Can the map of Australia be improved?

[stubby331]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, While we are at it can we increase the size of the map and add Panama and Madagascar. And the map should increse enough to show the long range Japanese and German transports flying between the Home Islands and airfields the Germans have in Russia. How are my I-400 class submarines going to be of any use if I can't bomb Panama? How can I send submarines to get stuff from Germany if Germany is not even on the map? Geez Matrix wake up!

Do I detect a note of sarcasm Mog???????

[mogami]

When I read that people are worried that it might be too easy for the Allies to retake Alaska because of the unfair amount of supply they might get I get dizzy. It's one thing to point out they might be able to support Bombers at a base that is too far away to use normal range before the arrival of the B-29 and another to realize someone is even contemplating commiting Japanese material for an invasion let alone it might fail for of all reasons excessive Allied supply.
If Alaska had no supply. And the Japanese captured it entirely the Allied reaction when it arrived would not only carry excessive supply it would contain excessive force.
There are countless things for the Japanese to worry about. They have insurmountable problems to overcome. Only by ineptude on the part of the Allies and superb handling of their side is victory even a remote possible outcome and yet here. In the infancy of the game being played we have persons worried about something so trival that in 10,000 games it will not factor into the final outcome. There is an immense amount of thought required to play the Japanese. And yet I get the feeling those who have decided to undertake the task have such a weak grasp of what they are attempting that they grasp at will-o-the-wisps rather then searching for the simple truths.

I don't know if I can ever explain it. It is prehaps one of those cases where the statement "If you have to ask there is no point in my explaining it" covers and closes the book.

I am now totally against altering the map for Alaska because I look forward with eager anticaption reading the AAR where a Japanese player reports to us he lost the war because the ALCAN highway was made 4 lanes instead of 2

[esteban]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

When I read that people are worried that it might be too easy for the Allies to retake Alaska because of the unfair amount of supply they might get I get dizzy. It's one thing to point out they might be able to support Bombers at a base that is too far away to use normal range before the arrival of the B-29 and another to realize someone is even contemplating commiting Japanese material for an invasion let alone it might fail for of all reasons excessive Allied supply.
If Alaska had no supply. And the Japanese captured it entirely the Allied reaction when it arrived would not only carry excessive supply it would contain excessive force.
There are countless things for the Japanese to worry about. They have insurmountable problems to overcome. Only by ineptude on the part of the Allies and superb handling of their side is victory even a remote possible outcome and yet here. In the infancy of the game being played we have persons worried about something so trival that in 10,000 games it will not factor into the final outcome. There is an immense amount of thought required to play the Japanese. And yet I get the feeling those who have decided to undertake the task have such a weak grasp of what they are attempting that they grasp at will-o-the-wisps rather then searching for the simple truths.

I don't know if I can ever explain it. It is prehaps one of those cases where the statement "If you have to ask there is no point in my explaining it" covers and closes the book.

I am now totally against altering the map for Alaska because I look forward with eager anticaption reading the AAR where a Japanese player reports to us he lost the war because the ALCAN highway was made 4 lanes instead of 2

This comes across as pretty bitter and condescending. Would Alaska make a difference in most games? Probably not, as the approach down the Kuriles doesn't contain any good bases for the Allies to use. However, I don't see why there should be a supply line that didn't exist, because it does free up Allied shipping and probably troops for use elsewhere, which does make a difference.

I am not as concerned about the changes to Alaska as I am with the Aussie map, because that creates a threat to the SRA, which is the second most important part of the map for Japan, after the home islands themselves. However, the people who bring up the Alaska issue do have a valid point.

[Blackhorse]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, While we are at it can we increase the size of the map and add Panama and Madagascar. And the map should increse enough to show the long range Japanese and German transports flying between the Home Islands and airfields the Germans have in Russia. How are my I-400 class submarines going to be of any use if I can't bomb Panama? How can I send submarines to get stuff from Germany if Germany is not even on the map? Geez Matrix wake up!

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Mog? [:)]

[Moquia]

ORIGINAL: Blackhorse

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, While we are at it can we increase the size of the map and add Panama and Madagascar. And the map should increse enough to show the long range Japanese and German transports flying between the Home Islands and airfields the Germans have in Russia. How are my I-400 class submarines going to be of any use if I can't bomb Panama? How can I send submarines to get stuff from Germany if Germany is not even on the map? Geez Matrix wake up!

