Patch Plans

[ungers_pride]

My experience so far has the axis having a easy time of it in the Med as you can pretty much overwhelm the defence by scattering invasions all over the area. Reinforcing north africa ia easy as you can land anywhere,not just Tripoli, of course historically troops were landed at Tripoli for very good reasons. I am not sure what Malta is there for as there is no UK air presence. ditto Egypt, No UK air force.

Some suggestions for the first patch:

1) To prevent the Axis from landing anywhere in North Africa have a strong British naval presence in the Med from Tobruk to Cairo. This forces the Axis player to either engage in costly naval warfare OR to land at Tripoli (historic).

2) Malta should have a very strong entrenched infantry presence and a very strong air presence. Malta should be a very big thorn in the side of the Axis. Any Axis naval movement should be met by British air power from this island.

3) Any British units in Egypt should be event created as I noted above. The longer the Axis player takes to conquer Egypt, the more British units should appear in Egypt via events.

[ancient]

* Manpower levels for the UK

Great, but you might want to take a look at everyone else's manpower levels as well. The USSR also seems to high, and Germany perhaps too low.

[Redpossum]

I cannot agree with the suggestion for event-created reinforcements.

That's just like free units, and should never happen.

[ungers_pride]

I cannot agree with the suggestion for event-created reinforcements.

That's just like free units, and should never happen.

This is for playing against the AI.

Without the AI receiving event created units, then the AI will always be a walk over.

I am talking as someone who has played wargames for 20 years and who has modded games for the past ten years.

This is just ONE way (and an effective way) to get the AI to respond correctly to a player's moves.

Until we see a BIG BLUE AI for wargames, then FREE units for the AI is a necessity. That is, the AI must be allowed to cheat; but to cheat in a subtle, correct way...

[Magpius]

In SC1, when the A.I stormed through Russia, one way to slow them down was to land a token number of units and push toward Paris.
In commander, A.I ripped through the soviets, and I walked all the way to Berlin, without any slowdown of the advance east. Germany surrendered 1943. Leaving Italy to fend for itself.
Surely somewhere in the program code, an alarm bell goes off, if the allies cross the german frontier, or get close to Berlin!

[IanF1966]

I think AI navies should be more active and aggressive -like the allied convoy escorts are but against regular enemy naval units. Currently I have control of the Med sea with no allied involvement.

EDIT:
And also, individual casualty reports for all nations.

By the way, are casualties total of injured + killed?

[syagrius]

Why people are asking for the Siberian divisions? In my two games so far didnt managed to get to Moscow before 1942 or 1943! Maybe I am doing something wrong..

[firepowerjohan]

It depends on how much the game should be dependant on history and how much random or choice for the players to build up their countries how they like. It is not easy.

For example, forcing Siberians to enter in 1941 with a certain quality, some ppl might also say the same should apply for tech that USSR should have T-34 in 1941 and also that certain winters should be harsher or milder depending on how they were in real history.

Depends on how much variety we want. For example, when it comes to diplomacy some ppl also want more what-if capability and some want more historical realism. Some players hate when a game allow you to turn the world upside down as you choose, without regarding the historical diplomatic situation.

We will try to offer more optional rules of course

[borsook79]

Is there a chance of seeing the following things in some later update:

1. 3 player play (i.e. SU separeted from western allies)
2. Partisans not disappearing after conquest
3. Cavalry/paratroopers (not necessary, but for flavour, and yes, SU did use cavalry on corps scale.
4. Diplomacy or other form of decreasing predictability of when countries join the war.

[firepowerjohan]

Is there a chance of seeing the following things in some later update:

1. 3 player play (i.e. SU separeted from western allies)
2. Partisans not disappearing after conquest
3. Cavalry/paratroopers (not necessary, but for flavour, and yes, SU did use cavalry on corps scale.
4. Diplomacy or other form of decreasing predictability of when countries join the war.

We have not made the plans for next patch yet, so we are currently only focusing on the 1.01 patch

[ungers_pride]

It depends on how much the game should be dependant on history and how much random or choice for the players to build up their countries how they like. It is not easy.

For example, forcing Siberians to enter in 1941 with a certain quality, some ppl might also say the same should apply for tech that USSR should have T-32 in 1941 and also that certain winters should be harsher or milder depending on how they were in real history.

Depends on how much variety we want. For example, when it comes to diplomacy some ppl also want more what-if capability and some want more historical realism. Some players hate when a game allow you to turn the world upside down as you choose, without regarding the historical diplomatic situation.

We will try to offer more optional rules of course

Strategic Command solved this problem nicely:

Have lots of toggle options so that players can add to the game the variations that they want.

The Siberian reinforcement issue is important. Stalin held them in the east based on what the Japanese might do. Once he knew that the Japanese would not attack Siberia, he released almost 20 divisions to the west in Nov/Dec 1941.

