Not N.O. :)

About a thousand klicks north. Three of the rivers are named for states. :)

This looks a lot like New Orleans...I was stationed in New Orleans.

Each side has forty-two points in armor, and forty-two points in infantry. Do not create one-squad infantry units. Marines can submerge, but it is only temporary, and they cost double the cost of ordinary infantry. Numbers count.

I *told* you this was a massive scenario, in a small space...

The worst outcome for the Paneuorpeans is to get boxed up in the northeast corner of the map. The same holds for the Combine in the southern half of the map. The best crossings are at Chain Of Rocks (rubble hex north of Downtown crater), and across from Calhoun County, sweeping south. You need infantry...

Missile tanks don't have enough reach, and cannot cross rivers. Light tanks are worse than useless. Heavy tanks cannot cross rivers, and thus get boxed in. Superheavy tanks avoid these issues, but draw artillery and GEV's.

The Combine should not place all it's howitzers in the south, as the AI is wont to do. Behind the crater of Downtown, with the road for a hasty retreat, is one spot. Placing more than two in Calhoun County, the northern stronghold, is wasteful.

Half of all points for both sides are in infantry. By hiding in rubble, staging ambushes from behind bluffs, and staying away from howitzers is important. Blocking GEV movement by destroying roads helps. Eliminating roads for howitzers works, too...

The Paneuropeans must eliminate the northern stronghold at once, to break the stalemate. the Combine must try to kill as many heavy units as possible, from said stronghold, and retreat back across the river at Winfield.

Otherwise, both sides face off on the southern end of the map, with mobile howitzers.

An OGRE usually does the trick.

An AI controlled scenario that always finishes within 10-20 points between sides *could * be considered "balanced".

Each side ends with four mobile howitzers that face each other across the river, just out of range, is a common ending. Even after 1500 turns...

This is a massive battle in a relatively small area.

To say the area is key to transportation is a gross understatement.

So, The Combine, and Paneuropeans want it, just like the American Civil War. Very, very badly.

Any unit unable to cross water barriers is at a grave disadvantage. The Combine has only one way in, and out of the city. They get two areas for strongpoints.

If not using OGRES, the AI simulations have proven that infantry, GEV's, and a small number of mobile howitzers are what remains in the endgame. Skillful use of infantry, rubble, and other cover is vital.