bradfordkay
Posts: 8683
Joined: 3/24/2002
From: Olympia, WA
Status: offline
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I'd like to resurrect this thread. The more I play WITP, the more limits I add to my play, in order to increase my enjoyment of the game. Various circumstances prevent me form PBEM, and so I have to slake my addiction against the AI. In order to truly enjoy these games, I have found that adjusting the way I play has made a huge difference.
I was an early follower of the theory that not jumping too far outside of a historical style of play prevents a total confusion of the AI. Many of my "house rules" were either stolen brazenly, or adapted, from posts on this forum. Since I believe that AI players still make up the majority of purchasers of this game (if not the active players), any help we can give each other will probably contribute to the continued upkeep of this game.
I know that there are a lot of you who will say that the AI stinks, and you can only get a real challenge from a human player. For the most part I agree with you. But there are many of us who do not have the time or situation to allow for PBEM play, and yet we love the game. So please don't turn this thread into another "forget the AI, play PBEM" thread and instead list what it is that you do to increase either the challenge or enjoyment of playing the game against the AI.
For me I have so many house rules that I probably won't remember to put them all in. But the following are some (with parenthetical reasoning on occasion):
No supply convoys on turn one of the grand campaign. For the first week no more than two transports in any supply convoy, bumped to five for the next two weeks. These rules are for the allies. After all, Japan should have planned for resupply of their invasions.
All units are set to replacements off. No replacements are accepted by any unit unless a supply TF has arrived within range from Japan, the US west coast or Karachi/Aden. This is relaxed slightly by allowing the occasional one or two plane "rebuild from spare/crashed carcasses" - but very rarely.
No aerial missions allowed on the turn of transfer, unless the transfer distance is four hours at cruise speed or less OR the target is between two bases within "attack loaded" transfer range. By this I mean double normal range. (This represents "shuttle" and "staged" aerial missions that were frequently used during the war but prevents the "impossible" missions).
No resupply of capital ships at small ports. Cruisers need a level 4 port and BBs and CVs need a level 6 port. (This rule has varied over the past two years - thoughts are welcome).
No overstacking airfields. Exceeding air support is okay, but not base size limitations.
The number of ships which can resupply each day in a port is limited. This is somewhat fluid, based on how many ops points are used in each TF that is replenishing". (A ten ship TF that used 1000 ops points to replenish will prevent any others from replenishing that day at a level 3 port - a five ship that only takes 200 ops points to replenish isn't anywhere near as big a drain on the port facilities).
I haven't taken a stand on restricting the numbers of LCUs, as that may guarantee the loss of certain bases to the AI, who does not play any house rules.
No bombing empty bases for experience gain. (The AI regularly violates this rule!)
No more than 6 PTs in any PT TF.
No more than 6 ASW vessels in any ASW TF.
No invasions with less that 30 preparation points (Guadalcanal was a fairly "rushed" operation).
After the initial SRA escapes, no transfer of units between commands without paying the PPs. (Some early game SEAsia command units end up in northern Australia as they retreat - PPs are paid later if they stay).
Before the latest CHS, I used to never transfer units from the West Coast command to combat commands. Now we have to.
4E bombers do not attack below 6000', unless the situation is dire. (Impending invasions of Singapore/Batavia/Soerbaja are the sort of "dire" circumstance that allows this - morale rules seem to prevent the exploitation of this in the early months).
Each AS can service no more than 2 subs per day, except for the opening days in Manila where the limit is four (I'm rationalizing this as saying that the subs already had their torpedoes and just needed other supplies).
Foce Z ALWAYS sails to contest the Malayan landings.
_____________________________
fair winds,
Brad
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