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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 14, 2016 12:46:58 GMT -6
Ok guys, look out. The old guy now has the game installed and is ready for a fight..... as soon as he figures out how to play the game and babysit at the same time. Be on the lookout for really stupid questions. I have been gaming in IGOUGO games since MS Dos 2.0 and earlier computers but this is new. Keep in mind the only dumb question is the one you didn't ask. Lock and Load.....  |
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Post by JagdFlanker on Mar 15, 2016 7:35:09 GMT -6
Welcome - ask away!
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Post by marcorossolini on Mar 15, 2016 8:32:46 GMT -6
Surely you have no need for our advice! You lived it!
(runs for cover)
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 9:35:30 GMT -6
Surely you have no need for our advice! You lived it! (runs for cover) Careful, we seniors are sensitive..... but you are correct. I've spent most of my 69 years studying military history and working for the Navy so I do have some insights along with a degree in geography. And don't run for cover, trust me after 35 years working for the Navy, sensitivity leaves you very quickly. But I am always open to advise from you guys because you can teach me a lot. |
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 9:51:06 GMT -6
I am also going to use this thread for some descriptions of my progress in hopes to get some of you experts to make sure the old guy doesn't screw up too bad. Here goes.
Ok, my first task was to pick a simple country with few possible opponents to learn the game....Italy worked for me. Here is my approach.
1. Geopolitics - Austria-Hungary is my primary possible opponent. France I can try to keep as a friend along with the British. The AH have one major base, unless the game has changed geography, and that is Trieste and that is at the top of the Adriatic in the area of Montenegro. That should be an easy location to keep an eye on and I keep an eye on the Strait of Otranto with my main base at Taranto and Brindisi.
A simple look at the map tells me that the Adriatic Sea is about 417.41 NM in length and about 90 miles across. It's depth of water varies from about -100 feet near Trieste to -1630 feet in the straits of Otranto. That's my principle area of concern.
2. The Fleet - It is an old, time honored principle that you fight like you train. So I've put an emphasis on trained for my fleet. It's a good investment in the future as I build up the fleet. I've also placed an emphasis on research. My two areas to begin with were light forces and torpedo warfare, then fire control. I've also now raised submarines to a higher level, I am not certain of the value of this for the Italians. I am building two more battleships along with lighter forces. I have been able to get the submarine building screen to work, but no matter.
3. Budget- I did mothball some older destroyers, which is similar to the US Navy's idea after WWII. I also don't build forts, fixed fortifications don't really work that well, in my studies of history. I have now gotten my budget, quickly into a positive area where I intend to keep it. I also don't sell my technology, that's just dumb.
Well with a positive increase in budget and training, my strategy is working but no plan survives contact with the enemy and the enemy always has a say in your plan.
I am going to start preparing a detailed record using OneNote for this game, time permitting. I've also begun keeping Google Earth active
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 11:27:02 GMT -6
Just a note for many of you. If you have Windows 10, you should have TASK View on the task bar. It looks like a rectangle with a square in the middle. If you click on that, it will bring up a separate window. You can now open up a separate desktop and move your game to that separate window in background. Then you can move between your desktop 1 and 2 easily. There is a quick key and I will find it and place it up here. Here is a screen capture of Desktop 2. Windows key + tab switches you to the task view to allow you to return to your desktop 1. Have fun and hide your games......  Note: the game still plays just fine, finally got submarine technology.  |
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 12:31:30 GMT -6
If anyone has played Italy, what were your research priorities and training priorities?
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 15:23:46 GMT -6
Dum dum de dum dum, dum dum dum da dum da dum.... Yep, I've been sacked. I guess they wanted some who was going to start a war. I built and trained an excellent navy, got good research, even got a disarmament treaty but I was not aggressive enough. Wonderful. Well, I wonder how they would have felt if I had started a war and got their children killed off. Why can't I get points for staying OUT of the war. Well more reading and research.
Any suggestions on prestige gaining would be appreciated.
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Post by kyle on Mar 15, 2016 16:42:55 GMT -6
Hi Dennis,
I started with the US game and Japan for my second. Feeling somewhat like I knew what I was doing I then tried Austria Hungary and got fired. I suspect Italy is similar, though I have not tried it yet. So far I have not tried historical resources except for when playing the Royal Navy (which really means I was sorta cheating 'cause everyone else has lower budgets that way while mine is the same).
I try to find a middle ground between gaining prestige and staying out of wars that I can't have a reasonable chance of winning. As AH for example, I was blockaded and so had to sue for peace when war started with the U.K. 20+ battleships vs my 4, or there about.
I have tried playing the CSA once, put much of my $ into subs and raiders. That worked out reasonably well, but the game was less fun to play even though as I said - I was fairly successful. Again though - keeping prestige going up or level at a good place isn't always easy when some idiot is wanting me to build 28 destroyers or something! Politicians cause problems in game (never in the real world of course).