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Mog? [:)]

Was he sarkastic[&:]. [:D]

[Mark VII]

Mogami is somewhat correct. War in Alaska and up in those parts is near impossible considering the weather conditions. So there should not be any West Coast invasions via Alaska (ala PACWAR) cause it really was not feasable. I would hope that WitP makes war up there very difficult requiring lots and lots of supply with combat and just living up there causing a higher % of units going damaged.

I think he is also implying lets fix the map problems where it really matters(OZ)(air distance to PM) and maybe leave the Alaska map problem to another patch once the rest of the game is running smoother.

Personally I would like to see Australia and the distance to PM fixed in the upcoming patch, Alaska can wait. The Matrix boys cannot fix everything and get out this patch soon or when ever.

[mogami]

Hi, I'm sorry I often forget people can look at the same object and see different things.

Make a cattle trail to Alaska it will change nothing. Unlike Oz where the Allies have to ship the supply that Darwin will draw (and if the Allied player decides he is going to use Darwin he will send the supply) Alaska will draw from an unlimited pool. (Supply in SF will be in 100k's or millions) A base only draws the supply it requires. So no matter what the waste Alaska will draw supply. It will draw no more with a 4 track bullet train line then with a foot path. As long as the route permits supply to move it will make no difference to Alaska.
The allied player will not even notice the difference.

Then there is the time element. Japan does not have time to secure Alaska. I don't even get interested in players who wish to conquer China because at least the forces to try are already on hand. It won't make a change really no matter the outcome but at the same time it does not require any wonder strategy.

Now understand I don't care if a Japanese player goes to Alaska or not. My point is there is no reason for such a planner to worry about the Allied supply. Unless you make it so no supply can move you are wasting your time. We won't even discuss the things that could have done in such a case but are not allowed because it was never needed and so never done. Just how long these Japanese worry wart think it would have taken the USA to open a route had their been a need is something they can debate amonst themselves. I say put the line there "just because" it would have been done had it ever been needed. You can create a RR line in game in WITP. (If I was Japanese I'd ask for a Bangkok to Rangoon RR on the map because it will not help the Allies early on but by 1944 it existed and was important. It takes a while for Japan to build the forces and bases required to find in Burma. Of all the RR that actually had an impact in the war it seems to be the one never mentioned.
If the Allies had really needed it and if they felt the shipping could not do the job or was required for other jobs they could just lay a pipeline from Alice Springs to Darwin for fuel supply. They laid longer pipelines where they needed them.
Of course the game only includes what was built actually. In many places it allows for bases to be built that were never built.

Fix the Oz map if it bothers people. But worry about Alaska? Whats the point? If the map can be done by a fan thats great as long as both players use it there is no problems. (But remember it's not the graphics that matter it is the data assigned to each hex. )


If any Japanese Operation fails in Alaska it will not because it was too easy for the Allies to move supply. "Free up Allied transport" Your kidding right? What a few AK? Alaska is so close to all that that supply that a few AK can maintain it and here is the real stickler. The Alaskan bases will only draw the supply they require no matter what the connection. (THis applies to the fears in Darwin as well) Offensive supply will still have to be shipped in. The base will not draw it. If the Allies are going to base B-17 in Darwin they will have to ship in supply via AK. Not as much as if there were no connection but exactly the same amount no matter what kind of connection exists.
If the Allies need to mount offensive operations in Alaska it will be using supply shipped in AK no matter what. Better connections allow for easier defensive maintenance. (The base will draw excess supply from connected bases to met it's requirements)


I really don't wish to be smug,, condensending or bitter. I'm afraid there might be some misunderstanding that after investing a great deal of time and effort into a plan a player will encounter this and feel betrayed. I want them to understand up front.
The best way to plan any operation is to allow for the possibilty you enemy will have good supply lines. (unless you yourself cut them)

[akbrown]

Hi Mogami,

I started to redo the Australian map mainly because I am interested in historical accuracy. The present Australian map is wildly innaacurate, and I have great difficulty reconciling that fact with a game that in most other ways is (or tries to be) very accurate and detailed from a historical perspective. When a game drills down to the level of individual squads, weapon types, aircraft production and upgrades, etc. etc. having thousands of kilometers of railway in places it didn't exist is extrememly 'out of place' in my opinion. This not only affects Darwin but all of the bases in the Aussie Northwest.

I know that Alaska is more peripheral to the game but the arguments about historical accuracy apply equally.

I understand that it takes time and effort to change something like this, which I why I have offered to help on more than one occasion. It would be fantastic if the terrain types and communication routes for each hex were stored in a text file and uploaded into the game, instead of being hard coded and innaccesible, as that would mean we could do EVERYTHING ourselves, but I suspect that it may not be easy to change the game code to work in that way.

