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I was worried this would happen. And it has.

Have expressed a wish for someone to make such a game at some point. Maybe one day.
That game will be the WW2 Mod for Victoria 3.
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Brilliant.
I was very pleased with the Evil Teleporter idea.

O it's the final days, and teleporting to Moscow is likely to lead to a fate worse than death. Of course, teleporting to Ankara would spell an even worse fate, but we don't talk about that...

My bet is on General Carton de Wiart. Not because he was born in my home town, but because he was a brilliant madman and a badass, and he fits the description given by Ike. Well, except for the fact that he's actually in China at this point in the war...
A little thing like being on the wrong continent would in no way stop de Wiart from getting involved in a scrap.

In fairness to Paradox, much as it pains me to be so, they do face a certain challenge in designing the game to be played by both player and AI. If the player is always Germany, then the design is in theory quite simple (and in practice, quite impossible for Paradox, but be that as it may), simply balance the economic instability against mobilization and challenge the player to hold the peacetime economy together long enough to build enough forces to defeat Poland --> France --> USSR. Thus the player has the option of an earlier war, with likely-insufficient forces, or a later war on the off-chance their economy somehow hasn't collapsed already.

The problem, as always, is the AI - that is, if the AI has to play as Germany, a France which gives the player a right proper challenge will simply eviscerate an AI Germany, while a France AI that is balanced against AI Germany will offer no challenge to the player and an early war becomes easily preferable (this is what happens in game already). Of course, this could be solved by creating an asymmetric game, i.e. one where the AI cheats against the player, but Paradox seems to shy away from such things and so we must rely on the modders to solve these problems for us. And as brilliant as they are "reliable" is hardly in the modders' collective vocabulary. :p
These are problems it is true and they also have to balance historical realism vs it being a game. You want WW2 to go pretty much as planned if you are just watching a game (or playing as Dominica) but for the player to be able to radically alter the result when playing as Major, or even a minor, power, quite the challenge for any AI. Given all of that surely AI should have been the top priority, yet it always seems like an afterthought at best.

Modders do occasionally listen to users and fix bugs, things Paradox are loath to do, so I will forgive them a little unreliability.

Japan has unfortunately for T&T spread their evil too far out across too many fronts to mass a sufficient concentration for the teleporter to target, say, Tokyo or somewhere.
Exactly. If only the Japanese had combined their government, secret police and so on all in Tokyo rather than spreading them out.

Brilliant! :D
:rolleyes: But amusing. ;)
Long and contrived headquarter acronyms are a T&T trope that could not be denied.

My guess is hardly unique, it seems, but I'm betting on Carton de Wiart as well, for general colourfulness as well as having one of the more amusing names to pronounce amongst the British leaders. And also, in a world in which hat and mustache styles determine so much of a general's combat effectiveness, clearly an eyepatch is the most superior accessory any general can have. :cool:
This is all true, he would merely have to glare at Berlin in a mildly miffed manner to force it's surrender such is the power of his eyepatch. But alas it is not him, Paradox retire him in Jan '43 so he is not available in the '44 start. He is of course available in the June '41 and Dec '41 starts, despite being in an Italian POW camp at that point. Because Paradox are never knowingly consistent or competent.

Come on, you nearly had it bang on for VE day and to miss it now after all this time by one day?

Sheesh, must be a British commander in charge of taking Berlin.
Obviously a British commander taking Berlin, couldn't trust a colonial with such an important job.

T&T should not be allowed to sully VE day, so weren't.

He was an amazing chap.

It seems the concentration of evil has not developed entirely in Japan’s favour.
They are going to avoid having the Slovaks turn up and form a government-in-exile, something that is very in Japan's favour surely? ;)

On the game balance debate: the (initial, anyway) overpowering of Germany is one of the reasons I find it more enjoyable playing against them. Though I note some people (often the same ones as object to the set up) also object to the MP crunch that drags them back later.

I think also those arguing it’s just hard to even out the human-AI disparity are right - even with a reasonable AI. So you either need to craft a set up that makes it a fair challenge whoever you play (difficulty level, start year, player rules on use of AI command etc, picking a smaller power and so on). A bit like you did @El Pip in making sure Overlord didn’t fail at its start.

If the game engine itself can’t provide the challenge, scenario or map mod type set ups could be the answer. Don’t try to make the game do what it can’t, but tinker with it set up for the major powers to handicap it for them in a bespoke manner. You can change a whole bunch of things if you want to. Even script some events (in the played country and/or its opponents) if you want to go that far. Leave the rest up to the player to determine their own handicap. So, France Challenge scenario might start in 1938, fiddle with some aspects of the base or unit set ups, etc

Not realistic in absolute terms, I know, but unless you have MP human players, until Skynet is in operation I doubt any AI will be up to it alone.
There is a lot of truth in this but I can see why Paradox avoided it as it would be a fair chunk of work to create, let alone test and balance (though as they don't do play testing, maybe it wouldn't be that much work.... ;) )

When it was announced the HOI4 focus tree system seemed a way to get that sort of result. Nation specific events and if you wanted a challenge you just didn't pick the over-powered focus' (and Paradox would code the AI to take certain focuses to ensure a challenge when playing against them. I get the impression it's not quite turned out that way?

