Anticipated Features

[Von Rom]

Hi Guys:

After looking at the screenshots I am looking forward to this game.

While it may be "World War II Light", I think it will be fun to play a grand WWII game in this style of play.

It definitely looks a bit deeper than A&A, and with GG at the helm, it should have a tough AI.

I hope that it will have a scenario editor and unit editor, as these will, without doubt, cause more people to buy the game. With these editors gamers will be able to modify game rules and gameplay so that any quirks in the game can then be modified to suit individual tastes.

It should also include a number of options to allow players to choose their level of play as well as the level of detail.

Not every game needs to be hardcore to be enjoyed. And I think this will be an excellent way to introduce younger gamers into the war gaming hobby.

I'll be looking forward to seeing more on this game's development.

Cheers!

[jackyclk]

For my interesting, I would like to know if any following points may be touched or any work around

1. the production line prediction and actual outcome (i.e. may be adjust by resource,
political affect, moracle and other issue) -> Clash of steel is well-implement this point
but already out-of-date now

2. the decision battle in different fronts should be reflected. Like Staline, the fail of such great loss is totally affecting the moracle of whole army, some factors had been used to marked such people mind or faith!

3. relationship between Technology and the tactical development or welfare, since got tech but without suitbale idea on using of them is no use at all. (i.e. Poland is one of the founder of tank but never use them correctly)

4. Any Counter Spy or any counter strategy on interrupting the opposed strategy?

5. GNP growth and factory growth in complex investment rahter production allowed?
Like Third reich?

Hope some of this points may be implemented and bring us more realistic and varient to our decition!!! :>

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: jackyclk

For my interesting, I would like to know if any following points may be touched or any work around

1. the production line prediction and actual outcome (i.e. may be adjust by resource,
political affect, moracle and other issue) -> Clash of steel is well-implement this point
but already out-of-date now

2. the decision battle in different fronts should be reflected. Like Staline, the fail of such great loss is totally affecting the moracle of whole army, some factors had been used to marked such people mind or faith!

3. relationship between Technology and the tactical development or welfare, since got tech but without suitbale idea on using of them is no use at all. (i.e. Poland is one of the founder of tank but never use them correctly)

4. Any Counter Spy or any counter strategy on interrupting the opposed strategy?

5. GNP growth and factory growth in complex investment rahter production allowed?
Like Third reich?

Hope some of this points may be implemented and bring us more realistic and varient to our decition!!! :>

1. Not sure I know what you mean. In this game, if you pay 1 factory and 1 resource point each turn for 4 turns, and 2 population points on the last turn, Germany will get an armored unit (with the current ratings of a German armored unit at that time, whatever that might be base on Research). This will always happen as long as the factory is not damaged and the resources and population are available.
2. We don't have a Stalingrad rule or similar rule other than for the fall of France and creation of Vichy France.
3. Technology and tactical development is all incorporated into the 15 unit attributes, many of which can be researched. In the case of Poland, if we had a 1939 strategy, Poland might have several armored units, but their ratings would be lower due to their inability to use them effectively (or they would just have infantry units since they didn't mass them as needed to conduct true armored warfare). Remember each unit represents at least a corps, if not bigger.
4. We have discussed intelligence rules when fog of war is used. Not sure what we will end up with.
5. Factories can be built, but without the resources and to a lesser extent population, they aren't very useful. However, one strategy Keith employed against me was to build up German industry early and then go after the resources needed to fuel the factories.

Keeping in mind the strategic level of this game, map and units, you will find many of your ideas are represented in some way in the game.

[paullus99]

I'm assuming this game is already in Beta testing? Any idea when it might be available?

[Greyshaft]

Is it possible to have an option for semi-random combat ratings on the units. I'm not suggesting that the French infantry will outfight the Germans, but if your standard German fights at a rating of 5 then maybe there could be an option to have German infantry fight at (say) 4, 5, or 6 and the German player won't know the answer until he actually gets into combat.

This should make it harder to develop "perfect" plans

[Von Rom]

A few questions:

1) Will there be weather effects in the game? Such as the effects of the Russian winter and/or the desert's hinderance on movement?

2) Will some areas or regions contain "resources"? If these regions are captured, will they go to the new owners and be subtracted from the current ones? Can oil fields in the Mid East, in Romania and Russia be captured?

3) Are certain resources needed to build/research certain weapons? Do all countries have all of these resources at the beginning of the game? Or must they be traded and/or conquered?

4) Will supply play a part in the game?

5) Will merchant shipping and/or convoys play a role?

Cheers!

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

I'm assuming this game is already in Beta testing? Any idea when it might be available?

