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TGIF 2015: scenario list, discussion, and house rules


Volcano

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INTENT:

We are trying something new this year and we put all the "battle tested" scenarios into a list, and then randomly shuffled that list to create a TGIF play list. We are going down that list in order, choosing the next scenario to play from it rather than picking on a whim.

Rather than post the list here (because the list can/will change throughout the year), a post will be created here before each Friday mentioning the scenario that will be played. You can then download the scenario and decide if you want to CO (post here if you want to take it), otherwise whoever volunteers on Friday will be the CO.

CO GUIDELINES:

Basic guidelines as to who can volunteer as CO from week to week. The intent is solely to afford everyone the opportunity to CO:

  • No one may volunteer to be a CO back-to-back TGIFs. That is, if Mr. X volunteers to CO this week, he cannot volunteer to CO next week, but he can volunteer the week after that (every other TGIF). EXCEPTION: if a scenario requires more than two COs (i.e. because it has more than two sides) then there is no restriction on volunteering back-to-back with the previous TGIF.
  • If no one volunteers to be the CO, then anyone can CO at the time of the event. So, in the example above, Mr. X can CO again that next TGIF if no one volunteers during the week.

TGIF HOUSE RULES:

There will always be bugs in software and Steel Beasts is no exception. More-so, functionality that exists in the Pro version which has carried over into Pro PE often creates unforeseen situations which allow for abuse and unrealistic behavior. To counter this, there are "TGIF HOUSE RULES" which are basically a set of ethical rules to allow "fair and realistic play" to keep scenarios from bogging down into the morass of shame. The House Rules are as follows (and the list may grow over time):

  1. DO NOT adjust the number of rounds per tube when calling off-map artillery strikes, because they currently have unlimited ammunition so it creates ridiculous situations. (Using number of rounds per tube with on-map artillery is fine because they are delivered differently and have finite ammunition.) If you want a long off-map artillery strike, just keep repeating it.
  2. DO NOT adjust the duration when calling off-map artillery strikes -- for the same reason as rule #1. Also, like rule #1, setting the duration for on-map artillery strikes is OK. If you want a long off-map artillery strike, just keep repeating it.
  3. DO NOT use support vehicles (supply vehicles, bridge layers, maintenance vehicles) for reconnaissance.
  4. DO NOT intensely study the enemy's side in the scenario in the Mission Editor. You can open it and look at both sides, but do not touch anything or evaluate the reinforcement criteria, events, conditions, routes and waypoints. Looking at the enemy side to get an idea of what they have is acceptable, especially since you have to do this to figure out which side to CO anyway.
  5. DO NOT use helicopters with the intent of causing a distraction for the AI. Everyone knows when this is happening, like when empty transport helicopters repeatedly return to "buzz" (fly over) enemy units at top speed again and again. Flying in on troop insertions and back out again is acceptable, as is engaging targets from a battleposition.
  6. DO NOT hover helicopters at maximum ("Normal") height in battle positions, to use as an ATGM platform or to act as a recon satellite or an AI distraction. This is unrealistic at the moment since the Scenario Designer currently has no way to restrict/limit/cap flight height because he may want to represent certain types of conflicts where long range air defense and air superiority fighters exist. At such time, if ever, that the Scenario Designer can specify a maximum flight height, then we can remove this house rule.

NOTE: Failure to abide by the house rules will result in drastic measures by the TGIF coordinators, such as not posting the scenarios in advance, removing features from scenarios (like artillery and aircraft), or in the case of repeated violations, barring certain users from CO'ing. Also, the CO should strive to have all users on his side play within the guidelines of the house rules.

DISCUSSION:

*AFTER* the scenario is played, feel free to post constructive criticism about the scenario here, so that it can be improved. All constructive criticism will be taken into account, but pissing and moaning will be ignored.

Constructive criticism = complaints with specific suggestions

Pissing and moaning = complaints with no suggestions

DISCLAIMER:

Keep in mind that:

  • The scenario may change at the last minute depending on TGIF turnout.
  • Any plan file that you may create may be rendered invalid by last minute adjustments to the scenario (if you are going to CO, it is better to save a plan AND take a screen shot of the plan as backup).
  • Sometimes this list may not get updated due to real world situations.
  • This list will continue until we point in time that it is deemed "too much trouble", which is the moment in which we determine that no one new is CO'ing, or the situation is no different than before, or that the matches are becoming unfair (due to both sides studying the enemy situation in advance).
  • If this list turns into a mud flinging contest, because someone was sour about losing or in order to insult a scenario designer then posting the scenario early will end.
  • The scenarios that appear in this list are either new, classics, or at least played frequently and deemed "balanced". If you have a scenario that you think should be added to the play list then PM or create a post here about it.

Edited by Volcano
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2 JAN scenario:

TGIF Marine Assault

Disclaimer: this is a new scenario so it might have rough edges to iron out.

Also, Red side has Mi-24 Hinds with troops. We are aware of the bug with being able to unload troops from helicopters without landing, just be a good sport and actually land when you unload them. DO NOT do something that you know is gamey (unloading troops from altitude or while flying at speed). Hopefully this will be fixed soon.

