Desert Dave

... and will, no doubt, until the wayward cows come lately lowing home, or, ... when each & every SC-Finn resembles -- those glorious roman Gladiators of old -- with 99 Lion signs etched on their well-worn, majestically borne, sword-hilt...

Mine is obviously not the only opinion that matters, and others can chime in, but, I liked those little marsh-reeds or cat-tails or whatever they are, sticking out of the swampy area. As for color, hmmmm, I would try something darker I guess -- you will have the color pallette in front of you and can play around with it until the marsh seems a little more pronounced and threatening maybe (... that is a hellacious area :eek: to pry those berserkers and partisans out of, yes?) -- perhaps someone with more knowledge of the Pripyet area could provide some input.

For the longest time I have been one of those who denigrated the Strategic Bomber (... in its early incarnation, anyway), but now with some experimentation, I can tell you this: 1) They are devastating! to naval vessels, and I always keep one handy for this purpose, as well as -- 2) Reducing entrenchment by 2 before the ground assault, often at no cost, other than gaining more experience for the Bomber, which in turn makes it even more potent. :cool: If you can develop level 12 or 13, this will surely keep those intrusive foreign ships away from your vulnerable shore-based armies. Level 14 or 15, with experience, now that is one lethal weapon.

JMB, Excellent job, as per usual -- though I don't take these mods for granted -- you are taking considerable time & effort on this and it is very welcome. :cool: The cities would be difficult to translate differently, given the amount of space provided, and I don't mind the factories all that much. Experiment with some alternatives and see if anything strikes your fancy, etc. A few have suggested unique Capitals, such as Eiffel Tower for Paris, or Brandenburg Gates for Berlin, so maybe you can experiment with those as well? (... since I'm asking -- don't forget the Euro moon, might as well throw that out in the SC sky as well... ) Tho, I don't really care for the marshes, they seem a little bland and watered down, so to speak. I would try some other interpretations on those, but, hey -- I do not mean to be hyper-critical, keep up the creative work!

Gee, slow down a little, huh? It was a whole 7 hours between your two posts. Some of us don't monitor every hour on the hour, we gotta do in-particular things, like: -Tie our shoelaces, -Take the (... extremely reluctant) cat out for a walk, -Water the garden -- you should see the Morning Glories! They are exquisite today! -Kiss the sweetheart hello or good-bye, -And, punch the ol' Time Clock, etc. Anyway, thanks for the information. It is appreciated

SS Viking, Hello from Tumbleweed Junction, USA! What I know about Sweden -- the autos are mechanically sound, the Cinema is often existential and deeply psychological, and the sauna baths -- exhilirating! Many forum folks agree about the map and there are a few who support your idea that Finland in WW2 should be stronger militarily. (... the CvM innocently alluded to above, being one of them) You will find the forum to be eclectic and free-spirited. Your signature indicates anarchy, whereas your comments sound a bit conformist, so you will fit right in, since contradiction, just like dialectic, is a great way to eventually understand Life's complexities! FWIW, I agree with everything you've said, EXCEPT about the Patch, and the CD-check. The patch improves the AI, adds a Sovjet Cruiser in the Black Sea (properly so) and the CD-check is hardly an issue that will fold the Circus Tent -- in fact, to me it is a non-issue, like worrying about road-taxes or the apalling price of Cinema tickets -- you can always choose to walk, or to rent the video, yes?

As that genius California writer -- Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, once wrote -- "wouldn't it be nice?" But I'm not sure that "organizing" is at the top of very many lists anywhere in the Wide Old World (WOW!) these days. I remember when I first entered basic training, and being a little dumbfounded about how squared away my footlocker HAD to be (... or else! -- as in -- the drill sergeant screaming unintelligible half-syllables in my face) with the shaving utensils situated here, and the properly rolled socks over there and the letters from the faithful girl back home -- hidden right in plain sight, etc. Nowadays, I keep my socks in a separate drawer, fairly neat but not obsessively so. I'm not so sure you could get away with that kind of discipline (... if that's what it actually is) in this caterwauling day and age, while so very many are fuming & brooding about having "Rights" that don't exist anywhere on writ or deed or paper, that I know of anyway, etc. Well, I am wandering... as for your question, I really don't know -- does it matter very much? It's not like there's any impending shortage of Ether Space, eh?