Alpha gameplay testing for some time, but we are doing a complete facelift on the game now and won't be in beta testing for a couple of months. We're internally shooting for mid to late summer, but it's too early to tell. WitP is ahead of it in the que and how WitP goes may very well impact GGWaW.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Von Rom

A few questions:

1) Will there be weather effects in the game? Such as the effects of the Russian winter and/or the desert's hinderance on movement?

2) Will some areas or regions contain "resources"? If these regions are captured, will they go to the new owners and be subtracted from the current ones? Can oil fields in the Mid East, in Romania and Russia be captured?

3) Are certain resources needed to build/research certain weapons? Do all countries have all of these resources at the beginning of the game? Or must they be traded and/or conquered?

4) Will supply play a part in the game?

5) Will merchant shipping and/or convoys play a role?

Cheers!

1) Yes, Winter rules for cold weather zones as well as a special "Russian Winter" rule.

2) Yes, definitely. Resources are a huge factor in that 1 is needed to "fuel" each factory point. They may be captured, but they must be "repaired" when captured, and this takes supply points (which must be built just like combat units).

3) It takes resources and factories to research, but everyone has them. However, everyone starts with different capabilities on their weapons, and the number of a particular weapon on the board impacts how much it takes to research something to a higher level. Also, there is a standard level for all countries. Researching over the standard uses more industrial points. Sometimes a player starts way below the standard so it is easier for them to "catch up", and harder for others to progress further. Of course, when you've got the industrial might of the US operating in full production, you've got points to burn on research.

4) Like you've never seen in a game this simple to play. Supplies and their production and use are a huge part of the strategy in the game.

5) Of course, how could they not considering the way the war played out (sorry, not trying to sound too flippant; this may be a simple game but it will play fairly historical in most respects). Transports at sea and rail lines on land form Strategic Movement chains over which troops, supplies and resources pass. Of course, enemy ships, subs and planes can interdict these chains.

[Von Rom]

Joel:

Thanks for the quick replies.

From your answers it is very clear that this game will be far more than just another version of A&A. It sounds like it will be quite detailed, and will involve many different aspects of the war that we have come to expect in a wargame.

This game sounds better and better.

Cheers!

[paullus99]

Sounds exactly like the old adage "amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics."

The economic model looks very well detailed - I will be very interested to see exactly how this will work within the game.

[Huguderian]

Hi there!

Browsing in the GGWaW website it seams to me that the areas in the strategic maps are too big, maybe lacking of detail.. Like: Spain is one area; France 3areas and Germany 2 areas.

Any comments?

[jackyclk]

1. For my first point,
"the production line prediction and actual outcome (i.e. may be adjust by resource..."

I would like to mention the production timeline. If a tank division is planned to produced how long will it be available (i.e. no. of turn). Also,Can we rush the project by any means of event trigger or spend more
resource since such decision may affect the total result of the game.

Also, there should introduce some hard choice like Galactic Civilization.
To decide what the attitble of the player.
(i.e. Like Russia land policy for germany:-
They can choose to accept the partisan for against Red republic of stalin
-> increase the people resource but may affecting the shocking factor and decrease the average combat power
OR
Germany still apply the rude policy on all people of russia land
-> may draw more partisan attack but preserve the secret image of nazi power (shocking factor))

This hard decision is what a professional grand strategy gamer wanted!!!

[rhohltjr]

@Joel : This looks very interesting. Just how much will research help the player?
Would it be possible (for an Allied player to research) to obtain Pershing tanks, Shooting Stars, Montana Class BBs way ahead of historical dates? [X(] Would the Axis powers be able to get Nukes with enough research? [X(]

Thanks,[&o]
RHJ

[dlazov]

At first when I saw the email add I was really excited. "Cool a new game from Gary G", but then when I saw the screen shots my heart sank. Looks like Heart of Iron or a Civ 3 game, I suppose if you like those type of "psudo-wargames" you will like this type of view (HoI).

I was hoping I guess for a War in Europe type of game (yes I know I am old I still enjoy that old SPI divisional level game, too bad with new technology we can not have a WIE type game that meets an Europa (GDW) type of game).

Perhaps I am wrong, I still enjoy hexagons and hate area movement games.

[Cheesehead]

Are you not aware of 'Computer World in Flames?' It is also in the works by this very same company...hexes and all. Grand strategy WWII wargamers have never had more reason to be excited than now!!!

