If you had a magic wand...

[CapnDarwin]

What would you add/change to the game to make it more enjoyable/replayable. We are always looking for a few good ideas. [:D]

[jjhouston4]

Break the scout platoons down into sections so that they can actually screen.

[CapnDarwin]

I like the idea. I'll see if I can squeeze this one on the 105 plate. I want to split up the Helo fomations for the same reason.

[hank]

1. ... a small thing ... : I think it would be nice to be able to increase the message text that flashes on the map indicating one of many actions going on like "NATO artillery firing", or "Rested", or etc. etc. The text is sort of small for old eyes.

Is there an .ini file or some other type of setting file where I can increase the font size for these messages?

2. On one of the start up dialog boxes, the text runs together on my laptop. I have a nice wide screen laptop and I run it at its highest resolution (which means nothing in FG). Just an observation. Maybe all you need to do is test the game out on a laptop and see what happens to the graphics.

3. Have the ability to separate the mech infantry from the IFV's and use them separately but with some degradation of the fighting strength. (I think this has been suggested before)

... I've been playing V1.04 quite a bit and its a big improvement over the original. I've started up a new PBEM game and the turn resolution even seems to be more improved ... maybe I didnt notice before but in artillery strikes I really like that you get several shots and explosions one right after the other ...

... can't complain any more than I have

thanks
hank

[asdf12]

1. How about expanding OOB's for areas where potential conflicts were/are possible for example China/North Korea with accompanying maps.
2. I was hoping to see a site where FPG Fans could submit some of their work; scenario's, mods ...

[cbelva]

1. Wrecks, wrecks and more wrecks. The map is just too sterile. Wrecks are a critical factor in a battle. They can obscure LOS and hinder movement.

2. Infantry which can fight separate from their carriers. used to hold towns and other critical terrain. Can also be airlifted in via helos.

3. Maps, maps, and more maps. Ok, I will settle for a map editor[;)]

[IronManBeta]

I would like more recon assets period! Correct me if I am wrong, but neither side was terribly keen to just swan off into the great unknown no matter how much of a rush they were in. The forces were too fragile and precious to just lurch off into unexplored space unless there was some assurance that the enemy was far away. This happens too often still in most scenarios for simple lack of adequate recon assets. We will see about providing some more soon.

Cheers, Rob.

ORIGINAL: jjhouston4

Break the scout platoons down into sections so that they can actually screen.

[IronManBeta]

These are all good ideas. You ought to see all of them at some point but it might take a little while for the larger things like a map editor and larger maps. Rewriting existing code over and over (I should be good at it by now) is more time consuming and sometimes harder to test then just writing new code from scratch!

Thanks, Rob.

[Poliorcetes]

I have to hand it to you guys, this is the best investment in a game I've had in a long time. I usually burn through a game in a month or so. But between good PBEM players and the spectacular programmer support I am still playing. With the new artillery rules you changed the entire feel of the game (and all my old tactics went to waste).

My only nitpick has been the lack of need for SOP changes once set and the utter uselessness of Radio reports (other than to draw enemy counterbattery fire). Seems strange to have options like "radio if roadblocked" when there isn't much you can do about the report. I have turned off everything except "notify when in contact with enemy" and not seen any downside. Its rare for me to see I or my opponents get above yellow now on Electronic warfare, as we all have learned to turn everything off. Not a problem but it does make me wonder why you have a set of options that don't do anything "good" (ie. there is no downside to turning off all reporting options except 1). And the SOP can be devestating if you get it wrong, ruining a whole game because you set your "keep distance" range longer than your weapons range (rendered my entire helo assets useless in my last game with that mistake). Maybe consider warning signs if you start putting in obviously suicidal SOP orders?

I'd also like ghost markers or something on the screen indicating recent contacts. Nothing more frustrating than "spotting" enemy units, and then the screen shifts to another unit before you can memorize where on the map that unit was, and then it disappears (such as when your recon unit gets vaporized, or Counterbattery on HQs)

Spotting reports from Airstrikes would be nice.

Wonderful game as it is though.

Poliorcetes

[Viper6]

Yah, spotting reports for airstrikes would be really nice, I know I would certainly grill my pilots when they got back as to what they saw and didn't blow up.

Mabye add a notation in the TOC or something telling you what was used to kill a unit, like mabye "unit sufferd 1 x T-80 losses from TOW-2B" or something, expecially when you have mech units firing all kinds of weapons at a time; it would help with emersion.

I would also like to see airbone/airmobile infantry, nothing like dropping a bunch of troops into a city behind enemy lines to piss poeple off!

VIPER

[CapnDarwin]

Great Stuff!

Does anyone else have anything to add? Come on... a magic wand, cant beat that. [:D]

Thanks for the inputs.

