What are you working on?

[JPetroski]

Hi all,

Since we have had quite a few people show up out of the woodwork, I thought it would be interesting to see what is being developed out there. Any new projects on the horizon?

As most of you are probably aware, I'm working on "Over the Reich," a multiplayer scenario depicting the Allied air raids over Germany in World War II. My playtest with McMonkey has revealed some opportunities for gameplay enhancement that I'm currently building. I have a new rules text almost complete and am making great progress. I'm hopeful for a Christmas playtest.

I'm in the paper planning stages of two other projects:

1. Caesar's Gallic Wars
2. A multiplayer WW2 in Europe scenario that starts with the invasion of France in May, 1940. I'm not positive that this is a great idea given there are so few people to play. I was planning on making it playable by 2 players, but turns would take forever.

I was considering trying to do a new spin on Nemo's Battle of Britain, but I think Tech's working on Sea Lion so I'm going to concentrate on one of the two above when Over the Reich is finished.

And, as always, in the back of my mind I want to use that map Harlan made for me probably 15 years ago and finally make Boot II.

What are all of you up to?

 

[Patine]

Hi all,

Since we have had quite a few people show up out of the woodwork, I thought it would be interesting to see what is being developed out there. Any new projects on the horizon?

As most of you are probably aware, I'm working on "Over the Reich," a multiplayer scenario depicting the Allied air raids over Germany in World War II. My playtest with McMonkey has revealed some opportunities for gameplay enhancement that I'm currently building. I have a new rules text almost complete and am making great progress. I'm hopeful for a Christmas playtest.

I'm in the paper planning stages of two other projects:

1. Caesar's Gallic Wars
2. A multiplayer WW2 in Europe scenario that starts with the invasion of France in May, 1940. I'm not positive that this is a great idea given there are so few people to play. I was planning on making it playable by 2 players, but turns would take forever.

I was considering trying to do a new spin on Nemo's Battle of Britain, but I think Tech's working on Sea Lion so I'm going to concentrate on one of the two above when Over the Reich is finished.

And, as always, in the back of my mind I want to use that map Harlan made for me probably 15 years ago and finally make Boot II.

What are all of you up to?

Currently, I'd like to finish my long unfinished projects outstanding - Empire of the Rising Sun and my Modern Middle East scenario. After that, my Fall of Rome scenario would be highest priority. I have a long bucket list of things I'd LIKE tackle after that, but, due to time constraints and other issues, many of them will likely end up being idealistic dreams and wishful thinking, but I'd like to get as much done as possible.

 

[Fairline]

Hi John. All three projects you have in mind sound great, but FWIW I'd love to see your take on Caesar's Gallic Wars

Oh, and I'm tinkering with a graphics set for Case's Dragon scenario.

 

[tootall_2012]

Hi John,

For my part, ever since I’ve converted Operation Herbstnebel, I’ve been highly motivated to take on other such conversion projects. Currently I’m working on:

• Second Front by Captain Nemo: I’m presently play testing it and hope to be able to release it in a week or so. I’ve made an important modification to the scenario by combining the Air Force and Allied nations into one power. Therefore, you no longer need to play in Hot Seat mode and have to deal with all the disadvantages related to it, but have included a couple of simple mandatory House Rules to compensate for the change. I’ve also needed to tweak the event files to reflect the modified power structure. Otherwise, the scenario plays and remains exactly the same as the original.
  
  
• Battle for Sevastopol by Jim Panse: I’ve already completed the conversion, I just need to play test it before releasing it.

Other conversion projects I’m interested in working on are “The Battle of Stalingrad” by FMK and “Fortress Koenigsberg” by Kobayashi.

With regards my own projects, I’m currently working on my “Napoléon” scenario which covers the European Napoleonic Wars from 1805 to 1815. It’s in a very advanced state, i.e. the map is entirely done (just need to add the units which I typically do last), all the graphics are done except a few units, the rules are done; the basic tech tree is in place though I still have a few additions to make. Essentially the biggest part left at this stage, notwithstanding the play testing, is the event file (which won’t be anywhere as big as my 20,000 plus lines of my Vietnam game).

I also have an almost completed version of my Battle of Alesia scenario, which I could complete in a relatively short time if I just set aside the time.

Longer term, I’d like to work on my companion to my Battle of France 1944 scenario, the Battle of Italy which would cover the entire campaign form Sicily to the end of the war. I believe you also have a similar project in mind, which isn’t an issue as far as I’m concerned. There are plenty of scenarios out there that cover the same subject, it just give players more flavours and options to choose from.

