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CMAK
Kampfgruppe Richter in Budel. Dilemma, fight the allies or retreat?
A Very British Civil War
Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme.
Background
England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles)
Weather: overcast, mild, dry
The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more.
In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing.
In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!

Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included:
On the Right (Axis in this scenario
* The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII.
* The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so.
* The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire
* The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda.
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts
On the Left (Allied in this scenario)
* The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne.
* The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War.
* The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia.
* The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine.
* The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian,
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain.
This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already.
Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner.
This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
SCENARIO DESCRIPTION
A meeting engagement played out in the wooded terrain of the Ardennes at the beginning of the Bulge. 60+ turns.

The Germans are trying to seize important territory: bridges, cross-roads, and towns to allow breakthrough armored thrusts. Central to this map is the village of L’Shone and its surrounding road network.

The Americans are trying to occupy the same terrain to prevent its use by the Germans.

Best played as: H2H
Second Best played as: H2H
(Not designed for vs. AI play due to mounted units)

Map edge friendly to Axis: East. Map edge friendly to Allies: West.

It is hard to believe that it was only a week ago when we first heard of “The Outbreak”. Initially it was thought to be a terrorist biological attack, with outbreaks in large cities overwhelming medical facilities. But soon it was apparent it was much more… the more we hear, the more we realize that we know very little – the cause – the prognosis – or the scale of this crisis. All remain unknown – at least to the general populace. What the “government” knows may be something else again.
You are Jack McCann, police chief in the small coastal tourist town of Shady Acres, Maine. Normally by this time of the year, your town is overrun with loud tourists from the cities of the East Coast. If only that were the case.
Four days ago a large staff of the Center for Disease Control showed up at the Town Hall, and brusquely informed the Mayor, Chuck Zeto, that the Federal Government was immediately taking control of “Shady Island”, a favourite picnic spot in the bay. This was all one-way communication, you don’t know much more other than soon thereafter a convoy of sealed trucks arrived and barbed wire was being strung across the access bridge to the island.
The National Guard has been mobilized, and your own police force has been placed under the command of the governor’s office.
And yet even now, you are not sure why. A strange illness has swept the globe, but what little news was initially released was like something from a bad movie. Now that trickle of news has stopped altogether. The official story is that a Chinese cyber attack has shut down the Internet, but this being Small Town America, there are a lot of conspiracy theories floating about.
The Mayor, Chuck Zeto, who also is the local bank manager, has asked that citizens assist in securing the town from whatever threats may arise. Given that the local National Rifle Association sponsored Chuck’s last campaign, their members were eager to show their affinity for the 2nd amendment and reaffirm their ownership of large capacity magazines and assault rifles. With some hesitation, you agreed to deputize these men, but have asked them to stay at home until they may actually be required. Their training and experience doesn’t necessarily match their enthusiasm.
You were at your office all night. You had a call from Doctor Jacobie at the hospital. Dr. Jacobie, a Vietnam war draft dodger who only returned from Canada in the 1990s, is determined to ignore what he considers a “fascist edict” that all patients in suspected cases of the “outbreak” be turned over to the C.D.C. immediately and quarantined on the Island. “It reminds me of the interment of the Japanese in 1942!” Jacobie ranted, and he said he would treat all patients as “patients, not criminals”. At that, you sent two teams of part time deputies to the hospital to deal with any issues that may arise.
The town is an important transportation hub, in that the coastal railway runs through the town. The Railway has deployed their own security at the train station, as if there is an epidemic, it is important to prevent those infected from traveling. Hopefully they have enough staff to do the job.
You remained in your office all night, and it seemed that things may be calming down, but then with a complete news black out, and the mute C.D.C. guards by the island Park, who knows? You did receive several calls from citizens overnight, reporting screams and other noises from the areas near cemeteries last night; typically the local teens will go there to drink and smoke up. Although you usually will send a Deputy to put the run on them, there are more important things to do now.
The sun is coming up, but a heavy thick fog has blankets the town. A convoy of C.D.C. relieve staff are expected in from Bangor any minute; hopefully they have some news. To allow your exhausted staff get some needed rest, two detachments of National Guard troops will be arriving, one is about 5 minutes away and a second convoy from the east in another 5 minutes after that. It will be good to get home and hit the sheets. You are so tired you feel like the walking dead.
Your phone rings. It is the security detail from the train station. Old man Codger, a elderly farmer who lives north east of town, has just shown up at the Rail station, out of breath and terrified. He is rambling about being attacked at his home, and that the only way he could escape is by setting the buildings on fire. You had better send a Deputy to go interview him. It sounds bizarre.
The phone rings again… it is Deputy Boomhauer at the hospital. He sounds quite distraught. Apparently the hospital was overwhelmed with patients overnight, and now he reports the motion detector alarms in the morgue have gone off.
At that second the switch board lights up, and several simultaneous “10-78” calls are received – “officer need assistance!”… What the?????”

This scenario is
1) Meant strictly for play against the AI. Although it one player wants to try playing the Axis/Zombies, please feel free.
2) The scenario is meant to be strictly for fun.
3) Watch you ammo loads. Shoot for the head. You only have the ammo you brought into the fight.
August 12,1944. France. SE of Argentan.
Married platoons of U.S. 5th Armored Division
night out-posts.
France, 1940 - Case Red.

Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
Cassino town was destroyed by Allied Airforces on Wednesday, March 15th, along with the abby known as Monte Cassino. "The town was blown assunder and beaten into heaps of rubble, the official British history reported. Yet hundreds of bombs and thousands of shells failed to pound the town to powder, contrary to Allied expectations, nor were the surviving defenders 'rendered comatose', as planned." --The Day of Battle
CMBB
The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns.
Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)

In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…

After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.

No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?

Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
This is a CMBB scenario, modelling Plan Yellow in France in May 1940.
It is a "dynamic flag" scenario, on a large map that will provide many options in attack and defence.
July 1941, a german advance detachment, composed of motorized infantry with Stug support, attempts to cut off retreating russian forces.
Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
July, 1944. Operation Bagration already going on since one month. The german north front runs danger to be cut off. Setting down of german troops in western direction
runs among constant attacks of soviet armoured shock forces...
43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
October, 1942
In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.

