Hi everybody!

[Vic]

I am very pleased that today is announced that Advanced Tactics is being released by Matrix.
I will be around here to answer any questions.

Kind regards,
Victor Reijkersz

[Charles2222]

Hello Vic. I have read up somewhat on PTi and this game, yet I'm not completely sure of one thing. This game is focused on WWII, so maybe there is some possibility of this, but what I am wondering is if there are individual rankings for each nation's units. By that I mean that German armor for example isn't exactly the same cost and ratings as any other armored unit. Is there also a way to make your medium or heavy tanks (assuming there are both) somewhat specialized so that they by that means end up being somewhat different from other nations attributes for the same units? If these things are not possible, do individual campaigns that come with the game (East Front '41) make for some difference in the same basic unit per side? Thanks.

[Zakhal]

Does this game have a tough AI or is mainly dependant on how heavily the scenario's AI is scripted (like in toaw where many scenarios are pbem only)? How does the 9 player multiplayer work? Is it like in vga planets where a host machine does the turns on set days or do you have to manually send pbem from player to player (could take a week for a single turn)? Does it have widescreen support?

The screenshots look amazing btw [:D] Pacific theater, icon graphics, battlescreen, actioncards, map graphics wow!

[goodwoodrw]

yes the unit level brigade division corps? historical unit names or generic? is this game a bit like the PG series?

[piekat]

Congratulations Vic!
I'm happy you gone "commercial" with your new game, Peoples Tactics was so good[&o][&o][&o]!
I'll buy Advanced Tactics for sure!
For those who don't know, Vic created some years ago a game called Peoples Tactics (he did everything but some graphic iirc) and that game was exceptionally good even if free of charge (I would say even better than some "commercial" games).

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: Charles_22
Hello Vic. I have read up somewhat on PTi and this game, yet I'm not completely sure of one thing. This game is focused on WWII, so maybe there is some possibility of this, but what I am wondering is if there are individual rankings for each nation's units. By that I mean that German armor for example isn't exactly the same cost and ratings as any other armored unit. Is there also a way to make your medium or heavy tanks (assuming there are both) somewhat specialized so that they by that means end up being somewhat different from other nations attributes for the same units? If these things are not possible, do individual campaigns that come with the game (East Front '41) make for some difference in the same basic unit per side? Thanks.

Hi Charles,

The different sides (Allies,Axis,Sovjets) have their own graphics for the counters and the subformationtypes (things like light tanks, medium tanks, mortars, artillery, trucks). But thats just representation.

The difference is there in the different tech levels sides have. All tanks, and for that matter all subformationtypes, come in level I, II, III and IV.

There are also other differences in initial conditions like very low XP for sovjet staff at the start of Barbarossa, Or a lower base morale for Italian units in the Afrika Korps scenario.

The way in AT how you make your formations (units) special is how you mix subformationtypes in them. Are you going for mobile panzer formations or for infantry heavy formations with tank destroyers? You can put up to 8 different subformations in each formation.

Kind regards,
Victor

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: Zakhal

Does this game have a tough AI or is mainly dependant on how heavily the scenario's AI is scripted (like in toaw where many scenarios are pbem only)? How does the 9 player multiplayer work? Is it like in vga planets where a host machine does the turns on set days or do you have to manually send pbem from player to player (could take a week for a single turn)? Does it have widescreen support?

The screenshots look amazing btw [:D] Pacific theater, icon graphics, battlescreen, actioncards, map graphics wow!

Hi Zakhal,

There is a generic AI with very limited scripting per scenario. You can set some extra Victory Points for the AI and change its basic stand. I would classify the AI myself as moderate. There are a few very complex PBEM only scenarios, but almost all scenarios are playable by the AI.

Playing with 9 human players will indeed be a bit cumbersome, but it also possible to play with 2 humans and for example 7 AIs. It works by passing on the turn you-go-i-go.

The game will work with any screen resolution above or equal to 1024x768. It uses your current screen resolution.

Kind regards!

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: BASB
yes the unit level brigade division corps? historical unit names or generic? is this game a bit like the PG series?

Hi BASB,

Some scenarios are Corps level (Russia, End Sieg), others are Regimental Level (Ardennes, Gothic Line).
The HQs are named historically, but the units are genericly named.

Kind regards,
Vic

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: piekat

Congratulations Vic!
I'm happy you gone "commercial" with your new game, Peoples Tactics was so good[&o][&o][&o]!
I'll buy Advanced Tactics for sure!
For those who don't know, Vic created some years ago a game called Peoples Tactics (he did everything but some graphic iirc) and that game was exceptionally good even if free of charge (I would say even better than some "commercial" games).

