Colin I

TAC are a bit powerful but as others have implied - if you aren't putting up fighters then you have effectively ceded air superiority to the enemy. If thats the case then park the armour in rough terrain and attack in bad weather - as the Germans did - and they still got tank-busted a lot. I'm in favour of double intercept for fighters too - given double strikes for bombers and carriers its too easy to draw them off then send the TACS in - though quite wasteful on resources and trained pilots.

Hubert - nice replies. I have to admit I've campaigned against scripted reinforcements too. My copy of the game is in transit so cannot comment in detail yet. As others have indicated some decision events (as with PT) as to where to deploy reinforcements would be nice. One of the complexities is that human players make choices both with fore knowledge and ignore politics. ANZAC sending forces to support UK in Middle East was a political necessity too (ex-colonies could not be seen to abandon UK). Ultimately I would hope to see diplomacy system include political decisions - e.g. it costs diplomatic chits or similar to make politically unpopular decisions. On the whole I like the design decisions made (especially belligerence, improved naval and convoy and simplifying unit types down from WaW model) in this version but kind of hope you will develop the no-choice scripts (based on PT and PDE) too. Having said that greatly looking forwards to new version and open for PBEM (ideally experienced player - having played all versions).

But was WWI really global? Its true Germany had more colonies (Far East, Africa) and the Allies grabbed these, plus there were surface raiders. But, unlike WWII there was no Far Eastern power to complement Germany and allies in Europe. I can see Japan being interesting in its relationship with Russia and the Middle East being fascinating. If you are going to have a global game you need to use most of the map.

I seem to be one of the few players who does not want the map bigger. In part it really makes game unplayable if it gets too big (I try and send a PBEM turn off before going to work). This is particularly true for shuttling transports about the place which is a real time waster on a big map. Secondly, it frees us up to think of strategic aspects and not get bogged down at the operational level. The strategic nature is supported by fewer ports - puts a sharper focus on who holds them.

Big Al - nice ideas. Think deep sea engagements should allow intercepts if moving fleet has been spotted by air - simulates Pacific encounters which I think were much more likely to be deep sea using carriers to target the action. An additional benefit of your idea is that light blue coastal hexes and deep blue deep sea will make for a much prettier map!! Perhaps also transports and amphibious units take more damage from storms in the deep sea to encourage them to coast-hug.

Nupremal or Global Team: Is there anything more than can be done with automating sea transport? The problem with Pacific and world mods is the amount of time it takes to shuttle sea transports and most of the time these will not be intercepted. Transfer arrows help but prevent interception. What we really need is to specify a transport will follow a convoy route (unless you choose it not to) and keep moving this way until intercepted, it reaches the target port or you give it new orders. This would smooth game play hugely. Nupremal's old mod is superb but I rather felt I spent half the game moving units from UK and US to Far East.

Any chance of nice 2D counters with standard military symbols? I don't need the 3D effects of the "tombstones" - just something quite basic and simple could look very good.

Will there be a download only pre-order? I'm old fashioned and like a manual plus CD but delivery to Europe adds quite a bit and I'm pretty familiar with the game so this time will just go the E-commerce route. Like the rest look forwards to this - the simplifications and user-friendly features (less unit variety, keys to predict supply, partisans) combines with strategic scope and belligerence idea looks a good combination. Also, finally, direct amphibious assault on enemy beaches.

There is a problem with a bigger map - it slows gameplay hugely. Nupremal's version shows the hot spots in detail and is excellent but takes ages to play. In the current global there are some features that facilitate faster play - the supply and partisan information keys, the ability to make units sleep and the simplification of unit types (e.g. no AT). This is great it all helps you bang out a turn faster. What you gain in a world version is strategic options (diplomatic, military, resources). To concentrate on these its good not to have to micromanage the operational side and here scale really matters. For example, if you have the world on a detailed scale you spend your life tracking and moving transports - especially as the Allies. I want a game that I can get a turn done before work and see the results of my strategic thinking on a reasonable time scale. Other games do WWII operational warfare better but not strategy, so lets play to the systems strengths. Besides - the modders will make the monster versions - I believe Nupremal is already on this.

Arado, In Scotland, frighteningly close to the shore, is a small island where nobody is allowed to land. It looks really innocent and peaceful (I've driven by it).It was the site of British development and testing of Anthrax as a bioweapon during WWII (the irony of the UK later invading Iraq, apparently to look for such weapons, is not lost on me). The reasons for not using such weapons may be complex. I'd note that gas was very effective when first used in WWI (if sometimes backfiring) but became less formidable when gas masks became standard. I'd imagine in a more mobile WWII it was even less useful. [incidentally, UK used more gas than the Germans did in WWI IIRC] Even though there is a lot of fear and development and testing and speculation there continues to be no validation for bioweapons, even in this age of genetic modification. As terror weapons yes (e.g. the Anthrax-by-post saga) but as military weapons no. Basically, high explosives are easier to target and deadlier. In WWI gas lead to breakthroughs but so did massed artillery, mining, well trained shock troops and tanks. I think generals like the latter four methods as they were more subject to command and control.....

Apologies if someone else said this but the problem as it stands now is using the mutal immunity of subs vs subs to block and locate eachother. Subs should always be in silent mode vs other subs.

This is why I think the scale of Hubert's Global and the simplification of unit types is right. Simplify the tactics for rapid play to keep the strategy the main focus. In most cases the art is to have superior forces at the right time and place rather than to be better at tactical slugfests. Mind you Nupremal is working on something awesomely large, I think, as his new effort. For really big games we could use a save option partway through a turn. Also later versions of SC is not always easy to run with other programs, on my computer screen takes ages to reload after switching to something else.

Seamonkey: About 45 min if there are several major theatres going at once.

The Allied game probably went pear shaped as Spain came in sealing the Med. This is a great game, actually the best version of SC I've seen and really look forwards to Nupremal's new version. The strategic potential is so much greater in a global game - particularly loved that Axis diplomacy came alive now Japan can actually do something useful here. Would make UK slightly weaker for play balance and maybe slightly fewer units for speed of play.

Game 1 Colin Axis Fighting escalates in India. Some naval contact - Japanese carriers "shoot and scoot" - sinking surface vessels of the USN then retreating through straits of Singapore where he cannot pusue. Game 2 Colin Allies Lots of fighting on floodplains of the Danube. Germans have fewer frontline troops now and are fortifying the Danube. Both sides lose armies and corps this turn. However, Soviets hold Darna which lies beyond the Danube and Allies have upgraded troops with AT TAC3 bombers for the UK and IW3 for both Western Allies, so I believe this will not hold. Not sure Germany ever got IW3. Russian partisans really kicking in which should let Soviets last until the Winter. Germans deep in Russia but scattered and often at limit of supply which should allow Russians to hold cities with upgraded corps. Zhukhov still coordinates resistance. Far East - Monsoon slows the action in SE Asia. Allies advance on Singapore and towards China. Japanese take out the Communists but US reinforces Nationalists heavily to ensure regional stability. Nationalists now have armour and air.

Game 1 Colin Axis Germany surrenders. The Italians resist a US paradrop. The Japanese keep killing British infantry in India and switch targets in Communist China (very difficult supply) to a Nationalist unit. Game 2 Colin Allies Balkans break out continues, Allies drive towards the Danube. Allies have reinforced from 2 (1 UK, 1 US) to four HQ which is making a huge difference in this offensive. Now TAC air gets full leadership as well as ground units and there is effective supply through the Greek mountains. Russians getting hurt though still manage to kill a poorly supplied German army. Zukhov escapes to rally resistance. More Partisans active in Poland and Russia should help. This turn Axis take around 4 armies and 1 rocket casualties so I hope he cannot sustain the pace...... Far East - Allies move forwards in SE Asia despite Monsoon grounding elite paratroopers. There are surface naval skirmishes with the carriers still playing cat and mouse.

Game 1 Colin Axis Germany is about to go under. Japan is doing fine in India though hard pressed in China. So far no major Naval challenge from the Allies. Game 2 Colin Allies Moscow falls but Germans still taking casualties, hopefully enough combined with Balkans fight to overextend. Allies continue to expand in the Balkans, Bulgaria surrenders to British paratroopers and more troops pile ashore. Russian partisans grab some small boats and do impromptu Amphibious assault on Black Sea coast. In the Far East Japan has collapsed in SE Asia but is aggressive in China still. USN very active, is sinking IJN ships last few turns with help from land-based spotting aircraft off coast of SE Asia. No big carrier battle though.

