questions on matrix edition of PacWar

[jcrohio]

Hi

I am a long time owner of the original Pacific War - purchased it in 1992, played it a lot and have come back to it periodically through the years. I found the Matrix site a couple of years ago and have tried some of their games. The first was Uncommon Valor. I was hoping for a remake of PacWar but could not get into the game like I did the old PacWar. Ended up selling it. I know the New Pacific War has been released, but I have not purchased it because of my experience with UV. I have purchased Battles in Normandy and Worlds at War and have enjoyed them both.

Recently I downloaded the Matrix version of PacWar and have been fooling around with it. I have been reading the old manual again and just trying to 1) remember how to play and 2) see what is new. I have even installed version 1.22 to see what is different (by the way I had no trouble installing the old version 1.1 on XP Professional).

My question are these - 1) Has the game improved and in particular has the AI improved? 2) I have found some files spelling out the changes in this forum, but the forum seems to have had it's earlier posts removed. (Edited - just me being stupid - forgot to turn on "show all posts") Are there other files that spell out all the changes besides what I have found here and is there an archive to the old posts? 3) One site I found had a bunch of updates to the order of battle for some of the scenarios - is anyone familiar with other updates that make the game even better.

I have always really liked this game and 13 years later it is back on my hard drive. Any input on my questions above would be appreciated.

Jack

[Blum]

I'm your clone on this one.
bought PW in early 90 and never been able to stop.
No really changes in IA. you still can win in July 1942 as allies, i can't seem to win as jap, even after seizing 90% of Inida, China, Hawai , achorage etc.

the real fun is PBEM.

If you played a lot alone, you'll be surprised how cautious you can become facing a real player. Humans are just smart.

Leon

[LargeSlowTarget]

Ah, there are still some fellow PacWarriors out there! Bought the game in 1995 in the famous '20 wargames' bundle and haven't ceased to tangle with it ever since (and hardly touched the other 19 ones, except Carriers at War and Conflict Korea - PacWar was by far the best title in this bundle!).

The Matrix Verison has slight improvements in the AI IMO - at least it sometimes launches sneaky attacks against Colombo or tries to capture Hawaii. PBEM is way better, of course. Graphics are better - I've allso installed v1.22 again, but just for a laugh [:)].

For manuals and the like have a look at http://www.geocities.com/bigblueiii/pacwar.html, at the very bottom of this rather amateurish page you will find a link to a zip file containing manuals, documantaries of changes etc. (sorry for those with slow connections - despite zipping it it's still about four megs due to the pdf stuff).

I would be interested to learn more about the OOB-updates you have found - I'm still tinkering with the editor for the 'last and final' version of my personalized scenario and may get some new info from the files you have mentioned.

Have fun with PacWar,
LST

P.S. Just learned that the link above doesn't work for the moment due to 'exeeding data allocation' - should work again in an hour or so.

[Greyshaft]

ORIGINAL: Blum
No really changes in IA. you still can win in July 1942 as allies

Call me stoopid and paint me blue but I don't mind asking...

how do you win in '42 as the allies?

[LargeSlowTarget]

LOL, I was wondering, too, but didn't dare to ask - don't want to be called stupid and be painted blue [;)].

[Capt. Harlock]

Call me stoopid and paint me blue but I don't mind asking...

how do you win in '42 as the allies?

I confess that I've never done quite that well, but here are the points that I can see:

1)Choose non-historical first turn. The AI will generally not raid Pearl Harbor, but won't use the Japanese carriers very agressively elsewhere.

2) Hold Singapore, Rangoon, and some bases on Luzon (Manila if possible). Rangoon can be held by running Bombardment TF's in as soon as the advance Japanese troops show up. Singapore can be held by evacuating the air squadrons for a few turns, then putting back your best British fighter and bomber squadrons to keep it from being an isolated base.

3) Get Engineer units, with some infantry back-up, into the Solomons ASAP to build some airfields. Base SBD Dauntlesses, Wildcats, and Warhawk squadrons there, to ambush the IJN when they move in in Spring '42.

4) Do NOT engage in carrier combat until your CV's carry over 30 fighters each, and do not attack any of the "big six" Japanese CV's if you can help it.


