"Iron Horse" - NATO vs. AI

[kool_kat]

Gents: [8D]

I've been busy developing my 2nd FPC-RS scenario! [X(]

The 4th Infantry, known as "Iron Horse," were ordered to advance into Lauterbach
to hold the bridges over the Maar River and crossroads along the N254 autoban.
Unknown Warsaw Pac forces were rapidly advancing west. Near Lauerbach, these forces
collided together. Would the "Iron Horse" have the "metal" to withstand the Soviets? (NATO vs AI only)

Recommended optional rules: C, D, and E.

Scenario is a meeting engagement.

Scenario version 1.1 (Updated April 8, 2015)

* Time length extended by 1 hour. Now 5 hours.
* Victory hexes "spread out"
* Warsaw Pac deployment areas revised.

Scenario plays MUCH different from version 1.0! Lots of opportunities for NATO ambushes and more fluid / mobile.

Scenario version 1.2 (Updated April 9, 2015)

* Soviet 203mm off map art replaced with 1x 2S1 on map SPA

Enjoy! [:)]

[kool_kat]

Gents: [8D]

Note - I'm still fine tuning the VP hexes and values. [:)]

[Tazak]

Mike, I'm in the middle of a 2nd run through but at work and my notes are at home but will post what I have in a few hours unless you produce a newer version then.

Just a couple of general tips:

Version control your files V1, V2 etc, it makes it easier to track what changes your making and people can tell at a glance if its the latest file

I also use the game version in the actual scenario (in the version box) so people know if its up to date - although not that important if 2.09 is the last patch before the devs start on southern storm

[kool_kat]

ORIGINAL: Tazak

Mike, I'm in the middle of a 2nd run through but at work and my notes are at home but will post what I have in a few hours unless you produce a newer version then.

Just a couple of general tips:

Version control your files V1, V2 etc, it makes it easier to track what changes your making and people can tell at a glance if its the latest file

I also use the game version in the actual scenario (in the version box) so people know if its up to date - although not that important if 2.09 is the last patch before the devs start on southern storm

Thank you! I'll update with version control in my next release!

Bryan - Please provide me feedback! [:)]

[kool_kat]

Gents: [8D]

Hard fought battle... and a NATO decisive victory!

[Tazak]

Okay some feedback;

ran this twice, first time I ran a standard forward recon 25-30min ahead of main force, recon encountered red recon and wiped the floor with them, then I got hit by a Bn of T80 just as my first mech coy was crossing open ground towards the town where the T80's were......end result was not pretty

2nd time I ran it with a mass gamey rush to the urban areas ending in hold orders and fared a lot better.

Impressions:
I think a battalion scale action needs more than 4 hours if you are attacking or running a meeting engagement with such a wide gap between force balance. Don't forget that infantry is really only useful in urban areas against tanks, and after a road move of 10km your troops are going to lose 20-30 points of readiness reducing their ability to fight tanks.

I do like underdog fights and I think there is lots of possibilities in this for brawling fights.

Suggestions;
1. maybe spread the VP locations out, this way the AI has to spread its forces out, I think I have a save game where there is a 2 deep carpet of red forces in 6 of the 7 hexes on and around a single VP, the US don't have the firepower to push that amount of red troops back.
In addition as the VP are so close the soviet forces will automatically gain control of all the VPs, this leaves the player with destroying 2000 VP more red forces to counter. This may also provide a tactical option to draw the soviets out from 1 location while the player launches a flank attack to capture a weaken VP location

2. Maybe put 1 company forward, the rest then have to move fast to reinforce before the lone company gets overran and destroyed, if you lock them into position at least 1 hex from any bridge then they wont have enough time to move and destroy any bridges before encountering lead soviet forces.

3. put 1 VP closer to the player starting area, this will make the AI advance towards it providing the player with the choice setting an ambush at some point

[kool_kat]

ORIGINAL: Tazak

Okay some feedback;

ran this twice, first time I ran a standard forward recon 25-30min ahead of main force, recon encountered red recon and wiped the floor with them, then I got hit by a Bn of T80 just as my first mech coy was crossing open ground towards the town where the T80's were......end result was not pretty

2nd time I ran it with a mass gamey rush to the urban areas ending in hold orders and fared a lot better.

