Fantastic! I love waking up this way with little stuff to look forward to hehe

Just grabbed that new zip, gave it a quick scan. Looks cool!

I'm notorious for choosing goofy names with goofier acryonyms lol, Pact of Steel becomes PoS, PoS2, Domination becomes Dom. If this one sticks I would just use whatever. MNE is kinda cool, it reminds me of memory and mnemonic devices. MNE Wip in this case I suppose, for work in progress at the end there will be my mental shorthand for now lol.

I'm really not particular on the name, I just like the idea of having a year or a date, or some period specific/era designation either as a prefix or at the end. Just so that it's easier to tell what the map is all about. I do like the idea of a more collective style ownership in the name though, since then I think that comes across a bit more friendly. Like 'come on, go ahead and mod me' hehe

Also, just so we're not making too many redundancies, I can use whatever is currently on GIT and that latest XML posted above to use edit mode and create a save game the additional starting Factories right?

We definitely need some more factories on the board at the outset and some new forces as well, since that first pass at a G40 templet did not include some of the necessary coastal production spots yet, or the big TUV drops to get the general playpattern jump started. Many factions in that first templet didn't have the Minor included since I was experimenting, but now that it's more or less working I need to get us that updated templet I've been using with some more starting stuff laid down. I saved some pictures for myself so it would be easier to remember which adjustments I need to make. I was just waiting until the various versions were more synced up since it takes me an hour or so to make all those starting unit edits from whichever xml/map to get the save saved out hehe.

Had planned to bang out those factory graphics tonight, but it's a little tedious and a bit boring, so I'm trying to drum up some enthusiasm for myself to copy/paste the graphics. I think the easiest way would be for me to just update/upload the entire unit folder zipped, as opposed to just providing the new images, cause they'd need to go in each units subdirectory for every playable nation we include.

Was a little confused about how to make 'unfriendly neutrals' since I'm not sure how to do that, or what entry needs to be changed for them to behave more like the standard attackable neutrals (from various game) or the pro-side neutrals of G40. My suggestion would be to make all the current True Neutral tiles into impassable neutrals with those rules, no entry or fly over.

All the current Pro-Side neutrals or Dutch (the actual belligerents) to be whatever is needed for the Computer AI to reliably target them. No need for politics I think in this scenario, so none of the main belligerents should treat each other as neutral for the purposes of where they can move/attack, but just treat them as part of the opposing team.

Think for France to be credible or interesting, they must have a way to place at least some units per turn, otherwise really no point even including them. I would rather include France for a 1940 game, so I think either all nations need to be able to Collect income (after the capital falls) or they need to use the China rules (after the capital) falls, something like that so that France can be viable as an independent Faction, as opposed to just a mechanism for opening battle randomization and as a way to give Germany a big pile of cash on G1. To me including France at this scale, means giving them enough to do so that's they're interesting or at least somewhat more dynamic than they are in normal G40 play.

I feel this way about Italy, China and Anzac as well, where they each need to have enough to do in order to be interesting and worthwhile playing, if going through the motions. Otherwise everything could just be handed over to Brits or USA like Classic A&A, to me if they're included they need to have some more juice to work at this scale.

Right now I think the blitz at +1 gets a little peculiar, because blitz is a technical capability of Tanks, or mech when paired with tanks. Infantry for example cannot blitz right now at the M+1 distance, since they can't blitz generally. Somehow we need to get the movement bonus to apply there, otherwise it's sorta hamstrung at that closer distance of only M2 (like standard tanks/mechs blitzing.) Then the FastAI/HardAI will push it's stacks more credibly in the opener, and in each subsequent turn from those factory rail spots. Or at least that would be the hope.

I would consider at some point here, making adjustments to a couple sea zone polygons. I think it might be wise for example to attach the Bosporus Poly, to the nearest Black Sea Zone and just warp that connect. Right now the place is very tight, and Italy will hide there trying to avoid Allied Aircraft. Similarly we might need another break sea zone for the Atlantic to put more distance between USA and coastal France.

Been holding off on this for now because I want to see what can be achieved just via starting unit placement and the M+1 from Bases and such. It is possible to insert an interrupt tile making the distance between from USA/UK to Bordeaux one move further than it would take for the Allies to reach say Morocco or French West Africa. This would be to encourage the Computer to advance vs Africa and Italy/Med initially, as opposed to just dead dropping into France constantly. Although we know that Brit/USA computer standard behavior will have them constantly trading in coastal France. I think this needs to be understood more abstractly, like contesting the sphere of influence. Sorta same deal vs any border skirmishes between say USSR and Germany early on, or between USSR and Japan in China and the Far East.

Currently China rules don't seem to have them anchored to their starting territories. Also territories after being conquered and then liberated will go to the liberator currently. This can be a little weird in China where Brits or Russians might end up controlling that territory. It does work, just might create some weird patchboarding/checkerboarding as territories change hands. I think the board will work better mechanically if USA/Britain can take over French production when liberated, but for them to do this with USSR land is a bit weird. Or similarly when a VC or Capital is liberated, I think players would expect the control to be restored there, but it always works awkwardly for France. Ends up with a situation where players don't want to conquer particular spots for fear of activating a tile for one of the more powerful factions to take over. This will need a consistent handling of some sort, though right now it's sorta not particularly dialed.

In GCD hidden capitals were used to 'encourage' the AI to push it's stacks in particular directions. I'm not sure if we can use those, while also still retaining some form of Capital capture = steal the enemy purse mechanic, though it would be nice to find some kind of hybrid, which allows for capitals to be targeted and produce a big get if captured, but also where the faction can somehow still be involved in the fight from there, just at some reduced/smaller scale. That was the idea at any rate, though I don't think the current would reflect this, as we were just sorta doing the copy/paste to get it fire up and work initially hehe.

Update to Version 2.296

@crockett36 @SirSilas @Panzerstahl-Helm-0 @VictoryFirst this an important one as I messed up last one and Mass tanks won't place.

I already told @Trout about it. At least he's not russia in our game

@wc_sumpton

right arm. Sounds good

@beelee

Since I'm not making any graphical changes, I'm just uploading the xml's here quick. No since in downloading the whole package just for a new xml. By the way I updated the MNE with the working factory_upgrade. Requires factory_minor and will be destroyed after it creates a factory_major.

mega_new_elk.zip

Cheers...