Tech suggestions

[zoot]

First I'd like to say that I have no computer skills and offer my suggestions as a way to maybe help a little in making this mod more enjoyable. I really appreciate the skills,time and effort that modders put into their work, I envy thier abilities. They make games last way beyound their normal time.
I offer a few suggestions for the tech tree.
Replace the sea techs with, maybe the following; fleet maneuvers, subs, fighter planes and bombers, if aircraft are going to be in the game.
Also, and this has been said many times, barbed wire.

zoot

[King Sama]

Thank you for the suggestions.

We do need more tech suggestions, and if you or anyone else has any, please speak up. The airplane techs will be included in the future. The fleet maneuvers is an interesting idea though...

[ctsolaris]

Alright. A "Mad Minute" tech. This was something british soldiers could do, firing 20+ rounds into a target 300 yards away in less than a minute. I don't think its fair if their rate of fire is always very high, so maybe as a battlefield ability (similar to "barrage" for arty)? For the tech description maybe one could say that "improved training with the No. 1 Mk. 3 SMLE, coupled with its 10 round magazine capacity, allows the British soldier to have dramatically increased rate of fire, while maintaining accuracy, for approximately 1 minute". Now I recentely came up with another idea for the brits, volley sights. They were sights on the left side of the rifle that were set for the distance of the enemy (this was told to the infantryman by an officer). Then mass volley fire, using the sights, was used to attack the enemy from great distances. Now, I think that the volley sights were gradually phased out during WWI, so they should be an early tech. Maybe on the battlefield they would be slower to fire, but allow engagement at extreme distance (the max range for volley sights was either 3000 or 2500 meters) with low accuracy. I'll do some research on their use and when they were used, i'll also try to find some pics. Possibly a moderator should sticky this thread??

[ctsolaris]

I found an excellent (but a little long) video describing a pre-war SMLE. It also shows this volley sight i've been going on about . BDIZZLE might find this good for his modeling too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uhpd...eature=related

[Aanker]

Naval early technologies:

Diesel Fuelled Engines (standardized) - Increased campaign movement range

Naval intermediate technologies:

Some sort of torpedo technology making destroyer torpedoes more powerful?

Various recruitment/maintenance technologies.

Naval late technologies:

RADAR - Increased accuracy and range

[ctsolaris]

Radar wasn't developed until the mid 30's. Britain was trying to develop a "death ray" using radio waves, but ended up in a dead end. Radar waves were used for early detection of enemy aircraft in 1940 during the Battlle of Britain.

[Darkhorse]

Once you get tanks into the game, an "Anti Tank Gun" tech, and "High Velocity Rifle" tech would be appropriate, both unlocking a new unit each. Additionally, when you have tanks in game, the British (maybe others) should have an "Infantry Barge" (I think it was called that), which you could say was the first APC. Basically a huge metal box towed behind a tank. You could also branch out into SPG's. Lastly, all factions should have an "Armoured Car Detachment" tech. These need not appear in battle. But their effect should be slightly increased movement range, and much large campaign map line of site to represent their scouting ability. Perhaps even a stronger flanking bonus for this tech?

[ctsolaris]

Yes to go along with tanks (i don't know if this is what you meant by "high powered rifle"), there shoud be AT riflemen. The british used the Boyes AT rifle. It fired a .50 caliber bullet that was used to shoot track off tanks and immobilize them.

[Darkhorse]

High velocity rifles were around well before the Boys was about. Pretty much the first thing to come about to counter tanks. Fairly sure the Germans had them chambered in 7.92 Mauser too. If you're interested, the Boys was a interwar weapon. And fired a 13.9mm bullet (.55).

[ctsolaris]

And fired a 13.9mm bullet (.55).

I stand corrected

[antisocialmunky]

Didn't the AP guns first appear to punch through the armored shields some of the completely crazy snipers were using?

[Darkhorse]

Quite possibly. AFAIK though you can only do so much to a .303 or 7.92M to increase its velocity. Toward the end of the war, the .50 Browning was entering development stages as an AT weapon too. Before that though, the Germans had two designs for AT weapons that I know of. One was a 28mm cannon, (1902 design originally IIRC) which tapered down to 20mm by the time the shell reached the end of the barrel. Known as the "Squeeze gun". But, 1902 design or not, it didn't enter service until 1941. And secondly. An almost medieval style gun, on an old fashioned carriage, that was really small and in 37mm.

