WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Gary Grigsby’s War in the West 1943-45 is the most ambitious and detailed computer wargame on the Western Front of World War II ever made. Starting with the Summer 1943 invasions of Sicily and Italy and proceeding through the invasions of France and the drive into Germany, War in the West brings you all the Allied campaigns in Western Europe and the capability to re-fight the Western Front according to your plan.

Moderators: Joel Billings, RedLancer

Post Reply
User avatar
RedLancer
Posts: 4338
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am
Location: UK

WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Post by RedLancer »

I thought I'd do some pre-release posts that show some of the new features in WitW that make it so different from WitE. My intent is to post at least every couple of days. To start things off I'll begin with arguably the biggest difference - the Air War and specifically in this post Air Bases.

WitW has a brand new Air Base system which is a big improvement over the much more abstracted WitE approach. WitW reproduces both the infrastructure that is an Air Base with the unit that supports it and finally there are the Air Groups that fly the missions.

There are three sizes of Air Base - each with their own map graphic - the clue is the number of runways displayed. Larger Air Bases can handle more and larger aircraft and are less susceptible to damage. The Air Groups at overloaded Air Bases are penalised.

WitW Air Base Units which represent ground crew and AA defences exist in parallel with the runways but unlike WitE they are not stacked with the ground counters and they cannot move. You can however activate or close airfields by adjusting the %TOE. For those who don't have the time or inclination to micromanage there is an Auto TOE setting. When you capture a hex with an enemy airbase the assigned Air Base Unit flips to your nationality with a %TOE of 0. i.e. abandoned but ready to occupy. Smaller Air Bases can be expanded in size at the cost of supplies but in true GG style it takes longer in harsher terrain and weather.

The screenshot shows Ford Air Base selected - notice the new Air Base graphic showing it is a Size 1 Airbase and it is overloaded - hence the '!' on the map. In this view Green airbases have Air Groups and Red are empty. In the Unit Bar you can see not only the same basic information as WitE but also details on which Air Groups are stationed at the Air Base.


Image
Attachments
AirBase.jpg
AirBase.jpg (106.59 KiB) Viewed 188 times
John
WitE2 Asst Producer
WitE & WitW Dev
gravyhair
Posts: 167
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 4:58 am

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Post by gravyhair »

Really marvelous! But what's that Italian parachute brigade doing near Middle Wallop??? :-0 :-)
Wise Men Still Seek Him
User avatar
morvael
Posts: 11763
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:19 am
Location: Poland

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Post by morvael »

I think it's Polish.
User avatar
RedLancer
Posts: 4338
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am
Location: UK

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Post by RedLancer »

It is Polish and the Armd Bde in Portsmouth is Czechoslovak.
John
WitE2 Asst Producer
WitE & WitW Dev
User avatar
SuluSea
Posts: 2378
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:13 pm

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Post by SuluSea »

Hi RL , thanks for the dedication and time spent posting info.

As far as building up airbases, are engineers similar to WITE railroad repair required for the task or are forces embedded with air units, something else?

Thanks![:)]
"There’s no such thing as a bitter person who keeps the bitterness to himself.” ~ Erwin Lutzer
User avatar
RedLancer
Posts: 4338
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am
Location: UK

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Post by RedLancer »

If an airbase is set to expand the game will look to send a construction unit to the hex similar to the WitE auto rail repair model. The air base unit also has its own support for repairing up to 10% damage per day. If an air base is damaged whilst expanding the construction unit will help fixing the damage first.
John
WitE2 Asst Producer
WitE & WitW Dev
User avatar
Balou
Posts: 848
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:12 pm

RE: WitW: The Big Differences from WitE - Part 1 - Air Bases

Post by Balou »

ORIGINAL: Red Lancer

When you capture a hex with an enemy airbase the assigned Air Base Unit flips to your nationality with a %TOE of 0. i.e. abandoned but ready to occupy.

What about fuel and supplies at captured Air Bases ?
“Aim towards enemy“.
- instructions on U.S. rocket launcher
Post Reply

Return to “Gary Grigsby's War in the West”