hcrof
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Posts posted by hcrof
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abneo3sierra - I will see what I can do, I am sure I will get around to it eventually. However I can't promise anything I'm afraid because I am pretty busy with a load of scenario design right now - I have 4 maps in various states of completion!
Pvthudson - yep, anything in the Z folder will take priority over any standard in game assets.
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Thanks a lot for these - I always getting the info from an expert. It always beats the field manuals!
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BRZ files are just used to make a mod into a single package - the game will read .bmp and .wav files just fine without conversion
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Im surprised noone has mentioned CMx2 to CMx2 map conversion. Right now, CMSF maps are not compatible with CMA. I suspect the same will be true of CMBN.
There are a lot of good maps in CMSF and with the changes in weaponry they would play very differently in CMBN. Any conversion would need tweaking afterwards (mainly for buildings) but 80% of your work would already be done and you could churn out quality maps for CMBN at a good rate.
Given that the data is likely to be very similar it might be worth at least taking a look at it. If I knew the slightest thing about code I would do it myself!
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Can I refer people back to this thread?
http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=89784
I raised this before, with no luck unfortunately.
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Any date or location from that picture?
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AKM, AK-47 (dunno if that one is actually in the game), RPK, RPD and variants all use 7.62x39
AK-74, RPK-74 and varients use 5.45x39
PKM and PKT uses 7.62x54R
As others have mentioned before, keep wikipedia running and when you come across a unit you are not familiar with just Alt+Tab to look it up!
Wikipedia certainly helped me with some of the more obscure units
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Yeah, that is pretty much what I thought at the time (I was trying to remember the reason I didn't include it in the first place but you summed it up pretty well!)
I am going to do a little initial playtesting tonight and I will keep the autobahn in mind. If it does get included I will need to think of that excuse to keep the Soviets going cross country!
Thanks for the offer. It may be a little while before it is ready though - playing a big 2h long battle hotseat against myself is time consuming and only when I have worked out last minute tweaks can I write the Blue briefing.
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Thanks guys, that is all very useful information. I shall write a brief for the blue force as soon as I am 100% settled on the mission and then I would be very grateful if I could send it to someone who can tear it apart and re-write it
Its all about immersion. I want the player to feel like they are actually commanding forces in Germany rather than trying to exploit a game system. Just my play style - people can make of it what they will
gibsonm - I took the autobahn out because I felt that it was too strategically important (the battle basically ignores it) but now I am considering whether I should put it back in again. It is not difficult to make the change though should people think it is a good idea. It makes the map visually more interesting and the trees on the verge offer some concealment on an otherwise bare ridgeline. Whether that is a good thing or not probably requires more playtesting!
What do people think? Should I try to include the autobahn or not?
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gibsonm: I considered using the Bundeswehr but after a bit of research into their TO&E I gave up. I have absolutely no idea as to what sort of forces they could use. Any help on that front would be appreciated
The Marders in the game have a pintle mounted Milan on them which I am not sure they had in the '80s. Even if they did, it is a Milan 3T which is overpowered. I could then upgrade the Soviet tanks to cope (T-72M1V 2001 and call it a T-80) but that brings up a whole load of new problems. I would be happy to try it out but like I said, I don't have a TO&E for the Bundeswehr in the mid '80s.
At the end of the day, there is no way to exactly replicate a cold war battle but I can try and hack a solution as close as possible
As for the Leopard C2 - it has been heavily uparmoured since the old Leopard 1 days so the protection is similar(ish) you also have to remember that the Syrians use terrible ammunition so it kind of balances out.
DPICM and FASCAM on a CM size battle would be... interesting. Also, correct me if I am wrong but did the British even have that kind of stuff in '83?
snake eye: Thanks for the tip on operational art of war 2, I might check it out.
I chose the map because it looked interesting and a way to get a large amounts of units in one battle. I am kind of locked into it now seeing as it took me a very long time to make! The terrain is typical for the region - there are not many 2.5km long avenues of fire around Neuenstein so it would be difficult to fight the sort of rearguard action you describe. Like I said though, all the Blue force has to do is delay the Soviets for 2 hours. In this time a response can be organised - perhaps an airstrike.
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Well the Chieftain can be represented by the Leopard C2; using the Challenger 2 would be a pretty one sided fight. You joke about not using FAST, but that might not be such a bad idea!
Milans can be represented by AT-4Cs, Its a hack but the results are ok (same range, similar penetration). The German Milan 3T is way too overpowered!
An M113 can be replaced with a FV432 and I suppose the LAV AT could be a M901, it would be very visually jarring though and for me it would break the immersion.
