Potzblitz V24.2b JAN 1st 2024

[Robotron]

@Lepetitkipetchi: if Aufmarsch Ost is a success then like with all other war plans your reward is not suffering the consequences for failure:
2 collapse points to both Germany and Austria, loss of 15 morale and shifts Italy 10 points further to joining Entente.

By the way, is your name a reference to the Simpsons?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRq51hXXhWc&app=desktop

[Unwichtig]

Hi, just a non important fun question.
This is the first time i saw this title screen when i started Potzblitz.

Title.jpg (118.91 KiB) Viewed 1544 times

I have not updated the game so i was asking myself how long this title screen has been hidden without ever being showed.
Are different titlescreens linked to days?
As my friend also had this title screen today for the very first time.

Few weeks ago i also had a very dark, black and white map as title screen.
Basically it was the same normal colorful map that the game usually starts with, just a 100 year older version of it.
And this time with very dark atmospheric ambient background tones.
No idea how many different title screens you have installed, do they appear randomly?

[Robotron]

I've added the changing title screens a few years ago but nobody seemed to have played the mod on those specific dates when they would appear.

Today is the 11th of November, the day WW1 ended, that's why you see a gloomy deserted trench today as a way of remembrance.

The other picture will be shown on 28th of July each year and might very rarely also appear on other dates.

[LepetitKipetchi]

I was wondering the same question Unwichtig
It is a nice idea Robotron !

Thanks for the information for Aufmarsch Ost, I don't know if I prefer to continue to fail it and delay the English entrance into the war and have the Ottomans ready to fight them or try to make it and have a hard fight against them : what a hard choice.

Yes my name is a reference to the Simpson, is yours for this game ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotron:_2084

[Unwichtig]

I've added the changing title screens a few years ago but nobody seemed to have played the mod on those specific dates when they would appear.

Today is the 11th of November, the day WW1 ended, that's why you see a gloomy deserted trench today as a way of remembrance.

The other picture will be shown on 28th of July each year and might very rarely also appear on other dates.

Yes, thats what i thought.
I imagined that it was linked to yesterday, was not sure.
Its armistice day which is very very well remembered in the UK.
The country held two minutes of silence at 11am for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and left too early.

Then i came home from work, started the game in the evening and saw this for the first time.
It did actually remind me, so please keep the titels linked to these two days.
Its a good idea. I know it does not change anything, but at least it gets people thinking.
I did think about it, thank you for that reminder.

[shri]

Aufmarsch Ost i usually found that taking Warsaw is easy as is taking Vilna.
Riga and Minsk usually are difficult to take.

or maybe i am a lousy player.

In Schlieffen, i never manage to advance beyond Reims-Calais line, if that. The Russians barge in so much that you have to reinforce the East. the loss of NM is too much even if Russia occupies only Gumbinen & Tarnopol and a few wastelands in-between.

[Unwichtig]

Hi shri,
welcome!
Yes, taking warsaw and vilna in Aufmarsch Ost is easy, but its always the third city that is difficult to take.
Riga, Minsk or Kiev is hard. Therefore i just suggested some other options in the previous post.
The issue is, that taking Warsaw takes a lot of the offensive pace away from the germans as it needs to be carefully taken.
The two adjacent fortresses to warsaw force the player to take them as well. Otherwise a good player can easily take Warsaw back in a turn.
Therefore it required the artillery, and a few infantry units to stay in vicinity.
Its still easy, but it does take 2-4 turns. And you only have 7 turns until december which is the deadline when all three cities have to be captured to prevent the collapse point penalty. Everytime i ignore Warsaw, i could conquer riga, vilna and Minsk instead.
That works pretty well as i allows you to encicle warsaw by pushing south from vilna and north from lemberg with the austrians.
Thats still hard but it works. In addition, the british do not join immediately...but they do join next turn after you conquer warsaw.
So i got used not to take it and massively outflank it instead. (which is still hard!).

I think the suggested 3 options are okay and pretty balanced - all 3 can be achieved and are not too easy.

