True Multiplayer Combat Campaign

[Double Deuce]

What if we had a Combat Campaign using a map of the world (with hexes), where each player took command of a country and bought their own forces from the WinSPWW2 editor. There would be no senior commanders unless players wanted to "Team up" using a single nation (possibly used with the larger nations) such as Russia, German the US or British Commonwealth to divide up the workload.

Each Turn would equal 1 month of game time and that date would be used for determining availability of equipment/units that can be purchased via the Editor.

Each "nation" would get a set # of points to start based on Operational Victory Hexes such as major cities, ports and airbases. Each of these "hexes" would be worth points, so each turn you are awarded points for the ones you owned for purchasing replacements/reinforcements. Here is a breakdown of how the points could be used to "buy" equipment;

• City Points - Can be used to purchase anything except those items listed below (anything available due to the date that is).
• Airbase Points - Can only be used to purchase aircraft.
• Port Points - Can only be used to purchase naval equipment (barges, boats, naval guns). I would also implement a special aircraft carrier unit option. There may be a way to include actual naval battles with another program I have where I would let the AI play the fighting out.

Nations without dedicated OOB's in WinSPWW2 would use the Blue, Red or Green OOB's depending on the nation. Not ALL nations could be included of course.

Players would probably need to have the CD version to make use of the extra Pbem slots slots needed (and maybe the tournament file feature).

Another major obstacle though would be setting up secure forums for each Nation or "Allied" groups of nations. :nuts:

 

[Double Deuce]

South and Central America would not be included (I don't have a map that covers that part).

To make it more manageable I would probably group some nations together (such as those of the British Commonwealth) but I would try to have players create their own alliances to some degree. That way the "minors" and neutrals must be convinced to "stay the course" "with their allies or "stay out of their way". :devious:

 

[Artur]

Mike do you really believe you have the time and energy for such a HUGE project?

Artur.

 

[Double Deuce]

Mike do you really believe you have the time and energy for such a HUGE project?

I was envisioning a 2015 start date . . . sometime after turn 3 of the NATO v WP campaign. :halo:

 

[Fokkov]

I was envisioning a 2015 start date . . . sometime after turn 3 of the NATO v WP campaign.

you are no pessimist i see

 

[Vas FURY]

Lol, you are quite correct!

It would be a great project (almost like a game of Risk), but indeed, the work load would be incredibly huge. Hopefully by that time technological advancements of the game engine (or maybe a new SP release from CAMO guys) could make it more easier to arrange such an idea.

 

[Double Deuce]

What about a smaller scale map but the same concept using multiple nations each with their own country borders?

Base nations are renamed to whatever the players want? For example the player using the US OOB can rename the "country" whatever he wants to (he just uses the US OOB for equipment purchases).

Special Rule #1: NO set alliances except those that the players make between themselves (and they can keep or break as they want). :devious:

 

[Vas FURY]

Yeah!... Very very likely to work nicely. Also, what you could do (Sort of Medieval total war style), is give each nation, say, 2500 points for OOB purchase at the beginning to buy their forces, and then give them 1000 pointsOP per extra territory that the player 'conquers' etc, and in that way each would want to continue to expand, and can buy the army that he wishes to wage war with.

Such a campaign would be nicer in WinSPMBT rather than WW2. Many more varied nations and OOBs to choose from...

 

[Double Deuce]

Yeah!... Very very likely to work nicely. Also, what you could do (Sort of Medieval total war style), is give each nation, say, 2500 points for OOB purchase at the beginning to buy their forces, and then give them 1000 pointsOP per extra territory that the player 'conquers' etc, and in that way each would want to continue to expand, and can buy the army that he wishes to wage war with.

Each nation would get a set # of points to start AND each Victory Hex on the Operational Map (cities, ports and airbases) would be worth points you get for "owning" them. With those points you could purchase replacement/reinforcements at the end of each turn (month). Each nation would get something like below for initial purchase points;

• INFANTRY - 2500 points
• ARMOR - 500 points
• ARTILLERY - 250 points
• MISC - 250 points

Such a campaign would be nicer in WinSPMBT rather than WW2. Many more varied nations and OOBs to choose from...

Might be too unbalanced for WinSPMBT. Some equipment like TI and stuff gives way too much advantage to make balance questionable an open to continued arguments.

 

[Artur]

Might be too unbalanced for WinSPMBT. Some equipment like TI and stuff gives way too much advantage to make balance questionable an open to continued arguments.

