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Ashtar -> Play by mail road map (1/16/2010 4:22:19 PM)
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Hi everyone, here I am trying to regroup a list of the features/bug which are missing for a better PBM
experience. No rule variations outside the EIA canon will be discussed here, neither rule deviations
which Marshall already pointed out cannot be amended (such as the lack of proper combined movement features).
As a general note, it is my opinion that we are much closer now than some months ago to a playable
PBM platform. However, I think that only by fixing this last issues (or at least the critical A ones plus the B speed ones) will grant us the definitive pbm EIA experience.
In list A I describe rule deviations/bugs. They can be "player amendable", meaning that by a combination
of host editing and house rule one can recover original EIA rules, or "critical", meaning that they
cannot edited by players.
A.1. CRITICAL - Better host game editor.
Currently, the host can only change money and political points in game. Some deviations/bug may be amended by players this way but not all of them. It will be useful to let the game host also edit (in decreasing importance order): a) manpower b) victory points c) minor states control flags d) single corps/fleet composition e) single corps placement.
This should not be too difficult to code, and it should allow the game host to solve 99% of bugs/game deviation may arise during the game. Let it also edit corps morale and leaders stats and it will be possible to implement the beautiful alternate dominant powers rules (see 11.8 from here http://eia.xnetz.com/rules/eiarules-with-errata.html)
A.2. CRITICAL - Allow standing orders to be issued to your corps also in the land phase.
Currently orders may be given only during the reinforcement phase, but a lot may happen during the land phase to call for a change of orders
to that lonely corps. And lonely corps with no or wrong orders are cannon fodder.
A.3. CRITICAL - Reinforcing single corps
Add a further order you can issue to single corps: ask/do not ask for reinforces. Currently, single corps cannnot ask for reinforces from nearby friendly stacks, and this is yet another serious limitation with respect to EIA.
A.4. CRITICAL - Toggle on/off single corps auto combat
Even better, a) add a new game option to toggle on/off automatic combat for single defending corps
during the game: it is surely a game saver when major powers fight poor minors, but can create seriously
game unbalances when big wars are fought (I have seen France lost all his fleet bottled in Amsterdam since the single corp defending the city did not ask the reinforcement of the entire Grand Armee nearby located).
A 5. CRITICAL - New Political combinations
Some political combinations are missing, such as the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Westphalia. Moreover, it should be possible to later add new territories to new political combinations. In the case of the Ottoman Empire and Confederation of the Rhine this is compulsory in the board game.
A.6. CRITICAL - Naval Pursuit
Naval pursuit rules should be added (see 6.3.5 from here http://eia.xnetz.com/rules/eiarules-with-errata.html)
A.7. CRITICAL - Austrian insurrection corps I
The Austrian insurrection corps are bugged, that is actually they are not made available after
being activated by an invading force.
A.8. PLAYER AMENDABLE - Austrian insurrection corps II
Moreover, the way the Austrian insurrection corps rule is implemented is slightly wrong: currently, only the first corp entering the triggering zone is stopped, while the other may subsequently march through the same zone and continue moving. This is quite different in spirit from the original EIA rule in which the Austrian player could chose place the insurrection corp to block the entire invasion army. This way there is
no way to delay by one month the taking of Vienna by a multy corp army. Of course this could be fixed by an ad hoc house rule.
A.9 PLAYER AMENDABLE - Political points in naval combats.
Being EIANW fleets approx the half of EIA ones, only 1/2
pp per fleet should be given for naval combats. This can be player fixed via the editor.
A.10 PLAYER AMENDABLE - Automatic blockade box to port movement.
Fleet automatically move from blockade box to port when the city is taken. This does not happen in EIA. As a consequence, in EIANW the attacking forces can be evacuated one months earlier then in EIA (advantage for GB).
This has to be fixed, although also an ad hoc house rule can fix the problem.
A.10 PLAYER AMENDABLE - Dardanellis control rule is missing
A.11 PLAYER AMENDABLE - The forced access rule is missing.
Another compulsory rule (albeit added by errata).
A.12 PLAYER AMENDABLE - No manpower is added to VP to find cowinners at the end of the game
A.13 MINOR - Game Log.
Various wrong/missing informations in the game log. Battles are reported twice but with too few info, France land order is not always announced correctly, the log is generally difficult to read, etc...
A.14 CRITICAL - Leader casualties
Leader casualties is broken: currently, if a casualty occurs, the recipient is not randomly selected between
all present leaders
A.15 PLAYER AMENDABLE - Privateers are broken:
No damage to trade income seem to take place, no matter how many
lights fleet you place on the job. Never tested anti-piracy operations.
A.16 CRITICAL - Garrisoned depots stop movement
Garrisoned depots are stopping enemy corps movement. This is against EIA rules and
offers a pp free cheap way of "screening" which alters game mechanics. Please, fix it
and allow corps to move past.
________
List B is for game speed issues (I am giving for granted the 1.08 improvements), fully copyed by Dancing Bear
proposals:
B.1 - Skipping also ended by answering a call to allies.
All your skipping should be automatically suspended not only when war is declared on you but also when you respond to a call to allies. Not sure it is currently working this way.
B.2 - A land phase skipping.
Skip can be managed by PC such that all unit a) automatically check autoforage b) if not autoforaging check for supply c) if not a or b roll for forage. This option can be activated only by a major power at peace.
B.3. Option to delay cav reinforcements a month.
B.4. No file exchange for siege battles.
Currently a long file exchange is needed if a corp plus one garrison (needed for instance to activate port guns)
are present together. It is frankly a waste of time.
B.5. Option which can be selected by the attacker to have battles completed on opponents computer (i.e. no file exchange after the first in which chits are selected, useful for battles where reinforcement and guard commitments are not required, with pre-set pursuit selected): The attacker selects his chit, activate the option and decide if to eventually cav pursuit. He sends the battle file to his opponent with some generic e-mailed infos on how to place non pursuit losses (i.e. like start from militia, then move to minor forces infantry troops and only after do the regular infantry. If attacker breaks take the cav factor from the minor troops). All the first day of the battle is played on the defender pc without further exchanges. If attackers win, pursuit is automatically conducted and the battle file is send back. If defenders win, he choses
about pursuit, sends back the file and the attacker will take pursuit losses as he wishes. This way the battle is done with only one file exchange. Only battles dragging to the second day will require some more exchanges.
Most small to medium size battles can be played this way, while only large ones with guards and or multiple major power corps may require the full (slow) file exchange.
B.6. A button to load ALL turns in your commin folder until your next one
This way I still have to download all turns in my commin folder, but then if I wish I can just open the game after a long series of skips and get to the point with a single button stroke.
B.7 - Zip file support.
Make EIANW automatically generate zipped files and be able to read zipped files. Is this going to happen in 1.08?
Feel free to comment or add what I forgot.
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