Matrix Games Forums

It IS frustrating to watch the Hinds work you over, but I imagine it would have been even worse in reality. Eventually, the Hinds die off, go back for resupply, etc. Usually, I've found that if you can weather the first thrust, each successive wave of helos becomes less and less lethal. Helos are fragile--they can hit hard but they have zero staying power it seems. So, it balances out eventually.

Please do not think I am at all against the use of helicopters, they are an integral part of the modern battlefield and they and the CAS add the necessary third axis to the battlefield space. I just meant to say that their careless use may unbalance the scenarios to the point of making them dull or even hard to play and boring. FPC is a game, not a simulation, and as a game I (we) play it for the challenge and the fun. Recently I purchased an extremely detailed WW2 game with the hope that being so carefully modelated (its author makes military simulations) it would be interesting to play, despite the strange lack of reviews and interest in general I found after its release. That extremely detailed game showed up to be a total fiasco, even with a powerful PC every turn was long, slow and uninteresting. Its data was as accurate as it could be, but its playability was very low. After a few tries I quit and never played it again.
Of course I know many people will think differently, it is just an opinion aiming to be useful.

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian

I think the differences in each nationalities armed forces is shown very well. When you go from playing one nation to another you have to learn an entirely different set of tactics to highlight their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. It's interesting to see what those strengths and weaknesses are and what you have to do to compensate for them.

Good Hunting.

MR

OK. So when will AH-64s be able to engage targets from 8k away like in real life?

I accept your opinion and am glad you voice how you feel. This scenario is not a 'fun' meeting engagement. This is an infantry defense against a Soviet Helicopter Regiment. As such, it is very different from the other scenarios. I have made a couple of tweaks to it but the basic scenario is the same. As NATO you get hammered in the opening phases of this battle. No way around it.

I understand very much the line between game and sim. The 1989 scenarios that came with this game are of my making. I'm the one that chose how to use the engine. What to highlight, when and where. I tried to give you as many scenarios and campaigns as time would allow. I only have so many different pieces of equipment to use in the scenarios. That means that they situations have to be as different as I can make them. Overall, I didn't put enough Hinds in the scenarios. The Soviets had A LOT of helicopters!!

I put just enough in the scenarios for you to get the taste of what they would have been like and to have to 'deal' with the threat.

However, in Dawns First Light you get the real deal. Well, you get half the real deal. A real Soviet Attack Helicopter Regiment would have twice as many helicopters as is in this scenario. At one point I had them in the scenario. As you might imagine, it was a tough place to be. So, I'm actually the only one that's faced the full regiment at this time. Until such time as one of you makes a scenario with them in it. I toned them down because they were too smothering.

As I said before, not every scenario is for everybody. This is not my favorite scenario either. It is one I learned a lot about how it may have felt to be under the Hind's guns and have little to say about it. For that I found the scenario interesting.

Good Hunting.

MR

It makes me wonder how the Gulf War would've gone had the Iraqis possessed a larger, more modern air force capable of offering battle and coming closer to parity with the Coalition. My understanding is that the Vulcans simply were used in ground support role against bunkers and light vehicles.

From what I've read of the Iran-Iraq war I'm amazed that Iraq wanted to go to war with anyone that was using anything more technical than a single shot rifle riding around the desert on a camel.

Saddam Hussein made huge mistakes fighting with Iran, which was in total chaos when the war started. He consistently made every decision go through him, so his military genius could show through. Even then, he didn't learn the first time and came back for a rematch.

Sound like anyone else we all know and love??!!??

Good Hunting.

MR

Just a quick 2.02 update update[:D]:
1. On the Helo/AD front we have fixed one bug with Radar spotting that should help AD systems shoot more.
2. We have also found and fixed a situation that was draining helo unit readiness like a vampire. They should now be more in line with other units.
3. I also fixed a data issue with the US hellfire ATGM range and name in the editor (I missed something typing data in, thanks MikeAP for the heads up).
4. The hints and resupply issues for helos are also squared away.

