Great Game, some thoughts so far!

[Worg64]

1 A thing I have noticed is that you can DOW Luxemburg and Netherlands before making DOW to Belgium.
I would suggest that if Axis attack either of those two nations then all of them Belgium, Netherland, Luxemburg made DOW to Germany. I do belive they had a common war pact of defense and it makes sense otherwise the attack into Belgium get to easy.

2 Malta. I did take that by pounding it with Bombers for three turns and then attacking with a Italian marine.
It is a bit easy to take now and also as is, Malta is really hard to defense.
I would suggest that the Brittish get a Fighter aircraft there as well as a AA or some for the hex.
This would be historical as well as making it historical difficult as it should be.

3 Greece can you change their colour, as it is now they look to much as Italy.

4 I would like to include the possibility to buy more trains for rail/strategic movement for countries but also that you would be able to strategically bomb the train hubs and being able to destroy trains. This is something that historically was done and had a big impact into the war.

5 I would like to have a button/side where you could see the Special points and command point stockpiled and also how much you would get in coming near turns.

6 Something that currently is difficult in the game is to see how much transport(invasion capacity a unit require.
It would be good to have a specifik figure for this under details for the unit.

7 Someone has already mentioned this but I would like you to include security forces for antipartisan activity. A weak and cheap unit with ZOC versus partisans. This was historically used a lot in the war and something I think is needed as the game works. IMPORTANT!

8 Something that bothers and really are annoying is when a unit forced to retreat, retreat back and forth on hexes it already has retreated from during multiple combats. A unit should NOT be able to retreat to a hex it already has retreated from previous during the current turn.
Also it should try to retreat towards own line/best supply.

9 DOW of Italy versus France and Brittain, as it works now Italy enter the war when Germany takes Paris.I would suggest that Italy could enter earlier/later with a random figure based on cities German have taken in France as well. otherwise it is way to easy as France to skip the border against Italy since they KNOW they wont DOW them prior to losing Paris, and after that it is a lose anyway. There most be some incitament for the France to keep those units at the border.

10 Italy declares war against France but not against Brittain. It is not a big thing but would not Italy also DOW brittain when they DOW France?

11 Brittains BEF should stay near the coast or at least not go far into France. As it is they often end up in mid France without being able to be pulled back. I suggest the BEF force units get a more limited area to operate from.

That said, I really like this game! Great land and air combat but what really impress me is the naval war and the fluid move/attack system. I know for a fact this is going to be my favorite game of wwII now, keep the good work up!

[AlbertN]

On the notion for Malta - in '40 it was even evacuated by the Brits, deeming it untenable. If to script for the AI to reinforce Malta - not sure if it's worth. I mean, ideally later on when USA kicks in, once they get to Torch and seize Tunis - is Malta that badly needed?

Point 3 is good. Point 4 I agree with and elsewhere suggeted (and expanded to more than just rail movements)

[Rasputitsa]

ORIGINAL: Worg64

8 Something that bothers and really are annoying is when a unit forced to retreat, retreat back and forth on hexes it already has retreated from during multiple combats. A unit should NOT be able to retreat to a hex it already has retreated from previous during the current turn.
Also it should try to retreat towards own line/best supply.

Strongly agree, this is something you see in other games and it is unrealistic and frustrating to have to chase routed units around the map.

Otherwise, early days, but looking good, nice job. [:)]

[Fintilgin]

ORIGINAL: Worg64

1 A thing I have noticed is that you can DOW Luxemburg and Netherlands before making DOW to Belgium.
I would suggest that if Axis attack either of those two nations then all of them Belgium, Netherland, Luxemburg made DOW to Germany. I do belive they had a common war pact of defense and it makes sense otherwise the attack into Belgium get to easy.

I was thinking about this, because in my first trial game I did the same thing, taking out Lux and Neth on clear turns over the winter.

