a 2IC team and the sections has a HQ team as well as ammo bearer teams, they should be sections and detachments.

The airborne forward observer is a team instead of a party.

The airborne AT-sections have HQ and AT teams instead of sections and detachments.

Airborne Bren sections have on detachmnet and one team instead of two detachments.

The airlanding battalion has two HQ sections in its companies instead of one HQ and one 2IC section.

The para sniper sections have teams in them, not detachments.

2. Why should I carry your ammo, carry it yourself!

The ammo bearers for the pack howitzer independent team are really lazy, they don't carry any howitzer ammo at all. The ammo bearers in the Pack Howitzer Battery DO carry howitzer ammo, so something is not right.

For the Bofors AA ammo bearers, the situation is reversed. The ammo bearers for the independent guns carry 40mm ammo, but the ammo bearers in the AA battery don't.

3. Who stole my binoculars?

All AT guns have bioculars except the 17-pdr, the airborne HQ 6-pdr and the 6-pdrs of the airlanding AT-company. Are they not supposed to be used at long range?

The motorized rifle sections have binoculars while mounted in trucks, but if you buy them dismounted and give one section a PIAT then that section will lose their binoculars.

All detachments but one in the armoured recce troops (riding in the Stuart Recce) have binoculars but the assistant troop leader.

Independent scout detachments have no binoculars at all, apparently they aren't important for scouting.

Aiborne independent scout detachments have TWO binoculars, apparently they are stealing them from everybody else.

Feel free to comment the spreadsheet and point out all the mistakes you see so that they can be corrected ASAP.

I also want to know if there is a demand for this sort of spreadsheet, should I finish the other nationalities as well?

Ahhh!!! Now the light bulb went off!!! I got it to work!  .  With different combinations of movement orders and Pauses this is kind of useful. 
This is some of what I learned: It will not work with Slow.  With Hunt you can get every member of the team upright or just half the team.  
1) Give the team a movement order (anything but Slow) they can't complete before the end of the turn.  A 45 second Pause before the team begins its movement will help to keep the team from reaching a close action square.   
2) Next turn cancel the movement and give the team a Pause. The team will stop moving with all team members upright instead of prone. The length of the Pause can be changed if you want the troops to spot for awhile and then go prone.  Give them a 15 second Pause.  They will stop, stay upright for about two spotting cycles and then go prone.  Give them a permanent Pause and they will stay upright the entire turn and longer.  
3) Hunt works a little different but gives you a choice of the entire team upright or just half the team.  For half the team upright use the above method with Hunt.  For the entire team to remain upright on Hunt do not cancel the movement but just give a permanent Pause.   
The learning never stops with this game. 

I don't know if this is such a lifehack or not, but in order to get more spotting out of your infantry issue a paused move order and watch them all take a crouched stance instead of laying around. 

Yes, Aragorn, I'm going to put also the "disemboweled cow" that you asked me a long time ago!
 
to make the roads, it's very simple as often with good ideas
in "highway" use elements 8 and 10
It assembles like that




For the other direction, use 13 and 15 according to the same principle

There are 2 things I hate in mission combat
It
and that "shark teeth"

As for the distortion in the ploughed fields, Kieme's mod brilliantly solved the problem.
But for shark teeth alas, it is a constraint related to the engine of the game.
Some scenario maker and map maker make a lot of effort to avoid them.
I am thinking of the Bulletpoint "front contact" scenario where no shark teeth are visible, which gives you some of the most beautiful and realistic map. some other map makers , shift the bend two or three turns to avoid the effect of shark teeth.
However for historical scenarios that rely on a precise map of places there is sometimes no choice.
I recently tried the scenario The Carillon 1 It's Quiet-Too Quiet and I noticed this curious road with an unknown angle of 22.5 °
Revelation !!
The author, (I do not know who) is a genius who managed with the highway tiles to do this feat, opening a new field of possibility in the design of the maps.
The only flaw is the visual
So I created this little mod to give a coherent visual.
Now I like everything !!
Road of Carillon

Change on the map of "Liking up and breaking out"
then and now

this one to compare with the one above that I hate

the different angles of the road

Commonwealth:
INFORMATION
Equivalent to Situation in SMEAC format
INTENTION
Broadly equivalent to Mission in SMEAC format
METHOD
Equivalent to Execution in SMEAC format
ADMINISTRATION
Same as Administration in SMEAC format
INTERCOMMUNICATION
Equivalent to Command & Signals in SMEAC format
Example towards the bottom of the link here:
http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/war_3rdBde.htm
Some stuff about the planning processes of the US, Germans and Red Army here:
https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a227390.pdf
Similar on the US modern approach and the German WW2 approach with the outline headings here:
http://www.intelros.ru/pdf/JFQ/57/26.pdf
Somebody will probably be able to dig up a better German example but I couldn't find one in a hurry.
Italians - no idea but the general trend for these things is pretty much the same across the piece.

