Russian Steel - Feel the thrill of being a Russian commander in 1941!

RussianSteelDar · Post by **RussianSteelDar** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 6:37 am

Greetings Comrades!!

Your Deputy Assistant Under Secretary Commissar for Collective Activities speaking:

[sorry I'm late but it took me awhile to re-register so I could post - I guess Mama dropped me on my head one too many times...]

From the sounds of things, most of you are experiencing the same ohmigosh feelings we had when we played Dubno Defend the first time!!

It is frustrating to be the Russian in 1941 for a bunch of reasons but hang in there and let your troops learn....a T-34 with a veteran crew is deadly...

We have tried very hard to make the subsequent battles different and challenging....

Thanks for the comments! Besides the morale lift you've given us, you are helping us to fine tune this campaign. While some of the issues are intrinsic with SPWAW (i.e. mech.exe and hitting/penetration performance), there are some issues we can adjust (airpower) and we will. Just let us know!

For any comments, concerns, feedback, etc.. please send to me at:

brad.darroch@trw.com

Also, glitches with the game (for example, is there still a problem with the URL? I can send the entire game, battle patches, or any battle as a editable scenario directly to you if desired...

and finally, the recruitment pitch:

We can use all the help we can get. To encourage you, we'll take just about any level of commitment and time you can spare. For instance, those of you already playing are actually putting the finishing touches on our beta testing! Thanks!

We need beta testers, and alpha testers (in alpha, you'll see lots more whoops and the occassional game-stopper...).

We need designers. You can build a map. You can build a battle. You can take an existing battle and make a variant that can be used as a branch in our Russian Steel 2.0 release. I will send you a map for you to buy and deploy on. I will send you a map, bought units and everything and all you do is deploy and setup and playtest. Playtesters - we need ya. The gang we have are doing great but the more testers we have, the lighter the workload (and the fewer battles they actually see before becoming finished and released - increasing the fun for everyone)

We can use historical research, map data sources, writers - anything you can imagine. If you have an eastern front scenario you built that you enjoy that fits our oversized-company size core force, then you could donate it and we'll turn it into a RS battle.

Anyway, thanks for playing and keep up the feedback - it really helps.

Misc:

- We built under a wide range of versions and OOBs and mech.exes - mostly 6.4-7.0...Penetrator likes to throw in the occasional custom units just to keep us on our toes : ) We have tried to keep this simple.

- We have added airpower for the Germans in many battles - the Luftwaffe is a fact of life for the Soviets in 1941-2 - if it is overdone let us know

- Let us know if the rebuild points work out - too many? too few?

- I urge you to read the readme file if you haven't

Cheers,

Brad

Bing · Post by **Bing** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 8:21 am

Revision to my prior statemenht re the Germans zonking my "offboard" 107mm mortars: They are not offboard, they are jammed in the Ammo Dump / CP / AA area so tightly I didn't think to look around. They were definitely ONboard, that's why the nasty Luftwaffe got them.

This time, we are waiting for the Heinie flyboys with a dozen more AA units than we had on the first run. I'm using a slightliy earlier mech.exe version - decided to leave ammo with Limited OFF, to be able to compare under identical conditions.

I was going to shuffle my core 9 X 107mm Mtr in and out of the ammo dump area with the GAZ-AA trucks I got from the Ivan Ivanovitch Ford Agency (fleet discount, you know) - but the sneaky designer put everything behind a stone wall - another reason to not limit the ammo - life is too short and I didn't have enough points left to buy ammo trucks.

Here's a gas: This time the game engine "infiltrated" one of those mean German Special OPs platoons right in front of the initial deployment of my company of T-34 m.41. Narrowed their career path, it did.

Bing

Larry Holt · Post by **Larry Holt** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 9:26 am

Wahhh!

I still can not download. I still get a page that says the URL is not found. Am I the only one?

Bing · Post by **Bing** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 9:44 am

Originally posted by Larry Holt
Wahhh! I still can not download. I still get a page that says the URL is not found. Am I the only one?

All three of the addresses work for me - keep trying, might be a case of your ISP being busy - Fabio's site appears to be working just fine.

If you can't get through, ask for an e-mail file transfer - its a little under 900Kb, don't know how that will go on your connection, I can send the file easiliy enough for you.

Bing

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 9:50 am

I just got thourgh reading the "Guns Of August" (Pulitzar prize winning WW1 novel, and its written by a woman!?), and she was pretty harsh towards the Russians in August 1917.

I can for the life of me remember his name(the book was left at a friends house) but he was the Russina Minister of production or Minister of defense. Anways upon hearing that bullet production had been increased he flew into a fit of rage. For half and hour he spoke on, and get this, the bayonets superiority over the rifle.
So after this bayonet production was incrased while bullet production went down.

The point of my story(if their is one) is that while the Russian steamroller is always fiercesome and numerous its always a paper tiger at the begining of a conflict.

Larry Holt · Post by **Larry Holt** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 5:45 pm

When I tried the download in (gasp) evil IE, it came through. I look forward to tonight.

Gallo Rojo · Post by **Gallo Rojo** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 6:58 pm

clap clap clap! (aplauses)

Gary Tatro · Post by **Gary Tatro** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 6:59 pm

Thanks. I have downloaded the campaigna and have played the first three turns of Dunbo defense I have really enjoyed it. Seeing that others have already played it a couple of times makes me jealous. Having limited time I am only able to play on weekends.

