A little criticism from a beginner

[ArthurBedur]

I'm still quite a beginner with the game. I got a Major Victory with the Axis and am currently playing with the Allies in the 1939 campaign. In general I think the game is great. Some things I like a lot better than PG2 / OG which I've been playing for years. But now I have to offer some criticism. Playing with the axis was a lot of fun and with the allies for a long time too. But the axis AI doesn't work anymore! The AI ​​has 90 ground units left. I have no idea where they are. I no longer have any opponents on the Eastern Front and only run to Berlin. The defense of Warsaw was a joke! Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg were liberated in the west. While dozens of allied soldiers are in the Benelux countries on mainland Europe and some German cities have already been conquered, the AI ​​still uses dozens of units to protect the French coast.
Not to mention that the AI ​​sometimes threw commanders at me on the eastern front in order to hold cities. So this AI doesn't work at all!
Why does the AI ​​use so many units to occupy capitals? It's still understandable for countries that have a coast, but not like Slovakia. If that were in danger, the AI ​​could still move units there.
The AI ​​could certainly have captured Leningrad in my game, but just as they were about to break through, they moved units somewhere (probably France). Sadly the AI seems to think only historically and not dynamically.
And in Italy I landed in Livorno. Instead of trying to break in my bridgehead, no troops were moved there at all. I then conquered Rome and secured the city with an anti-tank defense. The anti-tank defense then capitulated. Why this happened?

[BillRunacre]

Hi Arthur

Do you have a saved turn for when your Allied unit in Rome surrenders. Ideally from just before it happens, but if not one from after might still be useful.

You can send it to me, preferably zipped, at bill.runacre@furysoftware.com

Thanks

Bill

[masopatu]

First of all, it would be useful to take into account the historical offensives of the Reich. When the crowd loses, it retreats on all fronts and has too few units to defend. The computer tries to defend the cities with illogical movements. If the Frühlingserwachen offensive were to be added, it would create some options for the AI. There should be 2 panzer armies, one infantry army and a Hungarian infantry army. The same in 44 should show Charlemagne units.

In addition to the Volksturm, Germany should be able to get infantry units of Division Scharnhorst and Jütland in 45. Where are the Spanish Blaue Division?

[BillRunacre]

Where are the Spanish Blaue Division?

The Spanish Blue Division will deploy for service from late August 1941 providing German units are in or around Riga and Spain is at least 40% pro-Axis.

[ArthurBedur]

I have no actual save state from this situation, only from a few turns before. I will try to reproduce this situation in a few days when I will have more time.
Meanwhile I have won the campaign with the allies. I just needed four months from the sowiet border to get Berlin. I had no opponents until I arrived Berlin and there were only an Army, a cavalry, a HQ and a Korps as opponent. I had a look on the situation after the end. Yes, the germans had to few units. But they used this few units very stupid. For example a very experienced army hold Zagreb until the end. There is no need to hold Zagreb. Croatia is not important for the germans. And the german Korps at the Atlantik coast were still holding the coast although all west allied ground units were on the mainland and were attacking Paris and Berlin. And several Headquarters and two very experienced armies were still holding Mailand and Genua at the end of the campaign.
Imo I would say that the problem is that the germans get to less MPP after they had to retreat out of russia. I had tried the 1944er campaign. There is nearly no chance to buy anything. And you can totally forget it to buy tanks and heavy tanks and nearly no chance to buy armies. It is clear that the allied are too strong comparing with the reality in the late war phase in the campaigns. Yes, the germans could not easily produce armies, because they had not the men to do so, but they produced tanks. So I agree, that at least some tanks (without mobility upgrade because of the missing fuel for the germans at that time) should show up in the later war phase for the germans in order to can hold the front a little bit better. And the AI cannot produce them itself because it will not have the MPP to do so.

[masopatu]

Where are the Spanish Blaue Division?

The Spanish Blue Division will deploy for service from late August 1941 providing German units are in or around Riga and Spain is at least 40% pro-Axis.

Thank you very much for your answer!

The game is great, but I think it would be nice to add some historical actions for the axes.

This last large operation even has to be added
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation ... _Awakening
It would extend the game and positively affect the gameplay.

Alternatively, you can add (in close contact with the USSR with the capital of Germany)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Solstice

Hungary has committed a lot to defend itself. They should get at least one 5th strength armored corps and an infantry army.

[Jkap]

Where are the Spanish Blaue Division?

The Spanish Blue Division will deploy for service from late August 1941 providing German units are in or around Riga and Spain is at least 40% pro-Axis.

In my MP game Spain was over 40% before Barbarossa and it never spawned. I annexed Lithuania and was quickly able to take Riga. It's now May 1943 but I'm not sure if it only spawns in 1941 or if it can join the fray later.

[BillRunacre]

Where are the Spanish Blaue Division?

The Spanish Blue Division will deploy for service from late August 1941 providing German units are in or around Riga and Spain is at least 40% pro-Axis.

In my MP game Spain was over 40% before Barbarossa and it never spawned. I annexed Lithuania and was quickly able to take Riga. It's now May 1943 but I'm not sure if it only spawns in 1941 or if it can join the fray later.

It can deploy at any time after the 24th August 1941 providing all its trigger conditions are met in the same turn, i.e. if Spain was over 40% pro-Axis but falls below that, or joins the Axis, then the trigger won't be met.

Hex 187,68 where they deploy will need to be in Axis hands, and a German unit will have to be in or near Riga, in being more likely to trigger the event.

