A Request...Nay:A Demand....:Free Form Deployment....!!!

[doc99]

Genetlemen: would you please allow for for free-form deployment at the start of a camapagin

While it is [was] interesting to strategise with the '39 weaponology and work within its tactical limits it does not allow for the freedom to explore other alternatives.

Give the player the set number of purchase points at the start of the campagin and allow him to create his own Kampgruppen [now,was that a great game for it's time!!] and explore the campagins from that perspective

[El_Condoro]

The first scenario is the only one with this limitation, all subsequent scenarios allow the player to build their own force and place them (within the set deployment hexes). Otherwise, you can play that first scenario as a single-player game to experiment. Not exactly what you're asking for, but not too dissimilar.

[Kerensky]

The starting forces are there for people who may not be familiar with the game. If you have no idea how to play and what assets you need, how can you decide what your core should be comprised of?
For those more advanced players, you can disband your whole core during a deployment phase to have all prestige returned, and then rebuild it any way you like.

EDIT: Enlarged the relevant part.

[El_Condoro]

Hmmm. Yes, and no. You can disband your whole force but you still only start with 969 prestige (on Colonel) because the 1939-45 campaign does not start in deployment phase. Each disbanded unit does not return its value.

[starbird]

I actually prefer the current arrangement. Easy to start, even for advanced players, and more importantly makes later campaign challenging level on track.
Since it really doesn't have a long term effect, except for prestige, just see it as a challenge if it's not your favorite starting.

[doc99]

El Condro is spot-on.......I say there should be the option not to loose any Prestige Points and allow the player to define his own Corps or Battle Group structure

In point of fact the current 1939 scheme is tank heavy , recon deficient, arty deprived and air needy that 4 open slots do not fully address--------and in the later part of the campagin,one needs those well develped units to face the Russian tide

[impar]

For those more advanced players, you can disband your whole core during a deployment phase to have all prestige returned, and then rebuild it any way you like.

And you lose the experience those units had.

[doc99]

Please note--this is not an either/or request--this should be an option open to the style of play the gamer prefers

[WabeWalker]

How did Panzer General handle this?

I have to dust off the cobwebs, but now that I think about it, I seem to recall disbanding my entire army in order to rebuild to my own specification - but was it after the first battle?

[doc99]

If memory serves,it was done in the same fashion

[edahl1980]

How did Panzer General handle this?

I have to dust off the cobwebs, but now that I think about it, I seem to recall disbanding my entire army in order to rebuild to my own specification - but was it after the first battle?

Started with 7 infantry, 3 tanks and a piece of 7.5 artillery.

[Horseman]

In PG disbanding never gave you any prestige back so in some ways PCs way of doing things is better....

One thing that I thought about for those who want to choose their initial starting forces and/or deployment from poland onwards would be to do a bit of modding

Create a scenario, a simple 1 with just 1 victory hex and no enemy units (maybe 1 in the far corner if it wont let you start with 0)

Mod the campaign file to make this the 1st scenario of a 39 campaign then mod poland slightly to give deployment hex's. Work out the total cost of all the units you start with and make that your starting prestige and jobs done....well other than tweaking to get the prestige value in poland right

The only slight advantage you get (other than picking your own force!) is that the 1st 4 purchases you make in poland usually aren't available till turn 2 (they need to be brought and placed in turn 1) and doing this will obviously make them available strait away...

Anyway just a thought

[doc99]

I will try Horsemen's very interesting approach---but really,Gentlemen, can't this be done as a simple choice option at the start of the Camapagin as part of the first patch?

[Fimconte]

You can find a modified Poland map here.

[Kerensky]

I will try Horsemen's very interesting approach---but really,Gentlemen, can't this be done as a simple choice option at the start of the Camapagin as part of the first patch?

No, because it's not as simple as you think it is, unfortunately.

[Molve]

Please elaborate on that, Kerensky - the more information on which you guys based your decisions are available, the easier it is for frustrated players to see your point and understand your reasoning.

In this case, I believe it's the simple case of:

YES, we could start (any campaign) with no units and a big bag of prestige, but NO, that would have made the game completely inaccessible to beginning players and newbies.

(I'm sure both tastes could be served by changing the program to allow a new checkbox at campaign/scenario start, that effectively removes all (core) units from the map for a full refund AND starts the scenario in deployment rather than Turn 1. But I'm sure you can agree this might not be the best use of available coding resources right now; especially since experienced gamers can still get their fix by replacing scenarios with user-made replacements, such as has already been posted here for Poland, in fact. )