pzgndr Posted September 28, 2002 Share Posted September 28, 2002 I just finished playing a very enjoyable game as Allies against the AI at Intermediate +1 settings and all of Hubert's challenge options on. To be very brief, Britain managed to take Iraq in 41, Libya in 42, and then Greece and Sicily in 43. US entry was delayed until summer 42. USSR took Finland early and then fought a tough delaying campaign, barely holding a Leningrad-Moscow-Stalingrad line and almost seeing Moscow surrounded in summer 43. Sevastopol held but Rostov fell. US made landings in France in 43 and helped turn the tide, but it was touch and go throughout 43 and I almost lost my bridgehead on the continent. The game really turned in 44. Russia then took Berlin in April 45 and Britain took Rome in May 45, so other than ending a little differently it did end fairly "normal." I made several mistakes along the way and probably could have won sooner, but this was fine considering the advanced settings. The +1 experience was more of a hassle than any research problems that I noticed. For instance, Britain and USSR got L5 jets by end of 44, whereas Germany only had L3. But it took till the middle of 44 to gain anything resembling air superiority against the tough Luftwaffe units and their HQs, and I lost more air units than I care to talk about. The AI continues to maintain a LOT of air and HQs, even in losing defensive situations, and more than once slipped HQs out via Op Moves (I really wish units had effective ZOCs to at least block Op Moves and reinforcements! :mad: ) And the Axis AI never builds U-boats. What's up with that? The proposed research changes should work well and Hubert's proposed (tentative?) changes to US and USSR initial research points and tech levels should help provide a little more heft for the Allies. Considering how I just played a fairly well balanced game at the Int +1 level, I'm not sure just how much more heft they need. I think they do need some help early on get up and running, but then something to slow down the Russian steamroller toward the end. So a couple of ideas. Limiting ALL builds to home country (and maybe Alexandria for Britain as the sole exception) will help slow down the Germans in Russia, and the Russians in Eastern Europe. Long lines of communication provide natural limiters, but are not modeled well in SC. This would force players to spend time and money to op move new units to the front. If implemented, Op Moves for subs between two friendly ports should be added and would help resolve the "U-boats breaking into the Atlantic" problem. Considering the historic rail conversion problems on the east front, I think "Scorched Earth" should work both ways - at least for the Russians occupying non-Russian cities in their march west. I'm also wondering if plunder for axis minors should just be eliminated; it seems like overkill, so once they activate just treat them like part of Germany? This will not necessarily hurt the Allies, since by the time USSR is able to overrun the axis minors they are not too terribly concerned about MPPs anyway. In summary: 1) builds limited to home country, 2) scorched earth for Russians, and 3) no plunder for activated axis minors (Neutral fine, but not activated). Just wondering what some others have seen in their campaign games and whether these ideas sound OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzgndr Posted September 30, 2002 Author Share Posted September 30, 2002 In summary: 1) builds limited to home country, 2) scorched earth for Russians, and 3) no plunder for activated axis minors. Radio check, over. Considering this crowd, someone's got to have an opinion one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Cmdr Posted September 30, 2002 Share Posted September 30, 2002 Bill, instead of not allowing builds in conquered cities I would much rather see time-length builds. So you can't just build in 1 turn an aircraft carrier in France. If there is no way to model time-length builds then perhaps the ability of only being able to build in the home country would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Dave Posted September 30, 2002 Share Posted September 30, 2002 As originally posted by Bill Macon: Radio check, over. Considering this crowd, someone's got to have an opinion one way or another. zzzztt....krklkkl...damn Toys 'R Us radio... what was that... Bill? What's that? Yer sittin' under a rain cloud? Well, borrow Colonel Kurtz's umbrella, for the love of... zzzztt... Somebody's got to have -- a what? An ONION? It's the middle of a horrible war... and you guys are making -- Vichysoisse? ... krrkkl zzzt... Come in, Bill... No, no, I MEAN -- come BACK... in... your mission is hereby cancelled... krkkrlkkl... over & out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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