snake_eye

Thanks Blackcat for your renewed advice. I think, that I am going to make a special scenario for you without any S2 !. As a matter of fact the first mission and or dream of "Defend Jsir Al Doreaa" will have you with your Commander, just telling you to get the hell out and rejoin a barrack compound in that village to turn it in a COP and that is all. Guess that the next scenario you'll wish to have an S2, doesn't mind if he is out of his shoes. The Intelligence world has always been surprising ! Look at the post and the first shots at CMSF Forum Cheers

That's too bad. Remember what I had wrote you at the time. A defence set after falling back at a place with a full view of the down slope was better than on the crest and or the down slope, where Mike could unleash a barrage either with mortars and or Artillery. your troops could fire at him if he went past the crest. More that position would be overwatch and supported by the guys in the south houses Cheers

The last shots of the upcoming scenario defend Jsir Al Doreaa Cheers

Defend Jsir Al Doreaa scenario has been thought about, after reading the book « The defense of Jisr Al Doreaa » from Michael L.Burgoyne & Albert J.Marckwardt both captain in the US Army and having fought in Irak within the 7th US Cavalry. The book contains their recollection of things done between 2003 and 2008. Following the step of the well know small classic Boer war book “The Defence of Duffer’s drift” written by the then Captain Ernest D; Swinton . Like him, they are putting you in the boots of a freshly graduated 2nd Lieutnant, just out of Basic Officers Course, arriving in Irak. You will go through different dreams and or nightmares, always happening on the same map location for your Red platoon, with the same final objectives but that could be dealt differently, as you have acquire some lessons from your earlier dream. It will play either as a stand alone or maybe like a campaign, I have not yet decided. If it is a campaign, despite the fact that you lost the battle (the dream) or won it, you will go to the next one and start it with a new and upgraded tactical combat posture, still on the same map. The first dream is almost done and is being tested right now. CSMF Marines add-on will be necessary with its patch 1.21 Cheers

Hi Canicula Nox Analysis done. too bad, I am unable to send the Email and the file, after few trials, from where I am . I shall do it tomorrow evening, if I am due home on time throught the bad weather expected. Cheers

Hi Clavicula Nox, This time with the Marines Add On, the file works fine. I just had a look at your map and at the red troops emplacements throught the scenario author testing. I had the Blue doing a small and limited assault followed by consolidating the troops,after their dismount; That just to get a feeling of the setting. The ground could be best described as a Normandy landscape with bocage fields on either side of a main gravel road leading to the town outskirts; That ground demands a tactical approach for its breaching similar to the one apply in the Normandy battle of the Initial CMSF campaign. For the rest, thre are many things to be said and I rather have you ask me throught my email what I really and frankly think of it. That way there won't be any disclosure about what you want to improve and or keep and how it should be done. For the moment I can only say that for me the scenario is a good idea but mostly WIP, as you wrote it. Cheers

Hi Hcrof, Yeah, I know it is a bold and risky manoeuver. If the ground can support the tracks rushing through the shortest way without taking time to stop and ripost, until, they get to their Obj, it has quite a chance to work. However, only if you can pour, on your flanks, heavy smoke with a barrage and or using the smoke canisters on the tanks and BMP's. As you said, as an alternative, If he gets on the down slope, while attacking Hillfarm, your tanks can also engage him at long distance and then you can launch the CA. but my guess is that he will consolidate there and wait for you to come in the open. That is what I will do Waiting for the outcome. keep on doing it, that's thrilling. Cheers

