Götterdämmerung Update

[Stauffenberg]

Just to advise that this DnO extension is being playtested at this point with good results. I expect to put this up sometime before Xmas.

D.

[MattyB]

Absolutely can't wait. I've played Brian's Bagration twice and enjoyed both times. I'm really fascinated with this period. I'm really looking forward to the WW I scenario though. Not as much out there for this time period (though there are some winners) and reading Keegan's book the First World War has gotten my interests way up.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by Stauffenberg
Just to advise that this DnO extension is being playtested at this point with good results. I expect to put this up sometime before Xmas.

:hail:

Did you design it for PBEM or solitaire play?

[Stauffenberg]

Both, at least it can be played against the Soviet PO. Jamiam is, or was, playing the Soviet PO, you can ask him about it.

D.

[Stauffenberg]

Originally posted by MattyB
Absolutely can't wait. I've played Brian's Bagration twice and enjoyed both times. I'm really fascinated with this period. I'm really looking forward to the WW I scenario though. Not as much out there for this time period (though there are some winners) and reading Keegan's book the First World War has gotten my interests way up.

If you want to find an opponent to playtest this drop me a line. Keep in mind that it is as big as DnO and a real time-drain, and that for playtesting I need results, comments, saved game files to improve it. Also, in playtesting, you should be prepared for some fatal error that may come up although I have the feeling this scenario will require far less testing than DnO, with far less bugs to winkle out. If you or anyone else is interested and have a team or partner to try it out, do let me know.

Re WWI, I agree with you about the interest in this. Definitely a frontier to contemplate WWI on the grand strategic level, but also operational in detail. After some R&R playtesting Berlin, I'll get back at that in the New Year I expect.

D.

[JAMiAM]

Originally posted by Stauffenberg
Both, at least it can be played against the Soviet PO. Jamiam is, or was, playing the Soviet PO, you can ask him about it.

D.

Still am, albeit slowly. Spent the weekend trying to catch up on games that I've been putting off.

Any comments of mine at this stage would be a bit premature. Give me another week to see how things play out.

[MattyB]

Dan,

I dropped you a line. I do have someone in mind. As a programmer I understand the risks of bugs, etc. in testing. Do have a minus or 2 addressed in the email which we may want to discuss regarding experience. Curious as to timeframe (when would testing start, what frequency would you be looking for). Would love to be involved though.

Thanks,
Matt

[Stauffenberg]

Matt,

Fine drop me a line when you have a firm opponent and I'll send the file and notes.
Re experience, I'd like to say here that I'm not an elitist about playtester skill levels. I don't consult ladder scores and email people, I am more interested in people with a passion for history. Sure, a top-notch player is necessary to give some good results, but "average" players also give results equally important in many ways, perhaps more so. In any case, the more people kicking something around and giving some feedback on it, the better.

D.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Dan,

I dropped you a line too.

BTW, did you model Hitler´s "Fortressed Area"-orders?

Edit: What I meant to ask was how did you model "Fortress Area" -orders?

[Stauffenberg]

File sent.

I used the German Wehrkreise district system as a way of tying in replacement losses and the activation of training divisions (Feldausbildung) in that area. Other locations have specific replacement drop values similar to DnO; eg. Silesia, Ploesti, Balkan mineral assets etc. Fortress areas are on the map but as far as Hitler goes, by turn 23 he is out of the picture. That is to say, the positions he insisted upon defending up until late August are adhered to (through formation activations both sides); after that it is a free game. In any case, playtest feedback will indicate how this all works out.

D.

[MattyB]

Sheik,

I know you are anxious for this scenario. Are you interested in playtesting if not already doing so? I've got a couple of other people in mind, but given your passion would love to have a go at it with you.

matt

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by MattyB
Sheik,

I know you are anxious for this scenario. Are you interested in playtesting if not already doing so? I've got a couple of other people in mind, but given your passion would love to have a go at it with you.

Thanks for your consideration, but I´m already waiting for the first Soviet turn to arrive from Reno. :rifle:

If it doesn´t work out for some curious reason, I´ll get back to you.

[Stauffenberg]

The young woman from Slutsk ran off with an artist from Pervomaysk for whom she had been Posen--she had Lodz of Plock, and was in Lvov at the time. Her husband asked her to Gdansk but, alas, they were now poles apart and she went a' Ronin to make a clean Brest of it. Warsaw like that--no need to be
Modlin.
:-)

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by Stauffenberg
The young woman from Slutsk ran off with an artist from Pervomaysk for whom she had been Posen--she had Lodz of Plock, and was in Lvov at the time. Her husband asked her to Gdansk but, alas, they were now poles apart and she went a' Ronin to make a clean Brest of it. Warsaw like that--no need to be
Modlin.
:-)

That´s like my AAR. :D

[Marko]

Originally posted by Stauffenberg
Just to advise that this DnO extension is being playtested at this point with good results. I expect to put this up sometime before Xmas.

D.

Is this still your projection of release ? How is the WWI scenario coming along ? I am equally excited about both scenario's and can't wait to have a look..!:)

[Wolfe Tone]

A WWI game on the strategic/operational level is a game I would love to play. I take it what you have in mind is something along the lines of EA? Will there be a list of strategic options available?

There has been a lot of interest here in Ireland about WWI over the last 10 years as a hidden chapter in our history became more openly discussed, namely the large numbers of Irishmen who fought in WWI (approx. 250,000) with maybe as many as 25,000 KIA. This combined with the Easter Rising of 1916 against British rule makes it a very interesting period both in terms of our own national history and also of international history.

The first military history book I ever read was A.J.P. Taylor's 'The First World War', still a good read today!

[Stauffenberg]

Karl,

Quite right. My Irish grandfather fought in the trenches and died after the war from a lingering disability. There is a larger issue here and this pertains to the extraordinary losses suffered by many nations not normally highlighted in west-front obssessed war histories which focus almost exclusively upon British/Commonwealth, French, and German battles and losses). Here are a few examples of total casualties per less-highlighted country (killed, wounded, and missing):

Austria-Hungary: 2,482,870
Belgium: 82,960
Bulgaria: 229,850
Italy: 1,417,400
Rumania: 455,700
Serbia: 160,400
Turkey: 1,006,000
Russia: 6,750,000

Incidentally, these stats are from a marvellous book if you haven't seen it: "The World War I Databook" (John Ellis & Michael Cox). Hundreds of tables on every aspect of the war from OBs to TOE, to production and losses statistics. It has become my bible with this WWI project.

Regards,

Daniel

[Marko]

I have the WWII data book....sweet.

[Wolfe Tone]

Daniel:

I have not got that one but I have quite a few WWI books. I have Purnell's ' History of the First World War', which at eight volumes full of narrative, photos, maps, diagrams and illustrations is great to have.
Also ' A Military Atlas of the First World War' by Arthur Banks is great for detailed maps even if it is a bit Western Front orientated.
Probably my most unusual WWI book is ' The Great War in West Africa' by Brigadier-General Gorges who took part in the Anglo-French conquest of German Kameroon between 1914 and 1916.