[Carentan Part II]

ok........... the AI managed to take Ingouf Farm as the Allies - very happy with its performance, a few things to tidy up but that part of the battle is nearly over - a few questions:-

• When the AI approaches a target location is there any way of making sure the combat groups get there first instead of the mortars, HQ and ammo bearers!? A couple of times the first troops into combat have been unequipped to do so?
  
• Can i choose a retreat location for the AI?
  

[Carentan Part II]

any help on the parameters? cant quite figure what the tolerance levels would be

[Carentan Part II]

btw - although the axis troops at the moment arent FJs - am i right in thinking these guys should be fanatical?

[Carentan Part II]

To undercovergeek :

Glad your A.I movements are going fine. For the testing you can put me on your call list, if that suits you.

thanks snake-eye, and absolutely not a problem with the playtesting call - more tweaking this weekend - ive plotted the plans upto the assault on the farm, i just havent had chance to watch the assault unfold yet, then i need to read up on how/what/where and when the reinforcements arrive

[Screenshots from tutorial]

Re FRAPS. Am embarrassed to say that I have it on my Win 7 system - but, I don't see any documentation as to how to actually use it.

I start FRAPS and a little window opens: "General"; "FPS"; "Movies"; "Screenshots".

The "Screenshots" tab says: Screen Capture Hotkey: F10

Are there crayon-level step by step instructions to capture a shot in CM2?

start fraps, confirm key required to take screenshots, minimise fraps, start game - you will know fraps is watching as theres a frame rate counter in the top left, play, press f10, play some more, press f10 - somewhere - i think on the screen where you designate f10 is your key for shots it will tell you where its dumping all the screenshots - pick a folder, play, f10, play, f10 - go to folder, marvel at the jpegs in here!!

[Carentan Part II]

To undercovergeek:

I just thought that you might run into trouble with the troops having to move through the bridges and that the way they might do it could be erratic.

If that happens, here after is what I learned when I did encounter these annoying behaviour from the troops movements.

But first, the width of the bridge is not an obstacle with the troops has it is with the vehicles and or tracks.

You can even have troops of a platoon size, moving through a small foot bridge quickly.

To do that, you have to paint a move order from the area where the troops are up to the footbridge (and or bridge). Just close to it and absolutely, not on it. Then the next order should have the path painted on the other side and up to the place you want the troops to go (but, again don’t start to paint it on the bridge.)

When I did not do that for an A.I movement on a footbridge, all the platoon stayed on the area before the bridge and did not even attempted to cross it. I changed the orders (Quick, fast, assault..) and they still stayed where they were. They only moved when there was not anymore any painted path square on the footbridge.

From that discovery time, I am not painting anymore a path onto a bridge, be it a troop move and or vehicle and tank.

Hope that might help you and others

nope im ok here snake-eye no problems crossing the bridge from the AIs point of view anyway - i did have a problem with a pathing issue from 'order 3' to 'order 4' only to find that id left one yellow square unpainted from a previous change of mind - half the AI guys were still trying to go to that 1 square whilst the rest went for the correct order - sorted now, everything ok right up until combat - looking at that play out next, then working out the reinforcements and the timings and then playing it without the editor function, and then release to a few play testers here

[Carentan Part II]

Looking forward to this UCG you seem to have put a lot of thought and effort into it.

its been a very rewarding experience - i can see now how the modders get sucked in as they do and never play the game properly!

im just a perfectionist with OCD - youve no idea how many times ive moved a barrel to make sure it fits right (at least in my mind) - as long as people enjoy it and theres a few 'oh, wows, yeah thats from this book i read/film i watched' and 'damn the surprise attack, i didnt expect that' ill be happy, then i need to find another scenario to build - i like real life ones - i think people already have something to compare your work to and can see what youre trying to do and feel immerssed more in a map theyve seen on tv or read about before.

[Carentan Part II]

thanks MJK - spending time tweaking the AI now and we should be good for release in a day or two - thanks again

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great bunch of guys - thanks for all help so far - tried the new timings last night -certainly solved the problem i was having (which was getting across bridge 4 asap) - i find 'leave after' to be the one the troops respond to more but we'll see

if order 1 is leave after 5

and order 2 is leave after 15

and order 3 is leave after 25

if order 1 gets stuck with hidden troops and unexpected surprises and the fight lasts til 23 minutes will the troops skip 2 and head straight to 3?

[Carentan Part II]

You can set the scenario to "Scenario Author Mode" on the screen where you pick if you want to play WEGO or RT. Although it is probably obvious to everyone but me, you have to pick the side that is the enemy to the AI you are planning/want to watch. I spent over a half hour making changes/double-checking the before/after times, thinking I had screwed up as I was watching my AI side just sitting there, turn after turn after turn. I even rebooted twice. Then it dawned on me...I was trying to watch the American AI plans, but had picked the American side in the scenario!

lmao - thats brilliant - great, never knew there was this feature - ill get twiddling and tweaking my evil plans!

[Carentan Part II]

I was previously doing it that way :

Exit before 6 minutes and after 8 minutes. That meant that the unit was trying to get out of the designated area before 6 minutes and at the most after 8 minutes.

Doing so I was only calculating the time necessary for the order, without taking in account the unrolling scenario time.

I have changed it giving it a time setting starting at the beginning of the game. If I order the A.I to get out after or before 12 minutes of the beginning I write it that way. However if the time lenght is shorter than it should be, the unit won't comply.

That means that if you want to move a unit 30 minutes after the beginning of the scenario and before 40 minutes you have to write it that way. The next order should take that time in account. That does not make that very comprehensible and allows numerous mistakes during the A.I time setting. That is why a testing of the timing is absolutely necessary

is there a way of removing the fog of war and watching the AIs moves? at the minute im resorting to spotting asap and then cease firing to see where everyone is

[Carentan Part II]

so exit after means 'dont move until this time is on the clock'

exit before means 'all try and be out of this area and heading to the next one by the time this number is on the clock'?

So if i want one group to run as fast as hell from the setup to the next zone, set 'dash' and exit before 01:00?

as an aside are these times cumulative or is the clock set to zero from the next action point? for example on order 8 (which imagine to be 45 mins into the scenario) will it be exit before 46:00, or will it still be exit before 01:00?

thanks for all the help - i thought building the map would be the hardest!! enjoying it all the same though

[Carentan Part II]

Brilliant maps and advice again Snake_eye thankyou very much - ive got g, h and and the HQ company as the OOB for the Allies and this path looks eerily familiar to the AI's path so far - i have one problem im addressing which i wont mention lest it effect how others play the map - but it will be fixed!

mjkerner - have you a link to the recent AI discussion thanks

[Carentan Part II]

has anyone got any tips on using the timers in the AI program - the 00:00 before OR 01:00 after buttons?

do they refer to minutes into the scenario or the time on the clock - be here at 19:45 - be here at 20:15?

i dont understand what theyre for but dont want their values to jeopordise the scenario

[Carentan Part II]

The timing and windage may not be right but you can have the AI use up all of its smoke with a prep at the very beginning. You could buy some very big offmap stuff and have them do a smoke prep as well, but don't be surprised if a FOO calls them in for HE later on.

UCG that looks really really good, I'm trying to not recall the location of the enemy units in the pictures for when i play it, which I'm looking forward to. What wall mod is that?

crap - i didnt think of that - ill stop showing specific axis set up points (which can be changed btw)

its Aris' wall mod

where in the AI plans can i plan it a smoke bombardment?

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Except for tanks, i have never seen infantry use smoke on their own.

id hoped the mortars would do it

[Carentan Part II]

is there a way to encourage the AI to use smoke to covers its advance - 'cautious' perhaps?

[Carentan Part II]

Great news!

Please consider posting your complete map (if finished) and OOBs as they are, for HTH play.

Some of us never play the AI anyway, so I'd love to be able to take your battle for a spin against a real opponent.

I'd also be happy to playtest it against you if you want.

Broadsword, at the minute the Allies have 2 full companies and a HQ company - in RL Cole advanced with company G, H and I and his HQ company, during the night before the attack I was hit by a bomber and practically wiped out, and he advanced with 2 companies and a HQ company.

The Axis have one full company with all the HQ teams associated with that, and a weapons company, 4 on map mortars and 2 off map mortars, one medium and one heavy, 2 forward observers and 4 sniper teams - its taken a long time to nail down the OOB for the Axis at Ingouf alone, all documents ive read point out that there was an abundance of MG teams, mortars and snipers covering the exit of the bridge in support of the command HQ at the farm itself. Im happy to hear contrary discussions, and am in deed waiting for one bit of intel that should finalise my happiness with the OOB here.

[Carentan Part II]

Another MG team covers the bridge exit, waiting for the Allied advance:-

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Brave paratroopers return fire to cover the bridge crossing:-

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The advance starts:-

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The first paratrooper over the bridge jumps for cover in the face of the MG teams fire:-

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Caught between the withering MG fire the paratroopers lay down more covering fire as they cross the bridge:-

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[Carentan Part II]

One of four sniper teams, scouting and covering the bridge approaches, one team is advance of here in a small barn overlooking the Allies prep area, and 2 more are on the other side of the hedgerow covering the mouth of the bridge itself:-

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With the sniper teams in place the first of the US units can be seen crossing the road toward bridge number 4:-

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And shortly after, the first Allied soldier falls to the sniper rifle:-

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With troops approaching the bridge the Forward observer team calls down mortar fire from one of the on-map mortar teams.........:-

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............whilst a heavy MG team watches the exit of the bridge:-

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[Carentan Part II]

Ok - OOB for the battle for Ingouf farm has been done (it may be subject to a bit of change!) - this is the battle for the farm and the small village before the reinforcements arrive.

I wont post what the forces are lest it spoil anybodys game but i have read nothing that contradicts what has been chosen for this initial part of the Carentan fight - im going to play a small game tonight and post some shots in an AAR - see what you guys think

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is it fair to say that the German troops would be veteran status and the 101st normal - or the 101st green?

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Again thanks for all comments - for those that have played a well crafted scenario who comment that the game and the AI sprang a couple of welcome and entertaining surprises - is this a 'plan' surprise or a 'i didnt know thered be an 88 round the corner' surprise?

[Carentan Part II]

Laptop is a 2.30 gigahertz Intel Core i5, with 6GB ram (to quote John Wilkes Booth considering his paralyzed arm: 'Useless!') and an OK video card: ATI 6650M. The old desktop is Pee Wee Herman in comparison but runs all the scenarios with aplomb. I've noticed that what brings the laptop to its knees is, above all (drum roll)... heavy vegetation. IOW, I can load up and play Bridge at Soloki (bare Russian steppes) but with Huzzar! (dense greenery)...choke city. I get an OOM notification.

Unfortunately your pretty map appears to fall into the latter category.

fingers crossed youll be ok - there has been previous discussion of 25000 squares causing problems - this only has 20000 - i suppose you could always edit the map and remove some trees........... anyway i hope you enjoy it if you play it - fiddling with the AI now

[Carentan Part II]

Nice, but I can already hear my laptop gagging.

its not bad at all - im only on an intel core duo t6600 (2.2 ghz) and 4 gb of memory - seems ok - althought thats with no pixeltruppen on!