@TG:
Ozone, I like your idea on using zeppelines (though you do know in real life, those zeppelines were a failure, right? :roll:), so talk with Emu as he is the chief mod builder - I’m just a helper.
Also (and I’m sorry if it burst your bubble), but A&A: WWI be using the A&A: Europe map so no Pacific or African fighting (though there is some).
That’s a real shame about the no African/Pacific fighting, but I can understand–the colonial battles were pretty much a wash for Germany (with their overly-lethargic and aimless Naval strategy) with only a couple of victories, and only one colony holding out till the Armistice (or rather a tiny guerrilla group in one of their colonies).
As far as the Zeppelins I think it’d be a SUPER-LETDOWN if they were not featured. American “precision” bombing, as well as Germany’s submarine blockade of UK in WW2 were also failures, but like the “Zeppelin strategy” they were pretty good ideas at the time, and were included in (at least some incarnations) in A & A. Zepps could definitely be made to work in the context of the game, but I can’t seem to come up w/ any specific details of how they should work. Here’s some general ideas I came up with:
1.) They should be either units (i.e. that you can buy), or possibly something special like a technology that allows some kind of strategic raid each turn–a little like A & A “Rockets”. I prefer the “they’re units” option, but the “technology” option might be easier.
2.)They should pretty much be a Germany-only thing. Germany pretty much dominated the rigid-airship technology before and during WWI. If other countries can build Zepps, there should be a reason why they wouldn’t, like maybe they don’t start with any on the board and they don’t work well in small #s, where Germany starts w/ 1 or more. Or maybe its a “free tech” that Germany starts w/ but others have to research (although a tech that allows the building of a whole different unit might be unfeasable).
3.)They should start the game at their peak, and lose effectiveness over time. Zepps should be relatively vulnerable to winged aircraft–maybe as the game progresses there are just more aircraft on the board on all sides, or maybe they become more effective over time (like thru tech). At the start of the War, no aeroplane could fly higher, or climb even CLOSE to as fast, as a Zeppelin–not to mention their prodigious bomb capacity–therefore the “Zeppelin strategy” was actually a solid plan at that time.
4.) If there are AA guns in this game, Zepps should be virtually immune. Zeppelins (especially the later “height-climbers”) were virtually immune to WW1-grade AA guns–they could just simply fly higher (and climb faster) than the guns could reach.
5.) In line w/ 3 & 4 above, if a Zeppelin raid is similar to an A & A bomber raid, then AA (if there are any in the game) should be ineffective, where planes provide some sort of defense–like say, 1 shot at a roll of 1 against 1 Zepp for each plane. Later in the game, the Zepps raids get more risky because of the planes (maybe there are more of them or maybe they are just more effective).
6.) Zeppelin raids (if they are similar to A & A raids) should be more of a gamble. They usually score little-to-moderate damage, but a lucky round should have the potential to be a game-winner if it comes at the right time: as long as the payoff, though rare, could be worth the investment so that people have a reason to build them. It should definitely be a choice of whether to invest in, say Zepps, and/or SUBs and/or more armies/navy as a strategy to win the war, but failure to win w/ Zepps or SUBs or whatever shouldn’t destroy a prudent player–the failure of the Zeppelin strategy and the submarine strategy did not, in themselves, cost Germany the war, it was a combination of things…
7.) If Zeppelins are a unit, I think they should have these capabilities: Attack:1 (Zepps were used against infantry early in the war but were largely ineffective, and the raids were at low altitude and therefore overly dangerous). Defense:0 (one guy w/ a cigarette lighter and a Zeppelin is toast on the ground). But Zeppelins would have 2 special abilities: strategic bombing raids–representing material damage, but also falling production due to a terrorized workforce; and a special “transport” ability. Zeppelins were used extensively in WWI for supply and troop transport by Germany and they had a range unmatched by winged aircraft.In a “transport” run, the Zeppelin would have to forego its combat move, but on NonCombat, it could transport 1 INF up to its flight range–just like “Paratroopers” except without the attack ability–this would be useable only to get troops around (a good place to use it would be Africa, but of course its not included). So the strength of the Zeppelin would only really be in it’s strategic bombing ability, but the Zepps a Germany player has he could still use even if he opts out of a strong “Zeppelin strategy”.
In 1919, a German-built Zeppelin became the first lighter-than-air craft (or ANY aircraft) to cross the Atlantic. If these “super-Zeppelins” had been ready during the war, the USA could surely have been bombed. This possibility has GOT to be included in the game!
Anyway, you guys are the experts and I hope that I have not presumed too much in my comments. I have a LOT of other ideas (especially about naval stuff), but I don’t wanna get on your nerves. I am not a game-creator, just an enthusiast, so maybe a practical Zeppelin model is just not feasible. Maybe a thread just on this subject would be in order (if there’s enough interest). Just, please–do the research; if possible, put Zepps in your game!
Ozone2
