SPMBT campaign proposition! (long post but worthy)

[SaSTrooP]

OK folks, it is rather quiet here indeed. I was though talking to some friends of mine and players I play or played in the past, and some are interested. I am going to explain my idea here, publicly, in order to get some attention.


At first, before I will proceed to the concept, I want to inform you: I STRONGLY BELIEVE I CAN DO IT AND I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH ACTIVITY ALREADY.

I am saying that to assure these will not be empty words only.

My vision is to organize a at least 2vs2, possibly 3vs3 (but more the better) campaign for SPMBT, but it will not be a campaign like a tournament, but a long and complicated set of scenarios connected to each other via strategic situation both sides shall change with their actions and decisions.
I dont know if anything like that was organized here before, I dont know the details about SPWW2 campaign that were in motion not long ago.

It will be either 1985 or 1989 in Europe, where a war breaks out after Gorbatchev is ousted in a coup and Soviet leadership wants to prevent the country going into ruin by starting a conventional war, aimed at capturing some key positions across Europe and influence it more. Besides, a martial law can be declared in USSR and hawk lobby in Moscow would be able to purge pro-reform activists without hesitation.
This political aspect does not interest us, really, as we are the commanders of both sides involved.

Depending on the number of players, two variants of the campaign are proposed:
- Big one: strategic map is divided into fronts (Scandinavia, Germany North and Denmark, Germany South and Alps of Austria and Italy, Black Sea region of Turkey and Greece), for each turn players choose or dice decides where do we focus out actions for some time.
- Small one: strategic map consists only of Germany in its entirety, an Austria and Denmark.

So now finally about how to play it:

Who do I search for:
- Players of any experience
- Members of Blitz and normal players
- People DEVOTED to this game, that WILL NOT resign and they are sure they have enough time for fine tempo, I guess at least 1 turn per 2 days
- People not afraid of big scenarios, regiment/brigade scaled, with 300+ units quite often

What way the campaign will work:
1. Each side choose itself a leader or goes for democracy.
2. Sides are provided a map with provinces, most likely taken from other games, let it be Hearts of Iron maybe.
3. Each side is provided with OOB, modelled after real life units stationing nearby by that era. Formations are 1:1 sized as for unit construction (so Brigade is a brigade), however - for playability reasons - strategic forces are limited (some divisions are cut short to brigade only etc.).
4. Sides are deploying formations on map. Some formations will be available after certain amount of turns, so they will have to be sent in as reinforcements.
5. Sides are commanding the forces, ordering them to whatever is possible to be done in this game, like attacking, defending, delaying, digging in or retreating.
6. Such orders made on map are analysed for SPMBT world and a game between 2 players is set. The more players the more games go simultaneously.
7. Players recreate these formations basing on OOBs and are playing on basic security mode. After the end of the scenario casualties of both sides are tested and units lost are excluded from future fights with these units, so you need to be very careful and avoid unnecessary casualties.
8. From time to time a refit is possible for a formation.
9. Air force is simulated by Air Force Pool for each front, number of air sorties is dice rolled for every battle, following the analysis of tactical situation in the province.
10. After certain amount of turns or battles or objectives completed one side is declared a victor, otherwise we declare a draw.

Random events will be likely to happen each turn.
We shall use generated or custom maps, players set up scenario on their own after short discussion with Game Master.
Game master could be me, in this case (because I want to also take part) I will refuse to take any decisioning regarding tactics, I will purely command in battles and neutrally analyse tactical situation.

Actually, except decision making process, the only thing players must do is to carefully recreate their forces for PBEM game, choose a correct map and well... play. What I need to mention is I strongly urge for quick gaming pace since battles are simultaneous and we should not allow ourselves some delays.

In case number of players is odd, we discuss who is having a break OR who can play 2 battles at once, if its possible.

I am ready to do some map scouting, custom maps comparison and I am ready to prepare OOBs.


Please, tell me what are your experiences with stuff like that, what do you generally thing and definitely inform me by any means necessary if you wish to take part. I hope we will find good players and maybe reactivate SPMBT scene around.

Thank you for reading!

[Vesku]

Sounds like fun, count me in.

This is similar to Combat Campaigns from the past, I hope you have more detailed rules for a victory and what that will mean on the strategic map because OP didn't have much detail on that.

[IainF]

Hello,

I'm brand new to this site/club and quite new to SPMBT (but have been wargaming for years so not a complete noob).

I'm really interested in taking part in this and have all the time in the world at the moment so can promise I'll be in it for the long haul!

