[CAMP]Warriors in the Sands

[bardosy]

Warriors in the Sands

campaign for CM:SF BF

The Invasion of Syria is begun. The main strike force is the US Task Force Thunder coming from the East (Iraq). Diversion strikes are provided by US Marines, attacking from the sea and moving inland from the West. A second American strike force (Task Force Narwick) is driving down hard from the North (Turkey) and we are... the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, 1st Battalion. We are also launching from Turkey, but we'll advance from West to East, in parallel with the Marines.

This is a mini-campaign by 7 missions and you are the commander of a British Battalion. As the campaign name suggested, your force's backbone is the Warrior IFV supported infantry.

The upcoming terrain is very diverse: narrow passes, hills with forest, desert, villages and high density urban areas. We have to be prepared to face any and all contingencies.

REPOSITORY

or

direct download

[Blackcat]

Sounds good. Have downloaded and will give it a try.

[Field Marshal Blücher]

Played the first mission and enjoyed it a lot. Looking forward to the rest!

[Blackcat]

I have finally found some time to start this campaign.

The first mission was a lot of fun. I got a Syrian surrender with 8 minutes left. I was playing WEGO on Veteran difficulty. I lost three dead and four wounded (though it felt like more than that at the time) , but all my vehicles made it to the end, though at least five were damaged.

I thought it a well crafted mission with some nasty surprises to trap the unwary player.

Mission 2 is underway, but I am being very cautious and circumspect - I may run out of time.

Spoilers

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

--

-

-

-

-

-

--

-

Those recoilless rifles in the first mission were a pain and held me up while I got Mortar Fire Controllers into suitable over-watch positions and could then call down short bombardments to take them out. I am glad I didn't follow my first instinct which was to rush for the big, dominant hill in the centre of the map.

[zmoney]

Maybe its me but when i opened the the file the USMC version was empty. The only one I could open is the base version.

[zmoney]

Actually I cant get either to open althought the base UK version is showing a file size the USMC version isn't.

[Darkmage]

Just playing through this at the mo, enjoying it a lot

I seem to be getting more and more units every mission so I think it might get to stage where I can't manage them all though! (playing in RT)

[handihoc]

I'm on map 3. Great fun so far!

[Field Marshal Blücher]

zmoney, you should re-try the download, because something's messed up with your download.

[zmoney]

zmoney, you should re-try the download, because something's messed up with your download.

I didn't have my game patched to 1.21. That may have been it I'm DL'ing right now.

[Tactical Wargamer]

Thanks for the direct D/L!!!!

[bardosy]

Thanks for the direct D/L!!!!

You also have a problem with repository? I cannot download from it. (very odd, but I can upload there).

But this is a huge inspiration to create campaign, because I cannot get anyone (except mine).

[Blackcat]

Today I finally got round to finishing the second mission of this campaign. It was enjoyable, but not a stretch - possibly because I ignored the briefing and worked out my own plan (advancing through a forest struck me as a recipe for high casualties).

I lost 8 dead, 20 wounded, 2 Scimitars and 2 Land Rovers and got a surrender with 50 minutes left on the clock. The Brits in this one have more than enough firepower to do the job (one platoon, my reserve, never fired a shot) and more javelins than you can shake a stick at. About half of my casualties were caused by me pushing a couple of patrols onto the forest, which I didn't need to do, I just got bored/careless towards the end.

[Lethaface]

Bardosy, what webbrowser you use?

Chrome usually isn't able to download from ftp:// sites. I say usually since it does for me now.

If you really cannot access it I am willing to set up a temp download for you so you can download them

[MeatEtr]

Bardosy, completely and utterly off-topic, I just finished your excellent Arma2 campaign "Chesty Puller". I'm of course assuming your the same bardosy there. Was good stuff, thanks. I've been going through a Arma2 binge lately, and thought I recognized your name.

[bardosy]

Lethaface: I use FireFox, but I guess it's the company's firewall. But very strange, why firewall deny the download and aprove the upload... Thanks, I will create a wishlist from the repository and send you in PM.

MeatEtr: Yes, I'm the same bardosy... Now - when I finish this Brits campaign for CMSF - I changed back to ArmA2 and I'm working on a Russian campaign (similar infantry-focused as Chesty)

[Blackcat]

Has anyone succeeded in the third misssion of this campaign. I have tried several times but just keep getting thumped, cannot make much progress at all.

[handihoc]

Blackcat, interesting you find this one so difficult as I found it easier than the preceding battles. Sorry if that sounds smug; not intended, but I guess more or less by chance I chose the right approach and got through it with a Total Victory and relatively few losses.

*

*

*

SPOILERS*********

*

*

*

A very slow, calculated, methodical approach is what worked for me. Using overbound tactics, concentrate only on taking the village: Summer Palace, East End and Factory.

