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Just created my first CM scenario that I am publicly sharing. It is for CMSF2. I wanted to try and recreate The Battle of 73 Easting from Desert Storm in 1991. It is meant to be a historic simulation and the Iraqi's of course are meant to lose. I gave them the base level T-72m1 (early) while the US has M1A1HC's. You can find the download link on discord here Let me know what you think. It's pretty quick and just meant to be a good time. Enjoy!

Map creators/scenario designers... Have you ever been trying to make a map of an urban area and run into a building or buildings that have garage doors on them and had trouble deciding how to make the building look right? If not, I envy you. I definitely had that issue while creating my maps for Hostomel and Antonov Airport in Ukraine for an upcoming campaign I'm planning to release, and it was driving me nuts. Since I knew asking Battlefront for things accomplishes absolutely nothing, I got in touch with my man @Lucky Strikeand asked him for some help turning the "poster" flavor objects into a garage door or two for my maps since the poster flavor objects are basically worthless. Being the nice guy he is, he agreed to help, and then proceeded to turn my request for "1 or 2" doors into 12 beautiful garage door flavor objects in various sizes ranging from "backyard storage shed" all the way up to "aircraft hangar". They're pretty epic. After obtaining his permission, I created a PDF document showing what each of them looks like and highlighting the "sweet spot" where you click each of them to rotate it, move it, delete it, etc. You can find both at the link below, or attached to this post (maybe?) along with the PDF showing the doors. I also included some screenshots from my Antonov Airport map showing some of the garage doors in use. **NOTE** These doors are significantly easier to place than the posters were. They DO have a front and a back side, which can be identified by looking at the top of each door. One side of them will be textured, and the back side of each door will have an invisible part you can see through. The invisible side faces the building. I have found if you get them lined up in front of the building where you want them, then "nudge" them towards the building, they will sometimes latch themselves to the side of the building. If not, Lucky Strike made them thick enough that you can get them close and it still looks great. Also, you will need a mod to create more flavor object buttons. I included that as well. https://1drv.ms/u/s!As9rnkvqZG0viIZ83msyyUnH3kEhgg?e=NMMz63

Does anybody have an understanding of mod tags and how to use them? I looked in the 4.0 Engine manual and found a section on mods but not how to use mod tags. Maybe I missed the section so if you know where in the manual and can give me the page number or something that would be great. In one of the game manuals, I think CMBS, I found the following: Mod Tags for most graphics. This allows for multiple mods for the same item without the need to move items in/out of the Mods folder. So does this mean that mod tags are built in and hard coded? I think you can change heavy rocks to building rubble with the use of a mod tag. But it is limited to what BFC coded? It can either be heavy rocks or building rubble? It can’t be changed? I also found a post that said to change the heavy rocks to rubble you had to create and import a txt file. Are there instructions located somewhere on how to do this? I also found in a game manual the following statement: There is the ability to specify mods be used for a specific scenario. This may actually be what I’m looking for (the ability to specify mods be used for a specific scenario). I just released a scenario for testing and before I send the finalized scenario to the Scenario Depot in a few weeks I might want to have the scenario grab and use a handful of specific mods. This is different from the hard coded mode tag ability above I think? How do you specify a certain mod to be used by a certain scenario?? Any guidance on all the above would be appreciated. Or just point me to the reference that explains it. I don't mind reading up on it I just can't find much detail on it. Just general information that mod tags exists.

Friends! Romans! Scenario designers! I come not to drivel about some dead roman dude, but to make a proposal about how we describe mode of play in our scenario descriptions. Primus; The scenario designer should always include a mode of play description in the primary information. That is the info that can be seen when scrolling thru the scenario menu. Secundus; There shall be four, and ONLY FOUR possible descriptions. Namely: 'Playable in all modes', 'Playable as H2H only', 'Playable as Allied vs AI', or 'Playable as Axis vs AI'. Possibly, if you want to sound less peremptory we can agree on 'Recommended play as Allied vs AI', 'Recommended play as Axis vs AI', Recommended Play as H2H' or 'Playable in all modes'. So, what say ye? Shall we stand and be standardized or be forever and confusingly sundered?

