New PBEM adaptation of TGW-Div 1.6: Playtesting!

[Cyc]

Tried to get this out sooner, but couldn't.


Russian diplomats sign an ROP with the Neutrals plus send ROP offers to the Italians, the British, and the French.

General Brusilov disembarks from the railway and charges South to attack the Austrian Inf. accompanied by a Calvalry unit. The two units were atop a hill South of Lublin and were about to pillage a road and a mine. When the dust cleared, the Austrian Inf unit was decimated. The Cav unit untouched. Brusilov, suffering minor injuries, fell back to regroup.

In Warsaw, a Prussian A Inf unit was spotted on Coal Hill North of the city. Light Artillery fired upon it, but to no avail.
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In France, Italy offers Strategic Minerals with an ROP in return for a French ROP and some Rubber. Russia offers an ROP which is accepted. The French also donate 1000 gold to the Russian cause. The Brits offer an ROP, which is also accepted. And finally, an ROP is set up with the Neutrals.

The French Artillery in Nancy shell the Prussian troops South of Metz wounding a Vet A Inf unit (4/5), two Aeties failed to hit, as did the Trench Artie. The 155mm cannon were a different story. Each hit wounding 2 Vet A Inf (2/5) and (4/5) and a Reg I Armee (2/4).

A note to Italy - Please check on the shipment of Rubber.

gps to Tigranes.

 

[Tigranes]

British Cavalry makes a round trip across the entire France. Where are Portuguese, did the French saw them around Bordeaux? French front looks very formidable, it is unlikely any German army will be able to break through. Englishmen were especially pleased with Observation Balloon (Radar Tower) deployed by French near Nancy, which helps to increase defense and offense in 2 square radius by 25% ( overlapping with 2 Balloons has no effect though). Pressure them hard, mesdames et messieurs!

In Belgium Germans could not even capture Liege yet! Wow, Schlieffen Plan appears to run out of schedule, especially compared with how Lancelot (another player from Germany ) was able to capture Calais during the veryweek in the old PBEM version.

Bravo, Belgium!

BEF deploys in Belgium, thanks to RoP with France and Neutrals. Next week can bring some action. 2 Combat Engineers are sent to Italy and helping with roads there. Unfortunately they cannot do anything else. Trenches and barbed wire require Iron (think about it like troops cannot build long time fortifications without constant supply of ammunition, represented by Iron), but in France BEF has no base with Iron and British culture. Perhaps in final version it would make sense to "lend" one French city (Calais) to British and put the Iron on the tile, in order to simulate supply base.


Scapa Flow awaits 2 Coastal submarines to reach the Fleet Base, and the only place where veteran units and upgrades can be made. We also need to hook that oil to upgrade coastal submarines(they sink in sea and ocean) to the regular submarines (they sink in ocean, but not sea). Only German can build Ocean going submarines in this adaptation with their Germaniawerft "resource" located in Kiel.

The Grand Fleet with Iron Duke being a flagship and John Jelicoe being C. in C. blocks German waters and awaits High Seas Fleet. No unit, except for the immobile minefield at the Thames Estuary, can see submarines and coastal submarines yet (no hydrophones developed), so the only anti-submarine measure available to the ships is to zig-zag, trying to scan every available tile in hopes of ramming the nasty sharks of the North Sea. In order to build a Room 40 Wonder, which will give strategic advantage to the Grand Fleet by increasing MP of all the ships by 1, Brits need an Elite Naval Unit. So British sailors eagerly awaiting actions!


In Atlantic we continue the search for German raiders. In addition to the light cruiser Karlsruhe Germans can deploy merchant raiders (transports), if they invest some money in rushing transports at German Imports. With attack 1 they still can sink sometimes Neutral and British Transports, adding 90 point the the Central Power's Victory Point piggy bank.

No news from Egypt. In Kuwait our Gunmen has destroyed a road toward Kuwait City. Workers in Gibraltar are busy in hooking the coal, so that we could build a transport and send some workers to establish a Colony on the top of the Strategic Minerals in Algeria. This will later allow us to build some mines in Egypt.

