Biltong's Campaign Rules - South 41 to 42

[Seahawk-vfa201]

From Hauptmann Fuhrer Hawk

2nd of September

The battle lasted only 20 minutes. We agreed to a cease-fire. I only lost 3 men and 8 are lightly wounded.

Sometimes war is difficult to understand even for a veteran like me. We set up our defense, trenches, mines, our tanks and HT set into very good positions. Men were ready for something big against us. Infantry and tanks, a tough battle.

Big it was: over a thousand men tried to get to our positions. Thousands of partisans, young, old men, all trying to get to our positions.

It was a carnage. I agreed to a cease fire and let those men retreat. I counted 206 dead on the field and the others who managed to leave were for the most wounded and covered with blood, and the wounded helped the dying ones to leave.

It was pure madness: all came to us and left their lives at the cry of "Rodina!". How in the world they expected to overrun us? I wonder what was driving those men: they were brave but fool at same time. What a waste of lives.

Some of the dead were so young they must have known no woman before leaving this world. We are all, officers and soldiers alike astonished. I saw some of my men crying softly: they killed boys younger then their sons.

They had the picture of their mothers in their hands, not a soldier last act: just a child dying, dying with a last look at his mother.

The mutilated bodies are all over and everything is covered with blood and body parts. The smell is horrible.

We have to repair the Pz II and Pz IV tracks. That is our biggest damage.

I have no words I could say to my men now, they fought well today but it has been the hardest battle of all. I know they will be marked by the events of this evening. We all look at each other in silence.

We respect these dead, they fought and died with all they had. And little they had. I cannot hate these dead, nor any of my men could.

We are soldiers though and we will do the same, exactly the same if we have to. We will fulfill our role in this tragedy till the end. Till the same end.

We would do it again, we might have to do it again.

All is silence, a deafening silence. Death has won tonight and She worked hard, hard and without rest. And She must be pleased with us.

We all have been Angels tonight. The Angels of Death.

I hope it won't happen again.

[ March 16, 2003, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[The Vyrdolak]

Originally posted by Biltong:

Biltong’s Campaign Rules

If you have any questions - post in this thread and I or one of the old hands will answer you within a day or 2.

Do you have to manually count your Kampfgruppe's losses at game end? It sounds pretty time-consuming to me.

[EasyCo]

Use the Biltaid.. Here

[Robert Olesen]

Biltaid can't read those loss numbers off the save file for you

Yes, you have to go through each unit (use + and -) and note down the casualties and all the experience modifiers (e.g. casualites caused by each unit and if it was rattled).

It is a lot of bookkeeping, but I don't seehow it can be done much simpler if you want to keep track of the history of your men.

[Knaust]

Zaraath

if you wish I can send you ClicknPick, if your OS is WinXP Win98 and only at 1024x768 resolution...at least in case of an Emergency Reorganization the computer makes it all of its own.

Moreover the computer keeps track of experience of BattleGrpoup units and attached units from battle to battle.

[benpark]

I finaly got my computer running again, and I'm ready to give BCR a go.

A few basic questions/comments: Names of your officers-is there a "rename" option that I have somehow missed? How do you keep the continuity of this minor, but fun factor from battle to battle?

Thank you, creator of Biltaid! I would also like to try Clicknpick, if it is out yet (where?). Frankly, the "bookeeping" aspect of wargaming is getting less fun as I age (and my time is taken up by less interesting events), and this type of program is a Godsend. Thanks.

Also, I am having a hard time with the practical things, such as how do you deal with importing your troops so that casualties from the last game match up (if there isn't time for replacements)?

I will reread the rules again, but these are a few things that popped into my head while giving it a test run first game.

Great work, though, Mr. Biltong+Co.

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by benpark:

I finaly got my computer running again, and I'm ready to give BCR a go.

A few basic questions/comments: Names of your officers-is there a "rename" option that I have somehow missed? How do you keep the continuity of this minor, but fun factor from battle to battle?

[...]

For this you may use the Editor. This is actually what I do to play BCR. I load into the editor the map matching the new battle parameter, then I buy my Battle Group. Here I set the actual experience and ammo levels on a squad level base. SO experience does actually reflect the evolution of each squad faithfully rather then having the QB averaging out.

