Previous Page Playing WinSPMBT This game is a variant on SSI's Steel Panthers II. Game play is therefore similar, for any of you who have played an SSI Steel Panthers title before. However, WinSPMBT is an extremely refined and extended product over the original baseline. Experienced SP players will do well to read through the notes provided, starting with the Main Screen section.

All players should at least read through the following tutorial. It is recommended you play this through, especially if you are new to the game.

WinSPMBT Tutorial

Introduction

This Tutorial for WinSPMBT is designed for players who may be new to the Steel Panther's gaming system. It is modeled after the Tutorial included in the SSI, Steel Panthers II Modern Battles manual and is deliberately limited to explaining only the most basic of game play functions.

New players using this Tutorial text should keep it open in their browser, while playing the game in Windowed mode order to easily follow along step by step while playing the Tutorial scenario. If you play in full screen mode, you will need to ALT_TAB in and out of full screen mode to read along.

WinSPMBT is a very complex and detailed tactical war game. Learning all of the many fine points and nuances of game play will take some time. Learning the basics should be relatively easy and intuitive for most players regardless of their military knowledge or experience. I have found playing this game to be a rewarding learning experience and hope that you will discover it to be equally enjoyable.

Dick Burleigh aka "Boomer"

Starting the Tutorial

After game start up, you should already be presented with the Scenario List..

Game Main Screen

When the Intro ends you will be taken to the game's Main Screen with the Scenario List presented as the default selection. Left click on the first scenario, titled WinSPMBT Tutorial and a brief description of the scenario will appear. Left click on Start and the Player Control Screen will appear. Here is where you can choose to set player 1 and 2 (USA and Iraq) to either Human or Computer (AI) control. For the Tutorial, leave the selection at default with you as the Human Player 1 and the AI as the Player 2. Later if you want a challenge you can play again as the Human Player 2. Click Continue.

Player Control Screen

The next screen gives you the options of Start Turn, Save Game, Quit Orders (which means "End Turn") or Exit Game. Note that running your cursor over these buttons provides a brief description of their function on the message bar at the top of the screen. Click on Start Turn to get into the game.

Start Turn Screen

The Tactical Screen

You now go to the Tactical Screen and your HQ Unit (which is you) is centred in the Battle Map Screen. The game first starts at max zoom-1 on the Tactical Map, so to better see what is going on lets zoom out a bit. Click on the magnifying glass button with the [-] or press the minus key on your keyboard. Do this 2 or three times and you'll have a better view of the Battle Map. The [+] button or + hotkey will allow you to zoom back in again.

The Tactical Screen is where most of the game is played. The actual playing area is composed of individual hexes, each hex approximating about 50 yards or meters. The hexes may or may not have visible borders depending on your in-game preferences (more on that later).

Tactical Screen (with hex borders on, movement outline on)

There are five main display sections on the Tactical Screen: The Battle Map which displays the battlefield terrain and units; the Unit Information Bar along the bottom of the screen; a mini-map in the bottom right corner that shows the overall battlefield; a set of 24 Tactical Control Buttons which you will use to provide "orders" to your units: a red message/information bar along the top of the screen. At various times, messages will also be displayed in the Unit Information Bar as well.

To see different portions of the Battle Map, move the mouse cursor arrow to the top of the Map screen to scroll up or to the right edge of the Map screen to scroll right and so on. Another way to quickly move to another location on the map is to left click on that area within the mini-map in the corner. As you move your cursor over the map you will receive a description of each terrain hex tile on the red message bar at the top of the screen. This will tell you each hex's grid coordinates, relative elevation (an abstraction with no units such as feet or meters) and terrain type. As you move the cursor arrow over your units, the message bar will display the unit's roster number, its name and relative readiness status (more on this later).

Now take a moment to run your cursor arrow over the various buttons on the right of the screen.

Current Nation Next Unit Help Load Bombardment/para menu

Fire

Area Fire

Zoom Map in closer

Clear dark Hexes

Undo

Encyclopaedia

Save the game

Playback the last players turn

Previous Unit

Find the next Formation HQ

Set Range

Rally Troops

Targeting

Make Smoke

Zoom map OUT

Unit Menu

HQ Menu

End game and Exit

Quit the orders phase

Note that as you do, a brief explanation of each buttons function appears on the red message bar. Also, note that most of the buttons contain a letter or other symbol relating to equivalent "hotkeys" on your keyboard. During game play you can activate many functions or orders by either clicking on the appropriate button or stroking its corresponding hotkey. Actually, there are more hotkeys than there are buttons.

Move your cursor over the red question mark (?). The message says that this is the "go to the (in game) Help Screen". Left click it. This is the in game Help and the first screen displayed here is the "Game Help". The six buttons on the right will take you to five other in game help topics, identified when you run your cursor over them. Here on the Game Help Screen, you will find a detailed functional description of all of the hotkeys available during game play. As you will see later there are other times when different lists of hotkeys are used…. such as when you are designing your own scenario. Look over these hotkeys on the Game Notes page and remember that they are always available during game play via the Help button. Exit the Help and return to the Tactical Screen.

The Unit Information Bar

During game play, the Unit Information Bar along the bottom of the screen displays the current active unit's (ie: unit selected) information as follows:

- The selected unit's formation designation number such as A0, A1, B0 etc. (Note: The scenario opens with the A0, Command HQ unit as the selected unit. Note that it's hex is outlined in red. To select other units in your force you can either left click on them in the map or scroll through them in sequential order by clicking on the Next (N) or Previous (P) buttons or hotkeys).

- The unit's name.

- The readiness/movement status such as Ready, Dug-in, Pinned, Retreating, Routed and unit speed if moving.

- ENEMY SEEN: indicates the number of visible enemy units.

- Shots: shows the number of times this unit may shoot during this turn. If there is more than one number then that unit has more than one type of weapon available. The number of shots for each weapon type is listed in the order in which the weapons are listed on the Unit Information Screen. To view the Unit Information Screen, right click on the selected unit. Move your cursor over the M2A2 Bradley that is sharing the hex with your HQ Unit. Now right click on it. The Unit Information screen shows that this Bradley IFV has three weapons, a 25mm chain gun, a 7.62mm coaxial machinegun and a TOW-2 antitank guided missile. More on this later, click continue to return to the Tactical Screen.

- MOVES: shows the selected unit's number of movement points remaining this turn. Different terrain requires different numbers of movement points per hex of unit travel. If MOVES is not displayed then the unit may not move this turn. The second number, in blue reflects the units' movement range in water hexes.

- RANGE: shows the units attack range displayed in hexes, meters or yards (you select how you want the ranges reported to you in GameOptions start up screen from the Misc Tab). This range can either be the default max weapon range of the first weapon or a lower range that you can set with the Y Button / hotkey. If range is set to say 9 hexes (or 450 meters or yards) then this unit will automatically fire at any visible enemy that moves into range during the enemies turn. (this is called op-fire).

- Altitude: if the selected unit is a helicopter (Landed, Low or High).

- Turn: is the current turn number.

- Visibility is the farthest distance in hexes that any unit can see (due to time of day or weather conditions).

- Length is how many turns the current scenario lasts.

Unit Information Screen

To get even more detailed information about a unit, select one of your M1A1HA+ Abrams tanks and right click on it to get its Unit Information screen. Here you will learn the unit's name, readiness status, CHQ Link (indicating whether or not the unit is in contact with it's leader), amount of suppression it has, weapon type(s), amount of ammunition available, experience, morale and leader information. Types of ammunition available include HE (High Explosive used against "soft" targets), AP (Armour Piercing Shells), SABOT (armour piercing, discarding sabot penetrators) and HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank). Also displayed is an armour diagram that indicates a unit's front, side, rear and top armour ratings for both the turret and hull sections. For much more information about the Unit Information Screen and its controls go here.

Before continuing, select and the right-click on one each of your unit types to get a feel for their capabilities. You can read about these in more detail in MBT Unit Classes.

Unit Information Screen for the Abrams

Game Turns

Each scenario and campaign or Play By Email (PBEM) battle is made up of a number of turns, each turn equaling several minutes of real time. In one turn you get to move and fire all of your units and then your opponent gets to do the same. The Tutorial scenario has 10 turns. In each turn, both you and the AI opponent may receive incoming artillery fire (if appropriate) rally your units, load/unload transport vehicles, move and attack enemy units, receive enemy op-fire, and order up artillery fire missions, air strikes, recon flights and/or paratroop drops.

