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New Scenario - Assault on Port Cros


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I figured it was about time I created a scenario for this title and I am now in the closing stages of finishing off a scenario titled Assault on Port Cros. The scenario, while based on historical events, is not what I would term as an accurate representation of them so this is more of an attempt to offer something new and maybe different for CMBN.

The basics:

Play Mode:  Allied vs Axis AI only.

Battle Type: Allied attack.

Battle Size: Large (I know this is subjective so to qualify this it is an Allied company plus force against an approximate Axis battalion element).

Battle Length: 3hrs 30 minutes (although this may change based on final testing).

Map Size:  2368x1264m

Requirements: Market Garden and Vehicle Pack modules.

The basics of the history are that the First Special Service Force assaulted German coastal defences, including Port Cros, on a small island group covering the approaches to the Port of Toulon to set the conditions for the main Operation Dragoon landings in the south of France in August 1944.

The following image forms part of one of the briefing graphics for the scenario:

 

1377401393_MapforForumThread.thumb.jpg.c00b3ae383a0c9360be1ed4637774822.jpg

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1 hour ago, IanL said:

Those look pretty imposing. Are those buildings with a bridge embedded inside them? If so can you do crazy stuff like enter the door on the ground floor and come out in the roof and move to the bridge deck?

The forts are a work of considerable artistic licence due to the terrain editor. Here's how I did it.

The 'walls' are ditchlocked terrain with the higher elevation about 5m above the lower elevation and then painted with a pavement tile to create a stone construction look.

The 'gate' is indeed a stone bridge with high walls placed underneath the arches, excepting the 'entrance'.

The 'towers' are one of the Dutch independent buildings, chosen solely because they are the only ones with flat roofs.

The 'sentry boxes' are small sheds from the independent buildings menu.

You are quite correct to assume that the original intent with the buildings and bridge combination was not only artistic, it was an attempt to allow troops to get up onto the flat 'ramparts'. Sadly this is not possible (and believe me I have tried). The reason that the buildings are there is to at least allow the assault force to get up to the level of the ramparts so they can engage the defenders with direct fires.

The exception is the Fort de l'Estissac which is oriented at an angle and meant that the Dutch Building was not available. However, for whatever reason, it is possible for troops to get up onto the ramparts, I did not find this out until one of my tests where a German unit panicked and ran down into the central courtyard.

All of these nuances will be explained in the 'Notes' section of the orders.

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57 minutes ago, Warts 'n' all said:

You might want to try more yellow grass, dirt, and rocky terrain tiles. At the moment it looks a bit too much like northern France.

Thanks for looking and the observation but no I'm fine with it - on reflection I should probably have done this one in CMFI to give it more of a Mediterranean feel. As you can see from the image below - there is a lot of green out there and the map needed some compromises, particularly in regard to the forts as per my previous post. I fully admit that the buildings have that Northern France look about them but at this stage the thing is what it is.

While I do take pride in my maps, I am not @Pete Wenman or @benpark so for me I am happy if most of the stuff is vaguely in the right place which is the case for this map. I am working on something for CMBS where I have tried to emulate the skills of the two gentlemen quoted which only increases my admiration for the maps they produce. Right now my focus is just checking that the revised AI plan works in scenario author mode and if it does, playing it through from the player's perspective. If the thing vaguely works as I think it should then it will get kicked out of the door. Hopefully within the fortnight.

1401760211_PortCrosPic.jpg.34ba13b2ead3d94cc14cbf99c215640c.jpg

Thanks again for your comment.

Edited by Combatintman
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On 10/13/2018 at 6:45 PM, Combatintman said:

I figured it was about time I created a scenario for this title and I am now in the closing stages of finishing off a scenario titled Assault on Port Cros. The scenario, while based on historical events, is not what I would term as an accurate representation of them so this is more of an attempt to offer something new and maybe different for CMBN.

The basics:

Play Mode:  Allied vs Axis AI only.

Battle Type: Allied attack.

Battle Size: Large (I know this is subjective so to qualify this it is an Allied company plus force against an approximate Axis battalion element).

Battle Length: 3hrs 30 minutes (although this may change based on final testing).

Map Size:  2368x1264m

Requirements: Market Garden and Vehicle Pack modules.

The basics of the history are that the First Special Service Force assaulted German coastal defences, including Port Cros, on a small island group covering the approaches to the Port of Toulon to set the conditions for the main Operation Dragoon landings in the south of France in August 1944.

The following image forms part of one of the briefing graphics for the scenario:

 

1377401393_MapforForumThread.thumb.jpg.c00b3ae383a0c9360be1ed4637774822.jpg

Excellent...just getting around to doing some more reading on Operation Dragoon...and love scenarios with the Vehicle Pack...

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6 hours ago, grunt_GI said:

Excellent...just getting around to doing some more reading on Operation Dragoon...and love scenarios with the Vehicle Pack...

To be honest I'm not sure why the vehicle pack is required for this one - because there are no vehicles in it, but that is what the game is telling me. I guess it is because of the flamethrower teams but I'm not completely sure.

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  • 2 months later...

For those of you wondering what happened to this project, I hit a couple of speed bumps along the way:

After what I'd deemed to be the final test, I stumbled across new information which required:

  1. Stripping out the whole Allied force and replacing it to more accurately represent the First Special Service Force.
  2. Stripping out some Kriegsmarine Coastal Defence troops and replacing them the Heer.

