First Impression @ End of Game

[AlbertN]

Finished a game vs the AI - and atm having 4 PBEM games going on (But they're all in the first 10 turns so!).

The system itself is quite solid - and easy to grasp.

The game has an immediate feel and is quite involving, albeit it may turn stale vs the AI later on (or short of replayability against the computer opponent). But I'd not buy a strategy game for long term gaming vs the AI (That's just me though. I really do not like to play vs AI on steroids with superpowers that still plans dumb).

The final idea of a logistic cap where I can tailor my own army within boundaries is neat and remembers me of the old, good times of Hearts of Iron 2 with the IC/TC ratio!

The naval system seems pretty good, and that is something that in general is lackluster all around (Barring WiF - but WiF is zen-tier of strategy gaming. It is very time demanding though whereas Warplan is more immediate). I admit I did not had chance to experiment much with it.

The land combat is something I do not grasp entirely and I hope to get clarity. My attacks 10:1 at times just get my troops damaged, and the enemy retreats and smiles.
Good instead the function 'hold' for further resistance!

Oil is an interesting concept - a few games have it but even less nail it adequately. Warplan conceptually has it (among few others), numerically has not it (as per numbers are off, more details below).

The Experience thing is interesting - and I believe Alvaro had an excellent idea by tieing it to not be a loss until manpower goes down to 50%. (Again few games mirror the start of lesser quality manpower once you begin to scrape the bottom of the barrel). I've to check if it works properly - as I believe right now my units lost experience even if above 50% of manpower in stock, but I was not aware of the detail til recently. That's quite an elegant way to have German army to raise in experience before Russia and in Barbarossa, and then gradually stall their gain and then have it slide backward. - Again, few games mirror that (in a way or another), some alas 'force' the hand (read, WITE) with preset per years whereas I think it's excellent that it is tied to how much manpower you've in stock!

Air Combat and Bombing - I am not sure, I suspect it also lowers the effectiveness of the target (Should probably test it out hotseat). But a lot of bombing seems to have 0 losses inflicted, as per - wasted oil - ! Fighters also seem to do little to unescorted bombers.



0: Sparing any talk on the AI, that needs wide and ample improvements. My goal though is player vs player so...

1: Partisans: Already eloquently discussed elsewhere, currently they're over the top. I'd disable them entirely and would appreciate a function to enable / disable them (Choosing map options before to launch a game, like Diplomacy on and off, Partisans on and off). -- I believe division-garrison is still too much of a requirement. Lack of possibility to decide which rails are to be repaired, IF partisans are present. Railroad repair must increase with time or be proportional to production - and there must be decisional control which rails are repaired.

2: Oil: Already discussed elsewhere. The math here is just -off- and by a far shot. Oil needs to be a bit more on the map, but units also should be reviewed in their oil cost. Simplyfying it, an air unit pays 1 if only moves, and pays X (their cost) for their attacks (So a Medium bomber pays 3 for 2 attacks not 6). Mobile units pays only once their cost, that includes their full allocation of action points to both move and attack. [Presently I believe there is a bug that allows some air units to be used in combat support mode a lot of times] Anyhow I am firmly convinced right now the oil math is just wrong and needs severe reworking.

3: Minors: It would be cool if minors produce whilst not at war - meaning they're arming up. Or at least stock up production points!

4: More stuff to buy: Expanding railroads, building more trains, land forts too, - if Partisans are to stay I think a military police or so station may be in order too.

5: Logistics: Logistics ought to be expanded for production cost. If one has the means to expand their armed forces - should be it so. This is just a double dip (pay to get more logistics and pay then to buy units). Also some units need reworking in their logistic cost. Right now Mountain units are way too situational to take 60 logistics, vs a Panzer unit. In similar fashion Mechanized units. (I'd suggest Mountain unit takes 35 - 40 logistics; and Mechanized 45-50). Similar reasoning may be applied to airforce.
Alternatively I'd not make Logistics a hard block but a soft block with subsequent penalties, each 10% you splash extra, supply per hex shrinks of 1 (supply sources remain 10, but rails start to be 8, then 7, etc. I'd still favor to just buy more logistic allotment).

6: Tech: Tech needs severe reworking. Their bonuses are far too slim, and right now it is just more efficient to just tech 1 type of stuff and dump everything in that department. (Example, all my fighters will be Interceptors. I'll just tech interceptors). Except few type of stuff (Dare say the land techs) it is wiser to just go around that way. Ships especially - who ever is to tech the super ships? (I understand Yamato may be there, but it's just better to have Warships 45 at some point, than SuperSHip42 and Warships42 in 45, with the same research points investment).
I think then the technological tree needs a rework - or as said each nation will just pick -1- path and go down it at the best of their capability. Super Warships is redundant right now.
The worst I experienced with Germany is that minors have fighter-bombers. Pratically the best course of action is to scap them and build mundane interceptors. There is hardly a need to have fighter-bombers. Escort fighters maybe for the range but bombers seem more than adequately capable of fending off enemy fighters on their own so... that makes them redundant too.
But as tech is now it is truly better to have asap the latest model of something than to have inferior model of a variety of functions.

7: Naval Modes: The only thing right now I'd change of the naval system. Naval mode does not cost 1 action to be switched, but can only be switched in port before to move for the turn, and will remain that way. (Pratically a fleet / naval unit sails out with either the mission to raid, or to function as a fleet. It cannot move in 'raid mode' somewhere and then switch). Just think they are given orders and they pratically stick to the orders. If one wants to switch around mode, they have to return to port!

8: Headquarters and Specialties: I'd work a lot on HQs, more unit type eventually or specialties to add layers of complexity and decision making. HQs especially can be pretty cool if worked on further, not just air or naval HQ but other special abilities, maybe some individual to specific leaders!

9: Politics / Diplomacy: Some elaboration can be made here, I understand a Turkey or Sweden entering the war due to diplomacy may be a lot. But trade agreements could be striken, expeditionary forces (ie, Spanish Blue division going to Germany), etc. I'd add an event that creates Croatia if Yugoslavia is conquered for the Axis.