Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, here is a different thread from valo's one.
Valo, it seems to be working, thanks for sending me those files.

Now, to TS4EVER:
I have chosen to go with French infantry battalion, starting May 1940. I would love to have about, hmmm, 30 battles or so. First through dramatic France, then retreat to Africa, then Italy and France again, ending on liberation of Paris.
I will develop my realistic battalion rather freely, I will try to turn it into combat group.

What I ask you for is to consider my unit as a part of something bigger (regiment/brigade). I can provide you some sources of French equipment and organization of that time so you know what kind of forces may be sometimes attached as extra units. I also ask for realism when deploying my enemies. This comes to that era equipment and structural organizations (more the less, of course).

I take it you choose battles best and you know whats good for particular part of the campaign.

PS: I am up to do such thing for someone else, I guess TS4EVER cannot handle entire forums for that :P

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

You don't have to post the campaign file here, it is enough for oyu to post exactly what forces you have for now.

Here is how it works: You have a campaign on your computer, I make scenario files that you then add to this campaign to continue. You always need to save your game a turn before it ends, so you can then load up this savegame once you edited your campaign with the new scenario.
One technique we can do is having battles take place on the same map. So let's say your first game is supposed to take place in the morning and the battle continues in the evening. In that case you can send me your savegame and I can use this to make another scenario on the same map, which now has the battle damage from before etc. You shouldn't buy reinforcements then of course.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I am fine with multiple battles on one map.
Here I lost my current deployment save with exact forces I have. I hope that should help. Sorry I dont get it so well, custom campaign was always a bit weird to me :P

Uploaded the save.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Sorry it took so long, had little time. Anyway, add this to your campaign after the scenario where you picked your core force. Remember to make a savegame one turn before the end and put it on here, so I can make the next scenario on the same map. Note that you will play several battles on the same map, so conserve your forces!

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

And the file.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Seems to be working, I will start playing now. I will report every few turns.
Its gonna be extremely hard to quickly cross that bridge and establish some beachhead with footmobile force only.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Yes. Note that you don't necessarily have to "win", as in capture all objectives. Instead, establish a perimeter that you are comfortable defending and beat the German recon forces. The big attack will come in the next scenario, where your deployment zone and objectives will depend on your positions in this one.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

And so I did.
Panhards did amazing job and literally crushed German recon far from the city, giving my troops possibility to setup defence perimeter. I have suffered only 9 casualties, probably killing about ~200 Germans.
So far, 1 & 2 Cie crossed the bridge, 1 Cie covering south and 2 Cie covering north with monastery hill. 3 Cie crossed 2 platoons only, while 2 remaining in reserve for this scenario. Their general task is to cover that small forest and approach road.
I would be glad if I had a possibility to adjust some setup (especially relocate some AT guns). But overally I am happy with my current deployment and first success :)
Here goes the save, I am eager to see what goes next.

PS: I am requesting some artillery from my Regiment, it may come in handy if German attack will be strong. Also, I insist Panhards remain under my command, unless Division states otherwise.

PSS: My amazing AA defences managed to shoot down Storch recon plane with 3% chance ;P

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, next one. You can only deploy your units on the western bank or within the perimeter I marked on the map.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, done this one too.
It was quite tough. At worst point I had to retreat about 500m into my lines and German tanks took that monastery. My armour support came just in time to fend them off. In the end I counterattacked and recaptured that forest and northern approaches. Only area I failed to get on time was that orchard near the railway.
German battalion seems to dislike that day, with most forces routed. For those 500pts I requested engineering company (which did not take part in combat), additional 75mm battery and 4 more AT guns.
My casualties are considerable though. I lost half of my MG capacity, AAMGs also failed to shoot down even a single Stuka, however they managed to damage few. I also lost ammo wagon and mule transports, reducing my mobility. Infantry itself did it with acceptable casualties. German artillery complicated my life. A lot.
My crew abandoned some vehicles, but these seems to be intact.

