Thomm Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I am only 15 minutes into the SNAFU mission and already totally lost. If this is not the worst 'spawn in the face of enemy tanks' nightmare of all times then I do not know ... Please somebody tell me that it gets better ... Carefully preserving ones forces only to have them shot to pieces at the end of the campaign without any chance of survival is a little bit ... anti-climatic. Best regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=85683&highlight=SNAFU 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Well, I got an Minor Victory out of it finally. It was interesting to read that people liked it. I found it tedious and just wanted it to end. Too much rushing, too many troops doing too much dying. The scoring was strange also, it did not give me points for areas that contained only shattered remains of single enemy squads while I had whole platoons on the same area?! Now I am Dancing in Damascus! Very fine map, that. Let's see how it all ends ... Best regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slug88 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I agree with most of your points, Thomm. The moment a fully loaded AAV platoon spawned directly in front of a company of T-90's, it became my least favorite scenario of the campaign. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 In all fairness, I should add that when I was a USMC beta tester I never ran this scenario because of the excessive loading time. It is only fair that it bit me now, since I did not make use of my chance to influence its development! Best regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMoria Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I'm in SNAFU right now. My usual caution in advancing inadvertently positioned my tanks in a good position to counter the first counterattack, which I totally didn't expect (I was oriented as I was expecting threats out of the first urban area but the hull down positions were ideally oriented to confront the first counterattack). The AAV platoon had scooted along the low ground and shield by arty smoke in open areas and were behind the fort when the wave showed up, thank god. When the first wave showed up exactly when the AAV reinforcements showed up in the exposed area, my response after the obligatory holy ****! expletive was, who the hell designed this scenario so that opposing forces reinforcements, showed up simultaneously in full view of each other. Fortune was with me. The enemy counterattack focused on my hull down tanks and not on the exposed light armor in full view on the map edge. The attacking wave was annihilated with one of my M1s being mobility killed (don't know how since it was hull down, near as I can tell) and degraded optics on two others. After dealing with an infantry attack towards the fort, I was repositioning my M1s to resume the advance and starting to get my infantry back into AAVs at the fort when my second group of armored reinforcements arrived. Absolutely paranoid after the enemy showed up at the same time reinforcement arrived last time, I popped smoke on each second vehicle of the column of reinforcements (gamist, but I really hated that first ugly surprise). Within 10 seconds, the T-90s showed up. Once again, fortune had smiled on me because the repositioning of the lead M1s to head out again had put them in semi-hull down postitions to the T-90s and the smoke screens were effective on the reinforcement column. The AAV reinforcements was in mid move to join up with the others but fortunately was in low ground out of observation of the T-90s. The first shots of the T-90s of ATGMs either missed my lead M1s or were directed at the partially smoked screened armored column and all missed. A short and violent firefight later, the T-90s went down with no losses to me. That is where I am right now. I understand Thomm's frustration totally. I have only 1 mobility killed M1 right now but if it wasn't that fortune smiled upon me twice so far, the results could have been a whole lot of blue vehicles burning. Having reinforcements for both sides appear within seconds of each other and in full view of each other is harsh and not a design choice I would consider doing for a scenario. Now I even more cautious for resuming the advance because what other nasty surprises are getting to be sprung upon me and yet I am on the clock to reach the ambushed scout platoon and clear the gorge. Fortunately, the scouts withdrew in good order without losses and are hunkered down and using the air and artillery to good effect to maintain their security while they await the main body to get to them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Good job! I think you can relax a little bit now! Be advised that you apparently have to kill all enemies in the gorge area to be awarded points! I suggest a sweeping movement with infantry from the center towards the outer areas. Same goes for the mansion ... you have to clear it totally! Best regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handihoc Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 In retrospect I have to agree that the arrival of reinforcements in full view of enemy tanks is a serious no-no! But, by saving, you can go back and quickly place smoke and/or reverse your new units out of trouble. Gamey, I know, but I think overall the scenario is well worth the effort. I had a great time playing it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconander Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I haven't played the mission fellas but would not the title give things away that things are going to happen that are so screwed up that only and LT could be responsible? If a mission was called Cluster-F*** I'd expect some serious losses of otherwise valient pixelmen.... I played one mission where I start in the middle of an ambush and you have to fight your way out... If it wasn't for the title I'd say it was a poor scenario design but given the title I'd say its par for the course to have your reinforcements coming under fire off the get go. I love the movie "We were Soldiers" when he goes "BAM! your LT is dead what are you going to do...