Broadsword56 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I don't sink them. I'll take a look at your crater idea though.. But the bunkers in CMBN are like little log cabins that sit above ground level. Doesn't placing bocage over them make some weird distortions in the berm? Have you seen that the the game engine handles that OK? Btw, you're covering 320th operations north of St Lo, right? Check this paper out. Great paper -- interesting to learn some of the reasons behind the 35ths difficulties from an officer who was there, like the misguided orders not to use radios on Day One of the offensive. Also, I nodded in recognition when the author said TDs were just mobile guns and proved to be pretty useless in the bocage, due to their vulnerability to mortar and AT fire at those close ranges. I've lost a lot of them in these very fields he's writing about! Yes, sburke and I have still been slugging it out in that AO using the operational boardgame and CMBN. Two days left for the XIX Corps to reach Saint-Lo. Major progress must be made now or the clock will run out. The German line has several weak spots that could crack with one good push, and then the road would be open. So now the Germans are rushing to strip away any available units to build and occupy a new fortified line around the outskirts of the city itself, to prepare for this. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLeftFlank Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Wow! Do an AAR if you can, with some map panos and level 8 screenies showing the deployments for the key fights. As for the Nazi Gotterdamerung on the city edge, you've got the high ground OPs now. Pour on the arty (and the heavy bombers)! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLeftFlank Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 ... my first scenario and submap for the Le Carillon sequence. This is a Tiny (reinforced platoon) 1+ hour historical recon mission played on a 1x1km stretch of farmland and orchards east of La Meauffe. Playable as US vs AI (RT or WEGO) or H2H. Anyone who wants to playtest this puppy and provide feedback on everything from the game balance to the briefing to the map, please send me a PM with your email and I'll send you the file. Broadsword, I'm preemptively emailing you the file along with a polite request to PBEM me as US. The following background is from the German briefing, and lays out some of the context for this entire series (don't worry, there are no spoilers here): June 15, 1944 In the two critical weeks since the invasion of Normandy, German Seventh Army had been unable to either drive the Anglo-American forces back into the sea or prevent them from consolidating their beachhead and moving inland. The frontline German divisions had suffered terrible losses in the lowland fighting. Their new front in the bocage was increasingly manned by a patchwork of kampfgruppes and skeleton formations attached to other divisions. As American forces began pushing up-country in ever greater numbers, LXXXIV Corps was tasked with rendering their advance as slow and bloody as possible in order to buy time for the panzer forces slowly building up in the area. Key to this brutal attrition fight was German control of the heights north of St Lo. The Vire river, which bisected the American southern front, was also tactically important to both armies. Defence of the eastern bank and blocking the major road (Highway 3) and railway that ran along it, fell to the battered remnants of 266 Infantry Division, now attached to 352 Infantry Division. As elsewhere, the staying power of this defensive scheme rested almost entirely on its ability to stall the American forces in the dense bocage, and then batter them with artillery directed from the commanding heights around le Carillon. II Battalion, 899 Grenadierregiment established its main line of resistance (MLR) along a 3km front anchored by a bend in the Vire at the small town of La Meauffe, then running ... to the Le Mare - Le Carillon heights. Yesterday, June 14th, an unidentified American Armeekorps [the newly activated XIX Corps] launched a fresh offensive in the direction of Villiers-Fossard. A secondary flank screening attack down the Vire bank secured them a ridgeline around Amy, placing the Americans on the outskirts of La Meauffe and face to face with the German OPs at le Carillon. II/899 has been conducting a token defense in these areas, avoiding protracted stand-up fights, but .... has now dug into a forward defensive line in and around La Meauffe itself. This line is now coming under American mortar fire from the ridge. Last night, American light armoured forces cut the main road east to Villiers Fossard and are expected to appear on the eastern outskirts of La Meauffe today.... Mission The main axis of advance for the latest American offensive lies east of here. This leaves their right flank increasingly exposed to the La Meauffe-Le Carillon position. Being dogmatic and predictable, the American commanders will impulsively order a subsidiary attack to reduce this salient, using forces that are either understrength or inexperienced, or both. To compensate, they will try to pulverize the town using a heavy artillery programme, or perhaps airpower, plus direct fire from tanks advancing up the north road and railbed. However, the bulk of this extravagant firepower will fall on houses and on largely vacant German positions. Their