This way if my - say - 3rd squad of second platoon gets hambushed and practically all are killed, the next battle that particular squad will be made of green or conscript soldiers if the parameters say so for it. It is nice to see then your squads show exactly the BCR experience acquired during the war rather then a random value [based on average exp] assigned by the QB.

The Editor allows as well to name the units to achieve what you wish to do.

Also, I am having a hard time with the practical things, such as how do you deal with importing your troops so that casualties from the last game match up (if there isn't time for replacements)?

[...]

Great work, though, Mr. Biltong+Co.

That you go with emergency reorganization: you fill up to full squads with the men you have and keep tracl of the depleted squads, which and how many. At the beginning of the new battle I place the depleted squads and units on the map border and leave off the map to suffer from the penalty on Battle Group moral level.

[ March 17, 2003, 06:14 AM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

On the v2.2 rules spreadsheet, the Parameters tab prints out extremely small and unreadable. The other tabs print fine. I assume I'm supposed to print out this sheet to use it. How can I change it so that it will print the correct size? I tried copying and pasting that tab into a new spreadsheet, but then it extends onto multiple pages very awkwardly.

Also, on the AutoParameters spreadsheet, one of the variables is Player Experience. I'm not sure what to put. I feel fairly experienced with the game, but never with BCR. How does this setting impact the others?

I'm gonna give this BCR thing a shot for the first time. Wish me luck!

Thanks,

Dr. Rosenrosen

[ March 17, 2003, 06:46 AM: Message edited by: Dr. Rosenrosen ]

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by Dr. Rosenrosen:

[...]

Also, on the AutoParameters spreadsheet, one of the variables is Player Experience. I'm not sure what to put. I feel fairly experienced with the game, but never with BCR. How does this setting impact the others?

I'm gonna give this BCR thing a shot for the first time. Wish me luck!

Thanks,

Dr. Rosenrosen

I started as Regular, then BCR promoted me to Veteran out of my first month and a half of battles (from 22 June to August). I am playing now battles in September and probably end up fighting the battles of Kiev on mid-September.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Seahawk, I like your idea of setting up your battle group in the editor first. This gives more control over names, experience, etc. How do I decide what the HQ units bonus parameters should be? Can I just give them all +2s or is there a rule to figure out the settings for all the HQ units?

Similarly, since I can set number and type of antitank weapons as well as ammo amounts in the editor, I'm not sure what to choose here. Should I just accept the defaults or is there a way to figure out the right settings?

One other question as I set up my first battle. I'm told to launch a QB and purchase the following: Motorized Inf Co (406 purchase points); Panzer IIC (46 points) Panzer IIIG (85 points); Panzer IVE (116 points). I rolled "infantry only" and it won't let me buy tanks. Do I need to add the tanks in the editor and import them, or do without tanks for my first battle?

Thanks,

Dr. Rosenrosen

[ March 17, 2003, 08:14 AM: Message edited by: Dr. Rosenrosen ]

[Robert Olesen]

1. You can set ammo levels in the editor, but they won't stick when you import the units into the QB generator. They will end up with a full load, regardless (I think) of the ammo settin gin the QB. That's a problem with using the editor setup method.

2. There is a note in the rules defining how to set your own experience level. I found it to be quite accurate.

3. You must set the QB where you buy your units to unrestricted nationality, force mix and quality. Note that this does not apply to the phony QB you use firts to define the task force pool.

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by Dr. Rosenrosen:

Seahawk, I like your idea of setting up your battle group in the editor first. This gives more control over names, experience, etc. How do I decide what the HQ units bonus parameters should be? Can I just give them all +2s or is there a rule to figure out the settings for all the HQ units?

For those I just get what comes with the units themselves. I did not try to find a way to modify those parameters.

Similarly, since I can set number and type of antitank weapons as well as ammo amounts in the editor, I'm not sure what to choose here. Should I just accept the defaults or is there a way to figure out the right settings?

For small guns (troops) I set the value as from the Ammo % level from the BCR parameters.

