When playing the long campaign games...

Feinder · Post by **Feinder** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 7:30 pm

like Scenario #17, at what level do most people set the "days per turn"? My brother an I are running 1 day turns, because it didn't really occur to us to change it. And then I thot that, "At the rate of 1 turn for every real life day (occasionally more), we'll be playing this game for at least a year or more!"

What setting for number of days is everyone else playing on? Does anyone play 1-day turns, and actually finish?

I never really thot about it because I haven't done so yet, but to what affect is it to ajust the number of days per turn up to 3 or 5 or 7? I should go home and fiddle with this...

-F-

mogami · Post by **mogami** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 7:45 pm

Greetings, I use 1 day turns. As Japan you are hoping for the auto victory that will shorten the game. If your offensive fails your turns will be pretty easy since you will have little to command. (The allied turns however will begin to take a while to complete) Very few persons will likely ever finish all 610 turns to scenario 17 (only hard core gamers who are involved in a very close game) Watch out for the disappearing opponent in PBEM games in solo games time does not really matter if you are enjoying your self

Apollo11 · Post by **Apollo11** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 9:21 pm

Hi all,

It's somehow easier when you play with opponent who lives near you.

I am now playing #19 with 1 day moves against Oleg (he also
frequently posts here) and we manage to play average of more
than 2 moves per day (we live in same town and know eachother
personally).

We both expect that victory would come sooner than
Dec 31 1943 but only time will show...

Leo "Apollo11"

Toro · Post by **Toro** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 10:29 pm

I'm playing two, one with 2-day turns, the other with 1-day turns. The verdict is still out for me on which is better. The 2-day is moving right along, but leaves you with periods of "I would have sent that TF back to bombard another night!" yet after 2-days it's in port drinking sake. Still, I'm having a ball in the 2-dayer.

You do have more control in a changing events situation with 1-day turns, but then your opponent is under the same restrictions.

One note: in the 2-day puppy, I had a CVTF set up to "react to enemy" and found it on the second day of the turn well below the PM-GG line hunting some AKs. I sank them, but had this happened later in the game, the Allies would have pummelled me. Just a warning.

Gary Gossett · Post by **Gary Gossett** » Sat Oct 19, 2002 5:45 am

I tip my hat to those who have the time and patience to play a long sceanrio with 1 day turns. Those who have the luxury of taking the time to make multiple turns per day perhaps can play a long one to completion. My personal time limitations restrain me to one turn per day. I am just too impatient to watch a TF take several mailings to actually do anything. Besides, at my age, I may go blind in the next 600+ days. I have been quite pleased playing with the turns set at 3 day increments. Yes you lose some control, like being able to banzai counterattack off a fledgling landing. But both sides are limited and I think that the 3 day turn actually enhances the FOW aspects of the game.So....if you are limited on time, impatient, not overly concerned with control and WANT TO FINISH a long PBEM match I highly recommend the longer turn sequences.

Fred98 · Post by **Fred98** » Sat Oct 19, 2002 5:52 am

For a long scenario, H2H, my preference is for a turn length of 2 or 3 days.

To load a convoy, sail to the destination and unload, easily takes the best part of a week.

You lose a tiny bit of control, but you have more fun.

To me a game must be fun. That's the most vital point.

pasternakski · Post by **pasternakski** » Sat Oct 19, 2002 6:03 am

This is the one and only comment I have to make about game turn length in UV: there is no alternative to one-day turns. It is not a matter of fun or control to me. It is a matter of what the design was intended to do. As theater commander, I wake up every morning, get my staff briefing, have a cup of joe, and try to cope with the present day's challenges. No, I don't want "micromanagement" control of my forces. I just want to experience the richness of the situation UV presents to me as a player: plan, organize, and fight the campaign while relying on subordinates, the impositions of higher command, the vagaries of luck - and, above all, my own inherent and learned abilities as a pivotal figure in this phase of history.

Oleg Mastruko · Post by **Oleg Mastruko** » Sat Oct 19, 2002 7:22 am

Originally posted by Gary Gossett
Besides, at my age, I may go blind in the next 600+ days.

You're 17-year old who... ehm... masturbates a lot? Wow, we older guys envy you...

Sorry, just could not restrain myself, I know it's a bit tasteless... anyway I could optimally handle 2-4 games a day, ideally with 2-turns per day tempo (thats like up to 7-8 turns daily total). And I play 1-day turns exclusively - that's most enjoyable and I am control freak in games like UV..

From my experience 80% of turns take less than 15 minutes, or less, to finish - these are the routine turns, when nothing much happens, except an occasional sub attack here and there.

Time zones help a lot. Because I am very very late night person in Central European timezone I know I could not be playing Aussies (except at a very slow rate). Late night Euros and normal-metabolism US partners suit me fine.

O.

RayM · Post by **RayM** » Sat Oct 19, 2002 7:39 am

I recently finished #16 as Allies using 1-day turns. Luckily, I was able to spend a lot of time in the evening (and often into the early morning) to keep things moving along. Haven't tried any other option.

