Campaign Series Vietnam

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-first session of A Week in Binh Long. Well that was a decent session. Cleaning up in quite a few areas and making some good progress all in all. I seem to have a good attack going into the south of Loc Ninh and made a decision to fly in a few more infantry companies to deal with the task. My armoured column has almost arrived at the Area Washington Firebase airfield. I know it is defended so we shall see what kind of chaos will ensue there when I start the attack. All of my transport helicopters are around An Loc to lift the infantry to where they need to go. I do love air operations, they offer such interesting options and opportunities!

[Jason Petho]

The 1.30 UPDATE is finally released.

You can download it here: DOWNLOAD FOR 1.30 UPDATE

[Jason Petho]

Published on April 26, 2023
Version 1.30 brings a wealth of new features, UI additions, quality of life improvements, changes, enhancements, scenario improvements and fixes. Allowing you to command the battlefield with more options and detail than ever before! You can download the update here.



The full details can be found in the complete changelog and the revised manual – but a few highlights include:

 A new Game Action speed system – which allows for speeding up, down and pausing of AI turns, PBEM replays as well as human player turns.
New side bar unit list icons, including new icons for Double time and Slow time.
Double time
This allows infantry type units the ability to increase how far they move during a turn. Units that use double time movement, will become fatigued for the remainder of that, and the next turn. Units moving double time, will be more likely to lose concealment too.
Slow time
This allows infantry type units the ability to move at a slower, more cautious pace during a turn. Units that use Slow Time Movement will use more Action Points than they normally do, but will be less likely to suffer casualties if they stumble into a minefield or an IED.
 A makeover of the unit list and info boxes adding a revised layout and new graphics.
Roaming mode – (CTRL+SPACE) Allows you to quickly identify units by moving the mouse over the map. Clicking anywhere on the map will then toggle it off.
Overhaul of the mine and IED system with improved movement effect, including the addition to night and enemy proximity effects.
Place all button in the Arrived dialog for placing all listed reinforcements with a single click.
Revised the Scenario Information dialog to display the scenario's map region and biome
 Please let us know how you find all of the new changes, systems and gameplay.



Full changelog below

Enhancements

• Implementation of new Game Action Speed system for speeding up, slowing down, pausing the AI turns, PBEM replays and human player turns. See Status → Action Speed → AI Play → Slow Down and Status → Action Speed → Replay → Slow Down for setting the AI play and Replay speeds while in the Human Player turn mode with new ALT+ and CTRL+ associated Hot Keys.

• Implemented a message to display a confirmation of the changed Action Speed.

• Unit List and Info Box were given makeovers to make it easier to read the information with larger and bolder fonts, revised layout and new graphics.

• Implemented Options → Unit List → Unselected Highlights → White, Black, Alternate, None options for the Unit List.

• Implemented new side bar Unit List icons, including new icons for Double Time and Slow Time

• Implemented a white halo for red Unit List values.

• Implemented Display → Roaming Mode (CTRL+SPACE) for quickly identifying units as you move the mouse over the map. Clicking anywhere on the map will toggle OFF Roaming Mode.

• Implemented Slow Time for all units except Aircraft that allows units to expend more Action Points when moving to reduce the likelihood of casualties from Mines and IED's.

• Updated the Toolbar to incorporate buttons for Slow Time, Roaming Mode, and Game Action Speeds and revised placement of the Jump Map button.

• Implemented new, dynamic, random Hex Info Box CSLogoXX images, with the option to fix images on a per scenario basis by appending [LG##] to the scenario description in the scenario editor.

• Implemented Options → Damage Results → Position → Center, Upper Left, Upper Right, Lower Left and Lower Right, allowing the user to display the Damage Results where they prefer.

• Overhaul of Mine/IED system with improved movement effects, including the addition to night and enemy proximity effects, delayed side awareness and several bug fixes.

• IED's now operate much like Mines in most ways. (For instance, step-down reductions, on activation and removal, not all in one go.)

• Revised the Scenario Information dialog to display the scenario's map region and biome.

• Implemented the Scenario Information dialog in the scenario editor.

• The Location Dialog will no longer display the '=' and '+' border labels, just the relevant place names.

• Implemented a new Place All button in the Arrived Dialog for placing all listed reinforcements with a single click.

