REAL WORLD EVENT

	GAME INFO

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This mission was created from both documented accounts of the event and direct communications with the Marine personel involved. Since Capt. Chontosh received the Navy Cross for his actions, we were able to find a variety of official descriptions of the event. We then made direct contact with Capt. Chontosh who became an extremely valuable resource. He described everything from the time of day to the locations and reactions of the enemy forces. We started with sketches of the berm and trench layout and created a quick mock-up and a list of design topics. We passed this information and our screenshots back to Chontosh to get his comments and feedback and the next level of mission details. Initially, because of the width of the trench, the plan was to make this mission exclusively single player. However, Chontosh insisted we tune the AI path following and expand the trench layout to add his two fellow Marines, Cpl. Thomas Franklin and Cpl. Armand McCormick, to the game. His desire was to help bring to the forefront the bravery displayed by the group as a whole and not have their courageous efforts be overshadowed by his individual role and the recognition he received for being honored with the Navy Cross. As the mission gameplay evolved, we invited the three Marines to the Kuma New York office to review the mission firsthand and to film the Kuma News video. At this time, we gathered their final comments and integrated them into the mission.

Captain Chontosh provided more firsthand information than we've ever had before to recreate a mission. He drew annotated sketches of the trench and provided both pictures of the area and of his fellow Marines. We based the characters' custom textures on high resolution head shots taken of all three guys - Capt. Chontosh, Cpl. McCormick, and Cpl. Franklin. He also gave us video from the day of the battle captured by Ross Mata, who was in a convoy supporting Chontosh's vehicles. But, most importantly, he gave us a step-by-step account of the events of the day; detailing everything from the clothing they wore (MOPP outfits with tan Marine helmets) to the type of debris in the trench (moldy pita bread and tea pots). The player(s) begins the mission after the group has run their HMMWV directly into oncoming fire from an RPK emplacement located at a breached section of the roadside berm. The enemy position has been neutralized, and it's time to enter the trench, heading south outflanking the fedayeen ambush. Some of the details may have been lost, as one of our "meetings" started in a steakhouse in NYC and finished several establishments later well past our bed times. But, fortunately, Chontosh and his comrades offered more than enough information to make "The Road to Baghdad" one of our most accurate missions to date.

As for playing this mission in multiplayer, Capt. Chontosh would not have been associated with the development of this mission without our integrating his two Marine comrades. Both Cpl. Franklin and Cpl. McCormick acted heroically that day in March. So keep in mind your role in the mission. It's the job of each player to use his weapon wisely and be on the lookout for discarded enemy weapons.