Directive 21 playtesters thread

Norm Koger's The Operational Art of War III is the next game in the award-winning Operational Art of War game series. TOAW3 is updated and enhanced version of the TOAW: Century of Warfare game series. TOAW3 is a turn based game covering operational warfare from 1850-2015. Game scale is from 2.5km to 50km and half day to full week turns. TOAW3 scenarios have been designed by over 70 designers and included over 130 scenarios. TOAW3 comes complete with a full game editor.

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sPzAbt653
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Why is the first line so important?


As the first line equipment in a unit determines whether it reconstitutes or not. There must be 66% of its' assigned first line available. When you are designing units that come and go based on production dates, and setting up replacements, you have to keep it in mind.
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Turn 164, 1-13-43. After sealing the last breach in my lines around Moscow, Elmer prompty created another. I got the newly arrived 503rd Heavy Panzer Detachment in the line, and he went right around it. I've also redirected some supplies from the southern offensive to this area to help out.

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

In the south, still a long way from Rostov. These scattered Soviet units should be cleared out this turn, releasing a lot of units for other things.

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

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A new file will be available soon, this one has some big changes. First, Rick made a new terrain type called 'dense forest/wilderness'. This terrain prevents motorised movement, is difficult and costly for foot troops to move thru, and restricts supply. It shows up in this screen shot as a deep, dark green. This terrain comes in real handy in the northern areas of the map. Something like this has really been needed, and I appreciate Rick putting in the time and effort in designing it.

Next, the cease-fires are gone, replaced with negative shock. The cease-fires created a situation in this scenario where the PO was handicapped, and the human could take full advantage. So even though I'm no fan of negative shock, it's a good change for this situation.

Also, a glich in replacements was discovered whereby the Soviet forces in the south weren't getting their share. Several of you noticed that once the Axis advanced beyond Kiev and Dnepro., there wasn't much resistance, and that was why. Some adjustments have been made that will alleviate that situation.

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by Jo van der Pluym »

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

A new file will be available soon, this one has some big changes. First, Rick made a new terrain type called 'dense forest/wilderness'. This terrain prevents motorised movement, is difficult and costly for foot troops to move thru, and restricts supply. It shows up in this screen shot as a deep, dark green. This terrain comes in real handy in the northern areas of the map. Something like this has really been needed, and I appreciate Rick putting in the time and effort in designing it.

Hello SPzAbt653

Do you mean with new file the next patch/update.

If not, how can you change the attributes of a terain type?

Greetings from the Netherlands

Jo van der Pluym
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Do you mean with new file the next patch/update.

No, not the patch. Mr. Fulkerson has a download site where it will be posted.
how can you change the attributes of a terain type?

I didn't do it, but my understanding is that the 'dense woods/wilderness' is a combination of 'dunes' and 'contaminated', with the terrain tiles modified.
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by larryfulkerson »

High everybody.  I've been deployed to real life for a while and it took me about 30 minutes to catch up on reading all these posts.  Thanks for the info, everyone who posted.  I'm still interested in how D21 plays and whether or not we can tweak the rough spots.  I'm still here to help anyway I can.
Russia’s 41st Army COLLAPSED in Pokrovsk — 25,000 Soldiers KILLED After a RIDICULOUS Russian Assault
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_CtW3GqPQg
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Thanks Mr. Fulkerson. We decided to make a few formation changes, should be done the next couple days. I'll send the new file to you soon.
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by larryfulkerson »

Okie dokie everybody.  I've posted the newest version of Directive 21 on the MediaFire File hosting Service and you can find it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?3dyy5tjrg1y

As I understand it there's been a lot of changes to D21 and you may want to start over with the newest version.
I can't wait to get started myself.  Let us know how your game goes, okay?
Russia’s 41st Army COLLAPSED in Pokrovsk — 25,000 Soldiers KILLED After a RIDICULOUS Russian Assault
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_CtW3GqPQg
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by Silvanski »

Thanks for putting it up there Larry..
The TOAW Redux Dude
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Looking into arranging the Rumanian force into corp formations, as opposed to the three Armies they are currently in. Here's what it might look like:

