Retributar

Unless you are unemployed for long periods of time or are independently wealthy...where do you get the time to play a human?. After work i am tired and have little time or energy for that endeavor!. Playing the AI for short periods of time and saving the game to finish later at my own pace when i have the energy is basically the only choice i have. So the AI of the computer player will need to be improved to keep solitaire play interesting and viable.

Jon_j_rambo ... yes you have a point there!. However to make a long story short...the French forces preformed very well otherwise such as when DeGaulle was finally in charge at the end. They put up a superb fight against the Germans...but it was too late by then. Old Generals...Old ideas...and believing that the Germans would never come in FORCE through the Ardenne were but a few of the problems. Not following DeGualles advice to form Armoured Divisions or Regiments...as well as not creating a larger Armoured force were more of the problems. The French also did not have plans in place to supply large Armoured formations. Infact...during the Battle For France...many French tanks that would have otherwise and were capable-wise to perform well...couldn't...as they did not have the supply machine in place to keep refueling these tanks. Many tanks had no fuel and so were abandoned or aswell... these units had no other option than to surrender!. There is more to your reply than i can think of at the moment...maybey someone else can fill you in on more of it!.

Yes Edwin P. that is true in that sense. The other side of the equation is that in the '1st place', Germany can then reduce the number of forces it uses to garrison and defend France...thereby immediately releasing more forces for other operations. In the '2nd place'...since there may be maximum-limits as to how many forces any country can raise or support in SC2. This alone could make a French-Axis option something worthwhile considering. Not only that...but now, the French would bear the Expense and maintenance of Armies to defend France and also FOR EXAMPLE for illustration purposes... Anti-Aircraft and Coastal Fortification defenses. To make this alternate history selection more interesting,... a condition could be included such as making the conquest of Britain a necessity 1st!. The Germans would then in this situation opt to gamble on this option with the caveat that in order for France to become an Axis partner...Britain would have to be conquered 1st!. Until that is successuffly accomplished...Germany would be soley responsible for defending France at their own expense without any MPP Loot or regular income other than only... say 1/4 of the regular Monthly MPP's until Britain is conquered. If the German's fail to conquer Britain by an alloted time frame...then what-ever French resolve that could have been for becoming a parter in the Axis coalition...would then be a non-possibility. The Germans could then again look at the Plunder option for France...and proceed to now collect the MPP's as well as the FULL regular monthly income. France would no-longer be avaialable as an AXIS parter after that.

All sounds facinating!...the argument's for both sides!. In either case or case's, both scenario's would make interesting variances in the game. Now, if possible...can we get some information-links on these discussion points?. ------ Addendum: -As advised by "SeaMonkey" ... DOWNLOAD For Free... 'HITLER'S WAR': http://www.fpp.co.uk/books/Hitler/index.html http://www.fpp.co.uk/bookchapters/HW/ [ May 01, 2005, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: Retributar ]

YES! 'i' would wait the extra month... . The pain of waiting could be lessened if we knew what we were waiting for. Also, after the game is released...we will probably very-likely find some problems...and henceforth... patches for the game will come out. So to a point waiting is good...but, then, when all of the basics are complete... the game should be released...and corrected with patches as needed. What game hasn't been patched???.

Yes!..Interjecting Vocal Rhetoric from the leaders would be a very nice touch! Imagine, being the German Commander surrounded at STALINGRAD!...then to hear Herr-Hitler...urging the ARMEE to hold on until relieved!. In this game it would be facinating to take on the role of one of the Major-Player Generals in the game. If you should fail to please your 'Master' you could be fired or just put up infront of a firing-squad!. Stalin ordered the taking of KIEV by a certain date...i think 'April 1st/45???'...this battle cost 400,000 lives from both sides...yet...STALIN had a time table that was to be met...or you might dissappear!. The battle for BERLIN cost the Russians alone around 400,000 casualties. It would be great to hear them giving their 'INSANE' orders...and then trying to oblige them as commanders in the field had to do!. Perhap's include a few clips from their speeches to boot as well!.

Conservative ETA is sometimes this "Summer"!.

Fantastic' Picture!!! Desert Dave ... Gotta-Love-It!. I also want the game NOWWW!!!!!! ... but, will wait for it how-ever long it takes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Edwin P. it only makes Good-Sense as you say that an 'Existing Fortification' would give a new occupier an 'Instant-Defensive-Bonus' upon entry/occupation...then, the regular entrenchment bonus'es would increase over time as the unit held that location.

VERY Good Question!!!

Edwin P. ... yes, there is much more that could be included in this game..but, alas, will probably not be there when it is initially released. However!...'you' have a few hundred ideas on what can be done with this game as far as SCRIPTING...so, perhaps at some later date...if you would be willing...we would be glad to have your ideas put into downloadable SCRIPTING-PACKAGES...so that we could install them into our game...then...see what plays out. Why waste your ideas...many of them or most of them are quite good...so please think about it...and see if you can share them with us!.

When a Scripted Event is triggered...will there be a notification of such on the screen and as well a list of triggered or scripted events listed somewhere so that one can review them if necessary?

