Mini Hofen AAR by Daz

[dazkaz15]

Slide 25

[dazkaz15]

Slide 26

[Mahatma]

Reading this reminded me off so much that can be done during a game that I've learned to appreciate the small scale events during a game as part of a grand narrative that is the scenario. Most enjoyable is how the actions of each unit fit together like a puzzle that it remind me of chess. Except that there is no single objective, but multiple objectives that can be thought of as squares on a board that need to be controlled and done so by understanding the strengths and weakness of all the friendly and enemy pieces. I love Command Ops. And the board is not a flat two-dimensional surface but an undulating topography that must be navigated skillfully and which plays a critical part of the game. It's fantastic. If I had infinite time I'd play COps for a million hours. Many excellent tactics are in MarkShot's HTTR strategy guide which should be essential reading for any player. But there are some gaps Dazkaz and I think you're the man to fill them. Or myself, anyone really. What we don't know from the strategy guide:

1. How quickly troops fatigue and recover fatigue during rest. This depends on the weather, time of day and terrain as far as I know.
2. The modifiers for terrain. There are posted in the forum and are as follows:
Anti-Armour and Anti-Personnel
// deployMod values kUndeployed, kTakingCover, kDeployed, kDugIn, kEntrenched, kFortified
const pf kDeployModOpen[] = { pf(1.00), pf(0.67), pf(0.33), pf(0.20), pf(0.15), pf(0.125) };
const pf kDeployModScrub[] = { pf(0.81), pf(0.58), pf(0.365), pf(0.25), pf(0.20), pf(0.122) };
const pf kDeployModVillage[] = { pf(0.61), pf(0.50), pf(0.40), pf(0.30), pf(0.25), pf(0.120) };
const pf kDeployModTown[] = { pf(0.41), pf(0.35), pf(0.30), pf(0.25), pf(0.20), pf(0.115) };
const pf kDeployModCity[] = { pf(0.20), pf(0.18), pf(0.16), pf(0.14), pf(0.133), pf(0.110) };
const pf kDeployModFort[] = { pf(0.15), pf(0.14), pf(0.13), pf(0.12), pf(0.11), pf(0.10) };

case kUndeployed:
deploymentMod = pf(1.0);
break;
case kTakingCover:
deploymentMod = pf(0.5);
break;
case kDeployed:
deploymentMod = pf(0.33);
break;
case kDugIn:
deploymentMod = pf(0.2);
break;
case kEntrenched:
deploymentMod = pf(0.15);
break;
case kFortified:
deploymentMod = pf(0.1);
break;

3. What else?

[dazkaz15]

ORIGINAL: Mahatma

Reading this reminded me off so much that can be done during a game that I've learned to appreciate the small scale events during a game as part of a grand narrative that is the scenario.
Most enjoyable is how the actions of each unit fit together like a puzzle that it remind me of chess.
Except that there is no single objective, but multiple objectives that can be thought of as squares on a board that need to be controlled and done so by understanding the strengths and weakness of all the friendly and enemy pieces.
I love Command Ops. And the board is not a flat two-dimensional surface but an undulating topography that must be navigated skillfully and which plays a critical part of the game. It's fantastic.
If I had infinite time I'd play COps for a million hours.
Many excellent tactics are in MarkShot's HTTR strategy guide which should be essential reading for any player. But there are some gaps Dazkaz and I think you're the man to fill them. Or myself, anyone really.

That's what I have been trying to tell you in your own AAR thread.

Playing like an RTS can be fun, and very challenging, and I have nothing against that style of play at all.
You can play the game however you like so long as your having fun, but by staying zoomed out, and just drag selecting units, or playing with Regimental, or even Divisional HQ's levels of command, you are missing out on so much more Command Ops has to offer.
Especially if your into the role play, or the history side of things.

When I play, its not the commanders I am thinking about.
I often try to imagine the hardships, pain and terror that most of our generation has not had to experience thank god, but what these men, and women had to endure, at that time.
This is further reinforced when doing an AAR, because you often find yourself going though old photographs, on line, looking for pictures of equipment etc. that often leads to pictures of atrocities, and the casualties of war.

I would like to thank games like this for helping to keep it in our memories, so we never forget, the true implications of how horrific, and destructive war can be.

[dazkaz15]

Without going into graphic images of carnage, this is what I'm talking about:

edit: Sorry about that I must be having a melancholy moment.
Ill try to buck up, and post the next update.

[dazkaz15]

Slide 27

[Phoenix100]

What are the pics, Daz. They look like kiddies. Are they a movie, or real? 12 SS?

[dazkaz15]

I am fairly sure they are real. Ill try to find out more about them for you.
Slide 28

[dazkaz15]

Here is the link for Hans-Georg Henke:

http://rarehistoricalphotos.com/hans-ge ... er-crying/

I can't find anything factual about the other young lad, but it looks far to authentic, to me, to be a movie.

[DerGrenadier]

The second picture is from a movie called "Die Brücke" (The Bridge). It plays during the final days of WW2 where a handful of boys is send in a backwater AO. Theres no contact with the US Army expected but suddenly US troops appear and the boys try to defend the meaningless bridge. In the end all except 1 die.

Heres a Trailer, in German. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uecjvBaF_Oo

At 0:20 you can see the above picture.

[dazkaz15]

Thanks for the link. I must admit I was a tad disappointed it wasn't real, but enjoyed watching the movie clips, and even some of the others in the side bar, although I couldn't understand a word that was said, there were some interesting images of WW2 equipment, uniforms etc.
I see they have made a modern version as well of "The Bridge".

I'm back at work now guys. I'm afraid this is going to slow down a lot, maybe even stop until my next holiday.
I hope you have enjoyed what I have done so far, and thanks for your lovely comments.

Slide 29

[rickier65]

I know I've been enjoying it. Also playing it myself, and following yours as I go.

Thanks
Rick

[loki100]

agree, great stuff

given me more confidence at moving between command levels as I try to ensure my units move around more like an army than an armed mob [;)]

[dazkaz15]

Thanks guys.
Let me know how you get on, I would be very interested to know if the attack plan worked for you.

Slide 30

[dazkaz15]

Slide 31

[Remmes]

Great read, keep it up Daz!

[dazkaz15]

Ill try [:'(]
I'm Glad your enjoying it.
It is inspiring to know that people are still reading and enjoying it [:)]

Slide 32

[Phoenix100]

Yep. Really enjoying this, Daz. I'm looking forward to the assault on Mutzenich...[;)]

[dazkaz15]

Here you go Peter [:)]

Slide 33

[Phoenix100]

OK. The fusiliers were the start of the assault on Mutzenich? Or have you cancelled it? I guess there's not many gents there with much energy remaining. Those damn Stuarts. I wonder if it will be different to take them on after the patch. I certainly hope so.