Impressions:
I think a battalion scale action needs more than 4 hours if you are attacking or running a meeting engagement with such a wide gap between force balance. Don't forget that infantry is really only useful in urban areas against tanks, and after a road move of 10km your troops are going to lose 20-30 points of readiness reducing their ability to fight tanks.

I do like underdog fights and I think there is lots of possibilities in this for brawling fights.

Suggestions;
1. maybe spread the VP locations out, this way the AI has to spread its forces out, I think I have a save game where there is a 2 deep carpet of red forces in 6 of the 7 hexes on and around a single VP, the US don't have the firepower to push that amount of red troops back.
In addition as the VP are so close the soviet forces will automatically gain control of all the VPs, this leaves the player with destroying 2000 VP more red forces to counter. This may also provide a tactical option to draw the soviets out from 1 location while the player launches a flank attack to capture a weaken VP location

2. Maybe put 1 company forward, the rest then have to move fast to reinforce before the lone company gets overran and destroyed, if you lock them into position at least 1 hex from any bridge then they wont have enough time to move and destroy any bridges before encountering lead soviet forces.

3. put 1 VP closer to the player starting area, this will make the AI advance towards it providing the player with the choice setting an ambush at some point

Hey Bryan:

Thanks for the feedback and excellent suggestions! [:)]

Let me play around with the "Iron Horse" and release a next version shortly!

[kool_kat]

Gents: [8D]

I've revised "Iron Horse" based on Bryan's feedback! Thank you sir! [:)]

Reference my first post for scenario version 1.1

[kool_kat]

Gents: [8D]

Here's a screen shot of a NATO Decisive Victory playing version 1.1 !! Good stuff and a lot of fun to play! [:D]

[Tazak]

Mike, huge difference and allows for a lot more tactical options and fun. I had 3 different engagements occurring simultaneously (mech vs mech, mech vs tank and recon vs recon) at different points on the map.

I'd like to suggest 1 minor change - downgrade the soviet 203mm off map to 2S1 on map
It'll stop the CB off map spam - this is more down the high EW levels, plus a 2S1 on map will likely be out of range of the US SP Mortars. A 2S1 will still give a mech unit a bad day and be more in line with a mobile force.

other than that I think you may have a winner here

[kool_kat]

ORIGINAL: Tazak

Mike, huge difference and allows for a lot more tactical options and fun. I had 3 different engagements occurring simultaneously (mech vs mech, mech vs tank and recon vs recon) at different points on the map.

I'd like to suggest 1 minor change - downgrade the soviet 203mm off map to 2S1 on map
It'll stop the CB off map spam - this is more down the high EW levels, plus a 2S1 on map will likely be out of range of the US SP Mortars. A 2S1 will still give a mech unit a bad day and be more in line with a mobile force.

other than that I think you may have a winner here

Bryan: [8D]

Many thanks for your play testing and feedback! [&o]

I've made your suggested revision and have posted "Iron Horse" version 1.2 (replaced Soviet 203mm with 2S1)

Hope everyone enjoys the revised scenario! [:)]

[Tazak]

Thank you for giving us another user created scenario.

You may want to post it on the OTS server so it doesn't get lost in 'old threads heaven' and if you use Steam make a post to raise awareness

[kool_kat]

ORIGINAL: Tazak

Thank you for giving us another user created scenario.

You may want to post it on the OTS server so it doesn't get lost in 'old threads heaven' and if you use Steam make a post to raise awareness

Hey Bryan:

I've posted both my scenarios (First Contact and Iron Horse) to the OTS server. Posted in the main area here to raise awareness.

Many thanks for helping to playtest my designs! [:)]

[rhnelson]

I was looking for a scenario called Ironhorse, and it was supposed to be posted on the OTS server. Could somebody tell me how to find that?

[Plodder]

It's in the Campaigns pack on the game downloads page.