But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.

The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.

Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
CMBO
German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.

VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
Before dawn on D-Day the British airbourne must destroy the gun batteries at Vierville.
Koen - A Town to conquer
*****************************************

a Couple of weeks ago the Allies have conquered one of the major towns in France.

Now the Germans broke through the American line of defense in the Ardennes and are advancing rapidly towards this town.

Can the Allied commander hold this town?
November 1944, the French 2nd Armored Division is tasked to breach the German fortified line of the Vosges mountains. This battle takes place on the second days of the attack. The different French Task forces are competing with each other in order to be the first to reach the plain of Alsace. The company team Minjonnet (part of the Task Force Massu) blocked close to Voyer in a narrow valley by German remnants of the 708. ID has to bypass quickly this resistance. The French can be sure that their old enemy is not about to ease their action !
An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
Arnhem Bridge battle. British airborne against armoured SS.
Updated Scenarios
CMAK
A Very British Civil War
Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme.
Background
England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles)
Weather: overcast, mild, dry
The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more.
In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing.
In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!

Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included:
On the Right (Axis in this scenario
* The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII.
* The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so.
* The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire
* The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda.
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts
On the Left (Allied in this scenario)
* The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne.
* The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War.
* The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia.
* The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine.
* The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian,
* Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain.
This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already.
Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner.
This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
France, 1940 - Case Red.

Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
Axis and Allied forces clash for a town and large hill.
This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
Normandy - known for its rolling fields, orchards, stud farms and a good glass of cider. Sheltered from the elements which can pound the coastline this is a landscape is carpeted in apple blossom. It is here, at the heart of one of the best designated cider producing areas that you will find the Chateau les Bruyîres, an Empire period residence and 18th century manor house - run by the Wehrmacht. It is your task to put an end to this inappropriate ownership.
US Army invades an island defended by Italian Troops.

Map is 1200x1200.
Non-Historical.
20 Battles 10 Turns each.

Play HtH (Preferred), or Allied vs. Axis AI.
Allow AI to setup units, there is no pre-planned setup for the defender yet.
Two Reinforced Infantry Companies with Armor Support clash in this typical Meeting Engagement.
engineering company attacks dug in german positions somewhere near monte cassino to capture wine stash for captain hosehead
CMBB
Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns.
Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)

In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…

After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.

No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?

Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
October, 1942
In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.

But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.

The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.

a product of HDCS

3rd SS Totenkopf arrives back at the front after its Hiatus from the front in France and is immediately thrown back into action.

Follow the swift Donet's campaign the IInd SS panzer Korps stands poised for the final push too retake Kharkov and restore the pride of the Waffen SS, but they have too cross the Mzha river first.

Alternative History : Moskow Decision
This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941.
The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
Alternative History : Moskow Decision
This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941.
The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
CMBO
German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.

VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
Newest Maps
CMAK
a fictional Town in North Africa.
Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting
engagement.
Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting
engagement.
Version 2, church size and orientation adjusted to be in village center. Minor adjustments such as villages, small hills and ridges around the wheat fields.
Mixed terrain, woods, open fields, villages, church, river, bridges.
This is a huge (actually 5 x 4 km) map representing a piece of French countryside west of the town of Arras. It is flat (gentle slopes) and moderately populated with villages, forests, orchards and the like. It is suitable for a massive battle of regiment-sized forces (15,000 points or more).
Fictional Map, Crete, An almost compleatly dried up river bed with a ruined bridge across, 2 small hamlets on either side
The axis forces have captured the ridge east of Lieso. It´s been quiet over a month, so they have had enough time to dig deep in the ridge.

Allied forces are attacking with brutal force from east. Tuomari-Laurila has already been taken.
The axis forces are about to assault a little town called Lieso in aim to capture a road that leads through a ridge to deeper east. The allied forces are dug in somewhere around the old elementary school.
A small river splits a large map, with lots of roads and 6 bridges to control and a town also to control. This map is for meeting engagements and no side has a terrain advantage. Hopefully this will boil down to your choice of units and your game play.
CMBB
Beautiful and challenging map perfect for direct or flank approach. Fight in the woods, the streets, the buildings or inside a small factory! Great for infantery with some armor and artillerie support and IDEAL for a quick motorized assault in the middle of a foggy night.
This was a work in progress for the cancelled CM Campaigns. Maps are both operations and battles. Four maps included. One is large version (75% accurate scale) of the entire fortress of Brest Litovsk and immediate area. Others are 2 km x 2 km maps of the north and south portions of the fortress. You are welcome to use these maps as long as your credit "Bannon DC" for map creation.
1600x1600m, middle eastern front,
3 big victory locations in the middle of the map,
4 additional small flags,
medium settlement with surrounding rural areas,
some hills, woods and farmland,
a small river crossing from N to S,
prepared setup-zones for both sides,
therefor I call it battlefield-map.
Germans advance easily untill they find... A speed bump on the road to Leningrad
This Map is designed for Meeting engagements, it is set in a fictional City.
A medium town lying crosswisely to the advance direction. In and around the town gardens and fields, some bush and tree rows.
2 small rivers with some fords.
Only 1 large victory location.
Best used for meeting engagements.
Damaged large town/small city divided by a river. Contains several bridges, an old fortress, stadium, factories, railway station, and an old manor. Flags spread pretty evenly out on the map, made for a QB axis attack. IMPORTANT: ONLY FOR USE WITH UMLAUTS STALINGRAD MODS. You most use the scenario with these three mods found at www.cmmods.com:

FULL_telephonepole_umlaut
rubble_spray_umlaut
stalingrad_buildings_umlaut
Stalingrad-ish map made for Umlaut´s Stalingrad-mods.
29 2x2km maps. Various terrain; city, village, farmland, deep forests ...

