• Aggression 1914 (hand over)

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    SchulzS
    I'd be happy if someone could upload it on GitHub.
  • Warlords that old series from the 90s, worth a map?

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    Z
    Based on only modest interest and Cernel's wise words of caution, I think I'll just make a small map to showcase some gameplay options with some of the flavor of the ol' warlords. It'll be awhile before it's made; gotta peruse what art assets we have available, ponder some gameplay choices, figure out what to use for the map, and all the other work.
  • WW2 - Revised Map

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    MirkoBrunerM
    @schulz The Black border around the flags would make the roundels too strong on the crayon colours I have adopted for this map.
  • Camp David maps

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    M
    Actually I am enjoying the maps PvP, although I may not replay them a lot after. I do not have modding capabilities, so it would be wonderful if anyone can spare the time to check if the Tech, and other game features, are operating as intended, as well as perhaps to tweak balance if suitable.
  • Looking for Someone to modify G40 BM3 to incorporate house rules

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    RogerCooperR
    @dannyduck716 Duckworth�s House Rules � A&A Global �40 New Units: Marines: Cost = 5 Amphibious Attack = 2 Can be transported on Cruisers and Battleships Otherwise act the same as Infantry Cruiser: Cost = 10 Battleship: Cost = 16 Tactical Bomber: Cost = 10 Combined Arms Additions: 1:1 Cruiser combined with Battleship, Cruiser stats to: Attack: 4 Defense: 4 New units are no problem Factions: The United Kingdom no longer has a split income. UK Europe and UK Pacific are now tracked as a single country. Easy enough to do Research And Development: Research and development is done in phases for each nation. Each nation may choose the number of technologies to research equivalent to their number of MAJOR Factories on the world map. This means at the start of the game, the following nations may advance research: Germany: 2 Techs Russia: 1 Tech Japan: 1 Tech USA: 0 Techs China: 0 Techs (China will never research) UK: 2 Techs Italy: 1 Tech ANZAC: 0 Techs France: 1 Tech (Assuming they maintain control of their Major Factory) Researching Technology is free. All Techs require three phases to complete. At the beginning of the Research and Development phase, a nation which Techs it plans to advance in phase. Techs can only advance one phase per turn and a player may not elect to roll more than one factory per Tech. The player will than roll 2D6 to see if they are successful in advancing the Tech. A roll of 7 or HIGHER will advance the Tech to the next phase. A roll of 12 will result in a BREAKTHROUGH and the Tech will automatically go into effect regardless of which phase it was in. Upon completion of the third phase of a Tech, the Tech will go into effect immediately. The available Technology options are: Advanced Artillery: Each of your artillery units can now provide greater support. One artillery unit can support up to 2 infantry and/or mechanized infantry units per attack. Up to 2 infantry and/or mechanized infantry when coupled with 1 artillery unit have attack values of 2. Rockets: Your airbases can now launch rockets. During the Strategic and Tactical Bombing Raids step of your Combat Phase each turn, each of your operative air bases can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex, air base, or naval base within 4 spaces of it. This attack does 1D6 damage to that facility. Rockets may not be fired over neutral territories. Wartime Economy: During the Collect Income Phase, roll 1D6 and collect that many additional IPCs. This additional income can only be applied if a nation is AT WAR. In addition, all Major Factories can now mobilize up to 12 units and Minor Factories can now mobilize up to 4 units per turn. Also, when repairing damaged structures (Factories, Air Bases, Naval Bases) the cost is reduced by half. In case of an odd number, round the cost up (ex. 3 damage would cost 2 IPCs to repair). Improved Mechanized Infantry: Each of your mechanized infantry units that is paired up with a tank or an artillery now has an attack value of 2. Also, your mechanized infantry may now blitz without being paired with a tank. Paratroopers: Up to 2 of your infantry units in each territory with an airbase can be moved to an enemy-controlled territory 3 or fewer spaces away that is being attacked by your land units from adjacent territories and/or by amphibious assault. When moving, paratroopers must obey the same restrictions that air units do. If the territory being attacked has AAA units, the paratrooper infantry units are subject to AAA fire in the same way as air units. Paratroopers may retreat as normal. Super Submarines: The attack value of your submarines is now 3 instead of 2 and movement is now 3 spaces instead of 2 (4 is launched from a Naval Base). Jet Fighters: The attack value of your fighters is now 4 instead of 3. In addition, during bombing raids your escorting or intercepting fighters now hit