Can we get a Grand Campaign starting from Nov.'17?

[Kev_uk]

Hi,
Is it possible for a Grand Campaign starting from the Bolshevik seizure of power in November 1917 to run until the end of the conflict? Presently, we have Ice March that runs for 14 turns and deals with initial early conflict in the Don region, the formation of the Volunteer Army and Red Army. Then we have the Grand Campaign running from June '18. Its only an extra 14 turns you would have to include, although I gather from what I know of this period that there would have to be OOB changes?

I just think it would be quite interesting to play from the early days.
Thank you.

[Flop]

I'd love that. The current Grand Campaign seems pretty grand and all, but this would be grander.

[barbu]

I would love that too. However, I'm trying to think why it wasn't done. Probably the designers realized that if you start the grand campaign in November 1917, there are no Siberian Whites at the start; so it all becomes a war between Whites (South and Siberian, under the same player or under same AI) vs. Reds. In testing, it was probably realized that it was too easy for White humans to win against Bolshevik AI if they control all White forces at the same time .

Just a guess, I have no inside information.

Coming back to the November 1917 campaign, I've started to like the concept: if you play as the Whites and win it ( = resist), you have earned the right to play the big campaigns because the Bolsheviks couldn't stop all resistance. If you fail, then there is no Civil War. I don't know if it makes sense

[caranorn]

Like Barbu I think the Siberian Whites might have been the issue. But I think there could be a simple (though not really elegant) solution. Have the Siberian Whites in the game at start, if necessary create a non playable area out east that will only be opened once the first Siberian Whites become active. Give the Siberian Whites nothing to do for those first 14ish turns. That would mean that during the first 14ish turns the Volunteer Army could face off with the Bolshevics while any Siberian White player would just push the "next turn" button repeatedly. A boring start for that player, but it would allow the other two potential players a game start from almost nothing...

And yes, I'm also for a Nov. 1917 grand campaign start in addition to the already existing one...

[Clovis]

That was envisioned indeed with map playable only in Southern aera until jule 18. But we couldn't get right the transition between Ice March and the current GC. Who konws? Maybe we will another try...But certainly not now.

[barbu]

What I'm really concerned with as a customer is game improvement, so I'd rather have the team concentrate on bugs than on this issue.

However... the simple and ugly way to do it would be:

1. In the scenario selection screen, player clicks on "Humongously Gigantic Russian Civil War" campaign or equivalent title.

2. Player chooses side.

3. Player plays the current Ice March campaign.

4. Two weeks before the start of the current June 1918 campaign ... so that's May... the Ice March part of the campaign ends. If the Reds won, the game is over (it doesn't matter if AI or Player controlled the Reds). There was no Civil War after all, just a small rebellion in the history books and that's it.

If the Whites won, the game transitions to the June 1918 campaign by skipping a turn. A message appears in the middle of the screen, stating something like: "The lines are being drawn between White and Red are being drawn throughout the country. All sides are organizing for the coming Civil War".

At this point, if the player was White, he has to pick between fighting as the Siberian Whites and the Southern Whites.

How is data to be transitioned?
- all loyalties, city ownerships, etc in the area of the Ice March scenario remain as they are. That goes also for sieges, movement orders and other things.
- all units/generals remain where they were at the end of that scenario, with the same stats (cohesion, no. of soldiers, etc.)
- VPs, NM, replacement chits and other "strategic" statistics are recalculated. I have a few ideas here too, but I don't want to bore you more than necessary.
- All data (generals, units, etc.) which didn't exist in Ice March is added at the locations where it was meant to be in the June 1918 campaign *or*, if that city is occupied by an opponent, in a random objective city owned by that side.
- All killed generals and destroyed units are removed.

Easier written than done, I know.

[caranorn]

Yes, first look at getting everything in the existing scenarios, the ai and other problems right. Then if you have the time try and link up those two scenarios. Alternatively someone might mod that in by then...

[barbu]

Now that I've read what Clovis wrote I feel like a(n)...

[Clovis]

Yes, first look at getting everything in the existing scenarios, the ai and other problems right. Then if you have the time try and link up those two scenarios. Alternatively someone might mod that in by then...

problem with the AI?

Which please?

[Clovis]

Now that I've read what Clovis wrote I feel like a(n)...

Don't worry. Such ideas are great inded. I never worked for such a gifted small band of game designers. Having the same idea than them is rather a good sign for you

[caranorn]

problem with the AI?

Which please?

Didn't notice any myself, I was referring to others who seem to have noticed such. or was it you asking? Anyhow, just the basic idea of first looking at stuff that might not be working and then look at adding new scenarios...

[barbu]

!



This is not a bug.

[caranorn]

!



This is not a bug.

That's a grand campaign :-D ...

[GlobalExplorer]

what is it?

Have you set up the number of turns, and the game will use the scripted events from the other campaigns?

[barbu]

new time limit - yes
scripts & events - working on it.