For tanks I did not make my mind yet and just get what comes as default (which is not max values)

One other question as I set up my first battle. I'm told to launch a QB and purchase the following: Motorized Inf Co (406 purchase points); Panzer IIC (46 points) Panzer IIIG (85 points); Panzer IVE (116 points). I rolled "infantry only" and it won't let me buy tanks. Do I need to add the tanks in the editor and import them, or do without tanks for my first battle?

Thanks,

Dr. Rosenrosen

With the editor I just buy those units and save them with the map for the next battle. The Rolled Parameter is NOT for your Battle Group but only for the support units.

So buy your KampfGruppe completed with tanks and then add the additional support as Infantry only (ie, no tanks in support for your first battle as per your rolled parameter).

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by Robert Olesen:

1. You can set ammo levels in the editor, but they won't stick when you import the units into the QB generator. They will end up with a full load, regardless (I think) of the ammo settin gin the QB. That's a problem with using the editor setup method.

Although I already said the contrary and the opposite twice already I had yesterday battle at 90% ammo level and indeed none of my units showed full ammo in the battle. They all had a bit of red bar in the ammo level consistent to what I put on the editor. So it looks like it definitely is working - as Steve G. said - at least on a Mac.

2. There is a note in the rules defining how to set your own experience level. I found it to be quite accurate.

3. You must set the QB where you buy your units to unrestricted nationality, force mix and quality. Note that this does not apply to the phony QB you use firts to define the task force pool.

[Lane]

BCR Players " I admire you guys on your understanding of BCR " Wish I did

Got a Question ? On Note 6 Battle Group For your

First Battle You set up German,Mechanized, Regular

and I understand how to Pick my battle group

and Task Force Then On the next battle, Testing

Biltaid Program for a Axis Assult I get set

18: INF 19:German 20: INF? How can you set up

Battle Group with these settings?

Confused :confused:

Lane

[benpark]

Thanks Seahawk. Great ideas. I look forward to tracking each of my platoons by their squad leaders.

Has anyone started a set of rules that takes into account Biltaid or ClicknPick? (It would probably take me quite awhile to get started with something like that, so I was hoping someone else had!) Some of the other BCR rules seem redundant when I am using these new tools.

[Robert Olesen]

Originally posted by Lane:

Then On the next battle, Testing

Biltaid Program for a Axis Assult I get set

18: INF 19:German 20: INF? How can you set up

Battle Group with these settings?

Confused :confused:

Lane

You don't. You set those force mix, nationality and quality to unrestricted when you buy your units.

[Biltong]

Originally posted by Seahawk-vfa201:

... I had yesterday battle at 90% ammo level and indeed none of my units showed full ammo in the battle. They all had a bit of red bar in the ammo level consistent to what I put on the editor. So it looks like it definitely is working - as Steve G. said - at least on a Mac.

...

I did not know that it worked on the Mac... It definitely does not work on the PC... Great pity, since I wanted to incorporate it into the rules. Let's hope it gets fixed in the new patch, allthough I'll be surprised if Charles consider it important enough to spend time on - it's not a problem affecting general players.

While the ammo can not be adjusted on the PC I won't write the SE option into the rules. Ammo plays too crucial role in BCR - especially in the winter months (as Supersulo has remarked before)... I had to weigh up the two factors:

1) Individual experience for HQ's and squads vs

2) The use of different ammo loads to simulate the difficulties both sides had at different times with snow/mud/supply lines/being surrounded etc

Since the average experience for the whole company can still be changed in any case I decided that the influence of ammo % outweighs the fun of tracking individual experience levels.

All we can do is hope Charles fix it.

Those players on Macs - Use the SE Option if you want to track company unit experience - and consider yourself lucky If it worked on the PC I would definitely use it and incorporate it into the rules.

Biltong

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by Lane:

BCR Players " I admire you guys on your understanding of BCR " Wish I did

Got a Question ? On Note 6 Battle Group For your

First Battle You set up German,Mechanized, Regular

and I understand how to Pick my battle group

and Task Force Then On the next battle, Testing

Biltaid Program for a Axis Assult I get set

18: INF 19:German 20: INF? How can you set up

Battle Group with these settings?

Confused :confused:

Lane

That is your support group, not your Battle group. You will spend points on Inf, German, Inf as support group.

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Is there a new BiltAid coming along?

