Col. Kurtz

Thank you.

I have some questions concerning experience medals:1)Just how powerful are they? For instance, what is the combat effectiveness of units under the command of a general with four experience medals compared with a general with no experience medals? 2) What is the best way for a unit to get medals;a)delivering a knockout blow,b)scoring heavy losses on an opponent,c)just being involved in a lot of battles? 3)Can units receive experience in defensive situations? 4)Units sometimes lose experience when they reinforce and sometimes don't. What determines this? 5) Sometimes commanders lose experience when their units reinforce. Why, and can this be avoided?

I have questions concerning the Siberian transfer. Specifically: 1) Is there any randomness built into the entry or is it a guaranteed event if certain parameters are met 2) Does the presence of Russian units in any other countries affect the transfer 3) Is there a floor on the number of Russian units that must be present to prevent the transfer or is it strictly based on the ratio of Russian to Axis units 4) If the transfer is based on the ratio of units, what is that ratio?

I have a newbie question concerning the strategy for the Allies second front after the Axis invasion of Russia. In all of the AAR's I have read the Allies inevitably invade in France. Why is Scandanavia never chosen? There is a 100 point MPP swing if the Allies control Scandanavia. If the Allies seal off the ports I presume ground units cannot be operated or transported there when the Allies attack. And if the Allies are there in force it would certainly be difficult for the Axis to conquer. So why is it never attacked?

I have a newbie question concerning the defense capabilites of a naval ship in port. A ship in port is vulnerable to land units that attack it (I presume this is because it is "docked") but is it also more vulnerable to air and naval attacks or is it less vulnerable? Does the port give it an air and naval defense bonus in addition to increasing its' readiness?

I have a newbie question concerning the Yugoslavian revolt. What triggers it? Is it time sensitive? Is it dependent upon previous minor countries attacked by the Axis? And most importantly, does the placement of Axis units (including the other Slavic minors) along the Yugoslavian border in anticipation of the revolt delay the revolt?

I have some newbie questions for the experienced players concerning the 1939 scenario:1) Do they think a custom scenario has been created that eliminates or at least reduces the need for a large Allied bid to balance the game? 2) If such a scenario exists why do they continue to play the standard game supplied scenario? 3) If such a scenario doesn't exist what in the game engine prevented it?

I have a newbie question concerning the expression "Polish Breakthrough", which I have seen in a number of After Action Reports. Does this refer to a specific sequence of moves, a group of specific Polish units destroyed or just a generally successful first turn attack into Poland?

I have a newbie question concerning entrenchment. Does if confer a defense bonus to the unit that is entrenched? And what should be the proper order of attack to break entrenchment and minimize casualties? Ground, then air? Or vice versa?

Does someone know the answer to the above question? Thanks.

I have a newbie question concerning surprise contacts. Does a land or naval unit triggering a surprise contact or an air unit being intercepted by another air unit that is not visible suffer any kind of combat penalty in the combat resolution?

I have a newbie question concerning invasions. I may have been hallucinating, but during a turn one Dutch Gambit my opponent was able to transport and land the British London corps in France(not at a port, but directly on land). I have also seen units transported and landed through enemy ports (particularly during Norwegian invasions). I cannot duplicate these feats. How is it done?

I have a newbie question concerning industrial technology research. Since IT research reduces the price for purchasing all units in the game and reduces the price for reinforcing them isn't it cost-effective to sink your research points into IT as quickly as possible? Does the cheaper replacement and reinforcement costs for units "negate" the tech advantage an opponent may have in a specific category he might have chosen?

I have a newbie question concerning the value of research on combat values. Most of the units in the game have attack and defense values. When units gain maximum strength through increases in research does this translate into stronger attack and defense values? As an example, let us assume a corp unit is benefitting from level 5 research in anti-tank research and has a maximum strength of 15. We know its anti-tank defense is stronger, but will it also suffer fewer proportional losses from, say, an air attack than it would if it was at strength 10. In other words do maximum strength increases help all your combat values?

I have some newbie questions concerning the value of anti-aircraft radar. (1) The terrain values chart lists an air defense value and and an air defense bonus for certain terrains. Is the bonus for units stationed on these terrains or an addition to the terrain value itself?(2) Do anti-aircraft research levels increase the air defense of terrain, the air defense bonus or both? (3)For valuable resources like mines or oil fields with weak air defense is it a good idea to entrench units with strong air defense values on them ? Do these units take the blows when the square is attacked rather than the resource itself? (4) At what level does AA reseach start to "sting" air attacks? (5) Given that it costs nothing other than the original research investment is anti-aircraft research a cost-effective way to counter massed air fleets? (6) Do the almost certain advances that most players make in jet research negate the value of AA research or make it even more essential? [ April 27, 2004, 02:35 PM: Message edited by: Col. Kurtz ]