Home Front reports that 3rd Corp under General (future Fieldmarshal) Plumer has been rushed in London, for the investment of 5000 gold. British Public is astonished with such a crzy spendings, but Kitchner explains that Britain needs a Military Headquaters in the top shield producing city after the capital. Not only it will reduce corruption and allow veteran units to be trained and upgraded, it also will produce invisible Agents each 10 turns, which can bring a lot of harm to Centrals and even detect invisible units. "Germany could beat us with their Military Headquaters available right away",-- explained the supreme Warlord.

 

[Tigranes]

Major breakthrough on Isonzo front! Italians have discovered a weak trench in Austrian defenses guarded by 2 Reserve Divisions with defense 8 (compare it with Active Div defense 11 and Tirol Fortress Garrisons with defense 14). After the bombardment veteran Corps under Diaz and Cordoba attack trenches in the fierce bayonet attack and getting redlined are able to overcome defenders. The foothold in Austrian Istria has been established!

Near Bari Italian mine fails to cause any significant damage to the old Austrian battleships.

Unfortunately French-Italian deal on Rubber, Oil and Strategic Minerals did not go through! Bureaucrats are everywhere, even during the War time! It is also a fault of Civ 3 confusing diplomatic interface designers, no doubts. Vittorio Orlando, still a Minister of Justice in 1914, designs a new plan. During the week 32 French will get RoP request. All they need to do is to hit Accept 2 times. Then they can offer Italy Rubber and if available , Oil.

After this deal is done Italy can send Strategic Materials, if French really need them. Orlando argues that for right now mines in Adriatic Sea are more important for the Entente than French Naval Mines, or the 210 mm guns French will produce only after they discover the War on Land tech. Private email will resolve that matter. Sharing means caring, but one needs to decide the right timing!

 

[Cyc]

Major breakthrough on Isonzo front! Italians have discovered a weak trench in Austrian defenses guarded by 2 Reserve Divisions with defense 8 (compare it with Active Div defense 11 and Tirol Fortress Garrisons with defense 14). After the bombardment veteran Corps under Diaz and Cordoba attack trenches in the fierce bayonet attack and getting redlined are able to overcome defenders. The foothold in Austrian Istria has been established!

Congrats!

Unfortunately French-Italian deal on Rubber, Oil and Strategic Minerals did not go through! Bureaucrats are everywhere, even during the War time! It is also a fault of Civ 3 confusing diplomatic interface designers, no doubts.

No, actually the initial deal went through just fine, although I only sent rubber. At the end of the turn I checked my trade screen and was so thrilled that I could actually trade with another country (I really don't like the "land only" trading) that I clicked on my only available trade partner -> "The Kingdom of...." . When Orlando appeared, I knew I had just eliminated the prior deal. That's why I asked that it be checked. If you just resend the original, we can get this thing going again without having to take several turns.

 

[Tigranes]

Road only trade may seem to be annoying, but it gives lots of benifits too, especially when one wants to keep recource availability under the tight control, like in this scenario. You don't want to see Alexandria rushing Iron Dukes for example. The Map has several resources which can be connected via colonies, simulating the effort it takes to organize the Home Front. On it's Part Germany really benefeted from Bulgaria's entry into the War, since the direct rail link was established with Ottomans. Germany was also suffering from dependency on oil during the WW1, which was the reason Hitler made sure to ally with Romania before the WW2.

If you don't mind, just offer the rubber this turn, and we will talk about Minerals.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

not applicable, turn replayed differently due to save file corruption.

 

[Tigranes]

German scouts outside of Esbjerg (I forgot to mention that I captured this Danish town last week in the my previous report)

I thought in our emails we have agreed on the only house rule for these game -- Only Agents can operate on the LAND in Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Holland...

I ask to abandon (raze) the said city and move troops out of Neutral Denmark! Some Danes fought for Germany, but mainly those who were living near the borders. I did my best to lock the access to "Real" Neutrals (see the map on page 1), how did you get there anyway?

