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CMBS Campaign: The Eagle and the Bear


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Well, I am still more or less playing them in order...Hill 289 would have followed my awesome victory at the FOB...

 

Looking forward to Bear at the Gate...urban combat and waves of tanks...who could ask for more?

 

I will say the initial setup on Hill 289 was very good...I think I could have knocked out a lot more armor and held them off...but that artillery was....just.....brutal....

 

I would say that was a very realistic scenario...light infantry with a few ATGMs are going to have a tough time against a determined armor assault...but with the terrain advantage, it is possible.

 

Cheers...enjoying these a lot...hopefully my Latvians will be more useful than they have been....

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Thanks guys for the interest. I'm waiting for the kind players who are play testing to finish and once revisions based on their feedback are made I will release. Just want to make sure everything is good so it will hopefully be a fun campaign.

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Just setting up on the fifth mission and I think the map is really too small for the American force and I haven't seen what the Russians have to offer. After WWI, I don't think you'd ever deploy infantry so closely together, especially in an obvious treeline.

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Wow, just started Bear at the Gates.

 

Damn, that scenario is a monster...as in...I play real-time 99% of the time...and WOW, that is a HUGE scenario...I thought my computer was in syrup...and I have a pretty state of the art iMac, I just bought this year...I could barely move around the battlefield.

 

Switched over to turn based...much better control, but it takes a FAIR amount of time to resolve each turn...needless to say with my CM ADHD, will provide full report on that battle later.  It looks like a bloodbath...another wave of tanks rolling in...I just wish those stinkin' Latvian ATGMs could do something...

 

May switch to another scenario...get back to you on this...hopefully players will have the hardware to handle this beast.

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Howdy, dragonwynn, sorry I haven't gotten back to you in a while...long week.

 

Just finished Operation Hammer.  

WOW, just WOW.

Spoilers below

----------------------------------------------

So, here's my big picture $.02.  I don't want to keep you waiting.  I have some other CM projects that i want to work on so I thought I would give you my overall impression of the 6 scenarios I have played so you aren't waiting on me...not sure how much other feedback you have gotten recently.

 

 

BLUF:  This is going to be an incredible campaign, which I will highly recommend to all CMBS players.  As you said in your intro it has a LARGE variety of tactical problems to suit everyone.  The force mix, objectives, and AI for each scenario is very well thought out and will be a challenge for players of all skill levels.

 

Maps:  I don't know if you made them (BIG KUDOS) or modified stock QB maps (still big kudos), but either way, they were great, and geography is a definite factor in many of these scenarios.  I am NOT a map maker at all, so if you did use stock maps, good on you...should demonstrate what a great scenario and/or campaign can be made with the 330 QB maps included with the game...I mean 330 maps, who would need to make more, unless you love to?

 

One thing to warn players about....some of these scenarios  ARE FREAKIN HUGE...I have never controlled multiple battalions in any CMx2 scenario, so if you are a control freak, prepare for some LONG orders sessions....and make sure you have the computer horse power..I have sorta figured out how to navigate in RT on some of these, but it takes patience.

 

One thing I really liked is the scenarios with multiple Blue Forces....it is interesting to see how American vs Ukrainian (Latvian, Polish etc) units and vehicles stand up to Russians....I haven't played a lot of the mixed campaigns/scenarios in CMBN/CMFI, but am now looking forward to it.

 

One minor whine.. :rolleyes: ...I think scenario designers in CMBS may not realize how overwhelming the predatory artillery and air strikes can be.  It is one of my pet peeves when the Germans hammer me at the beginning of CMBN or CMFI scenarios, but wowza, CMBS takes this to a whole new level.  Especially when you have a fairly small map or restrictive setup zones which really magnify the power of those air burst munitions.  I think some beginner or average players (me) can be intimidated by losing 25 or 30% of their force before the Russians even show up....it is realistic, but makes a tough tactical problem nearly impossible.  That may be great for players who like that, but I think there's a fine line.  My only complaint, which I will probably make a lot...cuz I hate artillery...unless it's mine, of course. :D

 

Overall, this is a very well done campaign---great back story, interesting tactical problems, and a great campaign tree to reward success and punish failure...well done...thanks very much for the opportunity to play test and provide feedback.  I am really looking forward to the final version....

 

 

 

 

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That scenario was incredible.  I never worried about a game clock so much...like I could hear the transports bringing those brave Polish paratroopers to the hot DZ.  And of course, I knew I should have hammered all those tree lines with more arty/air...2LT mistake...but DAMN, those tank battles were awesome...like an old fashioned cavalry duel...love, love M1A2s....

 

Secured the DZ with about 2 minutes to spare...well more or less secured...the Poles had to finish off a couple of pesky T-90s and BMPs  :angry:

 

Declared cease fire a little early...secured a draw, which was surprisingly happy for me...I only secured the drop zones..almost had the Russian Headquarters, but didn't secure the other objectives...wiped out a crap ton of Russian tanks and AFVs though...

 

What a full scenario.  Can't really say much else.  Thought this was awesome...so much going on...well done.

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Edited by grunt_GI
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Ok I am releasing The Eagle and the Bear campaign for anyone who would like to give it a try. The following revisions were made based on tester recommendations.

 

1. Added a setup zone for the Latvian forces in the Never Cry Wolf mission. This should give the player more flexibility in setting up the defense.

 

2. Added a extended setup zone for the Latvian forces in the FOB Lancer mission for more defensive options. Also changed up the artillery mix for the Russians as well as their targeting vectors.

 

3. Changed the artillery mix in the Hill 289 mission to a medium battery.

 

4. Corrected all (hopefully) references of Soviet to Russian in the briefs and narrative. This was brought to my attention that it is no longer prudent to refer to them as Soviets lol. Guess to much time in CMRT had glitched my brain.

 

5. There is some concerns about a few of the maps being to small. I was trying to stay with in a range that would not task most players systems to much so I have not adjusted any map sizes. Hopefully this will not be to much of an issue. As mentioned some of these missions are big so they may cause some slow downs with older machines.

 

Hopefully these changes will improve the campaign from the test version and provide a enjoyable experience. Thanks to all of you who tested the campaign for me, your input was quite valuable. Thanks to BF for making us an awesome game to play.  Once again read all the briefs as they lay out the storyline as well as the details for each mission.

 

If any other issues arise or if you have any comments about the campaign feel free to leave them on this thread.

 

Here is a dropbox link to the campaign.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ethobrjtq5jcz6c/The%20Eagle%20and%20the%20Bear.zip?dl=0

 

Enjoy

Mike

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Looking forward to this the 2nd go round.....

quick question..the mods in the included folder that have modtag or modtag1...those are just for this campaign right?

So, those shouldn't "interact"...if that's the right word with any other mods..only when I play this campaign right?

I nixed some of the sound mods because I thought they might interfere with my current sound mods...

Edited by grunt_GI
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It's important that the main folder can be renamed as we now have several scenario-specific mod sets available and it's good to be immediately see which one is which.  (Actually, it would be helpful if designers named mod tag folders with the scenario name it applies to.)

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