on a �1� or �2� instead of just a �1�. Improved Shipyards: Your naval units are now cheaper to build. The cost of ALL naval units including Marines is reduced by 1 IPC. Radar: Your fire, both from AAA units and facilities, now hits on a �1� or �2� instead of just a �1�. Long Range Aircraft: All of your air units� ranges are increased by 1. Heavy Bombers: Your strategic bombers are now heavy bombers. When attacking, whether in a battle or a strategic bombing raid, roll two dice for each bomber and select the best result. Players made obtain additional research opportunities by constructing additional MAJOR Factories. The standard rules for placing Major Factories still applies. The phased tech rules can't be supported by TripleA Additional National Objectives: Germany: 2 IPCs if Romania, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Crete are Axis Controlled 5 IPCs if there is at least one German land unit in either London or Egypt Russia: 3 IPCs if Russia is at war with European Axis, and there are no non-Russian Allied units in any originally Russian territory 3 IPCs for each originally held German, Italian or Pro-Axis Neutral territory that Russia controls in mainland Europe 2 IPCs for each of the following lend-lease lanes that is �open� (i.e. the specified Sea Zone has no enemy warships and the specified territory is Allied controlled) when Russia is at war with European Axis beyond round 2: (1) SZ 125, Archangel; (2) SZ 80, Persia; (3) SZ 5, Amur An additional 2 IPCs per each �open� lend-lease lane, when Russia is at war with European Axis, if Japan has also declared war on Russia Note: An Axis power may not move its units into originally Russian territory unless that Axis power is at war with Russia. Also, when not at war with Japan, Russia may not move its units into any non-Russian Allied territory in Asia, other than Syria, Trans-Jordan, Iraq, Persia, NorthWest Persia, and East Persia. The National Objective for Russia's first capture of Berlin has been removed. Japan: 5 IPCs if Axis controls Dutch New Guinea, New Guinea, New Britain and Solomon Islands 5 IPCs if Axis controls Midway, Wake Island, Guam 3 IPCs if Japan control Iwo Jima and Okinawa and is at war with the United States USA: 5 IPCs if USA is at war and Allies control Midway, Wake Island, Guam 5 IPCs if USA is at war and Allies control Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Paulau Island, Marianas 5 IPCs if Allies control at least 2 of: Normandy Bordeaux, Holland Belgium, Southern France, and the USA has at least one land unit in any one of these territories 5 IPCs if Allies control Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and USA has at least one land unit in any of these territories China: 3 IPCs if Allies control Yunnan, Szechwan, Burma and India At the start of China�s turn, a Chinese Infantry is spawned in each non-coastal Chinese territory under Axis control that is not garrisoned by at least one Axis land unit. These units may not be moved until the next turn. UK: 3 IPCs if UK Europe controls all its original territories 3 IPCs if Allies control at least 2 of: Sicily, Sardinia, Greece, Southern Italy, and the Allies have at least one land unit in any of these territories 3 IPCS if there are no enemy submarines in the Atlantic, excluding SZ 112 and 125-127 3 IPCs if Malta, Crete, and Cyprus are Allied or Pro-Allied controlled FEC: 3 IPCs when at war with Japan if: British control West India and either Egypt or South Africa and there are no enemy submarines in the western half of the Indian Ocean (SZ 71-SZ 81) 3 IPCs when at war with Japan if Malaya and Kwantung are Allied controlled Italy: 3 IPCs if Malta, Cyprus, and Crete are Axis controlled ANZAC: 3 IPCs if ANZAC is at war with Japan and Dutch New Guinea, New Guinea, New Britain and Solomon Islands are controlled by the Allies 3 IPCs if ANZAC is at war with Japan and Solomon Islands, Gilbert Islands, Fiji, and Samoa are Allied controlled 3 IPCS if ANZAC is at war with Japan, controls all of its original territories and Malaya is Allied controlled All these national objectives can be supported Vichy France Rules: Game Conditions for Franco-German Armistice At the beginning of France's turn, if the following conditions are met, the Franco-German Armistice will occur: Axis has control of both France and Normandy Bordeaux; Axis has never controlled Southern France; and There are no non-French, Allied land units in Southern France. Game Consequences of Franco-German Armistice French Territorial Control: At the beginning of France's first turn in which Armistice conditions are met, all originally French territories not already under Axis control immediately change ownership to Pro-Axis Neutrals, except: (1) French Equatorial Africa; (2) New Hebrides; (2) any French territories containing non-French allied land units. Any non-French allied air units in Vichy-controlled territory are destroyed upon conversion of the territory to Vichy control. With the exception of Southern France (see discussion of "Zone Libere" below), Vichy French territory operates the same way as other Pro-Axis Neutral territory. An Axis player may capture Vichy French territory and commandeer its forces by moving a land