Operation Dragoon Single Player Scenario

[bru888]

The correct answer is to widen the image with additional background!

The gauntlet of challenge has been thrown down! Pardon me while I tinker . . .

[conboy]

Shards, my adjudication comments are in italics. Thanks again!

- I'm not sure where the 7TP jw appeared from on my Eastern Flank. It's taken back the far SE Primary, but isn't getting any supply from it, so I've been able to run a tank back there to slowly whittle it down whilst the Puma's skate around.
*conboy - It came from Italy – it was in the brief to watch out for that. 1SSF should be holding that position. I wish the player could keep the briefings handy during the scenario play!

- I'd consider whether to replace one or more of the Pumas with a non-recon unit, so that it *can* take back the VP. Or possibly give the Pumas more of a seek and destroy mission so that they're not sat on VP's doing nothing
*conboy – good point – but there are some lethal bad guys up there, e.g, the 7TP jw.
On second thought, I don’t want enemy recon running around the VI Corps rear causing panic. Airborne units should wipe them out and that’ll fix the problem. Regarding the warning – the 1SSF was ordered to stay up there during the briefing – I’ll take it out of the passive voice to make it clear. That’s why I put the threat up there (IRL, they are 148th infantry recon units – bad guys.)
- In general, I'd always put a flag on any supply point. Not every player knows to press Space to see the supply outputs
*conboy – thank you for the suggestion, wilco.
I think I’ll forego that on second thought. The Airborne guys don’t need to know there’s a supply point up there – they’re supposed to be guarding Cannes and the whole VI Corps rear against an attack from Italy. 1SSF shouldn’t be poking around up North of there.

- Just north of that SE Primary point is a supply point to an off-map supply. I'd consider putting a flag there and maybe an AI exit point? To indicate that it's an off-map supply source (and so the player knows to take it!)
*conboy – Understand the flag but not the AI exit point. The player doesn’t need to take it – just defend the primary hex.

- There's a few supply points that are off their flags (e.g. Avignon, Aix)
*conboy – ah! Thanks! (fixed)

- Reiz is a town in the south centre that gives supply, but has no flag, and isn't on a road (so I've bypassed it, but have therefore left a supply pocket)
*conboy – will fix (fixed)

- There's a section of Chinese wall West of Aix?
*conboy – will fix (fixed)

- The Clear Toulon and Marseille of all germans shows 0/0 but hasn't Ticked. There' still 5 units in and around Marseille... Maybe an issue with the counter?
*conboy – what a mess! I tested it and it worked so back to the drawing board. I thought the counter would sum the two – but it was only counting Toulon. So I put the marker midway between them and increased the distance. Initial counter now reads 19 instead of 10. I’ll verify on the replay.

- Are there actually any straggler units that I might encounter when pushing North and West? A message indicated they might be there, but it's mostly just open countryside!!
*conboy – sometimes they get away from Marseille (I think it’s fixed – took it out of the Pop-Up and moved a potentially offending unit. Good catch though, I don’t want the players to be worried about areas already cleared (except airborne).

- There's no deployment hex for Air units, so I can't bring back the Lightning that I recovered via the bottom air unit exit hexes.
*conboy – sir, you have a construction battalion to address the issue of air support but I thought those were redeployment hexes! My bad, will fix. (fixed – now they are redeploy hexes)

- I don't love Task Force Butler magically appearing when you take the VP, it feels a bit magic wand when you compare to the realism of the rest of the scenario?
*conboy – a conceit, if you will, to address a dilemma. TF Butler comprised armor, infantry, recon, and artillery. I thought there were too many units to move around as it was. I’m not crazy about it either but the alternative is to have 3 more units to move contiguously or have TF Butler wiped out as soon as it achieves its objective…
Now I think I see what you mean – IRL, when the 45th took Dauguignan, they also seized the LXII Corps fuel dump intact. So Truscott grabbed a bunch of units from various Corps elements and created TF Butler in hours to do recon in force to take advantage of the windfall and the unexpected rapid exodus of Germans from the coast. There are more elegant ways to do this – e.g., Erik creates Bernard’s amphibious force at San Fratello in a more realistic way – but this way is simpler if the player can suspend disbelief just a little.