 

[Cyc]

Russians accept the French ROP and 1000 gold. The Austrians have retreated, but have also brought more Infantry to thier border. The Germans have moved West. All quiet on the Western Front.
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French accept the Italian ROP and send the first shipment of Rubber. German troops have retreated from the French border. Typical. 2 Artillery shell the Iron Hill SW of Metz, but fail to hit the road. 155mm also hits nothing, but the second 155mm takes out the rail to the Iron mine. Then Artillery takes out the road. In the cow pastures South of Metz, a 155mm takes out the mine in a single shot. Then a Trench Artie takes out the RR in the cowpasture, while another takes out the road. More shelling SW of Stausberg destroys a mine SW of the city. A Trench Artie destroys a mine West of the city.

Observation Planes head into Neutral air space to discover German troop movement. Then make an emergency landing close to Brussels to let the British Embassy know of the more than twenty German units (to include mostly A Infantry, 4 Elite Guard Infantry, and some R Inf.with 2 Cav units. They were also towing some Artillery and were at the Liege city limits. Southern Obseration Planes returned to base and contacted Italy via Morse Code to inform them that except for Garrison and patrol, all was clear from Metz to Munich and to Trent.

gps to Tigranes

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

I thought in our emails we have agreed on the only house rule for these game -- Only Agents can operate on the LAND in Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Holland...

I ask to abandon (raze) the said city and move troops out of Neutral Denmark! Some Danes fought for Germany, but mainly those who were living near the borders. I did my best to lock the access to "Real" Neutrals (see the map on page 1), how did you get there anyway?

Hi Tigranes,

My agent is not operating in Denmark. I was referring to my marine that was in Esbjerg plus the destroyer patrols I have in the area. I guess I forgot that we should not invade Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Holland. I can withdraw my troops and give the city back to Denmark?

 

[Cyc]

I believe that rule should only apply to the Allies. Jeez, Germany is at war with the Neutrals. You keep saying how you want to make this game historically accurate, yet you want to hog-tie Germany to attacking only the nations you choose. Doesn't make sense. I can see how beating the AI would be easier than attcking a human, but obviously that is the Kaiser's only viable option. If we want to protect the Neutrals, we need to do it with our troops, not our directives.

The Allies trapsing across Neutral territory would undoubtably bring the enemy in to confront us, so... no Allies in the Neutrals makes sense. But when the Neutrals declare war on Germany, they are opening up a can of worms they have to deal with. Fair is fair.

 

[Tigranes]

Agents are special "spy" units you will get after you build Military Headquarters (in 10 turns)
You won't be able to talk to neutrals. Generally we agree not to raze cities but in this case we just have to right click and abandon city, basically disengage with real neutral Danes

 

[Cyc]

Also, if you are adamant about this rule, there really is no need to abandon the city. If the Kaiser pulls out of the Neutral city (I didn't even know he took one), then I can send a troop in there, capture it and gift it back to the Neutrals. No need to lose an entire city.

 

[Tigranes]

Cyc, we only have room for 8 civs in Pbem, so I need to be inventive I was able to use one Ai civ to behave like there are 2 civs. If you look at map in opening post I marked them "real" and entente neutrals. Basically cities in Spain will never produce units except for workers and materials. Romanian cities, on the contrary will fight with with Romanian units, Arabs will produce guerillas and so forth neutrals are in locked war with centrals, but real neutral cities just occupy space on the map

 

[Tigranes]

I agree on this

 

[Cyc]

Cyc, we only have room for 8 civs in Pbem, so I need to be inventive I was able to use one Ai civ to behave like there are 2 civs. If you look at map in opening post I marked them "real" and entente neutrals. Basically cities in Spain will never produce units except for workers and materials. Romanian cities, on the contrary will fight with with Romanian units, Arabs will produce guerillas and so forth neutrals are in locked war with centrals, but real neutral cities just occupy space on the map

I see where your problem lies. You have passive Neutral and an active Neutral under the same flag. To me this represents a bottle neck in the area of policy. This throws historical accuracy out the window for a minor gameplay issue.

I believe with a little fanagling I can make two separate Neutrals. I have the starting bic file, let me see if I can separate them by adding a ninth player.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

So have we reached a consensus on Esbjerg? Shall I withdraw my troops next turn leaving the city empty so that the Entente can "capture" it and return Esbjerg to the Neutrals?

 

[Cyc]

Well, that will work, Moff. But if the AI decides to burn it to the ground, the city will be lost.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Yeah that's too bad, hopefully the ai wouldn't burn it's own city. Sorry for this mixup guys. I was playing one of the only cards I had at the time and forgot the rules.

