PowerGmbH

Dont worry guys! our Heads are (at least mine) are smoking a lot ( really smoking from thinking), in order to create the best possible Global War feeling, hehe

Well I would prefer Tiles, but not ISOMETRIC map style, No REAL CHESS Form Tiles. THIS would be the Original!

Well why not more than 1 Tank ? at least you can imagine The same European Map, only that all Cities are 4 Fields instead of one. WHAT type of units you "PACK" in this city is fully your decision, you can put 4 x A-Air if you prefer...or 4 x Tanks...

Editor: Current Synopsis: 4 Units can go inside 1 Field Design Summary: Units are reduced in scale in order that 1 Unit takes only 1/4 of one field. the onsequences: Battles over Cities greatly Improve, as to take a City there must be taken all the 4 Fields of this. ( Villages will be respectively only 2 "part-Field" I.e. by invading to Stalingrad, Russians put 4 Units in the City, and Axis forces must pull out each of them to get this city. A city with only 1 Unit inside can get attaked form all 4 sides as there is a Middle Standing Point coosable. Other Solution could be that a Unit can Either CONCENTRATE on 1/4 of the Place, or make a LINE on 2 or more "part-Fields" of one single Field, causing less defense value for this steched line. this means Stacking will not more interisting. Problems: all new Programming and Units shall be Formable to lines, maybe difficult to handle.

Engine: Current Synopsis: "Total War" Effect Design Summary: With cetrain circunstances the Engine Asks for the if you want to declare "Total War". The Circunsctances could be: 1)Germany doesent Accept the "Vichy Treaty", so France can Declare it. 2)Germany Invades Britain 3)Germany Takes Moscow 4)USSR stikes back and takes 2 ( or 3?) Cities from Germany 5)USA is invaded in Pearl Harbour The Effect could be: Not only The country gets maybe 1 HQ and 3 Corps + 1 Army extra, BUT: the OWN Citys (with Strength 10) are reduced every turn by 1 without recovering (means 5 rounds reducing up to 5 ) and the effect is that the MPP during these rounds are Multiplicated by a certain Factor, i.e. 2. This Means if Germany gets 345 MPP per round, this would mean the next 5 rounds it would receive 690 MPP and then would be reduced to 50% for the 6 th round up to the 10th. Contra: ?

Arago234 & xwormwood: Britain had still not "total" war. Also Axis forces only put a Total War effect by 43 and then with the Volksfront. So for shure if Britain would be in Total War there would be a possibility of MINIMUM a HQ as well a 2 Corps, if not more. In case of France it s another thing: This is tha Land of Cheese and Wine, and population support for the War was rather ugly. so not so much to expect from there. Anyway it could have been, that if the Vichy System would not have been created, that the Resistance would have taken more effect, by continuing the War effort by also some Home-Guards.

Just beacause of the "freaking" effect of Britain beeing successfully invaded by Axis, i would suggest a "Home-Militia" for UK, as it is for USA. I.E. when only 1 Axis-Unit lands in UK, the Engine produces a Bunch of Corps and Army Units supported by HQ. this i think would also have been done historically. So after the Pop-Up of 4 Corps 1 Army and 1 HQ, the Famous Sealion would be realitically more difficult. Its not for nothing that Axis forces did'nt try the invasion. more realitically this was as impossible/difficult as an Invasion in USA...

Lars: well taken in general point of view all war effort is insane. But a chess game is not, as is not the SC Strategic Game. So on the Base, i think with the Special Forces "Brandenburger" or the British "SAS" its enough. These are at least only Option Units. The Strategic deployment of Bulk Units Like Armys and Tanks should determine the "Winner", not a "Rambo", "Tanya" or any "007". I think the Global Interest in these Special Units should not be the Attac Factor, but more sth like the reconaissance Factor or some "Afraid" Factor. I Even would Suggest Following: Engine: CURRENT Synopsis: Readiness Reduction by Special Forces DESIGN SUMMARY: All Ennemy Units in 1-2 Fields Range around the Special Unis ( Brandenburger / SAS, MI6 , MARINES etc. ) receive a: Rediness Reduction of 15% in the First Line and 5% in the Second Line, when The Special Forces have a Strength Value more than 5. Problems: Programming maybe difficult due to moving of these Units, so how to calculate readiness when the Units just arrives from 2 field behind the lines?