I request to keep engineers (in case I have to retreat and blow the bridge), tanks if possible, I need a battery on standby. I would be more than glad to have increased AT capacity, because my AT guns are just not enough. I could use tanks or more AT guns, but preferably tanks.
What is the situation on my flanks? I REALLY do not want to be cut my German pincer movement, so in case it is necessary I will have to evacuate to the side.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

About the support points: Please don't use them unless I explicitly say so. These are set on your end (in the campaign structure) so I have no influence on them. I will instead provide you with auxiliary forces, which allows me more control over how the battle goes. Note how you didn't even use the engineers: this shows that the scenario is balanced with your core force + the additional forces by me in mind.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

and the files.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, **** has hit the fan on that one.
My retreat was going well unless they broke through central area and I needed to haste my retreat badly.
But it was going nice since the very end, when I was TOTALLY surprised with German armoured cars on the other side! I needed to rush them with my infantry and I succeeded with killing SOME, but at the end of scenario they were still inflicting losses.
The battalion however was evacuated in about 90% of entire fighting force and suffered moderate losses. As of last turn, the bridge is ready to be blown. Problem is I dont know how to do that with my own ammo dumps (in other scenarios IEDs or enemy dumps are used for it). I used Z-fire on the quite extensively, sadly without success. But for this reason I request to consider the bridge blown.
I failed to create a defensive perimeter on time, but attacking German force also suffered losses. Lets see what is your opinion of such outcome?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Due to the stragglers that reached your position, you may repair damage for 100 repair points.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Got this one.
I decided to push north and then west. I opted (with success I guess) that forest would provide protection if stuff gets too heavy. I suffered noticeable losses 90% due to artillery, so I focused on taking it out. In total, I finished 10 8cm mortars, probably rendering enemy artillery unusable again.
At first I wanted to stop by the forest, but I see main route is unprotected. FOr this reason I order like 20mins break (thats nearly nothing, troops will use it for reorganization only, but I have marching battalion so they should handle long trips like that with smile). I am rearranging mules and crews to form a convoy again. Luckily my attached armour finished the battle untouched, they were busy with cleaning some Germans on my back. I hope I am quick enough so they wont call heavy guns in (I take it they need proper spotting and comm link). Worse with Stukas, but I can do better with them than mortars.
I have placed one of my units near 2 German wagons. I intent to capture them and use in my voyage.
Other than that: will it be possible to spend some repair points on rearranging the crews? For AT guns, MGs and transport. A lot of people should be capable of helping with these without explicit training experience.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

If I tell you that you can spend repair points, you can use them on anything: infantry, artillery, even tanks for all I care.

Just so we are clear: Just because an area looks empty in the end screen does not mean it will be empty in the next scenario. I only place enemy units in areas I know you can comfortably reach in the alotted time. I do this for 3 reasons:
1: Easier for me to manage.
2: More flexibility to develop the scenario.
3: Otherwise you could see all enemy positions for the next scenario without proper recon.

So expect that village to be held!

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Deployment zone seems to be shifted way to the right and I cannot deploy in this forest. I dont really think it should be like that?
PS: I apologize for not understanding some aspects you are throwing at me. I am much more into SPMBT really and I am generally not used to foot retreats, wagons and mules usage etc. Also stuff gets a lot quicker in there. I would appreciate if you even use capslock to underline particularly important aspects that I should achieve.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

oh sorry the file I sent you was bugged, as I forgot to set the right deploy zone... I hope you still have the old savegame, if not, I can send it to you.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

That new one worked.
Allright, it was tough and very resemblant to infamous Purple Heart Line. I am reporting to my superior (if there is any at this point and chaos) that my battalion is barely combat capable. But it managed to capture that bloody road and hold it against German counterattack (destroyed 5 Pz38s and my tank at the very end of the scenario engaged 2 armoured cars near the flags. I also have a screening force in the village to the north, but over there enemy tanks would probably make it though towards the road... that is covered with 3 ATGs on entire length and with 3 more tanks coming). I am happy to say divisional forces did not suffer a single casualty, so I hope there was some good point in this sacrifice.
I am also however reporting that - given I can use forces that were also in retreat - I should be capable of securing that village to the north, if command wishes so.
In fact, great most of my casualties were taken from 3 MGs. I personally find single MGs overpowered, since at some point my recon team was located 200 metres from their firing position (and was not pinned) and it still failed to discover them after 6 salvos. Needless to say 200 men and overseeing scouts/MGs/Tanks/Artillery observer (!) failed as well.
I damn hope I am getting close to friendly forces, one more battle like that and I may be in serious peril.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ok next one.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, defence goes way better for me than retreats :P
Nothing to say here, I replenished most of 1 Cie and used 2 & 3 Cie combined in the centre. British shove off Germans quite easily and I could shift their armoured vehicles when Germans came in my sector. It was quite stressful at some point and they were close to break, but after all situation got back in my control. As of ending turn, most remaining Germans are pinned and engaged from several directions.

Let me know when you are planning to end France '40 sector. Before we proceed to actual Africa, Free French forces first tried to establish themselves in west african colonies. I would be glad to have battle of Dakar and Invasion of Gabon first, best 2 battles each. When time comes I may explain you how - in my opinion - it should look like.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

This will probably be the last France battle before the evacuation. That being said, it would be nice if you could send me some material or ideas for the next battles, since I know very little about them.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, so about these 2 engagements:
Battle of Dakar occurred in September 1940 and was mainly naval engagement. In short, Franco-british navy conducted show of power near the shores of Dakar, Senegal. Its purpose was to persuade French West Africa to join the struggle for De Gaulle. But Vichy authorities were not amused and sent in their own naval batteries, aircraft and nearby task force (with battleship in it). The battle went extremely unfavourably for the Allies and humiliated them, after entire task force (including aircraft carrier and battleship) were damaged and out of war for several months.
As of land engagements, there was just one: FF forces tried to conduct a beach landing near Dakar in order to advance on foot, but it failed under heavy fog and generally bad weather conditions. If FF forces set ashore is unclear to me. They could not even land or eventually land and leave before making a contact.
So in this case - if you want to handle this one - we could assume landing has occurred and then it was revoked, after light combat. I would have to be very careful with casualties, but Vichy forces should not be powerful.

The other battle, Gabon, is much more important from our point of view.
In Gabon it went fair better. That was November 1940. French forces blocked weak Vichy navy in the vicinity of Port Gabon and landed its forces there. Main area of the fighting was airport at Libreville (I call it airport, but historians use "aerodome" what probably indicates its small size). There were heavy fighting for it for 2 days, but with british light aircraft help French managed to capture it. Then, after brief combat Libreville was captured and this turned French Equatorial Africa and Chad into de Gaulle's men.

Later, French forces will be reorganized in Eritrea into 1st Brigade of the Orient and will take part in battle of Keren against Italy. This - I believe - should be depicted quite carefully as fighting there was extremely bloody. And then Operation Exporter, an invasion of Vichy Syrian and Lebanon, that finally provided de Gaulle with resources and manpower to create first Free French Division.
Rest of the story will follow up.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, got this one ready.
It was quiute tough, German attack seemed to be well planned and I disposed less units (my 1 & 2 Cie were downed to about 30% fighting strenght). For this reason I had to evacuate my sector and by the end scenario british are ready to do as well. But I made a good stand against them and caused them numerous casualties while limiting those of my own (but I sadly lost few very experienced men). British did rather easy for most part except very end, when Germans started to push them away.
Finally, German tanks conducted very dangerous flanking maneuver on me, but I was able to shift some AT weapons to that sector and prepare nice ambush. German tanks at this farm deep on my flank are mostly damaged and 2 AT guns are overseeing them by the end of the scenario.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, so we will be doing Libreville next. I guess you will have to reequip your units with British weapons?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I am actually not that sure. At this point French forces may still relay on their own weaponry. So it is up to your call.
I hope I can though finally resupply myself. At this point de Gaulle could only afford weak forces (thats why he rushed for Gabon). But I believe it should be enough to make a strong battalion or two for this operation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gabon

Here goes the link for this one.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Off to africa then. You can use as many repair points as you like to get your army up to snuff.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

All right, I must say... it did not go that well, given the task...
As of turn 28, I have captured just 1 objective cluster and nearly got to the second one. I hope I understood my deployment positions correctly, but it took me a while to make that rush. I was breaking through Vichy's positions one by one, but I just did not have enough time. Also, 1 Cie got pretty badly beaten on the way, but otherwise my battalion is well combat capable.
Question is what now? I was in combat for about an hour and still did not capture that bloody airfield...

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ok, next one.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Got his one, ****ing finally.
It took me 14 turns to finish my manoeuvres. Vichy forces got completely destroyed with about 30 men surviving and entire airstrip is taken. Their stupid counterattack allowed me to finish the job quicker, but I somehow understand them. I launched flanking maneuver though the south and I was ready to cut the airstrip. Then they rushed.
Their defence was however extremely powerful. I did not expect that just 2 Coys will provide such hard fight. My casualties are enormous as for this kind of difficulty level. My battalion will soon need replenishment quite soon.
Historically that airstrip was key defence point, so from now on it SHOULD do rather easy.
So, what now?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Next you can repair your forces again, as we will jump to Eritrea, April 1941.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

This one may take me little longer since I have lesser time for now.
Remember - at later stages of Abyssinia - to make Mount Keren (this battle could generally use a depiction in battle mode. Maybe I will do it in some time).
And one more mention that I forgot previously: please be careful when setting starting sides. Many casualties I suffered in last battle died because routed units run straight into enemy rather than back to the marshes.
I am switching into British equipment for now, finally motorizing my support forces and attaching recon squadron that will make a bulk of latter armoured force.

PS: IMPORTANT! My deployment area is to the left. Its quite short. Should it be like that?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Yes the deployment zone are normal.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Allright, got this done.
Generally casualties are acceptable (though could be lower). Most were produced on mines, Italian fire was mostly inaccurate and was silenced quickly with my MGs and artillery. I was pushing hard to gain momentum and in fact to capture entire flag area in one battle. For this I was not prepared for strong Italian counterattack that stalled my advance and now my troops are in need of reorganization. But afterwards fight can be continued and fate of the defenders is sealed.
Let me send a messenger if they want to surrender, maybe I could capture some interesting stuff. If not: they have no chance. Indian resistance was weaker and their formations massacred defenders easily. The airstrip's control is still disputed, but there is no chance Italians will hold on open ground.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ok, carrying on.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Allright, made my refit. A tank company is attached to my core force, thus completion of battalion-sized combat group is mid way. Rest of the infantry will remain footmobile, I intent do equip them with halftracks no sooner than Tunisia.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

What kind of tanks did you use?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I have implemented Cruiser IIs so far. In some time I will upgrade my ACs to gun equipped.

Meanwhile, I made my foothold. I reached nearly the area I wanted (that small gully). Instead I reached crossroads hundred meters away. I used different tactics this time, let infantry capture small village first and tanks and recon came second hand, to exploit the breakthrough. Spam of AT guns sadly stopped this advance, but most of Legionnaire were routed on the way. It is also good to have fire superiority with tanks and see these poor ACs and tanks going over my guunz ;c
Nice refreshment after bloody 1940.
My casualties also seem OK, surprisingly no trucks were destroyed.
I take it in next scenario I should advance on towards the fortress and I will try to expand my area of attack. I would love to wait till darkness for attack, unless HQ expects otherwise. It it goes for assault itself, first I need to push closer. If I have to capture that fortress, I will need my men ready and reorganized.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I think you send me the old savegame from the previous scenario by mistake.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Try it now...

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

That one is from the end of the Massawa Scenario, not the Syria one.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

**** me, Try it now, made a fail twice.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

third time is the charme.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Damn, HQ misunderstood me... I wanted to postpone attack on the fortress itself to night hours. Gonna be tough to get that ridge, but I will do my best.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

So... no time at the moment?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

November pretty much sucks for me, started apprenticeship at court. Progress will be very slow.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, got it done.
It was a tough fight, but I managed to get to proper positions for final assault. In fact, I penetrated one segment of defensive walls. My casualties are going extremely high though. Also, I did not expect such a strong assault from the back (I hoped Vichy forces retreated to the fortress) and I had to mobilize my rear security forces and drive most tanks backwards. The battle ended with success but it cost me dearly.

For the final assault, I ask for maximum heavy calibre artillery. I want to assault as soon as my men are rested, rearmed and ready.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ok, good to have you back.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I am not that much back. Probably battle you send me now will again take me much much longer than usual. Around early December things should stabilize.

This assault was pretty easy due to enemy being bogged in the very small and predictable area. Even though my mortars failed several times and caused numerous casualties due to friendly fire incidents, I was able to capture the key fort building before 25pdrs arrived. Then my tanks outflanked the fortress and pushed forward, towards enemy artillery park, killing a couple of tanks in the process.
It cost me 45 casualties and a tank blown on mines, traitor's losses went way over 200.

The question is: what now?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I think we will stay in Syria a little bit.