Murmansk_43 - first draft is ready for testing!

[doc]

Hi Guys
I have just completed Murmansk_43 for UKD3 - ini file is also done but will need amending after comments etc.

Download here (http://files.filefront.com/Murmansk+43zip/;8714164;/fileinfo.html)

The remnants of a convoy having completed the Murmansk Run are unloading at Murmansk docks It is vital that these merchant ships and their naval protection are destroyed. Murmansk is very heavily defended with a major flak presence but our superior skill will win the day. Also our armoured divisions are advancing on Polyarny in an attempt to control the river access to Murmansk. They are currently attacking the town north-west of Polyarny and success is only hours away. Defend these brave men and destroy the Allied planes that stand in their way. Protect also the support column and reinforcement armour which are heading to join the battle.

...and that is just the Blue side of the mission!

Please let me have any comments.

Cheers

Doc

[Zorin]

Could only take a look at the mission file in text editor, but there I found that the planeset needs to be altered.

I made a mission for Ukded2 within the same scenario:

Blue

Bf109F4
Bf109G2
Fw190A4
Bf110
Ju87D3/5
Ju88

Red

P400
P40FM
LaGG 66
La5
HurriFM
Pe2 84
Il2 FM

Thats is historically accurate and is a very balanced set.

All the oddities you have in there:

E7/Z
Ju87G1
SpitVcHx4
.
.
.

are all way off.

The briefing is in the wrong format as far as I can tell as it looks like an outdated FBD one.

Will check out the mission itself now and post my thoughts later.

[doc]

Thanks for the comments Zorin - I checked out all of the planes before using them - there was a spitfire squad set up if I remember correctly - it trained USSR pilots and flew there at the time for a while before leaving them with lease-lend spits. I spent several days checking planes shot down and recorded etc. or involved in the action at that time and all of the ones I used were included. It could be that one of the sources I used was wrong - always a possibility on the internet. I had so many sources (bookmarked most but a few slipped the net!)

If you are sure then I will change them.

EDIT : Just checked - 143 Spit V's supplied in March 1943 on lease-lend.


Thanks for the response

Doc

[Scrappy_D]

I'd suggest we test it live on the server to get some feedback, but we need an ini file m8 ;)

[Zorin]

1. NO airstarts. A 4x4 pattern doesn't allow for airstarts as they'll only produce base campers.

2. Seperate bomber and fighter airfields for both sides. Red: Vayenga-1 = Bomber Vayenga-2 = Fighter Blue: Ura_Guba = Bomber Kilpyavr = Fighter

3. Silence ALL ships (set their delay to 90mins)

4. Why russian Flak to be used by the Germans?

5. Use smaller caliber AAA and only like two 37/40mm guns per target.

6. Give your targets some variety. Only using the Pz.IIIG is a bit dull.

7. The Murmansk harbor doesn't need two cameras, one will be enough or at least position them apart so you can get different angles.

8. Only use tree object 165. The rest of them are rubbish and kill the performance.

9. Don't overdo the smoke+fire thing. Might have an effect on the performance as well.

10. Your target percentages should be around 85% cause you have some indestructible objects within your target radius.

Nothing major really, easy to fix and shouldn't take too long.


Will play quite well I'd say :)

[Zorin]

Thanks for the comments Zorin - I checked out all of the planes before using them - there was a spitfire squad set up if I remember correctly - it trained USSR pilots and flew there at the time for a while before leaving them with lease-lend spits. I spent several days checking planes shot down and recorded etc. or involved in the action at that time and all of the ones I used were included. It could be that one of the sources I used was wrong - always a possibility on the internet. I had so many sources (bookmarked most but a few slipped the net!)

If you are sure then I will change them.

EDIT : Just checked - 143 Spit V's supplied in March 1943 on lease-lend.


Thanks for the response

Doc

Most likely Vb and used in the Moscow region for patrol duties.

[doc]

Hi Guys
Updated version is now here (http://files.filefront.com/Murmansk+43zip/;8714164;/fileinfo.html).

I will post a date for online testing shortly.

Zorin - many thanks for the time and effort spent providing comments - much appreciated. As you would expect, many of your suggestions ave been taken on board and a few not yet taken on board - I will wait and see the online test. A lot of thought was given to most of what was in the map as I constructed it and one or two thing are key to its success.

[1] BLUE has only one target - the newly arrived supply convoy at Murmansk. The flak there is heavy as in real life - I have switched off a few ships but need the rest to be active to make this an attack that needs care. Also it is the only target and needs to be difficult but similar to real life - RED have 3 targets - some of these are quite easy and I have tried to balance the tasks the two sides have.

[2] I initially started with the obvious 4 airfields as bases but Kiyavr is hopeless - the planes face one way, there are trees and smal buildings behind them and the airstrip is behind that! It is a nightmare to taxi to the runway. BLUE have a dangerous mission and I don't want them to have to restart under those circumstances a few times. Hence the airstart (which I have moved back a bit). To balance this I gave RED the obvious airstart. Both airstarts are fairly close to their own other base and also covered by flak.