unit into the territory during the non-combat phase of his turn. Fly-over restrictions applicable to other Neutral territories do not apply to Vichy French territory. Fleet at Toulon: In addition to the change in French territorial control, the Armistice changes control of the French fleet. Roll 2D6 for each ship to determine the results: A roll of 4 or less: Ship remains Free French and immediately sails out of the Mediterranean to SZ 91 A roll of 5: Ship is captured by British Commandos, replace it with a British ship of same type and place in SZ 91 A roll of 6-8: Ship is scuttled by Free French resistance, remove it from the board A roll of 9: Ship is captured by Italian forces, replace with Italian ship of same type A roll of 10 or higher: Ship is captured by German forces, replace with German ship of same type "Zone Libre": Any Axis occupation of Southern France following the Armistice results in the scuttling of the Vichy French Fleet at Toulon and the disbandment of all remaining Vichy French forces. These forces are removed at the end of the Axis player's turn in which the occupation of Southern France takes place. Any formerly Vichy French forces that were previously commandeered by the Axis are unaffected by this change. Armistice's Effect on National Objectives: Following the armistice, Southern France is considered Axis-controlled for purposes of Italy's "Roman Empire" objective. Otherwise, the Vichy France arrangement has no impact on National Objectives. Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco must still be directly occupied by Germany or Italy to achieve Italy's "North Africa" objective. Japanese occupation of French Indo China still negates Japan's "Trade With America" objective. Liberation of France: The Allied liberation of France effectively terminates the Armistice. Any territory and forces still under Vichy French control revert back to Free French control. The Vichy French forces in the Southern France and will also revert back if Southern France is liberated by the Free French. This is difficult but doable. The rules should simplified. Other Rules: Placing Naval Units in Enemy-Occupied Sea Zones: With this new rules variation, you may place new naval units in enemy-occupied sea zones adjacent to industrial complexes you have owned since the beginning of your turn. It is up to your enemy to either retreat from the sea zone or attack your ships. This is a game property Neutrality Rules/Diplomacy: Neutral Territories can be persuaded to join a country�s war effort before the Weapons Development Phase. Available to AXIS: Germany, Japan, Italy Available to ALLIES: United Kingdom, United States, Russia, ANZAC (1 per turn) Neutral Territories are identified in one of three categories: Pro-Axis True Neutral Pro-Allies The Diplomacy Cup starts the game with 14 chips No Event = 10 chips (gray) Pro-Axis = 2 chips (red) Pro-Allies = 2 chips (green) During the Diplomacy Phase, a country at war may make up to 2 Actions spending 1 IPC for each Diplomatic Action. The exception to this is ANZAC who only has a minor influence and can only make 1 Action. The number of Diplomatic Actions must be declared prior to making any attempts Diplomatic Action: ADD: Countries NOT AT WAR may only spend to ADD No Event Chips Countries AT WAR may ADD any chip of their choosing Diplomatic Action: PULL: Is only available starting in the 4th round Only one PULL action can be made per territory The targeted territory MUST be declared prior to pulling a chip Territories of Zero IPC value still offer 1 INF unit in the Mobilize Units Phase or in Defense of itself Possible Outcomes: A No Event Chip is pulled: Nothing happens. Put this marker back in the Diplomacy Cup AFTER finishing all Diplomacy Actions. Better luck next time. Political Failure: This represents negotiation breakdowns, political coups, allies acting independently, etc. The terms �friendly� or �enemy� below refer to the applying faction. Do Not put marker back in the Diplomacy Cup. Neutral Territory activation happens in the Mobilize Units Phase. �has no Pro-[Faction] marker in it, put an enemy Pro[Faction] marker on that territory �has an enemy Pro-[Faction] marker in it, that neutral territory activates and joins the enemy faction �has a friendly Pro[Faction] marker in it, remove that marker Political Success: The faction applying this must do one of the following. The terms �friendly� or �enemy� below refer to the applying faction. Do Not put marker back in the Diplomacy Cup. Neutral Territory activation happens in the Mobilize Units Phase. �has no Pro-[Faction] marker in it, put a friendly Pro-[Faction] marker on that territory �has a friendly Pro-[Faction] marker in it, that neutral territory activates and joins the friendly faction �has an enemy Pro-[Faction] marker in it, remove that marker Pro-[Faction] territories can still be activated by units of the aligned faction during Non-Combat Move Phase per the original rules. These rules are too complicated to be supported by TripleA. A simplified version is possible I don't think anyone else is going to implement these rules. You could learn to mod yourself, basic modding is not hard.
  • Warcraft: War Heroes - Official Thread

