UV models the reality of war - a realm of chance & chaos

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UV models the reality of war - a realm of chance & chaos

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> UV models the reality of war - a realm of chance & chaos

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UV models the reality of war - a realm of chance & ... - 8/29/2002 10:02:05 PM

dtx

Posts: 72
Joined: 8/13/2002
From: Pennsylvania
Status: offline

Many topics relate to players wanting more control - "my planes attack the wrong targets," "my ships waste ammo on insignificant targets" "why can't I..., why can't I....."

A good answer to this, and support for how well UV models war, comes from an editorial today's Wall St J. It discusses a view on war by the Prussian war theorist, Carl Von Clausewitz: "In war, the will of one combatant is directed at an animate object that reacts, often in unanticipated ways. This cyclical interaction between opposing wills occurs in a realm of chance and chaos." Isn't the latter sentence a perfect description of a turn in UV?

My sense is that UV has picked a good balance between giving the player much control, while at the same time throwing in enough unpredictable events (i.e., planes attacking less than ideal targets) to recreate this feel perfectly. How else could UV model this central and integral aspect of war? If anyone has other solutions, I'd be interested (I'm not a WG designer, but find the design issue interesting).

Post #: 1

- 8/30/2002 12:36:51 AM

Banquet

Posts: 1184
Joined: 8/23/2002
From: England
Status: offline

I agree.. there must have been lots of times in real wars when the overall commander wondered wtf his officers were playing at. What is it they say about the best laid plans?

I think UV strikes a good balance and the mix of detailed orders that can be given, and occasional frustation at some events makes the scenerio's feel real..

Some games, I think, give too much control and you end up feeling like the overall commander.. subordinate officers, unit commanders and floor sweeper all at the same time.

(in reply to dtx)

Post #: 2

A quote exemplifying this ... - 8/30/2002 1:39:50 AM

DSandberg

Posts: 107
Joined: 6/19/2002
From: MN
Status: offline

[FONT=courier new][COLOR=firebrick]"WHERE IS RPT WHERE IS TASK FORCE 34 RR THE WORLD WONDERS."[/COLOR][/FONT]

[I](radiogram from Admiral Nimitz to Admiral Halsey, Oct. 25 '44)[/I]

_____________________________

"... planning and preparations were made with great efforts with this day as a goal. Before this target day came, however, the tables had been turned around entirely and we are now forced to do our utmost to cope with the worst. Thi

(in reply to dtx)

Post #: 3

Message padding - 8/30/2002 2:17:16 AM

dprathbun

Posts: 7
Joined: 6/4/2002
From: Port Townsend, WA
Status: offline

Let's not forget the lead padding. I believe the entire message was [FONT=courier new][COLOR=red]"TURKEY TROTS TO WATER-WHERE IS RPT WHERE IS TASK FORCE 34 RR-THE WORLD WONDERS" [/COLOR][/FONT]"

(in reply to dtx)

Post #: 4

Hear Hear.... - 8/30/2002 3:11:09 AM

JohnK

Posts: 285
Joined: 2/8/2001
Status: offline

100% Correct.

I'd really advise people to try playing a few games of paintball...it's not real combat, of course...but once you feel the mind-numbing confusion and sense of being lost and having no idea what to do, you'll have a better idea of the chaos and friction of combat.

From many of the "I can't" posts I perceive a lot of UV players are approaching it less as a realistic simulation of theater command in the Pacific, but rather as some sort of micromanagement puzzle.

You can achieve some of the same effects by playing miniature or board wargames with a lot of people and limited communication.

(in reply to dtx)

Post #: 5

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> UV models the reality of war - a realm of chance & chaos

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