New Normandy maps for all...

[GottaLove88s]

Gentlemen,

Several of us have begun playing GJS'44, a 25-day Normandy campaign, brilliantly devised by Granfali and based on the old Gold-Juno-Sword 4.4 mod for Close Combat.

As a spin-off from GJS'44, we're gradually developing a series of forty-nine sector maps which approximately replicate our Strategic Campaign Map (see below). Each of these plays out as a brand new 40x40 battle map for Battle Academy...

You're very welcome to play our MP maps with your mates, standalone, even if you don't have time to commit to the multi-week, manyplayer campaign... GJS'44 maps will work on any platform, including iPads...

Most playable MP Maps of those currently available
(double check the June date to be sure you use the correct one )

Gold beach - June 6th - 20 units of Brit 3rd Inf Div/8th Bde attack 25 units of fortifed German 346th Inf Div
Juno beach - June 6th - 20 units of Canadian 3rd Inf Div/7th Bde attack 25 units of fortified German II/736/716 Volksgrenadiers
Sword beach - June 6th - 20 units of 50th Northumbrian Inf Div/69th Bde attack 25 units of fortified German I/736/716 Volksgrenadiers
Villers-Bocage - June 7th - 25 units of 6th Airborne/3rd Bde defend against 20 units of II/22/21Pz Panzerdivision attempting to retake their supply zones
Vimont - June 7th - 25 units of 6th Airborne/5th Bde defend against 20 units of I/22/21Pz Panzerdivision attempting to retake their supply zones
Caen - June 7th - 20 units of 6th Airborne/6th Bde launch a cunning glider attack to take the port city from its 20 unit Ost/411/716 Volksgrenadier garrison
Hillman Battery - June 7th - 20 units of Canadian 3rd Inf Div/7th Bde continue inland to assault 20 units of II/726/716 coastal defence division

How to download the GJS'44 maps into Battle Academy
Skip to download link -> viewtopic.php?f=87&t=39073#p369440

Totally awesome instructional vid by fellow gamer IDjester, explaining how to download and setup GJS'44... Thanks mate. NICE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvykITr5F1k

We welcome your feedback on this thread to help us to keep improving what we've got (so please post us here when you find any trees that don't block, houses that let tanks drive through 'em, or houses with missing walls, etc)... Some maps are being "reconnaîtred" in a hurry, so that the Allied invasion force doesn't get bogged down, lol, so they may not be the prettiest, but they're very playable, we assure you ...

Happy invading everyone... Someone better tell Rommel to get back from his wife's birthday in Ulm!

GottaLove88s, Brummbar44 & the GJS'44 team

NB. We have included several mods to the core BA game engine, borrowing from the best of the BA community, to enhance playability and improve realism. Please see section "9. Modifications" of the GJS'44 Rules & Regs for a full list of these changes -> viewtopic.php?f=87&t=38844&p=363656#p363656

PS. More info about (and thread to sign up to) the GJS'44 "manyplayer" campaign, if you're curious -> viewtopic.php?f=87&t=38844

GJS'44 Strategic Campaign Map

[GottaLove88s]

FLASH TO COMMANDERS:

Latest aerial reconnaissance indicates that the Germans are concentrating forces at the Normandy beaches...
Recently taken Gold, Juno and Sword maps attached. Our Hurricane aircraft over Courseulles remains missing in action...

Each map has five VP flags. On landing beaches, all five flags belong to the Germans at the start of battle.
Allies must take and hold at least two VP flags before "2 turns remaining" to avoid dissolution.

Gold Beach


Juno Beach


Sword Beach


Further maps are presently embargoed for GJS'44 teams only.
They will be released after their respective GJS'44 games play out...

[jcb989]

Hello,

How will you handle revision control? Just curious how to best keep up with edits and so forth without losing track.

[GottaLove88s]

Hello,

How will you handle revision control? Just curious how to best keep up with edits and so forth without losing track.

All maps will have their dates, so there will be a Gold June 6th, Gold June 7th, etc...
In cases where there's an error, eg. Juno, everyone should delete the old maps and reload. Only the latest will be available from the standard download link.
BA is smart enough to run a checksum, so it will report a code mismatch if both players don't use the same version.

For casual (ie. non GJS'44 campaign) players, it won't matter too much which version folks have, so long as both players have the same one...

[GottaLove88s]

Hello,

How will you handle revision control? Just curious how to best keep up with edits and so forth without losing track.