I‘m at a loss as to who the mystery general might be: is the main selection criterion competence, irony/comedy or jauntiness? Or the triple threat of all those? Or perhaps a zombie, who is therefore unafraid of death? o_O:confused:
Competence and Hat are the key criteria, as is magnificence. I don't think it's a particularly ironic choice and he is certainly not a Zombie, that is more a German approach.
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I am curious about who the obvious, clear cut choice is given that Pip pretty much summarily dismissed the vast majority of British officers who have ever existed beforehand: no overpromoted flag officers, no lunatics, no glory hounds, no politicos, no veneral slugs masquerading as military...he didn't say genocidal maniac or would-be dictator so quite a few previous heads of state could be wheeled in I suppose but pop culturally speaking, on land, the British seem to find the silliest people possible and put them in charge.
That’s one of those irregular adjectives: “I am idiosyncratic, you are silly, he is stark raving bonkers.“ ;)
Wise words from our Antipodean correspondent.
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As Carton de Wiart is sadly unavailable, guessing remains open.
 
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I have to say, I do think Slim's hat game is better than Dempsey's, and even than Wavell's... then again that's an entirely subjective opinion...
 
I find myself a bit reluctant to actually post the last chapter and finish this. It's been going on for so long it's hard to imagine the (writing for fun) part of my life without it, but all things must come to an end. Except Butterfly Effect, obviously.

Excellent choice, but he is far too senior.
Dempsey might not be an exact match due to

but might as well try.
It was a good pick as Dempsey does wear good hat, but you are correct he is too senior.
What about Wavell?
A majestic choice, but he is far too busy being Viceroy of India.
I have to say, I do think Slim's hat game is better than Dempsey's, and even than Wavell's... then again that's an entirely subjective opinion...
Slim does have a stunning hat game, but Wavell has his monocle and is allegedly capable of flicking it up in the air and catching it in his eye in order to impress small children and Australians. If we were looking for an Army commander it would be close between the two of them, but we are not.


Bumping the spoiler level up a notch the hero in question has already appeared in the AAR.
 
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All right, taking into consideration this new information it's got to be either Alexander or Browning. I'm leaning towards Alexander for the hat game but it's really close.

Unless their nickname is also very important, in which case 'Pip' Roberts is the only option.
 
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I guess we can pretend no one guessed it
I really liked that hip-flask, but it seems to have vanished overnight, and I only knew I had it for a few minutes. It's as if it was never there in the first place. Was it all just a dream?
 
All right, taking into consideration this new information it's got to be either Alexander or Browning. I'm leaning towards Alexander for the hat game but it's really close.

Unless their nickname is also very important, in which case 'Pip' Roberts is the only option.
You have guessed correctly! Again! :D

I guess we can pretend no one guessed it
Never. The fight against Swedish incompetence is tough and demoralising, but we must resist it with our heart's blood.

I really liked that hip-flask, but it seems to have vanished overnight, and I only knew I had it for a few minutes. It's as if it was never there in the first place. Was it all just a dream?
It was no dream, your skill, knowledge and general magnificence at correctly identifying General Pip were rewarded with a;

Silver Hip-Flask (2nd Class)

That is yours to admire, polish, proudly display and/or drink from to mask the despair of being stuck in Bratislava with T&T. The choice is yours.
 
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Due to Swedish incompetence, I must also reiterate my inquiry as to whether General Pip was, or was not, the origin of Lord El Pip's forum handle.
 
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Due to Swedish incompetence, I must also reiterate my inquiry as to whether General Pip was, or was not, the origin of Lord El Pip's forum handle.
My Pipness predates both my time on this forum and my knowledge of General Pip. An old school friend tended to call me El Pip and so it seemed appropriate for a forum handle when I came to start signing up for places.

Of course now I am aware of General Pip it is doubly appropriate. :)
 
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Well in a shocking coincidence I get up to date just in time to beat the final update. I had always assumed I would miss it by a hair's breadth.

A great deal of fun was had in reading it. I can't help but feel the Slovakians might be happy to end up in a British puppet Czechoslovakia (spits) rather than living in T and T's rather odd world of Victorian technology that moves backwards rather than forwards.
 
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"You do realise it was created using mad science in the service of a fascist regime?"

Tiso nodded at this obvious statement of fact.

"Thus it is an evil teleporter." Pruzinsky elaborated.

"We are probably an evil government in exile if we're honest, so what is the problem?" Tiso asked.

Fantastic


Except Butterfly Effect, obviously.

Obviously obviously
 
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You have guessed correctly! Again! :D
I'm honestly surprised I managed to get that right not once, but twice in two days.

