FCW - Preferred Map and Force sizes for Pbem games?

[Double Deuce]

What Map and Force sizes force do you prefer for Pbem games? This will be used for setting unit and map sizes in the next Combat Campaign.

Please only select 1 choice from FORCE SIZE and 1 choice from MAP SIZE.

 

[Double Deuce]

I changed the map size to the following;

MAP SIZE - 50x50 hexes
MAP SIZE - 80x80 hexes
MAP SIZE - 100x100 hexes​

 

[Double Deuce]

Doyou all think 80x80 hex maps provide enough "maneuver" room for about 2+ companies of units taken from the 1967-76 time period? What if they are fairly open, scrub like maps similar to the horn of Africa (i.e. Ethiopia, Eritrea, etc)?

What about if we were using these guidelines and that map size?

June 1976
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4000 Total pts

armor 1500 pts max
infantry 4000 pts max
artillery 400 pts max
air 200 pts max
misc 1000 pts max (trucks, barges, etc.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Skirmisher]

I think theres to much to spend considering we will be buying cheap units, 4K infantry for example.
How does this possible setup list relate to the company + force size?
I don't think that 100 X 100 would be bad considering everything you could buy with that list.

 

[Double Deuce]

I have been playing around in the editor and it may be necessary to use 80x80 maps and cut the purchase points in 1/2. This should cut the available forces down to about 2-3 companies at most and thats if you go with all leg infantry and no other assets. I would think most players would opt for a little armor and some light artillery at least.

 

[Skirmisher]

You could also have minimum purchases to,for variety.

Will there be reinforcements or additional purchases (Spending pts) ?

 

[Double Deuce]

Will there be reinforcements or additional purchases (Spending pts) ?

I'm working on a system that will allow the teams to draw from a dice driven Event Generator Menu (1 time each Operational Turn) that will allow one of their players to purchase "Allied Forces" from another OOB. These would be preset such as a Libyan Lt Battery (2x 25 pounder Pl) that they would be able to purchase at start along with their own OOB. This extra force would not affect their point totals for building their Pbem force.

Also, if a force is defending a built up hex (village, town, city, etc) the battle type would be set up as an assault which means they would be able to purchase fortifications.

 

[Jack Dionne]

Anyone who has played me knows that the 160*200 maps are the only way I go. The aspects of the game I like is todays time frame. What's cooler than having T-90's slugging it out with any other MBT from NATO?

To apprieciate SPMBT is to PBEM. You are short changing yourself if you don't PBEM.

Also to note, the small ladder we have that is set up ROCKS! It's an excellent data base.

 

[Skirmisher]

Anyone who has played me knows that the 160*200 maps are the only way I go. The aspects of the game I like is todays time frame. What's cooler than having T-90's slugging it out with any other MBT from NATO?

To apprieciate SPMBT is to PBEM. You are short changing yourself if you don't PBEM.

Also to note, the small ladder we have that is set up ROCKS! It's an excellent data base.

Where you not "offically done with SPMBT" at one point?

Largest size maps are good ,sometimes. But the more units you have the longer each turn takes. Add to that various poor email services and really long in between turn time. Frankly,it's just not worth it.

 

[Jack Dionne]

Where you not "offically done with SPMBT" at one point?

Largest size maps are good ,sometimes. But the more units you have the longer each turn takes. Add to that various poor email services and really long in between turn time. Frankly,it's just not worth it.

As to your first point, you are correct I did mention that I was done. I think the wording went like this “done until I can get the wide screen issue resolved”. Point is it is resolved and I am playing.

I am fortunate in that I have some regular PBEM opponents who are excellent to play against.

An example why PBEM is the best way to go is one of the games I am playing now against Dan. The game is scheduled for 50 turns and on around turn 39 I ask him if he wanted to just call it a draw because the initiative by both sides was lost due to such high losses.

He emailed back and said let’s just play a couple of more turns to see what happens. So we played and low and behold on turn 40 the Germans paratroops started to land. It gave the game a whole new flavour and we will play out the whole game now.

Another advantage is playing people from different countries. You feel you actually get to know somebody after you started playing him for a long time. The English is not spelt great all the time but one has to remember that English is not their first language and I think it takes balls to play someone from another country especially if English is not their first language.

An excellent tool only this forum offers is WARS. That’s the ladder database I think it’s the only forum on the Internet that has one. I also belong to the ASL ladder as well. It is very cool because we can go back years and see whom you played ECT.

I like big games as well so what if it takes longer to play a turn. That is what the save button is for. It’s nothing to lose two or three mechanized rifle companies and still win the game. Long wait times between games is a none issue for me as well. If you have more than one game going chances are you will get at least one turn a day.

What I enjoy is getting up Saturday morning, having breakfast and making a pot of coffee from my own freshly ground beans, sitting behind my PC and playing a couple of turns from different games.

I still think you should try it, you won’t be disappointed. If any of my opponents read this post please contribute to the thread to get more people to PBEM.

 

[Skirmisher]

Guess I should have made myself clearer. PBEM's are fun,as long as they aren't too big.

I am able to play those kinds of games,I just find them tedious thats all.

It's more challanging to win with less. More fun too.
All thats really matter's is we both can play the game any way we see fit.
Thats the great thing about the WinSP Series
I can play my small to medium contests and you can play your legion games.

 

[Double Deuce]

I like big games as well so what if it takes longer to play a turn. That is what the save button is for. It’s nothing to lose two or three mechanized rifle companies and still win the game. Long wait times between games is a none issue for me as well. If you have more than one game going chances are you will get at least one turn a day.

I am also an ASL player although I prefer SASL.

I am probably the opposite for my preferences as I actually I prefer smaller Pbem's. These can be equally fun and are mush quicker to play. I have just finished a 500 point game on a 40x40 map (a reproductions of ASL mapboards in SP) and another is about done. I have had an extremely fun time playing these 2 games.

 

[Fokkov]

For me both types have there charm ,
But guess its like woman , some like them big and some like them skinny

No need to convince some one else what your own preferances are.

 

[Jack Dionne]

I am also an ASL player although I prefer SASL.

I am probably the opposite for my preferences as I actually I prefer smaller Pbem's. These can be equally fun and are mush quicker to play. I have just finished a 500 point game on a 40x40 map (a reproductions of ASL mapboards in SP) and another is about done. I have had an extremely fun time playing these 2 games.

For such a small map, how are the VC hexes determined?
What is the point level you use?
Is it always a meeting engagement?
I guess if you play it that way it would be similar to ASL.
Last question how many turns?
I could try a game like that.

 

[Double Deuce]

For such a small map, how are the VC hexes determined?
What is the point level you use?
Is it always a meeting engagement?
I guess if you play it that way it would be similar to ASL.
Last question how many turns?
I could try a game like that.

I kinda follow ASL guidelines for victory hexes, primarily main buildings and such (I use the SASL VPO hex charts for extra guidance). It really depends on the scenario though.
I believe both games were 15 turns and we went with 500 points per side (was a meeting engagement with all purchases coming from the infantry menu only). This could be changed depending if you are playing advance/assault games (maybe 2-1 in point difference for advance and 3-1 for assaults). 15-20 turns seemed to work OK as far as giving players enough time to accomplish their objectives.
I am using a similar format for the Phony War Tourney.

I just finished one game with this format and another is winding down. One game was using SPMBT (Angola, 1976). We had a bunch of BTR-40's and some other light vehicles running around. The other was WW2 (Russia vs Romania, 1941) with a bunch of cavalry and infantry.