infantry will then advance into a narrow wedge of ruins on low ground, under nonstop German counterfire and it will be very costly for them to maintain this position or to build up forces there to mount a further attack. If they withdraw, German forces will reoccupy La Meauffe, lay more mines and force them to repeat the entire operation. Your ... current role in this defensive scheme is to keep the American advance forces from securing an eastern approach to La Meauffe. This will force them either to attack this area in full force, in full view of the le Carillon artillery observers, or to attack La Meauffe head on from the north along the river.... Fiendishly clever. And that's more or less exactly how it went down for the 175th, then the 119th until the full 137th Regiment finally broke the logjam head-on in July. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Thanks LLF -- I'll gladly PBEM this battle with you. Since you asked... Here's an overview Google Earth shot showing the areas of the battles sburke and I have played out so far in CMBN from the operational-tactical campaign: (For the folks at home: The maps in the white (La Nicollerie) and dark blue (Choisy) areas have already been posted to the repository, and are availabe for HTH play) The campaign highlights so far: July 11 -- The US XIX Corps blows open a 1km+ wide hole in the German right flank, and captures Hill 197 on the first day of the offensive. Lots of maneuvering over in that sector as the Americans are unable to exploit the open German flank. Couldn't play any of these battles out in CMBN due to the lack of German FJ units in the game yet. July 12 -- The US 35th ID adds pressure to the center near Villiers-Fossard. A full-strength (but regular experience) company of the 2/320th Infantry probes with armored support towards German positions on Hill 108 near La Nicollerie (blue box). The German defenders -- a lone veteran company with only 10% strength -- is reinforced at the last minute by 75mm and 88mm AT guns, so the attack hits a wall and stalls. July 13 -- Having repulsed the US probe at La Nicollerie, the German 352nd ID sees an opportunity: a counterattack against the flank of the 320th Infantry's advance. The Germans sneak a large armor reserve (Stugs) up to the Choisy area (white box) overnight to reinforce a fresh infantry battalion, and the combined force explodes into F Company 2/320th at dawn. The company is dug into a tight night perimeter around the crossroads town, and fight valiantly until the last of their 4 M-10 tank destroyers is destroyed. The German artillery pounds the defenders relentlessly while the perimeter is cut off and surrounded -- "Bastogne in the Bocage," we called this battle -- so eventually I surrendered the US company rather than see them slaughtered. As the dazed American POWs shuffled toward Saint-Lo, a debate raged at the highest levels of the German command: Press forward from Choisy crossroads and cut off the 320th Infantry's supply line, or withdraw back to the safety of the main German line. The voices of caution prevailed -- it was daylight now and the Germans had to consider a renewed threat of American air strikes. Also, this was the division's only armored reserve, and too valuable to risk at this time and place. The German spearhead withdrew safely, but the attack stunned the Americans and threw them back on the defensive in the center for another day or two while they consolidated and rested/resupplied. July 15 -- A mopup action by B/115/29th ID against a holdout German company that was surrounded in a farm complex near the Saint Lo-Isigny highway, the D95 (light blue box, lower right). This was a small but intense battle, but we had to abandon it when CMBN crashed the scenario beyond repair. The Germans looked pretty much like a beaten force by then, so we called it a US win. July 16 -- Major US offensives resume all along the corps front. The fresh, full-strength US 3/320th Infantry has moved SW of La Nicollerie and is about to launch an intensive setpiece attack against the German 516/G.R. 943 (orange box; I'm making the map for this one now). The op layer set the stage for the attack with a massive artillery bombardment by the 35th divarty and some corps arty. It left the German battalion disordered, so it enters the CMBN battle with Unfit status and -2 leadership. In addition to a 3:1 superiority in infantry, the US has attached Sherman and Stuart companies and an engineer platoon. The Germans, though undermanned as usual, have 81mm mortars, 75mm AT guns, and two 88s. They also have a Stug company. The Germans will stand and make an all-out fight here, because a US breakthrough opens the door to Hill 122. Both sides have foxholes and TRPs, having been opposite each other now for over 24 hours. But the Germans won't have barbed wire and mines to help them this time. The size of this new map is 1120m x 1120m, and with all the forces involved we're praying that we can get through it HTH without another scenario-wrecking game crash. Definitely pushing CMBN to its limits here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Frank: Was about to start testing today, but I forgot to transfer the gamefile onto my flashdrive from my other location. Could you resend plz (assuming I'm not too late to help). