Scenario Design 101 - Art of War #8 - Objectives-Unit Placement

[TheZel66]

I dont think this was asked in any previous classes, but if I wanted to rename my units to something more than the generic SPWAW squad formation names, are there any good formats to use, based on Regiment/Battalion/Company/Platoon organization naming conventions???

My particular interest in in German AirLanding/Engineer units..

[Wild Bill]

I probably won't have the time right now to test your scenario, Zel, but send it to me and I'll give it the once over.

There is no set format for naming units. Sadly, the length of a title is quite limited.

You have 15 spaces for letters and it fills up fast.

Since this is a tac level game (co - Btn)I usually ID the country first (US, or UK, or USMC, or GE, etc) and then for infantry the squad, platoon, company.

Example: GE 1/Sd/1Pn/A

An HQ unit: GE HQ CoA/1Bn

or GE HQ 1Pn/CoA

For weapons I use: GE LMG/1Pn/A
or GE PzF Tm/1Pn/A

Armor is a little different. What you don't want to do is hide what unit it is. Some people can't identify a tank by looking at it. They need a name.

Of course, I'll go wild on the better known tanks and give them names.

Example: US Lady Beth
or M4a3 Lady Beth

Experiment and see what fits and what doesn't.

Wild Bill

[Wild Bill]

I'll be late with the newest addition to the scenario design class. Of course you know that by now. Sorry! Commitments on the home front and elsewhere!

WB

[Wild Bill]

I just posted this info on another topic but since we are dealing with scenario design, I thought it would fit well here.

Making Units stay in place

After experimenting with this feature in dozens of scenarios, I have found that the following method works every time. Let me summarize.

For a unit to STAY in place set the type of battle to either Advance-Delay or Assault-Defend. ALWAYS! This is the real key to holding them in place.

It is not enough to change the stance of a formation from advance to defend. Once you set a battle as meeting engagement, you are going to have defenders move. So make sure you set your battle first.

Set the units to computer control. This is also important. Even if the AI is playing the defending side you MUST set each unit you want to stay still under computer control. Do you know how to do that?

When you do this, notice that the reaction turn is automatically posted in the upper right hand corner with a default setting of 99.

You can change that. You can, for example, have a formation stay in one place for 10 turns, then move. How? Set reaction turn to 10.

So simply put, here are the three steps.

1. Set Type of Battle to Assault-Defend or Advance-Delay

2. Set each formation you want controlled to stay in place for the entire game or for a portion of it to "computer control."

3. Set the amount of time you want them locked in place to either "99" (they never move - no matter what) OR to "??" whatever turn you want them to move.

That should do it.

Wild Bill

[darroch]

WB - thanks so much for the scenario advice in your many posts.

And specifically, thanks for the "Stay in PLace" methodology - on another thread, in response to my plea for a technique to make them sit tight, someone said to give your approach a try. It is critical for my first scenario that the defenders sit tight.

So far, in playtesting, it seems to be working - the defenders are crouching in their holes hoping the Panzers don't see them. No longer are they marching towards captured VOs and getting caught on the open steppe in route formation!!!

Now I can finally finish this scenario and send it to my friend so we can start our incremental campaign game...I build the scenarios one at a time, he plugs them into the campaign game framework. When he's done he scrambles the set up a little and sends it back to me for my core battalion to grind through...

As long as you load the next scenario into the campaign game framework before the current one ends, the software ignores the fact that it wasn't there at the beginning of the campaign.

Provides a LOT of flexibility for the campaign game manager...

We're doing Manstein in the Ukraine starting in September '41 and going until the fall of Sevastopol (which, at the rate, we're going, will be 2006!!) - plenty of interesting situations to model..

Anyone know how to simulate Morser Karl or the 800cm Big Bertha railway gun???

It would be just for fun because the ROF would be about one round every 4 or 5 turns at the fastest...but the impact would be catastrophic!!!

Once again, Cheers to you for all the hard work and helpful information...

[darroch]

I meant 80cm railway gun... :rolleyes:

[darroch]

I meant 80cm...oops

:rolleyes:

[john g]

Originally posted by darroch:
WB - thanks so much for the scenario advice in your many posts.

Anyone know how to simulate Morser Karl or the 800cm Big Bertha railway gun???

It would be just for fun because the ROF would be about one round every 4 or 5 turns at the fastest...but the impact would be catastrophic!!!

Once again, Cheers to you for all the hard work and helpful information...

Since the big railmount seige guns were loaded with concrete busting shells, any attempt to fire them at hexes that were not covered with dozens of yards of reinforced concrete will just mean that the shell will bury itself so deep in the ground that it does little damage to units topside. The shells were not designed to be contact fused or airburst so all of the explosive power will be spent moving earth far underground.

If by some chance someone wanted to use them this way, something like a 1000 lb bomb times 4 seems to me about right. The shell walls were extra thick to penetrate concrete so the extra size doesn't give that much extra explosive capacity.

Remember however, these were not pinpoint accurate weapons, I wouldn't want one firing anywhere near my troops. And I think your rate of fire estimate is way too high. Even firing against stationary targets it takes quite a while between shots with guns this size.
thanks, John.

[TheZel66]

WB,

Im working on my second scenerio. New concepts I'm going to try this time are reinforcements.
QUESTION: How do you change the positioning of the re-inforcement entry flags??

[Flashfyre]

In the Map Editor, select the hex you want one of the reinforcement flags to be in, then use the number keys to place one. The following chart shows:
0: Player One Retreat Hex
1: Player Two Retreat Hex
2-5: Player One Reinforce Hexes(1-4)
6-9: Player Two Reinforce Hexes (1-4)

So, to make a hex the 3rd Reinforcement Hex for Player Two, you would select the hex, and hit the "8" number key.

[Wild Bill]

That is about as concise an explanation as can be given. Of course attaching units is another matter.

The flag #8 (3rd Flag, Side 2) in the map editor when you place it becomes reinforcement hex #3 when you assign units to it. Now I am sure you are good and confused

Wild Bill