Question on Bulge '44 (custom scenario)

[Brancaleone]

Optional Surrender should not be used.  You made the mess, you clean it up.

I pretty much don't care what rules are used except Locking Zones of Control.  I refuse to believe unit can be blocked in that large of an area by even a squad.  They are usually a squad or platoon that patrolled the area.  Not enough to block the area.  Kill that rule, I'll play anything you want.  Can't speak for others, but, I think it is more realistic without it.  Units are always active trying to find a gap.

Optional Surrender. Yep I would agree with that sentiment. The Germans do have an awful lot of artillery especially Nebelwerfers so its tempting to over board against the US company sized units which can break quickly. However in #16.01s German VG Battalions cannot break down so tidying up Broken units can be difficult even if it is your own fault for creating them. Nothing worse than having a Broken unit hiding in the woods recover to Disrupted and then move next to your rear area artillery.......

I don't think many players use Locking ZOC where you can't move at all ZOC to ZOC. In Bulge Revived German VG Battalions can break down so I would be tempted to remove ZOC altogether by not ticking Locking ZOC and changing the ZOC Movement Multiplier from 0 to 1 and allow units a bit more 'tactical movement'.

I believe that the "fluid" zone of control is more reliable than the locked one. In fact, one of the first times I've played Sicily '43, I was able to see in, with a lot of wonder, how a platoon or even the equivalent of a squad of 5-6 men of the Italian coastal defense with no morale can stop two British battalions of His Majesty's Army, or that a couple of tanks L6 manage to block the movement of 40 Sherman. As Outlaw Josey Wales rightly says, over a distance of 1 km you can't see how a small group of men (almost unarmed) can scare 600 or more fighters armed to the teeth and ready for anything . I fully approve idea of changing the ZOC Movement Multiplier from 0 to 1 (It could be valid in many scenarios in which it is possible to break battalions into companies and in many games of the PZC series, not only Bulge).