Iron Ranger

What's the plan when we get to an odd number of players? 42 in round 1 ... 21 in round 2... 11 in round 3. I think its safe to assume someone might drop out but asking. Side note.. does anyone know how many turns these smaller senerios run in p v p ?

Looking for opponent, mirror game "Fate of Nations". Giving it a try, so expect surprises if your a pro at that 'mod'.

You can sign me up as well, the use of the mini maps will make this very interesting I think.

I've never completely liked the operate feature. The ability to 'beam' full army groups or more around the entire map seamed wrong. As operate normally deals with the rail system on the more recent SC games it indirectly deals with the amount and quailty of the rolling stock a nation or group controls. Its not like you can stockpile rail cars and engines in Moscow till you want to move that entire force in one surprise move to the black sea, you would have to space it out depending on your infastructer. Because of this I was excited to hear about another option, Forced March. Did some quick checks and here is what I came up with... granted basicly a single point of data but I think its enough. Operated a DT from a Supply 10 city to another supply 10.. with no HQ support. Start of your turn - Readness® 75 Moral (M) 100 End or your turn - R 60 M70.. did this twice came up with R 59 M 67 second time Start of other players turn - counldnt check.. but from exp it seams to improve. Start of the next Turn - R 73 M 96 So aside from the cost to move the unit you basicly lose nothing. No signicate drop in combat effectivness right after it gets out of the rail system. In fact when it should be more vounable, the start of the other sides turn its only sligtly weaked, unless it starts extreamly weak. Force Marched a Corps from Supply 7, L6 support to exactly the same supply and support. Start of your turn - R 75 M 70 End of your turn - R 63 M 46 Start of Your turn - R 73 M 66 So without costing MMPs you can travel twice the distance with minor problems. No real loss in combat effectivness. However unlike being tied to the rail system any unit can do this at any time assuming its over controled ground and not passing next to a enemy unit. (Bug? - you cant use the CTRL key to 'guide' a unit.. it seams its AI path only like old SC) Suggestions: On the current system I would suggest (granted limited testing) to drop readness of units by X2 (or 3 or 4 if seams right to HC) that are operated. And drop moral of forced march units by the same amount. Operated units are loaded (or partally flown) on to rail cars, unit coheasion is broken, weapons and men are seperated, the leadership (officers ect) are not effectivly communicating from top to bottom. A unit should not be just a ready for combat the next turn they are moved several hundered to thousand miles. Yes SC time lines are not the same so that could mean weeks to months but thats another issue. Forced Marched units keep thier overall coheasion (sp) but with less regard to the mens overall well being. Meals are skipped, less sleep, more stress ect... Moral is going to suffer. Do you think the men force marched into Verdun in 1915 were happy. To see destroyed units going back the other way, and to ask and find out they had been on the line only a week. I'm sure they knew thier duty (readness maintained) that France was in great need if they were being Force Marched from one front to the other. But one look at the sky and the unit retreating and they had to know they might not see thier wife's again (massive drop in moral). Hard to think the next turn after the march they would have the same happy outlook as when they left. Operate feature overall. Personally I have never fully like the system, granted my dislike doesnt mean its wrong but perhaps it can be inproved on, suggestions: option one: Make it limited (guys from 3rd reich would remember this). The number of operations per turn is controled, limited to 1 (or 2 or 3 per HC) per level of infastructure. The more rolling stock you control, and more effectivlly you use it the more units you can move over land. Germany at L2 could make 3 moves per turn at the start of the "call to arms" senerio (level 2). It would also be cheaper, like now, vs say Russia's. It would have to plan a head (this is a stregic level game, right?) where you want the army group to attack. Take out Romania, better start railing units a few turns ahead. No more 'star trek beaming' an army group from the western front to Palistine to deal with england, then beam them back to warsaw, then back to the western front a few turns latter to push back the French. option 2: You can only operate over land you control for the current cost. If German units want to move from the western front to AH to face Serbia its going to cost more MMPs. Unsure what would be balanced, twice as much? Historically each nation fought the war under its own 'desires', poor communications, national objectives ect. You didnt see UK units railing over to Verdun en mass, too many problems with supply, chain of command ect. The world wouldnt see that kind of coraporation till WW2 between UK and USA. Option 3: You Cant operate over another major powers controled ground. Example, German units heading to Palastine would move by rail from the western front to the edge of the AH empire. Get off the train there (one turn used) and get on a AH train to the edge of the Otoman Empire, get off the train there (two turns used) and get on a OE train to Palastine. Get off the train there (three turns used) and now enter into combat. Granted this seams harash, and perhaps would break the engine. In none of these do I think you should limit or change the transport system. Moving troops, supply ect is always cheaper and easier by sea.. unless attacked. So it has its own risks. Sorry for the spelling errors.