Rather then having them instantly declare war, it might be more interesting to buff them. So, if one of the three is at war or conquered then if the remaining states are still neutral they'll 'mobilize' and gain stronger units/buff. In other words, when I annex the Netherlands and mass on the border Belgium may not automatically join the allies but they'll call up their reserves and prepare to be invaded.

[AlvaroSousa]

So let's go down the list.

#1 I would love to do that. I researched those 3 countries during that time of war and this just wasn't in the cards. Belgium was trying to stay out of it no matter what happened and no matter who was attacked. So this is something that plays into real history.

#2 I could do something. Thanks for the idea.

#3 I'll see what I can do.

#4 Is a game balance issue. The idea is still on my list but I haven't figured out a non-gamey way to do it. There are many variables involved. For example the Allies bombed the crap out of Italian rail in 1943. They have a whole campaign on it destroying 90% of the rail line. The Germans still got all their supply though. The campaign was in vain. What is in the game is interdiction. You bomb a land unit it has a chance to lose OpPts the next turn.

#5 I'll add that to the list.

#6 It's simple 1 for 1 always. Transport a 30 strength corps 30 transports. Invade a 10 strength division 10 points. Notice STRENGTH is the # next to the red cross on the unit. Their hit points, health, soliders etc. Not their combat value.

#7 That's why we have splitting off a division from a corps.

#8 It shouldn't be retreating over contested hexes and it does retreat back to the closest supply source. If you could please check if contested hexes are showing and if they are moving into them it would be great.

#9 There is a system in place. If the French abandon the alps or North Africa Italy can come into the war.

#10 That has been fixed.

#11 That is hard to do. The A.I. sometimes has it's own mind. It can wander off at times. There are scripts to do it's best to keep it at a location.

[Worg64]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

So let's go down the list.

#1 I would love to do that. I researched those 3 countries during that time of war and this just wasn't in the cards. Belgium was trying to stay out of it no matter what happened and no matter who was attacked. So this is something that plays into real history.

#2 I could do something. Thanks for the idea.

#3 I'll see what I can do.

#4 Is a game balance issue. The idea is still on my list but I haven't figured out a non-gamey way to do it. There are many variables involved. For example the Allies bombed the crap out of Italian rail in 1943. They have a whole campaign on it destroying 90% of the rail line. The Germans still got all their supply though. The campaign was in vain. What is in the game is interdiction. You bomb a land unit it has a chance to lose OpPts the next turn.

#5 I'll add that to the list.

#6 It's simple 1 for 1 always. Transport a 30 strength corps 30 transports. Invade a 10 strength division 10 points. Notice STRENGTH is the # next to the red cross on the unit. Their hit points, health, soliders etc. Not their combat value.

#7 That's why we have splitting off a division from a corps.

#8 It shouldn't be retreating over contested hexes and it does retreat back to the closest supply source. If you could please check if contested hexes are showing and if they are moving into them it would be great.

#9 There is a system in place. If the French abandon the alps or North Africa Italy can come into the war.

#10 That has been fixed.

#11 That is hard to do. The A.I. sometimes has it's own mind. It can wander off at times. There are scripts to do it's best to keep it at a location.

Hi Alvaro!

