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Simulating Initial German Strategic Initiative
by Runamuck

(This article was inspired by Pete's article entitled: "What Will the Virtual WWII Bring Us?" at the HQ.)

The Rats are having to deal with a lot right now as the basic mechanics of their online game are being created: setting up networks, inventing game engines, fighting frame rates and listening to us (which they spend way too much time doing… J ). One of the problems the Rats probably already have an outline on how to handle once those other items are taken care of, is how to simulate an initial Axis strategic advantage.

The rub, as it were, as Pete has pointed out, lies in the lack of surprise and the ability of hindsight to keep the Allies from ignoring the Belgium swinging door and trusting the Maginot Line. In order for any sort of reasonable simulation of the start of WWII, the Germans will have to be able to apply the Blitzkrieg doctrine including the element of surprise.

This can be accomplished by affecting the initial Allied situational readiness in several areas:

First, spawn locations can be restricted in number and locations. Placement of spawn locations further from the front will simulate some of the "shock" factor of the start of the war, giving the Axis initiative that disrupted communications and organization affords.

Limited supply distribution capabilities follow as a result of the same disruption reflected in the amount and "moveability" of supplies. For example, missions for re-supply could be limited in number per day.

Moreover, the communication disruption could be modeled as just that. Lag in reconnaissance reporting, mission postings and friendly positional information, etc. could effectively recreate the chaos exploited by the German army in Blitzkrieg. This would put real pressure on the Allied commanders to have a defensive strategy in place and account for their loss of initiative.

Lastly, Mo plays on the Axis side.

All of these measures would be in place on the opening days of the war and phased out, except for the Mo-factor, along some sort of timeline or in response to Axis success. These suggestions fall under the mystical Rat-established proprietary category of "play balancing".

As the Rats have clearly established precedence for emphasizing historical accuracy without recreating the war, I'm sure they will employ something akin to these measures as our little war cranks up and breaks the pastoral silence of the virtual farms, fields, and forests of western Europe.