Karhu

Ok lads, I need some help here. In our current game of the '39 scenario, my opponent has kept Canada out of the war, and I still don't know how he did it. Poland surrendered on turn 1, and Benelux on turn 2. France then nosedived, and surrendered on turn 4. Canada is now at 0% and they're busy playing ice hockey while the world burns. Needless to say, the game is as good as over. My mate said Canada will stay out if Poland and Benelux fall in the first two turns, but I can't find any scripts to that end. I've replayed the opening several times against the AI, but I'm still at a loss to see how it's done. Any ideas?

I find diplomacy underused in the game generally. Apart from a couple of exceptions like Sweden, the difference it makes when you do get a hit is just too small to be worth it. That's a pity, because the potential is there, but the impact needs to be greater to make it worthwhile.

Well, considering the largest uprising of the entire war took place in Warsaw, it's only fitting that partisans pop up there. I suspect that the bug is actually that the icon is missing from the Partisan screen for the Axis of Evil scenario, as (oddly) partisans do not appear in Warsaw at all in the 1939 scenario.

Talking of convoys, something cropped up in the game I've just finished against the AI which might need looking at. As the Axis I did a Sealion, and then took Murmansk to cut of the US-USSR convoy. The convoy switched to the Pacific, but in its place a "ghost" convoy appeared from occupied UK to Murmansk. Later, after I took Australia (where the UK had moved its capital to), another "ghost" convoy appeared from Canada to Murmansk. These convoy lines were marked on the map in grey, and of course they never functioned. BTW, one typo in the map: the city near the Urals should be Omsk, not Orsk. I should add it's a great game, and I'm having a grand time with it. Thanks and kudos all round!

No need to worry. I've been buying from them for years - it's a very reliable set-up with excellent customer service. When they promise, they deliver, servers permitting

No, you're not by a long way. I'm looking for some methadone before my SC Global fix. I tried Hearts of Iron, but it just gave me a headache...

Touche, Moon.

Actually, such an alliance is not so unlikely. Germany and the USSR were in effect allies from September 1939 until Barbarossa in June 1941. They carved up Poland between them and supported each other's aggression elsewhere.

Talking of new features, what's the story with operating aircraft? Are they going to be able to zip anywhere across the planet in less time than it takes to say "Focke Wolff", or is there going to be some other slightly more realistic system? How about something based on eg 4 or 5 times the usual range?

Hi Carverrt, First of all, thanks for the scenario - all your work is paying off, and it looks like being$ a grand one. I played each side against the AI, expert level but no experience bonus. The UN swept up Korea fairly easily, and the Reds down it in turn. I found the Reds more fun to play, as with their weaker units they had to think a bit about making progress. However, after clearing the peninsula that was it - with all the ports in Japan there were too few landing places to invade successfully, and the UN didn't attempt a landing back in Korea themselves. I agree with the previous posts - for HvH play the UN air force and navy will just sweep all before them, the Reds have no effective counter. Perhaps if the anti-aircraft units were a little more effective, or the Chinese had more aircraft, they might have a chance.

All looks very interesting - I particularly like the sleep option for garrison units and the supply indicators on the map. Well done one and all. Would it be rude to ask what the rough ETA is on this baby?

I like the idea too. As a general principle, the more options and choices the better!

I agree. I've just watched my Japanese invasion army in India get blown to smithereens by every American - and Canadian! - aeroplane on the planet, able to zip halfway across the world at will and in the blink of an eye. How about a maximum operating range, say three times the normal movement range? Otherwise, have the planes be transported by aircraft carriers or dismantled and taken in transports, like they were in the real world.

I have to say, I agree with you Happycat - thanks for bringing this up. There is no question that the term "Jap" is derogatory. That's how it was used in WW2. But as you say, we've moved on from that now. I would certainly never use it myself, any more than I would use any of the other racial slurs. It's not just an abbreviation. Abbreviations are obviously fine as long as they're not derogatory, but this one is. Find another one. I don't call Argentinians "Argies" either, abbreviation or no.

It certainly looks like Stalingrad, and it does indeed look cool. So, Kuniworth, can we all play?

Has anyone done the maths as to whether or not it's worthwhile for the Japanese to invest in industrial technology? I only ask as in SC2 it generally wasn't worth it for Germany to do so.

Very interesting account LampCord, thanks. I agree the AI generally does a good job (and thanks all for a great game!), but an odd situation came up in my last game as Japan (expert level, no experience bonus). In 1946 I held the East Indies, and had three carriers lined up behind Java picking off amphibious transports as they came in from Australia one by one. Meanwhile, the US had a huge fleet buzzing around Japan shelling cities to no great effect, but never made a move towards those carriers. I'm sure any human player would have moved south to destroy the remaining Japanese fleet. As it was, the Americans only ever landed 2 or 3 units at a time in Japan and I held on till the end of the game. Have people seen the AI carry out large-scale amphibious attacks?

Ok I'll have a go: 5223. Ta very much!

Unfortunately not, at least when I last played SC2. After the US liberated Britain the island stayed dark green and London was not re-activated as the capital. The stored-up Canadian/minor MPPs stayed locked in the deposit account until the end of the game. Not sure if it's different in WAW, though. I hope so!

Hubert, There was a railway from Narvik to Lulea at the time, though there was no road.

Two things, one very minor, the other perhaps less so. The captal of Bulgaria is Sofia, with an 'f' rather than a 'ph'. Also, it seems that at the time there was a railway link from the Norwegian port of Narvik to the Swedish iron ore mines, but no road (see page 142 of 'White Death, Russia's War on Finland 1939-40' by Robert Edwards, published this year). In the summer the ore went by ship down the Baltic as in the game, but in winter when the Swedish ports were ice-bound it went via the railway to Narvik, from where it was transported on by ship.

I'm enjoying this scenario, though it's not easy... :eek: One thing though - it seems the supply rules are working like SC2, rather than WaW. I noticed that surrounded Soviet cities were being resupplied by a chain of tiles, rather than by railways. Also, as the Germans I was able to establish a connection with Finland through tiles without any railways being even close. One other minor point, when I operated the Croatian units back to Croatia (why doesn't it appear on the map, if Slovakia does?) to deal with some partisans, they lost the flag tags on the base of the units. A great scenario, though. Well done!

Bill, Yes, it was the 18th. Thanks for putting this scenario together. Like the Spanish civil war, it's an underplayed campaign generally and a very interesting one to switch sides with. The main problems with the AI (I played expert level but 0% bonus) seemed to be that it often didn't finish a unit off when it had the chance, and as the Poles it didn't use any of its engineers to build anything. It did try local counterattacks, though. I played the scenario again as the Poles, but it ended with 5 or 6 turns to go with the message "Brave Polish Defence". Did the German and Soviet high commands just give up before full time and shoot all their generals, or what?

Bill, one thing about the Poland scenario: even after I took all the towns necessary for a major victory (with the Germans, they beat the Russians to it), the game just carried on regardless instead of finishing. Otherwise it played out very nicely.

Bill, No worries, I'll go with sabotage by Anarchist railway workers any day - at least the Republic has a shout of a chance of doing something in the south that way. BTW, I've only just noticed the Poland scenario, which looks fun too. Which scenarios are you planning to turn your hand to next? (hint hint, Winter War, hint hint)