The_MonkeyKing

Under the cover of darkness, Russian forces scout a Ukrainian MSR (also Morning Coffee)

In honor of the imminent release of CMSF2, I figured I would get a heads start on the time honored tradition of complaining about every new release by making it into a fun game!
I give you, CMSF2 BINGO!

All in good fun of course.

Just discovered this scenario the other day. No idea how I had missed it before. Now definitely one of my favorites.

A Russian scout platoon overruns a Ukrainian Battalion HQ.  (Morning Coffee)

CMSF including all it's content is still the CMx2 game I played the most and has a reserved a special spot in my game slots, as it was the game that got me into combat mission. Sublime mentioned Paper Tiger's Red on Red campaign (rightly so imo), there is a lot of Red on Red possibilities in CMSF. Simulating the Syrian conflict is very well possible. Plus there are Marines, Brits, Germans, Canadians and last but not least the Dutch 😉 for BLUE. Getting all that content in 4.0 engine is worth it alone for me. 
Edit to add: Syrian SF with their RPG-29s and AT-14, coupled with T-90s and BMP-3s are quite decent even H2H when up against BLUE. Coupled with appropriate mission parameters (and objectives for Blue & RED) defensive terrain, suitable strategy and tactics Red can really take the fight to BLUE.
One of my best, most intense and fun h2h fights was with the Syrian SF against Gleb O. as US (I forgot his forum name, something with 88's in it), a worthy and classy opponent. Not sure if we finished the game to the end but it was sure fun as hell using mech heavy Syrian SF and T-90s in guerilla tactics against the US. Hiding portable AT-13s in highrise buildings facing my side, waiting until they got flank/rear shots on enemy armor and then rushing in a platoon of T-90s gives some nice fireworks. Expecting and accepting to lose all assets gives birth to a whole new crate of tactics when compared to BLUE or even CMBS Red forces. I like it.
Anyway it's an upgrade of CMSF, not a brand new game or game engine AFAIK, so I wouldn't expect new features etc.
 

MINUTE 14
M1 #2 moved into the hollow next to the little hill in BP1 in order to overwatch the Gate to Valhalla with the hopes that the Leopard that was moving in that direction would come under its guns.  What it spotted instead was a Marder moving next to the farm ahead of the tank.  The Marder spotted the Abrams first and opened fire with its cannon taking out the turret mounted MG, but it was not a fair fight…
 
The M1 then immediately spotted the Leopard, which does not look like it sees the Abrams… the turn ended before my tank could reload.  I hate when that happens.  (see item 1 below)  

Some artillery spotting rounds are falling next to Hill 42.0 so I have moved my M3 platoon back a bit and loaded any infantry nearby. 

As time expired one of the Warriors moving through the field came into view near the Water Tower, it started to fire cannon rounds at T-90 #2 which was elevating its gun and taking aim as time expired!  (see item 2 below) 

The Warrior rear door opened as the clock ran out... hopefully, if the T-90 can actually make the kill, it will also take out most of the infantry in the back.

The Warrior platoon that was last spotted moving past HILL 32.9 has dropped off my radar completely… I have no contacts at all for this formation. (see item 3 below) 

Looks like it could be a very interesting next turn, coming up are the following highlights:
The M1A1SA #2 versus Leopard 2A4 faceoff.       The T-90 #2 versus Warrior IFV faceoff Plus, I am moving the BMP-3s 1st Platoon forward in the hopes of spotting that Warrior platoon that disappeared past Point 32.9 A couple Javelin teams will arrive in their firing positions looking to kill something Oh, and after next turn, the final reinforcements arrive! Don’t go anywhere!
1st Platoon BMP-3s getting ready to move to hulldown positions: (see item 3 above) 

BP1: (see item 1 and 4 above) 

Automatic facing even for shared contact markers. I wonder if there is a way to "disable" this mechanic.

One item that may not mean a lot to many folks, but I really appreciate is in CMSF you have MOUT Formation options for mech and Stryker infantry.  Those units then function as three 3 man teams versus the standard 5 man and 4 man teams. Learned that from Chris - it was how he deployed his airborne in TF panther. A bit more flexibility and you can deploy them with Humvees instead of Brads and Strykers (the standard Humvee and the 240B can both carry 3 dismounts).  From that you can create a whole different experience in scenarios.

MINUTE 12
Apologies ahead of time for the media heavy content in this post...
Another Warrior IFV platoon appears to be moving toward Point 32.9… M1 #1 moved into position in the early stages of this turn and almost immediately spotted one of them moving up to the Ruined Farm (Baneman does like that position), with one round it was sent to Valhalla…

10 seconds later it killed a second Warrior also near the Ruined Farm.  Think he has learned the lesson to stay away from that farm yet?

