Normandy '44 Campaign (CLOSED)

[Brancaleone]

Greetings Gentlemen,
I'm looking for an Allied opponent for the Normandy '44 scenario___#Grand Campaign (6 Jun - 19 Aug)___
designed by César Librán "Indragnir” Moreno.
Update Version 403.
A couple of turns a week.

If anyone is interested please PM me.

Best Regards.

[Indragnir]

Greetings Gentlemen,
I'm looking for an Allied opponent for the Normandy '44 scenario___#Grand Campaign (6 Jun - 19 Aug)___
designed by César Librán "Indragnir” Moreno.
Update Version 403.
A couple of turns a week.

If anyone is interested please PM me.

Best Regards.

Hi,

Long long time ago (9 years ago to be honest) I was planning for an update of this campaign of mine. I did some work on it, surely there're more errors and the like (I'm aware of some however I never fixed them like the missing art from 2nd FJR) I'm attaching the latest files I own and the changes log:

Changes to PDT:
-Range Modifier set to 2 from 3.
-Artillery Hard Target 1 hex to 2.5 from 1.
-RUBBLE to 10000 from 1000
-Set Bunker Probability 1%
-Marsh changed to 10% from -20%
-Beaches changed to 20% from 200%
-Raised RUBBLE/MINE % to 10 from 5

OOB:
-Sherman 75mm HA to 19/1 from 26/2
-Cromwell (same)
-Fixed Speed 0 error (in a single company) from 352nd ID (german)
-Fixed Canadian Engeneers speed 15 error
-Increased HQ radius for 716 ID (german)

I suggest the following House Rules
-House Rule: Turn 1 and 2 carpet bombing units can be used only against hexes adjacent to beaches (and beaches!)
-House Rule: No firing with Naval fire on first turn
-House Rule: no assaults against allies on the beaches until turn 3.

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/urglazansod9z...xIg-a?dl=0

I'm not working on this campaign... yet, so don't expect any update from that.

[Brancaleone]

Greetings Gentlemen,
I'm looking for an Allied opponent for the Normandy '44 scenario___#Grand Campaign (6 Jun - 19 Aug)___
designed by César Librán "Indragnir” Moreno.
Update Version 403.
A couple of turns a week.

If anyone is interested please PM me.

Best Regards.

Hi,

Long long time ago (9 years ago to be honest) I was planning for an update of this campaign of mine. I did some work on it, surely there're more errors and the like (I'm aware of some however I never fixed them like the missing art from 2nd FJR) I'm attaching the latest files I own and the changes log:

Changes to PDT:
-Range Modifier set to 2 from 3.
-Artillery Hard Target 1 hex to 2.5 from 1.
-RUBBLE to 10000 from 1000
-Set Bunker Probability 1%
-Marsh changed to 10% from -20%
-Beaches changed to 20% from 200%
-Raised RUBBLE/MINE % to 10 from 5

OOB:
-Sherman 75mm HA to 19/1 from 26/2
-Cromwell (same)
-Fixed Speed 0 error (in a single company) from 352nd ID (german)
-Fixed Canadian Engeneers speed 15 error
-Increased HQ radius for 716 ID (german)

I suggest the following House Rules
-House Rule: Turn 1 and 2 carpet bombing units can be used only against hexes adjacent to beaches.
-House Rule: No firing with Naval fire on first turn
-House Rule: no assaults against allied on the beaches until turn 3.

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/urglazansod9z...xIg-a?dl=0

I'm not working on this campaign... yet, so don't expect any update from that.

Hi Indragnir,
Thank you for the indication of the latest update you made, however I take the opportunity to ask you some questions and illustrate some of my points of view.
In the description of the scenario (scenario listing by TheBlitz) Alternative Indirect Fire Resolution and Alternative Direct Fire Resolution are indicated as suggested optional rules, specifying that these two rules are the key to the scenario but in your notes neither of the two options is indicated, you should So apply them or not? With these two rules obviously all the effects of fire would substantially change with results that are sometimes too penalizing for the recipient, even if more realistic in some respects.
Why is Night Disruption not included in the PDT? Generally very few activities are carried out at night, apart from those entrusted to special units.
Still referring to the PDT, from my strictly personal point of view it would be useful to set up a fluid ZOC, this would allow a greater chance of penetration for the Allies from the beaches and the possibility for the Axis to escape encirclement even by small units ( which, moreover, in reality would hardly be able to block the movement of entire regiments, albeit with obvious results for the defender, especially if this is disrupted).
Finally, I would eliminate the widespread landmines in marshes and swamps as I find it quite unrealistic since these two types of terrain are already very restrictive for movement and possible exploits. Also I would not limit the bombing capability to hexes adjacent to the coast (several were made inland).
Otherwise, great OoB and perfect initial situation especially with regard to the German troops.
Regards.

