Seven Roads to Hell scenario released

[Arjuna]

Thanks Grouchy. Spot on.

[Killswitch]

Victory is mine! [:D]

I have just been able to finish, ie without crashing, a slightly modified version of the 1.01 scenario. I played the basic scenario, historical setting, no favouring of either side in reinforcements or supply. The modifications are:

• Changed XLVII Corps HQ from "No show" to "Ground" since it has subordinates that appear as reinforcements.
• Used a hex editor on the scenario file and edited it so companies are no longer in the same Btn (eg: H/3/327 is shown as "H Coy 3/327" and the marker has "H.3.327" in it). I just couldn't play with every thing in 1st Btn...

I haven't checked the other reinforcement variants for the "Superior No show-Subordinate show-crash" issue.

Again, the scenario most likely needs fixes for the other reinforcement alternatives.

*EDIT: Removed link to modified version of the old 1.01. Use El Savior's from his site.

[El Savior]

Very good Killswitch!

I run test game yesterday again and it didn't crash. I was playing Allies side, normal reinforcements and 1.01 version with XLVII Korps HQ set to noshow. But it seems many other are having crash problems. Strange.

[El Savior]

I was thinking how to make final solution for this reinforcement crash problem. I could easily divide scenario for two. First is historical battle and another favor German. This way it is possible to avoid noshow subordinates. Give me couple days and I will do this. Hopefully after this everybody are able to finish my scenario.

I was thinking to create OOB for historical scenario:

XLVII Korps HQ arriving second day

subornidate units:

26th Division HQ (noshow for 39th Regiment) arriving second day
901st Regiment HQ (from Lehr division)
902nd Regiment HQ (this is reinforcement for favor german in historical scenario)
304th Regiment HQ (from 2nd Pz division)
1st Battalion of 2nd Pz Regiment (again from 2nd Pz Div)
14th FJ Regiment HQ (from 5th FJ division)
Artillery + support units from 2nd Pz and Pz Lehr

2nd Pz and Lehr units are directly under XLVII Korps HQ to avoid 26th Div HQ reaching command limit. Is scenario working then? Only two artillery battalions, 39th Regiment and 902nd Regiment are in noshow. These units will not have any subordinates showing. But these units are appearing if choosed Favor German option. Giving 902nd regiment to German will make it (maybe) possible to achieve major victory even with German side. I could also add 39th regiment if needed and those two arty units to reinforcements. Second scenario will be old tweaked favor german from version 1.01. In this second scenario German player will have most of the XLVII Korps regiments and it will be better balanced and suitable for head-to-head battles.

This way I could make more balanced scenario(s) and give better favor options for both battle. I have already started testing process for new historical battle. And it's quite easy and fast to do, only testing will take few hours.

Comments?

[El Savior]

Here is score from my latest test game. It was new Favour German scenario. German had two panzer regiments (2nd and 130th), two panzergrenadier regiments (901st and 304th)and two volksgrenadier regiments (77th and 78th). Also sevent day arrived 14th fallschirmjäger regiment, but it was missing second and third battalion.

Decisive victory! Final blow was when I cut the road between Noville and Bastogne and pocketed Allies main force. After that (6th day) it was all too easy. Soon battalion size force defending Bastogne was overun and green men were running everywhere. [:D]

Check screenshots: Final score and Final screen

Maybe tomorrow I'm playing historical battle. I'm sure I can't get decisive victory with German forces. But we will see. [:)]

[El Savior]

Version 1.10 is out. I have divided scenario in two: historical and favour German. Hopefully this will fix all crash problems. As always, new scenario can be donwnloaded from Airborne Depot. I also slighly lowered score needed for German victory.

[matkal1]

Great Scenario. Great Game. I am playing seven roads for three hours now. Day2. I hope i positioned my units in the right place when german will hit them.

Thanks!

[Grognard]

Just a small org. note:

327th Glider, 2nd and 3rd Bn Coy's are named 1st Bn Coy's.
Easy fix in the Ed.

Am commencing defense soonest...

[Killswitch]

ORIGINAL: Grognard
Just a small org. note:

327th Glider, 2nd and 3rd Bn Coy's are named 1st Bn Coy's.
Easy fix in the Ed.

I took the liberty of fixing up the Coy marker naming issues for the 1.101 version of the scenarios available on the Airborne Depot:

*EDIT: Link removed,not needed - the 1.11 version has typo fixed scenarios.

[derf]

does anyone have a good day by day historical situation map?

[matkal1]

[El Savior]

Fixed those typos in 1.11 version. Its available now in my site. Thanks guys for finding that, my eyes are hurting when I need to check for typos. [;)] Actually I will leave tomorrow for two weeks holiday to Finland. I'm without computer and internet, but I will probably check my emails one or two times during this holiday. So Merry Christmas everybody and give a minute to remember those who fought and died during Battle of Bastogne 1944. It is exatly 60-years from now!

About day-by-day maps. They are hard to find, I try to find those for my scenario. Actuallu it has passed my mind to use my current scenario map and units to create day-by-day map about the battle. But I don't know if I have enough inspiration for that project. As always, books are usually the best source. I found several good maps in these books:

The Battered Bastards of Bastogne by George Koskimaki ISBN: 1-932033-06-8

This one is probably the best single source about the battle. George Koskimaki have interviewed 101st troopers and gathered firsthand accounts about the battle. Unfortunately book is all about US soldiers. Text is full of details and give good feeling about the battle and situation. Unfortunately few maps are simple handwritten with little information. They only support text. I hope I'm not violating any copyright when publishing contents and map list from the book, you can view scanned picture here.

The Ardennes Offensive, US VII & VIII Corps and British XXX Corps by Bruce Quarrie ISBN: 1-85532-585-5

This one have good maps and also OOB for US troops. It have maps and short review about Longvilly/Mageret (December 17-19), Neffe/Bizory (December 19-20) , Wardin/Marvie (December 19-20), Marvie (December 20-24), Noville (December 19-20), Flamierge/Hemroulle (December 21-25) and Champs/Longchamps (December 24-25) battles. It's so far the best source for maps and units and have markers for German regiments too. For a bonus you got nice big map about central sector. It's very simple map and shows towns, rivers, hills, forests. Surely it is better than nothing, size is about 110x90 km.

If someone is able to find more books about Battle for the Bastogne I'm more than happy to hear about them!

[El Savior]

BTW, it seems that this map is showing situation morning December 20th. 'Team Desobry' (1st Battalion of 506th + 20th Armored Infantry Battalion) is still holding but surrounded in Noville. To help withfraw from Noville, 3rd Battalion of 506th was attacking towards Foy. Noville was one of the most interesting battle IMHO.

[matkal1]

t day-by-day maps. They are hard to find, I try to find those for my scenario. Actuallu it has passed my mind to use my current scenario map and units to create day-by-day map about the battle. But I don't know if I have enough inspiration for that project. As always, books are usually the best source. I found several good maps in these books:

Yes 60 anniversary of German offensive in the Ardennes. Here are some good online books about Ardenes and Bastogne:


BASTOGNE: The First Eight Days

THE ARDENNES: Battle of the Bulge

Ardennes-Alsace

And high quality images from bastogne and ardennes:

http://www.army.mil/cmh/reference/bulge/images.htm

[matkal1]

I played german standard scenario (without additional reinforcments) and got decisive victory without much trouble. Allied 12th Army asked for surrender on 7 day of battle

May final map

[El Savior]

Damn good results matka1! [:)]

Yes, I'm back from my Christmas vacation. It seems my scenario is now working. At least I haven't seen any messages that it will crash. Any comments? Is it balanced, too hard or too easy? I might still do minor tweaks to it if people want to.

My next project is still under brainstorm, but I will announce it after Conquest of the Agean is out. Now, I'm much more prepared and I have already WW2 era maps about the area. I will first do the research and only then the scenario. Making Bastogne scenario was a good practice.

Hmm.. It seems 2005 is going to be good year! COTA is coming and we can play HTTR while waiting it. [8D]

[Toppers]

is the scenario easy to instal?

[El Savior]

I had try to make it really easy to install. Just extract it to your HTTR folder and scenario and map will be installed to the right folders automatically.

[Toppers]

thanks that helps....[&o]

[Mark Weston]

Hi there,

I downloaded this to have a go at a few days ago. I'm seeeing some very bad path-finding decisions, and while I've only played about 12 hours into a scenario, it seems to be consistent rather than occassional.

What I'm seeing whenever choosing a "fastest" route option is units selecting paths that ignore roads and concentrate on trails and clear terrain. The result can be some incredibly un-intuitive (and unhelpful) moves.

Is anyone else seeing this? Is it something to do with the way new maps interact with the game engine?

Here (hopefully) are a couple of screenshots of examples

Mark