FOW refinements for WitP

Nikademus · Post by **Nikademus** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 11:14 pm

Have some suggestions for improvement of FOW in the map.

Enemies should no longer by default be able to see whether or not a base has aircraft present, or land forces, or ship at anchor by the simple trigger that they 'are' there as happens right now in UV.

Because of this facet it makes it impossible currently for players in UV to secretly develop bases or hide aircraft transfers or withdrawls etc etc.

Instead, these symbols should either be static on discovery of the presence of an airfield or port and land units should only appear on direct discovery by recon, coastwatchers, or crypto.

In games by the AI and more so against humans, i find it annoying to find out instantly when the other side has moved or withdrawn these units by the simple expediate that those symbols on the map appear or disapear.

Snigbert · Post by **Snigbert** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 4:18 am

I agree, you should have to have some sort of recon information to change these symbols. I also think recon flights should give more information on ships in port.

CapAndGown · Post by **CapAndGown** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 8:00 am

I'm not sure about the reference to ground units here. They do not appear unless you recon them. Even the ones that show up at the beginning of the scenario will dissappear if you do not keep reconing them.

As for aircraft and ships, I agree. Right now the Allied player has an advantage because he can dock ships and move aircraft during his turn that the Jap player will not see until combat resolution while the Jap player cannot do the same. This allows the US player to make port attacks and reroute shipping with advanced knowlege of new threats/opportunities. The Jap player cannot make a port attack with the same assurance of hitting the shipping that is currently said to be their.

This is about the only turn asymetry that I know of in the entire game.

Also, one wonders wether their should not be an idea of "neutral" hex dots. Conquering all these piddly little hex dots in the Solomons is a pain in the butt. This problem will only be amplified in WitP. Surely there must be a way to secure an area without the need to micromanage every little platoon.

Piiska · Post by **Piiska** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:27 pm

Maybe some 'zone of control' type of solution that has been suggested before could be implemented.

A big base has larger a zone of control, a small has smaller.

If a neutral/enemy base without any troops on it, is under the zone for sufficent time, it will convert to friendly. This could simulate small team sized scout missions that are sent from base to surrounding islands. If an island is not empty, the player would get a message: "Scouting team sent to x has not returned".

Something to that effect would greatly reduce the 'APD island to island rally', which given the scale of WITP, might be just a tad bit too much.

I would't mind to keep even the base icons hidden, before an island is scouted. A normal naval or ASW search might be enough to determine if there is a base in developement, so that one doesn't have to manually recon everything all the time.

However, this would make it possible to start building secret airfields in areas where the enemy has no air activity at all.

Snigbert · Post by **Snigbert** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 6:19 am

I also think if an undefended base is attacked, the player who doesn't have any forces there shouldn't see what forces are attacking the base.

AP514 · Post by **AP514** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 7:00 am

Hey
Alot of good ideas here.....will we see them in a Patch or just in the next game ??

AP514

WW2'er · Post by **WW2'er** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 9:04 pm

There are a lot of good ideas here! I hope some, if not most, are implemented in WITP. I don't know about the "Zone of Control" idea, but I do think that all the little islands and beaches should be nuetral until occupied. There is no reason to have to order an attack if you have reconed the area and know that there are no enemy troops there. You should just land and occupy.

If you can also add the much requested, "Speed and Direction" of task force sightings to all the added Fog Of War suggestions listed here........AHHHHHHHH....I'm drooling just thinking about this game!!!:p

Howard Mitchell · Post by **Howard Mitchell** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 9:06 pm

Originally posted by Snigbert
I also think recon flights should give more information on ships in port.

ANY would be good!

Piiska · Post by **Piiska** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 10:19 pm

Speed, direction and estimation of the enemy forces?

Bah. Says I. Such information is rubbish. Who on earth would need to know where the enemy is going: They either come to meet us or they run away from us; that information settles the estimation needs as well. Only thing we need to know is that our men are ready and willing to die for their country. Let the enemy decide where to meet us and we will be there and show them!

Back in the old days, we just made an agreement with the enemy where the field of glory shall be. No need for fancy scouting and other un-manly tricks. And what comes to rifles. Bah. A gentleman with a sword and a horse kills at least 20 of 'men' with silly little sticks that go bang...

FOW refinements for WitP

FOW refinements for WitP

I agree!