Hi John, Some of the houses in Fallujah were death trap for the assaulting marines platoons. As you said, all the opening were sealed but the main entrance, the stairs were done and the bottom rooms were all rigged to charges and even in some of them to an aircraft drop tank filled with gazoline set in the hall ! More, the water can and or tank usually found on the rooftop and storing the rain water , were filled with gazoline. All was done to make the squads go into these houses by funnelling the field of fire in such a way that the guys will be trying to get to cover in these houses that seemed unoccupied. The first guy getting into it, usually saw the firing cables, being neatly tied together and going into the other rooms. He will shout a warning and get the hell out. Luckily, they were ralely booby trap but set afire by a fighter hidden a 100 meters or so, with the help of a car battery and a wire running to the house. If they have had remote firing device, that would have been terrible unless devices to counter that had been used ( which, I know were not use at that time). These houses were told to higher about, left alone and a specialized disposal squad unit would take care of it a bit latter. There are quite a few books about the 2 battles that took place at a different time at Fallujah following the death and exposure of the Dark water guys on one of the bridge. Cheers

Hi HCROF, I think, that it is time to launch a counter attack bypassing the North hill, on the right and toward the bridge.You should, also make a left hook near it and bear fire on the slope of the North hill. Use smoke to confuse Mike. Probe on the right front to let him guess and prevent him switching some of his forces from there to the bridge and or Hill Farm EA. Look at the map I posted. You should that way, take Mike out of balance. He should not have that much left to take the hill and outfight you on the rear at the same time. The more time you don't move forward the more time you give him to consolidate on North hill or near it. Cheers

Hi Schullenhaft, I have run a survey of the saves made on that specific scenario. I have also started with a save and made periodic saving till and after the time recorded as having the Out of memory warning. Well these were to no avail. I haven't had any problem. I think, that since I have never had that problem with the earlier patches than the 1.21, that it has something to do with it. Needless to say, I have made an awful numbers of saves from the time I ordered and installed CMSF and then the Marines Add on, as soon as they were available to download. Never, a single time I have had that dreaded Out of Memory message Cheers

Sorry, but I have the Marines Addon and patchV1.21 and when I want to load the file it says that it requires the British Add on. I had the same with the scenario Waddi al sirree. Yet I think that one needed the british Add On. If CMSF says it should load, then there is something wrong. Cheers

Hi Clavicula Nox, It has been very quick. You should have wrote that the British Addon was necessary. I don't yet have it. Too bad. I am out of the game. Cheers

I give it a try and let you know Cheers

Just to get into it, here is a very good book. I bought it 20 years ago, but I hope it is still available. It is written by a tanker fighting on the English frontline TANKS ADVANCE! by Ken TOUT - From Normandy to the Netherlands,1944 - The fight of a tank crew from its beginning to the command of a Sherman as a Lance Corpôral at aged twenty, view from the turret. Cheers

Hi, The VULTURE, You fare well in the fight of Sidi Brahim. I felt the worst for your troops, when the Harrier nearly got a blue on blue. That was pretty close ! As for your Total Victory, that is not bad at all. While play testing it I got a Syrian surrender and a Major victory with 39 KIA, 61WIA and 3 AVL destroyed. Then in the campaign testing at TLR, I got a Tactical Victory with 9 KIA and 14 WIA and 1 AVL destroyed.The Syrian got only 2 tanks out ! You did not loose a single vehicle and bagged the 3 tanks ! All these were done Real Time Elite. So, the last one, comes close to your victory. If it was not the time induced by Wego and that 1 minute during which nothing can be changed, I will play that way. That allows splendid illustration for AAR. You did pretty good Tactic choices, AAR shots and comments. I was really hang up to the next post. I am waiting for your next fight around Midoum. Thanks again for the difficult job of doing the AAR during lunch time. I hope that some of the Red counter attack have not made you loose your appetite (just kidding) Cheers

Hi, The VULTURE, glad to see, that you finally met that tank. If you knew how much I waited for that moment. I was like a kid trying to have a glance at Santa Claus coming through the chimney. I was reading with much attention your AAR and having played sunday the scenario in Author mode, I was wondering how you would react to that threat. You are doing great, believe me and your guess about the troops fighting against you are even better than the one, an S2 would have achieved. Keep on going, I have great pleasure in reading your AAR and seeing that things are going the way, I wanted them to go when I did that scenario. I won't say anything else not wanting to spoil anything. BTW, it seems that Wego or Real Time things go slightly the same.That is my analysis of your AAR compare to my numerous scenario testing done. Cheers

