Eastern Front Please

[StraitArrow]

I would like to see this format and scale of play on the Eastern Front with a full offering of units for the whole war and a complete overall map of the entire Eastern Front. I prefer the unit graphics and component breakdown to other similar games.

With editors the ability to recreate historical engagements and "What If" scenarios across the entire Eastern Front and timescale 1941 thru 1945 would be epic.

Perhaps a number of included scenario's and most important, the ability to create scenario's and then link them into a custom campaign would be feasible.

For instance you could follow Das Reich or the 1st SS Panzer Corps for a certain time period.

It would be the Ultimate Eastern Front "sandbox" and I would gladly pay for it.

[ernieschwitz]

I tried telling you, in the other thread that you mentioned this, that this is a very huge undertaking, and likely won't happen.

Here is one reason:

You want 1km hexes. The map for DC:Barbarossa is 30km hexes, that is each hex you would be 30x30 hexes (approx), that is 900 hexes pr. hex in the DC:Barbarossa map. To put a little context on that, the DC:Barbarossa is 80x100 hexes. So what you are asking for is 72.000.000 hexes. Or a map that is 30000 hexes wide, and 24000 hexes deep.

I can make a map (and I am not the fastest mind you, but I don't have a job either), of around 40 x 40 hexes in about 3 days.. but let's say I am really dedicated and do that in 1 day. I'd be able to do 1 Barbarossa hex in about 1 day then. so 80.000 days. If I work all year, every day at that speed, I'd be able to make your map in 278 years. Someone else would then have to make the OOBs I guess...

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: ernieschwitz

I tried telling you, in the other thread that you mentioned this, that this is a very huge undertaking, and likely won't happen.

Here is one reason:

You want 1km hexes. The map for DC:Barbarossa is 30km hexes, that is each hex you would be 30x30 hexes (approx), that is 900 hexes pr. hex in the DC:Barbarossa map. To put a little context on that, the DC:Barbarossa is 80x100 hexes. So what you are asking for is 72.000.000 hexes. Or a map that is 30000 hexes wide, and 24000 hexes deep.

I can make a map (and I am not the fastest mind you, but I don't have a job either), of around 40 x 40 hexes in about 3 days.. but let's say I am really dedicated and do that in 1 day. I'd be able to do 1 Barbarossa hex in about 1 day then. so 80.000 days. If I work all year, every day at that speed, I'd be able to make your map in 278 years. Someone else would then have to make the OOBs I guess...

Yup. Not to mention how to code the AI. Even FitE2 is a monster for TOAWIV, and it took years(!!!) for a team of scenario designers to just create it.

Klink, Oberst

[StraitArrow]

I respect your opinion, but I wanted to put the Eastern Front idea up for Vic to see it. The created scenario's of course would be a scale comparable to this map or smaller.

I helped create some scenarios for Red Orchestra 2 using a Goggle Earth overlay. I am no expert but perhaps some sort of overall map that would give the scenario creator a basic template which could then be used to then create map details and various size "Reasonable" scenario sizes.

From the map size presented here I should think that at least a "Citadel" Kursk game could be done. I have a huge library of Eastern Front research books and original Wehrmacht NCO and Officer training manuals and this theater has always intrigued me.

Going forward I plan to learn to use these editors and I appreciate your knowledge and perhaps your skills will help me.

Best Wishes

[StraitArrow]

One additional idea I would like to throw out there is the ability for divisional, corps and Army commanders to place a marker ie - Assembly - Defend - Attack. The markers would be colored to the division or corps color.

Then when you click on a unit you could easily see where your commander wants you to go. Ideally you could vary the number of colored hexes around the marker to indicate point or area of interest and have the ability to turn on/off.

This was standard procedure on S2/ Operation Officer maps during WW2 from Corp down to battalion level.

Thus if you clicked the Division HQ unit you would see the Corp commander's objective for your division.

These of course could be updated/changed as the battle progress's.

