Question on Bulge '44 (custom scenario)

[Brancaleone]

Any of you gentlemen, or those who have already played it, know the optional rules applied to the Bulge_Revived scenario? I don't know which ones to apply (and I don't think the default ones).

I thank everyone for their cooperation.

Cyrus

[Plain Ian]

Any of you gentlemen, or those who have already played it, know the optional rules applied to the Bulge_Revived scenario? I don't know which ones to apply (and I don't think the default ones).

I thank everyone for their cooperation.

Cyrus

Well the scenario is from 2010 I see so the original Default probably didn't have some of the newer Options available in the Gold Menu.

But my guess would be -

Artillery Set Up
Recon Spotting
Virtual Supply Trucks
Quality Fatigue Modifiers
All pretty standard.

Counter Battery. I like this as it adds unpredictability in turns. Germans favoured in #16_01s but US are given a slight advantage in Revived.
Night fatigue. Night Disruption is set to 0% in the Revived parameter file? I would change this to 40%?
Programmed Weather. Not sure about this but I would select it.

Plus

Alternative Assault.
US infantry have decent Hard Attack I see 5/1 in Revived. I've just played #16_01s where the US infantry were 2/1 making them pretty useless. This should help.

Optional Surrender.
A bit controversial maybe. Again I found in #16_01s that trying to hunt down and kill Broken US units was time consuming and spoiled the game. Especially if the US player uses them to block roads, whether accidentally or otherwise. 

Delayed Disruption.
Everyone plays with this now. It adds a bit of unpredictability. Forces German player to make 'risky assaults' and take unexpected losses. However that's what happened in history. Otherwise the Germans roll through the US front line only taking real losses from US artillery. I'd definitely use this is both players are experienced. If novices then leave this off.

 Ian from 'bonnie Dundee'

[Brancaleone]

Any of you gentlemen, or those who have already played it, know the optional rules applied to the Bulge_Revived scenario? I don't know which ones to apply (and I don't think the default ones).

I thank everyone for their cooperation.

Cyrus

Well the scenario is from 2010 I see so the original Default probably didn't have some of the newer Options available in the Gold Menu.

But my guess would be -

Artillery Set Up
Recon Spotting
Virtual Supply Trucks
Quality Fatigue Modifiers
All pretty standard.

Counter Battery. I like this as it adds unpredictability in turns. Germans favoured in #16_01s but US are given a slight advantage in Revived.
Night fatigue. Night Disruption is set to 0% in the Revived parameter file? I would change this to 40%?
Programmed Weather. Not sure about this but I would select it.

Plus

Alternative Assault.
US infantry have decent Hard Attack I see 5/1 in Revived. I've just played #16_01s where the US infantry were 2/1 making them pretty useless. This should help.

Optional Surrender.
A bit controversial maybe. Again I found in #16_01s that trying to hunt down and kill Broken US units was time consuming and spoiled the game. Especially if the US player uses them to block roads, whether accidentally or otherwise. 

Delayed Disruption.
Everyone plays with this now. It adds a bit of unpredictability. Forces German player to make 'risky assaults' and take unexpected losses. However that's what happened in history. Otherwise the Germans roll through the US front line only taking real losses from US artillery. I'd definitely use this is both players are experienced. If novices then leave this off.

 Ian from 'bonnie Dundee'

Thank you very much for the information provided.

Best Regards

Cyrus

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

IMO, Artillery Set Up should be used in scenarios that are 20+ turns. The smaller scenarios don't leave much room to use if you have to move them forward.

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

Virtual or Explicit Supply could go either way. However, the games are a different animal. Either is good.

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.

[Plain Ian]

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'.

[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).