Hi, Blackcat These comments were for TCP/IP, here follows what I wrote : In TCP/IP The only problem I have encountered, was that I could not communicate with my opponent easily, but by the keyboard and or by Email. For that experience the choice of either the Red and or Blue was primordial, the result depending more on the scenario played, than on the player skill. I was, usually, for a specific scenario, defeated by the Red A.I and while playing the Red in TCP/IP, I was defeated by my Blue opponent. For that game I think that playing it By Email (Wego) would have brought different result. I wrote that because, that specific scenario could not afford me, against a Human player, a possible victory while playing TCP/IP (or real time if you want) . In WegGo, the time you can take playing it back will have help me. However still against, that Human player, the end result would have been changed. But, I should have wrote more precisely that the end issue unfortunately could not have been too far from the one that arose initially. That because the troops levels, tracks and tanks were on a high level set up on one side and on a lower one in the other. For the rest I am in adequation with what you wrote. Cheers

Since that thread emerged after my remarks to The VULTURE for its fantastic AAR on the El Derjine Campaign, I have to explain them. Playing real time almost 99% of the time, using only WeGo for analysing or rather take detailed shots and having played TCP/IP all I can say is that these are three different way of playing a scenario. That is the main difference for Real Time and WeGo, as for the result it is somehow slightly the same for the AAR. For that I agree with the VULTURE and STEVE. We could say that there is the Real Time school and the WeGo one. At the end of it, you get the same degree, somehow you don’t get the same play sensation (or awareness –specially in Real Time) in each one of them. In one school you can watch over and over your 1 minute fight. In the other you have to go forward and even with the Pause button, you can not go backward to understand how your tracks have been suddenly set afire. At the end that won’t change that many things. Especially if these tracks have been blown up during that 1 minute of WeGO. You won’t be able to correct these loses,but just able to look at them happening.. In TCP/IP The only problem I have encountered, was that I could not communicate with my opponent easily, but by the keyboard and or by Email. For that experience the choice of either the Red and or Blue was primordial, the result depending more on the scenario played, than on the player skill. I was, usually, for a specific scenario, defeated by the Red A.I and while playing the Red in TCP/IP, I was defeated by my Blue opponent. For that game I think that playing it By Email (Wego) would have brought different result. For my taste, I rather play real Time, since I don’t have that much time to spend. In WeGO, I have the feeling to be brought back to Combat Missions. At the time; I did not have the choice and I did with it. It took time to play and I was unable to react to whatever happened during 1 minute of my schedule move and or fire plan. So, It is rather a personal choice to play either way. I just hope that while doing a scenario with quite a lot a troops going around, that the player please with Real Time, won’t get his feet in the carpet while playing it, being unable to control all the units. If that happen, he can play WeGO. That’s fair enough, No ? Cheers

You are right, that is the best way to use it. You have to get one of the crew out of the Humvee's hatch then call Artillery, Mortars and or Air assets on the place being viewed (fire on button) by the crew member using the device. Usually the firing time is around 2 minutes for mortars, which is somehow almost 50% less than the usual time for an Artillery Observer team. The main drawback, is that the Humvee is a price target for the enemy and it doesn't take that much time to have it destroyed. Cheers

