Bru's Scenarios and Campaigns

[Shards]

And are these labels off by a hex or two?

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[Shards]

ahh, no, you're consistent, just that these look odd being in the river!

[Shards]

Hi,

What's this airfield in the bottom left?Airstrip.jpg

Ahh, it's the Russian refueling point, but with no flag...

You might want to surround it with No Mans Land and/or give it some defences, else min max me is just going to run an AA gun over there and capture it

[Shards]

Completed at level 3 on T15.

One of my plane losses was on the ground, which was upsetting!

Good fun though! Not enough air battles around on these forums

(p.s. my first attack knocked the Night Witch out of her plane, which amused me)

[bru888]

Shards, thanks for playing this and providing your feedback.

And are these labels off by a hex or two?

Yes, it's by design because each hex has a structure on it that obscures the site name except if you hover the mouse over it. I wanted players to know that they are looking at buildings, not concrete bunkers (squinting and imagining help, too).

What's this airfield in the bottom left?

Ahh, it's the Russian refueling point, but with no flag...

You might want to surround it with No Mans Land and/or give it some defences, else min max me is just going to run an AA gun over there and capture it

Erik and I have been noticing that if we provide off-map refueling to the AI, their planes exit properly but they never return. We don't know if it is a recent bug or something that has been around since the Creation. We have used a cumbersome spawning mechanism to recreate airplane redeployment but there are some drawbacks; briefly, the planes come back instantly refreshed (full strength) and in some situations the player could be facing multiple manifestations of the same type of aircraft - not at the same time, thankfully, but not what the designer intends. As a result, I have been getting back to using "remote" airfields or airstrips tucked away in corners for the AI.

But I see your point about exploiting the situation because this airfield is not behind enemy lines nor is it protected by jungle, etc. Will take your suggestion, thanks.

(p.s. my first attack knocked the Night Witch out of her plane, which amused me)

How dare you assault my girlfriend? I have a good mind to take her out of the scenario now, for her own protection!

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This other, new Soviet pilot? Eh, not so much. I'll leave her in.

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[Shards]

Commander 128 was the last Hero standing and went down with her plane! o7

[bru888]

Ahh, it's the Russian refueling point, but with no flag...

You might want to surround it with No Mans Land and/or give it some defences, else min max me is just going to run an AA gun over there and capture it

So, the usual story with OOB. Hunt and peck and learn.

I tried the No Mans Land trick but encountered two drawbacks:

One, I wasn't sure if this zone would hamper Soviet aircraft from taking off; it could be the AI would be able to launch only one plane per turn, directly over the airfield, because the other surrounding hexes are off limits. Just because you see a plane flying in over that zone doesn't mean the aircraft launch mechanism would work there as well.

Two, even though the AI did land planes here, it seemed to be reluctant to do so. Planes would approach and turn around which I don't remember seeing before. Who knows with OOB?

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But sure enough, without some sort of shield, even an AA gun with no land combat capability can wander over and capture the hex, because the bay is frozen (lake terrain in winter; yes, I wanted the capability of AA guns moving across the bay and the coastal defense ships need to be iced-in):

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Solution? Warm water. Shallow water, to be exact, which does not "freeze" in OOB's winter climate:

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After the war, I am going to buy that little island because it seems to have hot springs that warm the surrounding waters! Imagine the spa that could be built there, cozy and therapeutic!

[bru888]

The Raid on Turku v1.3 is uploaded. Download link is in the opening post.

Change:
- added shallow water around "remote" AI airfield to prevent the exploit of sneaking an AA gun over there to claim it (thanks, Shards; sorry, Gabe )

[GabeKnight]

Two, even though the AI did land planes here, it seemed to be reluctant to do so. Planes would approach and turn around which I don't remember seeing before. Who knows with OOB?

Can you blame them not wanting to land there with your AA gun sitting right next to it?

While you're at it, why not uploading a version "1.3a" with them shallow waters being two-hexes wide?
I really don't like the idea of me placing one or two of my AA units near that airport, now that you've demonstrated this "exploit"...

[bru888]

Can you blame them not wanting to land there with your AA gun sitting right next to it?

I ran a few tests of varying circumstances and I noticed that strange behavior (maybe it was me, but it looked unusual) with just the no man zone barrier, absent any AA gun.

While you're at it, why not uploading a version "1.3a" with them shallow waters being two-hexes wide?
I really don't like the idea of me placing one or two of my AA units near that airport, now that you've demonstrated this "exploit"...

Actually, I don't mind this escapade. First, it would require player ingenuity to figure out what that remote airfield was for and that he can maneuver the AA guns onto the ice to get there. Second, it would require a calculated decision to sacrifice to some extent the structures on the land nearest the airfield; if he wants to do that, I'm fine with it. Third, it takes quite a few turns to get a gun down there in any event.

