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Do incapacitations count as a soldier's kills?

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Uberdave

Rep: 26.9


PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 3:11 pm Post subject: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

(Completed November 2015)

Intro:
Afrika 40-41 by Jim RM2 is a beautiful and rewarding mod that is ambitious in scope and a pleasure to play. It is
one of the few full-scale mods of CC5 that has been realized. Well, almost. The last version is still in 'beta', per its
creator. But it is very fun to play, especially vs the Italians, as they don't quite live up to their horrible reputation in
North Africa. The Strat map was one of the most unique and creative I've seen, and it fits the varying Ops
perfectly. The GC is epic in scope but tends to be a bit over-ambitious, as I grudgingly admitted while chasing
Italian BGs around the sectors, attempting to hold them off with just four BGs until relief arrived late in the game
(too late to really take advantage of their strength and flexibility).

I'm hoping that this one will be among the others ready for porting to CCTLD (or LSA!). hint, hint... :)

Likes:
-Color-coded support icons on the left side on strat map screen
-Has the Rank Mod included!
-Some awesome weapon sounds: Bren (lmg), getting hit through uniform or ricochet sounds (cool),
-GIU is clean, tight, no tearing, rough edges, or mismatched colors
-ITalian uniform colors are well done
-10-man teams!!
-Victory pics on Debrief screen are cool
-Lovely medals
-Some infantry teams are designated with theoretical ranks of leaders (Ex: LMG with Pvt, LMG with Sgt) to detail
their moral/experience level
-Some b/w unit pics are awesome:  Daimler AC, Bren Squad
-Level numbers on buildings have nice font that seems fitting to the NAfrica theme.
-Overall, the original maps are beautiful and superbly consistent. There are only a few flaws and they are
completely tolerable. Some of the best original maps of all CC mods!
-Maps have well-defined shading of hills, depressions, and elevation overall. Love the palm trees, shrubbery, and
vegetation depicted.
-Maps have a great sense of scale (vehicles to buildings, to roads, to infantry, etc)
-Dark silhouettes for BG Leaders without historical pics. Cool!
-Provided Operations look interesting and challenging
-"-1" level indicator in air raid shelter (Tobruk map)...nice detail!
-Customized unit ribbons and details of the BG on teh FPOol screen are  nice!


Observations:
-Mini strat map BG location (red circle) doesn't correlate to appropriate position of 'map detail' screen
-'Italian Infantry Battlegroup' label given to Libyan Division BGs.
-British names.txt is basically the same as the AMerican one.  Could be more diverse to represent British names
and associated Commonwealth nationalities.
-Noticed that there was a Brit tank commander with the name 'Chavez' (lol).
-As with Names.txt issue above, Indian BGs do not have their own Names.txt either. No Rajpoot, Anand, or Jain?
-Some map textures become repetitive (Ex: Sidi Omar)
-Some minor issues with text being spaced too far apart in 'Debrief' screen messages
-BG markers often have a soldier's face that does not clearly indicate their branch of service (armor, infantry,
recon, motorized, etc)
-FOs are coded as mortars (no direct fire needed)...yet later in the game one was not and required direct LOS to
fire appropriately(?)
-A few vehicle graphics look disproportionate (Ex: LRDG Jeep gun is small, lacks detail on chassis; Daimler
Dingo looks like a floating box)
-UK/Commonwealth FOs have good suppressive power but lack killing power (low casualties, as opposed to
Ebro, Kharkov, and Berlin FOs!)
-Some weapon sounds resemble others. EX: Italian Beretta 38A sounds more like a BAR or other LMG (DP, Bren,
VB26, type 96/99, etc)
-Beretta 38A is listed as an LMG (its a SMG)
-Mortars and arty in general seem to have lower kill rates, less lethality than other mods
-The time scale (1 day=1 week) can create some unrealistic travel times
-Garand rifles issued, especially in small teams like the Boys ATR, really stand out and show their lethality.
Seeing 10 kills to their teammate's 2 is not uncommon.
-The variety of armored cars and light vehicles can be difficult to sort through and understand differences without
the aid of the unit point system in CCTLD.
-Forcing the Italians off the Fort Capuzzo map can be difficult! Seems to be a difficult map to capture/secure. Took
me until the PM turn of Day 4 to force the Libyan Div off it. (see pic1*)
-Matilda CS ROF with HE ammo appears to be too fast
-Libyan Omar - tough map to attack from east as the UK!  Also, a dangerous map to attack with armored cars when
enemy has Guns!
-(sound) Command Mark VI Vickers AAMG needs a distinct, loud sound to differentiate from louder Besa coax
-Brit voice file yells "captain" when a commander of lesser rank is hit (2Lt)
-AB40 had 2x 8mm M38 MGs, not 1x 12.7mm
-Most ACs/desert vehicles could not directly target a gun or artillery piece (black circle)...gun as a 'valid target'
must have been altered..