Great work and thank you very much for the big effort you make into both the game and your time answering all threads in the forum.
In regard to your ansver.
1 You are correct that Belgium didnt want to enter the war, neither did Holland.But they worked close together political and shared the same fear of being involved in a future war. All they had was a guarantee of neutrality from Nazi Germany made in 1937. However they both was well aware of the possibility that Germany could attack. Both government had begun to anticipate a German attack. Soldiers were kept in service for a longer period and all leave was cancelled near the time of attack. On 19 April 1940, Holland even proclaimed martial law.I dont know when Belgium did or if. But I would assume that if the German attacked their neighbour both countries would proclaim martial law.
DOW against German as "Fintilgin" already said might be coming to far from the truth but as he point out that they proclaim martial law and get war ready seem like a good choice for me. That is if Germany attack either Belgium or Netherland first and the other country later in the war, the country not attacked at first time would be slightly better prepared. I like this solution from "Fintilgin"
2 Malta you are looking into this, fine.
3 Greece colour scheme,you are looking into this, fine.
4 I under stand its problem and the game balance, but you have it on your list so we will see what happends. One way might be to make it much like the trade/convoy with specifik trains instead of convoys and the possibility to attach air against it.
5 button for special and command points. You are adding that to the list. fine.
6 Good I didnt know that 1 for 1 mechanic. Maybe some a own button for this as well with more detailed info on it would help?
Here you could also put the weather effect for invasions.
7 splitting upp the units to get division dont work that well in game because divisions dont have at least as I understand it ZOC against partisans. The historical security units was more of a semi military/police force than a actual military force and was made specifikly made to counter partisans. In game they would be a small unit with low miliary combat value and only good against partisans, hence they would have ZOC. They shouldnt be wouldnt be able to be combined into military units but be cheap to produce but draw manpower.
8 Reatreat back and forth. I will keep a lookout for when this happends and if need be get back to you.
9 Good there is a system for that. It would be good that this was stated in the manual and in the preinformation ingame.
10 Italy DOW, Fixed, great.
11 I understand its difficult to achive but if possible it would be good to keep the BEF near ports and close to sea. I am sure you find a way when you have the time.

Thanks for your answers and clarification. Much appreciated!

[Worg64]

Ok so now I have played untill 1942 and are deep into Russia.
Some thoughts here.

1 I run out of oil as germany in august 1941. That even if I tried to be carefull with oil using units. I even let the naval fleet stay in port.
One solution to this might be that damaged and less than full strength units used less oil as someone else has suggested in the forum. Can remember name sorry.
Also there might be a good idea to be able to buy more synthetic oil but at high cost and very limited access.
Or maybe lower the oil cost somewhat. Still that said I really like that oil now has a deep impact into the game and that you need to handle it good to be able to win.

2 Russia as AI defended ok untill august when it was a bit short in units. Then it started to leave many important cities open without defence. Mainly in the South, concentrating in center around Moscow.
That happened more or less historically as well when defending Moscow area so thats good but some cities I suggest should get a garrisson unit that stayed there untill 192 at the earliest.
Cities like Sevastopol. Rostov,Dneprotovsk, Stalino come to mind. Especially Rostov since it is the gate into the oil fields as well as Leningrad(they might already have this).

3 I would like a better Fog of War. Where you only could see units within unit range. As it is now you can see what cities are empty and just go and take them while in reality you would have to guess the amount of defence.
I like that you dont see the strength of units as well but the FOG need to have better in depth value as well.

4 Regarding retreat I havent seen units retreat back and forth any longer, that just happened in France but I have seen on some occassions now, unit partly surrounded retreat away from own line into german controlled hexes. Seems they can do that if the hex is not in ZOC. At least thats the impression I got. Example I had a russian cav unit partly surrounded with either german units or german hexes. I attacked from Gomel toward Pripyat from its rear and when it retreated it did so westward towards pripyat onto german controlled hexes.

5 Russian partisans. Could we get a bit more in detail how they work? In the manual it dosnt mention the russian partisan units.
As of now they just seem to pop up after some warning and you have to have lots of security units in the rear to defend agaisnt them. Not so hard in clear weather but when it started to rain and later snow it fast became really difficult to even get to the partisans. Can you explain this how it works a bit more in detail as well as put it in the manual.Thank you.

6 Putting Infantry in Garrisson mode to save upkeep semmed ok. But it is not mentioned that when you bring them back to normal activity they end up using all their movement AND cost a lot of money. I reckon this make the use of saving for upkeep rather void since later bringing them back you lose a lot of money. I think it was around 40 each if I recall right. I would say that it is harsh enough to lose all movement for a turn.
Can you explain this how it works a bit more in detail as well as put it in the manual.Thank you.

