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FatR -> RE: Reluctant Admiral 3.0 (7/29/2011 7:06:38 PM)
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John, I think you should replace the link in the second post of this thread with the one to the updated Scen 70...
Anyway, about the new mod... First of all, I think we did a good work with Scen 70, so we can use its devices list and parts of the naval list (extra historical ships, and so on) as the basis for the further work.
As someone probably have mentioned, we thought about making an alt_naval mod before. Unfortunately, since them my issues with the alt_naval's concept had increased significantly. I can explain them in detail, but for now briefly:
1)The changes do not plausibly follow from the premise.
2)Assumed Japanese foresight extends to knowing the year when the war will begin.
3)Proposed surface forces not only suffer from (1), but have crippling weaknesses, which might have been not very relevant IRL, but which will be in AE.
4)The fleet develops in revolutionary jumps, skipping parts of the gradual evolution of designs, that took place IRL.
5)The issue of producing planes and pilots for the oversized carrier fleet which was noticed by the author himself.
I don't think the idea is completely unsalvageable, but it needs very large modifications.
I have a rather big conceptual proposal for the air side (which I'll outline as soon as I have the time), but I have a hard time coming up with a plausible concept of my own for the navy. Partially because I don't know this side of things as well. It is really hard to imagine the way to achieve a major improvement here without giving Japanese some economical breaks or greater foresight (I love Scen 70 as much as you, John, but I have to admit that it does both), particularly if changes aren't introduced from early thirties. The more I look at development of IJN, the more I see that their key fleet-building decisions were generally good or at least passable (at the time they were made). And without economical breaks they need not as much greater foresight, as outright seeing the future. If we want to not break away from reality too much, just to create a mod based on really good Japanese foresight (well, and Allied response), I think that we should go right to late 20s-early 30s and consctuction of their first generation of modern warships and what could have been done better then. I have a few ideas, but I want to read through Kaigun carefully to give them a reality check, and there are some other books I want to read before throwing ideas around. So, if you, by chance, have any big concepts you want to see in a mod, I'd love to hear about them[:)].
Also, I think we should determine if we have anyone capable of helping with art (particularly air art, there are many existing shipsides for various Japanese ship designs already), before starting forming the concept.
Finally, what are your first impression of Scen 70 in actual play? Do things like changes to engineering and flak have a effect already?
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