Moscow '42 Files Update (as at Jan 23rd, 2013)

[ComradeP]

I also appreciate the replies.

I guess my posts might seem a bit rambling or even like a mild rant of sorts from time to time, but that comes purely from the frustration of bumping into something that prevents the game from being all it can be.

I understand that you are waiting for more feedback, I'd do the same thing if this were my scenario.

I designed the scenarios for the DLC for Unity of Command, and though the game is much smaller in scope, some kinds of balance issues always pop up.

I've also been heavily involved with testing War in the East, so I have a reasonable idea of just how difficult balancing a monster scenario can be. People expected that we tested the entire campaign, which just wasn't possible. It would take too long and there would be a large number of new versions before we even got to the first winter.

With some mechanics, you can mathematically predict something will go wrong in some situations. With others, you need to test the consequences first. The replacement system actually falls into the second category here because under normal conditions with a more fluid battlefield, it would be less of an issue. It's mostly a problem here because of the Fixed units and the difference in mobility between the Soviets and Germans.

For WitE, we had a similar problem with the Soviet odds modifier and first winter losses for the Germans: might've worked well on paper, completely unbalanced the game in practice. Sadly, both were included in the game when released and had to be changed later. The simplicity of the logistics system is still causing major balance issues.

Some new features that might help with limiting the impact of the mechanics that currently unbalance the scenario:

-A toggle for determining whether a unit, when Fixed, receives replacements.
(mentioned earlier)-Making the ratio for how many men a vehicle represents a parameter data setting, so it could be set to something like 20:1 instead of 10:1 to remove killer tank stacks and limiting the number of tanks in a hex to a battalion/Tank brigade (still a lot, but better than most of a Panzer division).

Something like no quality fatigue modifier by default or no quality movement modifier when Frozen modifier is active could also help.

Changing the effect weather has on rivers might be tricky, as currently it's an absolute effect where either condition A or B applies, so preventing the Volga from thawing immediately at the first snow turn might not be possible unless the snow turns are changed.

Making the limits of how many men (and equivalents) can be used in an attack and the stacking limit seperate entities would be a radical step, but it would really help the Soviets as well in scenarios where individual German units are big and strong (or can be).

Changes to Soviet mobility would be tricky. Ski and cavalry troops would be most effective if they could always move their T-mode range, but that could cause balance issues (if they'd have ski/horse movement by default). The main thing limiting their usefulness now is that the Germans can move back as soon as they approach, and that they're vulnerable when in T-mode. Due to the time scale, you can't really hit the Germans hard in a single turn in woods, so creating a breakthrough is a slow process and mostly possible if the Germans "cooperate" by not pulling back.

Decreasing German supply, a possibility you mentioned a few months ago IIRC, would reduce replacements, but as the supply value also has an effect on ammunition and fuel, it could also cripple the German capabilities to resist.

Some additional incentives to a "no step back" strategy or a slow withdrawal strategy in the shape of more points for victory locations could also help. Currently, the losses you avoid by retreating and the chance to counterattack it gives you after refitting outweigh the points lost for objectives.

Cutting the current German advantages down a size might actually turn out to be easier than tweaking the large Soviet artillery concentrations.

Anyway, take your time gathering feedback and for the alt version after finishing the current project(s), I'm sure the problematic situations in the campaign will be ironed out in the end.