[Discontinued] 88mm Battery Map

Here's a new concept map I just finished, a WWII German 88 Battery Map, where Americans have to attack it and Germans have to defend it. I incorrectly placed it in the Map Suggestion thread and was told to make a separate thread... so here it is! It is uploaded in Flattened JPG version, but I have the Photoshop version with layers if/when editing be required. As it is such a small game play (2 player) map, I have created it in 900 X 600 resolution (suitable to all modern monitors/screens). I have opted for colour overlay for bonus regions as it is based on a small battle in one field not a territory map, so there are no territories. I feel it is an ideal 2 player only game with fixed start positions and bonus opportunities & to be in-keeping with the real strategy, there will be no extra replacement reinforcements sent to help either army, so there should be no cards, it should be played with bonus troops only (as if bunkered or bringing up the rear) and so the set up should be (Fixed start positions, No cards, Chained fortifications & absolutely No fog). The proposed game set up is how it would work most realistically and for fairest game play, but if there is no way to restrict the options for this Map, then it will have to lose it's realism and become whatever the creator decides. However, the objectives must stay the same for the scenario to work. American: The (Primary) object of the game is to take the X2 bunkers, all X3 88mm Gun Emplacements & the X1 Machine Gun Nest. The (Secondary) alternative objective is to kill all the German Troops. German: The (Primary) object of the game is to kill all attacking American Troops. The (Secondary) alternative objective is to occupy (Retreat to) all the inner Battery Territories (every Red & Yellow coloured space), giving the reality of retreating under fire to the only unoccupied exit, which is NW of the map. Each opponent will have the same amount of troops to start, but Germans have the benefit of easier access to bonus areas (representing fortified positions). However, they will need it as they have no chain for fortifying. The neutral spaces in open ground should have larger than normal neutral troops within each so as to signify the enemy bullets and mortars from each opponent and 2 neutral troops in trenched positions where more cover would be offered as it is in close quarters battle of this type. In this small battle game type, neutral troop numbers should be thought of as incoming munitions from the enemy. There will be an alternative route to the Machine Gun Nest, but it involves staying out in the open so will be bombarded with enemy bullets and mortar and so will have progressively more neutral numbers (bullets etc.) to overcome as they near the Machine Gun Nest. However, it offers another way to overcome the Germans or at least stop them winning the game should they heavily fortify the 88 Guns and bunkers, in-keeping with the ability of the attacking troops to move and flank the defenders. The opportunity of success is initially with the German Forces due to fortification and lack of a need to move. However, the German game relies on keeping certain key points whilst enduring constant attacks from flanking positions, so they will either eventually need to take bonuses or get good accurate shots at the Americans (lucky dice) and so the long term game favours the Americans if successful in attack on both flanks, but if they lose one of their flanks, their chances are greatly reduced due to a concentration of German Troops on the last remaining flank and deadly firepower in the aptly named "kill zones". Game Information: This is placed on the Map as 'Military Orders' for both Armies, stating their objectives (Primary / Secondary). There is also a 'colour bonus areas' key. The Map: This is a reality Map (suggesting a close up aerial photo) overlaid by a dark screen for contrast and further overlaid by coloured sectors for territory area designation with link lines throughout to show which place marker is connected to which and so possible routes of attack. I hope the staff like it and if so, I hope the programmers don't have any trouble setting it up??!! I believe this Game Scenario & Map offers a new, fun and very strategic 1 on 1 game and if so, I look forward to creating the next edition of a variety of sizes of new Maps & perhaps some new Game Scenarios to come, which will hopefully encourage more players to support the site. This service is free! The Map is in 4 versions and uploaded to my site for viewing / download in high resolution JPEG. [url=http://www.the-inkstore.co.uk/frame/German%2088%20battery%20Game%20Pre-Start%20No%20Place%20Holder%20Circles%20Setup%20example%20900X600.jpg]1 version has no place marker circles at all.[/url] [url=http://www.the-inkstore.co.uk/frame/German%2088%20battery%20Game%20Pre-Start%20No%20Troops%20Setup%20example%20900X600.jpg]1 version has the official blank grey circles.[/url] [url=http://www.the-inkstore.co.uk/frame/German%2088%20battery%20Game%20Pre-Start%20Setup%20example%20900X600.jpg]1 version has the official blank grey circles and the proposed starting troop numbers.[/url] [url=http://www.the-inkstore.co.uk/frame/German%2088%20battery%20Game%20Start%20Setup%20example%20900X600.jpg]1 version has the official blank grey circles and the proposed starting troop numbers + two different colour circle sets to show where the opponent start positions are.[/url] [b]For future reference, please tell me which stage above would be the map required by the programmers, ie with / without circle placeholders?[/b] I welcome any feedback on this and look forward to editing it should there be any interest.

I think, if well played on both sides, the germans can only win by having extremely good dice. The amaricans can most certainly take the bunkers by fortifying, and then take on the germans one by one, while they have 12 territories (bonus of 4) and the germans have not. As soon as the germans take a region they are dead, because killing all those neutrals cost a huge amount of troops.

