On the beginning lines

xafemo · Post by **xafemo** » Sun Jul 15, 2001 5:18 pm

Hello to all the friends of the forum,
I am not a veteran fan and I need to prepare my battles minutely to introduce to my rivals a decent game. But there is a matter that returns me crazy.
In the first place, I don't understand why in the view of the map of the phase of purchase of the units it is not helped the player showing the hexagons of points of victory, because although they appear in the small map of the corner, I don't find enough, neither I understand because the beginning lines are not shown.
In second place, it happens me that when I finish my purchase of units, thought to begin the battle in a certain side of the map, I discover in the unfolding phase that my side of the map is the contrary one. Has this changed a version to another of SPWaW? or does this modify now in each battle?
This way, there is not form of planning a battle well, that it is one of the biggest incentives in the game. I would like to receive help in this respect.
Thank you to all in advance.
xafemo@hotmail.com

Mai Thai · Post by **Mai Thai** » Mon Jul 16, 2001 5:05 pm

hi xafemo.
As in real battles you know the battleground only when you are there.
You have enough informations during purchase phase to know wich kind of battle are you going to fight and the type and condition of the terrain you may encounter.
After you come to the deployment phase and at this point it is important to know exactly where to place your units to reach and or to hold the VX, as in real life when you are there you can feel the battleground.
Afaik the map side you will be presented could be random, but this cannot affect the choice of your units, if it was the wrong choice the map side is not the guilty
Bye

xafemo · Post by **xafemo** » Mon Jul 16, 2001 5:55 pm

Hi Mai Thai,

Well, although I am far from being an expert, up to where I know, the rivals knew in general which was the line of the front or, at least, it is presented this way in the books on the Second World War that I
have seen. But even this way, it could agree with you on your first observations. But it is not the same thing to begin to a side or another of the map when this presents characteristic different to each side. It is not the same thing to think that you have to advance on a closed land,
for example, that to think that you have to advance on an open land, and we would buy different teams according to the case, adapting our army to the land that will act. For that reason, I continue thinking that it is important to know ahead of time which will be our unfolding side, but I am lately never sure of the side in the one that I will begin the battle.
Thank you anyway to enrich this question with your answer.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Mon Jul 16, 2001 6:07 pm

hi Xafemo. The Germans are usually on the left side and soviets on the right on the eastern front. On the West Front Allies are on the left side and Axis on the right. Orienting the map as a compass with North at the top, the armies will be set up on the side they were historically. Western Desert:Allies on the right , Axis on the left,but in Tunisia it is the opposite. It is problematic in the Pacific Islands though. The US would always come from the beach but if a beach isn't shown then I don't know.

Warrior · Post by **Warrior** » Mon Jul 16, 2001 8:50 pm

Originally posted by xafemo:
Well, although I am far from being an expert, up to where I know, the rivals knew in general which was the line of the front or, at least, it is presented this way in the books on the Second World War that I
have seen. But even this way, it could agree with you on your first observations. But it is not the same thing to begin to a side or another of the map when this presents characteristic different to each side. It is not the same thing to think that you have to advance on a closed land,
for example, that to think that you have to advance on an open land, and we would buy different teams according to the case, adapting our army to the land that will act. For that reason, I continue thinking that it is important to know ahead of time which will be our unfolding side, but I am lately never sure of the side in the one that I will begin the battle.

Actually, I doubt if in most of SPWaW level battles, adapting units to the ground is the best idea. I usually purchase on the basis of the "Type" of battle. For example, I don't get amphibious tanks for an assault, but I will for a river crossing. In fact, I almost always have a general "core" of unit types I always buy which will adapt to any ground, and then add specialized units for the particular type of battle. Could you give a bit more detail on the types of units you might be thinking of, and how knowing the placement of victory hexes would affect you choice?

deggo · Post by **deggo** » Mon Jul 16, 2001 9:15 pm

Even though the VH is not shown on the big map when purchasing, moving your mouse over the general area shown on the small map will reveal it's location and value in the pop up box.

Warrior · Post by **Warrior** » Tue Jul 17, 2001 10:15 am

Originally posted by deggo:
Even though the VH is not shown on the big map when purchasing, moving your mouse over the general area shown on the small map will reveal it's location and value in the pop up box.

Thanks for the tip!

xafemo · Post by **xafemo** » Tue Jul 17, 2001 7:52 pm

Hello Drex,
However, in a battle generated by the artificial intelligence, I play in modality PBEM, I direct the American forces against my German rival, in July of 1944 and, in this case, being the player 2, begin the battle in the right side. In another battle, set in March of 1945, I direct German against Soviets, being also player 2, and begin the battle in the right side. only in this last case the game was adjusted to your observation!

Hello Warrior,
I believe that, like in most of games for turns, the first player has a slight advantage: the initiative. Generally this means that it will advance first and it will occupy most of the objectives first (this is more important when the hexagons of objectives also punctuate for possession turn), forcing the player 2 to their reconquest. In this supposition, it is not important to know with accuracy the location of the objectives?, to calculate foregone advances on the land? appropriate equipment for the most concrete missions that they will fulfill?, and the competitor's characteristics and their nationality can even affect your purchase decisions. What do you say?

Greetings to all.
xafemo@hotmail.com

Warrior · Post by **Warrior** » Tue Jul 17, 2001 11:15 pm

Originally posted by xafemo:
I believe that, like in most of games for turns, the first player has a slight advantage: the initiative. Generally this means that it will advance first and it will occupy most of the objectives first (this is more important when the hexagons of objectives also punctuate for possession turn), forcing the player 2 to their reconquest. In this supposition, it is not important to know with accuracy the location of the objectives?, to calculate foregone advances on the land? appropriate equipment for the most concrete missions that they will fulfill?, and the competitor's characteristics and their nationality can even affect your purchase decisions. What do you say?

I agree only if you intend to make a dash for the victory hexes, which is exactly what some savvy players expect and deploy accordingly. I've played games where the hexes were closer to my start line, and others when they were closer to the opponent's start line, and I still assert that it is simply not that important to know exactly where they are. My game is one of maneuver and adaptation to conditions using a force of semi-historical composition, and whether I get to the hexes first or take them later is immaterial. The game can be won with almost no VH's in your possession if you'll killed enough of the enemy - what I call a "body count" victory. Personally, I prefer the uncertainty of coming on the field without knowing. It forces me to make tactical decisions on the spot and is more exciting and unpredictable. If I know where the VH's are, I would aim my pre-start bombardment at the most direct routes to them, and probably the enemy would, too. That would defeat the advantage of such knowledge. Misdirecting and diverting the enemy is more important to me. (By the way, I've been in many "points-per-turn" games where the enemy held the hexes for nearly the entire game and I still took a decisive victory.)

As for national characteristics and such, I generally ignore them. The enemy will die if I'm on target, no matter their place of birth.

xafemo · Post by **xafemo** » Fri Aug 24, 2001 9:29 pm

It is possible that it is a question of likes, but there are certain units that one purchase if he knows that he will find good locations for them: guns AT, mines, commands, paratroopers, bombers, snipers, etc..
Sincerely, I don't believe that the tactical ability is impaired if one knows its side of the map of the battle and its lines of deployment of the units; in fact, in versions previous of SPWatW, one knew at least in that side of the map the battle began. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">