al-Basrah river crossings and bridges

[Outlawz7]

By now, everyone knows that the British can cross the small river separating the city from the airport over the small ford at NE bridge (F3 I think) or cross the two fords on the east side of the map.
So even if the Insurgents blow up all the bridges, it doesn't matter as GB usually always uses the fords.

However if British blow up the bridges to palace, the Insurgents have no ability to repair them or any sort of alternative crossing (aside from using the boat) making the map a bit unrealistic and unbalanced.

So this is what I'm suggesting: remove all those fords and widen/deepen
the rivers so vehicles can't cross giving the bridges a major strategic value.

Short, the British should be screwed and forced to keep a bridge alive if they get all blown up.
To counter that, it should take 2 C4 charges, 4 IEDs or 8 Slams to blow up a bridge section so one man engineers/ambushers couldn't blow up an entire section by themselves.

Discuss.

[Big Lebowski]

Not much to discuss. I totally agree.

[Polden]

+5

[arjan]

Not much to discuss. I totally agree.

What he says

[Rudd]

agree

but perhaps this?

just kiddin

[LtSoucy]

i agree, its unfair, or they could just give the insrgents a crossing. ;D

@Rudd:You fool.

[Drav]

yep, agree too....

[Sabre_tooth_tigger]

Good point imo, its unrealistic to expect the british force to be isolated by a few blown bridges where as a riot of rag tags should easily be locked down, its totally unfair but absolutely correct to the type of battle simulated

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers - British Army Website

This is one of the reasons why the insurgents get 10000 tickets and the brits get 150. If you think the map plays unevenly, complain about that

agree

but perhaps this?

just kiddin

[00SoldierofFortune00]

Insurgents kind of already have an advantage on this map without their vehicles, and everyone knows about the crossing, so I would say it is an easy spot for the insurgents to ambush. Give the insurgents a river crossing and their vehicles will be unstoppable. They already have other vehicles around the Mosque.

[SleepyHe4d]

I was about to agree but then I read this post that brings up a good point.

This is one of the reasons why the insurgents get 10000 tickets and the brits get 150. If you think the map plays unevenly, complain about that

...and now that I think about it it's fine as it is, insurgents are already the easier team to play as and win a lot of the time because of that. Okay, well actually it couldn't hurt to remove the land bridges since the British team can repair but we don't need to give the insurgents any.

[Dunehunter]

I'm in favor of this. Shouldn't be too hard to repair the bridges if you have a challenger standing guard over you anyway.

[Defiyur]

Yep. Also the idea of "repairing" a bridge with a wrench in battle is obviously absurd. So if PR wants to take realism to the next step getting rid of the miracle wrench should be an eventual goal. That mobile tracked extend-O-bridge dealy actually would be ideal as a replacement. It could be destroyed as well but would respawn like any other vehicle (not too long not too quick respawn) so there would always be the possibility of crossing and the great incentive not to get the thing toasted. Commander could even build firebase around it and make it a defense point as well to protect it.

Also since this is about Al Basrah maybe I can save making a thread just for 1 thing: The merlin. The thing only holds like 6 passengers!! WHAT? Do they need jumping jack room or something?

The military version of the EH101 can accommodate up to 24 seated or 45 standing combat troops and their equipment.

How about have it hold 2 full squads? Would make air drops all the more potent and devastating to the insurgents if done right. If done wrong however LOL, I can imagine the fun drop gone bad everybody wiped out etc, lol.

[GR34]

If possible why not make the insurgents able to fix the bridges with say a min of 4 civs working on it at a time.

[Sabre_tooth_tigger]

The insurgent shovel will repair the minor bridges. The insurgent bullet in the head of the british engineer will enable them to repair any other major bridge

...and now that I think about it it's fine as it is, insurgents are already the easier team to play as and win a lot of the time because of that. Okay, well actually it couldn't hurt to remove the land bridges since the British team can repair but we don't need to give the insurgents any.

Yep I agree

Also since this is about Al Basrah maybe I can save making a thread just for 1 thing: The merlin. The thing only holds like 6 passengers!! WHAT? Do they need jumping jack room or something? How about have it hold 2 full squads? Would make air drops all the more potent and devastating to the insurgents if done right. If done wrong however LOL, I can imagine the fun drop gone bad everybody wiped out etc, lol.

Check the sticky for this sugesstions forum and you will find this has allready been talked about dozens of times over the years, it its impossible for any bf2/pr vehicle to carry more then 8 apparently.
You can walk your second squad onto the merlin, stay standing and tell the pilot to fly forward at the grand speed of 5 units

[Defiyur]

Check the sticky for this sugesstions forum and you will find this has allready been talked about dozens of times over the years, it its impossible for any bf2/pr vehicle to carry more then 8 apparently.
You can walk your second squad onto the merlin, stay standing and tell the pilot to fly forward at the grand speed of 5 units

Damn. I guess there is no workaround like merge 2 "vehicle" shells into one model or something. This bf2 engine is really starting to piss me off. I guess the un-elegant solution would be to put 2 merlins in the map but still not ideal.

[Conman51]

well i think on all maps there shouldnt be any land crossings exept for a few...and if a bridge goes down an engi cant fix it or it takes A VEERRRYYY long time to repair it even w/4 engineers..or make it so they need a suply crate or 2 to repair it..kinda like what u need to build fire bases...but now ur building bridges

[Sabre_tooth_tigger]

Apart from the crashes I think its a brillant map and could play well, like qwai its great for its asymmetric gameplay style. Such a pity this map is not played properly


2 supply crates to repair aint such a bad idea.
It would take alot of materials as well as effort to repair a bridge and instead of boring 'press left button for 5 mins to simulate bridge building' effects, the prerequisite of supply trucks and crates and the necessary securing of the area - yep great idea

[LtSoucy]

Ya 2 crates, 2 engis. Or you could do 1 commander truck, and 2 engis. It would really increase realism and make it so you have to really keep CO trucks alive.

[Cyrax-Sektor]

The insurgent shovel will repair the minor bridges.

The civilians don't have shovels anymore. We now have to take a standard Brit kit to repair the minor bridges.

I like the idea of two crates, but then how would the Insurgents repair their bridges with a Brit engy kit? Make them special so they don't need the supplies like Militia don't need a Command Post?