Big scenarios, check them out before playing

[AGRICOLA]

When I get a new scenario, I want to investigate any new and unfamiliar units, city improvements and rules. I don't want to start a long game without thoroughly understanding the ground rules. Therefore, when starting big scenarios like Red Front, 2194 Days or WWIIEuro for the very first time I find it a huge bore to have to watch the AI go through the moves for the other "countries" when I have no intention of continuing the game.

If you feel the same way, you can avoid having to watch the AI by picking the right country for yourself when you start a scenario for the first time. The country you want is the one that the AI starts to move first. Do the following :

1. Start the scenario as any country.
2. If the AI doesn't start moving units go step 6, otherwise go to the next step.
3. Note which country the AI starts to move.
4. Use "Control-Alt-Delete" and whatever else it takes to get out of the game immediately.
5. Re-start the scenario as the country the AI started to move.
6. You're now in the scenario and free to use CHEAT and SET HUMAN PLAYER to check things out for whatever country you intend to play when you actually start the game.

By doing this you have to watch the AI do its thing only when you are ready to start a game.

 

[Legions4Ever]

but dont you need to watch the AI move to see what cities it captures in Red Front? 2194 is not that bad of a wait anyways but i do see what you are talking about as I have been bored to death in Red Front trying to chance all 6000000 of my russian cities productions then watching the germans throw unit after unit at my fortifications.....oh well.

 

[AGRICOLA]

Regarding your comments about Red Front, I downloaded it about a month ago, took a look at it and decided to leave it until this summer when I will have time but no Internet. What you say sounds interesting.

Actually, if the AI gets to move before you do, I don't think there is anything you can do to reinforce (or evacuate, or sell city improvements etc.) the cities that are going to be attacked. You simply have to grin and bear it.

My concern has been to find out at the beginning whether a scenario is "quirky" and requires non-standard strategy for successful play. Some quirks can be so major that they completely alter the whole game. Here's an example of an excellent scenario that has some unexpected features.

The following is a slightly edited version of an E-mail I sent to Harlan Thompson after checking out his WWIIeurope scenario. Unfortunately, I never did get a reply.

1. Is this supposed to be a non-nuclear scenario? At the start all 3 major powers have End Tech (other) which makes atomic bombs and ICBM's obsolete (i.e. you can develop the technology but cannot build the unit). Consequently, only the minor states can actually go nuclear. The README file suggests that nukes should be in play.

2. Is the Katuysha supposed to be a land-bound cruise missile with a range of 16 (movement = 4 and treats all squares as roads)? I would consider it equivalent to artillery, movement = 1 and no special off-road capability.

3. Why do Allied ships have +3 movement due to two Wonders? Should the Wonders be "lost" for balance?

4. Is there any chance that the Tiger and Panther tanks have been reversed, both in performance and prerequisite technology? Tiger was the heavy armor with low movement, Panther was the medium tank built as a response to the Russian T-34.

5. I think I understand the reasons for the historically incorrect and greatly exaggerated ranges for the Lancaster, Mosquito and the Flying Fortress: strategic bombing is required to balance the scenario regardless of whether the Allies retain any bases in Europe or Africa. In reality, even a B-29 could not reach Europe from North America. However, I do not see why the P-51 Mustang is a long range bomber that can also attack aircraft in flight rather than a pure fighter or why the Mosquito can attack aircraft in flight.

6. If the Axis steal Invasion Tech as the vital missing link in developing the Bomb, shouldn't they also be able to build Transports? As things stand, Landing Craft become obsolete once Submarine Advances is dicovered early in the game and the Axis cannot build any units for an amphibious operation.

7. There seem to be only 5 cities in North America where tech can be stolen rather than 6.

8. Although grassland and plains are not supposed to be transformable, putting a couple of engineers to work transforming them results in coal + river which has a 250% defense bonus. A nice surprise, excellent for city squares and other defensive positions.
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With this information in hand it is not difficult to devise a winning approach at the Deity level. Forget about research and building any naval units except landing craft. Sell all sewers, aqueducts and courthouses. Use the extra cash to rush build units, disbanding your existing ~200 outdated, weak and useless units as "starters". Build 88mm guns (clearly the "boss" unit for both defending against aircraft and for attacking cities), stormtroopers (fanatics, no support needed) for defense, JU 88 bombers for defensive stacks, engineers to transform terrain and a few spies. The ground units need not be highly mobile as there is an adequate RR network nearly everywhere.

Interestingly, because of geography and the need to avoid two active fronts the military strategy in the game tends to closely follow the sequence that many military writers have suggested should have been used by the Axis. The key element is that the Russian front is entirely defensive until Europe and Asia have been cleared of all but the Neutrals.

 

[Redcoat]

After spending about 1 hour on turn one of Red Front I realised that the scenario would take up more time in my life than I am willing to give. In design terms it is quite impressive however I am not a huge fan of controlling upwards of 200 cities at the start of a game. I can't see myself ever taking the time to complete this as it just gets so boring.

 

[AGRICOLA]

I understand your sentiments about managinging 200 cities and an even larger number of units but what one plays obviously comes down to what one finds to be both fun and challenging. I think that one of the great attractions of the CIV games is that they cater both to those who like to build civilizations as well as those who prefer military strategy and tactics.

Excepting small map games and small scenarios, the need to manage a large number of cities and units is inevitable as your civilization grows and/or your military power increases. You simply have to choose whether to have your poison now or later.

It seems to me that after years of playing CIV I and II, building innumerable civilizations and gradually optimizing playing techniques one reaches the stage where the outcome of a game against the AI at any level is almost a certainty. Personally, I got thoroughly tired of managing slow-moving units bashing their heads against city walls, it just didn't agree with my preference for Blitzkrieg (i.e. scenarios).

The one thing I like about scenarios is that they can make it a very desperate game for the player. From the comments I have seen in CFC, Red Front is evidently particularly difficult although, as you point out, very slow to play.

If I may make a suggestion, try playing the WWII scenario that comes with the CIVII MGE. If you don't have it, maybe someone knows of a download site. Play Spain at Deity level. It's a challenge because you are economically and scientifically backward and surrounded by very bloodthirsty neighbours. Initially at least, it is a small scenario with less than a dozen cities and few units. Treat it as a bloodlust scenario because when the defined scenario ends, the miserable handful of Spanish units will still be picking oranges in the hills around Valencia.

 

[Redcoat]

I agree that scenarios offer more of a challenge and they are generally more intresting to play. My favourite was the Jules Verne Scenario that was included in Fantastic Worlds. I will try out the WW2 scenario with your setings and see how it plays.