My take on the game

Get ready for Mark H. Walker's Lock ‘n Load: Heroes of Stalingrad. This is the first complete computer game in the Lock ‘n Load series, covering the battles in and around Stalingrad during World War II.
tyrion22
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tyrion22 »

ORIGINAL: markhwalker
To be honest I sometimes think.... and this is almost 11 years after I designed the game, that heroes pop up too often. The number of heroes would be hard to change without a rewrite on some of the scenarios, but we might be able to tweak the probability, but then again... that would deviate from the board game.

I guess it's completely unrealistic to change the system now, but what do you think of a house rule that replaces the 'second die must be even'-rule with:

If the second die is 6 or higher, you get a hero. Modify the roll by adding the number of shaken squads that was in the hex before the attackers roll (not those that become shaken as a result of this attack). Two half squads count as one squad, and SMCs don't count (SMCs can't help spawn new SMCs).

That way, you should think twice before firing at big stacks of shaken units (with three shaken units they get a hero if the second die is 3 or higher). If you keep firing at them, you may end up pushing that one guy over the edge. Heroes are fun, but they are most fun when they show up in desperate situations.
It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.

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vonRocko
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RE: My take on the game

Post by vonRocko »

To many heroes, to easy to get and to powerful.
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fran52
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RE: My take on the game

Post by fran52 »

Is the same to say:the second fie must be a one,like i say in the post 4
tyrion22
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tyrion22 »

Yes, but then you would have subtract the number of shaken squads. But that's just as easy I guess, and is more in line with how other kinds of tests are done (like spotting and laying smoke).
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Barthheart
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RE: My take on the game

Post by Barthheart »

I think he means you should need to roll a second 1 to get the hero instead of an even number, so 1 in 6 instead of 3 in 6 chance.

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tyrion22
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tyrion22 »

Yes, that's how I understand him too, but my additional suggestion is that you subtract the number of shaken squads in the target hex from that second roll, and get a hero on 1 or less. That way, heroes will be more likely in stacks of shaken squads.
It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.

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markhwalker
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RE: My take on the game

Post by markhwalker »

Yes, that's how I understand him too, but my additional suggestion is that you subtract the number of shaken squads in the target hex from that second roll, and get a hero on 1 or less. That way, heroes will be more likely in stacks of shaken squads.

No, I don't really want to go that route, but an interesting idea.
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baloo7777
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RE: My take on the game

Post by baloo7777 »

What about having Hero's limited to two max per scenario per unit type (counter color)?
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RE: My take on the game

Post by JWW »

I have a different view on the generation of heroes. First, Mark says he wants to simulate chaos in the game. Fewer heroes means less chaos, less uncertainty. Second, a reading of WWII literature, and several studies of the actions of men in combat in WWII, show that very often a few people shouldered much of the load in firefights, doing things that might be called brave or foolish or outrageous, but things that had a significant effect on the outcome. So perhaps more heroes is more realistic than fewer heroes. That of course is a matter of debate, but if we go back to the idea of increasing chaos, more heroes means more chaos, fewer heroes means less chaos. From that standpoint, I have no problem with having to deal with the current system of generating heroes.
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RE: My take on the game

Post by Skanvak »

To Mark : the board game is made for 2 people and use generally fewer units tahn computer games, that why people didn't bring the heroes problem.

My suggestion : I would not tweak the chance of heroes popping up as it is true to the boardgame (though it is aninteresting idea) but I would rather put an absolute limit to the number of heroes in a scenario (ie only 4 heroes can pop up druing the whole scenario. Once you have get 4 hereos (at different time) you cannot roll for them again). The other solution is to make limit the heros generation on a squad basic. Once a squad has generated a hero it cannot generate another heros (but it will damage the side with the less unit that why I prefer my first suggestion).

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markhwalker
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RE: My take on the game

Post by markhwalker »

What about having Hero's limited to two max per scenario per unit type (counter color)?

You mean rather than two on the board at a given time?
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tigercub
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tigercub »

in my game today a wounded hero took out a leader a squad with MG a and a Tank! yes hero`s are to powerful! all in 3 turns and won the game!
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tyrion22
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tyrion22 »

How would you make them less powerful? This hero was probably extremely lucky on the die rolls. In a game with dice rolling there is bound to be a bit of luck, and sometimes unlikely things happen. Just enjoy the story this creates, and go on. Maybe you were unlucky in this game, but the next game will probably be different. Just don't nerf my heroes! ;)
It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.

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tigercub
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tigercub »

I am just staying the facts do what you will!....or noting!
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tyrion22
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tyrion22 »

That they are TOO powerful is not a fact, it's an opinion, and I disagree with it. I like the fact that they are powerful.
It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.

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tigercub
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RE: My take on the game

Post by tigercub »

the facts that happen in my battle! not in relation of how strong they are! other people can talk about that!
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Michael T
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RE: My take on the game

Post by Michael T »

in my game today a wounded hero took out a leader a squad with MG a and a Tank! yes hero`s are to powerful! all in 3 turns and won the game!

As a ASL player I was seriously considering this game. But stuff like this puts me off it.
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RE: My take on the game

Post by Skanvak »

ORIGINAL: markhwalker
What about having Hero's limited to two max per scenario per unit type (counter color)?

You mean rather than two on the board at a given time?

Yes, that what I mean. That would limit the problem in the human wave scenario and still let heroes be powerful when they are around.

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Skanvak
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baloo7777
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RE: My take on the game

Post by baloo7777 »

ORIGINAL: markhwalker
What about having Hero's limited to two max per scenario per unit type (counter color)?

You mean rather than two on the board at a given time?

Oops...hadn't thought of that, Mark. I think on most of my scenarios so far there has been at least one hero on the board at any given time, and often two. I think I personally would prefer some limit to the number of Hero's, as they are very potent, and the scenario's are relatively short. So two max per unit type per scenario seems reasonable, rather than two on board max at any given time.
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RE: My take on the game

Post by Skanvak »

quote:

in my game today a wounded hero took out a leader a squad with MG a and a Tank! yes hero`s are to powerful! all in 3 turns and won the game!



As a ASL player I was seriously considering this game. But stuff like this puts me off it.

You have conflict of heroes (from matrix) that have no heroes and a more tactical experience but basically very similar.

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Skanvak
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