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    Hey Frostion, sorry for the late reply. I don't know why, but I don't get to see the tooltips on many items. I was really surprised to see your picture. For me it looks like this: [image: shard.jpg] I tried it one the latest stable release and on one of the prereleases: 2.6.22453
  • 💥 Future Wars: Fallen Empire - Official Thread

    maps thedog
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    TheDogT
    Download new version 2021.03 Change Log Lgt-Infantry lost Marine now cost 4 PU was 5 PU Marine new name for MobileInfantry, gain Marine Gunship now cost 10 PU was 11 AirTransport, now cost 8 PU was 9 StrikeFighter new name for Fighter, main changes, Scramble distance 2 was 1 Bomber, main changes Strategic Bombing d3+2 was d3, move 8 was 7, cannot be on a carrier CruiseMissile, Strategic Bombing now d2+1 was d3, move 6 was 7 SAM can now shoot CruiseMissile Starting PU is graded 35-70PU Fixed Crocodile Ford Canal Download from Google Drive v2021.03 https://drive.google.com/file/d/14wKWO4U0SDFr63KnD6kf7czpMbLqQdzF/view?usp=sharing See post 1 for more install details. https://forums.triplea-game.org/topic/2779/future-wars-fallen-empire-official-thread Enjoy and please give feedback. .
  • Aggression 1914 (release)

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    TheDogT
    @schulz Downloaded, but not everyone can open rar files, consider changing it to zip. Im on 2.6.149 I have been testing 2.6, its running fine, ie. it has not crashed, after 1 round.
  • Aggression 1914

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    SchulzS
    @Hepps I've forgot to colour the lakes in the base map thank you.
  • World War I European Campaigns

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    @schulz Here is a possible unit image for Wassmuss of Persia: [image: wilhelm_wassmuss.png] Similarly to Lawrence of Arabia, he would give a bonus to allied units with him. Whereas Lawrence of Arabia would be in Hejaz fighting the Ottomans, Lawrence of Arabia would be in Persia fighting the British. I would picture them both having a small entourage of troops with them as they rarely operated alone. Also, I do not know how others create maps, but for this latest map I used Photoshop CS2. I cropped a world map to get an image of Europe and an image of America, then placed them closer together. I then traced over them and colored in the water. For detailed territories I looked up regional maps of each area and if the territories were too small I would combine two or more together so that I could fit units in them. One thing you have to be careful with is that the lines must be completely black and there can be no gaps, otherwise TripleA won't register the territories properly. This gets particularly hard to do with large maps. For this game, I have been thinking of doing a 1914 start date and that other countries will gradually join the war. Forts will be a new unit like bunkers in other games. [image: Marne.PNG] I have done some AI games and it looks like if there are forts on the French-German border, the German AI will turn away to avoid them and instead attack through Belgium, which is close to what happened historically.
  • New (& Old) Mods for TripleA