[akbrown]

Thanks for the input jrcar. I still have some refinement to do and extra info like this is very valuable.

ORIGINAL: jrcar

I don't have much problem with your revised figures, they are certainly an improvement!

It is my understanding that Melbourne was the main industrial city in Australia ahead of Sydney (this was done deliberately during the war as Sydney was seen as being to exposed to attack).

I suspected that was the case. I will do some readjustment.

Newcastle was important, as was Whyalla (as a source of resources, that had to be sent by ship, to Newcastle).

I believe that Port Kembla was also important at the time, possibly as a location for some resources and heavy industry (subtracted from Sydney). A quick look at an official history book also showed that it was equipped with coastal defences. What I wonder though is how many additional bases can/should we include?

Brisbane didn't have a lot of HI, nor did any north Queensland City.

Canberra had none (it was still mostly sheep paddocks) - so no resources either.

I didn't want to cut down Brisbane and Canberra too much more, so that they are completely useless. Maybe I should cut down HI in Brisbane. As for resources, I see them as representing primary resources as well to a certain extent, so I do believe that less industrial places like Canberra and Brisbane should have a certain amount of resources to represent their own (limited) production as well as the primary production from the region around them. Capturing these regions would be of SOME benifit to their captors.

Why oil at Alice Springs? I know some oil was extracted from shale in NSW, and the exploration was done in Victoria (my grandfather was involved with that) but I've been unable to find any other references.

My placement of the oil in Alice Springs was entirely based on the only map I had which showed oil as being present at Mereenie. I have since found out that it was not exploited until the mid 1960s, so it is incorrect. The only suitable place to locate it seens to be just west of Sydney. Again is it worth having a separate base for Lithgow (it had some armaments production as well I believe)? Or should it just be added to Sydney?

Also, 75 oil seems like a lot for such a small scale operation as the NSW shale oil production. Is it justified? Should it be reduced to, say, 25? I didn't alter it as I didn't want to alter play balance but maybe it should be changed?

The key areas of HI were where the Railways had major workshops, they were one of the few places where things like tanks could be built. Most manufactured goods were imported.

The map looks good, I'd be tempted to remove the road to Derby and Broome though....

I have left the 'road' (represented by a track) for now, but I may change it after looking at some more source material. I will visit the state library this afternoon to examine some period maps for more information.

Thanks again for your input.

[mjk428]

I'm all for historical accuracy. It's actually vitally important to me if I'm playing an historical wargame. In the case of the inaccurate maps though, I have to think that the designers had reasons for doing things as they did. The maps are so "inaccurate", I see no other explanation.

In the case of Australia, maybe the reason the rail goes through to the north is to offset the fact that you can't load Australia Command units on transports. I don't think you should have to pay 1000+ points to send Australian units to go defend part of Australia. Without rail everywhere, moving home defense units would be a total nightmare. An unfair nightmare for an allied player.

Once again, I'm all for accurate maps but I want to be sure there aren't unintended consequences that hurt gameplay much more than whatever minor & cosmetic improvements they might make towards accuracy.

[stubby331]

In the case of Australia, maybe the reason the rail goes through to the north is to offset the fact that you can't load Australia Command units on transports. I don't think you should have to pay 1000+ points to send Australian units to go defend part of Australia. Without rail everywhere, moving home defense units would be a total nightmare. An unfair nightmare for an allied player.

Fair point.

But, if I was given the choice, I'd rather fix the map and live with marching some units to where they need to be. That being said, IF matrix wanted to fix both (ie let Australian home defence units load on transports as long as the destination is somewhere in Austrlalia), I wouldnt complain.

But, lets fix the map first and then see how much the problem youve mentioned affects everything.

[esteban]

ORIGINAL: mjk428

In the case of Australia, maybe the reason the rail goes through to the north is to offset the fact that you can't load Australia Command units on transports. I don't think you should have to pay 1000+ points to send Australian units to go defend part of Australia. Without rail everywhere, moving home defense units would be a total nightmare. An unfair nightmare for an allied player.

Nobody is saying that you can't have a road North from Alice Springs to Darwin. You can move units up to Darwin on that. There will be some issues in getting those units to Broome or the other northern bases, along a track connection. But it can still get done.

[akbrown]

ORIGINAL: mjk428

I'm all for historical accuracy. It's actually vitally important to me if I'm playing an historical wargame. In the case of the inaccurate maps though, I have to think that the designers had reasons for doing things as they did. The maps are so "inaccurate", I see no other explanation.

