Fall Weiss II - WIE 14.0 - (Ready for Download)

[The Land]

Hello - am enjoying the mod, particularly the more extensive decision events and the diplomacy aspects! So much so that I'm about to start it over again after botching my first Sealion.

A few things I noticed that struck me as odd - these are just my observations, and some of them are things that are ahistorical strictly speaking but reasonable to boost the AI. (Though I wouldn't mind hearing). This is based on a German game vs AI until Aug 1940 (Allies experience+1 and industry+20%) then looking at the Allied side as well:

General observations:
* UK has LOTS of land units: 31 to Germany's 40. In particular 4 Corps, 1 Army, Mechanised Corps and Tank Division along with 3 HQs in North Africa and 12 Corps, 2 Army and 2 Divisions in Great Britain. I have not been prioritising land units because I'm taking a Sealion strategy, but even so this is odd. Admittedly a few of the British units are the 3(?) from bringing Portugal into the War, but given that Germany has more Garrisons (from Norway event) this is a bit too much like parity!
* Did you boost Strategic Bombers? They seem able to make ahistorically competent raids as early as 1939.
* Dover isn't a port, which strikes me as odd (also the AI has helpfully put a division on it, with Corps in the fields nearby.. hmm)


Units:
* French Division Cuirasse de Reserve in the production queue turns out to be a Tank Army. Not really - the most accurate modelling I can think of is as a tank division with experience
* The British Tank Division and Mechanized Corps in North Africa have 2 experience medals - really?

Events:
* Germany Gives Italy MPP event - does AI ever take this? I think I understand why it's in (adding variety/options for ) but hopefully the AI doesn't do it.

[crispy131313]

ORIGINAL: The Land

Hello - am enjoying the mod, particularly the more extensive decision events and the diplomacy aspects! So much so that I'm about to start it over again after botching my first Sealion.

A few things I noticed that struck me as odd - these are just my observations, and some of them are things that are ahistorical strictly speaking but reasonable to boost the AI. (Though I wouldn't mind hearing). This is based on a German game vs AI until Aug 1940 (Allies experience+1 and industry+20%) then looking at the Allied side as well:

General observations:
* UK has LOTS of land units: 31 to Germany's 40. In particular 4 Corps, 1 Army, Mechanised Corps and Tank Division along with 3 HQs in North Africa and 12 Corps, 2 Army and 2 Divisions in Great Britain. I have not been prioritising land units because I'm taking a Sealion strategy, but even so this is odd. Admittedly a few of the British units are the 3(?) from bringing Portugal into the War, but given that Germany has more Garrisons (from Norway event) this is a bit too much like parity!
* Did you boost Strategic Bombers? They seem able to make ahistorically competent raids as early as 1939.
* Dover isn't a port, which strikes me as odd (also the AI has helpfully put a division on it, with Corps in the fields nearby.. hmm)

The British (AI) is boosted yes, this is done to make a game of it. The spread out British Divisions, HQ's and Corps really do not add up to that much offensive firepower when compared to the concentration of German Tank Corps, Infantry Armies and Bombers. The British have a number of units which will activate after some Sealion success, which represents all the men in training in 1940. The British Army grew rapidly in 1940, while many were in training they would surely have been thrust into battle if the German's were successfully invading.

Strategic Bombers have longer range yes, but Fighters do not. If you cover your skies you should be fine.

Units:
* French Division Cuirasse de Reserve in the production queue turns out to be a Tank Army. Not really - the most accurate modelling I can think of is as a tank division with experience
* The British Tank Division and Mechanized Corps in North Africa have 2 experience medals - really?

With regards to the French, you are probably correct but I left it as is from the default campaign. As of the British in North Africa, I was upfront that the AI is boosted. The next time I update I will be making some tweaks to this theater, rather un-tweaking actually as I think I found the sweet spot in the a previous version.

Events:
* Germany Gives Italy MPP event - does AI ever take this? I think I understand why it's in (adding variety/options for ) but hopefully the AI doesn't do it.

I don't see why the AI should not? I often do.

[Sugar]

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17 MPP for 1 point of strength is a little too much for reinforcing a destroyer imho. Could this be fixed please?

[crispy131313]

The higher cost of Naval Units is by design. Every nation with the exception of UK/USA has the higher cost of operating their surface fleet. This is especially to represent lack of German capacity and Italy's lack of fuel.

The Axis are not meant to win a war of attrition against the Allied surface fleet, however the Axis Naval strategy has more customization through additional decisions/events (Graf Spee, Tirptiz or U-Boats, Lutzow, BETASOM, ETNA, Littorio Class Battleships) in addition to the 2 existing Italy/German Carrier events and the additional sub unit I placed in the Mediterranean.

[crispy131313]

Also I want to mention that I currently I working on version 10.0

I've done some balance changes already.

- Reduced cost of German Industrial Tech
- Soviet Reserves (1941) for PBEM Allied only
- Amended UK Starting Forces in Egypt (Allied AI)
- UK Diplomacy (AI) to counter Axis Greece strategy
- Few minor fixes or tweaks (i.e. Romania Fall Blau double popup, updated DE 919 DAK reinforcements, missing pop up for USA keeping Fighters Destined for Sweden)

Currently I am deciding on some more variables/decisions/events to include in the next version.

-----

Please report any known issue, I haven't come across any other then a missing popup or so. Also if there is any confusion with the decision/event tree please point it out too, or anything else the comes to mind really.

[Sugar]

The higher cost of Naval Units is by design.

I see, that`s reasonable I guess, since the subs are not effected.

Until now I'm enjoying your mod, it`s been a hard race to Bengasi between Italians and Brits before the arrival of the Germans; many thx so far.

What I`d like to know, is there any summary about the DEs you implicated?

[crispy131313]

There is not a summary unfortunately, but I can rather share a rule of thumb - Bring minors into your sphere of influence.

Many minors can be considered susceptible to either Allied or Axis sphere of influence. For each of many nations there is a benefit for each of the Axis or Allied player to pull these nations into their sphere of influence.

As an example the nations listed below will provide MPP to Germany while neutral if certain conditions are met. For the Allies part they can wage economic war against Germany by bringing these nations into the Allied sphere of influence (Allied leaning) or by other in game events to end the trade agreements.

Romania - Exports to Germany
Hungary - Exports to Germany
Norway - Convoys To Germany
Sweden - Convoys To Germany
Yugoslavia - Exports To Germany
Greece - Exports To Germany
Switzerland - Exports To Germany
Vichy France - Exports To Germany
Portugal - Exports To Germany
Turkey - Exports To Germany
Spain - Exports To Germany

There are other benefits to having a nation within your sphere of influence, in the form of decisions which will appear if all conditions are met. As an example the British can send reinforcements to neutral Portugal if Spain is near ready to join the Axis, but only if Portugal has an Allied leaning, or Greece can be persuaded to join the Axis in the fall of 1940 if the Axis have managed to maintain an Axis leaning.

I hope this helps!

[Sugar]

Are the belonging forces also affected by those mentioned DEs? I noticed an additional fully equipped korps and a garrison in case of Spain, or did you change their OoB?

[crispy131313]

I did not change the OoB of minors, but yes you are correct decision events can lead to changes to minors starting strength. Turkey, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Vichy France come to mind as nations that can be strengthened before they join the war with additional units.

[jjdenver]

Crispy when will the next version of your mod be out? We are thinking of starting a game and if it's close we may wait.

[crispy131313]

Coming out this weekend to fix the convoy issue that has come up with the game engine changes in Beta.

I would wait.

[whitewolfmxc]

any reason why Soviets dont have heavy cruisers ?

[whitewolfmxc]

Any tips to succesfully defeat Soviets using germans ?

[majpalmer]

Nice touch! I just had the Graf Spee return to Germany. What is the percentage chance of that happening?

Thanks!

Great mod.

[crispy131313]

ORIGINAL: whitewolfmxc

any reason why Soviets dont have heavy cruisers ?

The Soviet (Kirov class) cruisers in the game were designated as Light Cruisers I haven't changed this.

However Lutzow will be changed to a Heavy Cruiser so USSR can still obtain one from Germany.

ORIGINAL: whitewolfmxc

Any tips to succesfully defeat Soviets using germans ?

The Soviet (AI) is tough in 1942 but if you don't divert too much to the other theaters (i.e. North Africa) you should be fine.

ORIGINAL: majpalmer

Nice touch! I just had the Graf Spee return to Germany. What is the percentage chance of that happening?

Thanks!

Great mod.

It is actually the UK who will decide this. They have to send a task force to the South Atlantic via decision event to hunt the Graf Spee. If they do not the Graf Spee will disrupt the Commonwealth convoy in late 1939 and eventually return to port.

[crispy131313]

Here is a link to version 10.1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7xttbwph9hp0l ... 1.zip?dl=0

This version is updated to be compatible with the convoy changes that are currently in Beta.

Notable changes:

- Reduced German Industrial Tech cost to 125
- Added some units to USSR Production Que (to assist with 1941-42 Winter Counter Offensive)
- Added some USSR reserve units in 1941 via event
- Amended British (AI) Egypt Starting Units
- UK will counter Greece Pro-Axis strategy with diplomacy
- Added UK Research chit into Infantry Weapons
- Blocked Italian Diplomacy Towards Greece
- Increased USA Industrial Technology multiplier upwards by 5%
- Lutzow DE is now a Heavy Cruiser
- Updated for changes/fixes in BETA patches as applicable.

[jjdenver]

Thanks Crispy. Are the big Iraq and US entry bugs present in the newest beta? Do you recommend we start with newest beta and 10.1 if we want to start a PBEM match?

[crispy131313]

all of the above should be fixed.

I'm not sure how the BETA works but i am pretty sure you should be able to use it and then migrate once it's official.

[sad ham]

Hi Crispy. I was playing your 9.1 scenario. I've saved the game at February 1941. If I update to 10.1, may I load that save game or have I to restart?

[roy64]

I've got the steam version of Strategic Command WWII War in Europe with the Strategic Command WWII: Community Pack installed, is this mod meant to update automatically or have we go to do it manually?