[nikdav]

If you like Ostfront, I need some feedback on my DC Community Project scenarios "November42" (10km map) and "Fastov43" (5km map) still work in progress !
By the way thanks both scenarios i am here with DC4

Davide
_____________________________________________________
- DC: Ardennes Offensive Scenario Designer
- DC: Barbarossa Community Project Scenario Designer
- Unity of Command Beta tester and Scenario Designer
- Pike and Shot Beta tester and Scenario Designer
- SSG Kharkov Beta tester and Scenario Designer

[Khanti]

ORIGINAL: StraitArrow


I would like to see this format and scale of play on the Eastern Front with a full offering of units for the whole war and a complete overall map of the entire Eastern Front. I prefer the unit graphics and component breakdown to other similar games.

With editors the ability to recreate historical engagements and "What If" scenarios across the entire Eastern Front and timescale 1941 thru 1945 would be epic.

Perhaps a number of included scenario's and most important, the ability to create scenario's and then link them into a custom campaign would be feasible.

For instance you could follow Das Reich or the 1st SS Panzer Corps for a certain time period.

It would be the Ultimate Eastern Front "sandbox" and I would gladly pay for it.

Tu put it simple: impossible. Scale of Eastern front is too huge, to make it sensible for battalion level combat. What is possible are operations. Scenarios with smaller maps and some hot situations (e.g. Kursk or Sevastopol could be done).
There is also aspect of moving thousands counters on map. Too many counters, to make it pleasantly game.

[loutro]

War in the East 2 is about as close as you will get. And that beast is massive. I have yet to complete a campaign past early 1943. Learning curve is huge and doing one turn can take hours. But it is amazing.

I think at this scale, Market Garden would be a could candidate for another series, or maybe Kursk.

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: loutro

War in the East 2 is about as close as you will get. And that beast is massive. I have yet to complete a campaign past early 1943. Learning curve is huge and doing one turn can take hours. But it is amazing.

I think at this scale, Market Garden would be a could candidate for another series, or maybe Kursk.

Market Garden is more than just feasible with the current DC4 system.😉 Again, I'd ask you guys to point me to somebody who's good in editing graphics; I need some additional NATO ones.

Klink, Oberst

[nikdav]

Hi Klaus,
If you compile a list of what you need i can try
to made and add the new NATO symbol to DC4 !

Davide

[carll11]

The Battalion scale here precludes theatre sized scenarios.

However, thats really not necessary.

Re; Kursk, well, even from Orel to Belograd is 165 miles as the crow flys, with the bulge included? That balloons to another 150 to 200 miles of coverage.....I dont think thats doable unless we do it by fronts in 2 different scenarios, southern shoulder, northern shoulder.

There are plenty of large Armee sized battles that are feasible.

[StraitArrow]

I believe my overall intent is misunderstood. The idea is NOT to emulate War in the East at battalion scale which would be impossible to play with thousands of units to manage. Rather the intent was the ability to create REALISTIC size scenarios based on historical engagements that could be linked into a campaign that recreates actions of a division or corps.

Regarding Kursk, the distance from Belgorod to Prokhorovka is 30+ miles.

Perhaps a "Road to Prokhorovka" up the Psel river corridor could be done, as this was the decisive and must successful German offensive.

Perhaps none of this is feasible but the idea of being able to recreate engagements and perhaps change history on the Eastern Front is tantalizing.

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: StraitArrow

I believe my overall intent is misunderstood. The idea is NOT to emulate War in the East at battalion scale which would be impossible to play with thousands of units to manage. Rather the intent was the ability to create REALISTIC size scenarios based on historical engagements that could be linked into a campaign that recreates actions of a division or corps.

Regarding Kursk, the distance from Belgorod to Prokhorovka is 30+ miles.

Perhaps a "Road to Prokhorovka" up the Psel river corridor could be done, as this was the decisive and must successful German offensive.

Perhaps none of this is feasible but the idea of being able to recreate engagements and perhaps change history on the Eastern Front is tantalizing.

So, basically dynamic linked scenarios, like e.g. in one of the tutorials for DC:Case Blue?
That's indeed different. As for East Front scenarios at a manageable scale, I'd tend to Korsun, Kanev, the landings in Novorossiysk, the southern Sector of the 3rd battle of Kharkov and a few others. Remember, pre-1944 Inf Div represented in the game would have at least 3 regimets with 3 Btl each, plus the engineer, anti-tank, reece Btl, plus the artillery regiment. So, we're talking about a minimum of 13 subunits.