YES Edwin P. ... computer Artificial Intelligence has a long way to go yet!... just as you have so aptly illustrated!. When this aspect or dimension can be improved enough to bring realism (Human Style Game-Play) into the act...then, Strategy Wargames such as SC1 & SC2 and other's will forever be changed!... . It may even result in drawing in a larger following of players who will no longer see the Computer Opposition as an unworthy idiotic foe, or a waste of their precious time to play the game or situational event!.

"Late Summer for SC2 is just fine!". Let it be later rather than unfinished and unpolished!. And yes, that is our 'pzgndr'!.

Interesting discussion...I also like your idea 'John'...it follows the KISS-Principal (Keep It Simple Stupid)...and will not needlessly complicate the game!. Im presently working at a Tar-Sands project (SYNCRUDE)here in Alberta, Canada...and i have a cable station from SHAW-CABLE in the camp similar to the 'History Channel' in the United States,...it's called 'History Television'. It is here on this 'History Television' station that i watched an episode on 'RUSSIA'S WAR'...and it stated that the Russians had around 1,500,000 partisans operating behind German lines. These Russian Partisans controlled large areas behind the German Lines. They governed towns, grew and harvested crops and continually harassed the Germans. Also that it required at least 300,000 German troops to try keep these Partisans under control. Most of the troops used for this purpose were not first rate front-line combat-soldiers...they were largely made up of men 50 years of age and older. Comrade STALIN did not trust these Partisans to start with as he thought that they would try to form their own government and country and secede from Russia. But, then will the abismal losses from the front...was forced to concede that he needed them to tie down German troops and interdict their reinforcements and supplies...so, he sent them party-advisers [To make sure that they stayed loyal to STALIN] as well he air-dropped them guns, ammunition and supplies. The French also had over 300,000 Partisans in France and i don't know how many Partisans were in Yugoslavia...but, they were considerable...as it required another 300,000 German troops to try secure that Partisan problem!. Partisans were also active in Norway and other places...they were and are all part of WW2. So what im trying to say here is that...YES...Partisans were a major-force to be contended with and any game worth it's SALT should consider including them. They were not some petty minor nuisance!...that could be ignored!.

http://www.wargamer.com/articles/roadtowar_1/page3.asp Author: Scott Udell Article Type: Buying Guide Publication Date: 3/15/2005 Related Categories: Business and Industry, Buyer's Guide

It (Our Hobby) may decline from time to time in the cycles of up and down...but, until the world makes great changes (Act of GOD or Armageddon)...this 'Genre' will never dissapear!.

I Agree with 'Sombra'!... that's why i grew tired of SC rather quickly. American Fighters and Bombers were pounding German submarines on the other side of the Atlantic...as well as other disagreeable unrealistic occurrences in the game made it unappealing to play anymore!.

Makes sense!...you have a very-interesting "NEW-IDEA" there 'Night'. Good-Work!. I Like it very much...looks like it may likely be tied in with scripting in the game.

I like your idea's for Turkey 'Edwin P.'...it should be optional of course...also, i can't see where it would destabalize the game. Seems like Hubert won't have too long a holiday before work on SC3 will need to begin. There are so many new good-idea's ideas i have seen here in the last few month's...that i think, only a newer more advanced game engine would be able to handle most of them. Let's see how SC2 unfold's first...how far it can be maxed out.

Im sure he would be more than happy to oblige you and all of us with a release date if the game was close enough for completion. It's basically 'only'-Hubert making this game...and not an army of programmers...so try join us in the 'Patience'-Room!. It might take a month, or two, or three longer than our longest expectation...BUT!!!,...the game will arrive...'THIS YEAR'... . There's an old saying about PATIENCE...that someone once said to me.... "You must have lot's of PATIENCE, because you never use any-of-it!."

Good points!!!...hope a responsible response addresses these quieries.

As far as spotting ground units---i went up once in a 4-seater aircraft... and i can tell you...i could INSTANTLY see behind every single tree---nothing can hide from an aircraft observer unless they are camophlaged into the area surroundings. Nothing beats Areil-Reconnaissance.

Great analysis and discussion by all on this topic. Very interesting reading!. Great Web-Site 'Jersey John'...i read all i could there!. I vaugely remember watching an old-war-movie dealing with the information illustrated...just like at the web-site refered to by J.J. ...as a child...have never seen it again since!.

Why dont you 'slightly UNCONFUSE-YOURSELF!' and stick it where the Sun Don't Shine... SHAKA THE SH** HEAD ...there are always questions regarding facts for almost everything under the sun here...generating tons of questions that need not be asked if the information is at their fingertips. I have had enough of your chronic B*tch*ng and complaining. If you were were i was i would shove a P*ke up Your Rear!. You profess to be some kind of expert on everything,...and Everybody-Else is some kind of Amatuer..."Who made YOU High & Mighty"...did someone shove an Egg-Beater through your Ear and Scramble your Brains???,...yet i see that your analysis is flawed or incorrectly understood..by 'YOU'... enough times to make you not what you think you are!. So Pee-Off...you Clueless Wonder!. The STATISTICS are all concentrated in ONE or TWO... Topics... YOU-DONT-HAVE-TO-FORCE-YOURSELF-TO-READ-IT ...GO read something else...You supposed KNOW-IT-ALL,...it wasn't for YOU anyway!. [ December 14, 2004, 03:25 AM: Message edited by: Retributar ]