Something New This Way Cometh - Page 4

DarthVeda · January 24, 2003, 19:21

Ok... and this is without any events yet folks...

Nightfall of day one and here's what I've lost already...

3 Panzer IV G
1 Jagdpanther V
1 Hetzer 38(t)
5 StuG III H
5 Panzergrenadiers
6 150mm Hummel
3 88mm Anti-Tank gun
11 Motorized Infantry
8 Volksgrenadiers
5 Volks w/Pzfaust
3 Fallschrimjager
2 MG42 Machine gun
4 Panzer IV G SS
-57 units total-

Here's what I've been able to kill...

7 US Infantry
4 US Seargent
3 US Infantry w/BAR
7 M4A3 Sherman Tank
8 M10 Tank Destroyer
5 M3 Armored Carrier
1 155mm Howitzer M40
2 105mm Howitzer M7
1 M18 "Hellcat"
2 Recon Unit
3 M3 w/50 cal. Maxon
5 Infantry w/Bazooka
-45 Units Total-

And here we have a screenshot of the already weary German armies reaching the outskirts of St. Vith from the south...

ravagon · January 24, 2003, 23:23

Hmmm. Is the allied terrain really going to be unexplored from the German POV?
I would've thought the Germans made a map or two while they occupied the west.

Those losses sound a little high for the first turn. IIRC German losses overall were slightly higher but probably not that soon into it ...

Were your allied losses fortified units? If they were it might be better to make them otherwise to reflect the surprise the German units achieved..

DarthVeda · January 24, 2003, 23:50

Fog of War

DarthVeda · January 25, 2003, 00:42

Well I went and unfortified the Americans. I took 32 casualties this time... I still have 196 units. The americans took 37 destroyed units. A little less bloodier than last time...

klesh · January 25, 2003, 00:57

Wow, 196 at the start! Are all waiting to be moved on turn 1? How are you handling the resupply? Will captured cities be building tanks, or do you have some other scheme worked out. I do like the tech re-supply effect in Kyokujitsu.

-FMK.

DarthVeda · January 25, 2003, 01:07

I really wish I could do it like Kyokujitsu, but it's MGE

So what I've arranged instead is historical reinforcements. Your forces will receive infusions of troops in certain cities behind the lines as they appeared in history. You can't build anything but a few buildings/capitalization and Allied POW.

klesh · January 25, 2003, 11:59

Ahhhh very Stalingradesque your design. Why is the tech-resupply technique only viable for ToT? I recall PMing you about this ages ago, but it has since been forgotten.

Might I also suggest (if you havent got them already) are a few bridge units. I had made a post in ther gfx thread a looooong time ago asking for stone arch bridges...

What I figure is, make them a German unit... perhaps 2 different units or maybe 3 depending on the unit space you have left in the early phases of the game.

Ger5man must rush forward to 'capture' or 'rescue' these bridges from the American units who will be trying to 'destroy' them. Then, if unitkilled= bridge1 @Then changeterrain BLAH BLAH to ocean and now the river Meuse is not crossable.

Will have to send ol' Joachim a little farther north.

After phase 1, or after the germans pass these bridges in the game, you could free up those slots by forgetting the bridges (and the event to change terrain at the bridgepoints) and now you've got 2 more unit slots to add like schwerepanzerabtl. 501-2-3 or some such for extra firepower.

[/ramble.]

-FMK.

klesh · January 25, 2003, 12:27

Darth, might I make one last suggestion.

This would serve to tip the scales to the German side early on. Then, through the beauty of controlled resupply, you can slowly lower the ratio of this unit in the german ranks. It would certainly add lots of punch to the Germans, be a really cool new unit with a dope sound effect too.

Alas, I have attempted several times to draw a Nebelwerfer, but I am continually frustrated by it.

-FMK.

DarthVeda · January 25, 2003, 12:40

Well it so happens I have like six unit slots free...

klesh · January 25, 2003, 13:22

4 bridges, a nebelwerfer and....

Do you want me to keep thinking? I had alot of ideas floating around for my Bulge scenario, but I have no problem giving them to you so 'the' bulge scenario is made to be the best it can be.

-FMK.

The ANZAC · January 25, 2003, 15:11

Well, for bridges they mmgith not necessarily have to be German. You could have 1 bridge unit and have 4 of them owned by AI controlled tribes sequestered in a corner of the map... Look at Favored Flight's Fellowship of the Ring and Return of the King to see what I'm talking about. He has some good innovations.

klesh · January 25, 2003, 16:10

What would that serve to do? Seems like a waste of tribes that could serve as different Ami armies or something more active?

If the Bridges are German, then the Amis will try to blow them up, if the german can get to them, he 'walks across' one of his own units.

DarthVeda · January 25, 2003, 17:03

I have an even better idea left over from Red Cataclysm.

Hey FMK, give me everything and anything you got in that head of yours on this topic. I want to hear it. Easier to implement it now than a few weeks down the line...

But does anybody have any good bridge graphics?

