Slitherine

Okay, I played several campaigns now and here are my suggestions for improvements:
1. The research model is too simple for me. Compared to other operational/strategic level wargames (HoI2, SC2) the tech levels are reached too soon and there are too less. I'd love to research on an on, but once your fighters, tanks and ships are at max level (around 1943) the research isn't any good anymore. Since research is a big motivation (what if I get those V2's or even an atomic bomb in 1945?).
2. Too few unit types. I want at least to see paratrooper (could be like corps but more expensive) units, perhaps cruisers and perhaps engineers or at least a tech, that gives some troops engineering possibilities.
3. DIPLOMACY!!! It is disappointing, that the only way (as an axis player) to get, for example, spain, is to attack spain (the same is true for every other country, even if historically befriended). Although historically there would have been under certain conditions a possibility, that spain would join the axis. OR if no diplomacy can be embedded, then at least some probabilty checks, like: IF France AND England conquered THEN x*% chance per turn or month THAT country XY (for example spain) joins the axis.
4. No fixed joining dates! When playing against the AI it is simply too easy when you know when Italy will join or when Russia will attack (if not attacked before). For example the russian DOW against the axis should depend on some factors and again there should be probability checks for this.
5. Big mistake: as an axis player I am not allowed to DOW Switzerland (and Algeria or Morocco too I think). That is a big fault since historically the germans made at least 4 invasion plans for Switzerland. This could have made sense during the campaign against France, when ther was a (small) option to pass through Switzerland instead/or in addition to Belgium and the Netherlands.
6. Interface too slow. I would prefer an option to turn the animations of the units off and to get instant results since this slows gameplay very much!

Okay, these my suggestions so far.
Please comment.

Hmmm... for Research, we actually think it is too slow now - at least for the Allies, because they need to catch up. I would suggest if you play Axis use the moderate to high allied advantage. Makes it tougher, you can buy less labs.

I would like to add units too. I had in mind Cavalry (faster but weaker infantry), maybe Paras but those are hard to account for. Air Transport could allow some minimal supply of isolated units too. Mountain maybe, and Marines - they could have the ability to invade directly. But they would be more important if we have a Pacific theatre game! I was also thinking of Mechanized - like the Russians had, kind of a weaker version of a Tank. Not sure it is needed, but was just an idea I had.

I have a plan for Diplomacy and would love to include it at some point. Unfortunately, the more you add, the harder it is to make the game and the longer it takes to get out, so with 6 or 12 more months they could do more, but they may not be able to afford to! Remember you and I play it as a game but they need to recoup their costs. For now, as it is based on the historic dates, its not all that unreasonable. Oh we CAN change the Switzerland issue easy enough. Have to think about that.

Please don't turn this wargame into civilization V.
Keep diplomacy out of it.
This element, has never been an issue for games like TOAW. Just because other games have gone down this path, does not make it the correct one to follow.
If there are folks out there, where making and breaking treaties is a cornerstone of their game play, perhaps they can use scripts.
I for one would rather develop the A-bomb, V2 techs, etc. than spend precious resource points influencing the turkish foreign minister, so I can pass through the Dardanelles.
my 2 cents

Research concept IMO is very good, especially “No random research” option. I don’t know if it is too slow or too fast but for the first time after long time I don’t have to worry did my opponent reload turn 100 times to get wanted research result in PBEM game.

Diplomacy is another story. IMO it must be in the game but I understood CEAW guys. Just few notices about what diplomacy must have in future:
1. Like in research concept it should have luck factor at minimum. I know, it is hard to make diplomacy without luck (actually, it is impossible – you never know what other side is thinking) but Advanced Third Reich game has this very good solved. Diplomacy is very connected to current status on map, for example, how your neighboring countries leaning or with whom are allies or at war already, units position (if major player have many units at border with certain country, this country will prepare for defense) etc.
2. “What if” possibilities – maybe Spain will join Axis, Turkey maybe will join Allies but “What if” possibilities must be, also, close to reality. For example, IMO, Spain will never join Allies.
3. Far East events – to be more precise, Japan events. For example, Siberian units transfer must be related to them, USA war readiness to Perl Harbor etc .
4. German units in Poland – you must have option that Germany must garrison Poland and related to this units number USSR war readiness will go up or down.

More type of units are welcome but not too much. It will go to micromanagement which we don’t want.

In my opinion Samichlaus is right with EVERY point. CEaE is faaaaar behind its potential.

Ok, thanks for the comments so far. Here my further on thoughts:
1. If Diplomacy is too hard to implement (since it complicates many things, especially the AI) as I stated then at least there should be some probabilty checks. I insist, that without this, the game remains too "static". As long as all actions a player takes in the game have NO influence on what other countries "think" the game remains too simple.
2. Nobody commented my stating about the interface! It is really a big annoyance and it hinders me to replay the game. I just do not want to see those ships moving slowly from a to b, especially not the convoys. There should definitely be an option to turn animations off and get instant results.
Please comment.

There is a section titled politics in the general script file which seems to deal with reducing country morale for DOW's. The variables are set to zero and I don't know what effect changing those values would have.

For me animated movement is OK, even the convoys take only a few seconds to view.