They all quite beatuful ;)
I know it was UK and not USSR! but i didnt own CMAK when i made the level and i dont want to do everything over again so USSR must equal UK! its a fun level with the FJ troops in the greatest air invasion prior to D-Day.
CMBO
This CMBO map is built from a topographical map of the little town of Seville, NE of Melbourne, Australia. My idea was to lauch a Brit brigade (3 btns) across it at a German static defence screening mobile reserves.
Desiliens is an ancient Roman town. The map features the ruins of the town, an aquaduct, and the ruins of a villa on a low central hill.

The eastern side of the map is mostly woods, the west is hills and farms. It is most suitable for an assault on the town, but if the focus is shifted to the ruined villa it would be good for a meeting engagement.
Updated Maps
CMAK
Ideal for a QB ME
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This Map is designed for Meeting engagements, it is set in a fictional City.
axis winterattack on a Russian City
Please feel free to download, use or edit the map.

Screenshots can be found here:

http://worldatwar.eu/index.php?entity_sess=512x00db4fede3b24a34db2c5e9d283f162c&lang=3&location=boardshownode&boardid=51
A town with a river and lake surrounded by grainfields
Map is based on a sketch in the book > Die guten Glaubens waren< the history of the SS Polizei Division and shows a hard-fought area south of Leningrad. The Observatory was not reached by the Germans although they really tried it
This is part of a series of maps on the so-called Ladoga
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Scenario discussion area for RHZ Mochowoe

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JOHN BUFORD
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Post #27   4387 days, 3 hours, 11 minutes, 20 seconds ago        
Hey Harry, Did you ever get a new version of RHZ Mochowoe posted? Near the end of my DAR you posted, "If you feel, you got stuck at this point, you may opt to stop and wait for a new scenario version coming next week, or alternatively attempt with a "strong hook up the Soshnja eastern bank tactic", in the current scenario version?"

I wouldn't mind playing version 1.1 if you have it finished.

Looks like 1.0 is the ony version up right now?

JB
--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
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Post #26   4600 days, 14 hours, 53 minutes, 12 seconds ago        
Hi Harry, I just read all the posts…
Looks like the Soviet still wants to head for that corner in my version. You are right about playing it better, with the strong eastern hook giving better results. I did indeed get “stuck” in Mochawoe. But that probably happened a lot in the real war? But for my style of play, when Task force B comes in, he is going to HAVE to go down that road. I can’t see real commanders in real life taking a convoy of trucks with half the battalion over hill and under dale through the wild. Roads were important. Roads were fought over. This is why. Again, that’s why I don’t play exit scenarios very well. It is against my nature to “sneak” down a map edge to exit. I figure my mission is to “open the route” and get through via the most important route. Plus, sneaking is boring! Why would I spend 75 turns AVOIDING combat??? It is a game – I WANT the combat. That’s why I’m no good at exiting!

Given what you have pointed out about the “best” way to play this scenario and the changes you’ve made, I can’t suggest anything else. Do you want the end game file? Sounds like you don’t really need it from my game…

--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
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Post #25   4600 days, 15 hours, 10 minutes, 31 seconds ago        
OUTCOME:Minor Victory
STATISTICS:
Axis
Allied
Player Name:
John Buford
AI
Experience Bonus:
0
0
Play Balance:
0
0
Men OK
365
296
Tot. Casualties
137
253
Men KIA
30
53
Men Captured
3
Mortars Dest.
1
Guns Dest.
1
4
Pillboxes Dest.
Vehicles Dest.
9
30
Aircraft Dest.
1
POINTS:
Axis
Allied
Flags Held:
Enemy Casualties:
2885
1499
Prisoners Taken:
24
Exited Troops:
-4004
-5595
Scenario Bonus:
FINAL SCORE:
61%
39%

Well, it’s over. I attach pictures of how far I got (not very) and also the Exodus that Ivan tried to take to exit. He should have won big, as he could have easily exited his troops. Why he made for the diagonal corner, I have no idea.






To be fair, I am really bad at exit scenarios. I have never done well on them. I like to take my time, find, fix, and then destroy the enemy. Trying to “get through” him to save points is not my style. So my poor performance is not a reflection on the scenario…I just can’t exit.


My thoughts:
1) I did not use the Monastery hill very well. His AA guns really kept me pinned down. Once I had them ID’d I should have area fired with HMG fire and maybe smoked him to keep that from being a factor. However, those HMGs finished low on ammo, so actually I only had about 2 or 3 turns of pinning area fire available to me, so I couldn’t have done it too different.

2) I should have kept a LOT more force on the far side of the river. I did not expect that mob of Soviet infantry to come that way. When they did, I did not even have an HMG over there to stop him. I wish I had tried to hold him at the RR bridge and kept him from crossing, that might have been effective.

3) Smoke. I only had one spotter, and I was saving him for the end game. I had figured that once I cleared the RR line, there would be AT guns and dug in HMG teams (trenches I figured, that’s what I would have done) on the two hills guarding the exit. I was saving my 105 mm rounds for those final hard spots, to allow my exiting units to blast through. So I was loathe to use any smoke, considering it a “waste.” I think I could have smoked the KV and kept him in a cloud, then got my infantry close and satchel charged him. That might have cut 20 turns off the game for me. My spotter was never in a position to bombard the crossroads where the trenches/AT guns were – so that was not an option, and the KV restricted his movement. As it was, I was right and there is a HUGE surprise waiting for me on the other side of the RR line with a 4-gun battery that I would have needed the artillery for. So I was correct to not use him for smoke, in my opinion.