Hi, Hcrof here is my postcard ! it has been ready for a day, but I didn't have time to post it. Nor that I think it will have made a terrific breakthrough in your fight, this reflect what I would have done if I was you. The only drawback is that I don't have a clear OCOKA (the lack of a 30 degree shot of the landscape in front of you) besides your METT-TC . Not seeing clearly the defilades , covers........availables make me guess of my possible and best attack axis and probably wrongly. I would attack on the left side, bypass the hill under smoke barrage cover on either side of my axis then fan out near and on the bridge, establishing there a defence posture. That for the time to get intelligence on the enemy around. Some of the tanks nearer from the hill being bypass could draw fire on it. On the south? I shall have, has you said earlier a force (with an MMG team) going along the river, bypassing the BMP on their right and taking a defence posture in the wood edges facing it and the bridge causeway. On the south hill I would pull back the units lefts and have them take a defence posture an bit farther back with a support of the BMP and squad from the farm. The AT asset will rip to the left in the valley in order to cover the left hill, the center and the right one (I assume the field of fire is good, having no way to check it on a landscape 30° map). Since as well known, all plans turn out to be inappropriate in the heat of the fight, I won't take credit for a possible unconditionnal surrender of your forces. Keep on going with the DAR, I like it most. Cheers

Glad, the fight went the way you wanted. To answer to your surprise about the lack of resistance of the Syrians, it does not always turn out that way. You are playing wego, which I don't. I rather like the adrelanine shot given by the rapidity of Elite. You have to react very quickly and have a full awareness to do so. Not very easy really. That scenario that I thought I knew well, seems different to me, while I read your well done AAR. Not that it is not the same, but the way you analyse your move and the enemy reaction to them, give me a new light on it. Many things, I had not seen, having no time to pause in Elite, are suddenly being shown to me. Your marvellous shots are a perfect demonstration of it. It doesn't matter if they have been done with your saving and if slight changes in the ending result. I am enclosing shots of my AAR at T.L.R while playing the campaign in Elite. I had done numerous testing before, with similar results more or less. In the end , I wanted the platoon to seize the dam bridge in a rather short time not exceeding 40 minutes at the most. Not doing so, was preventing you to fight the next. You will see some troops remaining near the ridge, hill 55 and hill's 53 left and right. The fact of having done the scenario did not prevent me to score a Minor Victory, instead of a full one.. That simple fact shows that a victory is uncertain, since all the factors and algorithms going into the game give a place to hazard. it is just a question of probability. Your tactical choice was sound and it reduced it. I hope, you will do the same for the forecoming battle of Sidi Brahim. Oh, just a thing coming back to me. The Syrians you have fought, are in the Core of the Units. For that reason, they had orders to escape and rejoin Sidi Brahim, if they could do it, to fight another day. Cheers

JonS, just gave the best tool link to create a tactical map. MILTECH is fabulous. I use to draw my NATO symbols with Photoshop and doesn't do it anymore, since I discovered it few weeks ago in the CSMF links. Cheers

What can I say, but ""BRAVO !". One of the best AAR I have read so far. It is clear, well described, with good tactical approach, pictures and maps very well done. What more to ask, but to have the others later on. I am growing impatient to read them Keep doing so, Cheers

Hi, Schrullenhaft, I shall check the time of the 5 good savings that were made. Besides, knowing nearly the time of the 6th corrupt saving (shots had been taken before saving the file). As you adviced it , I shall start the 5th saving and save the game before, near and after that target time. I shall let you know the issue. Thanks for your help in that issue Cheers

I must confess that I don’t use smoke rounds most of the time. However, I do use quite often smoke being sent by the tracks mortars, while moving, to attempt concealing them from an enemy possible field of fire. I also, use the smoke command when a squad is having problems. But it is less effective than the one of the tracks. Why, I don’t use smoke artillery rounds ?. I have found that the delay necessary to obtain the barrage is rather long if you don’t have an artillery observer and besides depending of its field of view it is not always, easy to have it land in the right place. Usually, I don’t think at the moment of the setting of the barrage of the wind force and or its drift and that is, a costly mistake. Because of that, most of the time, my smoke barrage will lift before my guys get to their objective. Other times, I get to the objective, while the suppressing fire can not be bear on it, because of that smoke ! Less seriously : Since, I have stop smoking a long time ago, I am no more annoyed by the smoke and don’t wipe tears out of my eyes with a Kleenex at the wrong time Since, I have regained full control of the monitor display. I have however kept, the Kleenex for the bad days, when I am strongly defeated in a good scenario. Cheers