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  • Best Triplea Map to play

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    ubernautU
    @umesh ai i'd say any of the v3 variations, 1914 no mans land, nwo or v3. versus human i'd say TWW
  • Limits of maps

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    LaFayetteL
    FWIW, a very sizeable chunk of the memory footprint and memory pressure comes from rendering the minimap. The minimap is rendered by drawing the entire map at full scale and then shrinking it down. The more detailed the territory images, the more memory that this will consume. Physically larger images can allow for greater detail, but not necessarily. Hence a large map where all the territories are a single color will require less memory than a small map where the territory images have lots of detail.
  • Removing grey edges after resizing base maps

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    ubernautU
    @schulz i think you're gonna have to do a better job with the resizing
  • New Map: World War 1 End of Empires

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    I am changing battleships to be unbuildable and 1-hit. I thought that this would lead to a lot of battleships being destroyed too quickly, but after a few playthroughs with the AI it seems like I was wrong.
  • AI Suitability

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    RogerCooperR
    So I am starting to examine AI suitability for some randomly picked scenarios. Great Lakes War All these scenario are fine for AI Great War The only problem for the AI is the odd blockages for the US. This is an old scenario before events were introduced into TripleA. The large numbers of units and sprawaling map also slow the game. The actual units are straight-forward and the game can be played with Fast AI. Combat movement is before purchase.
  • Global 1940 improving the notes

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    ubernautU
    @zlefin just make sure you aren't reusing other people's IP.
  • Best Rules Version

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    @rogercooper It has some understanding, but not a complete understanding; from what I've been able to tell. It does, at least partly, recognize the movement bonuses units will get in terms of avoiding counterattacks, though I'm not sure it does so fully. In terms of strategic bombing, I'm not sure to what extent it specifically targets harbors/airfields that are relevant right now, vs simply targetting anything in the area that's raidable that it's not already invading. (and of course bombers often have regular combats worth doing as well). It does not seem to preferentially move units on/next to harbors/airfields so as to get the movement bonus. I was trying out Global recently, and some of the moves quite clearly showed the ai not 'getting' the impacts of those bases.
  • 270BC - Official Thread

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    @lafayette said in 270BC Wars - Official Thread: @Cernel why is there a '+' folder in the map? Seemingly it's making the download size quite a bit larger than it needs to be. The "270bc" map has several such useless items too. The main difference is that I group them externally, leaving inside the "map" folder nothing but what is or may be used by the program. Completely useless items of 270bc (I would keep without the "map" folder): https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/misc/Legend.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/territoryNames/Saria.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/territoryNames/Heraclea.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/RomanRepublic_unit_development.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/archer_hepps.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/archer_with_marker_at_55pt.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/ballista_with_marker_at_55pt.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/hoplite_with_marker_at_55pt.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/legionaire_hepps.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/warelephant_hepps.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/alt/warelephant_hepps_hit.png https://github.com/triplea-maps/270bc/blob/master/map/units/Neutral/longboat.png Other maps have a lot more useless items than this one.
  • Aggression 1941

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    ebbeE
    @schulz Hej Schulz, you asked me to use Soundfiles I made/ adapted for the recently released WW2 Oil & Snow project, which is fine, ( except the intro tune , I prefer to keep that unique ) nice to see another 1941 map and I like your ingredients...

Recent Posts

  • @Vendetta said:

    I implemented Guards Infantry and Shock Armies as Soviet unlockable bonuses in my TRO outline. Guards was a promotion mechanic where you replace up to two regular Infantry per turn with Elite Infantry for free if you win a battle. Shock Armies was one where Elite Infantry would pair with the Assault Gun and allow the AG to get one pre-battle bombardment shot at the enemy.

    I guess sounds about right (as long as you can also buy elite infantry directly (not only by upgrading them with the guard promotion mechanic)).