My problems were nearly exactly as you have described yours. Also, on a couple occasions, when one unit attacked another, the small explosion indicator would sort of freeze on the attacked unit, finally fading away and the game would resume. Another time, I accessed the War Map, and there was a map alright, but no menu choices, so I was stuck until Alt-Del. Oh, I have two hard drives also, AND two CD-ROM drives. ME operating sytem, one year old computer that is well up to date, etc. The main instances were when trying to reinforce, and this would happen after about 20 or so turns. When I was kicked out (also an instantly disappearing message box), my desktop would be totally smeared and re-arranged. However, when I re-booted and loaded the last turn, the game would resume with no apparent problems, until about 10-15 turns later. Hope this can be of some help. Oh, I have ME operating system, and two hard drives and two CD-ROM drives. Computer is only one year old and well up to date in all respects. [ August 17, 2002, 01:09 PM: Message edited by: Immer Etwas ]

Emphatically agree.

Emphatically agree.

Good question John D, since you could make a completely separate game out of this -- always treacherous contest if you really wanted to. First of all, I like your idea of 4 or 5 separate convoy routes, with varying values, to include the ice befogged Murmansk gauntlet, which would require the German player to make full use of (... and provide a compelling rationale for taking Norway in the first place) the Nord See ports. Like many others, I am hoping for a larger map that would include Trondheim and Narvik. The idea of Lend Lease shouldn't be that difficult to add to the game, IMHO, since you would be simply shifting MPPs around a bit, with the end result being much the same, yes? For my own version, I would like to see this: Once every 6 months, on a random basis, one Convoy Icon (... small ship with a strength # superimposed) would set sail from one of the ports in America or Canada. This would have a value -- say, ranging from 50 to 150 or so MPPs, and you would have to dock in England to get credit for the points. This would be averaged, and built into the full-game, in the same way that USA's industrial MPP production has been averaged (... that is, a constant 180# without the usual gradual escalation). If you added this occasional Icon to the 4-5 convoy routes, the Atlantic is suddenly expanded and more unpredictable, and so it gives the RN much more to have to fret about. Anything that enlarges that "small" ocean would be helpful. I would greatly disagree with those who tend to discount the tremendous importance of The Battle of the Atlantic, and see no reason not to enhance the excitement of... wolfpacks being hunted by the ASW, and -- in a wicked instant! the fortunes reversed, appropriately so -- vice versa. :cool:

Thanks. I was playing late tonight and having problems for the first time ever, mostly instability -- graphics, war map, alters desk top, crashes, etc, you probably know what's going on, so I am OK with waiting for a fix...

There have been far more dastardly things than simply innocent history books hurled in my direction, but no need to elaborate... :eek: If the corps in Denmark is size-5, and you have 2 or 3 Air Fleets attacking and 2 Cruisers bombarding, and have your revved-up PzIIIs poised on the northern German border, then you can easily take Copenhagen and -- ALSO float your boats to Oslo on the same turn, nicht wahr? There are 2 U-boat packs already poised in the North Atlantic (... tho, that Brit Carrier is a truly nasty untersee-hunter) and so, again, there is no compelling need to raid the other boats until after Denmark falls.

Alright, so make Tripoli a port (... I agree that it was more critical to Italy than Tobruk) and give Britain -- Suez City -- with or without the around-the-horn movement allowance (for now). Equal trade, yes? And this would provide more rationale for bolstering forces in North Afrika. As for Ireland, it would be a highly suspect to add a port, since they played very little active role in the war. But, "what-if" strategies should allow USA or Britain to conquer if they choose to do so -- perhaps it has some negative influence on the remaining neutrals, such as Spain or Vichy? I don't know, and this is where some sort of a scorecard of all possible political influence would come in handy.

No problem. The only way that Germany could have (... and did, w/the Bismark) moved into North Atlantic was -- under cover of adverse weather and the extremely poor visibility conditions. There is no compelling reason that I can think of, either historically or in game terms, for Germany to want to execute raiding plans BEFORE Denmark is conquered. For one thing, on this map, there is not enough room north of Scapa Flow to even try it. And trying to run the channel would invite too much Spitfire-interest. So, some sort of restriction would be welcome, such as making Copenhagen similar to Gibraltar or Istanbul. I hope you WILL decide to implement this plan. :cool: Also, I like the idea of a size-5 corps in Denmark, and a size-5 cruiser for Sweden.