4) My opinion is this. It is a fun scenario. I think it is impossible for me to exit. Others maybe. The problem is this – it is really an armor exit scenario. I know a lot of the points are for infantry exiting, but look, once the recon identifies all that soviet armor (lots of T26, BT fast, T34s, AA guns, and the KV), the player MUST bring his armor forward. The soft skins and infantry CANNOT move through the Soviet armor screen. So the Stug’s MUST battle and defeat the Soviet armor if anyone is to exit. PROBLEM: the Stug III B is NOT an AT weapon. It has a small AP load-out, its accuracy is poor and after armor effects aren’t great due to the short barrel, so how is the player supposed to win the armored battle and still have enough left over to do anything? Almost all my Stug’s were out of any ammo before they were out of opponents. So despite all the trappings, the scenario is an armor vs. armor battle, and the Stug force is ill-equipped to deal with it, being primarily an infantry support weapon. In real life, as a commander, I would call for some different sort of help, I guess. A company of PzIII’s would be a nice start…

However, as I said, in my mind I did well. I eliminated almost ALL the opposition and if the time were unlimited, I could have exited a fair number of troops who would then be available to fight in the next battle. I didn’t win by the rules of the game, but if I were a real commander, I would not feel too bad.

I had fun! A real challenge. I don't mind not winning all the time. What's wrong with that? This battle seems fair to me...I did not get decimated, I actually won the engagement, I just couldn't exit. Seems like a fair trade.

Maybe a little more smoke though? An 81 mm spotter with a smoke call might help? I prefer 81 mm for smoke: good dispersal, good speed, cheap enough...something to think about.

Thanks for the scenario! Good job.

--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
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Post #24   4601 days, 13 hours, 33 minutes, 35 seconds ago        
Turn 73 all resistance in Mochawoe is quelled. I believe all armor is dead. Both AA guns fall to Stug fire and the 105 mm spotter starts dropping rounds there. My two HMG's up on the monastery were okay at suppressing those guns, I should have had them firing earlier, but they are getting low on ammo now, so that would not have held out.

Cleaning up now. It took me the entire battle to get halfway (!) across the map (only one or two units are across the RR line now). I am not even going to try to exit any units, as they are all still half a map away. I still am pretty proud that I wiped him mostly out though.
--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 254
Post #23   4601 days, 13 hours, 36 minutes, 51 seconds ago        
Turn 65 a close assault from two squads both reduced to 6 men immobilizes the KV. Next turn I should be able to finish him. Then my 81 mm mortars and my 105 mm spottter should be able to actaully move up and get the AA guns in sight. It will be turn 72 before any arty falls though, so it won't do much good...
--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
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Post #22   4601 days, 14 hours, 15 minutes, 43 seconds ago        
Well, things did not work out. My close assault failed, my 81 mm mortars and two HMG's were caught out in the open by the rampaging KV1 and here is the problem.

I raced around a flank, got to 60 m, on the rear, and side and this is what you get. 0% kill. Everything from the Stug B just richochets off this guy. If the AI keeps him alive (which he did in my game) I cannot touch him. ANd due to his position I cannot go around him




BTW, I don't want anyone to think I am ignoring posts...I don't read anything in the thread until the game is over. After we get a score, then i go back to the beginning and will read all the threads and try to respond...
--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 254
Post #21   4601 days, 14 hours, 39 minutes, 48 seconds ago        
Turn 59: The margin for winning and losing is close now. I cannot stop hi infantry from exiting. One out of ammo platoon is left. I have circled behind the enemy as I notice his HMG and mortars are trailing the exodus. They will not be able to fight back, and my grenades should do the trick. Victory is now balanced on the razor’s edge. I have almost no armor with ap rounds left, and Ivan still has the KV, 2x BT, and 1xT26. On the map I label all the “important” players. Fortunately, the AI has made a mistake and is moving the KV into Mochawoe, and I think I can grenade bundle him into oblivion… If I can eliminate this thin armor screen, I still have time to exit. If he stops me, I will not be able to move even beyond the RR line.


--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
ROCKINHARRY
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Post #20   4603 days, 18 hours, 56 minutes, 33 seconds ago        
Quote:
Originally posted by: john buford:
I forgot to mention...

I solved the troublesome AA gun problem by retreating one AT gun to the BACK of the wooded area I am in (the other was already there, which is how I figured this out). It is just down (reverse) slope enough that I can kill some tanks, but have no LOS to the AA guns that are banging away. I have got to get rid of them.



Did you already find some use for the german 105mm FO? Smile (reinforcement force -A-, turn 19. Likely sits on a truck or kubel)

Thinking of removing that KV and rather include it in a "hard" scenario version. Maybe it´s one challenge too much, what do you think?

So far, the scenario is balanced around the CEB=0 setting, so players who find it too easy going, may opt to give it +1 or 2, although personally I seldomly find any benefits for the AIs decision finding processes.
--------------------
former member of SPWAW Lost Victories design team and Wild Bills Raiders

Rockinharry Music at Myspace

for PBEM requesters; I´ll play TPG stuff that needs testing only!

RockinHarry Scenarios:

RHZ Death Factory #1 CMAK ETO Scenario
RHZ Fall Gelb CMAK ETO Scenario

Rockinharry Mods can be found at GAJs Mod Place
ROCKINHARRY
Junior Tester

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Post #19   4603 days, 19 hours, 10 minutes, 14 seconds ago        
John Buford, I see you have much of a tough going! Eek! More than I actually anticipated, ..knowing the "ideal" strategy for the given tasks, which as said in the briefing are:

(order of importance)

#1. Block off russians, attempting to move over the bridge and beyond to the east.

#2. Move eligible units off the northern map edge (NE of KRASNYI).

#3. Deal with anything left between MOCHOWOE - KRASNYI.

Looks like you started off more with #3 and are now too much tied to progress with #1 and #2. Eek!

You indicate possible options in your first post below (moving north through woods, or link up force A with B via the monastery first) and I understand now, that option 1 apparently is not much liked, due to possible difficulties with plotting a larger force through confined terrain and bogging risks.

I already helped the german player some by making all soft transports to be "crack" units and ground conditions dry. This should keep bogging risks rather low.

You´re right, I probably should make it more clear in the briefing, that the eastern route (force -B-), although somewhat difficult for movement, yields for a quicker access to blocking positions, east - south east of the RR bridge? Thinking of placing a reccon kubel & half squad at the northern exit of the forest trail, to indicate a rather undefended route up to this point. Smile Force -B- actually should be strong enough, to deal with light small arms fire from the monastery, disturbing movements along the forest trail.