I definitely also have other projects which are in different stages of research or development.

 

[Tanelorn]

I am "working" on and off on "OXI" an 1940 Italian invasion of Greece and Marita Merkur combination scenario for years (and three PCs) mostly done. I also have a 1989 WWIII Balkan front on the same map in mind, partialy done. Thats where I get these unit making drives from. I get delusions of finishing a Warhammer fantasy scenario one day, from time to time. GW has killed the fantasy setting anyway. I also had a nice caucasus map that got lost in a broken hard drive...

 

[Broken_Erika]

Speaking of maps, we need more maps. The current selection is rather.......limited.

 

[Patine]

Hi John,

For my part, ever since I’ve converted Operation Herbstnebel, I’ve been highly motivated to take on other such conversion projects. Currently I’m working on:

• Second Front by Captain Nemo: I’m presently play testing it and hope to be able to release it in a week or so. I’ve made an important modification to the scenario by combining the Air Force and Allied nations into one power. Therefore, you no longer need to play in Hot Seat mode and have to deal with all the disadvantages related to it, but have included a couple of simple mandatory House Rules to compensate for the change. I’ve also needed to tweak the event files to reflect the modified power structure. Otherwise, the scenario plays and remains exactly the same as the original.
  
  
• Battle for Sevastopol by Jim Panse: I’ve already completed the conversion, I just need to play test it before releasing it.

Other conversion projects I’m interested in working on are “The Battle of Stalingrad” by FMK and “Fortress Koenigsberg” by Kobayashi.

With regards my own projects, I’m currently working on my “Napoléon” scenario which covers the European Napoleonic Wars from 1805 to 1815. It’s in a very advanced state, i.e. the map is entirely done (just need to add the units which I typically do last), all the graphics are done except a few units, the rules are done; the basic tech tree is in place though I still have a few additions to make. Essentially the biggest part left at this stage, notwithstanding the play testing, is the event file (which won’t be anywhere as big as my 20,000 plus lines of my Vietnam game).

I also have an almost completed version of my Battle of Alesia scenario, which I could complete in a relatively short time if I just set aside the time.
Longer term, I’d like to work on my companion to my Battle of France 1944 scenario, the Battle of Italy which would cover the entire campaign form Sicily to the end of the war. I believe you also have a similar project in mind, which isn’t an issue as far as I’m concerned. There are plenty of scenarios out there that cover the same subject, it just give players more flavours and options to choose from.

I definitely also have other projects which are in different stages of research or development.

These all sound very promising, and I'd like to see them all. Second Front's Achilles Heel was indeed how it was set in terms of players and the mandatory hot seat game format. BTW, is this Jim Panse "Battle for Sevastopol" scenario (which I'm pretty sure he'd never mentioned to me in the day) about the battle in WW2, the Crimean War, or another war?

And I definitely do want to see this project about the 1940 invasion of Greece by Italy, @Tanelorn. Will it involve any mechanism by events where Bulgaria and/or Turkey get dragged into the conflict prematurely?

 

[tootall_2012]

Hi Patine,

Jim's scenario is about the 1942 German-Russian battle for the city.

With regards Second Front, I'm not certain why Captain Nemo felt, at the time, the need to create separate Allied powers. In my humble opinion it was quite un-necessary and could easily have been addressed by simple house rules for the Allied Air Force (which I will be adding once I release the scenario in the download section).

 

[JPetroski]

I wonder how much of it was simply doing something that hadn't been done before. That certainly motivates me to make things more difficult than they need to be

Tootall, I'd love to playtest that Alesia scenario when you are ready. Maybe it would inspire me to move Caesar off of paper and into proper planning!

 

[Patine]

I wonder how much of it was simply doing something that hadn't been done before. That certainly motivates me to make things more difficult than they need to be

Tootall, I'd love to playtest that Alesia scenario when you are ready. Maybe it would inspire me to move Caesar off of paper and into proper planning!

Hi Patine,

Jim's scenario is about the 1942 German-Russian battle for the city.

With regards Second Front, I'm not certain why Captain Nemo felt, at the time, the need to create separate Allied powers. In my humble opinion it was quite un-necessary and could easily have been addressed by simple house rules for the Allied Air Force (which I will be adding once I release the scenario in the download section).