The ANZAC · January 25, 2003, 23:31

Well, it would create a german bridge unit in the same spot. I'm just said that idea to save on unit spaces. Didn't think about the different American armies, but wouldn't that just make it harder for units to work together like the 3rd army swinging up 90 degrees from the south or the British 29th Armoured Brigade who stopped the Germans before the Meuse?

klesh · January 26, 2003, 14:25

Quote:

Originally posted by The ANZAC
Well, it would create a german bridge unit in the same spot. I'm just said that idea to save on unit spaces. Didn't think about the different American armies, but wouldn't that just make it harder for units to work together like the 3rd army swinging up 90 degrees from the south or the British 29th Armoured Brigade who stopped the Germans before the Meuse?

Right on Jared. I just didn't catch ya at first, no sweat.

Darth, one idea I had to implement was the dash for fuel depots. Germans are of course low on fuel for their armour, and are counting on capturing Ami stocks to keep the offensive rolling.

Originally I was going to have all the player controlled German tanks be settler-type units a la Second Front. Their home cities behind the Westwall wouldn't provide enough 'fuel' so you must get it from the Ami's.

For this I had a couple of ideas. Have perhaps some of the city gfx for certain tribes look like a fuel depot. Perhaps you would have to creat a 'Supply' type Ami civ... It simulates the Red Ball express and whathave you. Give them certain techs to keep their city type graphically, and perhaps all they get for units to build are your oil barrels from Kyokujitsu, immobile.

The I would conitinue this idea by perhaps saying that if 1 oilbarrel is killed -> then (perhaps some a-historical unit creation for the player.

Quote:

"After hearing of the capture of much of the Americans fuel at xxxxx, Hitler decides to send the rest of Germany's reserves destined for the Ostfront to help in the push to Antwerpen."

Then when you capture the depot cities, you'd have to begin sending tanks there to 'top off' and go back out to battle. I must say though, I found this very tedious and disheartening to do in Second Front. Maybe it would be different not having to ship units across the channel, or maybe its just a lame thing to do in general.

Either way, you should definately include the fights for fuel as it was pretty key to the whole operation. I'll try to think of a different less intensive way of trying to include it now.

-FMK.

DarthVeda · January 26, 2003, 14:59

I'm one step ahead of you

I'm also finishing up events file part 2 (of like 20+)

jim panse · January 26, 2003, 17:47

what about some kind of this: place some fuel depot units (if you have enough free slots left) at the places where +/- they´ve been and try to decrease the movement factor of the german tanks.

i do not know if this is working. i guess i´ve seen something like this in a kosovo war scenario quite a time ago

DarthVeda · January 28, 2003, 12:59

Anybody got a kubelwagen graphic I can use?

klesh · January 28, 2003, 19:09

I'll give that a shot too Darth. What I am in the midst of now for you, is a set of Nebelwerfers mounted on a Sdkfz 251. I think I am having a little trouble making the geometric cages for the mortars themselves. I am still woriking though

See attatched for what I'm trying to get at.

-FMK.

klesh · January 28, 2003, 19:50

Well here's what I have so far. The left one has the MG or AT gun? still attatched, the right doesn't. Maybe between us Darth we can get it right?

-FMK.

ravagon · January 28, 2003, 20:27

Are we talking about a single fuel dump here (I know there was a big one they had in mind to capture en route to Antwerp)? How about a unit upgrade (using Leo's located in the dump/city) to a higher move unit?

.. actually you'd lose the vet status so maybe not such a good idea ...

Maybe use four unit slots to simulate your Tigers and Panthers ... two for your attacking spearhead with a normal movement rate (given adequate fuel reserves) and two for the rest with a slower movement. Once your dump(s) are taken load in a new rules.txt giving normal movement to the rest?

DarthVeda · January 28, 2003, 21:20

As the rules progress, the amount of fuel dispensed by the dumps in German hands already will decrease, causing units to disband if new sources are not found.

klesh · January 28, 2003, 21:23

Hey Darth, stay online for a sec.... Kubelwagens are rolling!

-FMK.

klesh · January 28, 2003, 21:34

Okay Darth, here is 3 renditions of 'my' kubelwagen. I think they came out really snazzy, IMHO. First we have an empty backed edition, then a fancy leather backseat one for Generals and ah hem, Field Marshals... and lastly we have an edition feturing the 'Fun in the Sun' convertable fabric top in the down position. If you want something different, let me know.

-FMK.

Edit: Wait a second... i am making some changes to it....

DarthVeda · January 28, 2003, 21:54

awesome!

klesh · January 28, 2003, 22:35

Okay, phew. I just re-did the entire front of the thing after discussing the unit with Anzac for a minute. The hood has been changed totry and make it look more authentic. I chose the font of the Sdkfz 250 this time for it as opposed to the Jeep Willy's I had used and recoloured before. I also changed the windshield so it doesnt have the divider in the center. I hope this is an improvement, and I am glad that you like it! The new ones are on the bottom.

-FMK.

DarthVeda · January 28, 2003, 23:36

even more awesome!

DarthVeda · January 29, 2003, 01:25

The German army arrives in force outside St. Vith... however the allies inside are ready and waiting with the defenders of the 7th armored ready to go toe to toe with German panzers.

klesh · January 29, 2003, 01:29

Hmmm, they are decidedly void of kubelwagens...

-FMK.

DarthVeda · January 29, 2003, 13:19

Well I think I need to revise the events file I just played through... St. Vith fell within hours of the SS arriving in the north. It was over real quick like.