USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

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bebro
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

Thx :)

I finally made up my mind with Australia - the player can invade it in early 1943 after winning a Kokoda Track scn incl. the capture of Port Moresby in mid-42 and after that winning Guadalcanal in october 1942.

Then it will be explained that the debate ho to proceed with Australia breaks out again (historically it has been settled after the fall of Singapore with only a vague hint about possible "future" developments).

Now if the player has won those scns above another debate between IJA and IJN brings up the issue again and the player can "influence" the result (choice briefing pro or contra invasion). If he chooses to invade, he can do so at Darwin and has to fight a allied force with significant US help.

I'll probably end the main path with a DV then - actually given its size I think Australia would hardly fall after a loss of the Northern Territory alone, but making a full conquest would go down the ahistorical path even deeper so I'll leave it at that, explaining a DV lead to developments with further allied losses, etc, etc, and so finally Japan is able to get some kind of favourable deal. Sure it's debatable, but it's all what-if anyway :)

If you don't win there, the campaign will continue, max. until 1945.
RobertCL
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

Hi,

First impressions:

1. Excellent design, icons and maps are splendid. Maybe the standard Japanese infantry icon perhaps looks like too much to a modified German mountain unit...just my standpoint, maybe I am wrong.

2. But it was difficult for me even while cheating with prestige I cannot deploy many new units (this is done on purpose I guess and understand).
I played at Leutnant level and it was too hard for me I lost at Mount Austen because I did not have enough units at my disposal.

3. I also lost planes because unlike what I believed, planes cannot be repaired or resupplied on Henderson Field, just only a few hexes on the left or right (but not on the grey road representing Henderson field) of the field are really airfield hexes.

I shall replay this campaign at Sergeant level to discover the campaign and play further in the campaign path. I want to play with a Corsair like "Papy Boington" 8)
bebro
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

Thanks for the feedback :)

Yeah, the infantry is mainly modified. Maybe I rework them again for the IJA campaign. There is already some new units made/or still to come and I intend to give the USMC campaign an update including those too, correcting some smaller issues etc.

Maybe I also up prestige at least a bit then. I can live with it, but then I know the scenarios, what enemies to expect where etc. Could be prestige is a tad too restrictive esp. early on indeed, and esp. when people have different core compositions.

As for the aircraft - if you play the latest version, there should be a little airbase help page in the library. In short repair works only on a hex with tower, refuel on hexes next to it. You need to own the tower hex of course (shows a flag of your side).
RobertCL
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

Thx for the tips!

I am replaying at Sergeant level, too easy :D
Good knews: my infantry and tanks and air force has 12 strength!!!

No movement sound for USMC Paramarines when travelling by air (scenario 4 Mount Austen) + no sound for PTB ship (smallest US ship in the third scenario of Guadalcanal).

Third Guadalcanal scenario: it was not clear to me the hex with a flag was a victory hex (extreme left of the map), because not circled like any standard VH.
So from turn 15 to 20 I did nothing preventing me from a DV.
Had I known this before I would have taken it!

But I love your campaign!
VPaulus
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by VPaulus »

bebro didn't you made an update with those two hotfixes?

Meanwhile Robert take a look back in the thread.
viewtopic.php?f=147&t=30156&start=220
I've release two hotfixes for the missing sounds.
bebro
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

Thank you very much. :)

I have to check the VH issue, the circle on the stratmap should be given by the engine.

The sound issue has been reported, though I have not gotten around to fix it yet, but will do when I get to release the update mentioned.

I'm glad you like the campaign. Some scenarios later can be pretty tough the first time. But there should be no unbeatable battle, just that sometimes it can be tricky to find out the best way to victory ;)

edit: I had only the most glaring issues fixed in the hotfixes, I think not the sounds. That still has to be done. Thought I'd wait in case there's more to fix ;)
RobertCL
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

OK Bebro I continue the playtesting and keep you informed until the conquest of Iwo Jima and the unconditionnal surrender.

Hi Von Paulus, I have well installed USMC_Hotfix_v0_92.
VPaulus
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by VPaulus »

That update don't include the sound hotfix.
You need this hotfix:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7llsb3
bebro
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

Thx again :) I 'll include it in "real" update when IJA is done. Until then I only hotfix any game-breakers, though I hope there aren't anymore in there.... ;)
RobertCL
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

Thx for the sound mod!
Installed, no problem!

Scenario 5 (just after Mount Austen)

On the top part of the screen in the North, landing ships are all oriented in the wrong direction: they are oriented to the west whereas there is no VH in that direction, I landed my troops on the island for nothing!
I restarted the scenario and moved east.

