BigRedJuan wrote:My two cents is that the game is more fun when you can use a diverse mix of units, and PC does not give enough incentive to do that. The soft cap tries to coerce you into using a more diverse mix of units (e.g. you can't afford all Tiger 2's, have to mix in some Panzer IV's), but I think a better approach would be to incentivize use of those units, instead of forcing their use as a penalty. There are a few ways to do this:
1. More use of the switch button. For example, P-38's were used in a photographic recon role. Make the P-38 (or other planes) switchable when over an airfield from a fighter to a recon plane. Similarly, switch a P-47 from a fighter to a tac bomber (lose escort ability, but gain high ground attack). Maybe HW Infantry could switch to a "soft" 1 range artillery to mimic offensive and defensive mortar fire. Allow mobile anti-air to switch to ground fire mode (weak defense with high soft attack, moderate hard attack, etc.) Give me a reason to use less/under-utilized units.
2. More "traits" or unique abilities. The U.S. 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 was so portable that it could be broken down and put on mules. That gun becomes a lot more useful if it comes with a base two movement ability, or maybe even an alpine move. The P-51 could be given an "escort" trait that boosts its air attack when escorting bombers. The oft-discussed defensive fire trait for towed AT (but maybe only when the attacking unit is adjacent to the towed AT itself). Maybe Shermans have a base strength of 12 or 13 (I'm tired of watching experienced German units one shot my tanks). Light tanks get recon move.
3. Use deployment "points" instead of deployment slots. This is more involved, but could work within limits. Say a scenario gives 10 deployment points. A PZ IV is 3 points, a Tiger I is 4 points, and a Tiger II is 5 points. That would give the option of deploying two PZ IV's and a Tiger I, or two Tiger II's. Might be difficult to balance, but seems like more of a logical extension of the current system. This would probably require a mix of points and slots, i.e. 30 points but no more than 20 slots.
All of this is more important to me, than 3D graphics.
Panzer general is NOT a graphics game.
The part about recon plane seems really good and make it switchable at airfields.
I think heavy artillery should not be possible to move in forrest at all. Deploy near roads or railroads only. While smaller calibre like 75 could be all terrain.
A fuel system. Almost similar to points. Say you got 3000 fuel. Tigers use alot more than PzIV and so on.
Should also have a certian number of elite replacements and green replacements.
A supply system where you can supply near cities or depoes. Limited supplies behind enemy lines. Now if partizans cut off railroads in the back, then you lose all or some of the supply possibilities.
Infantry should be able to disembark from a train regardless of being in a city.
List could go on and on and all this should be fixed before 3D.