Assault Defensive Forces Puzzle

[lczaplys]

I played a quick battle last night that was an axis assault in Finland in 1942. I was axis.

As you all know, for an assault, the defense is typically greatly limited. The limit for troops is 198; but this morning when I looked over the map after the game, my opponent had a whole Pioneer battalion that costs 352 regular, 298 green, and 244 conscript; I don’t understand how he was able to do that.

He had a green 203 mm arty spotter that goes for 203; the limit for arty is 114; how was he able to do that?

He had 4 regular 57 mm AT guns that cost 67; the limit for Support is 119; how was he able to do that?

The briefing says Rarity was set to None and Quality was set to Unrestricted; when I try to set up a new axis assault in Finland in 1942 (using all the settings from the Briefing) to see how he was able to get the forces he got, I see my numbers the same for buying forces and allied numbers similar to the limits above so I’m puzzled as to how he was able to get the forces he did.

What am I not seeing? The only thing I can come up with is that there's a bug that made the game appear as an attack to my opponent (that would allow him to purchase the forces he did) and an assault to me.

[JasonC]

Did you have any force handicap setting, or any casualty setting? Force handicap lets a side have more forces than the usual budget of course. And if you set 50% casualties, you buy twice as many points of stuff, but then they start ragged out with some missing etc.

[lczaplys]

Handicap was set to None; I'll have to ask my opponent about casualties, the game originated on his computer.

[Other Means]

Originally posted by lczaplys:

Handicap was set to None; I'll have to ask my opponent about casualties, the game originated on his computer.

If you did the setup, open the file you sent him and see if you can buy the same.

However, PBEM files have been known to be cracked to the extent that people can buy extra units. Was he a friend?

[Guest ExplodingMonkey]

Why would anyone want to cheat?

I never understood this, even when I played FPS online. To me, when I get good enough to dominate in any game I get really bored and move on to something else.

So why would anyone want to do that? How fun could it possibly be to sit at a PC and push a mouse button over, and over, and over, when you know you're going to win? Where's the tension? Where's the excitment?

*shakes head*

[lczaplys]

Yes, he's a friend and the issue isn't cheating. It's how can this occur? Either the game in its infinite electronic variety threw out these wacky numbers or there's some kind of bug. I'm wondering if anyone has come across this kind of anomaly before? The game wasn't via email but TCP/IP.

[Other Means]

Originally posted by lczaplys:

Yes, he's a friend and the issue isn't cheating. It's how can this occur? Either the game in its infinite electronic variety threw out these wacky numbers or there's some kind of bug. I'm wondering if anyone has come across this kind of anomaly before? The game wasn't via email but TCP/IP.

You got me. Is there any saves available that you can send to BFC? Possibly the autosave.

[JasonC]

It sounds like exactly the force mix he'd have a chance to pick if casualties were set to 40 or 50%. (Or random, if it then picked 40 or 50).