[MERRY CHRISTMAS!] New Scenario: "Operation Christiane"

[RFalvo69]

First of all, thank you for your suggestions! I'm revising the scenario, so they are very helpful.

Is this the dreaded Soviet attack from the barracks? That would explain the relative "paucity" of Soviet artillery. And I had forgot that the West Germans didn't put much into corps artillery the way the US Army did, so . . .no more argument there.

While not strictly "from the barracks," the scenario assumes that the Soviets achieved operational surprise. The 2nd Tank Army managed to push an intact motorized rifle division beyond the Elbe, but the rest of the 2TA is still crossing. So, the Soviets can only count, for now, on their divisional artillery.

Having said that, IMHO the artillery in the game is a bit "timid." The first volley in the scenario follows Soviet doctrine: "Lacking intel, fire where the enemy is supposed to be." This is why some barrages are quite precise and others fall on empty hexes. Basically, I simulated luck.

However, after replenishing and being put "on call," Soviet artillery seldom fires. I'm trying some tweaks for the new version, and they do seem to work. But I really would like for the WP's artillery to be more aggressive.

As for the F-104. Apparently the Germans called it a widow maker. https://theaviationgeekclub.com/heres-l ... dow-maker/ It wasn't officially retired until 1991, but I do wonder how many were still in frontline readiness.

According to www.globalsecurity.org/, in 1989 the Luftwaffe had a total of 73 active F-104G. They were all-weather fighter bombers. We can assume that, in the lead-up to war and after the war started, NATO moved what reinforcements were available in the Buchholz area—as the weakness there was becoming apparent. Some F-104G were thus redeployed and are now in a war zone...

However, and again, the way the game models aircrafts is dubious. They are too fragile and, when shot down, they cost A LOT of VP to their side. IMHO, this happens because air strikes are resolved one by one, so each one of them can be targeted by the whole enemy AA shield. Four attacks happening at the same moment should saturate enemy AA defences, but I don't see this happening.

Anyway, I added planes to both sides. The DDR too now comes to say "hello!"

In scenarios where I have planes I take them off computer control and leave them on the ground unless I have absolute air superiority, or the losses wouldn't be catastrophic to my points versus the Pact. It mostly seems to work out for me.

Absolutely. NEVER leave your air assets to the AI. Their time of arrival simply tells the player when they are available. If the player uses them piecemeal they will just die.

Looking forward to the next iteration.

I basically have it ready, but I'm waiting for the patch to exit beta, as I don't want to redo some workarounds just because a certain problem was fixed.

[WABAC]

From things I have read previously, Soviet artillery fires where it wants to go. I seldom play that side, but that's what I do when I play Red. There's not a whole lot a scenario designer can do to ensure that happens after the first round.

Take a look at what Tazak is doing with Pact artillery. It's shock and awe.

[RFalvo69]

From things I have read previously, Soviet artillery fires where it wants to go. I seldom play that side, but that's what I do when I play Red. There's not a whole lot a scenario designer can do to ensure that happens after the first round.

I'm using as reference the book I mentioned in the main discussion, Battlegroup!: The Lessons of the Unfought Battles of the Cold War by Jim Storr. For example:

"Much (WP's) artillery fire would be predicted, not observed, but based on poor intelligence. That, and striving to achieve prescribed norms of ammunition expenditure, would typically lead to ferociously heavy but inaccurate (and hence ineffective) bombardments. Indirect fire control procedures were clumsy. Thus pre-planned fires, in defence or the initial stages of an attack, might be effective. As ranges increased and the advance accelerated, coordination and fire effect would drop off."

Take a look at what Tazak is doing with Pact artillery. It's shock and awe.

Will do!