BrucErik CSD Studio

[timberwolf15]

The BruceErik CSD Studio thread stays at the top of the food chain which is nice cause it stays at the top of the threads so we can find these campaigns but maybe at some point both of them should be in the official sticky of Custom Campaigns the Normandy UK & Canada 1944 v2.2 29-2-2020 is in there but perhaps this wonderful Winter War 1939 v1.6 8-3-2020 should be added in there too.

[ColonelY]

And finally my feedback as well on the (last) scenario: 20Kiantajarvi (v1.6, lvl 3)

A great scenario, a little unusual actually , but a good preparation as well for the last few words at the end of this first part of the Winter War.

The AT & AA-guns are clearly added here more for historical reasons than anything else, as well - I assume - that the fact that there is (still) no air recon allowed within this scenario.

The addition of the two core fighters is really nice and would certainly be very useful in the next campaign, the Winter War 1940... as well as the "drop tank" spec that could be soon unlocked to help "fuelwise".

And I really like as well the final option, the bonus scenario...

A great campaign, for sure!
-------
Now, I'm just a bit worried about the 07Hevossalmi (about the 2 aux fighters + our core fighter ), because actually I see no air deploy hex for our core fighter near the aux airplanes!?

[Erik2]

Winter War 1939 1.7
Link updated in first post


06Tolvajarvi1:
Reduced Finnish reinforcement LCPs by about 1/3
Reduced Finnish at start resources by 1/2
Added 6 more turns
Added a few Sov commanders

07Hevossalmi:
Fixed at start air deployment

09Tolvajarvi2:
Moved Sov at start units 1-2 hexes closer to the road
Increased both sides pri objs from 4 to 5

11Kotajarvi:
Added artillery sec obj reward
T-28B reward is now a core unit

12Uomaa2:
Replaced dense forest hexes with forest along road to make it easier for Sov armor to attack.
Added a couple of Sov air units
Added a few Sov commanders
Added additional Finnish air deployment hex

13Soumussalmi2 :
Added more Finnish supply

14Kemijarvi:
Added map-markers to pri objs
Moved Sov at start units closer to the frontline
Increased Sov supply

15Petsamo :
Fixed sec obj Finnish 7 unit exit
Added one Finnish air deployment hex
Added a few more Sov units (part of the historical OOB)

17Kelja1 :
Sov artillery spawn closer to the frontline
Redeployed Sov tanks
Added Sov commanders
Increased Sov (and Finnish aux) unit exp
Added 6 more turns

19Kelja2 :
Added 4 more turns

[bru888]

Cool, your maps are going to be priceless to me.

Finished the campaign structure: file, text, images. Beginning the first scenario. Problem already. Where am I?

Two Suomussalmi's on the Google map and no Haukila in sight. Which is the road to Raate? Cool's map to the rescue!

Yet, although your map shows Haukila, it doesn't specify Suomussalmi unless I am overlooking it; the map is quite crowded with names. I still wonder: Am I in the right area?

Raate Road (Scns 1-3).jpg (596.12 KiB) Viewed 2674 times

After quite a few tries at searching Google maps for place names in your map, I struck gold with Vuokinniemi:

Image0232.jpg (407.65 KiB) Viewed 2674 times

So the maps coincide and I know where I am for the first three scenarios.

Even so, locating places will be an ongoing challenge, as demonstrated by where another of your maps locates Vuokinniemi, east of Suomussalmi instead of south:

Suomussalmi 1.jpg (187.07 KiB) Viewed 2674 times

(When I say "your maps" I don't mean to imply these are your inaccuracies, of course.)

Yet I am much better off at this point than I was with Winter War 1939, thanks to the maps you provided.

[bru888]

Here's a look-ahead question, Cool. These maps locate Hotinen but where are these maps in relation to the Mannerheim Line? Is this region near Taipale in the east?

Hotinen.jpg (204.79 KiB) Viewed 2672 times

Summa, Lähde and Summankylä.jpg (397.08 KiB) Viewed 2672 times

I have tried searching for a bunch of the names shown with no results. If this is now Russian territory, these Finnish names have been suppressed, which compounds the problem.

By the way, for our train and railroad fans, I have boxed what appears to be the area of the Hotinen scenario in relation to the nearest railroad line; if this map is correct, of course.