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 17:02:07 GMT -6
Hi Dennis, I started with the US game and Japan for my second. Feeling somewhat like I knew what I was doing I then tried Austria Hungary and got fired. I suspect Italy is similar, though I have not tried it yet. So far I have not tried historical resources except for when playing the Royal Navy (which really means I was sorta cheating 'cause everyone else has lower budgets that way while mine is the same). I try to find a middle ground between gaining prestige and staying out of wars that I can't have a reasonable chance of winning. As AH for example, I was blockaded and so had to sue for peace when war started with the U.K. 20+ battleships vs my 4, or there about. I have tried playing the CSA once, put much of my $ into subs and raiders. That worked out reasonably well, but the game was less fun to play even though as I said - I was fairly successful. Again though - keeping prestige going up or level at a good place isn't always easy when some idiot is wanting me to build 28 destroyers or something! Politicians cause problems in game (never in the real world of course). Hi Kyle: I sorta thought that maintaining prestige was going to be tricky. My experiences over the years has confirmed that politicians have no clue as to how to keep the nation strong and try to stay out of wars. I learned not to take any recommendations on building ships from them, it usually has a bad ending. I wish the game would reward avoiding war and international entanglements. Anyway, like Sam Spade said "Then the trick from my angle is to make my play strong enough to tie you up, but not make you mad enough to bump me off against your better judgment. " Anyway, I'll get it, I am not babysitting this week, so I'll have plenty of time to learn more. |
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Post by axe99 on Mar 15, 2016 19:21:10 GMT -6
Dum dum de dum dum, dum dum dum da dum da dum.... Yep, I've been sacked. I guess they wanted some who was going to start a war. I built and trained an excellent navy, got good research, even got a disarmament treaty but I was not aggressive enough. Wonderful. Well, I wonder how they would have felt if I had started a war and got their children killed off. Why can't I get points for staying OUT of the war. Well more reading and research. Any suggestions on prestige gaining would be appreciated. Haha, this is the way I played my first game as well - I played as the RN, so didn't end up sacked, but the game definitely relies on you making some 'provocative' decisions (+ prestige, + tension) to keep prestige up. The mechanic almost guarantees a war at some stage, and the randomness in events means you'll never know when. It does mean far more wars than you might expect historically if you're looking to maximise prestige (which is the scoring mechanic). Maybe try and keep your prestige at 20 or so, and avoid wars as best you can, as a challenge? Good luck, and enjoy  . |
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 20:32:20 GMT -6
Dum dum de dum dum, dum dum dum da dum da dum.... Yep, I've been sacked. I guess they wanted some who was going to start a war. I built and trained an excellent navy, got good research, even got a disarmament treaty but I was not aggressive enough. Wonderful. Well, I wonder how they would have felt if I had started a war and got their children killed off. Why can't I get points for staying OUT of the war. Well more reading and research. Any suggestions on prestige gaining would be appreciated. Haha, this is the way I played my first game as well - I played as the RN, so didn't end up sacked, but the game definitely relies on you making some 'provocative' decisions (+ prestige, + tension) to keep prestige up. The mechanic almost guarantees a war at some stage, and the randomness in events means you'll never know when. It does mean far more wars than you might expect historically if you're looking to maximise prestige (which is the scoring mechanic). Maybe try and keep your prestige at 20 or so, and avoid wars as best you can, as a challenge? Good luck, and enjoy . Hi Axe99: Thanks for the good words and advise. I will try to obtain a balance between belligerency and being passive. I will examine the maps more and take more time, I've been busy but tomorrow is mine. |
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Post by tmp on Mar 15, 2016 21:03:49 GMT -6
Dum dum de dum dum, dum dum dum da dum da dum.... Yep, I've been sacked. I guess they wanted some who was going to start a war. I built and trained an excellent navy, got good research, even got a disarmament treaty but I was not aggressive enough. Wonderful. Well, I wonder how they would have felt if I had started a war and got their children killed off. Why can't I get points for staying OUT of the war. Well more reading and research. Any suggestions on prestige gaining would be appreciated. The prestige, as the politicians see it, is about your nation flexing its naval muscle -- it doesn't need to go as far as a war, but taking a hard stance and/or a colony here and there, to remind the world that yes, these ships have large guns and they blow things up if they need to. And a war with preferably weaker enemy that can be kicked around to fill the voters with national spirit and make the Country great again, that's even better. (and in the game...) |
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Post by oldpop2000 on Mar 15, 2016 21:13:07 GMT -6
Dum dum de dum dum, dum dum dum da dum da dum.... Yep, I've been sacked. I guess they wanted some who was going to start a war. I built and trained an excellent navy, got good research, even got a disarmament treaty but I was not aggressive enough. Wonderful. Well, I wonder how they would have felt if I had started a war and got their children killed off. Why can't I get points for staying OUT of the war. Well more reading and research. Any suggestions on prestige gaining would be appreciated. The prestige, as the politicians see it, is about your nation flexing its naval muscle -- it doesn't need to go as far as a war, but taking a hard stance and/or a colony here and there, to remind the world that yes, these ships have large guns and they blow things up if they need to. And a war with preferably weaker enemy that can be kicked around to fill the voters with national spirit and make the Country great again, that's even better. (and in the game...) Interesting, flex your muscles a little but try to stay out of war with a big guy. Me and my staff will have to take that under advisement..... if they would put their Chianti down.....  |
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Post by zardoz on Mar 16, 2016 3:05:26 GMT -6
I played Italy, too, and from mys view it is not easy.
To get prestige you must be aggressive and at least risk a war. On the other side Italy has one of the lowest budgets. From my experience AH and F are the most common enemies as in reality. You will rarely be able to get a numerical equality.
I focussed on quality and put money in training for gunnery and nightfighting. Later I was able to build a raider force of very cheap CLs, mainly because this damned naval secretary wanted cruisers and did not want to take the prestige loss. I am not sure whether CL raiders are a good strategy for Italy. Maybe AMCs are better because cheaper.
Wars are tricky business because you are outnumbered by far with this strategy and are blockaded. In a case my unrest went up to 9 when I was finally able to break the blockade.
For me, Italy is a real challenge.
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Note: the game still plays just fine, finally got submarine technology.
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