Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: darryltinney

Love the game. Very balanced. Very enjoyable. The one thing I do not understand is why the Allies are able to invade France in 1943. Sometimes it is in May and I think even April. That was just not possible. It is a massive 1944 style invasion. Love the game but that seems just a little silly in a game that otherwise has such balance. It happens no matter the situation. Huge Axis forces in France they invade anyways. It seems hard coded by the AI. Invade France June 1943. Does anyone else see this?

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ORIGINAL: Ironclad

The strong probability of a 43 invasion is a deliberate game design and makes for a better balanced match otherwise the Axis would have it far too easy in the east. Historically its also accurate in that the Americans had planned for a 43 invasion before Churchill and circumstances had led them to focus on the Mediterranean and knocking out Italy. Indeed there was a plan for a smaller 42 invasion to be triggered if the Germans totally collapsed in the east. The one difference to the history is, as noted, the game 43 invasion hits with the strength of the real 44 one.

Axis strategy should be to either mitigate the possibility or delay it and/or reduce its strength by Sealion, a vigorous use of the Uboats backed up be surface forays, and offensive success in Egypt and a move into Irag therby diverting Allied energies. Helped of course if Spain joins the Axis.

A 43 invasion, even a powerful one but hopefully reduced through the above means, can be defeated if a powerful enough garrison with armour and fighter support and helped by coastal fortifications is gathered in the west by that date.

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43 invasion is not historically accurate, it was abandoned due to the fact it would be imposable to do,

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ORIGINAL: Hartmann301

I could handle a 43 D-Day no problem. But two times now I had to deal with an invasion of France in 42!! With only garrisons there, I have been completely unready for it. Someone tell me how to handle or delay that??

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ORIGINAL: vonik

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hartmann301

I could handle a 43 D-Day no problem. But two times now I had to deal with an invasion of France in 42!! With only garrisons there, I have been completely unready for it. Someone tell me how to handle or delay that??

You should have 11 lvl 3 subs by then . You just lock the approaches to the western France while you do recon flights over England to check if there isn't a US build up because UK alone has not the techs to invade in 42 .

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ORIGINAL: Hubert Cater

Hi Roy64,

If we are talking about the AI, it will 9 times out of 10 only invade France in '43 if it hasn't performed the North African invasion (Torch) in late '42 early '43. If it performs Torch, then it is most likely to invade France in '44 (as it will need more time to build up sufficient invasion troops) as the Allies did so historically.

The primary reasons for this are partially for some randomness on behalf of the AI from game to game, and because the AI also tries to take into account the game situation as it dynamically unfolds.

For example, part of the AI planning is linked to whether a North African invasion is needed and/or likely to succeed and if not then it takes and uses those troops for an earlier '43 invasion of France instead.

The idea here is to attempt to mimic some higher level thinking that a human player would also employ in a similar situation.

Hope this helps,
Hubert

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ORIGINAL: Hartmann301

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ORIGINAL: vonik

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hartmann301

I could handle a 43 D-Day no problem. But two times now I had to deal with an invasion of France in 42!! With only garrisons there, I have been completely unready for it. Someone tell me how to handle or delay that??

You should have 11 lvl 3 subs by then . You just lock the approaches to the western France while you do recon flights over England to check if there isn't a US build up because UK alone has not the techs to invade in 42 .

Do I keep the subs in silent mode for that?

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ORIGINAL: Hubert Cater

Not necessarily as the AI needs to commit to plans such as Torch with a significant lead time in mind simply due to logistics and even an invasion in 43 is not always guaranteed as it depends on a certain available unit threshold being met. So it all depends on when you achieve any success in North Africa and to an extent how much of a success as well.

Essentially there are quite a few factors including a degree of randomness so that ideally no two games with identical situations will necessarily be the same.

While I can appreciate that there is always the desire to have the AI play out exactly to history, we've found that a more dynamic and reactive AI (within reasonable historical limits) has always been more well received over time.

For example, the first few games would be fine if the AI plays out exactly to history, but after half a dozen games more often than not players would ask for the AI to start thinking more outside the box and to alter its plans according to the game map situation. In a nutshell this is the thinking of our current design and why it plays as it does right from the start.

Hope this helps,
Hubert

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ORIGINAL: Leadwieght

I'd be very sorry to see an adjustment to disallow Cross-channel invasions before 1944. In my experience, the Allied AI is too easy to beat as it is

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No not really, every time (that I & my friend have seen) the Germans take Africa & Middle East there's no Torch landings & there's always a 43 invasion & I'm definitely not suggesting the AI plays out exactly to history but it would be good to keep to some kind of historical timeline like it does for the rest of the game.

This game has the potential or is the best game you've made so far apart form the ease at which Germany can take Africa causing no Torch landings & the 43 invasion.