I think from my limited experiace that the key to the OP post is the "unopposed" part. If the CP dont at least try to break the blockade then should suffer for it. Granted the feature might need some tweaking but from the few PvP games I have seen, Germany is unstopable in any one, two, or even three fronts if she really devotes herself to total ground war... but then loses for this very reason.. NM go's to 0.

Everyone who has served to protect us on this Memorial Day. A special thanks to Laurie, my "grandpa" who died last month. He joined the 82nd in 1943 and returned home in 1946. Also to all of you who have, or those that you know, served in the past or the present. Thankyou for your sacrifices.

Ok, the book says between 1-2 turns but it seamed longer, as you said 2-3 as the increase can be quite abit. Bill, Hate to disagree with you but I dont like this feature. I can remember when in SC2 it was talked about and the cap was cut down.. to 150% if I remember. I can see where with this current engine you would see the National Morale go up, but each unit? The primary reason I bring this up is the feature can be quite gamemy.. primaryly with Belgium in the early game. The Central Powers can kill the unit in Antwerp and leave a damage unit ready to take the city when it needs a couple turn 'power up'. This normally happens in my games around late Sept.. Germany is outside of Verdun, about to make a critical battle aganist UK and French troops near the channel ports, and deal with the Russians in the East. Suggestions: Increase National Morale - not unit Morale Give the other side the option to surrender when a Capital is taken before it shifts to another location Decrease unit bump so it only lasts .5 to 1 turns.

thanks Bill

Best I have found is that after you have moved you can send a recon mission to scout the area near you. However I have not figured out if you can fly a mission then move the ships away. Others I'm sure have more information on this.

Whats the increase in unit moral when a minor is forced into surrender? Seams pritty large as in a current game as Allies I was doing well in the opening till Belguium fell. The following turn all my attacks were weak with huge return damage... taking a look many units were over 100% moral.. with units operated to the front with over 70 moral. Is the bump so large that its best to simply run away from attacks and not to counter attack for several turns after a minor has fallen?

Has anyone worked out the MMP gained for each tech level of IT for each nation, assuming no resources are lost?

Looking for a game, mirror? You pick scenario.

A nice quick first game for me, and I think Derek using the SC WW1. Only three tech advances for the Central Powers. The German "Great Wheel" worked as it was planed, whats left of the French corps were going to get crushed in a closing jaw move this spring. Russia was not much of a factor so I was able to keep all but a few units in the west. I think I railed 2 CV from the west and one IC from Serbia, plus the SF in the late fall.

Jan 30th UK 95 Fr 83 It 100 Ru 92 USA 100 Gr 98 Ah 95 O 89 News: AH calls up DT in the border region of Italy. Sub raiding supplys to Marselilles while Allies continue blockade & Russian Black Fleet blocks Zon guldak port. East Prussian Front: Troops dig in and wait for spring. Polish Front: AH CV takes out Ru str 1 CV near Glogau. AH digs in and reinforces troops facing Russian Hord. Serbian Front: One army group pounds on HQ in Nish, str 8 after 5 attacks. Middle East Front: Troops marching to Egpyt, El Arish taken. On Russian border combat in MTs, minor damage. Western Front: Snow and Ice; Gr IC continue to push on Toul, its nearly sirounded ( 2 IC & 1 HQ). Two Ger IC moves next to Paris and attack HQ with 3 ground cover. CV rushs forward to empty Orleans and takes the city. Most units train troops for spring attack or dig more holes in the line. French Front is basicly 5 strong points with heavy german advances in two areas..... France sends a peace delagation to Germany. Germany acepts peace in the west and sends her troops east. Russia is held back when AH absorbes Serbia into the empire. Italy remains out of the war with six AH units on the boarder at this time.