All maps will have their dates, so there will be a Gold June 6th, Gold June 7th, etc...
In cases where there's an error, eg. Juno, everyone should delete the old maps and reload. Only the latest will be available from the standard download link.
BA is smart enough to run a checksum, so it will report a code mismatch if both players don't use the same version.

For casual (ie. non GJS'44 campaign) players, it won't matter too much which version folks have, so long as both players have the same one...

PS. I'll also add a version number to our download page, so everyone knows which version we've all got... Right now, the correct one is v1.1

[iprop]

This is great... So how can I get into the GJS campaign now?

[k9mike]

Just PM Jon(gottalove88s)...He will let you know...Not sure how much more players are needed at this time...But, you can ask.

[gortwillsaveus]

Hello,

How will you handle revision control? Just curious how to best keep up with edits and so forth without losing track.

All maps will have their dates, so there will be a Gold June 6th, Gold June 7th, etc...
In cases where there's an error, eg. Juno, everyone should delete the old maps and reload. Only the latest will be available from the standard download link.
BA is smart enough to run a checksum, so it will report a code mismatch if both players don't use the same version.

For casual (ie. non GJS'44 campaign) players, it won't matter too much which version folks have, so long as both players have the same one...

PS. I'll also add a version number to our download page, so everyone knows which version we've all got... Right now, the correct one is v1.1

Can you also add a version number to the folder name.
I think there's some confusion in the Ortona MP maps regarding versions.
I know someone that downloaded the first version, hadn't played in a while, then created a Ortona MP game that no one is taking because a new version came out.

Would be easier to see something like: Ortona_v1.1 in your MP folder,..as well as in the Game Offerings BA MP game page.
So for GJS, something similar would be appreciated.

I think Merr does this in his MP maps.
Make sense?

[GottaLove88s]

Can you also add a version number to the folder name.
I think there's some confusion in the Ortona MP maps regarding versions.
I know someone that downloaded the first version, hadn't played in a while, then created a Ortona MP game that no one is taking because a new version came out.

Would be easier to see something like: Ortona_v1.1 in your MP folder,..as well as in the Game Offerings BA MP game page.
So for GJS, something similar would be appreciated.

I think Merr does this in his MP maps.
Make sense?

Thanks Gort. Smart idea!

Have updated Ortona MP, so it now shows Ortona MP v1.1 at (i) the BA downloader stage, (ii) in the campaign name, and (iii) in the scenario name. So if anyone downloads Ortona MP from now, and offers a challenge, it will show as v1.1 so that other players can version match. I've directly PMed the offeror using the older version of Ortona MP (Nov 4th right?) to explain why nobody has accepted their game and suggest updating.

Will add similar versioning to GJS'44 as soon as our round ends. There was some version mismatching between Mike v Random earlier this week, so I don't want to disturb their current games. But as soon as June 6th is over, I'll post a GJS'44 v1.2 including Gold, Juno, Sword, Vimont and Villers-Bocage...

Thanks for your (always) great suggestions.

[k9mike]

Hi John. Its good to hear from ya.
We could always use another hand here with GJS44....hope you will consider giving it a shot.....miss having ya on the Team.
Take care an keep in touch.
Mike

[gortwillsaveus]

Hi John. Its good to hear from ya.
We could always use another hand here with GJS44....hope you will consider giving it a shot.....miss having ya on the Team.
Take care an keep in touch.
Mike

Thanks Mike! Would like to,....but I started another scenario-based tournament,...and,....I've been overdoing BA just a weeee bit lately.
So,..I'm trying not accept any new games outside of the tournament,..at least until it's over. Should be a quick tournie,...maybe 3-4 weeks?

[k9mike]

That would cool...No prob...this one will take awhile. Had some minor script issues but finally getting started. I think you will find this one very neat an has lot of variables that can happen...
Take care John an hope to see you on board soon.

[GottaLove88s]

That would cool...No prob...this one will take awhile. Had some minor script issues but finally getting started. I think you will find this one very neat an has lot of variables that can happen...
Take care John an hope to see you on board soon.

Ditto... Would be great to get you in Gort...

Sorry couldn't join your Christmas Surprise tournament this time... You totally kicked my ass in our original two-way, so I guess I owe you a replay... If I recall correctly, we even crashed the system so several dead StuGs kept coming back... Just my luck, lol

[GottaLove88s]

Allied airmen lost in cloud, June 6th, find themselves too far down the River Aure... Over the town of Bayeux...