NOTES:

  • Avoid studying the enemy's side; only gather intel from the briefing and exposed enemy unit icons (enemy intel), and briefly looking over both sides to figure out which one you want to CO. Anything beyond that ruins the fog of war element.
  • To avoid passwords, open the scenario in Network Session as HOST and choose the side you want to play and go to planning phase. You may briefly look at both sides like this to see which side you want to play or CO on. As CO, once you choose a side, go to that side and create your plan.
  • Remember to play within the TGIF House Rules and SB.com community rules.

Edited by Volcano
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I don't see anything wrong with it.

Blue has to capture the regions before the specified time. If they do this, then they get the points. They only have to worry about controlling the objective at the specified time, they can move on and leave after that happens. Objectives can change ownership back an forth before that time, but once the time is reached, it no longer changes hands.

Red has to be holding the objectives by the specified time, and if that is true then they are awarded the points and neither side has an effect on said objective after that time (essentially Red can fall back and ignore it after that).

Is this not working? I ran a test and it seems to be working to me. :confused:

Edited by Volcano
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Is this not working? I ran a test and it seems to be working to me. :confused:

Just to be sure I ran a second test, this time with the actual scenario but edited where Blue starts near the objectives. It seems to work fine, Blue drove into the objectives before the specified time and got the points so it seems to be working fine.

The only thing that might be causing confusion is that the objective can change hands several time before the specified elapsed time, but once the elapsed time is reached, it will no longer change ownership.

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Well, you have to use the Mission Debug mode, look in the File... menu in the Mission Editor, then select the scoring tab. You can see the score change in real time there.

If you end the mission early, I am not sure if it will work properly, but I can confirm 100% that the score is being update in real time, having checked that twice now.

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I have attached an image here of the debug mode I am referring to. I simply moved the vehicles near the objectives and drove into them.

You wouldn't be trying to capture an objective with a helicopter would you? That doesn't work. :wink: I am just at a loss why it isn't working for you.

Marine_Assault_Score_Debug.jpg.d695dd105

Marine_Assault_Score_Debug.jpg.d695dd105

Edited by Volcano
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For future reference, I have to explain how "hold until... X minutes" type regions work, because there seemed to be some confusion during TGIF.

Imagine region ownership like a light switch. Once someone takes ownership, then the light is switched on, you own it. If no enemy are in the region, you may leave and do not have to have any friendlies in it. However, if you take it and leave, then the enemy can take it back by just entering it (if it is unoccupied).

If both sides occupy the objective, then the side that is attacking into it (ie. you moved into the objective occupied by enemy) must have a 3:1 advantage over the enemy to take control away from the other side. If the attacker takes the objecting from the defender, then the defender must establish 3:1 over the attacker to get it back and so on.

To understand more, read this (and the sections above it):

http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/index.php?title=Scoring#What_constitutes_ownership_as_of_a_region.3F

Basically, with capture before X minutes, the attacker must simply be in ownership of the objective by the specified time. Imagine it this way: objectives will changes hand back and forth up until that specified time. Once that time is reached, whoever held it last will hold it for the rest of the scenario.

I noticed that in the TGIF game Blue attacked the Airfield which had a "capture before 45 minutes" condition and they basically sat and waited until 45 minutes before moving forward. This is a misunderstanding. Going off the explanation above, a good example on how to handle it would be to attack and take the airfield within say, 10 minutes, and clear out the enemy for the next 10 minutes, then leave a detachment there (like two LAV platoons with infantry) to hold it down, and move on with the rest of the force to attack the next objective and repeat. Once the time to capture the objective is exceeded, pick up the LAV platoon detachments (in this example) and move on. You either own the objective or you don't by then - they no longer need to remain there. Of course the key to success would be to thoroughly clear out an objective and then keep the enemy from getting back into it, but also balancing that with forward progress on the other objectives.

Please don't take this as criticism, I am just trying to better explain the time based "capture before..." and "hold until..." objectives. We don't really use them that often, but they are a nice change to the typical scenario because it encourages time management and speed.

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9 JAN scenario:

Bridge Crossing Heavy 2013a

NOTES:

  • Avoid studying the enemy's side; only gather intel from the briefing and exposed enemy unit icons (enemy intel), and briefly looking over both sides to figure out which one you want to CO. Anything beyond that ruins the fog of war element.
  • To avoid passwords, open the scenario in Network Session as HOST and choose the side you want to play and go to planning phase. You may briefly look at both sides like this to see which side you want to play or CO on. As CO, once you choose a side, go to that side and create your plan.
  • Remember to play within the TGIF House Rules and SB.com community rules.

Edited by Volcano
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Thanks for the explanation,I thought that we had to capture before 45 min but need to maintain the airfield until the end of the mission (anyways most of the units you you saw at the end of the mission defending the airport were just units stuck in walls,almost a compnay of aslavs )

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(anyways most of the units you you saw at the end of the mission defending the airport were just units stuck in walls,almost a compnay of aslavs )

Might be worth linking to this in the Support thread since:

1. Its one of the things "fixed" in 3.023 and

2. A few of us have the AAR. :)

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Well no, I was over there in that airfield and most vehicles were just driven into the plethora of hesco barriers. They didn't look physically-merged-with-object stuck per se, they were just parked all over the place and whoever owned them didn't bother or known how to get drive them out. In other words, it seems like AI pathfinding stuck.

The fact is that there were too many HESCO barriers in that area, and someone routed three platoons of NZLAVs into it. Not a good combination. Also, it didn't help that the map/scenario didn't have a nav mesh.

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