Matrix Games Forums

Greetings,
I own COTA and like the mechanism and engine very much, however the aegean campaigns are not the one I'm most interested in.
So the question is: is it possible to create eastern front scenarios for COTA and if yes is there any I'm not aware of?

Thanks

In the Panther Games system, maps and scenarios are moddable but "estabs" are not.  Estabs are the list of unit organizations, equipment stats, and other factors that determine what kinds of armies are in a particular game.  Because estabs are set in stone, you'll have to wait for an Eastern Front game to be released before you see EF scenarios.  (For example, COTA's estabs are strictly 1941 British, Commonwealth, and German, meaning that certain North African scenarios can be made, but no Western Front 44-45 ones.  HTTR's estabs, however, do allow for certain 44-45 scenarios to be made, although American armor is naturally missing from those estabs.  You get the idea.)

As you can imagine, making estabs moddable would quickly obviate the need for any future games in the series, thus putting Panther out of business.

If I am not badly mistaken (and thats always a possibility [;)]) there is going to be a Crusader scenario included with the patch that we hope is getting near [&o][&o] !!!

ORIGINAL: Paul Roberts

(For example, COTA's estabs are strictly 1941 British, Commonwealth, and German, meaning that certain North African scenarios can be made,

...Italians and Greeks, don't forget about the Italians and Greeks.

Thanks, I understand now.
But I still see it a bit weird that estabs are hardcoded just to make the new releases sell better (or even sell at all).
I'm still new to matrix games and to cota as well and I love the mechanism, but I'd expect a bit more from a new title than some bug fixing/small improement and a new estab...

Here's my take on it FWIW:

The work being done to develop the East Front estabs and 1942 forces is currently in production and (from an observers standpoint) are rather extensive and well researched, right down to sheel weights of the odd and very obscure (to me) russian ordinance. I helped develop and overhaul the 1944 West Front estabs and forces and believe me it's a task not for the faint at heart.

The EF will also introduce new terrain types and nationality characteristics unique to the operations in the East, especially Soviet doctrine. The research that the EF DDT guys are coming up with is simply amazing. If we tried to meld the EF DDT research and the WF DDT research into one estab and force list file it would be a logistical nightmare. So, the business plan is not intended to be a money trap, but a well thought out plan of introducing the various theaters as unique and historically accurate stand-alone games.

Look at John Tiller's Campaign Series - even the new Matrix release just bundles the 3 theaters together into 3 screen menu choices for 3 stand-alone games.

We are introducing the pre-1942 North Africa estabs and forces in the next Patch, including a small Scenario from the Crusader Battles to act as a Template for NA scenario designers. This is not a replacement for the planned North African release, which will actually use a different grid-scale to accomodate the huge wide-open spaces of the Western Desert battlefield.

I think Dave is back from his long-deserved vacation so hopefully we can see the patch in a week or so and move on to BFTB![:)]

I see. I have to wait then for the title covering the eastern theatre then, thanks for the replies.