Note: One AH IC destoryed in the Mining area when Russia advanced. Dec 19th UK 96 Fr 85 It 100 Ru 92 USA 100 Gr 97 AH 96 O 89 News: Blockade continues in north sea, germany sub raiding Canadian ships. Indian and ANATC troops land in the western front. UK takes Basra with Indian troops. AH follows Germanys lead and cancels winter holidays (IT 1), the Emperor Joseph however gives each soldiers a shovel as a gift (TW 1). Polish Front: Two out of supply Ru CV stuck near Glogua and being attacked by 2 Gr IC. Two out of supply Ru IC near Klausenberg being worn down by Gr SF & CV. Moravian Mines held by Russians, 5 IC & 2 CV. Another 7 IC moved/railed north of Jaroslav. AH looks at the hord of Russians and retreats back to the defencive areas near Przemysl. East Prussian Front: Five Ru IC supported by HQ in Kovno facing Hindenbrgs Army group. Minor combat and reinforcing damaged units, too cold to fight. Serbian Front: Reinforcements for damanged units, minor combat on HQ in Nish Middle Eastern Front: Turkey camptures Oltu in Russia. Troops railed to Egyptian boarder. Western Front: France and UK try to repair a badly broken battle line, fresh replacements are filling damaged units. Germany solidifys its line, pushs two IC next to Toul and almost serounds Nancy. The two army groups near Amiens get fresh supplys plus get a bridgehead over the Saine (?) river, only three HQs and one CV between them and Paris. Loss's 1 Recon Group France, AH tells Italy to go bugger off, she is not giving up her citys to spagitti eaters.

Quick turn before work Nov 21 UK 96 Fr 91 It 100 Ru 93 USA 100 Gr 99 AH 96 O 100 Poland/Prussia: Lots of movement with combat everywhere. 1 Gr IC destoryed to 3 Russian IC taken out. Russian pushs into the Mining reagon and takes both from Germany. Serbia: Movement and reinforcements. It cold in the MTs now Western Front: Rouen taken, Verdun suffers 10 hits from HA then 4 units of IC assult... 5th unit takes the fort. Loss's Ru 3 IC UK 1 IC Fr 2 IC 1 DT

Oct 24 UK 97 Fr 92 It 100 Ru 95 USA 100 Gr 94 AH 94 O 100 News: Canadian troops load for Eroupe, Sea Plane Tender complete ect ect... and Blockade in the north sea, Sub raiding routes to UK as well. War councel in Berlin, its looking like a race. UK starve us to death or we break Frances back.. with Russia at our arse... the 'Steam Roller' has started. Massive troop movement in western Poland. Octoberfest cancelled till war is over (IT L1). It do or die time for the central powers. Prussian & Polish Front: One Gr IC destoryed by unit in Tannedberg, Allenstein taken. Memel occupied as well but troops retreated a week before. Russian units now in Prussia, 4 CV 6 IC.. one HQ way in the rear. CP units that cut supplys are near destoryed (str 3 & 1). Counter attach at Allenstein wipes out 1 Ru IC, leaves other at str 6, city retaken. Combat around Tilsit.. Ru ICs at 3, 4, 10, 10, 10 str with HQ support. AH units move out from Fortress Przemnsl to attack passing Ru IC, take pressure off Germany, IC str 2. Two Ru IC remain isolated, 0 supply by Klauseberg. Serbian Front: Seb IC str 2 destroyed by Nish, reinforcement for the rest of AH units. Western Front: Mud, bla with rain! Gaps showing in eastern half of French line, from Le Havre to Compiegne its not even a line, just isolated strong points. UK rushs in two units, so does France. Forward Gr units take damage & UK navy pounds the CV in LeHavre several times... to no damage! UK units around Amiens destoryed, took 7 IC to get the rail center. Reinforcements to units near VerDun and Belfort.. all now at Str 10! Loss's UK 1 CV 1 IC Fr 0 IC (thats new) Ru 1 IC Ser 1 IC Turkey Joins the central Powers.

44... and amazed to see I started here 10 years ago.. has it been that long?

Bla.. cant edit my post. BF you need to make this change to the Forums. Or someone can tell me how to edit them? AZGungHo, thanks glad your enjoying it. Maps would be nice but: 1- I'm not that computer savy 2 - Right now they would give away too much info.. for example I'm sure Derek didnt know I had Railed in some Germany CVs from the west to Eastern Prussia.. and used them to cut his supply line when he did his CV push into central Prussia. I'll look into posting some maps, but I fear I will not due to the above reasons.