[CoolDTA]

Cool, your maps are going to be priceless to me.

Glad to be of assistance.

Finished the campaign structure: file, text, images. Beginning the first scenario. Problem already. Where am I?

Two Suomussalmi's on the Google map and no Haukila in sight. Which is the road to Raate? Cool's map to the rescue!

Yet, although your map shows Haukila, it doesn't specify Suomussalmi unless I am overlooking it; the map is quite crowded with names. I still wonder: Am I in the right area?

Okay, my bad. I sort of thought after WW39 Bru knows these areas like the back of his hands. Have to say The Source does not help in that.

The two Suomussalmis: As usual, Google is more confusing than helpful here. When the Soviets came to "liberate" the Finnish workers, the small town of Suomussalmi was destroyed. That's why it was transferred to the other side of lake to Ämmänsaari (village in the same municipality) and this became the administrative centre. The old Suomussalmi was later rebuilt, but the centre remained in Ämmänsaari -> hence two Suomussalmis. You can try 'Ämmänsaari' in Google to see how close you have to zoom to find that name.

You got quite close finding Haukila in Google map, but not exactly. From your written word 'someplace' go a bit south and you see a road number 912 (or rather one of them). This is approximately. where Haukila was/is. Note the shapes of the lakes nearby in both maps. They are useful when trying to locate yourself. Note that Haukila is the name of a single (farm)house and Suomussalmi is west of the small scale map.

Even so, locating places will be an ongoing challenge, as demonstrated by where another of your maps locates Vuokinniemi, east of Suomussalmi instead of south:

Yes, but the place in the east is Vuokkiniemi, not Vuokinniemi. So not the same. I'd say the maps are accurate unless proven otherwise.

Here's a look-ahead question, Cool. These maps locate Hotinen but where are these maps in relation to the Mannerheim Line? Is this region near Taipale in the east?

No, it is near Summa/Summankylä. The abbreviation Sk stands for Summankylä. The terrain in the NE in the small scale map is swamp. Mannerheim Line is marked in blue colour in the larger scale map.

Maybe helpful:

I have tried searching for a bunch of the names shown with no results. If this is now Russian territory, these Finnish names have been suppressed, which compounds the problem.

Yes, these are in the stolen territory making it harder to get help from Google.

[bru888]

Yes, but the place in the east is Vuokkiniemi, not Vuokinniemi. So not the same. I'd say the maps are accurate unless proven otherwise.

I'm sorry, Cool, but I am going to permit myself one of these at this time: Followed, as it always should be, by this: No wonder I am having trouble!

The two Suomussalmis: As usual, Google is more confusing than helpful here. When the Soviets came to "liberate" the Finnish workers, the small town of Suomussalmi was destroyed. That's why it was transferred to the other side of lake to Ämmänsaari (village in the same municipality) and this became the administrative centre. The old Suomussalmi was later rebuilt, but the centre remained in Ämmänsaari -> hence two Suomussalmis. You can try 'Ämmänsaari' in Google to see how close you have to zoom to find that name.

Very interesting tidbit. Thanks.

Here's a look-ahead question, Cool. These maps locate Hotinen but where are these maps in relation to the Mannerheim Line? Is this region near Taipale in the east?

No, it is near Summa/Summankylä. The abbreviation Sk stands for Summankylä. The terrain in the NE in the small scale map is swamp. Mannerheim Line is marked in blue colour in the larger scale map.

Maybe helpful:

Ah! So Hotinen is on this side of the Line; I was thinking it was over by Taipale:

Mannerheim-line.png (37.74 KiB) Viewed 2586 times

I have tried searching for a bunch of the names shown with no results. If this is now Russian territory, these Finnish names have been suppressed, which compounds the problem.

Yes, these are in the stolen territory making it harder to get help from Google.

I have become mindful of the fact that I am talking to people here who, if not themselves, their parents and grandparents lived through this war that ravaged their homelands. Although our boys were involved, we have not had a war take place on United States territory since 1865. It is hard for me to imagine warfare happening in my country whereas the echoes of these tragedies still reverberate in places right around the corner from you.

[CoolDTA]

I'm sorry, Cool, but I am going to permit myself one of these at this time: Followed, as it always should be, by this: No wonder I am having trouble!

Heyy - it is a completely different location and spelling.

