Naval spotting changes

[El_Condoro]

I am wondering what people think about the naval spotting changes.

On the one hand, I like how naval units cannot spot adjacent land units now but I have a concern about having no way to determine an enemy unit's strength now - neither through adjacent naval units not air attack. For example, Malta. The AA could be a guy with a pistol or a full division, there is no way to tell by sea or air. During the pre-change discussion, the argument was put forward that if you want to recon, use aircraft. I assumed the aircraft recon would give an idea of spotted unit's strength but it doesn't.

Long story, short, what do you think?

[Markiss]

Having played under the new rules some, a little ground could probably be given on the issue. Amphibious assault ships probably need some kind of accommodation. My original suggestion was that amphibious assault ships be able to attack any hex, and fully illuminate any hex they attack, I hope that could be done. I think that would address most people's complaints.

I thought there was a time when attacking a ground units with aircraft did give away its strength, I don't see why it couldn't be put back that way. I think that would help too.

Just don't want to go back to the days of a submarine lighting up 20 hexes of coastline in a single turn, with full strength reveal. I think that with just a tweak or two, we can make this work for the better.

[El_Condoro]

An idea: a colored dot on units spotted by air, with yellow = 50% or less; red = 25% or less. I'm not even sure that is possible but it gives an idea of strength without a specific strength. If it's not possible, I would prefer that air attacks give the strength of 'attacked' units, even if not necessarily those simply flown over, such as by a strategic bomber.

[Hubert Cater]

Hi Markiss,

When you mention Amphibious units being able to attack any hex, could you clarify with perhaps an example? For example, right now Amphibious Transports should be able to illuminate any adjacent defenders with a full FoW reveal and they can currently attack that particular hex as well.

For air units, I could be wrong, but I don't believe they ever revealed unit strength. They will however illuminate hidden resource strengths.

Hubert

[crispy131313]

New mechanics that would make it easier (as a calculation) to wipe out forces with aircraft I think is a step backward. Also I think Malta is a poor example to use as it was bombed relentlessly but never capitulated. Aircraft scouting already reveals a lot as is.

[Markiss]

Hubert, my comments were based upon an experience I had in a World at War game about a week ago. I was invading San Francisco with the Japanese. When my amphibious assault craft pulled adjacent to the city hex, it remained un-illuminated and I could not unload into it. The only way I could reveal fog of war on the hex was to attack it with carrier aircraft, and when I did that, I found the hex was empty! Only when the fog of war was lifted could I attack the hex with the amphib, it would not even allow me to unload into an empty hex!

Maybe this is unique to World at War, or maybe it was just a glitch of some kind, but that is what led me to make the comment. I will try hot-seating a couple invasions to test this when I get they time.

[Hubert Cater]

Hi Markiss,

I believe there is a slight issue in the current WaW release when it comes to these new naval spotting rules which will be corrected in the next patch due out shortly.

If you have a chance to test WiE in Hotseat, assuming you also have this game, it should indicate how it would all work better than the current version of WaW.

Hubert

[Markiss]

Hubert,
I have all the games. I even have all the SC2 games on my old computer..I even have my copies of Panzer General and Allied General..

Glad to hear this is only a World at War issue, I look forward to seeing how it works in WiE. If amphibs can spot, everything should be ok.

[PvtBenjamin]

So amphib units should have spotting and other ships not. Help me with the logic.

[PvtBenjamin]

ORIGINAL: El_Condoro

I am wondering what people think about the naval spotting changes.

On the one hand, I like how naval units cannot spot adjacent land units now but I have a concern about having no way to determine an enemy unit's strength now - neither through adjacent naval units not air attack. For example, Malta. The AA could be a guy with a pistol or a full division, there is no way to tell by sea or air. During the pre-change discussion, the argument was put forward that if you want to recon, use aircraft. I assumed the aircraft recon would give an idea of spotted unit's strength but it doesn't.

Long story, short, what do you think?

Changing the spotting w/o other accommodations was a monumental mistake, IMO. To me makes the game unplayable.

All he needed to do was have units in NM cities.

[Hubert Cater]

Fantastic, great to hear Markiss [:)][8D]

[Hairog]

Naval Mods give Fast Carrier Task Forces an 8 hex search zone, Hunter/Killer TF has 6 hex, all capital hips that would have had spotter planes a 2 hex. It works well I believe.