Eastern Front Axis Allied Balance

[battlevonwar]

Very interesting topics...

Whatever realistically balances things would be nice. I usually don't give the AI much of a chance as it, it requires a few games to find a way to exploit it.

Here in this current game, I push on the boundary cities of Moscow and Leningrad in Sept.1941(waiting for what will occur) What is usually the case is the Russians run out of units for the fodder.

In history, so many Russians were captured even more slipped out of the fingers of the Germans, reformed and caused havoc. There is more partisan activity in Greece than in Russia...

In History the territory was not favorable for the Germans conquest due to their treatment of the people. The Rails, the Weather, the Long lines. Russia was actually really frikkin' hot as well as really frikkin' cold...both, in a tank that's no fun...


If I can drive to Stalingrad before Winter I will say, we should really triple our efforts to balance out things. Even if we have to mod ourselves... I am eager to see if GwG can hold me at the line he's developed.


Meanwhile in Egypt, are on the Razor's Edge

[gwgardner]

Oh, I made a mess in Egypt, didn't I. Way too aggressive with my armor and mech divisions, which you picked off willy-nilly. But we shall see ....

[Rasputitsa]

ORIGINAL: battlevonwar
Very interesting topics...

Whatever realistically balances things would be nice. I usually don't give the AI much of a chance as it, it requires a few games to find a way to exploit it.

Here in this current game, I push on the boundary cities of Moscow and Leningrad in Sept.1941(waiting for what will occur) What is usually the case is the Russians run out of units for the fodder.

In history, so many Russians were captured even more slipped out of the fingers of the Germans, reformed and caused havoc. There is more partisan activity in Greece than in Russia...

In History the territory was not favorable for the Germans conquest due to their treatment of the people. The Rails, the Weather, the Long lines. Russia was actually really frikkin' hot as well as really frikkin' cold...both, in a tank that's no fun...


If I can drive to Stalingrad before Winter I will say, we should really triple our efforts to balance out things. Even if we have to mod ourselves... I am eager to see if GwG can hold me at the line he's developed.


Meanwhile in Egypt, are on the Razor's Edge

The rail net only gets partially damaged and repairs too quickly. I reality the Germans were never able to get the level of supply they needed by rail, even after they repaired the lines. Some units were sending their supply trucks all the way back to Germany, in desperation to get parts and equipment, because the supply system was so inadequate.

In the game, rail damage occurs as you have combat, or capture rail hexes and if you avoid moving units through rail hexes you can minimise the damage. I would like rail damage to be assessed for each rail hex on changes of national control, whether, or not, there has been any combat, or movement in the hex, with a high chance of every captured rail hex being damaged. The repair delay can be modded, but I think the damage process is something for the devs.

This would be more realistic, as historically even if the actual rails weren't damaged the railway staff will head for the hills, signalling equipment destroyed and rolling stock removed by the retreating nation. It takes some time to get a rail system working efficiently, even with little physical damage.

Changing this for the East front aspects will not effect other theatres too much, as there is little rail in NA and the Western Allies did not leave much of the enemy rail system working during their offensives. The Western Allies were running truck supply (Red Ball Express, etc.) right up to the German border in late 1944, because the French rail system had been trashed.

Much more rail damage (essentially all rail damaged on change of control) and longer repair time will slow the race across Russia, in either direction. [:)]

[baloo7777]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

Have you tried escorting convoys? that is available in 1.04. have destroyers, etc. stationed along the routes.

I know that's impossible in the Med, as long as it is Italian controlled, and for the seazone next to France.

Hunt and kill those subs, make it a major effort.