Admittedly, my Fall of Rome scenario, my first priority after finishing up my two outstanding unfinished ToT scenarios, is also a Roman-era scenario, though would differ from your two and @McMonkey 's Imperium Something (sorry, I forgot the other word there - how embarrassing), as it begins after Constantine I's death, and thus Christianity is the dominant religion, the Barbarians are getting bolder and even infiltrating power in the Legion through the "substitution and free citizenship" program for Barbarian to stand in for wealthy Romans in Military Service, the Latin West and Greek East are becoming alienated from each other, and the Sassanid Persians to the East are a real thread in Mesopotamia and the Levant. So a very different Roman Era - but, together, the four scenarios can be somewhat of a viewpoint of how the Roman world evolved over time.

 

[JPetroski]

I'm surprised Rome doesnt have more scenarios, so it'd be great to see the four completed.

I envision Gallic Wars being quite similar to Germanicus on the Rhine... Caesar's (eventual) 12 legions all being a super unit supported by buildable auxiliaries. Caesar raised many of them in different years and even reconstituting a few that were destroyed, so that would probably be the research goals (research a tech, get a super unit).

I'm considering having this be a scenario with active barbarians to enhance replay potential, but they would of course attack everyone, not just the Romans...

 

[McMonkey]

I'm currently working out the concept for an upgraded two player scenario. I think I may have come up with a very novel way to replicate supply lines. I need to get around to writing out my concept and speaking to the original designer and seeing if they mind me messing around with their creation.

Other than that I do have the Yugoslav Partisans scenario, but that is a mammoth task and it may be a year or two before I can realistically hope to make significant progress. There is also a swathe of other concepts, half-built scenarios and ToTPP updates of my older scenarios that I would like to make. I just work on whatever has caught my attention, put in a real burst of effort for a few weeks and move on when my enthusiasm dries up. They are all progressing, especially as I incorporate new ideas from other scenarios, but the event building and playtesting stages are always the real enthusiasm drainers!

It's good to still see so many projects on the simmer after all these decades

 

[minipow01]

I had contemplated converting and upgrading Markus Eklund's excellent WW1 scenario: Western Front. It is one of the best WW1 scenario out there (along with El Aurens), as it focuses on a specific theater of battle rather than using an entire map of Europe. Sadly, it never received much fanfare or attention.

JPetroski, are you familiar with Jerec's "Ceasar's Gallic Wars" scenario made for ToT 10 years ago? I thought it was well-executed with good choices of tribes, city placement, and unit types. Perhaps you could use this scenario as inspiration for your own Gallic Wars scenario. I'm attaching the files here, as I'm not sure the scenario is available for download elsewhere - I got it from the old Apolyton site. (Note: I fixed some errors in the Events file and added the "58mar.scn" file to correct the turns schedule.) Glad you're here, John. I've enjoyed your work ever since To Hell and Back (another good WW1 scenario)!

 

[JPetroski]

I don't think that I've ever seen that one, minipow - thanks! I will definitely take a look at it for some inspiration after I finish Over the Reich.

 

[CurtSibling]

1) Grand Moff - Star Wars imperial expansion campaign.
2) Overlords - WW2-era tribute to of Exile's Imperialism.
3) Battle For Zarklaw 3 - Fantasy scenario, with emphasis on conquest.

Some concepts running around in my brain...
1) Soviet Steel Remake...Alt-reality WW3.
2) Bad Karma - Hippie factions and crime empires in 1970
3) Kingdoms 2 - Mad Max type battles in a dystopian Middle East.

I'm not giving up on CIV2 any time soon. So plenty of time to do these.

PS
I agree, we need new maps. And now we have unlimited cites,
we need some BIG maps, especially a HUGE world map...

Who is game for making it? We could all pitch in...!

 

[tootall_2012]

I'm currently working out the concept for an upgraded two player scenario. I think I may have come up with a very novel way to replicate supply lines. I need to get around to writing out my concept and speaking to the original designer and seeing if they mind me messing around with their creation...

Hi McMonkey,

Ever since a read your thread about supply lines I've been curious to hear more about it. Have you worked out your concept or are you still working on it? If you're are ready to share I'd certainly like to hear about it.

 

[elmenhorster]

1) Grand Moff - Star Wars imperial expansion campaign.
2) Overlords - WW2-era tribute to of Exile's Imperialism.
3) Battle For Zarklaw 3 - Fantasy scenario, with emphasis on conquest.

Some concepts running around in my brain...
1) Soviet Steel Remake...Alt-reality WW3.
2) Bad Karma - Hippie factions and crime empires in 1970
3) Kingdoms 2 - Mad Max type battles in a dystopian Middle East.

I'm not giving up on CIV2 any time soon. So plenty of time to do these.

PS
I agree, we need new maps. And now we have unlimited cites,
we need some BIG maps, especially a HUGE world map...

Who is game for making it? We could all pitch in...!