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 shultzie and i have started the first battle. thats a hell of an ambush on the broken bridge. i got clobbered. I made a newbie mistake, bunched my armor up near the water crossing. i was using their pop smoke to try to cover my engineers. I shoulda known it was obviously going to be TRP.d took heavy casualties, including both shermans in one turn. nasty nasty nasty. nice touch to have no on board mortars. I use them heavily usually, but it does make things a bit more fair to have to call on off board support. at least for this one. as an aside I wish bfc would make it so offboard mortars dont make the incoming shriek. at least for the 60mms.... Anyways looks like its gonna be my infantry that hafta carry the day. I know I've caused casualties to shultzies nazis, not sure how many however. Ive destroyed the first obstacles, the second is still up. however I DO think I'll be able to force a crossing. After that - its up in the air. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 What is the status of this project - has it been cancelled? I would like to help - if help is needed. Regards, Heckenschütze 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
permanent666 Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 What is the status of this project - has it been cancelled? I would like to help - if help is needed. Regards, Heckenschütze long time not read - how is the vierville map doing the version you sent me was excellent 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Thanks permanent! The Vierville map is completed. I also finished a Hill 108 Map. Interested? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Thanks permanent! The Vierville map is completed. I also finished a Hill 108 Map. Interested? Please post to the repository and/or greenasjades site. We are always greedy for new maps. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 @sburke: done – the file should be available soon. Feedback is always welcome! Regards, Heckenschütze 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Please post to the repository and/or greenasjades site. We are always greedy for new maps. I second that emotion! Please post! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLeftFlank Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 Not abandoned, just temporarily tabled in favour of a couple smaller projects... And a whole load of RL. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Ah okay, good to hear LLF. My offer still stands - just drop me PM if you like. @mjkerner: the file is already available at the repository. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 outstanding, it'll be another week before i can download, but am looking forward to it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Amazing work on Hill 108, Heckenschutze!!! sburke, you're going to have a sense of deja vu when you 3D into this map -- it incorporates all of the area I mapped for Hamel Vallee plus the Choisy area to the north. The various crossroads, bloody orchard, the hilltop horse farm at Hotel (or Hamel) au Heup, the wheatfields, are all there in the same authentic locations. Sunken roads very well done. What's interesting to me, as someone who mapped the same area from probably the same source information, are the subtle differences in design choice -- building types and layouts being subject to interpretation, particular fields that have a different crop type, or the Hotel au Heup hill not appearing to be as elevated in this map (not sure why?). Also, I put an "allee" of poplars along the highway in front of Hotel au Heup in my map, but those really interfered with my tanks' supporting fire from the hilltop farm. No such problem on this map. So now I think it's safe to say the Hill 108 sector is extremely well covered now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Also I commend Heckenschutze for making lots of sensible entrances/exits to fields, and for having lots of variation and occasional gaps in the bocage on the Hill 108 map. Hope it gets a lot of play. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Glad you like it Broadsword – it took me quite some time to complete this map and it’s good to see it was worth the effort! "particular fields that have a different crop type, or the Hotel au Heup hill not appearing to be as elevated in this map" It was quite difficult for me to choose the crop type. In the attached photo you can see yellow fields (that’s wheat, I suppose) and dark and lighter grey areas. I guessed that the longer the grass, the more dark grey it appears on the picture. I don’t know if that’s a correct assumption or not. Do you have any suggestions for this issue broadsword? Concerning the elevation, I have two sources that say Hill 108 was not a real hill at all. In fact, it had no strategic value because artillery spotters had limited LOS. The same source also says that one standing on Hill 108 did not even recognise he stood upon a hill top. It gave me the same impression when I checked this with google earth. ]http:// Next map: Grandcamp-Maisy, btw! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 @Heckenschutze: Try downloading my Hamel Vallee map/scenario from the repository -- you can see the differences for yourself and enjoy looking around at my take on it. You're right about Hill 108 barely being a hill, etc. And even on my map, which I think has the elevation a bit higher for it, that didn't really give the US player (me) much advantage as I attacked toward the SW. Sburke can tell you he was able to keep a lot of his forces well concealed from Hill 108 behind reverse slopes, since the land really drops off to lower elevations in the W and especially SW parts of the map. On field types: Yes, that's my interpretation of those same photos: I take lightest color to be wheat and I take the darkest of the dark fields to be longer, lusher unmowed/ungrazed grass or even younger green wheat. I don't use plain plowed fields much at all, since in June-July the plowing season is past and crops would have been well started and growing. I'm also careful about not using too many haystacks, because haying season would have been a bit later in the year, I think. It's also helpful to place your aerial photo as a JPEG overlay in Google Earth, scale it to match the satellite imagery, and use the transparency slider to flip quickly back and forth between your b/w image and the modern terrain. You get a hypnotizing sort of "time machine" effect as you flip back and forth, and it becomes clearer what those b/w fields actually must have represented, what the building types were, etc. (I think I would have enjoyed being one of those aerial recon photo interpreters at Medmenham, England, during WWII, using stereoscopic viewers to try and locate enemy positions and V1 sites.) Just curious: Did you use the HTML Mapping Tool for your map, or eyeball it to get the scale and locations and placements right? Check out the tool if you haven't already. You might also find my latest post in the "Map Sharing" thread, further down in this forum, interesting too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Beautifully made map, broaswoard – can’t believe I never stumbled across it until now! Are you currently working on some new maps? What texture mods are you using btw – I like the colour of the foliage. With the mod mix I use, the leaves appear more like green-yellow. To your question: Yes, I eyeballed it to get the scale and locations and placements right – it worked quite well for me but thanks for the HTML Mapping Tool tip – will try it out asap... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Here are a few more from Broadsword including the 4x4 master for the St Lo Campaign. The master has notes on it as it is not fully detailed, but rather a base map to work from. http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1609 http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1638 http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1438 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadsword56 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Thanks for the plug, sburke. As intresesting as it is to have two maps covering roughly the same area (Heckenschutze's and mine) it's a shame to have this sort of duplication while so many areas remain unmapped. Solutions to this: 1. Communicate! Post WIP threads, tell the forum what you're working on or plan to work on or hope to work on. 2. Check first with a forum search on your map topic just to see if maybe someone already did it or is about to do it. 3. Consider a more organized map sharing system for the community, as I've suggested and outlined in the "map sharing" thread. If BFC actively supported it, so much the better, but it can work fine too as a purely community effort. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 @sburke: Thank you for the links! I know what I am going to do with my spare time for the next few days! @broadsword: I second that! Currently I am working on two Maps: Grandcamp-les-Bains and Montmartin-en-Graignes. I will open a thread for announcement purposes as soon as I can. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckenschütze Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Is this project still a work in progress or has it been cancelled? I enjoyed LLF's Ramadi map immensely and would love to see more such detailed maps for CMBN. Concerning the maps I mentioned in my previous post: after a longer break I continued to work on it. I returned from my Normandy trip yesterday during which I took a lot of photos which will help me design more accurate maps. I visited many important battle sites of the VIIth and Vth Corps (including OMAHA/UTHA beach, Monmtmartin en-Graignes, Grandcamp, Hill 108, Martinville Ridge, Vire area ect.). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLeftFlank Posted July 14, 2013 Author Share Posted July 14, 2013 Your timing is good, Heckenschutze, as I can finally access the Forums again after an extended absence. And your appreciation for my work is warmly appreciated in turn. However, I regret I can give you no promise that any of my CM projects (le Carillon, DienBienPhu, Ramadi, CM:PTO) will be resumed anytime soon. In April I began working with a new company in the Philippines and the job duties, together with the relocation of my family halfway around the world leaves me no time at all for gaming. Moreover, the only CM game currently active on my (aging) laptop is CMSF so I can't really even tinker with the editors on a casual basis. My CM PC is now in storage in my brother's basement and it was a dinosaur anyway. Who knows: at some point I may resume the hobby especially if the editor functionality continues to evolve and become more user friendly but for now I fear it isn't in the cards. Best regards, LONGLEFTFLANK 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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