Use of tile #95 (Blizzard freeze)

[PanzerMike]

Blizzard block tile #95 is the one in which rail can't pass through under blizzard conditions if I understand correctly.

It is used 2 times on the map as far as I can see:
154,77 (Norway, 1 hex left of Oslo)
164,82 (Sweden)

The first one (154,77) is very arbitrary to me. Why only block that railroad hex on the entire map? I know railroads existed in Europe that were blocked during winter times historically. But why then only this hex??

The second one (164,82) is even more puzzling. The hex is a road hex. I thought only railroads were affected by this tile?

Some clarification would be much appreciated.

Also, if one decides to use this tile (which can add a certain degree of realism by actually blocking rail traffic on lines in extreme weather), should there not be some kind of visual reminder on the map, that this is the case in that particular hex? As far as I can tell, it is now a complete surpise to a player if the line is blocked during a game. Not even an scenario description would cut it IMHO, as this is too easily overlooked.

[AlvaroSousa]

1st one is required to prevent the convoy from taking a rail shortcut.
The 2nd one I forgot to remove.

This is a special tile just for the Swedish Iron Ore, no more.

[PanzerMike]

Ok, about that one hex next to Oslo:


Both Bergen en Stavanger are not adjacent to the Iron Ore convoy lane (only with a full land hexside that does not do anything AFAIK, but not with an open sea connection hexside).
Doesn't this make the 154,77 blizzard block redundant?

Ow, and about these tiles with hidden functions: fb.asp?m=4771912

[AlvaroSousa]

No because it doesnt test for sides. It tests for connection.

[PanzerMike]

Ok, so if a convoy hex is adjacent to a port hex (no matter what kind of hexside they share), the trade path could choose to go through that port.

Explain me this then:


The blue line is the flow you want the game to use (no shortcuts through Bergen or Stavanger)

The green line is the one you prevent by blocking the railroad left of Oslo, so Stavanger is no longer an option for a landfall

The red line I don't get, this path over Bergen - Oslo could be chosen by the game right (although you don't want that of course)??

Thanks for all your answers. Much appreciated!

[PanzerMike]

Shameless bump for you Alvaro in case you missed this one. And an extra question to go with that: does tile #95 only block the flow of resources or also the movement of units?

[AlvaroSousa]

Blizz block only blocks production not units.

I looked at the code last night and I think where the port is does matter because I changed some tiles on the map. Blizz Block is just specifically there or Norway. If it ain't broke don't fix it is what I say.

[PanzerMike]

Ok, so the hexside between the port and the convoy DOES matter. That is what I suspected. Otherwise the red flow in my picture above COULD make landfall at Bergen, go to Oslo, and back to sea from there to Germany. But it doesn't because the hexside between the convoy and Bergen is no open connection.

Well, guess that's cleared up then.

[PanzerMike]

Well, being the pain in the a$$ that I am, I decided to do some more testing. You said: "If it ain't broke don't fix it is what I say."

Hmmm, I think it is broken allright:


Despite me sprinkling tile #95 around to prevent the Iron Ore convoy from making landfall and taking the shortcut over land, the game doggedly ignores the blocks [:(]
The tiles simply don't work.

In the vanilla scenario you don't notice this bug, because there the Iron Ore Convoy hexes do not touch Trondheim, Bergen and Stavanger with an open connection hexside (which it needs to make landfall, as we extablished sooner).

So, this needs fixing after all [:D]

[AlvaroSousa]

Let me look.

[PanzerMike]

Let me know, and thanks for looking at this.

Ow, and when is the official 1.06 patch planned? Late February has fallen through, so any new date?

[AlvaroSousa]

No word yet.

[PanzerMike]

So, another beta with fixed tile #95 then [:D]

[PanzerMike]

Fixed in the beta. Nice. I also could not help noticing that the iron ore convoy route now very much resembles the one in my mod, hehehe [:D]

[AlvaroSousa]

Well it was changed due to play testing. Very tough for Germany to keep the submarines off their lanes. So I made it easier for them by putting everything near a coast.

[PanzerMike]

Yup. That's what I did too. The Norwegian Corridor.