Kitkat Boom
(Some dude with a Lee Enfield)
Went as expected, I really don't know how we should deal with the QRT without them hanging us like spaghetti from the trees.
Summer Rain
(Commander LAV-25)
This mission would have been much more enjoyable for me if the LAV-25 was actually used.
The mission was a success, and I really liked it, but as the Commander of the LAV I didn't really have much to do and I can only imagine how it would have been for the driver. The LAV is a real force multiplier, and should be used more aggressively IMO.
It took me a while to get to the right level of communication within the LAV crew, and I apologize to Varanon for a few misleading commands. Once we reached a certain point, though, things started to go smoothly.
The same cannot be said about the communication with the infantry. I'd like to point out that in spite of a rotating periscope, the view in the LAV for the commander even is rather limited. Hence, "Go support Bravo" is not a command that an LAV commander can make any sense of; most of the time, I had no idea where our guys were in relation to the machine. A command to the LAV should contain coordinates, compass directions, or something of that nature. The situational awareness inside this tin can is rather limited.
The same goes for directions like "Forward" (I think I complained to my crew once during the mission that I have no fucking clue what "forward" is supposed to mean. The same was true about the chopper. "LAV, shoot down the chopper" without a direction wasn't going to work well, it was coincidence that I spotted it at all since the range of the periscope upwards is also limited.
I'm not trying to complain here, nor do I want to blame anything on the squad leader (Evans, after McG had died). I am trying to point out the shortcomings in Infantry->IFV/Armour communication.
All Alone
(VDV Automatic Rifleman)
I am not sure I want to even talk about it. I'll modify it so that the mission fails when the Spetsnaz team is killed (interesting side note, Chrome's dictionary wants to correct "Spetsnaz" to "Netscape". Coincidence?)
Key to this mission is that the Spetsnaz team stays hidden. Hint: When you see a sniper on the load screen of any of my mission, it is meant as a gentle hint that you'll get shot at from above. Really, it's a recurring theme. You see a sniper on a minaret tower or on a crane - there will be snipers on minarets and cranes, and other elevated positions. I never meant to say it this clearly, since I had hoped the picture would raise a certain awareness, but I guess most people only take a quick glance at the load screen anyway.
One thing I want to mention is that if anybody starts a sentence that goes like "Mind if I spoil something", then you a) have already said too much and b) Yes, yes I *do* mind getting spoilers.
It was Den in this case, but the shout goes to everyone that things like that. Now, it might seem that you said this because you knew the mission was lost, but that isn't your call to make. If you think you are wasting your time playing a mission that is already lost, simply disconnect.
Coming of Shadows
(Villager with an RPG-7)
The rare occurrence when I like my own missions, but I guess I could rest assured that if something bad happened with it, I could always blame Bohemia Interactive for the original.
I missed the first shot on the BRDM, luckily it wasn't too pissed at me so I could take a second shot which hit it and took out half of the squad next to it along with it. We then tried to evac, found a truck by the supermarket (that was conveniently placed there by the mission maker) and I promptly shot Stag because I expected him to be one of the three Chedaki that I had placed near the truck. Sometimes, knowledge can be a problem. We finally made our getaway with the UAZ, picking Variable up on the way.
The mission was intended to be played without the text chat or radios, but in absence of a briefing phase, I suppose it was okay. Normally, during the briefing we would have agreed to bugger out and would have made a plan for a pickup point if we found a vehicle.
But, things went okay I guess.
Operation Doru
(Marksman)
Two hunters at the beginning of the mission were locked. WTF, so we were supposed to hike for 2.5 kilometers? I conjured up two unarmed hunters through the power of my intellect and gigantic "magic wand". The first thing that happened was that we got showered by mortar fire ("Take cover"? In the middle of freaking nowhere?). We then approached point 1, and the mission ended.
I think I was rather thankful for that. The mission looked interesting, but it has IMO a few flaws, namely:
1) The pilot is going to have to wait a long time if this had gone to the mission maker's plan of us hiking to the AA sites.
2) Hiking almost 3 kilometers.
3) Out-of-the-blue artillery fire. If they can reach twenty meters up the road, they could have as well dropped their arty on the US FOB that was literally a hundred meters behind us.
4) Did I mention 3 kilometer hikes?
Don't get me wrong, I am not minding a long hike, not if there is a reason behind it. But drawing out this part of a mission while someone waits for the result... not good.
Black Needle
(Rifleman)
In spite of a few hiccups, the mission was nice. I found the placement of enemies a bit illogical, since they seemed to be positioned right on top of our extraction, but other than that, opposition wasn't over the top like in so many other missions, and it wasn't drawn out to 3 kilometer hikes. The only nitpick I have is that there was no "real" insertion or extraction. I really don't like it when you suddenly get a mission end and it feels like you are still in the middle of it. But then, I know how fucking difficult it can be to make a reliable extraction where your chopper doesn't go chasing after imaginary foes, so I am not holding it against him.
