Have default optional rules changed?

[dto]

Have the default optional rules in PzC changed? Looking at the standard Bulge campaign in Bulge 2.0, the Alt Fire options are recommended, as is Delayed Disruption.

Is there a reason for this? In particular, I'm wondering which options are there strictly for realism (Delayed Disruption) and which actually affect play balance? For example, would including -- or not including -- Alt Fire rules in the vanilla Bulge campaign change the play balance? Are the scenario designers actually recommending that Alt Fire be included?

Michael

[KAreil]

Interested to hear that as well.

Unfortunately the John Tiller games are getting where TOAW3 was when I had a look at it years ago. So many optional rules that it gets really confusing to find the ones intended for each scenario. The Default-Button should do the trick but I don't think it suggests different rules for stock, _alt and _Prucha scenarios.

[rocketman]

This is one factor that has kept me from playing more of the JTS games. It feels unnecessarily unclear. Also the advantage slider, what exactly does it do?

[Green]

This is one factor that has kept me from playing more of the JTS games. It feels unnecessarily unclear. Also the advantage slider, what exactly does it do?

The slider was discussed in another thread recently. Exactly how it works is not clear but here is a rough concept...

The combat calculations for the AI are done normally but the results are increased or decreased by the percentage selected on the slider, depending on whether it is positive or negative. But the final result is still constrained by the normal possible range of results. It has no effect on PBEM.

It will be more complex than that but hopefully that helps.

[Mr Grumpy]

 So many optional rules that it gets really confusing to find the ones intended for each scenario. The Default-Button should do the trick but I don't think it suggests different rules for stock, _alt and _Prucha scenarios.

I agree, I can only wonder at how a gamer who is new to PzC would ever be able to unpick the tangle that the optional rules have got into over the years!

There are two sticky threads at this forum to try to bring some clarity to this subject, I hope they help some.

Unfortunately the "default" button will only select the Opt rules that the title designer decided should be for the standard scenarios, you are correct that the selection will not change if you choose a VM  _alt and _Prucha scenarios, as the designers of these scenarios suggest different opt rules should be used then it is easy to see how it gets confusing. 

[Green]

Interested to hear that as well.

Unfortunately the John Tiller games are getting where TOAW3 was when I had a look at it years ago. So many optional rules that it gets really confusing to find the ones intended for each scenario. The Default-Button should do the trick but I don't think it suggests different rules for stock, _alt and _Prucha scenarios.

The default rules are set at the title level, not the scenario level.

The lack of consistent optional rules across games is in part a consequence of the introduction of these rules over time with no attempt made to bring the default rules of earlier games into line. Balance issues is the supposed reason for this I imagine. But the result is complexity and confusion with differences across games and now even within games due to the inclusion of Mods and the Alt scenarios. Playing more than one game at once using different rules adds to the confusion. And in addition to this you have the problem that many of these rules are not well understood.

It  seems to me that I spend more time discussing optional rules than I do playing these games. Yet, it could be fixed as it was in PzB. When I played these games optional rules were never an issue.

[Green]

Have the default optional rules in PzC changed? Looking at the standard Bulge campaign in Bulge 2.0, the Alt Fire options are recommended, as is Delayed Disruption.

Is there a reason for this? In particular, I'm wondering which options are there strictly for realism (Delayed Disruption) and which actually affect play balance? For example, would including -- or not including -- Alt Fire rules in the vanilla Bulge campaign change the play balance? Are the scenario designers actually recommending that Alt Fire be included?

Michael

There has been no change to the default rules for Bulge. I suspect you are looking at the recommended default rules for the 'Herbstnebel' campaign. This is a Mod and the rules suggested only apply to this Mod.

I would read the article on "The effects of optional rules when used in PzC, MC & FWWC" posted in the Important Threads section above to get a better understanding of the consequences of these rules.

[MichaelT]

The crazy amount of opt rules make it very tough to find new opponents as well. Trying to get agreement on what should be in and what should be out and whether alt or stock or whatever. It's getting very tiresome.

[Mr Grumpy]

The crazy amount of opt rules make it very tough to find new opponents as well. Trying to get agreement on what should be in and what should be out and whether alt or stock or whatever. It's getting very tiresome.

Yup been banging my head against this immovable rock since the Glenn Saunders days, over the years too many different designer's with different ideas of which Opt rules should be selected and an ever expanding list of Opt rules has indeed created a tangle that is hard to unpick even for vet players, let alone new players.


Lots and lots of positives about JTS titles, this is not one of them.............

[dto]

There has been no change to the default rules for Bulge. I suspect you are looking at the recommended default rules for the 'Herbstnebel' campaign. This is a Mod and the rules suggested only apply to this Mod.

I would read the article on "The effects of optional rules when used in PzC, MC & FWWC" posted in the Important Threads section above to get a better understanding of the consequences of these rules.

I just uninstalled Bulge Gold and reinstalled Bulge Gold. The 16_01s --- which I think is the standard campaign -- has Alt Fire and Delayed Disruption checked as default.

Michael