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: rhohltjr

@Joel : This looks very interesting. Just how much will research help the player?
Would it be possible (for an Allied player to research) to obtain Pershing tanks, Shooting Stars, Montana Class BBs way ahead of historical dates? [X(] Would the Axis powers be able to get Nukes with enough research? [X(]

Thanks,[&o]
RHJ

As much as they are willing to pay the industry points to produce. The game allows for research separately on each weapon's attribute (ground attack, AA attack, anti-sub attack, etc.) so you pick what you want to focus on. The more units you have, the more industry it takes to reequip your forces with the new researched item, while the higher the value gets, the harder it gets to research (if over a world standard value). There is a lot of flexibility and that's where a lot of the cat and mouse strategy comes into the game. Are the Germans researching their sub fleet? Should I build up my ASW on my Western Allied Light Fleets or Heavy Bombers or directly on the Transport Fleets? How much ASW do I need to research in order to prevent the loss of the U-Boat wars. If the Germans don't bother with their U-boats, I'm wasting my time. That's the kind of decisions you face.

[Greyshaft]

I was playing GMTGames "Europe Engulfed" last night and I was struck by the similarity in scope between that game and G&BW@W. I know it's risky presuming that a feature from a boardgame will be reflected in a computer game created by a different group of people, but just for the sake of discussion...

I like the way that EE lets units get depleted and even though the enemy still has the same number of units as when he begun the battle you *know* that he has taken severe losses and his army is about to crack. It appears that G&BW@W will use the (dare I say?) Axis & Allies model where a unit casualty is always followed by a unit being removed from the board. Have you considered using the EE model which allows for unit depletion and on-map refitting?

After all, Adolf was famous for wanting more pins on his map. He'd rather have two understrength and ineffective units than deploy one powerful and effective unit.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Greyshaft

I was playing GMTGames "Europe Engulfed" last night and I was struck by the similarity in scope between that game and G&BW@W. I know it's risky presuming that a feature from a boardgame will be reflected in a computer game created by a different group of people, but just for the sake of discussion...

I like the way that EE lets units get depleted and even though the enemy still has the same number of units as when he begun the battle you *know* that he has taken severe losses and his army is about to crack. It appears that G&BW@W will use the (dare I say?) Axis & Allies model where a unit casualty is always followed by a unit being removed from the board. Have you considered using the EE model which allows for unit depletion and on-map refitting?

After all, Adolf was famous for wanting more pins on his map. He'd rather have two understrength and ineffective units than deploy one powerful and effective unit.

No, our system works such that 1 hit damages a unit and sends it back to a factory to be repaired and receive replacments. They take half of the normal time to rebuild, 1 population point is returned to the population pool, but they still require 2 population points to place on the map. You can elect to "scrap" the unit and recover some resources and use the population point for other things, or you can see it rebuild. Infantry armies only take 2 turns to build, so when damaged, they come back in 1 turn. Given the scale of the game, we're happy with the way this works and the options it gives to players. Now when a unit is damaged in combat, it reduces it's combat ability for the rest of the combat (this is where the phasing of combat gets complicated), and if it takes a second hit it is destroyed. One nice effect of these rules is the drain on German population once they go to war with the Soviet Union. As the losses pile up, which they always do, Germany can find it has a population problem despite having a lot of industrial capacity. Unless the SU loses too much of it's well populated land area, they've got population to burn but have a shortage of industry, especially early on. That's where the WA shipping supplies as Lend Lease comes in so that the Russians can concentrate on building combat units (since they have the population to flesh them out). Of course the Germans can capture Norway and try to use aircraft and ships/subs to stop Lend Lease (especially if they research some of these to perform better against ships). It's all there.

[Greyshaft]

So when a damaged unit teleports back to a factory I presume it sits in a pool and waits for rebuilding... but we also know that a damaged unit fires back, so the teleportation is not instantaneous... therefore there are combat rounds... and how about air units... or naval units... repaired then deployed but must deployment be in homeland... even when Out of Supply... Italian frogmen... strategic warfare... abort! abort! muffled explosion as Greyshaft's brain implodes from trying to visualize combat sequence without sufficient information

Thanks Joel... I'll wait for a more detailed sequence of play and/or more screenshots.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Greyshaft

So when a damaged unit teleports back to a factory I presume it sits in a pool and waits for rebuilding... but we also know that a damaged unit fires back, so the teleportation is not instantaneous... therefore there are combat rounds... and how about air units... or naval units... repaired then deployed but must deployment be in homeland... even when Out of Supply... Italian frogmen... strategic warfare... abort! abort! muffled explosion as Greyshaft's brain implodes from trying to visualize combat sequence without sufficient information

Thanks Joel... I'll wait for a more detailed sequence of play and/or more screenshots.

They don't teleport if there is not a path free of enemy units and with the appropriate transport chain to a friendly factory. These units automatically go back to a factory following certain priority rules and the nationality of the unit. Isolated units will be destroyed if they can't reach a factory. Yes, it will be some time (maybe not before the manual is written) before we detail the combat sequencing, but as a teaser, artillery units get to shoot in a separate round of combat before the other ground units and the artillery units all shoot at each other.