unit size/composition/commands ?

[wosung]

As far I read, units will be corps sized tank-, infantry etc. land units, fighter, bomber air units.

What about sea units? Do they represent multi class vessel fleets? (Cruiser, destroyer etc ) squadrons?

Is there any chance that the units will be formed out of strength points? Or even better: Divisional, air group, ship sized sub units?

Personally I like best the old Gary Grigsby approach in his DOS-games Pacific war, War in Russia:
1 Corps-sized unit per hex, but up to 8-9 subunits (for land, air units. More for fleets) in it. There was no stacking (and no huge stackss like in The operational art of war, heart of iron). You clicked the corps unit and got a window with a list of the sub-units. You clicked the sub units and got a very rudimentary TOE: 1. Panzer Div, 30 Pz IV, 33 PZ III, 27 StuG III, 240 squads, 60 Art, 20 AA.

Only Problem was: Land corps couldn't move after you transferred a sub-unit to them. But that could be changed: 1. Turn Transfer order, Sub-Unit stays with old corps, 2. Turn Sub-Unit is in new corps.

But I like that Organization of units very much: It was elegant and gave details but yet fitted to the strategic scale.

Personally I think when you use this huge, detailed map in Europe at war and rather unspecific corps sized units with no sub-units or strength points, well then the scales won't fit together.

And to put it into another perspective: The product you wanna sell should be unique and distinctive in the mix of it's basic game features and not too near to SC, COS (which both are corps/army sized, no sub-units, ETO grand beer and pretzel strategy).

There still doesn't exist a single Corps sized (with sub units) ETO PC-game, with a non beer'n pretzel approach:

Such a game also could include more differenciated unit commands, unit rules of engagements (like in Operational art of war).

Land commands: defend in depth, counterattack, blitz, concentrate, defending retreat, destroy enemy armor, let the Inf breakthrough, night attack;

Sea unit commands: Escort, Ambush only carriers, Sub attack only against escorts or tankers, harbored strike reserve, hit and run.

Air commands: Escort, CAP, Reccon, interdict, combat support, target oil industry / Pz Divs / FLAK, fly high / medium / low level.

But commands and Rules of engagement dependes on unit size and turn length.

Regards.

[firepowerjohan]

We have thought about abstracting air war, atlantic war, bombing and having a system with unit orders like the one u described. Your idea is good and something we always consider and will consider for sequels or similar games in the future.

In this version though, this is too far from the gameplay we are aiming for.

[wosung]

Thanx for answering so fast

regards