A "calculated risk", moving up through the woods should generally yield some benefits, for the slow movements and reactions of the AIP.

Another fix I already implemented in most recent version, is replacing the fords with deep fords, to discourage vehicle movements across the Soshnja up to the RR bridge area. This also yields some positive side effect for the AIP and gets its moves computed way quicker. The RR bridge bottleneck already is much of a burden for the AIP.

With regard to the heavy movements of the russian forces through the forest, once they crossed the RR bridge area, looks like an odd effect, most likely caused by the given exit map edge configuration (germans = N, russians = E). Although the russian AIP would be expected to leave the eastern map edge the shortest route, it too oftenly decides to move cross country toward the south eastern map edge. I left it at that, as I misinterpreted it as heavy counter attack on force -B- by decision of the russian strategic AI, but it is not so, as more "dry test runs" showed. Even with no german forces in the area east of the Soshnja, the russian AI will plot its moves toward the map corner and NOT the shortest route to map edge and off.

I attempted with different "map edge friendly to" combinations, but at last I figured a solution, by simply making the single SE map corner tile inaccessible with water terrain. Latest tests showed, that this now is a reliable method to keep the russian AIP focused on the shortest way east and just deviates when true german threats occur. This also cuts AI path finding calculations by almost half and game play is faster overall. Smile

I added map label "Monastery" by your request. Smile

I also label exit eligible units in the briefings reinforcement schedule.
I´ll cut down german exit eligible units and concentrate them in the reinforcement pool. This should help german player to conserve these most important units, until the situation becomes more clear during game play.

Some readjustments on the russian forces timetable.

The KV....hm....I found concentrating the Stugs and hailing fire on it for about 1-3 turns, most likely results in damaged gun or tracks, which make the crew an almost safe bail candidate. Smile

Another solution, more related to general tactics, is not to get tied in lesser important areas AND let the russians come to you. During some test plays, I successfully hunted the KV (and others) with infantry and grenade bundles.

As you figured, Mochowoe just holds a small rearguard, covering movements along the russian W-E axis. The AIP frees any such units for movement, when threatened from their "hide" status.

Since there is no flags on the map, the AIP will mostly react to where it sees german units (so it´s oftenly good, not to get seen, or just show up to bait the AI) and otherwise keeps his focus to move east, which is the main russian task.

If you feel, you got stuck at this point, you may opt to stop and wait for a new scenario version coming next week, or alternatively attempt with a "strong hook up the Soshnja eastern bank tactic", in the current scenario version?

Thanks again for taking time and efforts! A scenario maker can´t really ask for more! Smile

*Spolier*....the monastery is more of a good russian observation post toward the area west to nort-east of it, since the russians didn´t "expect" german movements east of the Soshnja. The daisy chain mine fields are more to contain russian AIPs movements and less to block german movements. The new deep ford replacements should now underline that true purpose better. The fixed "move to SE map corner bug" might even using the daisy chain mines futile.
--------------------
former member of SPWAW Lost Victories design team and Wild Bills Raiders

Rockinharry Music at Myspace

for PBEM requesters; I´ll play TPG stuff that needs testing only!

RockinHarry Scenarios:

RHZ Death Factory #1 CMAK ETO Scenario
RHZ Fall Gelb CMAK ETO Scenario

Rockinharry Mods can be found at GAJs Mod Place
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 254
Post #18   4603 days, 19 hours, 36 minutes, 50 seconds ago        
I forgot to mention...

I solved the troublesome AA gun problem by retreating one AT gun to the BACK of the wooded area I am in (the other was already there, which is how I figured this out). It is just down (reverse) slope enough that I can kill some tanks, but have no LOS to the AA guns that are banging away. I have got to get rid of them.
--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
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Post #17   4603 days, 19 hours, 48 minutes, 16 seconds ago        
In turn 52 I FINALLY get a visual on the AT guns and the trench they are in…

Turn 53, I am still slogging through. I show two pictures of the Soviet counterattack and also the area where the KV1 has“lived” COMPLETELY disrupting my plans progress.

No other single unit has affected the game this much…








--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 254
Post #16   4603 days, 20 hours, 15 minutes, 31 seconds ago        
Turn 52: I have stopped Ivan from exiting…for about one turn. The Red hordes sweep down on me like the pagan gods of old. One platoon gone, the 2nd will be gone shortly. Mere pawns in the titanic struggle…



I have a problem on the Monastery hill. I found a beautiful defilade position for my three AT guns. After I opened fire, killing a few, the AA flak guns opened on me, knocking out an AT gun. I don’t even have a sound contact on them, really, so now I have to hide, as their return fire is deadly. I am not doing well, obviously, and have little to no hope of exiting anything. Of course, the KV1 still lives. I have nothing to touch it with…




--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 254
Post #15   4604 days, 26 minutes, 6 seconds ago        
Turn 47 disaster in the woods. I see now that my small light 8 man recon teams are no match for the soviet infantry which seems to be smg heavy. I am getting massacred in the woods and these two platoons will not be enough to stop him. They will be a token resistance I am afraid, and since we still have over 25 turns to go, they will not even delay the exit. I see that the strategy here was to keep him from crossing the bridge. There, the small arms fire can do something, as the infantry will panic on the exposed bridge. I could at least delay him there. But he had so much armor overwatch (5-8 tanks) that I could not get close enough to do this.



My AT battery worked perfectly. I fired for one turn, destroyed a bunch of tanks, and immediately retreated onto the back slope and am repositioning further west on the Monastery Hill to get a better line on an apparent Soviet armored counterattack! Ivan has a lot of armor coming at me, and it is all anchored by that big KV1 in the wheat field. I am not sure what I am supposed to do with him?! I flanked him and had two Stugs with 100% complete rear shots at him for about a minute. 0% chance to kill it says. What the h***? So I have to get on his rear AND close? I don’t think I can do it. I have nothing in my arsenal over here to deal with him. The short barrelled Stugs are no KV1 killers...



