Let's build - Avalon Hill's Arab-Israeli Wars !!!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Maus Man

very cool. I was hoping someone would start trying to convert some of those scenarios.
I have my game still, but not quite sure where the map boards ended up over the years.

I am hoping Alan Arvold to start transfering his various Divided Ground scenarios including all Tribute To AHAIW situations to CS: Middle East. I know he is considering it, but he's got quite a few projects he's busy with to finish first. That would be the greatest thing eh!

[Warhorse]

I already did remake one of his, Khan Yunis, day 1, part 1, because it was so cool to play in DG!!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Warhorse

I already did remake one of his, Khan Yunis, day 1, part 1, because it was so cool to play in DG!!

Cool!

Too bad Khan Yunis has lots of elevations so won't work with this map mod... Maybe when packaging this mod together I'll do a map with the desert boards A+B aligned together.

I just looked at the AIW situations, there's three scenarios for that map placement: B-1 "Bir Gifgafa" 1956; S-9 "El Firdan" 1973 and S-13 "Chinese Farm" 1973. I'll convert those three to be included in this mod.

I should have this all out the next weekend I hope.

[Warhorse]

So the elevations graphics don't work with the AI mod?

[Crossroads]

Since I am modeling the tiles with the terrain present in AIW map boards, all's good as long there's two elevations: ground, and slopes (hills). And ridges in hilltops make it three, actually.

Elevations 0, 1 and 2, in other words [:)]

[Crossroads]

Final screenshot before calling it a day. Hot Seat game with the random mechanized units I put to the test scenario. Map boards A and B, as before. Here's a Reverse map view depicting the Arab Alliance determined to push the IDF forces back to their side of the canal.

In previous turn, the few IDF tanks retreated to firing positions at the friendly side, taking advantage of their better range. Time to close in, then!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

Let's build - Avalon Hill's Arab-Israeli Wars !!!

Or: A How-To Guide in making of how to bring a look and feel similar to your favorite Boardgame into CS: Middle East

So what would it take?

[*] New terrain tiles. Only two (or three, if you count the LOS-blocking ridges on top of hills) elevations
[*] New city tiles
[*] New vegetation tiles
[*] New counters (Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan included in the original game)
[*] New Black 2D Profile unit sheets, with NATO symbols for all infantry units (with white background).

What else? Sounds doable...

So let's have a look at the effort required. First, terrain and marker tiles. From left to right:

[*] Roads7d.bmp All black roads as in boardgame
[*] Sides7d.bmp Sand Dunes as yellowish blocks
[*] Vegetation7d.bmp Orchards, in the style as in the map. This was a difficult part to get right, especially as in CS:Me orchards are a full hex tile
[*] Terrain7d.bmp Cities, Suburbs and Villages in style as in the boardgame. All have the same tiles, as the boardgame has generic "towns" only.
[*] Markers7d.bmp Minefields in the style as in the game, then simply recolored the existing IPs, Bunkers and Pillboxes together with Wrecks with color similar to used in the boardgame.
[*] Des-Green7d.bmp, Des-Brown7d.bmp Elevations. Boardgame has only two elevations, but since it uses ridges in top of slopes to block LOS, I added a darker Slope to reflect those hexes. Elevations 0, 1 and 2 only!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

So let's have a look at the effort required. First, terrain and marker tiles.

Then, Counters and Units, and a new Blankbox sidebar to top it all.

[*] Counters7d22.bmp Israel (and 7d23 Egypt, 7d26 Syria, 7d25 Jordan) I replaced the stock Alt Counters (48x48 pixels with a border and a unit type bar in the bottom) with new 46x46 pixel counters that I resized from the Std counters. The CS:ME French counters had a hue similar to AIW Israelis, while Syrian counters were used for boardgame Egyptian and Syrian forces, and the Pro-East gold for Jordanians.
[*] Icons7d22.bmp Israeli (and 23 Egypt 26 Syria and 25 Jordan) I replaced all foot infantry unit profiles with NATO icons with white background. AIW boardgame had the symbols directly on counters with no background color, could have done the same here, but thought this might look better.
[*] Blankbox0.bmp Finally, a Unit List background graphic paying tribute to the boardgame. Based on the comments on the thread I did not want to use original AIW box art here. If you want to do that, just create a Blankbox of your own and replace mine.

