On Tactics and Turns

[Jeff Conner]

There are a couple of different things I am reading here. One is that the scenarios, without any specifics, are too short. This leads to a bias against the attacker. While I don't really think this is the case, someone could go through the scenario stats and see how many times the first side wins. While the first side is not always the attacker, this is usually the case.

The second thing I am hearing is that the scenarios are designed so that the only option the attacking player has is to conduct a frontal assault. There is not enough time for the attacker to try a feint or some kind of flank attack. This might have some merit, but is probably very scenario specific. One of the problems with changing this is that with the addition of even just a couple of turns, the play balance can be thrown off when the attacker does conduct a frontal assault. I think one of the skills needed to be a good SB player is to be able to figure out how the designer thinks you should attack (and defend for that matter) a position including the potential risks and gains of different options.

The last thing I am hearing is that the scenarios are not big enough and don't have any flexibility. I personally don't care for huge scenarios, but the biggest problem I see with them is playtesting. Playtesting time is almost always at a premium and there is rarely enough to test a monster. I don't think any of the designers really want to release a scenario that hasn't had someone else look at it and provide feedback. Then this discussion would be about something else. Another problem with large (and usually long) scenarios is that it is not really possible to put together competent AI scripts when there are so many possible options. Market research suggests that the majority of people who purchase these products only play against the AI and so an adequate script is important. As for the flexibility, that just is not possible with the current editors. If you want a game with variable deployment and strength, you are going to have to create it yourself, most likely with the help of an umpire. I think this would make for a good game and I believe I even offered to set one up in the past (but was not taken up on my offer), but I don't have the time to do that now.

I think I have mentioned it before, but I intended to make a brigade level scenario for Falklands that combined all of the battalion level assaults on the Outer Defense Ring into one scenario. I ran out of time and there would have been no opportunity for playtesting. I will try and get that scenario completed, mainly because I think it might make a good team game.

Jeff