Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations ("The Harpoon that Never Was")

You’ve hit the nail on the head on the first try! :)

Navigating the map is a nightmare, unless you have a 50" screen or so. Trying to see what is happening in other areas is awkward and laborious. If you zoom out far enough in order to see the entire battle area, your icons turn to pinpricks of light. You might see the occasional twinkle and know that there is action occurring and then pause, zoom in, figure out what happened, zoom out, re-start.

The solution is what Harpoon did 22 years earlier: multiple map windows. There is a reason why real war rooms have multiple clocks denoting various time zones. Folks can always mentally calculate the differences, but the presence of the clocks is supposed to ease the workload and give quick reference.

The current hotkeys and other ad hoc features proffered by the developers are nothing more than band-aid solutions. Instead of biting the bullet and just fixing the damn thing properly and effectively, these features are presented as half-baked “Is it good enough, yet?” offerings. It has been three years since the game released and no substantive changes to this problem have appeared.

Your other ideas are good but, if they cannot fix this monstrous problem, there is little hope or point fixing the lesser stuff.

I guess I want Task Wizards. “Click here to form a synchronized strike package, complete with recon, SEAD, strike, etc. The wizard will automatically search for the appropriate assets and munitions. Then click on a target. You may review the package after you’re done.” I know, I know, I want to be TEH ADMIROL and have my staff do all the hard work. Except that grognardy hard works is what this game is about ;)

It’s not the actual clicky stuff around the menus that’s hard, it’s just that the buffet is so damn HUGE

The mission editor could do with supporting ctrl/shift to mass select/deselect units, so we can add/remove them more easily. Clicking the unit names themselves should toggle the check box status.

What about forum posts and youtube videos? Should those be a chore to endure?

Most certainly, but you can ignore them and they do not cost you $80+.

I notice how you avoided game discussion altogether.

Thanks, all noted.

You’re after one of our devs’ own heart :) This is one of the directions we’ve been moving toward, one step at a time. If you’ve noticed the mission planner automatically plotting formup/ingress/egress/depart legs, target area split-ups and rejoins etc. then you’ve seen some of the steps.

To be clear, I do love the game and am looking forward to whatever you’re cooking up in this big beta test that was recently advertised! :)

Thanks! I think you’ll like what is coming.

I keep meaning to get back into this. I bounced off the UI pretty hard, but I think that may have been more due to the first tutorial mission I played than the UI itself.

I remember there being some talk about a user mod that tied missions in a campaign together with some magic glue that brought surviving units into the next mission? I can’t remember the name. Or am I thinking of something else?

You’re probably thinking about MBot’s “dynamic campaign” project over at the ED forums.

We have something similar in the works but it may take some time to mature.

If the UI is giving you trouble, be sure to watch Baloogan’s UI tutorial video series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgRuKky0mojZkb5tSIpJgEy0WR4rzt6tA. These were made for v1.09 but are still mostly accurate.

Thanks!

Miguel Molina has released the updated version of the Command community scenario pack. The new release includes a whopping fifteen brand-new scenarios:

Frigate Duel in the Scotia Sea, 2023: Tensions have increased between Argentina and the United Kingdom, partly because of the recent discovery of large deposits of valuable minerals in the undersea basins south of the Falkland Islands. Argentina has replaced its aging destroyer fleet with a quartet of fast frigates based on the LCS-Independence design. One of these ships is steaming off Cape Horn to contest the area against a RN upgraded Type 23 frigate.

The Lost Province, 2017: Nearly 70 years after the Nationalists fled to Taiwan, the PRC leadership has decided that the time has come to retake the island. You are ordered to initiate the invasion with a large air and surface force, supported by a hail of ballistic missiles.

Operation Mole Cricket 19, 1982: During the 1982 Israeli offensive into Lebanon, it became apparent that the strong presence of Syrian SAMs would threaten Israeli air superiority over Lebanon. As Syrian Forces moved even more SAMs into the region, Israeli leadership ordered strikes against the SAM sites. What followed would be subsequently known as the “Bekaa Valley turkey shoot”.

Skagerrak, 1963: A NATO task force must escort two ammunition ships through the Skagerrak Straits to the inlet of Oslo.

Contigency, 2016: France has a long and accomplished history of successfully projecting military power in support of its national security goals from the American Revolution to the current war on terror. It does that by acquiring basing rights and staging small detachments of ground, air and naval forces worldwide that in the event of a crisis are in a better position to impact an outcome while more power is pushed into the theater. This scenario demonstrates the extend and limits of this ability in a series of evolving crises.

The Honduran-Cuba War, March 12, 1968: In 1955 large quantities of iridium were discovered in Honduras. The country, which suddenly found itself in possession of most of the world’s accessible supply of this rare metal, quickly took advantage of its new wealth to become a regional power, purchasing military aircraft, a flotilla of small warships, and even a submarine from the United States. Unfortunately, the newfound prosperity could not solve every problem, and Honduran relations with Cuba have deteriorated since the Communist Revolution in that country. By 1968, tensions with Cuba have reached a breaking point. When a Cuban patrol boat fired on a Honduran fishing boat that had strayed too close to (but, according to Honduras, not within) Cuban waters, a Honduran destroyer first requested it break off its attack. When it was clear the Cubans had no intention of ceasing their attack and that civilian lives were in peril, the Hondurans sank the Cuban warship. Cuba has declared this casus belli and is preparing for war.