For what its worth, here is some lighter reading I recommend for members of the forum. Gamers will enjoy the tactical takes from military history. Scenario designers might find it helpful for AI plans; forces, deployment, and programming. The book " Understanding Defeat: How To Recover From Loss In Battle To Gain Victory In War" by Trevor N. Dupuy. ISBN-10: 1557780994 ISBN-13: 978-1557780997 A nice survey or summary covering history's Great Captains and individual actions, especially Huertgen Forest. The copy I borrowed was purchased by a friend at Half-Price books. Check your library, Amazon, ABE books, or Biblio to see what suits you. I liked the checklist for how to avoid defeat. Specific to this forum; A and B for scenario designers, C for players. DuPuy's Causes of Defeat A. Unfavorable Circumstances Beyond the Control of the Commander 1. Overwhelming Odds a. Superior Numbers b. Superior Armor c. Superior Fire Support (1) Artillery (2) Air Support d. Superior Skill 2. Unfavorable Environment a. Weather b. Terrain c. Roads / Communications (LOC) 3. Hostile Fortifications 4. Inferior Technology 5. Chance or Luck B. Unfavorable Circumstances the Commnader May Influence 1. Lack of preparation for battle 2. Inferior-quality Forces a. Quality of manpowere b. Training / experience c. Doctrine 3. Poor Morale 4. Casualties 5. Subordinate failure / error C. Failure of Command 1. Surprise 2. Inferior Leadership a. Self-delusion (perception) b. Confused mission c. Weakness of will 3. Inadequate Control a. Poor reconnaissance / intelligence b. Poor planning c. Faulty tactics d. Inadequate logistics e. Breakdown in communications The following are a century old, a bit tongue in cheek, and refreshingly helpful. "The Defence of Duffer's Drift" is a 1904 British army platoon leader's learning guide set in the Boer War. The online version I liked best is the USMC "Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 12-33, The Defense of Duffer's Drift". You can download at URL = http://www.trngcmd.marines.mil/Portals/207/Docs/TBS/FMFRP%2012-33%20The%20Defense%20of%20Duffer's%20Drift.pdf "The Battle of Booby's Bluffs" is a 1921 a US Army treatment in similiar vein for larger units. You can read at URL = http://regimentalrogue.com/boobysbluffs/booby0.htm You can download at URL = https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCYQFjABahUKEwiv_sD6pOXHAhVMcT4KHSYzCfk&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forgottenbooks.com%2Fdownload_pdf%2FThe_Battle_of_Boobys_Bluffs_1000213718.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHMRyoJP_coGEioxDgy9yRtzf8A8A&sig2=9a_ypLROJn8MgcTFQ-p9vQ&bvm=bv.102022582,d.cWw Hope you enjoy.

Posting in both CMBN & CMFI I'm trying to design a map in a rural farmland area that has a large pond; 24 x 32 m (3x4 action squares) surrounded by grass and stands of trees. This pond is in a low spot on rising terrain. The surrounding elevating is 50m. No matter what I do, the result is a multi-story water pit; a steep-sided sinkhole tens of meters deep. This is not the desired result! I've tried both the "clear" and "direct adjust" elevation buttons to make the water terrain both match adjacent elevation or be a trifle lower. Nothing seems to work for water tiles. When I change the terrain tile from "water" to other ground, the terrain adjusts correctly and the quarry pit disappears. What am I doing wrong? How do I fix it? Any map making suggestions for water features in general? Thanks for all help.

Posting in both CMBN & CMFI I'm trying to design a map in a rural farmland area that has a large pond; 24 x 32 m (3x4 action squares) surrounded by grass and stands of trees. This pond is in a low spot on rising terrain. The surrounding elevating is 50m. No matter what I do, the result is a multi-story water pit; a steep-sided sinkhole tens of meters deep. This is not the desired result! I've tried both the "clear" and "direct adjust" elevation buttons to make the water terrain both match adjacent elevation or be a trifle lower. Nothing seems to work for water tiles. When I change the terrain tile from "water" to other ground, the terrain adjusts correctly and the quarry pit disappears. What am I doing wrong? How do I fix it? Any map making suggestions for water features in general? Thanks for all help.

Hi all, I can't seem to get "Can Trigger" orders to work, specifically the following example: AI Group 2 is supposed to exit its setup zone and secure a farm complex, then wait to advance until AI Group 3 appears on map as reinforcements and begin their advance on a different farm complex. Group 3's second order is set to "Can Trigger," and Group 2's second order has the Group 3, Order 2 trigger listed as "Wait For," and then they have order three, like so: Group 2: Setup (exit between 0:00 and 0:30), Order 2 (wait for Group 3, Order 2, exit between X and Y), Order 3, Order 4, etc. Group 3: Setup (exit between 0:00 and 1:00), Order 2 (Can Trigger, exit between 0:00 and 1:00), Order 3, Order 4, etc. But Group 2 just isn't waiting for Group 3 - rather, whatever time is set as the exit after for Group 2's third order is when they leave to execute order 3. I have tried setting the earliest exit time for Group 2 at 0:00, 5:00 (the earliest Group 3 can appear on map), and 1:00:00, and in each instance that is when Group 2 exits for their third order regardless of what Group 3 is doing or even if they're on map (that is, if Group 2's exit after time is 0:00, Group 2 immediately moves from its second to its third order, regardless of the fact that Group 3, who they are supposed to be waiting on, isn't even on map; same for 5:00. If I set the exit after for Group 2 to 1:00:00, Group 2 sits in its second position until 1:00:00, even if Group 3 has come on map and moved several orders beyond their "Can Trigger" second order). I tried switching the triggered order for Group 2 from the second order to the third order as well (that is, Setup (exit between 0:00 and 0:30), Order 2 (exit between 0:00 and 1:30:00), Order 3 (wait for Group 3, Order 2, exit between X and Y), etc.), but this still resulted in Group 2 just blitzing through its plan. I know with objective triggers I've had success by setting an exit after time of 0:00 and an exit before time of the end of the scenario, with the trigger as the "wait for" condition, but this doesn't seem to be how an orders trigger works. I assume there's an error on my part here somewhere but I've tried just about every variation on the plan I can think of with no change in outcome. The manual doesn't really discuss these triggers; I also tried searching the forums and had no luck. I looked through some of the stock scenarios and couldn't find an example of an Orders trigger being used either. Any tips would be appreciated.