Progress

[Arjuna]

GoodGuy,

Good point but I have run out of time for that to be included now. That's another one for the wish list.

[ETF]

Curious I know the release estimates are hard to come by and they are in constatnly in flux. That being said are we looking at say a summer release? I think the last update was about a month ago. Thanks guys keep up the hard work!

[Arjuna]

I'm hoping to finish all new AI coding today ( ie end of June). I just have to finish off the rest-at-night code. Then I will switch to debugging and creating the tutorial movies. Panther Paul still has a few outstanding issues but he should knock these on the head over the next few weeks. Our aim right now is to sign off by the end of July. Add another few weeks for Matrix to do their bit and have it ready for download.

Edited dates - looks like I have been squirrelled away here for far too long - I don't even know what month it is. [:)]

[ETF]

Wow so just maybe an August release. Thanks for the frank assessment.

[ETF]

ORIGINAL: Capn Darwin

As a heads up, we just used BFTB beta at Origins War College for James Sterrett's Staff training and hit a couple snags both with the sleep code and units doing a May pole dance (all of the units moved arounded a central point after a movement order to head off map) and promptly went nowhere. Otherwise a fun battle.

Good luck with the rest of the game.

I think I read that post a while back. Curious wanting to do the same at our CON in Ontario. Have the screens and projectors. Do you have a rule set that you issued players? What rules did you use? Curious how did you print hard copies of your maps?

Thanks

[James Sterrett]

You need either one laptop and one projector, or two laptops and two projectors -- the latter if you have two teams! [:)]

I provided:

A big (36" on the small edge) printout of the map, and small (1x2 inch) sticky-notes to track battalions (solid outline for current, and dotted outline for ordered or projected positions).

A several-page briefing handout on the mission, friendly order of battle, and enemy order of battle

A handout on NATO symbology

A handout on the MDMP process (MDMP = military decision-making process)

A handout of sheets to assist in doing MDMP

I began with a Powerpoint presentation on staff roles in planning and execution, and an overview of MDMP. Then the players did their planning, coached by me and various assistants -- notably Brant Guillory and Mark Graves. (Mark will be deployed next year, and that will hurt!)


I ran three games at Origins: Flashpoint: Germany, TacOpsCav (same as civilian TacOps v4.05AM), and BFTB. BFTB is the hardest game for the players.

FPG has a lot happen in lengthy turns, but it makes sense to then stop and let the players analyze and deliberate after each turn. I turn up the heat steadily with shorter times between turns, but they have time to get their feet under them. (This year's team did an excellent job. In fact, all the teams did well this year!)

TacOps has one minute turns, so time can stutter forward and we're closer to a continuous time, but we can pause it needed.

BFTB (or COTA), though, I put on 2x time and never, ever paused. The staff had to either keep up or be destroyed! The sleep issues made that a bit easier than expected -- which is the peril of using beta code. [:)]

[ETF]

Thanks James!! I PM'ed you sir.
Have the laptops and projectors no problem. I hope I can replicate the same enjoyable experience at our CON. We get about 1000-1500 people over the x2 days. Anything to boast the sales of panther games!!!

[James Sterrett]

Great!

Other things you will likely need:

Helpers: At least one other person who can operate the game, ideally two. They should know thew game cold.

Keep in mind that I run these events as examples of military staff training. Players come into the room for a 4-hour seminar, and soon are assigned to be the CO, XO, 2, 3, 5, and Fires slots. (2 = intel, 3 = maneuver, 5 = future ops).

So, in some senses, I try to keep the focus *away* from the big screen, because if they're looking at it too closely, they are not doing their jobs! [:)]

Also as a result, I'm often cruising around trying to coach them. Thus the need for helpers.

You may also find this description of use in 2008, if you missed it:

fb.asp?m=2147606

This thread has pictures from 2008 -- before I had the big paper maps --

tm.asp?m=1846878

[Arjuna]

Hi all,

I realise it's been a while since I last advised how we are going. Rest assured it's not because we've downed tools - quite the reverse actually! The last few weeks have been spent polishing up loose ends, making tweaks to the reaction, force allocation, reinforcement and scheduling code. I'm quite happy now with the AI. Currently I am dividing my days between stomping on bugs and reviewing scenarios. I estimate another couple of weeks of this before we have a rock solid product. I still have to then do the tutorial movies and revise the SM and MM manuals.

[Arjuna]

By way of example of the polishing work that is currently going on. Below is a screen dump I took from the Elsenborn Ridge scenario to discuss the terrain effects of the Hockerlinie or dragons teeth terrain. Good ol' K.393 Coy was forced to retreat into it after the Ge outflanked it and attacked it from behind. But from that position it repelled all borders. It was only a massive barrage from three rocket Bns that finally forced it out. Now from my recce of this exact spot last October I knew that the dragons teeth terrain while offering some defensive benefit wouldn't have been that tough and so we have since modified the terrain effercts.

[Arjuna]

Here's a picture I took of the Hockerlinie in front of Coy K's position.

[Arjuna]

Here's another shot with your truly. AS you can see the "teeth" aren't that high but there would cover from direct fire and they would mitigate against HE fragmentation against deployed infantry.