Sept 26 UK 97 Fr 95 IT 100 Ru 97 USA 100 Gr 96 HA 96 O 100 New: Blockade continues in the north sea, Royal SF is formed in London. Kiszer is having his heir learn French for it looks like the 'Great Wheel' is going to work, with the Pin at Compiegne.. only the weather can stop us now... is his current favorte phrase. Eastern Prussian Front: Minor naval combat around finish coast, Russian fleet appears to be in port. Menel is hit by 3 Russian IC, str 7. Minor combat in Tannenberg, Hindenburg str 8, two Russian IC moving north, Memel is evacuated. Polish Front: Four Rc CV and 2 IC push deap into Prussia, past or near Glogau, Central powers units move to cut off supply to these forward units. Two Reserve IC are formed to deal with the problem. Two Ru IC are moving down the road from Kolomea to Grosswardein, a AH CV is moved behind them to cut off supply. Minor combat around the fortress. Serbian Front: Combat around Nish, 4 AH IC push back one Bel IC, now str 2 south of the cith. City is held by thier HQ. Western Front: MUD.. advances are going to slow down! France Rails in 4 IC near Amiens, with move units moving in to block Paris. The Royal navy is doing its part, hitting German IC along the coast of Le Havre. Antwerp falls to 2 Gr IC. Alot of combat up and down the line, 4 Fr IC destroyed, 3 in the Amiens area, UK IC in the city down to 6 str. Advance CV units dig in while a some replacements reach damaged units. Belgium falls.. 179 MMPs. Loss's Bel 1 DT Fr 3 IC

Sept 12 UK 98 FR 97 IT 100 Ru 99 USA 100 Gr 98 AH 97 Ot 100 News: Uk has kept the dreadnaught and is appears the Indian army is sailing for France. Foch is giving command of an army group. Germany is starting to feel the effects of the bockade now, it appears its running from England to Norway... nothing around Scotland. Eastern Prussia: Minor Navel combat around Finish coast. No combat & little movement by Russian units. Hindenburg strikes out at IC near Tannenberg, damages one IC to 1str. Polish Front: No combat but Russian units continue to move & look for undefended locations. One IC pushs west to rail junction east of Glogau, Central Power unit is rushed to defend the city. AH finishs digging in two full army groups from Katowice - Stanislaw, the Russian Steamrollers seams to be waiting for something! Serbian Front: AH continues to push into eastern Serbera taking the mine and destroying a IC with two hits. Other units recive fresh troops to keep the army strong. Western Front: No combat, Allied units continue to try and make a solid line, eastern Fr is entrenched, western Fr has holes in the line. Antwerp is assulted by 4 IC, Bel DT is reduced to str 3. A battle bulge is developing near Verdun, another Fr IC goes down. Scout planes report that Le Havre is empty, the UK IC in Abbeville is destroyed and CV rush in to take the city and port. Amiens is all but surrended after a damaged Fr CV is destoyed and Gr units push down the river by Compiegne. Loss's Ser 1 IC Fr 1 CV 1 IC UK 1 IC

Thanks for correcting me Luci, like I said in a AI game I thought I did damage to a sub with another one.. but if you tested it then of course I would trust that. Blame the beer and end of finals, not the fool typing!

I think they can now SeaMonkey, seams I did damage to a UK sub with Ger sub in a game against the AI

Augest 29th NM Eng 98 FR 98 It 100 Rus 99 USA 100 Ger 98 AH 98 O 100 News: The Turks are impressed with the supplys and combat ship they have recived (71%) and are thinking it would be good to join the winning side for once. The Bulgarian King in a beer and brot dazz gives support to the Central Powers (51%) after Belgrade fell. Spys inform us that UK is gathering a "New" army while our reserves in the west are splitting, half going to the fort of Antwerp and half to the fortress of Verdun. East Prussian Front: No combat but one Russian Corps is moving into the Tannenberg forest. German units dig in behind rivers and prepare for invasion. Navel units shell IC outside of Memel. Polish Front: Minor combat outside of Przemysl on AH IC that just form up (odd spot to spawn?) other then that little action except Fortress Lemberg now is 1/2 surrounded by Russian ICs. AH units dig in more and prepare for combat. Serbian Front: Forward AH IC near Belgrade is hit twice and hurt (3). Counter attack pushs IC out of Kragujevac, allowing AH to ocupie it with a CV. Western Front: No combat, FR and UK units shifting west to try and cover Germanys advance, weak line held Abbeville to Compiegne. Bel IC destroyed in Ypres, city taken. Bel King Holding Ostend facing 3 Ger IC. Minor attacks on FR CV near the front, one destoryed. Germany hold for supplys and replace some loss's. Loss's Ser 1 IC FR 1 CV Bel 1 IC

Best to focus on a few and get some returns. What type depends on your stratagy. Normally I go Early: Free Chits, and have 3 in IW and 3 in PT after France falls Pre Russia: You get a few hits so: reclaim some chits - put what you can in LR or HT Post Russia: MMPs are tight so put a few in Infastrucre, Germany will need it for cheap operations Preish USA DOW - Depends on where your at but by now you should have max IW - good PT - good Inf - and LR or HT. If your lucky a few others. Now Get some Jet and AT at a min. Doesnt hurt to throw a single chit here or there if you feel you need it. Example would be AA or getting that second level Jets early.