victorhauser -> (6/19/2000 11:51:00 AM)
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The problems with doing a post-WW2 version of SP are immense. Not only is the timespan much larger (on the order of 50+ years compared to 10 with SPWAW), the complexities of more recent battlefield technologies are much more difficult to model as well. I don't think either SP2 or SP3 succeeded very well (this is not a flame of those games but rather a recognition of the magnitude of what they were attempting).
We gave up trying to play "modern" SP3 and concentrated on WW2 instead since the game model worked much better with WW2. To name just one problem we had with "modern" SP3, the Apache attack helicopter proved so dominant in our games that play balance was totally ruined. The side with Apaches won and the side without them lost. Here's how. Take your Apaches and "absorb" them together into units of 6 Apaches each (and you can use the rating of the best Apache when absorbing the lesser Apaches into it and it will retain the ratings of that best unit). Now, with your 6-Apache "platoons" you simply fly into the direct rear of any AFV unit within range and blast away with your cannon at 1-hex range. Bye bye AFV unit. I'm glossing over details like AA missiles and stuff, but believe me it can be done and easier than you might think. I remember playing the SP3 Vietnam campaign and converting as many of my core troops to Hueys and Cobras as I could (once again using the "absorb" feature to create large, 6-copter platoons of each). Once airmobile, I won the remaining battles in the campaign (it was a short campaign) by ridiculous scores. In fact, I won 2 battles without suffering a single point of damage. Scores like 5993 to 8, 6012 to 0, stuff like that. And this is even after I'd jacked up the AI settings. Indeed, once we got our platoons of Apaches (not the 'Nam campaign, but several different generated "modern" campaigns), we had to set the computer to 250% tank toughness just to make the games even remotely interesting. But I digress...
I've no doubt that if Matrix Games decides to tackle a post-WW2 version of SP, then they will do a wonderful job. But producing it won't be nearly as "easy" as SPWAW has been for them to produce. And we all know how "easy" it's been for them to produce SPWAW, right? [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]
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