How do you set your preferences?

[Brummbar]

This is how I set mine.

I play all my game's against the AI at this point but, someday I want to play PBEM. So I am asking this question to get your input on how you play. Do you play the AI one way and a human another?

General Preferences: All turned on except for the Battle FX and Hex Grid which I have turned off.

The hex grid I have just started turning off as I think I can make out the elevation changes better.

Player Preferences: Battle points, Air points and map size vary from game to game. Depend's if it is a big or small battle or campaign.

Artillery I set at 300%

All other's are set at 100%

I am starting to think that I should set the AI at a higher percentage to make it tougher but, I don't want to make it where it isn't any fun.

Like someone else here like's to say...I love this game!

Cheer's

Jimi

[RERomine]

Artillery I set at 300%



Sounds like a 60mm mortar round might have a 100m blast radius :)

All of mine are set at 100%. That way I get a good idea on what to expect each time. If I want a more complicated battle, I play people so the tactics change, but what the equipment is capable of doesn't.

[gila]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.
Air sorties i'm totally cunfused on so leave at default,
But only get scout planes every 3rd battle.
Could increasing air sorties give me more chance of air scouts?
Man!.. i love the air scouts when i can get them:D

[RERomine]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.
Air sorties i'm totally cunfused on so leave at default,
But only get scout planes every 3rd battle.
Could increasing air sorties give me more chance of air scouts?
Man!.. i love the air scouts when i can get them:D

Leaving air sorties at default allows the game to determine whether aircraft are available or not. If you increase the value, you should get air sorties, but there are two situations I'm not sure if this applies. The first is with campaigns. I'm not sure if the air sortie preference applies here. The other is in low visibility scenarios. In those conditions, you still may not get them. I'm not sure, but Andy or Don should know.

[PanzerBob]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.
Air sorties i'm totally cunfused on so leave at default,
But only get scout planes every 3rd battle.
Could increasing air sorties give me more chance of air scouts?
Man!.. i love the air scouts when i can get them:D

FOR CAMPAIGNS---Increasing the sortie number/rate, IIRC only increases the possible amount of sorties you'd receive when you get airstrikes. The chances of getting airstrikes are based on the country and timeframe you are Campaigning in.

Scout Planes are considered a sortie, so if you get 5 sorties and you buy 3 Scout Planes you'd only have 2 Airstrikes left.

Personally I have no luck with the danged things :doh: and they only serve to increase my enemies AAA kill rate. :hurt:


Bob out :D

[gila]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.
Air sorties i'm totally cunfused on so leave at default,
But only get scout planes every 3rd battle.
Could increasing air sorties give me more chance of air scouts?
Man!.. i love the air scouts when i can get them:D

Leaving air sorties at default allows the game to determine whether aircraft are available or not. If you increase the value, you should get air sorties, but there are two situations I'm not sure if this applies. The first is with campaigns. I'm not sure if the air sortie preference applies here. The other is in low visibility scenarios. In those conditions, you still may not get them. I'm not sure, but Andy or Don should know.

I thought so, but keep forgeting to change it:doh:
Them scout jeeps spot well but don't last long.
Thanks friend for your input:)

[RERomine]

Scout Planes are considered a sortie, so if you get 5 sorties and you buy 3 Scout Planes you'd only have 2 Airstrikes left.

Personally I have no luck with the danged things :doh: and they only serve to increase my enemies AAA kill rate. :hurt:

Bob out :D

With spotters, you have to start them in more or less a safe zone and move them toward the enemy edge of the board each pass. Usually, you run into AAA on the fringe of their engagement range (not overall range) and can survive. At that point, you use artillery to take out the AAA and start the whole process over again.

They do work better on meeting engagements, delays and defends, however. The AI doesn't take much in the way of SPAA units, so they eventually run out from under the towed AAA umbrella and your spotters can function safely.

[Mobhack]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.
Air sorties i'm totally cunfused on so leave at default,
But only get scout planes every 3rd battle.
Could increasing air sorties give me more chance of air scouts?
Man!.. i love the air scouts when i can get them:D

In a Campaign game the player preferences for air sorties is completely ignored. You get offered the historically generated air only, or in a scripted campaign what the designer programmed for each scenario. So just leave air at XXX in campaigns.

Andy

[RERomine]

Thanks Andy for the information about campaigns. That's what I thought, but wasn't sure.

As for low visibility situations, this is directly out of the online instructions manual:


Note low visibility (less than 40 hexes or so) means that air strikes are unlikely to be allocated, even if set to a positive number in the preferences screen, as visibility is too low at the airfields for flying that day.

[Mobhack]

Thanks Andy for the information about campaigns. That's what I thought, but wasn't sure.

As for low visibility situations, this is directly out of the online instructions manual:


Note low visibility (less than 40 hexes or so) means that air strikes are unlikely to be allocated, even if set to a positive number in the preferences screen, as visibility is too low at the airfields for flying that day.


In campaigns, expect the air allocation to be low to none if vis is low. But the internal code will assign air strikes, then ..

The AI pick also looks at the visibility rating, and if low then it will sometimes pass on an available air strike, even if you (or the campaign allocation routine) gave it some even if it had the points at that pass through the loop to buy the strike.

That applies to battle generator games as well. Those are the ones where your air allocation is used by the AI buy - but even then it might not take your hint as it thinks it is poor air conditions.

In MBT - it will tend to go more for attack helo flights over fixed wing, if poor visibility.

Andy

[Cross]

I play all my game's against the AI at this point but, someday I want to play PBEM. So I am asking this question to get your input on how you play. Do you play the AI one way and a human another?


