Operation Gazelle (4.268) 1.0.0

Relative newb having my first few goes at the user made scenarios. Really enjoyed this and found the challenge to be right in the sweetspot for me. I have mainly just been using the range and making my own mini missions so i knew how to move the units, use ATGM and resupply/ use medics etc (watched a lot of the forum training videos)0. This scenario gave me enough time to develop those skills without punishing me too brutally for my tactical naivety. Completed the mission and have now downloaded the entire Ben and Apocalypse collections. Thanks very much for the all the effort put into these :).

Difficulty: While you are fighting African Rebels in this scenario, they are not pushovers. They have a decent defensive plan with flexibility, and will try to play to their strengths. Knowing the vulnerabilities of your equipment, and knowing the effects of the terrain, is essential to prevent yourself from fighting in a manner that the enemy wants you to fight. The Scenario Designer gives you enough assets to complete the task at hand if you employ them properly. This is also one of those few scenarios where I found recon teams to be legitimately useful, as they will help protect your "glass cannon" style vehicles from making initial contact with the enemy. It is very possible for the enemy to win if you don't fight this appropriately.

[ ] Easy
[X] Medium
[ ] Hard
[ ] Kobayashi Maru

Duration: This mission took approximate 30 minutes to plan, and around 35 minutes to execute, resulting in my overall time of around 1 hour and 5 minutes. While it is certainly possible to spend more time on both planning and execution, I find it would be hard to push this scenario into an overall time of longer than 2 hours. It is certainly possible to get this play-time to be between 30 minutes to 1 hour, especially if using an increased tempo during execution.

[ ] Less than 30 minutes
[ ] 30 Minutes to 1 Hour
[X] 1 to 2 Hours
[ ] Longer than 2 Hours

Balance: Balance of forces slightly favors BLUEFOR in this mission. While the enemy technically outguns you with the deployment of T-62s, French forces dominate the infrared spectrum, and will win any engagement where they have an appropriate level of standoff. The MB 300D with MILAN is a
notable standout here, and can decimate the enemy's T-62s and BMP-1s when firing from the proper terrain. Both sides have indirect fire, and the enemy will employ it to great effect if you remain static. 

[X] Favors BLUEFOR
[ ] Favors OPFOR
[ ] Favors Neither

Overall: A great mission with an unconventional force composition that reflects how the French Army fights in Africa! The Force composition is easily manageable with a single player, with co-op being another good option with players occupying key leader positions. This mission definitely showcases how, with proper understanding of the effects of terrain, and knowing both the enemy and your capabilities and limitations, you can achieve success with what some might consider an "inferior force" on paper. The scenario leaves plenty of flexibility for your plan, and gives you some interesting options on outmaneuvering the enemy. The OPFOR is tough but fair; I never felt like any tactical surprises that occurred were outside of the realm of possibility. Download this and play it; you'll be glad you did!

[ ] Awful - A Waste of Your Time
[ ] Bad - Significant Design Flaws
[ ] Average - Limited Replayability
[ ] Good - Worth a Download
[X] Excellent - A Benchmark Scenario; Must Download and Play

Fun scenario with a realistic setting /objectives as well as a manageable force ratio.

Ben allows for plenty of creative freedom with how you attack this scenario - he'll always keep you on your toes with randomized enemy plans but without saturating the map with enemy contact.