New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Well, here's my first campaign for WinSPMBT. I hope you will like it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

UNIFE 2013

Game Version: WinSPMBT 2.0+
Format: Fixed Core Campaign
Player: Polish UNIFE contingent
Command Size: Mixed mech. inf. coy.
Length: 7 scenarios, linear

Campaign Concept and Design: MP Galinski (MacGalin)

Testers: Mustang, Jagdtiger (PL), Theodor, Zima, and Dariusz B.

Special thanks goes to Mustang for his work above and beyond the call of duty http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.




The year is 2013.

Ethiopia is on the edge of civil war. . . again.

In 2011, the corrupt and incompetent Ethiopian goverment, seeing their support among the population rapidly fading, decided to use old, well-tried method of gaining popularity - they started a war with their neighbour. Unfortunately, what was intended to be "quick, victorious war" turned into bloody struggle against well equipped and well trained (at least by local standards) Eritrean Army. After five months of fighting, Ethiopian government was forced to resign in a (almost) bloodless revolution. The new government asked the UN for help in peace talks and rebuilding the country.

Hostilities ended, but the war had left Ethiopia in chaos. Ethiopian and Eritrean marauders, local warlords, and rebels from the PFLO terrorized the country. Government forces were unable to restore peace. The dry season came not long after, and with it drought and famine.

After a series of attacks on its UNAID and Red Cross volunteers, the UN decided to strenghten their presence. Since most of the Western forces were engaged in the Middle East, the newly formed UNIFE (United Nations International Forces Ethiopia) contingent consisted mainly of Polish and Ukrainian troops. Core units were mixed elements of the Polish 6th Armored Cav Brigade, and 12th Light Mechanized Brigade, supported by the Ukrainian 25th Mechanized Infantry Batalion.

Using two new Polish UTL fast transport ships, over 1300 soldiers were transported to Ethiopia, along with over 90 combat vehicles, including tanks and APCs.

Their task was to protect the humanitarian relief workers, and to help government forces restore peace in the area. . .



This campaign was inspired by Artur Baniewicz's excellent book "Afrykanka" ("African Girl"), but of course the storyline is completely diffrent. I suggest you read the book, if it ever comes in English [ or whatever language you can speak ] http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

I was a playtester for this campaign, and it's great. Nice storyline and fun missions. Thanks for the compliment, and I hope that other people have fun with this campaign too.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Very cool! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

The story is great, nice use of defending/attacking AI, good maps IMHO.

I made it to scen 4, but got whacked pretty bad...so I'll have to restart the camp..., maybe I'll try with some other country, possibly Canada...

Anyways, great work - good fun this!

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Looks good. As I reviewed the forces, I wondered why you made the two snipers size 3 vice the normal size zero (indeed the actual size of the unit based on the info page)? Did you feel that would make them too powerful a unit for the purpose of the game? I haven't played yet, so I am only gathering intel on my force structure now and I ask the question because I like my snipers to be very stealthy! I know I could change it but I wanted to understand your purpose. Thanks!

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

I did nothing with the snipers - they are straight from the polis OOB, without any modifications. Well, i'll look into it.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Mac: Please understand that I mean no disrespect to you or the CAMO team since you and they put a tremendous amount of work into the campaign and the game--maybe there is an inconsistency in the Polish OOB that slipped by. I noted some other differences too between the unit status screen (right click a unit) and the unit info screen (clicking the info tab while on the unit status screen) for units other than the sniper size 3 versus size 0 difference. Going to the encyclopedia shows data consistent with the info screen which would not account for changes that you intended for the campaign situations.

For example:
a) units B3 and C3 Rosomak IFV weapons slot 3 shows a 12.7 WKM-B AAMG displayed but the info page shows NT-S Spike TA-ATGM, ammo loadouts for weapons slot 1 autocannon are also slightly different with HE15 AP15 vice HE18 AP18.
b) units D4 and D5 PT-91 Twardy weapons slot 1 main gun load outs are slightly different HE18 vice HE22.
c) Mech Rifle Sections weapons slot 2 shows a UKM-2000 LMG with range 12 but the info screen shows a 5.4mm RPK SAW with a range of 8; and weapons slot 4 shows a RPG-7V 93mm with HE4 and AP4 loadouts but the info screen shows a Carl Gustav 83mm with AP8 loadout and different characteristics.

