Multi Player Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm

I’ve played Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm against AI and it is an interesting game but ..you know…its AI.
This should be..could be fun opposed. Right?
This is an After Action Report written in several parts that will chronicle my experiences as a total novice, no manual reading mofo. I have most of the clicking bits down, I still struggle with scroll button and a few minor mechanics here and there, all due to my refusal to RTFM (Read The F$%(ing Manual). With that disclaimer out of the way we can safely say that any drastically bad play is strictly my lack of Modern tactics knowledge, so no blaming the game! 🙂

setup

The Simple PBEM system works like any other. Make your moves, plan your moves, click play and it resolves your section/session. A save is autogenerated and you pop that in a email to your opponent. Each file is compact in size! Nice one.

The neat thing about this game and one of its central design tenants ( at least to me ) is the Command Cycles. Depending upon a number of factors each side will have a turn that is of different duration before you can issue new orders. Fatigue, command strain and losses mount over time this creates ‘interference’ with commands and orders issued translating into timely actions needed being delayed or deferred as the enemy gets ‘inside your decision loop’

brief 1

Germans are to hold the Weser bridges, Soviets to deliver knock blow and capture said Bridges….What could go wrong? I’ll be the units from 7th Panzer, Rommels old baby!

At the outset there is the typical mismatch of forces. Thankfully no Hinds or Arty ..so far.

When a Scenario starts you don’t know your enemies size just some estimates. The approaches thankfully in this scenario are pretty limited. This should aid my ability to plan a defense per the above image.

brief2

That however can be ruined by bad game play as we shall see! 😉

So for the sake of the report we know we have something approaching a Tank Division with 2 Regiments of T-80’s and 2 Regiments of mechanized infantry + a bunch of recon chaff:

atstartsoviets

A reinforced Battalion stands in its way. Armed with Leo 1A’s and mech infantry. Reinforcements are due, including arty, which will be sorely needed.

More soon.