ATG Random Game Highlights
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:53 am
An ATG play tester's thoughts on Advanced Tactics Gold random games. Enjoy! See the Random Game Setup Screen. Note: See Post #14 in that thread to learn how to use the AT Classic Random Setup Screen to make ATG Random games.
1) Defense is generally stronger which means that artillery and aerial bombardment become important tools to soften up enemy strong points. Of course, armored units are still very useful on the offensive, especially in favorable terrain. Note however that armored units without supporting infantry are vulnerable to counter-attack by enemy infantry.
2) A standard random game starts with your regime's borders fixed and a standing infantry army in place. All regimes are at peace and a regime must expend 20 Political Points to declare war.
Note: there is a 1 Town start option where you must explore to expand your borders. Just as in standard random games, players start at peace. Cities of your own people group will be in the area of your capital with the possibility that some may be located some greater distance away. If you are using this option to play games against the AI, I'd recommend no more than 3 or 4 AI players.
3) Alliances can be made with other human players. Allied units can move into your territory without converting it to their territory, can trace supply through it and even stack with your units. Warning: beware of back stabbers. Your ally can move into your territory and then later declare war on you. They also see everything you see, including a map of all your territory. My experience with AT and other games suggest a house rule is helpful: once in an alliance always in that alliance. Alternatively, a house rule that states you cannot declare war on an ally if you have any units inside his territory. Of course, if you really want the uncertainty of wavering alliances, just play as is.
4) If in an alliance you can give to your ally the following: land hexes, units, and research. The only way to give oil or ore is to give a resource hex of that type. I can see some interesting uses of give land hexes: a stronger regime demands some territorial concessions or it is war. If you want an alliance, then you give me these hexes. You want peace, surrender these hexes to me. You get the idea.
5) Captured enemy cities cannot build units of any kind unless they are of your own people group. Cities not of your people group can only produce Political Points and limited amounts of recycled oil and ore. This is a big change and makes the building of factories (gun, ship, tank and plane) an important consideration in your war planning. Note that captured enemy factories can produce units. These changes mean that the loss of a city or two isn't necessarily all gloom and doom. That said; defend your cities to the best of your abilities. Cities are the only place you can produce supply, PPs, infantry and infantry support weapons (MGs, bazookas, mortars).
6) Oil and Ore (raw) resources limit the effective size of your motorized forces (land, air and sea). Over build and you will experience fuel shortages. This helps keep a more realistic infantry to motorized unit balance. Note that you do start each random game with a large fuel reserve but if you don't pay close attention, it will run out. Resource hexes can be captured and used.
Note: Trains use coal which for game purposes is assumed to be in unlimited supply.
7) Engineer units cannot 'repair' damaged cities or resource hexes. These hexes self-repair at a fixed rate. No more bomb a city into oblivion and then next turn a large stack of engineers rebuild it immediately. Hmmm, are those strategic bombers I see in the sky? Do I hear the thundering boom of heavy artillery?
8) Engineer units can build rail lines, fortifications, ports and shipyards: no more getting stuck on an island with no way to build ships. Also, no more one hex islands. The minimum island size is three hexes.
9) Engineers and staff no longer defend like they are experienced combat troops. Don't put them in the front line alone unless you are willing to risk high losses.
10) The random game map generator creates very interesting maps where each regime has the same number of cities, resource hexes and the same number of at start units. On occasion; however, you may get a geographically inferior position. If playing a two player PBEM game you might consider a restart but if playing a four or more player game, I would suggest you just deal with the territory you have. Trying to satisfy all players will just lead to frustration and delays. Consider alliances to shore up your position. If you want everything exactly equal, use mirror map mode (only available in two player games), but then mirror map mode is for wimps [;)].
Roy, aka Tac2i
Internal VR Designs Play Tester
1) Defense is generally stronger which means that artillery and aerial bombardment become important tools to soften up enemy strong points. Of course, armored units are still very useful on the offensive, especially in favorable terrain. Note however that armored units without supporting infantry are vulnerable to counter-attack by enemy infantry.
2) A standard random game starts with your regime's borders fixed and a standing infantry army in place. All regimes are at peace and a regime must expend 20 Political Points to declare war.
Note: there is a 1 Town start option where you must explore to expand your borders. Just as in standard random games, players start at peace. Cities of your own people group will be in the area of your capital with the possibility that some may be located some greater distance away. If you are using this option to play games against the AI, I'd recommend no more than 3 or 4 AI players.
3) Alliances can be made with other human players. Allied units can move into your territory without converting it to their territory, can trace supply through it and even stack with your units. Warning: beware of back stabbers. Your ally can move into your territory and then later declare war on you. They also see everything you see, including a map of all your territory. My experience with AT and other games suggest a house rule is helpful: once in an alliance always in that alliance. Alternatively, a house rule that states you cannot declare war on an ally if you have any units inside his territory. Of course, if you really want the uncertainty of wavering alliances, just play as is.
4) If in an alliance you can give to your ally the following: land hexes, units, and research. The only way to give oil or ore is to give a resource hex of that type. I can see some interesting uses of give land hexes: a stronger regime demands some territorial concessions or it is war. If you want an alliance, then you give me these hexes. You want peace, surrender these hexes to me. You get the idea.
5) Captured enemy cities cannot build units of any kind unless they are of your own people group. Cities not of your people group can only produce Political Points and limited amounts of recycled oil and ore. This is a big change and makes the building of factories (gun, ship, tank and plane) an important consideration in your war planning. Note that captured enemy factories can produce units. These changes mean that the loss of a city or two isn't necessarily all gloom and doom. That said; defend your cities to the best of your abilities. Cities are the only place you can produce supply, PPs, infantry and infantry support weapons (MGs, bazookas, mortars).
6) Oil and Ore (raw) resources limit the effective size of your motorized forces (land, air and sea). Over build and you will experience fuel shortages. This helps keep a more realistic infantry to motorized unit balance. Note that you do start each random game with a large fuel reserve but if you don't pay close attention, it will run out. Resource hexes can be captured and used.
Note: Trains use coal which for game purposes is assumed to be in unlimited supply.
7) Engineer units cannot 'repair' damaged cities or resource hexes. These hexes self-repair at a fixed rate. No more bomb a city into oblivion and then next turn a large stack of engineers rebuild it immediately. Hmmm, are those strategic bombers I see in the sky? Do I hear the thundering boom of heavy artillery?
8) Engineer units can build rail lines, fortifications, ports and shipyards: no more getting stuck on an island with no way to build ships. Also, no more one hex islands. The minimum island size is three hexes.
9) Engineers and staff no longer defend like they are experienced combat troops. Don't put them in the front line alone unless you are willing to risk high losses.
10) The random game map generator creates very interesting maps where each regime has the same number of cities, resource hexes and the same number of at start units. On occasion; however, you may get a geographically inferior position. If playing a two player PBEM game you might consider a restart but if playing a four or more player game, I would suggest you just deal with the territory you have. Trying to satisfy all players will just lead to frustration and delays. Consider alliances to shore up your position. If you want everything exactly equal, use mirror map mode (only available in two player games), but then mirror map mode is for wimps [;)].
Roy, aka Tac2i
Internal VR Designs Play Tester