Immediately after killing the second Warrior IFV, M1 #1 spotted a Challenger!  Alas... before he could reload and reorient, the Challenger killed the Abrams with a one round turret front penetration… wow…

After looking at it from the Challenger’s perspective, I don’t think M1 #1 was hulldown to it… not sure if that would have even made a difference though.  To kill an Abrams from the front is impressive gun performance.
M1 #2 spotted one of the Warrior IFVs headed toward Farm 002 and got off one round, which hit the weapon mount with no ill effects that I could see, but that must be a gun kill.  The IFV trundled on toward Farm 002.

At the end of the turn the other Challenger was seen moving around the southern end of the large stone walled field in KT1.  M1 #2 will attempt to get a spot next turn and see if we can’t even the score.  I do like that he has split up his Challenger tanks so each is now operating independently.

Baneman has at least one dismounted infantry AT team (German) far forward near the wall… he is obviously attempting to get close enough to engage my LAVs with an AT weapon.  I need to check on the range for that weapon.  I suspect it looks meaner than it is.  LAV #4 spotted and fired on this team which went to ground.

The Bradley platoon started to arrive this turn, the dismounts will organize a Javelin armed AT team which will proceed to the ridge while the remaining infantry will remount next turn.

At least two Warrior IFVs moved beyond Point 32.9 appearing to be heading toward the position that is held by the BMP-3 Platoon.  I think he has two Warrior platoons in this area, one near the Ruined Farm (two vehicles spotted, both destroyed), and the other moving past Point 32.9 (three vehicles spotted).
Overview of enemy movements this turn:

Battle Position 1 (BP1):

all i know is I'd be happy as a pig in $hit if Paper Tigers AWESOME Road to Dinas red on red Syrian civil war campaigns redone..
@The_MonkeyKing cmsf 1 had a blue on blue nato scenario. iirc it was germans and dutch vs us/canadians.
i could be totally wrong about that. heh. (who vs who) 

This is correct - NATO Atlantic Games. It's a good one.
Netherlands v Canada

I'm going to offer my own, un-solicited advice on map making...
Use the light forest tile under trees, fences, hedges, roads, buildings, any sort of man-made "divider" - its represents well the undergrowth that builds up on these less traveled/less maintained areas. Look at pictures of rural fences and such and you'll see shrubbery/grass growing taller then the immediate surrounding foliage It also serves as an eye pleasing way to "break up" large chunks of terrain, especially when you're zoomed out - where most players actually play the game - and the fences start to blend in with the surrounding grass.
Alternate between yellow grass, tall grass, green grass, extra tall grass, etc when building large fields. Breaks up the color tone that looks unnatural when zoomed out. Same goes for dirt - mix in dirt, red dirt, hard dirt etc when building lots for your buildings. These large lots - either grass or dirt, or whatever - should look like a Jackson Pollock painting in the editor. Just splashes of different tiles everywhere.
Dirt footpaths serve as a great way to break up terrain as well - simulates the many different ways people cross fields, and the paths they create. Also works great in residential dirt lots.
Combine different buildings to make a realistic looking residence. I like to use the half tile barn on the end of an independent one story house. The half tile barns also look good between fences, and when they form an "L" at a 90 degree angle to a house.
Really pay attention to how homes are setup for the area you are modeling. They are often tighter and more "intimate" then you think. Remember, tiles are 8 meters by 8 meters, which is absolutely huge. I would say most Eastern European residential lots are maybe 3x3 or 4x3 in CM terms. Use street view when you can to see how they look from ground level. Satellite imagery can be deceiving.
When it comes to forests, less is more. I almost never use the two or three tile tree lots. Single trees are enough. In fact, drop your block of trees, and then go back and remove some trees from random tiles. Creates a realistic patchwork effect. Also, use different types of trees in a forest. Trees of the same type in CM are universal in height - no forest is like that in the real word. I like to use Tree D - a fairly short tree - and mix the taller A and C trees into the mix. Creates a more natural forest.
Avoid painting solid lines of height elevation. There is nowhere in this natural world where you have a universal flat area or a universally sloping area (bar maybe a salt bed, I guess..) Purposely leave gaps in your contour lines, and then drop random points in between contours that are one higher or one lower then what the game "calculates" it should be. It will create very pleasing, very natural, undulating terrain. Failing to do this is probably the biggest sin when it comes to map making in CM, in my mind. Elevation is much more difficult in CM2 then it was in CM1, which is why I think people have a hard time with this. But if you take the time to hand craft your elevations, it will pay off big. It makes your map look 100x more realistic.
Don't tie yourself to an overlay! The real world is much more angular then what CM can handle. Have fun with your map - no one will care if this street had 7 houses instead of 5. What matters is the look, and how it plays, Additionally, the height data in Google Earth and other public programs does not have the fidelity to make a realistic map. It's great for a starting point - ie, this town is on a hill - but the nuances of height elevation in real life terrain can not be captured in an overlay. Go for a walk and look for the micro terrain that is out there. Most of it is well within CM's ability to model.

Also, many of the scenarios have been reworked with new AI plans, adjustments in forces, better (and yes, much more visually appealing) maps. They don't even feel like the same scenarios from SF1 in some cases. The Quick Battle system will work like all the other titles. And if you have all the modules of SF1/SF2, the QB possibilities become almost endless.

