My thoughts on improvements

[gdpsnake]

I have a few thoughts about the game gleaned from several campaigns.

1. Subs. I treat this game as a strtegic game where pieces are just units with different characteristics. After all, you can't "stack" units and an A/C unit holds a hex like any other. That said, why buy a sub unless it has some special characteristic? True it can chip a few MPP's off the convoys but is so vulnearble to everything that the cost is not worth it. Plus, good luck trying to even get it in position. I would suggest the following for this unit:

a. Increase the chance of diving from an attack! The chance should be much greater than currently implemented on the order of 75%.

b. Subs can only be attacked by A/C units (including carrier 3 hex range) or in return fire if the sub attacks a surface vessel. (Sub used in surface role) See a. for chance of success

c. Subs (Used in strategic interdiction role) take random losses after incurring convoy combat. This represents the defense of the convoy system.

d. Sub technology increases chance of diving and amount of MPP lose while anti-sub tech imroves chance of sub damage in convoy resolution and decreases chance of diving to avoid atttack (Detection and better weapons).

I believe these changes would make subs more viable as units for purchase and use. The change in chance to dive would be easy to code in any case and is an absolute need. My "Pie in the sky" solution would be to allocate sub units from ports to a strategic warfare box or on the map. Allies would allocate naval units as escorts. Axis can allocate naval units as raiders. You get the idea. You could also have a box for the mediterranean.

2. Strategic bombing. Is it worth 2 or 3 MPPs at the loss of 1-3 bomber strength points which cost a lot more! True, you can build experience but I don't see why one would spend a lot of resources for a bombing campaign at the current use. I would like to see a strtegic warfare box for bombing as well. Allies and Axis allocate bombers and fighters to the box for this warfare. Bombers on the board would be used more for "interdiction" and carpet bombing of units. Otherwise, who buys or reseaches bombers?

3. Certain units should arrive in the game without purchase such as the ships laid down before the war (Bismark, Tirpitz, Howe, Duke of York, Etc.) Or perhaps a half purchase to represent fitting and sea trials. With the idea of surface raiders and strategic warfare, these units might actually get purchased!

4. Russia does seem to fall with regularity. I'm not sure how to make it more difficult without an imbalance. Giving extra MPP's isn't the answer because the AI may not use them properly. Perhaps a "Transfer of Siberian Units" to the far Eastern edge of the board "IF" Axis declare war and are inside Russia. These (perhaps three) units would have fair experience and the AI or player could Operational move them to bolster Moscow.

5. The "Desert War" never occurs because there's nothing to be gained. The Allies don't Lose anything like MPP's if Malta, Egypt, or Gibralter are taken so why try? Perhaps a one time loss of MPP's for these objectives plus another hex row or two for maneuver in Africa would help. Put in a SUEZ box so the Allies can move between Africa and England via operational moves plus fleets. Give the Axis incentive to take this area like plunder of MPP's as well as Malta and Gibralter.

6. Airborne units. Create a new unit that can "fly" like a plane and land on a hex. The unit max strength might be 1 or 2 and have a range of 3 or 4 with increases in strength and range based on research. Opponent A/C units would engage it like a fighter unit. The unit itself could then be used to take the occupied/vacated hex after several other plane/ship/land combats reduce or eliminate a defender. If the airborn unit doesn't "finish off" the defender then it dies. Also, airborne units would take random loss similar to amphibious landings after a drop. Us would get two: 82nd and 101st. Brits get one, the 6th. Russians would get 2? Italians get Folgere and the Germans get 2 Fleiger corps?

7. Add Crete and Cyprus to the map in addition to #6 above.

8. Research seems awful hard to achieve considering the cost. Perhaps an added percentage chance the longer the research is in the applied area which resets to zero after a success.

9. I don't see any use for rocket units. I bought some but they are worthless compared to A/C which do the same thing with greater range and damage. I see no way to use them in a stragic roll such as V1 or V2 rockets to attack MPP's. Maybe I just haven't caught on yet. Perhaps these should be cheaper to buy and better at reducing defense.

10. I would like to see an option to purchase to replace a Fin, Bulgarian, Hungarian or Rumanian instead of a German or Italian. Same for Free French, Free Polish, or Candian. Improvements in Research to Germany effects the minors as well. Changes to American research effects free French or Poles while British research effects Canadian units.

11. Are there any rules for the likelihood of Spain and Turkey joining one side or the other? I've seen it for Yugoslavia.

Oh well, my 11 cents worth in any case.

Snake

[TrionDelta]

snake wrote:

"I have a few thoughts about the game gleaned from several campaigns.