I would be very interested to see information from the game producers on why the innacuracies are there, especially if it was for playability reasons.

In the case of Australia, maybe the reason the rail goes through to the north is to offset the fact that you can't load Australia Command units on transports. I don't think you should have to pay 1000+ points to send Australian units to go defend part of Australia. Without rail everywhere, moving home defense units would be a total nightmare. An unfair nightmare for an allied player.

Once again, I'm all for accurate maps but I want to be sure there aren't unintended consequences that hurt gameplay much more than whatever minor & cosmetic improvements they might make towards accuracy.

That is a very good point, and a reason for leaving the trails and roads connecting the mainland bases sych as Broome, instead of removing them completely. Even with a connecting trail I am guessing it would take several months to march a unit to Broome. Perhaps air transport is a reasonable alternative until shipping can take over? I am not sure. This may prevent me from adding Exmouth, which is very remote, also.

[akbrown]

Here is a fourth, and maybe final, version of my suggested map of Australia.

There are only a few minor changes to this map from the previous version, which I have added after examining some maps from the period at a library. The changes are:

- Changed the road from Broken Hill to the East into a railway, and added a connection towards Melbourne.

- Changed the road connection between Devonport and Hobart into a railway.

- Made Charleville, Daly Waters and Katherine into existing, albeit very small, bases, as they had existing civilian infrastructure (airports).

- Added Exmouth as a dot base. There is no road/track connection to it, and it cannot be developed very much, but I think there is some justification to add it in as it was used as a submarine refuelling base for subs operating out of Perth (Fremantle), and it was also used as an airbase. The Japanese attacked the base severeal times so it could not have been too insignificant. It is still pretty minor though, so it would not be a major setback if it was not included.

- Moved Whyalla to its correct position.

I have also modified my suggested base values as follows:

- Slightly increased the air values for some of the Northern bases, as they started to operate B-17s very early in the Pacific campaign.

- Moved the oil resources back to Perth (50) and to Sydney (25). Perth did not produce oil, but it was the entry port for oil from the Middle East, which is not, and cannot, be represented in the game by actual convoys. Middle East oil was shipped to Australia after the DEI oil became unavailable. The Sydney oil represents the small NSW shale oil industry.

- Reduced the heavy industry in Queensland, and increased in in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Code: Select all

 Proposed Bases
 
 Base          Oil   Res    HI   Man   Port    Air  Fort
 ----          ---   ---    --   ---   ----    ---  ----
 Perth          50   400   200     7   5(5)    4(5)    3
 Exmouth                               0(1)    0(3)    0
 Broome                                1(3)    4(5)    1
 Derby                                 1(2)    1(4)    1
 Wyndham                               1(2)    1(4)    1
 Darwin               10               4(3)    4(5)    2
 Alice Springs                                 1(4)    0
 Thurs Island                          1(1)    1(1)    0
 Cooktown                              2(3)    1(3)    1
 Cairns               30               5(5)    3(5)    1
 Townsville          100           1   5(5)    3(5)    3
 Chart Towers                                  6(9)    1
 Rockhampton         200    30     1   4(5)    4(5)    3
 Brisbane            350   100     6   6(9)    8(9)    5
 Newcastle           350   200     4   1(1)    1(5)    3
 Sydney         25   600   750    21  10(9)    8(6)    5
 Canberra            300           4           4(5)    0
 Melbourne           500   750    17  10(9)    8(6)    5
 Geelong             100   200     4   1(1)    1(5)    3
 Devonport                         1   4(3)    1(3)    1
 Hobart               50    30     2   4(3)    3(3)    2
 Adelaide            250   350     5   5(5)    4(5)    3
 Whyalla             600   200         1(1)    1(4)    1
 Auckland NZ         200   200    18   6(6)    6(6)    3 
 Albany               60           1   3(5)    1(5)    1
 Geraldton                         1   1(1)    1(5)    1           
 Katherine                                     1(5)    0
 Daly Waters                                   1(5)    0
 Cloncurry           400                       1(5)    0
 Coen                                          0(5)    0
 Charleville          10                       1(5)    0                   
 Broken Hill         600                       1(4)    0
 
 TOTAL          75  5110  3010    73 81(87) 83(153)   51
 

[Halsey]

You've created a very impressive map of Australia. I hope Matrix decides to use some, or all of your modifications in upcoming patches.[:)]

[Mike Scholl]

ORIGINAL: mjk428

I'm all for historical accuracy. It's actually vitally important to me if I'm playing an historical wargame. In the case of the inaccurate maps though, I have to think that the designers had reasons for doing things as they did. The maps are so "inaccurate", I see no other explanation.

