My Experience with Learning WIR

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ab067
Posts: 155
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:03 am

RE: My Experience with Learning WIR

Post by ab067 »

You now have the basics for playing WIR.

Try the tutorial on page 35 of the manual.

The scenario is called TYPHOON not MOSCOW.

The final post will be on the AI.


This is a link for a checklist to use. It is the 6th post down.

tm.asp?m=4139302#


ab067
Posts: 155
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:03 am

RE: My Experience with Learning WIR

Post by ab067 »


This post will explain an easy way to learn plotting and planning strategies for WIR.

******


WIR was originally designed for Human vs Human play or Computer vs Computer.

From what I have read and observed the computer AI executes AI routines that follow a historical path.

In the first summer, the Axis AI would advance aggressively and the Soviet AI would use a routine that was defensive. During winter the routines were reversed.

When a Human player played the computer and did anything non historical it could confuse the computer. This was mentioned in one of the CGW articles on the AI routines.

The AI in the summer of 1941 will follow a routine in which the HQ set an objective that was historical and move the Korps to capture it.

During the turn sequence the AI assigns a value to different locations on the map.

Also the AI assigns different values to armour and infantry. I suspect that this occurs when the AI is setting map values and unit values.

When you play human vs computer you will only see the end result of these routines.

If you use the AI to assist you through Computer operational control/full control you still will only see the end result.

To observe/learn what the computer is planning you must play computer vs computer and intervene during the orders phase. Here you can see what the HQ objectives are, the Korps plots the AI is planning, which Korps have moved, which units the AI has just added, etc. You can also make changes before the execution of the COMBAT phase.

You can only see the planned moves of the AI in the computer vs computer game. This does work work in any other mode.


*****

Load WIR and use the same scenario as in the tutorial.

The map fits the screen and combat is easier to follow.

I also load SNARF15 which can do a screen capture in dosbox so that I can compare the plots prior to movement to after combat.




SETUP MENU

SCENARIO ____PLAYER _________BALANCE

____________ Axis Computer _____

____________ Soviet Computer ___

____________ Both Human _____

TYPHOON__ Both Computer _____ EVEN <----- select



For the DISPLAY/DELAY options use HIGH/HIGH until you feel that you can follow the sequence.

Then switch to MED/MED or LOW/LOW.

******

When the Turn sequence starts to run, monitor the readout at the bottom left of the screen. When you see "setting map values" press any key (spacebar) and this will allow you to access the ORDERS phase after the AI has moved and plotted.

Prior to the ORDERS phase the AI will conduct some air strikes and move some units. Select the pause key to follow/note the location. Press any key to continue.

When the menu with the ORDERS phase comes up you can anything you would normally do in this phase.

To see all the plots press the SHOW key (bottom left) or "/". During this phase I normally will do a screen capture with SNARF (alt/s).

Plots with "a" indicate unit is just added, so I don't move/plot this unit.

Plots with "m" indicate unit has just moved, so I don't plot this unit.

When you have made any changes, noted what the HQ objectives are, flown some additional missions, etc press ESC and execute the COMBAT phase.


The turn sequence will continue through the Soviet turn and stop at the SOVIET order phase. You can check the Soviet planned moves or just execute the COMBAT phase.

Once the turn sequence is complete it will start again for the next turn. During the "setting map values" sequence you MUST press any key again, otherwise the ORDERS menu will be bypassed until you have another chance in the next turn sequence.

******

Observations:

You cannot change HQ objectives. The AI changes them back.

You cannot change AI HQ control to human. The AI changes them back.

If you transfer airgroups, fill up the HQ that lost the airgroup with other airgroups or transfer to Italian front/west front first.

You can change equipment, control production, change factories.

******

This also works in Second Front, West Front. I use "/" and just play a few turns to see what the AI does in different situations.

Sometimes I let the computer run for many turns and intervene when the situation looks interesting to see what the AI is planning.





ab067
Posts: 155
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:03 am

RE: My Experience with Learning WIR

Post by ab067 »


In conclusion.

It is necessary, at some point to read all the manuals and the updates of the changes in the different versions of WIR to fully appreciate this game.

Might I suggest to read the updates in the reverse order ie latest first.

I found it confusing to read a change in V2.0, try to understand how it fits, only to see it it changed again in a later version.

The same applies to threads in the posts. Read them from page one.

Learning WIR has made the transition to other GG games easier because the concepts and inter-phase are similar. I found Carrier Strike easy and fun and will tackle PacWar, UV, Eagle Day, WITP. They don't seem as intimidating now.




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