- You unsummon the french forces when the Germans are defeated in the south, but if a unit in Marseille is the last unit, then I'm left with nothing to take that VP! Maybe test that both of the VP's are taken AND that the forces are beaten?
*conboy – They are not supposed to depart until both Primary VPs are taken! Grrrrr. Will check and fix! (Ah, I never conceived that someone would be able to clear the areas without taking the primary hexes! Fixed – deployed garrison units on the victory hexes when the rest depart.)


Amidst all of this though, is a good fun scenario, that's got a good amount of action and I really like the briefing style and marking the objectives with the names of the units that you should be using to take these (according to HQ's plan)!
*conboy – Shards, Thank you very much for the review! I’m happy that you played and enjoyed it. I’ll fix those bugaboos.

Bru – I addressed all of Shards’ comments. You want a new version or finish up the one you have? I think it’ll be okay the latter way but it’s your imprimatur.

[bru888]

The gauntlet of challenge has been thrown down! Pardon me while I tinker . . .

Arghh! The background, the rug, and the shadow (which I gave up on altogether) were the problems. She was a doll . . . kept smiling and posing the whole time, never said a peep . . .

bettygrable.jpg (38.34 KiB) Viewed 2021 times

Anyway, Conboy, if you decide to use it, perhaps it could be something along these lines:

Screenshot 10.jpg (65.24 KiB) Viewed 2021 times

[conboy]

Bru, it's a go!

Please send the .png file, it's perfect.

conboy

[bru888]

Bru, it's a go!

Please send the .png file, it's perfect.

conboy

Here's the image in PNG format (a must, as you know). Right-click and save to your computer:

bettygrable.png (163.02 KiB) Viewed 2015 times

[bru888]

Bru – I addressed all of Shards’ comments. You want a new version or finish up the one you have? I think it’ll be okay the latter way but it’s your imprimatur.

If you have a new version available, why not call it 1.1 and upload it for download now? But I will cut it off at that point because I have other projects to get to and I do want to wind up my CSI sweep on this scenario so that you may move ahead as well.

You don't have to make the changes that I talked about in the other thread so far; those are for you to contemplate and implement as you see fit. I do feel the need, however, to be able to see whatever you did in response to Erik's and Shards' suggestions.

[conboy]

Bru,

You now have v 0.2 and when you are done I will incorporate your comments and post as v1.1.

thanks for all you do, Bru!

conboy

[bru888]

Okay, I got the link to 0.2 and from this point on, I will be commenting on this version. As we agreed, it does not (yet) include any changes that you may wish to make based on what I said above. Now is a good time to mention this: Always, what I say in CSI sweeps is just advice. After considering it (which is all I ever ask), use your own judgment, of course. I don't go back later to see what you have adopted or rejected.

[bru888]

So, with the "Retreat thru Montemilan" module, a total of 12 German trucks labeled "Retreating Germans" are spawned and start heading for the exits in two directions. Or, what seem to be two directions according to the AI teams that you assign them to: Montemilan Retreat N and Montemilan Retreat NE. The thing is, they are all spawned in the same neck of the woods:

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and all of them are going to head directly north to these two hexes:

Screenshot 2.jpg (434.62 KiB) Viewed 2004 times

Here's a couple of things: First, the exit hex may be not operable in that it's on the extreme edge of the map; I would move it down one hex to be sure. Second, since the name implies it anyway, why not have the Montemilan Retreat NE trucks head to another exit hex just north of Grenoble?

[bru888]

"Even though Task Force Butler and the 36th Infantry Division could not block the highway, they inflicted hideous losses on German convoys retreating through Montelimar..."

I'm concerned about these triggers in a few ways. In two of them, my concern extends to mentioning them but not enough to motivate me to test them for you!

