RetLT Scenario issues

[RetLT]

I thought it was odd to be using long range float planes to cover an amphibious landing.

The scenario is difficult currently so some accurate strike aircraft and/or naval artillery would definitely help.

Good catch on the crews. I did not notice that.

[DRG]

When it was built he may have just wanted to use something different and PBY's qualify and was added to the game around that time. It had been updated for DOS v6 in 2003 but from what I can gather from the timestamps of it and the ones around it, it appears it was built using OOB's for DOS V5 or perhaps V4 and IDK what changes might have been made for V6 but my guess is it was those PBY's as they appear at the very end of the unit selection list separate from the main USMC units.

One other slightly odd thing about this one is the Japanese have an observer team that overlooks the beach but no indirect arty of any kind for them to spot for and there is mention in battle reports that "many casualties caused by both mortars and sniper fire."

Attached is my basic correction/ revision for that scenario. The Japanese "crews" are gone, the PBY's are replaced by Avengers each with different weapon loads (which means they will be used by the AI if it's played from the Japanese side ), the LCVP now use the updated icons instead of what was the one generic LC icon used back then and the shallow water on the beaches is gone.

I'm also looking into further info on this battle and it is looking now like LVT's were used instead of LCVP which would change things a bit but I have just started looking into that. This scenario was also built before barbed wire was added to the game which would also add a different spin to it

[Mobhack]

The original DOS code allwed you to buy crews IIRC. No use for anything. (It may be that you can change the type in the change unit code in the scenario editor, probably still can). But still notu use as they can only enter thier own bunker, gun or vehicle which they wont have.

Sometime way back when, removal of spurious crews was part of the "tidy-up" code I added (I think, its going back a looong time!). I think that is part of the save scenario cleanup code, but cannot swear to it, but I vaguely recollect that unassociated crews will be swept up somewhere.

So if those "flavour" items were C_CREW class then they should be removed.

If so and they have only now been removed by the tidy-up routines then it has been a long time since that particular scenario was ever saved!

[DRG]

Attached is a revision for consideration. The 2021 revision has the USMC in LVT's instead of Landing craft with a few more USMC infantry units and Avengers instead of PBY's for air support but to balance that added USMC mobility and firepower the Japanese have better defenses.*

This should be a different kind of nasty.

[DRG]

If anyone does play this out let me know if it's easier or harder with the USMC. The version *I thought* I had posted gave the Japanese a couple of mortars to give their observer team something to do but I was juggling two versions and ended up posting the one without the added Japanese mortars.

[RetLT]

I would add a mortar or 2 to the defenders.

I cleared the map in 16 turns losing only 2 LTVs and 45 men.

[DRG]

So it ended up being easier with the LVT's even with the Wire on the Japanese positions?

And yeah...... I really thought those mortars were in both versions I was working with.

I have looked at that area using a Venola map..... those hills were a LOT steeper in RL

[Karagin]

Originally Posted by DRG

So it ended up being easier with the LVT's even with the Wire on the Japanese positions?

And yeah...... I really thought those mortars were in both versions I was working with.

I have looked at that area using a Venola map..... those hills were a LOT steeper in RL

Maybe adjust the hill heights will add to the Japanese side for slowing down the Marnies. What about adding in more snipers?

[Mobhack]

Or make some really steep slopes impassabel so vehicles cannot traverse them and grunts are really slowed by them?

[DRG]

I have been working on something just like that and digging around the net for more info

EDIT

I had what was shaping up to be an interesting variant with hills more like reality and I got it done to the point of running a playtest and it started with the message that "USMC Engineers clear dragons teeth" which is a really nifty trick given they were in LVT's over half a km away from the nearest DT.......I took them out... repurchased them, reloaded them and started the game....same message...then the screen greyed out and locked up so that's a "delete me!!" dead end.

Don Lazov will attest to the joy of trying to massage an old scenario. It can be quite an adventure but once they start going sour there is only one solution. It's too bad. it was really starting to get interesting.