I have not heard from Peterk in ages

[benpark]

Had my first battle, and I got slaughtered. I have never lost this badly to the AI. Trenches, mines and crossfire was as good as a human would set it up (thanks to the custom map!). Ouch.

I love BCR! It was painful to watch my men get cut down in 2 consecutive ambushes-on the first day of the war! Whew...

Question on the choice of custom maps-I downloaded the Map Expansion List-I'm just not sure what the process is for choosing which maps are more appropriate for which battles (not in terms of ME, AxAs type of thing, I mean getting Western Russian terrain towards the start of the war etc.).

Is there a map randomizer that helps choose which map to use based upon what type of engagement and the date of the battle?

Oh, one more question-how do you detirmine if the ranking officer in a squad (the named one) is a casualty, and the name needs to be changed to reflect the replacement?

[ March 18, 2003, 05:24 AM: Message edited by: benpark ]

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by benpark:

Had my first battle, and I got slaughtered. I have never lost this badly to the AI. Trenches, mines and crossfire was as good as a human would set it up (thanks to the custom map!). Ouch.

I feel your pain.

Yes, this is the best part of the Map add-on. No silly

set-ups.

I love BCR! It was painful to watch my men get cut down in 2 consecutive ambushes-on the first day of the war! Whew...

You will realize that you will order your troops differently with BCR. No questions to rush to a flag - or alike - because it will you make win the battle at the price of having your men decimated. These men ARE your KampfGruppe and you will have to protect them as much as you can while going after your war plans: they ARE your men and will stay with you - hopefully - till the end of war. These units are not expendable. You need to think 'WAR' rather than 'BATTLE': you want these units become veterans - a couple of cracks would do good too -. I got my first veteran unit and I am proud of them: my dear PZ IV crew!

And yes, you will hate the most when your - dubious - orders will turn in a waste of lives in your KampfGruppe.

You will soon stop issuing risky orders and start to weight them under the scrutiny of "WAR" time-span rather then battle (capital and lower case on purpose)

Question on the choice of custom maps-I downloaded the Map Expansion List-I'm just not sure what the process is for choosing which maps are more appropriate for which battles (not in terms of ME, AxAs type of thing, I mean getting Western Russian terrain towards the start of the war etc.).

Is there a map randomizer that helps choose which map to use based upon what type of engagement and the date of the battle?

As you see maps have an entry for time period (most are 41-43). You should try to match as much as possible with what the parameters have given you. It happened to me though in one occasion I preferred to go with the auto-generated QB map instead.

Oh, one more question-how do you detirmine if the ranking officer in a squad (the named one) is a casualty, and the name needs to be changed to reflect the replacement?

To make things simpler I decided to change the name only if the entire hq squad is killed. Did happens once: I had then a conscript platoon leader replacement, a young LT. which went through his first two battles now and he is green. He is young but he will learn. He acquired newly respect: even the Regulars in his platoon do not call him - among themselves of course - "Miss Lieutenant".

For CO apply Rule 52.

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by Seahawk-vfa201:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by benpark:

Had my first battle, and I got slaughtered. I have never lost this badly to the AI. Trenches, mines and crossfire was as good as a human would set it up (thanks to the custom map!). Ouch.

I feel your pain.

Yes, this is the best part of the Map add-on. No silly

set-ups.

I love BCR! It was painful to watch my men get cut down in 2 consecutive ambushes-on the first day of the war! Whew...

You will realize that you will order your troops differently with BCR. No questions to rush to a flag - or alike - because it will make you win the battle at the price of having your men decimated. These men ARE your KampfGruppe and you will have to protect them as much as you can while going after your war plans: they ARE your men and will stay with you - hopefully - till the end of war. These units are not expendable. You need to think 'WAR' rather than 'BATTLE': you want these units become veterans - a couple of cracks would do good too -. I got my first veteran unit and I am proud of them: my dear PZ IV crew!

And yes, you will hate the most when your - dubious - orders will turn in a waste of lives in your KampfGruppe.

