First,
Let me preface this with expressing the appreciation I have for the game! Other than that time-wasting M$ Hearts, no game have I played for so many years as this one!
OK. Here we go:
1. Improved AI:
a. Better, rather than spammed, AI unit builds.
b. Germany should either build a massive sub fleet or use the historical fleet better, no more 2BB, 2 BC IV, 2 BC I, 3 CA and old screens. This goes for all AI Navy! AI Navy organization must be improved! Either that, or change game dynamics to allow for all capital ships to close to their individual firing ranges during the battle, per their leader's skill rating! Maybe not BB's, etc closing if they are in a CV fleet, but SAG fleets should all close to optimum firing ranges, ship-to-ship. This is probably not doable, as the game only gives a single firing distance rating...so have SAG fleets arranged so that the majority of the cap ships can close to 90% of the longest ship's range. In other words, to where they can all fire. For example, brigaded CA IV's can probably fire at a similar range to unbrigaded BB II/III's or Partially-brigaded BC III's, etc. If that level of sophistication isn't doable, then the AI should just organize its smaller fleets better, esp since super-large fleets are (justifyably) penalized in AoD! Bottom line: Navies can be organized better! It's crazy to see UK with 1 CV, 3 BB, 1 CVL, 2 BC, 2 CA + old screens, or Germany with their entire historical build fleet all together, instead of broken up and convoy-raiding. Sitting ducks!
c. UK AI should move troops into France at the outbreak of Poland invasion. France chould have a better-planned attack through the Maginot line. The Italian campaign in Ethiopa should trigger the UK to move some L. A. and MOT's to N. Africa (If they are already, how about more?)
d. Amphibious landings by the AI (Improved though they are with later patches) should be in greater force, or where quick opportunity for achievement exists. No more landing 1-2 INF divisions where they are easily defeated!
e. USA needs to island-hop vs Japan. If Japan would agressively defend it's island conquests, and organize it's Navy better, that could be quite a contest (Although Japan probably has the better-playing AI, up until they liberate C-N and then abandon them to chase wild geese in AUS!).
This particular subject's list could go on, as I'm sure I'm missing things I've thought of & forgotten, but this would be a great start, IMHO!
2. More realistic and historically accurate unit builds and brigade combinations. The idea that all one has to do is build armor units with SP Art and Inf with Art is a major flaw of all HOI II games. There should be a penalty for corps of all ARM/SP Art or Inf/Art. Corps made up of Armored divisions only should be especially vulnerable to air attacks or dug-in infantry -- they should be creamed if attacking the latter (Actually, maybe they are now, since I never use them that way!) How about a bonus for a corps of 3 Inf with 1 Eng, 1 Art or SP Art, and 1 AT? Maybe a stack of 6 with added 1Art and 2 AA? That should be infinitely more effective vs 6-9 Inf/Art attacks, or even defenses! Bonus mixed brigaded units, and penalize stacks with the same brigades. Even better would be to allow Inf units to have more than 1 brigade! In any event, a stack of 1 ARM/Eng + 1 ARM/SP Art + 1 MOT/AC should be much more effective than all with SP Art. AND - this stack should be clobbered by an enemy CAS attack, forcing the defending player to think about adding AA!
3. More penalties for insufficient HQ units. I often go to war with just the 2 HQ units as Germany in my first year, and only 3 for Barbarossa! I should get my fanny tanned for that! My units should suffer from lower org and malnutrition, although I believe there is some of that built-in now...?
4. More revolts in conquered higher-risk enemy provinces, esp vs Germany. France should see several. In Russia, while there is a TC load vs dissent risk, this could be enhanced, and/or some more revolts should happen. If 20 provinces have ~ 25% revolt risk, 4-5 should have partisan groups springing up. Some historians say that Germany lost vs USSR in no small measure due to the Partisans! This would force the German human player to build more GAR or 2xMIL or MIL/ac units just to keep up. This alone would greatly increase difficulty, and historical accuracy, in the Barbarossa campaign.
5. Assuming Barbarossa goes particularly poorly for AI Germany, then, if the USA/Allies conquer Germany "Too early" (1942-43-early 44), then Stalin should counter-attack the Human-controlled Allies ASAP, esp before the West gets nukes. This could force the Allied human player to decide whether or not they will lend-lease to the USSR. Naturally, failing to help them should have serious consequences, should Stalin win in E. Europe... This is a Grand Strategy wargame. The Comintern loses if they can't defeat the Allies! If the USSR AI faces anything substantially different from the historical outcome (Meaning a mid '45 victory + large Allied force in Europe + spies informing of the USA's closeness to an Atom Bomb) then the Comintern should attack. Come to think of it, this should be the case even if the USSR has BP, and waits til it succeeds with it's counter-attack starting 18+ months later. And while I'm on this, Why does the German AI virtually abandon the Eastern Front post BP, and not at least go off on the UK or USA? They have 18 months! If they "decide" to try to hold their victory margin, then the AI should fortify in the East and research Nukes and rockets!
