jasoncawley@ameritech.net Posted January 28, 2001 Share Posted January 28, 2001 Gentlemen: I've got a new infantry scenario set in the Hurtgen forest, and I'd like to make it available for others and have people test it. As this is my first scenario released for others, I could use some pointers about how this is usually done - as in where to send a scenario file, etc. Below is the "common" briefing material - October, 1944, the U.S. is attacking with infantry in the Hurtgen forest. It is already wet, and the low ground is boggy, but the slopes are not yet rivers of mud. The time is day, and the ground is rural and wooded, with steep hills. In the dense woods away from a few roads, there is no room for supporting vehicles. So the rival infantries grapple with each other. This scenario depicts a U.S. company-level probe in the Hurtgen. The Germans know there is a probe coming, because there is one every day. The Americans know the Germans will be waiting for them, with machineguns, mines, bunkers, and infantry, because they always are. The U.S. objectives in the area are the points of high ground, as usual. That is as much as each side knows for sure about the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armdchair Posted January 29, 2001 Share Posted January 29, 2001 Much impressed with your posts on tactics. I'd be happy to playtest a scenario for you if you're looking for testers. Two places you might try to submit new scenarios are: The Scenario Depot http://unix.thegamers.net/depot/depot.cgi?c=8&g=31&a=scenario Manx's COMBAT MISSIONS site http://www.combatmissions.co.uk/index.htm Hope this helps [This message has been edited by Armdchair (edited 01-28-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlh1138 Posted January 29, 2001 Share Posted January 29, 2001 Spoiler stuff - watch out - Spoiler stuff Jason, Played this earlier today - thx for the email. I don't know exactly what happened. One explantion is that I played so well I blew the AI away - but somehow I don't think that was it. Anyway, (I did win a 'major victory, 1 KIA), I tried to apply what I'd learned in your OP post. I really slowed down and studied the terrain first. I used split squads to created foxholes in my MLR, then moved them 50-75 yrds up on turn one. Had covered routes back to the holes, etc. etc. Placed mines a what I hoped were choke points, and ther TRP also. The center-right really freaked me, (too many trees leading into my area) and I really mined it heavily. So 2-3 turns I sit there biting my nails. Finally the Amis show up moving in the woods to my right, toward my center. My fears are coming true! My pill box takes them under fire and pins them. Now for about 5 turns more Amis show up in that same area, and usally go to ground becoming just a 'star'. About the 2nd of those turns I decide this is a major push and withdraw my splits to their foxholes and dump 2 full turns of Arty on the woods where all the stars are. Also, that woods was full of mines, and I can hear them going off on ever turn - very cool. Status quo until about turn 15!? I see some major squads moving way to my left, and again drop some arty as I pull my splits back. No major attack ever comes out of the woods on my right, or from the later action on my left. Many of my troops never fire a shot. Oh yeah, I forgot. After I hit the first concentration of troops with the arty, the ones being engaged by my pill box, about turn 4 a whole bunch of Ami arty starts to fall around the pill box. Knocks it out almost right away - fortunately, it's on a hill clear to my right, with only one squad around it. The Amis then keep up that barrage for many, many turns.????? Hitting nothing and really not bothering me once I stopped grieving over the pill box. So things run out with me sitting there waiting for a big attack out of the woods. Never comes. Amis have like 40+ casualtys, 11 KIA - I should have written down - sorry. So.. I think the AI just wasn't agresssive, OR , I got very lucky with my mines and arty and just messed him up. Anyway - thanks - I'm going to replay - I really barely understand those tactics yet - when to pull back, etc. If I get very different results I'll post or email you. If you alter the scenaro, would you please send me? I love that map, very scary, you can't see anything and you know they are out there!! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasoncawley@ameritech.net Posted February 1, 2001 Author Share Posted February 1, 2001 Great report rlh1138. Sounds like you put the mines in the right spot and really did a number on him with the mortars. Bunching up in the wrong place can be very costly in those woods. I've noticed too, that the AI has real trouble using its arty well when it has limit LOS, because most of the defenders are hidden by woods or reverse slope positions. It tends to do what you noticed - pick one reasonable enough target, and then leave the arty on it for way too long and waste ammo, simply because it hasn't found another target yet. (It also, realistically enough, doesn't know what the arty has already done, which is fine). I think you will find the scenario balanced enough as the Americans. The AI will have trouble beating a human on either side in this one. Humans just have a much better sense of where things are in a stalking, limited info situation like this map sets up. But if you make mistakes, the AI can indeed hurt you for them, even attacking. It is real easy e.g. to have one platoon get overrun by most of his force, and then face odds too long to hold out for the rest of the game (even with better arty handling to help). Of course it will be best with humans on either side... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasoncawley@ameritech.net Posted February 1, 2001 Author Share Posted February 1, 2001 Armdchair, thanks for the pointers. I've submitted the scenario to the CM HQ at the Gamer's Net site. I have another in the works that I need testers for, so I'm inclined to take you up on your testing offer. But what is your email? [This message has been edited by jasoncawley@ameritech.net (edited 02-01-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armdchair Posted February 1, 2001 Share Posted February 1, 2001 You can reach me at: armdchair@aol.com Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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