[Shards]

Can you blame them not wanting to land there with your AA gun sitting right next to it?

I ran a few tests of varying circumstances and I noticed that strange behavior (maybe it was me, but it looked unusual) with just the no man zone barrier, absent any AA gun.

While you're at it, why not uploading a version "1.3a" with them shallow waters being two-hexes wide?
I really don't like the idea of me placing one or two of my AA units near that airport, now that you've demonstrated this "exploit"...

Actually, I don't mind this escapade. First, it would require player ingenuity to figure out what that remote airfield was for and that he can maneuver the AA guns onto the ice to get there. Second, it would require a calculated decision to sacrifice to some extent the structures on the land nearest the airfield; if he wants to do that, I'm fine with it. Third, it takes quite a few turns to get a gun down there in any event.

Unless you can take the airfield, I think you actually lose efficiency from that gun if you take it down there rather than use it to support the fighting near the objectives

[bru888]

Unless you can take the airfield, I think you actually lose efficiency from that gun if you take it down there rather than use it to support the fighting near the objectives

Sshhh. I was setting a trap for Gabe . . .

[Shards]

Bru, I'd like to add Castle Itter and River Plate to the community crate at some point in the near future

Would you be okay with that? Do you know if they've both been tested on the recent versions of the game?

Thanks

[bru888]

Bru, I'd like to add Castle Itter and River Plate to the community crate at some point in the near future

Would you be okay with that? Do you know if they've both been tested on the recent versions of the game?

Thanks

I am honored, thank you. The scenarios seem fine in 8.3.0 but I don't know about 8.4.1. I've had no recent negative comments about either one. (Which, come to think of it, means nothing! Says the lonely, starving artist . . .)

[Erik2]

Especially Castle Itter is a very interesting scenario. Probably the most original one in OOB-land.

[bru888]

The Raid on Kirkenes is released. Download link is in the opening post.

I created this scenario in conjunction with BrucErik Studio's upcoming Continuation War 1941 campaign.

Bah, you may say. It is nothing but another Raid on Turku. Well, yes and no. There are concrete bunker/buildings again in this one but they are NOT targets!

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No core units in this one. It is too early in the campaign and the player has not had an opportunity to purchase and season Wehrmacht air units. Seems silly to fund the player with resources for him to purchase 12 German fighters with little or no prospect for using most of them later in the campaign.

[Erik2]

Did you know that Kirkenes and Valletta was the two most bombed towns (number of raids) in Europe in WW2?

[Erik2]

Any reason you decided not to use actual RN carriers?
I think a couple of vessels in addition to the off-map locations would add some flavour. Also, air units could be repaired and started another attack round. You could even use several carriers (Furious-A etc) to increase the hangar/repair capacity.

The LW fighters moved out and encountered the RAF fighter escorts head-on. The plan was to hurt the British enough to prevent them from protecting the Swordfish.

Still, the bombers slipped through the net and the various ships are very vulnerable. Only a couple of hits are need to sink a ship.

There seems to be something odd with the ship counter. At least 3 ship losses didn't register.

After turn 12 there was a lull in the fighting and the scenario ended on turn 14/18. I guess all enemy fighters had exited the map.

All in all a refreshing scenario. It was quite easy to fend off the attackers. Maybe increase unit experience and add the 2 available British air commanders as squadron leaders?

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[GabeKnight]

Did you know that Kirkenes and Valletta was the two most bombed towns (number of raids) in Europe in WW2?

It was somewhere in there, I'm sure I've read it in the briefing or popups.

Any reason you decided not to use actual RN carriers?

I think a couple of vessels in addition to the off-map locations would add some flavour. Also, air units could be repaired and started another attack round. You could even use several carriers (Furious-A etc) to increase the hangar/repair capacity.

Fully agree, and then you wouldn't fail the fighter objective (as I also did one time, by the way: 4/6). The bomber objective is hard to miss.

I've played the scen in middle and in lvl5 difficulty, and both times it was too easy. For one, with higher difficulties your allied units get 13HP, too ( ). And another thing are the way too powerful German dogfighters and strong small-air AA units compared to what the Brits have.
I can't even imagine the slaughter when played in the campaign with my high star dogfighters and commanders attached...

In both playthroughs, basically only the Enemy dogfighters and torpedo planes attacked. The tac. bombers were too scared of AA- or dogfighter-covered targets. And in both playthroughs, they managed to sink exactly three of the north-eastern ships, nothing more.

I'd also suggest more exp. for the enemy, maybe 1-2 dogfighters less for the player and at least one less AA in the easern part and change the SdKfz from the western part to a non-mobile one.

And yeah, the prim. obj. counter does not update (unless you load a savegame).

Cool scen, thanks!

[Erik2]

Yes, I noticed the reference to the Kirkenes bombings.
My wife and I went into the large German-built shelter in one of the hills a few years back.