But I will say this, after playing LV-MC and restarting 3 times it is nice to be the side that has the KV-1's and the T-34's.

I look forward to getting back to the front this weekend. Thanks again.

Griffin

RussianSteelDar · Post by **RussianSteelDar** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 7:21 pm

Comrades,

Your diligent Campaign Collectivites are hard at work....

We have an update to Battle 3 Slonim Escape that is fearsome...thanks to PENETRATOR

We have a rebuilt Battle 5 which looks like it eliminated the problem of no crews showing up after tanks took damage (this was due to too many units) - exasperating to groom your tank crews and then lose them because of game mechanics...thanks Stuart!

Same for battle 6 - fixed the no-crew issue and fine tuned the playbalance and took out the STukas - they are a little over the top in this fight...

The Battles 3, 5, and 6 you have in your download work fine - with the no crew problem in 5 and 6 creating frustration as opposed to any actual play problems...

We will be releasing this patch very soon so keep tuned to this thread for news!

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 8:34 pm

Just downloaded the file and looking forward to give it a try.

Wondering though: I´m credited as TESTER!?

I can´t remember about testing some of the battles, but I sure would have liked it!

Mosh? Alessandro??

BTW: Need some LV veteran for additional node design?

____________
Harry

Penetrator · Post by **Penetrator** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 9:27 pm

Originally posted by RockinHarry

BTW: Need some LV veteran for additional node design?
____________
Harry

Thanks, but at the moment we are concentrating on length rather than breadth, but later, who knows?

Major Destruction · Post by **Major Destruction** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 5:00 am

Hi Guys,

It's been a while since I last posted. I've been busy playtesting the Campaign Collective battles.

It is good to see that this campaign is being well received. I hope you all enjoy it.

Don't expect to win at Dubno- or anywhere else for that matter!

. The German forces are far too strong. You must try to support your Auxilliary troops and then either dig in and slug it out, or retreat them and save whatever you can. The German air strikes will depress you. They just keep on coming, so don't forget to buy some AA for your core.

Once you begin to lose heavily your Ivans will lose heart. Then they will not be able to hit any targets. But once they gain experience they will serve you well.

Stay strong in some places and yield in others.
Don't go hunting for Germans- they will find you soon enough. And don't expect each battle to be a carbon copy of the previous battle. I have been surprised in every one so far. It's great fun.

Play with command control ON. This is serious wargaming.

Good luck.

adantas · Post by **adantas** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 7:42 pm

Originally posted by RockinHarry
Just downloaded the file and looking forward to give it a try.
Wondering though: I´m credited as TESTER!? I can´t remember about testing some of the battles, but I sure would have liked it! Mosh? Alessandro??

BTW: Need some LV veteran for additional node design?

____________
Harry

Hello mate! nice to see you returning to the forum

I designed the Map for the Orel's Battle and I saw that someone did some changes and I liked very much the final result

.but I didn't know who did it.
I will offer my "Royal Opponent" scen to the group, perhaps they like it and can include it to this fantastic effort

See you!

Alessandro

-------------------
Senta à Pua!!!

Major Destruction · Post by **Major Destruction** » Thu Mar 28, 2002 5:34 am

I am very impressed by the quality of the maps. To all the mapmakers who contributed to the CC, thank you.

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Thu Mar 28, 2002 8:15 pm

Originally posted by adantas

Hello mate! nice to see you returning to the forum
I designed the Map for the Orel's Battle and I saw that someone did some changes and I liked very much the final result .but I didn't know who did it.
I will offer my "Royal Opponent" scen to the group, perhaps they like it and can include it to this fantastic effort

See you!

Alessandro

-------------------
Senta à Pua!!!

Ahh...this one! Yeah..should fit nicely to the campaign!:)
And...If you´ve Demyansk ready, gimme a try, Ok?

cu mate

__________
Harry

adantas · Post by **adantas** » Thu Mar 28, 2002 10:05 pm

Originally posted by RockinHarry

Ahh...this one! Yeah..should fit nicely to the campaign!:)
And...If you´ve Demyansk ready, gimme a try, Ok?

cu mate

__________
Harry

No doubts about it mate!

cu too

Larry Holt · Post by **Larry Holt** » Thu Mar 28, 2002 11:01 pm

Its been awhile since I seriously played the Soviet side. Russian Steel has changed this. In the first scen I notice that my T-34's have only 2 shots (expected with low exp) and lose them when they move. However, I have some inf support tanks that have 5 shots and don't lose any when they move. AUX heavy tanks (also low exp) have 5 shots and don't lose any either. Does anyone know why my T-34's are special?

White Phosphorus · Post by **White Phosphorus** » Fri Mar 29, 2002 12:11 am

Cramped turret maybe?

Gary Tatro · Post by **Gary Tatro** » Fri Mar 29, 2002 12:32 am

Larry

My T-34's also only have two shots to fire from their main gun. I am not sure why but I think it has to do with low experience.

Gary

Penetrator · Post by **Penetrator** » Fri Mar 29, 2002 1:33 am

T-34 vs T-28/T-35:
The former has a relatively cramped two man turret in which the gunner is also the commander. The latter have a roomier three man turret, probably with more ready ammunition.

But this is off topic.

Russian Steel - Feel the thrill of being a Russian commander in 1941!

Lel me just say!

T-34's