In the case of Australia, maybe the reason the rail goes through to the north is to offset the fact that you can't load Australia Command units on transports. I don't think you should have to pay 1000+ points to send Australian units to go defend part of Australia. Without rail everywhere, moving home defense units would be a total nightmare. An unfair nightmare for an allied player.

Once again, I'm all for accurate maps but I want to be sure there aren't unintended consequences that hurt gameplay much more than whatever minor & cosmetic improvements they might make towards accuracy.

IF this is the case (and I don't know that for a fact), then it is the result of a poor choice
the designers made earlier when trying to figure out how to prevent a-historic free
transfers from one command to another. Instead of doing something simple and sen-
sible, like charging PP's if you tried to UNLOAD a unit in a port belonging to a different
command; they did it backwards and charged for LOADING it. Thus the silly situation
of the Austrailian Command NOT being able to move it's own units within it's own area.
It shouldn't cost the Austrailians to move their own troops within the limits of their own
command (and it doesn't if they do it overland---proving the designers agree with that
thought), but they trapped themselves with an earlier bad decision.

[esteban]

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

ORIGINAL: mjk428

I'm all for historical accuracy. It's actually vitally important to me if I'm playing an historical wargame. In the case of the inaccurate maps though, I have to think that the designers had reasons for doing things as they did. The maps are so "inaccurate", I see no other explanation.

In the case of Australia, maybe the reason the rail goes through to the north is to offset the fact that you can't load Australia Command units on transports. I don't think you should have to pay 1000+ points to send Australian units to go defend part of Australia. Without rail everywhere, moving home defense units would be a total nightmare. An unfair nightmare for an allied player.

Once again, I'm all for accurate maps but I want to be sure there aren't unintended consequences that hurt gameplay much more than whatever minor & cosmetic improvements they might make towards accuracy.

IF this is the case (and I don't know that for a fact), then it is the result of a poor choice
the designers made earlier when trying to figure out how to prevent a-historic free
transfers from one command to another. Instead of doing something simple and sen-
sible, like charging PP's if you tried to UNLOAD a unit in a port belonging to a different
command; they did it backwards and charged for LOADING it. Thus the silly situation
of the Austrailian Command NOT being able to move it's own units within it's own area.
It shouldn't cost the Austrailians to move their own troops within the limits of their own
command (and it doesn't if they do it overland---proving the designers agree with that
thought), but they trapped themselves with an earlier bad decision.

True, putting in a rule where units of restricted commands could not enter a base hex outside of that command would have been better.

Good work on the map! I hope we have enough bases left in the database to make it work. I know that the Komandorski Islands can be taken out of the current map, because they are actually Russian possessions. Maybe one or two more of the smaller Aleutian Island bases can also be removed.

Hopefully that will be enough slack to fill out Australia, if there is not room for more bases than there are right now.

[Raverdave]

I like the final map, but I would have to argue with the fort levels for both Sydney and Melbourne as both cities had had extensive works done to them stretching right back to the 1870's as a result of the Russian scare in 1862. Fort levels for both should be 9.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Raverdave

I like the final map, but I would have to argue with the fort levels for both Sydney and Melbourne as both cities had had extensive works done to them stretching right back to the 1870's as a result of the Russian scare in 1862. Fort levels for both should be 9.

I'm kinda sorry for posting this but I almost fell out of my chair just now. Russian scare? To Australia? Could you please fill this stupid, undeserving youngster in on this. [:)][&o][:)]

[jrcar]

During the Crimenan war... A Russian Squadron had visited a few years earlier, remember they had a base near Japan.


Dave I don't think those forts would count as 9's ... 6-7 maybe. The gear was out of date and initially ammo stock low, plus not that many guns.


The Defence did improve as the war went on especially inner Sydney harbour which had waterfront Pill boxes, something I have never seen around Melbourne.

Cheers

Rob

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

ORIGINAL: Raverdave

I like the final map, but I would have to argue with the fort levels for both Sydney and Melbourne as both cities had had extensive works done to them stretching right back to the 1870's as a result of the Russian scare in 1862. Fort levels for both should be 9.

I'm kinda sorry for posting this but I almost fell out of my chair just now. Russian scare? To Australia? Could you please fill this stupid, undeserving youngster in on this. [:)][&o][:)]