RtW Retail version on 3.17 – Why not?

[BLubmuz]

I usually play for the HoF, and waiting the release of 3.17 I tried some scenario.
Started RtW on 3.13, then tried AP2, finally a working version: the 3.17 retail.

I’ll wait to play the UE when it will be a bit aged, with all the problems solved.

First of all, a big thank you to Dale for this great mod, a way to mix CIV with a war game.

Everything is nice and working fine, the only graphics I do not like is the USA B-29 bomber.
BTW some hint on how to modify it?

I’ve tried the 1936 scenarios Europe and Pacific – Accurate Historical Events. My reports in the next posts.

 

[BLubmuz]

First of all I modified the map, to allow bigger cities and to have some food resources, mainly seafood.
This way I could grow my cities without health problems and trade for some cash.
Also, gave some culture to Gibraltar, to avoid revolts.
First research: Laboratory, while building Goods Factories in all my cities, research to 40% for 2-3 turns to allow some cash to complete the factories and then the naval docks in the poorest cities.
Sell resources like mad, to sustain my research.
Right after Laboratory, the path to Chain Reactor, then to reach the “Industry level 3” civic ASAP, using the first Golden Age to switch.
Not built a single unit ‘til there, only structures and wealth to reach the Break-even at 100% science, and science in the remaining cities, while the weakest was completing their structures.

I discovered the best way to upgrade units: Marines to MI and Churchill Tanks to MT (this duped me in my first abandoned game in Pacific scenario with USA).
I discovered also the way to play in team, a bit late but useful for next games.

Spain: Only in a precedent game I’ve seen Franco wipe the Republicans. In this particular game Republicans wiped him (with my help in WB for Mallorca, just to eliminate one civ and speed up the game).

Italy: For some reason, they wasn’t able to wipe Albania, I helped them with WB, but they was absolutely incompetent in fight.

Germany: great fighter, they wiped all Poland let nothing to Russians, then they went for all their targets like human players, wiping Low Countries and everything they can reach (I didn’t learned the team strategies yet).

UK (me): Sent almost all my “European” units to take the city right south of Denmark, poorly defended.
This caused Germany to loose lots of units trying to attack it, then took all the Baltic cities (mistake). In Africa it was too easy: the second half of my army was there, Italy was wiped in 3 turns, then I was ready for the landing in Italy, with enough transports.
Marseille was continuously conquered by Italy and France and There was a Stack of Italian troops wandering around: this stack will fall without fight when I conquered Venice, the last city.

Russia: They took Warsaw and the Romania, I left nothing else: victory in January 1942, Fortnight 1.

 

[BLubmuz]

Same modifications to the map, same early strategy.
In addition I renamed the German city south of Denmark Hamburg, and gave it access to the North Sea (replacing the cut tile with one NE): this way that city acts as a channel between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

Spain: it was a stale, with a couple cities periodically changing hands, both factions alive in the end.

Italy: it was hard for them, but finally they took Albania.

Russia: no time to breath and Germany took anything, then me.

This time I got well in mind I was playing in team, and the game will improve a lot, despite the higher difficulty. I also mastered the different ways to use bombardment and the strength of units.
When the dance began I left Germany do its work to the east until October: then I went for Hamburg with a ton of units. Made it a stronghold, and Germany loose more units trying to take it back.
Low Countries: when their time was close, I loaded some transport with units from Hamburg and from GB. When they was attacked, unloaded in Amsterdam, protect it and Brussels, Germany took Luxembourg, but an impressive stack of tanks and infantry was soon wiped in the field, causing not much trouble.
Italy: like in the previous game I took their African colonies in few turns, then Albania to deny them oil, then Sicily and the mainland, let Sardinia last. Marseille was numberless times conquered and lost, but it was the only French city to fall in the entire war.
From Albania (soon gave it to Greece) I was able to protect Yugoslavia, then to wipe the Eastern German allies, helped by Yugoslavia for Romania.
From there it was a parkwalk, game over in 1941-July-Fortnight 1.

 

[BLubmuz]

The map for the USA was definitely too poor. To better simulate their actual power some improvements are needed in terms of land (some mountains changed in hills, some forests added in Alaska) and resources.
Same strategy used in the European scenario, with some mistake in the first attempt, abandoned (I could win, but I don’t like mistakes). Second attempt:

Japan took China so easily I guess it needed one year only for logistic problems, so it has time to grow and set productive the conquered cities. Same for France, with the exception of the 2 1-tile-islands.

