Minefields: Tools and Issues

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Vance has made a custom minefield graphic that he's going to allow me to use. You can see it in the JPG that I'll include at the bottom of this post. Thanks Vance!

I've been experimenting with the possibilities of how, exactly, to try and use minefields as an impediment to attackers. Here are some things I've done to enhance the effects of minefield as a terrain object:

1) Slowed attackers down in the terrain type
2) Made them more vulnerable to both direct and indirect fire in the terrain type
3) Provided repairable crossings (actually light bridges) through the terrain type

I have no idea how this will affect gameplay, which leads me to a question:

Has anyone ever tried something like this before, and/or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[Arjuna]

[:)] No we haven't. Great lateral thinking there...love it! Please let us know it works.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

[:)] No we haven't. Great lateral thinking there...love it! Please let us know it works.

In looking at the results in the movement effects in SM, it appears to work fine. Movement gets routed through the minefield crossings properly.

The problem is that the crossings can't be "blown" until the enemy is too close, whereupon the outcome of the demolition, and the status of the minefield, breached/unbreached, is very much in doubt.

I've read up on bridge demolition at the forums, btw, and I understand completely why you've handled it this way, in game.

However, you might want to consider a modification to future versions of SM such that designers can set crossings to blown (and repairable) before the game begins, as they are allowed to do with "priming" now.

That wouldn't require any changes, whatsoever, to the regime whereby a player can't just go about, willy-nilly blowing everything up, regardless of the presence or absence of enemies. It would also account for the possibility that certain spans could have been brought down, earlier, in an air-strike for instance.

[Arjuna]

Well you can specify the crossing point type in the SM by holding the Shift key down and double-clicking the crossing icon. Repeat to cycle through the available types. One of these is a blown crossing or as we refer to it simply as a "crossing point". The types are: crossing point,  ford/ferry, light road bridge, medium road bridge, heavy road bridge and rail bridge. Missed that one in the manual, hey? [;)]

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
The types are: crossing point,  ford/ferry, light road bridge, medium road bridge, heavy road bridge and rail bridge. Missed that one in the manual, hey? [;)]

oooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh!

Didn't know that I could plot the bugger busted! [&o]

Edit: Okay, I went back and (re-)read the MM and SM manuals and neither makes reference to a "blown bridge," but rather a "potential crossing." Shame on you Dave! [;)]

[RedMike]

This is great stuff!

[Arjuna]

ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
The types are: crossing point,  ford/ferry, light road bridge, medium road bridge, heavy road bridge and rail bridge. Missed that one in the manual, hey? [;)]

oooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh!

Didn't know that I could plot the bugger busted! [&o]

Edit: Okay, I went back and (re-)read the MM and SM manuals and neither makes reference to a "blown bridge," but rather a "potential crossing." Shame on you Dave! [;)]

"In the beginning" there was a "potential crossing". Then a crossing was built. Only then could it be blown. [:)]

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Okay, it appears to work.

Assuming that it would take less time to convert a blown-bridge into a ford/ferry crossing than into a light-bridge crossing, it would be helpful if that was an option in future releases.

I'm going to incorporate the minefields into the Operation Battleaxe scenario.

From there on out, fighting will be sans minefields, at least until there are some '42 estabs for Tobruk, Gazala and Alamein.

[simovitch]

I played around with Minefields while I was developing the Sidi Rezegh scenario, using roughly the same concepts as you discuss. I assume you read my posts from the map thread regarding terrain types, gaps, and wipeouts. If you use a terrain pattern other than Major River/Water be careful of gaps. Test the minefield using the pathing tools.

I gave up on minefields because I could not get it to work to my satisfaction, and I was running out of time. Hopefully you will have better luck![:)]

The time it takes to rebuild the blown crossing depends on the length of the crossing graphic itself, not the type. The number of men, experience, training, and fatigue of the sappers has influence as well. You may find that it takes an ahistorically long time to clear the lane.

Very nice work all around PoE.