New Cologne (Rhein) scenario

[GoodGuy]

gonna send it monday afternoon, played COTA online, 'til 6 a.m., sorry

[Banquet]

GoodGuy,

Really enjoyed this scenario.. now we have CotA I hope you will be busy making some for that! [:)]

[GoodGuy]

Hehe I'll try. But don't expect historic scenarios for now. I'll stick to creating fictional ones for now

EDIT: Marmaduke: Files sent.

[Marmaduke]

So far I have played the first day and without doubt very challenging and well made scenario.
Thanks to Goodguy, good job dude.

[wodin]

Goodguy,

I sent a PM anyway you can send me the scenario?

Thanks

[GoodGuy]

Files sent, sorry for the delay, I've been pretty busy.

[wodin]

Still havent received them.

Try this email j.c.rimmer@btinternet.com.

Thanks

[JMLx]

GooDGuy,

Please send me the scnario at jmarclacroix@yahoo.fr

Thanks

[GoodGuy]

Sorry for the delay JMLx, files sent.

[Cap Mandrake]

Nice Map dude [:)]

I installed HTTR on my new machine and I cant find the map maker thingy. Is that in one of the downloads?

[Arjuna]

It should be accessible via the Start menu.

[akileez]

What an addicitve scenario... got to be one of the best customised ones out there! I'm just ending day 2 and the thrills are plentiful [ I'm still enthusiastic even though I'm way at the end on the losing section of the 'win-lose' meter'[X(] ].

One current event now, is 4 Guards motorised coys sneaking by the formidable German strongpoints ringing Cologne, and now they are surrounded near the main river bridges at the Cathedral holding off hordes of Germans with the aid of long range 30 Corps artillery.... can they hold out until the rest of 30 Corps busts a way through to them - because the arty support supply has run out for the day?!!! [it's like a mini Arnhem[:D]].

If some of you don't have this scenario yet,ya gotta get it;- it's an extremely good challenge for the HTTR vets. One 'thing' perhaps is there should be in the briefing a mention to recommend playing as Allies ... I gave up as Germs after the first 4 hours since 30 Corps seemed extremely hesitant attacking. I'll do an AAR a few months much later from now to avoid revealing nice stuff. [8|]

[akileez]

Hi again... a few comments as requested;
1] The objective markers don't display on the map until units are in the area [ is that just me?]-> or if you use the overview menu/ obj area to click on and then zoom onto it on map.
2] A Dutch-germ AA garrison unit shows up [minor point]in Cologne.
3] Perhaps a more general point,,,, on Day 5 when airborne rein. lands, they do so in heavy rain. I set weather to seasonal option. So I'm wndering if this has been fixed for updated games like COTA. ie, Airborne won't land in rainy weather... the landing gets postponed.

ps.Day 5 dawn and all of Cologne[almost] is in Allied hands.[oh yeah, the guys at the Cathedral held out long enough for the Gren.Gds to link up with them... a few VCs are in order for those Irish Gds daredevils![:'(] ]
Coldstream Gds smashed across the river bridge with heavy 30 Corps arty support and made contact with the just landed 101st Div, relatively easy. 52nd Div is about to race to east edge of map!
]

[akileez]

ok dokey, part 2 of comments [;)].... game finished for me today kinda- Germs wanted to surrender Day 5 noon but I'm playing game though until my 52nd Div. column hits Dusseldorf [which Airborne has already]. ps.I had options set at more rein/more supply for Germs...
The sudden ending was a bit of an anti-climax I felt, since the action in and around Cologne was immense action; Here are my suggestions for a possible update of your great map;-
1] Following Operation Varsity '45, the Airborne vets of d-day/market garden stated that the AA fire was very intense. I noticed a big lack of AA units around the towns, cities, industrial areas, and bridges. Maybe triple the numbers already there [Cologne however is well defended -Don't touch that lol]
2] Allied air support is very lax... in Op.Varsity, the tactical air support was very noticeable... I'd like to see a dozen air support modules/day for the Allies throughout the operation.
3]I wish there was a massive counter attack to face after taking Cologne, just to keep the tension going. Things petered out alot after breaking out of Cologne. I'd like to see 2 German divisions from the north and 2 from the east on/after Day 4. Throw in a large SS Reinforcement kampfgruppe to spice things up maybe[8|]
4] Perhaps just 1 Brit. and 1 U.S Airborne Division is needed at most. I'm wondering too if 52nd Div. is necessary except as a "more Reinforcements' option for the Allies.
5] More static Germ garrison units needed at airfields and Dusseldorf.

[GoodGuy]

Hi akileez,

thank you for your sh*tload of good comments [:)][:D].
Since you mentioned Op Varsity ... pls keep in mind that this is a fictional scenario, and that I didn't intend to display any part of this operation, although some placements might look a bit like this op.

I wanted to create a map which deals a bit with my hometown.....

