Matrix Games Forums

Hi,

I have some questions about subs and trade routes:

1) When I move a sub unit on the Atlantic trade routes, it always follows the closest path to British Iles. Since I loose the operation point right after the unit stop on a hex, even if there is still movement points available, I cannot really choose a path that's the furthest of the air and naval patrols. Was this intendend to work like this?

2) If a naval unit starts its turn on a trade route and has two operation points, it only does a single attack, right?

3) Is it better to attack trade routes with a stack of subs or better to spread them along the route?

4) After an attack on a trade route, is there any penalties on following attacks in the same hex? Should we move them or it doesn’t matter?


I also want to add, that this game is a real gem! It's a really good balance between management and abstraction. I always prefer light colors to darker ones, and this map looks really nice and it's easy to see distinguish forces on it.

Thanks

#1 there is no intercept along the way so you don't have to worry about it. The movement system is based on a combination of area + hex movement for a unique system of naval combat. The zones are dynamic and the hexes just used for movement.

#2 It just needs one operation point to attack convoys. Naval movement and combat are very difficult to mimic in games. It took the Japanese fleet in Tokyo just 7 days to go to Hawaii. In WarPlan that is 2 maps in width or 200 hexes there, do a mission, 200 hexes back.... 1/20th of the effective movement in WarPlan. You simply can't mimic it in 2 week turns so you have to come to some sort of effective balance to make it work.

#3 Depends. Early in the war when the Allies have few escorts you can spread them to hit as many zones as possible or you can stack them up into groups of 3. Late in the war when every zone has escorts you want groups of 3.

#4 Only move them out of CV or air range if you can.

Thanks. My wife is a UX (user experience) designer with a masters degree which the gaming industry really doesn't have. So with her help we developed the UI and colors for the game. In applications UX is very specific and efficient. In gaming you balance efficiency with fun. You actually need some micro-management factors in a game going against efficiency so players feel like they are doing something.

The simplest example of this is having a game that starts and you have a button that says win/lose and you time it with a math formula. Very efficient but boring as hell to play.

I don't think #2 answered his question. I believe he was asking whether a unit with 2 AP sits in place and does not move, does it get 2 attacks. I have been going on the assumption that it does get two attacks, since that is how AP work for land and air units. If a sub with two AP only gets one attack, I need to start moving them more after they are on station.

I said "convoys" which means the sub attacks ALL convoys with 1 OptPts

Thanks Alvaro, but Dalwin was right: are all convoys attacked once or twice in a turn, if a naval unit has its two operation points? But I guess, based from your answers and the combat log, that it's one attack per turn.