A Canadian Cat
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Posts posted by A Canadian Cat
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usually download every map an scenario but I balked when I saw the file name for this one. In the intensest of constructive feedback and only that: I would suggest an alternate file name. I get you have the right to choose your on line handle and files names for things you create so feel free to disregard my suggestion.
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Well, CMFI has been out for less than two months.
The couple of scenarios I´ve made for CMBN have taken considerably more than two months to create and playtest.
I think that is at least part of the explanation.
Yep, I am working on a scenario for the first time and I have only just finished the map. Now I am in to the next learning curve - choosing balanced forces and objectives. I have to admit my current plan is to create only an Allies vs AI version. Now the OP is making me wonder if I should reconsider and try to work out how H2H would work.
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I'd be interested in reading what kind of expectations people have for a good PVP/H2H scenario. Balance is important, but aren't mirror scenarios boring? I've been trying to juggle with the victory conditions to make interesting asymmetrical scenarios, but there's still a lot to learn. What is it that wargamers crave for when they face eachother? Is an arena-style fight to the death the standard to aim for? Or should the designer try to actively participate, as in making the map and conditions such that the fight is very dynamic and unpredictable?
Balance and symmetry are not the same thing. For scenarios I want balance. I do not want to feel starting out that I have no hope of winning. I need there to be balance: two equally (or close to equally) skilled opponents could take either side and hope to win. The one that wins is the one that made the best choices and a little luck an came out on top. That does not need to be a symmetrical meeting engagement. Those are fun but after a while - boring. Of the six play by email games I have on the go now one is such a symmetrical meeting engagement.
For example a scenario where the attacker has 3 times the resources and will surely dislodge the defender can still be balanced. If the victory conditions are set up correctly the defender can score a win if the wear the attacker down enough or escape with enough of their own forces intact.
I realize these are a bit silly questions since the answer lies in variety, personal preference and so on but I'd like to read some opinions. If anyone has links to threads or articles discussing scenario design in-depth, that'd be great.Not silly questions, IMHO but we don't discuss that much either. This forum and the one for CMBN are pretty much it as far as I know.
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I see your point.Nice post
LOL patting your self on the back or was this meant to go on another thread.
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We are proud to announce the launching of new ladder over at The Few Good Men Wargaming and Military History Club./QUOTE]
Looked interesting. A ladder were performance is how you are ranked - good.
But wait, draws are not scored by the ladder? What? That seems very odd. Reaching a draw against a higher ranked player is how some of use eked out our fist progress on other ladders. They are important. They need to count.
Sorry for responding here but once I read that I decided not to sign up for an account. Therefore I cannot post to the discussion thread on your site. Let me know if things change.
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Did DungeonTiger clue you in as to when you actually hurt the thing before the crew bailed?
He did. He said that the first penetrating hit killed the driver and soon after that they became shaken. Which makes sense sine they stopped firing after a that. The ended the turn in pretty bad shape morale wize.
As for the other, losing the 250/9 sucks, but I'll take a successful bridge crossing in trade any day!Agreed.
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Ian,
That was a good surprise - practically no opposition on the crossing.
Heinrich505
It certainly was. Not what I expected at all. I will take what I can get.
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5 Company is now setting up a defense of the orchard.
The second wave set to cross the bridge. This includes an additional platoon of infantry and the Stugs.
3 Battery moving forward to take the ground the Churchill formerly covered.
Getting into position in the woods near the town.
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3 Battery has not cleared the area of enemy tanks and is back on the move – looking for more.
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It is go time for crossing the bridge.
Well that was easy. Overwhelming force does work. I had a platoon of infantry and three Panthers lead the rush across the bridge. All they met was on Staghound. I talked with Stephen (aka Dungeon Tiger) over coffee and his Staghound never even saw any of my units crossing the bridge. Everyone crossed safely and began to fan out to create a bridge head in the orchard and trees along the bank.
The last 20mm recon half track gets destroyed this turn.
The Stuart tanks across the tracks from 5 Company continue to be lucky. Being well placed in the trees helps to create luck. This is the tank that destroyed my last 20mm recon half track moments before.
2 Battery looses another Stug – this time to the soft ground. Here is the Stug that bogged last turn. Rats.
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Just to mention Ian I'm close to completing a 2k x 3k CMFI map. How many points do you reckon you can squeeze onto that ?
Excellent! It seems that FI is more efficient with graphics resource use so I bet we can go even bigger. We would have to experiment but I would start by trying 30 000 and see how that goes.
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These are from the same battle - the new Sticking it out. However this is a different PIAT team from the one a few posts above.
Firing through the door
Hitting their first half track
They fired three times and got two hits - here is video
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At the rate that Churchill was going, it'd soon have rated its own movie.
"Its appetite is voracious. It slaughters its enemies without hesitation or pity. It is implacable. Unstoppable. Unkillable. It is the Fuhrer himself's worst nightmare. It is (dun dun dun!!!!) Die Uber Churchill!"
Thanks, made me laugh.
