Angriest moment in CM:SF?

[Apocal]

I just want to know the one incident that made you blood pressure rise, profanities to escape your lips and your forehead vein throb vigorously.

Mine was in my second MP game played today. It was against 'miracles' who was as new as I was to the MP world. Playing the scenario Jisrash Sughur as the Syrians I position my force appropriately, with the "crowning piece" being my FO team, which I have setup in the top floor of the mosque. With a 120mm mortar available, I'm well prepared to smash the inevitable concentration of infantry. My entire force is more or less hidden (as far as I knew), but I wasn't totally clear that the Americans would be attacking from all sides.

Some of my overwatch units functioning as early warning spotted a machine gun team and one or two other infantry units in some woods to the NE of the town. I was distracted from dealing with them because an MGS had come from the south and proceeded to destroy one of my BMPs. My other BMPs deal with the MGS and I return to my FO unit deal with the infantry. I click first on area target (I've never used point for indirect fire), then realize that the MG team and "?" are in something resembling a line.... hehe.

I go to setup for a linear shot, when suddenly, I hear a loud explosion and access to the mortars becomes "DENIED". I look for my FO team, still in the top level of the mosque. But with one casualty. THE DAMNED FO!

First shot from an MGS, apparently sent into the mosque because it seemed like a good observation point. ARGH!

I wound up losing the scenario due to confusion regarding my objectives (I didn't realize I was suppose to take the approaches to the city, not just hold the city), although I inflicted ungodly casualties on the Americans.

[John Kettler]

Apocal,

It would be interesting to know what ROEs you opponent was operating under. AIUI, preemptive minaret blasting is a no-no, but knocking one out you're taking fire from, or from which someone's obviously spotting, is something else again. That said, the practice that removed your FO and his perch was commonplace in Western Europe during WW II. In fact, M-10s and such were renowned for their belfry removal prowess.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Apocal]

Apocal,

It would be interesting to know what ROEs you opponent was operating under.

Probably the same firee-fire zone, "Kill them all, the Lord will recognise His own" ROE we all operate under while playing CMSF.

AIUI, preemptive minaret blasting is a no-no, but knocking one out you're taking fire from, or from which someone's obviously spotting, is something else again.

This is my understanding as well.

That said, the practice that removed your FO and his perch was commonplace in Western Europe during WW II. In fact, M-10s and such were renowned for their belfry removal prowess.

Yeah I figured as much. It's just that he took out my only means of using my mortars.

[Sergei]

The lesson there is that putting your FO's in too obvious places is not recommendable.

Personally, my angriest moments must have to do with losing infantry carriers fully loaded when I believe that they are approaching from a safe direction. The lesson here is that it's better to unload prematurely than not at all.

[snake_eye]

Mortars fire brought on back side of small hill are an unwelcome surprise in "POOH" battle. Having succeeded in getting to the crossroad and being involved in a fight with the occupants of the houses on their right, I had delayed the attack of my squads brought by trucks on the left behind the ridge crest.

They had left the truckx fully laden with ammo.The SMAW and a Javelin teams available as well as an MG were set on the ridge line to provide a base fire. The squads farther back awaiting for the assault order.

Then all of a sudden, they were pounded by mortar fire (I am pretty sure that it couldn't be artillery - shells could not reach the backslope, mortars rounds could - unless BFC sees the thing differently).

It was graphically quite a sight, but the ending was terrific. The air bursts were such that 80% of the squads were unabled to start the assault at the end of them.

The Assault was cancelled. The Syrian FO (AI) wherever he was,did a clever thing.

I had been used of houses stories and roof-top being raked by rifle, MG, track cannon fire even mortar and artillery, but down-reverse slopes of hills NEVER. Looks pretty good that the AI did it.

[Apocal]

The lesson there is that putting your FO's in too obvious places is not recommendable.

But the obvious places have such fantastic lines of sight.

Personally, my angriest moments must have to do with losing infantry carriers fully loaded when I believe that they are approaching from a safe direction. The lesson here is that it's better to unload prematurely than not at all.

Oh man... that reminds. I used to load my AAVs all ****ed up, so I'd have a bunch that were basically packed with grunts and one that was my "golden child" with the CO, XO, FOs, Javelin Team and other assorted goodies inside. That load policy changed when the spotting round for an OPFOR 120mm mortar landed on it, removing everything above platoon-level.