That is a colossal list. Unlike you I gave up after single attempt It's fun compiling everything together when there's so much units to choose from, but when it comes to polishing things up I'm done. Ya'll should do a collaboration scenario to be honest that'd be fun. I don't know if this map is compatible with TOT but whatever.

 

[McMonkey]

From my e-mail to Techumseh about a proposed modification of his two player American Civil War scenario:

I have recently been playing a computer game called Ultimate General: Civil War. It's a real time kind of battlefield game with a campaign element. I have been addicted to it for the past couple of weeks and it re-ignited my interest in the era, prompting me to get hold of some books from E-Bay, including an excellent National Geographic produced atlas of the Civil War.

All of this led me to think back to the outstanding games of your ACW scenario we played against one another a few years back. I have been coming up with some quite interesting new concepts, including one for supply lines, and was wondering if you would have any objections to me having a tinker with your original to see if I can exploit some of the ToTPP features?

I will give you a quick overview of some of the concepts here.

Lines of supply

Two elements Civ 2 has always lacked are ranged artillery type units (I don't have a fix for this apart from really fiddly cannonball type concepts) and a solid line of communication / supply. In Civ2 terms the German 6th Army trapped in Stalingrad would have been fine for years without means of resupply. Of course, in reality an army will run out of food, water, fuel and ammunition alarmingly rapidly.

My idea does not completely address this issue, but it does promise to add an air of it to proceedings. I will try and describe it as clearly as possible, bearing in mind it's still a work in progress.

I propose to use a Train type unit with high movement that is restricted to railroad tracks. It will have a higher movement rate than infantry type units so can be sent to where it is needed rapidly, but as it has no combat abilities it will be vulnerable to raiders. The purpose of these event created (Troop) Trains will be twofold.

1) Move to a friendly city and disband to create a single high value unit (artillery or cavalry).

2) Move to a Railhead (static, indestructible barbarian unit) and destroy itself, thus triggering an event that will create a set number (say 2-3) of infantry units at a nearby co-ordinate.

This will mean that it is important for a campaign to keep your lines of communication open so that units can be rapidly transported and mobilised at the front. If your enemy manages to block your supply lines (either with raiders or by outflanking your army and capturing a vital rail junction) then your Trains will be forced to seek another railhead further behind your lines to disembark at and then march to the frontline from there, attempting to clear the blockage and get the offensive back on track, or get fresh troops through to the isolated city that you are trying to defend.

For this to work I would need to create individual railhead units so they can each have their own nearby spawning co-ordinates. My initial proposed locations would be along the lines of:

St Louis, Cairo, Corinth, Jackson Mississippi & New Orleans in the West

Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta & Charleston in the Centre

Philadelphia, Harper's Ferry, Manassas Junction, Staunton & Petersburg in the East

Of course I could add other locations and change the existing ones, but these would seem to be strategically important.

This would also have the advantage of making the scenario more unpredictable. A player can rapidly deploy their forces to a particular front to try and take their enemy by surprise. Capturing a railhead area deep in enemy territory will allow them to bring in reinforcements by train and drive on their offensive. A wise player may keep a number of Trains in reserve so they can rapidly react to any such enemy more. I'm hoping that this will add a whole new dimension to the scenario.

I would obviously need to make some alterations to add a railbed terrain that the Train unit cannot move off of.


There are a number of other less radical improvements I would like to make using both ToTPPs features and a few ideas of my own.

- Add Railroads with 3x movement and replace the Hills/Road terrain with ordinary roads with 1x movement (meaning a unit with six movement will move six squares). This would allow me to add roads in some strategically important areas.

- Add labels for important rivers, forts and other notable geographic locations.

- Make full use of the ToTPP features that were not available to you when you built the original, such as using the extra terrain and unit slots for a few other minor concepts I would like to try out. I would also like to make a few changes to the graphics, so the finished product would be quite distinct.

Of course I would give full credit for the original design as I did with Pablostuka's Spanish Civil War and Patine's Korean War. No repeat of the controversies of yesteryear (before my time here) where accusations of plagiarism were the order of the day (I forget the people involved - perhaps Alex Mor & Nemo vs someone?).

NOTE:
At this point Brian has not consented to me tinkering with his scenario, but I just thought I would post the concept to see if anyone has any comments.

 

[Patine]

From my e-mail to Techumseh about a proposed modification of his two player American Civil War scenario:

I have recently been playing a computer game called Ultimate General: Civil War. It's a real time kind of battlefield game with a campaign element. I have been addicted to it for the past couple of weeks and it re-ignited my interest in the era, prompting me to get hold of some books from E-Bay, including an excellent National Geographic produced atlas of the Civil War.

