swagman
Posts: 103
Joined: 8/8/2001
From: Australia
Status: offline
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There is an upgrade order, but no actual game-play upgrade-path…people use different versions because they personally prefer the functionality offered by that version, as over major versions have introduced changes which significantly affected game play.
As I recall, these are the major issues, although other forum members can no doubt add others.
SPWAW 5 was a major evolutionary improvement, offering better graphic icons and resolving a lot of bugs. Much of this related to improving scenario design. There were minor changes to the OOB, which is the weapon list that is used to determine what weapons a unit operates. I do not believe the game play was significantly changed by this as compared to previous versions. Consequently SPWAW 5 offers the same balanced combat model used in earlier versions of SPWAW, so most scenarios built for version 4 or earlier can be played successfully.
SPWAW 6 included bug fixes, particularly to online play, but the main changes were to the combat model. Consequently, the way you play and SPWAW tactics are different in 6 than previous versions. MG's effectiveness was significantly improved, particularly for exposed infantry, and their effective range was increased (as against their total range which did not change). An infantry squad in the open moving fast could be wiped out by a single MG burst. Infantry in cover/fortifications had their defense increased, meaning it was harder to hurt them or get suppression to attack them…it meant that infantry in defense were a tougher enemy, while the mg improvement meant infantry in attack was more vulnerable. The cost of mgs consequently almost doubled.
To balance this, infantry melee and armor overrun (tracked vehicles) were introduced…each has a similar outcome, although the mechanics are different. The attacker must be in the enemy hex to melee/overrun and have sufficient movement left to exit after the attack. A check is made to see if the melee/overrun fails, in which case the attacker flees. If the melee/overrun succeeds, the attacker fires every weapon in turn with a bonus, resulting in high casualties to the defender. High defender suppression increases the chance of melee/overrun success, and reduces the risk of the defender returning fire. Artillery class weapons can also be melee/overrun, but with a risk in overrun the vehicle will be immobilised.
SPWAW 7 also included bug fixes to online play, plus one that reduced the success of APDS/APCR type ammo. But the MAJOR changes was a re-design of the OOB has significantly changed the tactics required to play the game and to the combat model. The combat model involve improvement to the vehicle armor model, so the presence of skirt armor is more effective in reducing small calibre weapons and other damage…skirt armour can be destroyed by multiple hits. Armor quality modelling was also introduced, introducing steel quality as well as things like surface hardened armor. Vehicle armor was also revised, both in thickness and angle. The net result is that german panzer armour is signifcantly more effective than before…meaning there is less chance allied AT guns will cause damage. A lot of allied armor was reduced in effectiveness.
The weapon damage outcomes were also changed, particularly for large calibre guns like 88's. This was done to reduce the chance or these shells bouncing off angle armor…in general these shells will smash through armor regardless of angle. This also applied to 75mm AT shells, increasing their effectiveness. As a consequence, german AT guns improved significantly in effectiveness. The fact this occurred in conjunction with a reduction in the effectiveness of allied armor has more than every created german super-weapons, that many players don't like…this is one of the things being looked at in version 7.1
To try to balance these changes there was a significant change to the OOB, principally relating to the purchase cost of weapons. The cost of german armor increased (Tiger 1 was increased from 169 to 207 points per vehicle), while the corresponding cost of allied armor decreased (the T-34C used to be 140 points but I think is now less than 100). A sherman now cost about the same as a german infantry platoon (3 squads and MG) or about 100 purchase points.
As you can see, in version 6 a Tiger and a T34C cost almost the same…almost a 1 to 1 purchase ratio, although gun accuracy was 6:4, projectile size was 6:4 and frontal armour was 10:6…I have used a pair of Tigers to knock out 8 allied tanks in one turn. In SPWAW 7 the Tiger is probably at least twice as effective as before, but it is now 2 allied tanks can be purchased for each Tiger.
Although this may make Tigers appear invulnerable, they can easily fall victim to good tactics. A suppressed tank without supporting infantry is blind…if the supporting infantry is suppressed it is completely blind…the chance of return fire is reduced and what there is will be inaccurate. I have used this to knock out 3 unsupported KingTigers in one turn…first rule is to use artillery to suppress…the larger the calibre the better…try to use smoke to isolate them, so each can be attacked separately…use mg's and infantry fire from a distance to suppress the german armour…if possibly attack them with infantry AT weapons, eg bazookas…then try to assault them with infantry…if the assault succeeds the tank will have 20+ suppression, even if the vehicle isn't damaged…if needed, at this point you can move your tanks behind the enemy tank (preferably 1 hex away) and fire at point blank. At range 1, a rear shot from a T34 76 gun can knock a Tiger…if you can't knock it out, you should be able to immobilise it…target mortar or other short-delay artillery on the Tiger and its crew ill abandon it…you can then massacre the crew and the Tiger is as good as destroyed…if you want the points for destroying the Tiger, move one of your units into the same hex…after one or two turns the Tiger will be destroyed.
Does this help you?…the what you need to decide is how you want to play SPWAW…version 5 were infantry is more vulnerable in defense and mg's ineffective…version 6 were they are not…or version 7 were german panzers are much more powerful but more .
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