Btw check out this WW1 PBEM based on Advanced Tactics. Looks cool. I might have to pick this game up.

 

[Cyc]

Cyc, we only have room for 8 civs in Pbem, so I need to be inventive I was able to use one Ai civ to behave like there are 2 civs. If you look at map in opening post I marked them "real" and entente neutrals. Basically cities in Spain will never produce units except for workers and materials. Romanian cities, on the contrary will fight with with Romanian units, Arabs will produce guerillas and so forth neutrals are in locked war with centrals, but real neutral cities just occupy space on the map

I see how you have the game set up with the different countries getting different flavor bonuses. You actually have a player named Neutrals and it's represented by a Leaderhead, even though no such country exists (the Swiss, maybe? Who are played by as Greeks?). BTW, I like the way you didn't give the Neutrals any free techs. There are 7 countries that show allegiance to the Neutrals though. You also have 6 countries that show allegiance to the Allies, and one country (Bulgaria) that sides with the Alliance.

But because of the way the countries are designed or programmed, some flags go up. First of all there is only 1 of the 15 AI countries that does not build offensive and/or defensive units. That country is Arabia. Well, I can't really say that, but Arabia is the only country that doesn't have those boxes checked in the "build often" category. Whereas every other country does, including Spain, which builds offensive, defensive, and naval units often.

Another issue is the agressive tendencies of the different countries. All of the countries that lean to the Neutrals side have an agression level of 1, except for Spain, which is 2. The AI countries that lean to the Allies have higher agression levels. As does Bulgaria. So you have all these AI countries building military units while having different agression levels and pledging allegiance to different factions. You are basically asking the AI to declare war.

If you want to make a rule that says human players can NOT enter Neutral countries, make the rule apply only to Neutrals. If you want the Neutrals to be at war with the Alliance, don't call them Neutrals. You have AI countries aligned with both the Allies and the Alliance, those are not neutral contries.

If you don't want humans entering AI countries, that's different too. Change all the AI agression levels to 1. Make them build a special defensive unit, like a Spearman, that has a defensive value of 50 and no movement points. Make sure that's the only unit they can build that will be feasible. Don't give them advanced military techs. Just let their war weariness work for the warring sides.

 

[Tigranes]

I see where your problem lies. You have passive Neutral and an active Neutral under the same flag. To me this represents a bottle neck in the area of policy. This throws historical accuracy out the window for a minor gameplay issue.

I believe with a little fanagling I can make two separate Neutrals. I have the starting bic file, let me see if I can separate them by adding a ninth player.

Well, the original single player TGW Div 1.6 has 22 civilizations, all the available countries in Europe, for that matter. You simply CANNOT have more than 8 Civs in PBEM, nada. No matter what you do the limit is 8!

I respectfully disagree about the "window" part. I spent 2 weeks just to ensure that different parts of Neutral Civ behave differentely! Please see yourself on the example of fighting Belgium and Neutral Holland:

On the first look it appears as one nation, colored purple and acting like a normal Civ. But do you see what AI builds in Belgium? Defenders! Belgium fights with Germany. Do you see what Holland builds? War Bonds (well, Capitalization) and War Materials. All the units in Holland are immobile and are there for the art effects.

Holland behaves like really neutral Holland, and Denmark behaves as really neutral Denmark in this adaptation. You won't see any landing in Germany. You won't see any ships in Baltics. You won't see any unfriendly act. Moreover, as a Germany you can actually "trade" with Denmark, Holland, etc. That's the great use for Agent unit! The only unit AI builds in Denmark, Spain, Sweden is War Materials (and Workers). It all happens randomly and nicely. Now, please look at this:

Suppose you are hard pressed Germany, British blocked your War Materials from sailing across Atlantic, you and your allies keep getting disgusting orange war Shortages (former "Polution"). The only unit that can eliminate Shortage ("clean polution") is WM. So you land Agent in Denmark and try to "buy" just like this:

Sometimes, you get no deal, WM just get destroyed. But I was lucky here, and this is what you gonna see:

There are lot's of surprises in this adaptation, I want to introduce them step by step