You can solve that by:
-Setting the era (eg 1976 aug)
-Setting the set of countries to choose from

You have to do the same with SPWWII as well since the so called "minors" (man how I hate this label) are not that strong.

Artur.

 

[Double Deuce]

You can solve that by:
-Setting the era (eg 1976 aug)
-Setting the set of countries to choose from

Well that is true but with the NATO v WP Campaign looking to occupy the next 3-5 years of my life I figured something using WW2 equipment was next in line. WinSPMBT would still work well though.

You have to do the same with SPWWII as well since the so called "minors" (man how I hate this label) are not that strong.

Hopefully player alliances would be able to cancel out some of those advantages.

I'd rather spell out those "so called minor" countries but then someone would probably complain I spelled Rumania incorrectly.

 

[Double Deuce]

Well, in January 1976 there are 81 nations to choose from (eliminating the UN, Red and Green). I figure we would use about 10-12 of them at most.

Would players be allowed to choose their nation (first come, first serve) or have a lottery/random system for determining who gets what kit/OOB to use?

 

[Vas FURY]

Why not just let players choose their nations, and if they both, for exmple, wish to be USA, then they can both use that countrie's OOB, but one of them will be considered a 'rebel' or something (just like in-game).

I think that even if there are many players picking the same country's OOB for their forces, then it will still allow for many differences within actual army composition, due to the large variety of equipment available and to people's own preferences.

 

[Double Deuce]

That would work too.

I would like to see a wide array of OOB's used in a game like this. I think it would really add to the campaign and allow players to develop a unique culture and image for their "nation".

 

[jadpanther]

This sounds like a very interesting game. If you need help setting it up I would be happy to help if I can. I would also interested to play.

Jad

 

[Double Deuce]

Artur ? ? ? ?

I didn't write down that formula we spoke about on ICQ the other day (the purchase point breakdown). Can you post that here so I can get some input from the others and look into incorporating it into the next Combat Campaign.

 

[Double Deuce]

Need input from those who may be interested!

I think if people did not feel locked into a "historical" situation (Kursk, Stalingrad, etc) like previous campaigns there will be more players willing to jump in. Especially if they can create their own nation so to speak to fight with but have to draw equipment from a specific national OOB. Even with players selecting the same OOB's, players can customize them more to their personal tastes.

I also think if the terrain is really varied (say cold, heavily wooded, marshy and snowy) players will choose from nations other than the US, German and Russia. I mean, if my nation was situated in an area like that mentioned above that player may prefer taking a more infantry strong OOB like the Finns. I would try to set of the terrain so that players might lean toward choosing different nationalities.

Also, should player alliances be set at the beginning or should I allow players to make their own deals to make o break as they see fit?

 

[Double Deuce]

I would also prefer opening it up to those who had the CD since we could then use the Tournament slots and play using Full Security Pbem's (just a thought though). Others could apply but that's what I would shoot for. Obviously we would try to set it up to include the most players BUT I think aiming for the ability to use Full Security Pbem is worth striving for.

 

[Artur]

I didn't write down that formula we spoke about on ICQ the other day (the purchase point breakdown). Can you post that here so I can get some input from the others and look into incorporating it into the next Combat Campaign.

I thought about initial points division. One player would start with 4000 pts, which he could spend with the following limits:

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

That means that one can spend allhis points on infantry and can spend no more than 1500 pts on armor. People can build fully motorized armies or mases of infantry, or anything in between which fits their playing style best.

Besides the points division, and choosing a nation to his liking the player has the option of choosing one nation bonus.

Nation bonuses could be the following:

tankhead +500 pts armor limit (4000 pts total remains but armor limit is now 2000 pts) --> choose Germans and open terrain country to use best
bush master pure inf units +1 operational movement (a unit containing several SP inf platoons or companies and having NO vehicles) --> advatage for Finnland like terrain countries
air jockey +300 pts air limit (4000 pts total remains, but air limit is 500 pts) --> pair that up with the americans and see what you get
engine addict truck and air transport cost 50% (during initial purchase and manufacturing trucks and transport planes (and NO halftracks nor other units) cost 50%) --> that will lead to a very mobile army with lesser firepover on transports
shrapnel lover +400 pts artillery limit (4000 pts total remains but artillery limit is 800 pts) --> who loves katyushas?

Again, the terrain of the country, player style, or whatever else can affect the bonus choice. Combinations of terrain, nation, bonus, and army structure are really endless and most likely everyone can choose them to fit his personal style best.

Artur.

 

[Artur]

I also think that in orser to avoid unmanageable complexity, naval aspect should be omitted.

Artur.