Hi everybody!

[tweber]

ORIGINAL: Vic

ORIGINAL: kafka
btw can I add more tech levels?

The editor is very flexible. It can do that.

While you can add more tech levels, there is considerable cost. In the Europe 1939 scenario, it costs 40 pp to get a Fighter II, 80 pp to get a Fighter III, and 160 pp to get a fighter IV. A cities worth of production is 5 pp per month. Upgrading to Fighter IV (or Light Tank IV) would consume the entire typical German monthly production in 1941. Note that powers also have to buy supply (takes roughly 25-33% of production normally, 50% during the winter) and units. Therefore, you have to carefully balance what you would upgrade vs other requirements. However, you could have many levels and also change the cost per level.

I have found that in Europe theater game, I normally get fighters to level 3 or 4, infantry and light tanks to level 2 or 3, artillery and divebombers to level 2 and have a couple of other upgrades.

[freeboy]

tweeber,
Can you play more than one side.. ie I play the us and china and the ai plays japan?

[tweber]

ORIGINAL: freeboy

tweber,
Can you play more than one side.. ie I play the us and china and the ai plays japan?

In most scenarios, you can set up to play as many sides as you want and let the AI play the rest. You can also give the AI a production advantage but selecting AI+ (100%) and AI++ (250%).

Some of the theater scenarios are very complicated (e.g., those with action cards) and the AI cannot play them. They are listed in the 'human only' directory.

The front and battle scenarios are less complicated (e.g., no action cards) and allow for AI play.

[dave74]

tweber,

how do action cards work/ what are they??

[seille]

ORIGINAL: dave74

tweber,

how do action cards work/ what are they??

I answer for him [:D]
These cards represent events coded by the scenario designer.
You can for example choose to buy something.
Player can pick these cards (when available) and he can pay for in case they have
political point costs (PP´s).

In 1939 scenario you have lots of different action cards.
You can play cards to get a limited offensive bonus, buying troops, set up strategic
war units (subs or bombers in offense, destroyers and interceptors in defense),
or just to declare war. Often these cards have a big impact in the game.

I like buying troops for example. You choose the arrival hex via action card and then choose the premade
unit you want ( i prefer light armor and any planes i can get my hands on [:D] ). The unit arrives then in the hex you want.

edit:
"arrival hexes" Off course the units don´t arrive in any hex the player want. They can only arrive in some defined city hexes
the player must own. The russians for example have Leningrad, Moscow, Stalingrad and Kiev.
Troops are still away from the front, but already in the sector the player need them.

But pls remember what i wrote here about "arrival hexes" or "buying troops" are no game features
that are special action cards for the 1939 scenario. More examples what you can do with the action cards
as scenario designer.

[JAMiAM]

Welcome all involved, to Matrixgames. This looks like an interesting title, with some really neat concepts. Best of luck with the final development wrap up, and I look forward to seeing it released when it's ready.

Regards,
James A Mathews
TOAD Team

[tweber]

ORIGINAL: seille

ORIGINAL: dave74

tweber,

how do action cards work/ what are they??

I answer for him [:D]
These cards represent events coded by the scenario designer.
You can for example choose to buy something.
Player can pick these cards (when available) and he can pay for in case they have
political point costs (PP´s).

In 1939 scenario you have lots of different action cards.
You can play cards to get a limited offensive bonus, buying troops, set up strategic
war units (subs or bombers in offense, destroyers and interceptors in defense),
or just to declare war. Often these cards have a big impact in the game.

I like buying troops for example. You choose the arrival hex via action card and then choose the premade
unit you want ( i prefer light armor and any planes i can get my hands on [:D] ). The unit arrives then in the hex you want.

I would add that you play an action card by going to the action card tab of the reports menu. Only the theater wide scenarios use cards (e.g., Europe 1939, Pacific 1941). Most action cards has a polictical point (or pp) cost. Political points are the currency of the game. You can build pp's in cities that allow production. Also, some sides get pp that represent off map production (e.g., USA, Siberia).

Additionally in Europe, you can build units that attack and defend pp (e..g, uboats, dd escorts, bombers, and interceptors). Note that most of the West's production comes through pp so you have to manage strategic warfare carefully. Note also that the price of the action card was set so that a player gets no benefit from building units via cities or via action cards.

[seille]

I think we go too much in detail here, Tom.
1939 is a very good scenario, but not the only [:)]
 
For example there is also a nice Africa scenario where any production is closed
and the reenforcements arrive (scripted by events) in the HQ. Player can send these
fresh troops to the places they are needed.
Both sides have to work carefully with these limited fresh troops.
 
As you see many different ways to design a scenario alone from the point of
production and reenforcements.