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gibsonm: yes, the Fulda gap was the American sector. I started the map but then realised that that the American force of the 80's was impossible to replicate. The big sticking point was a TOW M113. There is no satisfactory equivalent in CMSF. Because of this I am forced to use the British that are in the Fulda Gap area due to some weird turn of events. If you have some ideas on how to simulate a 1983 US force then please let me know!
In terms of Swingfire, I am aware of it but given the close terrain they would not be that useful. Also I am pretty sure they were not a Battalion asset. Instead the British have plenty of Milan launchers. I am still not entirely sure as to exactly how many Milans were in a British battlegroup in 1983 (lots of contradictory info
)but there loads available to the player! Challenger 1 wasn't available in 1983 but Chieftain Mk 12 was, so that is what is being simulated in the battle.
For the Soviet stuff, the forces are 2nd eleven for the Soviets (category
but are still quite respectable. (No T-80s but T-72 is still a scary tank and a BMP is still much better than a FV432). I don't want to give away exact forces but I have made sure that experience etc. is appropriate. Junior leadership is pretty poor for example but the troops are competent and well motivated.As for defending the village, I have just given the terrain and the forces. The village is definitely important but I can't see a Soviet player kicking down doors. It is too time consuming and will use too many resources. Instead I would expect to see the Soviets isolate a static British force in the village and bypass them. There is a little room to manoeuvre and the village is just what was given to me by Google Earth. It is by no means an "ideal" defensive position. On the other hand, I would be surprised to see the British relying on the village alone. Human players tend to be pretty inventive.
Map of the battlefield. There is a ridge about 1/3 of the way up and another behind the village. The Soviets are moving North. Note how the forest on both sides restricts movement.
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I am working on late '83 but it can be a little flexible given that I can quite easily swap forces in and out. The Soviet stuff I am using wasn't top of the line even then! The British stuff is though - the best equipment they can muster at the time.
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Interesting points guys, it really helps to solidify the Blue mission in my mind. The job of the British battlegroup is to delay the soviet forces for at least 2 hours in order to force it to deploy. I think I will keep it ambiguous what the future actions will be but perhaps they are setting up an air strike (although the skies are still contested).
It is a mechanised force (tanks and APCs) with the opportunity for a reverse slope defence inside a village. If the British get a chance to dig in they will be very hard to shift, if the Soviets are too fast then they are very vulnerable. Basically the Soviets have to avoid an urban fight at all costs - fitting right with their doctrine
Given the set up any retreat could be very bloody but I think given the extreme nature of the situation, they would accept that. The Soviets have broken through and in my mind the finger is already hovering over the tac nuke button. Even then, it is not impossible to retreat (with a bit of luck) but the player will not have to attempt this!
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Good question.
The Soviet force (the advance guard of a division) has broken through and the wider battle has become very fluid. The British battlegroup are moving into blocking positions in an area of constricted terrain that the Soviets really have to move through.
The Soviets are aware of this force through battlefield radar and (brief) visual confirmation. They have no choice but to engage frontally however and the rapid buildup of forces deploying off the march will mean that they will win eventually even if they are delayed.
The British know that they have the advance guard of a Soviet division coming at them - they don't have a detailed idea as to their opponents composition but they can make some educated guesses! Their job is to delay the Soviets but there is little chance of them surviving the eventual outcome.
Maybe you wouldn't call that a meeting engagement? More of a Hasty attack/Hasty defence?
Either way does it sound plausible?
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Don't worry, I get annoyed by them too
To be honest my suggested coarse of action boils down to 'be aggressive and don't be afraid to take a few casualties' for both sides. The outcome of this battle will rest entirely on who seizes the initiative and keeps the enemy on the back foot.
The mission is not fancy, just a straightforward meeting engagement between two forces that basically know each others composition. It might not go to plan but that will be entirely down to the skill/luck of the commanders involved, not any (major) surprises!
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Thanks guys, I am making steady progress but my speed at making battles is pretty slow these days. I am also creating a number of custom mods for the battle in order to get the visuals right - green UK vehicles and extensive model swaps to make the Syrians Soviet are just the beginning!
snake eye, the battle is pretty system intensive - certainly the graphics need to be turned down but I haven't had any major problems yet. The map is 2000m x 2500m and the forces involved are about battalion strength on both sides. (The Soviets are by far the stronger force however, and have a massive advantage in artillery).
In terms of the briefings I have the red one nearly done and I hope to get some help from our ex Soviet friends with that. The Blue one I haven't started yet. Im afraid they do contain masses of information that you don't strictly need (context, suggested coarse of action, Soviet battle drills etc.) however for those that want to get stright to the point I have included very short summaries!
