Ghosts in the rubble updated

[Ichili]

OK, I think I got it right this time, so this version supersedes the previous one.

This firefight is a conversion of H ASL A3, which was not included in the original Red Barricades module. It depicts the fight at the end of October for the area between Red Barricades and Red October. It is a small infantry vs infantry action where the orders for the Russian, the preferred player, are to conquer as many objectives as possible by the end of the game. Both sides can designate some hexes as trench positions and the Russians receive a Rolling Barrage that lasts three rounds. Please check the the Firefight card in PDF format I am uploading together with the rest of the files for more info regarding this scenario.

In order to be able to play this firefight you need to have Jamm's mapboard files, not included here, saved into your Matrix Games/ Conflict of heroes Awakening the Bear/ Data / Maps folder:
Stalingrad.hexmap
Stalingrad.los
Stalingrad_Detail
Stalingrad_height,
Stalingrad_ Paper0
Stalingrad_Paper1
Stalingrad_Paper2
Stalingrad_paper 3

The rest of the files you need are on the zip I am uploading now, and should be extracted into your Matrix Games/Conflict of heroes Awakening the bear / Data / Scenarios / Awakening the Bear folder.
Before playing, go to System preferences and under Video select Boardgame-sized maps.
Any feedback will be appreciated.

[budd]

do the new files overwrite the previous files?

Yes they overwrite.

[junk2drive]

Played the first round. No problems so far. Neither arty strike did any damage. I only made one mistake of right click when I should have left clicked.

[budd]

also played thru round one, my strike took out a german infantry unit. Can't the trench placement take place before you place your troops. It looks like its going to be a messy battle, I lost 2 units in round one and germans lost three and i just lost another one with the first shot of round 2 before i saved to continue later.

[budd]

thx for the scenario, just finished. Enjoyed it. It ended a round early, maybe if the german AI was more defensive after the first couple rounds it would help. The AI did keep attacking even if it wasn't wise, played like a meeting engagement. My main attack came from my right flank. I went around the german left, while i held everywhere else. Here the victory screen and final map.

[Cataphract88]

Ichili,

Just a couple of questions:

Are the maps you refer to from the Stalingrad Scenarios: 'Bread Factory' and 'Kommisar's House'?

Do you need to place the Text Documents in the AI_ScriptLists folder under Scripts in the Scenario folder?

Thanks a lot [:)]

[Ichili]

Yes, this scenario uses the same base map as the other two. I added some locations labels -basically street names- but I don't see them on the image budd submitted above.
And regarding the other question, it beats me. Shall I add scripts to this firefight? I dont even know how to start...
Anyway, it looks like you can play this without using scripts.

[Ichili]

Budd, I am glad you enjoyed it. Should I balance things a little bit more in order to make the fight harder for the Russian?

[Cataphract88]

Ichili,

Thanks for your help, it looks like a very good scenario. [:)][:)][:)]

[budd]

let me play it from the other side. The AI advanced piecemeal and was killed.Was wondering about all the victory locations. I wasn't really threatened, came down to a numbers game and i had more units. the street names are there. I didn't put anything in the scripts folder, just the scenario folder. Thats a hell of a nice map Jamm made. I downloaded your other scenario, i'll give that a go soon i hope. the map for that scenario is 3d only, right?

[Ichili]

Guys, I appreciate your comments. This being my first try with the editor, I picked a small units action type of fight. Now I am planning to continue w/ some of the other RB scenarios - at least the ones we can reproduce without altering the OOB too much-, or perhaps convert some Combat Commander's Stalingrad scenarios.
Jamm made a great map, I hope he is willing to do the same for the Tractor Works Factory or the Train Station/Univermag area.
Now going back to my scenarios, it might be a good idea to make them suitable only for H2H.
Thank you again

[budd]

Finished it from the german side. I think it plays better as germans. A few better rolls for the russians and it might of come out differently. I was going to sit back and defend but saw an opening and advanced on my left and then the center later. If i wouldn't of got up 7 to 2 in kill ratio or if it was closer i might not have been able to advance. The AI's artillery got 4 kills and 2 units damaged, which evened things out. Here's some shots, there's one shot where the AI unit is off the playing board and it also fired from that location too. I enjoyed it more from the german side.
Here's a general game question, why with FOW do you read what type of unit the enemy is moving when you cant see it. Like" russian rifle squad moves" shouldn't be more generic when its a unit you cant see?

[Ichili]

Yes, I saw that issue - units off the board - and I was about to comment about it, plus a couple of other issues related to the Belikowo scenario.
Are you playing w/ "Hard" level of difficulty?It makes some difference.
And it is true, the game gives way too much information on the action reports, like "Pz IIIj moves", etc even when you are not being able to see the unit in question.
If they add STGIIIs, sewers, day and night, Guards, Soviet Marines and other stuff we will have here the best game dedicated to all things Stalingrad.

[budd]

i'm playing on the default which i believe is normal, i'll give the game a try on hard. I'll have to look up what the difficulty changes. I wasn't sure i was going to like the game, never played the board game. I was waiting for Hero's of stalingrad to come out, which they hinted would be out by years end i thought. Small unit tactical is my favorite and i am really enjoying the game. I hope it is successful and continues to be developed. I love city fighting and will play any stalingrad scenario i can. With the beauty of that map it deserves alot of scenarios. Keep them coming. Think i'll try Jamm's other, larger stalingrad scenario when i get time, vacations over so time will be limited.

[junk2drive]

budd, second post gives the difficulty setting breakdown

tm.asp?m=3220667

[budd]

thx Junk,

not sure i like those settings above normal. Seems like you might be waiting around alot for the AI, because your out of cap and AP and the AI has alot left. I've noticed it comes up already at times on normal where you hit pass alot until the end of turn comes, your almost forced to stall sometimes or take a chance on passing because you have to save up cap and ap to respond to enemy moves. Might not be as bad as i imagine, i'll give a try and see what happens.

[Jamm]

It is hard to create a scenario which is balanced for AI and H2H matches.
If you bump up the forces and do all the unit placements for the AI, then the firefight becomes too unbalanced and limited for a H2H match.
So I try to keep things as open ended and balanced for a H2H game.
So when I play these scenarios, I play on a more difficult setting to give the AI more units and CAPs.
It makes them way more challenging and enjoyable, and closer to the way I'd design them if it was to be AI only.

Yes I noticed the units going off the board edge when I played your scenario.
I'll work on a fix for that. I never noticed it before this scenario.

One suggestion.
When I do an ASL conversion, I usually have to do some alterations with VPs and victory conditions.
For this one I would've used fewer victory hexes and maybe used different values for each.
It was enjoyable though, good job.
I have all those scenario sheets here on my desk, and it's good to see someone designing them and using the map.

[junk2drive]

I seem to remember a handicap slider in the MP lobby when you get into the second screen. Ever try it?

I suppose we could start a thread on what to put in briefings. For solo play it could be stated to play on normal or hard.

[Ichili]

Jamm:
Thank you very much. Your scenarios and maps are great.
Re victory conditions, the scenario card states: "The Russians win if at game end they control at least 6 or more building / rubble / trench than they have lost (or than they started with if they have lost none)'. So my idea was to make all these buildings around the initial Russian perimeter as objective hexes. It is a game of "give and take" and played on hard, as I always do on COH, makes this not an easy walk.I don't know how it is played as H2H: due to some password issues I don't have access to the lobby

[PDiFolco]

Where can we get Jamm's Stalingrad maps ??