[fireship4]

Were these incidences (both "back of hill bombings") thought up by the AI dynamically during the battle? Not planned by the mission designer?

Snake-eye you also mention top-floors etc being raked - can you be sure your men did not give away their position first or were spotted anyway? I havent seen the AI direct fire at empty buildings before.

[Flanker15]

I get angry when something obviously frustrating happens, vehicle pathfinding goes wonky (v1.10 common) unit can't spot something it ought to and get's killed etc....

[Michael Withstand]

Hey Apocal that was me you played with. I better change my Hamachi nick to MW.

My angriest moment was my very first CMSF online experience

playing the meeting at high altitude or something titled like that against Apocal.

A squad of my Javelin equipped soldiers were crawling slowly up a hill to snipe on Apocal's BMPs and then one of the BMP opened fire on it decimating most of the squad's members. I was like **** there goes two fine Javelins. LOL

In our second scenario the Jisrash Sughur I won by a mere ten points LOL which consoled me a little because I thought that I had lost to Apocal.

I suck terribly at MP because I'm so used to the AI. Even I lose to AI sometimes.

[Moon]

That load policy changed when the spotting round for an OPFOR 120mm mortar landed on it, removing everything above platoon-level.

Some would say that's not a big loss

[Apocal]

My angriest moment was my very first CMSF online experience playing the meeting at high altitude or something titled like that against Apocal.

A squad of my Javelin equipped soldiers were crawling slowly up a hill to snipe on Apocal's BMPs and then one of the BMP opened fire on it decimating most of the squad's members. I was like **** there goes two fine Javelins. LOL

Yeah, the only response I have to the Javelin is aggression. It takes a few seconds to lock onto the target, so I try to act quickly against Javelin-equipped infantry, either putting enough fire on them to that the Jav-man gets hit or pinned or getting out of LOS.

However, I'm bad at multitasking with my armor, so I was losing BMPs left right and center.

In our second scenario the Jisrash Sughur I won by a mere ten points LOL which consoled me a little because I thought that I had lost to Apocal.

Yeah, I would have had real problems maintaining my force in that scenario if I'd played it according to the objectives

I suck terribly at MP because I'm so used to the AI. Even I lose to AI sometimes.

Nah, I honestly got lucky in a few critical moments and in the last scenario, Allah's Fist, biased scenario design shifted the odds back to even. I didn't put those T-72s on your flank, they were reinforcements that appeared there.

[snake_eye]

The AI seems to spot Javelin and SMAW teams for sure after the first shot, but sometimes before it, specially if they are on their way to the firing spot. They attract fire like a magnet. In any case it seems everyone is firing at them.

That I assume is correct regarding to the threat that they represent.

[Dietrich]

the practice that removed your FO and his perch was commonplace in Western Europe during WW II. In fact, M-10s and such were renowned for their belfry removal prowess.

Reminds me of a certain one of the many you've-got-to-be-kidding-me tactical bungles in the end battle of Saving Private Ryan: the Germans hadn't demonlished the belfry (such an obvious sniping/spotting post) earlier and didn't demolish it before or during the attack even though the Airborne said they had been pounding them with 88s. lol

Also, in that scene I counted three MG-42s and one MG-34. Why did none of them ever fire? Perhaps because that would mean that the Rangers and Airborne would really be outgunned?

The lesson there is that putting your FO's in too obvious places is not recommendable.

But the obvious places have such fantastic lines of sight.

That's why they're so obvious. =P

Personally, my angriest moments must have to do with losing infantry carriers fully loaded when I believe that they are approaching from a safe direction. The lesson here is that it's better to unload prematurely than not at all.

I learned the hard way that the armor of Strykers and BMPs protects the men inside from small-arms fire and more or less nothing else.

[snake_eye]

Were these incidences (both "back of hill bombings") thought up by the AI dynamically during the battle? Not planned by the mission designer?

Snake-eye you also mention top-floors etc being raked - can you be sure your men did not give away their position first or were spotted anyway? I havent seen the AI direct fire at empty buildings before.

Back hill bombing. The grunts on the crest were for sure spotted. But that doesn't explain the mortars rounds falling farther away on the downslope away from the view of the enemy. There was no direct fire aimed at the squads. I don't think it could have been planned.

As for the roof-top. They were spotted while getting on it. Somehow, I have seen artillery on some instances putting a barrage on empty houses, my squads previously left in "Saving the Beachhead".

