The starting forces are too small given the fact that mobilization has presumably occurred. So I edited the 1914.lua file (and a number of the others) for what I feel is a bit more realistic. So among the changes I have made:
One turn = one week, so 231 turns vs 118.
Reduced production accordingly, likewise scripted events timing. So for example the Christmas truce of 1914 occurs on turn 23 instead of turn 14.
Increased research time but not to scale (i.e. I didn't double research time, just increased it).
Winter is rebuild time. Combat penalties for winter warfare significantly increased. Except bombardment.
Added a few cities (e.g. Lille in northern France) and ports (e.g. Beirut in the Mediterranean).
I figured an infantry unit is equivalent to an infantry corps, at least on 1914's scale.
Starting units (cavalry's is in here too but I didn't change any cavalry): Germany, 21 infantry, 2 artillery, 2 air, default navy.
France, starts with 10 infantry but by turn 6 they have 17 infantry (through scripting), 1 air unit and double the navy (essentially a battleship and cruiser in both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic).
Serbia has 6 or 7 infantry plus an artillery unit (plus garrisons). Probably too much but they have to pose somewhat of a challenge to Austria.
Austria has 13 infantry and 2 artillery and 1 each battleship, battlecruiser and cruiser.
Russia has 24 infantry, a few garrisons, and their armoured train for land units. Their navy is a battleship and cruiser in the Baltic, ditto in the Black Sea
Turkey is basically default except I added an artillery unit near Beirut for them. Makes the British work much harder to defend Egypt.
Italy has 10 infantry and an artillery unit. Default navy.
I really didn't change Britain. I think they were okay (good size navy, very small army).
Introduced motorized infantry to replace the armoured car unit (using the armoured car unit graphics) - I'm no good at graphics.
Adjusted some unit stats to make artillery more deadly. Increased base defense on infantry units.
Significantly increased the unit build times and their cost. If one turn = one week, most units require 12 turns to build. Some 16, naval units much more. It shouldn't be cheap or easy to build units, even infantry. Recruitment, outfitting and training takes time. I didn't touch upgrades though.
I also made Garrison units immobile. So my reasoning here is if a garrison unit's purpose is to garrison a city or a fortress then I place them in a city or fortress and that's where they stay. Made them non-buildable and took them off the production panel. I also added Guard infantry units as a unit (using the infantry unit's graphics).
Overall this makes the feel of the game significantly different. Playing the default game I was really tired of the AI building a garrison unit and throwing it into the front line to plug a hole. I mean I get a unit's a unit but that's not what its designed for. Honestly, I have not played much beyond mid 1915. But it seems to play pretty well.
One thing that bugs me though is the production panel. There's room for 16 units. So with the changes I have made I have 15. The panel layout is as follows:
Infantry Guards Cavalry Motor Infantry
Artillery Train Armour Rail Gun
Fighter Zeppelin Bomber Open at location>665, 287 in the grid
Cruiser Battleship Sub Battle Cruiser
I am thankful to the gentleman who prepared the battle cruiser graphics and came up with the idea. I honestly cannot remember his name Xriz perhaps?
So what should the 16th unit be? We can't leave it empty. Assault (e.g. infiltration troops) infantry? Amphibious assault infantry (i.e. Marines)? A naval unit (e.g. destroyers)?
What does everyone think?
Thanks.
I