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My first two concerns are: 1) Does this Unit Damage condition work? I haven't used it much myself, so I can't be definite. 2) The Target Definition is Transport (Land); this apparently corresponds with Class = transport_land. The question is, when an infantry unit or artillery piece is being transported by truck, is that also a transport_land unit and will it count toward the damage requirement? Long story made short, you may want to test this module if you have not done so already.

One thing I can be definite about, however, is that although Combat Event is fine for the "Allied Success" trigger, since the objective can be achieved immediately, the "Allied Failure" trigger is evaluated at the end of the scenario and therefore it should be set for Turn Start. When the scenario turn limit is reached, there will be no more combat to activate this trigger:

Screenshot 6.jpg (237.61 KiB) Viewed 2001 times

[bru888]

The objective is "Clear Toulon and Marseilles of all Germans <4 Hex." You picked a hex roughly halfway between and made the condition Distance = 8. That's fine. I didn't get the reference to "Here, we draw the curtain of propriety" as the French go into garrison duty until I looked at the event image; Ooh-la-la!

What I still don't get, however, is the removing of all German units within 15 hexes of that midpoint in the bargain. Your scenario is probably tough enough so this could be a welcome relief, but I don't understand the rationale for this:

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Once again, this has to be Turn Start because at the end of the scenario, there will be no more combat to activate this trigger:

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[bru888]

I wonder if there is supposed to be a connection between these. Task Force Butler deploys once the Allies take Draugignon:

Screenshot 11.jpg (288.47 KiB) Viewed 1992 times

Task Force Butler is also mentioned - "TF now deployed" - in conjunction with the Retreat thru Montemilan:

Screenshot 12.jpg (300.34 KiB) Viewed 1992 times

Is this the same Task Force Butler and, if so, how are these two triggers coordinated?

"ULTRA intercepts: Hitler has ordered the withdrawal . . ."

And with that pedestrian correction, that's all I have except this comment: This is another well-designed scenario from Conboy. Take it from me, a great deal of work went into this one. It should be and will be a highly rewarding scenario to play.

Conboy, thanks for the invitation to sweep Operation Dragoon. Well done.

[conboy]

Bru,
Thanks for the review and the compliment!
I always learn a great deal from this evolution under your tutelage so please accept my gratitude for your time and insight.
Here are my remarks (italics) with your comments. All good, of course!

I wonder if there is supposed to be a connection between these. Task Force Butler deploys once the Allies take Draugignon:
Screenshot 11.jpg
Task Force Butler is also mentioned - "TF now deployed" - in conjunction with the Retreat thru Montemilan:
Screenshot 12.jpg
Is this the same Task Force Butler and, if so, how are these two triggers coordinated?
-conboy- They aren’t directly connected. The first one puts Butler on the road to Montemilar, and the second deploys the sister units “embedded” in the Butler tank token when it reaches the heights above Montelimar. As I explained to Shards, who didn’t like the spawning, it’s a conceit to avoid having the player move multiple units, and if not, having Butler wiped out for lack of support when it got to the hill above Montemilar. So “TF Butler now deployed” is a note to the player to note to explain where the extra units came from. I don’t even know if it’s noticeable in all the commotion, but it’s definitely contrived and I hope not too much so. I also explained to Shards that IRL Butler was inspired by the capture of XLII Corps fuel dump intact at Drauguignan (French spelling, argh!). VI Corps commander decide to take advantage of that and the fact that all the Germans were bugging out by grabbing whatever mobile units he could and sending them north as Task Force Butler. Sorry for the long answer, but a short answer from me would have begged the question.
Short answer – one is for Butler to start north, the other deploys some supporting units next to the Butler tank.


"ULTRA intercepts: Hitler has ordered the withdrawal . . ."
-conboy- Thanks for proofreading.