I would suggest in future iterations that task Force A be given some of the battalion's AT guns, instead of having them all with task force B. If I had even one 37 mm gun over here, that would be a game-changer, i think!


--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 254
Post #14   4604 days, 14 hours, 2 minutes, 27 seconds ago        
By turn 43, things are interesting…

My AT battery is just now ready to open up, I can only see about 4 or 5 fast BT tanks from here, but after eliminating them, I aim to shift the AT guns over and deal with another 5 or so I can see. In the east the soviet infantry has re-appeared making for the exit through the woods, so I move the two platoons over to cut him off. Will engage soon.



I am trapped in Mochawoe for ONE reason: KV!

I know it is only one, but he is moving well. Just this turn I have finally got my act together and split my forces (on fast) around him flanking right and left. For the Stug B to kill him will require a rear shot (I hope!?) All my many frontal shots have bounced (0% “to kill”)



--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
Ratings: 2 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 254
Post #13   4604 days, 15 hours, 43 minutes, 27 seconds ago        
Turn 36: Not too much to report. A nasty, nasty fight has bogged down Task Force A in Mochawoe town. I hear a lot of snipers slowing me down. I lose one Stug to a hidden infantry grenade. I like how you’ve got most of the Soviets hiding in craters. They are hard to spot. I have gotten some Mg34’s into overwatch along with an HQ and two 81 mm mortars. I have no idea what I will have left for Hills 183 and 192. Probably nothing and I will not have the strength to break through. The majority of task force A is still embarked on the road waiting to move out once the road is clear. I think the entrance to the town is now clear, and routing Soviets are desperately running away. I am trying to track down and eliminate the many “crew” icons I see – I want the points, so if I don’t exit, I might not lose as badly.



I now have the monastery. I am moving all my 37 mm AT guns up there. I have found that from there I have clear vantage toward a LOT of the armor on the battlefield, certainly everything near the RR bridge. So I am going to create a battery of 3 guns, under the command of the double combat bonus HQ and blast away. I am also moving trucks, AT rifles, MG34s etc across the now clear ford.



In the east, with my back to the Soviet exit, I have retreated the two platoons of infantry. Soviet infantry seems to be sweeping south, but I have lost them and I don’t’ know where on earth they are headed. But if they try to breakout, I want to be able to hit them in the woods.



--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
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Discussions: 254
Post #12   4605 days, 14 hours, 41 minutes, 32 seconds ago        
Near the RR bridge there is a company of infantry with light armor (T26) support. In Mochawoe, the infantry is routing at the edge of the village, but I am sure others are hidden. At the exit of the village I am getting a “tankette” contact, and just this turn I get to AA gun sound contacts banging away. The sound contact icons are near the road/railroad intersection. The biggest problem now is the armor on the railroad. A platoon of T26’s is aimlessly milling around, but a KV1 that I had been dueling with has found good hull down behind the railroad embankment. He is making it tough to advance.


--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
Supreme Tester

Member #3014
Joined: Dec 2005
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Post #11   4605 days, 15 hours, 0 minute, 32 seconds ago        
By Turn 29, I have the Monastery Hill. A few Maxims and a sniper and some infantry held me up good. I have yet to cross any light vehicles across the ford. The remaining stug made it and patrols the hill. All my AT guns and trucks have yet to cross.



A company of Soviet infantry plus armor support is near the RR bridge. I think they are trying to cross and make for the exit? I have two platoons of infantry and AT rifle and mortar to stop them.

In the village, I “bum-rush” 4 stugs up the road after being pelted with Maxim fire for 5 turns. I scatter the maxims and some infantry, but some light AT guns open up. At the end of the turn I am getting plinked but no penetrations so far. A lone T26 in the village is keeping me from moving my trucks at the ford. He has to die. Two platoons of infantry are making for the village but are cowering in the drainage ditch due to the heavy mg fire. With the guns gone, they should be able to move in and provide support for the stugs.




--------------------
"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
ROCKINHARRY
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Post #10   4607 days, 4 hours, 49 minutes, 48 seconds ago        
Quite an exiting read! Keep going! Cool

I´ve already derived some ideas, how to improve certain aspects of the scenario. I´ll talk about at a later time for sure. Smile

Think the briefing should have exit map eligible units/formations mentioned in the reinforcement schedule as well. This should allow a better planning ahead.

Horst reminded of a briefing fault, that states Flak units to be with the reinforcements. There´s no Flak units (leftover text from a scenario variation), but I´ll check again for other possible leftovers.

It´s quite interesting to see your tactical considerations developed and applied. Smile That is one main aspect of the scenario design, to help the player evaluate what terrain and objectives are really important for a given task. This should also improve replayability.
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former member of SPWAW Lost Victories design team and Wild Bills Raiders

Rockinharry Music at Myspace

for PBEM requesters; I´ll play TPG stuff that needs testing only!

RockinHarry Scenarios:

RHZ Death Factory #1 CMAK ETO Scenario
RHZ Fall Gelb CMAK ETO Scenario

Rockinharry Mods can be found at GAJs Mod Place
JOHN BUFORD
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Post #9   4607 days, 14 hours, 50 minutes, 21 seconds ago        
By turn 20 I am starting to get through the ford in the center. On the right (east) two platoons of recon jump forward to the rail line, while in the east, two platoons of Stugs advance slowly up the road. We have destroyed 3xT26, 1xT34. one 1xT256 remains.





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"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
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Post #8   4607 days, 14 hours, 51 minutes, 37 seconds ago        


Start of turn 9: Well, now I’ve got problems…a Maxim has started yammering away at me from the monastery. Some of my truck are visible to it, and a kubelwagon conveniently bogged in plain site of it. Expect it to die next turn and all other units reversing out of sight. All I have is a sound contact. Since no AT guns open on me, I will move my Stugs to the ford and blast the maxim out.

The T26 reversed out of danger.