Game Preferences

Now is a good time to change or set any game preferences and realism settings. Click the “Preferences” button on the bottom right of the Tactical Screen. This will bring up the Preferences screen. This is probably your first battle so these will be set at the “factory defaults”. All realism settings will be on. For ease of play, you may want to turn the “Hex Grid” and “ID Tags” to ON. As you play the game, you can experiment with these values. They are all explained fully in the preferences section.

Preferences Screen

Your Fighting Force

From the Tactical Screen press the Headquarters Menu button or H hotkey. On the right hand side of the screen, you will find the Unit Status List that lists the units in your battle force. They include:

A0 ……. HQ infantry squad. (This is you)

B0-B1… M1A1HA Tank Section

C0-C1… M1A1HA Tank Section

D0-D3… M1A1HA Tank Platoon

E0-E1…. M901 Anti-armor section

F0-F1…. M901 Anti-armor section

G0-G1… M106A2 Self-Propelled (SP) Mortar section

H0-H6… Cavalry Group

I0-I1…… A-10 Warthog Strike element

J0-1…… AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopter section

K0-K5… 155mm Medium Artillery Battalion (off-map)

L0….. UAV unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicle (off-map)

M0….. M981A3 FIST-V forward artillery observer vehicle

N0…… M2A2 Bradley IFV (transport for your HQ unit)

M-548… Ammo Carrier section (reinforcements)

Each unit with a "0" designator (A0, B0, C0 etc) is a leader who plays a vital role in rallying your troops and maintaining formation readiness. The "H", "C" or "P" letters in the left hand column of the Unit Status List indicate that this leader is in charge of a Headquarter, Company or Platoon formation. All new players should take a few moments to learn more about this and the other information and controls found on this screen in the headquarters screen].

Your Turn One

Back to the Tactical Screen to finally play the game! Your units are spread out on and between the two ridglines in the west (left) side of the map, with the HQ (A0) unit in the center. The HQ starts out as the first selected unit when the Tactical Screen opens. You can cycle through all of your units by using the Next Unit (N) or Previous Unit (P) buttons or hotkeys. You can cycle through formation leaders by using the Next Formation HQ button or "G" hotkey. From the Unit Status List or Unit Menu (clipboard icon button), if you click on any unit then you will be taken to that unit selected in the tactical Screen.

Moving your units: A selected unit is either in one of two display modes: either "view move radius" or "view LOS (Line of Sight visibility). A red hex shaped border surrounds the currently selected unit. When a unit is first selected it displays lighter shaded hexes to show where it could move to given it's movement points available. Notice that your HQ unit could move three hexes in any direction. This light area is the "move radius". To move your HQ unit 3 hexes forward, just left click on the lighted hex just below the US flag victory hex. Now, right click on any hex on the hill just above your HQ unit. The lightly shaded area now represents the field of vision that your HQ unit has. Right click again about 10 hexes to the right of your HQ. There is his field of vision in the direction of the reported enemy.

NEW for WinSPMBT!!! You may now reverse Vehicles in WinSPMBT using the '8' key on your keyboard. Reversing uses 3 times the forwards move cost but allows you to keep your front armour pointed towards the enemy.

As your HQ unit walked forward, he left his M2A2 Bradley behind. To move that Bradley up into the same hex as your HQ, select the Bradley by left clicking on it, the while holding down the shift key, left click on the hex with the HQ unit in it. The Bradley should move up and join the HQ. Depressing the shift key allows units to move into the same hex as one another and must be used even when moving into a hex occupied by the enemy and/or a destroyed unit.