At some point I will put out the call for playtesters but with my real life schedule as it is, it may be a few weeks before I do. The battle will be strictly multiplayer only I'm afraid, I can't do AI plans and personally I never play singleplayer anyway.
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I am currently designing a new scenario based on a hypothetical Fulda Gap type scenario and have a battle nearly ready for playtesting between British forces and troops from a Soviet category B division.
I would very much appreciate it if I could get help in writing a realistic briefing as well as some minor TO&E details for the British force (an infantry heavy battlegroup).
It looks like it could be a very fun scenario, especially as the British player is going to have a very hard time holding back a both quantitatively and qualitatively superior force in and around the villages of Neuenstein and Saasen (copied from Google Earth, look it up!).
Any volunteers?
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I personally play CMSF to get a better understanding of how things work in real life. In fact I avoid 'gamey' behaviour wherever possible (such as area firing at an unspotted target 2km away within 1 minute of a friendly unit taking fire).
I feel that these tutorials are enjoyable reading and I hope they turn out to be illuminating on US tactics because I have read the relevant field manuals but you can gain a much deeper understanding from examples.
Perhaps when the units actually get moving in this latest example we will get an explanation as to some of the game mechanics as well as US small unit tactics? That way we would both be happy
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Yeah, the RPG-16 is unusual like that, the warhead fits entirely inside the barrel. It gives it greater range/accuracy but limits the hitting power which is why I believe the Russian army has more or less abandoned them.
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I would be very interested in reading what you have to offer. There is a certain amount of stuff on the forums (not least the community strategy guide http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=88746) but one thing that is really lacking is practical lessons instead of theoretical concepts. What you are suggesting sounds perfect.
Your two suggestions sound excellent, and an introduction to practical combined arms manoeuvre would be very useful as well. If I had to make a request for format it would be written, with lots of annotated diagrams and screenshots but don't feel constrained by that!
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Im not that good a player, but maybe stronger on the defence
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No movement orders necessarily, but when defending I tend to take my time. I will have a close look at the terrain before thinking "what would my opponent do?". This will take some time and I will try to think of two or three possibilities.
I then try to work out what I have and how best to cover the ground to counter those moves or draw my opponent into an ambush. A basic plan will form in my head and I will roughly place AT weapons and platoons of infantry as well as my reserve. At this point I will also be considering an artillery fireplan.
This will have taken at least 2 hours so far for a tricky defence.
I will then form a more concrete plan, positioning individual squads and rejigging as necessary as well as writing down future plans and anticipated enemy movements. After double checking my setup I will then create a fireplan for my artillery and note down the location and timing of the strikes.
The end result is a deployment with a fireplan as well as an outline of the future battle. Sometimes this may include a sketch of the map because as I start to spot enemy movements I can then note it down and adjust my plans accordingly. The map can also note down alternative positions for my troops to move to after they begin firing. this is best worked out in advance because it prevents silly mistakes
Too extreme?
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heh, 5 hours is about my record too. But I was just given a company of infantry to defend with!
It has to be said though that the smell of burning Abrams afterwards was beautiful...
)but there loads available to the player! 
but are still quite respectable. (No T-80s but T-72 is still a scary tank and a BMP is still much better than a FV432). I don't want to give away exact forces but I have made sure that experience etc. is appropriate. Junior leadership is pretty poor for example but the troops are competent and well motivated.
the GF Recipie Thread
in General Discussion Forum
Posted
Masoor Daal
This recipe is an old one that I have been using for years and it is great comfort food as a quick, easy to reheat meal.
You will need:
2 cups of red lentils (aka Masoor Daal), 1.5 teaspoons garam masala, 1.5 teaspoons turmeric, chilli powder to taste (I use about a teaspoon), 1.5 finely chopped onions, half a head of garlic (yes it is a lot!), 1 inch ginger root and 2 chopped tomatoes.
Instructions:
Rinse the lentils, add to 1l boiling water and cook for 10-15 mins before adding ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric and salt to taste. Continue cooking until the lentils start to go all soft and mushy but make sure that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan, add water as necessary to stop it burning.
Meanwhile, fry the onion in lots of oil then press and add the garlic and ginger (ginger is stringy though so chop it small before pressing it) and the chilli powder. Cook further for a few mins and then add the tomatoes and let them soften before combining everything in the lentil pot and simmering, adding salt as needed until all the flavours have nicely blended!
Serve with coriander leaf and rice/roti/chapattis