Problems with Zeppelins, Italian concessions, and East front German command.

[Merlin]

This comes from several PBEMs.

Zeppelins:

The raid RGD doesn't seem to work. Kensai is reporting the Zepps take no losses, and WE alignment doesn't drop at all. As is, it's a useless card.

Italian concessions:

Austria doesn't get the 20% drop in rebel alignment across all regions as advertised in the tooltip when this decision is played.

East front German command:

If Russia doesn't attack, Hindenburg doesn't show up as a three star. I don't remember if he shows up later, but if not, can a decision be made, perhaps 2 EP, which makes Hindenburg available as a 3 star with reduced seniority if Russia doesn't attack? Right now, it's too easy as Russia to avoid German territory altogether and prevent his arrival.

Other thoughts:

Perhaps we could get class draft decisions? As things stand, every major power lacks conscripts after early 1915. Russia mobilized a helluva lot of men, and so did nearly every major in the game. It's extremely difficult to recreate the millions of men who were mobilized in the war under current conditions, despite the fact it's easy to recreate the losses.

Generals:

I know Italy and France only get three generals per year, while the British get substantially more despite having the shorter force pool. In concurrence with the above request, can all the majors receive similar numbers of generals? Either being forced to split out divisions in corps stacks is a simulation of reserves which should apply to all, or every major needs similar leader pools to Britain.

[ajarnlance]

East front German command:

If Russia doesn't attack, Hindenburg doesn't show up as a three star. I don't remember if he shows up later, but if not, can a decision be made, perhaps 2 EP, which makes Hindenburg available as a 3 star with reduced seniority if Russia doesn't attack? Right now, it's too easy as Russia to avoid German territory altogether and prevent his arrival.

Other thoughts:

Perhaps we could get class draft decisions? As things stand, every major power lacks conscripts after early 1915. Russia mobilized a helluva lot of men, and so did nearly every major in the game. It's extremely difficult to recreate the millions of men who were mobilized in the war under current conditions, despite the fact it's easy to recreate the losses.

Generals:

I know Italy and France only get three generals per year, while the British get substantially more despite having the shorter force pool. In concurrence with the above request, can all the majors receive similar numbers of generals? Either being forced to split out divisions in corps stacks is a simulation of reserves which should apply to all, or every major needs similar leader pools to Britain.

+1. I have thought the same thing about Hindenburg. There is no way he wouldn't have been a general IRL, even if the Russians hadn't invaded Prussia... he represents Ludendorff as well... so this team should definitely appear in the game with high seniority. In fact, I believe that the idea to combine Hindenburg and Ludendorff together is a mistake. Also, making the participation of Hindenburg dependent on an event (which the EE player can avoid with foreknowledge) is a serious oversight. Hindenburg and Ludendorff are the two best known German generals in the whole war. If you read history you will realise that Ludendorff became the de facto dictator of Germany (the Kaiser was marginalised) and supreme commander of all German forces in the last two years of the war. He was one of the most important Germans in the war!! And he doesn't even have his own unit card!? He needs to be brought out of the shadows and placed centre stage where he was historically. Look at this quote from G.J. Meyer's excellent book on WW1 'A world undone' ...

"It is revealing of Ludendorff’s power that he was free to settle momentous questions without involving the two crown princes ..., or Hindenburg or the Kaiser, or any member of the government."

+1 also on the need for more drafts and more generals... tired of having to scroll through very long unit panels because I can't group my divisions together under a general because I don't have enough generals. Another solution would be to allow more units to be combined under 1 and 2 star generals.. currently all you can place under a single general are 2 infantry units and 2 artillery.

In my current PBEM neither Hindenburg or Ludendorff are likely to be seen... how can you possibly create a situation where you leave the two most important German generals out of the war....?? The appearance of Hindenburg is in the hands of the EE player?? Seen below, Hindenburg and Ludendorff with the Kaiser... Ludendorff became de facto ruler of Germany towards the end of the war... but hey... we'll just leave him out of the game...

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[PJL]

I agree that Hindenburg and Lundendorff should be activated at some point (I'd say no later than Jan 1915 regardless of the existing rules).

I agree that reserves are too low at the moment. They only really became a problem by around 1917 (and for Russia it was never a problem), and you can run out in 1915. This suggests that manpower needs to be doubled at least for all sides. Certainly having cards to do this would be a good idea, though most nations except Britain had conscription at the time.

[Jinx]

I agree that reserves are too low at the moment. They only really became a problem by around 1917 (and for Russia it was never a problem), and you can run out in 1915. This suggests that manpower needs to be doubled at least for all sides. Certainly having cards to do this would be a good idea, though most nations except Britain had conscription at the time.

There is that option of increasing manpower pool in the settings...

[PJL]

There is that option of increasing manpower pool in the settings...

That affects the number of recruitable units only, not actual manpower, so won't actually make a difference, except a bit more flexibility on what to recruit.

[ringhloth]

The raid zeppelin RGD works fine for me. WE loses NM, and the zeppelins need replacements. The Italian wargoals also work as advertised. I am running RC7, though.

[Kensai]

The raid zeppelin RGD works fine for me. WE loses NM, and the zeppelins need replacements. The Italian wargoals also work as advertised. I am running RC7, though.

Which version of the game? In v1.01 it definitely does not work. Can you provide a save game?

The problems Merlin wrote on his first post were from our PBEM and I can confirm all of them. There are also serious balancing issues with the opening war plans and huge loopholes that players of all sides can take advantage of. Things that we obviously missed in beta, especially those of us who were playing against the AI and not human players. I will prepare a separate post on the matter.

[ringhloth]

Which version of the game? In v1.01 it definitely does not work. Can you provide a save game?

The problems Merlin wrote on his first post were from our PBEM and I can confirm all of them. There are also serious balancing issues with the opening war plans and huge loopholes that players of all sides can take advantage of. Things that we obviously missed in beta, especially those of us who were playing against the AI and not human players. I will prepare a separate post on the matter.

The 1.01RC7 patch. You can see that the Austrian regions have a ~20% rebel alignment (be sure to look for it in Austria itself, and in the countryside, not objective cities). You can also see that the zeppelins I have stationed in France have taken a little damage. You'll have to take my word for it that the zeppelins were more damaged earlier, and that the NM hits were working as intended.
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[Kensai]

The 1.01RC7 patch. You can see that the Austrian regions have a ~20% rebel alignment (be sure to look for it in Austria itself, and in the countryside, not objective cities). You can also see that the zeppelins I have stationed in France have taken a little damage. You'll have to take my word for it that the zeppelins were more damaged earlier, and that the NM hits were working as intended.

Will check it out. My own are invincible but don't do NM damage either. Note that I still get the message "the Zeppelins have bombed London", but no NM loss is being attributed, some 4-5 turns I could play the decision. The rest of them I could not since Merlin was playing his Fighters card.