rclawson007

Am I missing something, or are the diplomacy scripts missing the ability to buy more than one chit at a time?

The additional Operation Movement cost that AI incurs because of the immediacy of its actions alone requires a 50% bump.

ND - You oculd try moving the Italian Air Unit (5 strengther) on the start-up board. Like adding the HQ. Other option, add a second air unit and make them both strength 1 to start. I've done similar things on the mod I am working on...just so I can have the AI count on certain critical assets being available. Other option is to give Italy Long Range [1] so the air fleet can cross the gap without using MM. That might help.?.?.

The only combat concern I've had with SC2 is the subs. But after setting up a board of all ocean and playing around with naval combat over the past few days I have to say that I DO LIKE the way HC has implemented the subs (in terms of how they interact with the rest of the naval forces). The shortfalls are not with the unit balance but the "limited" way in which the AI employs naval forces. Naval scripts have been discussed before, but I do not recall seeing a discussion on "what exactly" the naval scripts should do. So, my wish list starts with: 0. Naval scripts allow you to specify unit type. 1. Scripts to tell naval units to patrol between X,X and Y,Y using a set of way points. Naval unit would stop at any port in path automatically. 2. Scripts to accompany sea transfers and amphibs - or included in sea transfer scripts. 3. Scripts that allow Naval units to be assigned to a fleet #, so that they travel together. The same script should set conditions under which enemy naval units are engaged. # units, distance, proximity to specific tiles, and target type (transports/amphibs in particular). At present it is an "all in" affair every time the AI sees any naval unit at all. This is crippling to the UK at start because it is easy to bait into traps. 4. Scripts to bombard a specific target (Malta for instance). If the script could also grab air units (specified number) that would be awesome. If automatic retreat is not part of combat AI, then a strength level to return to port. 5. Scripts to "Garrison" specific tiles. As opposed to patrol duty. Like guarding the sub escape path between UK and Norway.

The only bit of combat I am not happy with in SC2 is subs. The Kriegsmarine commissioned 1154 U-boats before and during World War Two. Compared to other naval vessals, it was a staggering number. I like having the subs units, but would like the attack and defence numbers lowered so a sub can take 5 hits before its whacked instead of 3. Likewise, a sub unit would do minimal damage to a warship. This would encourage the player to use the subs for interdiction without it getting whacked the first time a cruise "pack" decends upon it. We have packs of subs hunting packs of cruisers. I would say that lowering the cost of subs would be ok...for the German player anyway...because right now they pack a mean hit to battleships and carriers. As a result, I never "waste" a sub on convoy duty unless I've already decimated the UK navy such that I don't have to worry about the cruisers. In every single game against the AI I clear the seas around Britian and then starve it to death with the same three subs. By the time the US enters I have 4-5 subs and I clean them out of the Atlantic as well.

ND, since the tank units are limited in number, it is fairly effective to just put it the #Tank entry first with a high %. When all 6 (or is it 7) units are bought, the script skips and moves on. If you include 2,3,4 date discriminators you can avoid focusing on them when Germany should be in a more defensive stance. I'll send you a copy of mine for you review. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

How do I get a picture to paste in?

Before 1947, under the British, the "official" Indian flag was the Union Jack "defaced" (the official term) by the star of the G.C.S.I. (Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India) at the center. This was, officially, the flag of the Viceroy, but it came to be used as the Indian flag (although I believe the normal Union Jack was used in practice). And, yes, India was a special case, different from the other possessions.

If you want to isolate a city...as in surround it, you could write a Garrison script. Check that enemy unit is in hex...so if/when it's finally destroyed the garrison script is cancelled.

Blashy is right. It helps to take out a entire world map (or globe) and look at the size of Mother Russia...compared to what is shown in most WW2 games, books, etc. which seem to just cut-off Russia at the Urals. It's like saying IF Japan had managed to invade San Francisco and take all of the west coast up to the Rocky Mountains that the US would have captiulated. Ceeded the territory...yea maybe...but not surrender the rest of the country.

Colin, I agree. If every Allied player immediately sinks 3 chits in Spain to counter the Germans, then the Germans have already won the first gambit.

Lars...The US entered WWI based on a U-boat sinking a passanger liner carrying tourists (and supplies of course) to England. There was US public concern over the German Attacks, and following the attack on Pearl Harbor there is little question that Roosevelt was going to get the US into the War. I like that the game allows for later US entry, based on the Axis players choices. I have gotten US entry as late as Dec. 43. But, if you look at the dozens of scripted political events in this game, there are significant axis activation events for US ships getting near the coasts of Spain and Russia...as opposed to actually attacking their ships. Do you really believe their was no public response to these attacks - or any other attacks throughout history? If the German player wants to avoid provoking the US then he can choose to avoid US shipping and only go after other convoy routes.