[Arditi]

Gents,[:)]
For those of you that are not familiar with "People's Tactics" I believe you guys will be pleasantly surprised by this title. People's Tactics reminds me of the old paper and chit games I played back in the 1970's. It's addicting to the extreme. From what game additions Victor has listed on his website, and his observed accomplishments with Peoples Tactics, this new title will surpass the earlier game! With the game being highly modible; modders/artists out there are going to create some scenarios out there that will be outstanding. I really can't contain my excitement. Congrats to Victor for the release and Matrix for taking on this class act and game!
Regards, Arditi www.ironlegions.net

[Whytfyjrd]

ORIGINAL: piekat
Congratulations Vic!
I'm happy you gone "commercial" with your new game, Peoples Tactics was so good[&o][&o][&o]!
I'll buy Advanced Tactics for sure!
For those who don't know, Vic created some years ago a game called Peoples Tactics (he did everything but some graphic iirc) and that game was exceptionally good even if free of charge (I would say even better than some "commercial" games).

I also really, really enjoyed People's Tactics. Very fun to play: excellent balance between a limited mix of unit types and formations and capabilities, which makes for an excellent tactical/operational game. With FoW, it all comes down to how you use your forces and the terrain.

I expect some folks will complain about "generic" units, but it's great to play a game where you can't excuse a defeat by saying, "you had Tigers, no fair."

In any case, knowing who the designer is means AT is a "must-buy" for me.

[pzgndr]

Congratulations Vic! It's been a long time since I played one of your early versions of PT. The game looks good, very professional. [8D]

[freeboy]

matrix I am sure lends some great talent to the finished product.. sounds great.. perhaps a truly simple, fun yet "hard" to master world war could be concieved.. battle cards too much! I think a multi player game may be possible.. lots of interest from me once you say the words "editor"

[mapr]

Good news.... I really have liked PT a lot since I found and tried it,  for example, supply&support system in PT was really nice, that is what I have often been missing in other strategy games. In general PT has excellent mixture of simple gameplay( oh well... UI never worked 100% in my computer )  and versatility without compromising depth.

I've been once in while been checking PT forums for PT2 release for few months... As far as I can remember, been two months to release

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: Whytfyjrd
I also really, really enjoyed People's Tactics. Very fun to play: excellent balance between a limited mix of unit types and formations and capabilities, which makes for an excellent tactical/operational game. With FoW, it all comes down to how you use your forces and the terrain.

I expect some folks will complain about "generic" units, but it's great to play a game where you can't excuse a defeat by saying, "you had Tigers, no fair."

In any case, knowing who the designer is means AT is a "must-buy" for me.

Hi Whytfyrjd,

Thanks for the compliment. And actually the generic units have been pimped a bit in Advanced Tactics since their graphics and counter graphics vary based on if your playing allies, axis or sovjets.

Next to that i think it should be possible to categorize any ww2 tank in one of the following categories:
Armoured Car
Light Tank I, II, III, IV
Medium Tank I, II, III, IV
Heavy Tank I, II, III, IV
Tankdestroyer I, II, III, IV

Kind regards,
Vic

[seille]

ORIGINAL: mapr

Good news.... I really have liked PT a lot since I found and tried it,  for example, supply&support system in PT was really nice, that is what I have often been missing in other strategy games. In general PT has excellent mixture of simple gameplay( oh well... UI never worked 100% in my computer )  and versatility without compromising depth.

I've been once in while been checking PT forums for PT2 release for few months... As far as I can remember, been two months to release

You´ll be surprised by Advanced Tactics ! Command Structure, Supply system is improved a lot and the balance of the troops
is also much better. I never liked the artillery strength or the plane strength in PT. Was way too mighty. In AT it feels very very good.
Planes do "realistic" amount of damage. Same for artillery.

And for the guy´s that don´t like the different unit levels you can of course create your own
unit types. You can give the russians a T34 and the germans a Tiger.
BUT why ?? A T34 is for me represented by Medium Tank or Medium Tank II.
German Tiger is Heavy Tank or Heavy Tank II. King Tiger maybe Heavy Tank III.
It´s just the name for the unit that is not there. Their stats are important and how they perform on the battlefield.

I bet after release it won´t need much time and you´ll see a lot of new scenarios and new unit sets.
For myself i can say the set AT is using actually feels very good in playing.

[ravinhood]

One thing I noticed above and would like to make comment about is when one buys their production and research. Most games force you to buy it at the "beginning" of the turn and therefore you can't make realistic decisions on how much to save for supply of your combat units without taking an hour and using a slide rule and calculator to come up with some hypothetical value to spend and save. What I would like to see happen is buying production and research come at the END of the turn so I know exactly how many resources I have to put or share between these two sources. Any chance of that VIC?

[Vic]

You can do everything in any order you want in your own round.

[ravinhood]

Wow that's great Vic you thought of everything.

Wait, I would like KITCHEN SINKS during the house to house fighting now lol.