What else do you want to know more about?

[RedLancer]

ORIGINAL: magichicken

How will the game handle Italy's surrender and the subsequent race between the Allies and Germans to occupy Italian positions (e.g. the Dodecanese campaign)?

The Dodacenese Campaign is not modelled - in the Med there are no Axis units East of the heel of Italy.

The precise surrender rules are pretty complex. Here is a simplified summary.

There are three cases under which an Italian surrender check will occur. On the turn an amphibious invasion of mainland Italy is executed, a surrender check is made during the Axis logistics phase. This “pre-invasion” check allows for the historical result in which the Italian surrender took place the night before the Salerno landings. In addition, during the Axis Logistics phase, if any hex in mainland Italy is under Western Allies control and in supply, Italy must check for surrender. Finally, if all of either Sardinia, Corsica, or Sicily is under Western Allies control, a modified surrender check is also made during the Axis logistics phase.

When Italy surrenders, all Italian units outside of Corsica and Sardinia and Italian units on Sardinia and Corsica stacked with a German unit are removed from the game. Italian units in Corsica and Sardinia not stacked with a German unit immediately become Western Allied Italian units and these units are set to withdraw in 5 turns, with the exception of Italian HQ units, which are removed from the game. WA Italian units set to withdraw will do so even if isolated. When Italian units switch to become WA Italian, they are automatically attached to the AFHQ HQ unit. Hexes containing a WA Allied Italian unit and those adjacent to a WA Allied Italian unit (unless occupied by a German unit) will become Allied controlled hexes.

In the Allied logistics phase on the turn the Italians surrender, as well as every turn after that in which the below conditions are met, there is a chance that some hexes in Italy, Sardinia and Corsica will change to Allied control. German units in Italy or Corsica can prevent the switchover based on CV and range. Any hex that is not within range of a German unit has a 50 percent chance of switching to Allied control.

When Italy surrenders, ½ of the Axis transport ships assigned to the Mediterranean part of the map area will be permanently removed from the shipping pool

[PaulWRoberts]

Here's a big broad question: to what degree is the power of hindsight limited in WITW?

More specifically, for example, is there any downside to curtailing strategic bombing and putting whole fleets of B-17s into frontline support? Historically, huge amounts of resources were put into strategic bombing because of the belief (among influential Army Air leaders anyway) that it would swiftly bring Germany to its knees. Hindsight suggests otherwise.

[kfmiller41]

Don't know if this had been asked but is is possible from the German side to actually throw the allied invasion back? I know it is very unlikely, but does Hitlers (and the German higher commands confusion) play in to what I as the German player can do with my troops. Is 15th army locked in place like is was historically,

Thanks

[RedLancer]

-The Allied player has to gain strategic bombing points and target U-boats and V-Weapons but otherwise you can target aircraft as you wish.
-The Axis player has to meet Garrison requirements but you have full freedom how you do it.

You can defeat invasions but it is difficult due to the hold at all costs rules for the actual invasion hexes.

[warshipbuilder]

As the allied player do you have the ability to swap your squadrons aircraft? I.E. Can you change a Spitfire squadron to fly Tempests?

As the axis player are you locked in to the ahistorical aircraft roster? I.E. Can you develop the Do-335 or Ta-152 as opposed to the Me-262?

[HMSWarspite]

ORIGINAL: Paul Roberts

Here's a big broad question: to what degree is the power of hindsight limited in WITW?

More specifically, for example, is there any downside to curtailing strategic bombing and putting whole fleets of B-17s into frontline support? Historically, huge amounts of resources were put into strategic bombing because of the belief (among influential Army Air leaders anyway) that it would swiftly bring Germany to its knees. Hindsight suggests otherwise.

Also, which universe are you in? Whilst the effectiveness of Bomber Command area bombing (or more precisely the relative effectiveness of city centre targets rather than specific factory ones) can be debated, I do not think the precision bombing by 8th AF is - it indisputably destroyed the LW, which it would not have done over the front lines. But the attacks on the Oil targets later on in 1944 is credited with huge impact on the German economy. I do not think cutting strategic bombing to use the heavies in ground support is hindsight, it is lunacy or a seriously flawed game.

Oh, and the success of heavies in Normandy was rather checkered don't you think? Generally a section of the front line was reduced to a lunar landscape which was difficult to move over, and the only variable was whose front line!

[HMSWarspite]

ORIGINAL: warshipbuilder

As the allied player do you have the ability to swap your squadrons aircraft? I.E. Can you change a Spitfire squadron to fly Tempests?

As the axis player are you locked in to the ahistorical aircraft roster? I.E. Can you develop the Do-335 or Ta-152 as opposed to the Me-262?

Don't you mean 'historical'?

[RedLancer]

ORIGINAL: warshipbuilder

As the allied player do you have the ability to swap your squadrons aircraft? I.E. Can you change a Spitfire squadron to fly Tempests?

As the axis player are you locked in to the ahistorical aircraft roster? I.E. Can you develop the Do-335 or Ta-152 as opposed to the Me-262?

You can swap squadron aircraft but there are limitations - bomber squadrons are limited to bombers etc - but your example is possible.

Production is fixed the Me 262, Ta 152 and Do 335 are all in game but you can't change when they arrive.

That said the editor exists for those of us who like the what if - working on adding the Martin Baker MB5 to a mod now.

[PaulWRoberts]

ORIGINAL: HMSWarspite

ORIGINAL: Paul Roberts

Here's a big broad question: to what degree is the power of hindsight limited in WITW?