7 Noth africa, I deced to avoid it and just defended Tobruk with the italians but the Brittish never even tried attacking and get it back. Even when they clearly had superior forces and air in the area. Here maybe a bit better scripting is needed.

8 Generals death. I have just played a short time but already lost two Generals. It seem ok to me that would be posssible if the HQ was attacked by air or land units but that is not the case. I would suggest that generals only could die if in combat. Can you explain how this works as well as put it into the manual. Thank you.

9 I have noticed that even if I have 100% or more up tp 200% at times to repair units. I have had submarines in port and in supply both in Rumania and in Germany that doesnt repair its strength damage.

10 Paradrop I have twice now when trying to move them within 5 move airdropped instead, It didnt come up a airdrop symbol. I would like to see some button here that you would need to press to be able to paradrop much like the invasion landing. So it cant happened by mistake.

have a fun Saturday! Thanks for a great game and I am sure with some minor tweaks it will be awesome.

[Aspirin]

A couple of other requests

1. In Reports you can check your units, which are sortable by different criteria, such as name, strength + supply. Could you make unit type an option, as I often want to see how tanks / fighters / subs etc I have. Also if you could check more than 1 box that would help. Then I could check German / tank / supply for example.

2. Weather effects on combat. Now Rain, Heavy Rain + Blizzard all reduce land combat by 50%, only Snow is 35% (per manual). Could Rain also be 35%, as it's effects should be lighter than Heavy Rain ?

Thanks for all your hard work + frequent feedback on the forums.

[AlvaroSousa]

Oil - Management of this resource will take you a couple games to realize. Remember you just can't keep attacking forever. You need to stop and recover at some point.

Russia Defense - The A.I. will never be as good as a person at historical levels. Every WW2 game I play at this level I have beaten the 1st time around without looking at the rule book. Thus why we have 11 difficulty settings. But their defense is always being improved.

FoW - I will get more feedback on this from the players and modify if needed.

Retreats - There is a priority of retreat areas. Units shouldn't be retreating into contested areas. So you might have fought some battles in hexes which invalidate them as retreat locations and the enemy had to retreat elsewhere.

Partisans - Most countries have a partisan value. They damage rail in areas NOT in ZoC. These damaged rail hexes get repaired each turn. But they can attack production locations also. Countries with scorched earth also get physical units. They are there to move and damage rail forcing you to take action. You need units in the rear to deal with them just like the Germans did. Most of the time they are easy kills but if you ignore them they can overrun rail areas and damage the rail preventing supply. Partisans are real tricky to implement in a game. The Germans had a lot of units on partisan duty.

Garrison status - This reflects stripping a unit of its motorized function and offensive weapons. When you restore to normal you need to put these arms back into the unit to make it effective at attacking. It is a zero sum game between the two statuses.

North Africa - The British A.I. play Monty style waiting to accumulate enough forces to advance.

Generals - You just got unlucky. Generals only die in combat.

Paradrop - I'll check this out. They should just move if within their movement range. They should paradrop outside their movement range. Be sure you simply didn't click to fast outside the movement range depending on rough terrain and weather.

[AlvaroSousa]

Reports - I'll add something for unit type. It was something even I noticed the last time I tested and it was on my list.

Rain vs Heavy Rain - The main differences between the 2 is if air can fly or not. I will put the consideration on the list. Usually rain periods are recovery periods for the sides.

[Worg64]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

Oil - Management of this resource will take you a couple games to realize. Remember you just can't keep attacking forever. You need to stop and recover at some point.


Generals - You just got unlucky. Generals only die in combat.

Paradrop - I'll check this out. They should just move if within their movement range. They should paradrop outside their movement range. Be sure you simply didn't click to fast outside the movement range depending on rough terrain and weather.

1 regarding oil I have now come into oktober 42 and the same happened again that I had to stop attacking in august due to lack of oil but to be honest I kind of like it. I dont know what the historical numbers was at the time but I have read some and it seems Axis did have oil shortage much of the time preventing them using all available units so I think its correct.If nothing else it makes the game more strategic and make you consider your moves much more carefull and plan ahead.

