Ideas based on first impressions

[geozero]

First off...the game is really entertaining and I was hooked like few games since Panzer General. It appears to run as a Java app, and if I'm correct on this, then patches should be fairly easy to do.

Normally I'd read the manual but since I d/l (waiting for box to be shipped) I went striaght into the game. It's fairly simple to figure out. I had only one CTD, and then saved game about every two turns. It played solid for over 8 hours.

The map looks pretty good and reminds me of old Avalon Hill type maps. At this scale it is sufficient to cover most of the general terrain variances.

The number of units I thought at first was not enough, but after playing it is just fine, though some refinements should be made. I was not sure if there was a way to make airborne units, and it would be nice to see specialized unit types (ala HOI) like arty, AT, etc. Not sure if you can build forts or other defensive positions. I tried to play straight through so maybe I missed some of this...

As stated in another thread, after a unit moves and you de-select it, you should be able to come back to it and attack with that unit. It would also be nice to see mech and armor unit be able to exploit attacks and perhaps get a second attack or movement bonus (besides moving the one hex when a successful attack happens).

Not sure why Luxemburg does not have their own "border", even if it's one hex, it would have been nice.

I played Germany 1939...attacked Poland and defeated them by turn 3. Next it was moving units to the west...somehow I missed the rail movement option until later in the game, but no biggie...

I attacked Denmark next, it actually took longer because of the way units move.

Next it was build units like crazy. When Poland was defeated and split with the Soviets, their entire border was lined up with Soviet troops...YIKES. I thought I'd better build, build, build...

Instead of attacking the entire west, I started with Holland first, then a turn later Belgium/Lux. By this time the Allies were more active. I attacked through the Ardennes with solid armor and mech units, putting Garrison troops in cities defeated. I never attacked the Maginot line, and somehow all those troops just sat there the entire time. Finally I made a push to Paris, and with armor/mech and infantry supported by air attacks the city fell. All in all France fell in about 5 or 6 six turns.

Next I left 2 fighters in France to defend against British air attacks. I left a few key units in France and moved everyone to the east...discovering rail movement in the process.

I attacked the Soviet Union all along the front...amazingly about 90% of their units were defeated on the very FIRST turn! The entire line crumbled. I reached Moscow and captured it about 5 turns later with armor and mech units. Meanwhile I had a push to the north and south by mostly infantry.

THEN IT HAPPENED!!! I ran out of oil. It wasn't the Russian Winter or the Allies that were defeating me...it was OIL.

Meanwhile in Italy and North Africa, the Italians had been doing quite well, and had reached Cairo. I did send one German Infantry Corps but it wasn't really needed. The Italians wre doing well. They captured Egypt, and then attacked Iraq and captured the oil fields of Mosul (The AXIS were desperate by this time to get oil). I next had them push north through Palestine and Lebanon. BTW - I've had no opposition in Iraq.

Back in Russia...My push SOUTH has been mostly to secure more oil fields. THe Soviet Union never surrenders, and though I'd capture Moscow by August 1941, now that I'm well into late 1942/early 1943 there is still no surrender. PArtisan keep popping up and I keep a couple of fighters and tac bombers to soften them up and then a network of Infantry units to destroy them (I try no to move armor units because of the oil).

I have just about every oil field and still not enough oil...that seems odd.

Anyway, never attacked Norway, Yugoslavia or Greece. I just did not see the importance of it. They remain neutral so no big deal. There's no oil there either. It's all about the oil.

At sea... I had two subs hang out for most of 1939, then allied ships found them and sunk them. After that I kept a pretty good pace building them and managed to sing two CV's a battleship and a few convoys. But the ship's ASW AI is still too strong or the subs stealth not good. I just don't see how a ship from far away can find the subs that quick. It would be nice to allow a sub to move-attack-move again to remain hidden. Or give a sub an additional attack bonus. Anything to give it the edge that it deserves.

Last impressions... it is a very fun game. It needs some tweaks, but is still playable and fun entertainment. It plays out quick, but after a while, especially hunting for oil and partisans, it's a bit repetitive. It would also be nice to be able to "name" units just for fun if anything else.

The sounds are good (but I turn off the music in most games).

I played until early 1943, the U.S. is supplying a lot of convoys that I can't keep up with by subs. Britain has a lot of fighter planes, but I have more, with about 10 fighters and 3 tac, and 1 strategic bomber in France.

Well, kudos to everyone who made this. Can't wait for thr Pacific War, and one HUGE game covering everything. [&o]

[Warfare1]

geozero:

How many difficulty settings are there, and what setting were you using?

Also, by 1943 how was Soviet opposition?

[geozero]

ORIGINAL: Warfare1

geozero:

How many difficulty settings are there, and what setting were you using?

Also, by 1943 how was Soviet opposition?

I believe there are 7 difficulty settings.

The middle one is the "Normal" setting, then there are three levels favoring the AXIS and three levels favoring the ALLIES.

I think I used one level towards the AXIS, but I'm not sure what these difficulty settings ACTUALLY do. Next game I'll leave at normal, and do an extensive AAR with screenshots. ****NOTE: I also have full FOW on and the selection for Oil (which is why I'm running out now). I thougth these would make it more challenging. [:D]

By end of 1941 the Soviets were all but wiped out. By 1943 there were a few cities left, which I'm going after, mainly Sevastapol and Stalingrad. Again, by that time all I wanted was more oil, so bypassing these and going for the oil.

So early 1943 I'm beefing up the "west" with more troops and aircraft, mopping up partisans in Russia, and going after the oil.

I think I'll divert some troops and wipe out Yugoslavia and Greece, just for the hell of it.

