jumpman Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 Hey I'm new to the forums, so don't get mad at me if everybody has already discussed this 30 times and is sick of hearing about it. I just got the game earlier this week after playing the demo. I read the PCG article on the game and found it very intruiging. My first thought is that although most of you seem to think the Allies are doomed from the start, I beg to differ. I think there are some real balancing issues with allied air power. I have played about 5 games total so far, and just got finished playing one that ended with some kinda of alliance in 1946. I was Axis and had conquered all of mainland Europe excluding Spain and Russia. I captured all of North Africa, Gibraltar, Malta, and all the Mid East excluding Turkey. I built an incredibly powerful airforce in Northern France to battle the Brits and newly entered Americans in the skies. I had level 5 jets and level 2 long range planes. At one point I had 8 fully loaded air fleets in Northern France. Americans had level 1 or 2 planes (whichever they start with) and Brits had level 4 near the end. I got slaughtered. On a number of occassions, I would lose 14 of my 15 strengths to single or pairs of attacks. The Brit bomber fleet completely blew 2 of my fleets away (amazingly one wasn't even escorted). I don't understand how the allied planes are so powerful. It's my belief that the allies are meant to win the war because the developers are Americans (right?) and a teensy bit biased. Next on my agenda is the outrageously small map. How are we supposed to capture Alexandria if we can't go farther than 100 miles inland (50 in some areas)? The map definetely needs to be expanded, if not completely made into a world map (which would be totally awesome but its understandably a little more complicated). Also, what's the deal with submarine warfare? I understand maybe that they should be less effective when close to enemy territory, but they're useless! And how can a bomber fleet in Southern Scotland locate my sub hugging the shore of southern Norway? Doesn't make much sense to me. Also FYI, subs in this period could dive more than once every 5 times (or however much it is) they got attacked too. My final point is probably the biggest on the forums. 1946? What makes that year so much different than 1947 or 1960 for that matter? One year extra! Whoo hoo! Yeah right, give me a break. Please make this game longer. The allies aren't going to just flat out give up in 1946 and everybody knows that (even Hitler probably knew that and he was a moron). So at least give us some more time! I think some of the seasonal movement times are a little off also. In conclusion, SC is a good game with some great ideas, but there's some REALLY annoying flaws in the game. It's fun, but its unbelievably frustrating. For basically being a shareware game, you guys have a decent crowd, try to keep them happy please. Thanks. [ October 27, 2002, 11:13 PM: Message edited by: jumpman ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpman Posted October 28, 2002 Author Share Posted October 28, 2002 An amendment to this, I just read the guy's post below about reducing reinforcements. He reminded me of something else really annoying. When I have Paris surrounded, how does the Corps in the city get reinforced? I mean, what the heck!?!? I understand maybe airlifts or something, but I really doubt you can airlift an entire group of soldiers to help the remaining 1/10 left. Maybe some small reinforcments are okay, like only the MPP from the city being occupied, but otherwise it makes no sense. Sorry for being so blunt but I just spent 2 hours playing a game that ended abruptly in the spring of 1946 because somebody signed an alliance which I had no control over. Which reminds me, how come we get no diplomacy? Can't we send MPPs to prospective allies and get them to join us or something? Please!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norse Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 Originally posted by jumpman: Hey I'm new to the forums, so don't get mad at me if everybody has already discussed this 30 times and is sick of hearing about it. Np (...) I think there are some real balancing issues with allied air power. (...) On a number of occassions, I would lose 14 of my 15 strengths to single or pairs of attacks. The Brit bomber fleet completely blew 2 of my fleets away (amazingly one wasn't even escorted). I don't understand how the allied planes are so powerful. The reason your air units doesn't fight too well, is because of their statistics. When you click on one of your units, you will get up information such as "experience value", "entrenchment value", "supply status", and "readiness". Readiness actually means, how battleready this unit is. If you have a unit at 100% readiness, then their equipment are in working order, they are in full supply, at good moral, etc. You can put them into combat and expect a full bang for your buck. If you have a unit that is battleworn, out of supply, with bad logistics and so on, then the readiness can actually drop to 12% (that's the lowest I know I've gotten). 12% is really bad. Imagine moving an army with 12% readiness, where 9 of 10 guys are hurting, and the outfit is out of ammo, out of medics etc. The game uses headquarter units, to provide logistics for the units, so the units readiness factor (and supply and all that) goes up. One headquarter unit have no actual firepower on it's own, they are just the paper shufflers that make sure the supply wagons and all that is getting up to the units, and that the units are properly deployed for combat. One HQ can take "charge" of 5 other units, land or air units, and thus help them fight better. A HQ units maximum range is 5, so a unit 6 hexes away from a HQ cannot get help. It's my belief that the allies are meant to win the war because the developers are Americans (right?) and a teensy bit biased. hehe Nah this isn't the reason Next on my agenda is the outrageously small map. How are we supposed to capture Alexandria if we can't go farther than 100 miles inland (50 in some areas)? This have been discussed in detail, you should go back in the forum and look this up. Also, what's the deal with submarine warfare? I understand maybe that they should be less effective when close to enemy territory, but they're useless! I'm not sure what you mean. Perhaps you should look at how supply and readiness drops on your submarine unit if you keep it away from harbour too long. And how can a bomber fleet in Southern Scotland locate my sub hugging the shore of southern Norway? Spotting. The airunits, and espesically the bomber unit, works as recon planes for you because of their high spotting value. Remember now, one submarine unit is not 1 submarine, it is a wolfpack atleast, and they usually cruise around dived at this technology level. One bomber unit would also have reckon planes in it, and not just 1 type of bombers. Remember the scale. Doesn't make much sense to me. Also FYI, subs in this period could dive more than once every 5 times (or however much it is) they got attacked too. The fleet can get in trouble though, don't you think? My final point is probably the biggest on the forums. 1946? This game isn't a civ game. So you get an extra year beyond what they did historically, so you can wrap your game up if you haven't won already. The technology would change too much from ww2 to 1960, not to mention the nuclear bomb which would haveto be included. In conclusion, SC is a good game with some great ideas, but there's some REALLY annoying flaws in the game. It's fun, but its unbelievably frustrating. When you remember how the game mechanics works, then maybe it won't be so frustrating any more ~Norse~ [ October 28, 2002, 01:11 AM: Message edited by: Norse ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 Jumpman -- You criticized the map in the one place it has real relevance -- the hex west of Alexandria, which is where the Battle of El Alemain was slugged out. South of that hex there's an ocean of very soft sand called the "Qattara Depression" where Tanks, motor vehicles and infantry formations tend to sink and vanish! Rommel wanted to send his armor south, using the tried and true North African maneuver of going around the enemy, but couldn't due to that nasty geography. Instead he had to attack a fortified ridge, which held, leaving him in a stalemate with no chance of victory and a very strafeable supply line stretching back to Libya. The map has many odditities, especially in the Atlantic, and is beaten to death in practically every forum. There are a lot of good points to the game and many people are pointing out the weaknesses, which I think will be improved eventually. [ October 28, 2002, 02:01 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeres Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 Welcome to the forum. You'll find the game gets better and better the more you play it. There are tons of great strategies on this forum if you just dig around. you should also check out the SCHQ which has tons of mods and campaigns than really add life the game. Good luck. War is hell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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