Starting this one with best wishes from Jawjah to 'Bama, who took a hefty kicking from the storms last week. I think the tally was 15 dead in GA, with over 200 in Alabama. Stay safe, people. Here's hoping we can now get on with a nice, sunny May!
For those who like such things (me), it is the Historic Roswell Criterium tomorrow. That is a set of bike races, for the uninitiated. I've marshalled for the last few years, but haven't really had time this year, so I'll just go along and watch for a bit tomorrow. Should be a warm, sunny day. Pretty much perfect racing weather.
And on to RO2... play-testing yesterday had the usual mix of good moments and bad. The bad being bugs to be fixed - but that is what "testing" is for.
The good was a very intense MP battle on Spartanovka. The game tipped back and forth over the first couple of objectives, then became a real back-and-forth piece over the 2 core housing blocks. Eventually the defending Soviets (us) were pushed back to holding the final objective - the Town Hall.
We got ourselves dug in and were communicating well, fortunately. I'd been calling in mortars, for tight, quicker fire support a few times - mixed success. But we picked up on a bunch of Germans coming down the village on the right flank - I was Commander and right by the radio. Looked out the window, set an arty target right on the edge of said bit of village - and called down a heavy arty shoot. The longer delay was a little tense, but some fire from a couple of us caused the Gemans to pause and return fire just long enough for the arty to arrive. Multiple flying body parts, even if the plot was just a little close to our own troops!
I was rather enjoying that part of the toan hall and was popping rounds out of a couple of windows, with bullets chipping away at the windows, walls and everything else. Keith was later trying to figure out why I wasn't dead already (bullet penetration) as he'd been hammering away at the windows and surrounding walls with an MG34. The answer - thick stone walls, he was at an angle too - and I had some cabinets inside for a little extra cover. I still picked up one or two minor wounds - and plenty of suppression.
After I'd been forced to duck once too often, someone made it to the wall outside - I could see him bob up and down. Luckily I was already moving when the first German grenade arrived and went out the back window as it went off. After that, things got a little hectic.
End result - the Russians hung on for the win. Somehow!
And I was playing more single player this week, working on the script, playing, writing. At one point (Pavlov's House, in the German campaign, I think) I was struck by the fact that I'd lost everyone else. Both my guys and the enemy. Basically, I'd dived out to one side and flanked in. I could hear the shouting, firing, dying - but was creeping through the ruins of Zablontov's House, trying to find my squad, as well as the enemy. Found a couple, killed them - then was nearly trampled in the rush as we took the place - and the rest of my squad appeared from their hiding places, pounded past me, heading for the next objective.
I was struck by the "empty battlefield" - a reference to John Keegan, if I remember right (go look it up, someone). Firing all around, but no-one in sight. Spooky moments... have I got behind the enemy? Flanked them? Am I about to be shot by my own guys? Oh pewp... there's 20-30 people in this ruined apartment building, all ready to shoot anything that moves. Now, the AI isn't in its finished state yet, but that mix of "empty" battlefield and sudden rushes was something I noticed after that.
Go read up on it: basically, when soldiers aren't trying to go from A to B, they go to ground. Everyone suddenly vanishes into a hole. It was momentarily disconcerting. Now, to those who like to solo/rambo anyway, it won't be a problem - just try not to get trigger-happy (or, worse, grenade-happy) and make a mess of your own guys. This isn't a game where you can afford to kill off your whole team!
See you next week!