Good and Bad Scenarios

[Big Ivan]

HSL

I too, tend to like the balance more than the historical accuracy. I also tend to like a larger scenario because I feel it gives more options with the forces at hand. With that being said I feel that in the larger scenarios, balance seems to shrink from the forfront and is replace with shear numbers and for me greater enjoyment with all the troops I have at my hands. I can make a couple of mistakes but still have the troops and time to maybe pull something out.

For the system, H2H is the real way to go at least until HAL gets better, but wait, hear me out I have to talk a bit about HAL because he was my first opponent.

As for HAL, I have played a lot against HAL and found the right combination to devastate the computer and send him back to the airwaves almost everytime with everything balanced. HAL to me is not a thinker but a mindless doer. HAL tends to loadup on victory hexes, moves erratically and uses all his smoke and airpower early. He commits tanks first and infantry second and drops artillery in the oddest of places. He has minimal understanding of the power of combined arms and because of that he squanders any advantage he may have. He is not a thinker like a real player. However, he has some redeeming factors too. HAL will tend to close assault when you least want it and he likes to save AP's for op fire. He is not afraid of losses and will lie in wait with an ambush when you really don't want it. I find HAL becomes a little more interesting when I give him an advantage of 5-10%, turn off armor facing and turn on extreme assault.

As for scenarios in general I don't really have an opinion either way of good or bad. When I play a scenario I try and get into the head of the designer and figure out what he/she was trying to do. In that end I have to agree with most here about designing with a bit more forward thinking. For me when I designed "Forty-five clicks to Moscow" I tried to think what will the map look like 5-10-15 turns down the road against equal players. Are the VP hexes in the right place for where I want to be down the road and given that will my forces still be reasonable intact, that in the endgame I have a shot attacking or defending. To often I have seen what looks to be a good scenario at start for an attacker but as its played it becomes painfully aware that VP's with the current force mix just are not attainable. Same is true in reverse for the defender as it relates to holding your ground only to find your outnumbered 4-1 and your positions come crashing down one by one.

Like some I wish I had the time to design more but as was said it can be a lot of work before the first draft is out and every draft after that.

Hats off to those that do the extra work and give us all the extra enjoyment.

Thanks
Ivan the Big:smoke: