Post by gornik on Sept 8, 2023 13:13:15 GMT -6
Some more ideas about improving yet greatest game I ever played 
Intelligence:
- During early and midgame, nearly only sensor to spot enemy is Eyeball Mk1. However, in lategame various electronics should help to do the job. So spottings may become more variable. "Intensive radiochat at XY coordinates", "4 skunks, 1 big" "Radar emission", "10 bogeys flying low".
- Enemy warplanes should be reported, if met with your scouts or strike groups.
- And of course, detected sub positions should be marked!
- Also would be good to add possibility of changing color of radar-spotted targets.
- And new endturn intelligence report - how many planes of each type are at foreign airbase (and its status: active or reserve)
AI:
- Now in nearly equal conflicts, AI tend to send too much ships in colonies, maybe planning invasions. As the result, I manage to break their blockade and even establish my own for moth or two, before squadron returns. And of course, no successful invasions. And I have opportunity to destroy their navy piece by piece.
- In mid-late game large airbases provide serious challenge for weaker navy. Would be good to teach AI to perform ground strikes at nearest airfield, if it is full with planes. BTW, lategame ground targets should have heavy SAM battery, and sometimes - also light one.
- AI underestimate strike planes so it tend to fill airfields and carriers with light and (later) heavy jet fighters. Seem, that weaker nations (like Russia, or France, at some point Britain too) especially prone to it. On the other side, AI sometimes surprises me with using dive or torpedo bombers in 1960 at main theatre.
Airplane developing:
- Now aircrafts seem to strictly follow historical route, at least for AI. (For example, at every game AI develop dive bombers nearly five years before player may invent them). And all characteristics at same period are nearly equal. Would be nice, if their invention become more equal (say, if anybody develop torpedo bomber, and intelligence steal its blueprints, you may develop it by yourself as you know that it may work) while their characteristics may become more variable, depending of your intelligence and how many tries you do. So, if you develop one fighter in 1920 and then wait till 1935, your next plane have chance to be of 1925 origin. And only after some requests you may reach the edge of technology at those areas, which you order to prioritize. And if you again and again prioritize same areas, at some point new designs begin to suffer in other areas. So it may be signal to try something new. What, I think, shouldn't happen, is situation, when new designs in 1960 can't match with old 1940-th plane (Now, for example, it is nearly impossible to get better patrol craft then mid-40th one till end of game).
Strategic changes:
- Now you are free to leave far seas completely unprotected, once you blockade enemy main province. Pathetic "enemy fleet dominate around Tonkin!" has so low VP loss, that you may freely ignore it. Some situations are quite strange. For example: Germany blockade France in Northern Europe. Japan is French ally. Their united fleet in Mediterranean completely controls situation, but German unprotected colonies are absolutely safe - Japan has no bases there, and France can't do anything due to blockade. I suggest, that after some techs, active warfare should be possible at least in your additional home zones. US East Coast may be blockaded - but if there are no enemies in Caribbean, who can stop marines, sailing to Cuba? (Of course, blockade should still decrease potential to invade, but not block the option). This will help to spread ships of both enemies all over the world, create more action and make painting of the world less advantageous - capturing new base in new region, think about possibility to keep your presence there!
- And in regions without home provinces, there may be option to destroy enemy base. If your best ship at Guam is obsolete AMC, while enemy operates CA squadron, they'll sink all your ships, destroy all batteries and finally their landing party blow up your docks, burn your depots, rob your banks and threaten your townies. So you then should pay for rebuilding port capacity and lose prestige. Of course, von Spee Falkland surprise should be possible too.
- Now AI doesn't develop bases in distant regions. As the result, player may get great advantage. For example, Japan capture Marshall islands early on, expand base there several times, and may overpower US Navy in Central Pacific, as Hawaii still have native capacity. I suggest to make repeatable event "Private shipping developed our possession XX base capacity! + base capacity" Or "Private shipping company expanded port facilities in XX!" with variants "That's good!"(economic boost) or "Seize it to Navy!" (- money, base capacity increased).
- Stop fascists, please! Seriously, when fascist regime lost the war via revolution, people should learn the lesson and don't coup to establish new Duce, at least for 20 years. If they still want strong hand, they may embrace communism, or old good autocracy. The same rule should be for communists, of course.
- Would be nice to add option "colonial battles preference" (Just like large battles preference now). As its a pity that my perfect colonial control TFs nearly always stay out battle glory, though there are equal enemies near them.
Money:
- In early game wars, there are usually no big problems with budget. But in lategame I often has no money to even mobilize ships in reserve (of course, I lower research to 6-8% and stop all new shipbuilding, but sometimes all this not enough to balance). It is good challenge, but what is worse, sometimes extra payment applies immediately, so I lose prestige and fleet morale due to high debt just in the moment war happen. Also, after battle player should pay for every damaged ship before government check his coffers in same turn, so you may suffer from all this without the ability to intervene. I suggest to give player no less than three months to counter debt at wartime before he face disgrace. Yes, we are at war, gentlemen, don't you hear? Also would be nice to add some repair options to doctrine: "No repair after battle"; "Only fast repair" (1 month ships, which be ready to next battle); "All".
And one more. Now it's quite easy to keep morale of Navy at 0 - just won battles, and no sailor remember about his payment. But even after full payment and sinking half of Spanish navy in one battle, their morale don't raise higher! Strangely, football victory is more valuable for our guys... I think, that major victories +2 should do this too.