My first pass through this was just too large in scope. After trying a few ideas, I've settled (thus far) on the following. One, defining a new US convoy route so it no longer overlaps Canadas. Two, a simple check if at least one german naval unit is on the convoy route. If so, there is a 50% chance pre Pearl Harbor and 100% chance post Pearl Harbor for a 1-3% activation increase. This required only two scripts...which makes me . Also, there is a signifcant activation hit for being within 2 tiles of US coast post Pearl Harbor. But the convoy route is not along the coast, so barring an invasion there is no need for the Axis to be there.

Well, I could reduce the % chance per turn, from 75% to 50% or even 20%. So it balances out to a degree. The question is the right degree. Right now, two subs stationed in US/Canada corridor continuously for a year would increase US activation by 18 +/- 8 percent. Too high or too low. Also, I think the sub kill rate is way too high if one is after an attrition war...which I am. But that is another mod.

Yes I know, but that is asking ALOT given the current script handles. Besides, it won't take effect until US is at 40% so for now lets just assume the US Merchant Marines helped move the goods from Canadian ports as well. Maybe when the editor is upgraded, I can make a direct call against the number of MPP lost. As it is the file includes 16 seperate scripts to model this effect. And in reality, I doubt the U-Boat captains cared about which port the freighters left from...so it may actually be a better "representation" the way it is, depending on your point of view. Must admit, I do not know much about the interdiction other than a Discovery documentary I saw a few years ago on the US Merchant Marines. They lost, what I thought at the time to be, a staggering # of seamen prior to Dec. 7th is about all I remember.

At present I have: 75% chance per turn for 1-3% increase if 1-2 axis naval units in vicinity of US Lend-Lease. 75% chance per turn for 2-6% increase if 3+ axis naval units in vicinity of US Lend-Lease. (Requires US at 40% for LL to be active and UK not surrendered) Remember that this hit occurs whether the subs raid US convoy or not. Thus the 1-3% at 75%. The US/UK usually knew the U-Boats were in the general area due to radio traffic intercepts etc. so this method is not totally out to lunch. I agree that basing on lost MPP would be better, but I don't have access to that code. Also, If the axis get close to the US coast and activation up to 15% can occur depending on # of naval vessels. And that's per turn.

That is again, fairly simple to implement, as stated above its already being done. I'll add that as I also see it as an oversight.

Sorry. The only reason the subs are not attacked is because they make no attack. The game "assumes" that convoy raiding would be reported via radio and ASW cruisers dispatched to hunt them down. Silent mode - means you sit and watch the convoy pass by - as in no attack. Thus the convoy does not know you are there and does not radio for help. So no radio plee for help means no attack. Before the patch, if you turned on silent mode the sub would not interdict the convoy (i.e. no MPP loss) but the cruisers were sent you your location anyway. Thus the sub was targeted without making its own attack (in the form of a convoy raid) first.

I do not speak for Hubert, but I will make the code available for any who want it. Maybe HC will decide to use it. I think some US activation help is needed. I had one game with US entry in Dec.43. Course that was my strategy...prolong US activation as long as possible. I even diplo'd little Iraq to avoid the hit after taking Cairo on my way to Russia's Oil fields. Damn Iraq/Russia border requires 2 HQs to cross.

Well...you can't have one without the other...

jj... The script handles (data variables) we are given acces to do not allow that. What I can do is check the number of axis units (which have to be any naval unit - again using an existing script handle) along the convoy path. There are already naval scripts (you may or may not know) that check the location of the US fleet and activate Spain and USSR toward axis. Anyway, a simple duplication will accomplish the goal. Question is...provide some feedback on how many activation points versus the number of axis units (on a per turn basis of course).

The silent mode just means that if you are in a shipping lane, the sub will not interdict the convoy. So no radio traffic...and no criusers heading your way. You have to shoot once, and move. Especially with the AI because it bee-lines for your position. Silent mode allows you to move along the convoy path without alerting AI. That's it. It does not mean you can not be attacked. If an Allied ship happens upon you...say good night.

JD - I agree that would be an improvement. A war af attrition is exactly what it was. I like the damage reduction of damage on both sides. Axis don't get battleship hunter-killers, but will still have motivation to build subs because a single sighting will not decimate your sub. I do not like the immediacy of current sub combat either...so I usually never build any. They just get crushed in a single turn as is. Think I'll add than to my list...

OK, point taken. I have, in general, increased US activation in the script mods I am making and will look into finding a way of checking convoy loss. While that is difficult, it is certainly possible to write a script that increases US activation based on the number of german naval assets in the Atlantic (ie. # of subs/ships - at present the scripts do not allow a query on type of unit). What are you thoughts?

Exactly, I don't know how opportunistic you want to be, but if you can see Malta and there is no enemy unit there...then you should have tactical superiority. Right? Wrong?