Canadian campaign - reinforcements?

[phil stanbridge]

I'm on about mission 8 or 9 of the campaign. It plays totally differently to the British and US campaigns which is no bad thing but I've found it pretty tough in places. But one thing that bugs me - in about mission 6 I think it was I was informed that my losses would be replenished - this isn't the case however. Armour has been repaired to a degree, but my infantry losses remain.

To be fair I didn't really play it as conservatively as I should have, but even so I am now seriously low on infantry! It will be interesting to replay it in due course. In some cases I am down to one or two men per squad - these are next to useless as they have no binoculars and no AT weapons of any sort, so I end up using them the only way I can; for recce purposes and more often than not they end up as fodder. I've even got a sniper team without a sniper rifle! It's just a bit crazy really. How are reinforcements handled in the NATO campaigns? Are they replenished or do you have to go through the entire campaign without any?

[Paper Tiger]

I think you'll find that it is your supplies that will be replenshed in full after mission 6. There are no reinforcements for any of the three NATO campaign forces. The time span of the campaigns are just too short for that to happen. If it is of any consolation to you, the final series of battles for As Hasakah were designed and playtested with heavy casualties in mind. The playtesters were uncertain of their ability to continue beyond CHARITY with their casualty levels but they continued and, to their surprise, got to the end. It's doable.

[phil stanbridge]

I think you'll find that it is your supplies that will be replenshed in full after mission 6.

I see! I did wonder if this was the case. But there is a certain lack of cohesion in the campaign with regards the infantry - they become unfit to fight at a certain stage even though the campaign deems you fit to continue.

There are no reinforcements for any of the three NATO campaign forces. The time span of the campaigns are just too short for that to happen. If it is of any consolation to you, the final series of battles for As Hasakah were designed and playtested with heavy casualties in mind. The playtesters were uncertain of their ability to continue beyond CHARITY with their casualty levels but they continued and, to their surprise, got to the end. It's doable.

I'm on the 9th mission at the mo and although it looks like a gooden' there are too many variables getting in the way to prevent me from enjoying the campaign at this stage. I've got very small teams scattered all over the place due to heavy infantry losses. I wish you could reassign infantry teams on the fly - at least this way I could stick all these men into one platoon and feel like I've got a little more control and firepower available. I've got single man infantry units running around trying to recon the dense urban areas without any binoculars/radio or any AT weaponry. I've got machine gun squads without a machine gun, AT teams with no AT capability and sniper teams with no sniper rifle. All these guys are hanging around because I can't use them as designed. I've obviously been doing the best job I can, as I have got to this stage, but it just seems a bit odd. I feel like restarting but the campaign has been a bitch! I would like to play the German one but the lack of Panzerfaust launchers will be too much to bare!

[Redjac]

But one thing that bugs me - in about mission 6 I think it was I was informed that my losses would be replenished - this isn't the case however.

Well the contract to purchase chinooks got stalled by the NDP so resupply will have to be from good ole Jingle trucks again.

In some cases I am down to one or two men per squad - these are next to useless as they have no binoculars and no AT weapons of any sort, so I end up using them the only way I can; for recce purposes and more often than not they end up as fodder.

Unfortunately the guy with the Carl Gustav is on LTA right now and won't return until after block 6.

[Paper Tiger]

Hi Phil

Which mission are you playing? Is it 'Storming the Gatehouse' (one platoon or 'Tightening the Noose' (again, one platoon)? Both these platoons have only been through one mission prior to these missions (Gatehouse was in Killing Fields and Noose was in Red Barricades, I think...). In both cases, these missions are the final mission for these units. The finale is fought by the remainder. The playtesters felt that the finale was too easy so keep going. You never know.

FWIW, I wish there was some way to combine these utterly decimated squads to have some semblance of fighting ability. How are your vehicles? Do you have more or less the full compliment? In the past I used to have an absolute car park full of vehicles with squads with only 1 or 2 men in them... OUCH. Eventually, I got used to the idea of putting my vehicles in harms way more often and the Infantry casualties declined drastically, at the expense of the rides. Also, forget trying to earn the VPs for PRESERVE objectives. They're just candy. You can win without them. With a sorely depleted force like yours, you'll have to.

[phil stanbridge]

Hi Phil

Which mission are you playing? Is it 'Storming the Gatehouse' (one platoon or 'Tightening the Noose' (again, one platoon)? Both these platoons have only been through one mission prior to these missions (Gatehouse was in Killing Fields and Noose was in Red Barricades, I think...). In both cases, these missions are the final mission for these units. The finale is fought by the remainder. The playtesters felt that the finale was too easy so keep going. You never know.

FWIW, I wish there was some way to combine these utterly decimated squads to have some semblance of fighting ability. How are your vehicles? Do you have more or less the full compliment? In the past I used to have an absolute car park full of vehicles with squads with only 1 or 2 men in them... OUCH. Eventually, I got used to the idea of putting my vehicles in harms way more often and the Infantry casualties declined drastically, at the expense of the rides. Also, forget trying to earn the VPs for PRESERVE objectives. They're just candy. You can win without them. With a sorely depleted force like yours, you'll have to.

This mission is Suburban Hell. I've got quite a large force at my disposal, but my infantry has been totally decimated in the battles beforehand. My armour is in relatively good condition however, but I find that using AFV's as 'bait' never works well in SF

I'm left with using single or two man teams as recon (as best as possible) and then having to inch my AFV's forward as slowly as I can. It's a bit of a nightmare really. I have got a few larger squads at my disposal but I really value these dudes now and don't like to expose them!