If you do the Schlieffen, you should aim to achieve the Tannenberg event asap. The initial Russian push is incedible, but it can be slowed down by destroying a Russian Army Corps. If you get the Tannenberg Event, the Russians are easier to deal with. The German Aid for Austria Event is also helpful.
And you should not try to defend austria at their border, thats insane.
Fall back a little, give up most easterly austrian city and establish a defensive line in mountain terrain between krakau, przemysl and lemberg.
As the german convoys via the atlantic usually never arrive, the Baltic convoy MUST make it to keep Germany in game. So dont forget to block the russian fleet.
Against AI its easy, just deploy a Naval unit in the 3 adjacent hexes. Enjoy

[Robotron]

I've been thinking about reducing the number of possible goals for Aufmarsch Ost from 3 to 2 to have some very distinct and maybe more realistic campaign goals, namely:

either taking control of the Baltic region and Belarus
or take control of Poland (well at least most of it)

This would also make it possible to implement a new "option" popup box with the following options:

Option 1: take Vilna, Riga and Minsk - this is probably more difficult

Option 2: take Warsaw and Brest-Litovsk - this is probably easier (Austria can help) but will have Britain join Entente soon, because Britain joins as soon as Warsaw is taken

You must meet your chosen goal. Fulfilling the rejected option "by accident" will not count.

Tell me what you think about it.

[Unwichtig]

Option 1: take Vilna, Riga and Minsk - this is probably more difficult

Option 2: take Warsaw and Brest-Litovsk - this is probably easier (Austria can help) but will have Britain join Entente soon, because Britain joins as soon as Warsaw is taken

Yes! I think thats it. Thats the best solution i have heard so far. Sounds great. Why?
a) Forces Players to prioritize, which is realistic. Baltics or Poland. And then stick to it, do not change the plan within a turn - that would be unrealistic.
b) Removes the unrealistic Kiev Option
c) I like having "active" choices instead of just meeting one out of 3 criteria randomly
d) Re-Balances the "UK enters the war if Warsaw is captures case" - Yes, Warsaw and Brest is easier but the Royal Navy will retaliate. Thats fair.

How about a third option that focuses on a pure military victory/aggresion - no matter where it takes place.
Destroy 3 Russian Army Corps - Nothing less. Cavalry/Garrisons do not count. This forces the player to act purely "all out" aggressive.
The Entente player should not see what the CP Player decision was. So its a bit of a surprise -
Entente can send Army Corps to key points to defend or "secure them" and strike back in 1915.

The third option is just a thought. If not, never mind. Your two options will do it.

[Unwichtig]

Good evening,

just another idea, not really urgent, just an attempt to bring a little more action to Skandinavia.
Sweden is already covered as it might join CP after the sinking of their neutral convoys or the preemptive strike against the Swedish Navy. Finland is also covered with its Reds & Whites Civil War. Both countries have already joined me once or twice in my games.
However, until now, nothing ever happened to Norway in any game. They seem to be "just there". I know its hard to add them with special Events - i could not really find any "Big/Decicise" incidents that must be mentioned or covered.

But as the game is not entirely realistic anyway, how about having a small chance for the following Event one day:

Event "Occupy Norwegian Ports"
- Can only be played by Entente OR CP.

Event added to CP Event Pool if:
- King George inspects the Fleet (as this shows CP that Royal Navy is fully combat ready, so CP decide to take proactive stance and quickly try to capture an additional port before GB fully controls the Northsea)
- Northsea Blockade is not active (would not make sense ar RN rules the waves - zero chance to occupy the Norwegian Ports)
- Sweden, Denmark and Finnland have not joined CP yet.
-Not played by Entente yet.

Effect:
Uses all CP Naval Transports for this turn.
Sweden, Denmark and Finnland minus 15 relation to Germany. (As they would be afraid to be the next victim of german invasions).
Allows CP to use all norwegian ports incl. the adjacent Hexes.
+ 35 PP (once) due to seizure of cargo of any other ships currently in harbour.
Makes it more difficult for GBR to establish Northseabloackade.
1% chance per turn that Norwegian rebellion starts against occupation which means they immediately join the war on the other side.