Ah! So Hotinen is on this side of the Line;

Yes it is and you have several scenarios (Hotinen, 1st Summa, Lähde, 2nd Summa) in the same small area (~ 25 km² / 10 sq mi).

Thanks for the kind words at the end of your post. War is hell indeed.

[bru888]

Cool, if you don't mind, is this a phrase that is common to the Finnish people (I am suspecting that it is universal, especially in northern latitudes) and, if so, does Google Translate accomplish it to your satisfaction?

Image0233.jpg (76.7 KiB) Viewed 2545 times

Text: Et voi nähdä käsiäsi kasvojesi edessä.

[rafdobrowolski]

Playing Suomussalmi scenario, I destroy all the mines, but the counter does not work while doign this, and then once the fourth is destroyed, nothing happens, and the secondary objective is not met, resultign in a minor victory. Anyone else having this problem?

[bru888]

Playing Suomussalmi scenario, I destroy all the mines, but the counter does not work while doign this, and then once the fourth is destroyed, nothing happens, and the secondary objective is not met, resultign in a minor victory. Anyone else having this problem?

raf, thank you.

Erik, I think this is a post-production issue because the copy of 13Soumussalmi2 that I sent back to you still had neutral mines. I remembered it because this was one scenario in which the chaotic conditions of a recently occupied village could indicate old mines that nobody would know where they are for sure. So I left them neutral.

So, if you changed the mines to Soviet ownership in 13Soumussalmi2, then you need to also adjust the trigger correspondingly (screenshot from version 1.7):

Screenshot 5.jpg (428.06 KiB) Viewed 2523 times

EDIT: Hmmm. Now I know it's a post-production error. When you replaced the mines, changing their ownership, you compromised these random placement triggers:

Screenshot 1.jpg (229.27 KiB) Viewed 2522 times

Sorry buddy, but there it is.

[Erik2]

Winter War 1939 1.8
Link updated in first post.

13Soumussalmi2:
Fixed sec obj (mines) and random mine placements

I Me Mine
Quiz: Who wrote this song? Reward: A free virtual mine detector

[CoolDTA]

Cool, if you don't mind, is this a phrase that is common to the Finnish people (I am suspecting that it is universal, especially in northern latitudes) and, if so, does Google Translate accomplish it to your satisfaction?

No, it is not. The translation is almost ok (should be hands), but what's the point of the phrase? Why can't you see? Is the person blind or has his eyes closed? 'Cannot see the forest for the trees' pops into my mind and it is known in Finnish, too. Could that be what was meant?

Reward: A free virtual mine detector

[bru888]

Cool, if you don't mind, is this a phrase that is common to the Finnish people (I am suspecting that it is universal, especially in northern latitudes) and, if so, does Google Translate accomplish it to your satisfaction?

No, it is not. The translation is almost ok (should be hands), but what's the point of the phrase? Why can't you see? Is the person blind or has his eyes closed? 'Cannot see the forest for the trees' pops into my mind and it is known in Finnish, too. Could that be what was meant?

Yes, I should have explained the background.

The first scenario begins at the stroke of midnight on 1 January 1940. A sandstorm is used to heighten the sense of low visibility (I looked it up; the Moon actually was near its new moon phase on that night):

Screenshot 3.jpg (229.81 KiB) Viewed 2474 times

Six hours later, dawn breaks and a new mission is revealed (I used the same photo, just tinkering with its brightness and contrast):

Screenshot 4.jpg (416.88 KiB) Viewed 2474 times

Screenshot 5.jpg (414.57 KiB) Viewed 2474 times

But for the first six turns, the Finns are operating in the dark as they raid the Soviet column on Raate Road. Hence what this fellow says in the briefing:

Screenshot 1.jpg (85.88 KiB) Viewed 2474 times

(I will fix that bridge that I just noticed. Also, scratch the first "apparently" in the briefing. I hate redundancy. )

Now, in English, we say that "you can't see your hand in front of your face" to express an opinion of how dark it is outside or in a closed room. Is there an equivalent phrase in Finnish? If not, I may just go with the Google translation if it's accurate or if you could provide a better literal translation. My concern is that somebody plops into a translator what I have in the game and comes up with another "God is cold."

[rafdobrowolski]

Hello all, in the Petsamo scenario, even though I have exited the required number of 7 troops by turn 18 (last one leaves on turn 17), I do not acheive the Secondary Objective. Also, the counter is off (says exit 7, but is listed as 0/10).