[Indragnir]

Greetings Gentlemen,
I'm looking for an Allied opponent for the Normandy '44 scenario___#Grand Campaign (6 Jun - 19 Aug)___
designed by César Librán "Indragnir” Moreno.
Update Version 403.
A couple of turns a week.

If anyone is interested please PM me.

Best Regards.

Hi,

Long long time ago (9 years ago to be honest) I was planning for an update of this campaign of mine. I did some work on it, surely there're more errors and the like (I'm aware of some however I never fixed them like the missing art from 2nd FJR) I'm attaching the latest files I own and the changes log:

Changes to PDT:
-Range Modifier set to 2 from 3.
-Artillery Hard Target 1 hex to 2.5 from 1.
-RUBBLE to 10000 from 1000
-Set Bunker Probability 1%
-Marsh changed to 10% from -20%
-Beaches changed to 20% from 200%
-Raised RUBBLE/MINE % to 10 from 5

OOB:
-Sherman 75mm HA to 19/1 from 26/2
-Cromwell (same)
-Fixed Speed 0 error (in a single company) from 352nd ID (german)
-Fixed Canadian Engeneers speed 15 error
-Increased HQ radius for 716 ID (german)

I suggest the following House Rules
-House Rule: Turn 1 and 2 carpet bombing units can be used only against hexes adjacent to beaches.
-House Rule: No firing with Naval fire on first turn
-House Rule: no assaults against allied on the beaches until turn 3.

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/urglazansod9z...xIg-a?dl=0

I'm not working on this campaign... yet, so don't expect any update from that.

Hi Indragnir,
Thank you for the indication of the latest update you made, however I take the opportunity to ask you some questions and illustrate some of my points of view.
In the description of the scenario (scenario listing by TheBlitz) Alternative Indirect Fire Resolution and Alternative Direct Fire Resolution are indicated as suggested optional rules, specifying that these two rules are the key to the scenario but in your notes neither of the two options is indicated, you should So apply them or not? With these two rules obviously all the effects of fire would substantially change with results that are sometimes too penalizing for the recipient, even if more realistic in some respects.
Why is Night Disruption not included in the PDT? Generally very few activities are carried out at night, apart from those entrusted to special units.
Still referring to the PDT, from my strictly personal point of view it would be useful to set up a fluid ZOC, this would allow a greater chance of penetration for the Allies from the beaches and the possibility for the Axis to escape encirclement even by small units ( which, moreover, in reality would hardly be able to block the movement of entire regiments, albeit with obvious results for the defender, especially if this is disrupted).
Finally, I would eliminate the widespread landmines in marshes and swamps as I find it quite unrealistic since these two types of terrain are already very restrictive for movement and possible exploits. Also I would not limit the bombing capability to hexes adjacent to the coast (several were made inland).
Otherwise, great OoB and perfect initial situation especially with regard to the German troops.
Regards.

Hi,

Of course.

Keep in mind this scenario was made almost 15 years ago.

Regarding Indirect Fire Alternate Resolution and Direct Fire Alternate Resolution: the scenario was first designed by John Tiller & Co with those rules, because the engine causes too many casualties to the units (without those rules the German army does not last more than 70 to 100 turns) so I suggested those rules. After some testing, the allied players (both very experienced) let me know that the allies could not defeat the axis with those rules, so I finally decided not to use them. Apparently, the scenario information was never updated. So those rules should not be on.
I was in the middle of another playtesting game (9 years ago) and realized that the Axis would need more help for balancing the scenario: from bunkers to small unit consolidation (due to the game engine's poor simulation of small units, which doesn't replicate what small units can do in RL). I never got to that point, so note that I don't really know if I got the balance right enough.

Night Disruption: because the Axis absolutely needs to be able to move at night without losing 80% of its units to Disruption. That's what they did because of Allied air power (which caused, contrary to the general misconception, very few battle casualties, but really stopped daytime movement of combat units for fear of being bombed and really disrupted the flow of supplies, reinforcements and the like).

