Game Options Menu Request

[Michael T]

Joel, there is a concensus among some players that Soviet morale levels in 1941 are too high and consequently the Soviet Army is too strong in 1941.

I am wondering would it take much of Pavels time to add an additional setting to the 'Game Options' menu. We have a setting for 'Morale Level'. But it applies to the entire length of the game. Could we add another 'sunset' input button that would allow the players to change the morale settings for a specified time?

For example I might negotiate with my opponent that the Soviets operate at 90% morale for the first 30 turns. Then the game reverts back to 100% Soviet morale.

This would be a great new feature I think for players who want to explore such an option.

Before any Soviet Fanboys start raving this is an OPTIONAL setting that is determined in the game option menu, not a hard coded request.

[carlkay58]

I know that you can change the settings vs the AI at any time and it is effective immediately. I don't believe that is available in the PBEM or Server modes though.

[Shupov]

I would support tying National Morale to victory points. Hasty Soviet retreats in 1941 allowing the early loss of key cities could be penalized that way. The Germans would also be encouraged to place greater importance on taking Leningrad. That would also seem to be an easy software change.

[coolts]

. That would also seem to be an easy software change.

It would make game more interesting for sure but as anyone with software development experience will tell you there are few easy software changes apart from editing the changelog.

Its like playing Jenga. Just move one more piece........

[Joel Billings]

Unfortunately, adding an additional game option is difficult.

[Shupov]

@coolts -As a career software developer myself I understand "easy" is a relative term. The difficulty of any change depends on many factors, including the software architecture and complexity. Only 2x3 can assess the effort and riskiness. I'm only suggesting what I think "might" be doable and accomplish more realistic play balance based on factors we can agree on. It seems to me that Soviet morale would be affected by German success (and vice-versa) but the current scheme doesn't take this into account.

The Russian-German war was heavily influenced by the personalities of its leaders. Stalin and Hitler fired or shot generals who didn't stand and fight. WitE does a great job demonstrating the best Soviet 1941 military strategy is to run away but that ignores political realities. WitE gamers know this but don't want to play under rules that constrain their strategies. In WitE hindsight is better than 20/20 - it's more like 20/1!

Even those psychotic leaders understood standing ground or running away had a paramount effect on morale. Morale was a huge issue - witness the NKVD blocking detachments due to Stalin's Order 227 "Not a step back" and Hitler's hedgehog defense strategy. German generals who resisted Hitler's fight to the death orders were fired by the bushel. More pliable generals like Paulus obeyed orders but took their armies down with them. In WitE the Soviet player can freely choose to ignore this but in reality not a chance. The best way I can think to simulate this reality within existing WitE game mechanics is via National Morale.

NM is already based on date. My suggestion would be to add an additional effect based on VP's at any given time. The timetable could be based on historical outcomes. It would penalize early loss of Smolensk, Kiev or D-Town due to Soviet runaways. For example, if Soviet VP's drop to xxx in July 1941 then NM would also drop. German "turtle" strategy could also be penalized that way. Likewise better-than-historical results like capturing Leningrad or Moscow would be rewarded.

@2x3 - Does this seem reasonable? Is it doable? No additional game options or user interface changes would be required.

[Flaviusx]

Kiev is going to fall early every time, Shupov, against any kind of good Axis player. It's not going fast because of runaways.

It's impossible to hold on to it until September given the Lvov opening. Not with what's left of SW Front.

Smolensk is doable, however. Mid July isn't that tough to beat.

[Shupov]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Kiev is going to fall early every time, Shupov, against any kind of good Axis player. It's not going fast because of runaways.

It's impossible to hold on to it until September given the Lvov opening. Not with what's left of SW Front.

Smolensk is doable, however. Mid July isn't that tough to beat.

No doubt! Even without Lvov Stalin's stand-fast order at Kiev cost Russia three armies and 660,000 men, not to mention General Kirponis' life. The price of "holding" Kiev far exceeded its value.

[gradenko2k]

You can't change the morale setting mid-game in a PBEM the way you can versus the AI?