[GottaLove88s]

*** DO NOT PLAY THE VIMONT OR VILLERS-BOCAGE SCENARIOS ***

I've just noticed that it's possible to propose Vimont and Villers-Bocage games using the current v1.1 CPF file. These were accidentally included in the Campaign.txt file for v1.1 but the actual game maps are NOT included, so they won't run. You'll get them with v1.2, once these games commence in GJS'44... Sorry guys, no cheating!

[GottaLove88s]

Further aerial reconnaisance of Caen and Bayeux...

Historic town of Bayeux


Using a combination of our GJS'44 Strat Map, RAF/USAAF aerial reconnaissance, photos of Caen from the 1940's, and heroic quantities of poetic licence... you've got the Mediaeval fortress on a hill, a working port between the River Orne and the Caen Canal, an affluent suburb by the university, factories and warehouses with a workers suburb nearby, plus plenty of regular French houses scattered throughout the Cathedral district...

From a gameplay perspective, Caen Castle is a very tough nut to crack. You'll need artillery and you'll probably need some armour too... If you can take Caen without using a multifront strategy, then you're a Battle Academy genius!!

But Caen's a major city so there are plenty of ways to skin a cat... There might even be a way to bring your armour across that water too... Don't forget that infantry can run across canal locks...

Players are strongly advised not to use auto move for vehicles... Plot your own routes if you don't want to accidentally expose yourself to an ATG... This is a city that was warned well in advance that the Allies were coming... Junctions are carefully tank-trapped and vital facilities are protected by dragons teeth...

Rush an armoured brigade inside... and be prepared to wish it goodnight...

Regional capital city of Caen


These maps will become available in GJS'44 v1.2, once they're picked up in the campaign...

[random27]

wow i live not far from these two towns it s very realistic

[GottaLove88s]

wow i live not far from these two towns it s very realistic

Thanks Random... Coming from a local, that's praise indeed and I appreciate your words... The maps were fun to create...

To be honest, I'm itching to play 'em...

Especially Caen... it's going to be a hard one!

[GottaLove88s]

The complete GJS'44 campaign for June 7th is now available for download...

Our latest update includes the following maps (aerial recon snapshots below):

June 6th - Gold beach assault
June 6th - Juno beach assault
June 6th - Sword beach assault
June 7th - Paras attack city of Caen
June 7th - Paras defend Vimont to disrupt German supply lines
June 7th - Paras defend Villers-Bocage to disrupt German supply lines
June 7th - Second wave assaults Gold beach

Both MP players can use their first turn to deploy. Deployment zones are related to the direction from which their battle group (BG) came. See the wider GJS'44 Strat Map below. If a BG dropped from the air, its units won't be too far from where the gliders and parachutes are (which may not be immediately visible to the defenders! ).

Some of the German units fighting on June 7th are marked with asterisks (*). This indicates that their BG is "out of supply" and those units suffer morale penalties...

Happy hunting ladies & gents!

How to download the GJS'44 maps into Battle Academy

Ok guys,

1. Run BA on your Mac, PC or iPad
2. If you do not already have GJS'44 on your system, skip ahead to Step 8
3. Choose Multiplayer (at the bottom)
4. Log in to Multiplayer as usual
5. Choose the My Challenges tab (at the top) then press New Challenge
6. Select a GJS'44 Campaign scenario and then Delete Campaign (bottom right)
7. Press X until you get back to BA start screen
8. Choose Campaigns (at the bottom)
9. Choose Download Community Scenarios (at the top)
10. Choose Download a Campaign Package from the Internet (top right)
11. Type http://bit.ly/BA88gjs44 into the URL box
12. Click the green tick
13. Back at the campaigns list, select "GJS44 v1.21 - June 7th" and click Download the Selected Campaign (bottom centre)
14. This should download everything that you need
15. Press X until you get back to the BA start screen and choose Multiplayer
16. Log in to Multiplayer as usual
17. Either go to the My Challenges tab and click the New Challenge arrow. This list will now show GJS'44 v1.21... Vimont, Villers-Bocage, Caen, Hillman, Gold (June 7th)
18. Or go to the Accept Challenges tab and click the scenario that you're supposed to be fighting (if your opponent has already setup your game)

After all that, you can play GJS'44 on any platform... Phew!!

Totally awesome instructional vid by fellow gamer IDjester, explaining how to download and setup GJS'44... Thanks mate. NICE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvykITr5F1k

As always, please post us here about any bugs that you find, houses that let tanks inside, etc., and we'll do our best to fix 'em... Thanks...

[schenker]

Great!

Thank you very much!