Matrix Games Forums

Hi!

Finished my first TOAW 3 sceanario "Trafalgar" and it is available for download HERE.

It's a fun type scenario and can be played in 30 minutes or so.

The scenario design itself was mostly an image modding exercise for me, but nevertheless,
I've had a lot of fun playing it.

What motivated me to make the scenario is folks talking about how badly TOAW models
war at sea.

So, basically I modded the game such that the ground "looks" like the sea, and "ships" look
like ships, but are actually ground units moving on the ground.

I also deleted "mud" images and "fortification" images so that, though they are there, you can't
see them, thus giving you a continuous "sea" look.

The units themselves are not powerfully enough to "overrun" each other. The result is a slugfest
which I think actually simulates a naval battle during the age of sail rather well.

Would be interested in comments from folks who try it out.

Here's some shots.


Modded counters to put the title on the map.


Opening shot when you start play.


Modded graphics showing the counters used.


The bitmap I made for the scenario.

Ray (alias Lava)

..nice graphics, my only gripes are the all-round fire, broadsides are period specific, and the inability of toaw to do wind..
 
..my sugestion, stick to rowed boats, triremes and such
 
..really nice graphics tho

ORIGINAL: a white rabbit

..nice graphics, my only gripes are the all-round fire, broadsides are period specific, and the inability of toaw to do wind..

What about the hex conversion costs? The need & ability to resupply in battle?

ORIGINAL: a white rabbit
..nice graphics, my only gripes are the all-round fire, broadsides are period specific, and the inability of toaw to do wind..

Well...

Of course, TOAW really isn't made to do these kinds of things.

Trafalgar was, however, a pretty "up close and personal" kinda fight, so I think wind is moderated there. For those ships that are "upwind" I delayed them for a number of moves as an, admittedly poor, simulation of tacking into the wind and the time it would take to get into the battle. BTW.. if you ended up engaging those ships you probably didn't win the battle. So really, the effect of wind doesn't really play into the scenario.

As for all around bombardment, it was the best I could do. I wanted the "ships" to be able to go hex to hex and have an ability to fire from afar, in this case two hexes. Big compromises here, but really nothing you can do because TOAW wasn't designed to do stuff like this.

Supply is handled by having supply points every 4 hexes in either direction for both sides forming a matrix which covers almost the entire fighting area. Thus, it is almost impossible to cut supply. I used every supply point that is available to place in a scenario to ensure ships are almost always in supply.

In fighting the battle, I tried various tactics as far as unit placement was concerned. For example, if you concentrate your fleet with 9 ships per hex you do a lot of damage to single units, but you will not have enough time to destroy enough ships to meet the victory conditions.

The key to winning the battle is to pound a portion of the Combined Fleet relentlessly (bearing in mind that although their is no replacements programmed, a portion of the losses are entered into the replacement inventory and will find their way back into the units). You thus must maintain continous pressure in an area in which you have tactical superiority in numbers and pound your opponent into submission.

Not the greatest simulation I wholeheartedly admit, but if one has the "Nelson Touch" he should have an enjoyable game and win.. barely.

Ray (alias Lava)

..Lava, you ever sailed a proper boat, say in a race, close up wind is, well really important, as in the opponent gets between you and it and you suddenly have none, and come to a grinding halt, forward movement wise..

..and , i'm not just being bad here, the guns point out to the sides, front and rear are a few bow (pointed end) and stern (blunt end ) chasers, 9 lbers, maybe 13..

..do triremes, that works, except for drift due to curent and stuff, so ok, how about ACW ironclads...

ORIGINAL: a white rabbit

how about ACW ironclads...

Actually, I was thinking about doing The Battle of Mobile Bay next...

You know "Damn the torpedoes" and all that kinda stuff...

Ray (alias Lava)