We are working a number of other issues and will be posting a more involved "What's New in 2.02" thread in the next couple of days.

Don't you guys ever rest? [:)]

Of course. We rest on the weekends like you guys do! [8D]

Good Hunting.

MR

Resting, what is this strange concept you speak of...[:D]

ORIGINAL: Capn Darwin

3. I also fixed a data issue with the US hellfire ATGM range and name in the editor (I missed something typing data in, thanks MikeAP for the heads up).

If you want to talk ranges, I see many oddities in the data file. Cannons and small arms mostly.

Have you any ETA on the 2.02 patch?

Thanks

Yes, after we get it tested to the point we like what we see. That shouldn't be too much longer.

Answering that question always gets me to laughing. It's like you putting your boat on the lake and me asking you how long it will be before you catch your first fish. YMMV.

Good Hunting.

MR

I would use TNT to blow the fish out of the water, so not to long, this game has made me like explosives far to much

Thanks for the reply and all your work on this great game

ETA. When it is ready. MR is doing some scenario rebalance work and needs Rob and I to get a few things working right in order to do what he needs to do. I'm hoping we have the helo resupply issues finally put to bed. @#$%'n logic statements not doing what they should. Took a couple hours of code/test to get things working right again.

We really don't want to rush it like we did 2.01 and make more bugs.

Ok thanks

Like you say best to get rid of the existing bugs and issues and not to make any more by rushing, I will put my TNT away

Just a quick suggestion (and forgive me if I missed this since I'm working from memory) but one thing that may help this sort of thing is with Scenario selection in addition to Size and Best Played as maybe you could put is something for "Difficulty" in the description. It would make it easier for players to select a scenario suited to thier individual taste.....particulary for those of us not really familiar with the era...or those not spending alot of time on the boards or replaying scenario's. It would give the player better opportunity to know what sort of scenario they are getting into before investing the time through trial and error. YMMV. 

ORIGINAL: GrumpyMel

... in addition to Size and Best Played as maybe you could put is something for "Difficulty" in the description.

That would work I guess, but there would only be two selections: Hard - where you play with unlimited orders and Harder - where you play with limited orders.

It would make it easier for players to select a scenario suited to thier individual taste.....particulary for those of us not really familiar with the era...or those not spending alot of time on the boards or replaying scenario's. It would give the player better opportunity to know what sort of scenario they are getting into before investing the time through trial and error. YMMV. 

I would say work your way up. Play the smaller scenarios first, follow those with the medium sized ones and finally go to the larger ones. WARNING - the first battle in the US Campaign is the only scenario in the game pack that I would consider Very Large!

That scenario has an entire US Armored Bde on the map before it's finishes. That's a lot of folks. Did I mention there are Soviet units on that map too??!! Yeah, consider if the US has an entire Armored Brigade on the map what the Soviets bring to play with.

As far as replaying the scenarios to learn more about them I rarely replay a scenario that I don't get surprised by the AI. I learn something almost every time I play the game. I would think that says more about the AI than anything else. When the scenario designer has no idea how the scenario will play each time out that's a really good AI.

Rob's Da Man!!! [&o] [&o] [&o]

Good Hunting.

MR

Having just completed the US Campaign (Shift work is interfering with my campaigning!!), I must say that it is a little bit frustrating when my AD could not hit a helo right next to it and the WP are plucking my helo's from the sky at 18000 + metres! (Very bad in scenario 5 when I actually get some helo's to play with. Those Apaches just fell from the sky though).

Also, is there a reason the US do not get any more minelets/smoke/ICM ammo after the first lot is gone? (would've be useful later in the campaign!)


Had a ball with the US, now onto the WP!

ORIGINAL: Fieval


Also, is there a reason the US do not get any more minelets/smoke/ICM ammo after the first lot is gone? (would've be useful later in the campaign!)

It's a known bug that will be fixed:

tm.asp?m=3449279