There are two sections of M1A1HA+ Abrams tanks to the left of the hill just above your HQ. Move those tanks, one at a time to the right hand edge of that hill. Notice that movement in dusty terrain and good visibility produces dust trails. Notice also that as your tanks moved that their remaining movement points and shots remaining numbers became smaller. On the hill below your HQ unit are two sections of M901 anti-tank missile vehicles. Move them one at a time to the right hand edge of their hill. Do not move any of the M1A1HA tanks on the lower hill yet. They are in an "over-watch" position, set to protect the other units while they are moving. Do check their LOS visibility though! Select one and look off to the right. They have no trouble at all seeing through the dust clouds generated by the M901's. Select and right click one of those Abrams and look at its visibility rating on the Unit information screen: 40, which indicates thermal imaging that allows it to "see" through dust and smoke (in game terms). This will prove to be a MAJOR advantage for you in this scenario. The enemy forces have no vision 40 units. Keep this in mind as the battle unfolds.

Behind or to the left of the lower hill is the H formation of a Cavalry Group. Mount the Scouts and the LMG team into the uppermost Bradley IFV. To do this, first move the Scout unit (H0) into the same hex as the Bradley by using the Shift key then press the Load button or L hotkey and left click on the Bradley. The scout should load onto (or into) the Bradley, which now becomes the selected unit. Note that the Unit Information Bar at the bottom of the screen now shows the Scouts as a passenger aboard the Bradley. Now select the LMG Team to the left, move them into the same hex as the Bradley and load them aboard the same way. Now load the two TOW Teams aboard their Bradleys. Move the Bradleys as far to the right as possible.

Possible situation at end of your turn 1 movement (north and south areas)

Bombardment Screen

You have moved all the units you intend to on turn 1. Before ending the turn, you will set up an air recon flight to get an idea of enemy positions. Although any “0” formation HQ can perform spotting, it is often best to use a dedicated artillery observer. The M981A3 FIST-V is such a unit. It makes all artillery calls faster, and there is a smaller penalty for adjusting fire. Select the M981A3 FIST-V, then click the Bombardment button or hit the “B” key. The bombardment screen opens. This is the interface that lets you perform the following 3 actions:

- BOMBARDMENT VIEW: Assign artillery bombardment targets for on-map and off-map artillery units and tactical air strikes.
- SPOTTERS VIEW: Assign aircraft spotting pass.
- AIRBORNE VIEW: Assign paratroop drops.

Bombardment Screen, bombard view

As the bombardment features are discussed, keep in mind they are much easier to use than they are to describe! In many games, you’ll spend a few seconds every turn reviewing the bombardment screen.

When the bombard screen first opens, it is set to BOMBARD view by default (It will say “BOMBARD” in the upper right corner). In the right pane, you can see which units you have available for plotting bombardments, which should be 2 M106 A2 SP mortars, 2 A-10 Warthog attack aircraft, and 6 155mm artillery platoons. This is a LOT of firepower. In the left pane, you see a reduced version of the main map. You have the same zoom and pan features as the tactical screen.

Click on the ‘Switch To” button in the lower right. That should say “SPOTTERS”. This toggles the window to Spotters view. You can see the UAV there. Finally, click the “Switch To” button again and it will toggle you to AIRBORNE view. You will not see any unit available in this scenario for plotting airborne drops. Click “Switch To” again to take you back to the bombardment view.

Bombardment Screen, spotters view

For now, even though a few enemy units may be spotted, you will not set up any bombardments. Go to SPOTTERS view, and you will set up an air recon mission. Pan around the map on the left pane, and locate the objective area on the eastern ridgeline. You’ll notice several hexes containing flashing yellow and orange circles with a number inside. These are pre-planned bombardment spots and were set up by the scenario author. When you plot a barrage on one of these hexes, it has an especially quick response time.

Look at the first unit in the right pane, where the UAV is listed. There are 4 buttons to the right of it. The button that looks like an Eye will take you to the unit details screen where you can view the unit status. The second button is the Spotting Mission button. You select this button to set up a spotting mission in the target hex. The red circle with the cross-bar is the cancel button. Clicking this will cancel the spotting mission for that unit. The Blue “Plus” symbol is the shift button. This allows you to shift the spotting run for the selected unit. The number to the left of the Shift button indicates the turn delay. 1.0 means a one full turn delay. Any number less than one means it will occur at the end of the current turn (after the enemy move phase). If you want to start over, click the cancel mission button.

