Great article. I've been trying to come up with a way to design scenarios so there is more Fow and variety.
What I've been working on is a high to low level scenario design that helps determine pre-battle activities and attachments based on the parent division, operation type and number of support points for the player to select assets. There is a pre-battle and recon segment where actions will take place that will dictate what will happen at the games tactical level. I think this could work for formations up to battalion level, maybe regiment using 1/300 scale figures.
I'm trying to keep the pre-game part simple. For example a counter-battery asset will cancel out an enemy artillery barrage that may have been available during the game. A fighter escort asset will cancel out a fighter interceptor asset letting your ground attack asset be used. An anti-aircraft asset will degrade an enemy ground attack asset. These actions are abstracted but I guess could be played out using the tactical game ruleset if there was enough time or interest.
A prepared assault will have more support points than a meeting engagement. Support points will be available to purchase aviation, artillery, anti-aircraft and other units that would typically be attached or available from the parent division or be appropriate for the scenario. The player does have the ability to customize their force.
There is also a level of intel each player will have. The results of the pre-game intel phase will determine if you identify the enemy at the division, regiment or battalion level. Prepared Assault/Defense has a better chance of identifying to the lower level than a meeting engagement. Lower level knowledge will let you determine if the enemy is more tank or infantry based and give you an idea of what support assets to concentrate on.Electronic warfare assets can be used to fool the enemy.
So a player may start with a Panzer Grenadier Battalion performing a hasty assault. He'll get some Regimental level attachments, probably division level but not Corps level attachment. Probably no counter-batter or air strikes on enemy artillery but a better chance of getting recon units. A Prepared Assault he'd have a good chance of getting all levels of support. It really depends on the parent division type, scenario and OOB.
The pre-game activity will influence what the player has when the game begins. So if a defender used counter-battery successfully and an air strike on the enemy artillery it may almost eliminate the amount of artillery the attacker will have once the tactical game begins. The defender may have to decide on selecting an anti-aircraft attachment or an anti-tank attachment not knowing if the enemy will have air strikes or armor if he only has high level intel.You can hold back artillery and air assets to be used later during the tactical game. So if you used up all of your CAP/intercept air units in the pre-game to protect your artillery and air strips they won't be available to protect your units on the table from enemy air strikes.
This creates a good fog of war on both sides, interjects a little pre-game/strategic activity that will affect the tactical battle. Players will have to outguess their opponent too. If you pick fighters assigned to CAP/interception and your opponent has no air strikes scheduled you've basically wasted those points.
Wolfhag