The objective is "Clear Toulon and Marseilles of all Germans <4 Hex." You picked a hex roughly halfway between and made the condition Distance = 8. That's fine. I didn't get the reference to "Here, we draw the curtain of propriety" as the French go into garrison duty until I looked at the event image; Ooh-la-la! What I still don't get, however, is the removing of all German units within 15 hexes of that midpoint in the bargain. Your scenario is probably tough enough so this could be a welcome relief, but I don't understand the rationale for this:
Screenshot 10.jpg

-conboy- I don’t know what I was thinking, but it is irrelevant. All the Germans are dead anyway when this trigger actuates, so there are none to remove. The French are supposed to leave when the Germans are cleared, and they do (next effect above the one in question). Rationale: IRL the French went west over the Rhone at that point without much enemy contact below Montelimar – the Germans were scrambling to get out. I didn’t want the player to move all those units a couple hundred miles for no contact with enemy. So here they depart and prepare for the next phase. IRL, they went right back to work.

Once again, this has to be Turn Start because at the end of the scenario, there will be no more combat to activate this trigger:
-conboy- I’m finally beginning to understand what those conditions mean. I just knew you didn’t like “Any Event” so I stopped using it. So it’s the first move after the turn start, and if it’s at scenario end, there’s no moves after that. Aha!
Screenshot 9.jpg
"Even though Task Force Butler and the 36th Infantry Division could not block the highway, they inflicted hideous losses on German convoys retreating through Montelimar..."
-conboy- Thanks for proofreading.
I'm concerned about these triggers in a few ways. In two of them, my concern extends to mentioning them but not enough to motivate me to test them for you!
Screenshot 4.jpg
Screenshot 7.jpg
My first two concerns are: 1) Does this Unit Damage condition work? I haven't used it much myself, so I can't be definite. 2) The Target Definition is Transport (Land); this apparently corresponds with Class = transport_land. The question is, when an infantry unit or artillery piece is being transported by truck, is that also a transport land unit and will it count toward the damage requirement? Long story made short, you may want to test this module if you have not done so already.
-conboy-
1) Yes, it works. For sure.
2) I don’t know about damage to the passengers/cargo counting or not - all these trucks are empty. I didn’t want any detrucked infantry and/or artillery further complicating the melee at Montelimar.
a. It has definitely been tested many times.

One thing I can be definite about, however, is that although Combat Event is fine for the "Allied Success" trigger, since the objective can be achieved immediately, the "Allied Failure" trigger is evaluated at the end of the scenario and therefore it should be set for Turn Start. When the scenario turn limit is reached, there will be no more combat to activate this trigger:
-conboy- Ok. I learn something (a lot actually) every time we do this! (see my note above)
Screenshot 6.jpg
So, with the "Retreat thru Montemilan" module, a total of 12 German trucks labeled "Retreating Germans" are spawned and start heading for the exits in two directions. Or, what seem to be two directions according to the AI teams that you assign them to: Montemilan Retreat N and Montemilan Retreat NE. The thing is, they are all spawned in the same neck of the woods:
Screenshot 3.jpg
and all of them are going to head directly north to these two hexes:
Screenshot 2.jpg
Here's a couple of things: First, the exit hex may be not operable in that it's on the extreme edge of the map; I would move it down one hex to be sure. Second, since the name implies it anyway, why not have the Montemilan Retreat NE trucks head to another exit hex just north of Grenoble?
-conboy- The exit hex works. There should be two, so I added one. So, if I send the trucks anywhere but straight up the highway they crawl all over the 36th Division supply lines (southeast of Montemilar). The “Montemilar Retreat NE” AI team (I fixed the spelling) is a remnant of that, but I just changed the destination and left the name to save me having to reassign all those trucks to a different AI team. Not so much because I’m lazy, it just opens room for trucks not being assigned an AI team or the wrong AI team. I changed the names to Montemilar Retreat I and Montemilar Retreat II.


again,
thanks to you and Erik and Shards for your interest and time.

conboy

[bru888]

Speaking for all three of us, our pleasure.

[terminator]

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The units do not have the good orientation (Left-Right) :

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[conboy]

terminator,
Thank you for downloading and reviewing. I have uploaded a new file that changed nothing but the display name. It now reads v1.1.

You other comments are important but I think I will wait until a few people play and see if their comments need to be incorporated, and incorporate your comments with theirs.

Right now, it plays okay, and I don't want to let out another version to add to the confusion.

thanks again,
conboy