In the bottom of the right pane you will see a "Air Entry and Exit" button. When that is toggled to "Displayed", you'll see a set of arrows in the mini map in the bottom-right. These arrows show the aircraft entry and exit direction. Click on the buttons as shown in the image so that the aircraft will approach from the upper-left and exit to the lower-left. If the UAV does not get shot down, it will be available on subsequent turns.

Once you have plotted the spotting mission, click the exit button at the bottom to exit the bombardment screen and take you back to the main screen.

Saving The Game

This is a good time to save your game. To save a game, click the SAVE button which will take you to the Save screen. Click on an empty slot on the Save Game list. A new save game will appear on the left. The game name will be “T1 U.S vs Ira,2/91”. This tells you it is Turn 1 of a battle between U.S. and Iraq taking place in February 1991. You can choose to type in a new name if you want, but let it default for now and hit the <enter> key. This will save the game, and take you back to the tactical screen.

Finally, on the tactical screen, click the Blue arrow, and type “Y” to confirm, to end the turn. You’ll notice a pause as the enemy forces take *their* turn. Depending on how you moved, you may be spotted by enemy units. You may be fired on. During the AI turn, there is nothing you can do to influence events! You must wait until the AI move is complete.

Turn Two

Your bombardment/spotting phase marks the beginning of your second turn. If all has gone according to plan, your UAV will make it’s spotting run now. It will fly to it’s designated spot, and will circle around that spot several times. There is always a chance it may get shot down. However, it will reveal valuable intelligence. Look for Iraq units marked in Red on the small inset map, and zoom for a closer view. You may see some T-55 and T-72 tanks.

You continue the movements that you began on turn 1. Use one Abrams platoon in an overwatch position as you move the other. Keep the Bradleys behind the tanks. Start to be a bit more cautious. Use your Apaches, Abrams, and M901s to fire before they move that turn, if possible, on visible enemy tanks. However, the fire control on your Abrams, Bradleys, and Apaches will often allow them to fire with high accuracy even after moving.

Targeting an Enemy Unit

Select one tank. In the status bar, note if there are any “Enemy Seen” indicated in the lower left. Keep selecting your tanks until one tank has at least one enemy seen. Then select the “T” key or hit the “Target” button. You will see a red line draw from the tank to the nearest enemy unit.

Now click the “F” key or hit the “Fire” button. Your tank will shoot some or all of it’s weapons at the enemy tank. You can continue to fire until all your shots (or your ammo) are exhausted.

This is the “smart” way to fire at an enemy unit. You can also simply select your unit, then let your mouse hover over enemy units. If one of them is a valid target, a cross-hairs will appear on it, then click to fire.

Targeting an enemy unit

In general, you want to use your Abrams, M901s and Apaches to fire on enemy tanks and other armoured vehicles, and your Bradleys to target enemy infantry.

Targeting an enemy uni t using the " W " hotkey

The " W " hotkey allows a player to specify one weapon only to fire at an enemy unit. Let's assume you spot an enemy rifle squad but do not want waste your main guns HEAT ammo firing at them and would rather just use your Machine Guns. Using the " W " key you can easily specify one of your other weapons to fire assuming they have the range to do so.

To correctly utilize this feature follow these steps

If you have not fired at this unit yet select the “T” key or hit the “Target” button and when the unit you wish to fire at is targeted press the “T” key a second time. Pressing the “T” key a second time locks in the target. . Now press the “W” key and you will see a sub menu appear on screen that looks this:

Let's assume you wish to fire only your .50 Cal AAMG at the infantry. Press 3 on your keyboard and the .50 cal AAMG only will fire.

If you have already fired at the unit you do not need to go through the targeting sequence a second time as that target has already been locked in so just press W and you will again be able to select a single weapon to fire.

The “W” key allows you to select just one weapon to fire but let's assume you want to fire ALL your MG's at that rifle squad but not your main armament. In this case RIGHT CLICK on your own unit, click on the main gun ( it will turn blue when out of service ) , press CONTINUE then target that rifle squad and when you press the fire button all the weapons you have that are in range EXCEPT the main armament ( which you turned off ) will fire at that rifle squad.