Also, they adapted a flare pistol into a (albeit completely rubbish) AT weapon at some point. Can't remember when or what war.

And there is the flaming onion too. Which was a 5 barrelled 37mm gatling gun for AA purposes. That's a 1WW design. Its AA not AT, but its cool so.

[RO Citizen]

With the tanks and airplanes included, I think your tech suggestions will be a must

[nzartus]

I don't know what you're capable of changing in the game but here are some ideas:

BTW, While I was writing these it occured to me that using religion to reflect politics would work very well with enlightenment technologies in that enlightenment can break down barriers between nations. Previously religion, now, what I would call some type of Nationalsim or Patriotism.
Also, alot of these aren't really that beneficial. I'd suggest that for alot of the military technologies you should need a certain level of education building to research, so that these things become compulsory if you want to advance technologically. It represents the more worldly society that comes with a more technologically advanced one.

So, political/enlightenment branch technologies?

Pacifism - could increase war weariness, increase other factions' respect for national leader, decrease religious unrest (I just say religion but it won't be in the game if you use it as is mentioned above).

Protectionism - weakens capacity for trade ie number of routes (need to choose trade partners carefully) but greatly increases profit from individual regions.
or
Internationalism - increases trade routes, no bonus, affects trade with nations who have also go this technology in the same way as if they were a long term trade partner, which I guess represents trust, decrease religious unrest.

Non-Intervention - could make enemies and neutral countries more friendly but relations with allies drop a little - on the whole other countries will be happy to agree to stuff with you.
Trade Unions - increased happiness, increased costs for buildings, less tax revenue.

Dominions - I don't know if colonies will be represented in any way in this game but I think the shift from dominions to colonies would be a good one for the tech tree. Could simply increase public happiness, less trade routes but a big bonus on trade. Maybe unlocks colonial troops (now fighting as their own outfit rather than for whoever the player is - like the expats on Empire.

War Novels - increase war weariness, decrease religious unrest, increase enlightenment technology research rate.

Suffrage Movement - increase public happiness, increased production in factories, some percentage increase of people in settlements (represents the female workforce and the freeing up of males for military service), I don't know alot about the affects of the female vote but it shouldn't be huge seeing as universal female suffrage wasn't for a while.

Rationing - some kind of increase in profit from trade and production, If there are upper and lower classes this makes lower class happy... I think. Actually maybe it's better to make people unhappy at the fact that rationing is needed, rather than happy at how rationing means they have regular access to necessities. What say you?

Radical Politics - causes plenty of unrest, increases research rate for enlightenment technologies, but behind the clouds..

Communism - increases war weariness, decreases religious unrest, increased recruitment and upkeep for military but introduces mass low cost low quality units, greater productivity from factories, changes Government type.

Facism - decreases war weariness, increases religious unrest, cheaper recruitment and upkeep for military, greater productivity from factories, hurts diplomacy (changes Government type??)

War Correspondence - decrease/increase war weariness depending on success, somehow increase the effectiveness of government ministers? Increased happiness.

That's all I got for now. I'm sure I'm missing real obvious stuff but anyway.

[Audacia]

^ these are really good I hope we use them

[Doc Holliday]

Yes to go along with tanks (i don't know if this is what you meant by "high powered rifle"), there shoud be AT riflemen. The british used the Boyes AT rifle. It fired a .50 caliber bullet that was used to shoot track off tanks and immobilize them.

Coincidently and a little off topic but Boyes rifles were still in use by the Marine corps in WWII and is even credited with downing an Emily (Japanese seaplane along the lines of a PBY Catalina Flying Boat)

[Darkhorse]

Coincidently and a little off topic but Boyes rifles were still in use by the Marine corps in WWII and is even credited with downing an Emily (Japanese seaplane along the lines of a PBY Catalina Flying Boat)

There are several instances of Boys being used in weird ways. I believe a trainee gunner in an Avro Anson show down something with a Boys. But there's better than that!

A C-47 Pilot downed a Zero with a BAR he happened to have sticking out of the window.

And, something also cool, a Wellington pilot went outside and onto the wing to put out a fire, he got a VC for that.

[Doc Holliday]

I don't know what you're capable of changing in the game but here are some ideas:

BTW, While I was writing these it occured to me that using religion to reflect politics would work very well with enlightenment technologies in that enlightenment can break down barriers between nations. Previously religion, now, what I would call some type of Nationalsim or Patriotism.
Also, alot of these aren't really that beneficial. I'd suggest that for alot of the military technologies you should need a certain level of education building to research, so that these things become compulsory if you want to advance technologically. It represents the more worldly society that comes with a more technologically advanced one.

