Good game, but.....

[Lou Wigman]

Let me start by saying that SC is certainly a fun game. I do however have a number of reservations which significantly reduce the potential of this game. The most fundamental of these is the very weak AI. I know that it is difficult to write a good one. Indeed, I suggest that with our current software technology a really clever AI is just not possible.

AI Bonus

Nevertheless the attempt to boost the AI through the 'Bonus' point system is a disaster. I turned up the wick to +3 to see what would happen. I was trying to take Oslo. The entire German Airforce of 5 airfleets was massed in Denmark. Each attacked and each missed yet each took damage. I almost put my fist through the screen in frustration. This most definitely is NOT fun! The bonus system is fundamentally broken.

Barbarossa

I have played the Allies on 4 occassions now, the last being on 'expert +1'. On no occasion was the german AI able to breach the line Riga - Odessa. Indeed, it never even came close. The reverse is also true. The Russian AI beats itself to a bloody pulp in mindless uncoordinated attacks until its numerical advantage is dissipated. There is clearly a problem here.

Mediterranean

A viable North African Campaign is not possible. For the Allies there is simply no incentive whatsoever to go there. This is, of course, strategically correct. Nevertheless for historical purposes it would be nice to try it. A number of factors are at work here.

* There is not enough time.

* There aren't enough playable hexes.

* Supply problems for the attacker are severe.

* The Italian AI will not put any pressure on the Allies in this area.

Lend Lease

There isn't any. Though given the weakness of the German AI this option is probably not warranted anyway.

Multiplayer

As has been pointed out in other posts this is definitely a fun 'beer and pretzels' game. My friends and I have 'beer and pretzel' nights once a week. This game would be ideal if there was proper LAN support. What is required is to be able break play into a number of different groupings. A good 3 player combination would be Britain/France/USA, Russia, Germany/Italy.

Hot seat

The problem here is that submarines only work with 'Fog of War' turned on. With 'hot seat', however, unscrupulous players (namely - me) will peak when they are not supposed to. I/we haven't played this yet. Will give more feedback later.

[Hubert Cater]

The most fundamental of these is the very weak AI.

Have you tried v1.03 yet? There were some improvements to the combat system, amphibious assaults etc., and the game should be overall more challenging at the higher difficulty levels.

Hubert

[arby]

Originally posted by Lou Wigman:

Mediterranean

A viable North African Campaign is not possible. =

It's somewhat interesting that the AI, either as Axis or Allies, will do absolutely nothing in the Mediterranean. Even if the Axis AI does the Vichy France/Spain/Portugal invasion route, once it conquers Gibraltar, it STILL does nothing in the Mediterranean.

[Canuck_para]

Originally posted by arby:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Lou Wigman:

Mediterranean

A viable North African Campaign is not possible. =

It's somewhat interesting that the AI, either as Axis or Allies, will do absolutely nothing in the Mediterranean. Even if the Axis AI does the Vichy France/Spain/Portugal invasion route, once it conquers Gibraltar, it STILL does nothing in the Mediterranean.</font>

[Lars]

I've had the Italians go after Greece (never by transport though). The AI usually takes all of the northern Med (Vichy, Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Greece) and then goes after the minor Axis allies to boot. But as for the rest of the Med you have to admit there is no real reason for the AI to go there. For the expense it's better off beating up on the Russians. Once the Russians are gone it's game over.

Perhaps if Alexandria was boosted in MPPs (to reflect the Suez) and Malta and Gibraltar was reduced to balance (what do they make in Malta and Gibraltar?) the AI would reconsider taking Egypt.

[John DiFool]

Originally posted by Lou Wigman:

Barbarossa

I have played the Allies on 4 occassions now, the last being on 'expert +1'. On no occasion was the german AI able to breach the line Riga - Odessa. Indeed, it never even came close. The reverse is also true. The Russian AI beats itself to a bloody pulp in mindless uncoordinated attacks until its numerical advantage is dissipated. There is clearly a problem here.

Agreed. Like the CoS AI, if the AI player is on

the defensive, it will nevertheless insist on

making futile assaults on the attacker. Often he

does me a favor by weakening an important unit

from 10 to 7 or so, making it that much easier to

kill on my turn. OTOH it occasionally kills off

one of my panzer groups... :mad:

Mediterranean

A viable North African Campaign is not possible. For the Allies there is simply no incentive whatsoever to go there. This is, of course, strategically correct. Nevertheless for historical purposes it would be nice to try it. A number of factors are at work here.

* There is not enough time.

* There aren't enough playable hexes.

* Supply problems for the attacker are severe.

* The Italian AI will not put any pressure on the Allies in this area.

You might be right about the logistics problem,

but all those x3 oil hexes in Persia look mighty

attractive (plus they will allow you to attack

Russia thru Turkey). The key is building the

Italians into a viable force; allowing them to

plunder the Yugos will definitely help. You

need 2 HQs, an extra ship or two (a CV severely

tilts the balance to the I-ties) and at least one

armor and air unit. This can be had by late '42

if you play your cards right (and the Italians

aren't needed to thwart an early Overlord). In

this case Alexandria quickly falls, closely

followed by Persia.

John DiFool