Some questions for Volcano Man

[Elxaime]

VM - some questions on your new unit values for your alt scenarios and the design decisions behind them:

Since the Campaign Series (CS) models tactical combat scale and PzC models grand tactical/operational scale, how did you address some possible issues? To wit:

A. A CS unit will generally be composed of just that unit, e.g. a platoon of recon tanks, whereas a recon tank unit in PzC may be composed of a mixed force of recon tanks, motorized infantry, a antitank platoon, some light artillery and even a few medium tanks. Wouldn't giving the PzC recon unit the values for a CS recon platoon cause distortions in unit capability?

B. In CS scale, line of sight is modelled at the tactical scale. Due to this, direct fire units will rarely engage at their maximum, or even medium, ranges due to intervening terrain features. In PzC, since you are using the larger scale, a "clear" terrain hex is abstracted somewhat - e.g. it is likely not flat as a billiard table but for playability it is assumed you can see across it to the next hex. But won't porting over the longer ranges of some of the CS units (and I am thinking here the heavy tanks and larger AT guns) to PzC give them an unrealistic ability to stand off and engage from distance?

C. Regarding lowering the artillery hard attack values, I have a similar question to A., above. In CS, when you fire on a platoon of Panther V's with artillery, when you are firing at the Panthers (assuming nothing else is in the hex of course) you can assume certain target characteristics that would lower the likelihood of knocking out those tanks. In PzC, that battalion of Panther tanks may represent not only the tanks, but also some of the "soft" command and control and supply elements. While a barrage of Soviet 76mm artillery on that battalion may knock out few, if any Panthers, the effect of that barrage may cause sufficient distraction and damage to soft elements to merit a "D" result and also fatigue. But in your new system of unit values, a low hard attack strength for artillery means that Panther battalion will also suffer fewer disruptions and fatigue.

D. On the increased artillery soft attack values, there may be a similar issue. In CS, when a barrage hits an infantry unit in the open, it generally has a drastic effect. As CS players know, the way you deal with enemy artillery is to: 1) disperse your troops; 2) keep moving so the enemy can't zero in. In PzC, with 1 km hexes, you can assume that within the hex the targeted infantry unit is doing the same thing to try and reduce losses - dispersal and avoidance. Porting over the soft attack values of CS artillery scoring a direct hit may overstate the impact of that same artillery unit on a PzC infantry battalion.

E. Lower hard defense values for armored cars and open-topped or light tanks. I understand the rationale for lowering their hard defense values on a CS scale. But again, at the tactical level there was a tactic the owner of these units could use - shoot and scoot, mobility to get out of tight places, etc. The CS system had some limits here, since the way the turn was structured still meant armored cars had very low survivability. But if you port over these low armor defense values to PzC, you may be making these units unrealistically vulnerable, especially given the longer and deadlier ranges for medium/heavy tanks and AT guns. These recon/light armor units are also reduced to scrap by Stukas and Sturmoviks whenever they appear, given the overall deadlier nature of the way PzC models air support vs. the more random model used in CS. Under the new lower hard defense values, the recon cars/tanks and light/open-topped armor don't seem to have any real use except to provide VPs to the enemy. Their attributes of speed and manouverability, which gave them some survivability at CS scale, are lost at PzC scale.

Wonderful work as always in your new alternative system, and I salute you for your efforts. These questions are meant not as criticism, but only to raise some issues. You may have already considered these, but it would be great to hear your thoughts.

Tolbukin, aka Elxaime