Hi Piekat,

Thanks for the compliments. Though old People's Tactics feels really obsolete to me now

Kind regards,
Vic

[Charles2222]

ORIGINAL: Vic

ORIGINAL: Charles_22
Hello Vic. I have read up somewhat on PTi and this game, yet I'm not completely sure of one thing. This game is focused on WWII, so maybe there is some possibility of this, but what I am wondering is if there are individual rankings for each nation's units. By that I mean that German armor for example isn't exactly the same cost and ratings as any other armored unit. Is there also a way to make your medium or heavy tanks (assuming there are both) somewhat specialized so that they by that means end up being somewhat different from other nations attributes for the same units? If these things are not possible, do individual campaigns that come with the game (East Front '41) make for some difference in the same basic unit per side? Thanks.

Hi Charles,

The different sides (Allies,Axis,Sovjets) have their own graphics for the counters and the subformationtypes (things like light tanks, medium tanks, mortars, artillery, trucks). But thats just representation.

The difference is there in the different tech levels sides have. All tanks, and for that matter all subformationtypes, come in level I, II, III and IV.

There are also other differences in initial conditions like very low XP for sovjet staff at the start of Barbarossa, Or a lower base morale for Italian units in the Afrika Korps scenario.

The way in AT how you make your formations (units) special is how you mix subformationtypes in them. Are you going for mobile panzer formations or for infantry heavy formations with tank destroyers? You can put up to 8 different subformations in each formation.

Kind regards,
Victor

But each portion of those subformations, such as a platoon of tanks, if they were level two for example, would be the exact same capability as a USSR tank platoon level two, correct? So the only ways to make them different would be if you had higher level units, alongside how you built the subformation in units?

I see you have experience and morale. Do these fall or rise according to how they do in battle and the number of green replacements?

Do captured cities render any production to the victorious?

[dave74]

Hello Vic,

Nice looking game!!

Is this game finished? When will we be able to purchase??

[kafka]

is the game moddable and if it is, is there a way to introduce country-specific units, so that say a level 2 german tank has different attributes than a russian level 2 tank?

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: Charles_22
But each portion of those subformations, such as a platoon of tanks, if they were level two for example, would be the exact same capability as a USSR tank platoon level two, correct? So the only ways to make them different would be if you had higher level units, alongside how you built the subformation in units?

I see you have experience and morale. Do these fall or rise according to how they do in battle and the number of green replacements?

Do captured cities render any production to the victorious?

Yes a USSR and a German Medium Tank Level II would have the same statistics.

You also mention green troops. And yes green troops start with 0 XP and 50 MORALE (base) and it is not smart to send them to the frontline immediatly in any large numbers. XP grows automaticly up to about 40XP points. After that you need to do combat to increase XP any further. Morale of a formation (unit) increases after victories and decreases after defeats.

Captured cities dont render any production in most ww2 scenarios.

Kind regards,
Vic

p.s: Its good to be finally able to chat about my new game!

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: kafka

is the game moddable and if it is, is there a way to introduce country-specific units, so that say a level 2 german tank has different attributes than a russian level 2 tank?

The editor of Advanced Tactics is very flexible. So yes you would be able to mod that sort of thing if you would want to.

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: dave74
Is this game finished? When will we be able to purchase??

Well we are in the final phase of development. It should be soon. Maybe 2 months. Dont pin me down on any estimate please.

[kafka]

great, thanks Vic

just to clarify

Yes a USSR and a German Medium Tank Level II would have the same statistics

is this true of the vanilla version only as this is exactly what I want to mod so to have different statistics for country specific units on the same tech level, i.e. level 2 medium tanks

btw can I add more tech levels?

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: kafka
btw can I add more tech levels?

The editor is very flexible. It can do that.

[freeboy]

congrats! looks promissing.. Can the wold be devided up, player playing us/ united kingdom  for example against either another player. axis.. or the ai?

[seille]

Hello,
 
I´m one of the AT alpha (and beta) testers and like Vic i´m very happy the game was finally announced.
I played Peoples Tactics for a longer time and there i already had several features that i missed in the wargames
i played before. Vic collected many wishes from the PT community and implemented the most features in
Advanced Tactics. As i often say compared to AT PT is like a toy. AT is much better and has MUCH more depth.
 
The things of the most worth for me are the combat engine with all the factors that can influence the
result and that the player can edit nearly everything. The flexibility is unbelievable !
 
You can add own subformationtypes and edit existing.
But this is not really needed. If you want to give the russians better tanks than the germans for example
you give them just a higher tech level which usually comes with more hitpoints and more punch.
4 levels are normally more than enough. Usually you have to pay for the tech levels and level III and IV
stuff is already really expensive , but who ever used a fighter IV knows it´s worth to pay for developing
whatever it costs [:D]
 
A great game. I enjoyed every day of testing so far.

[tweber]

Hi,
 
I am also one of the testers and I wrote several of the scenarios (e.g., Europe 1939, Russia, Pacific 1941). 
 
Sides can be divided up as much finely as desired by the scenario designer.  In Europe 1939, for example, there is roughly 11 regimes.  Most get folded into the three main regimes (Germany gets Italy and the Axis Minors, the West gets Allied Minors, Poland, and the Balkan Minors).  In Pacific 1941, there are 4 main regimes (Japan, US, Britain, and China).  I chose to limit the number of sides for playability purposes.