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Revised Private Ryan
Posted: Fri May 26, 2000 10:54 pm
by Wild Bill

You guys are very good commanders. You are better than I thought. You've kicked some butt in Ryan scenario, ending it before the US reinforcements came in.
So I have toughened it just a tad, made a map correction or two and now it should play through to turn 15

. The revision is now posted in place of the original. It is ver1.1
Wild Bill
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 3:18 am
by Voriax
Hate to tell you but it took me 9 turns to wipe out the americans, movie version.

Perhaps the reinforcements should arrive tad earlier? Have to admit that I didn't use C&C or limited intel, so with them on it might take longer...
Voriax
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 3:22 am
by Wild Bill
The real challenge, Voriax, is to take the American side. I think you'll enjoy that. I watched SPR again last night and if I do say so myself, was impressed with how when I played it, so much of the movie was relived here.
The Germans will have an easier time of it.
You'll have to be the hero spirit for the beleaguered defenders of Ramelle.
The fact that it took nine turns with odds of about 5 to 1 in your favor plus four pieces of armor means they still did pretty good for the dumb old AI
Wild Bill
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 4:21 am
by Voriax
Originally posted by Wild Bill:
The real challenge, Voriax, is to take the American side. I think you'll enjoy that. I watched SPR again last night and if I do say so myself, was impressed with how when I played it, so much of the movie was relived here.
Okay, I played it as Americans...I tend to have this habit of often playing the non-default side first...pervert perhaps?

anyways, it took 11 turns to waste the Germans and couple turns to run to the easternmost flag, so the reinforcements weren't really any use. Btw, one of the 4-men airborne squads refused to fire bazooka at the Pzjager38 even though they had ammo and shots left. Just a bit added difficulty from your side Bill, hmm?
The fact that it took nine turns with odds of about 5 to 1 in your favor plus four pieces of armor means they still did pretty good for the dumb old AI 
Not really, I advanced very carefully. For some reason AI put most of the men in the middle of the road where they also died.
Btw, the sounds are really good. I normally use a ghettoblaster for sounds and the quality isn't that good, but I decided to use headphones (good ones) for the second run in pvt. Ryan and almost hit the deck when first shots were fired
Voriax
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 8:00 am
by Wild Bill
Then you are a very good gamer, my friend, but I already expected as much
Earphones. I'll try that. Neat idea. I think mine explosions might deafen you, though
Thanks for checking the other side. That is quite a feat. Good job!...WB
Oh, the bazooka. I think bazookas only fire when adjacent (50 yards) to armor. Other targets it will increase the range. That seems a little extreme to me too. I need to test to be sure, but I think that is the case...WB
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 10:55 am
by Voriax
Originally posted by Wild Bill:
Oh, the bazooka. I think bazookas only fire when adjacent (50 yards) to armor. Other targets it will increase the range. That seems a little extreme to me too. I need to test to be sure, but I think that is the case...WB
But in this case the range just happened to be 1 hex, didn't remember to mention it earlier. I actually tried first to assault, the unit did so but there was no mention of 'xxxassaults yyy with bazooka etc' and after the assault they still had shots left and not too much suppression so they should have performed a normal shot. I think that unit had 36 rounds of ammo for bazooka, a bit much don't you think?
Voriax
ps. I just checked it myself. It was the G1 unit. It really has 36 rounds of bazooka ammo but all HE, and not a single HEAT round. So that explains it. Though I still think it should fire bazooka HE rounds against an open-topped vehicle like Pzjager 38.
[This message has been edited by Voriax (edited 05-29-2000).]
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 12:55 pm
by Arralen
Originally posted by Voriax:
ps. I just checked it myself. It was the G1 unit. It really has 36 rounds of bazooka ammo but all HE, and not a single HEAT round. So that explains it. Though I still think it should fire bazooka HE rounds against an open-topped vehicle like Pzjager 38.
..that's 2 problems in one:
1) maybe it should have been 3 HE and 6 HEAT ..at least that's in the range of what the "Ranger" units carry .. (4 and 8 IIRC)
2) intelligent use of ammo is (still) a problem - IMHO HE ammo should be used not only against open-topped vehcs. but against ALL slightly armored targets.
- Maybe it is possible to tweak the code so that the crews have a look if their standard HE round has a good (enough) penetration percentage and use it instead of wasting AP/HEAT shots against light armor.
E.g. I find APC constantly shot at with AP ammo, which most times passes right through not only the armor but the whole vehicle doing apparently no damage .. but a HE shot from the same gun would most likely not only punch throught the armor (~8 for APC) but inflict heavy damage to the interior as well.
Arralen
[This message has been edited by Arralen (edited 05-29-2000).]
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 9:03 pm
by Wild Bill
I'll check it guys and fix it. Thanks for the keen observations here..WB
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Mon May 29, 2000 10:28 pm
by Wild Bill
I posted a second revision to the scenario based on your comments, gentlemen. They were generally very good ones. Thank you.
The bazookas have been fixed.
Now please remember, my intent in doing this scenario was pure fun, a recreation of the movie battle.
Of course there are far too many variables in the game (and in real war) to make everything happen just as it did in the movie.
But generally speaking, you get a pretty good recreation of the fight for the bridge at Ramelle. It does for me anyway. I hope it will for you. Great movie!
Wild Bill
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 12:07 am
by Voriax
Well done Bill!
I played the new version and decided to wait for the reinforcements...and didn't actually do quite as well as first time
A couple li'l things though:
The US G2 team has a 37mm M1930 gun as second weapon.
And the German Flak unit packs Colt .45's
Revision 2.1 soon?
Voriax
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 12:36 am
by Wild Bill
With a detective like you on the scene, you'd better believe it!
I forgot to double check the Germans. Thanks...WB
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 12:37 am
by Wild Bill
One question. Did you save Private Ryan?...
WB
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 1:56 am
by Voriax
Originally posted by Wild Bill:
One question. Did you save Private Ryan?... 
WB
First time, yes (and he killed a Tiger)!
Second time, nope. I don't give him any special 'run and hide' treatment, he's gotta FIGHT!
Voriax
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 4:28 am
by Wild Bill
General Marshall wants to speak with you. Catch the next plane back to Washington (G)
WB
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 4:57 am
by Wild Bill
One more time, Voriax
Ver 3.0...final. I think we got it all right this time...WB
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 10:43 am
by Voriax
Originally posted by Wild Bill:
One more time, Voriax 
Ver 3.0...final. I think we got it all right this time...WB
chuckle...actually this time I was able to keep all the named guys alive. and I didn't really find any more bugs
Except...
Not really your mistakes but probably code ones. these things happened in earlier versions too, but somehow perhaps not so often. Say I have a unit with 0:2:1:1 shots left. Weapon 2 is BAR and I try to fire it at rifle sqd 3 hexes away. Nothing happens. Weapon 4 is bazooka, I try to fire at Pzjager 2 hexes away. Nothing happens. A single named guy has 1:7:7 shots. Rifle squad comes next to him. He fires the weapon 1, Garand but ignores weapons 2 and 3 (colt and grenade).
Then his shots go 0:6:6 but he still won't use weapons 2 and 3. No matter whether I try to deactivate weapon 1 or try to select spesific weapon.
Also after playing this scenario several times I now find it really amusing that people complain at the ineffectiveness of air strikes

Each time at least one tank has been killed by air strikes, at best 3 tanks. Not so bad, hmmm?
Voriax
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 1:18 pm
by Wild Bill

I pumped up the Mustangs a bit
You are right about the weapons and their firing. I have noticed the same and notes have been made of that fact.
Yes, that one is beyond the scope of my limited talents, but I'll try to find out why that is happening.
Thanks, Voriax.
WB
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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 4:27 pm
by Voriax
Originally posted by Wild Bill:
I pumped up the Mustangs a bit 
ROTFL! Oh yes, you are one of the complainers Silly me I didn't notice.
Good scenario really. Hmm...perhaps I'll play once with limited ammo off, if that makes any difference. Mg's have so little ammo
I've noticed that the G2 unit is very crucial in the successful victory.
Voriax
ps. Bear with me but who's Gen. Marshall? From the movie I guess? Been year or so when I saw it.
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 5:33 pm
by Charles22
The solution to the main gun having no more shots left, and the 2nd gun position firing without it, is very simple, though cumbersome if you fire like I generally do. Your 2nd main gun, will fire ALWAYS should the main gun not, if you take your mouse pointer over the unit you wish to target and simple depress the left mouse button. When there are more than one unit in the target hex, it may be necessary to be patient and stroll around the hex from different angles so that you differentiate one unit from another. The top and bottom of the stacked units is very easy to select, but not so much any middle ones. To have a reasonable chance the select the middle units, and if you can a difference between that and the other units (as some units have more men than others, or of course, are different type), then when you believe you've moved the cursor over that unit, hit your spacebar, and this might help you determine that you are selecting the 19 man infantry unit, as opposed to the others. Still, when dealing with middle of the stack units in the hex, one has to be careful, to have one's hand steady on the mouse, so that it won't shift to another unit, in which case, you would have to go through the process all over again. As I said, the second gun, if within range, with ammo, will fire EVERY time, even if the main gun does not, it just requires more effort than what we commonly expend to target.
Posted: Tue May 30, 2000 6:09 pm
by Voriax
Charles, Very good explanation but unfortunately it does not work. Believe me, I tried. You can try it yourself, let the scenario roll a bit and when tank appears try to shoot at it with bazooka (range 6 hexes) from the G1 unit.
What is funny that the bazookas in the reinforcement troops work all right.
Voriax