[bru888]

Hello all, in the Petsamo scenario, even though I have exited the required number of 7 troops by turn 18 (last one leaves on turn 17), I do not acheive the Secondary Objective. Also, the counter is off (says exit 7, but is listed as 0/10).

That was already reported above; it's in the official copy that Erik maintains.

[rafdobrowolski]

Hello all, in the Petsamo scenario, even though I have exited the required number of 7 troops by turn 18 (last one leaves on turn 17), I do not acheive the Secondary Objective. Also, the counter is off (says exit 7, but is listed as 0/10).

That was already reported above; it's in the official copy that Erik maintains.

Thanks, I just saw that after I posted...

[CoolDTA]

Yes, I should have explained the background.

Ah, okay. That background story helps a lot. Here's a similar phrase in a more Finnish style: 'Niin on pimeää, ettei nenänpäätään näe.' -> 'It is so dark that you cannot see the tip of your nose'. As always, love your dedication to add flavour with Finnish sayings.

The first scenario begins at the stroke of midnight on 1 January 1940. A sandstorm is used to heighten the sense of low visibility (I looked it up; the Moon actually was near its new moon phase on that night):

Screenshot 3.jpg

Six hours later, dawn breaks and a new mission is revealed (I used the same photo, just tinkering with its brightness and contrast):

Slight problem here. Understandable because the length of day varies much more here than where you live. On 1st of Jan in Suomussalmi the sun rises at 10:10 AM (not 6 AM). The length of day is mere four hours. I guess it is easiest and wisest to disregard this information in the scenario, and only consider it as one more thing you now know.

[rafdobrowolski]

Hello all, in the Petsamo scenario, even though I have exited the required number of 7 troops by turn 18 (last one leaves on turn 17), I do not acheive the Secondary Objective. Also, the counter is off (says exit 7, but is listed as 0/10).

That was already reported above; it's in the official copy that Erik maintains.

So, the commander Unto Petaja shows up in the next scenario after Petsamo. I think the Secondary Objective was awarded, even if the end game notification stated that I had not achieved it. Just passing the information along.

[bru888]

Yes, I should have explained the background.

Ah, okay. That background story helps a lot. Here's a similar phrase in a more Finnish style: 'Niin on pimeää, ettei nenänpäätään näe.' -> 'It is so dark that you cannot see the tip of your nose'. As always, love your dedication to add flavour with Finnish sayings.

Done! And if that is how you feel, then kindly expect more requests for same, here.

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The first scenario begins at the stroke of midnight on 1 January 1940. A sandstorm is used to heighten the sense of low visibility (I looked it up; the Moon actually was near its new moon phase on that night):

Six hours later, dawn breaks and a new mission is revealed (I used the same photo, just tinkering with its brightness and contrast):

Slight problem here. Understandable because the length of day varies much more here than where you live. On 1st of Jan in Suomussalmi the sun rises at 10:10 AM (not 6 AM). The length of day is mere four hours. I guess it is easiest and wisest to disregard this information in the scenario, and only consider it as one more thing you now know.

Ah. My ignorance simply knows no bounds.

Hmmm. That definitely puts a crimp in that reconnaissance mission. Taking into account the size of the map, and as verified by a couple of "dry runs," the mission takes a minimum of 14 turns. I have bumped up the total number of turns to 24, as in the hours of the day, and I naturally thought 6AM, or turn 7, would be daybreak, living in the comparative tropics as I do.

If I bump that mission back enough turns to reflect a true allocation of night and day hours (it begins at daybreak), there will not be enough time to complete it.

Well, let me think. The turn clock doesn't have to be literal; that is, one turn per hour. Usually we don't even think in those terms as night is not treated any differently from day during gameplay. But in this scenario, a midnight attack was supposed to be part of the background and ambiance.

So, dawn breaking on Turn 6 or 7 doesn't need to mean 6AM. It just means the long night is over now. Time was compressed during the nighttime turns and now time is going to be elongated during the daytime turns. That's if the player is going to even notice. "Neat effect, nice touch" is all I am looking for.

Thanks for bringing this up. It actually is liberating; as scenario god, I determine when the sun rises and when it sets!

I worked a couple of subtle mentions of your very good point into the popup messages:

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