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Operation Compass

I just got the game, and I must say it seems amazing! I've gone through the manual, the tutorial, and Operation Skorpion and I am definitely hooked. So much hooked, that I couldn't resist looking at the source list at the end of the manual, and I bought "The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941" right away, a very nice book indeed.

Now, for the actual question. I was wondering why there is no Operation Compass in the game. I can understand that maybe is not right for the campaign (outperforming the Italian 10th Army is easy, and if that happens then the campaign is over without DAK). However, I think that Compass could be a nice longer scenario. So is there a particular reason for not including it (other than "we didn't get the time to balance and create it, the probably and perfectly valid actual reason)?

3 comments

Comments (3)

Tomislav Čipčić

Feb 10, 2023

Great idea, to make it a part of Tutorial 👍🏻 I wish we thought of it a year ago, when we designed it. Give editor a go if you find time, hope you'll find it interesting. Especially after you read a Barrie Pitt's book and the story of "Barba elettrica" and his troops.

Tomislav Čipčić

Feb 10, 2023

Cheers and thanks for your very kind words! The book you bought is one of the best covering the campaing. Fine, exciting read with a lot of information.

Regarding operation Compass, here's the thing. You'll see that the entire game has been developed in a tabletop wargame style. That means that each battle and operation was designed with two players in mind (as you would when you design a tabletop wargame). Usually computer strategy games are designed differently - with only one player in mind, playing solo against a computer. They are one-sided deals, in which you play campaign as a German in offensive with timed victory goals, with no option to play the other side.

We could have designed Operation Compass only for British side. That would have made for an interesting gaming experience. But that same campaing would have been very boring and frustrating if you played it as an Italian. Shitty troops with low mobility .. tough luck for you, mate. Because of that great imbalance between two sides in Operation Compass, that big difference in troop quality and mobility, we can't make it interesting for both players. And that is the main condition for a scenario in AaD and the reason we couldn't create it.

I wish you many exciting and fun gaming experiences! And see you on the desert sand 😀

von bearenstein

Feb 10, 2023

Replying to

I see, it makes sense! Thank you for your answer.

Maybe there is a way to include it anyway as a longer and more complex tutorial for the British. The tutorial missions are very nice and explain everything very good, but they are also all limited in space and time (as it should be). However then you move to try out the historical campaign, and you are greeted with Operation Sonnenblume where you need to cover hundreds of miles in 2 weeks! And against O'Connors forces that even if not up to standard and tired, they can still through a wrench in your plans. So maybe going from the tutorial scenarios to a tutorial "campaign" only for the British (a sort of Prologue?) with Operation Compass could have been nice.

But your point is very good, I understand the problems in implementing that. Maybe I'll try to design it myself with the Editor 😉