The Third World War 1989

[AnthonyBoscia]

Warsaw Pact tanks got an offensive bonus which makes them tougher on the attack. The AI proclivity to blitz with damaged units on the attack parallels Soviet doctrine of continuing the offensive regardless of casualties until relieved or rendered hors de combat. NATO airpower was the great bogeyman in Soviet planning, which they regarded as the greatest threat to conducting a successful offensive. Because of the Civ III limits, the preferred method of countering NATO airpower by relentless assault against the MOBs is not possible. Best bet in game is to overrun them and stack air defense units in large piles to increase the chance of shooting down stealth-attack aircraft. Beyond that, all unit abilities can be altered in the biq as you choose, or movement after paradropping can be enabled, in which case the game becomes a cakewalk for the Warsaw Pact. Unit availability can also be modded in the biq.

 

[Lionic]

It is turn 19 and I can now say that Soviets got much stronger. Fighting takes place around Spanish border and the Soviet Union still advances in a large tank formation which is largely composed of units that were there in the beginning of a scenario--including lots of T-64's. During the previous games from stabilised somewhere around Paris with all prewar tank formations gone by then.

 

[Lionic]

Tony, what is People's Republic of the Rhine is based on? Why isn't it just a reunification of Germany under the "rightful" East German banner?

 

[AnthonyBoscia]

It is based on conjecture. I find it unthinkable that the Soviet Union would allow reunification, even if it did dominate both halves. A united Germany would be the dominant economic and industrial powerhouse of Europe, as it indeed has become since 1991. Such a construct would be anathema to Soviet leadership. The marshals of 1989 remembered well what happened in 1941 from their own experience. Best to have two Germanies, both in competition with one another. And of course the Federal Republic would be ransacked and its industry shipped east as compensation for the enormous economic strain that such a war would place on the Soviet bloc. Divide et impera.

As far as the name, it is pure fantasy on my part. I would guess the Soviet leadership would want a socialist West Germany to have its power base far from Berlin (with Hamburg as middle ground) and Cologne or nearby seems logical enough.

 

[Rathvilly]

Hi, was just testing the new version as France using Flintlock. Just wondering if the config file for the scenario is correct re city razing. Started a game and after 10 turns noticed all of West Germany had been demolished. Started afresh and changed the settings, just not sure if you intended this? Really enjoying this version - much tougher - about 20 turns in ...

 

[AnthonyBoscia]

Rathvilly, thanks for posting that. I created a new zip file and uploaded it. Definitely not intended. Something went wrong with the config file at the 11th hour and I thought something like this might pop up. It is correct now and for those of you who have downloaded the mod already, it's a simple change in the config from false to true for no-raze.

Let me know how it goes for France. If you made it 20 turns, I think the worst is over for you. I played as Spain and got completely overrun. I had actually deleted the French reserve units during development but added them back in because half the country was empty. I never did find a satisfactory way for France to win by space race, though.

 

[Rathvilly]

Ha - well I only lasted another four turns - ran out of defenders, and had no offensive punch left to hit enemy stacks (stealthed away I think), cities started falling so I retired! Commenced another game without flintlock and after another gruelling 25 or so turns was able to hit back - now helped by Spain and later Italy. The big difference is that I still had some offence left - could shift from city to city. Was on track to reclaiming the west when the game crashed on turn 58 - not sure why (just a 'conquests has encountered a problem'), possibly a unit problem somewhere? Anyway - this version is really good, turn times fast, and the Warsaw Pact really packs a punch. Will try again with flintlock as it makes the game way more dynamic (maybe I'll pick someone further away from the 'action'). Bother games were Major-General level, though this probably doesn't make too much of a difference.