• Units moving Double Time will be more likely to lose concealment and Units moving in Slow Time will be more likely to remain concealed.

• Implemented single button Opportunity Fire Limit adjustments within the Opportunity Fire

Dialog.

• Implemented new XAlliedAttack/XAxisAttack hex flags that has the game engine recording any combat action originating from any hex and for any such hex, the "authorization denied" will not apply to artillery fire and.

• Implemented additional Lua CSEE Debugging capabilities in the scenario editor.

• Updates/improvements in the Find Organization Dialog in game and the Forces Dialog in the scenario editor providing additional information such as the hex location.

• The Units/SPs/Losses Dialog will now also show unit type surviving Strength Points in addition to Strength Point losses.

• Watercraft out in open water and in waterways will no longer have a chance of being concealed.

• Implemented additional testing features, for on the fly toggling ON/OFF new and work-inprogress features.

• Implemented several new CSEE functions: fire_indirect_nearest_from(), garrison(), accompany(), order_airstrike(), move_slow(), has_attack().

Fixes

• Fixed the unscripted (no Scripted AI) artillery blind fire strikes. The AI will no longer fire blindly (to be implemented in the future).

• In the map editor, fixed an issue where the region and biome changes were not saving to the .map file.

• Fixed a number of LCG issues in the code, including more than one Crash to Desktop.

• Fixed color inconsistency in Command Report and Damage Results Dialogs.

• Fixed a bug in the map editor where the biome would not show properly in Values → Region and where the biome would not show properly in the Values → Biome.

• Updated the frontend code to process the latest version # LCG .scl files properly.

• Fixed a bug possibly preventing an amphibious unit moving from land to water or vice versa.

• Fixed a bug where Landing Zones might be cleared in waterway hexes.

• Fixed a bug where loaded waterway transports may be prevented from moving.

• Fixed several bugs preventing the display of the on-map Unknown Unit marker.

• Fixed a bug where a ferrying watercraft unit may leave a hex and potentially strand a ferried ground unit in the water. Ferrying watercraft will no longer be able to move if any potential ferried units have moved to shore. This action costs 50 Action Points.

• When entering a roadblock hex, the moving side will gain side awareness immediately and the roadblock marker will instantly show.

• Fixed a bug for some Options changes for the Unit List would not update automatically.

• Fixed the broken Static All toolbar option.

• Fixed a bug where the DaisyCutter operations were not working for ground units.

• Fixed a bug where on PBEM (and LAN Play) scenario start, the New Scenario dialog (and Player Dialog), the Rules button was broken.

• Fixed a bug with Units → Move Air Units Off Map in the scenario editor.

• Revised CSEE counters_weakest() function.

• Fixed several UI color and background pattern issues.

• Extended the game opening splash video by 10 seconds, in case the Windows Media Player is unusually slow to start.

• Fixed other minor bugs and made other code improvements.

Graphics

• Fixed several minor UI color issues.

• Fixed several 3D map graphic issues.

• Added photos for the new dynamic, random Hex InfoBox CSLogo## images.

Data

• Updated cswpnchk.pl to check for fire capable units with a zero-fire cost.

• Revised Colored Dirt to have the same terrain effects as Beach.

• Revised a few units to ensure the data and weapon files matched.

Scenarios

• Revised A Week in Binh Long scripting to remedy issues found during play.

• Revised A Week in Binh Long map.

• Revised A Week in Binh Long scenario file to include updated units, missions.

• Revised Bootcamp 4 scripting to remedy an early release issue.

• Revised several additional Lua file errors.

Mods

• New 2D Hypsometric Tint mod.

• Additional new 2D Hypsometric Tint mod.

• 2D Brown Water mod has replaced the 2D Blue Water mod which is now default.

Manual

• The manual has been revised to the 1.30 UPDATE

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-second session of A Week in Binh Long. The first part of the session goes over the new 1.30 UPDATE, providing some insight into what it includes and how to install it. Then we get right into the attack. We are running out of day light, unfortunately. 10 more turns before I'm fighting the remainder of the scenario at night. On a positive note, the attack on Loc Ninh is going well... from the south. The western attack had a nasty surprise by a North Vietnamese infantry company overrunning the 2d/28th Infantry headquarters. That was an unexpected surprise! Alas, I lost some more gunships this session. There is action all over the map, which is keeping me on my toes!