Event can be added for Entente if:
- Sweden, Finnland or Denmark have joined CP.
- Event has not been played by CP.
Effect:
Same as CP, just the opposite of everything.

Just an idea. I know it sounds a bit like WW2 Weserübung, thats actually also where i got the idea from. I just could not find anything else for Norway.

[shri]

//Option 1: take Vilna, Riga and Minsk - this is probably more difficult

Option 2: take Warsaw and Brest-Litovsk - this is probably easier (Austria can help) but will have Britain join Entente soon, because Britain joins as soon as Warsaw is taken
//


I like this option.
Taking only Warsaw and Brest-Litovsk is do-able before December and it can give a decision of "FORM CONGRESS POLAND" giving Germany a bit of extra PP and giving Russia 1/2 collapse points due to triggering "NATIONALISM of ETHNICS".

Also, England joining ASAP warsaw falls is also good, England would be scared of Russia getting knocked out soon.

[shri]

If Option 1 is taken - RIGA, VILNA and MINSK.. then option of BELARUS, LITHUANIA and LIVONIA can be triggered, giving Russia 2 collapse points and Germany more PP. This would be catastrophic to Russia in game as well as historically.

[shri]

Hi shri,
welcome!
Yes, taking warsaw and vilna in Aufmarsch Ost is easy, but its always the third city that is difficult to take.
Riga, Minsk or Kiev is hard. Therefore i just suggested some other options in the previous post.
The issue is, that taking Warsaw takes a lot of the offensive pace away from the germans as it needs to be carefully taken.
The two adjacent fortresses to warsaw force the player to take them as well. Otherwise a good player can easily take Warsaw back in a turn.
Therefore it required the artillery, and a few infantry units to stay in vicinity.
Its still easy, but it does take 2-4 turns. And you only have 7 turns until december which is the deadline when all three cities have to be captured to prevent the collapse point penalty. Everytime i ignore Warsaw, i could conquer riga, vilna and Minsk instead.
That works pretty well as i allows you to encicle warsaw by pushing south from vilna and north from lemberg with the austrians.
Thats still hard but it works. In addition, the british do not join immediately...but they do join next turn after you conquer warsaw.
So i got used not to take it and massively outflank it instead. (which is still hard!).

I think the suggested 3 options are okay and pretty balanced - all 3 can be achieved and are not too easy.

If you do the Schlieffen, you should aim to achieve the Tannenberg event asap. The initial Russian push is incedible, but it can be slowed down by destroying a Russian Army Corps. If you get the Tannenberg Event, the Russians are easier to deal with. The German Aid for Austria Event is also helpful.
And you should not try to defend austria at their border, thats insane.
Fall back a little, give up most easterly austrian city and establish a defensive line in mountain terrain between krakau, przemysl and lemberg.
As the german convoys via the atlantic usually never arrive, the Baltic convoy MUST make it to keep Germany in game. So dont forget to block the russian fleet.
Against AI its easy, just deploy a Naval unit in the 3 adjacent hexes. Enjoy

Hey unwichtig,
Yes, Schlieffen i try to trigger Tannenberg but sometimes it doesn't happen. The Atlantic convoys are anyway doomed so i do protect Baltics, the problem for Austria as i see it is 2 fold.
1. Belgrade has to be taken in 1914 else issues occur.
2. Lemberg, Krakow, Przemysl has to be protected at all costs else Austria is toast.

This is a tough task in itself. Esp with Germany being busy in the west.

[shri]

BTW, to all the members reading this, SLITHERINE needs a joint approach from all of us to re-release the game with ROBOTRON mod (he has done a great job) incorporated and a few tweaks made esp in the statistics of the GENERALS.
Utter imbeciles like Townshed have high stats whereas others have it bad, the Russians and Italians esp need a downgrade.
Some other events and modifications also can be done in addition. Anyone interested, please let me know, maybe they might be interested.

Secondly. the Railway transfer of PP shouldn't lose much because unlike Naval transfer the Trains were firmly under army control and no sabotage occurred.