First of all I will apologise for not reading your full post. I currently just don't have to time to read it all, but I did look at the images and I want to say something based on that. So if I address things you already talked about, then I'm sorry. This map is not going to happen. That might sound blunt or unfair or even not nice, but it is the truth. Apart from the fact that I don't like the connectivity of this map, it is just not possible to have fixed starting positions and different troop numbers. To code all that special code for just this map is just not possible in the current state of this website. So, let us say this map is technically not possible at this very moment. Then, secondly, there is the more subjective points I have against this map. Not necessarily the style and the gameplay, those thing can be improved, but the idea of this map. If the start locations and troop numbers are fixed, it becomes really easy to just find an optimal strategy for the game and if everybody just follows that strategy, all games played on this map become horribly similar. Surely there is still some randomness through dice, but then that would mean that eventually this game is completely decided by how the dice rolls, because the strategy is basically fixed. In my opinion, with this map you are no longer player Risk, but a strategy game that has a random factor in it. Therefore, without taking into account technicalities, I think this map will never be added in its current form. To be clear, I am not holding a grudge against you or trying to be unnice (that's not a word, is it?) or anything. I know that a lot of people on this website want more maps based on historical events (especially WW-I and WW-II) so I am happy that you are trying, but in my opinion you've got to move away from the concept of fixed starting positions.

Okay thank you, I thought it might be too much coding for this unique concept. Obviously the gameplay, neutrals and start positions could have been easily amended, but if the conditions required to set it up are too complicated or time consuming I understand and will move on to my general risk maps now. See you all here soon with the next Map.

I hope so. Nice work...though

I'm sorry aeronautic, the idea is nice and the look is great! Is that a picture or what? Gameplay could be good in my opinion, but really I am not a big fan of this kind of maps, personally I like normal maps. You can do many things: high/low connectivity, high/low bonuses, big/small regions, special shape regions, spacial shape maps, special bonuses... But still I think is better to not go too far with special things. I didn't comment early but I already had the feeling that programmers would have rejected it... too much work! Reading Cireon's comment I have to agree with him, fixed setup equals to fixed strategy. Going a bit off-topic, I think this is the reason why I don't like selected territories setup as it is in the official rules of Risk, all similar games! I like better the random setup.

Well, if you have a really good superb idea that blows the minds of everyone, than it will be done right? It's just that this idea seems kind of fixed. It's a better map to play CoD on.

I know this map has been scrapped by the staff due to programming requirements, but I'd still like to respond to a few questions and posts if I may?! If programming had been possible, you'll notice there were 2 ways to win for both players, therefore I disagree with fixed strategy, plus it is not written in stone that the Germans can't win for many reasons, but to just name 2: 1) The yellow region is quite easy to take with a large buffer before the Americans can get near it offering a 2 bonus. 2) The Germans can carry out a Retreat move to win if the attackers get too strong or too lucky with dice, which from their various positions is not ideal, but obtainable. Remembering that any move to attempt to win the game in this way is recognisable, it is also spoiler possible. However, I do agree that this kind of gameplay is not suitable to D12 and understand why it must be scrapped! @The_Bishop, yes it is a picture, but not a modified photo. It is an image I personally made by creating the 88 Gun complex in a game called CoH (Company of Heroes) and snipping various parts to piece together and blend to form a more zoomed out image usable as an aerial view photo effect. It takes longer to create something like this than to make 10 original 2D Maps or Trace 5 original maps for computer graphic creation.

It would take 9 neutral troops to take the yellow region for blue, wheres it costs 4 neutrals and 4 red troops to reach it.

You are only looking at the quantity of neutrals etc to take, what about the fact that the Germans have 15 troops already bordering all neutrals in the Yellow sector. and that the Americans only have 3 to start, 3 to reinforce and 2 to fortify against 4 in either bunker, 4 neutrals and then 4 or more in either 88 Gun (which you overlooked above), depending on the side they wish to attack from, that's 12 to overcome with 6 assuming they attack first turn and 12+ to attack with 11 if they just reinforce 1st turn and attack 2nd turn. If Americans get 1st to play even, they just get 6 to attack 4 instantly which usually results in heavy losses and they almost certainly won't get into the first neutral space in the Trench. Then the Germans have 3 to add to K3b and use the safe 4's at the '88 Guns' and attack each 3 neutrals in the yellow sector with a 6 back up in K3b, which can attack the remainder of any of the 3 neutrals positions that still remain or fortify any guns that have now been linked. Obviously that is just one option and of course it can go drastically wrong for either or both players. there is also the chance that an attack on the 1st bunker could leave the Americans with nothing more than 3 after fortification. There is also the point that the troops don't have to be loaded in those quantities, there could be 4 lots of 4 troops around the yellow sector to start, testing would have decided this of course. It's just a point I wanted to make, that when I designed it, because it is not a standard Risk set up of 3's, there was a lot more opportunity that I saw in the gameplay. Anyway, it won't happen, I just wanted to respond about things that perhaps get overlooked.

In fact I think Germans have more chances. It is not due to conquer the yellow region, they can go directly against the enemy. With good rolls Germans can get a fast win, Allies cannot do that.

Yes, especially if they could link up their troops for fortification. However, enough said I think. This map is dead and probably should be removed as it would require special programming and is not in-keeping with D12 maps and gameplay. Could I ask a member of staff to remove the Forum Thread?

I modified the thread title and closed the thread. I think that is sufficient. I am not a fan of deleting stuff :)