Find a multiplayer opponent here!

[the_iron_duke]

While other Slitherine games have dedicated sections for multiplayer games, Panzer Corps has not even a thread. So I thought I'd create one for players to more easily find a human opponent to play against.

I feel this would be especially useful for players who have created their own custom scenarios, so they can be introduced to potential opponents, perhaps with a link provided to the relevant thread for more information about the scenario.

It would also be helpful for finding an opponent that matched one's level of experience, so beginners can find and enjoy a game against someone at a similar level, while more experienced players can get the necessary challenge provided by another experienced opponent.

So feel free to post your multiplayer challenges in this thread. I shall post mine here, at least.

[the_iron_duke]

My first offering to this thread is the first play-test of a new custom scenario I have made: The Bulldog and the Eagle II. It's set in northern France, mid 1944 with Great Britain vs Germany. It has an unusual game scale in that each game unit represents a company-sized unit in real life (rather than a battalion, regiment, brigade or similar) so the game represents a single British Armoured Division versus a single German Panzer Division (with aircraft support for both sides). The two forces have been researched and modelled to be as historically authentic as possible in terms of composition and organisation. The map is a large 50 x 50 hexes with 60 units on one side and 66 on the other, with points balance between the two armies. The main difference from regular Panzer Corps is that unit purchasing and upgrading is disabled (although points can be spent on reinforcing damaged units). The game uses no mods or alterations - it's for the "vanilla" basic Panzer Corps game.

I'm looking for an experienced opponent for the game to play as the Germans, preferrably a fast player who can manage at least a turn a day on average. I estimate the scenario will take 20-30 turns to resolve. The password for the game is...the code name for the Allied Invasion/Battle of Normandy, June 1944 - Operation [8 letters]. Solve the puzzle and you will have proved your worth (or at least shown that you have read and understood the scenario details and scope and have some interest in Second World War history)! The game is already set up so enter the password to play.

There is a picture of the map along with orders of battle for both armies on this page (further down the page):

viewtopic.php?f=147&t=45032&p=436220#p436220

***Game now taken***

[hugh2711]

I am a relative newbie/beginner looking for multiplayer games. Am on GMT timezone. Can probably do approx a turn a day.

[the_iron_duke]

This multiplayer challenge is for my The Bulldog and The Eagle I scenario, a game unit = battalion game, Great Britain versus Germany, northern France, mid '44. The British forces represent a Corps of three Armoured Divisons and the German forces represent a Panzerkorps of three Panzer Divisions (with additional supporting units and aircraft for both sides).

The map is a large 50 x 50 hexes with 57 units on one side and 60 on the other, with points balance between the two armies (19499 vs 19494 points). The two forces have been researched and modelled to be historically authentic in terms of composition and organisation. To reflect the historical situation, the British are slightly stronger in the air while the Germans have slightly stronger ground forces.

The main difference from regular Panzer Corps is that unit purchasing and upgrading has been disabled (although points can be spent on reinforcing damaged units). The game uses no mods or alterations - it's for the "vanilla" basic Panzer Corps game.

I'm looking for an experienced opponent for the game to play as the Germans, preferrably a fast player who can manage at least a turn a day on average (I can return more than this, if you're a very fast player). I estimate the scenario will take 20-30 turns to resolve.

There are orders of battle (army lists) for both armies on this page, 4th post from the bottom:

viewtopic.php?f=147&t=45032&p=438605#p438605

There's a picture of the map on this page, 5th post from the top:

viewtopic.php?f=147&t=45032&p=439888#p439888

I've already started this scenario twice before and my opponents have both quit after losing their first and second units respectively, so I'm looking for an experienced player who is a determined and serious tactician - a general not a gamer. So, to try and ensure that the scope of the game has been understood, a challenger will have to solve the password question.

So the password is: the British general in command of the ground forces for the Normandy Campaign, mid 1944 [10 letters, lower case]. The game is already set up in the multiplayer foyet so enter the password to play.

***Game now taken***

[the_iron_duke]

I am undefeatable, invincible even. Actually I would go as far as to crown myself the greatest Panzer Corps player, probably of all time...

