Potzblitz V24.2b JAN 1st 2024

[Robotron]

Concerning V8.20 here's what will be changed (upload tomorrow evening so you guys can comment on this)

INTEL:
- any nation can only be affected by INTEL every 4 turns (was 3)
- after a successful INTEL action the "attacking" alliance's INTEL points on the victim nation will be reduced by 66% of it's original amount (was 50%)
- HQ infiltrations will only cost the affected alliance at worst 66% or otherwise 33% of its diplo points (was 100% and 50%)


The Russian Supply Crisis (my long time problem child):

The issue with that event is that a passive/gamey Entente player can just delay the crisis forever by playing defensively or by having a passive CP opponent.
By just not attacking in 1915+ (which would lower the Russian Supply level) the Entente can build a giant Russian army while still being safe from triggering the crisis.
The reason for this was that the Russian Supply Level got modified each turn by the huge amount of Russian PP that more than compensated for any Supply level losses from combat, if there was any significant number of battles fought at all.

I therefore have removed the bonus modifier for Russian PP from the calculation.
Also the start value will be reduced to 100 (was 250 + 3D50)
Also the bonus for additional factories will be reduced to 3 (was 10) per ammo factory.

To give the Entente player an incentive to go on the offensive the Russian Supply Level will now be affected by the amount of enemy hexes captured/own hexes lost at the start of each turn.

To summarize:

Start level is now 100 (was 250 +3D50)

For each hex captured from German or Austria-Hungary: +3
For each Russian hex lost to Germany or Austria-Hungary: - 3

Each Russian ammunition factory: + 3 (was 10)
For each ground unit except "smallgarrisons" : -1

Lodz and/or Radon still held: +2D6 for each per turn
Warsaw still held: +3D10 per turn; if Warsaw is lost -1D20 per turn instead
Lemberg, Krakov, Koenigsberg, Danzig captured: +2D6 each per turn


Every attack made by or against a Russian ground unit:
In 1914: - 1D6 per attack/defense
In 1915+ : -3D6 per attack/defense
winter penalty: -3D6 extra per attack/defense (was 2D6)

“Russian Surprise Attack” penalty: -1D6 extra per attack/defense
“Russian Mobilization delayed” was played: + 25 to 50 for each turn Russia keeps mobilizing

Let's hear your opinions.

[shri]

Hey @ROBOTRON

SOUNDS GOOD.

Can you please slow down the entrenchment for the Russians, Turks, Romanians, Bulgars, Austrians and Italians?

[Robotron]

Can you please slow down the entrenchment for the Russians, Turks, Romanians, Bulgars, Austrians and Italians?

The mentioned nations already do start the game with values for entrenchment research that are quite low.

Turkey is in the lead with 20% of Barbed Wire tech researched completed (might reduce that to 5% but even with 20% all Ottoman fronts were always rather dynamic)
followed by Austria with on average 14% (4D6)
Russia has 5%,
Italy has 5%
and the rest has 0%

I could assign negative values to some of those so research will take longer but this would have consequences to ALL fronts those nations are fighting on and which were not known for movement warfare, like Alpine front and Macedonian front where there was bitter stalemate almost to the end.

This is completely new ground and may have major unforeseen consequences.

What do the other players think of this proposal? Personally, I see no reason for this.

[hnox]

Can you please slow down the entrenchment for the Russians, Turks, Romanians, Bulgars, Austrians and Italians?

I could assign negative values to some of those so research will take longer but this would have consequences to ALL fronts those nations are fighting on and which were not known for movement warfare, like Alpine front and Macedonian front where there was bitter stalemate almost to the end.

This is completely new ground and may have major unforeseen consequences.

What do the other players think of this proposal? Personally, I see no reason for this.

I'm sorry, not sure. I haven't seen entrenchment as a problem, unless it is quite asymmetrical for equal armies.

I've read Shri's longer post. I guess you are right with notes on 1st point. No problem to test that lowered entrenchment values, but I would do it isolated from all other changes.

[hnox]

Concerning V8.20 here's what will be changed (upload tomorrow evening so you guys can comment on this)

Let's hear your opinions.

Will try an opening with Cocolo after 8.20 is released and will compare with our 7.x and 8.11 experiences.

Will gladly accept that challenge with you.