More specifically, for example, is there any downside to curtailing strategic bombing and putting whole fleets of B-17s into frontline support? Historically, huge amounts of resources were put into strategic bombing because of the belief (among influential Army Air leaders anyway) that it would swiftly bring Germany to its knees. Hindsight suggests otherwise.

Also, which universe are you in? Whilst the effectiveness of Bomber Command area bombing (or more precisely the relative effectiveness of city centre targets rather than specific factory ones) can be debated, I do not think the precision bombing by 8th AF is - it indisputably destroyed the LW, which it would not have done over the front lines. But the attacks on the Oil targets later on in 1944 is credited with huge impact on the German economy. I do not think cutting strategic bombing to use the heavies in ground support is hindsight, it is lunacy or a seriously flawed game.

Oh, and the success of heavies in Normandy was rather checkered don't you think? Generally a section of the front line was reduced to a lunar landscape which was difficult to move over, and the only variable was whose front line!

I'm not making the argument that strategic bombing was completely ineffective, although it was certainly not as effective as its proponents claimed it *would* be. I'm asking what the tradeoffs will be if a player cut its use significantly. In other words, how are its effects modeled in the game, and are they enough to encourage historical priorities?

For instance, how much does strategic bombing actually hamper German production of units and resources? Will it prevent the production of enough reinforcements to encourage players to use it like the Allies did?

We haven't seen this kind of discussion in the "Differences from WITE" threads. That's why I'm asking.

While we're on the topic, does the possibility of "short-bombing" (as at the start of COBRA) exist in the game? I don't think the WITE engine made room for that kind of debacle.

[Kronolog]

On the product page, it says that "allied casualties" is a victory condition. Could you please expound on this? Is it only lost manpower that counts, or do the allies lose points for lost aircraft, guns and/or tanks also? Are all manpower casualties equally expensive, or are British/Commonwealth casualties more expensive in victory points than American casualties?

[warshipbuilder]

Don't you mean 'historical'?

Fingers and brain weren't communicating I meant "a historical" and typed "the ahistorical".

[RedLancer]

ORIGINAL: Kronolog

On the product page, it says that "allied casualties" is a victory condition. Could you please expound on this? Is it only lost manpower that counts, or do the allies lose points for lost aircraft, guns and/or tanks also? Are all manpower casualties equally expensive, or are British/Commonwealth casualties more expensive in victory points than American casualties?

The Allied player only loses VPs for men killed or wounded not aircraft, guns or AFVs:

- US killed/captured/disabled: – 1 VP per 1000
- Other (non-US) killed/captured/disabled: – 1 VP per 667

[RedLancer]

ORIGINAL: Paul Roberts
For instance, how much does strategic bombing actually hamper German production of units and resources? Will it prevent the production of enough reinforcements to encourage players to use it like the Allies did?

It impacts on resource including manpower and ground element replacements. It is worth the bother and experimenting on what is the best strategy is one of the key tenets of the game.

While we're on the topic, does the possibility of "short-bombing" (as at the start of COBRA) exist in the game? I don't think the WITE engine made room for that kind of debacle.

If you mean friendly fire - No

[Kronolog]

ORIGINAL: Red Lancer

ORIGINAL: Kronolog

On the product page, it says that "allied casualties" is a victory condition. Could you please expound on this? Is it only lost manpower that counts, or do the allies lose points for lost aircraft, guns and/or tanks also? Are all manpower casualties equally expensive, or are British/Commonwealth casualties more expensive in victory points than American casualties?

The Allied player only loses VPs for men killed or wounded not aircraft, guns or AFVs:

- US killed/captured/disabled: – 1 VP per 1000
- Other (non-US) killed/captured/disabled: – 1 VP per 667

Thank you. It seems like a realistic rule.

[warshipbuilder]

That said the editor exists for those of us who like the what if - working on adding the Martin Baker MB5 to a mod now.

Ahhh, that said, it means I can swap out those clunky B-17 and B-24's for the B-29? That could be fun. I have always wondered how the LW would have handled those. Perhaps the Avro Lincoln as well.

I do hope the editor is fully functional and that the DB can be well and truly manipulated.

Are we going to get a editor thread, so we can learn some of its capabilities?

[RedLancer]

The Editor is fully functional and all the game data and scenarios were created using it. In fact the editor has been improved for release as we ironed out the issues that we had worked round from when we started writing the scenarios in alpha and then looked odd when we wrote the editor manual. In the editor manual we have included a modding section as well so adding the B-29 will be simple.

The editor is 80% similar to the WitE editor so there is little to say. One big difference is the improved aircraft data with more performance data and the choice of loadouts. Screenshot says it all.

[morvael]

There's more data in other tabs that can be edited when compared to WitE.

[warshipbuilder]

DROOL!

Oh I like the looks of that screen. All the different loadouts, yes!

Can you create new squadrons? Example historial, 413 Sqn RCAF was transferred from the CBI to England in Feb 45 to be reformed on Lancs to become operational in April. Never happened, it was disbanded instead.

Example fictional (OK tell me you really don't know?) 633 Sqn, ta da!

[RedLancer]

Adding additional air groups is pretty straightforward.

[tiger111]

Regarding supply depots :-
1.How many do you need to supply the frontline i.e, i depot per 10 hexes?Does the game degenerate into "better move my depot line forward so there are close to frontlune" ?

2.Do you create them by using "admin points".

3.If disbanded does the supply redistribute among existing depots?

4.Are the depots hidden in normal view. Which key reveals the supply network?

5.Are there Rail repair units as in WITE?

And above all is the new supply system intuitive?Is it a dominant feature in general play or does it look after itself? Thankyou.