Are there no expert Panzer Corps players who will dare to knock me off my perch? Are there no challengers to my crown or will reign of tyranny continue in perpetuity...?

I have re-posted The Bulldog and The Eagle I scenario, so see the previous post for details. I don't mind which side I play so I've posted games as both sides. I've already played as the British side but not as the Germans, although the Germans do have the tastier tanks. The British get the starting move. See the orders of battle for the sides' units.

To play as the British, the password is montgomery backwards
To play as the Germans, the password is rommel backwards.

You will need to be a very good player indeed to stand any chance of victory!

***Game now taken***

[LandMarine47]

How about Necromancer? He was once the crown!

[the_iron_duke]

I am hoping my hubris (arrogance before the gods) will be my hamartia (mistake) leading to peripeteia (reversal of fortune), anagnoresis (recognition), pathos (suffering) and ultimately catharsis (purification), as Aristotle would have put it. I need a Moriarty to my Holmes, or a Holmes to my Moriarty. Someone with a kryptonite gun firing silver bullets at my Achilles' heel. A nemesis!

I shall not rest until I have been defeated!

[sn0wball]

@ Iron Duke

Where are your custom multiplayer scenarios to be found ?

[the_iron_duke]

@ Iron Duke

Where are your custom multiplayer scenarios to be found ?

They are in my scenarios folder. There is no requirement for challengers to have the custom scenario on their computer to play, only the game host.

[sn0wball]

Oh, I didn´t know that. I am curious how I will fare. Actually, against someone invincible, even competing is a victory. It´s like playing against Big Tilden.

[the_iron_duke]

It´s like playing against Big Tilden.

I think Muhammed Ali is the more appropriate comparison - float like a Fallschirmjager, sting like a Konigstiger...

[LandMarine47]

Paratrooper King Tigers...... I would cry if I faced that!

[sn0wball]

It´s like playing against Big Tilden.

I think Muhammed Ali is the more appropriate comparison - float like a Fallschirmjager, sting like a Konigstiger...

Floats like a Tiger, stinks like a Grenadier ?

[hugh2711]

I think you would get alot more takers if your map was posted in a forum somewhere. As a newbie to multipayer it is very obvious very quickly that detailed knowledge/familiarity of a particular scenario - specially the detailed knowledge/familiarity involved by designing a scenario; map and conditions/prestige rates gives someone a very great advantage. So if someone is really competative they will avoid custom maps.

For the record: your map is an excellent map

[the_iron_duke]

For the record: your map is an excellent map

Thanks for the appreciation.

The scenario does have an introductory text with the scenario details, like incoming prestige and weather probabilities. There are also links to the map with both armies' starting deployments and full listings of both sides' units. So there shouldn't be any disadvantage in not having the scenario to view in the editor.

In any case, I've posted a link to download the file in my scenarios thread:

viewtopic.php?f=147&t=45032&start=180

[hugh2711]

I think it takes a couple of games with any map to get to know it. Until you have gone through a game or two you dont know where the choke points are and what units work best depending on the threat and also wether to splurge or conserve your prestige. I have just downloaded your map. I will give it a couple of goes on hotseat before i play it again!

[the_iron_duke]

Bear in mind there's no AI programming so the computer side won't do very much. I think they just sit around or advance at glacial speed.

[the_iron_duke]

Here are a couple of pages on military tactics from wikipedia which should be food for the tactical mind.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_military_tactics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mi ... d_concepts

Here are some mistakes that have been repeated by different players:

1) Sending bombers deep into enemy territory straight away. In real warfare it is important to acheive air superiority before serious bombing work is undertaken. Trying to bomb targets straight away deep in enemy territory, near their airfields and when their troops are supported by anti-aircraft guns is suicidal. You might destroy a couple of strength points off a ground unit but that is a small gain for the risk of the loss of an aircraft.

2) Lack of caution with recons. Once one gets to the opponent's half of the map one should expect hostile engagement at any time.

3) Moving units into unseen enemy-controlled flag/town hexes on the front line. This is a real schoolboy error but oft-repeated. I've seen it with recons and infantry trucks - they just get ambushed and destroyed.