A fluid ZOC means you can't get a German defensive line, which further unbalances the scenario against the Axis. The dispersion of the German favors the Allies.

Mines in Swamp: Historically, the Axis managed to slow down the Allied advance in the St Lo area better than the game engine is capable of reproducing. In this scenario it is necessary to achieve a historical breakthrough time and allow sufficient time for the variable arrival of Axis reinforcements (which is a key unbalancing factor in the campaign).

Bombardment of the beaches and adjacent hexes: while you're right about that, the actual effect of that initial bombardment was quite minor, as opposed to what it would be in the game, especially when the Allied player can know, exactly, where the most interesting targets are on turn 1 or 2. So for the sake of balance I suggest that one.

Thanks for your kind words and your questions but I must say that this scenario of mine (including OOB and pdt) is quite crude, very early work on my side. I have learned a lot from those days, don't get me wrong; it is more historical than the STOCK or ALT ones and I tried to balance the original intended rules with the new set of rules. Also the game engine has undergone many necessary changes. The research I did for it, while good in those days, seems too shallow today for my standard -that's a very well research campaign-: maybe 30 books? quite of them very little worthy information. I have about 200 books on the campaign now. I would consider 30 books plus primary sources something outstanding in other less researched battles, for example for the upcoming -redacted- game I'm working on I used 36 books and primary sources, there're no more books to my knowledge (for sure there're more but I don't know them or I cannot read their language.)

Of course the scenario can be played and enjoyed (I did) even if to my eyes it is imperfect. I plan, eventually, to heavly update the scenario once I have compiled all the new information contained in those books. Obviously it will take me years to do so (not as many as you may think, as I have read and compiled data from quite a few of those 200 over the last 15 years.)
Life is short so don't wait for that revised scenario that can take me several years to complete.

Anyway I welcome any idea or feedback regarding the scenario.

[Brancaleone]

Greetings Gentlemen,
I'm looking for an Allied opponent for the Normandy '44 scenario___#Grand Campaign (6 Jun - 19 Aug)___
designed by César Librán "Indragnir” Moreno.
Update Version 403.
A couple of turns a week.

If anyone is interested please PM me.

Best Regards.

Hi,

Long long time ago (9 years ago to be honest) I was planning for an update of this campaign of mine. I did some work on it, surely there're more errors and the like (I'm aware of some however I never fixed them like the missing art from 2nd FJR) I'm attaching the latest files I own and the changes log:

Changes to PDT:
-Range Modifier set to 2 from 3.
-Artillery Hard Target 1 hex to 2.5 from 1.
-RUBBLE to 10000 from 1000
-Set Bunker Probability 1%
-Marsh changed to 10% from -20%
-Beaches changed to 20% from 200%
-Raised RUBBLE/MINE % to 10 from 5

OOB:
-Sherman 75mm HA to 19/1 from 26/2
-Cromwell (same)
-Fixed Speed 0 error (in a single company) from 352nd ID (german)
-Fixed Canadian Engeneers speed 15 error
-Increased HQ radius for 716 ID (german)

I suggest the following House Rules
-House Rule: Turn 1 and 2 carpet bombing units can be used only against hexes adjacent to beaches.
-House Rule: No firing with Naval fire on first turn
-House Rule: no assaults against allied on the beaches until turn 3.

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/urglazansod9z...xIg-a?dl=0

I'm not working on this campaign... yet, so don't expect any update from that.

Hi Indragnir,
Thank you for the indication of the latest update you made, however I take the opportunity to ask you some questions and illustrate some of my points of view.
In the description of the scenario (scenario listing by TheBlitz) Alternative Indirect Fire Resolution and Alternative Direct Fire Resolution are indicated as suggested optional rules, specifying that these two rules are the key to the scenario but in your notes neither of the two options is indicated, you should So apply them or not? With these two rules obviously all the effects of fire would substantially change with results that are sometimes too penalizing for the recipient, even if more realistic in some respects.
Why is Night Disruption not included in the PDT? Generally very few activities are carried out at night, apart from those entrusted to special units.
Still referring to the PDT, from my strictly personal point of view it would be useful to set up a fluid ZOC, this would allow a greater chance of penetration for the Allies from the beaches and the possibility for the Axis to escape encirclement even by small units ( which, moreover, in reality would hardly be able to block the movement of entire regiments, albeit with obvious results for the defender, especially if this is disrupted).
Finally, I would eliminate the widespread landmines in marshes and swamps as I find it quite unrealistic since these two types of terrain are already very restrictive for movement and possible exploits. Also I would not limit the bombing capability to hexes adjacent to the coast (several were made inland).
Otherwise, great OoB and perfect initial situation especially with regard to the German troops.
Regards.