I thougt Something similar: I.E. SWEDEN ( YES Sweden, neutral ) permitted Axis forces the Transfer of about 1 Corps from Narvik to Finnland. This also could be represented when a Minor gets over acertain activation( 50%?) , the Parent mayor can use (maybe parts ) the Territory.

emf: WOW that s a great idea. you mean i.e. if you put 75 MPP ( 1 chit ) on Romania, when Romaia joins Axis, then Romaia gets a "Starting-Capital" of 75 right?, really good enhancement. But, i.e. Britain sends 3 Chits to Spain, and Gemrmany and Itally 5 and 3, then if Spain Joins, would this whole bunch of MPP go to spain, means ALSO the 225 MPP from Britain? this could be a Real Challenge for a Player regarding the fact the MPP could go to the ennemy side... The consequences could be to let a country "go" instead of investing in the opposite direction, and maybe better invest in an other neutral COuntry. To solve this "problem" could be to reduce the ennemys "contribution" to a minor activated country by , say 50%, i.e. Spain would get 112MPP

John DiFool the 2nd: Well Italy was very interested in Abyssinia, Somalia and some Territory over there. Countries around this Battlegroud are not on the map. I dont think that a Vichy Tunisia, or Greece, or any other country would tend towards Italy as a minor. But the idea that the one who puts the Political Input gets the Political outcome is almost realistic and would be good, really even if it is "only" Italy...

Another New Idea: Engine: Current Synopsis: change convoy Routes Design Summary: in the Convoy-Window, the Allied ( and Axis Player ) can click on the convoy Route, and set Manually another Route ( from a prepared List ) I.E. he clicks the Canadian Route ( where the Axis Boats where Raiding ) and sets the Route Number 2, so on the Next turn the Subs "Raid" on a Inactive Line. This will represent the flexibility of Allied Convoy lanes which where not statically passing "through" Sub-Raiders. Maybe Set a Maximum of 2 or 3 Convoy Lines so that the Axis Boats can in case of superiority raid all of the 3 option lines. The Same would even on a mayor Scale Work for a Global-Map. Problems 1: Maybee too easy for Allied Player to evade Axis Subs? Problems 2: ??

Some Additional Information for the AUXILIARY CRUISER Project: ENGINE: Current SYNOPSIS: Auxiliary Cruiser (i.e. Famous Atlantis Aux-Cruiser in the Pacific) DESIGN SUMMARY: A new Ship that has following Specification, for Programming: 1) This Ship is a type "Submarine", same Engine Procedure for "Raiding and Silent". 2) Attac Values: All Zero only Naval Attac = 1 Defense: All Zero. Moving Points: Same as Transports. 3) Cost: appx 60-80 MPP ? 4) This Ship has a Special Supply Rule: Normal ships out of Supply go down 1 Supply Point by Round. This Ship goes Down 1 Supply Point every 2 Rounds ( so in a 24 Rounds = i.e 1 Year Campaign , this ship could stay out of any Harbour about 20 Rounds without beeing Completely out of Supply. 5) This Ship is to be a Supply Base for Adjacent Units. This Means: This Ship (as long as its own Supply is >0 ) gives a Supply Value = 4 all around itself. The Idea of this Project is for Submarines to have a "mobile" Supply Base similar to a Land-HQ but only giving Supply no Reparations. 6) A possible Layout of this Auxiliary Cruiser is like a single "Transport" Unit. 7) THis Unit When Raiding MPP from the ennemy gets 50% of the Raided MPP as Own Value accounted, (i.e.Raiders got Ships captured and Sent home, as well as valuable cargo.) This Unit could be Specially Interisting in Pacific War Scenarios or whenever the Whole World with it s endless Oceans is the Game Zone. Historically Interisting is The Background of the Axis Auxiliary Cruisers that where Laying Mines in Australia, and Bombing Industries in Far away Pacific Islands Like Nauru. Problem 1: Maybe one more Ugly Units the Axis Forces may use against Great Britain...But Britain Can as well... Problem 2: None.. should be easy to Program and nice option as cheap Marine Unit helping Subs. [ January 17, 2008, 07:54 AM: Message edited by: powergmbh ]