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-third session of A Week in Binh Long. I finally have a foot hold into southern Loc Ninh! Yay for small miracles! My other attacks against the airfields in the west and east are also going well. All in all, it was a good session. The issue coming is night is only a handful of turns away. This will make the combat operations significantly more challenging! I am pooling my helicopters read for leap frogging across the map during the night as that will be the fastest mode of transportation. I'm currently sitting at a Minor Defeat, but there's a chance I can turn it around!

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-fourth session of A Week in Binh Long. The push into Loc Ninh continues and I found some rockets on Rattlesnake Ridge. Unfortunately, a few helicopters were shot down this session, including some lucky hits at a landing zone by an RPG team. The Tong Le Chon airfield has been mostly secured and the ARVN 3rd/9th Infantry has successfully secured the Chi Linh Special Forces camp and airfield! I'm still stuck in a Minor Defeat, although with the number of areas I have been securing, the numbers should start changing in my favour. This will be especially true with recapturing Loc Ninh. Night is a couple turns away, that will be a big hinder on ground operations in the near future.

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-fifth session of A Week in Binh Long. What a great session! Lots of great banter and discourse throughout, thank you to those that attend the live sessions. Loc Ninh is slowly coming under my control, although there's a pretty intense counter attack by the Viet Cong that is causing me some anxiety. Night has fallen, which will make operations much more difficult. Helicopters will be the life blood of operations going forward for the rest of the scenario. The Viet Cong are being clever and moving in behind me where I've already been, capturing areas that I had already been through. Sneaky buggers. Can you believe it's been 150 hours already for this scenario?

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-sixth session of A Week in Binh Long. An intense seesaw battle happening over the Loc Ninh airfield. The rocket attacks, when they hit, are absolutely brutal. I have managed to land reinforcements on the airfield, although it is touch and go as the airfield is surrounded. Elsewhere around the map, apart from some random ambushes, my helicopters are ferrying troops to the various corners of the map to continue securing the objectives that the Viet Cong have captured. It does seem they are moving in behind me though in some areas, so I have to pay very close attention. It will be a hard night, very hard.

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-seventh session of A Week in Binh Long. Getting down to the nitty gritty. Loc Ninh seems secured now although the rocket attacks are generally not making me happy. Happiness is having a couple of platoons working their way along the eastern ridgeline where some of the rocket launchers have met a timely demise. Helicopters are buzzing around trying get more boots on the ground in Loc Ninh as well as the surrounding plantation and jungle. A race against time to collect as many points and clear as many areas as I can before the end of the scenario. Only ten turns left. Ten turns!

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-eighth session of A Week in Binh Long. Rockets. Blasted Rockets! Again, the rockets take out half a platoon in the combat around Loc Ninh. Just brutal. For better news, I am making progress in advancing into the town of Loc Ninh. It's a bloody affair, as it is intense urban combat, at night... without flares. Unfortunately, I've stumbled down into the Major Defeat threshold. Will I managed to creep my way up to a Minor Victory? Draw? Heck even a Minor Defeat? There's only a couple more episodes left of the campaign!

[JasonPratt]

Go go ARVN Gangsters! I'm doing my part to win a co-op Fire in the Lake game right now, so don't let me down! 

[Jason Petho]

Bahaha, thank you! I need all the help I can get!

[Jason Petho]

The seventy-ninth session of A Week in Binh Long. Racing around the operating areas, trying to recapture many lost objectives. It is a race against time there are less than a handful of turns left. This session provides some excellent methodology for urban combat and at night. How to assault, what to think about when assaulting and how best to prepare your troops for the combat. There was also some great discussion points! We're getting close to the end here and what a blast it has been!

[Jason Petho]

The eightieth session of A Week in Binh Long. Well, we finally managed to complete the scenario. 160 hours later and the campaign is under our belts. I should get a medal for that! Not for my performance though, what a battle that was indeed! I did finally end up securing most of Loc Ninh, which was a personal victory after the chaos that was Day 7. I haven't had that hard of a fight in a long time and quite enjoyed it! It will be tempting not to start it up again.

[JasonPratt]

    

Now for an after-action analysis of the Days (and maybe nights)!