Questions:
-No Polish (Maroszcek) ATRs for Italians??  Would give AT a boost.
-Why does UK have dedicated FO units, while the Italians only have FOs as part of an HQ/command unit?
-Is there a guide or chart showing the hierarchy of Italian ranks and medals within the game? Would be helpful for
those not familiar
-Armored Cars appear to be coded as Tanks, whereas Jeeps/trucks are coded differently. Is this dependent on the
amount of armor the vehicle has?
-Is the default arty barrage set at 150mm??
-How do infantry find such great cover on flat, sandy (desert) maps?  I'm assuming Elements file was tweaked
significantly(?)
-Some sounds are unbalanced with regards to volume. Why is the Boys ATR louder than the 50 cal HMG?
-Daimler AC often appearing as HQ unit in FPool selection screen. Was this intentional?
-Bren LMG issued 560 rounds?? Is this intentional and/or historical?
-non-HQ version of LRDG Jeep has "Commander" with command circle. Is this intentional?
-Command Rolls Royce AC has 2x MGs mounted in turret in b/w unit pic?  Was this accurate armament?
-UK/Commonwealth ranks seem skewed? Has this been checked against the installed rank mod??
-UK recon teams armed with Thompson SMGs....shouldn't they have Sten MkIIs??
-11th Hussars were able to reinforce while 'out of supply'(?) @ Bardia
-What differentiates 'tank' from 'vehicles' when counting kills (silhouettes on Soldier screen?)...I noticed that some
ACs are coded as tanks..(?)
-NO SNIPERS?  At ALL?
-Whats up with the 'red main gun' on the CO LRDG truck?? Was it coded that way intentionally?


Gripes:
-In Scenario editor, Italian 131/CENT is the only one facing left. Among the Allied BGs, 2 RTR 4/7, 6 RTR 4/7,
and 1 RTR 7/7 are all facing the opposite direction as well.
-Some sounds like Italian MGs (Fiat m.35), 50 cal HMG sound weak, underwhelming
-Boys AT Rifle weapon graphic looks like an irregular grey line. Could look much nicer.
-'Daimler' AC is misspelled ("Damlier")
-UK/Commonwealth rank sleeves/graphics tend to fade or disappear into the tan background
-Text for Sidi Omar has misspellings: Churchill is spelled 'Chruchill', and loose is spelled 'lose'
-Libyan names.txt could be added for Libyan Divs. Could also add Libyan flag or unit emblems to give them even
more character.
-Libyan Capoplotone b/w pic is the same as Libyan HMG. Needs it own pic!
-No original music? Seriously, the stock music is used. Americans aren't even present!
-Some 'Squadra HMG' units in Italian 62/115 have duplicate teams, though one is equipped with LMGs (Breda
m30), NOT HMGs (Fiat m35).  Similarly, Camice Nere HMG team is actually a Breda M30 LMG (Cirene BG)
-Italian 47mm ATG could historically be used as an IG, but in the game it's HE use is too powerful/lethal. The
explosion size could be lowered from 4 to 3 as well. Same holds true for Italian tanks mounting the 47/32; HE is
too lethal, explosion graphic too large
-A new GC is sorely needed. I enjoyed the existing one, but it got old chasing the Italians around with only 4-5
BGs on the same maps
-English voice file still refers to enemy as 'Jerries' when fighting Italians
-Boys ATR can hit and disable an IG at 247 m?  Yet when I attempt to directly target, it won't let me (black circle).
Same with the AS37...cant target within 100m! ATR range seems skewed/problematic.
-Turret mounted ATR (Boys) in certain ACs (MH): weap graphic could be improved and accurate
-Duplicate unit pic of AS37 HQ and regular model (though they mounted diff weaps:MGs vs 47mm gun)
-Map 'Sidi Rezegh''; small thumb pic of map on Strat Screen is upside down!


Bugs/Fixes:
-2x CTD, middle of battle (unknown)
-2x CTDs on defensive battle vs lots of vehicles (wreck graphic?)
-1x CTD, middle of battle, 5 mins left (Airstrike?)
-3x CTD when proceeding to deplyment phase (El Adem map...bugs?)
-1x CTD while Idle/stall (?) in deployment phase after hitting 'begin'
(9x total)


GC / Best units:
I completed a Total Victory on the PM turn of Day 23 (of 25). Felt almost as long as the CCTLD Kharkov GC. I
probably played ~100 battles by the time the GC ended (avg GC is usually around 60-70 individual battles, for
example). Basically, the GC consisted of a handful of UK BGs slugging it out since day 7 or 8 against twice as
many Italian and Libyan BGs. No reinforcements (new BGs) until Day 19! First BG to reinforce was the 8th
Hussars on 2pm of the 8th. Although I usually don't like playing as the UK or Commonwealth (mediocre weapons and lack of decent
firepower in early war  :/) this actually turned out to be a factor that made the GC fun. To triumph as the UK, one
must play very conservatively and use the minimal amount much armor and support vehicles to achieve objectives
and defend from the diverse Italian and Libyan formations, the latter of which actually performed decently at
times. Downside was that you are stuck with Hussar/recon BGs containing only recon vehicles and small, lightly
armed teams of UK infantry