I have now stationed small allied squadrons (cruisers/air carrier and maybe a BB) in as many of the sea zones as I can. The axis AI is making use of its air power (fighters/tactical) in the sea zones bordering France (Bay of Biscay/Channel/North Sea) and is using its subs there also. After many damaged ships, I moved outside these zones and try air attacks on the subs. The entire Italian Fleet is sitting in the zone off Tunisia and killing PP's like they were candy. Put French subs there, but they got damaged and I have no way to repair them. I might be gaming the system though, as every turn I refuse to surrender as the French (not realistic). In CEAW, you do not get a choice once Paris falls. Oh well, awaiting the AI attack on USSR, as Axis will need those air units there. I made a rookie mistake and used every spare PP to create British Fighter units, and now have a severe shortage of tactical , meaning I have trouble attacking AI subs (when I can even find them). Not sure I am understanding how to use the Naval system yet. Thought I might try to put a tactical air unit in Malta, and see if I can get those Italian subs!

[gwgardner]

Yeah, the biggest problem in the game right now as far as I'm concerned is the convoy routing through the med instead of around the Horn. That and the stupid Bay of Biscay.

One thing you can do is not run convoys every turn, but only as needed. Bad solution, but I've done it at times.

someone with some modding talent should simply put an MSS in Cairo, representing the supplies from the Empire, so we wouldn't have to run convoys through the med except to Malta.

[battlevonwar]

The British did have a hell of a time supplying Malta. The fact convoys run in a straight line. I really have found the best recipe is just follow the coasts if the enemy has no Tactical Bombers or Mass Carriers its all just easy targets. Even then, it's rather tough to destroy Subs in mass...

Egypt is tough to defend! There British have more air than ground forces I notice more often that not. But it certainly costs a lot of PP to take.

In one area you've stationed nearly the entire Russian Baltic fleet, and no amount of airstrikes or German Naval presence will dislodge it over months.

[battlevonwar]

The rails alone would not stop the Panzers, it would bottleneck up certain operations and not allow for Front Switching that the Germans have the ability to do now. On foot I could see the German units moving at a much slower pace. A month or so two would be bought by this action. Plus reinforcing, would be much slower...so long term operations would alter.

You shouldn't be able to move say 500,000 men and 1000 tanks in a week? No matter what conditions, especially down the same Rail Line, up a narrow corridor.

If you really want to bog down the Germans vs the Russians they will have to fight. Somewhere, somehow... They will have to learn Blitzkrieg and get a strong enough bonus and have enough reserve units to push back and defend their homeland. Then it's up to the tactical prowess of the two opposing forces and it's what I stress ideally. No matter the supply/weather/rail conditions. If the Russians never learn to fight which they did(the Germans taught them how) they will die.

Unless the German player is inept at tactics. Basically, don't get encircled, keep killing, take cities, resources. Only way around this if the Urals had a better PP bonus as in some games and true Scorched Earth in the wake.

P.S. American Trucks were driven like mad to supply front line troops in France. Hazardous as hell... Perhaps a % chance that front line units get low supply or foraging supply levels would also help hinder speed? I like these ideas, they add some realism plus the hope that someone who chooses to play the Allies feels he has a chance. We don't want to tip the balance too far, just enough to even it up at least.

[baloo7777]

The AI Axis has done pretty much the same thing in the med. The Italian fleet occupies a sea zone, and cannot be dislodged. I tried not sending any PP convoys for a turn, but the 44 PP's it left the British that turn hurt my air units ability to rebuild. The German air is attacking anything in range (maybe not for long as its now late Feb 1941). Then I had the bright idea to send the remaining French Fleet against the Italian controlled sea zone (the French unrest is approaching 50%, and their must be some consequence soon from not signing an armistace). Pretty much the only thing that happened was the French Fleet and the Italian Fleet sailed around not attacking each other. However, the many, many Italian subs were able to sink a number of already damaged French ships. I would probably be imprisoned or worse if this was the real deal!

[battlevonwar]

Take small Island Bases, and attempt to use tac air in concentration if you're able against the enemy Navy. Against AI, it will probably work. Against a human, maybe not such a wise choice.

