05OperationExporter:
An excellent scenario.
I'll try to make it short but here is a little all I've seen or I suggest, etc.:
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-> I’ve used a
trick against the AI near Palmyra…
once the town was secured and the entire area actually, I’ve let the Vichy French keep control of the nearby AF, while keeping some units near this AF… with the proximity of this AF and the possibility to refuel there, the enemy planes have stayed long in the area, bombing and so one. But then, they land to refuel… when time comes,
simply to be destroyed on ground 
by units maintained nearby to that purpose. Most of the enemy bombers have been destroyed that way!
Thus much
too easily…
I know, it’s normal in itself, as the game allow for it, but it’s a little weird anyway.
Well, it may be possible to prevent the AI about doing so, i.e. to adapt/improve it’s northern aerial action tactically!
=> As you’ve one single AI setup group for the fighters and one as well for the bombers
I won’t talk about giving them the order to move backwards once the AF isn’t much defended (less than XYZ units at XYZ2 hexes away from it), or something, to let them back away to safety before, few turns later, switching them back to their normal aggressive/seek stance…
=> Or, rather here,
what about
making this AF simply surrender once there is not any single Vichy French unit few hexes away of this AF (like 4 or 5?) and once Palmyra has fallen.
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-> About sec obj “
Disrupt Beirut AA defences”: You’ve written “
Disrupt these units by destroying them or at least forcing them to retreat and occupying their former hexes.” Well, it works as you planned, indeed, once the player owns these 4 hexes, yes.
But if these AA units have moved forwards to take some shots at nearby planes, then they are somehow “out of position”.
If they are then all destroyed, these famous hexes aren’t yet occupied… so, the player see no more AA unit near Beirut, but this obj still open and no torpedo plane in sight.
So, I think you should
add another possibility to achieve this obj:
XYZ hexes from the Fort, no more Vichy French land AA unit shall do the trick as well! As this may be achieved before occupying their former hexes.
And perhaps, to avoid any nasty surprise, consider the possibility to shut off the whole folder once either one or the other of these options have been completed/achieved.
(It's easier for the coastal guns, as they don't move!
)
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Various:
-> The Free French have 2 units of
tanks… for more variability,
what about replacing one of the 2 units of
Renault R35 by one unit of
Hotchkiss H35?
Same stats, except that the second one moves a tiny little faster. And a little wink to the Gabon scenario with the side-story about Renault tanks!
-> About the “
Batterie Côtière A” and the “
Batterie Côtière B”… What about keeping the very same name each time once the flag changes?
-> I think the
AFs on the map would look better
under a flag…
Even if there are many flags on several parts of this battlefield.
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-> I haven’t seen the info that the
Vichy French HQ is at Beirut ; this could be added somewhere in some text and I suggest replacing, but on map (only), the name “Fort Beirut” by “
Fort Beirut (HQ)”.
->
Add an event once our bombers spawn, when enough enemy fighters have been destroyed, targeting the spawning area, with some cool and immersive (short) text… and a nice picture!
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->
Two historical events may be added:
(our scenario is starting the 8th of June)
18 June:
De Gaulle declares that the war in the Levant is "one of Hitler's most horrible achievements".
24 June:
The day before yesterday, Germany attacked the USSR (Operation Barbarossa). De Gaulle has just declared: "Without agreeing to discuss the vices and even crimes of the Soviet regime, we must proclaim, like Churchill, that we are very frankly with the Russians, since they are fighting the Germans".
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-> About the
planes:
1.
Offer more variability by replacing one
Hurricane unit by one
Gloster Gladiator unit in both the “
208 Sqn RAF AHQ Iraq” and the “
208 Sqn RAF AHQ Palestine”.
2. Add 1 Australian hurricane unit, on the “Palestine” side, as the
3rd Squadron of the RAAF was present (with Tomahawk fighters-bombers, but there is no “Tomahawk” in OoB, so a
Hurricane may do the trick!).
3. Perhaps
3 Free French Gloster Gladiator is a little (too) much… maybe just
2 would be better?
(This has then to be adapted on both cases, with or without more XP from campaign variable, of course.)
=>
These pts 1 to 3 because more variability & a little more challenge as well (on overall as many planes as before for this part, but 4 Gloster Gladiator units – weaker – instead of the actual 3). And the 1st pt prevent the feeling that the Free French were the single one using these already old fighters…
4.
Directly aces for British (and British only!) as a little boost and, again, more variability between units that otherwise may look a little like “clones”:
Thomas A.F. Elsdon with one fighter group (either Iraq or Palestine, your pick!), William Vale (the new ace from version 8.6.5) with the other fighter group, and Oliver McDowall with the bomber group.
5. The 3
torpedo Swordfish units could be named, as we know that the squadrons 803, 813 and 829 have taken part in the Operation Exporter.
6. About the (carrier plane) escort of these three torpedo planes unit:
Now that with v8.6.5 we’ve more models of planes, like some carrier fighter(s), as the Fulmar or the Sea Gladiator. And like the old fighter-bomber (Blackburn) Skua.
There was already (historically) some Skua at the time of taking Dakar (something to be added in the very first scenario, by the way… as old and weak, just adding one unit for the historical flavor won’t unbalance all anyway!), so seeing some again in this scenario won’t be a problem. And we’ve some Gladiator planes on this battlefield (even for the British if this suggestion of mine is to be kept), so a Sea Gladiator won’t be too surprising in this scenario…
=>
So, what about
adding as escort 1 British Sea Gladiator unit (together with the Fulmar)?
7.
Spawn few enemy fighters at some point.
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It’s a relatively long scenario and if the enemy doesn’t get any aerial reinforcements then, once (absolute) air superiority won, there is no more challenge (at all) in the skies…
I made once a research. During Operation Exporter (without taking into account the losses here), the Vichy French had 90 planes from start... but they received 3 groups from the Vichy France and the Vichy French empire in Northwestern Africa (the German let them pass by Greece, I believe, at least for the majority of them!)... so that they’ve had in total 289 planes at the end!
=> So, because it’s based on History and to offer more challenge/action in the skies, here’s what I suggest:
Triggers:
1. Conditions -> “check turn” > 20 & obj “Decimate Axis air forces completed” (as if this is not even successful, don't bother to add another layer!)
2. Effects -> spawn 3 or 4 experienced Vichy French dogfighter units & add an event talking a little about this historical aspect & shut off this trigger when that happens.
=>
An argument for these pts 6&7:
You’ve written a nice obj description about AA near Beirut, like: “Once all four AA units are in disarray, British torpedo planes will arrive to deal with the Vichy ships in the harbor. Be mindful of enemy fighters, however.”
Yeah, but for this there should be some left, of these “enemy fighters”… or some new of them! (Pt. 7)
And that’s a good idea, if you expect some enemy fighters, to send some escort with your bombers… (Pt. 6)
...
to be continued...
well, but we've a strong hint with this objective label/title: "Establish air superiority over Gabon" 
).
) unit called “Branderburger Commando” could indeed be deployed near Dimas (keep the MG-fox, it’s perfect here!) and north of Fort Damascus. This one comes together with an event once they become in sight or something. 
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