So, political/enlightenment branch technologies?

Pacifism - could increase war weariness, increase other factions' respect for national leader, decrease religious unrest (I just say religion but it won't be in the game if you use it as is mentioned above).

Protectionism - weakens capacity for trade ie number of routes (need to choose trade partners carefully) but greatly increases profit from individual regions.
or
Internationalism - increases trade routes, no bonus, affects trade with nations who have also go this technology in the same way as if they were a long term trade partner, which I guess represents trust, decrease religious unrest.

Non-Intervention - could make enemies and neutral countries more friendly but relations with allies drop a little - on the whole other countries will be happy to agree to stuff with you.
Trade Unions - increased happiness, increased costs for buildings, less tax revenue.

Dominions - I don't know if colonies will be represented in any way in this game but I think the shift from dominions to colonies would be a good one for the tech tree. Could simply increase public happiness, less trade routes but a big bonus on trade. Maybe unlocks colonial troops (now fighting as their own outfit rather than for whoever the player is - like the expats on Empire.

War Novels - increase war weariness, decrease religious unrest, increase enlightenment technology research rate.

Suffrage Movement - increase public happiness, increased production in factories, some percentage increase of people in settlements (represents the female workforce and the freeing up of males for military service), I don't know alot about the affects of the female vote but it shouldn't be huge seeing as universal female suffrage wasn't for a while.

Rationing - some kind of increase in profit from trade and production, If there are upper and lower classes this makes lower class happy... I think. Actually maybe it's better to make people unhappy at the fact that rationing is needed, rather than happy at how rationing means they have regular access to necessities. What say you?

Radical Politics - causes plenty of unrest, increases research rate for enlightenment technologies, but behind the clouds..

Communism - increases war weariness, decreases religious unrest, increased recruitment and upkeep for military but introduces mass low cost low quality units, greater productivity from factories, changes Government type.

Facism - decreases war weariness, increases religious unrest, cheaper recruitment and upkeep for military, greater productivity from factories, hurts diplomacy (changes Government type??)

War Correspondence - decrease/increase war weariness depending on success, somehow increase the effectiveness of government ministers? Increased happiness.

That's all I got for now. I'm sure I'm missing real obvious stuff but anyway.

Facism wasn't really a player so much in the First World War but change that to Imperialism and you have the same characteristics. Communism wouldn't have increased production during WWI as it caused utter chaos in Russia and it wasn't really till Stalin that the Soviet Union really could mount production on a large scale.

One of the things that bothers me about the total war engine is that they make no ability for shore bombardment yet included ships that only had a use in a bombardment role such as Bomb and Rocket Ketch's. Dunno if there is a way to include that in say taking over a port.

Is there a way to make a Paris Gun? Perhaps as an agent and use it to lower the morale and increase unrest in a city that its in range of?

If there is a way to include torpedos or mines then the battleships and battlecruisers of the era would have to be equipped with torpedo netting that would make torpedo attacks on them much less effective. Maybe make that a researchable tech?

Q Ships, look like transports but pack the punch of a heavy cruiser, yet won't really stand up to the punishment that a light cruiser could take. Would be great in a protection role for trade ships.

Zepplins capable of strategic bombing along the same line as a Paris gun used to lower morale and increase unrest in a city.

Just a few ideas keep up the good work guys

[Darkhorse]

Q ships are a very interesting concept. Many a Uboat was messed up by one of those.

[nzartus]

Facism wasn't really a player so much in the First World War but change that to Imperialism and you have the same characteristics. Communism wouldn't have increased production during WWI as it caused utter chaos in Russia and it wasn't really till Stalin that the Soviet Union really could mount production on a large scale.

Imperialism already existed in all the big countries, hence WWI - why would you be developing it during the war? The reason I suggest facism is because it developed in WWI, and could easily have had an impact in Germany or Italy had the war gone on longer. You just need to look at the support the Nazis had. Try not to think about facist states, rather the nationalist democratic movements that were growing in Germany and Italy at the time.

As for communism, that utter chaos was because of civil war. If you suddenly make a country communist withot any opposition then you should be fine. Do it when you only have half the country, people are invading, and there are two revolutionary movements and it is a different story.

So much other stuff happening in Europe during the war other than new weapons. If you have any other ideas not related to military then now is the time.