Another poster of my recent BMP-3/3K Mod: http://cmmodsiii.greenasjade.net/?p=6650

In my Modding Space I've aploaded everything what is avaliable at the moment. 
Everything is supported by screenshots and by links to download. I don't think you missing anything. Yet, if you enjoy what you see I would really appreciate you hitting that "heart" button. P.S. If something big will be coming out - I will msg you directly. 

It is not a "bug" it is attention to how the AI may react in a given set of circumstances.  They can't program a "correct" response for everything the game may have as a result.

I am disappointed by the fact that the biggest thread on the CMSF2 forum is named "disappointed"

Spotting is weighted by facing, not by target arcs.  The only affect of a target arc on spotting is to set the unit’s facing.  This makes sense as the order is not intended for controlling observation, but controlling fire.  Caveat: on moving vehicles with weapon stations that can pivot, setting a target arc away from the direction of travel does modify spotting.

Kaboom!

Inner city neighbourhood ripe for gentrification.

MINUTE 10
LAV-AT #5 sat still in its hulldown position and waited to get a spot... I was hoping it would be able to get a shot on the Leo, however a Marder came trundling forward next to the Leo... the LAV instantly saw it and sent a missile on its way.  If you watch closely, right before the TOW is loosed the ammo from the LAV-AT destroyed last turn goes up in a fireball.

Right before the missile hit, the Marder spotted my hulldown LAV-AT and sent some cannon rounds their way which all went high.  I think the very small footprint of that launcher is going to be hard to hit (that’s my hope anyway).  The missile however hit the mark and that is scratch one Marder.  He won’t like that result and I can only hope it still had its infantry squad in the back. 

LAV-AT #5 did spot the Leo for a few seconds after hitting the Marder, but lost the spot soon after.  Of course the LAV-AT couldn’t fire anyway as it was reloading.

The LAV-AT carries two missiles in its launcher and this was the second one this vehicle has fired, so it immediately went into reload mode after firing and this was in progress as the turn came to an end.  Next turn I will pull this vehicle back over its ridge to complete reloading, then move forward one more time in an attempt to bag that Leo.

The Scimitar opposite T-90 #2 of course popped smoke and withdrew to safety. 
T-90 HQ never spotted anything while it was in position, but it did receive a laser warning, popped smoke and withdrew.  These Syrians are a challenge to use effectively, most of the time they can’t spot worth a damn... in the rare event that they do spot, they miss.  They have missed every shot fired so far.

This image shows my current dispositions, the enemy situation has become muddled as few vehicles are now firmly spotted.

The situation in and around DUMAYR isn’t great, the fighters I was moving towards DUMAYR are staggered and spread out from the river bank to their original start positions.  Most are exhausted, tired, panicked, etc.  I just want them over the river and in cover for now.


 
REINFORCEMENTS

The Main Body arrived in zone   
M1A1SA Section (x2 Tanks) D Company Mech Infantry on M2A3 Bradley (x13 M2A3 and x1 BFIST) The remainder of the SP Mortar Battery (x2 M1064A3 and x2 HMMWV) Battalion CO on HMMWV

Now I have some serious firepower to engage Baneman with.  Of course this means that his main body will also have arrived and the British Army are no pushovers, though I think my US Army forces have a slight edge.  It’ll be down to who uses them more effectively. 
I have a two stage plan that I have been waiting to implement and now that these troops are on the board those plans are getting implemented.  It will take several turns to get everything into position.
It will get very deadly now in this area of operations.  Stay tuned. 

Good point! Would be interesting to see the next Ukraine campaign focusing on the "second rate troops" fighting it out with the top of the line Russian armored spearheads.

Good point! Would be interesting to see the next Ukraine campaign focusing on the "second rate troops" fighting it out with the top of the line Russian armored spearheads.

I disagree Erwin. Closing threads is a drastic move. Some might see it as censorship!
I think every thread is a good thread. Gives BF intel on how their little addicts are doing/feeling. 

I found something in my CM Helper inbox a couple of days ago...

The dachas turn out to be more exposed than I anticipated.  This means I need to start the crossing ASAP.  The platoons on the riverbank and dive into the water.

BTRs from 1st Company boldly drive to the riverbank, catching up with their comrades.

Another BTR eats some 30mm fire from across the river.  The passengers survive with major wounds as they bail out of the doomed vehicle.

And yet another.  Clearly the smoke screen is not doing its job!  None of these hits have been catastrophic, but they are definitely decreasing the combat power I can deploy across the Dnjepr.

All the while artillery shells land around 1st Company as they stage.

But the order comes: "Cross to landing point Boris!"
The engines roar to life as the platoon surges forward.  The crossing gets staggered as some drivers attempt to find better slopes to enter the river.


But the crossing has begun...
 

I am disappointed by the fact that the biggest thread on the CMSF2 forum is named "disappointed"