It was no dream, your skill, knowledge and general magnificence at correctly identifying General Pip were rewarded with a;

Silver Hip-Flask (2nd Class)

That is yours to admire, polish, proudly display and/or drink from to mask the despair of being stuck in Bratislava with T&T. The choice is yours.
This has to be the single greatest accomplishment of my life. I don't know what to say. I'd like to thank my parents, my brothers and sisters, my teachers, my close friends, also the creators of 'Cluedo' and the creators of 'Guess Who'... for giving me the mental fortitude and the skills that allowed me to get where I am today. I'd like to thank El Pip for holding this magnificent event, and I will take great care of my shiny new hip flask. My signature has already been amended to spread the word far and wide about my new magnificent alcohol container and drinking utensil.

Never. The fight against Swedish incompetence is tough and demoralising, but we must resist it with our heart's blood.
Luckily, I now have a hip flask for when the fight becomes desperate.

I raise my hip flask to Tiso & Tuka. One last hurrah, before Berlin is inevitably overrun.
 
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That game will be the WW2 Mod for Victoria 3.
DYAEiOu.gif

We can safely pin all our hopes on that game, knowing they shall never make it.

When it was announced the HOI4 focus tree system seemed a way to get that sort of result. Nation specific events and if you wanted a challenge you just didn't pick the over-powered focus' (and Paradox would code the AI to take certain focuses to ensure a challenge when playing against them. I get the impression it's not quite turned out that way?

Hmm, actually new updates have made it so you can force the aI to go down certain focus setups if you want, or to random. I therefore set the Germans to collapse into civil war at the start of every game from now on (my favourite specific bit by miles, they'll go on forever).

My current game is everyone that I can set, has been set to restore absolute monarchies in their own countries. I then jumped in as Chile and watched the world burn. Edward VIII rules an absolutist British empier with the Kings ministers, Bonaparte rules a new French empire, Germany is still in utter collapse, as is Russia as Stalin, Trotsky and the White Russians are having a threeway war, china is on the way to being unified under the emperor, Japan went back to being ran by th emperor, Spain is carlist, Italy...hung Mussolini and went democratic but some weirdness is to be expected of Paradox.

So there are more options now at least. Still probably a preference thing as to whether players want the focuses or not though.
 
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Well in a shocking coincidence I get up to date just in time to beat the final update. I had always assumed I would miss it by a hair's breadth.

A great deal of fun was had in reading it. I can't help but feel the Slovakians might be happy to end up in a British puppet Czechoslovakia (spits) rather than living in T and T's rather odd world of Victorian technology that moves backwards rather than forwards.
You have indeed timed it well, for this ends this weekend!

To be far too serious, obviously a British puppet Czechoslovakia would be better. As with all colonies it would be federal and then, when enough railways have been built and cricket safely established, there is the prospect of Partition prior to independence. What more could an ordinary Slovak (realistically) ask for after the traumatic T&T years?

It’s coming so soon now, I can sense it.

I do hope we get a resolution with post-war world map and such too. :3
You are asking a lot and may well be disappointed. The AI is quite capable of dragging out the Pacific war until the game runs out of time, both sides entirely failing to understand naval warfare as obscure islands gain vast garrisons.

Fantastic
I thought so.

Obviously obviously
Some lodestars still remain in these uncertain times. Butterfly Effect slowly meandering ever onwards is one of them.

So El Pip will be leading the charge of the light brigade into Berlin!
An Pip will be leading the charge certainly. And he will be hoping to emulate the Charge of the Heavy Brigade, an incredible feat of arms that occured on the same day but has languished in obscurity due to the failings of historians and the laziness of journalists.

I'm honestly surprised I managed to get that right not once, but twice in two days.

This has to be the single greatest accomplishment of my life. I don't know what to say. I'd like to thank my parents, my brothers and sisters, my teachers, my close friends, also the creators of 'Cluedo' and the creators of 'Guess Who'... for giving me the mental fortitude and the skills that allowed me to get where I am today. I'd like to thank El Pip for holding this magnificent event, and I will take great care of my shiny new hip flask. My signature has already been amended to spread the word far and wide about my new magnificent alcohol container and drinking utensil.
I am delighted to both have such amazing readers and that the prize has been received in exactly the spirit it was intended.
Z3wSg01.gif


Luckily, I now have a hip flask for when the fight becomes desperate.

I raise my hip flask to Tiso & Tuka. One last hurrah, before Berlin is inevitably overrun.
Cheers, or as T&T would doubtless say Na zdravie!

We can safely pin all our hopes on that game, knowing they shall never make it.
Obviously, obviously. I understand Paradox's goal for CK3 is to claim the "Most DLCs for a single game" title back from Train Simulator. That is going to take all their efforts for the foreseeable future.
 
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Well, I'm more referring to end map of Europe- I too doubt the Pacific War will ever come to a conclusion ;)
Slightly more possible. Not sure the tale of T&T really merit an epilogue though.


And on that ambiguous note, let us return to Berlin for the finale!
 
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