Lizards and Big Uglies?

[Cheetah772]

Hello everybody,

I am wondering if anybody has a scenario that reenacts Harry Turtledove's famous history alternate novel, "Worldwar: In Balance"? It's about an alien race, the Race, made up of lizards, invading the Earth while the major world powers are fighting each other in the second world war. This place takes in 1942. The saga continues on in a volume of four novels plus three novels that depict the events twenty years later.

So, I am wondering if anybody here have heard of this or know some scenario that's out therer.

I am trying to design a scenario that centers the Lizards attacking Chicago, the vast hub of transportation in 1942. The Lizards' technology is very similiar to the modern American military technology. There isn't really a lot of sci-fi stuff in the novels. Turtledove attempted to make it much more realistic, not the kind you see in "Rambo" or "Starship Trooper" movies.

But then, I'm not sure if making a scenario that's really unbalanced on purpose such as having a Sherman tank going up against modern M1A2 Abrams tank (similar to Lizards' landcruisers).

I am curious, is this worthwhile, if not, then I'll just drop it. I don't know if people will like this kind of scenario, but it would be fun to try out new things.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Siberian HEAT]

I know of this, superior sir.

If a War of the Rings scenario is possible, then certainly this type of scenario is also possible!

That would be pretty cool.

 

[Cheetah772]

Hello Big Ugly,

Big Ugly, I feel relieved at this mention of Wars of the Rings scenario.

I think I am going ahead with designing Chicago scenario.

I plan to make at least several US Army divisions, mostly infantry with a few anti-tank weapons. However, over time, I hope the event engine will allow me to create a kind of transition from lousy weapons to better weapons such as Sherman tanks rolling off assembly lines.

As for the Lizards, I plan to put in just two divisions, but made up of modern weapons such as M1A2 tanks and a score of Bradley fighting tanks. It would be interesting to see if 1940s equipment can duke it out with 1990s equipment. Playing the Lizards would be tricky as their units wouldn't be reconstuited considering there's no Lizard factory and few replacements stretched over thin as they attempt to take over the world.

The distance will be 2.5 km, with at least 12 to 20 turns, full days. This will take in Greater Chicago area complete with paved highways and some towns just outside of Chicago Loophole.

The US Army units will have a high rate of replacements, much more than Lizards, which will make up for a lack of technological advantage over Lizards.

If the Chicago scenario looks good, then I hope to do it on larger scale involving Germany and Russia with Lizards right in middle.

Siberan HEAT, if you have any good designing tips, I would appreciate it greatly.

Thanks Big Ugly,

Exalted Fleetlord Atvar

 

[Chuck?]

Sounds interesting! What did these Lizards come to the earth for? To conquer or eat?

 

[Alain-James]

Have you a pic of the way these big lizards look?
Something to do with the ones of V for instance?

Yuuk! Bad guys!

AJ

 

[RhinoBones]

If you decide to continue with this project (and I think you should) drop me a line and I’ll help you the best I can about using the Bio Editor to incorporate all the custom made unit graphics you’ll be needing!!

Regards, RhinoBones

 

[Cheetah772]

Hello,

Thanks for such encouraging words, I'll continue with my pet project, don't worry, I'll get back to my usual bashing of French and the rest of world (ie. liberals) in Current events forum this coming fall.

I've updated the OOB of both Lizards and US Army. I found to my disappointment, the Lizards didn't last very long even with all modern technology at its disposal. They had only one division. So, I updated the Lizards with an addition of two divisions, one mechanicized and one regular infantry divisions. The US Army received an addition of three tank companies, three infantry companies totalling several battalations to defend Chicago.

I am wondering if anybody has a topographic map of Chicago as it was in 1940s? I would greatly appreciate it.

By the way, can anybody show me how to get PO defend and attack the objectives I set in the scenario? Or should I just ignore it completely and create a pure PBEM scenario? Thanks.

How do you supply the fighter and bomber units when they're off board? I mean with non-playable hexes around them. I found to my disappointment, they didn't receive adaquete replacements because they were already cut off from the supply source.

Dan

 

[DeconMan]

How do you supply the fighter and bomber units when they're off board? I mean with non-playable hexes around them. I found to my disappointment, they didn't receive adaquete replacements because they were already cut off from the supply source.

Coming from a complete non-designer, but what about giving them their own supply? I can't think of a single game I've played with offboard hexes that didn't have one.

 

[Dan Neely]

I'd considered doing one before, but was skeptical about doing it without using a hacked exe. While the races firecontrol systems are upto m1a1 standards, the fact the shermans could kill the landcruisers at all made me think that they'd need to be mated to a less heavily armored (60's?) hull.

Also for as stupid as the race is tactically I don't think it'd feel right with a human commanding them. This'd be especially true during the races second assault on the city. No human would be foolish enough to concentrate his forces that heavily knowing the other side had a nuke waiting to blow them to kingdom come.

 

[Chuck?]

Originally posted by Cheetah772
Hello,
I've updated the OOB of both Lizards and US Army. I found to my disappointment, the Lizards didn't last very long even with all modern technology at its disposal.

What version did you test with, 1.04 or 1.06? The modern equipment is mostly armor and could of done poorly due to the flaws in 1.06.

 

[Siberian HEAT]

Originally posted by Chuck


What version did you test with, 1.04 or 1.06? The modern equipment is mostly armor and could of done poorly due to the flaws in 1.06.

How would you factor Ginger into this equation? Use pestilence penalty perhaps?

 

[LanceRunolfsson]

How would you factor Ginger into this equation? Use pestilence penalty perhaps?

I alwasy liked Maryanne better but I would not go so far as to call Ginger a pestillance. Gilligan maybe but not Ginger.

 

[Dan Neely]

How would you factor Ginger into this equation? Use pestilence penalty perhaps?

I think shock would be more appropriate. It caused them to fight stupid, but with a single notable exception it didn't actaully result in the loss of any hardware in and of itself.

 

[SkyVon]

Just promise to make it more interesting than the last two books in the series. What a waste of paper.