Hi,

Of course.

Keep in mind this scenario was made almost 15 years ago.

Regarding Indirect Fire Alternate Resolution and Direct Fire Alternate Resolution: the scenario was first designed by John Tiller & Co with those rules, because the engine causes too many casualties to the units (without those rules the German army does not last more than 70 to 100 turns) so I suggested those rules. After some testing, the allied players (both very experienced) let me know that the allies could not defeat the axis with those rules, so I finally decided not to use them. Apparently, the scenario information was never updated. So those rules should not be on.
I was in the middle of another playtesting game (9 years ago) and realized that the Axis would need more help for balancing the scenario: from bunkers to small unit consolidation (due to the game engine's poor simulation of small units, which doesn't replicate what small units can do in RL). I never got to that point, so note that I don't really know if I got the balance right enough.

Night Disruption: because the Axis absolutely needs to be able to move at night without losing 80% of its units to Disruption. That's what they did because of Allied air power (which caused, contrary to the general misconception, very few battle casualties, but really stopped daytime movement of combat units for fear of being bombed and really disrupted the flow of supplies, reinforcements and the like).

A fluid ZOC means you can't get a German defensive line, which further unbalances the scenario against the Axis. The dispersion of the German favors the Allies.

Mines in Swamp: Historically, the Axis managed to slow down the Allied advance in the St Lo area better than the game engine is capable of reproducing. In this scenario it is necessary to achieve a historical breakthrough time and allow sufficient time for the variable arrival of Axis reinforcements (which is a key unbalancing factor in the campaign).

Bombardment of the beaches and adjacent hexes: while you're right about that, the actual effect of that initial bombardment was quite minor, as opposed to what it would be in the game, especially when the Allied player can know, exactly, where the most interesting targets are on turn 1 or 2. So for the sake of balance I suggest that one.

Thanks for your kind words and your questions but I must say that this scenario of mine (including OOB and pdt) is quite crude, very early work on my side. I have learned a lot from those days, don't get me wrong; it is more historical than the STOCK or ALT ones and I tried to balance the original intended rules with the new set of rules. Also the game engine has undergone many necessary changes. The research I did for it, while good in those days, seems too shallow today for my standard -that's a very well research campaign-: maybe 30 books? quite of them very little worthy information. I have about 200 books on the campaign now. I would consider 30 books plus primary sources something outstanding in other less researched battles, for example for the upcoming -redacted- game I'm working on I used 36 books and primary sources, there're no more books to my knowledge (for sure there're more but I don't know them or I cannot read their language.)

Of course the scenario can be played and enjoyed (I did) even if to my eyes it is imperfect. I plan, eventually, to heavly update the scenario once I have compiled all the new information contained in those books. Obviously it will take me years to do so (not as many as you may think, as I have read and compiled data from quite a few of those 200 over the last 15 years.)
Life is short so don't wait for that revised scenario that can take me several years to complete.

Anyway I welcome any idea or feedback regarding the scenario.

Thanks again for your valuable clarifications, I hope to have the final version of your scenario as soon as possible. I proposed to try all your works and I have already played the scenarios 2nd Alamein - The end of the beginning and Sicily Campaign - Operation Husky (I would also like to tell you a few things about these but eventually I will do it in a post more relevant to the topic) and in the future I will try the others too.
(BTW, when is your version of Bulge '44?).
Good continuation of your work.

[Indragnir]

Thanks again for your valuable clarifications, I hope to have the final version of your scenario as soon as possible. I proposed to try all your works and I have already played the scenarios 2nd Alamein - The end of the beginning and Sicily Campaign - Operation Husky (I would also like to tell you a few things about these but eventually I will do it in a post more relevant to the topic) and in the future I will try the others too.
(BTW, when is your version of Bulge '44?).
Good continuation of your work.

Happy to hear your thoughts when the time is come.

Bulge: stopped still. Little time to devote to this mod. (because of -redacted-) However I think it could be finished by next year since a lot of work has been done.