Each of the differences could be tactically critical against the low tech but numerically superior adversary in your campaign. Based on the feedback here, I have noted that your campaign is pretty tough so I want to go in knowing my advantages and using them.

Thanks for taking a look! Paladin

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

MacGal has changed some of the heavier weapons, like Spike ATGMs and MBT ammo loadouts, intentionally. This is to make the game more of a challenge. We've talked about this, and he said that a force that wasn't expecting to meet tanks would probably not be deployed with expensive ATGMs. Also notice that in the campaign briefing it says something along the lines of "some of your units will have lower ammo loadouts than normal to represent your lack of logistics support".

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Mustang: Got it and understand that aspect--my original question revolved around why the snipers were size 3 vice size 1. The weapons and loadouts are how the designer gives it personality and I respect that. Except for the size issue with the snipers, MacGalin seems to give the player more useful weapons against a low tech foe but balances that with reduced loadouts. I thought he may have figured the snipers too powerful at size zero. Not complaining mid you, just learning. Paladin

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Okay, it seems that there is a bug in the game. I don't know it it was reported yet, but when you change one type of unit into another in scenario editor, the size remains the same.

It apperas that those snipers were the trucks first (which original size of 3.)

Also, there is another bug - game doesn't keep some the modified core unit data in the campaign. First mission is fine, but after it game acts weird http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif. For example it resets ammo numbers, and if weapon was deleted (not replaced!) the game restores it.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

This is not a bug, this is how it should be, because the game reads (each time a new campaign scenario starts) the variables/parameters of each core unit from the nation's OOB database.
So you can't customize CORE FORCE units.
You only may customize AUX units.

Concerning what you mentioned for the sniper unit (changing of the truck to a sniper unit), I tried to reproduce it but I couldn't achieve the same results (so I can't confirm your remark).

cheers,
Pyros

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

A nice campaign game, really funny though i made it to battle n.2. That's when, after an exciting battle in which i brought doom to irregulars killing scores of them and their trucks, losing 4 of my men and the 2 hopeless UN Observers and taking all but 3 flags, i was faced with a draw and a grim epitaph for my campaign, my unit and... myself. This because the battle starts with the loss of the UN helo which is beyond my control (and is actually the reason for the rescue mission), but its points are anyway awarded to the AI for it! Not even killing all the enemies on map i can make up for such a loss. I must admit i was very upset. Just to understand, did i miss something?
Thanks for your effort.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

The helo is not your biggest problem... check the cost of UN observers.

You are supposed to save them. Move them out of enemy range and send some help ASAP, since rebels will be looking for crash survivors.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Hi all,

I've tried this campaign and it looks interesting. I love playing with troops from minor countries, and specially those from the East.

In the first scenario I moved full speed to the village and fortified it like it was a napoleonic square (the napoleonic metaphores suit nice to the Poles...). Then it was a shooting game, destroying "technicals" and guerrillas.

But the 2nd one is proving a tougher nut to crack. I tried sending at first all my motorized units to rescue the UN observers, leaving the light infantry platoon and their humvees to defend. Wrong. Those damned Panhard caused me lots of problems.

On another try I just sent an Mechanized platoon and the BRDMs to rescue the observers and leave the tanks to defend the village. They did a wonderful job, losing just an MG squad due to a lucky RPG hit and an sniper killed by a mortar round.I still do not feel satisfied because the mere IFV platoon sent hasn't got enough firepower to capture the abandoned compound.

IS it possible to succeed in this mission without occupying the Abandoned Compound (just defending and rescuing the UN observers)?