1. Subs. I treat this game as a strtegic game where pieces are just units with different characteristics. After all, you can't "stack" units and an A/C unit holds a hex like any other. That said, why buy a sub unless it has some special characteristic? True it can chip a few MPP's off the convoys but is so vulnearble to everything that the cost is not worth it. Plus, good luck trying to even get it in position. I would suggest the following for this unit:

a. Increase the chance of diving from an attack! The chance should be much greater than currently implemented on the order of 75%.

b. Subs can only be attacked by A/C units (including carrier 3 hex range) or in return fire if the sub attacks a surface vessel. (Sub used in surface role) See a. for chance of success

c. Subs (Used in strategic interdiction role) take random losses after incurring convoy combat. This represents the defense of the convoy system.

d. Sub technology increases chance of diving and amount of MPP lose while anti-sub tech imroves chance of sub damage in convoy resolution and decreases chance of diving to avoid atttack (Detection and better weapons).I believe these changes would make subs more viable as units for purchase and use. The change in chance to dive would be easy to code in any case and is an absolute need. My "Pie in the sky" solution would be to allocate sub units from ports to a strategic warfare box or on the map. Allies would allocate naval units as escorts. Axis can allocate naval units as raiders. You get the idea. You could also have a box for the mediterranean."

i tend to like this idea

"2. Strategic bombing. Is it worth 2 or 3 MPPs at the loss of 1-3 bomber strength points which cost a lot more! True, you can build experience but I don't see why one would spend a lot of resources for a bombing campaign at the current use. I would like to see a strtegic warfare box for bombing as well. Allies and Axis allocate bombers and fighters to the box for this warfare. Bombers on the board would be used more for "interdiction" and carpet bombing of units. Otherwise, who buys or reseaches bombers?"

u dont understand the concept of strategic bombing its not a short term goal, and i do it often. yes the imedate effect is they lose 1-6 mpps but it lowers the production of the port/city/mine. if u drain a port to 0 it stops producing there fore there denied 10mpps if u do this to multiple cites/ports/mines then the enemy lose a ton of resources, the stragtegic bombers dont need to be changed

"3. Certain units should arrive in the game without purchase such as the ships laid down before the war (Bismark, Tirpitz, Howe, Duke of York, Etc.) Or perhaps a half purchase to represent fitting and sea trials. With the idea of surface raiders and strategic warfare, these units might actually get purchased!"

ya i like idea of tripitz or bismark (bismark was finished in 39-40? wasnt it) and surface raiders for axis is a good idea thats how they were used

"4. Russia does seem to fall with regularity. I'm not sure how to make it more difficult without an imbalance. Giving extra MPP's isn't the answer because the AI may not use them properly. Perhaps a "Transfer of Siberian Units" to the far Eastern edge of the board "IF" Axis declare war and are inside Russia. These (perhaps three) units would have fair experience and the AI or player could Operational move them to bolster Moscow."

u talking about computer russia? computer can never outhink a human being they alrdy get siberan armies and it should be more like 5 it was 100 divisons that were transfered

"5. The "Desert War" never occurs because there's nothing to be gained. The Allies don't Lose anything like MPP's if Malta, Egypt, or Gibralter are taken so why try? Perhaps a one time loss of MPP's for these objectives plus another hex row or two for maneuver in Africa would help. Put in a SUEZ box so the Allies can move between Africa and England via operational moves plus fleets. Give the Axis incentive to take this area like plunder of MPP's as well as Malta and Gibralter."

u alrdy get mpps from conquering cities i always take this area any way. and changing game mechanics is impossible up to that point i think.

"6. Airborne units. Create a new unit that can "fly" like a plane and land on a hex. The unit max strength might be 1 or 2 and have a range of 3 or 4 with increases in strength and range based on research. Opponent A/C units would engage it like a fighter unit. The unit itself could then be used to take the occupied/vacated hex after several other plane/ship/land combats reduce or eliminate a defender. If the airborn unit doesn't "finish off" the defender then it dies. Also, airborne units would take random loss similar to amphibious landings after a drop. Us would get two: 82nd and 101st. Brits get one, the 6th. Russians would get 2? Italians get Folgere and the Germans get 2 Fleiger corps?"

me i personally like idea of Airborne give more then strength of 1-2, ive been told a corp is 50k+ ppl thats 2.5 divisions... thats odd to me give em a full 10. 101st and 82nd where 25,000 man divisons

"7. Add Crete and Cyprus to the map in addition to #6 above."

this would cause issues with balance there there just no MPP producing facility

"8. Research seems awful hard to achieve considering the cost. Perhaps an added percentage chance the longer the research is in the applied area which resets to zero after a success."

err no its all luck,which thats what reascher is any way. i had lvl 5 industrial tech once by mid-late 40 (2 chits bough them after fall of poland)

"9. I don't see any use for rocket units. I bought some but they are worthless compared to A/C which do the same thing with greater range and damage. I see no way to use them in a stragic roll such as V1 or V2 rockets to attack MPP's. Maybe I just haven't caught on yet. Perhaps these should be cheaper to buy and better at reducing defense."

ive had massive succes with rockets in crease reaserch, lvl 4 and 5 i love em

"10. I would like to see an option to purchase to replace a Fin, Bulgarian, Hungarian or Rumanian instead of a German or Italian. Same for Free French, Free Polish, or Candian. Improvements in Research to Germany effects the minors as well. Changes to American research effects free French or Poles while British research effects Canadian units."

this defeats the purpose of having major countires. Plus the finn hungarain and romanina pops couldnt support large armies.