Game Mechanics: AT vs Panzer General

[rhinobones]

Been watching this forum for a little while and I think AT is going to be a very popular game. Actually, it is more than a game; it appears to be a designer’s dream come true. For the short amount of time that the game has been public there seems to be a tremendous outflow of creativity. I am very impressed with the graphic and scenario mods . . . superior work and kudos to all the artists and designers.

Played, and designed scenarios for Panzer General in the late 90’s and am now wondering about the game play of AT as compared to GP. In PG a unit would move, attack if possible, and then the turn would index to the next unit. Does AT play the same way, or can attacks be planned (pseudo TOAW) and then executed as a group attack? Can attacks be coordinated, i.e. simultaneous attacks planned with infantry, air and artillery?

If it’s not proprietary with the purchase, would like to see the section of the manual that explains attack, defense and pillage!!

Look forward to seeing this game system grow and hope to someday be a part of the community.

Regards, RhinoBones

[SMK-at-work]

Attacks can be planned - ie units moved into place then a simultaneous attack conducted from xeveral hexes even if eth units took different amounts of time to get there, but bombardments occur seperately - and artillery, air and naval bombardments are all different on top of that.
 
so yuo can certainly soften up a hex with artillery, air and/or naval bombardment and then assault it.
 
Further the amount of turn taken up by assault or bombardment varies, so conceivably you might assault a hex & destroy or push back the defenders, then advance and do it again, perhaps several times in a turn (3-4 max practically I think).
 
On the flip side a unit that has used 90% of its turn to get into position for an assault or bombardment might only get a single round of attacks - a unit that has most of its turn left after moving to position can get 10 "rounds" of attack in a single combat (I think I've seen 12 for artillery ).
 
An assault ends when all sub-formations on one or other side are destroyed or "retreated", or the attacker runs out of combat rounds for all units.

[Panzeh]

Yeah, attack in AT can be combined from multiple units.  This is the key to breaking up tough fortifications and units as the concentric bonus tips the scale back in the attacker's favor.  While air cannot simultaneously attack with ground, it will reduce enemy readiness which makes your job easier when you do decide to assault.

[03_walk_alot]

"Bomb'em, Strafe'em, Bombard'em, Assault'em"

You can bomb both strat and tac air.
Strafe with fighters.
Bombard with land Arty and Naval bombardment.
(arty lvl III+ "ouch")
Assault with troop, tanks.

Ohh and Para's great for kickin'em in the ass !

[seille]

ORIGINAL: 03_walk_alot

"Bomb'em, Strafe'em, Bombard'em, Assault'em"

You can bomb both strat and tac air.
Strafe with fighters.
Bombard with land Arty and Naval bombardment.
(arty lvl III+ "ouch")
Assault with troop, tanks.

Ohh and Para's great for kickin'em in the ass !

Sounds like music in my ears [:D]

[Captain Cruft]

I like the combat model, it plays well.

There are 10 rounds per turn, but these are accounted for on the individual unit level unlike the global thing with TOAW.

Overruns are handled by giving attacking units free movement into the attacked hex if it becomes vacant of enemy units.

Attacking from multiple hexes gives "concentric" bonuses, but opposing this may be over-stacking penalties which are calculated on the overall assault.

There is also a "surprise combat" feature, where if you walk into an "unspotted" hex which has enemy units in it then an automatic attack happens.

[Panzeh]

Oh and AT doesn't have the dreaded 'RUGGED DEFENSE' message. [:'(]