Matrix Games Forums

WirHack v3.2.1 is out.

Thread on the Italian front collapsing has more info on stopping the collapse.

Weather Dice has some statistics on weather probabilty odds.

Possum is working on improving his version of obwir.

"V3.2 ver again" thread has some information about changes to V3.2 and the effectiveness of interdiction.

ORIGINAL: ab067

Computer Gaming World in issue 5.1 and 5.2 has an article on WIR.

http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_5.1.pdf

http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_5.2.pdf

Wandering through some of the other issues of CGW in this archive and found this from 1984 :

WIR is an example of what Gary Grigsby refers to when
he talks about "programming for effect". In a simulation
of something as sprawling as the Eastern Front in WWII
it is not possible to represent every small detail. Instead, as
many factors as possible are incorporated into the program
with the goal of recreating the "feel" that was felt at the
specific level that is being simulated. In WIR, Grigsby has
succeeded in recreating the feel of the problems and considerations
at the Operational level.

WIR has 'feel' in bucket loads, whilst so many games have now been lost in detail, it's almost a shame that computers have become so capable, as it has led many game designers into a mountain of detail and missing the essential 'feel' of a game.

Now you can feel more like a systems analyst than a strategist.

Wandering through the CGW archives I had forgotten about the transition from board games to computer games and the rise of the AI player.

Players at the time complained about the limitations and dumbness of the AI compared to a human player. While true, I have found in playing WIR the AI can be an enjoyable opponent that captures the nostalgia of that time.

I play WIR to immerse myself in the game, not to beat the AI.

Page 39

Several threads with good explanations:

Newbie questions (longish) ... undocumented items clarified by possum.

CAP ..... explanation about the 7 hex limit for interception and the percentage of aircraft that will intercept.

I hope the Kremlin is insulated ..... explanation on production by possum.

Readiness loss for combat.

Page 38

Talk of an update in the works for WIR v3.2.

Best threads with some information are:

OP levels

Campaign '44 AAR

Combat Air Patrol

Possum ver 5

RickyB and Ed Cogburn are tireless in helping answer posts about WIR.

Page 37

Little bits of information in the following threads:

Aircraft Unit Size

FULL HUMAN FACTORY/UPGRADE CONTROL (SHIFT/F)

JU87G vs HS129

Situation Desperate ..... about stacking.

German Allies and Partisans......... strategies on handling partisans.

Page 36

Lots of good threads on this page.

Tank busting (formulas and experience), Research, Cap vs Escort, readiness formulas, Attrition during blizzards, V3.2, etc.

An updated version of WIRassistant.

If anyone has a copy of WIRassistant can you pm me please.

Going through the archives of CGW, I came across a reference to WIR and the AI routines.

CGW #40 Oct 1987 page 54

As for your remarks concerning
Kampfgruppe, when presented with
your comments, SSI conceded that
there is no stacking limit in the game.
However, they continued, Gary Grigsby
made a design decision not to have a
stacking limit because he felt it added
an artificiality to the system. The computer
opponent does not intentionally
pile troops into one area. Instead, the
computer groups units according to objectives.
If there is a large concentration,
it is due to the location of an objective,
not a "sucker punch." It is interesting to
note that the stacking limitation was enforced
in Battlegroup (Grigsby's followup
to Kampfgruppe), but that game has
never been as popular its predecessor.
As for War in Russia, the designer felt
that Minsk was a reasonable opening
move in order to facilitate consolidation
in the face of superior (at least, normally)
Germans. Paul Murray, who
programmed the AI routines established
an auto-retreat in order to establish
such a consolidated line. Nevertheless,
Paul states that the Al does search to
find where Panzer Corps go and the
program will reinforce according to
where the most Panzers are.

Page 35

Possums's new WIR campaign version (5) is now available.

Best threads:

What's your worst mistake in WIR.

Dnieper line '43.

Page 34

They shoot horses, don't they ........ discussion on Soviet airwar strategy.

Artillery barrage..... short thread.

Page 33

Three threads:

HQ chain of command ...... changing hierarchy of HQ's.

FW190 F ............ AI vs human upgrades ..."Arnaud has said he has tweaked the code for general AI upgrading quite a bit"

Most efficient strategy for airwar as the Soviet player.

Page 32

Several good threads on this page:

Axis production choice.

Replacements ..... the order of which units get replacements first.

Soviet Strategy.

An updated look at Possum v5.

House rules ...... for balancing PBEM games.

Magic Panzer Division ..... playing against the AI and a teleporting bug.

Page 31

Two threads of interest:

Test your skills for these contest ...... a contest to see how many aircraft you can destroy on turn one.

Russian supply ..... question about location of Russian supply.

Page 30

Possum asking for input for update for Possum V5 to Possum V6.

Thread on Flak guns ......Flak units are counted in the anti-tank fire phase.

Page 29

Informative threads:

Blizzard bug is still with us.

West/Italian fronts ...... updated calculations.

Tom 1939 and RickyB ...... production levels and accelerating production of me262.

There is talk of V3.3 coming out before Xmas 2002, but actual release is Jan 31, 2003.

Page 28

Some good threads here.

Rail capacity ......how to check.

V3.3 is released.

Fighter/bomber abilities.

Special supply.

SS Panzer Corps ........ how various players use them.

Benefits of CAP ...... explained.

Page 27

Possum V6 released .... RickyB's summary ... "Possum's work is an excellent, detailed version of the 1941 campaign, with many more tank and aircraft types, stronger Soviet forces, more armor sub-units for the Soviets, tweaked factories, etc. Not a different WIR, just scenario."

WIR V3.3 exoeriences .... comments on the AI.

Page 26

Just a couple of AAR threads:

Opponent wanted ....... Gwynn Compton

Slaakie vs Magnus

Page 25

Threads of interests:

Tank/aircraft stats and production

Dangers of special supply in WIR V3.3

Railway construction

Top 10 hints please ....... good information here.

Page 24

Russian opponent wanted .... discussion on Blizzard differences in v3.1 and v3.3.

Possum 6 gift .... a nice gif of the map.

Blizzard bug in WIR 3.3 ..... earlier and more informative discussion on the previous thread about Blizzard difference.

Readiness ..... keeping German readiness at 50% during blizzards.

Cap vs Escort .... discussion on range.

Rule debate on rules ....... more for pbem for restrictions on using HQ mules.