SCENARIOS!

[burroughs]

Hello guys.
I dare to disagree on the subject of low intensity conflicts and counterinsurgency warfare. I am participating in "The Battle for the South Atlantic" tournament at the Blitz site that covers the Falklands War; obviously all of the scenarios are based on small units actions, company up to a battalion sized elements mostly. Just like during the Malaysian emergency first and then during the Borneo operations. A couple of weeks ago I set up a regular patrol of a pratroop platoon augmented with SAS teams already present in the AO agains a Kopassus company scattered in the jungle after a paradrop. Worked quite well in my humble opinion, but I could not develop that much furter due to the lack of knowledge in scenario making. I think there is a potential to make the Borneo campaign settings interesting enough by skillful combination of some historic background and ingame mechanics - air assaults, reinforcing the far flung firebases and outposts under fire, conducting patrols and setting up hasty ambushes based on some last minute intel or seaborne and airborne infiltration and incursions off the Indonesian border from both sides. Certainly the map size needs to be adjusted accordingly. I am not a map maker myself and I indeed did not manage to find any interesting and of a decent size ones in my mostly stock set.
Good luck to Your project. I will be following the news on that, hoping to see it ready here any time soon.

[wulfir]

Originally Posted by burroughs

I am participating in "The Battle for the South Atlantic" tournament at the Blitz site that covers the Falklands War; obviously all of the scenarios are based on small units actions...

IMHO the problem is not so much the fact that it's a small unit action - I think most players like the small size "lunch-hour" size scenario...

...but how can you transfer a geurilla set-up to winSPMBT?
How many players would like to patrol an 80x100 jungle map looking for two insurgent scout teams hidden away - that might or might not be located during the 30 turns of the game...

Granted PBEM games with quality players like those at the Blitz will always be better than facing the AI and human vs human play also offers a lot more possibileties with regards to objectives that need to be achieved for winning etc.

Btw, Burroughs - don't fear the editor, get cracking on those maps.

[RazGator]

I said that it was hard to make good scenarios with low intensity conflicts; it's not impossible though. I did a Falklands scenario included in the latest patch covering Operation Corporate. It required some manipulation of victory hexes to get the AI to make a fight of it, but it can be done. It's a matter of having some unusual angle to make it interesting. This "angle" can be any of a number of factors. Unusual objectives, special rules, equipment, units, terrain and maps can all be used to enhance small scenarios.

Research for low intensity conflicts can be a bear as well. Such conflicts rarely have much tactically detailed material available from which to design an interesting scenario.(Try and find much tactical info on the French-Algerian War '54-'62)

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by RazGator

I said that it was hard to make good scenarios with low intensity conflicts; it's not impossible though. I did a Falklands scenario included in the latest patch covering Operation Corporate. It required some manipulation of victory hexes to get the AI to make a fight of it, but it can be done. It's a matter of having some unusual angle to make it interesting. This "angle" can be any of a number of factors. Unusual objectives, special rules, equipment, units, terrain and maps can all be used to enhance small scenarios.

Research for low intensity conflicts can be a bear as well. Such conflicts rarely have much tactically detailed material available from which to design an interesting scenario.(Try and find much tactical info on the French-Algerian War '54-'62)

A useful site for scenario research:
http://www.britains-smallwars.com/

e.g. this one for an example of a hostage rescue op (has sketch map):
http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Borneo/Limbang-op.htm

Cheers
Andy

[wulfir]

1980,
Afghanistan...

Soviet VDV troops of the 345th Regiment enter Mamhud-i-Raqi behind the regular Afghani soldiers - supposedly their comrades-in-arms but in reality considered worthless by the VDV...

...inside the town the Mujahedin waits behind prepared positions, burning with hate for the Soviets...

(Semi-fictional scenario based on Zimgas Stankus' Kaip tamparma Albinosais.)

[Palle]

Originally Posted by RazGator

I said that it was hard to make good scenarios with low intensity conflicts; it's not impossible though. I did a Falklands scenario included in the latest patch covering Operation Corporate. It required some manipulation of victory hexes to get the AI to make a fight of it, but it can be done. It's a matter of having some unusual angle to make it interesting. This "angle" can be any of a number of factors. Unusual objectives, special rules, equipment, units, terrain and maps can all be used to enhance small scenarios.

Research for low intensity conflicts can be a bear as well. Such conflicts rarely have much tactically detailed material available from which to design an interesting scenario.(Try and find much tactical info on the French-Algerian War '54-'62)

That conflict has been described and analysed in many a book as there were some ... interesting aspects of it... Rather I would say it is hard to make the AI model COIN or rebellions.

[wulfir]

The Thunder Dragon

Summer 2014, border disputes with several of Chinas neighbours raise the tension in Asia.

Flexing its military muscles with confidence the leaders in Beijing embark upon a course that will lead to major confrontation with several states surrounding China.

The first move is against Bhutan, a small landlocked nation on Chinas southern border allied with the rival India. Fully knowing that India will rally to the aid of its ally the Chinese aim at drawing in the Indian army into the restricted terrain of Bhutan where a major defeat on the Indian forces can be inflicted. A limited, non-nuclear war, against India demonstrating the superiority of the People’s Liberation Army would secure Chinas southern border for the main goals elsewhere.

The operation against Bhutan is called Thunder Dragon.

A PLA Paratroop detachement is tasked with knocking out an Indian Mountain Brigade HQ located near the Punakha Dzong palace in north western Bhutan. Success in this mission would disorganize the forward deployed regular Indian army units in all of north western Bhutan.

[wulfir]

Swath of Destruction

Vietnamese political support and indirect military aid to some of the enemies of China leads to a punitive Chinese invasion of northern Vietnam.

Simliar to the 1979 invasion this time around the battle quickly ignites the age old hostility between the two nations.

A brutal battle develops, a massive grudge match.

At the small vietnamses town of Tien Yen, Vietnamse regulars and militia forces make a stand. The PLA force assaulting the town is ordered to grind the defenders into the ground.

[Patric]

Great Scenario Ulf
As Chinese I could conquer all the objectives but at a cost.
Lost 395 men, 20 tanks, and 30some APC´s trucks and small vehicles.
At some time I started to become paranoid that the Vietnamese will counterattack from the south, crossing through the bridges.

I´ll give it a try from the viet side.

Saludos

P

[Tomas]

Originally Posted by wulfir

Swath of Destruction

Vietnamese political support and indirect military aid to some of the enemies of China leads to a punitive Chinese invasion of northern Vietnam.

Simliar to the 1979 invasion this time around the battle quickly ignites the age old hostility between the two nations.

A brutal battle develops, a massive grudge match.

At the small vietnamses town of Tien Yen, Vietnamse regulars and militia forces make a stand. The PLA force assaulting the town is ordered to grind the defenders into the ground.

For some reason, this scenario was never included with the game (originally posted at 02-25-12, 09:18 PM) and that is pity, since the scenario is excellent.

I recommend including it in next patch.