Cheers

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

MacGalin,
yes, you're obviously right! I just hadn't checked the points of those units (feeling dense). I played it again, with a rescue party of a mech platoon and BRDM's with scouts, while the other guarded the village doing some funny target practice. And everything was going just fine til a stealth RPG team succeded in brewing one IFV... for this i got only a minor victory: sometimes s***t happens!
In the following battle I'd had got a decisive victory, if not that... the AI awarded the ethiopians with the points for the IFV destroyed in the previous battle! I find this unfair, is it intended or a fault of campaign games?
Also from the same IFV only one crew man had survived, but in the following battle i had the vehicle back in game, with just a crew of one though: I let it out of the game but the same question as before arises.
I suggest to decrease the number of rebuild points also: the unit is isolated and far from home: after each battle only a small number of casualties could return in combat again.
Sorry for bothering, but I still have to get a lot of things on campaign games.
Thanks again: it's a very funny campaign in an unusual set. The background story is also good!

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

N_B_Forrest_IV : Yes, it schould be possible.

brummbaer: Yes, it is unfair... i guess life is unfair. But there's nothing i can do - its fault of MBT campagin system http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Hello MAcGalin,

At the end I finished the scenario 3 occupying all VH with just 4 loses (the crew of a MG).

Scenario 3 was quite easy too. Just minimal losses. Their RPG-7 troops maybe where drunk because they scored no hit against my armor, and I must admit I acted quite aggressively. By sheer luck, or by their incompetence, I had few loses. I still didn't lose any vehicle in the game. And I was quite satisfied with it.

But scenario 4... The Armour and the aerial support were a bad surprise. Well, the enemy armor wasn't, the PT91s annihilated them. The 1st attacking airplanes (the aeromacchis?) where easy prays for my Grom SAM teams, but the other planes (Migs or Su, can't remember exactly now...) destroyed one of my trucks (the Artillery truck, I would have to load one of my mortars in my support truck). And, at the end, a Rosomak IFV was smashed by an ATGM from the Mil Helicopter. Too bad, but still a victory.

And that leads to scenario 5... and the mother of all my pains. Bad suprise those Special Forces teams in the village instead of lousy Regulars easy to massacre. The Rogue Government troops that appear from my right aren't a great problem, but their air support is still annoying, tending to destroy an IFV or a tank if possible.

I'll give a new try, learning from the mistakes that I did before. Closer AA support and to shell the village until there's nothing there (the AT team inside one of the first houses, not the one with the Kornet ATGM is scaring!!!). I'll give more feedback once I finish this.

About the decrease of replacement points... It would be realistic, anyway the boys will end riding technicals (!). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/fear.gif

Anyway, excellent work [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/icon43.gif[/img]

Very well done!
 

Hi! I am new to WinSPMBT and your campaign is the first I finished - the story is very well-written, I really liked it! I got a fascinating novel about some fictional scenario involving South Africa in the 80s, and after some practice I'll try to design a campaign according to that story.

For the moment, I tried to change the nation, which worked well, I just had to give myself some purchase points for the 1st scenario to get a comparable force. But how do you edit a campaign in a way that the player has a fixed core unit from the beginning and cannot purchase his own force? I studied the manual and made some experiments but couldnt figure out...

Re: Very well done!
 

Thanks, im glad you liked it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif
Be sure to check my previous missions, they can still be found on this forum.

Stay tuned, theres two more campagins in the making. They were in the making for almost all this year, but i plan to finish them. Honest!
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif
[/self advertising]

As for your question:


To make a fixed core campagin, you have to select units you want to be the core, and place them in first mission of your campagin in mission editor.

Then, whien assembling campagin, select the mission you created as first one, and mark "Fixed Core" option. Your core will consist of all units you gave 1st player in mission editor. (Thats why you cannot have any auxilary unists in first mission in campagin.)

Im typing it for memory (don't have WinSPMBT installed otn this computer) so i may be a bit inaccurate, but thats the general idea.

Sorry about my english, i hope you understand what im trying to say http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif.

Re: New Campaign! - UNIFE 2013
 

Bump to the top for those of you who might have missed it. I found this on my CD Archive(s) only to find it's still on Shrapnel's forums.