Desert War: Upgrade #5

[bcgames]

Coming soon...

[BletchleyGeek]

Drumroll...

[Freedom205]

Probably a bad time to start a new game with the upgrade coming?

[BletchleyGeek]

I think it will be fine. Enjoy the game!

[bcgames]

Start play!

I'll be spending the next week working on the AI for the scenarios:

* Assault on Tobruk (NEW)
* Enter Rommel (OLD)
* Rommel Unleashed (Hypothetical) (NEW).

When complete, I'll forward the results to Saint Ruth. He'll package it it up and then he'll send it back to me for a double-check. Once we have a thumb's up there...we will forward to Slitherine/Matrix...and two to three weeks later (in normal times), the update will be released.

Bottom-line? You have from four to six weeks before you will see Desert War Update #5.

So, play away!

[Freedom205]

Thanks,

Challenges issued

[bcgames]

Challenges accepted.

[bcgames]

ORIGINAL: bcgames

Start play!

I'll be spending the next week working on the AI for the scenarios:

* Assault on Tobruk (NEW)
* Enter Rommel (OLD)
* Rommel Unleashed (Hypothetical) (NEW).

When complete, I'll forward the results to Saint Ruth. He'll package it it up and then he'll send it back to me for a double-check. Once we have a thumb's up there...we will forward to Slitherine/Matrix...and two to three weeks later (in normal times), the update will be released.

Bottom-line? You have from four to six weeks before you will see Desert War Update #5.

So, play away!

OK. Once again, I realize that scripting an AI for huge scenarios is a job for a PhD with a degree in decision trees. Enter Rommel and Rommel Unleashed (Hypothetical) will be head-to-head and PBEM.

Meanwhile...on another continent (Europe), my PBEM plays of Tough Old Gut has caused me to create Tough Old Gut--Salerno (REDUX). This scenario halves the attack and defense factors of all ground units and breaks-down recce battalions into companies. The halving makes combat calculations a bit easier and also makes air and naval attacks more effective. The recce breakdowns expand the capability of the players to understand what is going on in front of them with regards to enemy locations and activity. Playtesting this new scenario now...then my work on update 1.0.5 will end; then off to Saint Ruth. Done.

[bcgames]

While packaging-up Update 1.0.5, I found a scenario in my files that I was working on a year ago and totally forgot. It's a hypothetical on Operation Battleaxe that supposes Operation Exporter (invasion of The Levant) is delayed and Tiger Convoy makes it to Egypt without losing a ship--and a battalion of Matilda tanks in the process. This scenario will be included in the update...so you get three new scenarios to play.

Back to Stalingrad.

[bcgames]

Update to Upgrade #5...

Saint Ruth is working on a Player AI assist capability (aka an "AI Staff"). As I understand it, it is designed to help take-off some of the decision-making burden from the player. I'm excited to see what hatches from this approach.

[bcgames]

Upgrade #5 includes a men/gun/vehicles display when placing the cursor over a unit/hex. In addition, the right panel includes many new options for the player to control how data is displayed.

[governato]

Update to Upgrade #5...

Saint Ruth is working on a Player AI assist capability (aka an "AI Staff"). As I understand it, it is designed to help take-off some of the decision-making burden from the player. I'm excited to see what hatches from this approach.

I really like this addition..

[superhans]

Cant wait!!

[bcgames]

Great! This capability was built for Stalingrad. Saint Ruth decided to bring it backwards into Desert War Update#5 cuz it improves the gaming experience.

[Deathtreader]

ORIGINAL: bcgames

Upgrade #5 includes a men/gun/vehicles display when placing the cursor over a unit/hex. In addition, the right panel includes many new options for the player to control how data is displayed.

Hi,

I like both of the new features i.e. the men/vehicle/gun mouse hover and the staff A.I. Just wondering about the apparent count that 156 tanks have zero men?? An alpha/beta screen perhaps? [:'(]

Rob.

[bcgames]

The screen is final. Unit strength is based on one type...Men, Guns, Vehicles, or Planes. Infantry units are counted in Men, artillery units are counted in Guns, armor units are counted in Vehicles. Therefore, in the image above there are three armor battalions in the cursor-over-hex. At 52 tanks per battalion times three = 156 vehicles.

[Okayrun3254]

ORIGINAL: bcgames

Upgrade #5 includes a men/gun/vehicles display when placing the cursor over a unit/hex. In addition, the right panel includes many new options for the player to control how data is displayed.

This is really a nice upgrade. Awesome!

[bcgames]

If I knew there was going to be a D-Day Sale, I would have pushed harder to get Update#5 out. It's coming very soon. If you've been waiting for "The Best Deal", maybe now is your time. The highlights of Update#5:

Version 1.0.5
=============

FOUR NEW SCENARIOS ADDED:

41_04_Assault on Tobruk
41_05_Rommel Unleashed (Hypothetical)
41_06_Battleaxe--No Exporter--Full Tiger
43_09_Tough Old Gut (Redux)

NEW FEATURES
- Unit strengths shown when cursor over unit counter when zoomed in
- Battle results now show losses in Men/Vehicles/Planes/Guns
- Re-arranged next phase button as sometimes it was behind Unit Info window.

NEW ASSETS:
* Added Air Asset: Superb Air Defense (Germany, Italy, CW & US)
* Added Ground Asset: Counter-battery (Germany, Italy, CW & US)
* Added Ground Asset: Hot Chow! (US)

FIXES:
* Added correct NATO motorized symbol for side1 (Allies).
* Updated MainScreen with current BK Games logo.


Operazione E
* WDF Forces vicinity Mersa release chganged from GT12 to GT9.


Enter Rommel
* Trento HQ enters the map on GT21.
* VPs for El Adem changed to 1 VP per turn for Axis.
* VPs for Bengazi changed from 3 VP to 0 per turn for Allies.

Operation Brevity
* Changed starting side from Axis to Allies.

Battle of Sollum
* Combat factors corrected for Det 1/I./33.Flak Regt.
* Corrected counter color for 62 Sicilia HQ.
* Changed starting side from Axis to Allies.
* Added Alam Batuma label to map.

The Rats vs The Ram
* 3.AT Bn placed under command of 8 Bers III
* 2./4th Motorized AA Bn placed under command of 8 Bers III

Sidi Rezegh
* Changed starting side from Axis to Allies.
* Changed set-up zone for IX./21.Arty Regt from 6 to 14.

Tough Old Gut (Redux)
* Attack and Defense factors of all ground units halved; in-game values were too large for easy comprehension of potential combat odds. Air and naval remain the same as it was felt that they were undervalued in the original version of the scenario.
* All recce battalions broken down into companies. This will improve the German's ability to gather intelligence given Allies air superiority.

BUGS
- Editor can't import Ground Assets .csv file
- Army Unit Tab flag markings incorrect
- right hand pane

[bcgames]

Testing Update #5. Almost there...

[bcgames]

In the can...