Vietnam scenario design help needed ...

[Spud]

Hi,

Am new to Squad Battles Vietnam and have a few (maybe dumb) questions I can't seem to find the answers to in the scenario editor manual.

For my first attempt a Squad Battles Vietnam scenario I’m trying to put together a hypothetical scenario that involves infantry and air cav. battalions and a couple of recon companies.

I cannot workout how to load units into helicopters or APCs in scenario design stage.

I’ve gone through all the on screen buttons and drop down texts in scenario design editor, but to no avail.

Can anyone point me the right direction here?

Secondly, have read about AI script use, but am still not quite able to grasp using AI script editor. Are there any tips anyone can pass on regarding its use?

Many thanks in advance,

Spud.

[jmlima]

...I cannot workout how to load units into helicopters or APCs in scenario design stage.
...

It's the same as when you're playing a scenario and you have to load and unload, you even use the same buttons of the interface. (as an aside, the editor is clever enough that if you build your TOE as per the stock scenarios it will automatically load the units when you place the vehicle.)

...
Secondly, have read about AI script use, but am still not quite able to grasp using AI script editor. Are there any tips anyone can pass on regarding its use?
...

Keep in mind that giving AI orders to the 'carrier vehicle' does not give orders to the carried units, you need to individually select each unit and assign orders to it. Other than that, it's really making a first stab at placing AI orders and playing the scenario to see how will it work.

Try to keep it simple.

You can for example highlight an entire platoon and give the same order to all units. Or even to an entire company or force.

[Wolfgang]

Nuther thing I noticed too is (correct me if im wrong here):
If you have a unit out on say... turn 1 and its very first order is to move out on turn 5 (for example) then it will actually try to fulfill its first order (to move out on turn 5) starting on turn 1.

Thus you have to Fix the unit or set it as a reinforcement. Also, a fixed unit that gets fired on, gets released prior to its schedule.

[Spud]

Thanks for the help guys.

Am moving along nicely w/ scenario.

However, having tried to play it, I was only able to move my loaded US UH-1s three hexes.

I had conditions set to wet ground, but can't see how this would affect the choppers.

Cheers.

[Ozgur Budak]

The scenario you are trying to design sounds pretty complicated for someone who is new to the system. Battalions, vehicle loaded infantry, choppers etc. It can easily turn out to be a frustration. Begining with a comparatively small scenario (company level maximum) without much complication (without things that add lots of ai and timing coordination) could be a wiser way to start. Just my two cents.
Best
Ozgur

[TheBigRedOne]

Oz makes a very good point here. The process of crafting a good scenario is really challenging and incredibly time consuming. The bigger the scenario, the more complexity is added, and it's where the AI starts to struggle a bit. Also, the AI does not handle helicopter-borne scenarios all that well. Could be a challenge to make a large scale air assault work well.

Learn the basic mechanics on a smaller scale, put out a few good scenarios and move into bigger and bigger scenarios. I think you'll find your level of frustration a bit lower this way. I've played around with scenario design a bit, and find it to be fun, but very, very time consuming. More than I have to spend, unfortunately.

That said, it's good to see new folks trying their hand at scenario design. As you're finding, it can be a very long process to craft a good scenario, which is why what guys like Mike, Oz and Joao have done with the recent releases is so impressive.

---

Nuther thing I noticed too is (correct me if im wrong here):
If you have a unit out on say... turn 1 and its very first order is to move out on turn 5 (for example) then it will actually try to fulfill its first order (to move out on turn 5) starting on turn 1.

Thus you have to Fix the unit or set it as a reinforcement. Also, a fixed unit that gets fired on, gets released prior to its schedule.

I could be the wrong person to reply to this, but I think if you're setting an order for a unit by placing the AI arrow onto where you want them to go and set it to '5' for the turn, what that really means is that you are setting that unit to reach that target hex by turn 5, not start to move out on turn five.

Fixing the unit or setting it as a replacement would be the way to go, as you mentioned.

Oz, Joao, Mike, am I interpreting this correctly?

[Ozgur Budak]

I could be the wrong person to reply to this, but I think if you're setting an order for a unit by placing the AI arrow onto where you want them to go and set it to '5' for the turn, what that really means is that you are setting that unit to reach that target hex by turn 5, not start to move out on turn five.

Fixing the unit or setting it as a replacement would be the way to go, as you mentioned.

Oz, Joao, Mike, am I interpreting this correctly?

5 means that unit will start executing the ai order on turn 5.

[Spud]

Many thanks for the continued advice.

I found I was over stacking my choppers. So they wouldn't move very far.

Have been playing and making scenarios for Campaign Series for many years, and am finding my mindset is stuck somewhat in the framework of that particular game when designing and playing Squad Battles.

That said, am finding Squad Battles Vietnam a much better simulation of the conflict than the CS version released as an add-on several years ago.

Will continue to toy w/ scenario design and maybe post a couple of games for more experienced to checkout and give me some feed back.

Once again, many thanks for helpful replies.