2 Russian Defense, I understand it is difficult for the AI but I would suggest some important cities did get fixed units that couldnt not be moved untill september 42 when playing against the AI. Sevastapol, Rostov, Dneprotovsk, Stalingrad, Moscow, Leningrad comes to mind. This to avoid a easy grab.

3 I have now had 4 generals that has died and unless I have missed something neither of them has been in combat. You might check the numbers so there is not a bug somewhat here. That a general can die being directly attacked is fine albeit it should be little chance for it but this high death ratio in just 2 years of fighting(4 dead generals) seems very high.

4 As for the Paras I have managed to recreate the situation and it doesnt happened all the time but indeed they sometimes do airdrop when they could have moved by foot. It has happened three times for me now and last time I made certain it was in their move range.

5 I also noticed a trade error. Vichy North africa was attacked and I managed to halt them. I then figured I would send vichy north africa resources to buy a unit but the trade then went to Italy Not to vichy france. It seems I can choose them for trade but cant trade with vichy france north africa. Seems like a bug.

6 Fortifications. Could you implement those as well much like the beachheads? They could be expensive and take long time but this was used in the war like outside Moscow.
Talking about that how does the beachhead defense works? It really is not clear in the manual?

7 AA
Same for the AA on hexes. Do they help when units on them are attacked or only when the hex are attacked?
It really is not clear in the manual?

8 Regarding reinforcment I know you can go in on specifik units and not have them recive reinforcement but would it be possible to have a button for naval. sub, fighter, bomber, tanks, infs that choose all at once? On and off for when needed?
On that topic if you send resources to minor countries do they repair there units?
Also what does the increase in number for reinforcments do in the game? I have made it from 100 to 150 to 200 but it doesnt make a big if nothing of a difference?

Thanks for a great game. I very much enjoy it and looking forward to further improvments in the future. Keep the good work up!

[MOS96B2P]

ORIGINAL: Worg64

Also what does the increase in number for reinforcments do in the game? I have made it from 100 to 150 to 200 but it doesnt make a big if nothing of a difference?

THIS. I have done the same thing with increasing the number for reinforcements. I'm probably doing something wrong but I don't notice a difference anywhere. Some more information on this feature would be useful.

[RFalvo69]

ORIGINAL: Worg64

2 Malta. I did take that by pounding it with Bombers for three turns and then attacking with a Italian marine.
It is a bit easy to take now and also as is, Malta is really hard to defense.

This is what Italy should have done, and what Malta was expecting. When Italy declared war in June, 1940, Malta expected an Italian invasion right on the night after the declaration. There was little hope of repulsing such an attack. When Italy did nothing... and then nothing... and then nothing, resignation turned to... perplexity on the island (Mussolini, most famously, declared war so to have a place at the winners' table, but not to actually make war for real).

Italy was the weakest among the "Great Powers", but it also made a lot of mistakes. Not grabbing Malta at once was only one of them.

[Jim D Burns]

Great video on Germany's oil problems. I like how the game puts pressure on Germany to try and find more oil. It may even still be too generous given historical realities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVo5I0xNRhg&t=1s

Jim

[AlvaroSousa]

General death... Only happens in land combat. I'll see what other results are from other players. It's very rare. The real numbers were higher than I put in the game.

Fortifications - these are entrenchment levels and Anti-tank spec. The coastal defense works vs any attacks from a coastal beach hex. They reduce the attacker's combat value

AA - AA guns in a hex defend vs any kind of air attack.

Reinforcements - HQs can turn on and off all units within the command range. On the unit panel it is the upper right 2 buttons that look like wrenches. Hover over the buttons and you will see.

Reinf/Upgrade - This is how much PP you want to devote to repair and upgrade each turn.

Minors - yes you can send resources to them and they use it for upgrades and reinforcing. You can also build units for them.