Cheers,

Iain

[SaSTrooP]

@IainF - you are welcome if you want to try and you are sure you gonna like it. I suggest you try to play a single huge scenario before though.

@Vescu - Several variants can be taken into cosideration:
1. Wargame like - in Wargame, they made it by assigning Morale Points to you. Destruction of enemy formations and completing objectives raised the morale points of one side and lowered the second.
2. Purely by number of controlled provinces minus formations destroyed.
3. (I recommend that one) Simply by unspecified analysis of ending situation. How many formations are combat capable given war would rage onwards, the territory that was secured, but also a shape of it (eg. success in one corridor could easily result in envelope). Generally it should be clearly visible who won and if its not then we should go for a draw.

What do you think?

[Weasel]

Wow, very ambitious idea you have there. I can't say if I would play or not at this point, I am more into CM2 right now, but would let you know when the time came.

I noted you said you were going to have Blitz and non-Blitz playing, how are you going to record for the ladder?

I know there was a WW2 grand campaign done long ago but it seemed to bounce back and forth each round, basically the front stayed static for the most part and then the campaign died a slow death.

[Vesku]

@Vescu - Several variants can be taken into cosideration:
1. Wargame like - in Wargame, they made it by assigning Morale Points to you. Destruction of enemy formations and completing objectives raised the morale points of one side and lowered the second.
2. Purely by number of controlled provinces minus formations destroyed.
3. (I recommend that one) Simply by unspecified analysis of ending situation. How many formations are combat capable given war would rage onwards, the territory that was secured, but also a shape of it (eg. success in one corridor could easily result in envelope). Generally it should be clearly visible who won and if its not then we should go for a draw.

What do you think?

I would pick 1 and 3, it's better to have several ways to victory than one.

[SaSTrooP]

@Weasel - in fact, there is a one non-Blitz player so far, but I havent asked anyone on Shrapnel Games. If we assume just one person from outside stays, how do you recommend to solve it? How does ladder calculate such campaign? Because majority of the battles will obviously be unbalanced.

@Vescu - I think I could connect these two, way no 3 first. If there is no clear effect, we take morale points into consideration.

[Weasel]

@Weasel - in fact, there is a one non-Blitz player so far, but I havent asked anyone on Shrapnel Games. If we assume just one person from outside stays, how do you recommend to solve it? How does ladder calculate such campaign? Because majority of the battles will obviously be unbalanced.

If the game involves a Blitz vs Non-Blitz then it shouldn't be reported against the ladder, however, if the campaign gets off the ground I will see about reporting the games that don't involve a Blitz player being reported against the Sp tournament player instead. I will have to weigh the pros and cons to those playing against other Blitz players first.

The Sp ladder only records battles, if you want to come up with something else let me know and I will see what I can do on my end. You may want to set phases and calculate points for each victory level instead, so lets say 5 battles make up phase 1 and to get an OW win the player must score 2000 pts, if he does he gets an OW against the SP tournament player.

[low_bidder]

You might want to check and see if Double Duce is still around. He ran a campaign just like this back in the day (late 90's IIRC). SP1 Soviet vs German in mid '43. I helped him build the maps for it. It sounds pretty good and my hat is in the ring. I can help with the nuts and bolts if needed and/or wanted.
I'm sure Mr. Murphy has something ugly just waiting to be stepped on. Ol' DD might be able to provide a worms eye preview of the pitfalls. Then again he just might want to play.

---

saS troop....Private?
You have been around so long I remember Horatius yelling at you for smudging his armor after the bridge thingie.
You get busted? Court-martialed for stealing Jadpanzer's Stalin III?

[SaSTrooP]

OK, I more or less get it, I am hard to tell you how its gonna look like in this part. I presume victory conditions to Blitz ladder will be the last thing to be done and I believe it may be solved when campaign is already on the move. Before that its going to be just a wind guess.

Out of the other things: how secret info for one of the sides was solved in previous campaign? Because I wonder if I should ask for some kind of subforums or I should complete everything via Email adresses of people interested.

I will allow myself to list all interested so far:
1. SaS TrooP (as mentioned, I can connect a GM function with a player barred from any planning phase)
2. Wulfir
3. Vescu
4. Edek (non-Blitz)
5. Viriato
6. IianF (a newcomer though, I am still considering this more as reserve entry)
7. Low_Bidder (BTW, I am sorry for the last battle. Few weeks ago I found your old save you sent after like a month break. I must have missed it by that time already ;/)


@Low-Bidder - I was around, but was not taking that much battles. I do not tend to write if I don't have to :P