Conclusion:
Afrika 40-41 has quickly become one of my personal favs. It inspired me to research and study the Italian army, as
I knew little about them or the region of conflict.  Besides, Afrika is one of a handful of theaters that CC has not
ventured into (except for a sloppy CC3 version). As stated before, the mod looks beautiful and has obviously had
lots of work and polish applied to it. Those are the kind of mods I like. Refined with a meticulous attention to
detail; not to mention engaging gameplay. Afrika 40-41 proved that it was all that and more. Kinda sucks that it
was technically left unfinished (Beta m33.5 or something) and likely abandoned.
Only things keeping it from a '5' are the lack of a complete GC.

4/5 stars.   Very Happy
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Uberdave

Rep: 26.9


PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

...


Afrika4041-GC-BestFO.jpg
 Description:
Best FO
 Filesize:  197.8 KB
 Viewed:  12613 Time(s)

Afrika4041-GC-BestFO.jpg


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Uberdave

Rep: 26.9


PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

...


Afrika4041-GC-BoysATR.jpg
 Description:
Best ATR
 Filesize:  199.68 KB
 Viewed:  12611 Time(s)

Afrika4041-GC-BoysATR.jpg


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Uberdave

Rep: 26.9


PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 3:13 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

...


Afrika4041-GC-M4-78k-Marmie.jpg
 Description:
Best AC
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Afrika4041-GC-M4-78k-Marmie.jpg


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Uberdave

Rep: 26.9


PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 3:14 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

...


Afrika4041-GC-VickersHQ.jpg
 Description:
Best HQ
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Afrika4041-GC-VickersHQ.jpg


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Uberdave

Rep: 26.9


PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 3:15 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

...


Afrika4041-STRATMAP-Finale.jpg
 Description:
finale
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Afrika4041-STRATMAP-Finale.jpg


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mooxe

Rep: 221.1
votes: 25


PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 11:20 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

I really liked Afrika. We had a Mercenaries vs Pzt Clan war years ago using it. It was such a nice refreshing change to Normandy mods. All the new units, new vehicles, FO's and new maps... was a lot of fun. Unfortunately I never found someone to play it online.

My only gripe were some misleading connections between maps. Maps that looked like they were connected actually were not so I made a JPG to detail them in order to plan strat moves.

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Uberdave

Rep: 26.9


PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2016 2:37 am Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

that's a helpful pic...wish I knew that Gabr Saleh couldn't be approached from the east!   Cool

Still hoping someone will take the time to port it to TLD.  I'm just too busy with other CC projects.
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vobbnobb

Rep: 73
votes: 6


PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2016 11:40 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

I want to download these when I have time


My WW2 CC Series TimeLine
http://tinyurl.com/n2vrec5
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alienzombie101

Rep: 17.2
votes: 2


PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 4:21 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

It's funny you should mention you want it ported, because it's next on my list for conversion to tLD format as soon as I figure out an efficient process for doing it while I convert Battle for the Scheldt. Afrika's a great mod.
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reconscout

Rep: 60.5


PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

Uberdave, Thank you for your review of this mod. You have made me interested in trying it out. I usually play COI-CC3 mods but will it a spin when I have time.


that which does not kill you makes you stronger
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Drizzt

Rep: 121
votes: 9


PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:43 pm Post subject: Re: CC5 Afrika 40-41: my review Reply with quote

alienzombie101 wrote (View Post):
It's funny you should mention you want it ported, because it's next on my list for conversion to tLD format as soon as I figure out an efficient process for doing it while I convert Battle for the Scheldt. Afrika's a great mod.


Hi, I'm glad you work in porting mods from CC5 to TLD, thanks. Personally, I have abandoned CC5 some years ago, and many of the new players don't use it. A small suggestion: I can't speak about allied Battlegroups, but in the Afrika mod axis battlegroups surely need a deep reworking. I mean: all the best axis battlegroups that you see there ( armoured and motorized BGs) they are out of the mod timeline (they were not there. They have arrived in the following months).

I'm also glad you are working on porting Battle for the Scheldt to TLD: I have asked this to Pete in past, but him and Buck they prefer to focalize to the creation of new mods (of course, a choice that I fully understand). This is a very solid mod that I really hope to play in TLD in future, because I have never had the time to play it deeply in CC5. And also CC5 Ortona one day should be converted: another excellent mod that I have played very, very few in CC5 (if I remember well, I have abondoned CC5 in that period).

Again thanks for your work.
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