Scorched Earth question(s)

[aspqrz02]

I am quite puzzled by the Scorched Earth option ...

* I can understand Russia being covered, as this would represent the problems of running Standard Gauge trains over Broad Gauge lines with half the amount of infrastructure needed (see my post elsewhere ... changing standard to broad gauge rail or vice versa is a doddle, lack of infrastructure less so)

* But why is Germany rated as such? There is no obvious reason for such. )And, of course, Switzerland is also rated as 'Scorched Earth' when not mentioned as such in the manual)

I am guessing it is to prevent gamey tactics, which makes it problematic as ...

* Given the rubbish level rail infrastructure in Turkey, Spain, and the Middle East and North Africa in general, it would have been ludicrously easy to completely destroy their rail nets in case of invasion.

Surely those countries should be rated as 'Scorched Earth' as well, to represent their limited rail nets ... or, alternately, it might be better to convert all their rail lines to roads to represent their limitations from the get go.

* It is stated that 'two hexes per turn' of scorched earth rail lines are repaired ... is this two hexes per country, or two hexes for the entire map.

For example, say that German and Russian rail lines are damaged and held by the same player, is it a case of two German hexes and two Russian hexes are repaired each turn, two hexes total (which could be, randomly, one German and one Russian, or two German or two Russian).

This rate is also problematic - given what we know of the rate at which the Germans repurposed Russian broad gauge lines for their own use, this is by far and away too fast by far, I'd suggest that even 1 hex per two week turn is far too fast. This is partly because the historical rate was far lower than you seem to estimate and partly because there are far fewer rail hexes to be repaired.

It really should be much less for Russia and even less for Spain, Portugal and the Middle East ... perhaps 1 hex a month for Spain and Portugal combined and one hex a month for the entirety of the Middle East, and one hex a month for Turkey.

And even that may be too much.

* Rail Capacity is also something that confuses me ... once a country is conquered, whose capacity applies to RR transfer through it? Its original capacity of that of the conquering country?

All of the minors mentioned above seem to have a 30 cap for RR transfer, but the reality is that in most cases they simply wouldn't have been able to manage that ... either because of limited rolling stock availability, a mish-mash of different gauges (as in Iberia) or some combination of the two.

For example, though there is are several links (at least one of which, the one in the south near Cadiz, simply didn't exist) shown making the Portuguese and Spanish RR nets one, they had two different gauges and transhipment would have been a huge delaying factor. Likewise, the links between the French and Spanish RR nets were of different gauges and would have had identical problems.\

Then there's the nonexistent rail link across the nonexistent Bosporus!

Phil McGregor

[Flaviusx]

Based on play experience, I would say the rail repair rate works as is. It is also going to be impeded, from time to time, by partisans, because if you advance too far too fast, you will not have the units to guard everything. So the rail repair rate is a theoretical maximum that will not necessarily be matched in gaming practice.

[AlvaroSousa]

Each country uses it's own rail
Bosporus rail has been removed as of 1.00.03

[aspqrz02]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa
Each country uses it's own rail
Bosporus rail has been removed as of 1.00.03

So, does that mean when the Germans conquer (say) France and want to send troops into it they use German RR cap to the border and then French RR cap inside France?

Or do they use German RR cap throughout their conquests?

That's what I was asking, and your answer is ... unclear ...

Phil McGregor

[tyronec]

Rail capacity depends on the nationality of the unit travelling.
It is not related to the rail line.

[aspqrz02]

ORIGINAL: tyronec

Rail capacity depends on the nationality of the unit travelling.
It is not related to the rail line.

That makes no sense at all ...

On that basis alone, if correct, I would suggest that every single country in the game should have the 'scorched earth' flag set if you want a historical game.

At the very least, every country outside of Western Europe.

That's only for anyone those who care for historicity, of course ...

Phil McGregor

[AlvaroSousa]

There is way more complexity to rail systems than most players think and sometimes keeping things simple is better.

For example the Allies obliterated the rail system in Italy to cut the Axis out of supply. Hit every single rail point. They cut 90% of supplies from passing though. Axis still got enough supplies through.

In France they bombed enough rail to slow things down. This is represented by interdicting land units and lowering their movement.

A super complex bomb this that and the other system would not only make it frustrating for players but also very gamey or less effective to where no one is happy. There is a lot more to game design than just making something absolutely 100% historical.

Norway is a perfect example. Historically the Germans got lucky they didn't get their asses handed to them. Do I just give it to the Germans? Make them fight for it? Encourage them not attacking it? It was tough. Luckily the recon system allows for players to plan Norway and play it historical and challenging without breaking it. And if the Allies attack Norway Germany gets a bonus unit + all the ships.

Game design isn't easy.

[MOS96B2P]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

Game design isn't easy.

Well........... you make it look easy. [:D] You've made an excellent game that I very much enjoy playing. I'm looking forward to Monday's v1.00.03 patch. Then the game will be even better.

[aspqrz02]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa
Game design isn't easy

Yep, I get that. Really.

It's just that the realities of the Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Middle Eastern and North African Rail Nets are not at well modelled by the existing system.

Setting them all to 'Scorched Earth' status would at least come closer to the reality and prevent ridiculously gamey blitzkrieg attacks by either side through those regions.

One other thing ... there was a second RR line connecting Constantinople to the Caucasus running along the Black Sea coast which you don't show (actually, my 1938 Atlas is wrong ... this was either planned and never completed or was a major [for Turkish values of 'major'] road, I double checked at the Perry-Castaneda Map library which has 1941-43 maps of the region).

Also, a non-RR related matter ... the supply capacities of the Libyan Ports is far too high (yes, even at their really low levels), not the stockpile capacity, as such, the actual Port Capacity (I base this on information from Van Creveld's Supplying War which is quite an interesting read on the North African campaign supply problems).

Phil McGregor

[AlvaroSousa]

I did set Spain and Turkey to scorched earth in 1.00.03. The Supply for Libya had to be slightly upped for game play.

Here is the deal. If the Axis stuff Africa with land and air units they simply won't recover effectiveness. It doesn't them them. So while they can put 20 corps in Africa all they will be doing is eating pasta with no bullets. It is also a large was of units.

The North African Campaign takes strategic planning where the islands become important as does positioning. You can't slug your way through Egypt like an ogre.