I've pasted the script below for reference. Hopefully there's something in the conditions to explain why you've not seen them yet?

{
#NAME= Blue Division Formed In Spain For Axis
#POPUP= <<TAG_85>>
#IMAGE=
#SOUND=
#FLAG= 1
#TYPE= 1
#AI= 0
#LEVEL= 0
#GV= 1[1,100]
#LINK= 0[0]
#COUNTRY_ID= 45
#TRIGGER= 100
#PRIVATE= 0
#DISPLAY_TURN= 0
#FULL_RESEARCH= 1
#DATE= 1941/08/24
#FAILSAFE_DATE= 1948/01/01
#DESTINATION_RESOURCE= 187,68
; USSR politically aligned with Allies and fully mobilized
; Spain politically aligned with Axis and not fully mobilized
#VARIABLE_CONDITION= 116 [2] [100] [0]
#VARIABLE_CONDITION= 99 [1] [40] [0]
; German units in or around Riga
#CONDITION_POSITION= 194,62 [0,2] [1,1] [1] [45]
#UNIT= 3 [10] [1] [250th "Blue"]
}

[PvtBenjamin]

The best time period to make progress on Spain is between when France falls and the US enters. The Allies only have the 3 Brits chits during that period and the Axis has both Germany & Italy. Once the US enters the war they can buy 2 Spain chits and its unlikely either side will make progress. Germany can actually DOW on Spain and take it in 2 turns if done correctly but there are big diplomacy effects especially on the US so you want to time it right before the US is about to enter.

[Jkap]

It can deploy at any time after the 24th August 1941 providing all its trigger conditions are met in the same turn, i.e. if Spain was over 40% pro-Axis but falls below that, or joins the Axis, then the trigger won't be met.

Hex 187,68 where they deploy will need to be in Axis hands, and a German unit will have to be in or near Riga, in being more likely to trigger the event.

I've pasted the script below for reference. Hopefully there's something in the conditions to explain why you've not seen them yet?

{
#NAME= Blue Division Formed In Spain For Axis
#POPUP= <<TAG_85>>
#IMAGE=
#SOUND=
#FLAG= 1
#TYPE= 1
#AI= 0
#LEVEL= 0
#GV= 1[1,100]
#LINK= 0[0]
#COUNTRY_ID= 45
#TRIGGER= 100
#PRIVATE= 0
#DISPLAY_TURN= 0
#FULL_RESEARCH= 1
#DATE= 1941/08/24
#FAILSAFE_DATE= 1948/01/01
#DESTINATION_RESOURCE= 187,68
; USSR politically aligned with Allies and fully mobilized
; Spain politically aligned with Axis and not fully mobilized
#VARIABLE_CONDITION= 116 [2] [100] [0]
#VARIABLE_CONDITION= 99 [1] [40] [0]
; German units in or around Riga
#CONDITION_POSITION= 194,62 [0,2] [1,1] [1] [45]
#UNIT= 3 [10] [1] [250th "Blue"]
}

All conditions were met and Spain never fell under 40% nor has it joined the Axis. I believe I took Riga on the second turn of Barbarossa and that was in June 1941 since I was forced to invade in May so that condition should be filled without a shadow of a doubt. I suppose it's not a big deal but the Blue Division is really good as a second line/reserve unit or for service in Italy or France. I'll try again though in a future game, but these are the same coniditons as in WAW right?

[BillRunacre]

Yes, the conditions in WAW are essentially the same. I've pasted them here just in case we need to refer to them again.

I can't see any issue with either, though if it doesn't appear on or immediately after the turn when you would expect it to, I'll be interested in seeing a saved turn.

{
#NAME= Blue Division Formed In Spain For Axis
#POPUP= <<TAG_130>>
#IMAGE=
#SOUND=
#FLAG= 1
#TYPE= 1
#AI= 0
#LEVEL= 0
#GV= 1[1,100]
#LINK= 0[0]
#COUNTRY_ID= 45
#TRIGGER= 100
#PRIVATE= 0
#DISPLAY_TURN= 0
#FULL_RESEARCH= 1
#DATE= 1941/08/24
#FAILSAFE_DATE= 1948/01/01
#DESTINATION_RESOURCE= 109,32
; USSR politically aligned with Allies and fully mobilized
; Spain politically aligned with Axis and not fully mobilized
#VARIABLE_CONDITION= 116 [2] [100] [0]
#VARIABLE_CONDITION= 99 [1] [40] [0]
; German units in or around Riga
#CONDITION_POSITION= 113,28 [0,1] [1,1] [1] [45]
#UNIT= 3 [10] [1] [Blue Division]
}

[El_Condoro]

#CONDITION_POSITION= 194,62 [0,2] [1,1] [1] [45]

My understanding from a discussion about #CONDITION_POSITION many years ago is that it should be [2,2] for the range, rather than [0,2]. That way, if at least one German unit [45] is within 2 hexes of Riga, the condition is met.

[BillRunacre]

Yes, you are right as currently the script will definitely fire if there is a German unit in Riga, but it may not if the unit is just nearby.

I've made a note to change this.

[Jkap]

Yes, you are right as currently the script will definitely fire if there is a German unit in Riga, but it may not if the unit is just nearby.

I've made a note to change this.

Placed a German med bomber in Riga and on August 19, 1944 Franco decided to send the Blue Division xD. So I guess that fixed it for this v1.24 game.