In October 1941 I loaded 5 transports directed in the nearest UK colony in India, some more 4 or 5 to take the islands near Guam and 4 more in the island East of Guam, to take those 1-tile-islands there. My navy was protecting them, strong with my nuclear subs, ready to raise the hell in Japan’s navy. All my Infantry at the time was some 90 marines, upgraded to MI.
When they came, it was a nightmare: from sea, from air, allied cities took immediately from sea, more allied cities under siege by impressive stacks landed.
I also has some 4-5 units in ANY city, so I could airlift them to protect the weakest allied cities.
No direct threat to my cities, but an impressive fleet West of Guam.
Unloaded my transports in UK, and set the troops in stand-by to wait the enemy reaction.
Raised the hell in sea with my nuclear subs, but the enemy was powerful under any aspect: they has already MI, but that seems to be its last tech.
It took long to recuperate the troops sent in protection duties, and also the battles to retake the islands. It was a hard war, by land and sea, but finally the victory came in January 1942, fortnight 1.

 

[BLubmuz]

Looking for more challenge, after the usual variations to the map, same strategy, slightly improved.
But China reacted well to Japan attacks, lots of cities changed hand numberless times. In December 1941 Japan was already busy trying to take the last Chinese cities, while Sinkiang was untouched.
Birmania was close to nothing, despite they owned Vietnam, and 2 MI (former marines) was enough to take Saigon, and one tank to take Da-nang. UK took 2 cities in my IBT.
Great naval battles, but too easy in the mainland, with a huge stack busy trying to take the last Chinese cities. Some huge, but badly assorted stack easily wiped in the field, then a parkwalk to the end, in June 1942, Fortnight 1.To be honest I was tempted to restart, trying to see if Japan could have better luck against China, I foresee that this game would be a lot easier than the previous, but OK, I can play a new one can’t I?

But I think next time I will play as the “bad-boys”, just to see how it goes .

 

[Fagan]

Funny to quote the different strategies.

About version, the 317 retail is a good one even if many units make non sense. I think UE 1.1 is a little tougher for many countries. I suspect you wont win as fast because of a better resistance.

I don't remember very well the game I played with 317 retail but here are some alternate strategies I applied in various versions. But I never win as fast than you did.

For example when I played UK, Deity level, a strategy probably not anymore possible with UE 1.1:
- Focus on Air control for research and production.
- Have enough units (not that many) to help France defend against Germany.
- Take air control of Germany with fighter engage attack from France towns.
- Take down the German ship army with air attack and eventually sea battle if you have the opportunity. That is quite fast when you have total air control.
- Move a ship army to Konigsberg with at least one ship with healing promotion. From here just take care the oil resource is always destroyed.
- Take back Netherland if lost and take Essen, eventually setup only a weak protection to Essen but take it again each time German take it back.
- At this time destroy the oil resource near to Essen and German workers won't rebuild it because fights are too close.
- At this point I have a complete air control and sea control. Italy isn't a match and will be air controlled too easily.
- When Yougoslavia enter in war, protect it and from Podgorica harass italy and destroy its oil resource. At this point Italy and Germany should not have oil but in practice I saw them continue produce few planes. Anyway their ship and plane production is quite low and it's easy to take down Germany or Italy.

The point is I doubt that's possible anymore with UE 1.1 because Italy and Germany are very strong to take the air control so the first part of the plan won't be possible: Use a ship army to ensure oil destruction near Konigsberg.

 

[bay777]

where do you get 317 retail?

 

[deanej]

With the 3.17 patch. If you switched to UE you will have to reinstall the game.

 

[Fagan]

With the 3.17 patch. If you switched to UE you will have to reinstall the game.

In fact before install UE you could have rename the current folder of RtW in the 317, like "The Road to War 317". Then in all the files in the subfolder GlobalMaps you can edit them with a simple text application like notepad and in first lines there's a line:
ModPath=Mods\The Road to War
You just need change it to:
ModPath=Mods\The Road to War 317
And you'll be able to play both versions, 317 retail or UE.

 

[bay777]

ok so i lost the 2nd disk for bts is there any way i can get retail?

 

[BLubmuz]

Too easy, at least in 317 - Immortal.
As Japan you got plenty of time to develop all China before Dec 1941, and you arrive almost at the end of the tech tree. What can do the allies? Nothing.
What i cannot understand is why the AI is so stupid.

As Germany you got definitely overpowered units, and you roll everyone with an impressive ease.
Again, why the AI is so stupid?