Western option, please?!

[kozmeister]

I would like to propose the grand campaign for SC2 not start with a prerequisite invasion of Poland and all parties at war. Leave these options to the gamer. Alliances should be more clearly indicated prior to declaring war (who reads the rules anyway). For example, Germany wants to declare war on Poland. A warning is provided - "France is a strong ally of Poland, invasion might trigger war with France." Probable increases to the war readiness numbers would be given prior to the actual assault. Actual values would be slightly variable, as 'foreign sentiment' was not always predictable.

Also, what about the idea of variable alliance-sets? Alliance-sets could be pre-selected at the beginning.

1) Franco-Russion-Poland encirclement. Neutral Britain.

2) no fascist Italy (British-US-Italian). Neutral Soviets.

3) Standard set.

etc.

I will stand back and take my boot up the arsh.

KOZMEISTER

[JerseyJohn]

These are very good ideas. A lot of us have been suggesting very similar things for a long time now -- especially in references to Clash of Steel, which had a diplomatic feature that would allow the player to not go to war if he didn't want to!

It's only a matter of what Hubert wants to put into the game.

Personally I'd like an option where we can simulate the situation starting in 1935 or so, with nobody at war and Italy about to invade Ethiopia, Germany eyeing Austria -- he wanted to absorb it at that time but Mussolini was his major roadblock, a situation that changed after the League of Nations made Italy an outcast due to it's Abyssnia campaign. How would things have been different if any of those numerous variables had gone differently?

Anyway, the more diplomatic prewar options we've got, the greater the number of possibilities that can be explored. Many of us are all for that concept.

[Edwin P.]

Thats a good idea, and in my view, perhaps one that can be created with the editor given the ability to modify this game. It would be a great project for someone after the game is released.

[rleete]

Ah, yes. My number one problem with any WWII game is that the thing always seems to follow the same old formula, time after time. Different starting options, especially diplomacy, would be most welcome.

[pzgndr]

Personally I'd like an option where we can simulate the situation starting in 1935 or so, with nobody at war

There is a game limitation that requires at least two countries to be at war. UK and Germany could start at war (perhaps as early as spring 1939 based on Czechosolvakia) with France and Poland neutral. An invasion of Poland could trigger a random increase in French war readiness, perhaps bringing them in immediately and perhaps not. This would be interesting, and quite doable.

It may be more problematic to create a decent mod starting much earlier than spring 39 or fall 38, but who knows? If something DOES trigger an early Allied response and Germany is crushed even before they have a chance to mobilize and get a few conquests under their belt, then that wouldn't be too exciting. And on the flip side, if the Allies (ie, France) fail to respond fast enough (ie, historically) and Germany gains a significant lead, then that may be unbalanced and wouldn't be too exciting either. Regardless, someone is bound to come up with something that might be "just right." :cool: