Operational Warfare Developer's Blog

Developer's blog for the Operational Art of War series

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Ralph Trickey maintains TOAW III
I set this Blog up for fun, and for my own edication! Nothing is guaranteed, it's for my own use primarily, so even if I say that something may happen with the next release, please understand that it may not. I plan to post random thoughts and other things like that at random times here. I don't have a specific plan for what will be here.
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More readme portions

Here's some more of the untranslated readme.

Thease are arguably the two biggest features. New Turn Order was a major rewrite, but now the two sides are symmetrical. New Supply Order was a major rewrite of the supply to make it a continuous instead of the jumps the old system has. That is a good change, and it also open the way for events to adjust the supply of individual points up and down and trun them on and off to better simulate beachheads, encirclements, etc.

Cheat Prevention
There is now a PORandomSeed in the INI file. If set to 0 (default) it will always use the next randon number. If set to -1, it will always use the random number stored in the save file. If set to a number it will use that number. PBEM games are always treated as -1. This means that reloads of a PBL PBEM game will produce the same results. This also means that I will be able to reproduce bug reports.

New Turn Order
The old turn order option used to do all calculation for supply, recovery, and other items occurred between turns and was a bit unfair. The new turn order splits that processing inot three parts. There are now things like air combat and weather which still happen at the beginning of the turn. Things like supply and movement recovery now happen at the beginning of each side's movement instead of at the beggining of the turn.

New Supply Order
Instead of being a 3 level approach, we now use a formula based on the movement points of a virtual "Supply Unit" which has motorized movement and a 50% unit density.
The exact formula is 1.10 / (1.375 ^ (SupplyDistance / SupplyRadius))
Designers can also set supply levels for supply points either initially or through events.
Supply Units also have an enhanced effect, they will effectively move the unit closer to the supply point based on the supply radius.
Take the case of the supply radius is 5 hexes and the supply unit is 10 hexes away and the unit is 14 units away. Because the unit is less than 5 (supply radius) or less heses away from the supply unit, we enhance it's supply by moving it 5 hexes closer to the supply source.
Supply Radius 0 is treated like supply radius 1 by the new rules.


Posted by Ralph Trickey on Sunday, February 22, 2009 1:24 AM
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Comments

Silvanski United States

Sunday, February 22, 2009 1:59 AM

Silvanski

Designers can set supply levels for supply points either initially or through events
This is a neat feature I.e.  Invasion beaches or city strongholds can have their own supply point with a reduced supply level

JW Norton United States

Sunday, February 22, 2009 2:33 AM

JW Norton

I garner, by your outlay, that turns are a touch more insensive in operation, but operate far more even-handed with a removal of a programming bias?

Can't wait to road-drive this!!! This is gonna be an 11!

Telu Germany

Sunday, February 22, 2009 3:38 AM

Telu

Take the case of the supply radius is 5 hexes and the supply unit is 10 hexes away and the unit is 14 units away. Because the unit is less than 5 (supply radius) or less heses away from the supply unit, we enhance it's supply by moving it 5 hexes closer to the supply source.

What if the unit was a supply point, too? Does this feature affect non-supply units only?

Btw, great changes. Can't wait to see it released.

RhinoBones Hungary

Sunday, February 22, 2009 7:46 PM

RhinoBones

Will the supply radius be affected by terrain features such as oceans, impassible mountains, enemy ZOC, etc?

Ralph Trickey United States

Monday, February 23, 2009 1:57 AM

Ralph Trickey

Telu,
  I'm not sure what you mean, I don't think that units can be supply points.

Ralph Trickey United States

Monday, February 23, 2009 2:02 AM

Ralph Trickey

Rhinobones,
  Yes, it's treated exactly the same as if it was a motorized unit with 50% density. If you've got a muddy road hex with several units sitting there, you may want to move them or put some MPs there to allow the virtual supply trucks to get by, otherwise the front-line units will receive less supply.

Ralph Trickey United States

Monday, February 23, 2009 2:11 AM

Ralph Trickey

JW,
  Actually, the turns should be faster, I was able to use some newer algorithms instead of the old ones. They're dong a bit more, but doing it smarter. Air interdiction is still slow and I haven't worked on it. Naval movement is faster, but it can still take a while for aircraft carriers. Elmer is a bit slower, but (I hope) smarter.

levelworm People's Republic of China

Monday, February 23, 2009 2:18 AM

levelworm

This is significant, I have to say.

Telu Germany

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 3:53 PM

Telu


What if the unit was a supply point, too? Does this feature affect non-supply units only?

Telu,
I'm not sure what you mean, I don't think that units can be supply points.


Oh, sorry - i meant supply units, not supply points.

My question was if a supply unit can "move" another supply unit closer to the supply point thus creating some kind of chain which would move units within reach of the 'far' supply point more towards the supply point as they would without the first supply unit moving the second one closer... was that clear? ...

Telu Germany

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 3:55 PM

Telu

okay..read supply unit instead of supply point in row 2 of the second part, after 'far'

RhinoBones Hungary

Friday, February 27, 2009 6:13 AM

RhinoBones

The changes in the way supply is calculated and delivered are exciting.  Think it adds a more realistic dimension to the game.  But, what impact do you expect that these changes will have on existing TOAW III scenarios?  I would think there will need to be rewrites and modifications.

Regards, RhinoBones

Ralph Trickey United States

Saturday, February 28, 2009 6:25 AM

Ralph Trickey

I think it's going to be a tie. Supply is boosted a little when you're on the source, but decreases quickly if you're off-road because of the increased MPs.

The old supply system is still an option too, so old scenarios should be playable.

There are probably a number of scenarios that may be modified to take advantage of the variable supply points.

The supply units affect all units in their radius, but they don't 'chain' in any way. The effects of supply units show up on the display.

They and HQ units also still have the same effect of doing a major boost to adjacent compatible units.

Ralph

RhinoBones Hungary

Saturday, February 28, 2009 8:26 PM

RhinoBones

In regards to supply, one thing I would really like to see is the true value of supply available represented by the value shown in the hex.  By this I mean that any modifications to the supply value (such as the multiplier provided by a HQ) be calculated and shown on the screen without the need for the player to do a math test for every hex in question.  With the actual supply value displayed, think TOAW would be a simpler and more enjoyable game.

Regards, RhinoBones

Ralph Trickey United States

Saturday, February 28, 2009 11:09 PM

Ralph Trickey

Everything is there except the modifcation by adjacent compatible supply/HQ. Because of the compatible requirement, it would be more confusing to show the values and chenge them when you click on different units, I believe.

Colin Wright United States

Friday, April 10, 2009 7:04 PM

Colin Wright

I take it that this 'virtual' supply unit isn't a unit that players can pick up and move -- like the current supply unit.

Or is it?

Ralph Trickey United States

Saturday, April 11, 2009 12:07 AM

Ralph Trickey

Colin,
  Sorry I wasn't clearer, that's an added function of the current supply unit.


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