Andre Bolkonsky

Why do people keep screaming for some new patch? The game works great. Now, perhaps, a unit or two need to be repositioned to balance a campaign; but that is directly related to the campaign editor, not the code. My question is whether or not there will be newly balanced campaigns released after 1.06 has a chance to marinate a while; and who will be in charge of producing them?

On the off chance it gets a reply, I'm bumping this back to the top.

bumping this back to the top

1- What are the rules concerning partisan placement? Does Germany need to sustain every hex with a zoc, or a 2-hex radius zoc? Does HQ radius play a part? Do Partisans drop onto the board if there are insufficient hexes, or combat points, present? 2-Italian triggers; I am playing in a game where UK operates her fighter out of malta, and the French north african moves into Malta on t-1. Yet, no Italy? What gives? [ January 05, 2003, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: Andre Bolkonsky ]

You see the title of your post? It is the answer to your question. These ARE the French you are talking about. They will surrender to an old woman weilding a loaf of bread if the wind is blowing from the proper direction. They collaborate with their occupiers, then claim to be a member of the underground when they are liberated! Lucky Pierre, I say "Boo!" to you. I don't like their surrender habits either, but what are you going to do?

It would be the greatest case of schizophrenia since Smeagol met Gollum.

Now you are discussing playing Axis and Allies in college? Last time around you claimed to be 13 in resonse to a 14 year old. I don't think its a question of who can beat you, Rambo. I think its more of a question who can tolerate your bull**** long enough to play a game with you. [ December 16, 2002, 05:15 AM: Message edited by: Andre Bolkonsky ]

So the Italians operated to the Aquatiane and embarked out of sight of the English, correct? As one cannot penetrate the Strait without first reducing Gibraltar (And you can't reduce Gibraltar, easily, without conquering Spain). Cute strategy. Where was the Royal Navy and the RAF during all of this? BTW, in the novel "Rambo" , Rambo dies. Stallone's revisionism was the only thing keeping him alive.

I am uncertain that it is only Moscow which triggers the Siberians. I was playing a game, and was mopping up the Riga-Minsk-Kiev line when they unexpectedly appeared in one game. Russia had few troops left at the time, as I caught most them in a pretty good pincer wrapped around the back side of the Priapet marshes. Perhaps it is a summation of Russian losses OR proximity to Moscow. I don't know.

Additionally, I am also in favor of airborne units, but I am not too far wrong in stating the historical record would yeild only ONE paratroop counter on the entire board throughout the entire war when played at Corps/Army scale. If Hubert adds paratroopers, he better make them DAMN expensive!. And for that much effort, leaving them out also makes perfect sense.

I am very pleased with the way this game handles rivers. With some skill and planning, they become excellent defensive barriers that hold up quite well. However, (with all due respect), having worked on several games in the past, I have one suggestion for many gamers on this forum: Learn to work the rules instead of demanding the rules be reworked for you.

Looks great, I'm eager to give it a shot. Well done.

HFF, Very well said. I concur with your above statement concerning the war of synchophants v. critics. I've seen it before, it is very much like you have described.

OK, According to the release notes on 1.06, it states that to prevent excessive exportation of troops that France would surrender the turn France falls without a possibility of a counterattack. Fine, Lucky Pierre is a Surrender Monkey; I have no problem with that. My question lies in the Free French, which I thought had been eliminated but must have been mistaken. Seemingly, no fleets survive the Vichy transformation. But the French air fleet and the "north africa to Malta" corps moved into position do survive. So, am I correct in now assuming that what France can get to English soil still goes Free French? Everything else, fleets and units being transported, just dissolve? My thanks in advance.

A good set of questions. I'll be interested to hear many of the answers.

Bill, Downloading the revision and playing it through. Will be back with comments.

Nice recap of Avalon Hill, John. You did leave out one point. Out of that list, in terms of sheer fun and replayability, The Russian Campaign was the best Russian Front tabletop game I've ever played. Just my humble opinion.