[SgtMuhammed]

There are no preplanned arty strikes in Pooh. Everything you see arty wise is the AI. Personally I hate preplanned barrages. As the designer you can either make them deadly accurate, which feels to me like cheating, or you can make them miss which I feel is a waste of assets that the AI might be able to use.

In the 1.11 patch the AI is even better with his arty.

[theFightingSeabee]

My most frustrating moment was losing a battle in the marines campaign, just to be redirected to a previous mission where you have to choose a route. I chose the other route this time and still had to end up replaying all of the missions. That bummed me out. The campaign ending wasn't too fun either.

[GSX]

Finishing Poo after like 8 hours of patient trying only to find I had no forces in the next battle.

It was a trully WTF moment and I havent touched the campaign since. Im waiting till its fixed and will try again under 1.11.

Incidentally will I have to start from scratch again?

[Other Means]

You know if you give Javelin - and other - teams buddy aid the aiders will often recover the weapons?

[Apocal]

You know if you give Javelin - and other - teams buddy aid the aiders will often recover the weapons?

SHHHHHH! It's supposed to be a secret!

[Michael Withstand]

You know if you give Javelin - and other - teams buddy aid the aiders will often recover the weapons?

That will come handy thanks

[Alan8325]

Finishing Poo after like 8 hours of patient trying only to find I had no forces in the next battle.

It was a trully WTF moment and I havent touched the campaign since. Im waiting till its fixed and will try again under 1.11.

Incidentally will I have to start from scratch again?

Yeah that was confusing. I finished Pooh after a few save-reloads with 30-something casualties and a few AAVs taken out, but nothing too bad. Started the next mission with 2 LAV-25s, 2 sniper squads and 2 scout squads and thought that that was all I was supposed to have for the first hour of mission time. Kind of a long scouting period IMO but oh well. Then once some more time went by and there was only 20 minutes left with no reinforcements I finally said WTF.

Haven't played the campaign since either, mostly because I've been playing the smaller scenarios. I usually play in RT, so the micromanagement in large scenarios like Pooh gets a little tedious.

[SgtMuhammed]

The 1.11 campaign fix works like it's supposed to. Unfortunately you will have to start over.

[snake_eye]

Haven't played the campaign since either, mostly because I've been playing the smaller scenarios. I usually play in RT, so the micromanagement in large scenarios like Pooh gets a little tedious.

like you, in RT Elite, I managed a minor victory after 2 or 3 trials after having made a save, once my scouts were in the houses around the compound and had given a somewhat not too bad pictures of the surroundings.

Never mind the tactic employed, I had sufficent troops and 2 tanks for the Milk Run. I ended it with a minor defeat and quite a few casualties, if I recall it rightly, but came to the next battle with 4 grunts and an Humvee. 2 tanks, 1 AAV7 and just a few guys (let say one and half a squad) arrived not so long after. What do you want me to do with them ?

I made a try on the left houses and on the ones mid hill.I lost the AAV7 and a tank was immobilized. That was the end of the battle for me.

THAT IS THE WORST FEELING YOU HAVE, BEING UNABLED TO GAIN AN ADVANTAGE. You just have to quit, if you don't want to loose peacemeal your remaining forces. The enemy tanks are looming on the hills near your objective and thatis not an Harrier that is going to resolve and or save your day.

That campaign is by far the hardest, I have fought till know. I won't say that it is not good. No it is pretty well done and it looks like it had been done knowing all the military strategy and tactics dating back from the soviet era till the insurgency fights in Afghanistan and or Irak. Getting into it is not a piece of cake

[snake_eye]

My most frustrating moment was losing a battle in the marines campaign, just to be redirected to a previous mission where you have to choose a route. I chose the other route this time and still had to end up replaying all of the missions. That bummed me out. The campaign ending wasn't too fun either.

Looks like the mission "Decisions-decisions" before the Pooh battle. If you don't score sufficiently in the latter, you end up to make a new ride in "Decisions-Decisions".

That should not be too much upsetting, if the available troops, LAV, Humvee and trucks MTVR were not cut down in their availabilities. If you don't make it, your forces are again reduced. What is upsetting to me is to have only one available issue : START the campaign once again. To be totally upset, you can always send your troops forward and look at them being decimated. But that is not my way of playing.

[theFightingSeabee]

You're exactly right, snake-eye.