This should be presented as a toggle option: 1) include Siberian Reinforcements; 2) Do not include Siberian Reinforcements.

If the player opts to include the Siberians then they should enter on a % based RANDOM turn sometime between Dec/41 and Feb/42.

[ungers_pride]

For example, when it comes to diplomacy some ppl also want more what-if capability and some want more historical realism. Some players hate when a game allow you to turn the world upside down as you choose, without regarding the historical diplomatic situation.

We will try to offer more optional rules of course

For diplomacy, things should be historically plausible.

For example, it would be great to see nations such as Spain and Turkey increase or decrease their leaning towards the Axis based on the Axis success rate on a % basis. Maybe even have them remain neutral. This should be a toggle option.

I do not want to see silly things like the USA going to war against the USSR; Britain attacking Holland; etc....

All diplomacy should have toggle options and things should happen on a % based random occurrence.

[ancient]

Germany should start with level 1 in Blitzkrieg, perhaps removing the level of Industry tech to compensate. It just seems more realistic to me.

[sagji]

Is there a chance of seeing the following things in some later update:
3. Cavalry/paratroopers (not necessary, but for flavour, and yes, SU did use cavalry on corps scale.

IIRC the Germans also had 1 or 2 cavalry corps.

One way to simplify the limited availability of horses would be to add the units to the setup, but not add then to the production dialog - so you can't add new ones.

A cavalry would be a garrison with better shock, quality and movement, but no anti-tank.

[borsook79]

A cavalry would be a garrison with better shock, quality and movement, but no anti-tank.

Actually during september 39 Polish cavalry appeared to be an excellent anti-tank force, have a look at the Bzura battle.

Which brings back another issue. I'd just love to see a proper R-M pact with SU units actually taking the land, not just having it from the start. Or a simplified version - as soon as Germany conquers all major cities in their "part" of Poland all Polish units disappear and the rest of the territory becomes Russian.

[vypuero]

Keep in mind, perhaps no one noticed, but rather than Siberian transfer what has been included is a bonus mobilization in October 1941 = 10% This gives them the ability to build more (in addition to the at war +10% they get when attacked). Also, keep in mind Russia does not reach its full production capacity until 1942 which should help give Axis the initial boost, followed by more difficulty after the winter and additional capacity and lend-lease convoys begin to kick in.

[ungers_pride]

Keep in mind, perhaps no one noticed, but rather than Siberian transfer what has been included is a bonus mobilization in October 1941 = 10% This gives them the ability to build more (in addition to the at war +10% they get when attacked). Also, keep in mind Russia does not reach its full production capacity until 1942 which should help give Axis the initial boost, followed by more difficulty after the winter and additional capacity and lend-lease convoys begin to kick in.

The extra bonus is fine.

However, the Siberian Transfer is about much more than just extra troops showing up. It's about whether Japan was going to attack in the Far East. Those troops were in the Far East to deter Japan.

Once Stalin was sure that Japan would not attack (via his spy Sorge) he then transferred half of the Siberian troops west.

One suggestion would be this:

If the game is going to provide the bonus rather than provide the Siberian Transfer, then I would present it in the form of a Toggle Option for the player: 1) Japan attacks Siberia - NO 10% MOBILIZATION BONUS OR 2) Japan does not attack Siberia - 10% MOBILIZATION BONUS.

This way the game gives players the REASON for the bonus and gives a nod towards historical events.

[rjh1971]

Haven't read all the thread, so maybe this has been suggested, it'd be nice to have an indicator on the war readiness for the different countries, what I'm saying is that the game gives no hints wether the USSR is just about to declare war on Germany or not, I have only played one game and still haven't finished it, I started invading the SU in september '41 and I had no clues if I could have delayed the invasion longer and get more units ready to join the attack.

Same applies for Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria...

The USA joined the Allies after december 7th.

[firepowerjohan]

Haven't read all the thread, so maybe this has been suggested, it'd be nice to have an indicator on the war readiness for the different countries, what I'm saying is that the game gives no hints wether the USSR is just about to declare war on Germany or not, I have only played one game and still haven't finished it, I started invading the SU in september '41 and I had no clues if I could have delayed the invasion longer and get more units ready to join the attack.

Same applies for Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria...

The USA joined the Allies after december 7th.

You can wait in fact until October. But, there is no killer decision about the DoW since the USSR will join the war on your axis turn so you will be able to attack them before they move.

[SMK-at-work]

#1 Siberian reinforcements should be included in the game period. It really happened. Stalin transferred about 20 divisions (out of 40) from Siberia as soon as he learned that Japan was not going to attack him. These divisions included armour and infantry and they were hardened veterans, dressed to endure the harsh winter. About six divisions reached Moscow in Dec/41, while the rest took several weeks to make their way by train.

Do you have any references for that split?