[MOS96B2P]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

Reinforcements - HQs can turn on and off all units within the command range. On the unit panel it is the upper right 2 buttons that look like wrenches. Hover over the buttons and you will see.

Reinf/Upgrade - This is how much PP you want to devote to repair and upgrade each turn.

Ah, this is interesting. So, if I understand: A player sets the reinforcement/upgrade, on the production panel, to 200 production points per turn. Now when a player opens a HQ unit panel and clicks on the repair/upgrade wrench button that HQ may use up to 200 production points to repair/upgrade units within 5 hexagons (command radius) of the HQ. Am I understanding correctly??

EDIT: Also observed that clicking one of those two repair/upgrade wrench buttons on the top right of the HQ panel changes the repair/upgrade wrench toggle button on the top left. The top left button tells you what the HQ is set at for repairs/upgrades.

[Saturn V]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

#4 Is a game balance issue. The idea is still on my list but I haven't figured out a non-gamey way to do it. There are many variables involved. For example the Allies bombed the crap out of Italian rail in 1943. They have a whole campaign on it destroying 90% of the rail line. The Germans still got all their supply though. The campaign was in vain. What is in the game is interdiction. You bomb a land unit it has a chance to lose OpPts the next turn.

I hope you figure something out. While attacking the railway network might not have affected things in Italy much, it was a factor in Germany. The disruption of the railways had a big impact not just on strategic movement of military forces, but also on economic activity as it became increasingly hard to move resources to factories, and the output of factories to depots. Having this option would allow the Allied player to recreate, if they wish, the Transportation Plan of strategic bombing.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: Saturn V

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

#4 Is a game balance issue. The idea is still on my list but I haven't figured out a non-gamey way to do it. There are many variables involved. For example the Allies bombed the crap out of Italian rail in 1943. They have a whole campaign on it destroying 90% of the rail line. The Germans still got all their supply though. The campaign was in vain. What is in the game is interdiction. You bomb a land unit it has a chance to lose OpPts the next turn.

I hope you figure something out. While attacking the railway network might not have affected things in Italy much, it was a factor in Germany. The disruption of the railways had a big impact not just on strategic movement of military forces, but also on economic activity as it became increasingly hard to move resources to factories, and the output of factories to depots. Having this option would allow the Allied player to recreate, if they wish, the Transportation Plan of strategic bombing.

Me too, I like the idea.

[AlvaroSousa]

ORIGINAL: MOS96B2P

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

Reinforcements - HQs can turn on and off all units within the command range. On the unit panel it is the upper right 2 buttons that look like wrenches. Hover over the buttons and you will see.

Reinf/Upgrade - This is how much PP you want to devote to repair and upgrade each turn.

Ah, this is interesting. So, if I understand: A player sets the reinforcement/upgrade, on the production panel, to 200 production points per turn. Now when a player opens a HQ unit panel and clicks on the repair/upgrade wrench button that HQ may use up to 200 production points to repair/upgrade units within 5 hexagons (command radius) of the HQ. Am I understanding correctly??

EDIT: Also observed that clicking one of those two repair/upgrade wrench buttons on the top right of the HQ panel changes the repair/upgrade wrench toggle button on the top left. The top left button tells you what the HQ is set at for repairs/upgrades.

Close. The reinf/upgrade is how much you have dedicated to reinforcing and upgrading each turn.

The HQs simply turn on and off IF A UNIT gets reinforcements and upgrades. So if you click the "dont repair" button on an HQ all units within the command range of 5 hexes will have their reinforcements toggle turned OFF.

The game automatically repairs up to 20% of the unit's lost strength and automatically upgrades units.

[AlvaroSousa]

Sometimes some ideas simply can't be done because they are game breakers.

For example the Allies could have literally brought Germany to their knees in 1944 when they were bombing power generation plants. There came a point to where Speer said that if they vaporized 1-2 more cities their power grid would have shut down and thus Germany. Well you can't put that in a game.

I just have to work it out if I can and how.