Quasi random battles

[Askovdk]

I have found a new nice way to generate quick battles, and since I haven't read about this method elsewhere I will post it here.

The idea is to create a partly random battle.

1) Create a random map with the editor and change it to make it more interesting if you want. I'm thinking about creating large woods, lakes or a river with few crossings.

2) Create a more interesting setup zone for the defender, i.e. inside forests, along roads to give the defender some good ambush points.

3) Choose the month and year for the battle under preferences.

4) Buy key units for both sides. I would suggest buying the rare units, that you want to try to fight with/against, - consider buying additional troops for the attacking side.

5) Save the scenario with a name like 'Axis_attack_june_44_Stug_vs_KV2', so you can reuse the step 1-4 for another battle.

6) Start a new Quick battle, where the time matching the one in the made scenario, and let the computer buy units for both sides, - you may/shold adjust the force mix though.

7) Import the map with troops!

You will now have a battle, where you know some of the enemy troops, but not all, and you have the planned units, but also some randomly choosen, that you will have to utilise as good as possible.

Some ideas for quasi random battles could be:

AT-defense: You buy tanks for the attacker and ATG for the defender, and let the computer randomly buy additional armor and infantry respectively.

Cityfight: You buy SMG/pioneer squads for the attacker and HMGs for the defender.

Mobility: On a huge map you buy lots of transportation for the attacker and draw many possible setup zones for the defender, so the attacker will have to localize the defender and move accordantly.

This have given a nice new life to QBs for me.

When buying troops in the editor you have options to bias the battle strongly to either side, or buy more transportation/mines/LMGs/whatever for one side without giving the other side units, if these special extra units are not supposed to change the balance.

I got this idea from RobOs campaign (great work, thank you Robert) and this is how I use it for QBs.

And yes, 'why play QBs with so many excellent scenarios around?'. Well, personally I don't want to 'waste' a good scenario if I'm not sure, that I'll have the time/concentration to finish it, and these quasi random battles are also a nice way to test new strategies with the key units, but with the realistic challenge of improvisation when a unplanned Tiger shows up.

[dieseltaylor]

Looks a very cunning idea - lots of mileage to increase game play. Thanks for posting.

[dieseltaylor]

I have pasted your idea to Band of Brothers and its getting lots of comments. The nice thing is they are saying good things about it : )

http://p204.ezboard.com/fwebandofbrothersfrm1

[Askovdk]

I'm happy, that you like it.

At BoB DrVonCool comments

A variant of this might be an interesting idea for tournament battles: Allow the rest of the units to be human pick (i.e. the map gives you the tanks, you can then either add more tanks or provide some infantry). It would limit the "better purchase skill wins the battle" aspect but still allow players to use some of their personal favorite units.

Remark for people planning to try the approach above: keep in mind that an appropriate amount of flags needs to be added to the map. "Appropriate" in that it is compatible with the size of the battle, i.e. taking into account both the number of imported points and the number of points allowed for computer or human purchases.

I can only agree, and emphasise that those flags should be placed at interesting spots (hills, villages, ambush zones) to help the AI.