What's Next for JTCS?

[Jason Petho]

ORIGINAL: **budd**

soviet/afgan on the list

It will be part of the "Cold War" compilation.

Jason Petho

[andym]

I cant wait for the Cold War game.I lived in BAOR at the Height of the Cold War.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads
Platoon IDs converted to six digit format (from five digit format), all the OoB files need to be rebuild...

Can you tell us any more about this six digit format? I'm looking at doing something with the platoon files and would need to rejigger things if the IDs changed on me.

[Jason Petho]

ORIGINAL: 76mm
Can you tell us any more about this six digit format? I'm looking at doing something with the platoon files and would need to rejigger things if the IDs changed on me.

This is the present formatting for the new platoon code formats.

Keep in mind, this is subject to change.

PLATOON CODES
Platoon Code Format for new Campaign Series games.
Jason Petho – November 5, 2014

PXX0001 – PXX0999 Tanks, Light Tanks, Self-propelled Gun (as SU-100)
PXX1001 – PXX1999 Artillery (Self-propelled and towed)
PXX2001 – PXX2999 Infantry (All types)
PXX3001 – PXX3999 Headquarters (All types)
PXX4001 – PXX4999 Leaders (All types)
PXX5001 – PXX5999 Off-map Airplanes (All types)
PXX6001 – PXX6499 Reconnaissance Vehicles (Armoured Cars, Recce Jeeps, etc)
PXX6500 – PXX6799 Helicopters and ON MAP aircraft (All types)
PXX6800 – PXX6999 Naval Units (Boats, Landing Craft, etc)
PXX7001 – PXX7999 Transport units (All types of Trucks, APC’s, IFV’s, etc)
PXX8001 – PXX8499 Antiaircraft (Self-propelled, towed, man portable)
PXX8500 – PXX8799 Spare
PXX8800 – PXX8999 Misc Buildings, special units (Factories, News Crews, etc)
PXX9001 – PXX9499 Antitank (Self-propelled, towed, man portable)
PXX9500 – PXX9999 Spare

[ArmyEsq]

Bought CSME. The possibilities are exciting! Thank you, Gentlemen.

I look forward to CSVN. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever looked forward more to a game than CSVN.

[Jason Petho]

Thank you for your support, ArmyEsq!!

I will have admit, so I am! While I am biased, I believe it will be truly fantastic!

Jason Petho

[Warhorse]

Thank you for your support ArmyEsq, the devel team very much appreciate all you guys interest![&o]

[K K Rossokolski]

Bigeard, good evening from Canberra. I refer to your Post #11.
You've chosen to remember of one of the finest soldiers of the last 100 years or more. What one would give to have a drink with him.?
I too have had on ongoing interest in this period, one of my memories of youth is of listening to the ABC at home in Melbourne in May '54, hearing that DBP had surrendered.
For the VN game,I am working on some biggish scenarios of the French era, in particular the series of engagements around the Red River Delta in 1951, where it did seem that Giap committed himself too early, and badly underestimated the ability of the French under de Lattre to counter his moves. I have excellent sources for maps, but apart from DBP, there is not a lot of detailed material available in English. Bernard Fall provides sufficient information to develop some historically based scens, but I would love to have some more detailed material. I am particularly interested in the Day River battles of 1951. Any information you could point me to will be deeply appreciated
Please note I have poor computer skills.

[carll11]

I too have been looking forward to CS Vietnam....since well, the old talon soft game series, whose name escapes me[:D]

basic graphics, they had a Dak To scenario ( or was oi Long vie? so long ago)an I Corp Khe Sahn scenario, ... I wish I could remember the name, you had 'offshore attack' helos and aircraft to allocate, you found units by intermittent spotting, landing air cav squadrons close by etc... etc....

Anyway, making a CS system style/type game will be challenging. How do you account for say, the super stealth of the VC and still superior stealth ( to the Americans) of the NVA?

NVA Sappers, require I think special tools/movement values etc....

[carll11]

btw- are you referring to the Bigeard who was at dien bien phu? ( speaking of a great CSVN scenario )

[Bigeard]

ORIGINAL: K K Rossokolski

Bigeard, good evening from Canberra. I refer to your Post #11.
You've chosen to remember of one of the finest soldiers of the last 100 years or more. What one would give to have a drink with him.?
I too have had on ongoing interest in this period, one of my memories of youth is of listening to the ABC at home in Melbourne in May '54, hearing that DBP had surrendered.
For the VN game,I am working on some biggish scenarios of the French era, in particular the series of engagements around the Red River Delta in 1951, where it did seem that Giap committed himself too early, and badly underestimated the ability of the French under de Lattre to counter his moves. I have excellent sources for maps, but apart from DBP, there is not a lot of detailed material available in English. Bernard Fall provides sufficient information to develop some historically based scens, but I would love to have some more detailed material. I am particularly interested in the Day River battles of 1951. Any information you could point me to will be deeply appreciated
Please note I have poor computer skills.

Rod, thank you and I echo your thoughts about 'Bruno'. He was indeed one of the 20th century's most able commanders.

You mention Bernard Fall: I assume you've access to copies of 'Street Without Joy' and 'Hell In A Very Small Place' yes ? 'Street Without Joy' will give you a lot of information about operations, and notably the slaughter of Mobile Group 100

In addition to those I thoroughly recommend 'The Last Valley' by Martin Windrow. Although the book focusses on DBP, the author examines other operations such as RC4, Red River and of course, Na San, which served as the model for DBP.