I updated the video and added the last few hits that finally ended the uber Churchill. New video here:
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Oh yes, well figured out, thanks. Choosing the 12000 points was days of fun ( to a micromanager like me ). It already seems too little
Good. Any feedback on the instruction document?
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So far only a few sightings of enemy vehicles have livened things up. A very bolshie Staghound ( I think ) whaled on a Panther which couldn't see him. A few Axis rounds have been fired at scouting Allied vehicles, all missed
One of the things I like about large battles is that moving to contact involves actually moving a non trivial distance and you have choice in where you move.
Sorry to have hijacked your thread, was mainly to add thanks for the map ( and concept, loving large battles )No worries, did you make use of the setup instructions I wrote?
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3 Battery's new job, along with their supporting element from 2 Company, is to move forward in the direction the Churchill tanks came from in order to verify that the enemy is gone from the area and to allow the FO. I want the FO to move to the high ground so he can direct artillery barrages against the town before 1 Company assaults. My original thought was to position AT guns on the ridge overlooking the town under cover of smoke. Since smoke is pretty much useless I think I am going to have to come up with a different plan for my AT guns.
1 Company and most of 2 Company along with support from 2 Battery and a Panther move into their town assault jump off positions. One Stug moving through the forest is bogged and then immobilized in the woods. This weather is starting to cause problems.
With no smoke to speak of this bridge assaulting could be interesting. To compensate I order the Stugs to fire HE into the woods on the opposite side of the bridge. The assaulting force is lead by one platoon of infantry and three Panthers. The rest of 3 Company and the Stugs will follow once I see what they are up against.
5 Company moves further into the Orchard. They are almost at its farther edge. Once there they will setup a defensive perimeter and wait for a while.
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The Panthers on 1 Company's flank continue to back up into a better position to protect against the Churchills that are near by.
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This turn finally brings a victory over some Churchill tanks. 3 Battery destroys two of them to complete the destruction of the troop of Churchills they were facing. The super Churchill that survived 18 hits last turn only lasts a few more. The crew bail out at the beginning of the turn and the tank takes a few more hits before being destroyed. The other remaining Churchill is dispatched quickly after only two or three hits.
The centre formation of Stugs keeping up their rate of fire on the super Churchill.
The last Churchill standing in 3 Battery's field of view is taken out.
This turn is a major relief to me. 3 Battery did loose the main gun on two Stugs but at least the put down some enemy tanks. It is unclear what enemy units might be in the vicinity but 3 Battery will be charged with finding out and making a safe location for the FO to come to call some fire down on the town.
At the village with the road bridge crossing my forces lay down smoke and are ready to pounce.
There is a problem: the smoke screen is just being blown away. Fighting in bad weather has its challenges. By the end of the turn there is almost no protection from the smoke screen and yet the smoke stretches across the other end of the bridge.
5 Company continues to move forward in the orchard. They have not secured the location where their scout half tracks were destroyed earlier.
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The best way to handle this, I think, is to get the Marder into a position on the far left, almost as if it's assaulting the road junction from that side. Most of BigDork's men will head straight for the VL (that's where the mortar team who got hit with the grenade were going). From the left I can potentially pick off one flank from relative safety, and threaten any movement against the hill, which is what I think he's planning on doing next. <snip>
Sounds like a good plan. Is getting the Marder to the hill with 1 Platoon an option? It is hard to tell if there is a safe place it could travel from just screen shots. Something to consider anyway.
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Very cool guys. Those changes would generate a totally different battle. Who starts closest to the hill top monastery? A plan is already forming in my head:)
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Map is very good, thank you.
Inspired by Ian and Dungeontiger's example, Undercovergeek and I have started a 12000 pointer on it ( although we turned it 90 degrees and ucg added some stuff - hope you don't mind ).
That is totally cool! Are you guys going to do a write up? Not that you have to, just curious if you are. What did you add to the map?
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With all the action going on the map seems quite small now but great to see it being used.
Good, good. We really like your map. And I do not feel like it is small at all. There is plenty of room to maneuver. I am very pleased to have a map this big without it would would not have been much more difficult to mount such a huge battle.
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Ian,
Good call on using the StuGs for smoke. It might not be as all-encompassing as what the mortars would provide, but even a little bit of smoke will be better than none. You don't want to rush the bridge with no cover at all.
My only worry is the wind - it is a nastly day and the smoke from the mortars dissipated as it formed. As Stephen said to me when I was complaining about it over coffee this morning "you picked the weather", so, I have no right to complain.
Your screenshots are excellent. They help us stay right in the action. Thanks.Thank you.
Your only real option on the Churchills would seem to be lots of side hits. They are pretty tough.Amazingly tough. I am going to have to treat them like I would Panthers.
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Just move the screenies you've taken into a new subfolder called "Turns 1-x"...
If I break a 1000 I'll do that. Actually come to think of it I might do that sooner than 1000.
Shall try to start an unofficial screenshots thread?
in Combat Mission Fortress Italy
Posted
Very cool I like the view looking up at the Tiger. The game is over and it looks like some one is lucky. Great story about the enemy units sharing the trench.