When you are done DO NOT forget to turn the main armament back on otherwise if the enemy moves a tank in range on the next turn your vehicle will not be able to opfire with it's main gun

Helicopter Altitude

Helicopters actually move in 3 dimensions and this is abstracted in SPMBT to 3 altitude levels: High, Low, and Landed. Your Apaches start in Low altitude. You can check this by selecting an Apache and looking at the unit information screen (by right-clicking on it). In the upper right of the screen you will see a toggle switch with the altitude selections. Changing altitude will use up movement points. For now, keep them in Low altitude as you move them. This represents “Nap of the Earth” movement, and ground obstructions will hide them from enemy view.

Setting up an Artillery Bombardment

After you have moved and fired all the units you intend to (remember you do not have to fire or move every unit), go to the bombard screen by first selecting your Artillery Observer unit, then select the Bombard button or hit the “B” key.

This time when the bombard screen open’s, you will let it stay on the default BOMBARD view. You can see which units you have available for plotting bombardments as we covered before. Before doing anything else, click the button in the lower right that should say

Now look at the first unit in the right pane, an M106A2. There are 6 buttons to the right of the unit. The button that looks like an Eye will take you to the unit details screen where you can, for example, see how much ammunition it has. The second button is the High Explosive bombardment button. You select this button to set up a fire mission on the target hex. If this button is blank, it means the selected unit cannot fire an HE fire mission. To the right of the HE button is the smoke button. Most artillery other than aircraft is able to fire Smoke bombardments. The red circle with the cross-bar is the cancel button. Clicking this will cancel the fire mission for that unit. The Blue “plus” symbol is the Shift Fire button. This allows you to shift fire for the selected unit. The final button may have a “cluster” of 3 dots. If it does, that indicates this weapon can fire cluster munitions, especially lethal against vehicles and moving infantry.

Artillery bombardment screen details

Just like you assigned a target hex to the spotting aircraft, now select one or more hexes –preferably the “hot spot” hexes – and select one or more artillery units for each hex. Click the “HE” button for bombardment on that hex. The delay numbers work just like they did for the UAV, meaning the artillery barrage will take place at the beginning of the next turn – turn 3. If the number is some fraction of 1, for example 0.4, then only a portion of the artillery that could be fired, will be. The lower the number the better.

If you want to shift the spotting mission from the original hex, click the shift button, and you’ll see a blue circle appear on the map showing a 2-hex radius. You can click within this circle on the map to shift the artillery fire with minimal delay – usually less than one turn.

If you have good targets for the cluster munitions, use them by clicking the “Cluster” button instead of the “HE” button. Ammo for this type will be limited, so use it wisely.

Hint: Always first click on the unit name before selecting one of the other buttons.

Although it is not relevant to this scenario, you can also assign bombardments during pre-game setup if playing a battle-generated game or a campaign game. Additional hint - Once an artillery (not air) mission has completed, the firing unit will remember the last target hex it fired upon, provided that it has not moved or fired. Should you want to repeat that mission, just press the HE (or smoke etc) button, and the mission is plotted with minimal delay on that last spot. You can of course, now adjust from that point for additional delay cost, but a "repeat" into the same general area as before, even with some adjustment, is generally much faster than plotting a completely new fire mission.

Also keep an eye out for enemy AA units. There are two with vision 40 that may target your Apaches before you spot them. Make them a high priority, so your Apaches can have virtual freedom of movement over the battlefield. If you are careless, the Iraqi AA has the capability of shooting them down.

You are now done, so click the End Turn button.

During the Iraqi turn, Iraqi units may fire on any of your units they can see. Or, your units might use Opportunity (OP) Fire, and shoot at any Iraqi units that they have spotted. OP fire only takes place if an enemy unit moves OR shoots while in LOS of one of your units. OP fire does not *always* occur though, because it is effected by the suppression of your unit, whether it has any shots left, whether it has the right kind of ammo, and other factors. Hopefully, at the end of the Iraqi turn you have not incurred any more casualties.

In the battle, because none of the Iraqi tanks have vision of 40, they may never even see you to fire on you.

Turn 3

Now your forces are really started to taste combat. In the south, several infantry units should be visible. Use your Bradleys to suppress these units. B platoon should pass through the objective area around 21/9 on it’s way to the enemy ridgeline. D platoon should do the same in objective area 29/25. In both cases, watch out for “Soft Sand” terrain type that may immobilize your vehicles. As your units move through each hex, it will change ownership to a US flag. Hold you mouse over each flag, and note each flag’s victory point value in the upper right status screen.

