Scenario: [WIP] Campaign - Arctic Struggle

[Ts4EVER]

As mentioned earlier, I made a new campaign. I already did one test runthrough and changed some balance stuff, but it would be nice to get more eyes on it and feedback from others.

This campaign is for a very rare breed of players: The one who likes fighting through really rough terrain on foot...

"Arctic Struggle"

Russian Campaign

October 07th 1944 - October 23rd 1944

Design by Ts4EVER

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Northern Arctic, also called "Eismeerfront" by the Germans, was on of the most desolate and hostile environments that World War 2 was fought in. Strewn by rocks, criss crossed by swampy creeks and treacherous bogs, and largely devoid of civilian infrastructure, the area was not coducive to large scale military operations. Especially the use of armor was almost impossible due to the harsh, roadless terrain.

At the same time the region was strategically important: In 1941 the Germans had tried to take the important port of Murmansk, destination of the famous arctic convoys. They were also keen on defending the mines at Nikel, which produced ressources needed for the German war effort. However, their offensive faltered in September 1941, leading to a period of relative stalemate, with only minor Russian offensive efforts. This period is now over.

On October 7th 1944 the Russians plan to launch a major offensive with the goal of capturing the Nikel mines, the Finnish town of Petsamo and lastly, after crossing the border into occupied Norway, the harbor of Kirkenes. To achieve this, they will use infantry, tanks, special forces and naval infantry in a combined arms offensive.

IMPORTANT GAMEPLAY NOTES
This campaign consists of 7 scenarios, one of which is a non-combat intro scenario to set up the first battle. A battle resulting in a draw or better will allow you to advance to the next scenario.

You command a reinforced rifle battalion from 114th Rifle Division. Antitank guns, heavy machine guns, medium mortars and infantry guns are attached to your force for fire support. One rifle platoon in every company has been equipped with submachine guns. An engineer platoon has been assigned to your battalion for mine and obstacle clearing. You don't have to expand your core force. You will only receive a small amount of replacements, but your force will be refitted on the 14th of October (after scenario 5). Be mindful of casualties, otherwise you might not be able to complete the campaign!

Various other units will be attached to your force as support throughout the campaign. These include tanks and heavy assault guns from the 73rd Seperate Guards Heavy Tank Regiment (KV1), the 7th Guards Tank Regiment (T34/85) and the 339th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (ISU152). The initial breakthrough battle will be supported by more than 1600 guns of various calibers, several batteries of which will be assigned to your force. As you advance further in the roadless terrain, this support will not be able to keep up though and you will have to rely on divisional 76 and 122mm batteries, as well as your own mortars and guns.
For the assault into Norway, you will be provided with the 284th OSNAZ battalion and their American amphibious jeeps.

This is a slow and methodical campaign. There won't be any sweeping tank maneuvers or quick offensives, but a grinding advance through harsh terrain. Much of your success will depend on successful use of support weapons like heavy machine guns, infantry guns and artillery.

[DRG]

I did a quick check and it plays out to the end perfectly. I'm still trying to figure out what's going wrong with the Freyburg campaign in between the other things we are doing

[Ts4EVER]

I wonder, should I maybe revisit the Freyberg campaign and maybe regenerate the core force or something like that? Could that help maybe?

[DRG]

You could try that but it works great right to the very end and you never see the final campaign score and that's why I held it out from last years release but at the time I thought I could figure out what was causing it but I didn't have the time at the time to give it any attention.

Every once in a while I get an inspiration and try something but nothing so far has stopped it from shutting the game down instead of showing the end of the campaign screen.I had hoped the changes Andy made to the EXE to remove excess baggage from the DAT files would solve the problem but so far....no luck

[Ts4EVER]

It's been a while since I worked on it, but weren't there aux forces in the final scenario that start destroyed (0 crew). Could that cause some kind of screw up?

[DRG]

Well, it's worth a try to see. Will do that now

[DRG]

WOO HOO!!! It's working.......still more testing to do. The Brit wrecks are not showing up but the Germans are and I finaly got the end of the campaign screen

[DRG]

It's the Brit wrecks they are set to FIX and if even one of them is left as FIX the campaign screen craps out at the end. The German ones are normal......no FIX no AUX and they still appear on the map but they aren't part of the campaign score. Right now I have it running but those Brit wrecks won't show up but they are just decoration anyway and if those have to be invisible then so be it

Still testing

[DRG]

Here is the Revised Freyburg campaign in Slot 38. It won't show the wrecks in the last scenario but they are just decoration but it does now end with the campaign results screen

I have removed the attachment due to new problems found

[Ts4EVER]

Cool! So that is finally fixed.