Tips fo playing large single-city random maps
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:15 pm
You are probably going to lose anyway due to the huge advantages (i.e. cheats) given the AI, but here is how to maximize your chances.
Before you start the scenario, press "edit" and check out the map before you decide which nation to choose. Then go back to the game and choose the one that you thinkk has the best location (I explained in another thread how to save the scenario so that you can start with another nation if you want to try another).
Make a new unit under the HQ, and give it one train and a few (say 10) infantry. Make a number of these and send them off in promising directions, i.e. towards your national cities and resource hexes - and eventually enemy cities.Trains don't use fuel and go the same distance as trucks on rails, and all resources and cities are on railroads. On the next move you might make 2 or 3 with trucks instead of trains in case they have to go cross-country (they eventually will).
In directions where the rail forks out in two or more interesting directions, send the required number of these units to grab cities and resources.
Don't forget to manufacture enough supplies and staff to stay above 100% staff and to not run out of supplies. I put all new cities making production points (PPs), because it is easier to manage and you will need PPs soon to upgrade resources - and you will need say 40 engineers to do this, so produce these early too. It will take a few moves for your new cities to ramp up, then you can change your national cities production to produce some units.
Despite this in a few moves you will be far behind the AI in most categories, but keep spreading out until you collide with the AI. Even with the new patch, it is likely that you will be at war with the first nation you collide with. Use your engineers to upgrade a nearby oil well, which will increase its production by a factor of 4. Although you seem to have much more oil than mines, it is oil that runs down fast when you go into battle with mechanized forces, and there is no use producing tanks and aircraft if you have no fuel for them.
Before this happens you should have produced a few artillery and planes, as well as a HQ that you have sent in the most promising direction.By now most of your new units should be horse-drawn. If you use too many trucks your oil will run out and your units will be stranded - besides you want to save as much oil as possible for your mechanized forces, which should be a small percentage of your army.
Eventually you will have to keep upgrading resources (upgrading to level 3 doubles their production again and you can always dream[:D]) and you will want to produce factories. Good luck! While the AI is producing factories and resources by the ton, you will be producing paltry amounts of PPs and it will be over 30 move before you can even THINK about making a factory without severely neglecting your resource upgrades.
If you are lucky you will not be caught early in a multi-front war, and thanks to your superior skill (i.e. softening up the enemy with artillery and planes before attacking and putting mortars with your infantry), you can get the upper hand against the enemy.
When the fighting starts, you may find that none of your planes can reach the front because on a map like this the cities tend to be far apart, so you will have to build airports with your engineers.
BEWARE of attacking without first softening up the enemy with artillery and planes; even with 3:1 odds, such an attack can give you more casualties than it gives the enemy, and you can attrit yourself to death.[:-] With 5:1 odds or better and with combined arms, you should be Ok most of the time.
The good news is that the enemy will be attacking you at less than 3:1 odds and taking casualties at rates of up to 10:1. But he can afford it and you can't!
Good luck...[;)]
Henri
Before you start the scenario, press "edit" and check out the map before you decide which nation to choose. Then go back to the game and choose the one that you thinkk has the best location (I explained in another thread how to save the scenario so that you can start with another nation if you want to try another).
Make a new unit under the HQ, and give it one train and a few (say 10) infantry. Make a number of these and send them off in promising directions, i.e. towards your national cities and resource hexes - and eventually enemy cities.Trains don't use fuel and go the same distance as trucks on rails, and all resources and cities are on railroads. On the next move you might make 2 or 3 with trucks instead of trains in case they have to go cross-country (they eventually will).
In directions where the rail forks out in two or more interesting directions, send the required number of these units to grab cities and resources.
Don't forget to manufacture enough supplies and staff to stay above 100% staff and to not run out of supplies. I put all new cities making production points (PPs), because it is easier to manage and you will need PPs soon to upgrade resources - and you will need say 40 engineers to do this, so produce these early too. It will take a few moves for your new cities to ramp up, then you can change your national cities production to produce some units.
Despite this in a few moves you will be far behind the AI in most categories, but keep spreading out until you collide with the AI. Even with the new patch, it is likely that you will be at war with the first nation you collide with. Use your engineers to upgrade a nearby oil well, which will increase its production by a factor of 4. Although you seem to have much more oil than mines, it is oil that runs down fast when you go into battle with mechanized forces, and there is no use producing tanks and aircraft if you have no fuel for them.
Before this happens you should have produced a few artillery and planes, as well as a HQ that you have sent in the most promising direction.By now most of your new units should be horse-drawn. If you use too many trucks your oil will run out and your units will be stranded - besides you want to save as much oil as possible for your mechanized forces, which should be a small percentage of your army.
Eventually you will have to keep upgrading resources (upgrading to level 3 doubles their production again and you can always dream[:D]) and you will want to produce factories. Good luck! While the AI is producing factories and resources by the ton, you will be producing paltry amounts of PPs and it will be over 30 move before you can even THINK about making a factory without severely neglecting your resource upgrades.
If you are lucky you will not be caught early in a multi-front war, and thanks to your superior skill (i.e. softening up the enemy with artillery and planes before attacking and putting mortars with your infantry), you can get the upper hand against the enemy.
When the fighting starts, you may find that none of your planes can reach the front because on a map like this the cities tend to be far apart, so you will have to build airports with your engineers.
BEWARE of attacking without first softening up the enemy with artillery and planes; even with 3:1 odds, such an attack can give you more casualties than it gives the enemy, and you can attrit yourself to death.[:-] With 5:1 odds or better and with combined arms, you should be Ok most of the time.
The good news is that the enemy will be attacking you at less than 3:1 odds and taking casualties at rates of up to 10:1. But he can afford it and you can't!
Good luck...[;)]
Henri