Tips for Scenario designer

[Paullus]

This is a thread collecting tips for scenario designer. Add anything you might thing is useful to know when you design a scenario.

[Paullus]

I'll start out with the first tip, being a wish from players.

- When you design large scenarios don't leave the Daylight Visibility to Unlimited. Set the Daylight Visibility to 18 or lower to help some computers from struggle when the CPU processes Line of Sight.

[WMMangus]

Here's another, although a just a pet peeve of mine.

When laying out maps for your scenario, add one or even two maps to the left of the map(s) you intend to use. This will force the maps in play toward the center of the monitor.

I have a 32-inch monitor and find it annoying and even tiring to constantly shift my eyes from the extreme left to the extreme right to advance a scenario.

These "extra maps" don't have to be in play; they're just for spacing.

[Big Ivan]

My rules of thumb on force allocation for a scenario.

When developing my organization of forces for a scenario I use these two simple rules.

1) The Russian Army was a horde army, some called it the "Soviet Steamroller". This is especially true the latter stages of the war.
When picking my forces for a battle against the Russians I try and give the Russians about 20-30% more infantry squads than the Germans.
WWII was in a large part a numbers game and the Russians had numbers.

2) The United States Army was the best equipped army in the European Theatre of Operations hands down. The US Army
had an overabundance of vehicles, tanks, supplies, support weapons and above all artillery. In fact it has been said
that the United States Army put the finest artillery force of any army in the field. After the war the Germans
commented about this a few times. With that I always make sure the American troops have at least one off-board
artillery mission and 40-50% more support weapons than the Germans.

However, if I have hard historical evidence to the contrary I temper these rules in favor of the true historical situation.

Cheers!
Big Ivan[:)]

[genesismwt]

To add to Big Ivan's comments, the Germans are the kings of the machine gun. For DYI scenarios, I would give one LMG for every 3-4 squads. One MMG to every 5-6 squads and one HMG to every 9-10 squads. Use the higher squad numbers for early war and the lower numbers of squads for late war.

For the Brits and Americans, add two those numbers. Of course, the Americans do not have LMGs, use Bazookas instead. Give .50 cals with about 15-16 squads. Give the Brits an anti-tank weapon every 6 squads

For the Russians, give an LMG for every 6-7 squads. MMG every 9-10 squads and an HMG every 14-15 squads.

In regards to squad numbers, I have a slightly different take. I would gauge on the number of German squads. Early war, on the attack, they usually only have a 20% greater advantage in numbers of squads than their opponents. Late war, Germans usually attack at even money. Using the above numbers of MG's should give the Germans the required FP edge needed for attack.

On the defense, Germans should be outnumbered by 75% at most(Russians), but usually only by 50%. The classic 3 to 1 odds for the attacker is overkill in this game. I would only do this if you are attacking elites with conscripts or green troops.

This comes from an observation of classic Advanced Squad Leader scenarios.

[UP844]

Unless I have very detailed data (which is almost impossible to get for such small-scale actions), I usually stick to the old SW/Leader allocation tables for DYO scenarios from ASL. Since such tables allocate SW/Leaders per "squad equivalents", elite force will get more SW and better leaders, while green units will have fewer.

As regards to leadership, Germans have the better leader/squad ratio (1 in 4), Russians the worst (1 in 8, better than in some SL scenarios, where 2 or 3 leaders must attempt to control 48 squads [:D]).

The higher number of leaders will provide the Germans with many advantages as regards to fire, movement, rally capability and - last but not least - command control. Russians, on the other hand, simply cannot make fancy moves since they would end up with lots of OOC markers.

[Paullus]

Ordnance (Guns) cannot move when AI (Computer opponent) is in play

[Peter Fisla]

AI doesn't require Radio support weapon to call for OBA (assuming that OBA is part of a scenario)

[rico21]

Give AI OBA to help AI to win,[8D]
Give Player OBA to help to lose![:D]

[KingHunter3059]

In reviewing some of the scenarios, I have found a mismatch in the unit effectiveness (Unit Type and Experience) of the opposing sides. I am posting a chart on what the historical values should be. So you can update or use this for present and/or future scenarios. This makes a scenario effective and balanced. Here is the chart:
--

[KingHunter3059]

Table Of Organization and Equipment (TO&E)

One of the things for a Scenario Designer to consider a Military type TO&E. Coming from a Military Background, I think this may be a guide for building your forces. I have even included some SW and Leadership info.

The following is a simplistic TO&E (Organization)

A squad is generally 10 - 12 people
(Normally 3 Teams)
3+ Squads = Platoon (+ being a weapons Platoon)
3+ Platoons = Company
3 Companies = Battalion
3 Battalions = Regiment
=
3 Regiments = Brigade*
3 Brigades = Division*
3 Divisions - Corps

* Note that in the US Military (Army) today, they eliminated Regiments (So a Brigade could have 9-10 Battalions). In WW2, it was opposite (3 Regiments per Division), and the regiments were larger.

In the following chart, the Sides are portrayed, with their advantages or disadvantages
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[gehrig38]

Question if there are any live bodies still here. The images used in game, how does the game assign them? I am not a programmer, but if I want to add counters or change them, do I do it straight on the terrain image? I am actually fascinated at how the process works coding wise. When asking for a counter I am guessing terrain image has mathmatical properties and the game tells it to grab x, y on the counter sheet which equals the counter needed....

[Paullus]

I can't tell you code wise but you can change the images in the Terrain file. Check out the changes made in the Submitted Modes and the Submitted maps subsections done by other gamers.