You will soon stop issuing risky orders and start to weight them under the scrutiny of "WAR" time-span rather then battle (capital and lower case on purpose)

Question on the choice of custom maps-I downloaded the Map Expansion List-I'm just not sure what the process is for choosing which maps are more appropriate for which battles (not in terms of ME, AxAs type of thing, I mean getting Western Russian terrain towards the start of the war etc.).

Is there a map randomizer that helps choose which map to use based upon what type of engagement and the date of the battle?

As you see maps have an entry for time period (most are 41-43). You should try to match as much as possible with what the parameters have given you. It happened to me though in one occasion I preferred to go with the auto-generated QB map instead.

Oh, one more question-how do you detirmine if the ranking officer in a squad (the named one) is a casualty, and the name needs to be changed to reflect the replacement?

To make things simpler I decided to change the name only if the entire hq squad is killed. Did happens once: I had then a conscript platoon leader replacement, a young LT. which went through his first two battles now and he is green. He is young but he will learn. He acquired newly respect: even the Regulars in his platoon do not call him - among themselves of course - "Miss Lieutenant".

For CO apply Rule 52. </font>

[Seahawk-vfa201]

Originally posted by Seahawk-vfa201:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Seahawk-vfa201:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by benpark:

Had my first battle, and I got slaughtered. I have never lost this badly to the AI. Trenches, mines and crossfire was as good as a human would set it up (thanks to the custom map!). Ouch.

I feel your pain.

Yes, this is the best part of the Map add-on. No silly

set-ups.

I love BCR! It was painful to watch my men get cut down in 2 consecutive ambushes-on the first day of the war! Whew...

You will realize that you will order your troops differently with BCR. No questions to rush to a flag - or alike - because it will make you win the battle at the price of having your men decimated. These men ARE your KampfGruppe and you will have to protect them as much as you can while going after your war plans: they ARE your men and will stay with you - hopefully - till the end of war. These units are not expendable. You need to think 'WAR' rather than 'BATTLE': you want these units become veterans - a couple of cracks would do good too -. I got my first veteran unit and I am proud of them: my dear PZ IV crew!

And yes, you will hate the most when your - dubious - orders will turn in a waste of lives - AND experience - in your KampfGruppe.

You will soon stop issuing risky orders and start to weight them under the scrutiny of "WAR" time-span rather then battle (capital and lower case on purpose)

Question on the choice of custom maps-I downloaded the Map Expansion List-I'm just not sure what the process is for choosing which maps are more appropriate for which battles (not in terms of ME, AxAs type of thing, I mean getting Western Russian terrain towards the start of the war etc.).

Is there a map randomizer that helps choose which map to use based upon what type of engagement and the date of the battle?

As you see maps have an entry for time period (most are 41-43). You should try to match as much as possible with what the parameters have given you. It happened to me though in one occasion I preferred to go with the auto-generated QB map instead.

Oh, one more question-how do you detirmine if the ranking officer in a squad (the named one) is a casualty, and the name needs to be changed to reflect the replacement?

To make things simpler I decided to change the name only if the entire hq squad is killed. Did happens once: I had then a conscript platoon leader replacement, a young LT. which went through his first two battles now and he is green. He is young but he will learn. He acquired newly respect: even the Regulars in his platoon do not call him - among themselves of course - "Miss Lieutenant".

For CO apply Rule 52. </font>

[Seahawk-vfa201]

:confused:

Sorry guys: multiple posts were not a silly trick to BUMP the thread.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I just played my first game using Biltaid and I'm not convinced that this is the best method to proceed. I tried to enter my after action data and it prompted me with a series of questions about using my Favor. I ended my first battle with 50 favor and attempted to spend zero of it. However in the list of favor options (ski troops, night battle, etc.) it wasn't always clear which option resulted in no favor spent and what the alternatives were. Sometimes I even clicked on the X in the upper right of the dialog instead of clicking a choice that I didn't understand. By the time I finished the list of questions, I had somehow spent 10 favor.

So I thought that the best way to learn the rules is to do a battle or two by hand so that I understand the automated system better. I'm wondering what automated system is best, if any. Should I continue using Biltaid, switch to the Auto_rules spreadsheet, or just do it by hand? Any tips?

Thanks,

Dr. Rosenrosen

[ March 18, 2003, 08:07 AM: Message edited by: Dr. Rosenrosen ]