Play as both Allies and Axis

[Talen]

This may seem intensely silly to many but then, I have been called intensely silly before. Would it be possible to include in a patch a way for a player to play both the Axis and the Allied sides? In effect, to turn off the AI? For decades I played board wargames solitaire and find it quite enjoyable. Also, if CEAW could be played solitaire many of the problems, such as little African Campaign, would disappear.

Now, to a couple of generations raised on the idea of always having an opponent, human or AI, the response is, 'but you know what you are going to do, so where's the challenge and fun'. The answer, believe it or not, is you often don't know what you are going to do. You may have a plan, a fine plan, but was it - who? Moltke the elder - who said that 'no plan ever survives first contact with the enemy. I remember that Clauswitz said the same, but at much greater length; Clauswitz said everything at much greater length. As someone said about Shakespeare, 'the Bard is many things, but never brief', and Clauswitz is the Shakespeare of military theorists.

You have a plan for one side which, in a game based on WWII, is often constrained by the parameters of force balance, geography ect. so it will follow the general contours of the real war. For example, in the first 2 to 3 years of the war the initiative is with the Germans (let's quite this Axis nonsense, the Italians were German stooges). You formulate some wonderful attack plan, attack at great odds and get held with high cost because of - Chance. Clauswitz also said chance is the foremost element involved in war. So then you have to reformulate for both sides. Even when playing alone you must constantly readjust. But solitaire play opens up a whole fields of new endeavor that the AI is constrained in because of technical difficulties.

If this sounds silly just try playing a game of chess against yourself. You will be surprised at how curiously pleasant it is to try and outthink yourself(s). But you must be completely impartial and shift your mindset when you go to change sides. Also, playing this way you can use any house rules you want to ad realism.

But then I also agree with the poster who wanted a random map generator. What great fun it would be to test the various Army's and their weapon systems and researchs on a variety of maps. Utterly non-historical but most enjoyable. How would Germany have done if they had been an island? What if the Russians had enemies on several sides instead of one? Better stop...rambling.

[firepowerjohan]

Hotseat mode allows you to target practice controlling both sides, hope that answers your question

[Talen]

Thanks! I know it is trying to have to answer idiot questions like this one.

I don't know much about computers but I do know something about wargames and yours is one of the best I have seen in a very long time.