Capturing Objectives

Continue as before, using one platoon in overwatch, moving the others. Try to destroy every spotted Iraqi tank by the end of your turn. Your tank machineguns can also be used on infantry after they use all their AP shots that turn.

Click the End Turn button to end your turn. During the Iraqi movement phase your tanks will probably fire on several moving enemy squads and perhaps tanks. Pay attention to where any fire is coming from. Unspotted enemy units are good potential targets for your artillery fire.

End Turn 3 Situation, Iraqi side

Enemy Unit Status.

If you Right-click while the mouse is over an enemy unit, you will see the enemy unit details. If you are not already familiar with a specific enemy unit type, it is always a good idea to check the details. You can see what weapons the unit has, how many men, etc. If it is a tank or other vehicle, it will also show you what it’s armour values are. You do not see all the information you do for your own units.

Turns 4-7

During the next few turns, continue your careful advance to the ridgeline. Your units may begin to take some fire from the enemy. When your units are being shot at, they will tend to gain suppression. Remember that the suppression value is listed in bottom status screen. You can see this effect by checking the suppression before you fire on an enemy unit, and assuming you get some enemy return fire, it will usually increase. Since lower numbers are better, click the Rally button if your unit has gained several points of suppression. Reducing suppression will increase it’s chance to hit. Presence of wrecks, smoke, and friendly casualties will also tend to cause suppression.

The Iraqis have several types of AFVs in this battle. One of the most formidable is the T-72. Give shooting these a priority.

Review your artillery status at the end of each turn before clicking the “End Turn” button. Make sure that artillery is not drifting over your own units, and readjust if necessary. Remember that artillery barrages may drift, so do not place them too close to your own units.

Typical Turn 6 Situation. (Both Abrams platoons on the move)

Turn 8 to End Game

If you’ve had even a little luck, there should be large numbers of burning enemy tanks, and few or none of yours. Occupy the last enemy objectives. Use your Apaches aggressively to hunt down enemy infantry. If they run out of ammunition, you can resupply them from the supply vehicles that arrived as reinforcements.

Ammo Resupply

To resupply a unit that has run out of ammunition, move the unit next to the ammo carrier. If it is a helicopter, you must land it. Let the unit sit next to the ammo supply carrier for an entire turn. At the end of each turn, select the unit, right-click to get the unit information screen, and check the ammo supply. Resupply works based on a number of variables including suppression, and number of units resupplying at once. For a full description, read about ammo resupply HERE

Battle Results Screen

When you finish the last turn (or possibly before, if you have already captured the objective hexes and destroyed the enemy HQ unit, and destroyed or routed 5-% or more of the enemy units) you will be presented with the Results screen below. This player has achieved a Decisive Victory based on the total Points Score. Victory criteria are based completely on Victory hexes held at the end of the game, and the number of friendly and enemy units destroyed. A greater-than 8:1 margin is a “Decisive” victory. Between 8:1 and 2:1 is a “Marginal” Victory and if your result was between 2:1 and 1:2, the result will be a draw. Here, the score of 11894 to 401 is a 29:1 ratio and is most definitely a "decisive victory". These are, however, artifical lines. Many scenarios are simply victories or defeats where if you have more points at the end than the AI... "You win".

The buttons at the bottom of the screen allow you to see the situation at the end of the game. This is the FIRST and ONLY time you can view the enemy unit side.

Battle Result Screen

In this case, the result of “Decisive Victory” is confirmed by the Message Screen where you are told how you performed in this battle. Note: These messages are generic for each battle type but can be customized in a User-Designed Campaign.

Message Screen

Conclusion

We hope one lesson you learned from this simple scenario is the importance of combined arms and sound tactics. Had you charged your tanks forward without supporting arms, the result might have been very different. In fact, you might want to try doing just that and see what happens. Throwing just tanks, or just infantry, at an opponent will usually meet with defeat. You need to intelligently combine your armour, infantry, artillery, and airpower to overcome the enemy.

Click HERE for more hints on tactics in the GG.

Good hunting!

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