Slitherine

BrucErik CSD Studio has put together a Winter War 1940 campaign. Please beta test it and provide us with your comments and suggestions.

We express our gratitude to CoolDTA for his patient guidance on Finnish language, customs, and locales. Thanks to him, this campaign is already much better than it would have been without his contributions.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BU31hi ... sp=sharing

01RaateRoad

Core units:
Inf x7. Hvy Inf x2, Eng x2, 37mm AT x1, 105mm Art x2

The captured 122mm uses command points when spawned.
This means the player can't reform at least one dead unit.
Maybe increase CPs by 4 when the 122mm spawns?

494 resources at start after deployment.
x resources at scenario end, I used only elite repair.

Total core losses during the battle: Inf x3, Eng x2
Total aux losses: Ski unit x2

Reaching Point B at the top of the map in time was a bit too difficult for me.
I suggest you add 1-2 more turns (as I did).
I'll refrain from stating how much fun I had since I'm part of the design team

I am taking notes as we go along, so if I don't respond directly and immediately to something, it does not mean that I am not paying attention.

But paying attention is key, Bruce! Otherwise, you would not have neglected to include scenario outcome images in Viipuri!

These will be included in the next beta update. Credit Erik for the top image and CoolDTA for the bottom one. Both images are of Viipuri Castle. The difference? Finnish flag vs. Russian soldiers.

02HaukilaFarm

Core units:
Inf x7. Hvy Inf x2, Eng x1, 37mm AT x2, 105mm Art x, 122mm Art x1

I think it should be possible to deploy one unit at the encampment since this is the sole Finnish supply source at start.

A couple of the perimeter units move off their farms, even with 7-8 strength left after only light attacks. 'Jojo left his farm in Haukila, Finlandia...'

At least one of the pri objs should have an 'end of scenario' condition to give the player a chance to fulfill all sec objs.
Especially since there's a possible land commander reward.

Two scenarios down and no outrageous bugs (yet). Only good gameplay improvement suggestions.

I wonder if the Finns should have 5 spec points at start. They have already been at war for some time.

The Tank School spec is a bit curious since the Finns can't purchase any tanks until 1942...
I think we should remove this spec from the campaign. Players will be miffed if they spent their hard-earned spec points on it.

bru888 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 1:56 pm Two scenarios down and no outrageous bugs (yet). Only good gameplay improvement suggestions.

I had a curious 8.4.0 bug when I had to load a savegame and the game got stuck in a multiplayer-like play-back.
Restarted the game, reloaded and it worked fine.

I am interested of course, overly so, in what 8.4.0 will do to the game and our custom designs. I am avidly awaiting your reports in that regard. You will know the difference between game and scenario bugs.

03MakinenRoadblock

Core units:
Ski x8. Hvy Inf x4, Eng x2, 37mm AT x2, 105mm Art x2, 122mm Art x1, 40mm AA x3
Blackburn x1, Buffalo x1, Fokker CX x2

The aux 37mm AT units are probably not needed. The player has already encountered Soviet tanks in 2 scenarios and should have learned his lesson by now.

I think you could add a sec obj 'kill Soviet air units' (with air commander reward, of course). There is a little air-war going on here.

The resource allocation is quite generous. I had a surplus of 700 RPs even after upgrading all inf to ski units. And I've only been using elite repairs.

Most of the Soviet units have a bit of a march to reach the frontline. Maybe move them forward so that the engineers reach their targets in 1 turn and the rest of the infantry about 2 turns later? The flanks could be even closer to the frontline since they have a longer trek to make. I guess most players would like the action to start as soon as possible...

It is relatively easy to stop the Soviet tanks from exiting by laying a couple of well-placed mine-fields at the flank cossroads. Regular AI inf won't move onto known mine fields (who can blame them). So the tanks just sit and wait. Maybe replace a couple of the regular inf on each flank with eng units (using the same 'system' for removing mines).
Or: 'The Finns have used their stock of mines, you can't deploy any engineer units' and use the 'remove engineer' trick.

Both the Sov tanks and art are quite passive. They just sit and wait it out the whole scenario. They should move forward when the mine fields have been cleared.

Even with the passive tanks/art, this scenario was quite intense. There was no real chance of the Soviet troops breaking through the first line of defense, though.

Erik2 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 1:57 pm I wonder if the Finns should have 5 spec points at start. They have already been at war for some time.

The Tank School spec is a bit curious since the Finns can't purchase any tanks until 1942...
I think we should remove this spec from the campaign. Players will be miffed if they spent their hard-earned spec points on it.

Bah, let them eat spec points. You decide for the official version but a number of thoughts come to mind:

1) The player needs candy and spec points are good for that up to the point when they become superfluous. Players object more when we give them patriotic screed as an incentive instead, like "Do this for our country. The eyes of Finland are upon you!"

2) As far as the 5 spec points to begin with, that cuts back on the number of spec point prizes to be handed about before they do become superfluous. And there are only 4 specialisations available to begin with, as you know.

3) Shh. The average player may not even notice that he can't use the Tank School spec. Let him be happy with his purchase.

Erik2 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:32 pm The resource allocation is quite generous. I had a surplus of 700 RPs even after upgrading all inf to ski units. And I've only been using elite repairs.

I am going to consider and take action on all gameplay quality suggestions except for gameplay balance. That I usually defer to your judgment as I tend to be overly generous. Please take notes on three aspects so you can edit the official version when the time comes:
1) Initial resources
2) Objective prizes where I routinely award 100 resource points (instead of your customary 50?)
3) Friendly command points. This is where I would urge you to address balance issues when it comes to CP's vs enemy units. I do not recommend changing the AI's forces for a number of reasons.