Hi Jimi,

Many players use their own standard set of preferences for PBEM battles. I save these prefs as a document in my SP folder, and just bring it out - and adjust it - every time I start a new battle. I'll paste in an example below.

Your preferences just make sure that you are in agreement with your opponent, and also offer you some protection from the occasional 'gamey' player out there.

I meet most of my opponents through the Blitz wargaming club. Many players at that club use a different scoring/result matrix (which I think is quite good); and some use different FOO rules (which I think are too unrealistic).

Anyway, here's an example of my prefs.

Preferences (negotiable)

WinSPWW2 3.0 CD version
Slot 001
Points: 2500
Turns: 20
Turn rate: 7 to 10 turns per week

Setting
Meeting Engagement: German vs. British
Sept 1943, Italy
Map: no.245 (or generated map size 140x120)
V Hexes customized to more realistic objectives (subject to approval)
Visibility: 25

Reasonably realistic forces:
No more than 1 sniper per Infantry Company
No more than 1 MMG or HMG platoon per Infantry Company (unless co. came with more)
No more than 2 Anti-Tank guns per Company
No more than 2 Infantry Anti-Tank teams per Company (unless co. came with more)

Other Preferences
All realism preferences ON (settings at 100%)
Aircraft Availability: Random
Fast Artillery: OFF
Max. 15% artillery (not including AT guns)
Onboard arty only (unless otherwise agree)

No assigning artillery until your first move turn
No spotter planes or helicopters
No re-supply of rockets by ammo trucks/canisters
No choosing allies or captured equipment without agreement

cheers,
Cross

[RERomine]

Here's the link to the Blitz site if anyone wants to see what's out there:

http://www.theblitz.org/

I know Cross knows where the site is and I agree about the FOO guidelines. They went from no guidelines allowing things to be too gamey to too restrictive eliminating things that could really be done.

[JohnHale]

I play all my game's against the AI at this point but, someday I want to play PBEM.



Brum,

Take the plunge and do it. You don't know what you're missing. Seriously.

If you want to have a go, I'll hold your hand and walk you through it.

[Cross]

Here's the link to the Blitz site if anyone wants to see what's out there:

http://www.theblitz.org/

I know Cross knows where the site is and I agree about the FOO guidelines. They went from no guidelines allowing things to be too gamey to too restrictive eliminating things that could really be done.

I agree with this assessment 100%

In fact, I think I'll start a new thread about FOO artillery management, because this is a fascinating subject, but may head a bit off-topic.

[Brummbar]

I play all my game's against the AI at this point but, someday I want to play PBEM.



Brum,

Take the plunge and do it. You don't know what you're missing. Seriously.

If you want to have a go, I'll hold your hand and walk you through it.
Thanks John. It's not that I don't want to do it, it's a matter of time. I will take you up on it when I think I can be a reliable player. I hate to leave someone hanging in the middle of a game waiting for me to do my turn.

[Demtrek]

I get rid of mines and make ammo unlimited. I hate being bogged down with mines everywhere I go. Sometimes I think, ok let me get back into a true assult with mines, but then I get bored trying to clear them all the time. I dont buy them either.

Running out of ammo is just a pain in the butt. Even though it makes it more realistic just one of my pet peevs when I do run out.

Fast arty is a must for me as I can not stand sitting there for 10 mins watching each and every round miss it's target. :) If i'm going to miss what I want to hit let me miss all at once.

[Lt. Ketch]

I run a basic default but with breakdowns and command off. I'm still trying to improve my overall tactics and kit choice and don't want to have to worry about units that arn't in contact or get stuck in the mud. I know I'll probablly need to adjust my tactics when I turn those on, but until then... :rock:

[Brummbar]

It seem's that you all use a variety of setting's for your own reason's.

Thanks for all the input, it give's me a lot to think about.

Keep up the reply's as I am really interested in how you all play this wonderful game.

[PanzerBob]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.
Air sorties i'm totally cunfused on so leave at default,
But only get scout planes every 3rd battle.
Could increasing air sorties give me more chance of air scouts?
Man!.. i love the air scouts when i can get them:D

In a Campaign game the player preferences for air sorties is completely ignored. You get offered the historically generated air only, or in a scripted campaign what the designer programmed for each scenario. So just leave air at XXX in campaigns.

Andy

I think sometimes maybe I'm imagineing things happening,:smirk: oh well I did say in wasn't quite sure, Thanks Andy

Bob out:D

[gila]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.


I have to amend.
I do turn off mines,with AI.
Damn i hate unwelcome suprises:(

[Brummbar]

I keep all at default.
Except for spotting i tend to 120%.


I have to amend.
I do turn off mines,with AI.
Damn i hate unwelcome suprises:(

And see, unwelcome suprises is one of my favorite aspects of the game. :)

I can never thank the guy's enough for giving us such a great game to custumize to our own way of playing it! :up:

[gila]

And see, unwelcome suprises is one of my favorite aspects of the game. :)

I can never thank the guy's enough for giving us such a great game to custumize to our own way of playing it! :up:

I'll tackle them rascals one day!
But right now i have minaphobia:sick:
An illness treated by lots of game play.

[runequester]

I used to play with mines off, but lately, I have been playing with everything "on" as far as the realism settings.

[Imp]

Play with standard settings though if low visibility (under10) may turn spotting down slightly to represent rainstorm fog or some such
Keep meaning to try WW2 with hit at 110%, hard to believe armour was that bad a shot with first round, thing is by last round to hit is pretty good