To Timskorn: I would suggest to do the "marine Unit" in a Easier way: When your Army Corps Tank or Whatever Unit is besides a Port, you can choose between: 1) Transport (normal as ever) 2) Amphibious Transport (as allways) 3) Amphibious Marines (new: same attac values as if the Unit would be on a land-field) 4) False Flag Transport ( see my proposal in this thread) By this Options menu the Marines can attac from their Ships, i think it is easier for Hubert to Programm, and most of all tis is SIMPLIFICATING. because at least a whole bunch of new Units have to be bought, and at least i am personally not soooo much in favour of too many "Special" units, not forget about that each unit needs it's square to be placed... Why not simply ENHANCE the capacity of existing Units making enable them to some "Multi-Tasking"?

ENGINE: SC2 WAW SYNOPSIS: Surface Raider and/or Supply Sub DESIGN SUMMARY: A unit called Supply-Ship or Surface Raider, that has the fuction of a "mobile-Port" similar to Land-HQ, and supplies allways a Supply of 4 to adjacent units. Itself is a little like a "Ghost ship" or invisible like a Submarine, but maybe have a small attac capacitiy about 50% of a Destroyer, specially towards transports. This may be interisting for a Axis Player. and Specially interisting Historically as Surface Raiders and Supply Subs where used by both Japan and Germany. Problem: How to calculate Supply for the Supply-Ghost-Surface-Raider-Ship?

ENGINE: SC2 WAW SYNOPSIS: False Flag Operations Design Summary: a Player (Specially Interisting for Axis ) may have the option to Transport a Land Unit under "Neutral Falg". The Options menu on the Harbour then offers: Transport / Amphibious Transport / False Flag Transport This is specially Interisting fox Axis Player in a Global Campaign, as Germany and Japan are far away one from the other, and this could prevent a Attac in the UK/Allied Controlled Atlantic or Pacific. On the Other Hand it could be Interisting for Allied players in case Axis Subs Raiding gets TOO strong to have a secure transfer from Canada to Braitain f.ex. COnsequences: if the Ennemy attacs the "neutral Transport", the Neutral Country gets ready a certain percentage (i.e. a random between 15-35%) in direction of the attaked player. So the ennemy shall think well before sinking the "poor-neutral-transporter" Also the Player when choosing a Neutral nation can only choose between some Neutral that allready tends in one or the other direction (i.e. Finnland or Spain for Axis, and Venezuela / Mexico or Greece for Allies ) PROBLEM: i see only advantages, also think it is easy to programm [ January 08, 2008, 06:12 AM: Message edited by: powergmbh ]

ENGINE: Current Synopsis: Carrier and Light Carrier Approach Design Summary: A Light Carrier Gets one Attac Per Turn and may have a little less Attac force for Specific units. A Heavy Carrier Gets 2 Attac Points per turn and about 25% more combat power. Light Carriers may be about 40% Cheaper than heavy ones. Problem: n/a , or any contest?