6. As for the Bitter Peace. It can be changed to trigger after the Axis takes Arkhangelsk, Leningrad, Moscow, Stalingrad, Astrakhan. Possibly allow for Baku to substitute for Arkhangelsk? Vladivostok could sub for either Arkhangelsk or Baku. The post BP line should be from Arkhangelsk to Astrakhan, following along the rivers as much as possible, as that was the original plan. Yes, ok, taking Sverdlovsk could substitute for Arkhangelsk, or Baku/Vladivostok, but Sverdlovsk shouldn't be required! This could make up for the higher revolt risk demand, and seems more in line historically.
7. Over time at least, INT's should become almost useless vs equivalent-year MRF's. Force human players of Germany and USSR to build both, as was done historically. AI Japan, USA, and even UK can exist with just MRF.
8. Strategic rockets are too strong for Str bombing. They were quite troublesome to civilian losses for democracies, but not very effective for the war's outcome, correct? Their per-strike value should be reduced against Infra in enemy-controlled provinces, and (as it is now) very ineffective in damaging enemy units. Their greatest value should be in advancing to where they can carry atom bombs. Alternatively, if a player (Germany) builds 100 or so V2's then their cumulative effect to the enemy could be devastating. And while we're fixing that, the infra rebuild and even IC rebuild rates after being damaged are too rapid!
EDIT: Strategic Rocket attacks should instead increase dissent, vs increased Strategic Damage. That would be a good trade-off.
9. PAR's that get loaded onto TRA's should not be allowed brigades, except possibly engineers. Even so, their ability to carry river-crossing equipment should be limited. If a PAR has any other brigade attached,
they should not be allowed to load.
10. While we're talking Engineers, how about adding a flamethrower brigade? Since in this game ENG's are mostly for river crossings and defensive boosts(?). offensive engineers would be cool!
11. Consider bigger bonuses to Armored Cars. Ther were the ground unit's scouts. An infantry or armored unit galloping forward without either AC's or fighter cover on Air Superiority missions (since there is no "Recon" mission, which would be nice) should be subject to bad ambush penalties! Or.....how 'bout a scout plane brigade option on ground units?
12. While the (excellent) addition of Float planes to Navy brigades are a great substitute for Light Carriers, consider splitting up CVL's into CVE's and CVL's. The former would function as the current CVL does, i.e., great vs subs. Yes, I realize that ASW and float planes help immensly here. The CVL's would be for increased detection of enemy fleets, and would exceed the SP' s ability. This could be done without penalizing the SAG by having the CVL's firing range deter the SAG from closing to the usual 90% of the largest Conventional capship's range. IIRC, this was how it was in HOI II/DD-Arm, no?
13. If the German player wants to build a super SS fleet (as per Adm. Donitz's plan) fine, but:
A. Have this fleet be MUCH more effective at convoy-raiding, esp in '39-'41! convoy raiding results now are too weak.
B. If the player wants to use massed SS attacks vs CTF's and SAG's, fine -- but the SS's should suffer substantial casualties as well -- maybe around 1-1 for cap ships lost. That's still not bad, given the cost of SS vs CV/BB, etc. This certainly can be adjusted by Cryptography research levels.
14. Airforce attacks vs fleets in harbors are too powerful. The idea that a Gernman player can use 1939 TAC's and CAS's over 2-3 weeks to destroy 30, 40, 50+ UK ships in harbor can't be historically accurate. Even if they lack air cover or adequate air defenses (which would be a blunder on their part, certainly) , after a day or so the fleet would set sail and take their chances, and each subsequent attack would be less effective and cost more in strength loss, right -- at least more than it does now?
14. Conversly, CV attacks vs port fleets are too weak. As long as the player has Base Strike researched, and is attacking in daylight hours (which must be adjusted manually, not just by picking "Day" in the orders box, sadly), These attacks should initially at least, cause some more damage. The Org drain alone is enough compensation.
15. It seems that weather should have more of an impact on combat attacks. I often forget to check weather, except in winter.
Also,
Please fix the CTD bug if ordering Artillery bombardment with over-commanded units. This is about 2 years old now, No?
Please fix the bug where, if your airforce starts bombing an enemy fleet first, then your friendly Navy, when moved in to the same province, will not engage!
Missing from here are requests for a more detailed map, or a map with multiple features shown (Like terrain + weather at the same time on the basic map). These would be great, but are found in some mods. Also, I have no modding savvy, so that's why I'm posting all this.
I find this game still much more enjoyable than overly complex, and minutiae-detailed games like Darkest Hour, whose boards lack anyone giving a player like me a good starting tutorial (like Bosman has done here, or Conanteacher did with Iron Cross). Still, as fun as it has been, some of these issues are glowing nowadays, like the various Navy issues or spamming AI units vs better AI play.
Thanks for reading!!!