Game 1 Colin Axis Axis are collapsing in Europe but its worth playing on as Japan is doing just fine, deep into India with an excellent Navy. Game 2 Colin Allies Big fights with Germany in front of Moscow and a build up for both sides in the Balkans as Allies try to move inland. In the Far East Japan has collapsed in SE Asia but is aggressive in China.

Game 2 Colin Allies Greece and Russia bog down in bad weather, though it doesn't completely halt the conflict. He is showing L4 armour and TAC air. However, he is not making any progress and Allied build-up in the Balkans continues. SE Asia is falling to quite a fast Allied advance, US paras to the fore. Port Moresby falls to US armour. China fight is ongoing.

I believe you can play against the computer but its a real challenge to program this for a global game. Its a really great mod, think there are a few people who would play you.

Game 2 - Colin Allied Allies destroy 2 Japanese fighter units in SE Asia - US paratroopers are being used a lot to bypass poor terrain, dropping into clear tiles. US invades Port Moresby. Battle of Moscow continues. He loses 3 corps but does have L4 armour lurking. Roughly even here, other areas in Russia seeing very little change in terrain. Allies move further inland in the Balkans taking the Yugoslavian/Bulgarian mine (not sure which) and heading up the Adriatic coast. He has a cluster of upgraded Balkan corps in bulgaria and some German backing lurking out of carrier range (but not out of TAC bomber range, some air skirmishing ongoing).

Game 1 Colin Axis Europe continues to crumble but Japanese are doing fine - destroying another UK land unit in India. Game 2 Colin Allies Russians keep pressure up in front of Moscow though he is now showing L4 armour feel he is stalled in Russia though still bloody for both sides. Allies move inland from Greece, destroying another German army (despite the snow) and recapturing Athens from those pesky partisans. US paratroopers spearhead allied move into SE Asia - he has almost no ground units there. Japanese put more pressure on China and unleash L3 subs in Indian ocean. [Rambo - for me Greece works, I get a few Yugoslavian partisans in his rear, threaten Bulgaria and Belgrade, US has L2 mobility so can operate in mountains which limit his countering potential. Allies have 3 ports so are hard to stop reinforcing - the extra one in Greece (Salonica?) really helps Allies - breaking out of Athens alone always used to be hard]

OK - massed ART for Russia only is reasonable. The criticism of Engineers is accurate. I realize we do not want the game to descend into WWI style trench warfare but this should be something you pay MPP for. I like the way this is headed.

Game 2 Colin Allies Strange but interesting turn. Russia - weather gets worse for Germans so Russians consolidate in front of Moscow and kill another armour. Germans need to reinforce or retreat next turn. Nupremal was unlucky here, should have nailed my paratrooper. Greece - Allies move inland - heading to Balkans - killing a German army. Allied carriers knock down an Italian TAC bomber. Sadly had a bit much to concentrate on so Greek partisans recapture Athens! Have alternative ports but irritating. Strategically though, I think Axis will struggle to balance Russia and Balkan threats. SE Asia - British advance on land supported by US paratroopers and a Chinese army and chase a Japanese L3 sub off coast. China - Japan is putting more effort here and is pushing nationalists back.

Basically his timing was excellent in Russia, surged forwards at just the right moment. Also I made a mistake, got my two German paratroopers out of position during early Barbarossa and did not have them to complete encirclements or kill air/HQ in rear areas as much as usual. Think this made a big difference, should have made earlier victories more decisive. Nupremal's play was excellent here. There is another aspect to this game - clearly I put a lot of effort into North Africa but do not regret it - Spain came in too so I sealed the Med and trapped quite some British ships there which were slowly eliminated. Do not think this did me much good in Europe but do suspect that it will help Japan keep its naval edge longer - UK does not have many carriers left. Lastly I put effort into diplomacy - again do not regret it, Spain in was useful at Nationalist Chinese out until 1944 a great help back East. But it distracts from Barbarossa focus. However, for the game to be interesting there have to be viable alternative strategies to hitting Russia with everything even though its tried and tested.