[Crossroads]

As always, any changes to graphics or data files that ship with the game are strongly advised to be packaged as a JSGME mod, and to be put into /Mods folder.

That's what I did here too:

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

As always, any changes to graphics or data files that ship with the game are strongly advised to be packaged as a JSGME mod, and to be put into /Mods folder.

That's what I did here too

Then, when you fire up your JSGME you will see something like this. Note the tool tip text, that becomes available if there is a text while with the .jsgme file type in the mod, as what I did here.

[Crossroads]

And in case you were paying attention here...

[*] Terrain and Unit tiles were shown on top of a CS Middle East Scenario Editor ...
[*] There was a /scenarios folder in the mod too...

... to enjoy this terrain and unit mod better I quickly put together three scenarios loosely based on the original AIW situations:

Situation B-1 Bir Gifgafa

November 2, 1956: En route to the Suez Canal, the Israeli 7th
Armored Brigade is intercepted by the Egyptian 1st Armored Brigade.

Situation S-4 Jenin

June 6, 1967: The Jordanian 25th Infantry Brigade and 12th Independent Tank Battalion defend Jenin against an attack by the Israeli Peled Division.

Situation S-12 Marjayou

Some Time In Future: An Israeli Armored Brigade advances into Lebanon opposed by an Arab force of Syrians, Palestinians, and Lebanese.

The last AIW situation, published in 1977 when AIW came out, got some attention later in 1982 as the actual Israeli intervention into Lebanon followed this situation pretty much to the letter... Wonder what wargames the IDF staff had played at the time?

[Crossroads]

Now available as a Download in the Mods and Scenarios subforum. I hope you enjoy it! [:)]

[berto]

Somebody's been busy!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: berto

Somebody's been busy!

Well that's it for me being busy, time for a little break actually playing this game [X(]

Back in the boardgaming days, it was much about playing a solitaire, switching the side of the table, thinking "So THAT'S what he did! Hmm..."

In the spirit of those happy days, I am now playing a Hot Seat solitaire of Situation B-1 against myself...

Extreme Fog-Of-War ON.

So THAT'S what he did! Hmm...

[berto]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

Back in the boardgaming days, it was much about playing a solitaire, switching the side of the table, thinking "So THAT'S what he did! Hmm..."

Back (way back) in the 1960s, in our early to mid adolescence, my elder brother and I shared a bedroom, each with separate built-in desks. Picture this: He, alone at his desk, playing hot-seat solitaire the AH games of his preference (typically AH Stalingrad, or Tactics II); and me, alone at my desk, playing hot-seat solitaire the AH games of my preference (typically AH Waterloo, or Guadalcanal). We seldom played H2H games against each other.

I think we both have personality disorders. [;)] [:D]

[Crossroads]

Ha, that's pretty awesome

Meanwhile, a most brutal battle by Suez Canal. My Egyptians decided to play a game of chicken against err... my Israelis advancing towards them. 40 burning Egyptian tanks mark the terrain partnered with the 25 burning Israeli tanks... The remaining Israeli Battle Group advanced to have their Shawarma at the Roadhouse further down the road.

A more cunning plan for Egyptians than a head butt, next time?

[mllange]

What a nice project; great work!

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: nim8or

What a nice project; great work!

I am glad you are liking it. Was a hoot to put together for sure [:'(]

[Crossroads]

While playing "The Crossroads", IDF attack towards Jenin vs. Berto, thought I'd give AIW "Situation S-4 Jenin" a go. While at it, thought I'd try if there's room for a little unit identifier text on the counters, and found out that to some extent: yes.

[Rosseau]

It's that insatiable desire to create. Wish it was always for the good. But thank you for sharing your dreams and talents.