Kurds Attack! - New version (1.02)

[Cpl Steiner]

Hi,

If anyone would like to try it, I've written a scenario in which Kurdish guerrillas attack a Syrian outpost on the Turkish border with the help of some US Special Forces.

[Edit] New version (1.02): US Special Forces firepower reduced and Syrian AI behaviour greatly improved - plus "soft factors" (experience/motivation etc.) adjusted for all units for greater variety.

Anyway, here's the scenario to download. It is also available on CMMODS.

All feedback much appreciated.

Kurds Attack! (v1.02)

[ September 24, 2007, 09:23 PM: Message edited by: Cpl Steiner ]

[PeterLorre86]

Sounds interesting, trying it now.

[birdstrike]

Just tried this one out. And enjoyed it.

--- POSSIBLE SPOILERS ---

Had to approach this one rather sneaky, crawling my infantry into good positions. On my first try I lost the SPG-9 early on, on my second try I tried hard to find a dead spot in the terrain where I could safely engage one of the bunkers and it worked much better .

The dead tank as cover was a nice idea.

And noticing the two "embedded" guys was hilarious

Especially, since I'm working on a scenario with something similar.

You might consider introducing something to encourage a player moving them around, like some suprising event or threat to them. Currently there is no reason to move them in or out of harms way. Otherwise I'd leave it as it is.

[ September 15, 2007, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: birdstrike ]

[PeterLorre86]

Just played, great scenario. Both map and briefing look nice, and it was a challenge as far getting into position and corridinating my attacks.

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Snuck up my rpg guys, and took out the right bunker (from players perspective) in a volley. After that the BMPs and Tank showed up, and i got nervous they would over run me. Luckily the Americans arrived with their air support. Suppressed left bunker with MG and Sniper teams, while i moved the rest of the force with technicals to the KOed right bunker. Before i could swing around the right flank, air strikes arrived, winning the mission.

Only four casualities, and i think one was from the huge blasts of the airstikes.

I also liked the small touches, like the BBC reporter and interpreter, as well as that dead tank for cover.

Two things i think would be good to consider to improve the mission:

1. Smaller loadouts for the air support.

2. Have the BMPs and Tank attack the Kurds after a few minutes, to simulate a reaction to the bunker getting destroyed. This would add a challenge, and threaten the BBC reporter. In my game they stopped in the center.

[Cpl Steiner]

birdstrike,PeterLorre86,

Great feedback both of you. much appreciated.

This mission is rather shamelessly a mirror of an incident that happened at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In that incident, noted BBC reporter John Simpson was nearly killed when a US airstrike went wrong, and one of his colleagues, I think his interpreter, was regrettably killed.

I do feel slightly uneasy drawing on such tragic real-life events for inspiration. However, in my defense, the actual scenario is set during BFC's fictional invasion of Syria, so it is a work of fiction based on similar historical events, not a recreation.

The burnt out tank was originally placed on the ridge because in the John Simpson friendly fire incident it was suggested that the US pilot mistook a nearby burnt out tank for the enemy. I have no idea if CM:SF has a chance of doing the same but I thought it would be a nice touch in any case. If anyone gets hit by a misplaced airstrike near the tank wreck, let me know!

I may revise the AI plans so there is at least a possibility of the Syrians threatening the player's position. The smaller aircraft loadout is also a good suggestion I might try out. If I do, I will post a new version.

Cheers once again for your comments.

[KNac]

Havent played the scenario but...

if you use area fire, i think there is a possibility air support will fire agaisnt your own units, don't know if he they fire at dead targets though.

[birdstrike]

You cold reduce one of the aircraft's experience and weapon's quality. Or even that of the JTAC Team? Maybe that increases FF risk?

[Law&Order]

Nice scenario, with clever set-up. I played on Vet RT and it was quite easy.

SPOILER ALERT

Maybe I was lucky but my spg9 simply took out all enemy mg nests, and when the bmps/tanks arrived one shot of the f15 finished them off. Indeed if the tanks/bmps were actually moving and not staying put in the center it would make it much more difficult.

[Cpl Steiner]

Law&Order,

Thanks for giving it a go. Yeah, I think it will be quite easy for most people. I may have to think a bit about that. Some of the previous suggestions about a Syrian counter-attack up the ridge with the T-62 and the BMPs may be the solution.

Thanks once again for your input.

[Cpl Steiner]

For anyone interested, today I released a new version of this scenario (v1.01). Blue force reinforcements now have reduced firepower, and Red force now reacts to the attack in a more realistic fashion. I have play tested it myself and believe it is more challenging for the Blue player now.

Download using original link (see first post of thread).

Hope you like it. As before, all feedback (positive or negative) is much appreciated.

[Cpl Steiner]

P.S. - v1.01 now uploaded to CMMODS as well.

[Wiggum]

Nice Mission !!

I love such littel Scenarios, they play much better then the large in CMSF.

Please do more of these.

[Cpl Steiner]

Originally posted by Wiggum:

Nice Mission !!