ENGINE: SC2WAW Synopsis: Independent Minor States. Design Summary: Specific Minor Countries (not all) get their MPP separatedly. For Finnland this Means Finnland gets its Own MPP and mut with these supply and reinforce its Own Army. China Gets Its Own MPP and must Reinforce from Its Own MPP. THis doesnt mean that Units form Other Nations are not supplied in this country or These units are out of Supply in their Parents Country. Specific MPP Transfer from Parent should be possible, but done with Transports ( Specially in Case China-Supply, in order to do a Realistic Asiatic Scenario ) or with a Sporadic Convoy. In EUropean Nations i.e. Romania or Canada this would result easy, while in Distant Partner-Nations i.e. Iraq , CHina, Finnland this may Result mor difficult with possibilities for the Ennemy to cut the supply ( specially Interisting in China and Asiatic Regions as well as Middle East. Problem: What type of Help can the Parent nation sent to the Independent? Will it be in Form of a german Corps walking to Finnland and Change Coulor to Finnish ? WIll it be a Convoy line? that s not really apropriate... I think the Easiest way would be in the COnvoy Window, to have a Little WIndow Opening that asks: how much MPP you want to send to CHina (Capital Kunming) Transfer Cost are: xx This Transfer Cost is Calculated on base of the nearest Port or city from the Sender ( for China case this may be: Rangoon ) to the nearest city of the Receiver ( in Cina Case this is Kunming ), aditionally to represent Burma Road or The Hump or the Railway: if there is a railway the Cost is very low, on Road this cost is the Road-Fields distance multiplied with a Cost Factor, and if there is NO Road nor Rail, there is the Distance by a AIR_LIFT Factor which may be some more Expensive Transfer cost than Road. i.e. The Hump Transfer ( no Road nor Rail Link availabe ) means by air transporting i.e. 50 MPP to CHina costs 25 MPP, while sending 50 MPP via Burma Road costs only 12 MPP and Via Rail costs 5 MPP. Waht about this? Problem 2: the Independent may have very low MPP and need constant "parent" help ( as it was Historically...) [ January 08, 2008, 02:50 AM: Message edited by: powergmbh ]

ENGINE: SC3 Synopsis: Solution to Political Constellation, due to historic background, necessary for a real Global Campaign Design Summary: China (and Vichy-France) specially as well as Great Britain should have the possibility of being at war only with one of the Axis Partners. THis also would be the Case For Russia and Commonwealth. I.E. Australia at war witrh Germany but Not with Japan, and China at war with Japan but not with Germany. Solution: Each Allied Minor gets activation Percentages towards each ONE of the Axis Partners. Same for Axis Minors. That Means in Effect: the Setting for the minors is not only a General Activation towards Axis or Allies, but an Activation Towards Britain-Allies or US-Allies, or in Axis Case i.e. Hungary towards Germany only. When then a Minor COuntry is Fully Activated, a Script may enforce its avtivation towards other Axis or Allied Parent. Problem: A Axis Minor COuntry could get Fully Activated towards Germany, but could be as Well be Fully Activated towards USA at the same time. Problem2: It s only Historic Background, and at least it s not a Politics Game but a Strategy Game

To Dr Matt Lamb: Well the Part Activation is almost a LOT more Complex than it seems at first Sight. Look for example this Historic Background: French Indochina had a Railroad Line From HANOI Port to Kunming. Now China at War with Japan Received British "Help" Say MPP via French Indochina ( a Vichy France Neutral but orientated to Axis Partner ). THis was the Reason for Japan to Put Pressure on French Indochina. After this Railway was cut down, Britain delivered "MPP" via the Famous Burma Road ( that s the line: Rangoon-Mandalay-Kunming ) Now Bruma ( British Colony at war with Germany but not with Japan, is "used" for MPP Transfer to CHina. Also a VERY COMPLEX situation. ANd after that via AIR-Convoys in The Famous "the HUMP" . Now hot to represent this VERY complex situation in in the Game Engine? which are the NEED`s and which are only the options? Not forget that Russia sent over to China Military Aid (of reazonable Value, not only some tanks but real Help ) but Russia is NOT "Parent" of China... in case of China the best approach would be to have China having only the MPP it really Produces, and shall become MPP by some "LAND-CONVOY" and this shall be only possible through "POSITIVE-NEUTRAL" countries or in Case Of Russia by Road connection. But then the question is: HOW to make a Convoy Raider on a land Tile ( like Submarine Raider on Seatile ) ???? Shall this be some Special invisible units? i must say this Asiatic scenario and its Complexitiy caused me really some headache.... European Politics is by Miles easier to represent even if vichy France is also not really correctly implicated.

