The Grofaz Challenge

[Alexander Seil]

We've had this discussion a month ago or so, and some people took it up.

So, the idea is, before anyone learns how to game the game, those who take up this challenge do the following once they get the game -

1. Read the manual thoroughly
2. Go through the tutorials thoroughly
3. Start the 1944 scenario and play Japan or Germany

No "training games" as Germany. No playing New Zealand to get used to the quirks of Production AI. Take it like a man.

Both sides (player and AI) are not to employ cheats, meaning that the game has to be played at normal/normal.

The person to survive the longest wins.

 

[Polarisan]

Count me in, I was planning on going japan 1936 first game but...

'44 will be much more exciting.

No house rules?

Like... no AI control over anything?

Cheers;
NIck

PS: Lets hope they'll release an online PDF manual...

PPS: What about the demo?

 

[Alexander Seil]

Everything you can come up with is kosher. You can put the whole country under AI control if you want. The only thing you cannot do is reloading in cases other than having to 1) restart the game for any reason (CTDs, food, sleep) 2) Genuinely clicking the wrong button/event choice.

The demo doesn't matter because it will likely have severe restrictions on what and how long you can play.

 

[unmerged(34917)]

Well, Alex i would love to do a 44 Japan as the very first game, but i have my heart set for the 1943 Germany starting point. That also will prove to be a formidable challenge, especially if the USSR is heavily overpowered which i hope.

But succes with the Japan 1944. Its gonna be hard!

 

[Alexander Seil]

Well, I doubt there will be much "success" to be had. The goal is to extend the war and to hopefully force Americans into a bloody invasion.

 

[Polarisan]

Everything you can come up with is kosher. You can put the whole country under AI control if you want. The only thing you cannot do is reloading in cases other than having to 1) restart the game for any reason (CTDs, food, sleep) 2) Genuinely clicking the wrong button/event choice.

The demo doesn't matter because it will likely have severe restrictions on what and how long you can play.

Yokaishimashita ( Roger that )

I'm in then....

Oh jeez... so exciting already.

Cheers,
Nick

 

[Polarisan]

double post...

 

[THE_SPLIT]

We've had this discussion a month ago or so, and some people took it up.

So, the idea is, before anyone learns how to game the game, those who take up this challenge do the following once they get the game -

1. Read the manual thoroughly
2. Go through the tutorials thoroughly
3. Start the 1944 scenario and play Japan

No "training games" as Germany. No playing New Zealand to get used to the quirks of Production AI. Take it like a man.

The person to survive the longest wins.

Why not germany? We are not sure how Ai will behave in regards to invasions!

 

[Alexander Seil]

Why not germany? We are not sure how Ai will behave in regards to invasions!

Because experience with HoI2 shows that Germany in 1944 may still be winnable in the conventional sense.

 

[Herbinator]

Grofaz Challenge: what the 7734, why not? Challenge accepted.

(Although I will only be able to check the forum once every week or two to see how I am doing relative to the other challengers. Perhaps a Grofaz sticky would help?)

 

[Alexander Seil]

I'll probably keep the thread going, or re-post once we get the game. I'm thinking of doing an AAR (which are usually good, but are frequently cut short).

 

[e-stab]

1. Read the manual thoroughly
2. Go through the tutorials thoroughly
3. Start the 1944 scenario and play Japan

(...)

The person to survive the longest wins.

Assuming that you can just defend your home islands (who knows what v1.0 AI will be able to do?), this might go on until the game stops. Why not do the same thing with Germany instead? On 'very hard' if you insist.

'GröFaZ' would fit better for a German Untergang anyway.

 

[Alexander Seil]

Assuming that you can just defend your home islands (who knows what v1.0 AI will be able to do?), this might go on until the game stops. Why not do the same thing with Germany instead? On 'very hard' if you insist.

Oh, yes, by the way - the challenge will assume that you play on normal/normal. No cheats for you, no cheats for AI.

Anyway, if that's the case, we'll just play until 1948. But remember that in this version AI will be able to research and build nukes, so they will presumably also use them, at which point you'll be knocked out by a surrender event.

EDIT: Rules amended to include Germany '44 as an option (give me just a few seconds for the edit)

 

[Polarisan]

Then name it the BANZAII Challenge...

What about the dificulty level... Normal?

Cheers,
Nick

EDIT: Alex!!

 

[Alexander Seil]

Nah, I think the name covers the content pretty well, because if the AI behaves like it does in Mosby's AAR, you really would have to be a genuine Grofaz to win it. Of course much depends on the so-far mysterious naval and strategic AIs.

 

[Polarisan]

Mosby's version is an old press version without even naval AI...

Japan's problem is trying to even survive the American navy, while also wasting most of its resources in the chineese front.

I guess that keeping your fleet alive will be a priority...

Anyways the KAMIKAZE or the BANZAII challenge sounds more appropiate.

The hell is a grofaz anyways... A kind of spec ops?

Cheers;
Nick

PS: Runs of to wiki

 

[Alexander Seil]

Assuming that the AI is borderline competent in the Pacific, I imagine that the campaign for Japan will largely be a land/air one - as the navy is largely wiped out, and what's left is completely outnumbered by Americans (and the British, if they send anything).

I intend to base my strategy on a few basic principles -

1. Perimeter defense, running on a semicircle between Singapore and Manila (i.e., Celebes, Guinea may be abandoned early, fighting withdrawal in Burma and China)
2. Holding the Philippines at all costs
3. Naval forces only used for transport, ASW/raider defense (if feasible), and concentrated, supported sorties against known invasion fleets
4. Focus on intelligence/code-breaking to identify the abovementioned invasion fleets
5. Rest of leadership poured into airforce research and propping up the Siamese government.

 

[e-stab]

Anyway, if that's the case, we'll just play until 1948. But remember that in this version AI will be able to research and build nukes, so they will presumably also use them, at which point you'll be knocked out by a surrender event.

Of course this is not HoI 2, but back then in v1.0 the AI wasn't really adept in doing landings or researching and building the bomb of all bombs. With Germany against the Russians alone (in a lot of more provinces) this would be much less of an issue.

 

[TheLoneGunman]

I accept your challenge good sir!

We're gonna see a lot of "Losing" AARs in the first month methinks.

 

[unmerged(141369)]

The hell is a grofaz anyways... A kind of spec ops?

Quite on the contrary - Hitler apparently once referred to himself as "der Größte Feldherr Aller Zeiten" (the greatest commander of all times), which was rather respectlessly abbreviated to GröFaZ.
For the non-native speakers out there: this does not sound "metal", but rather evokes the mental image of an overweight, maladjusted, slightly retarded, ugly child.

On topic - real men don't read the manual