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  • @Vendetta said:

    China's best infantry units were the ones trained and equipped by the Germans prior to WW2, not by the Soviets. There were three elite divisions that were fully organized and equipped along European lines, and twelve others that had been reorganized and trained by them but didn't get the full array of imported artillery and equipment.

    I know of those, but I just assumed that little enough remained of them by 1941 (I mean as the actual then German trained and equipped men, not the divisions themselves as names), but I don't actually know.

    Asking Google AI "How many men of the Chinese divisions trained and equipped by the Germans prior to WW2 were still organically fielded in those divisions or elsewhere in mid 1941 in absolute terms and as a percentage of the Chinese army?", I'm answered

    In absolute terms, the number of original pre-war German-trained and equipped Chinese soldiers still organically fielded in mid-1941 was statistically negligible, approaching zero, representing effectively 0% (less than 0.01%) of the overall Chinese National Revolutionary Army (NRA).

    The Lifespan of the Elite Divisions

    Prior to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Sino-German military cooperation had successfully produced a core elite of roughly 80,000 fully trained troops spread across 8 frontline divisions (most famously the 36th, 87th, and 88th Divisions, along with the Training Unit). An additional 12 to 20 divisions were in various secondary stages of partial training and reorganization.
    However, their preservation was incredibly short-lived due to Chiang Kai-shek’s strategic decisions in 1937:
    • The Shanghai "Exsanguination" (August–November 1937): Desperate to draw international intervention and halt the Japanese, Chiang committed his absolute best German-trained assets to brutal, Stalingrad-style urban warfare in Shanghai. Within just the first few weeks, these divisions suffered catastrophic attrition rates of 60% to 70%. By October 1937, only 20% to 30% of the men remaining in the 88th Division were original pre-war veterans—the rest were raw, hasty replacements.
    • The Routine Destruction at Nanjing (December 1937): What remained of these elite formations retreated to defend the capital, Nanjing. Following the chaotic retreat and subsequent massacre, these units were completely shattered. For example, the 88th Division was reduced to barely 1,000 survivors out of its original 10,000+ man complement.

    The Situation by Mid-1941

    By June 1941, four years of relentless war had completely transformed the Chinese military fabric:
    • Complete Turnover of Personnel: While the legendary structural designations (like the 36th, 87th, and 88th Divisions) still existed on paper and were legally active, they were "elite" in name only. The frontline infantrymen had been entirely replaced multiple times over by uneducated, locally conscripted provincial peasants who lacked foreign tactical training.
    • Depletion of Equipment: The high-quality German equipment—such as the standard M1935 Stahlhelm, imported Mauser rifles, and Pak 36 anti-tank guns—was largely destroyed, lost, or exhausted of ammunition by 1938–1939. By mid-1941, the divisions were equipped with erratic combinations of domestic Chinese browning copies, Soviet supplies, and captured Japanese gear.
    • Dilution within a Mass Army: By mid-1941, the National Revolutionary Army had expanded into a massive, decentralized force of roughly 3.8 to 4 million nominal soldiers spread across upwards of 300 under-strength divisions.
    Consequently, barring a minute handful of surviving high-ranking officers who had climbed the command ladder out of harm's way, the original, organically fielded pre-war German-trained rank-and-file soldiers had been entirely wiped out by mid-1941.

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  • @KurtGodel7

    AT guns may be common, but they still have to be distributed in every territory across the front line. So this would turn the Light Tank into a unit that can be used opportunistically to punish an enemy player who leaves gaps in his defenses.

    The 1:1 rule also means there’s opportunities to get the bonus even when the opponent does have AT defenses through concentration. Perhaps the Soviet player has 16 Anti-Tank Guns and I as Germany have only 8 light tanks. At first glance, sounds like he has me completely countered.

    But the Soviet player’s front line is so large that he has to spread those guns out so that there’s only 2 or 3 AT guns in each zone. I pick one that has has only 2 of them, and rush all 8 of my light tanks there - now 6 of them are attacking at 50% greater strength and can tear up all the infantry and field guns there.

    And because the Light Tank is speed 2 and the AT gun is speed 1, I can always move my tanks around to concentrate for an attack faster than my opponent can shuffle his guns together to mass a defense.