To answer the first post, there have been a number of changes well worth paying attention to. First, the airfield/port capacities based on terrain have been altered. Level 4 terrain is now far less desireable than either level 3 or level 5, and only level 6 will allow you to build really big airfields. When you have a size 4 airfield on terrain level 4, pack up the engineers and move them on--they're done. (I've forgotten this more times than I care to admit.) Second, the paths have change significantly: study them carefully with the "path" option. Note carefully that Singapore can only be reached from the West coast of Malaysia. Third, the aircraft have been signifcantly modified: there are more types, and many ratings such as firepower, bombload, and cost are not the same. (Not the Japanese no longer get transport aircraft!) Lastly, the reason that the game is now virtually unwinnable for the Japanese is that the Kill Point multiplier doesn't kick in until January 1946. I consider this a MAJOR mistake. All in all, IMHO Version 2.3 was the best version so far.

[Doug Olenick]

Heck, if you want the Allies to win early simply pack up the 25th Div. and attack Tokyo directly. It is normally left empty or barely defended. I've one in Jan. doing this. Or hit Nagoya and destroy the entire merchant fleet. The same holds true for the Japanese. Send a fast amphib group into LA. The AI hardly worries about it.

However, don't try these stunts against a person. lol

[Blum]

yep, doug has got it right.
Fastest game is :
1. Evacuate as many troops from Philippinas
(sometimes i can even evacuate phil divs) - it will save losses
2. evacuate malaysia (easy)
3. evacuate ambon and repatriate to Darwin
4 Evacuate Dutch troops - half to andaman, rest to darwin just fastest way
5 reinforce with evacuated troops ranggon or Akyab
station some troops behind, form a TF full of BB's and bombard Rangoon when it falls. it will reduce level of supply and keep jap troops from attacking further in Burma
6 reinforce Midway with PH troops and Johnston with PH troops or directly from SF
7 split and send engineers units to form a path from SF to Australia, garrison them with Aircrafts
8 reinforce Espirtu Santo with NZ troops and Port Moresby with most Austrlain troops.
attack japs after they land at Buna, get a lot a experience there.
9. Take Marcus, then okinawa, with several waves of troops (say, 4-5 div) backed with TF of CV
10 land at osaka, nagoya, tokyo etc. A div per city, most are undefended.
Since you'll have expanded most bases with your split eng, kept losses low due to evac and sunk some ships, then destroyed MCS in Nagoya - you should win.
Other Scneario is to leave units and Aircrafts in phil and land there, save your fellow troops and then reconquer China - longer but funny, too.

Don't forget to repatriate HQ before they are overruled.
Leon

[Capt. Harlock]

2. evacuate malaysia (easy)

I have to disagree with that one. In Version 3.2, Singapore is worth a bucket of victory points. (Note that each Oil and Resource Point is worth 10 VP's, and each point that you control is a "swing" away from the other side, unlike Production Points.) You can get the Japanese AI to slaughter many of its own in attacks on a well-entrenched force.

[jcrohio]

Thanks to all that have replied - I am glad to see others still enjoy this old classic.

I am so tempted to download the new War in the Pacific, but for $70 I am afraid I will not enjoy it. I tried UV and found it tedious, which I had never found with PacWar. After reading through some posts I am wondering now if I should have tried 2 or even 3 day turns to help quicken the pace of the game. Any thoughts from players of both games?

"LargeSlowTarget
I would be interested to learn more about the OOB-updates you have found - I'm still tinkering with the editor for the 'last and final' version of my personalized scenario and may get some new info from the files you have mentioned"

The address was http://home.earthlink.net/~tmflood/page2.html and it was Rich's Pacific War Page - there were a lot of links to this so I am sure yoy have seen it.

Also, I have linked together a number of version changes files into one. They show an evolution of the rules and changes from version 1.1 to version 3.2. Nothing new. Just put all the ones that I could find into one document, and did some reformatting. If anyone is interested pm me and I will send it. It is a Word 2000 document.

Again thanks for all the replies.

Jack

jruetty@columbus.rr.com