I have been doing exactly as you used to! Emptying the vehicles as early as practical, and using the armour as bait. But I've not had much choice. Most of my men are injured anyway

I'll try changing tactics, or maybe just start again.

[Paper Tiger]

Suburban Hell, eh? The support firepower you have at your disposal in that mission is awesome. Just level the place and move in slowly with the tanks and LAVs, particularly the Tuas and unleash hell. I was worried that that mission was too easy

Hey, I just had a look at my last playtest AAR of that mission. 4 KIA 10 Wounded and 1 AFV lost (not a tank). Syrian side surrendered with 31:52 of regulation time still on the clock. If I'd moved more slowly and taken advantage of the time remaining I could have done it with fewer casualties.

BTW, thanks for bringing this up. I had forgotten how much fun I had playing this campaign. I should post up some of the best screenshots I took while playing it.

[Dietrich]

Suburban Hell, eh? The support firepower you have at your disposal in that mission is awesome. Just level the place and move in slowly with the tanks and LAVs, particularly the Tuas and unleash hell.

*slaps forehead as if suddenly remembering something* Of course — preserve own troops first, buildings second (or third or fourth or whatever)!

That said, Paper Tiger, would you recommend approaching the town from the left flank in a concentration and rolling it up or spreading out for a sort of frontal assault? In my several attempts to get through this scenario without loosing several LAVs or tanks which had eluded my fast-movers, I had my TUAs, my Coyotes, and most of my tanks spread out to open fire on any enemy units which revealed themselves while the infantry and a single tank assaulted from the left through the buildings and along the town's main street.

[Paper Tiger]

A picture is worth a thousand words. But I'm going to write them all the same.

SPOILERS

A strong central thrust is how I usually approached this mission. I'd have my air support patrolling the suburbs constantly searching for armour and would hammer the sector of the city I was going to assault first with my heavy artillery and I'd never let up on the pressure. Eventually, the Syrians will throw in the towel.

[Paper Tiger]

Ach, what the hell. Heres a couple more that are sitting in my CMSF Screenshot folder...

That's one of my all-time favourite CMSF screenshots.

I guess BFC couldn't use that one because it uses Scipio's 'must-have' flames mod.

And Valhalla Bridge. I had so much fun playtesting this campaign... good times indeed

[Erwin]

Paper Tiger, your scenarios and campaign are all amazing. But, do you design them for RL play?

As a WEGO guy, I am finding the otherwise xnt Road To Dinas really tough. Took too many casualties in scenario 11 (I think that's the right one) and of course the campaign ended.

Any way I can continue through just to play the remaining 4 scenarios, plz? It's a bitch to keep replaying...

[Paper Tiger]

Erwin

Yup, I play in RT exclusively. Funny but I'd have thought that they'd be easier to win in WEGo as you can keep your entire force in action whereas in RT, only a part of it is being used effectively. Obviously, I'm managing that part very effectively indeed . I also use SMOKE a lot when I'm playing, probably a lot more than most of you guys.

Which mission is mission 11 again? It's not 'Amarah', is it? I've been promising to return to the Dinas campaign and sub in real Syrian air support as well as add a couple of Shilkas to the mix but the Normandy title has kept me very, very busy indeed. If you can remind me which missions are proving too tough, I'll ease up the difficulty somewhat and release a FINAL as soon after the Normandy title is released as possible. The changes will be unplaytested though as I'm finding the sparseness of the CMSF maps a bit hard to handle after the sheer density of the terrain on your average CMBN battlefield. (understatement)

BTW, the Montebourg campaign is all my own work

[Dietrich]

Mighty fine screenshots, Paper Tiger. Thanks for posting 'em.

the Normandy title has kept me very, very busy indeed.

And when Paper Tiger is busy, it means good things are forthcoming for those of us that like assiduously thought-out and excellently made scenarios and campaigns.

[phil stanbridge]

So how many missions are in the Canadian campaign? Is this Road to Dinas part of it? I keep hearing good things about this.

[phil stanbridge]

Suburban Hell, eh? The support firepower you have at your disposal in that mission is awesome. Just level the place and move in slowly with the tanks and LAVs, particularly the Tuas and unleash hell. I was worried that that mission was too easy

I was being overly cautious with the artillery I guess, which I have a lot of I admit - but the lack of infantry keeps rearing its ugly head. I don't like exposing the flanks of my armour - and I prefer the combined effort of recon/infantry in forward positions with the armour supporting in the rear. I guess I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to tactics.

[Paper Tiger]

Phil

'The Road to Dinas' is another campaign that you can find at the Repository. It is a fictional Red v Red campaign (although it looks like current events in that country right now are making it seem less fictional by the minute). I think I really will get the FINAL version up and running over this weekend this time so you might want to hang on a bit to download it if you're interested in playing it. As it stands, it's probably a wee bit harder than the Canadian campaign as well

Use your tanks and the LAVS, especially the TUAs, to put a round or two into any building you're moving your Infantry towards. It won't kill the defenders if there are any present but it will shake them up and cause them to run or miss if they start firing. IIRC, their morale is abysmal.

[AkumaSD]

I think I really will get the FINAL version up and running over this weekend

Excellent news!

[Erwin]

Another version of Road to Dinas!

Not that it isn't great you're doing all this work, but I just spent almost 2 years replaying the campaign just so I could get to mission 11 (Amarah) and now I will have to at least replay that again just to get to the next mission.

Please can there be a way to progress to the final 4 scenarios even when we lose 11... It may just be a bit too hard in WEGO.