Matrix Games Forums

When I had the time and opponents to play SL/ASL there were a number of scenarios that I'd play again and again, Hill 621 springs to mind.

How are the scenarios in HoS?

Do you play them once or twice then, particularly against the AI feel you've "solved" them or do the vagaries of the dice, a desire to try out new strategies and/or a non-predictable AI make each play something new?

From what I'm reading the ai wins so much you end up playing those same scenario's over quite a few times to advance to the next. I haven't heard if you can advance even if you lose??

I tried the first scenario of the German campaign four times before I won all objectives. Partly through developing a better strategy and partly through random events (the girl getting shot by the Russians, and heroes popping up).

Tried A Simple Task a couple of times with varying results due to different rolls. E.g. My mortar was killed in the very first impulse in my first game, but not in the second.

From what I can see so far, the unit placement is the same every time, but the dice rolls and events such as heroes can change the action quite a bit.

It would be even better if 'at start' positions could change too, but that would be the cherry on the icing on what is already a tasty cake.

Hill 621! One of my favorites also. As far as replayability goes, you determine who goes first at the start of every turn.
So that can result in a different sort of game each time. Also rallying or not rallying can change the game. In other words,
what worked one game might not the second time because of not going first or a critical unit got shaken etc.
Although your units will be the same, it might not play out the same.
I hope this helps. Good Luck

Some of the standalone scenarios let you purchase your troops before the start and place them is various start areas.
This will make each playing very different.

Some of the campaign scenarios also let you place some of your starting troops.

I think once the scenario editor is refined a bit more (which they plan to do, although it is usable now), there will be TONS of scenarios made (sorry to Avalon Hill/MMP, but good luck keeping all the old scenarios being ported).

I hope so! From the few games that played, the game mechanic is great. I only played small scenarios so far, and I don't know yet how big are the others, but bigger maps and more units should result in more tactic choices and re-playability.

I don't think the campaigns will have much playability. The scenarios, a bit more, but I'm counting on player-designed material to keep the game viable. Hopefully well see expansion packs with maps & counters coming out so we can expand to the ETO, PTO, even the Korean War.

Hopefully a DLC module will have a random battle map generator. [X(]

Yeah, a random generator would be excellent!

Does the AI start in the same place with the same forces every time?

ORIGINAL: Dorb

Does the AI start in the same place with the same forces every time?

Yes, in most, but not all, scenarios.

Keep in mind there are not many changes in the dice rolling. They use a weighted RNG..which basically says the dice rolls are somewhat scripted for a scenario. I personally, find this a big problem in the replayablity....

ORIGINAL: jonj01

Keep in mind there are not many changes in the dice rolling. They use a weighted RNG..which basically says the dice rolls are somewhat scripted for a scenario. I personally, find this a big problem in the replayablity....

Firstly thanks for the responses.

This one puts me firmly back on the fence in regard to buying. If the dice rolls have to be "fixed" to make the scenarios challenging against the AI then why bother with the pretence of dice rolls [:-]

ORIGINAL: Wolfe

ORIGINAL: jonj01

Keep in mind there are not many changes in the dice rolling. They use a weighted RNG..which basically says the dice rolls are somewhat scripted for a scenario. I personally, find this a big problem in the replayablity....

Firstly thanks for the responses.

This one puts me firmly back on the fence in regard to buying. If the dice rolls have to be "fixed" to make the scenarios challenging against the AI then why bother with the pretence of dice rolls [:-]

The dice rolls are not fixed for a scenario.

At the start of you playing a scenario, a random number seed is chosen for that playing. It will be the seed for that entire playing even if you save and continue the scenario later.

If you start to the same scenario again, a different random number seed will be chosen. The random numbers will be different.

Every playing of a scenario will have different random numbers.

OK I might have misunderstood.

To clarify, is there any difference in regard to dice rolling between the computer game and the board game ?

[/quote]

The dice rolls are not fixed for a scenario.

At the start of you playing a scenario, a random number seed is chosen for that playing. It will be the seed for that entire playing even if you save and continue the scenario later.

If you start to the same scenario again, a different random number seed will be chosen. The random numbers will be different.

Every playing of a scenario will have different random numbers.


[/quote]

Why is this done? Why not let the dice roll as they may?

ORIGINAL: Wolfe

OK I might have misunderstood.

To clarify, is there any difference in regard to dice rolling between the computer game and the board game ?

Not sure what you are asking? During a scenario play through the dice are rolled randomly just like as if you were playing the boardgame.

A special "seed" is saved with every save file so that if you load up a save and play exactly the same way the dice roll will be exactly the same.
If you start the scenario from scratch, the "seed" is different and therefore the rolls will all be different.

ORIGINAL: z1812

The dice rolls are not fixed for a scenario.

At the start of you playing a scenario, a random number seed is chosen for that playing. It will be the seed for that entire playing even if you save and continue the scenario later.

If you start to the same scenario again, a different random number seed will be chosen. The random numbers will be different.

Every playing of a scenario will have different random numbers.

Why is this done? Why not let the dice roll as they may?

It was done for multiplayer and I guess it was just easier to do it the same for all scenarios.. I don't know that, Tom would have to answer it...

ORIGINAL: Barthheart

ORIGINAL: z1812

The dice rolls are not fixed for a scenario.

At the start of you playing a scenario, a random number seed is chosen for that playing. It will be the seed for that entire playing even if you save and continue the scenario later.

If you start to the same scenario again, a different random number seed will be chosen. The random numbers will be different.

Every playing of a scenario will have different random numbers.

Why is this done? Why not let the dice roll as they may?

It was done for multiplayer and I guess it was just easier to do it the same for all scenarios.. I don't know that, Tom would have to answer it...

That sounds very odd. Especially for multiplayer. I don't like to think there is anything between me and the other player but a proper, unaltered, dice roll.