Also, I was in a hurry, because I wanted to finish a playable version before COTA came out. Well, I kinda managed to do it, but naming of units and 100% accurate/enjoyable placing of key units took too much time, so I quit shuffling things around.....

Regarding defense of Cologne/reinforcements:
Well, I changed several AI objectives, some kick in/out during the operation (check the from/to fields once you've clicked on an objective, so you may find that some objectives became active/inactive)......I had to do that, because I wanted the German AI to simulate a withdrawal move, withdrawing to the right river bank.

***
Historically, in Cologne, the vital German units withdrew to the right river bank way before the US divisions reached Cologne, with some die-hard/crack units remaining in the city. Most of the bridges had been destroyed by the USAAF, where one had been demolished by German engineers, I think, days before the first US spearheads appeared. Once the left river bank had been cleared by the US (and after some of the remaining defenders surrendered), there was no way to get to the right side in this area, virtually, since the Germans kept firing and shelling from the right river side, making it impossible to install a pontoon bridge. A good number of US Divisions (5-9?) got stuck, and could only be redirected to Remagen, because the local Kampfkommandant failed to blow the bridge (US troops later figured that an Allied arty shell/round destroyed the fuses). 5 Divisions were then directed to Remagen, forming a bridgehead on the right river side.
***

The first version carried an AI objective that was active for the entire length of the scenario (the inner circle of Cologne), and it took around 4-5 days(!) just to get to Cologne's suburbs (I think)....
This was pretty unplayable (means that Allies were hardly able to pull off a victory), especially with the German reinforcements (I think a scratch force amounting to around 1 and a 1/2 division: a few tank units/a small SS Kampfgruppe, and most of an Inf Division) joining the frey from the North (assuming a transfer from the Netherlands) and the North East later on (around Day 3 IIRC).

Play it as Germans, and you'll see that there IS plenty of stuff to delay the Allied advance, so I don't think that this scenario would need more German forces
.
I know that it gets easier towards the end, and this is partially intended, and partially due to lack of time, but it's mainly because the current set of AI objective-priorities (or let's say the setting of 1 or 2 objectives) might create a different "curve" towards the end, but it takes some time to balance it, to avoid making it unplayable.

Regarding the weather, well I didn't tinker much with that, also, I'm sure I got something wrong in the scenario settings, but I couldn't resolve this during the remaining time.

I doubt that I'll tweak this scenario any further, as I am working on a scenario for COTA atm.

Ty for your comments, though. I hope you had some fun.

[akileez]

Hey, thank YOU... I had tons of fun busting into Cologne and over the river. As with one of my first comments though I'd recommend the scenario be played as Allied only... and then throw in 3 or 4 reinforcing German divisions !!! Methinx Those Allies have it too easy at the end- maybe just one Airborne Div. and no 52nd Div either [:D].... unlessss, you make it a 6 day scenario! [X(] I hope you have fun with COTA.

[GoodGuy]

Pls try to play as Germans some time again...... watch the first objectives you had when you played Allies.... use these to launch delaying actions, or try to hold these location for a few days (the cities of Frechen, Frechen-Marsdorf, and Euskirchen). Maybe don't move the tank unit (1st PzJ Coy 2nd Bn --> 1.2.107) in the south west. I deployed it using the LOS-Area tool and it's residing on a factory area, so this unit will be a tough nut for the Allied columns once it's dug in (IF you don't move it), just issue a rest order for that one at the beginning.

Oh, and I'd really love to see an AAR some time, as you promised. [:)]

Day 9, playing Germans:



Most of the AI's arty units, which spawned at the left bottom, have been separated by elements of the 107th Pz Bde, with one or another helping hand from the german paras joining the frey later on, though. While the Allied armoured units were able to push through Euskirchen finally, they were forced to use the 2nd crossing in the North, as they failed to form a bridgehead (on the right river bank) in Cologne. The result was that the Arty units got stuck down there though, being shelled all through Day 9.

I reckon it would have been even tougher if the Allies had used their Artys to their liking.

[akileez]

Will do the AAR for September hopefully[:D].... while playing on after Germies pleas to surrender, I came across the Xanten Garrison unit...my eyes popped out seeing its size and arty power-thing is though it moved away from Xanten and I caught it halfway to Cologne[?]... needless to say it got attraction it deserved, in the form of 5 x 30 Corps arty units pounding it for seversl hours in which time it lost 29 of its 30 guns and 80% of its personnel .
Perhaps in the Fall I'll send you a modified version of your scenario[ a play as Allies version] -bye for now[:)]

ps. Playing as Germs. was too easy was what I meant - But perhaps I should give it a try.... keeping the 30 Corps out of Cologne seems do-able for me but dealing with the masses of Airborne at the end may be a 'challenge'[8|]

[Deathtreader]

Hi GoodGuy,

I PM'd a week ago....... any chance of getting the scenario?? Would love to play it!!
Thanks in advance!

Rob.

[GoodGuy]

I sent it on 08/13, map + scenario were sent successfully. Pls check your spam folder on hotmail.