The first was the most painful because it invalidated all of my previous testing. Over the last few days I have knuckled down with this one and just finished the final test. This will be released after a little tinkering with the map and writing up a new set of orders and briefing graphics.

Will it be ready by Xmas … possibly, but if not I hope to have it uploaded over the holiday period.

Thanks for your patience.

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10 hours ago, Combatintman said:

After what I'd deemed to be the final test, I stumbled across new information which required:

  1. Stripping out the whole Allied force and replacing it to more accurately represent the First Special Service Force.
  2. Stripping out some Kriegsmarine Coastal Defence troops and replacing them the Heer.

Wow.  That had to be a lot of work.  Makes me tired just thinking of it..................

 

10 hours ago, Combatintman said:

Will it be ready by Xmas … possibly, but if not I hope to have it uploaded over the holiday period.

+1  Very cool.  Looking forward to this. 

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Seasons greetings to all - I even managed to upload it at the Scenario Depot without @Bootie's help ….

Get it here and enjoy:

http://www.thefewgoodmen.com/tsd3/combat-mission-battle-for-normandy/cm-battles-for-normandy/assault-on-port-cros/

Points to note are that the scenario is not quite as described when I started the thread but the thrust of it is pretty much as I intended. I'm not convinced this is a scenario that will suit everybody, but it is perfectly playable for those who want to have a crack at attacking coastal defences without doing Merville Battery over and over again.

This mission comes with a gameplay notes pdf, to avoid frustration/disappointment just read it because the construction of the forts creates problems for pathfinding plus other issues in this scenario. My choices were:

Wait until the Tac AI is better able to deal with the issues.

Release the scenario with gameplay  notes.

So please … if you download it, read the gameplay pdf - its got pictures …😄

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Thanks for making it. Had a look at the map and it looks like a unique battle. On my short list to play after the SF2 fever starts to cool.

Also great that you provided an editor guide for the forts. Will come in handy for a scenario I have worked on, fictional battle in and around Dinant for FB.

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37 minutes ago, rocketman said:

Thanks for making it. Had a look at the map and it looks like a unique battle. On my short list to play after the SF2 fever starts to cool.

Also great that you provided an editor guide for the forts. Will come in handy for a scenario I have worked on, fictional battle in and around Dinant for FB.

To be honest I didn't make a great attempt to replicate the forts but then the tools in the editor are also limiting. That said, I have another one that I'm looking at which will have forts in it. If I ever go forward with it, I will think about including moats and ditches which I should have paid more attention to in this scenario.

Anyway - I hope  you enjoy playing it when you get around to it and good luck with your CMFB project because that is a title that needs more content.

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No time for actual playing unfortunately though I investigated in the editor somewhat. I made some flat roof mod to the 8x8 modular building (taking roof1 from CMSF2 Demo) and adding some (concrete) textures fitting to the ones I made for a scenario of mine using modular buildings as pillbox substitute. Could possibly be of use for you. I also needed something like this for a planned Metz, or Brest fortress scenario. Another recent finding was you actually can make large gates through modular buildings by removing (CNTRL Click 3D Editor) the facades at the bottom at both sides and then putting a 16m bridge (rail or stone) on top/through it. With the bridge taking precedence you even can move tanks through it now, which the AI wouldn´t do before. More on that after the holidays. Good work on the Port Cros map btw. :)

8x8m Level 2 modular building with flat roof and new textures. Infantry and vehicles will use the bridge just like the building isn´t there. Yet the 2nd story above the passageway can be used normally like in any other building.

2mqt3ds.jpg

I got a bit creative on one the forts on your map to see how the mod probably works out. It replaces the Holland independant building and got some flat balcony added at level 3. This enables any attackers to hava a look and shoot to the interior of the forts.

2dimu6w.jpg

Edited by RockinHarry
some pics added
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6 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

I made some flat roof mod to the 8x8 modular building

Another recent finding was you actually can make large gates through modular buildings

you even can move tanks through it now 

+1  Very, very cool and useful.  IIRC some people tried to make flat roof buildings in CMFI (for a North Africa look)  and were not able to make it work.  I wonder if your method would also work in CMFI.  After the holidays, when you have time, I hope you upload your texture and flat roof mod to CMMODS III.  Well done. 

 

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1 hour ago, MOS:96B2P said:

I have this scenario downloaded and am doing IPB.  Might be a little while before I have much playing time due to Christmas etc.  But I will post screenshots when able to do so.    

No need to think too hard about this one mate. It is based on historical events, which as JonS said, is not necessarily the basis of a great scenario.  Of course there is some trickery and nuance to it but not much for players of your calibre. Definitely one of my beer and bretzels scenarios but I am pleased with it nonetheless.

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10 hours ago, RockinHarry said:

No time for actual playing unfortunately though I investigated in the editor somewhat. I made some flat roof mod to the 8x8 modular building (taking roof1 from CMSF2 Demo) and adding some (concrete) textures fitting to the ones I made for a scenario of mine using modular buildings as pillbox substitute. Could possibly be of use for you. I also needed something like this for a planned Metz, or Brest fortress scenario. Another recent finding was you actually can make large gates through modular buildings by removing (CNTRL Click 3D Editor) the facades at the bottom at both sides and then putting a 16m bridge (rail or stone) on top/through it. With the bridge taking precedence you even can move tanks through it now, which the AI wouldn´t do before. More on that after the holidays. Good work on the Port Cros map btw. :)

Quality work fella, properly creative use of the CM toolset.  B)

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