To Dr Matt Lamb: Well it is a fact, that some countries where in war with only one Axis Partner ( Case of Britain / Commonwealth ). Must admit the solution offered was only to "imitate" the Historic Background more or less following the Game Engine Possibilities. I would also be in favour of "Part-Activation" of Countries, so they may be in War with only ONE part of the ennemys. On the Other Hand, The Ruassian-Japanese Border could be seen as a "Decision" to make for a Axis or Allied Player. If you See Japanese Units pull back on the Border you know the Japanese want "peace", same for Russia. But Anyway, a Partial Activation would be Best, Really.!!!

Ottosmops: well must admit that the "per-Excellence" Strategy game i know is Chess, and in some way SC2 is some modern Upgrade to that. A Certain Randomness is a must in this game (see Research or Politics chits ) but the idea behind the Admirals-HQ idea is just a similar approach to your inicial statement of WHO will win a Seabattle. And for this i think a Calss 9 Naval-HQ (Yamamoto) could be the best "triggering" effect, for e decisive battle ( as well as may be a Class 9 Naval-HQ called Nimitz) i simply think the approach is better under control of the player. Edwin P.: great idea, but where shall the Naval HQ be located? on a land field, only with capacity of assign ships in ports near to it , or "inside" a ship, which means it can be sunk, or simply a Class 1-9 Upgrade, looking like one of these little Numbers below the Units? I think For Programming the Engine, the easiest version would be a Upgrade for the ships, applied to a i.e. Global Scenario, this would mean for example, you Upgrade the BB YAMATO with one of i.e. 4 existing "Admirals" or in fact say Naval HQs, this "Upgrade" costs between 210 and 320 MPP, and now you have the BB YAMATO upgradetd with a Admiral (i.e. Call him Yamamoto) and up to 4 ships in Range of this Leading Naval Unit are now possible to be assigned to the Admiral (maybe automatic), having in consequence a better Motivation ( and i.e. may win a decisive Midway battle) Now if the BB Yamato sinks the "Naval-HQ" is lost but could i.e. be built (or Upgraded) in another ship with the reduced cost. What about such a version? Other suggestions?

I completely disagree with your more Random option. Random ist contraproductive in a Strategic Game, and best is to reduce it as much as possible. Well, must say i thought REALLY long about how to do better the pacific part of the Global Campaign, and at least i came on the maybe easiest solution: YAMAMOTO was an Excellent Admiral, but is not represented in the Game. so Easiest Application would be to have a possibility of eiter: 1) UPGRADE A SHIP WITH A ADMIRAL ( Similar to Land-HQ ) with effect on readiness i.e. YAMAMOTO HQ UPGRADE Costs more than any "cheap" Admiral ( similar to Zhoukov - Popov Cost difference...) or 2) CREATE A NEW UNIT : NAVAL HQ THAT IS PLANTED OVER OR IN ONE SHIP with control over up to 6 Ships. Because the Best answer to a Strategy Game is not Randomness, but Strategic Thinking. So the Player can decide where he puts his READY-offensive Naval Units ( US player would think about where to place/upgrade Nimitz, and a Axis Player would think of where to place/upgrade Yamamoto )

Xwormwood: I agree with you, stacking is not really necessary if you have a Expansion option for the units. GENERALLY I THINK SIMPLIFICATION IS ALWAYS BEST, so i am not really Fanatic of all this "new Units" like anti Tank or Anti Air, I think the Main Old Units could have some more Upgrade Features. For example if a Corps gets a REAL anti Tank Upgrade ( This REAL Anti Tank Upgrade may Cost, say 60 MPP ) and an Anti Air ( or say an Air Brigade ) so you would best solve the Malta Effect as well as the Stacking Problems. All this different Units are not allways useful, sometimes there is simply not the Place to Put Anti Air, Anti Tank and Artillery on a specific combat Zone. A Corps with Artillery Upgerade and the Army with a Air Squadron Upgrade may be easier to handle.

Frost: good point. I Long thougt about, if only Russia may Use the Transsibirean or also Japanese, if the "other side" is still in Russian Hands, this would have an impact on Japanese or German advances Strategy. Historically THe Contact of these Axis partners was reduced to U-Boat Transports. Also I have Read that a German Bomber went to land in the desert of Astrachan in a Special Mission for Intelligence Exchange with Japan somwhere around 42-43.