It’s on!!! Ok, the ford is contested. At least one maxim, maybe two yammer away. A sniper buttons me up. East of the river, I move unopposed. I want to get close so I can get a solid contact. I now spy 3xT26, and 1xT34 in Mochowoe, so recon does its job! I put my armor on cover armor arcs and have at it. Map attached.

A firefight ensues. I lose a Stug to the T34. Damn. There’s some exit points I won’t be getting… At least my caution was warranted. This crossing is HEAVILY defended.

Turn 15: Oooh, I hit some AT mines with a Stug on the other side of the ford. Rats, there are MORE points for exit I won’t be getting.

I am not sure if Harry expected me to stick East of the river with this task force or not. If so, he should make it clearer. Either way, the ford side has kicked my a** and now I have only one Stug, and its very small HE load to do anything with. I have a spot on one Maxim, but that is small consolation. I’m afraid this part of the mission is stuck in the mud.


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"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
JOHN BUFORD
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Post #7   4607 days, 14 hours, 53 minutes, 25 seconds ago        
Ok Harry, I’ll give it a go…I have NOT read anything in this discussion. I will keep posting as I play to give you a DAR. When I am done I will read any comments, but not during, to keep fog of war.

First off: great instruction in the briefing. Clear, everything there that I need to know. Great job.

Second: thanks for putting the *** denotation for exiting troops. How come nobody else does that? Brilliant! A real time saver.

On to the mission.

Wow! Tricky. From the first moment, I see I have options. Very, clever, and very tricky!? What to do? I only see two options: path A through the woods (there appears to be a way through the heavy woods that should allow progress through the trees.

Path B swing around to the west, get closer to where task force A will come in, try to ford the river and get up to the monastery heights. Question, you say task force b starts about “1 km south-east of Mochowoe Monastery,” could you label the monastery on the map please? I will indicate in my jpeg what I assume the monastery is, but it would be nice to have it labeled on the map, as it is an important landmark.

Well, I am very curious as to what OTHERS will do. Me, I am worried about soft ground and bogging. Only three vehicles are marked for exit here in the first slot, and if one bogs, there go 33% of the points, so my plan is to move most of my forces on safe(r) ground to the south and make for a ford straight up to the monastery. The Stugs have a nice place to overwatch the ford while the infantry moves up on foot. Maybe this is too slow…??? At any rate, this has the advantage of bringing “A” and “B” closer together eventually for mutual support. Also a good thing. Disadvantage is I will have a hard time “cutting off” the enemy trying to exit. I plan to move on “move” not fast…I don’t want anyone bogging.

2nd platoon will move on the east side of the river on foot with an AT rifle and sniper to get a view behind the monastery. Maybe even move on to cut the railroad line…?



Turn 4: Reinforcements, 9th platoon shows up in trucks. I will keep them to the east of the river to support the recon platoon already there. This will increase my “cut-off” power. They can always ford the river later to rejoin the bulk of task force B if need be.

Turn 6: Heavy weapons for Task Force B show up. I mount everyone up and prepare to move south to the river ford crossing (the bulk of my forces).

Start of turn 8: my overwatch Stugs have spotted at T26 at a distance of 1200 meters. With only 23, 22, and 21 AP rounds between the three of them, I think shooting at it is foolish. It is parked on the road outside Mochowoe, pointing toward where “A” group will come in. I am fairly certain it can’t touch me at this distance, so I will hold fire, and hope it doesn’t scare my infantry. I want to move my trucks to the ford though, so I may have to deal with it if it has LOS to where the trucks need to go (it certainly can kill them!)

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"...and we will attack valiantly and be butchered valiantly, and afterward men will thump their chests and say what a brave charge it was." (Brig. Gen. John Buford in The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara)
ROCKINHARRY
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Post #6   4607 days, 20 hours, 29 minutes, 34 seconds ago        
Thank you very much, Horst! :) Your report gives me lots to think about, especially with regard to "steering" the AIs moves, which was the challenge for me, design wise. Some measures to "contain" the AI obviously play into the human players hands and offer tactical "options" that I failed to exploit during my own test plays. Typical designer bias, me thinks. :)

I´ve yet to figure out, why the AI sometimes moves toward the map corner, but oftentimes enough moves toward the exit map edge. Looks like sort of strategic AI adaption to human players moves. Could also be, the AI at times figures hunting enemy units more important, than exiting troops off map, the more that it just has these 2 choices (no flags).

Some other reported AI unit behavior, worked to my intentions and I can´t tell about for the time beeing (spoilers!). ;)

Ah...no Flak. Think I messed the briefing text from an alternative scenario version, with the current one.

Have some end game save file handy? Please send to email, included with the scenarios readme file! :)

(modified 04/11/2012 13:34:21 by Rockinharry)
--------------------
former member of SPWAW Lost Victories design team and Wild Bills Raiders

Rockinharry Music at Myspace

for PBEM requesters; I´ll play TPG stuff that needs testing only!

RockinHarry Scenarios:

RHZ Death Factory #1 CMAK ETO Scenario
RHZ Fall Gelb CMAK ETO Scenario

Rockinharry Mods can be found at GAJs Mod Place
HORST
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Post #5   4610 days, 22 hours, 16 minutes, 10 seconds ago        
OUTCOME:Major Victory
STATISTICS:
Axis
Allied
Player Name:
me
ai
Experience Bonus:
0
0
Play Balance:
0
0
Men OK
309
255
Tot. Casualties
104
295
Men KIA
25
78
Men Captured
2
Mortars Dest.
1
3
Guns Dest.
1
7
Pillboxes Dest.
Vehicles Dest.
14
25
Aircraft Dest.
POINTS:
Axis
Allied
Flags Held:
Enemy Casualties:
2775
1425
Prisoners Taken:
16
Exited Troops:
1933
-5610
Scenario Bonus:
FINAL SCORE:
82%
18%

Ceb+0, Major victory.

I had fun with this one but it needs some changes as score-board states. -5000 points for not exiting units is just too much.