Bill, So the augmentation to attacking fighters was they were still getting a defensive, dug-in bonus v. Interceptors? No wonder, that makes perfect sense. I downloaded your updated campaign, looking forward to giving it a run. Thanks for the heads up.

I concur, and had noticed that myself. However, it does not detract from the game, and probably makes it easier for the newcomer to the game to navigate his way around. A necessary evil, perhaps. Personally, I'm uncertain you need to really overhaul this game up to a 2.0. It works just fine like it is. However, tou could invest your time tweaking this puppy one last time to make it a 1.1 upgrade. To compensate yourself, you could charge a short-run "add-on" fee. (A "cross of iron" to your "squad leader" if you like). And take that windfall and plot your next project. You could include desirable elements (like a prohibitely expensive but highly versatile paratooper corps); build in a new set of "official" campaigns for ladder play, all based and balanced according to your latest patch. You could include things like optional packages by JBrunnel, Starfury, et al.; and campaigns from the Bill Macon type-guys. And none of this would require any major revisions to the code. Part, or all, of that list would be inducement for many of us to contribute more to the cause; and widen the game's popularity. Just a thought, take it for what its worth.

Fury, Give me the heads up when you get back ( andre_bolkonsky@hotmail.com; either email or messenger will find me ). I want to finish off a few current games using the old patch; and we can crank up a TCP/IP using 1.6. Happy traveling.

It seems to me the fun of a winter war scenario would be demonstrated at the squad and company level. Ski in, set up an ambush, blow away the enemy column, ski away to fight another day. This game operates on a corps/army/army group level. Ergo . . . . . . you lose more than you would gain opening Finland that much earlier. With little else to do, and substantial resources, given the game parameters; Finland would be toast along the same time as the Baltic States, and long before Barbarossa reared its ugly head.

Under previous patches, I learned the quickest way to establish air superiority was to pull up enemy fighters in interdiction roles over weakened targets; then pound the weakened air unit into the ether. Theoretically, under the new patch, this is altered. Still completing a few games under the old patch, I am unable to install the new patch just yet. Hubert, or anyone, can you please give me a heads up on the exact change which will be implemented in this new patch concerning Air Interdiction. I assume under this new patch that fighters still rise to interdict the first air mission conducted in their sphere of influence automatically. What happens next, in regard to the patch changes? By the way, I do understand it is impossible -- given the PBEM/Hotseat format -- to allow players to review Air Interdiction on an Attack-by-Attack basis. But, perhaps a toggle could be added to individual air units permitting, or not permitting, air interdiction the following turn. Or, a certain unit could be targeted for interdiction through a voluntary CAP system prior to the end of a players turn. Just a thought for future revisions of the code. [ December 10, 2002, 01:09 AM: Message edited by: Andre Bolkonsky ]

I don't understand your problem. From a historical perspective, the game responded properly to the situation you've described. Germany has stripped its eastern border bare and become bogged down in France while Poland is still active. A foolish move, at best. Russia, sensing an oppourtunity, moves in for the kill. Historically, it makes perfect sense, particularly since it proved so effective against a player willing to put the cart before the horse. If that France-not-Poland strategy worked under the old version, then kudos to the design team for plugging that rat hole with enhanced game triggers. Perhaps, your strategy is in greater need of tweaking than this patch.

Fury, An excellent job, as always, my old friend. However, at first glance, I might agree that the background colors (particularly with the allies sharing the same color) need to be tweaked. For one, I will agree with the previous statement that the flashing dash at the bottom of the icon is difficult to see against the lighter color. And, secondly, although the colors of their numbers differ, the identical background makes it difficult to easily distinguish a mixed force of French, Americans and British when assembling army groups under a leader's control. Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to more enhancements from your workshop! Andre.

It is not unheard of, but highly unfair for the allies to have to pay when the axis can attack for free. If the game designer wants to make DOW's pay-to-play, the knife will have to cut both ways. However, it might best be filed under the "leave well enough alone" pile.