The Honduran-Cuba War, March 19, 1968: So far, Honduras is “winning”; while they have lost several aircraft, one of their elderly destroyers, and one of their minesweepers (which double as offshore patrol vessels), Cuba has lost three small frigates and more than a dozen combat aircraft. Cuba has sworn to make Honduras pay for its “crimes against world socialism”. Honduras is concerned about merchant shipping; it relies, among other things, on being able to get the iridium it mines to wealthy buyers like the United States. It also needs to purchase and then transport munitions to replace those expended so far in the war. Of particular concern are the Komar-class missile boats operated by Cuba. Honduras operates a number of older vessels purchased from America which offer significant firepower in the form of naval gunnery but have limited anti-missile defenses.

The Honduran-Cuba War, March 26, 1968: The war continues. Honduras has managed to negotiate an emergency purchase of F-4 Phantoms to replace those lost in combat; in addition, it has assigned some of its elderly but still capable F4U Corsairs to fly CAP missions over the northern coast. The real problem is ammunition–the supply of missiles for the Phantoms is running short. A convoy with badly needed supplies is en route from America. It is essential that at least some of these ships make it to Honduras.

Warthogs Over Latakia, 2013: The 2013 Syrian chemical crisis has escalated into total war. NATO’s initial strikes on Syria’s chemical weapons facilities have proven insufficient, and the downing of several NATO aircraft during the attacks has made the government overconfident. The decision has been made to strike directly at the regime’s army, as losing its conventional strength would mean being overrun by rebels. Two squadrons of A-10 Thunderbolts have been assigned to the task.

The Bridges at Toko-Ri, 1952: The movie “The Bridges at Toko-Ri” was based on author James Michener’s writings as an embedded reporter on USS Essex (CV 9) and USS Valley Forge (CV 45) in the winter of 1952. This scenario is loosely based on the movie. Take command of Task Force 77.9, centered on the USS Essex, and execute defense suppression strikes in support of a USAF attack on the two railroad bridges.

Crimea River, 2016: The winter of 2015 was a brutal one for Russian-annexed Crimea. Due to the collapse in oil prices and continued economic sanctions by the West, the Russian Federation economy was in shambles. In January 2016 dissatisfaction turned to uprising, and the first Crimean rebellion was brutally supressed by Spetsnaz elements. After leaked footage of mass graves was published, NATO was politically forced to take sides. A large strike on Russian military assets in Crimea was planned and NATO assets were assembled. Russia was alerted in time, however, and placed significant forces in anticipation of this attack. Despite Russia’s readiness, the political climate still necessitated direct action. NATO’s strike, codename OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP, was authorized to proceed.

Convoy '88, 1988: This scenario takes place in May 1988, five days into a hypothetical NATO-Warsaw Pact conflict in Europe. Had the Cold War escalated into a shooting war, control of the North Atlantic would have been essential for both sides. For NATO the objective would’ve been to keep the sealanes open and protect the convoys bound for Europe from Soviet submarines and bombers. The Soviets’ primary goal was to close the Atlantic and deny NATO resupply from the sea. Convoy '88 puts the player in the role of Convoy 88-7’s commander for 24 hours. This is primarily an ASW scenario, however a respectable air threat is also included.

The 4th of July, 1989: It is the summer of 1989, and the revolutionary wave of dissent that has been sweeping through the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact Countries has been brutally put down. Soviet military forces on the Central Front have been reinforced, and NATO intelligence is seeing some disturbing movement of Soviet front-line tanks and troops in East Germany. Recent NATO troop withdrawals in Europe have once more made tactical nuclear weapons necessary to stop a possible Soviet breakthrough. The Soviets would also be expected to employ tactical nukes. It is now July 4th, 1989, and the Soviet Union has decided to lay claim to all of Germany.

Korean Campaign, 2018: It is the spring of 2018, and it appears that Kim Jong-un is finally going to make good on his constant threats to launch an attack into South Korea. After upgrading some of his military equipment from China and Russia, Kim has massed over 600 tanks, long range artillery batteries, and infantry units along the border. The U.S. and South Koreans are prepared to launch OPERATION BROAD SWORD, a pre-emptive combined-arms attack on the North Korean Ground Forces. A reinforced convoy is en-route to the port of Busan with critical fighting forces and supplies. The Chinese also have substantial forces in the area, but are not considered hostile as of yet. Can the U.S. and S.Koreans stop the massed North Korean armor before it reaches Seoul, and get the convoy safely to Busan?

White Piano, 1966: Italy and Yugoslavia are mobilizing against each other. Italian intelligence suggests that Yugoslav forces are about to attack Trieste, the important and long-contested port city. A surface group centered on the aviation cruiser Andrea Doria is dispatched to protect the city.

As always, the community scenario pack is available for download from the Command downloads page: http://www.warfaresims.com/?page_id=1876 . The scenarios are also available individually for download on the Command workshop on Steam.

I keep forgetting that this game is capable of more than just naval engagements. I really need to dust this thing off sometime.

[Steam sale! CMANO and Northern Inferno half-price until July 4th

](http://store.steampowered.com/app/321410 )

This looks pretty cool you guys:

Command Live: Old Grudges Never Die

It’s an expansion that apparently models real-world conflicts going on kinda sorta right now. Looks nifty!

It’s just the one scenario? How much is this?

Don’t know and…don’t know. Hopefully @Dimitris can stop by and clarify all this.

Hi guys,

Yes it’s just one scenario per DLC release. Price is TBA but will be pretty low.

This DLC will be accompanied by “v1.11 Service Release 2”, an update to the v1.11 SR1 that we recently made available.

The idea is that we get these made and released following what’s hot on the news and adjust each next release based on the lessons of the previous one(s). When this idea first came up the Syria fracas was by far the busiest subject so it got picked up.

Let’s see if anyone can guess the subject of LIVE #2 :)

I’ll take a stab at it: Chinese takeover of the Spratly Islands.

Command LIVE is announced – v1.11 SR2 released

http://www.warfaresims.com/?p=4352