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To give you guys a look at what's going on with the "Middle East" development, I'll do a short DAR playing an H2H scenario Long Road Home agains AI, set at Audacious aggressiveness. Designed to be played vs human opponent, I hope the AI setting will make the AI go for the objectives, and thus blocking the French route of advance towards the exit hex in the west edge of the map.

Please note everything is still work in progress. Also, the French 2D unit graphics were done with original, smaller chits still in place, so they are due an overhaul at some point of time. Other graphical elements such as terrain markers are still in mock-up phase as well.

Having said that, let us move on!

Long Road Home Mar 16/58
[Oued Fodda, Algeria]:[H2H][HIS][CSL]: A routine duty of the French in Algeria was patrolling the major roadways during the day. While typically uneventful, ambushes of varying degrees were common as the war progressed. One such ambush occurred as a company from the 4th Motorized Infantry Division was patrolling in the El Attaf region. While the patrol itself resulted in little, the return trip back to Chlef airbase found the company under attack by a well organized ambush by FLN units in the Oued Fodda area. [ALL][NONE][1.00]

Here's the opening situation in the beginning of turn 1 (17):

Elements of the French 4th Mot ID are entering the area by the main highway. Being warned about hostile forces in the are, they have identified movement immediately South of them.

An ambush?! Or something more innocent?

Screen capture using 2D Zoom-Out view (50%), or the 2D Normal View as MCS 1.0 - 2.0x has it. NATO counters on.

Turn 1

Being concerned unloading an infantry platoon from a truck might trigger enemy fire, I send my Armored Car platoon flanking the village from south instead. All clear! Civilians! Move on, securing the first village a couple of clicks to the west.

Looking at the map above, and compensating for the fact this is an H2H scenario, I decide on a plan that I need to secure and hold both villages before I can move towards the exit hex. That way, AI should have a good fighting chance too.

Again concerned there's hostile elements hiding within the settlement, I send armed jeeps forward, and deploy a mortar team to the outskirts. No response to my movement. Next, I'll bring the infantry and dismount them to search the village!

These two views: 2D Zoom-In View with 2D Unit Graphics on. As said, the French graphics were originally for smaller chits, so might go a change still at some stage.

End of my turn #1:

One rifle platoon has entered the village, while engineers dismounted in case there's mines or obstacles to clear. Another rifle platoon prepares for close support, while the remaining two rifle platoons remain mounted and ready to dash in should the situation so demand. Additionally, I have four air attacks available for close support. Still no sign of enemy.

2D Zoom-In View, with NATO counters. To be continued!

ORIGINAL: Crossroads
To be continued!

From here, to be precise: Movement, engine sounds, but nothing in sight!

2D Normal View (75%), NATO counters.



EDIT: Make that: almost nothing in sight! I got lucky with sighting die rolls: Road to Oued Fodda from south is mined with IEDs. Better watch out...

And one more before calling it a day... The 2D Extreme Zoom-Out View is quite nice nowadays as well don't you think. [:)]

Turn 2

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

And one more before calling it a day...

Nah, why stop when you're having fun! Here's the 3D Zoom-In View of French rifle platoons entering the village. At double time, I am preserving some firepower should I bump into something I don't like.

As above, but with 2D Zoom-In View instead:

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

To give you guys a look at what's going on with the "Middle East" development, I'll do a short DAR playing an H2H scenario Long Road Home agains AI, set at Audacious aggressiveness. Designed to be played vs human opponent, I hope the AI setting will make the AI go for the objectives, and thus blocking the French route of advance towards the exit hex in the west edge of the map.

Please note everything is still work in progress...

Indeed, work is ongoing in the area of Audacious/Cautious A/I. Soon, and in the publicly released game, players can expect to see "Audacious" (and "Cautious") A/I to be much more pronounced and apparent than what Crossroads will be depicting here.

Turn 2 cont'd

There's no two ways around it, the town needs to be searched. My attempt to move the 75AP (Action Point) Rifle Platoon is blocked by presence of civilians. That is bad news, as I have very limited indirect fire support, and now the option of use of air power became complicated as well. Air attacks often hit somewhere else than targeted, and with civilians around, it may not be an option here at all.