EDIT: I would keep the standard of 1 RP income per unit per turn, however. That seems to be proven by DLC observations.

04Hotinen

Core units:
Ski x12. Hvy Inf x6, Eng x2, 37mm AT x2, 105mm Art x2, 122mm Art x1, 40mm AA x3

I think you can safely remove the 3 aux art units.

This scenario needs a pri obj 'end-of-scenario' condition.

I've just played the two first scenarios: it's really a pleasure, all's working nice and smoothly, plus great content!

Just one point: as we have already the "War Economy", why can't we deploy our own recon plane? Well, not for the first scenario, of course - due to its particular and nice mechanic related to this (and the Blackburn can be spawn, at least, at two different places, which is awesome for replayability )... but for the second scenario, it could be useful to have a recon place airborne.

05SummaSisu

Core units:
Ski x8, 37mm AT x1

Nice scenario briefing dialogue...

The bomber unit mechanism works fine, although my bombers were not very successfull.
2 attempts and 2 failures.

The Soviet tanks have a hard time making good progress. Especially as they will not advance into a mine-field knowingly (as a human player probably would do). I notice a tank knocks off about 3 strength points moving into the mines-field by accident. Maybe reduce the mine-fields to 3 points? Also, maybe add some Soviet commanders?

The lack of Soviet progress meant they never advanced enough to give the Finns a chance to cut supply. So the Soviet air supply was not neccesary.
The Soviet air supply is moving ahead of the tank column. Shouldn't it follow the tanks and resupply whenever a tank unit is out of supply?
Is it possible to start the first plane when the first tank is out of supply?

At scenario end the Soviets made it about halfway to Ambush C.

Erik2 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:32 pm 03MakinenRoadblock

The aux 37mm AT units are probably not needed. The player has already encountered Soviet tanks in 2 scenarios and should have learned his lesson by now.

I think you could add a sec obj 'kill Soviet air units' (with air commander reward, of course). There is a little air-war going on here.

I agree for the sec obj; add an air commander or maybe +100 RP if the commander has already been unlocked (this works perfectly fine).

But I would prefer that the two aux AT units are kept... indeed, we don't really need them, but it's coherent with the scenario description and I think it adds flavor...
*******
When I've played this (normal difficulty, as usual - level 3), I haven't seen the group of tanks moving towards the defenses... I've looked at the triggers and they are indeed supposed, before moving north, to wait that the mines and the AT guns are removed (another reason to keep them, by the way!).

But in the center I had concentrated power: 3 artillery pieces + 2 heavies able to use their mortars above the minefields (+ 1 regular infantry and already an AA-gun, just in case - it was worth!)... and the Soviet engineers are very vulnerable to mortar or artillery attacks when on trucks. On short: thanks to a solid defense in the center, only few mines have been removed and thus the Soviet tanks were just sitting afar, seeing their infantry being crushed!

I've decided to be aggressive on my right flank (to the left of the screen!), using my tank and several ski troops... helped by a bomber... The flanking force has been relatively easily crushed as well.

On my left flank, I defended the sector of the MG foxholes, plus I had a single ski troop hidden in pin trees on the other side of the road... ready to move forward to out-supply all the Soviet troops that have advanced quite far away, near the Supply dump, where another heavy was waiting for them... This trap worked fine and many Soviet units were trapped and slaughtered.

Last phasis: all my forces went out of their defensive positions to meet the Soviet tanks on the plain (them + the general being almost the last remaining Soviet units)... And they were'nt very aggressive, even when units move really close to them... At the end, the Soviets had only their bombers left, being replenished, while my fighter was turning around their airstrips and shooted at them each time they did take off!
*******
Suggestions:
-> What about sending a tank unit with each flanking wing? Following the road should not be a problem for them and like this each one of these flanking groups will be stronger...
-> What about adding some supply to the "Supply Dump"? Not for us (we have enough!), but for these poor Soviets who are likely to be easily encircled and out-supplied... Thus increasing the challenge as well.
-> About the main group of tanks: what about letting them moving "sooner", or at least waiting already northern and being more aggressive?
*******
Well, the last issue is purely mine - something must have been bad with my updating of OoB , as for me the "44th Artillery" (Soviet of course) was represented as a Japanese Shinhoto unit... I know what it means and I can solve this myself provided I receive just one info: Which unit have you put as "44th Artillery"? Just give me its name, please, I'll do the rest. Thanks in advance.

The BrucErik campaigns use the vanilla game only, no mods.
Updating to 8.3.0 should fix the famous Shinhoto issue.

Yes, this is clear. But, could you just tell me, please, which unit has been put as the Soviet "44th Artillery" in the third scenario?

There are several different units with that custom name. This is to make it easier to see which units you need to kill to fulfill the objective.

06Terenttila

Core units:
Ski x10, hvy inf x6, eng x2, T28 x1, 37mm AT x2, 105mm art x2, 122mm art x1, 40mm AA x3
Buffalo x2, Fokker CX x3

The map pointer for Terenttilä points to various Strongpoint 3 locations.

After the initial attacks where the outcome was in doubt, the Soviet units was exhausted by turn 9. The Finnish counter-attack recaptured a couple of the Strongpoint 3 objs and started mopping up the remaining enemy units.

I think you can shave 6-8 turns off the total.

Thanks, guys, I'll give it a go as soon as I finish your UK/Canada playthough.

Can't wait to test my new Finnish Armoured Train. Waaait, I forgot, probably no tracks anyway. Damn historical accuracy...

On a sidenote: The new UI looks neat. That's the upcoming v8.4, right?