[Zombo]

I'll get into the fray once 8.20 is out

Looking forward to it

[Robotron]

My last testgame showed the need for another slew of fixes:

- North Sea blockade broken/reblocked did not work properly: fixed
- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk did not remove Russia and no proper text allocated: fixed
- Entente choice-event "Kill Rasputin" did cause a collapse point for Russia: who in his right mind would choose that? Collapse point removed. When triggered at random the collapse point will be retained though so better pick that event before when offered.
- attacking Russia during "delayed mobilization" did not work properly: fixed
- "Egypt revolt" caused Egypt to emerge as a nation which can't produce units because the capital is originally owned by Britain (hard-coded into the mapfile, no way to change that) so constant niggling about "units not moved". Now Egypt will be fully claimed by Turkey after the revolt.
- "Skilled Negotiator" event was rather pointless: +50% on next Influence attempt on neutrals. Now much more interesting: you get 100 influence (maximum) on your next influence action on 1 neutral.
- Greek minister Venizelos could rise from the dead after getting murdered: fixed
- bug where CP nations could not transfer PP/AM to Italy when Italy joined CP: fixed
- Belgian King Albert does not spawn anymore with a 2nd Belgian army in SP vs Entente AI, he will also not spawn in Namur anymore.
- BEF in MP will now appear in London on the next Entente turn after BEF was chosen for stability reasons, from what I've heard CP are hard pressed enough to break through to Paris even without them instantly appearing near Calais.
- +1 ground attack to artillery
- Austrian Siege Howitzers now also work when blasting cities and capitals
- Persian Army Corps running around in French uniforms: fixed

See ya!

[shri]

@ROBOTRON

Since you yourself agreed that CP is hardpressed to reach Paris (and i assume you are atleast 2X a player better than a rank amateur like me), then why not "LOCK" movement for France in first round (if Surprise is achieved), this will allow no purchase, movement etc (which is historical, as Joffre was in his own world). Allowing the CP to reach the Amiens-Reims Axis or get Belgium to surrender completely by capturing everything.

In the game, the Battle of Marne is fought near Reims, mainly because of Belgium being uber powered and France moving too many units into Belgium to delay the advance.

other better players can perhaps tell what's the thing.

[Robotron]

"LOCK"ing a nation is simply not possible.
Right now French units each have a 50% chance to be unable to move each on turn 3 if German surprise is achieved.
Rail movement will be impossible too on turn 3 with a chance to still not being possible on turn 4.
France is losing 10-15 PP if surprised.

Belgium now has only 1 Army Corps as noted above in SP and MP so that should help.

Also it is quite impossible to recreate history on a map that has so few hexes and an exact recreation of a decisive battle at the exact time at the correct hexes. Same for Tannenberg.

Besides the aim of this mod is not to recreate history by the letter since the basic game itself is not exactly what I'd call a "serious" wargame to start with but rather a beer&pretzels affair like Axis&Allies or PanzerGeneral.

*edit*

- made that a 66% chance for French units being stunned by a German Surprise
- removed some old scripted help for the AI to spring up French reinforcements

@shri: there you have it! don't say I'm not listening to players.

[shri]

@ROBOTRON

On the contrary, you have kept a game that was nearly dead, alive.
If the developers are interested in part 2, they should co-opt you.

[berto]

On the contrary, you have kept a game that was nearly dead, alive.

+1

Without PotzBlitz, I would have set the base game aside after the first few hours. PotzBlitz and the active if small community still playing the game have continued to sustain my interest.

[Zombo]

The Potzblitz adaptation qualifies for a "serious" wargame, ( and I know a thing or two about wargames, I'm a wargame developer and designer) which is no little achievement, considering how ridiculously "unserious" the basic game is. Potzblitz does more than breathe new life into a dying game, it created a game, and a great one at that, where, from my perspective, there was none in the first place.

[berto]

Here's an idea: Slitherine, Lordz, Robotron (and ?) join forces to develop and release a Commander the Great War Gold edition, with PotzBlitz totally integrated (not just the full Grand Campaign, but all of the shorter scenarios too). Maybe even a CTGW 2?! Slitherine should throw some money around if that is what it takes. It would be a shame if this now "serious" wargame were to slide into oblivion. Don't let that happen!

[Robotron]

Thanks for the laurels! I hope I'll finish testing V8.20 until next weekend.

[Robotron]

Okay guys, who of you is responsible for this here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iimmp1vJpg


V8.20 will be uploaded tomorrow since I spent the day gloating over some newly bought PC hardware.

[Robotron]

Fasten your seatbelts for PotzBlitz V9.0

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lF6TS ... b8DLzwrCxy

ALREADY ANNOUNCED CHANGES:

- any nation can only be affected by INTEL every 4 turns (was 3)

- after a successful INTEL action the "attacking" alliance's INTEL points on the victim nation will be reduced by 66% of it's original amount (was 50%)

- HQ infiltrations will only cost the affected alliance at worst 66% or otherwise 33% of its diplo points (was 100% and 50%)

- North Sea blockade broken/reblocked did not work properly: fixed

- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk did not remove Russia and no proper text allocated: fixed

- Entente choice-event "Kill Rasputin" did cause a collapse point for Russia: who in his right mind would choose that? Collapse point removed. When triggered at random the collapse point will be retained though so better pick that event before when offered.

