Game Flaws

[HarrySmith]

I feel there are some flaws in the game that allow moves that are totally unrealistic. In a current game that I am playing as the Allies, and I am being totally annihilated by a far better player there are moves made that I feel are utilizing flaws in the game and not being penalized for.

1. The vast majority of the Italian fleet parking in the English Channel and around UK, waiting for Italy to enter the war. My understanding is as Allies (UK or France) in this instance If I declare war on Italy, I will be punished by the lowering of US mobilization as it should be. So not an option I wanted to do. I feel this is not a realistic move as the Italians would never leave their coast undefended. I can understand if they sent some naval units to Italian East Africa. I feel this action is a declaration of war on Britain and should be treated as such and also would cause the US to increase mobilization.

2. Eleven German and Italian naval units enter the US zone to attack British naval units and staying there for 3 to 4 turns awaiting just of coast for US to spawn East coast naval units on declaration of war. With a coordinated attack by Japanese on Pearl harbour the US lost 10 naval units that first turn. (4 Hawaii, 1or 2 American Samoa, 4 or 5 east coast (mainly BBs) During the naval units being in the Zone the US mobilization hardly shifted as with reinforcing land units on Hawaii with the Isonist objections each turn counteracting the ships in the zone. this again is totally unrealistic as the US would not sit neutral with 2 nations fleets parked along their coast. I feel their should be a higher penality for such action and the mobilization by the US should be multiplied by the number of ships in the zone compounding for each turn they are in there.

3. The Japanese had American Samoa surrounded with naval units again awaiting declaration of war to take out the naval units spawned there and then amphib assault to stop the US tank unit spawning. I feel perhaps there needs to be a 2 or 3 hex zone around all US islands implemented and again an increase in US mobilization for entering based on per ship. The Island if taken, then the US tank unit should spawn on mainland US instead.

4. Both the east and West coast US was invaded with only the US spawning 1 HQ, 2 corp,1 tank unit (East coast) 1 by 4(understrength) corp unit (West coast). I thought the US invaded caused numerous units to spawn???? A long time ago I invaded US playing the AI and there where masses of units spawned.

5. The Russian winter didn't happen and my understanding there is a small % chance of this occurring? I feel it is a crucial aspect of the game that should always occur, and if not the game is over for the Russians. Also If Japanese are attacking from the East would they then be affected by the Russian winter if done prior to Jan 42??? Not sure how they where equipped for the cold but the East (Siberia) would of been more intense you would assume?

6. A suggestion I have noticed for the game is that The Australian HQ unit, I feel should be able to attach the NZ unit/s. The Aussies and Kiwis have a tradition of fighting together as they are called the Anzacs. It would make sense that an Australian HQ would command them.
Some things to ponder.

[Elessar2]

I'll let the devs handle the technical details, but yeah that is the gamiest stuff I've ever heard of in this series. Yeah a lot of said shenanigans can be remedied by additional scripts, but eventually a substantial proportion of the scenario's scripts will just be anti-griefer ones. Maybe for the next game engine they can be encrypted somehow so prying eyes can't take apart the game mechanics like that?

[Note I've decried the Yugo coup scripts as being too deterministic-everyone knows it is coming sooner or later unless drastic steps are taken by the Axis to thrwart it, either via a lot of Diplomacy to get them to join early, or just a heck-with-it early DoW. Maybe a substantial number of the more historically unstable minors can have small chances of coups of that sort, going either way, to avoid this kind of perfect plan crap.]

[OldCrowBalthazor]

Harry....you gotta House Rule that kind of garbage like seeing the Italian Fleet outside the Mediterranean while they are neutral. If your prospective opponent doesn't agree then don't play them. Simple.
I establish House Rules almost always that covers exploits or unrealistic ventures by codifying them..then I'll discuss with the other person anything they want and come to a fair compromise. Then proceed.

Here's an example of a doc that my opponent and I worked out before we proceeded with the match. There were some things we both agreed too, some that were struck off, and some that were modified.
Mind you this is just an example and is no way what I would expect every match. This was something my opponent and I hammered out.

I like to enjoy the game...and not have my mouth stuffed with cheese while playing.
Cheers
Mike

House Rules:
1) Axis should be able to wardec any pro-axis minor if they want including all Vichy and Yugoslavia.

2) Allies can't wardec Solomons, New Guinea in the Pacific.

3) No US reinforcement of Wake or Guam. Midway is ok because it will get a strike on mobilization.

4) Finns stay north of Riga latitude.

5) Chinese restricted to USSR and Asia.

6) No Italian fleet outside Mediterranean while Neutral.

7) Allies can't block Gibraltar loop boxes for 4 turns at beginning of game

8) No wardec on Japan unless USA is at 100% mobilization.

9) No British Fleet in the Pacific until USA at 100% mobilization (Aus/NZ in home ports or coastal areas ok)

10) Allies cannot double chit Strategic Bombers.

11) No early Barbarossa prior to April 1941 to exploit the First Winter Effect.

[HarrySmith]

Yes some good points OCB , thanks . Will look at into for future games. Though it doesn't cover off axis warships entering the US zone in force but I can add that.
Another surprise was Canada doesn't spawn any units if invaded.

[BillRunacre]

I'll let the devs handle the technical details, but yeah that is the gamiest stuff I've ever heard of in this series. Yeah a lot of said shenanigans can be remedied by additional scripts, but eventually a substantial proportion of the scenario's scripts will just be anti-griefer ones. Maybe for the next game engine they can be encrypted somehow so prying eyes can't take apart the game mechanics like that?

I have pondered the same question but the difficulty is that if the scripts aren't accessible, then modding the campaigns would effectively be impossible too, and all our games have come with full modding capabilities.

Unfortunately those who study the scripts in depth will always have an advantage. Nevertheless, I will do what I can to reduce this to more realistic or moderate levels, especially when people are gaining a significant advantage from gaming the system rather than playing the game.

[HarrySmith]

Hi Bill,
Yes thanks for the reply and looking into making some changes.

[firsteds]

6. A suggestion I have noticed for the game is that The Australian HQ unit, I feel should be able to attach the NZ unit/s. The Aussies and Kiwis have a tradition of fighting together as they are called the Anzacs. It would make sense that an Australian HQ would command them.
Some things to ponder.

+ 1. Yes I am an Aussie. Yes we like to boss kiwis around. But seriously we did fight closely together in NA and the Pacific.

[redrum68]

I'll let the devs handle the technical details, but yeah that is the gamiest stuff I've ever heard of in this series. Yeah a lot of said shenanigans can be remedied by additional scripts, but eventually a substantial proportion of the scenario's scripts will just be anti-griefer ones. Maybe for the next game engine they can be encrypted somehow so prying eyes can't take apart the game mechanics like that?

[Note I've decried the Yugo coup scripts as being too deterministic-everyone knows it is coming sooner or later unless drastic steps are taken by the Axis to thrwart it, either via a lot of Diplomacy to get them to join early, or just a heck-with-it early DoW. Maybe a substantial number of the more historically unstable minors can have small chances of coups of that sort, going either way, to avoid this kind of perfect plan crap.]

In the end, it wouldn't really matter if the scripts were hidden as players eventually figure them out anyways or at least enough to figure out how to game them.