(inaction) BAM! now he's dead... (turning to new soldier).. What are you going to do ??.... "Get off the Copter.... (everyone bails out)... Looks like Blackmoria's thinking on his feet saved some of his pixelmen for another day... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMoria Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Good job! I think you can relax a little bit now! Be advised that you apparently have to kill all enemies in the gorge area to be awarded points! I suggest a sweeping movement with infantry from the center towards the outer areas. Same goes for the mansion ... you have to clear it totally! Best regards, Thomm Thank god. If another armored blitz appeared out of nowhere, I would scream and yank my hair out. My outcome seems to be un-typical so far based on what I am reading. It seem the scenario design is meant for reinforcing forces to mix it up from the get go and medium to heavy casualties to occur. Then to make it so that your surviving force has to completely eliminate the enemy is really harsh and is just rubbing salt in the wounds. I understand people's frustration and don't understand why some think it is a great scenario. I look forward to this one being over. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thank god. If another armored blitz appeared out of nowhere, I would scream and yank my hair out. Hmm. I do not remember the exact timing ... you may run into more tanks! But those were pleasant target practice for me, so you should not have any problems! Best regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMoria Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Hmm. I do not remember the exact timing ... you may run into more tanks! But those were pleasant target practice for me, so you should not have any problems! Best regards, Thomm Then call me 'Baldy' Edit: Thomm, does it get better in the campaign after this? I've been enjoying the campaign up until the end of Afternoon Delight when I got a defeat despite occupying the chemical factory complex completely, destroying all enemy forces on map and having only 3 WIA for my losses. Is that one winnable at all? SNAFU seems like it is heading the same direction. Unrealistic or unachievable victory conditions. Afternoon Delight and SNAFU seem, well.... a let down after some previously great missions. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconander Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 What campaign is this part of? Is this the Marine's Campaign? If so, I have some more work to do to get there. Sounds like a bugger.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMoria Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Yes, it is the Marine campaign. Afternoon Delight is a good scenario in it own right but the victory conditions are totally unreasonable and it left a bad taste in my mouth for the game to tell me that I had a total defeat despite destroying the enemy in entirety, occupying all objectives and only have 3 WIA (an accomplishment in itself). I was floored by the outcome. The Syrian side got 2000 pts for inflicting casualties and it seems that 3 WIA crossed that threshold, which tells me absolutely no casualties is the only way to get a win. Then straight into SNAFU, where it seems that luck rather than tactical acumen is the principal determination of how big you will win or lose, due to reinforcements arriving within seconds of each other and in full view of each other. Get lucky and most of your force survives. Get unlucky and expect about 1/3 to 1/2 of your forces to be wiped out in short order. I suspect the designer was going for a 'Blackhawk Down' feel for intensity on this one but it is going to be frustrating for players because your reinforcements arrive and are in the fight for their lives before they can do anything other than pop smoke and hope for the best. SNAFU has the potential to be a great scenario if the reinforcement schedule was better staged. As it is, the enjoyment and therefore the merit of the scenario will be largely determined by how the reinforcements' forced confrontations play out. If you have few casualties, you will most likely like the scenario, if you have heavy casualties you will hate it. Not because of taking heavy casualties but because so many choices are taken out of your hands since you have no say on where and when the reinforcements arrive and the action being instanteous without you exercising any tactical choice or planning other than drop smoke and pray. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 After "SNAFU" comes "Dancing in Damascus", which I am about to start now! It appears to be the end of the campaign. I cannot comment on its quality yet, but the map looks nice! Best regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Hehe, I played 15 minutes and have already six save games! Hope that describes the situation in Damascus! Best regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMoria Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Sounds intense. I just finished SNAFU tonight so I look forward to Dancing in Damascus. For SNAFU, it was a cake walk after the T-90s. Being an ex-Artillery / FAC officer, once my airpower and artillery arrived, it was all over for the poor Syrians. I never had to go forward of the ambush site since my airpower and artillery strikes from my observer I got on the mountain rained steel death on the Syrians and I got a Total US Victory with my only losses being 18 KIA and 12 WIA and no vehicle casualties (though my lead M1 platoon was nearly combat ineffective due to damage equipment like optics, machine guns, thermal sights, etc). They took a hell of a beating but survival is the only thing that matters. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhdeerslayer Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 This was actually my favorite and most memorable of all the ones in the campaign for me. Was a nail bitter and took some higer than normal loses, but with the huge amount of support, I finally pulled out a Total. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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