REQUIREMENTS: CMBN V4.0, Market Garden and Vehicle Pack modules
ESSENTIAL MOD PACKAGE:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r9ew1202odgx7vb/YEG%20RHZ%20Mod%20Tags.zip?dl=0
(File size 55 MB, contains various terrain, building and flavor object mods, required for optimum game play experience. Unzip into data/z folder. Mod tagged files)
See pictures below for ingame looks with mods applied.
GAME TYPE: German Defense & Counter Attack vs. US Attack
PLAYABLE AS: Germans vs US AI only
GAME SIZE AND LENGTH: Roughly Company sized forces, 1328 x 544m map, 1 hour
ADDITIONAL PARAMETERS: Day battle (04:45 PM), overcast, damp ground, light winds from NW
THE MISSION: This one evolved from experimental map making and AI scripting and serves the purpose to be sort of a prototype for more scenarios in a planned series called “You enter Germany” (CMBN & CMFB V4). The time frame of september to october 1944, when US forces first time punched into the german border with its neglected Siegfried line fortifications, particularly in the Aachen region.
One typical situation in mid september 1944, was the US in pursuit of the germans toward the german border, suddenly bumping into the Siegfried line defences, with more or less unprepared germans defending them. This introduction scenario portrays such an encounter, yet I´ve decided to make the US AI the attacker for the more interesting scripting challenge.
STARTING SITUATION INFO (from briefing)
You, Hauptmann Karl Kretzberg, command 1st Kompanie, 524 Training & Replacement Bn. You are concluding a small staff meeting at your command post. Discussion with subordinates focused on last measures by the company in sector, before a relieving force (mot. infantry and Sugs) from Kampfgruppe “Metzler” of 9th Panzer Division arrives at 17:15 local time.
Siegfried line sector fortifications are in disrepair. Your Training company arrived recently to find Fields of Fire neglected and overgrown. Barbed wire entanglements had been removed by local peasants. Wire communications were vandalized and are nonfunctional. 1/524 improved what they could with the time and resources available.
Earlier today, an engineer unit of the last Wehrmacht force withdrawing from France helped block the road through your Dragon Teeth, since the steel gate is inoperable and cannot be closed. The engineers could not repair the gate. Instead, they blasted the passageway which created a large crater in the road to temporarily disrupt any enemy vehicle advance. The engineers hastily laid several anti-tank mines in the gap as well before proceeding towards the rear. Parts of 1st Kompanie have already departed per orders. A security detachment currently holds the bunkers under your command, awaiting relief from 9th Panzer.
Reports from this engineer unit indicated that US forces were following closely but cautiously behind. Advancing enemy detachments are not expected to arrive before dusk in 30 minutes, at which time the 9th Panzer should be in place and their defenses ready.
Now, you and your remaining unit leaders, suddenly hear the sound of American artillery falling nearby. Take action!
for more info, screenshots and any welcomed feedback please also visit:
http://community.battlefront.com/topic/121337-rockinharry-scenario-thread/?page=1
RockinHarry (RHZ)
DOWNLOAD: MG VP You Enter Germany-Introduction V4
Some ingame video. Thanks to Mjkerner
About Author
So, figured I would provide some feedback. DON’T read if you haven’t played and don’t want spoilers.
First off, nice use of the V4 upgrade and VP. Never seen a Sherman Flail in action, pretty cool. Also, never got to play with bunkers much, that was also very cool.
So, here we go.
BRIEFING: Very well done and comprehensive, but maybe I missed when the reinforcements were anticipated or expected….maybe you just don’t get to know when as the German commander.
MAP: Also very nicely done…gives a good sense of how the German border area was clear cut and prepared for the West Wall defenses. I especially liked the tree stumps. LOTS OF OPEN GROUND to move your troops on as the German player.
OOB: Darn, at least initially the German player doesn’t have much. I suppose that’s also realistic…just some ersatz infantry with a free Panzerfausts. Oy, even the bunkers didn’t seem to do much.
AI: So my limited experience…I got my butt handed to me early and decided to abort for another go round…is that the Americans don’t need much tactical finesse, they just roll those Shermans forward and blast hell outta everything. WHICH, considering I had no armor or AT guns, is probably a sound plan. I assume from going back to read the BB thread that I get some serious reinforcements including STUGs at some point, but by that time, I knew my bunkers were lost with little chance of a successful counterattack.
BUT, it looks like a defensive challenge and I haven’t really had one of these as the Germans, so I will probably try again.
Thanks for the hard work.
Thanks for playing and commenting GruntGI! 🙂 Mission play was somewhat diminished by the V4 upgrade introducing various problems with pillbox vulnerability and AI sort of cheating. The scenario creation started in V3.X, but takes full advantage of new V4 features (AI orders, terrain elements) despite the mentioned problems. I´ll take another look when another game engine patch is released.
Basically this scenario is a german defense AND counterattack combat mission combined and you need to act accordingly (stubborn, yet intelligent defense + buying time, followed by quick and aggressive counter attack). Considering the US player is AI driven and heavily depends on various scripts (incl. the new triggers) you can use it to your advantage by disturbing the US attack plan (scripts) as much as possible (to buy time). The means are available, although not conveniently placed at mission start (Remember: majority of defense forces is in preparation to move off the map/battlefield after relieve by 9th Panzer forces). Until arrival of KG (battle group) Metzler, an aggressive defense needs to be applied with ALL initially available forces. As further hint I can tell that RABENHEIM town grants no points for occupation and is rather the assembly area for the counter attack forces (arriving in strength at 05:15 PM/game turn 30). So until turn 30 you should´ve delayed the US AI attack enough, to be in the best possible position to apply a successfull counterattack and gain a winning score at last. Maybe doesn´t work in the first playthrough, but from my own playtesting there´s more than one approach to win (or loose) this one.
have fun