Weather Conditions in a replay?

Plain Ian · 01-31-2016, 01:28 AM,

I've just watched the turn replay from my veteran opponent Indragnir. He's playing the Germans in Bulge and giving me a master class on defensive tactics and showing me how the Germans should have won the war.

He is first player in the Turn, and during the replay the terrain visible was clearly MUD. However some of the moves looked like they were non MUD moves eg moving in woods AND still having MP's to fire.

Can ground conditions change in between player phases? Or was his turn/phase a non MUD phase but the game still shows the MUD terrain?

Plain Ian · 01-31-2016, 01:35 AM,

These have probably come up before but whats are players views on them.

Bridge blowing? Should they not be kept hidden like minefields. It spoils the game surely if both players can see each other blowing bridges behind their own lines. Especially when playing Bulge?

Digging In. With delayed reporting you cannot see Disruption happening unless the unit is Digging In. Then you can tell because the Digging In sign disappears during the turn. Should this be changed so the Digging In status remains even though it is disrupted?

Glenn Saunders · 01-31-2016, 04:22 AM,

Ian

The weather check occurs once per turn and cannot change between or during phases. Not sure what went on in this example. Whatever it is, is likely the result of a memory glitch.

To avoid these it is always best to only open one John tiller game at a time, not several with some minimized. And close all games and re launch the application before proceeding with a poem turn. This will help keep the PCs memory clear and remove replay glitches.

Plain Ian · (This post was last modified: 01-31-2016, 06:21 AM by Plain Ian.)

(01-31-2016, 04:22 AM)Glenn Saunders Wrote: Ian

The weather check occurs once per turn and cannot change between or during phases. Not sure what went on in this example. Whatever it is, is likely the result of a memory glitch.

To avoid these it is always best to only open one John tiller game at a time, not several with some minimized. And close all games and re launch the application before proceeding with a poem turn. This will help keep the PCs memory clear and remove replay glitches.

Thanks for the reply. I should have made it clear that when I went to start my turn/phase the weather was Normal. I just wasn't sure what the weather was for Indragnir during his turn. I thought it was Normal but replay looked like it was still Mud.

I think 'Turn' can be a bit confusing. There are player turns (although I think of these as phases) and game turns. I think all references to 'Turns' in the manual are game Turns?

Dog Soldier · 01-31-2016, 01:12 PM,

(01-31-2016, 06:21 AM)Plain Ian Wrote: I think 'Turn' can be a bit confusing. There are player turns (although I think of these as phases) and game turns. I think all references to 'Turns' in the manual are game Turns?

Yes, turn references are for first player then second player moves equaling one turn.
If you are playing a long game and the whole turn concept gets blurred in your head, just look at the victory dialog. The first side is defined there and makes an easy reference.

Visibility changes will occur when the first side is the controlling side. Defending players have to take this into account especially around the dawn to full day light turn transition as units you thought might be safe are revealed when the lights turn on. Defenders can take advantage of the decrease in light at the end of a day when full day light changes to dusk then to night. A great time to slip away with one unit and insert a stronger unit to ambush an aggressive attacker.

The ground conditions change after the midnight turn when the first side player moves.
When defending one has to keep in mind that those ground conditions can change after your midnight turn resulting in the first side getting a chance to move better or worse depending on the transition.

Bridge blowing would be nice to not be seen by both players, especially when one player has no LOS to the bridge. This will not change as bridges are not units but part of the map. The code can not affect a map item like a bridge to check for LOS. As a player you can get a bit clever though with how you choose to blow bridges. You can wait until the enemy is close before blowing the bridge. This will force the enemy to back up and choose a different route or bring forward bridging equipment. In a game like Bulge traffic snarls from a bridge blowing up in the advancing player's face will be very effective in causing the attack to lose momentum. This can give you time to repair your lines.
Another clever trick is to blow the bridges in certain areas knowing your opponent will avoid them. This can then channel his attack where you want to meet his force. Controlling the choice the ground to fight on is always as good thing for a defender to do. this can back fire on you if you do not keep some recon on the river line and control of a good road to shift back to the area you abandoned after blowing the bridges. Be aware if opponent can build a bridge.

Does this help answer your questions? An yes, Indragnir is an excellent PzC player.

Dog Soldier

Indragnir · (This post was last modified: 02-01-2016, 02:19 AM by Indragnir.)

Must be a glitch. My weather condition last two game days was mud. Well, this day is mud again.

I totally agree with your thoughts about Bridge demolishing and DDR while digging in.

As I told you on turn 70 your replayed turn did really weird things so I just skipped it.

Kuriltai · 02-01-2016, 05:22 AM,

(02-01-2016, 02:18 AM)Indragnir Wrote: Must be a glitch. My weather condition last two game days was mud. Well, this day is mud again.

I totally agree with your thoughts about Bridge demolishing and DDR while digging in.

As I told you on turn 70 your replayed turn did really weird things so I just skipped it.

Regarding replays....
I hesitate to get in on this as I am no expert...but if Glenn is correct about the multiple JTS/HPS running...I seem to remember this happening to me back in the day...The answer was to delete your pbemail.yyy files as it was possibly corrupted and letting the game create another.
Maybe Rich is the guy to ask.

Plain Ian · 02-01-2016, 07:29 AM,

(02-01-2016, 02:18 AM)Indragnir Wrote: Must be a glitch. My weather condition last two game days was mud. Well, this day is mud again.

I totally agree with your thoughts about Bridge demolishing and DDR while digging in.

As I told you on turn 70 your replayed turn did really weird things so I just skipped it.

Yes the turn replay showed it as mud but the replay also shows units assaulting into Forest then firing after the assault. I also see motorised units moving one forest hex then firing? Thats not possible in MUD turns? Maybe we are playing on different maps?

I've also experienced wierd replays where I watch my units take losses then when I look at the unit at the start of my turn the losses and fatigue do not tally. In most cases I have more men and lower fatigue than I should have?

I'll delete the pbm file and make sure I don't have more than one Bulge open. I normally only have two versions open when I'm trying to write up the AAR. Its sometimes quicker to check losses by comparing the copy of my end of turn (saved before pressing Next Turn) with the new file just received back. Checking losses from replay can be tedious even with screenpresso.

**Ricky B** · 02-01-2016, 08:30 AM,

Plain Ian, it is possible to assault and then fire, as long as the movement cost is not more than 2/3 of the total movement points a unit starts with. Assaults take 2/3, or the cost to move into the hex if more than 2/3s.

Movement costs are read from the PDT file being used in the save game. As it appears you are playing a custom scenario, but I don't recall which one any longer, it is possible you and Cesar have managed to end up with different PDT files, that can depend on the mix of custom scenarios and the files they use, although it is rare to have different PDT versions with the same name, but possible.

Indragnir · (This post was last modified: 02-01-2016, 12:31 PM by Indragnir.)

(02-01-2016, 08:30 AM)Ricky B Wrote: Plain Ian, it is possible to assault and then fire, as long as the movement cost is not more than 2/3 of the total movement points a unit starts with. Assaults take 2/3, or the cost to move into the hex if more than 2/3s.

Movement costs are read from the PDT file being used in the save game. As it appears you are playing a custom scenario, but I don't recall which one any longer, it is possible you and Cesar have managed to end up with different PDT files, that can depend on the mix of custom scenarios and the files they use, although it is rare to have different PDT versions with the same name, but possible.

Mmm, I don't think we're using different PDT files since we're playing VM_alt. I'm pretty sure I'm using the latest files.