@CMFDR, maybe we could do something like that, yeah. I'm making a text file for the ones I just stated.
Here's the link on Google Drive:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VwVQ5Yd4mWpXJOpOcxvi6PGBOOsj0kb-HxWDY37SFhk/edit?usp=sharing
 
@Erwin, does it include CMGL camos?

Not sure if someone already created something similar or not. Should include the vehicles used with the date range and rarity assigned. May try to do the same thing for Italy; time allowing, of course.

Let me know of any errors / corrections needed.
CMBN Vehicle Dates.zip

There, done. Someone with an account really should put it on the mod repository.
 
Thanks, by the way.

Let me know when you download it so I can delete from Dropbox...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kw6w6bbiyzhbvn6/Aris M8 AC.zip?dl=0

At long last I´ve finished my large urban map, the fictional town of Ciembienne. Downloadable from this site soon - or right away from GAJ´s site: http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/

I begun making the map because I hadn´t come across any large city maps in CMBN. Now I know why that was.

This task took a lot longer than I had anticipated - mostly because I really wanted to get all the details right. I´m the kind of CM player that won´t play a scenario if I think the map looks unrealistic. Usually, that is because I think there are far too few details: Nothing but lawns between the houses or under the trees, to exaggerate a bit.

So I´ve spent a lot of time on these "between places" - the gardens, backyards, woods and such. Because I my view they contain all the little details that make a map come to life.

This is just a map, not a scenario. There are no units, AI plans, setup zones etc.

In most cases the map itself will probably be too big for most battles. It is approximately 1 x 1 km which is very large for an urban map. My idea is that you select the part you want in the editor and use it to make your own scenario or quick battle.

This map is fictional, though many of the elements are inspired by how my own town looked in the forties. So it might look more dutch than french - and so might be more suited for the Market Garden module.

As you can see I am using Tanks-a-Lot´s fantastic building mods. They really make a difference when making something like this - and thus I highly recommend you use them when playing this map.

Use the map freely for anything you like. All I ask is that you please post screen shots of your battles in this thread. AAR´s are welcome too. And if you use it for scenarios, please credit me for the map.

Mojn - and enjoy

PS: the units in the pics are just to add some flavour and scale

Yes we all know it's gone, and as I understand it, it's not coming back, but is there any plan in the works to release all the file to CMMODS/Scenario depot?
Thanks
 

How detailed do you need that tutorial to be?
Basically it's quite easy:
RezExplode the newest brz archive containing the new strings.txt (e.g. final blitzkrieg v200.brz).
Note: Mac users are already sh*t out of luck at this point, since there still is no RezExplode utility available on Mac, as far as I know.
But you can try to ask a friendly Windows user to provide the file for you, they are platform independent .
  Locate the Animated Text Mod folder, rename the strings.txt in this folder to something like strings_old.txt.
  Copy the exploded strings.txt from step 1 into the Animated Text Mod folder.
  Open both files (strings.txt , strings_old.txt) in Notepad++. Use the Notepadd++ plugin "Compare" to easily compare both files.
  Locate the "Soldier State Display" section, it should also show the most differences in the "Compare Nav Bar" (currently around line ~5200).
  Copy the animated text blocks one to one from the strings_old.txt into strings.txt.
  Save strings.txt, delete strings_old.txt. Voila, you're finished. Takes about 5 minutes, I'm doing this regularly now for all updates. Just don't want to go through the extra effort of packaging, uploading etc., which in any case takes longer than doing the adjustments. Anyway, it's not my mod ..

I'm pretty sure the answer to all of those is yes. You can have a scout team run ahead, spot something, then run back and tell someone with a radio, then the info spreads through the radio net until everyone connected knows about it. It could take a few minutes for it to spread around though. It's especially important in the WW2 titles. In the modern war titles, the force sizes are usually smaller and every squad has their own radios so information spreads quickly, but in WW2 you get those huge battles with multiple large formations sometimes not connected to the same radio net, like multiple companies or battalions that don't have a higher HQ represented in the scenario. In that case, you can use a squad (XO teams are good for this) as liaison units that act as runners between companies, so that the spotting info from one company gets shared with the neighboring company.

https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Books/Large-Scale-Combat-Operations-Book-Set/
Just an amazing amount of free reading in the set.
Kevin

As promised, a .pdf of the AAR has been made for easier reading. You can find it here along with other AARs I have done to date. Until next time.

