Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

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Hairog
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Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by Hairog »

Stop me if this has been proposed before.
A little background…

I just discovered Neptune’s Pride (https://np.ironhelmet.com/#main_menu). It’s an online space 4x but the novel part to me was it is all simultaneous and long…long term. Travel between stars can take days, real days. I can’t say that it is real-time but certainly it is long-term. Otherwise the game is unremarkable.

What I’m proposing is a real-time, strategic American Civil War or World War Two, strategic level, simultaneous move, simulation. With the keyb being real-time
Example for American Civil War

1. Movement
a. Average 20 miles per day on foot
b. Rail
i. Chickamauga. Longstreet’s corps traveled roughly 800 miles in about twelve days.
1. 66 miles per day
ii. Two weeks later two Union Corps did 1200 miles in 12 days
1. 100 miles per day
2. Supply https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a445773.pdf
a. Mules
i. six mules drawing a wagon carrying 1.5 tons of supplies could travel approximately 333 miles on one ton of food or 500 ton-miles
b. Train
i. A 15 car train (in 1860s) could handle 5200 ton-miles

You get the idea. The stats are readily available.

Once the armies meet each general has a standing order on what tactics to use (flank attack, double flanking, etc.), weapons available, number of men, ammo, artillery etc. and the computer runs the numbers, generates random numbers and a result is given. Again, standing orders give the direction of retreat. Computer decides if victorious army can pursue etc. Kind of standard stuff for wargamers but…in real-time.

So I send my 3 corps size army from Richmond to Gettysburg, 177 miles. Google maps say 59 hours walking. If we use 20 miles per day it will take 8.85 days or real late on the 8th day. You could change routes or destinations depending upon information gathered by scouts, spies, cavalry or even lost orders. You could even choose the desired route based on the road and rail grid of 1860s.

Identified strategically important destinations would determine the meeting point of two or more opposing forces. Battles could rage for days with reinforcements showing up. Commanders could choose to withdraw from the field at the end of the day.

I meet Ralph’s III Corps just before Gettysburg. I drive him back but darkness stops the action. Meanwhile his IV and VII corps show up during the night and I’m in deep dodo and decide to retreat to and dig in behind What-cha-ma-call-it creek…again all in real-time.


Economy could be simplified like Strategic Command or even the forth coming War Plan. Again, all standard stuff but in real-time and multi-player. You watch in horror as your cousin charges his army up Fredericksburg Heights.

Thoughts? Would you buy and play this simulation? Would you care to create it?
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RangerJoe
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RE: Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by RangerJoe »

I personally would want a much faster pace and the meeting engagement that you describe, well the tactics used would be based on the terrain. A left flanking attack through a swamp would not be advisable nor a Cavalry charge through a grove of trees either. The aggressiveness and the initiative of the commanders on the spot should dictate the actions based on preset instructions.

Rail movement would depend upon the infrastructure, other rail traffic, and priorities. Is the rail line single or double tracked? Is in it excellent shape or do we have to worry about going too fast and the rail system falling apart. How about them bridges? Is there enough fuel and the quality? Coal or wood? What kind of coal and what kind of wood? What shape are the locomotives and rail cars in? Do you embark/debark at a station, a siding, or just having the train stopped? If at a station or a siding, is there a wait? There are a lot of variables if you want to get into it.
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Hairog
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RE: Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by Hairog »

A lot of variables is right RangerJoe! The fact that in my example the Union could move 25000 men a 100 miles a day while the CSA could manage 66 is the type of variable that would have to be kept in mind.

Playing the other game mentioned in real-time, it's rather satisfying sending your units off going to work and finding out 12 hours later how they did in their endeavors. It's hard to explain until you experience it for yourself. You get the feeling of how a Lincoln or Davis must have felt, waiting and then getting word, sometimes in the middle of the night the fate of your forces.
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wodin
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RE: Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by wodin »

Command Ops anyone? Smaller in scale but that's about it.

Wasn't there a game being developed called Road to Moscow I think. That was going to be continuous time.

Also isn't Hearts of Iron doing the big WW2 scale grand strat thing?

I'm all for wargame innovation though. If this offers a unique experience then I'd be interested.
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Hairog
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RE: Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by Hairog »

Hearts of Iron is not real-time and I don't believe it can be made to do so.

You really think Command Ops could be modded to real-time? How about strategic level?
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simovitch
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RE: Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by simovitch »

ORIGINAL: Hairog
You really think Command Ops could be modded to real-time? How about strategic level?
What part of Command Ops is not real-time?
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ringoblood
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RE: Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by ringoblood »

I proposed a Close Combat Real Time Civil War Game back here on the forums a while back but no one took so i guess there was no interest, [:(]
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Hairog
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RE: Real-time American Civil War or World War Two

Post by Hairog »

What part of Command Ops is not real-time?

Just pickedup the demo. Great game! But, the part where you can pause the game or speed it up is the problem with what I consider real-time. There would be no pause and no slowing or speeding up time in the game I'm proposing.
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