    This sounds like it will make for some really fun dynamics since it turns the Light Tank into a unit that rewards smart tactics, and the AT Gun into something that actually plays a role befitting its name instead of just being a generic filler unit to use as cannon fodder.

    You could even consider extending that dynamic to the Medium Tank - it gets +1 over its current stats, but reverts to its current ones if it gets fought by heavier tanks or by AT guns at a 1:1 ratio.

    @cernel
    I would recommend Jason Clower’s Type 56 - Story of the SKS YouTube channel as a very informative and entertaining source on how the Chinese army fought - he principally covers the PLA, but there’s a lot of overlap with the NRA in terms of the logistical struggles they had during WW2.

    China's best infantry units were the ones trained and equipped by the Germans prior to WW2, not by the Soviets. There were three elite divisions that were fully organized and equipped along European lines, and twelve others that had been reorganized and trained by them but didn't get the full array of imported artillery and equipment.

    I implemented Guards Infantry and Shock Armies as Soviet unlockable bonuses in my TRO outline. Guards was a promotion mechanic where you replace up to two regular Infantry per turn with Elite Infantry for free if you win a battle. Shock Armies was one where Elite Infantry would pair with the Assault Gun and allow the AG to get one pre-battle bombardment shot at the enemy.

    My policy was to avoid bloating the roster with adding a bunch of new unique units and instead use nation-specific techs to add new bonuses or synergies to the baseline units (or ways to get them cheaper).

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  • Actually, you can have both. You could have that Soviet infantry can be upgraded to "guard_infantry" but that you can also buy "shock_infantry". They may be actually the same except that the former is an upgrade and the latter is purchased directly. Can you ask Claude what was the most elite between Guard and Shock armies in the Red Army during World War 2?

    This is what Google AI says when asked that question:

    In the Red Army during World War II, the Guards Armies were considered more inherently elite than the Shock Armies.
    While both were highly formidable and significantly outperformed regular All-Arms field armies, they represented entirely different organizational philosophies.

    The Distinction Between the Formations

    Guards Armies earned their status through battle merit.
    The "Guards" designation was an honorary title awarded by the Soviet high command (Stavka) to existing units that had demonstrated exceptional courage, skill, and heroism on the battlefield. Over time, these highly decorated divisions and corps were clustered together to create whole Guards Armies. Because their status was a direct reflection of combat proficiency, they were universally viewed as the elite institutional backbone of the Red Army.
    Shock Armies were defined by their structural role, not their prestige.
    A Shock Army (Udrarnaya Armiya) was designated as such from its creation based purely on its specific tactical purpose. Built to execute the first phase of the Soviet "Deep Battle" doctrine, their purpose was to act as heavy battering rams to breach fortified German defensive lines. They were packed with massive amounts of field artillery, heavy mortar regiments, combat engineers, and assault infantry to create a breakthrough so that more mobile forces could flood through the gaps.

    Operational and Structural Realities

    • Resource Priority: Both types of armies received equipment priority over standard armies. Shock Armies often received heavy emphasis on firepower (like heavy self-propelled guns and siege artillery) needed for breakthrough operations. However, by the later stages of the war, Guards Armies typically matched or surpassed Shock Armies in terms of qualitative artillery and armored support.
    • Personnel Quality: Guards units attracted the best replacements and maintained an institutional culture of high morale and rigorous training. Shock Armies, while heavily reinforced with personnel, suffered devastatingly high casualty rates due to the brutal nature of frontal breakthrough operations, meaning their ranks were frequently replenished with regular conscripts.
    • Perks and Incentives: Soldiers serving in Guards units enjoyed distinct institutional privileges, including a unique badge, specific uniform tailoring, and higher pay scales (double pay for enlisted men and 1.5 times pay for officers). Shock Armies did not automatically receive these systemic personal benefits unless individual sub-units within the army had also independently earned Guards status.
    Ultimately, a Shock Army was a temporary or specialized tool designed for an incredibly violent tactical job, whereas a Guards Army was a permanently recognized elite force comprised of the Red Army's most proven veterans.

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