[Arjuna]

And here's a shot of the K Coy position.

[Grestok]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

Hi all,

I realise it's been a while since I last advised how we are going. Rest assured it's not because we've downed tools - quite the reverse actually! The last few weeks have been spent polishing up loose ends, making tweaks to the reaction, force allocation, reinforcement and scheduling code. I'm quite happy now with the AI. Currently I am dividing my days between stomping on bugs and reviewing scenarios. I estimate another couple of weeks of this before we have a rock solid product. I still have to then do the tutorial movies and revise the SM and MM manuals.

I just wake up .... and do I see? Great news! Thanks ! I'm ready !

ps : beautiful photos

[Arjuna]

Hi all,

Hard yards at the moment ironing out all the details and squashing bugs. Because of the extensive overhauling of the AI and UI there's been a pile of these issues to resolve. Many have been due to chnages in the scheduling code which in turn have been due to adding new features like Rest at Night and modifying doctrines like removing HQs from the Assault task of attacks. Below is a screen dump from the Battle of the Roadblocks scenario, which has the 2nd Pz Div driving towards Bastogne. I'm playing the Germans and have committed the newly arrived 77th Gren Regt to the attack. This formation comprises two Gren Bns and the Regt HQ plus support troops. Notice how the Bn HQs are positioned in reserve and their companies are assaulting with mortar support coming from the Bn and Regt mortar units in the reserve positions.

[Arjuna]

This scenario is a real delight to play. Here's a shot of the battlefield with the German formations marked. It's 07:47 on Day 2. The Yanks have sent a relief column eastwards towards where the 77 GR is attacking. I'm unsure how strong they are. KG Cochenhausen was supposed tosupport the 77 GR by advancing down the highway but got held up during the night when it ran into a Bn sized blocking position at Hamiville. I had ordered the KG, a reinforced Pz Bn, to Move with the option to allow attacks. It promptly launched a series of attacks to clear Hamiville, but this has seriously delayed it from supporting the 77 GR attack.

Once Cochenhausen met opposition I ordered KG Bohn, who was resting some four km back to skirt NW and hopefully hit the enemy in the rear. They too have encountered more American units, but should be strong enough to brush these aside. With the American column approaching Longvilly ( the objective of the 77 GR attack ) I have just ordered KG Guttman to join the fray. Things are hotting up.

I need to allow KG Holt to rest some more. It spent a tough night clearing Antoniushaff. There is also a Bn of American armour to their west which has been roughly handled but could still pose a threat.

My main objectives are to either secure Bastogne or exit to its north. Depending on how today's battle unfolds I'll make an end run for one of these tomorrow or during the night if the opportunity presents.

[Arjuna]

Battle for Longvilly

Four hours on and the road is cleared to Allerborn. The IIBn of the 77GR is now lodged in the woods east of Longvilly and fighting a bitter battle. It's sister Bn got hit in the flank and fell back, losing their Inf Gun Platoon to enemy tank fire. KG 902's attack is doing a pretty good job of tying up the American forces now arriving in strength at Bastogne. But I need to break the US roadblock at Longvilly if I am to exit enough forces by scenario end ( just 30 hours away ).

KG Bohm is mounting an attack on Moinet, north of Longvilly. I'll use this group to support a heavy attack comprising KG Gutmann and KG Cochenhausen. These are pretty tough dudes with 145 AFVs including a Bn of Panthers and supported by Neblewefers, arty, hvy mortars and inf guns. This should be good.[:)]

[Deathtreader]

Hi all,

Lookin' reeeal good!!

A dumb question I'm sure but regarding the HQ's that joined the mortar platoons in reserve..... if those same mortar platoons were under direct player control would the HQ's have still gone into reserve?? If so, would they have ordered another of their subordinates to join them in lieu of the mortar platoons?? If the answer is yes then players like myself who tend to maximize personal control of bombardment capable units may have to adjust our thinking if it means that combat capable units could be pulled to replace combat support units as "handholders" for HQ's moving imto reserve. I almost hope it's true......[:D]

Hope the bug stomping goes well!

Rob.[:)]

[Arjuna]

Rob,

HQs will go into reserve regardless of whether or not there are other units assigned to the reserve. The assignment of units across attack tasks is handles by the Allocation code. It will depend on the priority value of the reserve ( amongst other factors ). This in turn depends on the forceRatio ( the larger the ratio the higher the reserve priority ), the task Aggro threshold ( the higher the threshold the lower the reserve priority ), if it's a secure counter-attack (doubles the reserve priority ) and commander Aggro level ( the higher the threshold the lower the reserve priority ). As a player you can influence this by raising or lowering the task Aggro setting.

As you can see from the screen dump above, the 77 GR committed all of its units to the assault bar the mortars. I left the aggro set at normal. So it must have assess the force ratio as fairly low and I just checked that its commander is "gung ho" - ie has a 77% Aggro level.[:)] So all the factors were in favour of lowering its allocation priority.

[Deathtreader]

Hi all,

Makes a lot of sense..........thanks, as always, for the quick response.

Resume bug stomping......

Rob.