- attacking Russia during "delayed mobilization" did not work properly: fixed

- "Egypt revolt" caused Egypt to emerge as a nation which can't produce units because the capital is originally owned by Britain (hard-coded into the mapfile, no way to change that) so constant niggling about "units not moved". Now Egypt will be fully claimed by Turkey after the revolt.

- "Skilled Negotiator" event was rather pointless: +50% on next Influence attempt on neutrals. Now much more interesting: you get 100 influence (maximum) on your next influence action on 1 neutral.

- Greek minister Venizelos could rise from the dead after getting murdered: fixed

- bug where CP nations could not transfer PP/AM to Italy when Italy joined CP: fixed

- Belgian King Albert does not spawn anymore with a 2nd Belgian army in SP vs Entente AI, he will also not spawn in Namur anymore.

- BEF in MP will now appear in London on the next Entente turn after BEF was chosen for stability reasons, from what I've heard CP are hard pressed enough to break through to Paris even without them instantly appearing near Calais.

- +1 ground attack to artillery

- Austrian Siege Howitzers now also work when blasting cities and capitals

- Persian Army Corps running around in French uniforms: fixed

LATEST CHANGES:

- Germany was given about 15 more PP per turn by popular demand

- Austria-Hungary less susceptible to Ethnic Revolts

- Graf Spee more likely to survive

- "Women Workforces" give a bonus to PP and AM every turn according to number of ammo factories

- moved Reims 1 hex further south

- when Entente plays the BEF in MP it will spawn in London at the start of the next Entente turn for safety (MP replay crash!) reasons

- naval units lose less endurance by moving/attacking/resting on open sea hexes, making submarines more feasible

- events "Austrian Defense Plans" and "Austrian Siege Howitzers" will discard each other, so CP can only play one of the two in a game

- tanks are more powerful, before tanks were unable to even dent an experienced and entrenched Army Corps, now they actually do some damage

- Filter Gas mask tech will not protect against efficiency loss by mustard gas

- AA techs more powerful and have their own "First use" event

- railway cannons are now an interesting option

- bombers are more sturdy and more efficient at strategic bombing or bombing fighter plane airfields. number of bomber units still limited by number of
researched bomber techs so you still can't obliterate capitals like London or Paris

- fighter planes RANGE back to 5 or else things get too crowded at the front lines

- fighter planes can only intercept at unit strength 6 or above (was 4 which often led to complete destruction and more Air Aces killed)

- Russia Supply Crisis event rewritten (see manual)

- Tsar Nicolas will not be amused if his Generals remain inactive

- neutral Ottomans will not be amused in singleplayer vs CP AI when Britain starts to mass troops near (2 hexes) Gaza or Basra

- neutral Italy will not be amused if Ottomans join CP because of grudges held from Italo-Turkish war

- neutral Italy will be more impressed by Moltke blitzing through France each turn, especially if a German units manages to attack Paris in 1914!

- updated PDF manual

- a gazillion of bugfixes

Enjoy!

*edit*
If the "PotzBlitz" event at turn 1 mentions "V9" you are good to go!

[shri]

@ROBOTRON

Austria has captured Belgrade but is losing PP every turn on the Galician front but the front is more or less stable. But huge morale losses for Austria, despite not losing units. Is this WAD? Austria down to morale in 30s by late 1914.

[Robotron]

@shri: "losing PP every turn on the Galician front " does that mean AH is suffering casualties?

In my testgames as CP AH morale also dropped to about 70, but then steadily recovered.

Have you lost Krakov and/or Przemysl?

Give me a screenshot or savegame so I can see what's going on.

[shri]

@ROBOTRON
Sorry, i resigned that game in Oct 1914 itself.
AH morale fell below 40!.

So, here's what happened.
My sole Garrison in Tarnopol as usual got destroyed in Turn 1 of Russian Attack. But Krakow and Przemysl and Lemberg and the 4th city were hanging on.
Meanwhile Potiorek (surprise surprise) overran Belgrade (barely so) but that meant my Serbian front was safe and stable.

Russians attacked my units in Galicia every turn and hit hard, this meant AH lost 10 +-4 PP every turn to repair the corps and armies in Galicia but no towns were lost. But AH leaked morale by the buckets, lost 10NM every turn for 5 turns before i resigned.
I think considering the circumstances, i did an average job. Not so bad to get NM below 40.

Anyway will play again this weekend and revert.
Thanks & Regards.

[Robotron]

There was indeed a bug that could cause an AH morale drain each turn if "AH Defense Plans" was not chosen.

Fixed.

V9.01

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cNn75 ... iLjNDDKiSR