Then you have Fidji infantry units which are not on landing ships but on standard ships (like destroyers), It took me a few turns to understand and to see luckily those units could be debarked. According to me they should have landing ships.
It was also the case on one US or USMC infantry unit (standard ship instead of landing ship).

I also think battleships should be used because all I see is small destroyer ships (maybe you respected the historical OOB, so forget what I said but in another scenario in game I would like to see huge icons for battleships), then carriers are really small icons too. But this is a minor detail

Tarawa

Under playtesting, seems very interesting!!!
I played 10 turns so far, so good!
Hopefully at Sergeant level this is piece of cake but most of infantry units have no trucks so the move to the far eastern side of the map takes time.
The Japanese entrenched canons are deadly!
bebro
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

Thanks for the feedback. Now to some answers...
Scenario 5
On the top part of the screen in the North, landing ships are all oriented in the wrong direction: they are oriented to the west whereas there is no VH in that direction, I landed my troops on the island for nothing!
The direction thing is one I can't avoid. You can only set one general direction per side in the editor, not individually per unit (at least I don't know any way). As you are attacking from several directions in this scn there is no way to have all ships point to the side they should be landing at the scn start. I can only recommend to check the map(s) before.
Then you have Fidji infantry units which are not on landing ships but on standard ships (like destroyers), It took me a few turns to understand and to see luckily those units could be debarked. According to me they should have landing ships.
It was also the case on one US or USMC infantry unit (standard ship instead of landing ship).
This is ok, these are actually destroyer transports, so converted old destroyers used for fast troop transport. They work basically like any other naval TP, just are faster, and lightly armed, so you could even attack as long the unit has not landed.

Best is to bring up the units panel to check what it says - it should mention that it has a sea transport. In short, any land unit at sea should be able to debark on land, regardless of transport type.
I also think battleships should be used because all I see is small destroyer ships (maybe you respected the historical OOB, so forget what I said but in another scenario in game I would like to see huge icons for battleships), then carriers are really small icons too. But this is a minor detail
These are indeed mostly historical ships. The carriers I used were part of the historical OOBs, but hardly used in that close to the landing groups. But in scn 5 and 6 they are mostly a tribute to the game engine, so that you have something to land as long you didn't conquer an air base.

Don't worry, you get BBs and big carriers later too. But they can't get much bigger than those carriers you see at Tarawa, because the hex size provides a certain limit.
Under playtesting, seems very interesting!!!
I played 10 turns so far, so good!
Hopefully at Sergeant level this is piece of cake but most of infantry units have no trucks so the move to the far eastern side of the map takes time.
The Japanese entrenched canons are deadly!
Yes, some have trucks or amtracs etc, but not all. This is intended, as a little tip - just use the ones without trucks for the objectives in the shorter north-south direction, and the rest for the east-west ends.

I hope this scn is not regarded as unfair - but it was pretty harsh for the first wave landing. But still with the right methods it should be all doable. I can post more hints if needed, but maybe you don't want spoilers.

However, thanks again for the feedback, I hope the answers are helpful :)
RobertCL
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

Hi,

Thx for your answers, now I better understand.
As long as ships have not allowed the landing then the probability to suffer losses is extremely high.

I think the air force must be used as recon unit to see where to land ground forces otherwise the landing becomes a trap.
Hopefully at Sergeant level I can discover your campaign easily (because opposition is too weak in numbers and in value) but at leutnant level it is much harder (and also much more interesting because Japanese ships in scenario 5 have 10 strength instead of 5 and the Japanese air force have also a strength of 10 and not of 5 in Tarawa).

Your campaign represents a lot of work and icons used are great, jungle combat is well described.

Congrats!

I keep you informed about the next tests, but don't you have a campaign path or a least could you publish the list of scenarios (I admit I have not read all posts about your campaign) ?
bebro
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

For the campaign path you can look in the customized in-game library coming with the latest version. There is more info in the library about switch units, upgrade families and so on. If there's something not covered there of course I'll answer any question. ;)

Please try it out (In-game, go to Library > USMC campaign path). As this was my first campaign, it has only one linear path (14 scenarios), so no alternative routes. Tarawa is No.7, so right in the middle of the campaign. Campaign end is at Okinawa. ;)
RobertCL
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

Library is excellent, great to find all info there!

Tarawa [finished]

Sad we cannot use paramarines embarked in C47 from the airfield, I lost 10 turns just to move to the last VH with slow ground units.

