WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Gary Grigsby’s War in the West 1943-45 is the most ambitious and detailed computer wargame on the Western Front of World War II ever made. Starting with the Summer 1943 invasions of Sicily and Italy and proceeding through the invasions of France and the drive into Germany, War in the West brings you all the Allied campaigns in Western Europe and the capability to re-fight the Western Front according to your plan.

Moderators: Joel Billings, RedLancer

Post Reply
User avatar
RedLancer
Posts: 4338
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am
Location: UK

WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by RedLancer »

In WitE the Partisans were represented by counters that appeared in a seemingly random manner cutting rail lines and requiring you to move counters to destroy them in what has been described as a huge game of wackaday. Garrisoning key cities did help reduce partisans but did not solve all partisan problems.

In WitW the system is more integrated. There are eight areas that require garrisons. The garrison levels required in these areas vary over time and reduce in some areas following an invasion of northern europe. In addition a number of cities also require garrisons requiring not only a security unit but also a combat unit with significant strength to be in the hex.

Failing to meet garrison requirements impacts in two ways. Firstly there is a corresponding increase in partisan activity. Although there are no partisan counters there is an impact on the rail lines and factories in the garrison area. Secondly partisan activity costs victory points.

To help the player keep track of garrisons, like in WitE, garrison cities can be colour shaded. Also you can toggle garrison CV values for unit counters and there is a Garrison Status screen (see screenshot). Finally at the end of the turn if you have missed the requirements to a level that will cost you points then a pop up will ask whether you wish to continue.


Image
Attachments
Garrison.jpg
Garrison.jpg (62.22 KiB) Viewed 349 times
John
WitE2 Asst Producer
WitE & WitW Dev
gravyhair
Posts: 167
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 4:58 am

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by gravyhair »

Very nice - I like the fact that we're not chasing counters any more. That seemed a little silly when partisans were ... partisans. This is much better. This and the logistics changes are my favorite developments. :-)
Wise Men Still Seek Him
User avatar
zakblood
Posts: 22753
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:19 am

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by zakblood »

sounds like it going in the right direction, seem to be a massive difference from the first one now with the looks of the last 9 you have so far shown, I'm still not 100% sure it will be for everyone as it's seems like a lot going off but will be buying it anyway, but have no idea like the first one if i will ever play it that much, or for how many hours it may need etc.

the balance between too much info and too complex may put some off all together, hopefully it will be a easy leaning curve and have a few good tutorial, as the first one was very very poor at explaining the game mechanics to be very honest[X(]
Windows 11 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 26100) (26100.ge_release.240331-1435) 24H2
User avatar
RedLancer
Posts: 4338
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am
Location: UK

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by RedLancer »

We do listen. To ease the learning curve we have put together the Player's Handbook and video tutorials. The Handbook at 30 odd pages is less than a tenth of the size of the Manual and provides the stuff we think you really need to know (referenced to the manual itself). It's designed to be printed at home as each topic covers a page. Included in the Handbook are the One Page Guides - cartoon strips that we originally created to introduce the Testers to the game before the manual was written. I'm afraid that converting the graphics to a postable format loses huge amount of quality but this screenshot gives you the idea.

Image
Attachments
NewOnePageGuides.jpg
NewOnePageGuides.jpg (234.11 KiB) Viewed 369 times
John
WitE2 Asst Producer
WitE & WitW Dev
User avatar
SuluSea
Posts: 2397
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:13 pm

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by SuluSea »

It seems like I keep thinking or saying this every time you go into detail on a subject RL, but partisans/garrisons look like a big step forward. [:)]
"There’s no such thing as a bitter person who keeps the bitterness to himself.” ~ Erwin Lutzer
User avatar
Jim D Burns
Posts: 3989
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:00 pm
Location: Salida, CA.

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by Jim D Burns »

ORIGINAL: Red Lancer
Garrisoning key cities did help reduce partisans but did not solve all partisan problems.

And it shouldn't have, partisans are not a problem the player should ever be able to "solve".

The problem I have with a simple system like this is it doesn’t simulate reality. It’s a simple switch system, keep enough troops in a city/region and the toggle switch is flipped and you don’t have to ever worry about partisans. It leaves it completely in control of the person defending against partisans to decide if partisans will be in game or not.

In reality there was lots of partisan activity going on in France leading up to the invasion even with no other issues for the garrison troops to worry about outside of building block houses and planting mines, they still couldn’t stop partisan activity. Sure they may have put a dent in regional operations now and then, but they could never significantly prevent partisans from helping the allied cause.

And when the partisans got the go order for the invasion they stepped up operations 200%-300% or more almost overnight causing all kinds of havoc. From what I see here that can’t happen now if the German player simply puts enough points where needed.

Jim
User avatar
zakblood
Posts: 22753
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:19 am

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by zakblood »

the players handbook is a step in the right direction then, like i've said before many time now, i'll be buying it anyway, just the time needed to play it fully maybe too much for me at the moment, as i've never even finished the other one as yet, so it may just sit there for a few months or years [;)]

as i always have other stuff that needs doing, but will get round to it one day and give it the time it needs[&o]
Windows 11 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 26100) (26100.ge_release.240331-1435) 24H2
User avatar
RedLancer
Posts: 4338
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am
Location: UK

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by RedLancer »

Jim

Your point is well made if reaching garrison levels stopped all activity - if you look at the screenshot you'll notice that partisan activity is still shown despite exceeding the garrison requirements. The basic premise of a linkage between troop levels and activity is an accepted principle in counter insurgency warfare.
John
WitE2 Asst Producer
WitE & WitW Dev
User avatar
Jim D Burns
Posts: 3989
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:00 pm
Location: Salida, CA.

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by Jim D Burns »

Sorry, I assumed the column that read 'Next: None' meant no partisan activity would occur the next turn because garrison requirements are met.

Jim
User avatar
RedLancer
Posts: 4338
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am
Location: UK

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 9 - Garrisons and Partisans

Post by RedLancer »

That's OK - 'Next: None' shows what & when garrison values will change - at the stage that screenshot was taken no further changes are due.
John
WitE2 Asst Producer
WitE & WitW Dev
Post Reply

Return to “Gary Grigsby's War in the West”