I love such littel Scenarios, they play much better then the large in CMSF.

Please do more of these.

Glad you liked it! I will try to make another mission of similar scale as soon as I come up with an original scenario idea.

[Edit]Latest version is now 1.02. I adjusted all the unit "soft factors" (experience/motivation etc.) for increased variety between units.

[ September 24, 2007, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: Cpl Steiner ]

[birdstrike]

I've just played 1.01 and I like the new AI behavior. The scenario has more suspense now.

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the tanks moving closer and closer over time is nicely done. It really puts some pressure on you. Whenever one thinks they stay where they are they start moving again. Really good.

[Cpl Steiner]

birdstrike,

Thanks for playing the new version and I'm glad you liked the new AI behaviour.

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Did you notice the infantry attack down the valley using dismounted BMP squads? I was really pleased to discover that the troops inside a BMP can be in a different AI group to the BMP itself. Once the BMP gets to a "dismount passengers" waypoint the troops get out and commence the assault as one AI group, whilst the BMP itself in another AI group seeks higher ground to cover their advance. That was a very nice discovery about the AI!

[Law&Order]

Replayed 1.02 and the new behaviour is perfect. Indeed putting a lot of pressure on your small group, it was quite exciting. Managed the new version by the finger nails.

SPOILER

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Was quite surprised by the movement of the BMPs, I had one targetted for airstrike. I didnt notice it started moving again and lost eye contact with it. Next thing I know, the BMP pulling up besides the JTAC team, and 1 sec later hit by a F15 bomb... JTAC survived barely, the BMP did not Good lesson for me, that moving vehicles which are targetted for airstrikes can become quite dangerous once close...

[Cpl Steiner]

Originally posted by Law&Order:

Replayed 1.02 and the new behaviour is perfect. Indeed putting a lot of pressure on your small group, it was quite exciting. Managed the new version by the finger nails.

Thanks very much, and thanks to you and the other posters for your suggestions on how to improve the scenario. I just implemented them. Cheers!

[ September 25, 2007, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: Cpl Steiner ]

[birdstrike]

Originally posted by Cpl Steiner:

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Did you notice the infantry attack down the valley using dismounted BMP squads? I was really pleased to discover that the troops inside a BMP can be in a different AI group to the BMP itself. Once the BMP gets to a "dismount passengers" waypoint the troops get out and commence the assault as one AI group, whilst the BMP itself in another AI group seeks higher ground to cover their advance. That was a very nice discovery about the AI!

I saw them running around towards the settlement, IIRC, but I was a little too preoccupied with the tanks, to be honest

Will also need to try out 1.02.

[Cpl Steiner]

Originally posted by birdstrike:

I saw them running around towards the settlement, IIRC, but I was a little too preoccupied with the tanks, to be honest

birdstrike,

SPOILER...

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When I play tested it the dismounts actually reached my side of the map more than once, having crossed some 4-500m of pretty open ground in the process. The Syrian armour did a very effective job of suppressing anyone in a position to fire on them.

By the way, don't expect too much difference with v1.02. All I did was vary the unit soft factors a bit as I'd neglected that side of things up until then. There might be some subtle game-play effects but I haven't noticed any.

[ September 26, 2007, 12:57 PM: Message edited by: Cpl Steiner ]

[handihoc]

Great little scenario! Got my ass whooped by the AI - always a good sign. Will go back and try again. Love it.

[Cpl Steiner]

Thanks handihoc.

[Pandur]

i downloaded it from the link posted, but just in case is the one available at CMMODS also the latest version!?

becouse i saw that one but remembered about the thread here and didnt found a hint at CMMODS if it is the updated version...

anyways i will play it now. sounds like much fun, i avoided to read the spoilers, so i get it unspoiled

[Cpl Steiner]

Pandur,

The download link here and the CMMODS database one are both the same, version 1.02. If you are not sure, the version number also appears in the scenario briefing.

Enjoy!

[Pandur]

hehe, yes i saw the notes about versions in the briefing. all clear now.

**********POSSIBLE SPOILERS************

about the scenario, i won a total victory through syrian surrender in WEGO elite.

but it was though, i was to stubborn to use the US guys, and did all with the kurds. these suffered "some" beating by that.

the bunkers and 2 BMP´s got nailed by the SPG-9 vehicle. the tank counts for the RPG29 and the 3rd BMP for a RPG team.

that said, i didnt found any use for the US air support, it would have taken 10 minutes to arive and couldnt have done more than blow up one of those huts

my biggest enemy, acually, where my own units not shooting stuff in their cover arc. there is no time to look at the sight when you sport a technical, these are sooo fragile. but yea, you did the thing you will know what i mean.

[Cpl Steiner]

Pandur,

Thanks for playing.

*** POSSIBLE SPOILERS ***

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The problem with the US air support is that its arrival time is dependent on whether you play on BASIC TRAINING, VETERAN or ELITE level. I kind of geared it towards VETERAN as a happy medium but that does mean that on ELITE it might be a bit too slow to arrive.