Roi-Namur [finished]

It took me 3 turns just to land, scenarios are long maybe I am too tired
First or second time I see a Betty, excellent icon!
I have finally seen one tank being flame-thrower as AUX unit(but unfortunately not in purchase menu).

I won 10 turns before the end.
The key is to capture the airfield soon enough, I was afraid for my Hellcats trying to go back on time to their carriers!
My three arty units are now Long Tom but USMC engineers are the units to buy transported by DUKW (or trucks)

Great scenario, congrats!!!
bebro
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

The flametank given at Roi-Namur should stay in your core from now on.

Flametanks were planned to be given as random bonus units only (Like SE in vanilla), so you can't buy them. However, as we found out later the bonus mechanism works only for axis units correctly. So I ended up giving one as freebie via trigger - if you lose him you don't get a replacement.

Also, the "new unit" popup in-game does not inform about bonus upgrades, only regular. But there are two upgrades for this flametanks available later - just check via the "upgrade" button during deployment if there are any - if you get him experienced they are worth it, esp. the last.


As for the rest, you're done fast with Roi-Namur, very good. :)

Historically approaching and landing was part of the challenge esp. in the Central Pacific, as the Japanese were concentrating their defenses directly at the beaches. From Saipan and later you'll have it easier to bring most units ashore, but will meet more resistance inland instead.
RobertCL
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

Eniwetok [finished with DV]

Well, I made the mistake to place my units only close to the Northern island (was there a deployment zone in the Southern island BTW ?)
I won easily in the North but in the South I could only count on AUX units...

I was able to bring back from the North the ships (except the carrier) and the aircrafts to the Suuth.

I play at Sergeant level so very easy but I just want to discover the campaign first before playing at Leutnant level.

I love the name of the flame-thrower tank: SATAN :P
OK I shall check for its upgrade at deployment time, a very effective unit against bunkers.

I also own a B25 Mitchel as heavy bomber, nice to soften AD units.

BTW why do you offer the possibility to purchase US Army units ?
You should limit the possibility to USMC since it is a USMC campaign after all, no ?

As I told you: why USMC paramarine cannot take off from an airfield ? Then why don't we have arbors from where we could move our units by ship (like we had in 4th and 5th scenario if I remember well) ? Surely historical reasons.

Excellent scenario, a MUST have campaign for fanatics of Papy Boington like me :P
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

RobertCL wrote:Eniwetok [finished with DV]

Well, I made the mistake to place my units only close to the Northern island (was there a deployment zone in the Southern island BTW ?)
I won easily in the North but in the South I could only count on AUX units...
Yes, you should be able to deploy both north and south. Best to split up so you have units at both ends.
BTW why do you offer the possibility to purchase US Army units ?
You should limit the possibility to USMC since it is a USMC campaign after all, no ?
Can you *buy* them indeed? This should not be possible (should saying "no free slots"), even when you can bring up the purchase screen for them. If you still can buy them I have to check out what is happening.

But the army was participating in many of those ops so I have them as aux units. I guess the purchase screen is available if a nation is set in the editor on your side - the Army uses the standard USA flag, so counts as separate "nation".
As I told you: why USMC paramarine cannot take off from an airfield ? Then why don't we have arbors from where we could move our units by ship (like we had in 4th and 5th scenario if I remember well) ? Surely historical reasons.
Yeah, those paramarines were used rarely for paradrops indeed. This may be one reason why the USMC got rid of them late-war and dissolved them. They're mostly elite inf as it stands now. In-game you can only make para ops if there are air transports available, which mostly are not for historical reasons. I think I may change that at least for the bigger islands later (Saipan, Guam, Okinawa)

Same with harbours, on those small atolls I didn't think they would be needed. Most other scns with bigger islands or land masses have harbours though.
Excellent scenario, a MUST have campaign for fanatics of Papy Boington like me :P
Thanks, that's good to hear :)
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

Hi,

Just a nice image I found before I attack Saipan:

Image
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by bebro »

Nice :) And good hunting ;)
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Re: USMC Campaign v0.9, released 25 Mar 2012

Post by RobertCL »

DV in Saipan.

Long scenario.

I prefer Guam (ongoing).

Sometimes too repetitive, I would have liked a sea battle and an air battle (turkey shoot in the Marianas maybe ?)

I agree that at Sergeant level this is far too easy.

You spend more time to move units than to fight, that's the major drawback of the campaign, but for the rest I like it a lot!

Yes: I checked, this is well impossible to purchase US units, so why is USA needed in game (USMC should be enough). I understood, you need USA for some AUX units in game...
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