If you would like to try a few more CMRT campaigns here are  the links to some I have done. All of the campaigns have their own mod folders included and they are tagged so they are specific to those campaigns with the exception of the last one which has its own instructions.
The Cross of Iron
https://www.dropbox.com/s/c6co9dgu3woxw2y/Cross of Iron V2.zip?dl=0
The Hill (3 Battle Mini Campaign)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/91ebxicei5c7c3j/The Hill.zip?dl=0
The Last Panzer
https://www.dropbox.com/s/02ju1ce0itcv4lh/The Last Panzer.zip?dl=0
Copy the mod folder to your dataz and delete the .cam file. Use this link for the updated .cam file
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u5hjzdh5o1cwmn4/The Last Panzer.cam?dl=0
Thunder Over Ponyri (3 Battle Mini Campaign)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/m3c55voyd9iw3m7/Thunder Over Ponyri.zip?dl=0
The Battle of Tali-Ihantala (Finnish vs USSR 4 Battle Mini Campaign)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i9d5icpdod3r0vs/The Battle of Tali Ihantala.zip?dl=0
Special Note: This campaign uses the Finnish Mod (which is included) designed by a talented team of modders. Everything you need is included in the download.
Rattenkrieg
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mxcvelh5tvow6g4/AABUOyCebR6u5MTl6A58tRPua?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ifgolk2pozx9ox0/Rattenkrieg.cam?dl=0
Special Note: This campaign uses the Stalingrad Mod created by that team which you can find the link to in the CMRT forums. You must download that mod first  and I recommend creating another CMRT directory clear of any other mods as this one will conflict with some other mods out there. Then install that mod to the new directory (dataz) and then add the mod folder I have included in the download. Delete the original .cam file and use the one from the above link which is the updated.
If you decide to try any of these and you have questions please feel free to ask here or PM me.
Michael

My ADD/OCD fidelity mapping project for tonight: Claies de Vire.
1. Overview 


2. A nice back door into the German anchor position at St. Martin for Company A, 119th Infantry?
3. Simple. Just cross this weir, single file.


4. ... and hop the open barge lock (US engineers subsequently shut it btw, flooding German footbridges upstream as far as Pont Hebert).


5. ....But wait, it gets *better!* You then cross the dam and take the solid stone powerhouse/mill by the old mill pond. (No chance the Krauts have turned that into a blockhouse or anything).
 

After a long delay, I've updated the CMRT Map DB to include recent maps as well as campaign maps--almost 90 more maps in all.  I've also replaced some of the dark, night scenario 3D images with daytime images.  Here is the new DB:
CMRT DB v2.3
(note that because of file size, to download you might need to right-click and select "Save link as...")
Here is the changelog with a list of new maps:
CMRT Map DB Changelog
This will probably be the last update for the DB in this format--the file is getting too big to work with easily (about 800 MB), so adding very many more maps might not be feasible. 
For more maps, in addition to the upcoming CMRT module (whenever that might be), I've converted many of the maps from CMFI and CMFB into CMRT maps (about 300 maps in all), and at some point I'd like to add all of them to the DB.  To do so, however, I think I might need to link to the image files in a directory rather than embed them in the DB file, which would take a lot of time...
Let me if you have comments or requests, or if I have not attributed authorship for any of the maps correctly.

I don't think I've seen a database of all of the CMRT maps out there--has anyone prepared one?

If not, I think it would be helpful for people thinking about creating scenarios to see if an existing map might suit their needs.

I've taken a stab at creating such a database, with columns describing map size, ground cover, relief, road networks, rivers, damage, etc. I've also included an image of the map so people can take a look for themselves. Here is the draft DB (Excel spreadsheet), which is work in progress:
http://www.vervecom.net/games/CMRT%20Map%20DB%20v0.xlsx

Before I got too far into this, I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions about how to improve it, or whether this type of DB has any utility at all (or if one already exists, tell me to stop!)

Here is a list of tiny details I've been unaware of and that are not described in the manual. I came upon them more or less by accident. Even though they're of minor importance, I think it's a good idea to note them down, also to show how detailed the game really is! Feel free to add your own tiny discoveries!
When buying  the mechanized/motorized version of a force, the organic (i.e. bought as part of a formation) trucks sometimes carry special extra ammunition. If part of an AT-gun unit, they carry extra AT-gun ammo (e.g. for the Soviet 45mm AT-gun: 4x HE, 16x AP, 2x cannister). If bought for other unit types, soviet trucks labeled as "(weapons)" come with additional extra ammo for the light mortar and the AT-rifles (24x 50mm mortar rounds, 50xAT rifle rounds).  Even though you can't tell from their ingame appearance/UI, soviet AT-hunter teams (3men) do have AT capabilities. They are listed as carrying "6 grenades". What the game does not tell you (also no special symbols in the equipment UI-slots) is that 4 of these 6 grenades are anti-tank-grenades. The team leader carries two ordinary HE grenades on him while each of the remaining two soldiers carries 2 AT grenades. You need to be really close to use them (within 10m?). So they're like breach teams with detonation charges, just cheaper. On the Soviet SU 76M (self propelled AT gun), you get some standard extra ammo that is automatically shared with infantry units close by (710x 7.62mm rounds). There is no need for the "acquire" command. Maybe it's meant for the weapons of the crew - the manual mentions that they can somehow fire their weapons in self-defence? The enclosed SUs also have extra ammo - I need to test if they also share it.