Gameplan:
I figured I storm that monestary first and secure all fords so that I can bypass the villages if needed. I suspect russians try to flee via rail-bridge but it must wait for now.
Monastery fell quite easily. pioneers had some hard time crearing mines in hmg-fire but they did ok. One A.Coys platoon cleared the monasterys ruins and headed for scouting rail-line crossing, second platoon headed for further north to scout Krasnyi and northern ford.
First reserves come and I had to decide what to do. Bring support weapons to monastery hill or at rail-line. I decided to send all reinfs to rail-line including A.Coys hmg:s.
Fighting at rail-bridge was bloody. Reinf.inf.platoon, hmg:s and Stugs kept russians at bay long enough for me to deploy my support weapons, I was allso rushing trucks with pioneers to northern ford which I suspected is mined. (And of course it was...)
When A:s armoured reinfs arrived I made my choise and tried to bypass both villages via river banks, montery hill, wood trail, rail-line and furtherst northern ford. A:s infatry reserves were mostly exit units, so I figured that I would just risk it and send them north. I left hmg:s and mortars behind the hill. I wanted to send them to monstery hill but to my surprise some russian hmg:s were still there firing my trucks!? Just sloppy I guess.
I had some hard time with my armour. I lost 4 exit Stugs when fighting against at-guns and inf.guns. Battalion commander and his halftrack was allso lost. I managed to exit 6 Stugs. Western exit-group left the map untouched.

End screen.
Those russians that survived from rail-bridge and their exiting armour were heading for SE corner of the map!? WHY? I had nothing there to stop them but I guess none of the russians (or only very few of them) escaped.
I guess that AI is not very good at exiting units. At least I have never played a screnario where AI does it well.

Recomendations:
-AI made a mess by trying to exit units via SE corner. If you can make soviets to exit via rail-bridge and wheatfields then it is ok. If not, then I would plant large flag at rail-bridge and/or rail-crossing to keep russian ai active.
-It was too easy to exit axis infatry. If you wish to make it harder you could:
A: Make russian rear more harder to bypass with mg-bunkers at hill 192. Hill should be high enough to efficently secure the whole rear-area. Or,
B: Force player to clear both villages by making russian rear impossible to reach with water. Or,
C: Only axis armour should exit the map. That would "free" player to use his infatry for clearing the villages. There were soviet platoons still hiding at villages because I avoided them.
-Briefing mentions flak-guns but there are none coming.

Ok. Score-board excluded I had fun moving my Stugs and pioneers. Soviets and navigation via wood-trail gave me tough challange. Stupid drivers made few traffic-jams... Big Grin

Cheriooo!!
ROCKINHARRY
Junior Tester

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Post #4   4611 days, 5 hours, 35 minutes, 24 seconds ago        
Quote:
Originally posted by: horst:
Turn 29.

Interesting screnario.
Monastery is secured and all my exiting armour is moving to rail-bridge via this area. Russian infatry is trying to cross the rail-bridge but they are pinned down at fords. Lost some tanks already but I think I can win this one. Tring to sneak exiting infatry via western border.
I´ll try to finish this at weekend.



Thanks for first report, horst! Smile Hopefully the briefing and general situation is clear enough on the tasks. I attempted a rather short, "military" style briefing and much depends on the players perception, the more that there´s no flags to hunt for.

The particular scenario setup probably yields the max out of the possible AI dynamics, thus...anything could happen. :)

For those interested, ...the map developed from a "random generated map" purposely. I aimed at shaping and "cultivating" it in natural ways, with regard to russia like landscapes thereafter.

Looking forward to your further reports! Cool
--------------------
former member of SPWAW Lost Victories design team and Wild Bills Raiders

Rockinharry Music at Myspace

for PBEM requesters; I´ll play TPG stuff that needs testing only!

RockinHarry Scenarios:

RHZ Death Factory #1 CMAK ETO Scenario
RHZ Fall Gelb CMAK ETO Scenario

Rockinharry Mods can be found at GAJs Mod Place
HORST
Junior Tester

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Post #3   4612 days, 19 hours, 27 minutes, 32 seconds ago        
Turn 29.

Interesting screnario.
Monastery is secured and all my exiting armour is moving to rail-bridge via this area. Russian infatry is trying to cross the rail-bridge but they are pinned down at fords. Lost some tanks already but I think I can win this one. Tring to sneak exiting infatry via western border.
I´ll try to finish this at weekend.
ROCKINHARRY
Junior Tester

Member #869
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Post #2   4614 days, 22 hours, 42 minutes, 21 seconds ago        
2 small mods were created for use in this scenario, but it´s not mandatory for game play:

(Soft Ground) http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods/4292/details
(Mixed Trees) http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods/4293/details

Additionally, a small mod (double railroad spur) has been packed with the scenario file in ZIP format. Best used with McMMM mod manager. If not using the mod manager, the 659.bmp file can be placed manually into CMBB/bmp folder, but DON´T forget to backup the original file!
--------------------
former member of SPWAW Lost Victories design team and Wild Bills Raiders

Rockinharry Music at Myspace

for PBEM requesters; I´ll play TPG stuff that needs testing only!

RockinHarry Scenarios:

RHZ Death Factory #1 CMAK ETO Scenario
RHZ Fall Gelb CMAK ETO Scenario

Rockinharry Mods can be found at GAJs Mod Place
ROCKINHARRY
Junior Tester

Member #869
Joined: Jan 2004
Ratings: 0 / 0 / 0
Discussions: 56
Post #1   4614 days, 22 hours, 47 minutes, 41 seconds ago        
Scenario discussion area for RHZ Mochowoe
--------------------
former member of SPWAW Lost Victories design team and Wild Bills Raiders

Rockinharry Music at Myspace

for PBEM requesters; I´ll play TPG stuff that needs testing only!

RockinHarry Scenarios:

RHZ Death Factory #1 CMAK ETO Scenario
RHZ Fall Gelb CMAK ETO Scenario

Rockinharry Mods can be found at GAJs Mod Place

 

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