PBEM Campaign thoughts / wish list
 

A few ideas probable dreams based entirley on my observations of play & game mechanics. If you have any post here to see if takes the teams intrest.

REPAIR & REFIT POINTS
Should either be allocoted equally to both sides or loser should get more to preserve balance. Can justify as loser is closer to supply point as falling back, see next point

BATTLE TYPE BASED ON OUTCOME OF PREVIOUS
The next battle should be based on the outcome of the last as follows
Draw > Same battle type
Lose > Loser shifts 1 battle type to defence
2 if a massacre

Examples
Meeting > Draw > next meeting
Meeting Side A wins > Side A attacks
If Side A now wins > Side A assualts
If Draw > Side A attacks again (same battle type)
If side A loses > Back to meeting ( shifts 1 defence in losers favour)

river crossing probably treat as assualt.

Points > realise this is probably a wish but you can do manually as security is only basic. At start of a new battle reload till get desired outcome.
Effect > once past first 3 battles (meetings where you need a gentlemans agreement so make first only meeting please) prolongs campaign as loser is at an advantage. also represents to some extent ebb & flow of war.
Like all things this is open to cheating purposely losing just, simple don't play em again.

RELAXED VICTORY CONDITION KEY
Possibly needing both players to activate or automatically activated once a player has withdrawn 3 units. Its use is to speed up end of battles once 1 sides position is hopeless & they are withdrawing.

Vic Hexes > relax total controled to about 70-80%
Reason game seems to need all & especially with shotgun can end up waiting for player just to get 1 or 2 he ignored.
Vic hex control contested > switch off
Reason game can drag on even with 90% of force off map if a crew is stuck near an victory hex. At present have to tell other player where they are to kill.
Units destroyed end game calculation > Assume game takes % diffrence of loses or some such into account for end of battle calculation.
Suggesst withdrawn units count 1.5 or 2x for this calculation to speed up ending game.
Reason the onus is still on the player to withdraw & save force but battle will end quicker so does not have to do to the man. I have seen calls for a surrender button, no put a diffrent hat on survival of your forces is upto you if it all goes belly up. Pursuit of is dangerous & can get you back in the battle so often becomes cautious snipping of what can as its easy to lose more than you pick off.

Hope this made sense & I am aware could have totaly misread how game mechanics work, just trying to improve end of battle a bit as can sometimes drag on though sometimes seems to work logically.
Hmm suddenly thought I could post a Poll on this to get peoples views but can't find button

Re: PBEM Campaign thoughts / wish list
 

Good day,

I concur with the above. Even if only a few of these changes are possible it would enhance the PBEM Campaign by far. As well we don't expect this over night.

Bob out:D

Re: PBEM Campaign thoughts / wish list
 

I actually posted the same thing on the SPWW2 forum.

You can see it here:

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=39549

I didn't get a direct response from Don or Andy; but Andy appeared to allude to it in another thread where he spoke about the importance of playing conservatively and force preservation.

I wholeheatedly agree with a cautious approach to PBEM campaigns, and think if both players play in that style, AND if both players are of similar ability, then repair points won't have such an impact.

The problem is that we often play opponents with a different skill level, and many sometimes employ an aggressive style of play (which can bring success or failure).

IMHO, rewarding both players with the same repair points will - in some ways - even the playing field.

Rewarding the loser with more repair points will go further still and make it more challenging to maintain back to back wins, and gives the loser a chance to make a 'come back'.