All of this led me to think back to the outstanding games of your ACW scenario we played against one another a few years back. I have been coming up with some quite interesting new concepts, including one for supply lines, and was wondering if you would have any objections to me having a tinker with your original to see if I can exploit some of the ToTPP features?

I will give you a quick overview of some of the concepts here.

Lines of supply

Two elements Civ 2 has always lacked are ranged artillery type units (I don't have a fix for this apart from really fiddly cannonball type concepts) and a solid line of communication / supply. In Civ2 terms the German 6th Army trapped in Stalingrad would have been fine for years without means of resupply. Of course, in reality an army will run out of food, water, fuel and ammunition alarmingly rapidly.

My idea does not completely address this issue, but it does promise to add an air of it to proceedings. I will try and describe it as clearly as possible, bearing in mind it's still a work in progress.

I propose to use a Train type unit with high movement that is restricted to railroad tracks. It will have a higher movement rate than infantry type units so can be sent to where it is needed rapidly, but as it has no combat abilities it will be vulnerable to raiders. The purpose of these event created (Troop) Trains will be twofold.

1) Move to a friendly city and disband to create a single high value unit (artillery or cavalry).

2) Move to a Railhead (static, indestructible barbarian unit) and destroy itself, thus triggering an event that will create a set number (say 2-3) of infantry units at a nearby co-ordinate.

This will mean that it is important for a campaign to keep your lines of communication open so that units can be rapidly transported and mobilised at the front. If your enemy manages to block your supply lines (either with raiders or by outflanking your army and capturing a vital rail junction) then your Trains will be forced to seek another railhead further behind your lines to disembark at and then march to the frontline from there, attempting to clear the blockage and get the offensive back on track, or get fresh troops through to the isolated city that you are trying to defend.

For this to work I would need to create individual railhead units so they can each have their own nearby spawning co-ordinates. My initial proposed locations would be along the lines of:

St Louis, Cairo, Corinth, Jackson Mississippi & New Orleans in the West

Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta & Charleston in the Centre

Philadelphia, Harper's Ferry, Manassas Junction, Staunton & Petersburg in the East

Of course I could add other locations and change the existing ones, but these would seem to be strategically important.

This would also have the advantage of making the scenario more unpredictable. A player can rapidly deploy their forces to a particular front to try and take their enemy by surprise. Capturing a railhead area deep in enemy territory will allow them to bring in reinforcements by train and drive on their offensive. A wise player may keep a number of Trains in reserve so they can rapidly react to any such enemy more. I'm hoping that this will add a whole new dimension to the scenario.

I would obviously need to make some alterations to add a railbed terrain that the Train unit cannot move off of.


There are a number of other less radical improvements I would like to make using both ToTPPs features and a few ideas of my own.

- Add Railroads with 3x movement and replace the Hills/Road terrain with ordinary roads with 1x movement (meaning a unit with six movement will move six squares). This would allow me to add roads in some strategically important areas.

- Add labels for important rivers, forts and other notable geographic locations.

- Make full use of the ToTPP features that were not available to you when you built the original, such as using the extra terrain and unit slots for a few other minor concepts I would like to try out. I would also like to make a few changes to the graphics, so the finished product would be quite distinct.

Of course I would give full credit for the original design as I did with Pablostuka's Spanish Civil War and Patine's Korean War. No repeat of the controversies of yesteryear (before my time here) where accusations of plagiarism were the order of the day (I forget the people involved - perhaps Alex Mor & Nemo vs someone?).

NOTE:
At this point Brian has not consented to me tinkering with his scenario, but I just thought I would post the concept to see if anyone has any comments.

A note of my opinion on the resupply thing is, it definitely would make a great feature, but would probably be more a matter of the epoch if such mechanisms would be necessary or applicable. Most armies in Antiquity and the Middle Ages made extensive use of "forage and pillage" tactics to stay supplied, and, outside a castle or walled city siege, such rules would likely be less useful. But in later ages, such rules could add significant depth to scenarios going forward.

 

[CurtSibling]

That is a colossal list. Unlike you I gave up after single attempt It's fun compiling everything together when there's so much units to choose from, but when it comes to polishing things up I'm done. Ya'll should do a collaboration scenario to be honest that'd be fun. I don't know if this map is compatible with TOT but whatever.

These are just ongoing projects, which don't put me under any pressure. That map seems like the usual world map that has been kicking around, and I have used myself.

I wish someone would make a REALLY big world map. That is the project the entire community should get together on.