I also have Howard Simpson's book on Dien Bien Phu, which is very good, but obviously deals only with that battle.

Regards
Paul Kirkland

[carll11]

The Last Valley, big thumbs up...great tactical maps of the Na San battle and grand tactical maps of the Red River delta, 51 thru 54...

[Crossroads]

The first two posts of this topic:

ORIGINAL: Noypi53

With the release of the ME JTCS this month, what's next in the pipeline for the series?

ORIGINAL: berto

That's under intense discussion among the Dev Team right now. In all likelihood, the Indochina-Vietnam game will be next.

And so it is. Just posted this in the CS:ME Sneak peeks topic:

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

With CS: Middle East 1.02 UPDATE being finalised for a release in a few weeks time, we are continuing our work towards the next game in the series; CS: Vietnam.

True to the Campaign Series approach to game titles, this game will also span a long period of time, covering conflicts for instance:

- First Indochina War
- Second Indochina War
- Laos Civil War
- Cambodian Civil War
- Chinese-Vietnamese Border War

The game will continue to be equipped with a full series of editors, as well with a Random Battle Generator and a Linked Campaign Game option. Dynamic Campaign Games are being discussed, given the DCG mechanism is to go a complete overhaul, likely after CS:VN 1.0 is out, whether it will be included from the word go is still under discussion.

While we're very happy with the game engine itself, and the rich variety of gaming features and options it provides, the user interface continues to be in the center of our attention too. In-game dialogs are the first to begin their long due overhaul. Front End menus too will receive some attention, all things going well.

This time around, 3D will get a thorough overhaul, with a new set of terrain tiles in the making. All 3D units continue to be lovingly hand painted too. We've got two project members dedicating their full development time to 3D. The design philosophy continues to be that of the hand painted table top miniatures, familiar to CS players from the previous game titles. More of them later.

On 2D, after the two new Zoom levels that appeared with CS:ME, the tasks in hand are the development of the new Tropical temp zone terrain tiles. The design philosophy here continues to be that of a Boardgame look and feel. To that aspect, now with the Counter Stats being available for chits, the 2D Graphical Unit Icons view receives a new design approach. 2D NATO symbol view remains the same, with 420+ individual platoon and section icons available to describe the various units.

There's a lot of foundation work done already all along while the JTCS 2.0 and CS:ME 1.0 titles were being developed. We hope to release CS: Vietnam in some 12 months time from now, all going well. Here's hoping!

If you have any questions, comments or wishlist items to make, shoot!

Oh, the first sneak peek: Version 1.0 mock-up of the new 2D Graphical Unit Icons view:



As always, everything is work-in-progress and subject to change [:)]

-crossroads-

[dox44]

well this "fanboy" can't wait for CS:Vietnam to be released.

i will be following along.

thanks!

[Crossroads]

Thank you for your support, as always! [:)]

[JoMc67]

I have had JTCS for a few years ( use to play the East & West Fronts from Talonsoft ) with latest 2.01 patch.

Ok, from reading this Forum future releases will be named 'Campaign Series' and having 'Theater type Games' ( East & West Fronts revisited, along with other New Titles in future ).

This Sounds very interesting, however, I have a basics 'Game Mechanics' Question & Comment that I hope you can answer:
The main issue I had with JTCS was that you were able to move a single friendly unit, receive enemy fire, then move another friendly unit in reaction, all in a 6 minute game turn...Which I found very unrealistic, and decided to stop playing ( thou, I think there was an option to move a whole Battalion at once, which helped alleviate this problem some ).

What I would like to know is if there will be a 'New System' in line with traditional Tactical Board Game (Panzer Leader/Blitz) & Miniatures Rules...Basically You move all your units, receive OP Fire, Return Fire (Arty Phase, C&C, and Recovery, etc, somewhere in there), for each 6 minute turn...This would be in a WEGO (simultaneous) or IGOUGO (alternating) formats.

Also, (which works for me either way) will 'Direct Fire' Combat be the same as JTCS (each individual units fire is resolved within Platoon), or more of 'Attack vs. Defense' Odds ratio (Panzer Leader/Blitz game systems).

Is the above even relatively close to how the New 'CS' will be about, or something completely different ?

Any Info would be appreciated
Joe

[MrRoadrunner]

Ch-ch-ch changes.

[&o][8|][:'(][:D]

RR

[Bigeard]

Attn K K Rossokolski

Rod,

Just for info - a relatively new book on the French era in Vietnam, which I've just started reading this week, is 'Embers of War' by Prof. Fredrik Logeval. It won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize so it's a significant work, to say the least.

Amazon link

I can't yet tell you how detailed the military operations are dealt with, as would be pertinent to creating JTCS scenarios, however. If you search Frederik Logeval, there are a some videos of him talking about the book, and why the French involvement came to fascinate him ( he had initially set out to write on the American experience ).

Here is a lecture he gave in 2013. Towards the end, he talks about Bernard Fall's sense of foreboding at the build up of American power in Vietnam in 1965, and the perceived parallels with France's failed strategy. Well worth watching, and from the first chapter or so, I can thoroughly recommend the book too.

https://youtu.be/P-tq2Xwpm8o

Regards
Paul

[Jason Petho]

+1!

That's one for my list too, thanks, Paul!

Jason Petho

[Bigeard]

You're welcome, Jason. [:)]