Crazy Europe: House of Habsburg

Hepps

Test from last night...

Missing connections

Russia 02 <-> Russia 17
SZ 127<-> SZ 134
Turkey 36 <->Turkey 40
SZ 150 <-> Albania 01
Turkey 58 <-> ALL surrounding Terr.
Turkey 57 <-> All surrounding Terr.
Turkey 35 <-> Turkey 32

Connections needing to be removed

SZ 98 <-> Spain 35
SZ 186 <-> Greece 02
Turkey 35 <-> Turkey 39
SZ 82 <-> SZ 83

Cernel

Also, I think in this map might be good having 1 (and only 1) territory effect: Mountains, given to about 10% of territories in the map (only those with major mountains). But this would need to be played and, eventually, reverted, if it wouldn't feel fun to deal with (I'm always very cautious suggesting adding territory effects, as I'm not a big fan of such things, but this map might use some mountains).

CrazyG

@cernel
Castles are really powerful. A castle with 2 pikemen inside is very difficult to take. The cheapest force I found to reliably take it would be 3 pikemen and 2 cannons, which would need 5 navies to transport. Would you really spend all those resources taking Crete, Rhodes, and Cyprus?

I see France building a castle in its southern city quite often (I think the Habsburgs can force France to build one there turn two if France does the opening you did in our game). They are weak in the Habsburg-Ottoman region because both sides have so many cannons, but I think that is fine. Its fine if they aren't built often, the starting castles affect the game a lot.

Cernel

@crazyg I don't think any of Crete, Rhodes of Cyprus have to be taken. I guessed you wanted some gameplay there, even all game long. Cyprus city would be a pretty big annoyance for the Ottomans, I think, but only if having a castle.

edit: Cyprus city I think might be something problematic for the Ottomans even withot a castle, but I'm not sure. Anyway, surely much more with.

edit: The maintainment costs, even if modest, are a bit of a gamechanger in garrisoning islands, as now, for example, if Italians have 4 units in Rhodes the Ottomans will be: LOL you can stay there it will just be -1 PUs for you. Otto just needs to stay at reach to punish shipbuilding, which you probably are already doing to keep in check the Italians from the west.

Really, I would rename the Italian States as Venice, since I see now they are mostly Venice (Genova is neutral). Also it's strange that Italy 08 and Italy 10 have different owner, since they would be both Genova territories (loosely). Also I'm not sure if at this time the Italians still rather identified themselves as "Lombards" ("Lombard States" instead of "Italian States", but not sure).

CrazyG

@cernel said in Crazy Europe: House of Habsburg:

edit: Cyprus city I think might be something problematic for the Ottomans even withot a castle, but I'm not sure. Anyway, surely much more with.

Ottomans have 6 fleets that can reach Crete on turn 2. So Venice either has to sack a navy to block the cyclades (which only buys you 1 turn) or build a castle. I'm open to moving units around, but you need a lot of changes. Seems to me that the city falls to the Ottomans and helps them if they want to continue a naval strategy, Venice never gets to use it. Rhodes tends to stay Venetian controlled for a long time, even without a castle. I like the position more.

All future "why does X territory begin controlled by Y" questions can be answered by looking at the source maps I posted.

@cernel said in Crazy Europe: House of Habsburg:

edit: The maintainment costs, even if modest, are a bit of a gamechanger in garrisoning islands, as now, for example, if Italians have 4 units in Rhodes the Ottomans will be: LOL you can stay there it will just be -1 PUs for you. Otto just needs to stay at reach to punish shipbuilding, which you probably are already doing to keep in check the Italians from the west.

Maintenance is just an experiment (one that you have advocated for as long as I can remember).

Cernel

@crazyg As I said, I tend to think that Cyprus city would need a castle too, but, in the first rounds, the Ottomans really want to focus as much as possible against the Habsburg; so whatever distraction is probably good for Franco.

I do believe that if Rhodes have a castle, then Ottoman would never try to invest for taking it, but I don't see this as a problem. Not sure about Crete, instead.

I suggest adding your referring map to the first post.

CrazyG

Update pushed- just missing connections (Hepps list and others)

Hepps

@crazyg One little thing you may want to consider...

Add a default sound property setting

0_1531321306129_sound Properties.png

Sound.Default.Folder=classical

or

Sound.Default.Folder=preindustrial

Not that I don't love the sound of tanks blitzing during a cavalry charge... but these sounds might feel slightly more.... authentic.

Cernel

@hepps Definitely preindustrial, my suggestion.

CrazyG

@hepps
Updating now

Hepps

@crazyg

wc_sumpton

@CrazyG
One last connection problem: France 08 to France 18 should be changed to France 08 to France 15

Cheers...

CrazyG

@wc_sumpton said in Crazy Europe: House of Habsburg:

One last connection problem

Somehow I doubt its the last

Big update just put out there. Changelog:
Connections added and removed.

Balance changes: Anti-Alliance was found too weak, especially France.
France's starting unit positions dramatically changed. More units in the center and more knights. The goal is to give flexibility on where to attack
Spain slightly weaker
Denmark slightly weaker
Sweden slightly stronger
Some units moved on the Hasburg-Ottoman front.

wc_sumpton

@crazyg
Maybe this can make you day:

Beginning France turn. Please look at the resources...
The count (1 halfcastle and 13 villages) tell the France player how many of these items that can be bought this turn. The 13 villages is the number of territories that have villages not the number of villages.

Looks interesting...

Cheers...

CrazyG

@wc_sumpton
Very interesting.

I see you are modding your own XML locally. If you can, download the newer version and take a glance at the unit set up. Everyone found a France weak, so I've changed up the starting units a lot.

wc_sumpton

@crazyg
I keep trying to keep up with those changes, but they are coming very fast!

I have already downloaded the new set up. (Just tryin' to keep up with the @CrazyG )

Cheers...

CrazyG

@wc_sumpton
Updates from here will be just missing connections or XML errors. I won't touch balance again without discussion and feedback.

wc_sumpton

@CrazyG
Sorry I don't mean to be behind the curve on the playtesting. Game balance and history are not my forte. But I do like to dabble in the xml, and getting things to work as I think they should. To that effort I reformate xml's, removing spaces, re-tabbing and adding comments. No one see these xml's, I've done plenty. That way when I see an idea, I can try to implement it quickly, to understand a way of doing something.

With HoH, I've added bombard as another tech after Naval Cannons, two-turn build ships, and some others. Only in a effort to figure out how to do it.

When I have an idea that seem easy to do, and may help (like the counters at the bottom of the screen). Then I share. If they are not wanted, of if someone thinks I getting pushy. I'll step back and quick. No harm no foul. (I added a AI check system to my copy of Iron War so that the computer didn't have to worry about resources. And its still sitting on my computer.) But I learn, and to me that is what counts.

So again I am sorry. I do cut the unitInitialize out and replace whenever I see an update. I'll try and be better.

Cheers...

CrazyG

@wc_sumpton
No need to apologize, I appreciate anyone who takes the time to look at my map.

I had the same idea with bombardment. The current tech model isn't intended to be final, just a starting point. Eventually I would like a tree that unlocks as you play. The end goal might for all units to get 3 buffs so the tech icons can be put to full use.

wc_sumpton

@crazyg
Adding bombard would put a fourth buff on Navy. Where @Hepps at when you need him, you need another slice for that pie!! :smiling_face_with_open_mouth_closed_eyes:

Cheers...