Hello all,
I'm finally nearing the Beta Release of my first custom map: Battle of Voronezh. Yea!
The map takes place during the Summer 1942 offensive known as Operation Blue. In June 1942, as part of the push to take the city of Stalingrad, elements of the Fourth Panzer Army under Hoth, supported by the infantry of the GrossDeustchland Division, swung to the north along the Don River to ensnare a large portion of the Red Army encamped at the city of Voronezh. The objective of the operation was to destroy this Red Army Front before it could reinforce the city of Stalingrad to the south, or worse yet, cut off the Sixth Army heading for the Volga. As a result of the fighting in and around Voronezh, only 10% of the pre-war buildings were left standing when the city was liberated in 1943. 50,000 of the city's residents remained out of the pre-war population of 400,000. Most had either fled or been killed in the intervening years. The result of the battle was the almost total destruction of the city, it's occupation, and the evacuation of 1 million Red Army forces back east across the Don River.
Description of the Map: Combined Arms with a slightly heavier emphasis on tank warfare. Size: 3/4 of Orel. The map is designed almost like a layer cake with advancing and non-recapturable objectives. The German forces start on the left hand side of the map (west) out on the steppe. They must drive their way east to the first objective known as The Crossroads. This is a heavily defended road and rail crossing where the Russians have a slight advantage (at first) by having their spawn area nearer to the objective. More than likely the Germans will encounter the first objective already full of the entire Russian tank and infantry forces (can't wait to see the "duke out" at the Crossroads). The Russian advantage is slightly offset by German artillery capability. Best approach for the Germans is to send one of the three halftracks to the forward radio with their commander and shell the area to soften it up for the advancing Panzers and motorized infantry. The Russian tanks will be forced to engage the Panzers at a distance thus leaving the Russian foot soldiers at the Crossroads vulnerable to the German infantry assault.
Once the Crossroads is taken, two more objectives will be unlocked: the airfield and the tank park. The airfield will on the southern edge of the city and the tank park will be on the northern edge. Both opponents will be forced to make hard choices about the distribution of their forces to defend/attack these locations at polar opposites of the map. Communication and coordination between team members will be critical. This is where the large distances in the map will become a real challenge and will more than likely return the advantage to the Russians. If, and when, these two objectives are taken, the Russian's spawn area will retreat east across the Don River. Two bridges (north and south) will be the only routes for the Red Army to re-enter the city to protect it's Center (final objective).
This map has a lot of detail since it moves from rural to urban locations across it's distance west to east. I'm really worried about the frame rate, but I guess I will see how it goes on a packed server. 28 to 32 players recommended.
Don't get me wrong, this map still needs a lot of work. For instance, I'm a n00B and don't know how to do bot pathing, among other advanced skills.
Also, I don't know how to make screenshots work, otherwise I would post some here. I know to hit F9, but when I look at the pictures in MS Paint or Adobe, they have lines through them and they are distorted. Can someone help me? I'll post screenies as soon as I can.
Please PM me if you'd like to try out the really rough Alpha Version.
Thanks!
I'm finally nearing the Beta Release of my first custom map: Battle of Voronezh. Yea!
The map takes place during the Summer 1942 offensive known as Operation Blue. In June 1942, as part of the push to take the city of Stalingrad, elements of the Fourth Panzer Army under Hoth, supported by the infantry of the GrossDeustchland Division, swung to the north along the Don River to ensnare a large portion of the Red Army encamped at the city of Voronezh. The objective of the operation was to destroy this Red Army Front before it could reinforce the city of Stalingrad to the south, or worse yet, cut off the Sixth Army heading for the Volga. As a result of the fighting in and around Voronezh, only 10% of the pre-war buildings were left standing when the city was liberated in 1943. 50,000 of the city's residents remained out of the pre-war population of 400,000. Most had either fled or been killed in the intervening years. The result of the battle was the almost total destruction of the city, it's occupation, and the evacuation of 1 million Red Army forces back east across the Don River.
Description of the Map: Combined Arms with a slightly heavier emphasis on tank warfare. Size: 3/4 of Orel. The map is designed almost like a layer cake with advancing and non-recapturable objectives. The German forces start on the left hand side of the map (west) out on the steppe. They must drive their way east to the first objective known as The Crossroads. This is a heavily defended road and rail crossing where the Russians have a slight advantage (at first) by having their spawn area nearer to the objective. More than likely the Germans will encounter the first objective already full of the entire Russian tank and infantry forces (can't wait to see the "duke out" at the Crossroads). The Russian advantage is slightly offset by German artillery capability. Best approach for the Germans is to send one of the three halftracks to the forward radio with their commander and shell the area to soften it up for the advancing Panzers and motorized infantry. The Russian tanks will be forced to engage the Panzers at a distance thus leaving the Russian foot soldiers at the Crossroads vulnerable to the German infantry assault.
Once the Crossroads is taken, two more objectives will be unlocked: the airfield and the tank park. The airfield will on the southern edge of the city and the tank park will be on the northern edge. Both opponents will be forced to make hard choices about the distribution of their forces to defend/attack these locations at polar opposites of the map. Communication and coordination between team members will be critical. This is where the large distances in the map will become a real challenge and will more than likely return the advantage to the Russians. If, and when, these two objectives are taken, the Russian's spawn area will retreat east across the Don River. Two bridges (north and south) will be the only routes for the Red Army to re-enter the city to protect it's Center (final objective).
This map has a lot of detail since it moves from rural to urban locations across it's distance west to east. I'm really worried about the frame rate, but I guess I will see how it goes on a packed server. 28 to 32 players recommended.
Don't get me wrong, this map still needs a lot of work. For instance, I'm a n00B and don't know how to do bot pathing, among other advanced skills.
Also, I don't know how to make screenshots work, otherwise I would post some here. I know to hit F9, but when I look at the pictures in MS Paint or Adobe, they have lines through them and they are distorted. Can someone help me? I'll post screenies as soon as I can.
Please PM me if you'd like to try out the really rough Alpha Version.
Thanks!