On the other, the Shadow Side, so to speak, I would add that the decision by The Raving Lunatic to commence his conquests in 1939 would be a major reason for the eventual defeat of Germany. With their academic tradition and longstanding scientific expertise, the Germans were well positioned to be an Industrial powerhouse, and had tremendous R & D advances in the fields of electronics, nuclear energy and optics, etc. Had they waited until 1943 or so, then many of the scientific breakthroughs would have caught up with the military necessities. They could have done very much better on Intelligence and spying in general, but that arrogant and occultish Aryan-superiority nonsense overwhelmed the traditonal insistence on a stoic-strict empirical approach. The Universities and Religious Institutions were cowed and cowardly, which allowed The Spirit to be mostly obliterated by a kind of Surly-Insane Obsession. Another reason -- the failure of various fifth column movements to cohere, come up with an effective plan -- and actually achieve the assasination of The Raving Lunatic. Finally, the "good Germans," were a little too good, in that they allowed a surge in economic well-being following the da-da degenerate and economically devastating 20s to blind them to Munich and what followed (as Kristal Nacht)... a lesson for all, even in these supposedly -- more sophisticated times. After all, the propoganda is more devious in these Global Corporate days, though equally as blatant as what The Little Ferret accomplished for The Raving Lunatic, etc. So the combined synergistic effects of Allied production Might and German Arrogance would be one of the primary reasons for their defeat (... perhaps there are... collective Angels of Our Better Nature watching over -- the Lesser Us, after all... ).

Aloid, Yes, send your rendition right along, appreciate it. As for the vocabulary, thanks, but it's not so very much... just that -- growing up I was only allowed ONE HOUR of TV per week (... sometimes it's hard to fathom, those old folk ways, I know... ) and so I either played baseball, or read books. Nothing exceptional, mostly repetition, like building up a bicep muscle, etc.

Amen to that. Of all the possible changes in a patch or SC-II, this would be my #1 choice. :cool:

Forgive me CvM, I had forgotten about Norway. :cool: Another couple of months -- and given your exceptionally creative plumbing of the poetic depths (... do NOT omit or forget WB Yeats, please), there will hardly be any pleasing phrases left for a poor fellow to use... only kidding , as I applaud your twists & turning of phrase, and in the Eastern manner of the humble Adept, am also honored, and so -- bow briefly now, and make this -- an easy retreat... etc, ie

Whenever Finland is threatened I dispatch a cheaper HQ like Weiss, along with an Army or maybe some specially winter-girded and white & pale grey camo'd PzIVs. By this time, the hapless Potemkin Cruisers have been neutralized. It is a little expensive, but has always halted that, ah, presumptuous, Russian offensive. And besides, once the threat is finished, you can then assault Leningrad from the north with a stronger force. Also, if you want to open Operation Northern Lights (... I have been reading CvM too much I guess), send in a tank detachment or two, re-base an Air Fleet -- although you'll need many Xtra crates of de-icer, and then come blitzing on around the upper bend! Another lengthy front for ol' Joe to anguish his mustache over, yes?

And an appropriate one. IMO, this is more important than the Black Sea dilemma, though I do think Russia should have a Cruiser there -- if for no other reason than to counter (... making it a somewhat more COSTLY decision) the Italian gambit of seizing one half of the passage, and then landing corps in the oil fields in the south. On the other, it shouldn't be so easy for the Allies to breach those VERY well-defended narrow straits between Norway and Denmark. I realize you can place Air Fleets or build more naval vessels, which should discourage too much adventurism, but IIRC, there were NO such Allied naval expeditions during the war. I will admit however, that this opens up the game for more what-if strategems, so that can't be bad, but it is ahistorical, no?

OK, I would like to see a little more differentiation between Cruisers and BBs... I may be the only one, but it is hard for me to tell them apart at a glance. Couple of times I have attacked the wrong ship with the wrong ship, etc. :eek: Also, since these icons are so well done, is there any way to make them slightly larger, and the strength numbers a little smaller? Minor quibble -- I don't care for the background color for the Italians -- given your desert motif, it cannot be too light, but how about a darker tan? Though, I guess I can learn to use paintshop or whatever the appropriate tool might be, and try to "mod" for myself...

Hey Aloid! thanks -- duty above and beyond... I truly didn't realize it would require all of that detail. Perhaps it's easier than it sounds, rather like trying to explain to someone -- how to ride a bicycle... see here Beginner, first you hitch up your pants, then regard the device as your potential Friend, then put a finger up to see which way the wind blows, and now! try out the handlebar horn, etc, etc -- the actual experience simpler and more intuitive than the written explanation. Anyway, all of us who would like to mix & match can refer to your post. :cool:

blackbellamy, Thanks for the suggestion. You are right -- the increase in Industrial Tech will surely enable the Allies to produce more units over time -- the thing is -- will the AI make good and appropriate choices? I had given each Allied country an extra 400 MPPs to play with at start of '39, and was surprised that Britain landed a corps and the Canadian Army near Brest -- I had never seen that before, so I guess the AI will consider the situation and use the extra MPPs to max advantage. Still, I would prefer to be able to edit ANY country, minors included.

I was hesitant to change the look of SC too much, and so did not add your mod until yesterday... but, boy, am I glad I did! This is an incredible -- an exquisite rendition! Not that there was anything wrong with the original, but, this as they say -- really smartens up the place! :cool: Great job!