[WiP] Halfaya Pass (8P) [beta 0.42]

[Playmobill]

Hi everyone, here is the last map i'm working on:

The 2nd Battle of HALFAYA PASS
(May 1942, Libya)

Halfaya Pass map scheme (early pics from previous beta, just for showing the sector layout):


Zoom in the big Fuel point in the canyon intersection, where is also one of the 5 VP.


The current beta is avaliable for beta testing only, i won't post this one on filefront, it has too much work still needed in order to. But, its fully playable and definitly need more testing.. so here is the first beta

I've re-re-upload the map: Download Halfaya Pass (beta 0.42) @ sendspace

Historicaly, this is takes place during Rommel's answer to Commonwealth's Operation Brevity, started few weeks before, in order to cut off the axis support to Rommel's Afrika Korps.
This appears to end in a failure, as Rommel's counter-attack successfully destroyed most of the CW's 8th army in Gazala. (later, the Afrika Korps will be stopped during 16 days, at the battle of Bir Hakeim, an old turkish fort heavily defended by Free French forces, with more than 3000 defensive "fox holes").
The Halfaya Pass, heavily defended Axis post, was bombed during 16 days by CW's Howitzers. Axis was forced to surrender, because all defense weaponry was destroyed by intense artillery.

This is part of a bigger map pack, OPERATION SKORPION (german name of Rommel's response operation in Libya/Egypt) including Benghasi, Gazala, Halfaya Pass, Bir Hakeim, Tobruk.

Please let me know what issues/balance problem you found

best regards,
Playmobill

[Celution]

Your map looks really good mate. Now I'll have to test it for gameplay.

[Playmobill]

Thank you
now I'm re-working on allie's trenches system, to make it more realistic.. (its supposed to be german def reversed, so for now it doesnt looks like it at all.. but it's ok for gameplay, since it now save the Allied AI's ass against angry axis hordes.

- An other known issue (but only in BlitzKrieg Mod) is the hill's cliff rocks : only 1 of the 3 hills has 'solids' rocks in BK-Mod, since BK don't use the impass map editor.. it was a test.. and it appears that i'm forced to use the real hitbox from the rocks in BK-Mod.
So, to fix it, i'm converting em one by one..

[IplayForKeeps]

i love your desert maps, they look hot! no pun intended :x

[Jagdpanther]

Hi @play have tested your map. They looks good, but a little bit pure at the moment. It's better for tank battles than infantry, because of their size, wide open areas and less cover.

One thing I have noticed, the ai is fighting mainly along the passes. So this seems to be a bottleneck.

Anyway, good work mate, even if I like more streetfighting.

[Playmobill]

Thanks guys

One thing I have noticed, the ai is fighting mainly along the passes. So this seems to be a bottleneck

oh ? strange behavior because, i know they do that too, but i also see them flanking very well, especialy on south part.. but i admit i played it mostly on BK-mod, got to check if there is enough interrest for em to flank even when not in expert mode..

For the covers, in fact i must redo the bush near the sides (not the others) because some of em don't have hitbox (the gizmo that give the light cover) because of a stampin mistake of me.
Anyway infantery will be good with it, because i didnt have finished the defenses yet (trenchs network is still missing on 2 hills /3, and allie's side need a smarter design).
But yeah, this map was originaly dedicated to deadly tank battles..

[Jagdpanther]

The bottleneck is of course extremly in the northern region, because there is only one pass, in the south there are two of them. Shame I had not made an screenshoot.

I was playing it with my own mod, so I can see, if all the things will work for me. Even the building of an advanced base by the ai works well, so the resource design and landscape is ok. But the ai produces more tanks and rocket launchers and none of the infantry units, except engineers to repair and recover the tanks and (re)capture points, than normal. It's the first time that I have seen it so on a map. Normally it's balanced or vice versa.

[bmbpdk]

the download link is broken, can you post a new one?

[Playmobill]

Yes, it looks like sendspace lost the file oO (they don't say that the file doesn't exist)
i'll reup the file asap

[Celution]

here is the last map i'm working on

You mean latest map or is this going to be your last one?

[cyhyryiys]

looks nice hope to see a dl link soon

[Playmobill]

Hi guys !

I've re-uploaded the map: http://www.sendspace.com/file/i2qw8h

[cyhyryiys]

thnx alot

[Aidas2]

Played it and It's awesome! Very big and open terrain, perfect for tanks. Spotted a few issues though.

I think the picture speaks for itself here.


This place could use more detail, rubble, random props around.

The hq's for both teams could use more detail to, now its just buildings with nothing around.

Other than that, haven't spotted anything else. Looks great, hope you finish this up and create more awesome desert maps.

[Playmobill]

@Aidas2 : Haha indeed 1st pic doesnt need more explaination xD
ill check that weird point.. Yes i plan to update the map, as for Gazala.
+ both will have a new athmosphere cycle (i've worked on last weeks and i need to finish all phases to complete the new day night cycle.)
I've remade the athmosphere because its supposed to be desert, so hot sun feeling has been reinforced, and night will feel darker and colder than now.
hope the change will provide a better immersion

[Aidas2]

Can you make separate atmosphere settings to? Day, Night and The one that changes from day to night? Will be best I think.

EDIT

Can you remove the Nis intro aswell? It gets very annoying to watch it every time you play it and it lags. Or atleast give the option to skip by pressing spacebar or something.

[Playmobill]

The problem is that let the player choose its athmosphere settings will only work in a mod and won't be visible in vcoh : custom maps have to be include in the game to activate this choice. Otherwise, the choice will be skipped and only the 1st choice of the list will be shown.
For the NIS intro, it will be removed : because if intro is used, no victory condition can be selected, due to the scar file.. so i go no other choice to remove the whole intro

[Aidas2]

Maybe you could make the atmosphere settings in Gazala similiar to the one in Halfaya? Because now it almost glows in red. While Halfayay looks perfect.

[Dartborne]

download link --> missing file

[Playmobill]

oops.. ill fix that tonight when ill come back at home

[silence1978]

Would like to DL this map... can I?

[irogue]

Hey there great looking map, i wish to try it out and give some input but the map is not availabel to download, could you please re upload it or find a different host perhaps mediafire will do?

ty

[Playmobill]

file re-uploaded