ORIGINAL: baloo7777

The AI Axis has done pretty much the same thing in the med. The Italian fleet occupies a sea zone, and cannot be dislodged. I tried not sending any PP convoys for a turn, but the 44 PP's it left the British that turn hurt my air units ability to rebuild. The German air is attacking anything in range (maybe not for long as its now late Feb 1941). Then I had the bright idea to send the remaining French Fleet against the Italian controlled sea zone (the French unrest is approaching 50%, and their must be some consequence soon from not signing an armistace). Pretty much the only thing that happened was the French Fleet and the Italian Fleet sailed around not attacking each other. However, the many, many Italian subs were able to sink a number of already damaged French ships. I would probably be imprisoned or worse if this was the real deal!

[Razz1]

Game balance has been fixed in the Third Reich Mod.

You should try it.

For example, you have to take Norway now and the AI will fight for it.

Russia is stronger is not a cake walk.

Vichy France does not go to Germany right away. The French fleet is either destroyed or moved to the Allies with a very small chance that Germany will get a ship.

[gwgardner]

ORIGINAL: Razz

Game balance has been fixed in the Third Reich Mod.

You should try it.

Is it up to date for 1.04?

[battlevonwar]

GWG and are bogged down in some mud right now, but not sure the Russians will have the FirePower in 1942 or for any sort of Winter Offensive. We're waiting patiently to see.

This Mod sounds like a nice idea, have heard it spoken of before.

P.S. Iced 5 hexes outside of Moscow and Army Group South is now the only force moving in November, been raining and snowing since the beginning of October.

[baloo7777]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

ORIGINAL: Razz

Game balance has been fixed in the Third Reich Mod.

You should try it.

Is it up to date for 1.04?

Would like to know also?

[shermanwar]

So true about the AI having an INSANE advantage as USSR as far as unit building. Even on VERY HARD it creates scores of units per turn.

I usually play as Axis vs AI. Finally I had to go in to USSR as Human to "thin the heard" of its massive unit build up.

What mod would you suggest to tame USSR AI unit building?

Thanks!
Sherman

[gwgardner]

make a mod for it - go into the events that create those units and tone them down. But didn't the Soviets in real life create an insane number of units?

[shermanwar]

HI, cool but if you have time could you give a little guidance on moding those events to tone them down? I have moded some of the visuals of the game but never events. I also have changed some countries like making Spain more axis oriented and that took me a while to learn which column number value to change etc...

I do agree they did have a ton of units but some not well armed or equipped early on but it seems like fielding Corps with a value of 4.5 in a week or two is abit much as was commented on above. I could see it if it was corps in name only and had a strength of .8 or something (think Enemy at the Gates "When the man with the rifle is killed the man fallowing will pick it up and advance")

Thanks for any help!
Sherman

[gwgardner]

I'm no expert on events. what I do is go through the appropriate event file, in this case the USSR, and look at the event title. If that doesn't work, to find the event, then I look at the action within the events. Like if the actions says 'create' or 'add unit' or some such.

I think there's an event tutorial file somewhere. Look here in the forum.

[Razz1]

The Third Reich tones it down.

ORIGINAL: shermanwar

So true about the AI having an INSANE advantage as USSR as far as unit building. Even on VERY HARD it creates scores of units per turn.

I usually play as Axis vs AI. Finally I had to go in to USSR as Human to "thin the heard" of its massive unit build up.

What mod would you suggest to tame USSR AI unit building?

Thanks!
Sherman

[Omnius]

Because of the pathetic AI the AI is given too many cheats by the programmer. A poorly balanced game when playing against the AI.

[baloo7777]

ORIGINAL: Omnius

Because of the pathetic AI the AI is given too many cheats by the programmer. A poorly balanced game when playing against the AI.

Because of the pathetic AI the AI is given too many cheats by the programmer. A poorly balanced game when playing against the AI.

Right, it's true about the game balance having some difficulty. However, using some of the suggestions given in this forum, I have been able to tinker with the saved game files or add PP's to make a very enjoyable game experience so far (after the new 1.04 fixed my CTD's). Not good for everyone, but if you try it you might be happier with the game.