[freeboy]

per the posts at Slither site the slider "help" affects number of units and not combat.

[Warfare1]

Many thanks for your responses

By end of 1941 the Soviets were all but wiped out. By 1943 there were a few cities left, which I'm going after, mainly Sevastapol and Stalingrad. Again, by that time all I wanted was more oil, so bypassing these and going for the oil.

This isn't good, even on a lower difficulty setting. There should be a script that spawns more Soviet units the farther in the German player goes. The Soviets NEVER ran out of troops/tanks.

What about Allied supplies to the Soviets via lend-Lease? Any sign of this? Is this in the game?

So early 1943 I'm beefing up the "west" with more troops and aircraft, mopping up partisans in Russia, and going after the oil.

Any sign of western Allied opposition yet?

Are British bombers effective? Is the US transferring troops to Britain? How is the Allied opposition in the Middle East?

I think I'll divert some troops and wipe out Yugoslavia and Greece, just for the hell of it.

Do you get points for taking those two countries?

I think there should be more reason for the Axis player to want to have to take over those two countries.

Do you think the Italian troops are too tough?

[geozero]

The Soviets do manage to still produce units, but I suspect that once I have all their cities all they will be able to do is spawn partisans. It appears (albeit my limited experience playing the Axis) that units created must be deployed at or near a city controlled by you in your "home" country. So my strategy will be to take all Soviet cities eventually...but first grab the oil and resources.

Allied opposition in the west is minimal. From the beginning I got some bombing runs. At first only had 2 fighters and that was all well, now have 10 fighters and been able to "fly" over to the UK and destroy their fighters. The few bombers that get through my fighter screen do minimal damage, which is quickly repaired.

Not sure if there are US troops coming over. The convoys seem to get through due to what I believe is a weak sub stealth. I sink a few convoy points or capital ships but I lose the subs within 1-2 turns later. It takes 3 turns to build subs and about 3-5 turns to get them into Atlantic going around UK/Iceland area, not wanting to rish a channel voyage. So it takes a lot of time, resources and efforts and only sink a few convoys...not a realistic sub warfare IMO, but easily could be tweaked I think.

Allied opposition in Africa/Middle East is non-existent. 2 infantry corps and 1 armor in western Egypt easily destroyed with 2 aircraft. 2 Italian Inf corps and 1 armor. I sent a few reinforcements as well (including 1 German corps). Next is one corps in Alexandria and 1 in Lebanon. That's it from what I could tell. Easily defeated. Grab the oil in Mosul, Iraq.

The way the victory works is how many "capitals" you control at end of 1945. That's it. SHould be more to it than that. So all I have to do is hold out Paris, Moscow, Berlin and Rome and I win. Not much of a strategy there.

Still fun to play.

[Warfare1]

As you mentioned, you are playing on a lower difficulty setting, so it is unfair to judge the game at this time. Although it may be a good setting to use to learn the game, it sounds too easy to use.

I think taking capitals should give you points, but I also think occupying provinces within the countries should also give you points.

In Third Reich, it was all about occupying countries and getting their Production Points.

Is there an editor?

It sounds like a job for a modder to produce one campaign to be played only as the Allies, and another to be played only as the Axis. Then these campaigns could be tweaked to give the player a tough opposition. It doesn't sound too difficult to do provided all the tools are there.

It will be interesting to see if you get invaded from the sea.

[geozero]

I agree that I did use an easier "setting", but what does that setting actually do? Make less units for Allies? Less convoy points maybe? Does it make the AI any less smart?

Still the core goals are the same...play the game until the end of the war in 1945 and whoever has the most capitals wins. THAT seems a bit gamey IMO.

ON my next game I'll play it with the hard "setting" up all the way.

[IainMcNeil]

Advantage settigns increase the oil, manpower and war effort %, so means you'll have more of everything. The bigger teh advanatge the more you get. It also reduce these values on the other side.

[ravinhood]

Since this most often always happens developers should start making the hardest setting the normal setting and add two more difficulty levels after that. I remember Spartan was sooo hard for some on normal an even easy difficulty (v1.013) that Iain and company went back in and dumbed down the ai (v1.017) just to apease the whinners that were crying how hard it was. lol Hell, we need harder games.  Let them learn to adapt and learn how to play, quit making it a cakewalk for everyone or just make one level so easy a 6 year old can play it and all the rest provide good challenge for us vets out here. Afterall it's probably more vets buying the game than these kids anyways. They don't wanna read or learn, they just want something easy with cheat codes or game genies. lol
 
I'm surprised to hear the normal mode is so easy since I always gave kudos to Slitherine for making challenging games like Spartan. I still recommend Spartan. Just be sure and back patch to v1.013

[Syagrius]

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

Since this most often always happens developers should start making the hardest setting the normal setting and add two more difficulty levels after that. I remember Spartan was sooo hard for some on normal an even easy difficulty (v1.013) that Iain and company went back in and dumbed down the ai (v1.017) just to apease the whinners that were crying how hard it was. lol Hell, we need harder games.  Let them learn to adapt and learn how to play, quit making it a cakewalk for everyone or just make one level so easy a 6 year old can play it and all the rest provide good challenge for us vets out here. Afterall it's probably more vets buying the game than these kids anyways. They don't wanna read or learn, they just want something easy with cheat codes or game genies. lol

I'm surprised to hear the normal mode is so easy since I always gave kudos to Slitherine for making challenging games like Spartan. I still recommend Spartan. Just be sure and back patch to v1.013

I agree 100%. Look at what they did to the Total War series just to please the kids...[:-]

[Fred98]

ORIGINAL: Warfare1

In Third Reich, it was all about occupying countries and getting their Production Points.

This game too.

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