Antonescu = 11inf, 13inf (plus all the garrison units)
II Corps = 9inf, 10inf, 7cav bde
3rd Army = 1cav, 9cav, 3mtn
IV Corps = 6inf, 7inf
Mtn Corps = 1mtn, 2mtn, 4mtn, 18inf
Cav Corps = 5cav, 8cav, 6cav
VI Corps = 2inf, 4inf, 20inf
VII Corps = 8cav, 10inf, 19inf
4th Army = 1inf, 14inf
III Corps = Gds, 15inf, 35res, 3inf
V Corps = Frntr, 21inf
XI Corps = 1 frt, 2 frt, 1sec, 2sec, 3sec
I Corps = 5inf, 8inf

The Army formations also include the artillery, engineer and bridging units. If anyone has any different suggestions ...
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

The Corp HQ's are currently just copies of the Army HQ's. If anybody has suggestions for what equipment they should be changed to, please let us know. Here's the current set up:

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by Telumar »

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Yes, thanks Stefan. I was going to use that if no one else came up with anything. So maybe they would look like this:

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by Scout_Pilot »

Have you looked at this site?

http://www.worldwar2.ro/organizare/

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by Telumar »

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

Yes, thanks Stefan. I was going to use that if no one else came up with anything. So maybe they would look like this:

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Wow. Now they would be more powerfull than the German Korps HQs..

Is there no way to outsource the engineers, cavalry and the heavy MGs to the divisions?

EDIT: There already are Eng Regts in the OOB which even indicate its component battalions in the unit name - maybe these are the Bns that were subordinated to the Corps HQs.
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Thanks David, I had looked at the worldwar2.ro site, but I don't think there is info specific to the corp HQ organisation.

Dropping the engineer and ferry teams looks like a good idea. We don't have any separate cav or mg batts, so I guess they should stay. This still has them stronger than the German Korp HQ's, but they have all the divisional units that the Rumanians don't, so I think it is ok.

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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by Telumar »

Have you set a force reentry point for the soviets? Playing the March 28th version i have observed reconstituted soviet units popping up in unconverted rear rea hexes..
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by sPzAbt653 »

If you can flip back to page 4, around post 115, Silvain and I have a brief discussion on this.

My thinking is that when this happens, it should be kind of expected. I don't think it happens too often, though. But we all play different, so let us know what you think.

I get more frustrated over the odd times that a unit reconstitutes completely off track from where it should. In addition to those examples posed in the earlier posts, I've noticed, for example, a unit from the Leningrad front reconstituting at Baku, and then sometimes it will start making it's way all the way across the map to get to where it belongs, other times it just sits there, like it's lost or something. It doesn't happen enough to warrant any special attention (and in war who knows what might happen anyway), but it is a slight aggravation when so much time is being put into helping Elmer run the Soviet side.
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RE: Directive 21 playtesters thread

Post by Telumar »

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

If you can flip back to page 4, around post 115, Silvain and I have a brief discussion on this.

My thinking is that when this happens, it should be kind of expected. I don't think it happens too often, though. But we all play different, so let us know what you think.

I get more frustrated over the odd times that a unit reconstitutes completely off track from where it should. In addition to those examples posed in the earlier posts, I've noticed, for example, a unit from the Leningrad front reconstituting at Baku, and then sometimes it will start making it's way all the way across the map to get to where it belongs, other times it just sits there, like it's lost or something. It doesn't happen enough to warrant any special attention (and in war who knows what might happen anyway), but it is a slight aggravation when so much time is being put into helping Elmer run the Soviet side.

I'm sharing your view on units travelling across the map, but you create an other problem by solving this one. Sure soviet units existed in the German rear and were supposedly treated by german security assets and security divisions.. but in D21 my security divisions are retreated over time to fight partisans.. while the soviets pop up in the german rear. Looks like an inconsistency to me. Also we're talking about reconstituted units, not bypassed ones. There are enough bypassed ones that are starved by my weaker units like sec divs and the 'worthy' rumanian etc allies. I personally would have chosen the other of the two evils. Oth, i still can mod D21 to my personal taste.
I don't think it happens too often

It happens..every turn since around turns 9 or 10 (?).. at least two units. I have Corps HQs and split up units on search and "pin them down" mission.. then units resting behind the front and sometimes fresh reinforcements are brought in to destroy them. I can send you my save files if you want.

Nevertheless i greatly enjoy D21 and appreciate the effort that you and the "crew" have put into this one.

Looks like i have to convert each single hex.. it's just stretching turns into length, and extremely painfull for units that will have to convert the new wilderness terrain which actually is radioactive.
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