[hank]

OK

Here's another regarding the flash messages that appear on the map as the resolution is in progress.
Beside wanting larger text ... or the ability to make it larger; I wish the casualty figures would have a line for each type of weapon or vehicles destroyed (a carraige return instead of a ";") ... and have the ability to control how long the message stays up

ex:

1xBMP-2
2xT80U
1xT80UK

AND, if artillery fire lands in one map grid over a specific number of times (i.e., 10 times), the terrain turns to rubble with a resulting decrease in movement through the grid ... increased movement points to pass through that grid for both sides (it doesn't matter who's picking through rubble ... its rubble)


thats all for now

hank

[MikeToth]

I agree about the scount recon forces... and the Parachute troops......

[opum]

Hi all

I have been playing this game for about a week now and I would like to give an alternative solution to the problem with recon forces.

From my p.o.v. the problem is that the recon forces behave as if they where ordinary line units. I would love to see the recon units having a special movement that has the following characteristics:

* Speed is slow
* Chance of spotting enemy units before they spot you is high
* If engaged by the enemy the chance of serious losses is low unless the enemy assaults you.

I think this would create some intresting problems for the defender since he has to work actively not to give his positions away. I he does not try to chase the enemy recons away his positions will be quite clear to the enemy within a couple of hours.

It would also be nice if all unit types could perform this recon-move with a suitable reduction in spotting and survival factors.

comments?

[IronManBeta]

We have something already called 'stealth mode' that is available to units with Move orders. Look for a little checkbox on the unit description panel that appears while you are giving Move orders. It reduces the chance of your being spotted by 1/3 at the cost of reducing your speed by 1/2. This is definitely recommended for all recon units! I would like to model in a lot more recon-specific behaviour and your list is a great starting point. I agree that they do behave a little too much like line units right now. Good recon is an art all its own and is absolutely vital on the modern battlefield.

I am also interested in getting unarmed helicopter recon units into the game. The sheer speed of these units could really make life interesting for the other side! It is not that it is hard, but even the simplest thing seems to take forever to design, construct, test and document when so many other things are going on too!

Thanks, Rob.

ORIGINAL: opum

Hi all

I have been playing this game for about a week now and I would like to give an alternative solution to the problem with recon forces.

From my p.o.v. the problem is that the recon forces behave as if they where ordinary line units. I would love to see the recon units having a special movement that has the following characteristics:

* Speed is slow
* Chance of spotting enemy units before they spot you is high
* If engaged by the enemy the chance of serious losses is low unless the enemy assaults you.

I think this would create some intresting problems for the defender since he has to work actively not to give his positions away. I he does not try to chase the enemy recons away his positions will be quite clear to the enemy within a couple of hours.

It would also be nice if all unit types could perform this recon-move with a suitable reduction in spotting and survival factors.

comments?

[themattcurtis]

While it's a band aid approach, I've also made sure to adjust the range at which my recon units will engage targets and the distance they will strive to maintain between themselves and enemy assets.

If you have your recon troops ignore anyone who isn't in PB range, and have them withdraw if an enemy is detected within a set radius, they're less likely to sit still and try to duke it out.

Not something a lot of folks won't have thought of for themselves, but I thought I'd mention it.

[opum]

I'll try to be a little more strict about using stealth mode when moving my recon.

I still want to say that this is a great game and I had a great time playing two LAN games tonight with a friend. The best game was me playing brits on "red hammer". Where I spotted my friend trying to cross the river south of the western town. Me, who likes an active defence, of course shifted my forces and ordered a full assault on the bridgehead, combined with some mortar shelling of the bridge itself.

The battle ended with a decicive victory for my frient since my heroic lads arrived one turn to late and met 3 companies of dug in mech-inf. I think there is a big "fun factor" in this intelligence war that the recon units should be used for.

And at last, as a fellow programmer I know the deal with thoose TODO lists. I have one myself that I doubt will disappear during my vacation.

EDIT: And this was in response to RobertCrandall...

[opum]

Yes you're right as long as the distance between my recon unit and the spotted enemy is beyond the effective range of the enemy. Due to the maps in the game that doesn't happen very often. Most of the time an enemy unit just pops up some 500-1000 m away and the recon unit is no more.

A small bonus in 1.04 though is that the recon unit mostly takes at least one unit down with them

EDIT: Not in response to myself of course, but to themattcurtis.

[MikeBrough]

I'd like to be able to set up conditional orders:

If the recon squad reports enemy troops ahead, maybe the HQ unit should stop where it is instead of continuing right down the road...

[Embiss]

I would like to see an option to have maps that looked like.....err Maps!

Dont get me wrong The artwork in these is superb, but I would like to feel like I was viewing something more like a map, contour lines is what I really want. so i can see at a glance how high that high ground really is.

Ironically, I think a map is easier to read and understand than a more "artistic" approach.