Ross Moorhouse · Post by **Ross Moorhouse** » Sat Oct 19, 2002 1:23 pm

For me it depends. If I can see that there may not be much action in the next turn I change from 1 day to 3 day. How do I know if there is not much action coming ? If i cant see those horrible little red ships all over the seas ..

Sven Nyqvist · Post by **Sven Nyqvist** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 10:47 pm

In my experience (which is solo only as I sometimes have a week of pause or so) 1 Day turns are normally the right thing. Of course if you are the Allies and know that the Japanese cannot really do very much you certainly could switch to longer turns from time to time, eg when you are waiting for all these transports to load up. As the Japanese I would only try that after having sunk all available emeny CV's in the landing phase.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:13 am

Playing the AI, one turn/day is the only way to go. You could play twenty turns in a day if you wanted. As pbem I don't know. the times I tried it my opponents disappeared on me. I'm not sure if its suited to pbem unless you have a committed opponent. Its discouraging to go all the way into 1943 only to have the losing side suddenly disappear.

pasternakski · Post by **pasternakski** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:53 am

Originally posted by Drex
Playing the AI, one turn/day is the only way to go. You could play twenty turns in a day if you wanted. As pbem I don't know. the times I tried it my opponents disappeared on me. I'm not sure if its suited to pbem unless you have a committed opponent. Its discouraging to go all the way into 1943 only to have the losing side suddenly disappear.

I have had this problem, as well. What would you think about a system like Avalon Hill's old A.R.E.A. rating service for PBM board games? You sign up, receive a provisional rating, and seek opponents on the system for PBEM games. The players decide the options to be used in their game. If you disappear on somebody in the system without the adverse player's permission, your membership is yanked (or you are put on probation, or suspended, or de-nutted, or ...) and those remaining on the system are warned of your unreliability.

A formula is used to calculate your current rating, with wins against novice or low-ranked players counting less than "upsets" against the superstars.

Spooky, Oleg, whaddaya think? Other prime time players out here like mdiehl, XPav, mogami, and the rest too numerous to mention? You want to design/host/promote such an idea? Matrix/2by3 are likely too busy to get very deeply involved in such a scheme. More games than just UV could be included ... like WITP and GGPW, for example ... others to be selected by the oversight committee ...

Just a thought.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 2:03 am

I believe this has been brought up before but nothing was done about it and since the demise of Combat Command I wonder about who is going to oversee such a framework. I am all in favor of this idea as long as it doesn't try to keyhole the players as far as their style,etc.

Oleg Mastruko · Post by **Oleg Mastruko** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 3:20 am

Drex if you need some volunteers for virtual firing squad to execute your opponent for treason - I know of some members of the Young Komsomol, Kempei-Tai (to remain on topic here), together with Ballilas and Waffen SS volunteers that are ready to forget their ideological differences for a moment and give this sub-human the treatment he deserves

I am only half-joking here...

Pasternak idea is OK, but the problem (as I see it) is that such "tables" usually develop into "ladders" and personally I never play on game ladders (ie. for points). The atmosphere on such ladders is just too competitive for my taste, and there are some guys who'd do anything to win. I mean, I'd do anything to win in any game I play, but it's because I want to win the game in question, not to earn some points for some ladder, to be higher on the ladder than the other guy etc. - you know what I mean.

Speaking of "lost opponents" - anyone knows what is going on with Rowlf (Michael Gilchrist)? We had very interesting game going on, he said he'll be absent for a day or two to change hard disk in his PC or something, and does not reply to mails ever since (10-15 days ago)?

He was among the most active members of UV community - with his very useful posts here, and not to mention his EXCELLENT map and ships mods (still available on Spookys site, ie. on my server). If not by name or mods - you'll remember him by his avatar - some funny guy from Muppet Show, IIRC. Anyone knows what's with him?

I certainly do hope his hard drive didn't mutate into alien biomechanic soul sucker that stole his mind and stored it into some unknown 5th dimension matrix? (I drank too much beer obviously.)

O.

Luskan · Post by **Luskan** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 3:20 am

warfarehq has got the ladder, just not the fidelity control.

mogami · Post by **mogami** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 3:30 am

Hi, I too miss Rowlf. We have a very interesting PBEM game that has been in suspension for 2 weeks.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 5:59 am

Oleg- I have no ill feeling aginst the opponents who have dropped out for no apparent reason. there probably was a good reason but they couldn't get back to me. Real life has a way of interfering with our good times. In a long game of UV it takes commitment and kudos to the guys who play a complete game.

Oleg Mastruko · Post by **Oleg Mastruko** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 6:03 am

Well, Drex you're probably right, but a short note to the tune of "I really wish we could continue but I can't, so I surrender to you, I bow to the Japanese/US/Australian flag, you won, let's play for a two weeks more to get the closure on this game and that's it" makes whole lotta difference than just leaving without trace.

O.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 6:56 am

We're talking about proper game ettiquette here and as you pointed out, its only right to give the other guy a reason so he doesn't hold a slot open for ever. But unless its a tournament where participation counts, the "bug-outs" can get away with it.

When playing the long campaign games...

When playing the long campaign games...

1 day turns

Turn Length

Rowlf