Idol Observations

[Larry Reese]

Hey guys,

I've noticed a few things that have caused me some concern in the game lately. Thought I'd mention them here. I'll leave out my constant pet peeve on the abysmal artillery system (no barrages, etc...).

1. I really think it would be nice if the "auto-path" calculations could take into account blocked hexes that are readily visible to the moving side at the beginning of the turn. This is done for mine fields, etc..., and I while there may be some programming esoterica that prevent it from working for blocks, if not, I'd love to see this minor nuisance removed.

2. May be I'm imagining this, but I think the US M3 half-track is considered inferior in performance to the German 251. From a review of the record, in particular testing done on captured models, I do not think this is justified and such performance should be equal or indeed superior (such as road performance).

3. Swim tanks, in particular the German models.... don't get me wrong, I dig having these in the game, but I think they are ridiculously modeled. I've used them in a scenario I designed and found that, as implemented, they can drive straight into the water, move about, drive out anywhere, and continue fighting without a pause. A key point about these tanks is that they were to be deployed from boats/barges after having had an extensive period of time spent equipping them with snorkels, baffles, seals, floats, etc... As currently modeled, this quite lengthy process takes, quite literally, zero time. Moreover, they were quite slow in the water, and could not fire their weapons, etc... or even see where they were going. They were also required to exit the water on a long gentle slope, like a beach. When used on rivers or other stretches of coastline, they should be allowed to exit the water into rough terrain, forest, or even city/town hexes in my opinion. Of course, once they exited the water, it was expected that some time would be taken to inspect, unseal, and generally un-rig the vehicle prior to putting it to use in combat. As currently included in the game they are wildly imbalanced, again, just in my opinion.

Be good all.

LR

[British Tommy]

Good points there Larry concerning those German floating tanks. Compared to the Allies tanks on D Day, those Panzer crews would be kept extremely busy stripping off the water proofing etc before they could climb back inside the tank and head to the frontline. So I fully agree with you, a time penalty or maybe a period the tank is immobilised should apply.

[Jason Petho]

At 0445 hours Sergeant Wierschin advance into the Bug with diving tank No.1. The infantrymen watched him in amazement. The water closed over the tank. ”Playing at U-boats!” Only the slim steel tube which supplied fresh air to the crews and engine showed above the surface, indicating Wierschin’s progress under water. There were also the exhaust bubbles, but these were quickly obliterated by the current.
Tank after tank – the whole of 1st Battalion, 18th Panzer Regiment, under the battalion commander, Manfred Graf Strachwitz – dived into the river.

And now the first ones were crawling up the far bank like mysterious amphibians. A soft plop and the rubber caps were blown off the gun muzzles. The gun-loaders let the air our of the bicycle inner tubes round the turrets. Turret hatches were flung open and the skippers wriggled out. An arm thrust into the air three times: the signal “Tanks forward.”

Eighty tanks had crossed the frontier river under water. Eighty tanks were moving into action.

Jason Petho

[Larry Reese]

Good point Jason, on not needing extensive time to inspect the vehicle and unrig it, but does not really address the amount of time spent prepping the vehicle prior to putting it in the water, the very slow speed, or the inability to exit the water except at long gentle slopes. Can you give the source of the quote? I'd like to take a look.

Oh, and I noticed a typo in my original (late night) post. It should be: they should NOT be allowed to exit the water into rough terrain, forest, or even city/town hexes in my opinion.

And here's two more, just for fun:

4. Hot keys - I'd really like a hot key for "double time." I play and design large scenarios and with massed infantry it takes a long time to click the stack, then move down to the buttons and hit double time, and then move back to the destination. I LOVE the ability to load and unload using the "0" key, saves a lot of time. One for double time would also help.

5. Put special functions in the vehicle description. Right now, for example, if you look at the Russian Maintenance Unit there is nothing to tell you that it can remove wrecks from roads, etc..., unless you've gotten deep into the manual. I've taken to telling players things like that in the scenario briefs, but it would probably be better if a player could hit F2 and in addition to the original "history of the unit" blurb, there would also be a notation that it can remove X number of wrecks from a hex per turn.

6. hmmmm... there was something else right at hand but it slipped my mind at the moment. Oh, this wasn't it, but it might do. I think auto-path may need some tuning with regard to contour heights. Many times in scenarios with significant deltas the auto-path will show I can reach a given hex, but if you try it, the game notes that the contour change is too great. Don't get me wrong, I dig the game and am not fault finding; just trying to help make it more user friendly.

7. It would be really nice if you could add air strikes as "reinforcements." It's unlikely 400 Stukas would all be available simultaneously for strikes on the same turn, while a gradual arrival/availability in the area (especially with a % arrival chance like other reinforcements) makes it a bit more realistic. I know some of the onboard aircraft could be used, but they tend to stay around permanently and appear to have unlimited ammo, etc....

Anyway, just ideas.

LR

[Jason Petho]

Lots of interesting ideas, Larry.

Hitler Moves East is where the quote is from.

Jason Petho