_William

Flashpoint Campaigns developer (and long-time SBPro player) here. The game series uses a 500m hex scale, with unit counters typically representing platoons. The game does take into account facing (and front / flank / hull / turret / top armor). However, the player, as the commander issuing orders from his Brigade/Division HQ, does not control the unit (vehicle) facing. The game supports scenarios from 4 up to 24hrs, which allow for larger maneuvers where forward elements probe and fight for several hours before the main body arrives to complete the mission The game series goes back all the way to Simulations Canada's 'Main Battle Tank: Central Germany' (1989, Amiga/Apple II), which also described itself as 'modern grand tactical armoured combat'. William

Not sure if this is helpful, but the following two sources have been very helpful in creating game maps (not SBPro) of Germany: - the OpenStreetMap data (as freely available from geoportal.de). With some computer skills and patience, these can be imported in QGis (especially the 2.x versions have good import capabilities) and turned into maps. Best combined with high res elevation data. - for pure maps, some german states offer free on-line access to (historic) maps. Especially Bayern/Bavaria's BayernAtlas ( https://geoportal.bayern.de/bayernatlas/?topic=zeitr&lang=de&bgLayer=atkis&time=2008&layers=zeitreihe_tk&layers_timestamp=20081231 ) is great, and offers access to a variety of maps William

No, I haven't. Partially because Arma-* doesn't lend itself well for playing "from the map" as an overall commander, partially because the missions I generate contain additional logic and scripting which you cannot expect from a commander, and partially because to win from a human I'd have to exploit "loopholes" in the simulation (such as infantry not engaging beyond 800m, even with TOW-* and Javelin ATGMs). But mainly because what people really want is an opponent (and friendly forces) who (both) use a "plausible" plan to attack or defend. This leaves them free to assume any role, such as a forward observer, a gunship co/pilot, a medic or tank commander. People can easily balance the scenario by, for example, upgrading T-72As to T-72Bs, by adding a Cobra gunship or a mortar team, or by tightening the time limit. Creating a full and plausible plan for a maneuver is already hard enough a problem. Off-topic: There is some recent research in creating AI for RTS games such as StarCraft, but even the best AIs are beaten by top human players.

I created and run a web-based mission generator for the Arma-* / VBS series. This mission generator can probably be adapted to do the same for SBPro. Dubbed "PlannedAssault", it understands combined-arms maneuvers (infantry, tank, APC/IFV, soft-skinned transports, AA, artillery, crew-served ATGMs, CAS), defensive deployment, flanking, basic fire-support, air-assaults, bridges... It generates a plan and corresponding instructions for one or more sides, using solely high level input: objective(s), units (sections/platoons) and their initial positions. This leaves sufficient room for the mission generator to keep you guessing. For more info, please have a look at www.plannedassault.com . This video ( ) from 2010 and these blog entries ( http://www.plannedassault.com/news_entries?tag=tactics ) best illustrate its capabilities.The obstacles I see for supporting SBPro mission generation are: - being able to read/interpret SBPPro world files (to read the terrain/elevation data, to know where the roads/buildings/objects/streams/bridges/forests are) - being able to write valid unit instructions in the (binary) scenario file format (For Arma / VBS, the .wrp world file format is well documented, and the scenarios are defined in plain text files). Obviously, SBPro missions are less infantry focused, play out on larger pieces of terrain, and the units have a richer command set (routes, tactics). But these differences can be overcome. The richer command set would even make things easier. To summarize, if I'm given assistance with reading/interpreting world files and with writing scenario files (file format), I'll be more than happy to give this a shot. Especially the richer command set attracts me - computer units probably do a better job executing a plan than in Arma/VBS, especially when defending. William