With those secured, and plenty of troops, spotters and vehicles on overwatch for approaching enemy (you have more than enough forces to do the job), you can then more or less sit tight, let the enemy come to you (which they will), mow them down, bombard the Regional Police HQ and surrounding areas with artillery, have your air support cover the mines, use your tanks and Javelins to take out enemy vehicles and tanks as they arrive, and you will get a surrender. You don't have to bother with advancing beyond the trenches or occupying the Police HQ or getting to the Exit.

Hope this helps. It's a good battle, but with the amount of forces at your command and by resisting the urge to push to the far edge of the map, it's very winnable.

Let us know how you get on. The next battle is a killer!

[Blackcat]

Handihoc,

Thanks for the encouragement and hints. It is taking the village that is giving me so much grief. I am taking far too many infantry casualties and I am struggling to keep the warriors far enough back to avoid the RPGs and still have lines of sight to provide supressing fire.

Mind you, I do struggle in urban fighting with the Brits. I find the seven man squads short on firepower and too delicate (two or three casualties and they are pretty much useless) . I also notice a remarkable reluctance by British infantry to use their UGLs. In fire support I miss the 50 cals. The 7.62 on the warrior lacks punch against infantry in buildings and they carry far too few 30mm HE rounds (but lots of useless AP ammo) to do much in the way of speculative supression fire.

Nevermind, now I know it can be done I will have another go at the mission this evening. Perhaps I'll look at finding a new line of approach.

[handihoc]

The village is pretty tough, yes. But time is on your side, so be very methodical and allow your guys to sit tight at times and observe - hidden enemies often reveal themselves after several minutes (though there are still plenty of times when they don't until they open fire!)

It's true that the Brit sections lack firepower individually, so it's vital to cover any movement with plenty of well-placed backup to hammer anything that reveals itself. Also, put suppression fire on buildings you suspect could harbour enemies before you send guys across open ground.

The Syrians are generally very well positioned and, at Iron level, deadly. I did have a couple of false starts on this battle, taking unacceptable losses in the opening minutes. So although I got a good victory eventually I have to confess that it was I think on my third attempt.

[bardosy]

@BlackCat: Thank you for playing with my campaign.

In that mission - in my tests - it was enough to capture the village. I cannot setup the Syrians to fight aftre you capture the village. So you have tons of time, because if the village is yours, you can attack, but not necessary...

[Blackcat]

Bardosy,

Thanks, my wife keeps stealing my gaming time so I have still to get back to it. Maybe this evening.

Thank you for creating such a challenge. I have tried to master the mission builder (I have this idea about a modern-day Stalingrad), so I do appreciate the time and energy that you must have put into your campaign. I am grateful for all your work.

[bardosy]

@BlackCat: Greetings to your wife. All my respect is for wives of CMSF players... My wife has a huge patiente to allow me creating missions...

Modern day Stalingrad means a heavy dense urban area? Be careful! I created a mission with full of houses in my prev campaign, and lot of player left to play, because of LAG in that mission.

[Blackcat]

Bardosy,

I finally was allowed an evening to have another go. Thanks to the hints from you and Handihoc I got a surrender with 16 mins to go for the loss of 5 KIA, 11 WIA, one Scimitar, one Bulldog (taking a chance), and one Warrior (being careless).

This time I ignored the "invited approach" along the road. Instead I repositioned my forces and then manouvred so that my start line was on my right (the factory side) and centre. It took longer, but then I wasn't in a hurry and I took very few casualties until I got near the EastEnd road junction. Then it got a tad messy.

Having taken the village I managed to catch the infantry counter-attack with my artillery and the tanks with my javelins & Harriers, losing only a few more men when one of the tanks got a round off, the only one, and hit the minaret which contained some of my key units (artillery spotters and 2 Javelin teams). The BMPs later succumbed to my tanks (which I pushed up on to the Crest of the left hand hill once I had taken the village) and javelins.

All in all it was hard work, but a very rewarding mission - my thanks to you again.

I have looked at the map for the next mission, the Suburbs of Aleppo, and it looks even harder. I am looking forward to playing it, but it will have to wait for another day.

Thanks once more for putting in the time, effort and your fiendish brain-power (the way you place the enemy units never ceases to surprise) to keep us amused.

P.S. Thanks for the advice on the Stalingrad idea.

[George MC]

Just started this and into Battle 2 (Bab Al Hawa). First battle was great fun, but this second one... What has frustrated me is the very small set-up zone that is in LOF of the enemy held village. I'm trying to move forward with my squaddies but I keep getting reinforcements piling into my very small set-up zone. At the moment it feels more like Omaha beach as more and more stuff piles up only to be shot at by RPG teams popping up and taking pot shots. I'd suggest that the set-up zone could be doing with being a/ larger and b/ out of LOF. I like the whole concept behind your campaign and keen to get on with it but at the moment this is getting ma goat. So I've just saved and exited at the moment. I need to have more patience to be traffic cop and sort out my log jam of metal junk that is piled up!