Grand Campaign – Wacht Am Rhein (PBEM)

[Scarz]

Grand Campaign – Wacht Am Rhein (PBEM)

Let me start by saying I am really enjoying the game. It is one of my favorites right now. But, I believe it needs some tweaking for good PBEM play in the campaign game.

I have completed one PBEM game as Allied, it didn’t go much past turn 20 before the Germans player surrendered, we then switched sides and my game as German on turn 30 or so.

Here are the issues as I see them right now, which I think could be “fixed” for a better and more challenging game for both sides in the campaign game. If this would make play against the AI too easy, it seems there could be two variants, a PBEM scenario option and an AI scenario option.

My issues and suggestions are more directed at play balance then any complaint about realism or any historical accuracy. However, I will note, that gaining a historical result seems very difficult.

The issues:

1. In general, the Germans run out of supply too quickly. Yes, they should have some supply issues, as they may have only had fuel reserves for six days or so, and lack of fuel then affects the transport of supply. However, once the supply runs out, the push west falters and the front becomes very static.
2. If the game intends for the Germans to seize allied depots for supplemental supplies, this really only works in play against the AI. In the north, the medium supply depot north of Bullingen is within reach initially, but by the time the Germans reach it, most if not all the supply will be depleted when playing against a human opponent. In the center, St Vith depot is taken eventually, but again, the supply will be depleted against a human opponent. In the south, there are more supply depots, and the chances of capturing one with supply is there, but very unlikely.
3. Strongpoints and villages. As the game forces everything to be tied to the road network, it difficult to bypass allied units especially at villages (which are usually at crossroads). Thus the Germans must take them from the march. However, a village with an infantry unit and AT unit or AAA unit becomes almost too much for the Germans. Three or four strong infantry units and some armor are usually not enough. Add to this that the German artillery will be low on supply makes attacking these strongpoints next to impossible.
4. Entrenchment. Units gain entrenchment levels too quickly for the Germans to maintain a reasonable rate of advance. Considering the weather conditions and temperature, and ground state, units entrench too quickly. As in the villages section, allied units entrench quickly and then become virtually impossible to dislodge.
5. Reaction fire. I really like the reaction fire mechanic. However, it adds even more difficulty to the issues the Germans have in maintaining any momentum. Thus strongpoints become even more difficult to take, units gain even more time to entrench as it may take a turn to approach, then another turn to launch an attack. It just snowballs.

Finally, these changes may or may not be necessarily ‘historical’ but I don’t think they are too far off the possible.

Possible solutions:

1. Give the Germans a bit more supply. Either some additional small depots near the starting lines or possibly start the supply card at a cost of 1 rather than 5, or make the supply provided by the cards 30,000 rather than 20,000.
2. One thought is to place a few small allied depots closer to the front line. This would give the Germans some additional targets and place more choices on the US forces in defense at the beginning of the scenario.
3. The defense modifier for villages, and forest could be reduced slightly. The use of an entire panzer division to dislodge a single battalion just seems too much. However, reducing the entrenchment speed might make this change unnecessary.
4. It seems that the entrenchments levels increase too rapidly. Slowing this down will make for a better initial advance, and prevent entire sections of the front from becoming static too quickly.
5. The reaction fire could be toned down slightly. This will also help keeping the initial German surge going, and help with some of the other problems.
6. Make the surprise turns last through the first day rather than 2 turns.

[nikdav]

Thanks very much for reporting !
Happy you like the game, already working on some points for next update :
- Cards give 40.000 fuel/supply at reduced cost;
- Arlon and Eupen depots no more fixed;
- More trucks for US Airborne Division;
- revised VP assigned for enemy casualties;
- Only one card roadblock for turns;
- some oob and map fixing.

Davide

[Scarz]

Those all sound like good changes, but reducing the entrenchment rate and possibly extending the surprise turns for the full first day really need to be considered.

Thanks very much for reporting !
Happy you like the game, already working on some points for next update :
- Cards give 40.000 fuel/supply at reduced cost;
- Arlon and Eupen depots no more fixed;
- More trucks for US Airborne Division;
- revised VP assigned for enemy casualties;
- Only one card roadblock for turns;
- some oob and map fixing.

Davide