Klink, Oberst

[Massattack]

ORIGINAL: ernieschwitz

I tried telling you, in the other thread that you mentioned this, that this is a very huge undertaking, and likely won't happen.

Here is one reason:

You want 1km hexes. The map for DC:Barbarossa is 30km hexes, that is each hex you would be 30x30 hexes (approx), that is 900 hexes pr. hex in the DC:Barbarossa map. To put a little context on that, the DC:Barbarossa is 80x100 hexes. So what you are asking for is 72.000.000 hexes. Or a map that is 30000 hexes wide, and 24000 hexes deep.

I can make a map (and I am not the fastest mind you, but I don't have a job either), of around 40 x 40 hexes in about 3 days.. but let's say I am really dedicated and do that in 1 day. I'd be able to do 1 Barbarossa hex in about 1 day then. so 80.000 days. If I work all year, every day at that speed, I'd be able to make your map in 278 years. Someone else would then have to make the OOBs I guess...

Not sure about the maths here? At 1 km hexes, 30000 wide and 24000 deep would equate to 18750 x 15000 miles! Hitler might have had second thoughts about Barbarossa if his generals gave him those figures![:D]

Jokes aside, point taken it would be a massive undertaking at that scale. John Tiller's Panzer campaigns use 1km hexes, and all his Eastern front games,about 13 in total, albeit with some overlap, probably only physically cover 60 or 70 per cent of the total map area needed.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: ernieschwitz

I tried telling you, in the other thread that you mentioned this, that this is a very huge undertaking, and likely won't happen.

Here is one reason:

You want 1km hexes. The map for DC:Barbarossa is 30km hexes, that is each hex you would be 30x30 hexes (approx), that is 900 hexes pr. hex in the DC:Barbarossa map. To put a little context on that, the DC:Barbarossa is 80x100 hexes. So what you are asking for is 72.000.000 hexes. Or a map that is 30000 hexes wide, and 24000 hexes deep.

I can make a map (and I am not the fastest mind you, but I don't have a job either), of around 40 x 40 hexes in about 3 days.. but let's say I am really dedicated and do that in 1 day. I'd be able to do 1 Barbarossa hex in about 1 day then. so 80.000 days. If I work all year, every day at that speed, I'd be able to make your map in 278 years. Someone else would then have to make the OOBs I guess...

On a side note, with a computer, wouldn't that be faster? I mean, why can't the map be generated?

[ernieschwitz]

Not sure about the maths here? At 1 km hexes, 30000 wide and 24000 deep would equate to 18750 x 15000 miles! Hitler might have had second thoughts about Barbarossa if his generals gave him those figures!

Jokes aside, point taken it would be a massive undertaking at that scale. John Tiller's Panzer campaigns use 1km hexes, and all his Eastern front games,about 13 in total, albeit with some overlap, probably only physically cover 60 or 70 per cent of the total map area needed.

I admit he math was a bit dodgy [:D]

Let's cut off 90% of the total hexes/time and so on calculation. That's stil 27 years!

[ernieschwitz]

On a side note, with a computer, wouldn't that be faster? I mean, why can't the map be generated?

I am sure that scenario creators everywhere would love an AI able to make the maps. That would be great actually. One would need to be made for each system of maps that the user would need, but other than that, I'd sign up for it

[carll11]

Just a thought, I am far from getting to the point where in I can manipulate the library's here to create one, but I remember a bulge scn. in Tillers Bulge game, ( Panzer camps?) that had another SS pzr corp that got pulled from Russia and added to the German attack in WaR.....

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: nikdav

Hi Klaus,
If you compile a list of what you need i can try
to made and add the new NATO symbol to DC4 !

Davide

Will do; just saw that you answered my request.

Klaus

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: nikdav

Hi Klaus,
If you compile a list of what you need i can try
to made and add the new NATO symbol to DC4 !

Davide

See attached. Panzer Pioniere, Special Forces, Bridge Engineers, Construction Troops (For OT units), The truck symbol, or the big wheel for transport troops.

Klink, Oberst