Battalion Defense Tutorial Part Four posted...

[ScoutPL]

Well actually only Phase One of the german attack is up, but be sure to check it out anyway. Movies included!! Go to www.geocities.com/fpd131

[The Commissar]

Nice stuff, Scout, thanks!

[Oompa-Loompa]

Very nice, many thanks for your hard work. I leraned a lot from your page.

[Tris]

Has anyone been able to actually view these movies? Copying the movies and saving them as text files doesn't work here.

[ScoutPL]

OK good point Tris.

Right click on Movie link.

Select "save target as..." and direct download to you pbem file.

When download is complete open file as you would a normal PBEM file and enter "abnrgr" as the password.

I have ver 1.12, so it may effect your playback if you have an older version, not sure.

[This message has been edited by ScoutPL (edited 02-25-2001).]

[Tris]

Thanks. I wondered about that command and tried it but with no clear idea as to what to do next. I'm off to watch your movies now.

By the way, you didn't answer my question re recon work in your last thread (Part 3). This was rationalized, yes?

[Tris]

Todd, a couple of observations. First of all, though, Movie 4 doesn't want to load no matter what I do. This file might have become corrupted on your end saving it or somesuch. The game seems to have issues with saving/exiting PBEM games--something to do with a "cheating" is all I get out of it, according to my conversations with Matt, though I was under the impression this had been rewritten or eliminated altogether. Matt might want to comment further on that.

That American 57mm AT sold its life dearly. I found it a bit incredulous that a regular crew already down to three men could reload, acquire and dispatch a second StuG so quickly, however. The fortunes of war? Perhaps. <g>

Also, I noticed that one of your second German team's HT's had unloaded its 20mm AA gun? Why?

Any thoughts on your part as to the original American dispositions?

Finally, that Puma went scooting along the road through all that snow as if it were a NASCAR entrant. What's with that? I was under the impression that speeds in snow would be greatly reduced. Apparently not so.

[This message has been edited by Tris (edited 02-25-2001).]

[ScoutPL]

"By the way, you didn't answer my question re recon work in your last thread (Part 3). This was rationalized, yes?"

From earlier board: "May I ask what "assets" you employed for your intelligence? (I assume you rationalized this as recon conducted beforehand or "off the board" to make the study clearer.)"

All of this is very thoroughly discussed in Part Two. Be sure to read it completely then come back with more specific questions if you still have them. If you're asking about what particular "units" I used then I went with Crack SS infantry. I figured they would have the best AI "brains" for handling encounters with superior forces. I was wrong.

"That American 57mm AT sold its life dearly. I found it a bit incredulous that a regular crew already down to three men could reload, acquire and dispatch a second StuG so quickly, however. The fortunes of war? Perhaps."

All of that stuff is handled by the AI, dude. So call it what you want.

"Also, I noticed that one of your second German team's HT's had unloaded its 20mm AA gun? Why?"

Once again the AI. The Pioneer platoon those tracks were transporting may have come under fire and that was their response. I dont know exactly why. I didnt give them that command.

"Any thoughts on your part as to the original American dispositions?"

Read Part One.

"Finally, that Puma went scooting along the road through all that snow as if it were a NASCAR entrant. What's with that? I was under the impression that speeds in snow would be greatly reduced. Apparently not so."

That particular road is a paved road which may make a difference. I dont know. Speed off of the roads is greatly decreased, particularly for wheeled vehicles and infantry. You'll notice that a number of halftracks have already been immobilized in the german assault position due to the snow.

[Tris]

I've read your entire series, Todd, with interest and carefully, I thought. But somehow I missed your entire German recon section (or it came up before I saw your header for the movies) so I went with that intro of yours which alluded to recon but didn't specify.

As for the results: yes, this system has huge holes and serious recon's out. You'd have done better--perhaps a bit better--by rationalizing elite sharpshooters as your RT's, but even these guys get spotted rather too easily and die immediately when they are spotted, as a rule. As you note, the AI is ruthless tracking down anything it spots.

For the rest: I assumed you would play the Germans on attack to thoroughly test out your defense. AI usually does better with the latter, and I discarded the possibility of you hotseating it. So, you did play the German side, yes? Or is this exercise being conducted versus another human opponent? If you specified all that elsewhere I simply missed it. My apolgies.

Anyway, my other question still stands. Having seen the attack develop, would you change the American dispositions in any way or are you satisfied your defense was the best possible?