Re: Spoon Feeding WWII Genre to players was --> Re: GenCon Plans Anyone?

On Thu, 2002-08-08 at 05:29, Mike Elliott wrote:
> 
> Hi Flak Magnet,
> 
> I presume you have seen my original article on the subject at
> http://www.felixent.force9.co.uk/art26.html ? What more information on
WWII
> do you need? I don't claim to be an expert, but I have been wargaming
most
> periods including WWII for over 30 years, so I think I know a bit. I
have
> successfully played WWII games using the stats as given in the
article.
> Given the stats there already, it should be fairly easy to generate
stats
> for any other WWII vehicle - that was the idea. My own preference is
for
> ETO 1944-45, hence the stats in the article.

Yes I have seen it.  It's good.  Your information was, in fact, the data
that "stood up to the scrutiny" of the micro-armor group I mentioned. 
It will no doubt play a very large part in the overall project I have
laid out for myself.  I agree that it ought to be fairly easy to
generate stats for other vehicles.  What I meant by the work being
"unfinished" is just that... the troops and vehicles need "fleshing out"
before it's a "grab and go" option for DSII.  That's what I want to
create, mainly for my own use, but once I've done that work, I might as
well share it.
 
> If you want to add a lot of "chrome" along the lines of the web pages
you
> cite, then go ahead. Personally, I find it difficult to remember too
many
> "special" rules, and I don't think they add a lot to a game anyway,
apart
> from the frustration when you remember that you should have applied
such a
> rule the previous turn and you forgot!

I want to add "flesh" (as mentioned above and chrome.  I won't add
special rules really.  I think modifications to communications and
possibly artillery rules ought to suffice.  Nothing specific to any
given troop-type or units... that's stilly, and going away from what
DSII is (at least to me).

> A lot of the historical information on the web sites you mention can
of
> course be lifted straight out (Plagiarism? Me?) as it is not rule
system
> dependent.

Right, like TO&E's, and the like.  That's what I'd like to put together
for DSII and eventually SGII, comprehensive and easy to read. 
Historically based TO&E's for WWII forces, as complete as I can manage. 
Most of the T0&E work will be done tomorrow, hopefully, as I hope to
pick up a Wargamer's TO&E book from Battle Honors tomorrow.  That's the
meat of the project, the rules mods to get a WWII flavor is the easy
part.
 
> Again, I would have thought most historical wargamer's would not have
any
> difficulty taking a set of rules like DS2 and modifying them to suit
WWII,
> as often these people know far more about the period than those who
don't
> normally play it. Besides creating vehicles is half the fun!

Nope, no problem at all.  I'm just looking at doing it completely (with
help, duh) and sharing the results with some polish/chrome.  Why should
everyone have to invent their own wheels?  And, as Allan mentioned,
people are lazy - I did make the subject "Spoon Feeding <blah blah>"...
you don't have to spoon feed the do it yourselfer crowd.  

Basically, when I decided I wanted to use DSII for WWII gaming, I wished
someone had done all this project I've taken on, kind of wishing I'd
been spoon fed it.  It's a case of me thinking "Somebody should..." and
then deciding that I'm that somebody.  (Yay me.)

It also serves as an impetus for my research into WWII... I can't very
well produce a well-informed TO&E and design units for DSII without
becoming at least somewhat well-informed myself, now can I?

> BTW, Jon has stated previously that he has no interest in publishing
> historical rules.

He doesn't need to... DSII is well-suited with a tweak here or there. 
And as Allan also mentioned, FMA ought to be even moreso.

> Hope that helps,

It does.  Anything that makes me clearly state or refine the definition,
scope and scale of what I want to do helps.

> Mike

-- 

--Flak Magnet
Hive Fleet Jaegernaught
http://www.geocities.com/flakmagnet72

"You don't install Linux on the desktop for the same reason
you don't stick table saws in your kids' bedrooms, or give
a contractor a squeeky hammer to build your house. Real men
use the table saws, and let the kids use the squeeky hammer
to bonk each other on the head."  --  Seen on Freshmeat