(Some dude with a Lee Enfield)
Went as expected, I really don't know how we should deal with the QRT without them hanging us like spaghetti from the trees.
Summer Rain
(Commander LAV-25)
This mission would have been much more enjoyable for me if the LAV-25 was actually used.
The mission was a success, and I really liked it, but as the Commander of the LAV I didn't really have much to do and I can only imagine how it would have been for the driver. The LAV is a real force multiplier, and should be used more aggressively IMO.
It took me a while to get to the right level of communication within the LAV crew, and I apologize to Varanon for a few misleading commands. Once we reached a certain point, though, things started to go smoothly.
The same cannot be said about the communication with the infantry. I'd like to point out that in spite of a rotating periscope, the view in the LAV for the commander even is rather limited. Hence, "Go support Bravo" is not a command that an LAV commander can make any sense of; most of the time, I had no idea where our guys were in relation to the machine. A command to the LAV should contain coordinates, compass directions, or something of that nature. The situational awareness inside this tin can is rather limited.
The same goes for directions like "Forward" (I think I complained to my crew once during the mission that I have no fucking clue what "forward" is supposed to mean. The same was true about the chopper. "LAV, shoot down the chopper" without a direction wasn't going to work well, it was coincidence that I spotted it at all since the range of the periscope upwards is also limited.
I'm not trying to complain here, nor do I want to blame anything on the squad leader (Evans, after McG had died). I am trying to point out the shortcomings in Infantry->IFV/Armour communication.
All Alone
(VDV Automatic Rifleman)
I am not sure I want to even talk about it. I'll modify it so that the mission fails when the Spetsnaz team is killed (interesting side note, Chrome's dictionary wants to correct "Spetsnaz" to "Netscape". Coincidence?)
Key to this mission is that the Spetsnaz team stays hidden. Hint: When you see a sniper on the load screen of any of my mission, it is meant as a gentle hint that you'll get shot at from above. Really, it's a recurring theme. You see a sniper on a minaret tower or on a crane - there will be snipers on minarets and cranes, and other elevated positions. I never meant to say it this clearly, since I had hoped the picture would raise a certain awareness, but I guess most people only take a quick glance at the load screen anyway.
One thing I want to mention is that if anybody starts a sentence that goes like "Mind if I spoil something", then you a) have already said too much and b) Yes, yes I *do* mind getting spoilers.
It was Den in this case, but the shout goes to everyone that things like that. Now, it might seem that you said this because you knew the mission was lost, but that isn't your call to make. If you think you are wasting your time playing a mission that is already lost, simply disconnect.
Coming of Shadows
(Villager with an RPG-7)
The rare occurrence when I like my own missions, but I guess I could rest assured that if something bad happened with it, I could always blame Bohemia Interactive for the original.
I missed the first shot on the BRDM, luckily it wasn't too pissed at me so I could take a second shot which hit it and took out half of the squad next to it along with it. We then tried to evac, found a truck by the supermarket (that was conveniently placed there by the mission maker) and I promptly shot Stag because I expected him to be one of the three Chedaki that I had placed near the truck. Sometimes, knowledge can be a problem. We finally made our getaway with the UAZ, picking Variable up on the way.
The mission was intended to be played without the text chat or radios, but in absence of a briefing phase, I suppose it was okay. Normally, during the briefing we would have agreed to bugger out and would have made a plan for a pickup point if we found a vehicle.
But, things went okay I guess.
Operation Doru
(Marksman)
Two hunters at the beginning of the mission were locked. WTF, so we were supposed to hike for 2.5 kilometers? I conjured up two unarmed hunters through the power of my intellect and gigantic "magic wand". The first thing that happened was that we got showered by mortar fire ("Take cover"? In the middle of freaking nowhere?). We then approached point 1, and the mission ended.
I think I was rather thankful for that. The mission looked interesting, but it has IMO a few flaws, namely:
1) The pilot is going to have to wait a long time if this had gone to the mission maker's plan of us hiking to the AA sites.
2) Hiking almost 3 kilometers.
3) Out-of-the-blue artillery fire. If they can reach twenty meters up the road, they could have as well dropped their arty on the US FOB that was literally a hundred meters behind us.
4) Did I mention 3 kilometer hikes?
Don't get me wrong, I am not minding a long hike, not if there is a reason behind it. But drawing out this part of a mission while someone waits for the result... not good.
Black Needle
(Rifleman)
In spite of a few hiccups, the mission was nice. I found the placement of enemies a bit illogical, since they seemed to be positioned right on top of our extraction, but other than that, opposition wasn't over the top like in so many other missions, and it wasn't drawn out to 3 kilometer hikes. The only nitpick I have is that there was no "real" insertion or extraction. I really don't like it when you suddenly get a mission end and it feels like you are still in the middle of it. But then, I know how fucking difficult it can be to make a reliable extraction where your chopper doesn't go chasing after imaginary foes, so I am not holding it against him.
I don't need luck, I have ammo.