One thing I wanted was short distances, atmosphere and something that can be played by small or large numbers of players. I think that this now meets those criteria. Anything that doesn't work in practice I will fix. Also it is intended for UKD3 use - base campers etc. are rare.

Among your many useful suggestions, I found that the planeset amendments worked well. A couple of questions:
(a) would you call the planesets German and USSR or German/Finnish and USA/USSR or what?
(b) when you mentioned target percentages do all things count as 1 unit and which things are indestructable but count towards the total targets? If I have
3 tanks
5 stationary tanks
2 object buildings
all inside the target area - what is the total number of objects for the percentage target 3, 8 or 10?

Many thanks again,

Cheers

Doc

[Zorin]

1. AAA behaviour is quite different during offline and online testing. Plus, you chose the most deadly AA variant there is with the 37/40mm which is overkill after exceeding a total of two per target. For the ships, if you really want to keep them alive, set them to the lowest skill level.

2. Kiyavr ain't easy, i give you that, but as I indicated it is not too bad when used as fighter base. Anyway, if you want to keep the airstarts, make them bomber only. They need the altitude and resulting advantage, but having bombers to start on the ground and opposing fighters with an altitude advantage of initially 2000m is a map killer.

As for your questions:

a) German vs USSR

b) Every object that doesn't originate from the "Objects" folder will be counted by the server software. That includes fire-,smoke- and light objects, which usually cause the impossibility to complete a target.

[SMURFY1967]

Zorin my friend historically correct is fine, but does it always make for a good map, not in my book. We obviously have a very different idea of balanced mate, if balanced implies a set where one side can engage and disengage at will and where the opposition have planes nowhere near as potent then I guess that is balanced. Doc, stick the Mig-3 AM38 in mate, and lets give em something they have to think about for once, point, shoot, bang can be very tedious if your the one going bang.

[doc]

Hi Zorin
I did pull the skill level down and about a third are inactive.
I'll reassess everything once I've seen it live with a few players. One worry is that the 109G2 might not have any real opposition. At the moment I have already put the fighters and one plane capable of destroying the targets in the airstart for each team and sent it to Scrappy earlier today. Again I will reassess after I've seen it. My thought were to allow quicker action but also the placement of the airstarts allows the fighters to give plenty of support to the bombers - they are over the bomber base in no time. If the bombers were given the airstarts the game could be over before the fighters get there!

Thanks for the help and further answers. I'll know a lot more by the time I start my second map:)

Cheers

Doc

[doc]

Hi Zorin
I presume that the Static Camera and the Target circle are not counted?
Also, it might seem a daft question - can fire/smoke/siren be 'killed'?

Cheers

Doc

[Zorin]

Hi Zorin
I presume that the Static Camera and the Target circle are not counted?
Also, it might seem a daft question - can fire/smoke/siren be 'killed'?

Cheers

Doc

No, the static camera doesn't count and the target circle should be deleted anyway.
Fire/smoke/siren etc can't be killed, thats why they initially require the target percentage adjustment.

[doc]

When a port has docking areas built out onto the water as part of the original map if you put an object on it (vehicle or a load of crates for example) it goes through the dock and rests at ground level - I have tried stacking but everything goes to ground level. Anyone found a way round this.

I assume that everything is placed at the base level of the map and the programme ignores structures - even ones put in by the makers of IL2. Shame really - I wanted the dock to look busy with crates and stuff that had been loaded from the ships!

Cheers

Doc

[Zorin]

When a port has docking areas built out onto the water as part of the original map if you put an object on it (vehicle or a load of crates for example) it goes through the dock and rests at ground level - I have tried stacking but everything goes to ground level. Anyone found a way round this.

I assume that everything is placed at the base level of the map and the programme ignores structures - even ones put in by the makers of IL2. Shame really - I wanted the dock to look busy with crates and stuff that had been loaded from the ships!

Cheers

Doc

Just use trucks. They will basically disappear with only the cover/flatbed sticking out.

[Bladebender]

When a port has docking areas built out onto the water as part of the original map if you put an object on it (vehicle or a load of crates for example) it goes through the dock and rests at ground level - I have tried stacking but everything goes to ground level. Anyone found a way round this.

I assume that everything is placed at the base level of the map and the programme ignores structures - even ones put in by the makers of IL2. Shame really - I wanted the dock to look busy with crates and stuff that had been loaded from the ships!

Cheers

Doc

No height adjustment for vehicles or objects.

Only campfires, smoke plumes and lights can be adjusted vertically.

[doc]

Yep, that's what I've done, Zorin - shame though.

Thanks for the info Bladebender. I'm getting a lot of knowledge from you guys. It's a pity that the manual doesn't give you all of this - I read manuals from cover to cover!

Cheers

Doc