Scenario idea/Need help

[JoeRockhead]

I've never designed a scenario before so i'd like a little help if possible.
I would like to design some scenarios based on a couple of board games.
The games are what-if type based on the premise of a Japanese and German victory in world war 2. The games were by XTR who published command magazine, they were called "Tomorrow the World" which was a world campaign, and some based on campaigns themselves in different parts of the alternate world. The one I'm most interested in is Black Gold (Texas Tea), which takes place in the Middle East. The Japanese and Germans are battling over the oil fields. As well asone based on a fight over India. The games take place in a 1947, 1948 time frame. I used to have these games but sold them at an auction(stupid me). I need an idea for how I would set up an order of battle as well as map questions. The Germans and Japanese would have more advanced forces. The Germans would have the x-weapons , Jets, super tanks etc. Is this idea possible for a design? I would probably have to make up some of the units from scratch. Please let me know any thoughts or opinions. All input and help from everyone would be great.
Thanks!

[Menschenfresser]

This is very do-able.

What you need to keep in mind concerning orders of battle is that TOAW only registers one level. Meaning, each formation has one HQ and there is no direct attachment of that HQ to any higher formations. You can design OOBs according to a structure, but TOAW does not take that into consideration.

Most designers seem to start by using the editor to make a map. Then they add in forces (OOB). And lastly add in events.

TOAW3's database is formatted to XML, so you edit it to add in the new equipment you referred to.

The best thing is to come up with a small idea and see if you can get it working.

[ColinWright]

For what it's worth...

I've always seen the Japanese in the 1940's as a second-tier power that got too big for its britches.

I don't think they could have hung in the big leagues with anyone. In this connection, a Japanese army colonel went on a tour of German factories, etc in 1940. It was a revelation. When he got back to Tokyo, he tried to get his superiors to realize just how backwards Japan was. Sure, a few good designs and some well-trained pilots, etc -- but the place just lacked the large, industrial, modern foundation to compete with the big boys.

Maybe kick the time up to 1960 or so. Figure frenetic Japanese modernization whilst Germany gets lost in trying to create a Germanic peasant folk community across Eastern Europe.

[rhinobones]

ORIGINAL: JoeRockhead

I've never designed a scenario before so i'd like a little help if possible.
I would like to design some scenarios based on a couple of board games.

Think there is a lot of interest and appreciation for board games ported to the TOAW format. I am not a big fan of WW II scenarios, but I do know that World at War and 3rd Reich are both very popular board games that have been successfully written as TOAW games. They both seem to have a big following.

In board games other than the WW II era, Blitzkrieg (by Curt Chambers) is an excellent scenario and War of the Rings (myself) has some popular interest.

A couple of other scenarios such as Deep Battle (another excellent scenario by Charles Kotraba) and Velikiye Luki (adapted from the original v4v scenario, myself and others) are not exactly board games, but they do share the characteristic on being ported to the TOAW III format.

Depending on your game concept, be prepared to make some custom graphics and/or equipment file. This may seem daunting at first, but in actuality it is rather simple and tends to distinguish your scenario from the crowd. The expatriates from TDG may also be of help. Although some of them are extremely sensitive to criticism, they are generally very knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to building scenarios. Do not fear to seek their advice.

Regards, RhinoBones

PS – I mentioned Velikiye Luki, but there are other scenarios from the v4v and W@W series that have potential for porting to TOAW. The fact that these games were written in the WEGO mode does not seem to be a deciding factor of whether they can be ported to the TOAW IGUG format. I no longer have access to the v4v/W@W scenarios, but I could be interested in making the port.

[JoeRockhead]

Thanks for the input from everyone. Like I said all suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks!

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: ColinWright

I don't think they could have hung in the big leagues with anyone. In this connection, a Japanese army colonel went on a tour of German factories, etc in 1940. It was a revelation. When he got back to Tokyo, he tried to get his superiors to realize just how backwards Japan was. Sure, a few good designs and some well-trained pilots, etc -- but the place just lacked the large, industrial, modern foundation to compete with the big boys.

What Germany didn't have was the ability to project her power outside of Europe. You might find that Germany and Japan are able to field roughly the same sort of force in parts of the Middle East. Germany tracing a tenous supply line over land, Japan maintaining hers with her sizeable merchant marine and powerful Navy.

Japan would find herself facing a closing window of opportunity much as in 1941. By the 1950s, Germany could have a world class navy, but for now... so Japan recklessly decides to seize what she can now while she still has one ace to play. Catastrophically bad strategy on the part of Japan, but then what else is new?

[ColinWright]

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

ORIGINAL: ColinWright

I don't think they could have hung in the big leagues with anyone. In this connection, a Japanese army colonel went on a tour of German factories, etc in 1940. It was a revelation. When he got back to Tokyo, he tried to get his superiors to realize just how backwards Japan was. Sure, a few good designs and some well-trained pilots, etc -- but the place just lacked the large, industrial, modern foundation to compete with the big boys.

What Germany didn't have was the ability to project her power outside of Europe. You might find that Germany and Japan are able to field roughly the same sort of force in parts of the Middle East. Germany tracing a tenous supply line over land, Japan maintaining hers with her sizeable merchant marine and powerful Navy.

Assuming Germany has secured access via Suez and the railroad that runs from northern Syria and down into Iraq, their communications wouldn't be all that poor to at least a considerable part of the theater.

It'd be hard to model. The point of equilibrium might well be somewhere in Iran, with each side facing rapidly mounting supply problems as they advance. Add that apparently there were various regions that were infested with bandits to the point of rendering supply operations (like those historically conducted to supply lend-lease to Russia) impossible.

Japan would find herself facing a closing window of opportunity much as in 1941. By the 1950s, Germany could have a world class navy, but for now... so Japan recklessly decides to seize what she can now while she still has one ace to play. Catastrophically bad strategy on the part of Japan, but then what else is new?

Interestingly, the Japanese do seem to have had some demented ideas about their sphere of influence. As I recall, in early 1941, they were warning the Germans off of Iraq. To be theirs, apparently.