True enough, the Victory Location is held by a FLN platoon. Entering the hex above them, I take a 1SP + Disruption hit. Firing back with the disrupted platoon causes no damage, and I additionally lose a Jeep when they come for close support. Moving in, I call for mortar fire, and anxiously press the End Turn button.

With 2D Zoom-In View and with NATO symbols on, the situation seems clear enough:

..but with 2D Unit Graphics on (see the next posting), telling FLN from Civilians is much more difficult. With "Middle East", you often can't enter guns blazin', for fear of collateral damage to civilians (and the resulting negative victory points).

Turn 3

The enemy turn sees the FLN platoon aided by a commander assault my disrupted rifle platoon, causing a retreat. Well played, AI! Audacious aggressive level seems to be working quite nicely. As I lost the LOS to where I plotted mortar fire (I have switched off Victory locations and Location names for more clear view on terrain), my mortar fire fell just south of the civilians, and then on my Engineers. No damage done in either of the locations. Wheeww!

Here's the situation in the beginning of my Turn 3. I've switched off Extreme FOW as well to clearly see the units I am facing, as I am playtesting here. So far so good, as far as testing goes!

And here's how it ends. I fire at the FLN platoon with my Armored cars, causing a 1SP loss, then firing with my still disrupted 5SP rifle platoon I cause another 1SP loss. Having done that, I twice assault the hex with my 6SP rifle platoon, but to no avail.

Time to call another mortar strike, and send two fresh infantry platoons flanking from south. I also send a couple of Jeeps to guard the Southern entry to Oued Fodda. End turn!

Turn 4

End of turn 4 sees my flanking move succesfully clearing the victory location. There was an unidentified unit there, that was thrown out of the hex. Meanwhile a static firefight sees the FLN lose yet another SP (they are down to 1), but refusing to budge. More mortar, and then I am confident I will surround and capture the hostiles there.

Meanwhile, engineers move on to the IED hex to clear it. Lots of civilians around! Very difficult to maneuver here.

Turn 5

ORIGINAL: Crossroads
More mortar, and then I am confident I will surround and capture the hostiles there.

And that's how it plays out. Unfortunately, another FLN platoon showed up, causing me a 1SP loss. It was repelled back to east, out of LOS, but no doubt awaits there for reinforcements. Movement sounds play during the hostile turn, there must be more to come.

Packing up the mortars to trucks, bringing them forward, and moving the Engineer platoon to clear the Strength 1 Minefield are the next moves. Prohibitive terrain means Engineers won't be able to commence clearing out until next turn though.

Here's the situation at the end of Turn 5. Not too bad, but with only a Coy of infantry the losses are mounting. Into Zebabdja next!



And that's it for the day! Thanks!

Thanks for that play through! I'm looking forward to the "Middle East" in the Campaign Series! [:)]

Patrick

Thanks for the DAR.

Maybe in last DAR turns we can start seeing more final art???

Again thanks.

Thanks guys [:)] One third done, two thirds to go!

There's a few ideas regarding graphics still being implemented, and if they don't make it into this DAR I have a LCG on my test queue next. I'll then do a DAR of that as well. Should be fun!

No time for testing today, unfortunately, I'll do the next DAR updates during weekend.

Turn 6

Not much action this turn.

My Engineers move in to clear the Strength1 Minefield blocking the road. My armed Jeeps spot a FLN platoon in the village at the end of the dirt road and fire at it, causing a retreat. I prepare my transports for the next dash forward, while unloading my Mortar platoon again just in case some fire support will be needed.

Turn 7

ORIGINAL: Crossroads
Not much action this turn.

Not so this time. I take some mortar fire causing no casualties, but interestingly that triggers an Opportunity fire from my rifle platoon - on Civilians! Unfortunately that causes a 1SP kill, and -4 VPs. From bad to worse, I recklessly send my soft skinned Jeep platoon on a recon mission towards the village where I spotted some FLN action. They are properly ambushed and destroyed.

Meanwhile, my Engineers removed the minefield, and are working on the Block while my Armored cars drive forward a few hexes. They too are ambushed, but luckily only a Disruption for my SP3 AC unit. My rifle platoon moves forward one hex, and causes a retreat to the ambushing enemy unit.

Things are heating up! I am down to 7VP and a Minor Loss. Things need to improve if I wish to get even a Draw (30VP) here.