[mrdozer2379]

Hi again. I have another game that crashes in the replay for me. Right when the austrian corp attacks the serbian fort.
Thanks for any help in advance

[Gallean]

BTW, to all the members reading this, SLITHERINE needs a joint approach from all of us to re-release the game with ROBOTRON mod (he has done a great job) incorporated and a few tweaks made esp in the statistics of the GENERALS.

What does that mean? What can I do to be noticed by Slitherine and release the mod?

[Unwichtig]

BTW, to all the members reading this, SLITHERINE needs a joint approach from all of us to re-release the game with ROBOTRON mod (he has done a great job) incorporated and a few tweaks made esp in the statistics of the GENERALS.

What are you trying to achieve? The MOD is available already, so what would you like to re-release?
I agree, the MOD is unique and should get more recognition.
You can at least advertise it in your local gaming community to keep the MP games alive and help finding new opponents.
I am happy as long as the Game and the MOD are supported online for MP games.
I assume the great thing of NOT including official sources, i.e. slitherine, is, that the Mod producer can fully decide independently whatever he likes to do with it.
You can add, delete and change whatever you want. Once you make it "official", this dynamic development process would stopp, i guess.
Probably thats what made the MOD great over the years - a high sense of ownership - but thats quickly lost once 50 people stand behind a project.

Regarding strenght of Russian Generals:
I think its okay actually. Do not forget that the generals in the East must have greater effective ranges as the frontline in the east is vast and if you reduce their effective range to only +1 hex they become pretty useless.
In addition, the catastrophic Typhoid Crises and the Supply Crises Event both cripple Serbia and Russia at the same time in Late 1915-Mid 1916. That gives the Entente frontline in the east a significant blow. It even gets worse if CP has stationed the Battlecruisers in the Black sea as this unlocks additional, powerful events to cripple russia even further.
Strong generels is actually everything they have - I would not recommend reducing their capabilities.

If CP players need more help against Russia you can always play pro Bulgarian and pro Romania Events or at least heavily influence romania early in the game.
This does pay off - There is a realistic chance that Romania joints CP as well.

[Robotron]

BTW, to all the members reading this, SLITHERINE needs a joint approach from all of us to re-release the game with ROBOTRON mod (he has done a great job) incorporated and a few tweaks made esp in the statistics of the GENERALS.

What does that mean? What can I do to be noticed by Slitherine and release the mod?

Thanks, but no thanks! I'd rather prefer my mod to remain a strictly hobby project under my direct control without involvement from anyone else.
If you think this mod needs more publicity then tell your friends about it or go to Steam and write a positive review or even better a short summary of what you like about the mod into the Steam discussion board or another forum.

@shri:
1. Generals: Townshend has 2 attack, 2 assault and 1 defense. Hardly a good leader in my opinion but he needs those stats to at least get to Kut because the Ottomans in that area might very well be led by one of the German commanders. Italians have Cadorna, Aosta & Diaz. Cadorna is terrible, Aosta is good and Diaz only comes in via special event late in the game.
Which one of the Russian generals is too good in your opinion?

2. The resource loss when using rail movement is not caused by sabotage but by requisition from local authorities or delays. This was added to have slight risk of something going wrong which during any war is likely going to happen.

[Robotron]

Hi again. I have another game that crashes in the replay for me. Right when the austrian corp attacks the serbian fort.
Thanks for any help in advance

The bug you are encountering was reported before and was already fixed in V11.2

The log says you are still using V11.1 which is outdated.

Maybe you started your match before V11.2 was available or maybe either you or Gallean forgot to update the game to V11.2.

Either way you will need to update your game.

The most recent version is V11.21 which is here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Zm9xw ... SKKD5/view

Normally I strongly advise against updating a match that is in progress but in this case it's your only chance to continue. However, I can't guarantee it will work!

Because I cannot provide to you an automatic update service all players will have to be careful to make sure they are using the most recent version of the mod BEFORE STARTING MULTIPLAYER MATCHES!

Always check the title of this thread, I'm updating the date every time a new version was uploaded, which is not happening too often.

[Gallean]

Sadly, we have another game to finish before updating to 11.21.