Intelligence:
- During early and midgame, nearly only sensor to spot enemy is Eyeball Mk1. However, in lategame various electronics should help to do the job. So spottings may become more variable. "Intensive radiochat at XY coordinates", "4 skunks, 1 big" "Radar emission", "10 bogeys flying low".
- Enemy warplanes should be reported, if met with your scouts or strike groups.
- And of course, detected sub positions should be marked!
- Also would be good to add possibility of changing color of radar-spotted targets.
- And new endturn intelligence report - how many planes of each type are at foreign airbase (and its status: active or reserve)
AI:
- Now in nearly equal conflicts, AI tend to send too much ships in colonies, maybe planning invasions. As the result, I manage to break their blockade and even establish my own for moth or two, before squadron returns. And of course, no successful invasions. And I have opportunity to destroy their navy piece by piece.
- In mid-late game large airbases provide serious challenge for weaker navy. Would be good to teach AI to perform ground strikes at nearest airfield, if it is full with planes. BTW, lategame ground targets should have heavy SAM battery, and sometimes - also light one.
- AI underestimate strike planes so it tend to fill airfields and carriers with light and (later) heavy jet fighters. Seem, that weaker nations (like Russia, or France, at some point Britain too) especially prone to it. On the other side, AI sometimes surprises me with using dive or torpedo bombers in 1960 at main theatre.
Airplane developing:
- Now aircrafts seem to strictly follow historical route, at least for AI. (For example, at every game AI develop dive bombers nearly five years before player may invent them). And all characteristics at same period are nearly equal. Would be nice, if their invention become more equal (say, if anybody develop torpedo bomber, and intelligence steal its blueprints, you may develop it by yourself as you know that it may work) while their characteristics may become more variable, depending of your intelligence and how many tries you do. So, if you develop one fighter in 1920 and then wait till 1935, your next plane have chance to be of 1925 origin. And only after some requests you may reach the edge of technology at those areas, which you order to prioritize. And if you again and again prioritize same areas, at some point new designs begin to suffer in other areas. So it may be signal to try something new. What, I think, shouldn't happen, is situation, when new designs in 1960 can't match with old 1940-th plane (Now, for example, it is nearly impossible to get better patrol craft then mid-40th one till end of game).
Strategic changes:
- Now you are free to leave far seas completely unprotected, once you blockade enemy main province. Pathetic "enemy fleet dominate around Tonkin!" has so low VP loss, that you may freely ignore it. Some situations are quite strange. For example: Germany blockade France in Northern Europe. Japan is French ally. Their united fleet in Mediterranean completely controls situation, but German unprotected colonies are absolutely safe - Japan has no bases there, and France can't do anything due to blockade. I suggest, that after some techs, active warfare should be possible at least in your additional home zones. US East Coast may be blockaded - but if there are no enemies in Caribbean, who can stop marines, sailing to Cuba? (Of course, blockade should still decrease potential to invade, but not block the option). This will help to spread ships of both enemies all over the world, create more action and make painting of the world less advantageous - capturing new base in new region, think about possibility to keep your presence there!
- And in regions without home provinces, there may be option to destroy enemy base. If your best ship at Guam is obsolete AMC, while enemy operates CA squadron, they'll sink all your ships, destroy all batteries and finally their landing party blow up your docks, burn your depots, rob your banks and threaten your townies. So you then should pay for rebuilding port capacity and lose prestige. Of course, von Spee Falkland surprise should be possible too.
- Now AI doesn't develop bases in distant regions. As the result, player may get great advantage. For example, Japan capture Marshall islands early on, expand base there several times, and may overpower US Navy in Central Pacific, as Hawaii still have native capacity. I suggest to make repeatable event "Private shipping developed our possession XX base capacity! + base capacity" Or "Private shipping company expanded port facilities in XX!" with variants "That's good!"(economic boost) or "Seize it to Navy!" (- money, base capacity increased).
- Stop fascists, please! Seriously, when fascist regime lost the war via revolution, people should learn the lesson and don't coup to establish new Duce, at least for 20 years. If they still want strong hand, they may embrace communism, or old good autocracy. The same rule should be for communists, of course.
- Would be nice to add option "colonial battles preference" (Just like large battles preference now). As its a pity that my perfect colonial control TFs nearly always stay out battle glory, though there are equal enemies near them.
Money:
- In early game wars, there are usually no big problems with budget. But in lategame I often has no money to even mobilize ships in reserve (of course, I lower research to 6-8% and stop all new shipbuilding, but sometimes all this not enough to balance). It is good challenge, but what is worse, sometimes extra payment applies immediately, so I lose prestige and fleet morale due to high debt just in the moment war happen. Also, after battle player should pay for every damaged ship before government check his coffers in same turn, so you may suffer from all this without the ability to intervene. I suggest to give player no less than three months to counter debt at wartime before he face disgrace. Yes, we are at war, gentlemen, don't you hear? Also would be nice to add some repair options to doctrine: "No repair after battle"; "Only fast repair" (1 month ships, which be ready to next battle); "All".
And one more. Now it's quite easy to keep morale of Navy at 0 - just won battles, and no sailor remember about his payment. But even after full payment and sinking half of Spanish navy in one battle, their morale don't raise higher! Strangely, football victory is more valuable for our guys... I think, that major victories +2 should do this too.
